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The Great Outdoors

We went and explored the great outdoors today at a Nature Conservatory, Dauset Trails Nature Center.  The southern weather cooperated for us too - it wasn't too hot. 

I In the early 1980's, Dauset Trails was primarily a rehabilitation center for injured and orphaned wildlife. The animals were mainly native to the area and could not be released due to the severity of injuries. These animals were given exhibits for protection and display and gradually grew to become the Animal Trail, which is where we started our tour.

My dh and the Juggler then left us to explore the Farm Animals, while they ventured over to the bike trails.  The walkie-talkies came in handy to stay in touch with each other.

Now, since farm animals such as horses, mules, cows, goats, chickens and more excite our fancy, we had to mosey over to the barnyard exhibit and see all of the above.

We finished off our walk by feeding the geese, ducks, turtles and carp fish in the HUGE pond by the visitor center; Rubber was disappointed because the baby turtles just weren't fast enough to catch the food she was attempting to throw down to them.  That's survival of the fittest at it's finest!  We finished just in time to catch up with the weary bike riders!

Our afternoon wasn't complete without a stop here for lunch! YUM!

Tomatoes, Tomatoes EVERYWHERE!

You'd think that I'd planted 20 Roma Tomato plants or something with the multitudes of tomatoes we are picking.  But, really, we only have 2 plants.  Last week I canned 8 jars of spaghetti sauce and yesterday I got 3 jars of salsa canned.  It's amazing that all this started from one small 4 x 4' square garden. With the heat of the southern, summer sun, we aren't getting much of anything else.

It seems as if my energy level has been draining since we've been done doing school.  I just can't seem to get motivated to do much of anything productive.  Anyone else having that problem?  Maybe, it's the heat, which is slowly creeping up into the high 90's again.

Here is by far the best salsa recipe I've used.  It doesn't have any catchy name, so feel free to leave me name suggestions in a comment.

_____________________ Salsa

• 8 - 12 Roma Tomatoes
• 1 Green Pepper
• 1 Medium Red Onion
• 1 Jalapeno Pepper (optional)
• 1 - 2 cloves Garlic
• 1/2 c fresh Cilantro
• 1 TBSP Lime Juice
• 1 tsp Salt

Grind vegetables altogether in a food processor, then add in the lime juice and salt.  The longer the salsa sits, the hotter it gets!

Blessings,

Michelle

How Much is Too Much?

Today, the Doodler and I went to Hancock Fabrics to take advantage of their 1/2 price sale on fabric and notions. 

Sewing use to be a less expensive way to obtain new clothes, but not anymore.  The cost of fabric can run you the same amount as a shopping spree with all sale items.  At least with the shopping spree you can wear the items right away, but not so with sewing.  BUT, for me sewing isn't about saving money, it's about maintaining modesty in our culture today.  Gone are all the cute, frilly outfits for my little girls; they've been replaced by this modernized pop culture trend in clothing.  To me, it's nothing more than advertising on a shirt.  And we all know what the clothes want us to advertise!

Anyway, to get back to my original thought; we went in because I had a flyer in hand with a 40% coupon and great deals on fabrics.  We found all the fabrics we needed to make a pair of pj's for her and Rubber, and a dress for Little Bear, as well as slips and pantaloons for each of them.  We get up to the counter where we encounter 2 older ladies fussing over how much their purchases are costing and whether or not the cashier has rung every possible discount known to man up for them.  It took us 30 minutes to check out of line after these ladies made the cashier re-ring their purchases because she had missed a discount on an item.

How much is too much?  Are we in a sense stealing from the company when we try to milk every coupon for all its worth?  Were these ladies going overboard by asking that every item be discounted in some way?   It was just a thought I had while watching these two older ladies squabble over their $100 purchases. 

What do you think?

Babywearing - Why didn't I do this 3 children ago?

Babywearing Fashion Finds is hosting a contest to win some of their incredible babywearing wraps.  I love contests; rarely win, but I love them nonetheless!

I have tried babywearing in the past, and it has always been a crash and burn experience.  Either, the baby hated, I hated it or we both hated it together and it usually ended in several tears shed!

This time, I decided to give it the old college try, one more time!  I received a sling for a baby shower gift, used it successfully once or twice (I define success when Little Bear isn't screaming til her face turns beet red).  As she got bigger, she hated being laid to the side, so I could never figure out how to place her to make her happy.

One day I saw one of our neighbors who had this simple sling, made like a tube in which she had her baby sitting upright.  Ahah, I was onto something - Little Bear loved to be carried, but in an upright manner.  These neat slings are called "slinglings."  While exceptionally made, they are expensive.  Another neighbor said she had found a pattern for them.  I being the qualified sewer, and my MIL being the excellent fabric supplier that she is, made a perfect combination.  One hour later, I too owned a wonderful sling, and lo and behold, Little Bear loved it and the rest is history!

Now, while I don't recommend that lengthy journey for every babywearer, in the end, I have found a way to free up my hands to accomplish many other tasks that were being neglected because of my fussy baby.  She's happier, I'm happier and the house isn't looking like WWIII anymore!

Sweet and Sassy

While we are not big opponents of having our girls get carried away with looking like "DIVAS," this was a cute birthday party the girls attended recently. 

It was held at a salon called "Sweet and Sassy."  First, the girls were whisked off to a dressing room to pick out their glamorous ensemble.  The Juggler decided since she was going to be the oldest one, that she should wear her own outfit in case they didn't have anything that would fit her appropriately .  In the picture above, Rubber is second from the left in the bottom row and she picked out a beautiful lavendar shimmer dress.

Next, each girl had a stylist who created a special hairdo just for them.  I was in awe at how each girl sat in their chair mesmerized - not a wiggle or a squirm!  Too bad I couldn't bottle that for Sunday mornings in church! 

Finally, it was time for make-up and nails.  Quite frankly, I've never seen so much glitter fly in my life.  They looked exquisite by the time they were all done.

The best part of the afternoon was the runway show.  Each of the girls had to answer a list of questions prior to their makeovers, in which they used the answers to commentate while they were parading down the aisle.  All the mom's knew precisely where they spent the majority of their time shopping by the answers that were given by the little girls.  Hmm, I didn't know that CVS could be a girl's best friend!  They did some line dancing, cake eating and present opening before the party was done.  And not one of them wanted to go swimming later that afternoon.  Wonder Why???

Sutures and Screams

Did anyone in the south hear the screams of my Rubber this morning as she got her sutures removed?  If so, do you still have your eardrums?

No mother should have to hear what I heard, while holding her down (along with 2 nurses and the doctor), all the while she is moving her big toe and kicking her leg, making it next to impossible to remove the sutures:

1.  First the intense, penetrating, blood curdling screams! 

2.  Mommy make them stop!

3.  Ow, Ow, please stop!

4.  I want my daddy!

5.  Where is my daddy! (Sorry kiddo - he's TDY this week)

6.  When I inform her that this pain is mild compared to child birth, she bolts upright and screams, "I never want to have any children - I'm not going to have kids (and she's only 5 and originally wanted 8 children)!"

7.  Please, mommy, don't let them do this anymore.

On the way home (it only took 15 minutes to pull the sutures out)she asked me how come I was crying.  I explained that no mommy wants to see their child in pain or hurting!  It hurt mommy that she was carrying on so, and I didn't know if it really hurt, or whether she was being overly dramatic (we tend to have that happen quite frequently in our house).  I asked her how much it hurt and she said, "It hurt as much as I love you." 

Out of the mouths of babes," we now say (slightly misquoting), come the darndest things. Children sometimes speak, in their simplicity, more wisely than their elders.  It tugged at my heart strings, just how sweet her words of unconditional love were for me. Imagine how God feels everytime we are in pain or hurting!  We need to remember to tell Him how much we still love him unconditionally!

O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
-- Psalm 8: 1-2 (KJV)

Calm My Anxious Heart

Quite frequently I struggle with the "What Ifs" and the "If onlys" that rule over my life and drown out God.  It causes my heart to be anxious and full of uncertainty.  God encourages me to keep my eyes fixed on my Sovereign Lord in Psalm 141:8:

But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign LORD;
       in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.

In our WIC (Women in the Church), we are reading Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow.  We are on Chapter 10 which is entitled "Trusting God With the What Ifs."

Jeremiah 17:5-8:
    ⁵ This is what the LORD says:
       "Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
       who depends on flesh for his strength
       and whose heart turns away from the LORD.

    ⁶ He will be like a bush in the wastelands;
       he will not see prosperity when it comes.
       He will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
       in a salt land where no one lives.

    ⁷ "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
       whose confidence is in him.

    ⁸ He will be like a tree planted by the water
       that sends out its roots by the stream.
       It does not fear when heat comes;
       its leaves are always green.
       It has no worries in a year of drought
       and never fails to bear fruit."

This passage stood out to me in a BIG, BOLD, way.  My tendency is to control and "help" God out.  Waiting is hard and painful and beating myself up over my "If onlys," just causes disaster for me, giving me a dry, dull, appearance to my life. 

My "What ifs" come in the form of "What if God doesn't give me anymore blessings which I so, so want?  What if I fail at homeschooling my children?  What if I fail as a wife and help meet for my husband?"  My "If onlys" come in the form of "If only God had changed my heart sooner, I wouldn't have lived so many years in the dark, and I could have had more children, a stronger relationship with the Lord, etc."  

I'm tired of trusting in my own strength.  I want my roots planted deep by the river and I long to be content with my surroundings and situation instead of anxious and waiting for "What ifs" or "If onlys."

I remember years ago, when I was struggling with my weight and other life issues, a kind woman showed me the Serenity prayer.  Linday Dillow also mentions it in this chapter that we are studying.

May it bless you today as you let go of your strength and lean on God.

Ship Full of Pirates

I stumbled across this absolutely, contagious blog, Ship Full of Pirates from another blog that I read on a frequent basis; Mama Archer.  She has 5 pirates and 1 princess and they all have names associated to pirate terms. 

Be sure to check them out as well as enter her June giveaway.  It is for a set of Vision Forum's Reclaiming the Culture DVDs. 

My favorite Vision Forum purchases so far have been Raising Maidens of Virtue by Stacey McDonald, So Much More by the Botkin Sisters and Return of the Daughters.  Can you tell by my choices that I'm raising a handfull of maidens?  We have not been blessed with any lads thus far but we are still praying.

My First Tag

My daughter, Little Woman tagged me, so here goes.  For those of you I'm tagging, just copy the questions and answer them on your page.  Be sure and leave me a comment when you get them posted!

1.) Where were you ten years ago?

I just gave birth to Juggler and we were getting ready to transfer from Omaha, NE to Homestead, FL

2.) What are five things on my to-do list?

a)  Laundry

b)  Clean off my desk

c)  Take a shower since the Little Bear just went back to sleep

d)  Get to Hobby Lobby to get quilting flannel for my mother-in-law's Christmas present

e)  Email my Dad about the house he's been looking at for us

3.) Snack's I enjoy.

Every kind of food is a snack to me - I just never stop eating

4.) What would I do if I was a billonaire?

That's just way too much money to have.  Others who are less fortunate should definitely have some.  I would love to be completely debt free and after that, I would give it to family, so they could be debt free and then to the needy, both near and far.

5.) Places I have lived?

Hawaii, California, Texas, Missouri, Nebraska, Florida, Louisiana, Ohio, Colorado and now Georgia

Others I plan to tag:

kerimae

homesteadmama4

CarrieAnn7

stitchnchick

The Reeds

Happy Birthday Little Woman

That was then. . . . . . . .

This is now. . . . . . . . .

Where does time go?  One minute, I met her father for the first time, and she was 2; I blinked and she's now 18.  Raising step-children is not for the weary and weak of heart.  We started off on the wrong foot after she came back to live with us after she and us endured much suffering and negative influence by my husband's ex-wife.   I was to blame because I placed the fault on her, when she was just an innocent party, but I only saw the hurt that her mom had caused her Dad and I, not the little child who desperately wanted to be loved and accepted.

Through the work of the Lord, we've traveled on a LONG journey together and have healed the wounds that began so many years.  She is as much mine and she is to her real mother, I just didn't have to endure LABOR.  I feel privileged to have been a significant part in raising her and with God's help she has matured into a beautiful, young woman.

You must know the Little Woman as I do:

She is the only person I know that can spell a word differently umpteem times; she's our little "bever;" she sings, but off key; she loves her sisters; she's willing to help out around the house without prompting; she's dedicated to her school work; she wants to glorify God with her life and she's going to make a wonderful mother and wife someday.

For those of you embarking on raising step-children, do not grow weary for the Lord will reward you for your endeavor, as He has done for me!  Seek God faithfully during your years as a step-parent, not looking for approval from your children or the ex-spouse, but rather God, where your reward will come from.

Luke 6:35

But love ye your enemies, and do good and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest; for He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Happy Birthday Little Woman

We Love You!

2008 Birthday Bash

Our 2nd Annual Birthday Bash was a great success!  The girls really enjoyed their party this year.  We had around 70 people attend, which was double what we had last year.  All was going well with the slide in the backyard and everyone just hanging out, until the rain decided to dump a downpour on us.  So, in went 70 people to our quaint, but small house.  We enjoyed cupcakes and the girls opened their gifts while the rain came down.  We all fit, but it was a very tight squeeze!

After the rain quit, they blew up the slide again and this time it was better than a water slide at a water park!  We just couldn't enjoy the pinata because it was too wet, but that didn't seem to bother any of the kids.

Favorite Friday

My daughter, The Juggler has begun a "Favorite Friday" post.  She loves to know that people are reading her blog by all the comments.  She just recently found this new group that she likes called PureNRG - pronounced "Pure Energy," so I think that's why she has this picture loaded.

Today we spent the morning at our homeschool group's curriculum fair.  We found some great deals and some new finds to make learning fun for the little ones.  Juggler was excited because she is into reading a series by Trailblazers (historical fiction books) and we found two new ones that she hadn't read and as a bonus, they were signed by the author on the inside cover.

Little Woman found her consumer math curriculum for next year and some FREE cross stitch magazines.  She also scored a Readers Digest book on Botany for $.50.

I love shopping for books.  I could get lost looking at books for many days, hours, or weeks and it would even be better if I had a never ending budget!  It was fun finding the deals we got.  Next year, though I will be more prepared for the Used Book Sale part - they had such a HUGE selection and the line was out the door to get in to the sale.

Emergency Rooms

Emergency Rooms - a necessary evil, yes or no?  Should we go back to the pioneer days where there was one doctor who knew everything and could perform any complicated task?

We spent the afternoon and early evening with the Rubber in the Emergency Room last night.  We went to our community pool in the afternoon.  When she was walking out of the pool at the stairs, she sliced open her big toe on the metal cap of the railing (that should have been on the outside of the pool, but was for some reason at the bottom of the stairs on the inside of the pool).  She said, "Ouch, I scraped my toe," but when we pulled it out of the water we were in for a bigger surprise.  She had sliced it clean through on the underside of her toe and it was fairly deep.  Her eyes bulged out of her sockets and then she began screaming!  I don't do commotion very well, and trying to calm her down while having Doodler and Little Bear with me wasn't working!

A very nice neighbor calmed her down, wrapped her in a towel and carried her home so that my husband could look at it.  We decided to take her in just in case she needed stitches.  Well, some 4 hours later, she did get 3 - 4 stitches to seal up the wound.  My husband also said that she screamed the entire hospital awake!  She's got a great set of LUNGS!

She's doing much better today, but isn't wanting to walk.  So, she has gone back to scooting around.  Come to think of it, I don't think she ever did that as a baby, so this might be a first for her.  She's decided to buy a robot to carry her everywhere!

Works for Me Wednesday

We are anxiously anticipating our 2nd Annual Birthday Bash for all the girls.  We borrowed the idea last year from the Jeub Family after watching their "Cheaper By the Dozen" episode on TLC.  We now have one birthday party for all the girls instead of seperate parties throughout the year.  Birthday parties can become more of a production the more we all try to keep up with the Jones'.  This solution seemed to answer all the problems.  But, more will be coming on the actual party, which is on Saturday.

Last night, the girls and I made our very first batch of GOOP.  If you've never been exposed to this phenomenon, it is pretty amazing.  The recipe includes white glue, distilled water, food coloring and borax.  Yep, that's it - simple isn't?

In one bowl combine 2 cups distilled water, 2 cups white glue and 15 - 30 drops of food coloring.  In another bowl combine 4 cups distilled water, 1 TBSP Borax and stir both bowls well.  After they are stirred, combine both bowls and watch what happens.

It turns into a goopy, gooey, fun piece of play-doh like, something or other to play with.  You can stretch it, mold it, fold it, toss it against a wall, pretend to sneeze it out of your nose, or turn it into breathe right strips.

That's what Works for Me this week!  Check out more great tips at Rocks in my Dryer.

Sweet Ballet Shoes Dancing

My Juggler and Rubber participated in their ballet recital Saturday, as a final culmination to their year long ballet classes.  It was entitled "Alice in Wonderland."  It was an amazing show, but it went way too long.   Amazingly, Little Bear fell asleep on Grandpa's lap for the first show, but then got a little fidgety during the second. They did two seperate shows, both which lasted around 2 hours each. 

Rubber was an adorable "Rubber Duckie" dancing to Ernie's famous "Rubber Duckie" song.  She said later that she was really nervous which is why she didn't do her moves as well as she could have.  Good thing everyone was only looking at her costume!

Juggler was in two dances, "The Caucus Race and the Lobster Quadrille."  She was in a half ballet, half tap class.  She really enjoyed the tap class and plans on continuing that next year!  She has sure come a long way from her first recital where she cried the entire production.

Grandparents enjoying the "Multiplying"

Recently, I read "A Mom Just Like You" by Vickie Farris, wife to Michael Farris, attorney for HSLDA.  In her book she describes the journey that the Lord took her and her husband on in having their 10 kids.  One of her comments particularly stood out to me and I will try and paraphrase it. 

She and Michael were discussing their first grandbaby that was due soon and she was lamenting that she might not have anymore of her own babies to hold.  Her husband in his wonderful wisdom said that she shouldn't feel sad.  God gives us the mandate, "Then God blessed Noah and his sons and told them, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth - Genesis 9:1"  Mr. Farris considered them to have been "FRUITFUL" according to God's word, and now they were "MULTIPLYING."  Becoming grandparents is the culmination to being parents and another opportunity for God to use us in ministering to one another.

My father and step-mother are out from California, visiting us for a week.  They are here to be able to see their granddaughters' ballet recital on Saturday.  Last night they took the 4 older girls with them to their hotel to swim, watch movies, and stay up late.  That left me with Little Bear (I really didn't know what to do with myself - the house was WAY TOO QUIET!).  It is so awesome to see them loving on my children.  I so enjoy when they visit us.

Today we met them at Monkey Joe's for some bouncing and sliding fun.  We had lunch at O'Charley's where I was able to capture a quick picture of them.  Tonight they are going back for another round.  I think my parents have fallen off the turnip truck, but they don't get to see their grandchildren as much as they'd like to (we'll be rectifying that in 18 months when we finally retire back to California and buy our dream property).  Tomorrow, they will definitely need a nap!  I meant the grandparents, NOT THE KIDS.

Anyone for Tea?

Yesterday was Juggler's last Keepers of the Faith meeting.  What a fun year it has been with all of the girls.  Little did I know that when I  got suckered into volunteered to lead the group that it would work out so well and that I would grow through this experience.  I've led a Keepers group twice before while we were stationed in Ohio and Colorado, but never such a large group.  We had 16 girls participate this year, ranging in ages from 6 to 12.  It was a big challenge trying to accomodate the various ages and skill levels in our activities.

Some of the projects we completed this year were:  weaving, cooking, manners and how to set a table, homemade bath salt , no-sew pillows, sign language, tye-dye.

Keepers of the Faith is a Bible based - Christ -centered program.    Academics will always be a vital part of a child’s education, but children need much more if they are to develop into capable, competent adults—the adults that God intends them to be. With so many hands-on activities to chose from, children get to learn a variety of skills to help them serve God and lead their families one day.

Our final meeting was a Tea Party for the girls, a way to celebrate their achievement of completing the year.  The moms served the girls while they enjoyed a spot of tea!  We all gathered around and handed out the award certificates.  The mom's even blessed, rather surprised, me with a gift certificate to Olive Garden - YUM!  I wasn't expecting that.  We finished up with tye-dying some t-shirts.  My hand was blue by the time Doodler finished her shirt!  Thus, the reason to wear junky clothes!  Some jumping on the trampoline and running around the backyard completed our afternoon.

 Now, onto planning for next year!

My Daughter's Drawing Class

My daughters are participating in a drawing class, sponsored by Mrs. Young.  Their first assignment was to draw a picture of themselves.  This was so that they would have a frame of reference to draw from while they progressed through the art class.

I'm the first to admit, that coming from my extensive art background, both in growing up during my childhood and then during college, that I slack off when teaching art to my children.  None of them have directed themselves toward the art of drawing, so I just seem to avoid teaching it and working on it with them.  Yes, we do art projects, but nothing specific with precise instructions and details.

That's why this class is so perfect.   One, because I don't have to teach a thing - YEAH and two, because through an act of kindness by another and her obvious love for art, my girls are being taught some skills that will last them a lifetime. . . .  You must check out the drawings that Mrs. Young posts on her blog.  WOW and ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!

So without further adieu, here are their masterpieces (that which they would not call them, but I would, even if they say, "You just say that because you are my MOM.")  Can you see the resemblance?

Little Woman               

Juggler                 

Sunday Musings

What a beautiful day it was yesterday.  It is an exceptionally blessed time when Little Bear will peacefully sleep on my lap during the worship service.   Even the Doodler was well behaved yesterday. 

The girls had BBQ hamburgers, thanks to their Dad, for lunch.  They were all anxiously awaiting for the magical time of 5 p.m. when our friends from church were coming over for dinner.  They also have 5 children, so our home was destined to be quiver-full!

We had sloppy joe's for dinner, which is my husband's favorite meal.  Added to that, cut up vegetables, fresh, juicy watermelon and of course chips.  We had brownies and ice-cream for dessert! YUM!

The kids went back to their rooms and played "Up Words" for awhile and then came out and filled up water balloons to launch in the water balloon launcher.  We almost took out Grandma Nut's shoulder the last time we used this contraption.  Kids love it - you just have to make sure that the people holding the launcher lock their elbows before anyone pulls it back to launch.  While watching the kids play kick ball, we talked until 9:30.  The little ones were melting down fast and furious, so we realized our night needed to close.

I so enjoy when I can have a few minutes to talk with a Christ centered, like minded woman.  Heather, is such a dear sister in Christ.  I see God working in their family and she exhibits so many of the wonderful Proverbs 31 traits.

Once company was gone, pj's were put on and snoring commenced within 5 minutes of the littles relaxing on the sofa.  So dh and I got to watch The Bourne Supremacy, the second one in the series, with Matt Damon.  While this one was good, The Bourne Identity, the first movie was even better.  If you enjoy action packed, CIA type movies, you'll enjoy this one.

Blessings,

Michelle

Why does the world hate children?