Have a picture.....

I've been buried under school books, lesson plans, and the cutest little toes/fingers/smiles ever..... hopefully I'll get a chance to catch up a bit over the break. In the mean time, here's a picture from a recent daddy date. Enjoy!

There's more than one way for a boy to get car!

Lost in Austen

If you have Netflix, watch this movie. It is so fun! Guess I'm a hopeless romantic in so many ways. Thanks to my very dear friend, I am also a huge Austen fan. Though I think I am a cynical romantic, (is that possible? Maybe I'm a practical romantic??) I love the idea of her world...... so when I found a link to a "Which Austen character are you?" blog, I had to take it!

Take the Quiz here!

Apparently, I am Elinor Dashwood. I haven't read this book since I was in 8th grade! Guess what I'll be reading tonight while Rex is away on a trip? Wonder if I'll like this character? Tune in tomorrow to find out!

Now, take the quiz and tell me who YOU are!

Call me Fairy Godmother......

.....,the one from Shrek 2, she said, "Someone get me something deep fried and covered in chocolate." Ever since I heard her utter those words, my heart has coveted the delicacy. Only I wanted it the other way around, deep fried chocolate..... I googled it.... I almost tried to make it.... but then I saw it!   $2: funnel cake battered then fried Milky Way bars....... ahhhhhhhh, bliss. Happy Fairy Godmother.

I WILL be making this on my own. Many times. Starting now. Oh yeah, the kids cleaned up with a 3/$5 deal on candied apples and yeeeeeees, Rex would never dream of leaving a place that sells funnel cakes without eating one. Electron scored a caramel apple. We're not big fair people (ok- they're not big fair people, I could live there.) and we've never really done the fair before but this year we went. This year, we enjoyed all that a fair can be. Even Snowflake! Pictures later.... but this photo taken as we were leaving at 11PM ON A SCHOOL NIGHT! says it all, "The fair is FUN!" Maybe in 10 years, we'll do it again.


On a totally different train of thought, today is October 15, a day when many around the world stop to remember. There are several days to "celebrate" the lives of babies that are not that are not here anymore. It really depends on which circle you run with I suppose but a group I belong to posted this today:

As I spend the day making cookies with Glitter, Snowflake, and Gem, I think of the 2 and 5 years olds that should be running around our feet...... I am so grateful for those that I hold here and I anxiously await the reunion with those that I have to wait to hold again.

Really neat

I've always thought that maybe I was born in the wrong decade..... nope, there are others out there: Another Year Without Groceries.

I have a secret (or not so secret?) desire to live totally off the grid and be long haired hippie.... of sorts. Gotta have a bath everyday and I'm not into drugs and that side of the lifestyle but the whole, "whatever man" approach to life really appeals to me. Not that you'd know that from the way I choose to live my life or anything..... yeah, my inner drive to be a responsible citizen, mom, teacher, and whatever else tends to keep me in line but I often think that IF I weren't those things.... I'd be living on a commune off the grid and floating through my day tending the land and sewing my own clothes and going barefoot through the wildflowers in bloom.... one can dream.

Anyhow, this family is doing something that I think is a good compromise, albeit a tough compromise, between my unrealistic mind-wandering and the everyday life that I must be responsible for. Their project intrigues me.

By the way, there is a reason I did not include "responsible Christian" in that list! I wholeheartedly believe that a Christian should be a good steward of ALLLLL of our resources (not just tithe a bit on Sunday) and we should therefore be leading the way on sustainability, healthy, and frugal living instead of setting new standards of opulence and over indulgence..... just a soap box thought for ya. I say this as I clear away mounds of unnecessary accumulated junk from my house..... and yeah, I'm feeling guilty about the zucchini that is molding in my fridge drawer because I totally forgot about it..... ummmm, maybe I'll put it in the compost bin today so I'll feel less guilty tomorrow? It's a start anyhow.

Facebook is my friend.....

when I'm looking to NOT do what I'm supposed to do. :D But, sometimes I find little nuggets of wisdom wrapped up in humor..... here's what I've gleaned this week that makes me laugh, grimace, repent, and re-focus:

Electron says this is me everyday, hmmmm, think I need some self-re-evalution, huh?

My heart's cry.....

Hehehe, you DO know my husband, right?

My BIG hero, and my BIGGER Hero.

I love grammar..... just not capitalization :)

I WILL, I WILL, I WILL! make these with my children!

He was pretty smart, wasn't he?

I get sooooooo lost in those eyes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

New blog!

I love it when I find friends that blog, I can follow them and add them to my side bar. Introducing: Our Days in HIS Hands.  This is my friend Kim who is Ondepenya's tutor with our homeschool group. She finds the neatest things while researching new grammar each week.... it come's home in said child's backpack and I LOVE it!  Pop on over and say hello.

Growing too fast!

Wow! I am amazed that Snowflake has been here 6 months already. How did that happen? Half a year is gone. I want so much to make her stay little forever. She really is so cute and squishy and adorable.

She has begun to eat the veggie cubes pack-ratted away in the freezer and she is LOVING food! Her first attempt at rice was a "take it or leave it" kind of thing... but now? Now, she pounces on the spoon like a cat on a mouse! It is so adorable...... She's got sweet potatoes, avocados, prunes, and apples under her belt. Next on the list is carrots, peas, green beans, broccoli, and bananas.

She has a tendency to hold her blanket in her mouth like a puppy dog does a bone. And she scoots around backwards on her back, not exactly crawling but it's movement and it's funny!

She also LOVES metal! This does pose a problem as metal baby keys have been taken off the market and big people keys contain harmful metals and coatings.... Rex's ingenious solution? I'll get a picture but he bought giant soup spoons (a safe metal), drilled a hole in the handles, and put them on a giant ring!!! Happy, happy Snowflake!!!

So, here's a picture of her first contra-band : a french fry

I'm going to be a terrible grandmother...... I was great about doing the right thing even when it was hard with the big four but I'm really falling down on the job this time..... if she weren't so cute and I weren't having such a fun time with her.... I'd feel guilty!  Okay, I DO feel guilty..... I'm trying hard to remember my job responsibilities but I think I'm failing..... but this next paragraph is why I'm struggling soooooo hard, I just don't take a single second of her amazing and precious life for granted and I am all too aware that life on earth is fleeting......

We took Snowflake out to visit Sweet Pea's grave for the first time today, it was spur of the moment and not at all the fantasy that my imagination had envisioned but it was very special anyhow. Rex took lots of pictures on his iphone and I'll post those when I get them. Because it is so far out of town, it becomes an almost all day event and that adds to the significance of each trip.... it makes "visiting" her purposeful and meaningful. I was blown away and overcome to discover that some generous and anonymous soul had placed "Remembrance" arrangements on the undecorated sites. Sadly, we don't get to go frequently enough to keep her flowers fresh and the ones from July had already blown away. "Remembrance Day" was back in August though many BLM celebrate it in September. It made me smile to drive up and find flowers, it is a very sad thing to arrive at your child's grave and find that in your absence, your flowers -your "love"- are no longer there......

But as we always remember, in truth, she is NOT there. She is in the Amazing Arms of Her Father and she is dancing at His feet and oh, if only we were there too, where there is no sadness or suffering or grief or sickness. Heaven awaits and that is one of her gifts to me. She has given me a heavenly focus. When the day-to-day frustrations mount.... I truly can appreciate the saying, "This too shall pass." In fact, really, most of this doesn't even matter! And so, Snowflake gets french fries....... :)

Properly indoctrinated!

Courtesy of Jaja and his uncanny ability to find Alabama accessories (couldn't possibly be the fact that he's always on the hunt for good stuff, could it?) Snowflake is all set for her first football season. She enjoyed her first game too... Rooooooooooll Tideeeeeeeeeeee Roooooooooooll!

Cute, huh?

Daddy's Muse

You caught me!

It was bound to happen.... again. It has happened before. Daddy came home and Miss Cuteness smiled and off he went to grab his camera! Enjoy their "playdate" results!

Oh! Yes! Daddy's playing with me!

Gotcha!

Mmmmmmm, yummy, and mine, all mine. 

Oh, Hi Daddy! Play with me , please.

This looks new......

Now, that's what I'm talkin' about!!!! A new chew toy!!!!

Built in toys are a good thing. 

She also enjoys golf cart rides with Daddy, anything and everything with Glitter, talking at a rapid clip with Electron, Ondepenya's finger (still, and still with an iron grip), and she's trying really hard to figure out Warrior. He makes a fun play toy just like Daddy! Surprisingly enough, she seems to be the first genuine Momma's baby! I returned to work last weekend and she made it clear when enough was enough and Mommy was needed..... that's how we discovered her love of the golf cart. Good thing I'm a stone's throw away! It is nice to be needed!

Day of Hope

Throughout these past 2 years I have been blessed to come across so many amazing and Godly women who have walked- are walking- this path. Some began the journey before me, some after me but in their stories I find comfort, encouragement, and companionship.

Many women who lose babies do not feel as I do, but many do. Here is the story of a woman who has been such a blessing to me. I do not actually know her of course but I read her blog frequently. She shares the love and laughter of her living children but does not shy away from the stories of her children in heaven. She has 3 there. I have found great comfort in knowing that others find ways to "remember" and celebrate all of their children. This post was such a neat idea., a way to celebrate all of the children who share space in her heart.

Happy Birthday!

Today our Sweet Pea would be 2 yrs old. My head said this day would come, my heart never believed it. I imagine her to be a bubbly, giggly, wiggly, bouncing, little, priss pot dancing around in heaven and running through fields of wild flowers and singing at the top of her lungs! She had the most beautiful rosebud lips and I imagine that she now has Shirley Temple blonde curls ......

A friend gave me this song shortly after she passed:

One of my favorite funnies!

No. This is not Snowflake. This is Ondepenya after Glitter decorated him! Ya see, at 18 months when he was born, she knew where I kept the baby powder. One particular brand was her favorite. She would sneak it out and "mark her territory"(her favorite things). I always knew what she liked because I would find it dusted with powder.

Hehehehe, she used almost an entire bottle on this particular dusting. He was cleaned up quite a bit in this picture..... after we laughed our heads off and called the ER to make sure he wasn't in any danger, we remembered to snap this. Guess she had no issues with not being the baby anymore! He was a good sport about it too.

Stealing from Tara.....again.

I always seem to "cotton" (as Granny would say) to the posts my friend Tara does! This post and the next one and the one coming up probably too..... says my heart so much better than I ever could.

Obviously, my/our story is different from hers but my heart for saving is the same. My irritation at the level of "entitlement thinking" in our household is right there too!

Though I haven't posted about our school year yet (coming with pictures.... one day I'll make good on these promises!), one of the things I started got very quickly yanked today! Distinct possibility/probability of not restarting too.

Back in May when I went to tutor training and had to leave the younguns' home alone to do their school, I left treats for them as they finished each assignment. As a, well, treat. (Bribe. Yes, I bribe my chittlin's too frequently.) It worked well. Everything got done in record time and they liked it and so I thought... well, why not? The treats were trifles: popcorn, dollar candy to share, 30 minutes of Webkinz time.... you get the idea. No harm, right?

Fast forward to today. An un-named youngun retrieved said treat and immediately remarked, "Is that ALLLL?" insert rolling of eyes. The "ALLLLLL" was a bag of pop-its. Ya know, those things you throw on the ground that make the firecracker sound? They were cool I thought. Good go outside and torture each other stuff!

Yeah, privilege yanked without further negotiation. No treat bags tomorrow either. Maybe not again.

The attitude of INgratitude is getting to me. I look at myself and wonder....... how has this seeped into my own behavior? They get it from somewhere. The classical model of teaching is thick with the notion of modeling behavior..... what am I modeling?

It makes me wonder, even if I am truly grateful on the inside.... is it showing on the outside?

Ok, I'm off on a soapbox. :) Sorry. Her post about saving and how it translates into the American attitude of "I deserve it" just chewed my heart up and I just had to share it! School will be fun tomorrow, today we started to design our family crest/code/motto/scriptures to live by. :D Thoughts to ponder, thoughts to ponder.

By the Way......

um, wow- just noticed that this didn't post!!!!

Most of you are Facebook friends.... or family, so you know already:). Sorry that you've been left out of the loop blog only folks.

Our Snowflake is here!!!!! Yea!!!!! I am one happy unpregnant woman and blessed, and doubly blessed momma! There are pictures on Rex's Facebook profile. I'm not there yet. I still have some 6 back pages of emails to answer but right now ( i have now lost count of my backlog!), I'm snuggling the most adorable and beautiful miracle I've ever seen and doing school with the most amazing big brothers and sister a mom could ever want.  That's my limit for the day. Round One of end of year testing is coming up in 3 weeks. Then I'll get to breathe a bit before Round Two in May. Maybe I'll get caught up on all the posts that I've felt too crummy to do since November!!!!! Believe me, I do have pictures galore to share..... and some stories to tell too:).

Quick update:
-We got interviewed by the local news at National Pancake Day at IHOP! (I have a video link but no pictures.)
-We finished Upwards basketball.
-Jaja came to bail me out when Snowflake was born last week and Nana is coming this week .... she's gonna help me get ready for testing ... sigh.... bless her. She's lacing up her running shoes!
-I still have Christmas pictures.
-Our amazingly wonderful church family has blessed us abundantly with a shower (pictures coming), prayers after prayers after prayers and food fit for a king this week!!!!!!! They are celebrating our new princess as much as we are. I am so humbled by their support!
-Rex and I had a Valentine's date this year complete with pictures of me big and fat:)))) yep- i'll post. Looking at it now, I can tell just how badly I felt! WOW! I say it 10 times a day, I didn't know how badly I felt until she was born and I felt so much better?!?!? (She was sooooooooooo worth it though! Don't think I'm complaining in the least! I'm REALLY not! I'd do it all over again to get this sweet little bundle! We're smitten!)
-Rex and the kids rototilled the garden and began the "planting season" ... movie line alert:) who knows it?

Now- the news of the day:) Sunday March 6 at 8:18am Khloe Joy made her grand entrance in dramatic fashion and was delivered by a precious midwife friend from my homeschool group. She weighed 7 lbs. 2 oz. and was 20 in. long. She is smiley, alert, snugly, adorable, cute, and a great sleeper! She's been sleeping midnight to 6 am for several days now.... good thing since momma is not really taking a break from school... just pared down to test review and reading the Bible each day. Though we did get math and grammar done today as well. She is adored and admired by all of her siblings and Oreo is anxious for his turn at sniffing the new toy. He has not earned his gentleman wings yet so he's spending a lot of time in his "box".... I should get a picture.... it's pitiful.

I promise pictures..... one day.

If this doesn't break your heart, you're not human.

http://renslow.blogspot.com/

The Very Best Pie Crust EVER!

This post is a work in progress unless you are reading this after I've finished at which point I will remove this tag.. :D and post the pictures to go with.... if you're reading this, check back.

Dad is here..... with PEACHES! a mondo basket of sweet, juicy, yummy South Carolina peaches.... it begs to be made into pie. and cobbler. and smoothies. and eaten standing over the sink. um, yum!

I've known this friend for going on 11 years now. I treasure her and her family for many reasons. The most important one is HER PIE CRUST! :D Trust me. And her chocolate chip cookie recipe... I'll post that later.

I'm no Pioneer Woman. And the wife of a food photographer whose pictures have graced the cover and pages of Food and Wine more than once should be able to do better...... but I've got pie to eat:)

By the way, I'm posting about it because I'm continually trolling her blog looking for her post about it. She did it in 2008 so it takes me a while to find it every time. My recipe box keeps eating the card?!?!?1

New Blog add!

I just added some friends to our sidebar... check them out! They are friends made through our homeschool group eons ago.... and, they are rabid Bama fans!

Oddly, I have noticed that there are many Bama fans 'rounds these parts! Yeah, yeah, there's a hand full of those Barners up here too. :D There's enough of us around here to have a right fine tailgate party too when you toss in the obnoxious Michigan fans. ;Q

More pictures for ya'

Well, I am beginning the "mourning process" over this summer. I blinked and then looked at the calendar and we start school in 2 weeks. AGH! I am NOT ready to start at all. The school room is still a pitiful mess (though I've been working on it all summer) and I haven't finished getting everything into ready-to-go lesson plans yet. You'd think that after 10 years of homeschooling that I'd be more on top of it but the truth is.... well, not so black and white.... more later :)

Now, about those pictures..... in the days and weeks following Snowflake's arrival, testing for our homeschool group had to get done... I've posted about past years' tests HERE. This year was a major accomplishment for many reasons.

When all was said and done, Electron and Glitter took top honors and Ondepenya and Warrior had to settle for the second tier prize again BUT considering that Snowflake was only 4 weeks old, a trying last few months of pregnancy, I had been working up until she was born and she had thrush and weight loss after birth..... well, I was proud of them.

They had energy to burn! Rex was very sick that night so I didn't get any pictures of the closing ceremony itself. :( But my class was as cute as any 4 yr old class could be, each of my children's classes were very well put together and I was so proud of every class on the stage! I really do love our group.

More catch up updates coming..... at some point our back-up files will get added to what we have downloaded and I'll be able to show you all of those pictures too. And we've had 2 birthdays and 1 this week so that is coming.... 

We've also had to say goodbye to Oreo........ he was really good with Snowflake but after she came he simply could not adjust. He had been getting better but he required more than what we could give so we found a wonderful home with some trainers who had border collies. He went to them wholeheartedly and is very happy in his new home. Here is a picture of the day we said goodbye:

He really did love us and we him but without a fenced in yard and his penchant for snipping at visitors.... we feel we made the right choice for all of us even though it broke everyone's heart. By the way, this is as close to a family picture as we've had!? UGH! I am hopeful that one day soon we will have a picture with everyone in it. :)

YEA!!!!

Rex downloaded our camera so I can post some pictures of the beautiful little precious that has stolen our hearts, captured our fascination, and completely wrapped us all around her adorable little fingers!  Yep, she's the center of our universe and we are all very happy about that!

They let me out of the hospital around 11:00 at night. After the obligatory stop for a beach club sub at Jimmy John's, we made it home at midnight and promptly woke Glitter to meet her sister. Sadly, due to the flu epidemic, the big children weren't allowed to come to the hospital so this was their first meeting. It was magical.

The very next morning, the big children were off to our homeschool group after racing upstairs to get their hands all over her! The squeals of pure joy and fascination are forever embedded in my memory. oooohhhs  and aaaahhhhhhs and, "How tiny!" were precious. She smiled so big when she heard their voices.... she recognized them already.

Daddy is lobbying hard to steal her heart........ I assure you, the fight is intense around here! :)

Snowflake and Ondepenya.... she STILL holds his finger with an iron grip every time he is near. It is cute. He is in love and so is she.

Warrior is sooooooooooooooooo enamored! He is so sweet with her, careful, in awe. He loves to play with her and lay on the floor with her on her play dome. (Please excuse the books. We were studying.)

She's a bit older here but rest assured that he held her day one too. He is her ultimate protector, constantly watching to make sure she is ok. He has an eagle eye out for any danger or off kilter things (like when her blanket gets over her head and scares her.... she can't yet get it off herself. They've all come to know THAT scream. )

Mommy Jr. in action. The beautiful bond between the two is priceless. She is anxiously awaiting my return to work so she can have "her baby" all to herself. hahahaha She is sooooooooo amazing with her. I couldn't ask for a better big sister. Ever. She is going to be one amazing mom when her turn comes. She reads her books and talks to her and changes diapers and snuggles. She is a quick study!

One morning I couldn't find the baby (a rather common occurrence I might add!) and lo and behold, Glitter had snatched her for some "sissy time". Snowflake was watching her first princess movie! She lights up whenever Glitter is around!

Jaja came to visit the day we came home. We've already posted the picture of him with Snowflake but I wanted to post this too. Our homeschool group had a special tribute to WW2 the Friday after Snowflake was born and Glitter had a special part in the "USO" show...... Jaja had to go with us. (Yes I really did take a 5 day old baby?!?! Hey, she's gotta learn early that she's a part of a big family!)

We had a wonderful time with Jaja. Bless his heart, he spent the whole visit quizzing kids for their upcoming test! Thanks Dad. You kept me sane. Here's Glitter on stage!

Next, Nana showed up! God bless her. She cleaned, she tested (the kids), she dealt with me (Snowflake and I had thrush?!??!  She was not gaining weight. I was a neurotic mess and poor Rex was out of town. ugh!) She rescued me BIG TIME. She and her amazing best friend Vickie Russell (LOVE YOU MRS. RUSSELL!!!!!!!!!!!) decorated Snowflake's room from Alabama and Mom put it all together when she got here. Check out how WONDERFUL it looks!!! It's my favorite room in the whole house.

And now.... all of my favorite pictures...... enjoy!

I love this one! You can tell we've spent a lot of time all piled into bed together watching movies and just plain hanging out......... Snowflake gets squished.... alot. By the way, this onesie says, "I'm kind of a big deal." Yep, she IS. :)

Yo, diggy dog, just hangin' with my peeps...... you gotta problem wit dat?