What does one do for dinner on July 8th????

Weeeeeeeeell, of course?! YOU EAT MOR CHIKIN!

baby cow included.... Daddy cow was behind the iphone..... but he was a "bull" not a cow he says:)

Happy Cow Appreciation Day, Chik-fil-A!


By the way, YES we now have our computer back BUT our camera isn't yet downloaded so Snowflake pictures will have to wait just a bit......... in the meantime:) can YOU tell which one is Snowflake and which one is Glitter??????

Adoption fundraiser for a precious little girl!

My friend AMY is having the CUTEST!!!!! fundraiser for her adoption fund for their daughter, Lilah Grace. Take a moment to go check out these great custom made hooded towels.... they are super sized!

Oak Creek Canyon Sedona Arizona

BABIES and KIDS R US!!!!!

Thanks Caroline!!

My dear cousin, who loves to cook and is my baking inspiration and obviously does not want me to EVER fit back into my britches...hahahaha, sent me this link.

It MUST be shared with the world. I will not share the sinful thoughts that filled my brain when I clicked on said link.... I'll let you think your own sinful thoughts. (This is how you know I love you. I'm sharing my chocolate.)

Dreaming of White Chocolate

Seriously, if you are reading this DO NOT EVEN THINK about not clicking on this link. I'll find out who you are and hunt you down for insanity and blasphemy. This kind of chocolate reverence must be respected.

:))))) By the way, if you're curious, Snowflake has settled in for the long summer and is hibernating. She is -amazingly- comfortable in there and is not choosing to emerge. Odd, she's totally cutting her own path. I have high hopes of a real, actual, bonified laid back child! I hope she can handle the high strung lifestyle we lead around here.:) God's plans always amaze me!

Hey Aunt Trish!!!

Here's the baby's picture when she was measuring 18 weeks:

:D As soon as I can get the scanner to cooperate, I'll post the new ones! xoxoxoxooxox

Special post!!!

This is a very special post link. It's for my very sweet friend from high school who is in the process of adopting!!!! Clink on the link and read about her fantastic art and creativity (yes, I know she's an Auburn fan but no one's perfect! hahahaha).

My heart has been so touched through the years by the children that my friends have adopted. They are at the churches I've been a part of, my homeschool group, my blog friends..... they are every where! I find myself falling in love with each and every one of them. It has always been a dream of mine to adopt one day or be foster parents like Rex's mom and dad so I'm thrilled to be able to introduce you to a  blog friend that is at the end of her journey and will soon have her son in her arms for good!!!

So, without further ado.......... please go to Poppy Lane and read all about it!

New Year's Resolutions

The Fantastic Four enjoying the wonders of a white Christmas!

I realize that I'm posting this before Christmas pictures... surely you are used to me being backwards by now, right?

Well, this is what's on my mind and as I found that actually saying it (my Christmas not to do list) out loud and putting it in print just adjusted my attitude SO MUCH for the better, I think I'm going to be proactive in my approach to the New Year. Ideally, I'll get the kids in on the gig too! I'll post what they come up with later.

So here is Melissa's list of my 2011 priorities:

1. Stay on task with school and finish by the end of April so that testing can be done in May and we can have a long wonderful summer.

2. Keep my priorities with school in order so that I don't get fixated on #1 too much and forget that the biggest blessing/joy/privilege of homeschooling is to cherish every single day with my precious little ones -no matter how big they are.

3. Stay on task with our posted list of daily responsibilities and my own daily-to-do's so that weekends are Daddy time and family fun without guilt.

4. Recognize that we LIVE in our house and Martha Stewart does not, And if she comes to visit..... it better be for the company and not to make sure that my house looks like a magazine cover...... I live here, work here, play here, and rarely do I do all that alone...... life is messy when it's fun. As long as it's clean, organized, and sanitary... I WILL NOT demand perfection.

5. I will start walking the dog every morning once Snowflake is here and I can walk again. He needs it, I need it. It starts my day off right and better. I will probably expect the kids to do this with me.

6. I really want to finish reading the Bible with the kids this year so that we can start it again in 2012 but I won't get bent out of shape if we don't. Perspective, balance, breathe. :D I care more about hearts than checklists.

There are more things on my mind but this is what's really important...... balancing life better. Having a goal but accomplishing it while minding the heart of the matter and not the checklist and by doing so, to instill in my kids the right attitude about diligence and responsibility. I also want to facilitate a real and deep relationship with the Lord that shows my kids what His heart really is...... and hope they follow His example, not mine. If their relationship with Him is built on what Mommy says and does, then it is shallow and won't stand the hard test of life. They must be strong with Him on their own. They must stand on the Rock for themselves......

Happy New Year folks.... I'll get Christmas break pictures together soon!

Check out how deep our snow is!!!

My "NOT TO DO " List

Ok, stealing another post idea. This time from my friend Deanna.  Who, I believe, stole it from someone else..... love how this works.

Her not to do list gives her permission to let go of the guilt of the "shoulds" and "didn't get around to its" and focus on what is truly important.

God has gifted me with some serious perspective this year (that's another post... might skip it though, it's kinda heavy.) and so I have actually done a much better job this year than last.... but I'm still very human and very much under the influence of the "super mom" ideal....... so I love Deanna for this encouragement and grace check!

Here's my list:
1. I will not grouch at myself when taking the time to "do the right thing" makes me late for "doing the have to" thing. (Sorry kids for grouching about traffic yesterday.)

2. I will not feel guilty for not doing ALL of our list of activities.... we've done so much and we've done the ones we really wanted to and we've done many things on the spur of the moment that were so much fun! I'm tossing the checklist out the window!

3. I will not feel guilty for using a month's worth of butter in 2 weeks because the end result was lots and lots of yummmy cookies and biscuits that we've eaten and shared and loved...... and I might even go buy more so I can make more too! :D

4. I will not allow anything to steal the sense of joy and love and peace I have when I sit and marinate in My Father's Presence knowing that He alone understands me fully, created me 'specially, and adores me completely........ and He feels that way about each and every one of my "babies"(I do know that they are technically too old to be babies.... cut me slack on this:D), so much more than I can even imagine! And I LOVE that He has gifted me with a glimpse of the depth of what drowning in His love means!!! WOW! I hope I never come up for air.

5. I will NOT stress about the state of my house.... NO MATTER how unkempt it gets on Christmas Day... giggle, giggle and NO MATTER who is coming that WILL notice the details I miss tomorrow as I clean! lol You know who I'm talking about :) hahahaha, We'll eat, we'll talk, we'll enjoy each other's company.... check the guilt with the coat at the door!

6. And finally, I will not forget the precious faces, stories, and footprints I have met and fallen in love with this past year....the butterflies spending their first Christmas with Jesus and the mommies and daddies that are walking around in the fog I was in last year, the ones whose hearts are ripped to unidentifiable shreds..... I remember. I love. I bring your names before the Father everyday with tears. I also remember and diligently pray for each rainbow on the way... all of them. I countdown to your due date with you, I celebrate with tears every healthy birth and adoption.... and yes, I pray as diligently over every adoption in the works just as I pray over every rainbow in the works. I may not say it out loud a lot.... but my heart and mind NEVER forget. EVER.

Love you all.... Have a Merry Christmas full of God's best for you, the deepest drenching in His Presence that you have ever known. I hope you all create your own "not to do" list! And find forgiveness and grace and peace in the midst of the insanity and chaos that can be a part of this year!

LOTS of love to you, Deanna, for sharing this!!! :D

Homeschool blog that totally rocks!!!!

Anyone who teaches elementary school or homeschool WILL fall in love with this blog!!!!

This godly woman is ridiculously creative, amazingly organized, and insanely talented!!!! This is where I got my binder/pocket idea from... but i REALLY love her workbox idea (use the search box in the top right corner). I wish I had the space for it. I just might have to see what I can come up with this summer.

Her ideas are just too cute and too fun.

Lord, help us!

next photo photo by Yahoo! Games/- - December, 7 2010

ANGRY BIRDS -- Portable gaming has gone to the birds -- the angry ones. Though this iOS blockbuster was technically released in December of 2009, its incredible story was written over the course of an amazing 2010. Perched atop the App Store for months, the addictive tower-smashing game became the runaway iPhone hit of the year, selling over 10 million paid copies and leading Finland-based developer Rovio to port it over to other mobile devices.

 

 

 

If you are confused as to why this headline caught my attention..... see here . Heaven help us all.... they've invaded the world.

I'm in love........

sighhhhhhhhhhhhh, (I'm looking dreamily off into space.....)

Click on THIS and see just why I'm starry eyed ;P

Some one else enjoys lists as much as I do. I'm thinking I LOVE this idea more than my laminated checklist! I'll never spend the money on something this expensive but maybe my ever so crafty hubby who is so awesome with tools will make me one???? After all, it IS Christmas and this would be a cheap gift under the tree..... right?

This just looks like SO MUCH FUN! I could even borrow THIS idea from Suzy (you are too cool of a mom, Suzy!) and make it even more fun......  hehehe. I'm loving the idea of "fun cards" added in.  I'm always looking for ways to make life more fun! We NEED fun ... we do.

Speaking of love.... here's our Christmas picture..... this is an entirely different kind of "in love" and we are drenched in it!

I tried to upload the black and white - which is much better.... but the card says, "Do you hear what i hear?"  love it!

New Venture

My friend, Tara, posts weekly menus. I LOVE it! He, he,he.... I started doing meal plans when I was preggo with Glitter because, among other reasons, I could...and it made my OCD tendencies productive, and it saved money, and i wasn't constantly trying to figure out what to cook at 4:30.

It was FUN! I loved it. I kept all those lists of what I'd made stored "for later use" until we moved out of that house. Then we moved to Atlanta and I was on to my next challenge...... I made it through my ENTIRE! pregnancy with Warrior without making the same meal twice. Got a ton of new and yummy recipes out of that experiment. Loved that too.

Then we moved to North Carolina and I decided to up the ante again. I organized all of our favorite recipes into weekly meal plans designed to make the most use of leftovers and half used ingredients..... I know, you're either shaking your head at my insanity or jumping up and down over someone else being as OCD as you are.

That too was fun. I've got approximately 13 weeks of weekly meal plans that do not repeat any meals. All weeks include side dishes (vegetables and starches) that are varied and palate pleasing. We don't eat carrots every day.... but we do eat them once a week. I make sure each week gets it's "quota of the colors". This was a challenge. I loved it.

THEN, I decided that we needed to up the ante on nutrition. I began re-writing my recipes so that all pre-processed junk was left out (no canned soup cream bases etc.). We became healthier... I was still having fun.

But the fun had to end. As I said in a previous post, this ball got dropped and we moved to frozen lasagna and dollar menu. We got sick, I got lazy, off the wagon we went. Getting back on it has been a difficult challenge. The kids are all wanting to learn to cook and we've done quite a bit of training on that front.

So, what's our new venture? Each kid is assigned one day a week to be "kitchen helper".  We are in the process of training them to cook one meal for breakfast right now. Once they get their meal learned, we'll branch out and get creative.... the bigger kids already know how to make their meal and are already stretching their skills... we're working more on balancing the plate!

They are going to take over breakfast prep for a bit once Snow Flake gets here so that mornings can go smoothly and I can take care of the babe. Once she moves to a 4 hour schedule (and we get to summer break) I'll get back in the kitchen with them and we'll up the ante!

For now, here's what we're eating :

1 protein
2 fruits
1 dairy
1 whole grain

Monday: Glitter:
-scrambled eggs
-yogurt
-butter fried apples w/ raisins
-granola bar

Tuesday: Ondepenya:
-cheese grits
-boiled egg
-grapes
-orange juice

Wednesday: Warrior:
-tortillas with cream cheese/peanut butter/ (1 whole which is 2 servings for a kid) banannas... rolled up

Thursday: Electron:
-oatmeal with raisins
-1/2 apple with peanut butter
-milk

Friday: Mommy:
-fried egg
-cheese toast
-milk
-1/2 orange
-1/2 banna

Due to what is available our fruits sometimes change BUT we are adamant about 2 servings of fruit for breakfast and 2 servings of veggies for dinner.... we try to get 1 of each for lunch so that our daily total is 3 each...... we don't seem to have a problem meeting our protein and dairy quota each day... can't imagine why? lol

Ok, you can laugh now but I feel better now that it's written down and I have accountability in this!

-

Just so you know.....

I haven't updated because, well, there's just SO MUCH TO UPDATE! And, typical, I'm waiting on photos to be downloaded....  go ahead, say it.... "Learn how to do it for yourself!". I know, I know. I will.... one day... hey, I figured out how to blog. That's an accomplishment!

I have a GIANT list of things to tell about and pictures to post but right now, we're having WAY too much fun cleaning the house... :D yes, I actually DID say that.  We're also getting quite a bit of holiday fun planned and some of it has even been checked off the list already.

Here's what been going on:

-Mom came for my birthday and brought a "baby shower in a box"  with love and hugs from her best friend Vickie. (pictures coming).
-Dad sent me a pizza party from Papa John's for my birthday... no pictures, sorry, the swarm of locusts descended! :) It was yummy!!!!!
-We successfully finished first semester before Thanksgiving and so we are officially on break until the New Year!
-Rex and Mary came for Thanksgiving and stayed for a week.
-We have more pictures of Snow Flake to share... she is doing very well. Every heartbeat we hear is cherished in a new way I could never have imagined possible. It brings me to tears every time.
-My dear beloved Grandma heard "Well done My good and faithful servant"  and is surrounded by grandchildren and great- grandchildren that she didn't get to meet here on Earth. She will be missed so very much.
-Glitter got her ears pierced for her birthday!!! And shared a Starbucks with Gem.
-It snowed!!!! Puppycakes got a kick out of that.
-We are in the throes of Christmas decorating and cookie baking and cake eating..... and play date planning.
-Lego competition has really heated up.... regional is this Saturday.... hoping for pictures.
-And so much more..... :) stay tuned!

.... So, one day, I'm going to post these pictures and tell you the stories to go with it.... for now... I hope your holiday fun is as blessed as ours. Christmas just has such sweet meaning to us this year. I know Grandma is experiencing it in its fullness! Oh how I wish we could all know this season as she is knowing it!

And So the Puppy Grows.........

.....into a nearly full grown "thing"! hahaha  I won't say he's a terror, but he DOES have personality. I won't say, "Off to the sausage factory with you," but I will say, "It's a darn good thing you're cute!"

Man, the puppy stage can be a toughie with some breeds! We are used to the cute fluffy can-take-a-steakbone-from-your-mouth kind of dogs. This Puppycakes has opinions and attitude! It's a darn good thing he's cute! and he IS adorably cute! It has saved his hide when he's growled, nipped, chewed,chewed,chewed,chewed...... did I mention he chewed? 4 or 5 holes in my DENIM comforter, 3 or 4 in my NEW bed sheets, 2 holes in BRAND NEW throw pillows.... multitudes of rawhides, a playstation remote, wii nun-chuck, canvas bag, hundreds of paper towels, and probably many other things that I've either forgotten or haven't found yet! Good thing he's cute enough to melt my heart.

He's also a "happy-pee'r" and a "scared -pee'r" and an "I-don't-know-you-pee'r". In other words, if he can't chew it, and he's happy about it, scared about it, or doesn't know what else to do with it..... he pees. He's getting to the point where it's now just a sprinkle... but.... ?....! I've never dealt with this before! Bless his pea-pickin' heart (as Granny used to say), if you talk to him when he doesn't expect it, it scares him. If your voice is deep, it scares him. If it gets loud, it scares him. My house is NOT a quiet calm house. He has had quite the adjustment! hahaha Truly, it's a good thing he's cute!

At now 6 months old.... i'm hoping he's finished growing because, well, he's cute as the dickins at the size he is now..... and he fits perfectly in my lap..... which is his place of choice when he's scared. (Which is fine as long as he doesn't pee while there!  hahaha)

Don't believe me that he's beyond cute? :D Check out these never-before-seen photos : then tell me I'm wrong:D

The beginning of his obsession with our bed! We had no clue what was coming:D

The beginning of his "love of momma"..... ignore my lack of make-up, it was EARLY in the morning!

See? Proof that he chews.....everything.

Silly bands taste good........ "You're not looking, you're not looking....."

"What? Who me? I'm too cute to get fussed at!"

"I'm a lover....... really, I'm not going to be trouble.....wink,wink."

Then, he grew a bit........

Ignore the fact that it was wash-the-sheets-day and check out how he managed to get his chew toy wrapped completely around his head!!! We laughed our heads off at that! Notice he's on my bed again?

 

 

 

He's learned to "play with the big dogs...."

The smaller big dog, but a big dog nonetheless!

Messing with the biggest dog! lol

Getting messed with by a big dog......

Pushing his limits ...with the big dogs.

Ahhhhhh, but when all is said and done........

He's still a lover.... (AND a chewer!)

Sir-Pees-A-Lot-Dumpster-Diver is officially part of the gang around here. Did I mention his penchant for digging in the trash can?  hahahaha..... good thing he's cute, huh?

Things that make you go hmmmmmmmm.....

For instance, THIS?

 

Sorry, it's a fuzzy iphone picture but???????!!!!!!!! Really??????

This trap was set. BY MY KIDS! In our back yard. To catch animals. Because, well, they can. And they wanted to. And because, well, they have no TV to entertain them so they create their own entertainment. 

Apparently, when I clean out the fridge and have a spoiled item and say, "Go toss this in the woods, kids." They bait the trap (it's no kill... back off PETA!). and wait. Sigh.......

Many an innocent creature has fallen victim to it...... this particular critter "stayed with us" for 3 days.... I noticed gibblets missing from the fridge..... but then they said, "Mom, we should release the opposum. He's been getting rained on for 3 days." WHAT?!?!!?!?!? 

In my defense, I was vaguely aware that he was there (I just forgot to tell Rex to release him until day 3.) and the kids HAVE been properly trained to operate this contraption and they don't let Warrior near it..... yet. They do know to stay WAY away from any wild animal. They are not in any actual danger by doing this. It just always amazes me that they've done it.... AGAIN?!

Tom Sawyer would be proud...... Huck would egg him on in his next attempt.

Rainbows and Butterflies and Snowflakes, oh my!

Do you know the difference between a Rainbow baby and a Butterfly baby? I didn't until this past year......

This precious face is neither one....  we adore him!

Next a Butterfly flew into our lives for a brief moment.


Then came THIS one;

.........our first Rainbow..........

Another Butterfly and then, God gave us these two precious Rainbows...........

 ....... and later, one more brief Butterfly.


Next, our hearts were crushed when we almost got to keep this beautiful Butterfly, our Sweet Pea.......

Now, we have been given another amazing chance at a beautiful Rainbow..............

Our precious Snowflake will make her appearance sometime between Valentine's Day and Easter! We are so thrilled to welcome this blessing!!!!! We are 2/3 of the way there and are completely overjoyed!!!



 :D In case you didn't figure it out, a Butterfly is a baby that lives in heaven. A Rainbow  is  a baby born after the birth (death) of a Butterfly! We are so blessed to have ALL of our children. :D

Thankful Veteren's Day

To all of you who have and are and will serve our country.... thanks.

Because of you, my children sleep without worry and fear of catastrophe. Because of you, I sleep knowing that my kids are safe to live life in the country we live in. Because of you, we live blissfully ignorant of the reality others around the world face.

Words do not really convey the sentiments of my heart. Your sacrifice is humbling. You are appreciated and prayed for..... and your family is too. They go without you so that I can feel this way.

You make America great, and you keep it safe.

My favorite Vet with his favorite unit!!! Thanks babe :) You are my hero.

Angry Birds

If you know what that is , then you love it or hate it!

This post was suggested to me by a friend. It is quite tongue-in-cheek.

Angry Birds have invaded my home:

This is disturbing on sooooo many levels. I am viciously jealous of them. They have stolen my family away from me. I tried to play with them and make friends.... 3 times. But I just DO NOT GET IT!

And so, I am forming a club on Facebook : Angry Wives and Mothers Against Angry Birds. My neighbor informed me that she is the first member. I'm taking numbers and issuing t-shirts. We shall form our first protest on April Fool's Day.

In case you are clueless, this is THE MOST IRRITATING APP available for an iphone or ipad.

Electron volunteers to be member #2.

:) Next in line?

I gotta say something...soooooo!

Well, it's been a whole week and no new post! Grandfolks, I'm falling down on the job again! Sorry!

Truthfully, I've got a post in my back pocket.... but I'm waiting for one more photoshopped picture to make it perfect! hehehe, no hints on what it is:)))))

But I feel I must say something........ so, hmmmmmmmmmm.

How about I dig out some photos you haven't seen?

hehehhehe, How about what the photographer never shows you? BEHIND THE SCENES!!!! I need a laugh today, how about you?

No, really, the camera slipped! hahahaha, This is what happens when the photographer is IN the picture and we forget to bring a tripod... you should have seen the contraption he rigged to get the camera to the right height.... it dropped once and we nearly panicked at the thought of it breaking! Dollar signs flashed before my eyes!

The wind was blowing, I was feeling CRAPPY! and the kids, by this point, were bored with standing in one place interminably! Seriously, how much more fidgeting do you have to do? And can you at least warn us when you are testing the flash? lol

My attempt at getting a picture with him in it so that we could photoshop them together to look like we were all in there.... um, yeah. It was something crazy like 6 am....at the beach?!?! Who gets up at 6 am at the beach?????? Obviously, NOT US! :) Our eyes were open but nobody was functioning yet.

No, really , Dad, the sun IS in my eyes.... I promise! Constant problem at our house.... a certain photographer gets the light just the way he wants it but forgets to take into account that IT'S IN OUR EYES! lol And then he has to deal with squinty eyes..... :)The light IS pretty, no?

"Huh? Whaaaaaa?  I don't get it? You want me to do what? Oh forget it, I'll smile later"......  poor Glitter. This is HOURS into the photoshoot. Another side effect of having the photographer IN the family.... no time limit to be conscious of.  Hahahaha. She was such a trooper that day! But pooped out for the very last shot on the list. It was time for breakfast.

Hope you had a great laugh... our out takes are usually much more entertaining than what we send out at Christmas! hehehehe, Maybe one year we'll send those out instead! (Just kidding Mom!)

Blessings to you all -