Feb. 2, 2010 - Today is Chloe's Birthday!

My first daughter is 10 today!  She is such a sweetie and has had a fun day.  She decorated her birthday cake and is wearing a new birthday outfit.  The poor girl is sick, so she is more subdued than she would normally be.

And I have just finished making my school book orders for the next year.  And now I am eagerly waiting for the packages to start arriving.  I love this time of year when the books come in the mail and we are all excited by the mystery of the new stuff.  About the end of the year the stuff isn't a mystery anymore and we are just trying to get through the books, lol.  They wonderful annual cycle of homeschooling.

I ordered a product called The Flashmaster  that drills math facts.  I am hopeful that the children will finally get those facts memorized. 

I also ordered The Well Guided High Schooler planner and I am really looking forward to receiving it.  It looks beautiful and really useful.

And then I ordered all the basics.  Some new things that I have never tried and some things that we know and love to use with my younger children.

What is your current favorite homeschool aid?  Whether an encouraging book, curriculum item, teaching aid or learning aid?  Right now I would have to say Life of Fred math series.  And I have a suspicion that we are all going to love the Flashmaster.

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Jan. 26, 2010 - Fixed some things on my template

This morning I spent some time changing a few things on my blog template.  I took out extra bullets and added a weight loss badge.  I'm really excited to be losing weight and hopefully having a public badge will help to keep me accountable.

Not much else is going on here today.  School with the kiddos, catching up on housework, cooking.  You know the basics. 

I did exercise this morning, and I held Miss Eden while doing the exercise dvd.  I'm sure that makes it a better workout.  And she insisted on nursing during the cool down portion.  So while doing the cool down part I held her and nursed.  How many of you can say you nursed while exercising to a dvd?  And what is the weirdest place that you have nursed?  Sometimes as moms we have to do some crazy things, lol.

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Jan. 25, 2010 - Wow! How long it's been!

Time certainly slips by faster than I realize.  I can't believe it's been so long since I have written anything.  I'm hoping to start writing again, even though I feel I haven't got much to write about.

My niece just sent me this super cute graphic:


After she sent it to me I felt convicted that I haven't spent much time on my blog.  So, it's a new year and I am going to blog more often.  I would love to do it daily, but since my youngest is STILL not sleeping through the night, my tired brain can't think of all that much to write about.  I mean do you really want to read ramblings about the quest to find the bottom of the kitchen sink or the bottom of the laundry hamper?  And that is about all this tired brain can think about lately.  Well, and school stuff.  This is the time of year that my brain is constantly thinking about school stuff.  Thinking and praying.  Big decisions each year on what curriculum to buy. 

Well, that's enough of nothing for today.  Hopefully my next entry will be more entertaining or informative or......something. 

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Oct. 25, 2009 - Thinking Christmas....

Today I've been doing web searches with a Christmas-y mindset.  First I have been looking at things to make for gifts.  I always find way more ideas than I have time to make.  But it's such fun looking at them all. 

Then I started looking for a way to make a cute advent calender to count down for the children.  I have seen this one at Keepsake Quilting, but I don't have the money to order it even though it isn't that pricey.  So, I've been on the search to find something cute I can make for not so much money.

Here is what I have found so far:

• This is a cute one made of felt with a template.  It has pockets that are strung up and filled.  Very cute!
• Here are links to various other advent countdown ideas, including a toilet paper tube tree to count down.
• This link is for a Christmas tree pocket countdown calendar.  This is a fabric calendar and is a really cute idea!
• This one is made out of felt and is very cute.
• This is a cute idea for a garland style countdown.
• This one is a banner style and very cute.  A very simple design, it could be made really cute if the children help embellish it.
• Here is a scrapbooking version of an advent calendar.
• This one is super cute, little stockings to hang :)
• This is quite an elegant one.
• This site has a more meaningful design.  I really like it.
• Here is a simple design that is a long skinny banner type.  This one is not meant to be reusable.
• This link has the search results for advent at family fun magazine's website.

I'm sure that there are a lot more great calendar links out there.  But as a busy mom, I don't have time to search anymore.  I spent too much time today searching, lol.  Time that in retrospect I maybe should have spent in actually making a Christmas gift or two.  I am not really any closer to choosing a calendar to make either.  There are a lot of cute ones out there.  I'm just not sure if any of those are right for our home.

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Oct. 19, 2009 - My new favorite thing for skin!

About two weeks ago, little Eden got a burn from a space heater.  Yes, I know it shouldn't have been on with a baby about.  I could go into all that happened that led up to her burn, but I won't.  It happened, I felt awful about it and still do.  But sometimes you have to move on.

Anyway, I took care of her blister properly and it healed well and new skin formed.  Of course it happened when we didn't have much money, so I had to make due a bit with how I treated it.  Once the new skin formed I applied A&D Ointment to it at each diaper change, massaging it into the scarred skin.  I wasn't seeing any improvement though. 

I was running errands this past weekend and made a stop at Whole Foods Market.  I rarely get to make a trip there, but I needed a cloth diaper friendly diaper rash ointment available there.  I ordered some online but needed some now for sweet baby's bum.  While there I discovered this salve stick, Hemp Baby Salve by the Merry Hempsters.  I applies dome to Miss Eden's scar while putting her in her car seat.  Instantly some of the angry red went away.  I was excited and wanted to see what would happen with continued use.  I applied it several more times during that day and by the evening the rough out skin of the scar was sloughing off.  Now, a few days later the skin is just as soft as all the skin surrounding it.  It is still a bit pink but I'll just keep applying the salve until the pinkness is gone.  I am so impressed by this product because I was seeing no improvement in that rough scar skin with the other ointments that I tried.

I plan to keep one of these on hand in my medicine cabinet now.  And it was only about $4.50.  It says it can be used for diaper rash too.  I would love to try that in the future, because it is no mess application.

A second product that I tried this weekend and I really like is California Baby's Diaper Area Wash.  It smells "clean" and works really well.  I wish I had known of these products years ago with my first baby.  Better late than never though.

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Oct. 16, 2009 - Errand day...

Today is errand day.  I get to take Miss Eden to the pediatrician for a well check and shots.  I also get to go to Costco, woohoo!  I'm only kidding.  Costco is only fun if you have a whole bunch of money to buy the fun "extras" that they have there, lol.  I don't have bunches of money, there will be no extras.  But going with just me and the baby will be fun.  I also get to make a quick run into a craft store.  Well I hope it's a quick run, I just love craft stores.  I hope to stop at the thrift store if Eden will allow.  She isn't real big on shopping, lol.  And finally I get to mail off a package to a special Momys friend.

I'm sure there are other things that I'm forgetting that I need to do.  It'ss a good thing that I write most stuff down.

From here until Christmas, errand days will be quieter for me.  The children don't come in case I buy a Christmas gift for someone.  I wish I could buy everything all at once, wrap it and be done with it.  But my life doesn't work this way.  I always hope that it will for the next year though.  I don't give up, lol.

Well, I need to get the bills paid, the baby bathed and my loads of stuff together to take with me.  Hopefully tomorrow I can write about the new issue of TEACH magazine.  I just love that magazine, it's so edifying to me.  Have a nice day everyone!

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Oct. 15, 2009 - Wow it's been a while....

Life gets busy with a new baby.  I know I blogged while number 6 was a baby, but I guess because I was in baby mode still from the others, I adjusted better.  But with number 7, I have had a harder time adjusting.  It could also be that I'm older.....nah, it couldn't be that.

Life has been busy for me, as I'm sure it has been for all of you.  I have been reorganizing my planner to work for me now that life has changed.  You know that is one of the hardest things for me in having a large family, adjusting to changes.  When you have a larger than average family there are just more changes that take place.  Changes in who sleeps where, what each room's purpose is for, adjusting to different age groups.  And I am not one that does well with change.  That's funny because as a child we moved about every 6-9 months so I had a whole heaping lot of change to adjust to, lol.    No, we weren't a military family either.  Just moved a lot.  Anyway, now that I'm older I realize that change isn't an easy thing for me.

I've also been doing a bit of Christmas planning.  This year will be mostly hand made gifts.  Handmade for each of our extended friends and family.  And handmade for my children.  As my bank account balance gets smaller my creativity and industriousness need to increase.  It's a good thing that I enjoy making things.

Yesterday I put up coat racks in my hallway for the children's coats.  We have needed something for our coats for a long time, but I keep thinking that the children could just hang them in their closets.  Well after 15 years of coats not getting hung up and needing to be re-washed because they were walked on on the floor, I finally realized I NEEDED a coat rack for the children.  So, I found some pretty ones on clearance and I hung one for the boys and one for the girls.  I am hoping to find a matching one with only two hooks to hold me and my husbands coats in between them.

Now I'm trying to solve our cat box problem.  Our cat has decided that he doesn't want to use a litter box anymore, he now wants to use laundry.  We have tried making him and indoor/outdoor cat, but he only stays at the door meowing and clawing all night long.  It makes for a really long night.  I don't want to take him back to the shelter so I'm trying to figure out a solution.

You know, I don't see a need to buy puzzle books to do for fun.  Life has all sorts of puzzles for us to figure out on a daily basis. 

Well the phone is ringing so I need to scoot.  Hope to see you soon!

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Jun. 23, 2009 - TEACH magazine :)

I just got my copy of TEACH magazine (TEACHmagazine.com), woohoo! I am in the midst of some not so happy things right now. This issue has spoken to my heart. Mrs. Lorrie Flem wrote an article called "Ordinary Obedience Following Flubber". Don't let the title fool you, it is not a silly article. It spoke directly to me as I'm currently struggling with dealing with certain emotions I'm having in a Godly way. This issue has really blessed me. I wrote more, but lost it. Since it is not so easy to type on my cell (no computer again) I'm not re-typing it, lol. I suggest that you get a sample issue, I know it will bless you too. :)

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May. 28, 2009 - The Joys of Banking

Today I checked our finances online (I love to say finances it sounds like their is actually money their to manage.) While checking things I discovered the bank did something wacky. It's times like these that I wish that my husband would take over our finances. I am really not all that great at managing our money. Right now I am using my cell to type this so if there are any mistakes you know why, lol. Well, it's time to get lessons started. Hopefully soon I'll write a "real" blog entry.

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Apr. 28, 2009 - Crisis Cleaning and other things....

Today I am crisis cleaning.  Now, I don't mean cleaning like crazy because I'm in a personal crisis and need the therapy, lol.  I mean my house is in a crisis and it needs therapy, lol.  The reason my house is in crisis mode is because after I had the baby I spent the next  months enjoying her and dumping stuff like crazy in our "extra" room.  Then when I went to start to clean that room the stuff ended up spreading all over the rest of the house creating a "crisis".  So, now every room needs serious help and because I tend to be housework ADD, I am using Flylady's crisis cleaning method.  Which works wonderfully and yields a nice clean home most of the time

Here is the method in short:

1.  Clean 3 different rooms or areas for 15 minutes each.
2.  Take a 15 minute break.
3.  Repeat until your home is livable again

So, while we are doing crisis cleaning, school will be put aside.  Or should I say the children are having home ec/life skills training for school today, lol.

Oh, and part of the disaster is the seasonal clothing switch.  Washing/sorting/storing the winter clothes, and sorting and washing the summer clothes.  Yes, I'm weird.  Even though I washed the clothes before storing them last fall, I'm washing again before putting them away in the children's bins.  I'm really not a super neat-freak, but on some things I'm kind of wacky.


Oh, and here is a tip for today:
Use a spiral bound index card thingy as your prayer journal.  You can write individual requests on the cards and they will stay together.  Then when one is answered you can write how, remove it and put it in an index card box to read later when feeling discouraged, or like your prayers aren't being heard.  You can also use one for your memory verses to keep them together for easy review.

Well, my 15 minute break is up so I get to go make a dent in my mess again.

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Apr. 15, 2009 - Laundry tip for today....

I have a front loading washing machine.  This is actually my second one.  My first one had the notorious mold problem that front load machines are known for.  So for this one I decided to take preventative measures.  Last night before bed I popped in an Affresh tablet and ran a normal cycle on hot.  My machine smells fresh and clean this morning.  It didn't smell moldy before but it was beginning to get that washer smell.....you know the one they get after repeated use?  Now it smells just like new again.

I highly recommend   using this product or something comparable regularly in your machine if you have a front loading machine.

And my second tip for today.....always put away your clean laundry.  If you happen to leave it on your bed to put away later at a more convenient time you might be sorry.  For instance, I put a folded load of laundry on my bed and then plopped the baby down on my bed to change her later that day.  I finished fastening her clean diaper up and looked up into her adorable face only to discover that she was chewing on a clean pair of unmentionables

So, if you really need to leave your laundry until later to put away....don't change your baby's diaper next to the pile, lol.  Ummm, and also don't let your little ones climb up rambunctiously onto your bed and destroy all those beautiful piles.  Unless of course you really enjoy folding laundry

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Apr. 12, 2009 - I have been without a computer for a little bit

But my mother has very kindly offered to let me use her netbook for a little while.  I have to say I just love this little thing.  It's small and portable and really helps to limit what we can do online.  And that helps to limit our time spent online.  That is something much needed in our home. 

We will eventually get a new computer but for now at least I can keep up with email, internet friends and write an occasional blog.  Actually, I hope to write more than an occasional blog, I hope to write more regularly, but we'll see how that works, lol.

Well, I had better get going, life is ever busy.  My next entry will be about TEACH magazine.


See you soon.

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Mar. 3, 2009 - Woohoo!

Hooray!  Yesterday a new stove, washer and dryer were delivered.  I feel so very blessed.  It had been over a year since our dryer died and our washer has been leaking for some time.  They had been repaired repeatedly so we were ready for a new set.  Our stove was old and icky and when the oven went out about 6 months ago we decided to replace it and not repair it.  We just had to wait for funds.

All three are Frigidaire and so far I love them.  I'm washing my 6th load of laundry now and I love this washer so much more than my Kenmore He3t which was a total lemon.  It cleans well, takes up a smaller footprint and my girls can actually transfer the laundry from washer to dryer with this set even though it's stacked.  I was even able to wash my king size comforter in it, yay!  The stove is nicer than my old one, it's gas and has electronic ignition which is super nice.  I bought the least expensive front load Frigidaire washer/dryer set and I'm quite happy with it.  And the stove is a lower end model also. 

I feel strongly that you don't need the fancier models with the great colors and extra bells and whistles.  I try to remind myself of what I'm using the appliance for.  The stove is to cook, as long as it will do that without too much extra maintenance, than it's good for me.  The goal of a washer is to wash clothes.  I don't need 35 wash cycles and all kinds of bells and whistles.  It just needs to get the clothes clean.

So today feels like Christmas for me.

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Feb. 27, 2009 - Laundry tip for today

If you have a front loader you know that it can be hard to measure out the smaller amount of detergent that you need to use to get your clothes clean.  I grew tired of having gunky bottles etc.  So I cleaned out an empty dish soap squeeze bottle and filled it with liquid laundry soap.  Now I just squeeze the amount I need right into the little drawer and it's fast with no sticky mess or drips ever.

And here is a second bonus tip for those of you that might find yourself dryer-less.  You can still wash and dry your comfortors and sheets even when it's raining outside.  Just wash your blanket/sheet and then drape it over your bedroom door.  It will take several hours to dry but it will dry and you have saved yourself an unpleasant trip to the laundromat.

That's really all I can think to share today.  I'll try to get better at posting on here now that baby is getting a bit older.

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Jan. 3, 2009 - My TEACH magazine

The winter issue of TEACH magazine arrived right on schedule.  And I was eager to read it, but with a new baby, and Christmas, quiet time for this mommy was hard to find.  Even now my sweet little baby is letting me know that she isn't happy I'm taking a few minutes on the computer, lol.

But this past week I was able to enjoy my copy.  And I really did enjoy it.  I was dissappointed that my oven is broken and that I couldn't try the yummy looking cookie recipes.  But my oven won't be broken forever .  I enjoyed reading all of the articles and was especially touched by the article by Sally Clarkson (I hope I spelled her name correctly).  She always has a way of getting me to re-evaluate myself which I really need.  This magazine is really an encouragement to me, especially at this halfway point in the school year.  I need the renewal that this magazine brought me.

Well, I had better get going and snuggle my new little one (and change the diaper that has her so troubled).  I just wanted to share how much I enjoyed this recent issue of TEACH magazine.  If you are looking for a magazine to encourage you as you home educate than this is a wonderful magazine. 

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Jan. 3, 2009 - Sorry for the delay....

But baby is here!

She is beautiful.  The labor was no fun, my most difficult.  But well worth it  Once labor got started it was only 6 hours until she was born, so not long really.  She was 8 lbs and 21 inches long.  Her head was 14-1/4 inches so pretty good size.  The cord was wrapped around her neck 3 times, but it didn't affect her.  She let out a yell as soon as her head was out, lol.  She doesn't appear shy.

Her she is at birth:

And here she is at 4 days old:

 

She is currently about 10 lbs at around 5-1/2 weeks old.  No current pictures as I'm having computer issues right now, sigh.  But isn't she a doll?

 

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Nov. 25, 2008 - Day 5 overdue.....

Okay, it is getting harder to keep myself busy.  Yesterday I did cleaning chores (normal for any end of pregnancy woman, lol) and I made paper plate snowmen with my girls.  Then I made a crochet turkey that hangs on a doorknob from Annie's Attic free pattern of the day recently.  It turned out really cute, lol.  Then I made a scarf while watching a Christmas movie with my girls.  The boys spent the day playing with Dad.

Today I go to the doctor where she will perform a non-stress test on baby and an ultra-sound to check baby's condition, size and level of amniotic fluid.  Then she wants to set a date for induction.  Now I want this baby in my arms and out of my tummy, but if my body isn't ready to be induced (as it hasn't been and hasn't shown any signs of) I don't want to be induced.  Those types of inductions tend to be long and not have the greatest outcomes.  Yet at the same time, my husband has to be back at work by a certain date and so I have to deliver relatively soon.  And then there is Thanksgiving to think about. 

Well, I guess I'll spend this morning working on another scarf as I found a cute pattern that looks easy and fast.  I can't really focus on anything detailed right now.  And I will trust the Lord to work out all the other details that are clearly out of my hands.  This whole pregnancy the whisper of c-section has gone through my mind.  I've never had one, and don't want one.  I've had surgery before and recovering from it wasn't a fun experience.  But I have wondered off and on through this pregnancy if that whisper was the Lord preparing me for one.  As I go through this time and notice my body not doing any of the things it did with the other babies, I wonder more.  Soon I'll know for sure.

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Nov. 24, 2008 - Day 4 overdue

Today I am 4 days overdue.  And I am just sure that this will be the day.  Why am I sure?  Well, being sure that today is the day, is a lot better than sitting around upset that labor hasn't happened.

And part of me feels like it's me that has been preventing the normal beginnings of labor.  So today I am sure the baby will be born.

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Nov. 22, 2008 - Day 2 overdue....

Hmmm, what will I do today to keep my mind off the constant question of whether or not this will be the day.

So far I have written out my Christmas gift list and designed and printed out some labels on the computer.  I have washed several loads of laundry to take to the laundromat to dry later on today.  And I've done a load of dishes.

Not a whole lot, but something at least.  Yesterday I had some regular contractions, but nothing today.

So, other than my weekly laundry trip, what should I do to keep my mind occupied?  I have two crochet projects I would like to work on, but no yarn to do them, so that is out.  I could clean the garage with my husband, but I'm still too sore from my two mile walk with the dog yesterday.

I guess I'll just continue to focus on the laundry today.  And try to keep my mind off of food, because I have a serious case of the muchies today, lol.

 

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Nov. 21, 2008 - Today's encouragement

Mornings are not my best times now days.  I am stiff and sore and it is soooo hard to move.

So, this morning I'm hobbling over to the water cooler to refill the water tank on the coffee maker to make my dh coffee.  As I'm doing so, I'm mumbling to myself how hard it is to move in the mornings.  I look up and spy the artwork that we have hanging in our dining room.

The first one is a cross that says a portion of Psalm 46:10:

"Be still, and know that I am God;"

And under that a small picture with Philippians 4:13:

"I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

So, the Lord really blessed me by reminding me that I need to rest in Him, and that with His strength I can get through these last days of waiting.

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