Blogs I love:

Hello friends/family/random folks who stumble across this-apparently- rarely updated blog.

I always promise to do better but the truth of the matter is I am technically challenged and the camera is not easy to figure out. I have been far less than diligent about trying to figure it out. So, as we head into another school year there is again a promise to do better with the knowledge that actually, I'm simply waiting until Electron has time to figure it out. Clear as mud?

He did get a few pictures uploaded so that I can use them. Enjoy:

The lover-ly Birthday Princess! :) 

The very first sister tea party ever!!!! LOVE that we got it on camera! Thank you Electron!

If you are my Facebook friend you know that I am furiously avoiding my lesson plans and Mom -aka the Category 5 Energizer Bunny, was here last week and so much progress was made towards my never ending to-do list that I can now see the bottom of said list..... not much has been done to it since she left mind you. The children that populate the house went into major withdrawal because I did not read to them the entire week Mom was here and so I have been required to make up for lost time- Anne of Green Gables is hard to put down.

I would like to state for THE RECORD that I have completed at least 5 of my Pinterest projects. This completely disproves the theory that I am all ideas and no follow through. Do I make myself clear? :) The fact that there are 500 projects waiting in the wings is of no consequence. Again, clear?(glaring eyeballs bulging so you'd better agree....)

I would also like to point out that I have filled up one side of my carport, not once but twice (I am taking a bow here), with items that we no longer fit/need/use that are looking for a better home. I may end up at Goodwill with them but I hope to get them to consignment of some sort so that I can have a few bucks towards the list of clothing/book needs that fusses for attention.

Also finally, after nearly 16 years (yikes!) gotten around to painting and decorating our master bedroom. I wish I could post pictures but that darn camera thing.... sigh. It is really nice to have a coordinated place to crash at the end of the day instead of a dump spot for whatever wasn't used in decorating the rest of the house. I am, dare I admit it? actually almost happy with how it turned out. It's not exactly Rex's style nor is it mine but it is a happy medium that lends a (deceptively) peaceful atmosphere to a rather chaotic household.

Making drill sheets for math also got checked off the list.

Anyway, I am avoiding said lesson plans right this very minute. :D BUT, I simply have to share with you a few blogs that are near and dear to my heart.

#1: A very amazing woman recently became a Mom to an absolutely heart grabbingly beautiful little girl! Click on over to see her sweet family.

#2: A friend is celebrating her bloggy half birthday with TONS 'O PRIZES AND GIVEAWAYS and she is gearing up to write a book that I can't wait to read.

#3 I found who I want to be when I grow up! This woman is amazing. She has 2 blogs that I adore-A-DORE, no really, like totally, completely ADORRRRRRRRRE... one and two .... Seriously, this woman is my hero and I'm darn near close to sacrilege in my idol-worship of her. I'm totally doing her one year challenge if I can get my family on board. Not the kind of challenge that I can do alone - requires cooperation. darn.

Anyhow, check 'em out and hopefully soon I will finally get some pictures of my new master suite ;P, Pinterest projects, and my glorious new schoolroom that I am totally falling in love with! Oh yeah, some pictures of the kiddos would be nice too, right grandfolks? xoxoxox

Snowflake cuteness!

It's been WAY too long since I've posted any pictures of our now adorably cute 1 yr old. She is laughing constantly, learning sign language (and will "please" you vehemently to get what she wants), and toddling about in the cutest fashion  (not with hands in the air like every other toddler- oh no, not her- she LOVES to carry things around with her when she walks.... you know, DS cords, glasses, tv remotes, any cell phone or keys she can find.... contraband only for this kiddo!). She is addicted to the outside and every time she wakes up she "please"s to go outside. Here are some recent shots of her royal cuteness in many of her favorite places:

Eating french fries on a date with Daddy.....

In Glitter's arms......

In her swing.....

Being all cute and knowing it.... she loves to squinch up her face and stick her tongue out!

Have you noticed that she now has enough hair to have a "Pebbles 'tail" instead of the sweet little headbands with bows and flowers that we've been using to designate that she's a girl? :) Playing dress-up is one of our favorite activities... "our" being Me, Glitter, AND Snowflake!

Someone else said it too....

Warning, this is not a happy, happy, joy, joy warm and fuzzy post. A very precious friend of mine has suffered yet another loss. I won't go into details- they are her details to share- in her words. I encourage you, especially if you do not understand from your own experience, to read around on her blog. She is very real and honest.

Anyhow, today she posted something that expresses my heart in better words than I could ever hope to have.

For those of you that have felt the sting of loss, in whatever form-even the unspoken ones that are only told by your eyes, my heart aches with you and the Lord frequently brings you to mind. Even when I do not tell you, I DO pray. Only one thing do I know for sure..... HE knows. HE cares.

Welllll,

Time has rolled on. I haven't been a very good blogger. Maybe I'll catch up and maybe I'll just move on. But in the mean time, I ran across this:

.....which I hope will lead to this:

This summer is going to be one for the record books I hope! :D Momma's got plans....... but no checklist.... yet..... well, except the one posted above..... but it's in pretty colors and a fun font so does it really count as a checklist? hmmmmmmm, no time to ponder! Fun awaits. And in case you're lost, we are finished with our homeschool group (except Electron who has one more week) and so we are unofficially "done" with school though math books and testing are yet to come.

Almost 13 yr olds, texting, humor, and pi

The time has come in my life when I must respect the bizarre humor that comes with being an independent minded almost teenager. We're coming up on a birthday VERY quickly. Sigh..... but all year long the humor has been sneaking in. It started being absurdly random, "Hey Mom, guess what?" "Um, what?" "Pumpernickle!" oooooookkkkkkkkkk. I know I deserve this. I tortured my mom too. So he and I began a back and forth running commentary that has kept me on my toes all year. Somewhere around Christmas this turned to "PI!!!!" grunted out by a burst of breath that can only come from an almost 13 yr old boy to which my homeschool brain automatically replied, "3.14". And so began the "new phase" of randomness. It had a purpose.

This morning as I was making my bed I got a text message. Rather unusual because A) I don't text well and very infrequently at that B) The few people that DO (the "kids" i work with) text me aren't usually awake this time of day. Curiosity got me and I stopped to check it.

This is what it said, "HAPDM". It was the babysitting emergency phone that we keep for the children. ? I was confused and sent back the random letters that my fingers hit first. The game. Brightened my day immediately. I got this reply, "That means, 'Have a Pi Day, Mom'." Oh. Ok. I sent back, "3.14" I got back, " Ya face. ;P" I love this kid.

13 is going to be so much fun. Especially when it's 13, 15, 16, 18...... and 5. I love when life makes me laugh.

I send profuse apologies to all my teachers, parents, and friends' parents. I have vivid memories of a conversation about how to make bug juice sandwiches using carpets squares on a car ride that lasted about 20 minutes. As I said, profuse apologies.

Books-

Yes, I know, bad blogger. I haven't posted anything of significance in pitifully too long. I'd love to say that this will change..... but it won't. Second semester does this to me. My escape thus far has been to read Electron's books before he does so that we can discuss them before he writes papers on them. I am also reading the "Little House" series out loud to all of them.

I read to escape. I read to become smarter. I read because I love to. I read because it is one of the few "me things" I can justify at the moment....... but:

 

Dost thou agree?

Hello, my name is Melissa. I'm a serial checklist maker.

Yes, a 12 step program is probably needed. My year has started with so many checklists floating around that I need a list to keep up with my lists. Please excuse my serious absence from blogging. There are lists, er, children, to be tended to.....

We had a crazy Christmas break and, sadly, we did not get everything done that we needed to do. We have rooms still to be organized and playdates that never materialized. I am tempted to be sad about this but I am  not because we DID watch lots of movies with Daddy. We DID sleep in ...a lot. We DID make lots of yummy baked goods. We DID enjoy being lazy and going with the flow. Yes, my first week back to school has been quite unorthodox and way to unpredictable for my liking and a bit too scattered for the children to feel at ease BUT, though we still have one more day in our week, we HAVE gotten done what is the most important to do- we started reading the New Testament together. If all else fails, we have been successful.

 

Oh yeah, we had a marvelous zip through Montgomery to see everyone. It was glorious to actually put my feet in the homes of those we love. There were so many people to see that we only had about 2 days in each house but they were rich days full of laughter, picture taking, good food, and memory making. And everyone got to snuggle with Snowflake. She's crawling now by the way! I have no pictures because I never got to take the camera out of the car but Rex's iphone and Electron's Christmas gift (he got his own camera- thank you Mr. Rex) documented the trip and one of these days I'll share but for now..... I have to check "Hug kids" off my list. Don't laugh. At one point I actually had this on my checklist! I don't feel too bad though. I know a man that has a 5:30 alarm on his iphone to "hug wife". She appreciates the hug when he actually reads his iphone and remembers it too.! :D

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.