life of another mama

Summer School

2011-04-26T10:32:00.000-06:00

I have a child failing a class. She didn't do and turn in her homework. Her teacher wants her to take summer school. That class will conflict with her dance team practice. The child is pretty sure the teacher just doesn't like her and wants her to fail, too.

I don't want to be the mom on this one.

prom and why I'm the meanest mom ever

2011-04-22T10:13:00.000-06:00

My oldest is going to prom. A week from tomorrow. She's 15 and a freshman. Her date who is now also her boyfriend is 17 and a junior. She has a dress. We have a plan for hair and make-up and shoes. We need to get earrings and a cute little purse.

And a curfew. She has just barely started dating. And so far, her "curfew" has always been directly related to what they were doing. Be home within a reasonable time of the activity being over kind of thing.

But now we are talking about prom. And there's an after prom party at the school from 12-4. This is where the mean part comes in. Her dad and I aren't letting her go to the amazingly awesome after prom party at the school. Because she is only a freshman and we want to save something for her. It feels like the right decision and it feels so super crappy at the same time. I want them to experience it all. But I want her to have something to look forward to next year too.

Being the mom sucks sometimes.

catch up

2011-04-07T09:52:00.000-06:00

I swear life just zooms by. There are things I want to say that never get said.

We are in a new phase here with 2 teenagers, one is in high school. Oh, my is that throwing me for a loop. I read the funny blog posts about potty training and getting your kids to do eat something other than noodles and chicken nuggets, and while they are fun and give me a giggle, where is the blog post that finds the humor in my 15 year old daughter dating a boy who turns 17 today. 17.....17!!!! I know what I was doing at 17, and that just scares me.

Motherhood is hard. Juggling the schedules, meals, homework, free time, play dates, sleepovers, big girl dates, prom dresses, carpools...it is making me tired.

On an up note, we have 9 new baby chicks! Our 10 hens from last spring are laying beautifully! We get anywhere from 5-8 eggs a day from them. I haven't bought eggs in quite a while, even for baking. We try to sell eggs to the neighbors, but I get greedy! Of our new girls, 3 are "straight run's", which means we aren't sure if they are pullets or not. We should know around 6-8 weeks. And they are 4 weeks old now. We already have them outside in their big girl brooder. They are getting really cute....I'll have to post pictures. We got some fun breeds this time, too, and some that lay actual white eggs! And more of the Easter Egger's.

I must say it's a little strange to eat something you found in your backyard (even if it did come from a nest in a coop), but I am getting used to the idea!

I just wanted to poke my head in here and say hello.....

Monday morning

2011-03-14T10:29:00.000-06:00

It was nice to hear from my cyber friends after I posted last. Ironic, too, that both of those friends are online only friends....I've never met them. But they understood where I was coming from and could speak to that.

I am still dealing with feeling adequate. I think that has to do with having 6 kids. They all have such different needs. And I'm only 1 mama. I can only do so much. I am in a crazy work schedule right now, too. I should be doing my morning chores so I can sleep later. I'll sleep later anyway, even if the chores go undone. My kids would rather have a messy house and a sane mama than a tidy house and a miserable mama. Besides, if we all take 10 minutes, the mess gets picked up quickly.

I've been knitting more, too. That soothes my soul. I have really enjoyed meeting with my knitting group. It's so fun to talk about patterns and yarns. There's a teen girl in our group that had 12 projects going last time we met. We told her to finish stuff up. She brought 10 things to show us! But she had also started a couple of more, too. I am still working on the sleeves of my sweater and really want to finish it up. Soon. I won't let myself start anything until it's DONE.

The weather over the weekend was really nice. We are really flirting with spring here. I love it. Then again, it's Colorado so it's still possible to have a huge snowstorm. My birthday is Wednesday and the forecast is to be in the 70's. That is my bliss!

OK....I have to at least start this week's laundry by carrying it all downstairs. That counts as my workout for the day! =)

guilt

2011-03-08T10:12:00.000-07:00

I don't have much time because I have stuff that needs to get done. And this week my daily nap is essential so I have to squeeze the to do list into the morning.

I have been feeling the mom guilt so much these past couple of weeks. The things I want to do, the things I should do, the things I haven't done. It's so easy to get bogged down with all of that. And that's where I am right now. Bogged down, feeling guilty for not being good enough. Then one of the kids says one of those things kids say and I feel even worse. No, they probably don't think I am the meanest mom ever, they are just venting frustration. But to a mama who is feeling like a lousy mom, those words go deep.

morning mayhem

2011-02-17T09:37:00.000-07:00

When we enrolled Jack in preschool for this year, he was put in the afternoon class since he's an "older 4"...meaning he was 5 less than two months after school started. I wasn't sure how this would work. He gets out at the same time the elementary bus arrives at our house. Then again, if he was in the morning class, he would start at exactly the same time the elementary girls do. That means they would get on the bus and we would leave immediately for the trip to preschool. Which would be great for most people. Not me. I barely make it out to the bus stop most days because I'm still in my pj's. So....I'm not here when the little girls get off the bus Monday through Thursday. There are other kids here, though. And I'm home about 15 minutes later. Just enough time for them to eat enough junk food for snack that they can eat something healthy as I walk in the door.

(And quite honestly, this afternoon thing works really well for me with working overnights. I do my stuff in the morning with my little helper and then take him to school and NAP until the older kids start trickling in. It's so good that I requested afternoon kindergarten, too)

Since I don't have to get the littlest one dressed and fed and out the door, mornings go in stages here with relatively little stress. The high school bus comes at 6:50 so Bella is up and at it early. But she is also out the door before most of the other kids are even awake. Once she's gone, the middle school boys are usually up. Their school is a block away and starts at 7:54. That means Trey usually leaves at 7:20 (oh, I remember those days of walking the halls before school....seeing and being seen!) and Clay leaves at 7:40. Somewhere in the middle I make sure the little girls are up. Their bus comes at 8:10. Kelli is usually pretty easy to rouse, but Emma has been know to hear me say, "The bus is coining in 5 minutes. GET UP NOW!!!"

Then the drama is over and Jack plays while I check my Facebook. Easy peasy.

Catching up

2011-02-15T09:14:00.000-07:00

It was quite a weekend....lots of fun and not enough sleep and now we are paying the price. D feels like he's getting sick, some of the kids are feeling sick. For them, especially the younger ones, I think it has more to do with the amount of sugar they consumed yesterday than anything else.

We had planned to do a chocolate fondue after dinner last night, but there were too many of them feeling icky or just plain tired for that to happen. I had given all the kids a chocolove bar so they had a little treat at home too. I think we will plan a fun night Friday with chocolate and maybe pizza before that. There's no school on Friday. Or Monday for the President's Holiday. I love February. Not only is it the shortest month, but it seems the kids are out of school all the time. And in the winter when we are tired and feeling puny, all that extra sleep is so nice.

I met with my knitters on Saturday morning. It was nice to sit and talk about our crafting. There are couple there who like to start things but aren't good at the finishing. Now they have some accountability to get something done before we meet again in 2 weeks. I like to finish a project before moving on, but I also like to have something small to do during car rides or in church so sometimes I need to have 2 projects going. Then there's that sock that I need to work on.....

We have been having a February thaw the past few days. After the beginning of the month when it was so cold and we were getting snow, we have been into the 50's for a few days now and it looks like we have a couple more. It's so refreshing after the brutal cold. The kids have been playing in the snow in their shirtsleeves. A little funny to see, but they are outside and that's a very good thing! They've been using the snowball maker contraption to make piles and piles of snowballs, too!

Friday

2011-02-11T09:20:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad it's Friday, though I'm not really sure why. I still had to get up early and get everyone out the door, though the 2 oldest are pretty self-sufficient in that regards. I barely see Bella in the morning, since she's out the door at 6:45. ugh, I know, right?

And the little girls have an early dismissal today. Kelli will be home by 1, but Emma is going to the local skating rink. They do it as a fundraiser for the school. The rink opens a little early and the school provides a bus to take kids there that want to ride the bus. Then it will take them back to the school at regular dismissal time, too. Since Emma is older, I'm letting her go and have fun. Kelli is only a first grader and has to come home to see ME. HA!

The 2 older kids will be at the high school basketball game tonight. Even though Trey isn't in high school yet, they do an ice cream social time before the game and encourage the incoming freshman to come hang out and feel grown up. It will be fun for him since there will be kids going to that high school he hasn't really seen since elementary school.

So that means I will be home alone with the 4 younger kids. D is pouring pints at a local brewery tonight. He works for tips there, so we are always hoping for a good night. Or at least gas money for him for the week.

I don't know what it is about Friday's, but I don't want to do any "work" on those days. No laundry, no cleaning....I just want to play. And today is sunny and it's supposed to be into the 40's again finally. A perfect day to blow off responsibilities, right?

I didn't get to knit much yesterday. And I'm frustrated because I don't like how the project I just started is coming together. I'm using yarn that I had crocheted into a shawl years ago and never liked it. In fact, the shawl never made it out of the yarn basket I hated it so much. I guess the shawl is fine, but I don't really wear shawls....so I ripped it out and was going to make that yarn to knit a cowl. Not liking it at all. But at least I have 3 balls of a gorgeous raspberry yarn to use for something else!

Happy weekend, blogworld!

Stuff to do

2011-02-10T10:38:00.000-07:00

I've been knitting a lot more this week, and that means I feel like I haven't been doing the other things I should. Like cleaning. I have picked up, have the 4 loads of regular laundry, a load of sheets, 2 loads of towels and another load of towels going. And I've also made dinner every night. Well, except last night. It was a much needed "please eat all the leftovers" night. But I did bake a yummy oatmeal for this morning last night.

Anyway....just trying to find a little balance I guess.

I'm starting a knitting group with some friends on Saturday. We plan to do something service related as well as have lots of fun! And my neighbor who doesn't know how is coming to learn to knit! I'm very excited about that.

More later!

Today's trip

2011-02-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I found out Clay has a pulled muscle in his back. Fun. So he's to use some heat on it and some ibuprofen for pain, do stretches. It was odd to me because he'd been fine all weekend and then as soon as he got to school, it was bothering him. Add a big heavy messenger bag over one shoulder and walk the couple of blocks and now I see why.

So one thing I had him do yesterday was go back to a regular backpack. I'm thinking that messenger bag was how his back got wonky in the first place.

Today we are going to the orthodontist to fix the loose bracket he has. Yay! I got a letter from the school last week about the number of partial days that he has missed. When he had his adenoids out last fall, he had a hard time recovering from surgery. He was really tired. Instead of sending him to school and then letting him come home at lunch or something for the rest of the day, I sent him to school to go his first 3 classes, then he had PE (which he couldn't participate in for 2 weeks anyway) and band and then lunch. I would pick him up and let him rest at home and eat lunch and then go back for his last 2 classes of the day. He was out from 10:30 until 12:50 for those days. We only live a block from the school and it was nice weather and I really didn't mind signing him in and out so he could stay in his main classes. I've been playing phone tag with the assistant principal to discuss it. Thankfully, she knows our family and is being great about it. But Clay struggles in some of his classes and the school is concerned that those partial days are the cause. No. They're not.

Off to work on some laundry and get me and the little man ready to take Clay to the ortho. And it's about 5 degrees today with 4 inches of fresh snow last night. I'm wishing my day consisted of sitting at home on my couch....

Going to the doctor

2011-02-07T10:37:00.000-07:00

Not what I had planned for today, but Clay has been complaining of back pain for a week now. But only sometimes so I wonder......

Thankfully the co-pay is tiny, so I will let the doctor (who knows far more than I do....at least in my kids' opinion!) give the diagnosis.

In the meantime, I am trying to get my Monday morning work done....as Jack seems to get it undone. I really did just vacuum the family room, but Jack has been cutting things out of construction paper, so.....It's clean up time again. And right now that same little man is trying to figure out how to take the bottoms off of 2 empty soda cans that he has taped together. They will be his new binoculars. There is never a dull moment with that boy.....

just another Saturday night

2011-02-05T20:02:00.000-07:00

I had grand plans for myself yesterday. I didn't do it all. And that's OK because I didn't hurt anyone either and that's an accomplishment.

I'm hormonal these days. That translates into being irritated that my children would even think of leaving the room I am in. Or talking. Weird I know, but I want them all around and silent. It's my control issue I know.So one kid having friends over and 1 being out to dinner and 2 going on sleepovers (1 is still not home and I won't see her until TOMORROW because of scheduling and weather....long story), I was in a MOOD.

But I fed them all and cleaned my kitchen. And then I fed them some more and cleaned the kitchen some more. And now dinner is over and my kitchen is clean. Again.

I did plan my meals for the week and I'm ready to go grocery shopping tomorrow. Having that planned feels like a major accomplishment.

It's that season now where we are limited as to what fresh vegetables we have. Potatoes, carrots, leeks, beets, onions, celeriac....and more winter squash than I even want to think about. No cabbage this winter and I am missing it. So I'm trying to plan around what's in the freezer and what's preserved from the summer. The potatoes will soon be gone and I will be getting creative with our starches. With a big growing family, a starchy side dish is what fills them up sometimes. If it's not potatoes, then it's rice or bulgur or quinoa. Tonight I made a dish with mushrooms and barley. YUM!

I have been knitting a ton the past week, too. I am working on a sweater/jacket thing for myself. And D asked me to do something for some co-workers who have just had babies. I'm doing little hats for them. They go really fast. I have one done and I hope to finish the second one tomorrow during the big game! I'm so not into the football...just the commercials. I just hope I can sit and watch instead of cooking the whole time. I love to cook but some days I just want to order take out.....

D and Kelli are at the father daughter dance tonight. Emma didn't want to go and she got her wish since she's not home from her friend's house yet. I'll post a pic of my little lovely soon.....

kindergarten!

2011-02-04T08:56:00.000-07:00

In just a little bit, I'm taking Jack E to the elementary school to sign him up for kindergarten. Basically I have to prove that we live where we do (via utility bill) and prove he's old enough to finally go (via birth certificate). It's public school. They HAVE to take him. This is just the first of the school hoops he will jump through in the next 13 years. Or so.

He's of course sooooo excited because his sisters are still there. And they will be there next year when he's a full fledged kindergartener. I'm sure the office will be breathing a sigh of relief that this is the last of our clan. Trey had a teacher shocked the other day to find out that there were 4 more kids coming up through 8th grade behind him. Yep!

My to do list yesterday? I finished it! Well, except for the load of jeans still in the dryer waiting to be folded. But it's jeans....those are easy. Today, I am going to register for kindergarten, make a quick trip to the grocery store, take treats by the middle school for Trey, work on the big huge grocery list for the beginning of the month grocery run, plan a week's meals, bake bread, and make dinner. Tonight is a little bit of revolving door around here. Clay has 2 friends coming for a sleepover to celebrate his birthday from last weekend. D will leave for work around 4, Emma is getting picked up for a sleepover birthday party at 5:15 and an old friend is taking Bella to dinner at 6. So tonight it's me and Kelli and the BOYS!

Now I'm off to fold those jeans.....

So cold

2011-02-03T09:19:00.000-07:00

It's been crazy here in Denver lately. I think this has been one of the colder winters we've had, but we haven't had much snow. This week has been COLD...and that's coming from an Iowa born girl!

On Monday, it was a little snowy and supposed to drop to around 0. When school was let out, all after school activities were cancelled (that meant no basketball practice after school or evening wrestling for Trey) and school had already been cancelled for the next day!

Trey shoveled the little bit of snow we had. D got home from work and we just hunkered down, ready to be chilly. Trey wanted to make plans to sled on Tuesday. When the high was supposed to be well below 0. I was the total party pooper and said NO WAY! If you can't go to school because it's too cold to go out, do you really think you should be out playing in the cold?

The kids had no school Wednesday either because of the cold! Crazy....but I really enjoyed having a little break in the schedule this week. Except.

I get so much more done when they are all gone. Yes, they pitch in and help with things. But I have a rhythm to my week that doesn't include having all the kids home. And feeding them breakfast and lunch and snack every day. Thankfully they don't eat all day. That would make me nuts. But they do go through the treats (like the 3 loaves of banana bread( when it's time for snack.

Now I need to finish 4 loads of laundry and pick up and vacuum and clean up the kitchen and go to the bank and take Jack to preschool and go to the phone store and get a shower and pick Jack up and go to a basketball game and make dinner and go to choir practice tonight.

Here's a picture of Jack and Kelli from a few days ago. This is how we've spent many of the past few nights, on the couch with a movie.

100 miles an hour

2010-07-03T15:54:00.000-06:00

That's how I feel about life these days. I am working a ton of hours which is fabulous....not complaining about that in this economy. And I have 6 kids home eating and making messes.

I want to blog more, but life just seems to get in the way sometimes. I am trying to find balance this summer and not make the kids feel like they are working all the time. I'd love to do more fun things, but we just haven't made it happen much. Well, other than the free movies at a local theater. We get there almost every week.

We are planning a camping trip for the end of July and beginning of August. We'll be using my in-law's RV. I'm so thankful that we will be able to get away. We will be doing the budget route, of course, but cooking over a campfire will be a break from cooking in my kitchen.

And it's summer and we are just starting in with our farm food. Again, I'm so thankful to have all the food, but it does mean some extra work in the summer. But like Barbara Kingsolver says in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, it's just making dinner in advance. I finally finished that book this morning. I've been reading it for literally years. I would misplace it or get busy and then pick it up again later. I can't recommend it enough.

my little man...

2010-05-05T16:02:00.000-06:00

The past couple of days I have spent a different kind of time with my little man. Yesterday we had lunch on our own since Kelli was at an extended day of school on a field trip.

Then there were a couple of errands...and one of them was to Target. He picked out band-aids. But then he changed his mind. Twice. It's a big decision between Toy Story and Spider Man and Hot Wheels. I had brought one of his Christmas gift cards with us too so he could pick out a little something. He chose more Trios so then we got to come home and build it together.

This morning after the big kids all went to school (2 hours late since it was a late start day), we went to check out where we hope to send him to preschool. At first he thought he would want to do something there on his own and I could wait for him. After we parked the car and were walking up, he changed his mind. He was more tentative but did seem interested. Then on the way home we stopped at the park for a while. He is just so grown up all of a sudden.

Next year he will be at preschool 4 mornings a week and I will be alone. It will be the end of a long season in my life. While I am excited for him and so excited to see how he is growing, I will miss having him as a companion day in and day out. I haven't been alone like that in over 14 years!

survival

2010-03-10T13:50:00.000-07:00

This morning I was heading out to do a couple of errands with Jack E. It is still so strange to only have him around all morning every week day, but he is great company!

I was making the list of where I needed to go and what I needed to do. I knew the last stop before kindergarten pick up would be the grocery store. It got me thinking about my errand days 10-12 years ago. OY! Even grocery shopping with 2 or 3 little ones was a chore. And we had a system it seemed.

I would have my list ready the night before. Coupons and sale flyer in the diaper bag. By the time I got us all ready and out the door it was usually around 10. I would go to the store and stock up, but it would take a while. More often than not, I would hit the drive through on the way home. Yes, I had a car full of groceries, but I also had a 2 year old, 1 year old and pregnant belly. Or the next year, a baby, a 2 year old and a 3 year old. And the idea of carrying in groceries with 2 or 3 hungry kids and then getting them some lunch was just overwhelming. So we picked up some lunch. Thankfully they could share an order of chicken nuggets and an order of fries.

I called it survival.

baking bread

2010-03-03T14:20:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to get back in the swing of things where the kitchen is concerned. Today I am starting a batch of bread that I will bake tomorrow. I am out almost every night this week with different things, half of which include dinner so my cooking is all messed up.

But I did get all the laundry (minus a few towels and sheets on beds) done and put away on Monday. I'm not sure how that happened, but it did.

It is so warm and sunny here this week. I really have spring fever. I went for a nice walk today with no jacket. So nice, both the warmth and the solitude. I'm hoping with longer and warmer days I can get out more for a walk.

update on those goals

2010-02-24T13:49:00.001-07:00

This winter has been crazy it seems. I am still trying desperately to find some balance in my life. I had a bunch of goals that I set out for this year. I'm doing OK with some, great with others and totally given up on others. And I am OK with that. It's all about priorities. I can only do so much and I have a lot that is non-negotiable...like laundry and making dinner every night and helping kids with homework and working and sleeping.

So here's where I am with some of these things...

--get back to more consistent menu planning and making use of the food we have on hand

I've done really well with this one. This is the first week since January that I didn't make a meal plan for the week. I have really tried to look at our freezer and fridge as I planned meals and I've stuck to the plan even when I had second thoughts. It really does make life easier to know what I am supposed to be doing in my kitchen.

--get back to making our bread, probably using more of the 5-minutes a day approach

This one has been good and bad. I was doing great until a couple of weeks ago when I made a bread that was a flop. (I now have a big canister of whole wheat bread crumbs! lol) I've been thinking all week that I should start some bread. And I will...maybe today even.

--make our yogurt

I'm doing pretty well here. I am having a hard time keeping up in fact. The kids really like yogurt with banana and some chocolate chips as a snack or dessert. I've been doing 4 pints at a time and I really need to step it up to 4 quarts.

--read the Bible in 90 days (our church is doing this and my Emma wants to do the kids' portion too)

This one has been totally abandoned. I just couldn't do it. It's not that I'm not interested in spiritual things or in being better at my devotion to God. I just couldn't commit to that much reading every single day. I guess I could have, but I chose other things as more important. And I'm OK with that.

--spend more time knitting or blogging or reading for information and less time playing silly games on the computer

Good and bad...I am trying to spend my time better, but I find myself choosing to be lazy and unproductive and using facebook as a really good distraction.

--lose the 15 pounds that have crept on in the past 18 months

I've lost 5. I'm good with that one too.

--do the Couch Potato to 5K program

It's still too cold and snowy. Summer is coming...summer is coming...summer is coming. I did get a yoga DVD and have been doing that the past couple of weeks. I think I am actually finding my butt under all those peanut M&M's and carmel corn! lol

--make breakfast for my kids

Doing this one really well. I have found a couple of new things to put into our rotation and I plan to make some granola soon that they can use as cereal. This one is really important to me because I want them to have a healthy breakfast and not just eat a processed cereal for breakfast. It is also complicated by my working nights. I get home from my current contract around 6:20, and the 2 oldest head out the door and hour or so later. I have to have a plan for breakfast the night before. That's where meal planning has been a lifesaver since I plan breakfasts, too.

--incorporate more homeopathy into our family

I've purchased a couple of things. I want to do better, but it takes research and I've already admitted that I am highly distracted with this laptop! lol The one thing that has been great is callendula cream. I got it because it's kind of an all around thing for skin. I get cracks in my skin on my thumbs and index fingers especially...all that handwashing from baby care and cooking I guess. Emma and Clay get chapped chins and faces. The callendula has been great for both.

--eat more fruit

Definitely better. I'm opting for a piece of fruit for snack as opposed to bread and butter. Maybe that has something to do with my shrinking behind, too?

--try to salvage my kefir grains and get back to using kefir for soaking oats and flour for pancakes

Yes and no. I was doing great until last week. Now my grains are shoved in the fridge again.

--figure out my sewing machine enough to do simple mending

I haven't touched it! But Trey has taken a family sciences class in middle school and he's used it!

--clean out closets and donate more of our excess

Always a work in progress...

the ultimatum

2010-02-20T12:34:00.000-07:00

I just told my oldest that she's got to put it away or I'm giving it away. *gulp* Did I really just say that?!

I am so tired of the "clean your room or else" conversation. We have taken away priveleges...we have restricted activites...none of that is working. So I'm done. Now I just have to do it.

Somewhere along the lines of going to work at nights and working LOTS of nights, I feel like I have lost control of the stuff in this house. It is driving me crazy! I know there are 8 of us here, but we are such accumulators of stuff! Why do we need to keep so much stuff? I find myself not wanting to let them buy anything (even with their own money) because there's so much stuff already in their rooms or in the basement or in the front room. I have got to do some major tossing around here.

I can say that I just got rid of 3 trash bags full of VHS tapes! One bag was just junk...old TV shows and such but I have 2 of the bags in the back of my car to take to Goodwill. I'm guessing someone out there still has a working VHS player?

OK...off to figure out some lunch and then fill another bag of stuff. And I need to bake a couple of cakes today too

I'd forgotten...

2010-02-18T15:20:00.000-07:00

...how much I love crochet. I've been doing a lot more knitting for the past 8-10 months. Crochet has been on the back burner (as in the projects I've started and pushed to the bottom of my craft shelves). But I wanted to make some simple washcloths for a classroom basket for the elementary school auction. I decided to crochet them because I knew it would go faster.

Then I picked up some yarn to make an afghan for my new nephew who will soon be here in the US. I started knitting a gauge swatch and realized I didn't have the right size needles. Instead of running out and getting different needles, I crocheted a swatch instead. I really like the look of the knitted fabric, but I'd forgotten how quickly I can crochet a baby blanket. I'd forgotten how easy it is to rip a little out and go back to fix a mistake. I'd forgotten how easy it is to pick up the project for 5 minutes here and there.

The blanket will be done really soon, and I will keep working on knitting my second pair of socks. But for now, I am blissfully hooking away.

Monday holidays

2010-02-15T13:05:00.000-07:00

They always mess up my routine around here. Usually when I get the kids out the door for school on Monday morning, I do a pick up and put away (and lots of throwing away) of what has been lying around all weekend. But when the kids are having a day off from school it just seems....wrong somehow to do that kind of thing. So it will be pushed off until tomorrow. I did some of the picking up and the kids will all have a 10 minute clean up later when Clay gets back from the movies.

His 5th grade class was meeting at the theater today to see The Lightening Thief. They have read the book this year so took this day off from school to see the movie. D took him and stayed to watch the movie. It's a good time for them to do something together on their own. Clay was really excited to do something on his own today.

One of the best things about February is the broken up school schedule. My elementary don't have a full 5 day week of school all month. Two of the weeks they have their late start for teachers to have professional time. This week is President's Day and last week they had early dismissal on Friday (with no kindergarten at all on Friday). It gives me something to look forward before spring makes its appearance. Then again...this is Colorado. We could get a huge snowstorm in April or May. I'm ready for t-shirts and flip-flops.....

up early this morning

2010-02-13T07:28:00.000-07:00

I'm talking about Jack E and Kelli, not me. I worked last night so I was hoping to come home and nap for a while on the couch before anyone else was up. Then I would make them breakfast and we would all be happy. I'm getting a nasty sore throat (first sickness since the flu in October) and I really wanted that nap.

BUT...I walked in the door and saw the 2 little ones playing and having a good time. Jack E is planning a stuffed animal puppet show for later. Honestly he wants to do it now, but I told him he has to wait until it's not dark outside...and the rest of the family is awake.

Yesterday my Kelli went to a Fancy Nancy birthday party at her friend's house down the street. They all were supposed to wear their fancy clothes. And she came home with some extra glam. Here's my fancy girl

Time to make them some breakfast I guess!

checking in

2010-02-12T16:47:00.000-07:00

I've been reading my regular blogger friends the past week or so and have found a new one. She has 16 kiddos and still blogs a couple of times a day. HUH!

So I guess instead of playing a game on Facebook and thinking about saying something, I could actually take that time to blog.

The 3 kids in elementary school have all had their Valentine's Day parties today (or yesterday for miss Kelli the kindergartener). They are sufficiently sugared up now I do believe. So I made them cookies of course! Trey bought flowers for today telling me they were for his teacher. He has 2 female teachers, one he absolutely can't stand and the other he mildly tolerates. I tried to get the truth out of him this morning, but no luck. So his older sister ratted him out. They were for a friend to give his girlfriend. Don't know why the friend couldn't buy his own flowers, but that is so cute. It makes me think of getting my first little Valentine gift from a boy in 6th grade. He gave me a necklace with the smallest speck of what looked like a diamond. I think we broke up like 2 weeks later.

Tonight D and I are going to a Naughty or Nice valentine's party. I am so not a naughty person. I have no idea what to take. Maybe some of those fresh baked cookies? Or some chocolates? Or some little panties from the dollar store?

I'll think of something I guess...

busy days

2010-01-31T22:40:00.000-07:00

Last week was full of appointments and errands and 2 birthdays. This week looks worse. Survival mode to say the least!

weekend update

2010-01-18T09:17:00.000-07:00

I love these holiday Monday mornings. I love the whole second semester of school. It seems there is a holiday every other week. Such a nice gift in the winter when we are all a little weary of school, but the last day of school is still months away!

Saturday a couple of fun things happened. Emma learned to ride a bike. She's 8, in third grade and has just never taken the plunge to get on a bike. She really doesn't have a big bike her size that's all her own. I think she got her last bike when she was 3 or 4, so she's due for a new one. (And I have it from a reliable source that Santa was ready to get her one until she asked for a clarinet instead!) But since there are 3 kids older than Emma, there is a bike in her size. We convinced her to try it out Saturday.

It took her about 3 tries to figure it out. I had gone for a short walk. When I left they were filling the tires on the bike. When I came home 30 minutes later, Emma was riding all around. We have a great spot to learn to ride. It's a cul-de-sac with just enough of an incline to make "starting" a whole lot easier without getting too much speed.

Clay also got on his new bike (from Santa) and got a feel for it too. Oh, and Kelli on her little bike with the training wheels? Too cute.

Earlier on Saturday, the cat was outside with the dog. The cat is black, about 6-7 months old and feisty as anything! The dog is white (a German shepherd) and about 10 years old and doesn't move very fast at all!

Kelli opened the door to go outside and Duane heard this awful animal screaming sound. He looked and there was a woodpecker on the ground with the dog and cat standing over it. The cat had caught the woodpecker and mortally injured it. The dog picked the bird up in his mouth, gave it a chomp and put it out of its misery. Thankfully the dog then dropped the bird.

Duane had them both come inside while we disposed of the bird. Makes me a little nervous to think about getting chicks this spring again. We'll have to keep the cat away until they are big enough to stand up to him!

It's FRIDAY

2010-01-15T09:11:00.000-07:00

and I am so glad!!! My trip to the dentist wasn't too bad. I was a little frustrated because the dental assistant wasn't too supportive of Emma. Em has a really hard time with anxiety and the dentist or the doctor or anything out of the ordinary. She had her valium before the extraction and was getting nitrous and was feeling anxious. Instead of comforting her or saying something positive and encouraging, she told her to stop, that they hadn't even done anything yet. grrrr!

She was seeing the second dentist in the office instead of our usual one. I will make sure Emma doesn't see her or her assistant again. The other assistants and hygenists know her there and know that she is not an easy patient so they treat her with kid gloves. The other dentist is great for her too. I'll have to make sure she sees all of our regulars.

The kids have completed 2 weeks of back to school now. And I am happy to say that they have had a warm breakfast everyday. I really wanted to get back away from eating cereal again, and so far so good!

I'm finding it hard to get very motivated today. Fridays always feel like special days to me. It's probably because when D was working full time at a church, Fridays were his day off. It just feels like the beginning of the weekend to me. LOVE that! And I love that it's a 3 day weekend. ahhh...

I guess I need to go buy some TP. We are on the end of the last roll in one bathroom. I'm not really sure how I managed to let us run completely out, but we can't last very long on what we have so it's time to make a TP run!

the dentist

2010-01-13T17:46:00.001-07:00

Today I took Emma to the dentist for a broken tooth. It had a cavity that had been filled and has now cracked and broken off. Today they took x-rays and decided to extract it tomorrow.

In 2 weeks I take Emma and Aleena in for their regular cleaning. Then the next day Jack and Kelli have their cleanings. The big boys go the week after that. Then I'm sure there will be follow up appointments for fillings or whatever.

This is the season I wind up in the dentist's office every week for a couple of months. Not my favorite season.

Monday already?

2010-01-11T14:12:00.000-07:00

I feel like I say that a lot! We tried to have a relaxing weekend. I had worked 50 hours from the time we got home Sunday afternoon until I was home on Saturday morning. I just wanted to rest and have some time to do what I wanted.

It had been so cold here for so long. Even before the really cold weather, we just hadn't had the mild days that are normal for Colorado. On Friday it was finally into the 40's and snow and ice was melting so I went for a walk. I took an even longer walk on Saturday and another walk on Sunday afternoon. I forget what a respite taking a walk is. It gives me time to just listen to music or think or whatever. And I like the exercise, too!

I haven't knit anything in a week! It's bugging me. But I made this commitment to read so much of the Bible every day that I just don't feel like I have the time to do both...and juggle household stuff and spend some time with my husband and kids!

My big goal for the month of January is to clean out my basement. We have toys down there that the kids just never touch anymore. A friend of ours is going to move into our basement for a few months I think, too, so we need to make space for him. It's one of those things that I am just having a hard time getting started. Tomorrow is the day. D will be at the farm, my dinner will be started super early, so I will be down there most of the day. I hope!

vacation pictures

2010-01-08T10:41:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from our trip over New Years to Glenwood Springs.

This is me and the kids standing outside the hotel.

At the Caverns they have cave tours and an Alpine Slide. The older kids also saw some 4D movies and played laser tag.

This is the view from the "dingalo" (otherwise known as a gondola) coming down from the top of the mountain where the caverns are.

And later we went to dinner. We were still trying to warm up!

more small steps

2010-01-07T10:29:00.000-07:00

Even though I haven't felt super motivated lately, I have tried to do a little bit of something productive. I've made yogurt, beef bone broth (to make French onion soup), done a huge grocery shopping trip and got a bunch of laundry done.

Today it is really cold here. So I am on the couch. I think I will spend the afternoon knitting and watching a movie on my laptop!

lack of motivation

2010-01-05T10:16:00.000-07:00

I went to work with a headache last night. A headache just from being tired. Baby was pretty cooperative...she finished a feeding around 8 (when I got there), then was up at 12, 3:30 and again at 6 as I was leaving. I came home and fell into bed instead of jumping into laundry and finishing dishes from last night like I had planned. The kids had cleaned up the kitchen, but I needed to wash my big pans.

D got up with the kids to make sure they were all on the bus on time. He came in panicked because he couldn't find the little girls' coats. Oh, yeah, that's why I was supposed to come home to the laundry. Coats were in the dryer.

D also got to clean up after the dog this morning. He's an old guy and every once in a while needs out in the night. But no one ever hears his whining, but me. If he's ignored long enough, he will find a spot to poo. Happy day!

I need to get my act together. I have to pick Kelli up from kindergarten in an hour! I'm still tired, and I am planning on a little naptime this afternoon as well.

good start

2010-01-04T19:06:00.000-07:00

We are home from vacation now and today I took some steps toward some of the goals I have for this year.

--I made a menu for the week based on meats that I have in my freezer.

--I made a huge batch of pancakes and froze about half for quick breakfasts when I don't have the energy for more than that.

--I found my yogurt jars and got them all cleaned and ready to go. Tomorrow I will make yogurt.

--I did my 90 reading yesterday and have started on it for today.

--I spent a good amount of time reading in the car yesterday and not just playing a game on my phone.

Small steps feel good. But tonight I have a headache. I don't want to finish my reading for the day. But I will spend some time reading tonight while I'm at work. It's easy to read off of my phone even if the baby is restless and needs to be held.

No walk today even though it was a gorgeous day. This headache was coming on and I was really tired. I worked last night and the next 3 nights so I thought a nap was a better priority.

vacation!

2010-01-02T20:37:00.000-07:00

We have been away for a few days and it has been wonderful. My oldest daughter was complaining early on that this trip "sucked". Then I reminded her that she hadn't had to unload the dishwasher or vacuum. That is a vacation in my opinion. I have enjoyed just being with family and not having a schedule to keep. But it is pricey! We rarely dine out as a family or even a couple. And our kids know that eating out is a luxury so they try to enjoy it too. We head home tomorrow. My husband got a few pictures that I will try to post after we get home.

looking ahead

2009-12-29T12:15:00.000-07:00

I am so full of ideas about what I want 2010 to be. I really want the way I use my time to reflect my values. I am trying to be realistic though too. I know if I bite off too much, I will give up by February. But I also know that making small changes gradually will get me where I want to be eventually. That is the balance to find.

Here are some of my goals for the new year in no particular order

--get back to more consistent menu planning and making use of the food we have on hand

--get back to making our bread, probably using more of the 5-minutes a day approach

--make our yogurt

--read the Bible in 90 days (our church is doing this and my Emma wants to do the kids' portion too)

--spend more time knitting or blogging or reading for information and less time playing silly games on the computer

--lose the 15 pounds that have crept on in the past 18 months

--do the Couch Potato to 5K program

--make breakfast for my kids

--incorporate more homeopathy into our family

--eat more fruit

--try to salvage my kefir grains and get back to using kefir for soaking oats and flour for pancakes

--figure out my sewing machine enough to do simple mending

--clean out closets and donate more of our excess

That's what I can think of right now. And like I said, I don't plan on jumping into all of that on January 1st. In fact, I have already decided that the exercise part will come after I've done the reading the Bible part. The Bible reading will take 30-45 minutes a day. That's a big chunk of time already. So I will walk when I can but not stress about it if it doesn't happen.

Do you have any ideas for 2010?

I finished my socks!

2009-12-29T08:09:00.000-07:00

I finished my first pair of socks ever! I didn't think they were very difficult, just a matter of following directions. I used a baby yarn instead of a sock yarn, and now I can't wait to do some socks with real sock yarn!

2009-12-24T07:05:00.001-07:00

Copping out on making Christmas Eve dinner. Frozen lasagna to the rescue! And I'm rethinking the roasted Brussels sprouts for Christmas dinner too. An easy spinach cheese pie that I can prep today is winning out. Not that roasting brussels sprouts is difficult, but I'm too tired to figure out how to roast them, the fingerling potatoes and rib roast all at the same time.

I'm sitting in the Target parking lot waiting for them to open. Hubby wants me to grab some of the little shoebox size totes. Those do making organizing sticking stuffers much simpler.

Then I'm home to make a double batch of 90 Minute Fruitcake. I made one yesterday and it absolutely disappeared! I also need to make more Carmel corn and my usual Christmas scones.

Oh yeah, then there's 4-5 hours at church later too! I need a day off...actually I'd settle for a night in my own bed. Working 40 hours a week this time of year is crazy!

OK, Target is open!

Merry Christmas!!!

2009-12-23T21:18:00.001-07:00

Made Coal Cookies tonight! Even without the espresso powder they are yummy. My husband is volunteering to be on the naughty list for these treats. I have to hide them from the kids or we won't have any cookies for Santa.

for fun

2009-12-21T18:34:00.001-07:00

Yarn Harlot makes me giggle!

And for the record, I am starting to knit hat for my brother for Christmas tonight at work. I can totally get it done by Friday, right?! I did choose a super bulky yarn...I'm not THAT crazy!!!

no 'poo update

2009-12-21T11:58:00.002-07:00

Just checking in after another week of not sudsing up. Still liking this process. I'm still in the adjustment phase as far as my body figuring out that I need to produce less oil. I guess I am fortunate there since I normally have pretty dry skin. But I haven't cleaned my scalp/hair since Friday and my hair is looking just fine. Not greasy looking, not dirty looking, just looking like hair.

Nathalie asked if it smells. My hair smells like hair. The vinegar smell washes out in the shower. I do rinse for about a minute or so, but there is no residual smell. My 13 yo daughter took the plunge today. She has asked about adding some scent. I haven't read as much as bout this as my husband, but we've told her she could add some essential oils to either the vinegar rinse or add some to water and pour that over her hair when she's finished rinsing.

She is really vain about hair, too. But she has also learned that NOT wearing much makeup and keeping her hair away from her face (along with a Burt's Bee's herbal acne treatment) is clearing up her pimples far better than anything from the drugstore ever has. So she's hoping that letting her scalp regulate its natural oils will help her not need to wash her hair so often, too.

I think one of the best things about trying this whole no 'poo thing is that it is really low cost, or no cost even. Sometimes we want to try things that involve special equipment or ingredients that are hard to find or impractical. This is baking soda and apple cider vinegar, kitchen staples. To me, that's an even better reason to try it out.

I'll keep you posted on how week 3 goes.

heading to the fabric store

2009-12-18T11:56:00.002-07:00

In an effort to be greener this Christmas, we have decided to wrap our gifts in fabric instead of paper. I'm heading out to buy some inexpensive festive fabric. We will cut it to use for gifts and then store the fabric until next year. No generating bags and bags of torn wrapping paper for trash this year. And our gifts will still be hidden and wrapped.

I'll post some pictures after we have wrapped some!

No 'poo?

2009-12-14T09:49:00.002-07:00

Nope I'm not talking about my bathroom habits, I'm talking about no longer washing my hair with shampoo. I'd heard about this over a year ago, and while I liked the idea, I am also SUPER vain about my hair. SUPER SUPER vain, people!

I have blonde naturally curly hair and have always had tons of compliments on my hair. I learned how to smooth it out (ie straighten it) when Trey was a baby and so vary between curls and straight hair now.

My husband went no 'poo a few months ago. He rinses his hair every time he showers and it really doesn't get greasy or dirty at all. I've been down to only shampooing twice a week for quite a while now. Blonde curly hair can dry out quickly, so I try to let it get really dirty before I wash it.

But lately when I've washed it with my shampoo (Garnier Fructis), it just hasn't felt clean. So I decided to just go for it the other day and use D's baking soda in the shower. It was amazing! My hair felt so clean but yet not stripped like a harsh shampoo! So then I used the cider vinegar rinse too. I did use a little coconut oil on my wet hair to help smooth out the curls, too.

When D came home later, I asked him if my hair was OK. He said, "did you cut it? did you color it? it looks really good." And it did. It curled up like it hadn't in a really long time. And when I used my curling iron to smooth it out the next day, it was still looking really great. In fact, it had more body than usual.

So my first try was on Friday. It's now Monday. And while my hair isn't looking dirty or greasy yet, the waves along my scalp are starting to really show. So I either need to use my daughter's straightener or wet it and let it be curly again. But it doesn't look dirty....just needing to be styled somewhat.

So if you think I am totally crazy and on another weird hippie thing (MOM!), you can read more about no 'poo here or at NPR.

not the plan I had

2009-11-28T07:53:00.002-07:00

Last Friday I made the plan for Thanksgiving. I knew the cooking and chores that needed to be done each day. I had the menu ready and the grocery list made. Duane and I did the bulk of the grocery shopping, even got the turkey. I knew what I was cooking in the meantime to plan to have minimal leftovers by the time Thanksgiving arrived. I even knew I was working Friday, Saturday, Monday and Wednesday nights. I had it figured out how I would get it all done. I even made Grandma's cranberry relish recipe.

But Friday night I didn't feel good. I started getting a pain in my lower right side. So after dinner I took a nap before I went to work. That night I had a hard time sleeping when the baby was asleep. I just couldn't get comfortable.

Saturday morning Duane had to take Aleena to a rehearsal. I still felt lousy and now really tired. I gave the other kids some chores to do. We were going to a brew party in the afternoon and they were motivated to help before they had some fun. My pain was not going away. I didn't want to do anything but stay in my bed.

I talked to a friend of ours who has more medical knowledge than we do. He thought it might be the big A word like I was dreading. But I was still in denial.

D took the kids. I made it to the couch and watched TV. Chores hadn't been completed but I didn't care. I didn't knit or crochet. I just laid in front of the TV. Family came home. D felt around in my belly. He could feel the same lump on the right side that I could feel. Not good. I went to work, still feeling lousy.

I still didn't sleep much. And I wasn't eating much.

Sunday morning I went to church and sang like crazy. I was in pain but I focused on what I needed to do. Home, napped, hung out with my brother for a bit. Consulted with a HCP. Starting to run a fever, and the lump was getting bigger.

Now, yes, I am crazy stubborn, but that's not the only reason I hadn't gone to the doctor yet. We are some of those people who don't have insurance. Our kids are covered by a state subsidized program, but there's nothing like that for adults. We barely make ends meet the way it is, and we just can't afford insurance. And most of the time we don't need it.

Our fabulous HCP talked with hospitals and surgeons, networking to help us get care without going broke. (Hospitals and doctors can be quite generous it seems.)

Finally at 11 on Sunday night, we headed into the hospital. Had the dreaded ct scan. Not dreaded because of the procedure, but dreaded because of the cost. (Hopefully radiology departments will be generous too!)

My appendix, normally the size of an average thumb? Now it was 13 cm, or over 5 inches. No wonder I could feel a lump. The ER doc didn't think it had ruptured yet, but it was only a matter of time. I was scheduled for an appendectomy at 6:30 Monday morning. The surgeon came in to see me around 5:30. He looked at the ct scan and could tell it had ruptured...that was the mass. But it was contained. That was very good to hear.

Everything went well. I did fine other than having a lingering fever off and on. I came home Wednesday late in the afternoon. My wonderful family took care of Thanksgiving dinner and all the prep work. They cleaned the house and all.

Our friends and neighbors have been wonderful. I think the kids are getting tired of having a sick mommy. On Thursday morning, when I was getting more water, Jack and Kelli asked what I was making for breakfast. Um, nothing, sweetie! And Emma wants to know when I will start cooking again...when the food will be normal again.

Now I wait until Monday morning to get my drain out of my belly. (Surgeons don't have office hours on holiday weekends apparently!) And we wait to hear from the hospital regarding the financial assistance they can offer us.

Now I'm going back to bed for a nap!

They're dropping like flies!

2009-11-16T12:18:00.002-07:00

My oldest daughter stayed home from school feeling icky. My husband woke up an hour later feeling icky. Near lunchtime, my oldest son called from school still feeling icky (he had felt bad in the morning, but wanted to go to school).

My kindergartener is home for the day, and the preschooler doesn't have school today.

I have more kids home than at school.

Hopefully the 2 still at school will be feeling fine.

And I'm pretty sure that H1N1 passed through in October with fever, chills, coughs and aches. This seems to just be a cold with lots of drainage to upset tummies. Lots of tea and broth soups today I guess!

Thanksgiving

2009-11-13T10:29:00.002-07:00

The past couple of weeks, folks have been asking us if we have plans or if we will be "alone" on Thanksgiving. Um, alone? There are 8 of us in this house. I hardly call that alone. We may have some friends over, but it may just be the eight of us. Either way, I will still make a feast.

Thanksgiving is a favorite day at our house. D and I both really enjoy cooking. And all 8 of us really enjoy the eating. The girls have been helping more with meal prep too. Making pumpkin pie and that kind of thing. It's a day of just eating, being together, holing up, watching parades and movies. We don't dress up for dinner. We are doing well if no one is still in their jammies. We like to eat around 2. That makes it perfect to have pie at our regular dinner time!

And the menu? Nothing really out of the ordinary, but it all has to be there. Turkey, stuffing (made with sausage, apples, cranberries and pecans), mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry relish, corn (cooked forever on the stovetop until it is a little "browned"--Just like my MIL who started the corn when she started the turkey used to make!), candied yams, rolls...those are the MUST haves. I often do another vegetable of some kind too. This year I will probably make onion pie and some kind of green beans.

Then there is dessert. Pumpkin pie, Cranberry Streusel Pie, pecan pie and maybe sweet potato pie or carrot pie.

Before you think that is a ton of food, remember I am cooking for 8 people. And I have those kind of children who can eat enough to fill a hollow leg. And what's Thanksgiving weekend without tons of leftovers?

finished project

2009-11-12T09:07:00.003-07:00

Here is a picture of the finished umbilical cord hat. Modeled by baby doll Chili...

I sure hope they like it!

knitting

2009-11-09T11:56:00.005-07:00

I have been knitting A LOT lately. I made this sweater for Jack E.

It gave me a lot of confidence as a knitter. It is simple as far as stitches go, but it was just the biggest knitting project I have done as of yet. It really only took about a month to complete too. I literally finished sewing it all together one morning at church. There are a ton of knitters in our church. Two of them asked where I got the pattern and a third told me I did a perfect job getting the sizing right for him. Talk about a confidence booster!

After that Kelli wanted a sweater. I got her to settle on mittens and a matching hat. After doing those, I realized that I am a much more proficient knitter than I used to be. So I made a hat and mittens for Jack E too. He picked out his own yarn!

That hat is the first time I ever used double pointed needles. I was terrified of trying them, but they are really simple to deal with. The best part? No seaming things together afterward. I finished Jack E's hat, sewed in a couple of loose ends and he put it on. LOVE that.

Last night I started a hat for my soon to be born nephew. It's called an umbilical cord hat. I'll post a picture when it's finished, but here it is in process.

It snowed!

2009-11-02T12:18:00.003-07:00

Some pictures from last week

This is from Saturday. Snow was already starting to melt off a lot. And my Colorado born girl was enjoying the snow with her dog...in her nightgown!

crazy days

2009-08-04T13:39:00.002-06:00

Life goes fast. I gave up blogging in favor of sleep this past spring. Working nights and running my household during the day was enough. My afternoon break time was used for being horizontal! But I do miss have a place to put some thoughts.

As for our chickens, they taught us all a big lesson in responsibility in May. I got up for church one Sunday morning exhausted. The kids were watching TV and hanging out waiting for D and I like always. We came home and I fell into bed for a nap. I was getting ready to go on a walk around 4 in the afternoon and realized the chicks had never been let out of their little house. They also still had a heating lamp on in there with them.

They didn't make it. They suffocated I guess or died of heatstroke. I felt really responsible, but had to remind myself that even Jack E is capable of letting them out, but no one would do it if I didn't remind them.

Very disappointing, but a good reminder that we all have to take more responsibility.

Life and laundry are calling!

they grow FAST!!!

2009-04-12T17:28:00.004-06:00

This is the chicks playing outside last week.

And here are some pics from today. As soon as we get a heat lamp, they get to go outside!

chicken update

2009-04-01T13:23:00.003-06:00

They are getting bigger all the time. We have moved them from their cardboard box and into our old dog crate. It works for now, but we will have to do something else soon. D is planning on building a good sized coop with a run, but we'll use an old dog house for a few weeks when they first go outside.

It's funny. We move in some circles where having chickens seems so normal that I forget to many people we must seem like aliens!

Here are a couple pics of our growing girls.

what's going on

2009-03-29T19:39:00.003-06:00

It's been crazy lately. The kids were on spring break last week and we got 16 inches of snow on Thursday. They had a good time playing in that. Clay has been sick, hacking away, so he had to stay in. I have barely sat down to read blogs let alone right on my own. Not sure why. I guess I've been trying to rest instead.

It feels like I have just been in survival mode lately. Trying to get some sleep, waiting for the next payday, keeping the kids entertained and off each other's backs. Suddenly a week ago it hit me that I am working a LOT. I added one extra night one week and that put me to 40 hours for the week. I realized that is really a full time load. I don't know why the jump from 32 to 40 hours suddenly made me realize it, but it did. I do get a few hours of sleep while I am working, but not always. Sometimes I will only really get 2 hours. Last week I came home and slept each morning since the kids were all home and could watch the younger ones, but normally I have to wait to get a nap after lunch. I often will take a nap after dinner too, but then I miss hanging out with my family, too.

So it's been survival of sorts. I really feel like I need to get more organized, too. Like mop on Mondays, bake bread on Saturdays and Wednesdays. That kind of thing. I'll keep you posted on how that goes!

chick pics

2009-03-21T09:34:00.000-06:00

baby chicks

2009-03-21T09:00:00.002-06:00

We got 8 new babies yesterday! They were born on Monday...the day I turned 39, btw!

So now I will have even less time to blog! LOL

The chicks are just adorable right now. The kids could watch them for hours I swear, keeping me updated on who is pushing who, who is pecking who, who has pooped in the last 30 seconds. Just what I need. More tattling! :o)

I will do another post with their little picture.

enjoying my hippiness

2009-03-09T12:09:00.002-06:00

Is that a word?

Yesterday we were at a brew party with a bunch of new friends. It was great to get to know these people, but also to realize that I really am enjoying being the weird one who makes kombucha and kefir. Not to mention yogurt. I didn't tell them I make laundry detergent too! lol

And D is always so very much in his element when he is brewing beer and teaching others about the process.

the moodiness!

2009-03-06T12:55:00.002-07:00

And I'm not just talking about me!!!

My oldest daughter turned 13 in January. The oldest boy will be 12 in May. Both in middle school...and both unpredictable when it comes to moods.

Middle son turned 10 in January. (Half my kids are now in double digits!) Middle girl will be 8 in April. I can't blame anything for their mood swings. Well, the boy is starting to get to the age where he starts getting "those" moods. Any my middle daughter? She's been a spitfire since baby hood. I remember talking to hubby on my cell while driving in the car and he couldn't hear me over her yelling. She was the only one in the car with me and wanted. my. ATTENTION.

My 2 littles are crazy. They aren't so moody as just constantly needing something. I forget how draining the constant conversation can be.

And yet, part of me is so profoundly sad that next year I will send 2 out the door at 7:30 for middle school and then put 3 kids on the bus at 8:10. I will have one lonely boy home with me every morning. I haven't had that...well, ever! Oldest 2 kiddos are only 15 months, 9 days apart so it seems we've always had at least 2 kids around. And having the 3rd the day after the oldest turned 3 really put us into group mentality quickly.

No wonder the baby is so "babied". He's the only one to have this life experience. I hope people will be able to tolerate being around him when he's grown!

headaches

2009-02-25T10:28:00.002-07:00

I used to have headaches all the time. Just your basic run of the mill headache. Migraine types were rarer, but it wasn't even uncommon for me to wake up with a headache, especially when I was overtired and run down.

Since we have changed the way we are trying to eat by following much of the information in Nourishing Traditions, my headaches have really disappeared. I'm not sure if it was white sugar that was bringing them on, or really what it was, but they have been gone. Even as I have gone back to work a couple of weeks ago (4 nights/week), I have been tired but no headaches. I have virtually given up my beloved diet Coke even and really not had any headaches. (I have been drinking black iced tea, so I am still getting some caffeine.)

Last night we went to dinner with some friends. It was really fun. It was an upscale place that was participating in restaurant week. Nice night out, and still in bed by 9:30.

But this morning I woke up with a headache. My head is killing me...not sure where the connection lies since I don't know all the ingredients in what we ate but I can't help but think it has something to do with it.

Our dinner:
appetizer of fried calamari
salad with vinaigrette, few tomatoes and gorgonzola cheese
small slice of sourdough bread with butter
citrus glazed baked salmon
parmesan truffle fries
dessert of ice cream with a little chocolate fudge sauce and mini biscotti

Maybe fried food? Maybe refined sugar in dessert? I dunno but I feel like CRAP today. And I didn't even have any of the wine...just water all night.

I've got a SCOBY!

2009-02-19T16:36:00.002-07:00

My last infrequent post was about my new favorite drink kombucha. It's a fermented sweet black tea drink. The first sip has a bit of a vinegary taste, but it is really yummy. To ferment the tea you need a SCOBY, or a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. That goes into the tea and ferments it to the desired tartness. But it's not tart like sour. It's pleasingly tart, like lemonade, but most of the sugar is consumed during the fermentation.

It's hard to explain. I've got my SCOBY now and I'll be brewing the tea to make my own 'booch tomorrow!

kombucha

2009-02-09T07:29:00.002-07:00

Where has this stuff been all my life? Seriously...I have a little hiding in a jar in the cupboard right now trying to grow a SCOBY so I can make more. LOTS more!

Bob Greene and Oprah

2009-01-30T09:25:00.002-07:00

Just read this article.

Really incredible. If you're not sure you want to read it all, here's the first paragraph.

"The scene is comic: Bob Greene sitting next to Oprah on her TV show, kicking off the New Year, as Oprah tries to explain to her viewing audience why she gained forty pounds – again. Not once did she turn to Greene and say, “Bob, I guess your program is just a bit too hard to follow, something must be wrong with it.”

Isn't that the issue with most diet plans? If they are really worked then there would be no huge diet industry like there is now. The idea of eating fake foods, processed foods, chemically altered foods...it's just not right. How about feeding ourselves natural and nourishing foods? traditional foods? Real food!

I survived!

2009-01-29T16:00:00.002-07:00

Yesterday I woke up to discover that my internet wasn't working. I could tell from the airport station downstairs that something was unplugged. I don't know where it all goes so I just let it be knowing that D would fix it when he got home.

Since I had no email, no blogs, no facebook...I actually cleaned my house. Well, I cleaned a lot and did laundry. I was productive! I decided to try to get all my list done today and THEN have computer time. And I had another productive day. Who knew?! lol

I have been cutting back on my blogs in my google reader. It's just too much. I love keeping up with everyone, but it takes too much time. And I have a lot of friends on FB that I haven't seen for years and I love to chat with them and look at their pictures, but I need to do better at my "job" around here.

I will try to post tomorrow about all the fun stuff that has happened around here this week. But first I have 2 bathrooms to clean!

quick post

2009-01-08T13:54:00.002-07:00

I've been trying to get life back in order now that the kids are back in school. I tend to let things got for a while and then it's REALLY bad around here. So the past few days are about getting back on track. I'll post more soon, promise.

chocolate giveaway

2009-01-06T14:20:00.001-07:00

This is no ordinary chocolate. It's fair trade, from single origin beans, and is relatively good for you.

Check out the giveaway here. And if you win, you have to give me a nibble!

back to school

2009-01-05T08:38:00.003-07:00

It feels strange to only have my 2 littles home today. The big kids went to school today. And the morning was relatively drama free!

Emma did say, "I can't" when I told her it was time t get up for school. Then she claimed she needed help getting dressed. But she did manage just fine. Even ate a decent breakfast and I packed her a lunch. (The kids qualify for free lunches so we try to take advantage of that as much as possible!)

The only drama came from Trey. He hadn't practiced his trumpet at all during break and suddenly realized it may affect his grade. That has been the hard part of middle school for him this year. His first semester grades reflect the fact that he was still getting used to be responsible for his own stuff. In some ways I feel badly because if there were fewer kiddos in this house or if I didn't work nights on occasion, then I would be able to micro-manage the kids and their school stuff better. But then they would learn these lessons later in life anyway. I think I would rather have Trey struggle in 6th grade than fail his first semester of college. And Aleena did the same thing last year, and this year she has all A's and 1 B. I know he will get there, but this morning he was feeling it.

This is also Trey's laundry day, but since he didn't start anything this morning before he left (he was finishing up make up work from when he was sick in December), I am going to get a little laundry done this morning. And some meal planning. and a grocery list. Better get started...just going to up date my other blogs quickly!

New Year!

2009-01-01T10:37:00.003-07:00

It's a new year, huh? Crazy how it feels so much the same as yesterday. I have a list of things that I want to blog about. I've been writing them down when I think of them since I can never think of anything when I actually have the moment to blog. But my little notebook is in the truck. And I am inside.

So for now, just a Happy New Year to you all. And by all I think I mean my mom and Kathy. lol

Sunday night

2008-12-28T21:17:00.002-07:00

It's Sunday night and everyone is down for the count. Or at least they've been told to go to bed! lol I still have another week with the kids home from school. They are enjoying their time off. I can tell that Aleena is nearly 13. She used to be up early every day, but she's been taking advantage of the opportunity to sleep in. Not Trey! This morning at 7 he was ready to play Wii. I sent him downstairs to the basement for a while. I just wanted to sit in peace for a little while.

I thought maybe I'd knit or something but it was COLD in here. Someone had turned the heat completely off yesterday sometime. It was 55 when I got up. We aren't heat freaks by any means, but I'm used to it being about 65 when I wake up. So I sat under my blanket and just watched the news.

It is supposed to be a lot warmer this week. The past couple weeks have been in the teens and 20's. It's supposed to be almost 60 tomorrow. Too bad it's all so wet or I would take the kids to the park. It would be good for the little ones to run off some energy. Maybe Jack E can ride his new big wheel around the cul de sac at least.

I have been knitting a lot the past month. Most of it has been the same basic hat pattern, but I am getting so much more comfortable with it. I have been able to actually pick up dropped stitches and even rip back a little and not make a mess of the whole thing. I really want to make a pair of these, but they scare me. I may end up making these instead. I still feel more comfortable as a crocheter than as a knitter. If only Kathy were really my neighbor. *sigh*

Just wanted to chcek in here again this week. I've missed so many of my favorite bloggers since we all seem to be taking a bit of a hiatus during the holiday season.

More soon....

12 days' of Christmas wrap up

2008-12-26T10:33:00.002-07:00

Sorry I didn't post on the 23rd or 24th. I think the only reader who was even checking in at that point was my mom. I know I haven't opened my google reader in days...and I usually check it every few hours!

The night of the 23rd we were invited to a home for dinner. It was cold and I had a feeling our big white German shepherd (who is about 9 and has bad hips) would decide he wanted a better place to lay down. I was right. He had pushed open the back gate (the latch is ineffective against a 125 pound dog) and was lying on the front porch when we got home after 10. Apparently he had also been there we our surprise arrived because it was on top of Duane's car that was parked in the driveway. We received 11 churros. They were huge and looked so yummy! (The kids had them for breakfast the next morning.) There was also a note that said "churro" is another word for pipe. Again we were thrilled to have an edible treat! There was also a clue that our admirer would be coming by the next night to reveal their identity.

So Christmas eve we kept waiting and waiting for what Emma was calling our "carolers". Finally we heard a knock on the door and singing. Outside was a family from the church Duane will be working with beginning in January. The woman is on the search committee and hoped this would be a great way to welcome us. We were glad to be able to thank them in person and talk a little about how much fun we had all had with this.

They gave us a black tin that had been decorated to look like a drum. It held some homemade treats and crackers and a cheese ball and summer sausage and goldfish crackers for the kids. It was great!

So our 12 days of Christmas is over and it was a little disappointing sitting at Christmas dinner last night and realizing that we wouldn't be getting another package in the evening. For any of you that want to do this next year, it is really great to be on the receiving end. And I have a feeling our family will be doing this next year for someone else!

On the tenth day of Christmas

2008-12-22T20:37:00.002-07:00

I knew this would be a hard one. Especially if our true love stuck to the edible trend. Tonight on our doorstep we found

"Lords-a-Leaping Libation" (4 Breckenridge brewery Christmas ales) and

"Lords-a-Leaping Root Beer" (6 Stewart's Root Beer)

The kids were excited but we convinced them to save their sodas for Christmas eve. That will be great. Hopped up on soda and waiting for Santa!

What will the pipers bring tomorrow I wonder?

On the ninth day of Christmas

2008-12-22T10:50:00.001-07:00

Sorry I didn't post last night. It was a crazy weekend trying to prepare for the holiday. The stress of it all is hitting I think.

We found a pretty little tray with 9 angel cookies on it on the front step last night. Emma kept saying she didn't see how they were dancing, but they were decorated beautifully. Some were blonde, some were brunette. Some had long hair, some had shorter hair. They were really beautiful.

And tasty!

On the eighth day of Christmas...

2008-12-21T09:07:00.002-07:00

I didn't post last night since I was trying to get out the door with my friends' 3 littles to get them home while mama is at the hospital laboring (or not, really).

At nearly 9 we had a a knock on the door. Trey opened quickly and saw 3 teens (he thinks) dressed all in black making a hasty escape. They left a box on the front step that said "All Maid with Milk". The contents?

2 gallons of milk
2 cartons of ice cream
1 half gallon of chocolate milk
1 carton of whoppers
1 carton of milk duds
1 can of whipped cream

Can't wait to see the 9 ladies dancing!

expecting

2008-12-20T19:22:00.002-07:00

My friend called earlier tonight. Wife's water just broke, bringing their older kids over. So happy and excited for them. Just talked with the mama earlier this week. She said she'd really love to have this baby by the weekend so she could be home by Monday and have their Christmas week at home without having to wonder when the baby would come. I love how God knows even those little desires of our hearts and grants them.

Peaceful labor thoughts, my friend.

Oh, we're still waiting for the eight maids a milking as well. I'll keep you posted on that, too!

On the seventh day of Christmas...

2008-12-19T10:08:00.002-07:00

These folks are good! I got home from work this morning about 6:30. I came inside and made Duane his coffee. Since we just got our basket last night, I wasn't expecting anything this morning.

When Duane walked outside to get in his truck at 6:45 (and I was going upstairs to go to bed!), he saw 7 "geese a laying" on the walk up to the house. They were made of foil like you would have leftovers in from a nice restaurant. One of the geese was sitting on a pizza box. I peeked inside one of the geese and saw a single serving pizza. There was white tissue paper on top to help fluff it up, too.

Still in the realm of food. And a nice treat for the kids on their first day home for school for winter break. I shoved all 7 geese in the freezer. They got a little bent up but the kids will be able to unwrap their goose to get their own pizza out. I'll let you know later if there were any clues in there.

Then I went to sleep....

On the sixth day of Christmas

2008-12-18T20:20:00.002-07:00

Just heard the knock on the door. Trey and Emma about fell over Kelli racing to the door. Emma had been checking the front step about every 5 minutes, but she had finally given up.

Tonight we found a basket filled with 6 oragami geese, Easter eggs filled with chocolates and a little music box that plays "The Twelve Days of Christmas". There was also a note tied on the ribbon on the basket.

You've got to wondering
Who we might be!
The time will come to tell,
Just wait and see.

We're having loads of fun,
When else can you knock on a door and then run?
So sit back and relax--enjoy this little caper,
We'll give you some clues...but that will be later!

the sixth day of Christmas

2008-12-18T08:42:00.002-07:00

I was making Duane's coffee this morning and told him to look on the front step. After all, the sixth day is geese a laying (not maids a milking like I thought yesterday in my sleepless stupor). I thought for sure we'd have a bunch of eggs on our front step.

NUTTIN'!!!

That doesn't mean it won't be later, so we'll just have to wait.

On the fifth day of Christmas

2008-12-17T10:31:00.002-07:00

I came home from work this morning around 6:15. There was a plain brown box tied with some ribbons on the front step. I was really expecting to receive pineapple rings for today's "5 golden rings", but this box did not have pineapple.

I brought it in and started making Duane's coffee so he could head out to work. He opened the box to reveal 5 fresh bagels nestled around a tub of cream cheese. Five golden rings. Five bagels. There were also cranberry bagels and cinnamon raisin bagels underneath since 5 bagels wouldn't be enough for us all. And there was an extra tub of schmear, too.

As we have told people about this, they always suggest hiding out and waiting to see who it's all from. But it hasn't been the same time each day.

Day 1 7pm
Day 2 7:45 pm
Day 3 6 pm
Day 4 between 6 and 7:30 am
Day 5 before 6:15 am

I wonder what 6 maids a milking will look like tomorrow. There are a few different places on the web that give suggestions on how to do this. It really is a fun idea. It's like being booed at Halloween or the old May baskets I did as a kid, but this is a much larger scale since it's for 12 days. We are all wondering who our "true love" is. We have our suspicions, but not totally sure.

Aleena spent the day on the couch yesterday interspersed with some vomiting. She had a fever last night too. Today I think she is better. She's hungry and hasn't thrown up since sometime in the middle of the night. Oh, and she's a little bossy with Kelli and Jack, too so she must be feeling better!

I am just tired today. The job I'm working right now is a hard one. I think it's because I am in the guest room and not in the room with the babies but I just don't sleep there. I did get one big nap of about an hour and fifteen minutes last week one night. I spend the night in that half awake half asleep state. Then I come home and try to sleep on the couch for a good hour before I have to make sure kids are going to school. This morning I didn't sleep. Trey was downstairs early fighting with Clay. Then Kelli came down and she is just cranked up. Then Jack was down. And Aleena was down. Emma finally appeared too. Everyone was crabby and arguing. No sleep for mama. If I go to my bed I have the WORST time trying to get up at 7:40 so I try to stay on the couch. Thankfully I don't work again until Thursday night and the kids don't have school on Friday so I will just come home and get into bed. YAY!

On the fourth day of Christmas...

2008-12-16T16:54:00.001-07:00

We found a bag on the front porch. In it was a turkey and an old phone.

So far everything has been edible. LOVE that part!

On the third day of Christmas...

2008-12-15T19:07:00.002-07:00

Duane got a call on his cell phone. "It's the third day of Christmas. There are 3 bags in front of your garage. Merry Christmas." The number was withheld so we have nothing to go on there.

But in the bags, were rotisserie chickens. Michele, Daniele, and Jaqueline. With a note on top of one that said, "Joyeux Noel"

Three French Hens

we have an admirer

2008-12-15T07:58:00.002-07:00

Well, I think there may be more than one!

Saturday night Duane and I were out and Trey called me to tell me someone just left a "platter of pears". This is Trey we are talking about so who knows what it could really mean. I told him I'd check it out when I got home.

Apparently, someone left a pretty Christmas plate filled with pears and a little cut out of a partridge. On the back of the partridge was written, "On the first day of Christmas..."

We speculated about who that might be. Aleena suggested my secret boyfriend. We had been at a function that night with our church so we knew it was no one from there. They all had an alibi.

Last night, we wondered if we would get 2 turtle doves. Almost. About 7:45 I was getting up to get a snack and heard our screen door open. I just waited, heard the knock and gave them a second to make their retreat. After all, if they are trying to be anonymous, we should just enjoy it, right? I opened the door to find 2 packages. Each had 2 boxes of turtles candy and a box of Dove ice cream bars. And a note that said, "On the second day of Christmas..."

This one had different handwriting. Different author and originator I'm sure. This is so much FUN! So we are wondering what our 3 French hens will look like tonight!

BTW, it was after she had eaten her ice cream bar and had time to process it all that Aleena said, "Hey, they started this so that the twelfth day of Christmas will actually be at Christmas!" Yes, her blonde goes all the way through!!!

should have gotten a picture

2008-12-14T09:38:00.002-07:00

I made my first amigurumi bunny yesterday. I didn't take a picture since I was frantically trying to do about five other things too. I spent most of the day just sitting and crocheting. I wish I could do that today, but the laundry is waiting. And we need fruit from the market. I have a couple of things to do this afternoon, too.

It's really cold here today which is never good for the motivation. It's like 4 or 5. Seriously. That's super cold for Denver. I may have to bake something today to have an excuse to turn the oven on! lol

I got a package...

2008-12-13T11:21:00.002-07:00

...and now I MUST learn to knit socks. My very favorite cyber friendKathy sent me a box yesterday. There were some socks and a couple of hats and some mittens. I put on a pair of socks and fell in LOVE. I have been wanting to learn to knit socks for a while now and now I MUST!!!

These are awesome! And they are so pretty too.

Thanks Kathy. You are the best!! If only you lived closer...I would be at your house all the time learning to knit socks from you!

quote

2008-12-12T10:08:00.000-07:00

I just read this on another blog.

After raising 3 girls and 3 boys I've decided boys give you gray hair and then girls make you want to make you pull it out.

Dorothy
mom to 3 boys, 27, 24, 18 and 3 girls 26, 23, 16

Is this what I have to look forward to?

knitting fool

2008-12-10T15:47:00.002-07:00

That's what I am. Well, kind of. I didn't knit much on Monday or Tuesday, but I just finished a hat this afternoon. It feels so good to have a plan for the holidays and be getting stuff together. There are some people on my list that I want to craft for that have been harder to think of ideas for. I did find something I really like though. However in the spirit of "my mom is a total peeker and can't keep a secret at Christmas" I am not posting my idea until AFTER the holiday.

As wives, you know how easy it is to complain about our husbands. They start projects and just don't finish them? Well, I have lost all my rights to complain. On Saturday morning I picked up the second mitten of a pair I started nearly 4 years ago. At the time I was making them for Aleena (who will be 13 next month). Well, they have been sitting in my yarn stash untouched for the longest time. Emma (who is 7) saw them a month or so ago and wanted me to finish them for her. So I finally picked them up Saturday morning and had the second mitt completed in about 20 minutes. I let them sit all that time and it took such a short time to finish them! ARGH!!! Why did I do that? Anyway, I just finished a matching hat and am debating on a matching scarf. Emma isn't a big scarf person, but maybe if it all matches?

Anyway. Just wanted to say that I am still here. Working nights last week, this week and next week. I spend most of my down time half asleep trying to conserve energy. Today I did realize that I could read blogs, check Facebook and have an online chat while knitting!

3 down

2008-12-01T07:26:00.002-07:00

I finally finished another Christmas gift yesterday on the way home from church. (I love doing small projects while I am riding in the car. I feel like I'm being so productive!) Then I started and finished another yesterday afternoon. I chickened out and didn't do the wristers patten I was thinking of but did a simple scarf instead.

I started a hat last night. UGH!!! I realized that trying to do a hat (that will be 22" around) on 29" circular needles is just not going to work. While I really like the idea of being able to do it in the round, I think I will have to do it as a flat panel and then sew it up. I don't want to crochet it since I have NO idea how big this person's head really is and need the stretch that comes with knitting.

Enough craft talk? That's where my head is this morning. I have lots of "stuff" to do today and need to figure out what to do first. Now it's time to go wrestle my 2nd grader out of her warm bed and convince her that she really does love school.

Have a great day.

where did they come from?

2008-11-29T08:57:00.003-07:00

I was awakened by Jack and Kelli this morning. They wake up between 6 and 6:30 every day. They play together in their room for quite a while if they don't hear anyone else up. I thought I would take advantage and get up to finish knitting a secret thing.

But Jack E saw snow out the window. He pulled open the blind and the two of them were on a mission. By 6:40 they were both dressed and Jack was in my room asking for help with his mittens. Then he was back asking where his boots were. Then back for help with the boots.

The snow is pretty, sure, but I was even less motivated to get out of bed knowing that there was 3 inches of snow on everything. But not my Colorado born babies! They were making snow angels by 7 o'clock this morning.

Which meant I was making hot cocoa and pancakes by 7:20.

Now we are getting the house ready for a brew party this afternoon. And since there won't be much playing outside, we really have to make sure the house is clean and ready to played in by all the little friends.

Off to pick up!

Your bladder is very near your eye...

2008-11-28T11:05:00.001-07:00

That is one of my favorite lines from Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt and it describes me very well these days.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-26T09:40:00.002-07:00

I've been trying to make better use of my time lately. And I've had more errands to tend to. So I've been here less. I have been really stressed about holidays too. I married into a family that goes over the moon for Christmas gifts every year. It seems that we have cut back every year, but with 8 people in a household, it is still a lot. I am busy crafting my way through holiday gifts and searching for means of help for our family. In the midst of all of that, I am trying to remember that this is a season to celebrate and give thanks for all that we already have. And trying to instill that in the kids as they see endless ads for the new toys on TV.

Why is it that at this season we suddenly forget the values that rule us the rest of the year? Maybe this is my personal battle.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of us. We have been blessed with plenty in our lives. I plan to take a moment and reflect on that.

I think I did it to myself

2008-11-17T07:14:00.002-07:00

I'm feeling really overwhelmed this morning with what needs to be done this week. I have errands that are more important than the usual return a library book or pick up more milk.

And I have found myself obsessed with getting holiday gifts completed. I guess that's a good thing. Our budget for holiday shopping will be more minimal than ever before. In fact I'm hoping to get some help with the kids' stuff this year. And I typically start to think of holiday gifts around the second week of December. But I feel like all I want to do is work on my knitting and crocheting.

So I have a big pile of laundry that didn't get touched this weekend. I have places to be outside of my home. I feel really stressed. So I'm blogging. That makes lots of sense, huh? I'm going to the laundry room now.

bliss

2008-11-11T14:08:00.001-07:00

I had about 10 minutes today of absolute peace. Kelli wasn't home from school yet (I drop off and the neighbor picks up) and Jack E was napping. It was beautiful.

proof texting

2008-11-10T08:27:00.002-07:00

Maybe that's not quite accurate, since I tend to think of proof texting in a negative light. But I was thinking this morning that it's quite indicative of the modern church when women across the country and across generations think of themselves as Titus 2 women, when it's just a few verses.

Here's Titus 2:3-5 from The Message

Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don't want anyone looking down on God's Message because of their behavior.

Those are great words. I don't disagree with them at all. But if you google "Titus 2" you will find entire groups based on these verses. As I read further in my Bible this morning I really like the next chapter of the book.

Titus 3:1-11

1-2Remind the people to respect the government and be law-abiding, always ready to lend a helping hand. No insults, no fights. God's people should be bighearted and courteous.
3-8It wasn't so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God's gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there's more life to come—an eternity of life! You can count on this.

8-11I want you to put your foot down. Take a firm stand on these matters so that those who have put their trust in God will concentrate on the essentials that are good for everyone. Stay away from mindless, pointless quarreling over genealogies and fine print in the law code. That gets you nowhere. Warn a quarrelsome person once or twice, but then be done with him. It's obvious that such a person is out of line, rebellious against God. By persisting in divisiveness he cuts himself off.

That is much broader. It's not just about women, it's about the church as a whole, people who call themselves followers of Jesus. Maybe my problem with the Titus 2 thing is for women who don't feel that staying home with their kids, homeschooling the kids, cooking all from scratch, sewing and knitting handmade gifts...well what if that's not something you feel good about? Are you less spiritual? Do you love God less? Is it OK that we feel sending our kids to public school links us to our community in a bigger way? And I LOVE to cook and bake, but what if a woman is just really not good at it? I have a few friends where the husband does the cooking. Is that bad? Then again, in those families the mom is working, so maybe that's the root of the evil there?

I'm probably opening myself up to tons of criticism for what I don't fully understand, but I really struggle with putting people of faith in a box based on a few verses in the Bible. What happens when we don't all fit into the same box?

resurfacing

2008-10-29T10:07:00.002-06:00

I started posting on my kitchen blog again this week and thought I'd make an appearance here as well.

I started back to working a few nights a week this month and it is throwing me for a bit of a loop. Some days I feel fine a pretty functional, and others....not so much. I try to just keep plugging away at life no matter what. I had a big mommy meltdown last week that I am trying to avoid recreating. I got to meet up with an old friend last Saturday for a girls lunch. I don't know when the last time that kind of thing happened.

So I just wanted to say that I am still here and hanging in. I'll try to get back a little more often. Promise.

hmmmm

2008-09-22T09:49:00.002-06:00

I don't even know what to title this post. Life has just been happening. I have been canning and freezing as much as I can. I have been knitting. I have been with my kids. I have been having really awful headaches, too. I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon to deal with that.

Today I feel like all I can do is just try to muddle through the best I can. Honestly, the past few weeks have been about just getting through the day or the hour.

my day so far

2008-08-28T08:45:00.002-06:00

-came downstairs to find that Jack E had been in my purse and has LOST my birth control pills. Not good

-maybe it's not so bad since I have cramps that make me want to lie in the fetal postition

-Aleena overslept so I drove her to school...she thought she was late and needed me to sign her in so I begrudgingly walked into the office in my t-shirt and shorts (and barefoot) only to be told that she still had 2 minutes

I'm thinking maybe I should go back to bed

up early

2008-08-27T08:31:00.002-06:00

to get D out the door with coffee, breakfast and lunch. SInce the kids have a late start day today (for teachers' planning), I have a relaxed morning so

I finished my book! Now I just have to wait until next Thursday to start a new one.

BTW, for you Kathy, the book was Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky. My mom left it here last week when she was visiting.

the problem with reading...

2008-08-26T09:06:00.000-06:00

...is that I want to do it all the time.

I remember a friend telling me a long time ago that she had to pace herself. She could only start a book on Thursdays and she had to wait a couple weeks between books. I thought that was really weird. Then she went on to say, that once she started reading, she was consumed. She did little else...like laundry or cooking or caring for the kids.

I now totally understand. I love to read. A lot. I would rather read than do just about anything. With knitting or crocheting, I get tired and need a break. I have a hard time just sitting and watching TV without knitting or crocheting or playing solitaire or eating. But reading? I could do it all day I think.

Read any good books lately?

Monday morning

2008-08-25T09:04:00.000-06:00

This is my first Monday morning of unemployment. Honestly, I'm between jobs at the moment, but I do get to be a SAHM for this week and maybe next before I start going on interviews again and get back to work. It's so nice to be home this morning. We had an invitation to the park, but I just didn't want to go. I get to stay home for a while. Well, other than the errands I need to do before too much longer. So I am taking a sec to update my other blogs before I get to work around the house.

back to school

2008-08-21T08:57:00.002-06:00

Today is the first day that I get to really enjoy this. The kids went back to school on Tuesday. But between a staggered start for the middle schoolers (6th grader Trey started on time while 7th grader Aleena had a 2 hour late start) and the elementary kids, Clay (4th) and Emma (2nd), having a half day and coming home at noon and then working my last day at that job yesterday, I have been running around all week.

It's nice to have a day home with just the 2 youngest kids. I almost don't know what to do with myself!!! lol I said ALMOST!

at least they get along

2008-08-19T14:40:00.002-06:00

Me today at the grocery store....my kids were the ones yelling and playing and imagining and hanging out of their little car on the front of my cart. Most of the other patrons there were NOT with children, especially not with children as wild as mine.

But they were having a great time together. It was their first taste of freedom after the "big kids" all went to school. And even though they were CRAZY, it really didn't bother me a whole lot. I mean, after all, they were having a good time and not fighting or anything.

Maybe I'm just immune to the ruckus of them.

another trip to trauma

2008-08-12T08:48:00.002-06:00

Last night I was waiting for Clay at his drum lesson when my cell phone rang. Aleena told me that Jack E had fallen off the trampoline. I told her to apply pressure. Everyone was really calm, especially Jack who wasn't even crying. I got Clay and headed home. A neighbor came by to check on it. She thought it looked pretty deep so I decided I would pick him up and head straight to after hours care.

I got to see my favorite trauma PA (it's a little alarming that I have one, don't you think?) and he was able to just glue Jack E's little cut. It's below the eyebrow right on his brow bone of his left eye. The cut is about a half inch long, horizontally. Jack was a total trouper during the whole thing. He literally said, "ow" twice I think while the PA cleaned the wound, assessed it and glued it back together.

This morning, he's pretty swollen, but doing just fine. I just had to scold him for trying to do cannon balls from the coffee table to the couch. The boy isn't even 3 and he's already had stitches once before! I think I see a lot of trips to the trauma PA in our future!

school supplies

2008-08-10T09:41:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I got most of the kids' school supplies. I wimped out and went without them. It's just a lot easier that way. Plus, it's not like we get the cute folders or notebooks or anything. I'm all about the big plain multi-packs and 10¢ plain folders.

The kids were so excited to put their names on everything and get it all ready. They still have one more week before school. I'm realizing that this back to school time is causing me a lot of anxiety. Summer isn't even really done, but I haven't canned a single thing. We have really relied on that in the past, Will I get enough put up for winter? Tomatoes aren't even on at the farm yet so I know I still have time for that.

Then it seems like once school starts, it will be Halloween soon. Money for costumes. Then Christmas with it's excess and need for extra cash.

I am really trying to just enjoy the day at hand and not stress about the future too much. That's part of being present for me, I guess.

lots of thoughts

2008-08-08T14:50:00.003-06:00

It's not that I don't have anything to blog about, it's just that I can't put enough thoughts together about one subject for it to make sense.

Things I'm thinking about?

lack of vision and abundance of pettiness...how when we forget that our lives are supposed to be part of a bigger picture, we get absolutely consumed with the false sense of self importance.

being present...can I really be in an experience wholeheartedly? without knitting or crocheting or jumping up to do laundry or playing a game on my phone or browsing a magazine? Last night I did it...my mind only wandered a little. But there was something really distracting me. I just really forced myself to put it out of my mind. Who am I kidding? It was someone I wanted to avoid, so I did just that.

computers and the life of a lonely mama...this one is really a big one right now. I can't even get my head around it all. I read a post here about how computers open up our lives. then I read another post here about how a mama who is NEVER alone can feel lonely and disconnected. This is obviously right where I am these days. And where I've been for quite a long time.

But like always, life is calling me to do something else right now. I want to be alone in my thoughts, but it's not to be today.