Trying to keep my cool.

This morning I read an article about Rick Santorum and his wife making comments concerning women in combat.  The comments ran into the subject of women in the workplace and how radical feminism told women that the only way they could truly be fulfilled and successful was in the workplace.  The Santorums supported moms at home saying that Mrs. Santorum has two degrees in nursing and law but chose to stay home and raise a family.  I am sure the man commenting below is a nice man and I am really trying not to pass judgement.  My question is, if he is so concerned about defending a woman's place in society, how can he make such sexist and stereotypical remarks?  Read for yourself...     

"I have to wonder something.

Why exactly did Rick's wife Karen spend the enormous amount of time and money to go through both law school and nursing school -- if she had no intention of actually pursuing those careers?

Was she just trolling around looking for a sugar daddy? Seems like it. Otherwise, she essentially wasted years of her life getting professional degrees -- and then not using any of her knowledge or skill to help society.

At the end of the day, it appears she was lucky enough to find a husband who could support her (he being on the public dole almost the entire time) so she could stay home and school her brood. Unfortunately, in a nation where jobs are scarce, she is in the elite minority. Most of us have marriages in which both parties, like it or not, have to work full time."

Here is where I have to tell myself to breath and not start yelling at the computer.  I know it is an ignorant remark.  But I also know the only way to remedy ignorance is to educate.  Who will educate this man?  He will continue on with his life holding those ideas as truth, never knowing the other side of this issue. 

His idea that a woman would put so much time and effort into educating herself only to "waste it" by raising children is probably the most offensive.  There are so many moms that I know who are educated and who might even have worked before having children.  They have made choices about what they want for themselves and their families.  That choice includes using their highly educated minds to build up a new generation of human beings.  If there is a better use for a degree, I would like someone to tell me.  These moms don't just sling spaghetti and wash laundry.  (okay, so we do a lot of that too.) They spend time teaching their children, molding them, helping them learn to express themselves, preparing them to be productive members of society.  Hardly a waste.

There are many of us that will go on to have careers after we raise our children.  But that will just be an added bonus to an already accomplished life.  I can guarantee you that if we do go back to work, we will be most valued employees.  We will have skills one can only acquire from years of monitoring negotiations (settling arguments over who did what), multitasking (making lunch and breastfeeding simultaneously) and learning to anticipate any outcome to any situation (where will the toddler decide to poop his pants?)  We will be loyal because we have to work long enough to be eligible for retirement.  (After all, we have already worked one full career that did not come with retirement benefits.)  Lastly, employers will not have to worry about us taking maternity leave or  heading home to sick kids.  We will be living our second stage of life and will be free to dedicate ourselves to the occupation of our choosing. 

What I find humorous about this man's comment is that he seems to think that the only women who stay at home are the wives of the wealthy.  How many of us have made sacrifices to be able to stay home?  How many of our husbands have worked two jobs or worked in a job that they may not love just to allow us to do what is most important to the family?  I know there aren't any of us who think, "Hey, we've got all this extra money, I think I will just not work and have a bunch of kids so I can spend it all!"  Silly, silly man. 

We stay-at-home moms come in all different shapes and sizes.  We come from all different backgrounds.  Some of us have a PhD and some of us, a GED.  For the most part, what we have in common is a heart's desire to do the very best to give our children everything they need to grow into precious people.  We all decided a long time ago that our families are our greatest adventure.  We all know the feeling of loving something more than our own lives and living to put ourselves aside everyday.  If that makes us culturally irrelevant, then we can live with that. 

So, Mr. Opinion, next time you want to broadly generalize a group of people, leave us out of it.  Or if you choose to expel your ignorance about us again, that's okay.  We have handled much worse than you:  teething, toddlers, toilet training, teenagers...  It's just part of the job.  And it's glorious!  

*Disclaimer!!!  This blog is meant to defend moms who choose to stay at home.  It is not referring to, eluding to or in any way commenting on the choice of some moms to go to work.  Every family has a balance that has to be decided on by it's members.  I support moms, period!  So please all of my working mom sisters, don't think I am in any way saying anything negative about you.  We all have to stick together!*   

     

My sad/happy day.

I am in shock.  Summer is over.  While my garden is still in production, my babies aren't going to be here to help me harvest.  They will be part of a classroom.  Just another kid.  Even though their teachers will love them, they won't know how truly wonderful and special they are. 

They won't know just how precious and tender Jolie's heart is towards others.  They won't see the sweetness in Asher's somber and serious way.  Their hearts won't fill with joy at the twinkle in Zaddok's eyes.  I mourn this loss.  I will miss my babies. 

 But the excitement they feel makes up for my hesitation.  They are so ready to be part of that classroom.  They can't wait to be one of the kids.  And they are so excited to show the teachers every reason why they should love them! 

This is the hardest part of parenting.  Letting them be who they are apart from us.  We know that everything we have taught and prayed covers them.  We pray that their hearts are guarded and that their spirits are protected.  We hope that they have a really wonderful experience. 

"May the Lord bless you and keep you.  May He make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you.  May the Lord give you Peace."

Matt took this on his way home from work. *sigh*

Have a sweet day my babies. Mama's gonna cry a little. Then I'm gonna go get a coffee with only one child by my side.

At least he is stinkin' cute. 

This is the corn we grew this year!  Isn't is cute?  Thanks Papa!

We have been blessed with a good production of cucumbers.

Our girls have been busy!  I saved them to make some breakfast casseroles for the freezer.  Great easy school morning breakfasts.

Thanks for sharing this day with me.

Mint punch memories.

Last night I called my Grandma.  See, Grandma has all of the good recipes.  I call her for the Thanksgiving dressing, for Wanda's pound cake, for Grandmother Butler's rolls, and last night for mint punch.  I had big plans to make some with the kids.

Mint punch is liquid memories.  It's the stuff I would beg Grandma to make as soon as I ran through her door in the summer.  The combination of citrus, mint and ginger ale makes me feel 10 years old again.  Grandma would let me use her electric juicer to squeeze every last drop out of the fruit.  When the sugar and water were on the stove, we would head to the backyard and the oppressive heat to cut some mint.  I remember thinking that it was pure heaven to be able to get real food from a flowerbed.

 The smell of that mint combined with honeysuckle still reminds me of sticky afternoons playing in the yard or lounging in the creaky swing on the porch.  My sisters, cousins and I would read a thousand books or play games or catch grasshoppers.  Then we would decide it was time for a snack.  We would run from the Texas sun to the cool of Grandma's kitchen.  With our bare feet slapping the smooth floor we would hunt out a\the drawer full of candy, the push-pops in the freezer or honey buns that Grandma would warm in the microwave.  But our thirst would be quenched by mint punch.  She always made it special.  It was an event.  There was a pretty glass, a few cubes of ice, bubbly ginger ale and then the golden and minty syrup.  Liquid memories...

The kids all played together. We laughed until our stomachs hurt.  There was Aunt Pam to talk to, I could tell her anything and she thought it was important.  There was a Papa to sit with.  I can, right now, see him coming down the hall in the evenings, freshly showered.  He smelled of Irish Spring and his face was always soft and red from shaving.  He would grab a handful of pretzels and sit at the table with us to talk, his laughter like tonic.  Sometimes we would chat about the weather or the small town gossip.  But most times, the stories would flow.  We remembered things and people from the past.  Some still with us and some long since departed.  There was always a Grandmother Butler story and probably a Jordan story or two!  There were snacks, crackers and Grandma's cheese ball, if Aaron and I hadn't already devoured them.  And when it got late, nobody wanted to go to bed because that would mean breaking off the closeness that we all felt in that moment.  The moment where you soak in the idea that these people know you and love you.  You belong there.         

Now the cousins have grown and there are new cousins and baby cousins and jobs and far-away places.  We don't get to be together much at all anymore.  But those years were the sweet years.  Sweet as mint punch. 

Now my oldest is headed to her grandma's.  Nana time.  Now it's her turn.  I wonder, what smells and tastes and sounds will bring her back to these years?  What will her memories hold?  Frosted Flakes and the swimming pool?  Rides on Papa Joe's motorcycle and time with Aunter?  The hot New Mexico sun and walking down to see Grandma and Pa?  Whatever they are, I pray that they cling in her heart, just like mine.

(I will post the Mint Punch recipe soon.)

Snow babies!

We have had incredible winter weather this past month.  I have, in the past, seen it snow a lot more here on the prairie.  I have never seen it colder here.  -30 wind chill!  That is cold.  Pipes freeze, wind blows and heaters can't keep up.  But my kids always find a way to look on the bright side.  I picked up Zaddok from school last week and he gave me his perspective on the weather. 

We were driving home from his school and he said, "Mama, it's a nice day today!" 

It was 4 degrees with negative wind chill because of the 30 mile-an-hour sustained winds.

Being the ever-sensitive mother I said, "What the heck are you talking about!  It's freezing and miserable outside!"

His little, sweet smile spread across his face as he gazed dreamily out the window.  "But the snow is so pretty!"

Then I got to see through his eyes. The snow glittered in the bright afternoon sun and the wind blew dancing currents of powder around our car.  The frost on the glass made an intricate maze of crystals across my field of view. 

I felt like a grump.  I let my own comfort determine what I saw in front of me.  Was it a nice day for playing outside, for gardening or for not wearing a parka?  Nope.  But it was still beautiful.  We had all been healthy, warm and fed.  I had nothing to complain about.

I said, "You know what buddy?  It is a nice day!"

Sometimes it takes a 5-year-old to teach me how to live.

 

In my 20's...

In my 20's, my baby weight came off quickly after I finished breast-feeding. 

In my 30's, not so much. 

In my 20's, I still felt cute in my jeans.

In my 30's, I am just trying to avoid mom-jeans. 

In my 20's, it did not hurt to get out of bed in the morning.

In my 30's, what in the heck is up with that?  I just slept.  Shouldn't I feel vibrant and ready to face the day.  Instead I feel like I slept in a suitcase.

In my 20's, I still held out hope that one day I would play volleyball again. 

In my 30's and after 4 children, I will spare you the details of my jumping/bladder issues. 

In my 20's, I never questioned wearing a pony-tail, shorts or giant hoop earrings. 

In my 30's, I am wishing to hurry and get to the mu mu stage so I don't have to wonder what is appropriate anymore. 

In my 20's, I would stay up way too late and sleep in as long as I could.

In my 30's, well, not much has changed there. 

In my 20's, I dealt with self-confidence issues and insecurities because I didn't really "know myself."

In my 30's, I figured out that "knowing yourself" is overrated and that if I were to quit changing and growing, I would be soooo boring!

In my 20's I had great big dreams for my life.

In my 30's, I realize that I am not living life for myself and pray that whatever I  do will be to His glory.  After all, my Abba knows the desires of my heart. 

In my 20's, I just knew I could take on the world all by myself.

In my 30's, I know how much I need the support of my friends and loved ones.  (Oh, and the only reason I would take on the world now would be to protect my babies.  I'm vicious!)

In my 20's, I never imagined being in my 30's would be so great!

In my 30's, I cannot imagine being 40!!!!!  

Just a little shout-out to my sisters in the 30-something club! 

*sigh*

Did I already post this?  If so, sorry, but I have to post it again.  This makes my heart happy!

He is into hats.  Everything is a hat.  A bowl works perfectly.  As I took this picture he was saying, "Haa."  Translation-hat.

This age is so busy and so fun!

Even the back of his head kills me!

That's it.  I'm dead!  Oooooh, love that little boy!

Thanks for listening to my doting. 

My heart outside of my body.

You have probably heard the saying, "Having children is like having your heart walk around outside of your body." It sounds cheesy but it is stinkin' true. Some days, I look at my babies and cannot even comprehend the amount of love I feel. I mean, mothers are supposed to love their children, but I think I might be obsessed. Take this series of pictures I am about to show you. Just looking at them makes me want to have more babies! The joy my little people have brought to me is just about unbearable. You mommies know the kind of joy I'm talking about. It's the painful, stressful, mournful, confusing, harassing, draining, anxiety-riddled kind of joy. Mom joy. We are a weird breed of people. The only way any of human-kind has survived is by the sheer will and determination of our mothers, not to kill us. It's hard to imagine that I will soon be stressed out and annoyed by this little booger. But that is what kids do, they grow up to annoy us. Mom joy. Ahhhhhh. There is nothing like it.

I had to wake my sleeping baby the other morning. It was very hard not to crawl in bed with him. He is very soft and squishy like a little warm pillow.


Just look how comfy he is. I just couldn't wake him. I could only photograph him. (bad lighting=fuzzy photo)


Oh my. He woke. With a smile. Oh, my heart.


Well, since he's awake, I will turn on the flash. It is not appreciated.


On second thought...maybe it's not so bad.


Still a little groggy.


But always happy and ready to start his day!


A day full of practicing ways to annoy his mother. Climbing onto the coffee table works Levi.


"What? I'm just helping out with the mom joy."


Abba, help me to love, teach and direct this baby boy into your perfect will. You are my desire for him. Hold his heart, teach him the fruits of the Spirit, grow his faith. Father, make him a man after your very own heart. Amen

I don't need my husband...

This summer we had to endure our daddy being gone for 4 weeks. It was tough. Mom was tired and impatient but we survived. Even though it took a ton of effort to keep it going, it reminded me of what I used to be capable of. I remembered back in the day, before I was married, I had to do everything on my own. I was very independent and very self-sufficient. So when our daddy was gone we did it all. I didn't need him to mow the yard; I learned to be really fast at it. I didn't need him to take care of the car; I figured it out or found someone to do it for me. I didn't need him to take out the trash; the boys have become excellent at it. I didn't need him to keep the kids; I hired a babysitter or used the help of friends. I didn't need him to dig the crud out of the garbage disposal or change the blow-out diaper; I sucked it up and did it myself. I didn't need him to pay the bills, lock the doors at night, or get me medicine when I had a headache. I just didn't need him at all.

You want to know the biggest thing I learned while he was away? I don't need him but I want him! I want him to be here with every cell in my body. I want his sweet daddy smile and his strong tender hands. I want his crazy sense of humor lightening my emotional load. I want his calmness and his kindness, his love and his affection. I want him as my best friend, the man who would do anything to make me smile. I want him as the person who listens to me and cares about every little dumb thing I want to talk about. I want him as the father to my babies who adores all of their quirks and puts up with all of the frustrations. I want him as the father who tears up just looking at his sleeping newborn. I want him as the father who prays over his children with the fierceness of a warrior protecting his tribe. I want him as the father who is teaching me how to let boys be boys and as the father who is teaching his daughter what to expect from a man who loves her. I want this man in my life!

I used to think that I needed him. It is such a sweet and refreshing thing to know how much I want him. I love you Matthew Vernon!

( Also Honey, even though I did all of that guy stuff on my own while you were gone and I don't "need" you to do it, I really WANT you to do it! Garbage disposals are disgusting, car stuff really confuses me, and doing all of this on my own is for the birds! Love you baby.)

A little announcement...

No I am not pregnant. Geez! Can't a girl make an announcement without people jumping to baby conclusions? Anyhow, most of you know that we are not homeschooling this year. Now before everyone exchanges bet money, this may or may not be a permanent decision. We really still believe in homeschooling. We loved so many things about it. It just became apparent towards the end of the year that I was not thriving in the environment. And that means that our kiddos just weren't getting enough schooling (by my standards.) I was very worn out and wasn't motivated to teach anymore. We took a lot of "off" days.

Now, they did learn. Asher is a reader! Jolie made progress on her math. We did lots of neat stuff. I evaluated them based on our state standards and they both did great. I just had very high hopes for my role as teacher. I feel like I failed. It was a bad year for me to enter into this daunting journey. Schooling two kids, (one who had to learn to read) entertaining a 4-year-old, and caring for a baby made for some long days! I know it's possible. Lots of moms do it. I just decided to take a year off, let my baby grow a little and give my kids the desire of their hearts and let them go to school. (I give em a few weeks before they are begging for sleeping in and school in their jammies.)

So I am excited for the new year and have already bought school supplies! I love school supplies. I know that the public school schedule will wear on us all. I know we will miss being together. We will miss having freedom. We might even miss mom being the teacher. I am praying for a growing year. I am praying that God shows us, as a family, what He would have us do next year. We believe in having control over our babies learning and want to have as much time with these little guys as we can. So we will see what next year brings.

Zaddie Poo-poo

Believe it or not, that is what I called him for the first few years of his life. Oh, there were others too. Zad Poo, Pooper, Poopoo, and my all-time favorite, Poop. Poor guy. We stick to Zadd or Zaddie now. I guess he will forgive me one day. His name had always been controversial and will probably give him fits. Most of our family still can't spell it right. Again I say, poor guy. But we chose the name with purpose. It was a name that meant something to us. Zadok in the Old Testament was a priest who chose to be on God's side in a very serious situation. Here is a link to the story. If there was any characteristic that I would want to make sure my babies have, it would be standing firm in what they know is right. We changed the spelling of Zadok (which is pronounced with a long a) to Zaddok so that it would be more pleasing to the American tongue but the meaning remains the same. Righteous. Not surfer-dude righteous but lover of God righteous.

Now, Zaddok the kid is a nut! He is the funniest most joyful little boy I have ever met. He loves just about everyone. He is a crazy wild boy who will come by and slap my hiney just to see if he will get in trouble. He LOVES his older brother and sister and would rather be with them than anyone else. (Except maybe Judah or Kyle!) He thinks his baby brother is cute but maybe has just a little bit of jealousy over losing his baby status. He gets away with everything. Not because I don't care but because I am 31 and I'm tired and because he really is too stinkin' cute sometimes. It's not just the cuteness but the sincerity in his eyes when he tells me he didn't mean to spit on his baby brother's head. He's got really sweet eyes. See...



Zaddok is the classic little brother. He wants to win and he want to win big. He will practice something until he gets it. Not because it's all that important to him but because he wants to WIN! He has the little brother temper. Quick to anger and quick to reap justice for himself. That will end in someone crying and it is usually him. But that's okay because five seconds later he will be laughing hysterically at something someone said. I would say his little laugh is like angels singing but it is really more like chipmunks freaking out. It often gets us all rolling on the floor and laughing with him! He is that guy in our house. He brings joy, hugs, giggles and rosy cheeks. He always has rosy cheeks. It fits his jolliness.

Zadd Poo, I love you more than you will ever know. I pray God's protective hand over you. I know that he has created you for a purpose and I can't wait to see what that is! You are my darling little man and I thank my Abba that he chose me to be your mama. Love you buddy.

Asher

Since I wrote a post about my eldest, it seems only fair to continue with the rest. And we must always keep it fair, right? I will tell you that when he was born, I was terrified. I had all sisters and my first child was a girl. Boys scared the crud out of me. It wasn't the blue clothes. It wasn't even the extra parts to deal with during diaper-changing. It was the maleness of it all. I was confused about how to love a boy. Did they want a hug and love from mom? Or did they just want to break things? Then, as I began to get to know him, I became a mom of boys! It was like I had never been anything else. I discovered that they want to hug and love and then break things! He made such an impression on my heart that God decided to give me two more of those mysterious creatures!

Asher has had the same personality since he was an infant. He is Mr. Cool. It takes a lot to get him riled up. Now that is not to say that he doesn't have his moments. They are many as he gets older. But his core personality is pretty chill. He doesn't want a lot of outside attention. He would rather hang out by himself than get mixed up in something he doesn't want to do. He has a super-high pain tolerance. He has had horrible ear infections that we didn't know about until he lost his hearing and we took him to the doctor. See how cool he is...


Another part of his personality is his eye for the small things in life. He is a detail man. This kid can remember the little things that I don't even see. He loves cars and can appreciate a well-shined wheel or a cool new color. I am very thankful because now his daddy has someone to talk cars with who will actually be excited when he points out a sweet hot rod. (I think there are some cars that are cute but don't really feel the excitement that my guys do!)

There is one aspect of being a detail guy that makes it frustrating on mom and dad. It is the perfectionist side of this kid that can drive us crazy. With anything he does he puts us through the ringer. He doesn't want help but he wants it perfect. Most of the time, it ends in tears. Asher cries too. But there are those times that he actually gets it the way he wants it and does it himself. When that comes together you can see the pride in his eyes. I know that as he gets older, he will need less help from us and his independent spirit will make him successful in whatever he wants to do.

My first son has changed me. He has given me a whole new view on men! His love for his family is great. He will curl up in my lap for a few minutes, like he is recharging his battery. He can be rough and tumble but then turn into tenderness. He will be my baby boy forever. I am praying that God will give me the grace to enjoy him while he is mine but to prepare to let him go when God sends him his soul-mate. That sounds horrible now! I know that one day it will be right. And that gives me a new appreciation for my mother-in-law!

Asher Vernon, I pray for you that God will guide you into being the man he created you to be. He has made you so unique. I pray that you will seek Him in all you do and that His word will be written on your heart. I love you baby boy. Thank you for making me a mom of boys!

Haiti

This evening we celebrated the beginning of Sabbath with a simple meal of fresh veggies and homemade bread. Our daddy is at work so we had to light our candles without him. We had some Newman O's for dessert. If you have never had them you must try them. Like Oreo's but better and better for you. (well, as much as a cookie can be I guess)

I am just sick tonight as I watch the things unfolding in Haiti. Such a poor country and so ill-equipped to handle this. In a way I can see the light being shined on this country as a blessing. There are so many children living in extreme poverty. So many who have been forgotten. I pray that these babies get the help they need and have needed for a long time. Oh God we cannot begin to understand your ways but we trust in your sovereignty. Adonai that you would surround the least of these with you glory and your healing. Lord provide your peace for those who have lost their families and for those who still don't know.

Oh it is so hard not to feel guilty for sitting here in the comfort of my home with my babies safely tucked into beds. I have to examine my attitude and the things that I find it too easy to complain about. How could I even have any worry? Even if we lost everything, we still live in a place where we could find help. We live in a place where people have plenty and are willing to give. We cannot even comprehend what it would be live in a place like Haiti. I know Katrina was bad and there were many horrible things that happened but help was there and people were rescued. In Haiti, even when people are rescued, where is the help? Everyone is suffering. Everything in in ruins.

We just have to pray. Pray without ceasing. Pray for mercy. Pray for miracles.

Total meltdown?

So I was away for the week and let me tell you, it was refreshing! Our church starts each year with a season of prayer and meditation. It is a time for trusting God's direction for our lives, our families and our communities in the coming year. We are asked to fast in an area of our lives that might just have too much control over us. My fast last year was coffee. (Seriously, coffee has the ability to control me!) This year it was the computer. I had no idea how much time and energy I wasted with that thing! It was a good wake-up for me. I got more done in my day and could really focus on the things God has called me to. So my fast is over and I am back on the computer with a renewed sense of how to use the darn thing. Anyhow, that is why I was off for the week. I would recommend it to anyone!

To continue to the next topic, I am a horrible mother. I do nothing but gripe at my children. I have no patience and might just sit in the middle of my kitchen floor and cry. Please tell me that you all have felt the same once or twice before.
We are having issues. Can you tell from the post above? Call it pre-spring fever, call it mama is tired, call it AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! Any of those would be accurate. Now is the time for me to remember why God called us to this decision to homeschool. (It was not because it was going to make my life easier and give me loads of free time.) Matt and I did a ton of research and talked to lots of people before narrowing our reasons down to these basic things...

1. We did not like the state being able to tell us what to do with our kids. We wanted to be able to take them where we wanted when we wanted. While we understood the point of attendance policies, we did not like being made to feel guilty for removing our kids from school for a few days.
2. We did not have time after school to teach the things we really valued like Bible and real-life learning. These things were the things we wanted our children to know above all other things.
3. My husbands schedule is crazy. He works different hours all of the time. We hated the weeks he didn't get to see the kids because they were in school when he was home and he was gone when they got home. It is nice to have the whole family at home at the same time.
4. We wanted our kids to be involved in extra-curricular activities but got so tired of school all day and activities all evening. My kids were so tired and we had very little family time. Now we are together all day so I don't have to be jealous of the time they spend away in the afternoons.
5. Our daughter, who is very intelligent, was becoming increasingly disenchanted with school. She was being left to do word-searches while the teacher helped the kids who struggled. My little girl who once loved learning was losing interest. We had to take control of her learning and give her more opportunity to be challenged.
6. My son is a very hands-on learner who loves building and is very active. We did not want that to be squelched by the classroom. We realized it was impossible for a teacher to allow boys to be boys in a classroom of 22 students. We can allow him that freedom at home!
7. We really believe that God has given us the responsibility of our kids learning. Some people feel comfortable giving that to the classroom. I wanted to see it for myself. I wanted to be certain my children were learning what I wanted them to learn and really getting it! There are so many opportunities for extending learning.
8. Finally, we wanted to be able to give our children a firm base of confidence and ability before we sent them into the world. We hope that with a few good years at home, they will be well-equipped to go into the world to be what God created them to be and not be lured into what the world wants them to be. We still do a lot of praying!

It is so good to revisit those things. A lot of you have asked me why we chose to take this on. I hope that gives you a good idea of our reasoning. Knowing these things does not make it easy and we struggle everyday. But, we are getting better! I hope all of you had a great week. I missed my journaling/blogging/therapy time while I was fasting. I will be writing to you tomorrow! Be blessed.

Beans and Cornbread finally!

And it was gooooood! I am really trying to lose the post baby pounds. It is a slow and tedious process(the 10 pounds of homemade toffee I ate at Christmas did not help my cause.) But beans and cornbread hit the spot and are very good for you! Well, mine was good for me. Matt put a half cup of butter on his cornbread. It looked like icing on a cake. Plus he put cheese in his beans. I put onions in mine. It is just not fair. He stays fit and trim while I remain (only slightly really) rounded. He gets to eat those yummy Reeces trees from Christmas and I have to grin over a cup of coffee. (For those who are not familiar with my coffee replacement diet, it is really very self-explanatory. Replace everything tempting, snacky and delish with a cup of coffee. It is very effective.) Enough about my miraculously svelte hubby.

Okay, I just have to say:


If that doesn't make your reproductive system go pitter patter I just don't know what will. Anyhow...

Today was an "I'm leaving as soon as Matt gets home" kind of day. Not that the kids were naughty or stressful, I just get that urge from time to time. I begin to feel caged. Winter is just so hard. The kids get ornery (I had to look that one up) and I get grumpy.

To fend off the crazies, I did a craft with the kids. We painted and stickered little cardboard trinket boxes. It was time-consuming and the kids really got into it. Now we have these sweet hand-painted boxes that will probably end up crushed or under the bed. How many things have we lost to crushings or the under-the-bed, time space continuum? One can only imagine. At least they had fun making them. Tomorrow we have a play date for the boys and cousins coming over. Then in the evening we have our annual Mullins/Emmitt crud we don't want anymore exchange, oh, I mean white elephant gift exchange. What should we cook for dinner? Any ideas? Post a comment with dinner or munchies we could have for our New Year bash. I want something easy. See you all in 2010!