Created for Home

Welcome

2011-04-02T14:21:00.002-05:00

If you have stumbled upon this site via a Google Friend Connect button or just scrolling through blogger, I'm sure you quickly noticed that this page hasn't been updated in a very long time. I moved over to a self-hosted platform the summer of 2010 and haven't regretted it at all. Feel free to come on over there at Created for Home. The move allowed me to have more options and freedom for my blogging endeavors. I hope to see you there!

School Days are Fast Approaching

2010-07-10T12:28:00.001-05:00

Well, it is now close to the middle of July. Where has this summer gone? For that matter, what happened to the month of June? It seems like I blinked and now we are quickly approaching the start of our "official" first year of homeschooling.

Wow. This is for real. I always pictured myself being a homeschooling mom. It always seemed like the day we would start true academic work was a long way off. However, the Bugs is getting close to being four-years-old. Nearly all her friends at church and in small group are at least a year older than she is and they are all going to kindergarten this year. She isn't. She has asked and begged to go to kindergarten like all of her friends. After explaining to her that she was too young and she had two more years before they would let her start because of her age and where her birthday is, and that we were going to do school at home, she hasn't stopped asking to do school.

We did some school work type stuff back in the spring. She fell in love with some work book pages, and she has always loved being read to. Next month, we are going to be truly starting and keeping track. She isn't of legal compulsary age yet, but I still plan on keeping track of school days this year. I'm not so worried about grading her work though. Most of what we will be doing is read alouds and basic skills. Stuff that we don't move on with until it is mastered. Granted the curriculum we chose for this year is equivilent to our local public school kindergarten and first grade work, I figure that the Bugs is only going to be four, so I'm not going to put the pressure on either of us.

Beans is going to tag along for the ride. She can listen in to the stories and play with play-dough and manipulatives along with her sister. Whatever she absorbs, great, we will repeat this program with her in probably two years. She doesn't turn three until February anyway. She loves to do what her big sister does and is just as smart too.

I still can't believe that our eldest is old enough to start preschool and do school already. It seems like yesterday I got the positive pregancy test with her. And then holding her in my arms for the first time and looking into that tiny, wrinkly face and telling her that I loved her. Time flies when you blink. I wouldn't trade the last four years with her for anything. She has taught me so much.

I've Moved

2010-07-10T00:35:00.002-05:00

That's right, I've moved to Word Press. I wasn't expecting the work to be done on my new look today, but I found out that I'm slated to be on the TOS Blog Walk next week and my absolutely terrific husband expedited it for me today before he left for work. So, if you follow this blog, you won't be getting any new posts through here after today (I intend to keep this blog so I can keep up with the blogs I follow though :). We installed Google's Friend Connect on the new blog for your convenience. Please mosey on over here. My husband redirected my web address so you don't have to learn anything new either :) The new blog is almost where I want it, there are a few things I need to finish thinking on and tweaking, but it is close and suitable for company now.

Thank you so much for following and making the move over there.

I Will be Moving

2010-07-09T12:30:00.002-05:00

Just a head's up, we are about ready to move this blog to Word Press from Blogger. I can do more things with my blog on there and my absolutely terrific husband has been working diligently to make me a gorgeous new blog look (he finished my header last night and WOW!). I'll let you all know so you aren't left in the dust, and I will have Google Friend Connect on it along with a few other neat things (so you will have to go and refollow, I'm sorry for the inconvience). I figured since I was slated to be on the blog walk next week it should be Sunday (barring any complications with moving my posts over, when Hubbs did this to his blog, you wouldn't believe the headache). The domain name will be the same, so no need to worry about losing me that way.

Sorry for any trouble this may cause, but this move is for the good. Thanks for reading and following!

Happy Anniversary Hon

2010-07-09T12:26:00.001-05:00

Ok, so this is a day late. I'm sorry, technical difficulties yesterday (that and well, I was a bit busy)

Happy Anniversary

I want to dedicate this blog post to my wonderful husband. Five years ago today we were married in a small, quiet (and frugal) ceremony in my home church in Illinois. Little did we know what was coming up during our first five years together. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Thank you my love, for being the man you are. Thank you for being strong for me when I need someone to lean on. Thank you for being tough on me when I need someone to call me out on something. Thank you for being such a great daddy to our two daughters. I know we hadn't planned on their arrivals to be so soon after we were married, but I'm glad we didn't wait. I can't imagine life without them. And you are so cute when you play with them. Thank you for chosing me to be your wife. I can't imagine being married to anyone else. I treasure you.

Garage Sales part 2

2010-07-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

My last post on garage sales was about how to maximize your profits and hold a successful one. This post is going to be about being a polite garage saler. You wouldn't believe some of what happened at ours.

Please, please, please do not show up early. Even if the ad didn't state no early birds. The people holding the garage sale will be busy setting up before the stated opening time and probably don't have time to take care of customers. While I was setting up, with the sale posted to start at eight, I had people stopping and getting out of their cars to look at seven. A full hour before we were to open. And if I told them we weren't open yet, they said they were just going to look and come back later to buy. There was really no way of convincing them to leave without sounding horribly rude. But then, maybe I'm too nice.

Please, if you are taking your children with you, please keep them under your control at all times. We had a four-year-old little boy try to climb the antique gas street lamp we had for sale while his parents were looking at a pair of shoes. It was leaning against the tree. He knocked it over, and bent the top part of it where the glass fits in. I'm grateful we thought to take the glass out of it just in case. But instead of being square shaped, it is now diamond shaped. We aren't sure if we can fix it. We also had kids riding around on the ride on toys we had out and nearly took out a few other customers. So please, if you take your kids, keep them under your control. If they can't behave, either don't bring them with you, or take them to the car and leave. I have had to take my kids to the car while we have been out before. Trust me, it isn't the end of the world.

We don't smoke. None of our items smelled of smoke. Until we had customers who thought nothing of bringing a cigarette with them. Please, don't smoke around the merchandise. Yes, I realize that a garage sale isn't a high end department store, however, for the sake of being polite to those around you, please don't smoke around the items. You also don't know if someone is on oxygen at the sale, has asthma or any other health problems that would be made worse around cigarette smoke. Also, we had our kitchen window open. The smell of your cigarettes got into my house. We spent weeks getting the smell of the previous owner's smoking out of our house, we don't want to have to do it again.

I don't know why, but we had three people bring their dogs to our garage sale. Why must you bring your canine? Two of them were chihuahuas which the owners carried under their arms, the other was on a regular leash. I'm not bashing needed service animals here, however, when out, they wear a vest identifying them as such. None of these dogs had the service animal vest on. If your pet happens to bite someone, you will be held liable. I could possibly get in trouble if it happens on my private property. You also don't know if I have an animal that won't get along with yours. Also, I don't want your animal to use my front yard as a restroom. Please, just leave them at home. I honestly can't think of a reason why the family pet would enjoy bargain hunting like you do.

If you are sorting through clothing on a table, please refold items if you decide you don't want them. Same goes for leaving a book table a mess, opening packages to check that the contents are all there and leaving it open. The people holding the sale don't have time to clean up after each and every customer that visits.

Please don't insult my intelligence. Don't talk bad about items, how you wouldn't have priced something as high as I did, or say that the sale was bad. You may not have found what you were looking for, I'm sorry I didn't have it, however, your attitude will rub off on the customers that are there browsing. Feel free to try and haggle, but please, don't go complimenting me and telling me other items are priced too low and that I should raise them first. Also, don't go to your vehicle and show me the bargains you got at other sales in order to impress me. I don't care if you got that towel rack with the brass hangers for fifty cents. Yes you want that guitar, no I'm not going so low on it that it would be giving it away (yes, this did happen). Be polite and be upfront with haggling. I don't have the time to sit and listen about your other great finds, I have other customers to take care of.

One last thing. Before you go out bargain hunting for the day, make sure you have enough cash to last you. Also make sure you have smaller bills. We started out with a $30 change fund. The first five customers all had twenty dollar bills and bought about three dollars worth of merchandise. My husband had to make an emergency run for more change not barely 45 minutes after we opened for the day. We didn't want to refuse the sale, however, it was quite an inconvience. It would take no time to stop and get a lot of ones and fives and quarters. Now, if you are looking for big ticket items, then larger bills will be fine. However, breaking a twenty for a fifty cent purchase will cause some issues for the ones holding the sale later when they can't make change for a dollar.

Please, if you enjoy going garage saleing, just use some common sense. It will save both you and those you are visiting headaches later.

Garage Sales part 1

2010-07-01T10:36:00.003-05:00

Last weekend we had a garage sale. It was a rousing success! I know a lot of people that I am friends with have been posting that, "well, we made 24 bucks today holding a garage sale" and I just cringed knowing that they might have been able to have done better. I know we um, well exceeded that amount of money in two days. I want you to be successful and make it worth your time, so I'm going to write about what we did that helped drive sales. The part two of this will be how to be a good garage sale buyer (you wouldn't believe some of the people and what they did while there....)

Ok, so you have decided to hold a garage sale. Great. How are you going to make it worth the time you will be spending on it? Here are a few suggestions:

Pick your days carefully. Around here the biggest day for sales is Friday followed by Saturday. Also, steer clear of holiday weekends. The people in our area like to go out of town for them, which will shrink potential customers. Also pick a day far enough out to give you time to gather all the items you want to sell, get it all priced and borrow any tables and racks you may need.

Have a wide variety of items. Don't just sell clothes and house hold knick knacks. Try and have items for guys too. We sold some rims, car ramps and the like. We put those out to attract the men to stop. I don't know about your area, but on Friday's a lot of the retired men drive their wives around town so they can go to sales. Make the men want to get out of the car. Most don't want to go look at the collection of embroidered hankies you have for sale.

Price things reasonably. I know you want things to get sold to get them out of the house, but don't cheat yourself. I'm also not advising to over price as then things won't sell. If it is a high end item (like a recycled tire horse swing) that is going for close to a hundred dollars on EBay at the moment, don't price it for five. We had one, and had it marked at $45 and compromised with a customer for $40. We also sold an Oscar Schmit (sorry Hubbs if I misspelled it ) that we sold for $50. Those two items were priced lower than what they were worth, but not so low that we were cheating ourselves. Everything doesn't have to be marked ten cents for it to sell. We did have a lot of fifty cent items too. People have very few issues about adding a mere fifty cents to their totals so that helped out too.

Presenting your merchandise helps to sell it. Put all your books in the same area, and separate the genres. Place all the toys in another area (on a blanket on the ground is a great place as then kids are drawn to them, same principal as impulse buy items at the grocery store). Put as many things up on tables as you can so your customers don't have to bend over to look at them. I have driven past many garage sales where people just laid everything out on blankets. I don't want to have to to bend over to sort through their goods while keeping an eye on my children. I'm sure I have missed some terrific bargains in the process, but it is worth it for me. If you can get clothing racks, use those to hang up clothes. The clothes look nicer that way, and then you don't have to keep going and refolding them after people have unfolded them looking for that special piece.

Speaking of clothes, one thing that I found that helps, is to use a straight pin and a piece of paper to price them. It takes a bit more time to price them, but then you aren't left with sticky residue on the item. I have been to garage sales where people even used duct tape to price their clothes. Um, that doesn't come off very easily. Who wants to buy a new shirt only to have it ruined by the residue from the tag? Also, especially with children's clothes, safety pin the pieces together. Attach the bloomers with the dresses, the matching shirts and pants. It will help people find the sets, and you can price the full sets a bit higher. I was at a garage sale a few weeks ago, and found the cutest pair of floral pants for the Beans. I go to pay, and the lady there was like, didn't you see the shirt that went with this? I told her I didn't realize that was a set, so she went and spent five minutes hunting her overladen table to find the matching shirt. It is a very cute outfit, however, I had no idea that it was one when I found only the pants.

Have at least twice as much change as you think you will need. Trust me. We had started the morning with thirty dollars in change. Within 45 minutes of opening, my husband had to make an emergency change run. People don't think about getting smaller bills for going out rummaging. We even had a guy ask if we could break his one hundred dollar bill. We had to decline. He did come back and purchase what he wanted later after he had broken it.

Make terrific signs. Use a full sheet of poster board. And get bright colored poster board. Signs are easy. Lay the poster board down, use stencils and contrasting colored paint (we used neon poster board and black paint) and we stenciled the words Garage Sale and the address. We then free handed the days of Friday and Saturday and the times. After the paint was dry, we did the other side. Then, the morning of the sale, my husband used packaging tape to attach them to sturdy dowl rods and put them up on the major intersections coming to our house. Then, to really draw attention, we got one of those small helium tanks and added balloons (we then put balloons out by the road in front of our house). People commented on how great the signs were. If you want them to be noticed, make them noticeable. Using the small signs from the store won't catch people's eyes.

Speaking of signs, you may also want to make and post a sign stating that you are not responsible for accidents. We have to because of city code have one visible. It can save you headaches later just in case something happens.

We put ads in the local newspaper for the day before the garage sale and the days of it. With the ad, we listed some of our bigger ticket items to draw people in. Then, the night before the garage sale, I posted an ad on Craigslist. I listed nearly all the items we had on there. I really think that helped our sales. I know I like to read the ads and plan my route by what is listed in them. And the glory of Craigslist is that you can go back and edit the post as things sell or you add new items.

Finally, have a cooler with cold soda and bottled water in it. I honestly didn't think it would sell, but my husband insisted and WOW! The two days we held our sale were HOT (that's putting it mildly). If you have cute kids who can help, have them sell it. Who can say no to a cute kid, right? We sold it for fifty cents a can or bottle. The older ladies were very appreciative of being able to buy the water. And offer it as people are checking out. It does sell.

If you have smaller kids, it may be wise to get a babysitter for the days you are holding your garage sale. I didn't, but then my husband was home for most of it before he had to go to work, and we did a joint sale with a friend so she was there for most of it too. However, a babysitter would have been nice so I wasn't worried about my kids dashing out into the street or anything (though, they were great, and I had nothing to worry about with them). If you can't get a sitter, put a DVD in for them using a portable player and have a few special things for them to do.

So, there you go. A few ideas to help you hold a garage sale. Coming soon, things I wish the customers hadn't done.

An Amazing Deal!

2010-06-30T16:49:00.004-05:00

If you've been wanting a subscription to The Old Schoolhouse magazine and just haven't done it yet, NOW IS THE TIME!!!!! I got my first ever subscription through this deal (yes, I'm on the Crew, and am just now getting a sub...flagellate me with a wet noodle if you will :) )

From The Old Schoolhouse:

1776 was a spectacular year, and it's a smashing, save-more-money price! Grab your subscription to The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine during their four-day Fourth of July sale, and check out the craziest price on July 1 only! Receive a 2-year subscription, free Homeschooling with Heart tote bag, and five FREE E-Books for just $17.76! While supplies last. U.S. and Canadian residents. July 2 through July 4 the unprecedented savings continue. The sparks are flying at TOS Magazine . . . join in the celebration and savings! Get the details here.

Disclaimer, I am a member of the TOS Crew, however, I am and will not be compensated any way for people going through the link I have posted.

Booksneeze Book Review 6.28.2010

2010-06-28T21:44:00.005-05:00

No matter what our theological beliefs may be, we are all asked to submit to the will of the Lord and to trust Him with out lives. Such is the case with Sarah in the book Sarah's Garden by Kelly Long.

Sarah is an Amish girl who must learn to lean upon her Creator to sustain her throughout all of life's troubles. Her older sister had married so it came upon her to run the family produce stand, despite her shyness. She has to learn to trust God to protect her in situations she never dreamed she would be exposed to from people asking some of the rudest questions, a man trying to force his attentions on her, her father's sudden illness and even with the coming of the new Englisch veterinarian to the farm next door. Can Sarah learn to trust God without getting her heart torn in the process?

This book was well written. It used a different dialect than most other of the Amish stories that are so popular right now, one that I wasn't familiar with. At first, I was put off with the cover. The picture of the Amish girl with her bun showing from the back of her kapp, the perfectly groomed eyebrows and what appeared to be cosmetic blush on her cheeks really put me off. I have been in at least five different Amish settlements (in different states) and none of the ladies there showed any of their hair, wore any form of makeup, nor had perfectly groomed eyebrows. Overlooking the cover art, I was able to enjoy reading the book. The plot line moved at a very good pace and it was hard to put down. I do wish that the characters had been developed more. I wasn't able to form an emotional attachment or any kind of feeling towards any of them really. When I read a work of fiction, I want to feel what the characters feel, see what they see and understand what makes them tick. I wasn't able to with this book.

This book was a good read and it did have a great theme of learning to trust, even with things don't go the way we picture. However, if you are looking for more of an emotional attachment to the characters, then I don't suggest it.

I was given this book from Thomas Nelson as a part of their BookSneeze program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions within this review are mine and mine alone.

Trust

2010-06-23T13:00:00.000-05:00

What is the hardest thing that God asks you to do? Is it to obey? Seek Him? Trust?

For me, the answer is normally trust. I have a very hard time trusting that things are under His control. I am a planner by nature. I like to have things happen when I think they should and in the manner that I think they should. However, my ideas aren't normally the same as God's.

For instance, Hubbs and I got married nearly five years ago now. Within one month of getting married, we were blessed with a pregnancy. No where was it in our plans to even consider getting pregnant that first year of honeymoon bliss. We were just coming to grips and being accepting of this coming addition to our family when we miscarried him. We don't know why, but God sustained us through that hard time and brought us out on the other side more committed to each other and to Him. Three months after losing our first child, we find that we are pregnant again. No way was it a good time for us. We were living in one of the worst apartment complexes in town, Hubbs was working part-time at a big box store and going to school full time. I was working full time at a day care here in town. We didn't have much money at all and with out work schedules not matching up and his school and home work on top of it, we didn't see each other much. Within two months of discovering this coming blessing, Hubbs went full-time to the service desk at work and got a small raise. We also had finished out the lease on the aparment and were able to move to a duplex in a better area of town. Bugs was born nearly 15 months after our wedding day. And she has been such a joy (for the most part, the twos were trying, and the threes were worse, but the closer she gets to being four, the better it has been getting). When the Bugs was four months old, Hubbs was offered a part-time position at our church as the associate pastor (he was still going to school at that point), which really helped out financially for us.

Well, we were adjusting to life with the Bugs. I was able to quit my job at the day care (thankfully, believe me, after I got pregant, there was no way I wanted my child in that environment) and things were still tight, but the bills were paid and we had food to eat. When the Bugs was eight months old, much to our utter shock and surprise, we find that we are expecting another blessing. By then, our old car was undriveable. We were living in a different duplex that had hardly any insulation, and the owner refused to believe us that the air conditioning wasn't working. When I was four months pregnant with the little one who became the Beans, Hubbs was asked to interview for store that was coming to town to be over the service desk. He figured, why not give it a try and the day of the hiring fair was offered the job. It garnered a two dollar an hour raise, and much, much, much better insurance. Bugs was born in February and is totally different than her big sister.

Since then, we bought a house (let's just say that was a learning experience in and of itself, one we wish we could unlearn), then after being assured his job at the church was secure, Hubbs was let go. It was a bad situation. We figured that we could live on the income from his retail job (basically a managerial position but at an entry level, hourly wage) for maybe three months max. It has been nearly two years. We have sought other employment where ever there was an opening that looked interesting, and so far, the right doors haven't been opened for us. And yet, we have had enough. Just enough. We have always had food, even though at times I wondered if I would be able to get groceries that week, the bills have always been paid. There is literally no wiggle room in our budget, and yet, we are surviving on it.

And through all these hard times, the lesson that we have learned is to trust God. He will supply ALL your needs. Sometimes in ways that you would have never expected. We sold the old white car rather unexpectedly. We had a better than expected tax return the last two years which have helped immensly with paying off the medical bill from the Bug's birth and helping with a few other things. We have been provided for including homeschooling curriculum. My wonderful Mother-in-law bought me the curriculum I wanted for the Bugs for her first official year of homeschooling. Then, I was accepted as a part of The Old Schoolhouse Crew where I will be getting homeschooling things to review. It has been amazing. As my husband reminds me, God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, He will spare us a little milk. And He has.

God has proven Himself to be trustworthy time and time again in our lives. I don't know why I still sometimes struggle with trusting Him for the best in all aspects of our lives. But I do. Let's work on remembering that our God is a God who can be trusted, and let's stop listening to the doubts, shall we?

Unexpected Noticings

2010-06-21T22:52:00.002-05:00

I love homeschooling. More than loving homeschooling, I love the way it has opened my eyes to be on the constant look out for a lesson in everyday life. The past two days have been terrific.

Last night we were all outside playing with the wading pools and hose. Under the outside faucet leaks a little bit and when Hubbs went to shut it off, he found a fairly good sized toad basking in the cool spray. We caught it and looked at it for a little bit and the girls thought that was the absolute coolest thing ever. They noticed how his skin was bumpy and rough and how God chose to color him so he would blend in with the grass to protect him from danger. After looking our fill, we put him back down and he let us watch him awhile longer before he started to hop off, presumably back to his home. It was so funny, Bugs would start to follow him and it seemed like he would wait for her to catch up a bit before going a bit farther himself. Riotous laughter ensued.

This morning, my husband was putting down a barrier of insecticide in the back yard (you wouldn't believe how bad the ants, fleas and other insects have been this year, it was a last attempt as I hate using chemicals anywhere near where the kids would be playing). He was using the lawn spreader and came across a box turtle out under the swing set. So, for the next few days, we have "Girly" living in my ten gallon aquarium on the dining room table. We went to the library and got a few books on turtles and fed it some salad and a strawberry. Bugs and Beans love sneaking over to peek inside to see if she has come out of her shell and has eaten anything or moved around. I don't intend to keep her more than a couple of days. We have never found a turtle in our yard before (there is an overgrown lot behind us, which is where we think it came from) and the girls have never been up close to one either (don't worry, rigid hygiene is being employed). I was wanting to use that tank for bull frog tadpoles so I know this isn't a permanent addition to the family (I hope...). The girls are learning about turtles first hand and are loving it.

We did also see a very small baby bunny last night. Bunnies come through our yard quite often. They are so cute and the girls love to watch them hippty-hop. That may be our next thing to study this summer.

I love how homeschooling has changed the way I think. I look for things to show the kids everywhere. I try and think up ways to make learning fun and incorporate the most I can into a small lesson. I have been more observant. I think that is what I appreciate the most. I see more. I notice more in nature that all testifies to the splendor of God, I notice people more now too. How they carry themselves, what they do. It speaks volumes. Noticing the little things is priceless. I am so glad we were open to this option for our lives. We as parents have learned so much more and have started to notice more already. If just this short period of homeschooling has changed us this much already, I can't wait to see what we will be like later into this. I'm so excited that the girls get to learn this first hand and will hopefully grow up noticing.

Even if you don't or can't choose to homeschool, please try to notice more. Cultivate keeping your eyes open. It is amazing what you will see that you will have otherwise missed.

A First for Mommy

2010-06-13T19:11:00.004-05:00

This was supposed to have posted last evening, but due to some "technical issues" it wouldn't so I'm going to do it now.

Tonight I had a first as a mom. I left my kids. No, not for good, and in fact, I get to go and pick them up soon, but tonight was the first night of VBS. Both of the munchkins got to go, and for the first time in a long time, I'm not involved in anyway except that as of parent. Don't get me wrong, I have been separated from my wonderful kiddos before. I have left them overnight even, with my MIL last year for my and Hubbs' 4 year anniversary camping trip (yeah, we went camping for our anniversary, don't ask.) I have a friend who takes them for me periodically as a thank you for watching her kids. They do go to Bible hour during the sermon at church, their own Sunday School classes and Wednesday night classes. However, I am in the same vicinity as them. My husband has taken them out to give me some alone time, but that doesn't happen very often (frankly, at times not often enough if it is one of those weeks...)

This time, they were dropped off. My husband actually forced me out the door with him. A few of our wonderful elders were in the foyer and they said shoo, go and enjoy some time away.

It isn't like I'm not going to enjoy my time away, however, it was strange just leaving them like that in a large group. Bugs, I'm sure, is having a blast. Beans, I'm not too sure about. She doesn't like new things like that too well.

But, this is good. For all of us. They don't have to be attached to me all the time, and frankly, not having them here is nice. My house isn't quiet very often. Everytime I'm on the computer and they are awake, something always happens, it seems. Hubbs and I are planning on enjoying the rest of the week of this (only until Wednesday night). It is rare when we are without kids. However, tonight he is fixing a computer for some friends. Without the girls' help. Beans has to learn to adapt in different situations. Bugs, well, she came out and thought the world was her stage, so I'm sure she is going to be fine (I'm praying that she isn't being too dramatic, or trying to get in every picture they are taking of VBS....)A

Company Coffee 6.11.2010

2010-06-11T13:30:00.006-05:00

Figured I should write for a Company Coffee. Haven't in a long while. I had to go out of town and then getting back into the routines of life have been more of a challenge than I thought.

This week was interesting. The girls decided that this past week and a half was the week to exercise their independence, use those vocal cords and throw tantrums. Bugs has perfected the art of the attention seeking tantrum. She has spent a lot of time in her room to calm down this week. She has a lot of perseverance. Beans has been quite the two-year-old. I mean quite. She has also taken to stripping whenever the whim strikes. Not a good thing as I have been babysitting eight and six year old boys for most of this week.

Monday night after Judo, Hubbs came home and washed and dried his gui. Well, on the gui's way to the dryer, he knocked a box of fabric softener sheets into the washing machine. Tuesday, I go to do laundry, don't think to check inside of it and drop my load of darks right in and start it. I had no clue what was going on inside the washer until after the cycle ended and I opened it up to see bits of brown cardboard shredded all over my clothes. At first, I think, hhmm, wonder what was in a pocket. I get some out and into the dryer and start finding washed dryer sheets. Now, I don't normally use fabric softener as a general rule due to all the chemicals in it, but I do have a few boxes of dryer sheets for the occasional need for extra scent on my bed sheets. Well, the laundry smelled wonderul when it came out of the wash. Thankfully it didn't stain. You wouldn't believe the lint trap on my dryer after the load was done. Wow, it was full of cardboard pieces, and extra lint for some reason. Tuesday night Hubbs went right after work to Parsons to see O-Sensei Porter do a demonstration. He got home right before midnight. It was a long day as that was the absolute worst day with the girls. He had a great time. The chance to go was his early Father's Day present.

The trip that I went on that threw me sooooooo far off schedule was a trip to watch my sister graduate from Mortuary school and then she and my mom took the girls and I up to Pennsylvania to see my Grandma who is in hospice. It was so nice to see Grandma for more than likely the last time. We have no idea how much longer she has with us, and I am grateful that I got to see her one last time. I'm also grateful that she isn't dying of Alzhiemers disease or anything else that robs the mind. I will be the first to admit that watching her suffer from this cancer is hard, knowing that as the pain increases, so will her medications, which will affect her mind, but I'm glad she is still with us in mind, can carry on conversations and knows us still. I have seen people die with Alzhiemer's and that is a hard load to bear for the caregivers. I can not imagine.

We are in to tornado season here. A week ago this last Wednesday the family spent quality time in the interior closet of our house. Thankfully the girls were asleep and slept through being moved from their beds to the floor in the closet, then back again. I even changed Bean's diaper during this and she never flinched. I'm sure that won't be our only chance for bonding time in the closet this year. As it is, the weather today is feeling very odd. I should go check a radar.

I'm working on putting on a garage sale next week. I have a ton of stuff to get rid of. If you live in the area, feel free to stop by. I'm getting rid of quite a bit of baby girl clothes, baby toys, books, and whatever else we happen to decide to get rid of. I also have a friend with boys who is joining me for the sale, and she has tons of boy stuff.

Well, I have a chicken in the crock pot for tonight. I'm looking forward to it. It is too hot to run the oven this time of year, so I use the crock pot a lot. All I did was rinse the chicken well, then sprinkled on some salt, basil, bay leaves, oregano and Cavender's All Greek Seasoning (love that stuff). I like to add rosemary too, but we are currently out. I'm thinking of serving rice and asparagus with it.

They resurfaced our road yesterday. It reminded me of that scene in the movie Cars where Lightening McQueen is hooked up to Ol'Bessie. Then after he was done and they all cruised on it. I wanted to go cruising on it and playing oldies, but I was babysitting and not everyone would fit into our little Ford Focus. Think I may have to go watch that movie again.

Well, that is pretty much it. Kids are squealing again, so I should go and check on them.

Just a quick catch up

2010-06-08T19:08:00.002-05:00

I just realize I broke the 50 post mark with my last posting, which was a book review. Wow. I've rambled about a lot of nothing recently, haven't I?

This past week (well, let's say like seven days) has been torture with the kids. They have been so unruly. A week ago this past Sunday I had to take them to the car as they were so naughty during church. I just strapped them into their car seats and let the eldest throw the temper tantrum she started. No one else needed to be exposed to it. I sat in the car and read the comics on my phone. She settled down enough to rejoin society at the end of services.

Beans has been acting like a two-year-old. Can we say fun. And the Bugs, well, she's been pushing boundaries and trying to see just how much she can get away with and doing the attention seeking thing. It has been tough being a stay-at-home mom with no car for diversions.

Today has been horrible too. The weather is going nuts so it also is affecting behavior. Trust me, I used to teach school, kids go insane when the weather changes, it isn't just an old wive's tale. We did make it to the store to get tv dinners for tonight. I spent the day doing dishes and Hubbs is out of town for a judo clinic with the only 10th degree black belt in this hemisphere. He left right after work today with others from the Dojo and will be back tonight, probably after midnight. Then he has to get up and go to work tomorrow and I'm babysitting starting at five thrity in the morning for the next three days. I don't know why I do this to myself except that it is for a good friend and we could use the cash.

It is supposed to storm here tonight. Fun stuff. I'm home alone with the girls and we are supposed to be getting strong winds and possible hail. Pray for me that I survive with my sanity intact please.

Grandma is hanging in there. I don't know how much longer we've got with her. I sent her a letter on Saturday telling her how much I enjoyed getting to visit her and Grandaddy every summer and sharing some of my most favorite memories and how I enjoyed the trips they took my sister and me on. In fact, the two trips they took us on were to places that I wanted to go to more than anything. Gettysburg and Amish country in Ohio. It was a blast. I might have to write about those trips from so long ago. Good grief, half a life time now.....man, I'm old.

Well, I've got to get going. Talk to you later. Sorry I'm so boring recently.

Book Review for Book Sneeze 6.7.2010

2010-06-08T16:33:00.003-05:00

I just finished reading Love on a Dime by Cara Lynn James. I requested this book as I was in need of some predictable brain candy, and I got my wish.

Lilly is living a double life. One of dutiful daughter and secret author of dime novels in 1899. She had been jilted six years previously and had finally learned to move on in her life. This is a story about learning to trust God and not settling for what appears to be good when it isn't the best. Will Lilly marry the man who everyone says would be a good proper match? Will she keep her writing career secret from those she loves?

While Lilly's character was fairly well developed, I wished that some of the secondary characters were better developed for the roles they played in the story, especially towards the end. This book is pretty predictable, but I was surprised by one happening towards the end. While I wouldn't rank this as one of my favorite or best books ever, it was still an enjoyable read.

I was given a copy of this book by Thomas Nelson Publishing as part of their BookSneeze program for bloggers in exchange for an honest review of the book on my blog and that of a consumer website. I was not compensated any other way than the copy of the book, and all opinions are mine and mine alone.

I'm So Excited

2010-05-22T21:26:00.002-05:00

Back several months ago now, I was just blog surfing (is that even a term?) and I saw that a blog author was a member of The Old Schoolhouse magazine's Homeschool Crew and she had posted that they were taking applications for the upcoming year. I figured, why not apply, the worst that can happen is I'm not selected. Well, lo and behold, I was one of the people selected to be a part of the 2010-2011 Crew! I get to review homeschooling products and write about them. I am so excited as I love doing this sort of thing. And I get to hopefully play with some fun new products. I love this stuff more than the kids do I think :) I just drool over every homeschool supply and curriculum catalog I get. In fact, I had to throw one away recently. It was crinkled, stained, the covers were coming off and it was just nasty. So, I'm am really looking forward to trying new things and hopefully getting some of the things I have coveted. Which, I am not going into the sin of covetessness at the moment....

Today was a decent day. Got caught up on the dishes. Finally. Have half the laundry done, but the remaining load is reds and pinks and it isn't a full one. I'm surprised about that one though. With the Bugs, I normally have a rather large red load every week.

Hubbs is on his way home. I need to log off for the night.

There Weren't any Jelly Beans

2010-05-19T22:08:00.005-05:00

It is true when they say that time doesn't stand still. Being a mom of young children, I am reminded of that daily. However, I also remember when I was a child and time seemed to go so slowly. And how things never seemed to change.

As a kid, you have what is familiar to you. For me, every summer we would make the long drive from our home to that of my grandparents' in Erie, Pennsylvania. Frankly, as a kid, I always thought the drive rather boring, and I never had enough reading material in the car. But the drive was familiar. Through Indiana and on into Ohio where every barn is red, or so it seemed. Always stopping at the same McDonald's north of Columbus that was built next to a pond and the duck nesting area was built to look like the restaurant and feeding the ducks there French fries. We would finally cross the border of Ohio into Pennsylvania and the 24 or so miles always were the longest until our exit. When we finally got off the interstate, it seemed to take forever to meander through the roads until we finally arrived.

Every year it was the same, we'd pull in, pile out of the car and Grandad would come to the back door and shout his greetings and come out for hugs. Grandma wouldn't be too far after as she was normally checking on dinner when we pulled in. There was nothing like being greeted by my Grandaddy. He'd scoop us up and give us bear hugs and ask if we were hungry. He'd then inform us that it was Friday night, no matter what night it was, so it was chocolate milk night (growing up my mom made us drink milk every night at supper, and only on Friday nights were we allowed to have chocolate milk. Grandaddy decreed that at his house, every night was Friday night and he would make the best chocolate milk for us) and then we'd get our hugs from Grandma and we'd all troop into the house for what was sure to be a great supper, complete with chocolate milk.

Grandaddy was the coolest Grandad ever. He was full of stories and he made the best wooden toys. He always talked to us as if we were adults, not kids. He never made fun of us as kids, never talked down to us and genuinely cared for his grand-daughters. Next to his recliner he kept an amber colored glass candy dish (the one in the photo at the beginning of this post) that was always full of his favorite treat; jelly beans.

Grandaddy would pretend to not notice when my sister and I would sneak into the living room and eat our favorite colors out of his candy jar. We'd always be careful to not eat the black ones. We hated them, and thankfully they were his favorite ones. If he happened to see us, he'd remind us to leave him the black ones and then went back to whatever it was he was doing and just sort of would forget to tell our mom what we were up to (though, I'm sure she knew).

As a child, you never in your wildest dreams picture your favorite people not being there. You don't think of a future reality when those that we love are no longer with us. I was blessed to have all of my grandparents until I was an adult. On January 13, 2007 my Grandaddy was called home. He had had a heart attack the week before and was doing well. In fact, he was scheduled to be released from the hospital the following day. However, when his nurse came to help him take care of a few things, he stood up and was gone in the blink of an eye. That day was also the day of the worst ice storm in fifty years to hit our area. We were iced in without electricity for nearly a week. There was no way I could make it out for his funeral.

This past week I was blessed to finally be able to return to the home of my grandparents. It was the first time I had been able to go in eleven years. The drive was familiar, nearly achingly so. We pulled into the driveway and stopped and got out of the van (my sister and mom took me and the girls up) and my mom's brother came out the door to give us hugs. Things were horribly wrong, it wasn't my grandaddy. We trooped into the house, and my grandma was sitting in Grandaddy's recliner. She had had it moved to the back sun room after she and Grandaddy replaced the couch and it came with a matching recliner. After dinner, I go into the living room and see the candy jar, it was sitting on the coffee table with miniature candy bars in it. There were no jelly beans. Upon seeing the lack of jelly beans, I had to fight back tears. That, honestly was the worst thing about going back to the greatest place I ever went as a child. It truly said to me, your Grandaddy is no longer here. All the safety and security of my childhood was gone, never to return.

I'll always have the memories of the jelly beans, of Grandaddy, his stories and all the wonderful things he did with us (most probably not classified as safe anymore...). And everytime I eat a jelly bean, I think of him. But now, jelly beans are no longer a treat, they are a reminder that life goes on. People are born, they pass on into eternity, time doesn't stop for anyone and things change. Jelly beans remind me of that now. The memories will always be there, but the person who made them special is not. I will always miss my Grandaddy. And when I have jelly beans, I think of him and the joy he brought to my life.

Book Review for Book Sneeze 5.19.2010

2010-05-19T21:45:00.004-05:00

I read God's Promises for Girls by Jack Countryman and Amy Parker. It is a cute little book that consists with verses for different issues little girls can face. Issues about being a good sister, obeying your parents, faith, and telling the truth among others. The verses were taken from the International Children's Version of the Bible and the Reader Friendly Edition, both of which were also published by Thomas Nelson.

This book was laid out in an easy to search format. The table of contents listed the subjects by category and was very logical to follow. Most of the verses were straight to the point that were selected for each topic, and each topic had about three verses to support it. The illustrations were bright and cheery, and went with each category very well. The font chosen for the verses was a little smaller than I would have liked for a book for children, but then, that's just me.

After reading through this book, I gave it to my three-year-old to look at and she loved it. She pretended to play with the girls in the illustrations (she does that with most books) and then she didn't want to give it up when we had to run an errand. I plan on using this as a guide towards Bible memorization in the coming months with her. I really like how this book was laid out and is so easy to use and read. If you are reading this and have only boys, I know that there is a boy's version and I hope it is just as good.

I was given and copy of God's Promises for Girls by Thomas Nelson as a part of their Book Sneeze program in exchange for reading it and posting a review on my blog and a consumer website. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone. I received no other compensation other than a copy of the book.

I'm back

2010-05-19T21:40:00.002-05:00

Well, after nearly being gone from home for two weeks, I'm back. Felt like I was gone a lot longer. The trip was hard in so many ways, but not so bad in others. I feel like the girls behaved themselves quite well on the trip as a whole. My sister took them shopping and they had a blast and made out like bandits. Then, she had to buy them souvenirs while in PA at the peninsula and every time we stopped at a Cracker Barrel. I plan on writing out a series of posts in the next few days about the whole trip. I need to do some processing and I do that best when writing actually. I will say it was rather strange to be back there for the first time in eleven years and not have my Grandaddy there. And my Grandma looked like she had aged 30 years since I saw her last going on 3 1/2 years ago. I've been blessed to have had her this long.

Well, while I was gone I got another book in from Book Sneeze that was a children's book, so I have to go and write that review up and get it posted. Then, hopefully I'll feel like writing a bit more tonight. However, we have yet another thunderstorm rolling in. If the rain doesn't let up in the near future, I'm going to have to go look up the dimensions for an ark.

Book Review for Book Sneeze 5.5.2010

2010-05-05T12:04:00.004-05:00

I Am Hutterite by Mary-Ann Kirkby

I didn't know what I was totally expecting when I first started reading this book. I had never heard of the Hutterites, and I had thought myself fairly well-educated on the Anabaptists (Amish and Mennonites). I am glad I was able to learn something new about the Anabaptist's different "denominations," if you will.

Life on a Hutterite colony at first sounds very idealistic. Life is dictated by routine and everyone works for the common good. However, like in all other aspects of life with other humans, personal agendas and politics get in the way. This memoir is not just about how our personal history affects our entire lives, but it also addresses how sometimes we have to make bold moves for the best of our families and ourselves. This book showed that how through determination, perservance and a firm faith in God, we can survive anything.

This book is also about growing up. Of finding a faith that is your own, not riding the on the faith of your forebears. Of trying to be your own person, yet still being part of the group. I suggest that anyone who struggles with life, adapting to new circumstances read this book. You can succeed. Others have before you.

I was given a copy of I Am Hutterite by Thomas Nelson Publishing as a part of their Book Sneeze program in exchange for reading it and posting a copy of my review. I was not otherwise paid for my review, and all opinions are mine and mine alone.

I Should be Busy Right Now

2010-05-05T11:50:00.004-05:00

Oy.

So, in less than 48 hours we are leaving to go to visit my family. And instead of packing or cleaning, I'm on the computer. I actually am in a good place right now in all the activities for packing to leave for an extended period so I guess I can do this a bit.

We haven't been out to my parents' home in nearly two years. We are heading out because on Saturday my sister is graduating with a degree in Funeral Science. Yes, my sister after having been a cosmetologist, machinist, CNA and subsequent starting of school for LPN decided to become a funeral director. It isn't a job I would want, but someone has to do it, and if this is what she wants to do, that's great. She graduates on Saturday, Sunday is Mother's Day and then on Monday she is having her gall bladder removed (so, if you think of it, pray for her that day). Tuesday, Hubbs is coming back home to be a bachelor for a week while my sister, mom, the girls and I go up and visit my grandma in PA. My sister offered to rent a mini van and take us last week. I posted before about my grandma and her lung cancer returning. At this time, she is too weak to continue radiation so they put her in hospice care. This is more than likely the last time I will get to see her. Bugs met her when she was three months old. Beans has never met her. I'm glad we get to go, and it is low cost. Hubbs and I had been praying for a way for at least me getting to see her before she's gone. And to have my agnostic sister be the one to answer that prayer is mind boggling. We'll be back somewhere around the 17th. It depends on Hubb's time off from work that week. He is going to meet my sister and me halfway to get us back. I so look forward to getting some precious time with my favorite grandma. I haven't seen her since the Bug's first Christmas. So, if there isn't any new posts for about two weeks, don't worry, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth.

I need to go write a book review and post it yet. I managed to finish my latest book from Book Sneeze. I love to read, and I rarely get to read newer books, so I joined the program. I believe this is my fifth or sixth book. Free books to read as long as you review them on your blog and a consumer site. Not a bad deal. If you want more info, just click the button in my side bar.

Well, must go write my book review and continue on with the laundry and I should feed the girls lunch. They must be in another growth spurt. They have been begging for food since they woke up this morning.

The Sayings of Children

2010-05-02T17:20:00.002-05:00

So, we were leaving church this morning, and Bugs had a half colored picture from Bible Hour (held during the sermon at church). I asked her what they had talked about today, and she told me it was the story of the Good South American. I had to stop strapping her into the car to laugh after I finally figured out what she was saying. Turns out, today's Bible Hour was about the Good Samaritan. Yep, that's my kid. Hubbs laughed when Bugs took him the picture to show him over his lunch break (first Sunday he's worked in months, this time because he asked for time off for the week for my sister's graduation). He loved it.

Kids can say the silliest things sometimes. And she was convinced it was the South Americans.

The passage of time and other ramblings

2010-04-30T14:35:00.005-05:00

I can't believe that it is already the end of April. Let alone 2010. Seems like yesterday it was 2001.

Time sure has a way of not standing still. Seems like yesterday that I was a new bride, when in fact it is nearly five years ago that I was. And then suddenly, I was pregnant and now that child is three and a half! And her little sister is two!!!!!! Bugs is already half my height. Beans isn't too far behind. I'm going to end up being the shortest member of my family in a few years if they keep growing like this. I guess I don't mind being the shortest if they do get tall. Being taller than barely five one does have it's advantages.

You can tell it is spring here in SW Missouri. The wind started two days ago. It was so windy that I couldn't let the girls play outside because of our older trees. They like to shed limbs in strong winds and I couldn't chance them being outside and getting hit. The wind finally let up some this afternoon. Not too soon if you ask me. The noise of it kept me from sleeping the last two nights. I'm fairly useless today because of it. You wouldn't believe the chores I have lined up that I just don't have the mental capacity to complete at the moment. And it all needs done in six days.

We are going to my sister's graduation from mortuary school. We haven't made it out to my hometown in two years. Haven't seen my parents since we met half way for lunch a year ago last Christmas. We've not seen my sister and her husband since we were out there last. It is always weird to return to one's old home. The small town is not the same place I left nearly six years ago. Yet, in some ways it is still the same. We had trouble finding an appropriate gift for my sister's graduation. My husband ended up designing her a shirt that fits her personality. We hope she likes it.

My husband cooked a wonderful lunch for us before he left for work this afternoon. We had sausage, egg and cheese sandwiches on biscuits and hash browns. I like it when he cooks. Hubbs doesn't have a day off until Monday. He pulled a Sunday shift because of getting time off later in the week to go visit my family.

I'm looking forward to the trip. We are planning on taking a picnic lunch and stopping at some caverns on the way. That way the kids can have some run around time to break up the monotony of riding in the car. Trust me, three hours or so is all they can stand at a stretch. Which is how far it is to my MIL's home, and that is with stopping for ten minutes three times on the way. I'm not sure how we are going to handle the eight hour (I'm sure it will be closer to ten or more with the kids) drive. It will be quite the adventure. I'm planning on hitting up the dollar store Monday and getting some surprises to dole out on the trip.

My Mother's Day present should be arriving in the mail today. My husband let me order a new pre-tied bandana from Cover Your Hair The one I got is no longer listed, must have snagged the last one. It was a navy pre-tied bandana made out of terry cloth. I really like them as they keep my hair up out of the way. And I prefer wearing a covering on my head as a reminder that I am under the covering of my husband and God. I don't have my head covered all of the time. Nor do I do it for legalistic reasons. I don't believe that all women are called to cover their heads. I prefer to do it as the physical reminder for myself. The reminder that I am under God's and my husband's authority and that every decision I make will affect those who live in my home at the least.

Well, I just got a phone call from a friend and we are going to be going out later tonight to celebrate her son's birthday at Chuckee Cheese. I must go and get a shower and figure out what the girls are going to wear. Talk to you all later and have a blessed week.

No need to panic

2010-04-27T13:48:00.003-05:00

I'm sorry I haven't been posting a whole lot again. My grandma has been in and out of the hospital and things aren't looking too great for her. We hosted small group at our house this past week and I spent a week deep cleaning the house, and we are trying to plan a trip out in a week and a half to see my family. However, today the Bugs cracked a molar and daddy had to take off work early to take her to a dentist so we may be canceling our trip out for my sister's graduation from mortuary school (well, Ivy Tech, but that is what she went for). Not sure what this is going to cost at the moment as we don't have dental insurance. Guess we'll find out. I am babysitting this afternoon, so I couldn't take her. That and the Beans didn't need to go too. I can just imagine my very technically inclined child turning every knob and pushing every button she came across. And yes, Beans would do it. She loves seeing what will happen if she does things like that.

When it rains it pours I guess. We just got things under control financially. We even have plans to replace the front door to our house in the next month. My child definitely outranks a door, but I hate the thought of going for another winter with this one. Last year, the seals around it had gotten so bad that snow got blown into the house twice.

I know, I'm panicking. God is in control. He will provide. I should get busy and do some dishes while I wait.

Thanks.

Book Review for Book Sneeze 4.26.2010

2010-04-26T09:59:00.003-05:00

I recieved a copy of Dave Ramsey's the The Money Answer Book to read and review. I had heard many good things about the teaching of Dave Ramsey and I had seen his Town Hall of Hope broadcast. I was impressed by what I had seen, heard some of on the radio and read briefly before this book. This book was just as good as I was hoping. The Money Answer Book is concise and well-written in a very easy to read manner. For this book, he addressed 100 questions that people have about money and answers them in his straight-forward way. The questions posed range from how to handle debt with a potential marriage partner, prenuptial agreements, how to teach kids about money and even saving for future college expenses. HE does inject some humor in his answers. Which is a nice change from every other dry and boring book I have ever read about finances. The book is laid out where you can easily find the question you may have to get a quick answer. This book would make a great compliment to his other books. This book is great for if you have a quick question, or someone you know does, to just go find the answer and then later when you have the time to go to his other books for a more in depth answer.

I really enjoyed how this book was laid out in a very easy to follow manner. This may not be a great introduction to his other works, however it is still a great reference tool.

I was given a copy of Dave Ramsey's The Money Answer Book by Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for reading and reviewing it. I received no other compensation and all opinions are mine and mine alone.

If I Could Ask God Anything, A Review for BookSneeze

2010-04-12T22:13:00.003-05:00

If I Could Ask God Anything, awesome Bible answers for curious kids was compiled by Kathryn Slattery. It is a book of questions that children have been known to ask about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, Church and the Christian life.

As books of this nature go, this was honestly, just like the others. Each page addresses a typical question that a child may or has asked, followed by the answer. Such as, "How can I know for sure God loves me?" The book explained that God does love everyone, even those who refuse to believe in Him and then references 1 John 3:1. Stuff like that for 203 pages in a strange blue ink. The last page has a discussion on saying the "sinners prayer" (not going to go into that one right now) and then going to tell an adult you did it so they can help you on your Christian walk. Which makes me wonder how many adults would just hand this book to a child to let them read it on their own instead of discussing these things with them. Before I got to that page, I was like, ok, this could be a good springboard for parents to discuss these things with their children. However, after getting to the last few pages, and it discussed that maybe you don't know if "Jesus lives inside your heart", and being urged to pray this prayer, I question if this wasn't possibly meant for a kid to read on their own. I know that as a child, I wouldn't have liked the format so much, and how broad the answers seemed to be (in an effort not to step on anyone's doctrinal beliefs, this book is extremely middle of the road and vague on a few issues such as baptism and communion. I understand that in order to appeal to a wider demographic that can be necessary, however, it just raises more questions as to, why some churches believe differently and do different things).

I will say that this book did have a good table of contents and it was easy to navigate to the specific topic and question. However, the odd shade of blue used in the ink was extremely distracting to read.

I honestly can't say this is the best book on questions children may have about God. It may be a good starting point, but if you are looking for a book in this genre, please check your library first to see some of the other options that may be available. I know that I wouldn't just hand this book to my child and tell her to read it when she comes to me with questions. I pray you also will take the time to discuss your child's questions and if you don't know the answer, to seek it out together.

I was given a copy of If I Could Ask God Anything by Kathryn Slattery by Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my review and post about it as a part of their Book Sneeze program for bloggers. All opinions are mine and mine alone.

Company Coffee 4.2

2010-04-02T11:10:00.004-05:00

I decided to write at least for company coffee every week. Otherwise, I forget and can go weeks without writing, and if I don't write, my husband says I get cranky :)

This week has been full of work. We are going to my MIL's for the weekend, so I've been cleaning and packing and kid wrangling. Every day they want to leave. It's been a fun lesson in delayed gratification and the days of the week for the three-year-old. We leave tonight after my husband is off work. I get to load the car and finish packing today. And it is raining here too.

My husband finally got me my own domain name! No longer do you have to type in http://createdforhome.blogspot.com. Now you can just go to http://www.createdforhome.net (sorry, I can't remember how to imbed links again, and well, you are already on this site anyway :)

My ankle is getting better. My chiropractor told me when I was in earlier this week that he doesn't understand how it didn't just break. He popped the thing back into place yet again (you know, when the tendon's and ligaments are stretched and ripped, the bones don't like to stay in place, especially if you are me and um, don't wear the boot like you should. Yes, I was a bad girl and went without it in the house a few times...and yes, I paid for it with pain.) Today, with everything, I'm just in my black brace (looks like an air cast). It's feeling much better, however, if I'm not driving or in the house right now I have to wear the boot. Unfamiliar terrain can do a lot of damage, and frankly, I don't want to go down that route.

This week we added some new members to the family. My husband was helping a friend move and they offered us their 40 gallon fish tank for only twenty-five dollars. Now, this is the tank, gravel, filter, heater, fake plants, a driftwood decoration, stand and six fancy goldfish! We have two black moors, a red capped orana (I think, it will have what looks like it's brains bubbling out when it is full grown) a calico goldfish and two algae eaters. This was a steal considering how much money is in the fish alone, let alone everything else. My husband and I have just been sitting in the living room watching them swim in the evenings. And the girls love them. Bugs named both the black moors Blackie. One is a bit bigger than the other so it is Big Blackie and Little Blackie. The calico is striped like a tiger, so his name is Tiger, and the red capped one is Lily. The algae eaters are William and Jefferson, don't ask.

It has been an insane week with family crises. My grandma's lung cancer had returned and they were getting ready to start radiation when she had to be hospitalized due to a reaction with her blood thinners and a starting to come down with pneumonia. Then, my sister had to have a ct scan as they thought they found a mass on her liver when doing a scan on her gall bladder. Grandma was released on Tuesday and they aren't sure they are going to be able to give her the radiation as they think she is too weak. So, hospice may end up involved sooner than we thought and wanted. My sister got her results back on the ct scan yesterday and was told her liver is fine, it just isn't assembled the same way everyone else's is. She is scheduled to have her gall bladder removed in May. She's only 28.

I have a ton of things to get done to be leaving this afternoon. Like finding the library books that need returned, finishing packing (not until the dryer is done though), bathing the dog and the kids, putting the weekend feeders in the fish tank, paying a few bills and generally keeping tabs on the bedlam. We are hoping to take the girls to the children's museum before coming home on Monday. They will have a blast. And friends of ours are having us over for an egg hunt this weekend too. I'm looking forward at getting away for a few days.

Keep safe, and please remember and focus on what this whole week has been about. The death, burial and resurrection of our Lord. May you have a blessed Resurrection Sunday and truly rejoice in the day that death died.

Company Coffee 3.26

2010-03-26T13:57:00.003-05:00

It has sure been a crazy month or so around here.

We went to visit my MIL nearly two weeks ago. One of those, Hubbs is getting off work at a decent time on Saturday and we just needed to get away for a few days. I was cleaning the house the day before and I pivoted on my left foot and felt it pop and it was sore for the rest of the day. It was kind of stiff to start out the next morning, but it felt better so I thought nothing of it as I am always doing this sort of stuff to myself. Well, this past Monday, after a trip to the salvage grocery store and Lamberts (took the girls for the first time, they loved it.) Hubbs and I sat down to watch Where the Wild Things Are in our room for a date night thing and after the movie was over, I got up for a drink of water and my ankle hurt the second it touched the floor. I figured it would be fine, but the next day it was worse so I wore my old ankle brace. I finally get it checked out yesterday (Thursday) night as it wasn't feeling much better. Turns out, I must have started a tear in at least two ligaments two weeks ago and they finished themselves off on Monday. I'm in my moon boot indefinitely. I get to go back next Tuesday for it. Trust me, it isn't easy chasing kids around in one of those boots.

Our car decided to have issues too. We were told at first it was a crack in the manifold. However, it was so tiny they had to find it with a stethoscope. Being leery of the diagnosis, we took it to another shop and were told the same thing and the same price. Then, the vacuum house decided to break too. So, we take it in on Tuesday and they take it apart to fix, decide that the manifold is "salvageable" that the catalytic converter is egg shaped, a bunch of tubes are bent and the tube that hold the freon for the a/c is broken and rubbing on the serpentine belt and they had ordered the wrong sized of vacuum hose, so they put it all back together. We are going to have a friend look at it over Easter and see what he thinks, and if he can get us the parts from a junk yard, or possibly end up trading in the Focus and getting a minivan. Which, wold be more practical for us anyway. We do want more kids eventually, and we can't fit another car seat in the Focus. We'll see.

Hubbs applied for a job as a music minister in IL. Praying we get called for an interview in the next few weeks. We are getting so tired of retail. The crazy hours and days off are driving us all crazy. The girls never really know what days Daddy will be home consistently, if he goes in to work in the morning, or afternoon and all that. Having more stable hours will really help the family. I know the perfect place for us is out there, and in the right time, God will show us.

My MIL gave me the money to order my preschool curriculum for next year for Bugs. We got Sonlight Core P 4/5. It came in on Tuesday. I love it. We are starting the language arts with Bugs after Easter as I had also ordered the readers 1 and LA 1 for the school year. I'm keeping most of the stuff for the "official" start of school in the fall.

We got new sandals for the kids today. Fasted trip to shop for shoes for them ever. They both spotted something they liked right away and that was in their size. I was happy. However, the price wasn't happy. We spent thirty dollars on new sandals for both of the kids. I don't like spending that kind of money on shoes that will probably be outgrown before the end of summer. I don't spend that much money on shoes for me! They sure are cute though. Bugs chose some neon slip ons, and Beans got metallic flowers in nearly a gladiator style.

That's it for us. Just been crazy.

Busy Mom's Bible Review and Contest Entry

2010-03-21T12:45:00.000-05:00

It was nothing like what I expected. I opened the mailbox last Monday, and inside a small purple box was the Busy Mom's Bible. I was expecting a paperback copy with the picture of the mom and child laying in the grass that was shown on the website. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was an actual leather duo-tone in hot pink. I was elated. I had been thinking that I wanted a new Bible for a while. The one that got me through Bible college has been taped back together countless times, and the last time, I ended up using clear contact paper on it (it was a hardback Textbook bound Bible). However, I couldn't find a Bible that I liked. That was formatted in an easy to read and flip to manner for me. This Bible is as close to what I want as any I have ever seen. It has pages of small one to ten minute thoughts to read and then ponder about. In the back is a list of study topics and passages of where to go to get started on them, and it even gives you the page numbers to find them easier! However, my favorite part of this NIV Bible is the maps in the back. Not only are they the standard maps found in the backs of most Bibles, they also have markers on them telling where the events actually happened. In the map of Jesus' ministry, it shows where the Last Supper took place, where He was tried and where He was hung on the cross. It helps seeing where these events were located and how far from each other and in relation to other places in the area. The Bible isn't a thinline Bible, but it is small enough to be easily taken to church in my purse if need be with juggling two very young children. It the type font is in an easy to read size, unlike some other Bibles of the same size. This Bible is now my personal Bible. In fact, I'm thinking of asking that my husband gets my name embossed on it for Mother's Day.

I was given a copy of the Busy Mom's Bible by Zondervan to read and review. They are also giving away a personal assistant's service to one person who writes a review and posts it on their blog which will be awarded to a random entrant. All opinions are mine within this review.

Sorry it's been so long....again.

2010-03-19T22:01:00.004-05:00

Sorry I haven't been on in so long. We have been battling colds, gone out of town, babysat for friends and been just busy. You know, the life of a mom stuff.

Thankfully my cold seems to be leaving finally, the girls have been fine for several days, today was the last day of babysitting for a few weeks and life can resume to it's semblance of normal. Well, as normal as it ever gets.

Tomorrow, in honor of the first day of spring, we are supposed to get a snow storm. Doesn't that sound like fun? Personally, not really. We got to play outside this afternoon in short sleeves. I liked that. Also, tomorrow, we are going to plant lollipop seeds. What we are doing is make dirt pudding (the only stuff the seeds will grow in ;) and "plant" the "seeds" (small hard candies). Then, the next morning, lollipops will be "growing" in the "special dirt." It is going to be great fun. You can only get this to work on the first day of spring (or, if you choose to do this, on the particular day or occasion that works for you...)

Then, Monday we are planning a trip over to Bass Pro to see the ducks in the store and then a trip down to Lambert's for lunch as a special treat with the girls before going to our favorite salvage/discount grocery store to do the monthly stock-up. Then on Tuesday, it is back to the daily grind of school and chores.

Oh, and I got to order my homeschooling curriculum for next year (a HUGE thank you goes to my MIL who gave us most of the cost for it) and it should be here on Tuesday (got to love the tracking numbers...). I can't wait. Though, I'll probably have to open it up after the Bugs goes to bed for the night. I can imagine her wanting to read everything right away. I'm going to do the language arts this summer with her as I also ordered her the Readers 1 package and the corresponding LA book for it (figured she's already learning to read and I don't want to bore her to tears with LA that she has already mastered).

And now for a simple housekeeping note. I have gotten some anonymous comments. For the sake of transparency, I chose not to publish them. If you can not sign your name (or identity) to a comment, then please don't leave one. If you are so ashamed of what you have to say, then don't say it please. One of those, play nice rules, if you will.

Excuse me for cutting this short. My husband has finally returned home from work.

Teaching Reading

2010-03-11T14:24:00.003-06:00

We started teaching the Bugs to read last week. It is quite an adventure. We are using Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. It is the SRA/DISTAR method. She's eating up this school thing. Begs to do school from the time she wakes up until we put her to bed at night. We do her lesson for reading (we are up to lesson 8) and then we do some pages from a tracing workbook, a Precious Moments counting workbook and a few other skills books. She loves the workbook pages and is excited to be learning to read.

So far, I think the reading lessons are going well. The book is laid out clearly and is designed so anyone can teach it. So, if you have been thinking of trying to teach your child, I suggest trying this. Another good book for teaching reading is Barbara Curtis' Mommy Teach Me to Read. I borrowed that one from our public library and if the 100 Easy Lessons ends up not working, that is what I am going to go to. My MIL bought me a copy of it and I figure it was free, and everyone I know who has tried it, has had it work for their children.

Bugs isn't wanting to nap today. She's crawled into her sister's bed and I think stood on it twice now as I have heard two thunks that resulted in crying and having to be investigated. She is currently sitting next to me in the recliner. I pray she isn't trying to give up naps yet. I'm not ready for it. Bugs gave them up before she was this age.

I've got a child begging for more school and a cranky toddler on my hands, one who keeps trying to open the cd rom drive on the laptop. Have to get going. Hope you are having a good week.

Book Review for Book Sneeze 3.09.2010

2010-03-09T14:02:00.004-06:00

Lies the Government Told You
by Judge Andrew P. Napolitano

I was curious about this book title when I first saw it. I have always been leery about trusting everything the government does and tells us is for our own good. Judge Napolitano takes a literal view of the Constitution of the United States and shows how during numerous times in the past, it has been trampled on by the government and even by the Supreme Court. He sites numerous court cases dealing with many topics from eminent domain, the right to bear arms (and how hard that is to do anymore) to even the ban on trans fats. He claims that the government has gotten too large and is trying to do way more than what it was established to do by the constitution.

While reading this book, I felt like Judge Napolitano was rather disrespectful towards the majority of United States Presidents. He was extremely harsh on them, mostly towards President George H. Bush. He went so far as to call President Lincoln a murderer and was extremely harsh towards many others. I was raised to believe and still do, that no matter what the politics of the President, he is still deserving of respect because he is the President. He was elected to that office by the people, and no matter what the policies he endorses or what he does he still demands respect. If a country can not show respect to it's leader, than how in the world would we expect other countries to give him and even us respect? I did not appreciate the tone of disrespect used towards the office of the president and because of that, I do not plan on reading any more of Judge Napolitano's books.

This book is an all right read. I am sure there are better books out there about the erosion of our Constitutional Rights. I do can not personally reccomend it for an introduction to our Constitutional rights. Or on the basis of disrespect towards the current and previous Presidents.

I was given the book Lies the Government Told You by Thomas Nelson as part of their Book Sneeze program. I was not compensated in any form other than a free copy of the book. All views in this review are mine and mine alone.

I Want a Banana

2010-03-01T21:44:00.004-06:00

Yesterday morning, Bugs climbed into bed with us to wake us up. She was in a horrible mood. Just grouchy and whiny and frankly, it wasn't even close to time to get up yet. It was such a mood that if she were an adult, you would have found the fastest way to be shed of her company. Yes, it was that bad.

I get her to cuddle up next to me and we start to talk. We talk about getting up, that we are going to get to go to church in a few hours. We discuss why we go to church and what a privilege it is to be able to do so. It was a great talk, and she started to adjust her attitude. When winding down this teachable moment, I ask her if she can finish finding her "happy and cheerful spirit" to take to church with her. She turns, looks at me and says "I want a banana." I literally slap my forhead. Hubbs was lying next to me and just busts up laughing and says "and yet another teachable moment lost by the ADD of a three-year-old." I have no idea if she got anything out of it. We were having a fairly good give and take of conversation until that point.

I love being able to have these moments with the girls. I'm so thankful that I do. And I'm reminded how often God tries to teach us something, and we come back with "I want a banana?" How many lessons have we missed that God was trying to teach, all because we are so focused on ourselves? Probably more than we care to admit. More than I want to admit. Too many times we (I) fall into the trap of thinking of myself and not focusing on God and what He wants me to do and learn. Let's all work more on watching for those moments when God wants us to learn something this week. Be open and willing to listen. Sometimes the lessons are hard, and we don't want to learn them, but believe me, it makes it easier for you if you do. So, this week, let's be more teachable, shall we?

Blech

2010-02-27T20:23:00.003-06:00

So, if you happen to read this blog, I'm sure you noticed I've not posted in a rather long time. There is an explanation to this. It is called the plague.

Wait, you think, the plague doesn't exist anymore. That bubonic stuff, right? Well, it wasn't bubonic. I thought it was cholera. We all ended up with a horrid stomach virus this week. Started with Bugs on Sunday night. I was up doing laundry until three Monday morning. Let me tell you, my washer was not happy being awoken from slumber at one that morning. I end up sleeping with her in our bed and Hubbs slept on the couch. I had to strip our bed twice before the sun came up. She felt better at noon on Monday and I thought, good. And I prayed Beans wouldn't come down with it. Well, God answered that prayer not in the way I wanted. Beans woke up at two Tuesday morning crying in her bed. She had gotten sick ALL OVER her bed. I get her out, strip her out of of her jams and get her in the tub to get her cleaned up. And proceeded to throw out my back in the process. I bring her into bed with us (no way I was turning on lights to strip her sheets and risk waking up the eldest at that time of the night) where I finally had gotten smart and lined the bed under her with a fleece blanket and towels. Had to wash those within ten minutes of laying back down. So, for the second night in a row, my poor washing machine was aroused at a horrible hour to be run (I'm surprised it didn't revolt and decide to break after all that. Did the math, nearly twelve extra loads this week...). Beans was through being sick by eight in the morning. I on the other hand, was exhausted.

Hubbs went to Judo on Monday night and a guy fell on his leg and needless to say, Hubbs ended up hurt. We all get to go to the chiropractor Tuesday night after Hubbs was off work. Kids to keep them from getting sicker (worked like a charm, after we left, they were both back to 100% again instead of being so draggy). I got what I threw out giving Beans her bath that morning fixed and Hubbs got his knee fixed. Our friendly neighborhood chiropractor (and friend and judo instructor) gave us parents a preventative adjustment for the flu. I wish it would have worked...

On Wednesday, Hubbs goes to work, the girls and I take him. We meet him for lunch for something fun to do and run some errands. After we pick him up from work, we go to church and have supper. After supper, I start feeling like I have been hit by a cement truck. I figure I'm just being paranoid and we drop the girls in their classes and we go to the final night of the annual marriage seminar. Well, I make it to just about the end when I push past Hubbs and race to the restroom and loose my supper. I'm thankful that I made it to the restroom.... Hubbs picks the girls up from class and brings us home. Where I promptly wish for death. Suffice it to say I didn't know the human body was capable of ejecting body fluids at such force before that night. Hubbs was awesome and didn't get sick cleaning up after me. Let's say that even an adult sometimes can't make it to the bathroom in time....

Hubbs called work on Wednesday night and traded shifts with the afternoon guy. He figured that since the girls were over their being sick within twelve hours (at least the ejecting of body fluids), he would spend the morning at home and then go to work and close. Well, that was the plan. I was up sick until three Thursday morning before I finally was able to sleep. He let me sleep all morning and then came in and informed me that he was starting to feel sick. He ended up having to go to bed, and I laid in the recliner with the girls with movies on. He called in sick. He was hit the hardest. He had to call in sick Friday too. He went back to work today.

The kids are perfectly fine now. You can't tell they had been sick. Hubbs and I are taking longer to recover though. Guess that is what happens when you get old, you don't bounce back as fast. It doesn't help that I normally don't get very sick very often (like every other year for this sort of stuff at the most), and when I do get hit, it is normally a doozy. I don't wish this virus on my worst enemy...

So, because we were all sick, the housework took a hit this week. It is our turn to host small group this week too, so I've been busy today. House is looking fit for company nearly. Not complete, but most of the rest of this can get done after church tomorrow. You know, like picking up the kids' room. Like it would have stayed neat if we did it today. I do need to dust yet tonight, put baking soda to sit on the carpet overnight (blessing of having a very old dog that smells like old dog again fifteen minutes after you give her a bath) and then the dishes from today and a wipe down of the stove and counter tops. I even got the intake to the furnace vacuumed today!

Then, this week I get word that my uncle is real sick, couldn't get the antibiotics to work for a few days in the hospital. Then, my grandma's PET scan came back questionable so she was sent for another one this week that was more in depth or something, and I still haven't heard back. Then, yesterday, my SIL is taken to the hospital with a blood clot in her leg. She was told by the ultrasound tech scanning to see if that is what was it was in the ER that it was the largest clot she had ever seen. She's in the hospital a few more days as they pump her full of IV Coumidin and shots of heprin and waiting for test results to see if it is the result of her birth control pills or genetic. I am so ready for this week to be over...

Hope your week was as uneventful as mine.

Book Review for Book Sneeze 2.15.2010

2010-02-15T11:20:00.006-06:00

Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God By Shelia Walsh

I wanted to throw this book out the window or in the trash while reading it. Not because it was poorly written, not because I didn't agree with it, but because I didn't want to hear what Ms. Walsh was saying to me.

You see, I too struggle with trust. I doubt God way more than I should. I too don't think that I, a simple wife, stay-at-home mom, sinner could have anything of worth to offer to God. I have struggled with depression, feelings of guilt and worthlessness. I've questioned my value as a woman. However, reading this book changed my outlook. It doesn't matter who you are, God LOVES YOU, and WANTS to live through you and use you for his glory.

Using examples of ordinary people who answered the call of God (people she's known, to the Biblical examples of Anna, Gideon, Paul, Tabitha and others) Sheila shows that how by simply learning to trust God, and making yourself available, God will do the rest. Yes, people make mistakes, we all sin, we all have things in our past that we think will render us useless, God wants to go from this point on. Not to say you don't need to seek forgiveness for your sins, but that from this point on, you can make it a point to trust God to bring you through whatever you are going through. Nor does she promise that it is easy, and she does share with her struggles in learning to trust on a day by day basis (glad to know I'm not alone). God isn't going to leave you the same person as when you started. He is constantly refining you and molding you into a citizen of heaven. We may never know this side of heaven why things happen, but rest assured, God will bring you through it, better than when you were before. We just have to trust Him to do what He needs to and follow His paths.

I highly reccomend this book to every woman. It will challenge you and change your outlook in regards to Whom you belong to and your worth.

Disclosure Notice: I received a complimentary copy of Beautiful Things Happen when a Woman Trusts God from Thomas Nelson as a member of the Book Sneeze blog reviewers in exchange for reading, writing and posting a book review. I have not been compensated for my review, other than getting to keep my copy of the book. All opinions expressed in this review are mine and mine alone.

Company Coffee 2.12

2010-02-12T16:59:00.005-06:00

Thankfully we don't have any snow here in SW. Missouri. We've had our fill, thank you very much. If I see any more this winter, I may just totally loose it. Though, Bugs keeps asking to go out and build another snowman. We told her it had to snow again and stick (totally bare yard finally), and she is praying for God to send us some more.

Bean's birthday is next Wednesday. She is going to have a Bob the Tomato cake. She loves Veggie Tales, and she is totally going to love it.

Monday was do our taxes day. After this year's return, all that will be left of our debt is my student loans and the house!!!!! You have no idea how excited this makes us. We will have the credit cards paid off (mainly all medical from having the Beans two years ago and an emergency car repair and subsequent car rental that the warranty didn't want to cover when it was supposed to. So those along with fixing the few things that need fixed on the car, paying off the car and the hospital bill from when Bugs was born will be done in the next week or two. It is such a relief to have this taken care of.

Hubbs is closing at work, like nearly every Friday night. I can't wait for him to get a job where he isn't gone at least two nights of the week, leaving me to tuck the kids into bed by myself. They behave worse when they know their daddy isn't home. They miss him. Can't say as I blame them, I miss having him home too.

We did get our dead car sold this week too. Was supposed to have been Sunday afternoon, but they guy didn't get back over here with the money for it until Monday night. Oh well. It is no longer in our driveway, which is fine by me, but in a way, it is still kind of sad. I wrote about it a while back. Blog titled Goodbye Old Car. Also wrote one about how providential selling it was. If you are interested in reading them, just go to my blog archives and click (right side of page, scroll down, I have it on the bottom for some reason... I don't have time to go link. I've got the Beans crawling around in my lap trying to help me type. It is nearing supper time and both the girls get very cranky if they are hungry. And I mean very cranky.

Got to go for now. Have a blessed coming week! And remember, do something wonderful for your husband on Sunday that he isn't expecting. Even something as simple as a cup of his favorite coffee in bed in the morning.

Tuesday Tips

2010-02-09T13:03:00.006-06:00

Well, I realized today that it is Tuesday. I had wanted to do a Tuesday Tips thing when I started this blog, and have only done it like once or twice.

For today's tip, if you have young children (toddlers and preschoolers), insist on having a nap/quiet time each day. They can nap, or if they won't/don't nap, they can be quiet on their beds, a couch or wherever else you designate, for a designated period of time (you know your kids, you are the best judge of how long they can handle). Then, do something for yourself during the down time. Read a chapter in a book, take a shower, surf around on the internet. Even if it is just for twenty minutes, it is quite a boost to your self-confidence and sanity. Especially if you are snowed in for days on end or only have one car that your husband takes to work every day. This make take a week or two to train into your children, but trust me, the benefits are well worth it. I love quiet time. Beans still sleeps, and Bugs normally will lie on mine and Hubb's bed and "read" books. Today, she is having some seperation issues, so she is playing on the couch while I sit in the recliner with my legs up.

A freebie tip for you, if you know where the drain spout off your house is, and it has been raining and the temperature drops, don't walk onto where the puddle has turned into a sheet of ice. You'll fall down and hurt yourself. Thankfully I'm just a bit bruised, and I bruised the end of my bone that connects to the bottom of my knee so walking isn't too pleasant (thankfully fairly bearable with an elastic bandage on it) so I figure compression and rest today. Well, between loads of laundry, supervising the kids, making supper. You know, the life of a mom. At least typing is easy to do :-)

If you have a tip you would like to share, feel free to comment on the post! I do moderate just to ward off spam and unkind comments to others so if I don't get it up right away, I do apologize.

Have a blessed day!

Provision and Trust

2010-02-09T01:47:00.003-06:00

Wow, is all I have to say tonight. The buyer of our car came and gave us the money tonight. He was supposed to have shown up yesterday and didn't make it for some reason. I'm not sure why. All I know is that this month's mortgage payment is sitting on the nightstand. Tomorrow on the way to work, Hubbs is dropping it off. The last few weeks at work have been kind of skimpy in the hours scheduled department. Hate retail post holiday season, especially hourly retail....anyway, I was talking to God quite a bit over the past week and a half about the fact that the mortgage payment was going to be way late this month as we had a very high natural gas bill to get paid, how I was counting down the night time diapers and as of tonight was going to use the last one, how we could use a few grocery items, the car needed some gas to get through this cold snap, how Hubbs really could use some new work clothes, the girls need new toothbrushes and we could use a few more things like body wash and toilet paper.

To start, Hubbs filed our taxes today. God is soooo good. Our taxes this year are paying his mom back for our furnace, they are totally clearing the credit card debt that ensued while I was pregnant with our Beans and dealing with a way to make the deductible where Hubbs used to work (let's just say it was a very high deductible), and the entire remainder of the loan on the car. We are also going to be able to replace the windshield on the car (it is cracked through thanks to a stray rock on the way back from my MIL's two trips ago), the muffler that is very holey and new tires (we have bald spots on the rear tires, yes, I know, not good) and possibly new shocks....there will be some left over from that, and it should pay off most if not possibly all of the Bugs. We are still paying her birth off due to bad insurance....ok, not bad, just not the greatest, a high deductible and then wouldn't cover things most other insurances typically do (and the fact that she was kept in the hospital two extra days due to the Hep. B vaccine and an over zealous pediatrician that was on call the weekend we had her). Then, we can resume paying on my student loans when those come out of forbearance in a few months and then if things work out the way we have planned, they will be nearly gone after tax season next year and hopefully we will have most of what we will need to pay cash for a used mini van saved up. Oh happy day.

Then, while I was laying down (I was sick most of the day, glad today was Hubb's day off, he gave me this lovely weird head cold thingy) there was a knock on the door. It was the guy who wanted to buy our car. He came to finalize the deal and apologize for not coming yesterday. I was laying down having a quite the discussion with God.

Me: Uh, God, you know the mortgage isn't paid this month (thankfully they don't get cranky about that until the tenth), we are going to need toilet paper this week, Hubbs doesn't have any body wash left, and we use our last diaper tonight on the Beans, and I don't think she is ready to go in panties overnight. Naps, we've gotten down, overnight, not yet.

God: Trust ME. It is going to be fine.

Me: I know it is going to be fine. You are in control. I know that we aren't going to be in this financial boat forever. I know You are going to get us out, I've known that for a long while. Which, if You could also just please tell me what we are to do in the line of Hubb's employment, you know, direction as to what to pursue, and How in the world am I going to get diapers tomorrow?

God: Be patient. Trust ME. I WILL PROVIDE.

During me pestering God about providing for us and me saying I really didn't see how it was going to work out this week, the buyer of the car knocked on the door. Man, I felt bad. I really was having trust issues. Still do to an extent. However, the timing of it all couldn't have been planned by a human.

I'm still blown away. God has this way of answering our prayers and providing for our needs at the best time for us. Even if we think it isn't the best time. Even when in our opinion He waits too long and we think causes us undue stress. Yet, His timing is perfect. It always has been, is now, and always will be.

Oh, and we did get diapers tonight.

Goodbye Old Car

2010-02-06T13:57:00.004-06:00

Well, we finally sold the white car this morning. This was so providential. This money is making the mortgage payment this month. Due to a very high gas bill this last month, I was starting to get a tad bit worried about this month. Yet, I kept feeling God tell me that it is ok, He's got it covered. This morning, there was a knock on the door and a guy there asking if we wanted to sell it (less than we originally were wanting, but still nothing to sneeze at) because he needed the engine out of it. So, he is bringing us the money tomorrow and taking the car. I cleaned it out this morning after that. We had some stuff left in it from when we used to drive it. It is kind of sad, getting rid of it. That is the car that we brought the eldest home from the hospital in. It is the car in which my husband proposed to me. Yes, he proposed to me in the car. I had come to visit him while he was at school one weekend, and we had then gone to church that Sunday. There I had seen so many friends of mine that kept asking if Hubbs had finally (we had only been courting two years at that point) asked me to marry him. I kept telling them not yet. So, after church was over, we were in the car in the parking lot about to get ready to go to a friend's mom's house for lunch. Hubbs starts searching through the compartments of the car saying he thought it was right there...I'm thinking, great, he lost the keys. We were talking and I was saying that we needed to stop at a gas station to get a fake ring out of the vending machine so I could show my friend that he had finally given me a ring. I did find one of the light up rings in the car from one day when we were just playing around and being funny. He then pulls a box out of his pocket and says, why don't you show her this instead? I open the box and inside was the most gorgeous ring I could have ever imagined. I stop breathing for a few long seconds, and then I ask if it was what I thought it was. Hubbs said, "yep, what's your answer?" I said yes. Seven months and one day later we were married. We drove that car on our honeymoon too. Granted, it was a road trip back from where we got married in IL to our apartment in Missouri, but still. That car is a great part of our history together. In fact, when he was on his internship in Northern IL, and I lived in central, I had to get the transmission rebuilt on the jeep I had, so he let me borrow his car for the week my jeep was in the shop. That was while we were dating. And my favorite Valentine's Day ever was when the breaks went out on that car....I think I may have to go out and get a few pictures of the old girl.

Hubbs called in sick today. I think he has a sinus infection. He should be better tomorrow. I hope so. We had plans for the Super Bowl. We were going to go to the party our small group is holding. Supposed to be a ton of fun. That reminds me, I need to go and find my tiny crock pot so I can make my rotel and velveeta dip. Ok, so it isn't my recipe, but I'm the one bringing it.

It is still dark and dreary and it isn't supposed to get sunny again until the end of the week, at the earliest. Oh well. That is what lights are for. I'm shudder thinking of the next electric bill.

Need to go out and get the mail. Looks like a lot from watching the mail lady put it in the box.

Rambles

2010-02-01T12:56:00.003-06:00

Day umpteen of overcloudy conditions. And of course, the street isn't plowed from last week. Like I truly expected the city to do such a logical thing. In all the years we've lived here, they have yet to plow residential sections of town. I miss living farther up north in some regards. There, they plow. They also know how to plow properly, and apply salt and sand in the prevention of ice... Yet, I don't know if I can cope during the winter with that much snow and clouds. This winter has been a tough one as it is...

Hubbs has a day off today, day two of his weekend. Tonight he tests for his yellow belt in judo. He is excited. The girls are happy to have him home. They love spending time with their daddy.

I got another book on the way from Book Sneeze. I can't wait. It is something to look forward to getting in the mail. Better than yet another bill.

Hubbs took the eldest to Walmart to get a pizza for lunch today. The youngest sat in my lap and whimpered the whole time they were gone. First time she has ever wanted to go with and expressed a desire to. She's getting so big and learning to express herself. It makes me glad. Now, to not have her decide to not ask for stuff because she doesn't think she deserves it when she doesn't get to go too. She is too much like her mother with her personality. I see so much of myself in her, stuff I struggle with that I have no idea how to guard against her turning into me. Guess this will be quite a learning process for the both of us. And she isn't two yet! Not for another 16 days anyway.

Bean's birthday. A mere 16 days away. I'm thinking of making her favorite lunch (hot dogs) and macaroni and cheese and then making a Bob cake. She loves Veggie Tales. And I have a Red Velvet cake mix. I had thought of a carrot cake, but that just seems wrong on too many levels.

Got to go scan the purchases. I was accepted into the Nielson Homescan panel. Kind of an inconvenience, but I think it will be worth it. They have some wonderful prizes.

Review of The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns

2010-01-29T14:41:00.003-06:00

A Review of The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Sterns, President of World Vision, U.S.

“Saved by faith. Saved for works,” sums up the message of The Hole in Our Gospel written by Richard Stearns who is the president of World Vision, U.S. Mr. Stearns did an excellent job of writing this book from a balanced view point of doing works, but also of having faith. So many books on this topic address just the need for works, tries to guilt the reader into doing more projects and just makes one feel like slime for not doing everything. Richard Stearns' book is different. He explains the plight of the majority of the inhabitants of the world, explains how it is our Christian responsibility to do something in light of the scripture and then leave it for the reader to discern exactly what God is calling him to do.

This book was a hard book for me to read and is very convicting. How many American Christians are living the easy life? How many of us go about our lives, go to church and think we are fine? It is time to move from complacency into a life of intentional action. This book challenged me to find ways to serve now. I have time, I have talents that can be used where I live now. While reading this book, God planted a few ideas of things to prepare for, for the future. Ideas I wouldn't have dreamed of otherwise. I recommend this book to anyone who needs to see that as Christians we have a responsibility to not only have faith, but to have the works to back it up. Don't read this book if you are happy with the status quo and don't think that one should reach out to others and help them to rise out of their circumstances of poverty. However, do read this to challenge your thinking on why people live in poverty all over the world, why the cycle needs to be broken and what you can do about it. If everyone did something, then eventually, this world will be radically changed. God called us to live radically for Him. Do so.

I was given a copy of The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns from Thomas Nelson to read and review. All opinions are mine and mine alone.

I am going to see if I can get my husband to embed a picture of the cover of the book. I'm having issues. Like normal...

Yes, Winter is STILL Here

2010-01-27T13:55:00.004-06:00

Woke up this morning to the sound of rain. I wasn't too excited over it as the temperatures are supposed to drop and freeze over here and then have freezing rain later today/tonight. This is south west Missouri. We haven't had weather like this in the eight years or so I've lived down here. In fact, we have had more winter weather this year than all the other years combined. I am starting to wish we could get called to minister in Hawaii. I am going crazy being in the house with the kids. They are going stir crazy too. I guess that after this storm system passes and the roads become passable again (takes a week, our town doesn't believe in plowing the residential streets and half the main roads) I'm going to have to bundle them up and take Hubbs to work and us girls go look at fish, walk the mall and be out.

The kiddos are down for naps right now. It was a long morning. Bugs woke up the Beans before her normal time to wake and neither has been in a great mood all day. In fact, they are both wanting to be held and snuggled, but they don't want to share mommy.

I'm hoping UPS delivers my order from Alice.com today. I got two packages of toilet paper, shampoo for the kids, three packages of straws (at 40 cents each for those) and I had an impulse buy of some glade air freshner at 55 cents that I tacked on at the end. All told, spent just about eleven and a half bucks total and it is all delivered to my door. I love using Alice.com for shopping for stuff we need at a very good price. And I don't have to take the kids to the store and juggle them and huge things in the cart, like toilet paper (which always gets sat upon, the rolls squashed, and then they don't fit on my roller well...). I figure due to the FTC, I should state that I was just sharing my experience, I wasn't asked to by anyone (nor was I compensated for it), but figured I should share something that helps me, makes my life easier and saves me money to boot. Figured I should cover my bases there with that one.

Tonight we are supposed to go to church. So I don't have to cook tonight. I love having a big meal together on Wednesday nights at church. It makes my life so much easier, and it is so much fun to eat with the church family. There is something special in sharing a meal with others. Tomorrow I'm making Manwich. I think I spelled that right. Growing up, mom always made our chilli burgers from scratch and we never got the stuff. She always said it was full of salt and didn't taste very good. Well, it was on sale and I had coupons so I got it very cheaply. I loved this stuff as a kid when I would have it at friends' houses. So, I'm going to make some. I just have to make a loaf of regular bread yet. I made some peanut butter bread earlier. Sure does make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches easier and a bit less messy.

I got Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons from my mother-in-law yesterday. From everyone I know who has used this book, I am so excited to start this with Bugs. She has been complaining that she doesn't know the words in books we've not read together. In fact, she will only look at books anymore that we have read so she can tell herself the story. Reading with mom or dad is fine if it is a book she hasn't "read" before (and it only takes one or two readings until she knows the story to tell it to herself). I plan on starting the lessons next week. I'm going through it first to get familiar with it. I taught reading using Abeka when I taught school and it works great. However, results happen faster with this program from what I've seen and most kids are reading well before the last lesson in the book. And I mean reading bigger books than those readers that a lot of kids find absolutely boring (My MIL was talking to a friend of hers whose 4 y.o. boy is reading in a preschool Bible after three months of lessons, which made her want me to teach Bugs with this method. She was pretty happy that I knew of the system and book, and had wanted it before then. She bought it for me and everything.) I think when Bugs starts the lessons, she is going to just absorb it and be reading in no time. I'll keep track of the progress on here. Hopefully to encourage you that yes, you can teach your child to read before mandatory attendance age. Frankly, kids can learn way more earlier than what most people think....but that is a topic for another time and another place.

I should get going and reading some in my book. I joined Book Sneeze through Thomas Nelson. You get free books in exchange for reviewing them on your blog and at least one retail site. I need to get reading so I can write the review and request a new book. I love to read, I love books, and who can beat free ones? And I need to go check on the munchkins. I think they both may have actually gone to sleep!!!!! If I didn't think it would wake them, I'd crank the music and do a happy dance.

My Baby is a Big Girl

2010-01-23T13:14:00.006-06:00

Last night, Beans decided it was a great night to learn how to climb out of her crib. And since she has the personality of if I do something once, I'm going to keep at it until I master it, we had to convert her crib to a toddler bed after Hubbs got off work. I don't think any of us was ready for it. Beans doesn't adjust to change too well without plenty of advance notice (didn't think that was genetic, I'm the same way). It was a long night. Followed by being awakened at five thirty as my babysitting boys arrived. I totally forgot they were coming today. Whoops. So, I'm tired. I'm about to make a second pot of coffee. Something I never do. It was funny, after we ended up taking the light bulb out of their over head light to keep her from turning the light on, she cried and curled up on the train table and went to sleep with a dollie pillow. However, I didn't wait long enough to move her and woke her back up. Took until twelve-thirty to get her to stay down.

Bugs is growing like a weed. I'm waiting on a book to get here to start teaching her to read. My MIL bought me Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons I can't wait to try it. I have had several friends use this successfully on their kids, and before the age of what the public schools says they should be. Bugs is three and a half, and she is itching to "know the words on the page." as she says it.

This morning, I got my kitchen somewhat decent. It isn't what I classify as a health hazard anymore. I need to pick up and mop the floor, but not with the kids awake. And I am going to be too tired after they go down tonight. Maybe Monday. Too busy tomorrow, and it is Sunday after all. I also made a batch of laundry detergent. I'm fiddling with the recipe as I didn't like how thickly it congealed last time. I have laundry in that needs swapped at the moment. I should go and do that. However, finding energy to move off the recliner is something I must do first. I keep telling myself I could make some coffee or a cup of chai, or some hot tea or something to give myself a little oomph. But the effort at the moment seems too great. However, I must stay awake. I have my boys until two thirty or so and I can't leave them unsupervised (granted, at six and eight, they are more capable of taking care of themselves than my girls, they aren't mine, so I can't risk it).

Tomorrow is church, hopefully a trip to the library to pick up the movie I requested (Up, love it) and then making desert for small group tomorrow night. For Christmas, my mom got me cupcake pans in the shape of ice cream cones. I'm going to make cupcakes in them and then we are taking frosting and sprinkles and letting people do their own, sort of like a sundae bar for real ice cream. It should be fun.

I'm contemplating what I'm doing for Valentine's day this year. It is a Sunday and we haven't decided if we are holding small group that night or not. I do have a few steaks in the freezer that I got at the salvage grocery last week for super cheap. I think I may couple it with one of those microwavable bagged dinners like a shrimp alfredo and a salad and serve it by candle light after we get the kids down one night to celebrate. Maybe rent something out of the Redbox or find something from the library. We'll see. Then, Bean's birthday is three days later. She turns two! My little baby isn't a baby any longer. We are thinking of doing a Veggie Tales themed thing. Complete with a Bob and Larry cake. And since she is turning two, she is getting her own light saber. Somehow, that has turned into a tradition in our family. I don't know why. Then, I'll be the only one without a light saber. Might have to ask for one for Mother's Day. Got to admit, that would be better than getting a washing machine...(though, in defense, it was the one I chose and we got it with out tax return that year, still running great, haven't had a single issue with it and I love it!).

Well, that is it for here today. I don't have anything deep or thought provoking, I'm too tired.

Getting Back on Track

2010-01-21T14:08:00.006-06:00

Today has been fairly profitable. I've gotten the living room nearly decent again. And the laundry is about all washed. We are holding a folding party tonight after supper to teach the eldest how to fold socks and undies. At three and a half, she's old enough to learn. Beans is down for her nap, so I can't vacuum yet, or even get the vacuum cleaner out as it is stored in a closet in their room.

I'm planning tonight's supper. Breaded pork cube steaks, cream of mushroom gravy, probably brussels sprouts and noodles to serve with the gravy. Though, unless I miss my guess, Hubbs would prefer stuffing. He asks for stuffing when I make ham...

I found a great website today thanks to a friend on a forum I frequent. It is Home Sanctuary. She has a great plan on keeping up the sanctuary that is to be our homes, writes about it in a nice conversational way with a touch of humor, and is a great motivator. You can find Home Sanctuary at: Home Sanctuary I hope I embedded the URL correctly. I don't know why, but I've been having the worst time figuring that out (and Hubbs, the computer programming, website designer that he is, thinks it is funny I can't do something so simple... I'd love to see him try and make laundry detergent, get Beans to get her clothes back on, settle an argument between Beans and Bugs and answer the phone all at the same time...I don't say that to make him look bad, but to show that we all have different strengths and gifts and jobs.)

I'm behind this week on my chore list as it is. I was sick with a severe sinus headache yesterday. I seriously felt like my head was going to explode. It wasn't pleasant. And of course the kids knew I didn't feel well and took advantage of it. I can't find the floor in their room at the moment, they took apart the train table somehow and put a blanket over it to build a tent (yet, they can't get under the train table as it is so short) and found all sorts of mischief to be a part of. Oh well, those days happen.

It is dark and dreary here today. I'm not enjoying it. I'm trying to be thankful for another day, however, when it is dark out, I go up the wall. I have a bit of seasonal affective disorder and days on end without sunlight can be hard. I'm contemplating making a light box as the bought ones are so expensive. However, we don't have any wiggle room in the budget to spring for the stuff to make one right now. That's ok. I know the sun will come back eventually. And I can turn on LOTS of lights inside the house and light candles (yes, out of the reach of the little ones). I will be more grateful for the sun when it returns this way. We can't truly appreciate the sun for what it is until we have a few days of clouds.

So, my question for you today, are you appreciating times of sun and clouds? Are you thankful for whatever circumstances you find yourself in? What is God trying to teach you right now? Think about it today as you go about your work. I'm thankful for my family and for our home (I know, cliche) I'm grateful my husband agrees that my place is to stay at home and raise the children and make our home. I'm grateful for a washer and dryer that works (been through a period where I did laundry in the bath tub for six months and hung it outside on rigged up ropes to save money for a set). I'm grateful for a full freezer and that I don't need to worry where our next meal is coming from. I'm grateful that God has given us exactly what we need, when we need it.

Until next time,
Crissyanna

Popcorn Kernels Don't Go There

2010-01-16T19:47:00.006-06:00

Today was just one of those odd eclectic days that seem to happen rather frequently with young children.

I thought for sure my husband was supposed to be to work at noon today. So, I cook and serve lunch at ten-thirty, we were out of diapers, so the girls and I take him to work so I could get some (outgrew our cloth ones, haven't been able to afford more, yet I know if I wasn't spending money on disposables, I could. Hate the irony of it.). Ended up getting a small package of diapers for night use and a had a great coupon for Pull-Ups which made it cheaper than the store brand so I got those. Hopefully soon we won't be needing those and I can save up for a better stash of cloth diapers. Anyway, we get home and I put the Beans down for her nap and get the laundry started for the day when Hubbs emails me on his first break. He told me that he was supposed to have been in at two, not noon, but they let him work two extra hours (I thought for sure he was to be there at noon. Until I checked my day planner and found out I was the one who messed up...I don't mind the extra two hours of pay, but it meant I could have gone shopping alone for the first time in ages). After Beans woke up, I gave the kids popcorn for a snack. They have always been good about eating popcorn so I wasn't worried. I called my mom, who wasn't home so I talked to my dad for a half hour. While I'm on the phone, Bugs comes over to me and says she has something up her nose and to get it out for her. I look into her nose and discover an unpopped kernel of popcorn in her left nostril. I bid Dad a hasty farewell and try and get Bugs to blow through her nose while I'm holding the right nostril shut. She blows through her mouth instead. She really starts to freak out a bit and starts to sniff in as hard as she could and sticking her finger up there in an effort to pry it out herself. I take her to my bedroom and lay her down on the bed and pull out my tweezers, praying I could get a good grip on the kernel. The second Bugs saw the tweezers in my hand she starts throwing her head back and forth and flailing her arms and legs and screaming "Don't hurt me!!! Don't hurt me!!!!. I quickly see that talking to her about not moving and I won't hurt her isn't doing any good, so I decide to try to get her to blow one last time. I show her what to do with my nose, offered up several desperate prayers to please let it come out, plug her right nostril and tell her to blow through her nose. The popcorn kernel came shooting out of her nose and bounced off my chest. I had hoped we had passed the stage where random items are shoved into odd orifices. She's almost three and a half. I guessed wrong. Now to survive this stage with Beans....and hopefully Bugs learned her lesson...My dad called back five minutes later to check on the Bugs.

After playing EMT, and being relieved that we weren't out the ridiculous copay for urgent care, I was very shaky the rest of the day. I didn't get half of what I had planned to do done for the day. Oh well. My kids survived today, at this point, that is what matters.

Going to have to pick my husband up from work in about an hour. I can't wait to have him home for two days in a row next week. Tomorrow and Monday. Haven't had two off in a row in over month except for his requested vacation days over New Years.

Speaking of husbands, what out of the ordinary nice thing have you done for yours lately? Not to brag, but last night I gave mine an hour long massage after he got home from work (he closed). He really enjoyed the surprise of it. And he's thanked me several times today, mentioned how great he feels a several times and I think he really appreciated it. Have you done something to show your husband how much you appreciate him lately? It doesn't have to be an hour long massage, or anything expensive. Maybe just baking him a batch of his favorite cookies and slipping them into his lunch as a surprise, or maybe a copy of that new book he's been wanting to read and then you take the kids out for a few hours so he can get a start on it. Really, it could be anything to make him feel special. I want to challenge you to do one thing as a surprise for your husband this week to make him feel special and cared for.

Have a blessed Sunday and into next week. I've got a busy few days coming up between church and small group tomorrow and then Monday we are going to the salvage grocery store for our monthly stock up. I still have cereal and bottled juice from the last trip. Opened my last package of cheese today. I love the salvage grocery. It basically is just items that got damaged while waiting to be put on shelves at the big chain stores. Cereal boxes that got whacked with a box knife while the pallet was being cut open, boxes that got crushed and dented cans. The one we go to also gets restaurant overstocked items and things that are no longer at the restaurant that were limited time promo items. It is a great way to save a ton of money. I can totally fill the trunk of our car for a hundred dollars. I can't do that anywhere else.

Housekeeping and Spiritual Life are Intertwined

2010-01-15T22:33:00.003-06:00

Over the past few weeks I've been doing a LOT of thinking. And being hit with realizations that I don't necessarily want to make. I have never been a great housekeeper. I have always wanted to stay home with my kids, be the housewife and such, but I never thought of all the work involved. Work that I don't particularly like. So, of course I let it slide, and the house gets to be a mess. I started really cleaning at the beginning of winter, and I would just find myself gravitating to the cleaner rooms of my house. It was more peaceful there and I could think more clearly. I started to check out some books from the library, such as Restoring Order to Your Home by Vicki Norris and Keeping House, The Litany of Everyday Life by Margaret Kim Peterson. Both are Christian books in their perspectives, both come at the issues of keeping a home a little differently. I highly recommend both. In fact, I hope to someday own them.

Keeping my house is a reflection of my spiritual life. I am going to just say it, I've been rather lax in maintaining one. I haven't had personal devotions in a rather long time. I haven't been too consistent with prayer time (I am improving on that one). My spiritual life is a mess, just like my house. It isn't that I don't care, for me it is to the point of being overwhelming. Something I need to strive to do better at. And if I can start to reclaim time to read the Bible regularly, the rest of my life will be more in line also.

My home is slowly getting more organized (interestingly enough, it started getting more organized around here when I started praying more consistently). We did get our room cleaned, decluttered and un-kidded (banned their toys) and hung up and put away all the clean laundry (I hate the putting away part of the laundry process, it is the most redundant for me for some reason). Then, on Wednesday we got the girls' room cleaned up and reorganized. Next up, not sure which room to tackle next. I am thinking the bathroom as I can totally overhaul that one by myself and we aren't going to have a day in the next week to tackle one together. This week, we are using Hubb's day off to run the hour and a half over to the salvage grocery to do our major shopping for the month.

We host small group at our house the end of February, so this massive cleaning and organizing purge will have to be done by then. And the youngest turns two in a month and I don't know if anyone is coming out family-wise for it or not yet.

More reflections on why one should strive for their best in the realms of house work another time. My husband just got home from work, and I want to spend precious time with him.

I'm Back (Finally) and I Guess a Formal Introduction

2010-01-12T14:22:00.004-06:00

So, it is obviously way past the first of the year when I thought I'd be on blogging more regularly. Well, I've spent the past week and a half playing catch up with housework. And random child squabbles and potty training mishaps and, well, you get the picture. I apologize and hopefully at least once a week, (I want to a few times a week) I will be posting. I have all sorts of ideas and thoughts that are just dying for a place to come out and be expressed.

First things first though, I never did formally introduce myself, did I? Quite rude of me, I know. So, I'm Crystal. I'm 30 years old now, and frankly, I don't understand the fear of 30 now that I am that old. It isn't too bad, in fact, it is like being 29. I am married to the most wonderful man of God ever (ok, I'm a tad bit biased). We've been married for four and a half years now (July 8, 2005). We dated for nearly two and a half years before our wedding day, and were friends for like three years before that. I honestly can not imagine being married to anyone else. Hubbs takes care of me when I can't or refuse to take care of myself. He has helped me through some really rough patches in my/our life and I know I am who I am today because of him and his thoughtfulness, caring, and support of me. I'm a mom to two wonderful daughters. Bugs is three as of last September and Beans will be two next month already. They are both beautiful and smart. As it is, we are looking at starting kindergarten with Bugs next fall. I have the best two daughters anyone could hope to be given (again, I may be a wee bit biased...)

I am a believe in the One True God. The denomination we attend doesn't matter. Jesus is all we need and to follow Him. Everything else is secondary. My husband used to be an associate pastor at a church until budget cuts eliminated his position. We are looking for a new ministry and we do have our application in at a church we both really like so we are praying that we are called there.

I am also a homeschooling mom. I believe that God gave us our children to raise up and teach. It is up to us if we are going to delegate the education of our children to others or take it upon ourselves. No matter what we choose, we will be held accountable for what our children are filled with. We have decided that we will be better stewards of our children and their future if we teach them at home and instruct them in the ways of the Lord. We are open to the possibility of putting them into school in the future, but at this point in our lives we are convinced this is the best choice for us to make. It isn't the easiest or cheapest, but the best for us and them. I do not aim to start a debate on homeschooling, public schooling or private schooling, whether you can change your mind on what you have chosen later and all the politics involved with the decision.

I prefer cloth diapers over disposeable, I love a great baby carrier/sling and I am a proponent of natural and home birthing.

Pretty much, I am just a stay-at-home wife and mom who is more than just that. I am a human being, created in the image of God who has many facets to her being. If I tried to totally explain myself, this blog post wouldn't ever get finished, and you would be extremely bored. Besides, I've got a slightly cranky Bean on my hands. She didn't wake up well from her nap today and is acting like her molars are bothering her. I intend in the next couple of days to post what I plan on doing on this blog this year. Just don't have time or space for it now.

Until we meet again,
Crystal

Our Very Memorable Christmas Day

2009-12-29T14:53:00.002-06:00

To start, it snowed. It started about five thirty on Christmas Eve and we actually got five or so inches. It doesn't normally snow down here until the end of January, and to say the girls were thrilled is an understatement (I'm just grateful it started to melt off a bit yesterday and the road in front of our house is no longer a two inch thick sheet of ice)

So, Bugs wakes us up at about seven on Christmas morning. She has this insane love of early mornings (how, we don't know, neither her father or I are morning people). So, we cuddle in bed until she happens to see the snow out our bedroom window, which at that point, there was no stopping her or her excitement. Funny thing is, she hadn't noticed what all was under the tree yet at that point.

So, at a little before eight, she and I come out and we start our cinnamon rolls (yes, I used a tube, figured the time exchange for tubed verses homemade on Christmas day was worth it, and yes, I did get generic). She loved helping. While she was helping, she looked into the living room and noticed that the tree wasn't the same as when she went to bed. She got all excited to see that Mimi and Poppie had sent presents (and there were a few from Mom and Dad). She was wanting to rip into them right away. She was sent to wake up her sister as the rolls were finishing and they got to open their stockings (little dolls from the dollar bin, stickers and candy canes along with a few more items from the dollar bin, and new hair clips for each of them because ours end up missing on a regular basis). We then sit down to eat and the girls were enthralled over the stockings (if I had let them, they wouldn't have moved for hours). We then opened up what my parents sent out and the few things we had gotten for the girls. By now it is ten in the morning, and I realize I needed to have gotten the ham in to cook for LUNCH at least two hours ago. Ooops on me. So, I lug it out of the fridge and started reading the directions. I got the ham at 99 cents a pound for a full ham the week before. It was a great deal. It weighed 18 1/2 pounds. No way it was going to be ready for lunch. I read the cooking instructions that came with it, and it said to bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes a pound. I look at the clock and start doing math. I gasp. Redo the math. Nearly 9 hours? Like, supper at bedtime? So, to hasten the cooking for dinner, I cut the ham into three parts (mistake number 2) and coat the two smaller parts with my glaze and cover it all with foil and threw it in the oven and nearly start crying.

My husband was like, it's ok. We have the money to go for Chinese for lunch, we'll just have ham for supper, it will be great. I agreed to the plan (thankful our Chinese restaurants are super cheap around here [cheaper than fast food for our family] and the girls still eat free due to their ages). So, until lunch time, we decide to go out and play in the snow. The girls have a blast and my husband shovels the sidewalk and the driveway. This was the Beans first time in the snow and she fell in love. Until her boot got caught in a small drift and she stepped out of it, and her sock and right into the snow with her bare foot. At this point, she starts screaming like someone was trying to kill her. I go and scoop her up to see what the problem was and her poor foot was red and cold. I go to shift her into a better position for holding her (at 22 1/2 months she's bigger than her sister was at that age) and I take a step and my left ankle decides it is a great time to roll and sprain. So, Hubbs stays outside a bit longer with the Bugs and I and the Beans go inside to tend to our wounds. Beans gets plopped into a bubble bath and has the time of her life in it (I added extra bubbles, she loved it). And I put my foot up. The rest of the fam came in and I had to give the Bugs a bath in bubbles too.

We get the girls dressed in clean and dry clothes and Hubbs goes out to scrape the car. He opens the driver side door to turn on the defroster, and the door refuses to latch. He gets a bit freaked out. I told him it was probably ice and to let it warm up. Of course, he didn't come in to tell me until after he had scraped the whole thing. He decides that if he can't rig it closed, he'll just hold it shut and we'll still go out for Chinese, I just have to shift when he tells me to. I'm like, no way. And if we have to go that route, how in the world was he getting to work the next day? He said he'd work on it. He then asks me to go out and check the door to see if I can find what was wrong. It worked perfectly for me. So either the seatbelt got stuck out and he didn't notice it, or there was ice and it melted, it was fixed. He still doesn't believe me over the ice as he can't see how ice can get on the latch (um, it was raining and turned to snow when he got off work the night before...)

So, we head out to our favorite Chinese restaurant. We knew they were supposed to be open (it was on their sign). We get stuck trying to get into their parking lot. We notice there are no cars, no car tracks and it looks strangely like it is closed. So, we go to leave and we get stuck in a drift over the road on the exit. Hubbs gets out of the car to push it while I try driving. We rocked it for twenty minutes on one of the main streets of our town. Someone finally did stop and five minutes later we were freed (traffic was kind of heavy at that point). We get going towards another Chinese restaurant and arrive, without any more delays at one in the afternoon. We were starved.

We get home after nearly getting side swiped by an SUV (snow and slick roads only happen like two days out of each year, so no one down here knows how to drive in it. I miss living where there is snow because the people knew how to deal with it) and the youngest goes down for her very late nap and Hubbs and Bugs watch a movie on the computer while I lay down. Then, at about five, I check the ham. The thing was overcooked. As my husband termed it, we had pig jerky for supper. It was so dried out. And for some reason, the mashed potatoes tasted like dirt. My butternut squash I had steamed was great though. However, I was the only one who liked it. Oh well, it meant more for me.

So, that was our Christmas day. Totally not what any of us had planned, but wouldn't have traded the experiences for anything. Kind of like my favorite Valentine's day. Hubbs and I were courting, and we went to the big town 45 minutes away and the brakes on his car decided that they were going to go kaputz. He then wasn't able to get me the bracelet he wanted to as he had to replace his brakes instead. It was a fun and enjoyable day trying to get that fixed and back to town. I did get a giant teddy bear out of the deal though. That year, I got him some nice glass Anchor Hocking bakeware. He was on his internship at a church three hours from where I was living and teaching and he had never owned his own bakeware. I still use it and every time I do, I remember that Valentine's Day.

I pray you had a blessed Christmas day too.

Hi Everyone

2009-12-21T14:30:00.002-06:00

Just due to this time of the year, I haven't been on much anywhere. And I won't be be on much until after New Year's.

May you all have a blessed Christmas and New Year. After the first of the year, this blog should be more organized and regular!

A GREAT blog giveaway

2009-12-17T00:09:00.003-06:00

I found a nice giveaway at Fashionable Modest Patterns today! She is giving away any (yes, any, your choice) one of her patterns in her store. I've seen these, and the skirts are adorable. And she has the cutest swimsuits for girls. If I had a sewing machine, time and some extra money right now, I would have gotten the swim suit pattern for next summer already.

Thought that you all might like a chance to win a FREE pattern of your choice. Simply go to:

http://fashionablymodestpatterns.blogspot.com/2009/12/pattern-giveaway.html?showComment=1261030151964_AIe9_BE-a-MfDZSReH4MdWbud8QX2osUsoEb_F0MDKltoLqkxsOINs09zZE9vw4nnV6skQMnwPxPAILgCa7Oi7omh23-xn7AkZ2vJYOGx8Vrv1TztDAM06Bt1hmgvv2FrBCGKUQPiOaKQg0GZtSCkUIolZ2eokzTDwDF6EyhcrrFcPmtLJkXxOZeAHYbTrS3rFsviL-WxxtOmq9VJr-Od9BilcF9w4dYu2-_GCzrumVCQV1VKU0Zu3s#c41876015265744191

Due to the fact that I am not the most technologically inclined person in the world, you will have to cut and paste that into your browser....I'm sorry. I can't for the life of me right now figure out how to get that to be able to just click on the link. Last time I put a link in a post, my wonderful, technically advanced husband did it for me.

Anyway, had a busy day. Hubbs was off work today so we ran some errands. Bugs has come down with a slight head cold and Beans is getting most definitely close to being a two-year-old.

I might be getting a new phone. Mine is due for an upgrade, and God has provided the money so I can get a pretty good upgrade. Just having to decide what to get exactly. I hate these kinds of choices. I always second guess myself.

Well, I must be getting to bed. Morning comes early. Especially with kids. Have a blessed day.

Loving this moment...: Advent Conspiracy

2009-12-13T21:49:00.002-06:00

I hadn't seen this before. A friend of mine posted on the Advent Conspiracy and I looked at it. Thought I'd give a link to her blog. Just the video is thought provoking. We don't have a lot of money and the past couple of years, I have felt horrible at not really even being able to afford to buy our daughter's presents, let alone the rest of the family. However, I keep forgetting that giving gifts isn't want matters. The girls don't play with the toys they got last year, nor do the clothes they received still fit (except as a hand-me-down for the youngest). However, the time spent together as a family, doing things to create memories is what is truly remembered and treasured. Last year we drove to the local Monastery to see their light display. We intend to do that again this week sometime. The girls loved the lights. They love to spend time in the kitchen with me. Bugs asked me a few weeks ago about making turtle cupcakes to share again. We did that for her second birthday. She is three now. I am a fairly crafty individual, so I can make a lot of gifts. I had already planned on doing that for most of the family this year. In case they are reading it, I can't say what. But my sister-in-law's will be awesome if it turns out. My husband's will be incredible too. I really can't tell you what it is as he does read my blog on occasion... So, as this hectic time of year keeps getting more and more crazy, please, remember the reason we celebrate. Remember that Christ is the greatest gift of all time. We can't compete. Don't try. Make memories with your family. Give love and the gift of hope to someone who needs it.

Loving this moment...: Advent Conspiracy

Have a blessed day.

Why Won't they Sleep?

2009-12-12T21:09:00.002-06:00

My babysitting boys were here about five thirty this morning. They didn't go back to sleep like normal. I had to get on them to keep from waking up the girls. Well, Bugs we think is starting to sleep walk. She got up at eleven thirty last night. Then, crawled into bed with us at twelve thirty, and then tried it again at three. Then, had to get up to get my boys, who didn't let me return to slumber, and then Bugs woke up at six, and I let her get in our bed (should have called her octopus. Sharing a bed with her is like trying to sleep in a tank of 30).

The youngest of the boys got sick, so he ended up sleeping all day. The eldest was quieter than normal, stems from not going back to sleep. And the girls didn't get a nap/rest time for a second day in a row, so they were tired, and very cranky come around supper time, so they ate, got a bath, got to watch one movie and got tucked into bed by seven. Didn't take long for them to go to dreamland though.

I got NOTHING done again today. Starting to feel bad about it. Like, I get the living room and kitchen and bathroom looking great, it lasts for a few days, then things get off kilter with Hubbs' work schedule, things going on and such and it is trashed in the blink of an eye. Well, my bathroom still looks pretty good. The kitchen and living room, not so much. I want to cry over it. However, that won't solve anything. Tomorrow, after church and Hubbs leaves for work (hate retail in the holiday season, his schedule is so messed up) I intend to fix the living room and kitchen. Not necessarily in that order. They aren't as bad as they have been in the past, believe me, but after all our work into it, I feel horrible they got as far as they have. Then, Hubbs is off on Monday so hopefully we can tackle our bedroom in a joint effort. Then, he'll have judo that night.

Well, the washer is done, so I need to transfer some clothes to the dryer. And the hot water tank has finished heating, so I can go and take a much needed shower. Then maybe doze off. Though, I'm scared that if I go to sleep before Hubbs gets home, I won't know it if he comes in. I need snuggles. And supper with him. I snacked while the girls ate. I like eating dinner with my husband after he gets off late. It is nice us time. Though, he may be propping me up for it.

Oy

2009-12-11T20:08:00.003-06:00

Well, for today, nothing got accomplished. Had a few potty training mishaps that resulted in an extra load of laundry that had to get done. And then I nearly stepped on a dead mouse that was lying on a pair of MY jeans at the foot of our bed. I managed to not scream (thankfully as the girls were following me at the time) and I managed to keep the kids from seeing it. I got the jeans out back on the patio and came into the house and shook for some reason. That kind of wigged me out. So, I was extremely leery of going back into our room to continue the reorganization I started yesterday.

Last night, on Mom's night out, I somehow got conned into letting the whole family come along. My fault really as my last like 3 chances to go out alone at night, I ended up inviting everyone with me. We did go to the library. I got a stack of books. Today, since it was such a waste anyway, I'm reading a fluff book. I did get a lot of good ones on homekeeping, organizing and home crafts so I'll be reading them and sharing about them in the near future. I'm glad our library has a three week check out period. I got way too many. But I can't just say no to a book. If I see a good one, it just jumps into my arms and says, "You must take me home and read me." Between what I chose for the girls and my stack (and poor Hubby's 3 small books), there wasn't room in the bag for them all. Good thing most of what I like from the library isn't in too high of a demand and renewals are easy. We then went to Wal-Mart. Used the 2.00 coupon for fabric softener from last Sunday's paper. Got a box of sheets for 1.87. Wal-Mart kept my 13 cents in overage. I decided to try the system. Next time, (and for your information), get something else to make the total just above what the coupon amount is for. No one gives you cash back if your coupon is over anymore. Sad. I gave them 13 cents. And the manufacturer gives them like an 8 cent handling fee on top of the value of the coupon anyway. Oh well, I have learned from my mistake. We then drove around and looked at the Christmas lights. Bugs loved it. She kept pointing out the window saying she loved all the sparkleys. In the next week, we hope to run over to the monastery about a half hour from here and see their huge light display. They do it as a thank you to the community for letting them be there. We went last year, and it was great. I think at last count it was well over 20,000 lights. It is lovely, and now that the eldest is more verbal (well, she's always been well above her age's average) and very observant, she will just love it. She liked it last year, but I think this year the wonder of the season is hitting her. I can't wait.

I'm babysitting tomorrow. The girls love it when the boys come over to play. I do too. It keeps them occupied and not hanging on me the whole day. (don't get me wrong, I do love my kids dearly, but it is nice when they are occupied a bit longer than normal and don't think they need me for something every ten minutes). That, and I'm saving all my "extra" money to replace my phone. It is two years old and you can tell the kids have gotten a hold of it. The track ball sticks whenever you try to scroll to the right with it. Sometimes it goes, other times it won't. I'm due for an upgrade, however, all the good phones cost money. And I want an android phone so bad. I'm still debating as I will have to add a data plan with it (Hubbs has one already,a data plan, not an android. Though he wants one too and isn't due for an upgrade yet himself) and in order to do that, I'll have to give up my newspaper subscription. I love my newspaper. Granted, there are a lot of editorial mistakes in it, and I have read better (read a lot worse too), there isn't anything like having a cup of coffee and a newspaper to help start your day. I don't know if I can be dependent on the internet for ALL of my news, local, national and world. And the comics don't seem to be as funny online as they do in print. I'm still weighing my options. I have already told Hubbs though that there is no way I will go without the Sunday paper. I need my coupons. He understood. I think.

Well, time to just be quiet for a while. And probably read a bit more. I should do something to redeem this day, however, I'm not feeling too bad. Except for maybe not getting the dishes done like I should.

Getting Closer!

2009-12-10T14:55:00.002-06:00

Got about a fourth of the stuff done I need to in the bedroom! Thought I'd take a break. I'm stirring up too much dust and I couldn't stop sneezing.

After I get the clothes picked up (yes, bad of me to not fold and put away right after they get washed. I hate folding clothes), I'm going to have to have my husband help me get stuff on the top shelf of the closet (I can't reach. And I don't want to get out the step stool with the kids running around), and then, since Hubby has longer arms than I do, he'll get to sweep out from under the bed, we'll do a bit of rearranging. My dresser is going to go on a different wall (blocking the bi-fold door into the kids' room) and I'm hauling in my favorite night stand that got relegated into the garage when we moved into our house (didn't have room for it at first the way the room was laid out, and then it got buried)

I will also have to take a break in an hour to start supper. I got long cooking rice as it was cheaper, and tonight's dinner is Spanish rice. I hope it turns out.

Don't know if I'm going to make it out for my alone time tonight or not. I desperately want to go to the library, but I also need to get as much done in our room as I can so it can get done. We'll see. Though, I could get some organizing books for helping out while I'm there, so it wouldn't all be pleasure...

Time for my tea, then transfer some laundry around and back at it. I hate cleaning. However, if I don't keep the house up, I'm not being a good steward of the resources we've been given. Our belongings come from God, and if we can't take care of the small stuff, why would He give us the big stuff? You need to be trustworthy in the small things to go on to the larger things. Goes back in a way to the parable of the talents. Those who could be trusted with little, could be trusted with much. It is a whole way of life, not just in regards to money. I want to be trustworthy for more. And in order to prove I am, I have to be trustworthy in little.

So, how are you doing being trustworthy? Keeping your home neat and organized? Not blindly spending money? Raising your children for God? Just something to think about. I'm thinking in the start of next year to do a series on home keeping. Going through some things I've been learning recently and maybe posting some of my favorite books on the subject. A lot have been written, some ok, some good, and some terrific. I need to go over my favorites again. It is always good to remind myself of these things.

Finally!

2009-12-10T11:11:00.002-06:00

Going to get to our bedroom. Hopefully it doesn't take as long as I fear it will. Bugs has already told me she wants to help. This could take three times as long.

Beans has taken herself to the potty twice already today. After refusing to most of yesterday. Potty training is such an adventure.

And tonight, my wonderful Hubby is letting me have alone time. Something I don't get enough of it seems. I thrive on having solitary moments (and I don't mean the kids are in bed and he's at work until late alone time. I mean, absolutely solo). I am going to the library alone while he stays home with the girls. And I may make a trip to the craft store. I found a cute craft on covering clip boards which will make a great Christmas gift for a few people. Need to price the supplies.

Have a good day! I need a snack before I get started on the monstrosity that is mine and Hubby's room. Let's just say I have an aversion to folding laundry and the recliner in there is totally missing under it. So is a good portion of the floor surrounding the recliner. And there are way too many things that belong to the munchkins who reside in this house in there. My room is not a toy storage unit.

Tuesday Tip

2009-12-09T13:26:00.002-06:00

Ok, so Tuesdays can be a day for tips. Any kind, but they must be uplifting and useful. Tips on how to better display love to our husbands, raising kids, how to run the home more smoothly. And please feel free to share your own. The more tips the better!

Today's tip is for how to better love our husbands. Randomly bake him cookies. I made up a batch of chocolate chip cookies last night for basically no reason, and Hubbs was like, are you trying to spoil me? I told him nope, I just loved him. Unfortunately, I didn't wait until the oven had totally preheated and at first they were horribly under cooked. After I tried fixing that, most of them charred on the bottom. Even my cookie loving girls wouldn't eat them. Bugs said it was too crispy. So, toss in a second tip, totally preheat the oven, and don't over bake.

Sleepy Day, Not Too Productive Unfortunately

2009-12-08T19:24:00.003-06:00

So, we got most of the decorating done yesterday. Haven't gotten the nativity set up yet (I'm short, it is high up on a shelf in the garage and Hubbs hasn't had time to get it yet). Beginning to wonder if my kids have turned into raccoons. They keep pilfering the bright shiny things they can reach. I have lost track how many times I have had to put the caps back into ornaments today. But they stopped after the umpteenth time of getting into trouble after lunch.

This afternoon while the Bean was taking her nap, the Bug and I played a rousing game of Chutes and Ladders. I lost. By like 60 squares. I could never win that game as a child. Bugs didn't understand the concept of winning and the game is then over. She was sad when she realized it was. I had to try hard to not laugh. She was so devastated even though I explained that she had won and Mommy had lost. I am so grateful that I get to be the one to be with them all day and explain these things to them. I can't imagine it any other way.

Today I made a stew of sorts out of left over pork roast I had in the freezer. It needed something, but I'm not sure what. I have this nasty habit of forgetting to mark on my freezer bags what is inside. So I had no clue how I seasoned the roast when I had made it last month. Oh well. I can add stuff to the left overs. Trust me, the crock pot was full. I then did up some biscuits to go with it. A decent dinner. Not my best, but by far not the worst.

The weather is howling in at the moment. I wouldn't be surprised if it iced tonight. For as much fun as snow is with the girls (Bugs loves playing in it, she's been begging for snow since July) I can't wait for spring to come. I hate bundling up to just walk to the mail box.

Beans had a hard night last night and I ended up holding her in the recliner most of it. So, I'm tired. Then Bugs woke up at six. They are due to be getting down shortly. I got the laundry done, and an easy supper today and that was it. I hope to sleep tonight so I can reorganize our bedroom. It is needing done. Badly. Then, it is the girls room and the front guest bedroom/office. All while potty training Beans. Which, today was the first hard core day of it, and she did great! I can't wait to say farewell to diapers. At least for a time. We had one miss after her nap (I wasn't quick enough, but I put her in a diaper because if she goes while sleeping she wakes up mad, learned that one the hard way) and she even went poo in the potty. Well, she made it over there, got the training pants down (cloth) and got half of it in. She then came over to me, pointed to it and kept saying "poop, poop, POOP!" The little potty chair is currently in the living room, and thankfully had a changing pad under it. She knew what she did. Granted, she was wearing her new snow boots, so I had to clean them again, but that's ok. At least she has gotten the concept down. And she would just go sit over on it and go without me telling her to go on it. Hopefully by her birthday.

Well, Hubbs is home, and he said he's putting the kids to bed tonight so I can take a nice long shower. He's the greatest.

Here's to the winter reorganization of the house. May I be able to start tomorrow.

Just found a giveaway!

2009-12-05T23:21:00.002-06:00

I just found an awesome giveaway! Coupon Geek is giving away five 10 dollar gift cards to Wal-Mart. The catch is, you have to use it to bless someone else. Doesn't matter what you do (i.e. bake cookies to give away, bless a single mom, donate it for soldier's care packages, the limit is your imagination) just do it for someone else. She even said that if what you want to do doesn't require Wal-Mart use the gift card to free up the 10 dollars.

Here's the link if you are interested:

http://www.coupongeek.net/2009/12/giveaway-5-quarter-of-kindness-10-wal.html

Here's to helping others this season.

Friday

2009-12-04T17:43:00.002-06:00

Well, today has been a fairly profitable day.

The morning started well with a brunch of biscuits and gravy and fresh fruit salad. It was a joint effort of my Hubby, eldest and myself. And we discovered that we prefer bosc pears to bartlett (our local grocery store had bosc, bartlett and red pears on sale for 99 cents a pound. I decided to try the red and the bosc. Much better than our standard bartlett. Too bad they aren't typically the same price).

Then, I spent part of the morning entering a few contests while my husband got ready for work. Hopefully I win something! I'll let you know if I do.

Small group is to be at our house this Sunday, so I started to clean up the living room. After a rousing game of Chutes and Ladders with the eldest. However, we both got frustrated with the game as we both kept getting to slide down, repeatedly. I now remember why I hated that game as a child. I never won. That or Candy Land (still can't win that one). Then, my order from Alice.com arrived. We decided to try out the service online. So far, it was my first order,and I am very impressed. My husband needed some shaving gel, and he forgot it at the store the other day, so we went ahead and placed the order. It arrived within 4 days, and was less than what I would have paid at the store. All orders ship free, and after your first order you do have to buy at least six items, but they do the work of finding coupons for you. Well worth it, in my opinion. They will even keep track as to how long items typically run out for you (you supply the info) and they'll even remind you when you need to reorder. I will definitely be ordering from Alice again. My only compliant was that my one can of shaving gel arrived in too large of a box. From an environmental stand point, I cringe as that isn't good stewardship, however, with their minimum order of 6 items, I doubt they need small boxes very often.

Tomorrow my husband actually is off work. So it is a massive cleaning frenzy day. It will help to have someone run interference with the kids. Then, Sunday is touch up cleaning after church finishing off the ham and beans for that night. On Monday (yes, my husband was able to snag a three day weekend during the holiday season) we are going to decorate the house for Christmas. Glad Hubby will be home as the boxes are a bit out of my reach.

So, there is a quick update on some of the goings on around here. I'll let you know how the decorating goes sometime next week. And who knows, maybe I'll have pictures or something.

Home is Where the Heart Is

2009-12-02T10:21:00.008-06:00

Our furnace decided to kick the bucket the Sunday after my birthday (yeah, happy bday to me...and it was my 30th too). So, to keep from freezing, my husband decides to take me and the girls to his mom's until it can be fixed. Three hours away. He then was to return back to town to work and get the furnace fixed. (that's why I haven't been able to post much, I was busy keeping the kids from all sorts of trouble at grandma's, along with taking grandma everywhere and shopping. I so wish we had a super target here.)

I love my mother-in-law. I don't know what would become of us without her, but it was a long ten days without my husband. I have a new respect for single mothers. I don't know how you do it. I was missing him, all of our friends in the area were out of town for Thanksgiving, and I was lonely. Couple that with kids who are not yet of the age to totally understand what is going on (3 and going on 2) who missed their daddy something terrible, I about went nuts.

As cliche' as it sounds, there really is no place like home, and it is definitely where my heart is. On the Friday after Thanksgiving when we got to return home, it made my heart glad to just pull into the driveway. Even though our house has many issues, it is still ours. Even though I knew I was coming back into where my poor husband lived as a bachelor for a week and a half, it is still where my heart was. This is the place where we love and be loved. Where we eat around the table for dinner and share our lives with each other and anyone whom the Lord sends our way. This is where the children are being raised, where they know they are safe and life is predictable for them.

As much as I love being home, I know there is a better home waiting for me. One that doesn't have a randomly leaking roof, no weird bugs, the heater won't quit after 42 years of service (it was about time for it to retire, don't you think?). While I long for the day where I can go to the Home I long for, I will try from now on to make this home where I am at now a better place to be. A place where you are safe, you feel loved and secure. I intend to step up the housekeeping chores and try to maintain this home better. Granted, there are a ton of challenges with having young children, it will be worth it.

Excuse me for now, I have a kitchen that is needing some attention.

Hi!

2009-11-16T13:48:00.003-06:00

If you have stumbled onto my blog, welcome! I'm in the process of getting my blog set up the way I want it to look and then I'll be posting. So don't despair if you are visiting and don't see anything of interest. Give me a week or two, and it will be better. I promise. I've got two kids, a 3 year old and a nearly 2 year old, coupled with a broken heater, a house that keeps getting messy for some reason (where's Mary Poppins when I need her?) and a husband.

Time to find something else to bake, it is getting chilly in here. And find something to put in the dryer to run that. Hopefully the heater service guy isn't too long...