I've been away from blog land.  It's Spring Break and I've been hanging out with my kiddos...

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I was crashing and crashing fast.  After a reeling and wild holiday season, coupled with surgery for my youngest son, my house was spinning out of control.  I was sleep deprived, short on energy, and short on hours in my day.  My husband was traveling so much of what was on my plate I had to do myself but he was so sensitive about my state.  His solution?  I needed help.

BUT I DIDN'T WANT HELP.

I was proud confident in my ability to run my household myself.  I was convinced that I shouldn't need assistance with my duties as a wife and mother.  I've always worked under pressure.  I've always been able to keep more than a few plates spinning.  In fact, I love the adrenaline rush from just meeting a deadline.  I liked my life and didn't want anyone else in the picture to share the glory job that was supposed to be mine.

I listed off all the women in my life that don't have help.  All of the women who I know to be superwomen or who would get help if they could but can't afford it.  Whatever their case may be...it was mine too.  I like being a superwoman and I CAN'T afford it.

Besides, we had tried helpers/babysitters here and there over a few years and it just drove me insane to have someone else in my space.  I'd clean up before the cleaning people came, or I'd find mindless activities for the person to do while I cleaned up my kitchen!  I was too embarrassed to let someone clean my bathroom, and I didn't like the idea of someone vacuuming my floor - they didn't do it like me!  Even when the helper was available to spend some time with my little ones so that I could do other things that only I could do, my heart would race at the thought of someone else endearing themselves to my boys.

This is all from the same lady that 15 years ago dropped her baby girl off at the sitter at age 3 weeks and left her everyday all day from 7am to 6pm.  This is all from the same lady who hired cleaning people to clean an 800 sq. ft. apartment.   Maybe the pendulum swung too far the other way?

I sat in front of my computer following that discussion, paying bills into the wee hours of the morning.  Somewhere between 2 - 3 am, I sighed and verbally said to the Lord, "If you want me to have help, you are going to have to bring the person to me". 

Enter Emerald, the Angel in My Backyard. 

Emerald, I know you are gonna hate this photo.
Take a good one next time you come over and I'll replace it!

I know Emerald from my church.  I lead Praise & Worship every now and then and she sings with me.  Well, Emerald called me one day out of the blue and left me a message.  I didn't think anything of it but I did wonder what she needed as we were not currently working on any upcoming ministry.  I received another message from her later in the same week.  Seeing that the phone calls were a little out of the ordinary, I called her back promptly after the second message.  Emerald told me that she'd had a dream that  she was at my house helping me with the boys.  She wanted to know if I needed help.  You know what my answer was.  Emerald went on to say that the next morning after this dream, she went to work and got laid off.

Oh, I get it.  She needs some extra money and she thinks I'm rich.

I flat out told her that although Jessie would love for me to have an extra pair of hands, we really didn't have any money for that right now.  Emerald told me that she still wanted to help me.  She felt that her dream was from the Lord and had nothing to do with money.

WHAT!?!?!? OK Lord, what are you trying to pull?

We agreed that she could come and visit a couple of times during the holidays to help me get over my hump and to see if she would like hanging out in our household.

That will be the last straw.  Once she gets here and sees firsthand how "nutso" I am, she'll never want to work here.  Ms. Emerald will be blasted by the severity of my Type A-ness and run for cover!

So Emerald came.  She saw.  She worked.  She came back....?  She came.  She saw.  She worked again....and then asked me about working out a regular schedule for the upcoming months.

OK Lord, so you are gonna FORCE this down my throat?

We agreed to continue on our little journey together and I told her I would get back with her on the amount I could pay.

Surely, that will be the end of the road...

I came back to here a week later with an ungodly, low hourly amount.  She said that was fine.

Unheard of...

So, Emerald has been coming, every week, to help me.  She is nothing short of amazing.  She gets "me" and seeks to do things around the house the way I want them done.  My kiddos (teens and tots) love her and she has been nothing short of a Godsend.

Emerald is in school and needed a REAL job to pay for tuition, books, cell phone, and car pymt.  She works 20 hours a week at that job and still helps me for the measley amount of money I can give her.

Lord, you are nothing short of amazing...

Not only did he bring me Emerald to me ( I never in a million years would have thought of her as a helper option - even if I was looking), but he brought me just what I needed.

Emerald has now been helping me for two months.  She has made things flow smoother throughout our day.   She has a knack for things that embellish what I'm doing in my home and with my children.  Emerald always goes the extra mile.  She is a hard worker and doesn't mind doing ANYTHING I ask her to do (but I still haven't had her do my bathroom).   I am blessed.

I don't know how long the Lord will allow me to keep her but I needed her NOW and I'm grateful for His gift to me.  He knew what I needed for this season.



So, I know you are asking...WHY IN THE WORLD IS CHRYSTAL TELLING ME THIS!?!?!

Two reasons:  First of all, we moms (especially homeschooling moms) have got to get off of this I-can-do-it-all kick.  As a recovering do-it-all-aholic, I am attempting to let go of the expectations I have of myself and rest in the Lord's expectations for me.  Secondly, God is in the business of showing us He loves us.  Who'd of really thunk that God would respond to my pitiful, sarcastic request for help at dark-thirty last November.

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I was busy making breakfast this morning.  I got a late start so my schedule wasn't quite going as planned.  As I stirred the oatmeal, my little ones were running a bit wild looking for stuff to get into.  I repeatedly grabbed one off my bed and instructed them to stop jumping, or grabbed a pen out of a hand to stop the writing on the wall, or shooed someone away from the computer.

But when I couldn't find my youngest, I wasn't prepared for this!

Who knew that all of my hard work in teaching good hygiene was sinking in!

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when nothing goes right.  The baby had a blowout.  We were at a therapy visit and I had just cleaned out the baby bag and hadn't replenished it with a change of clothes. UUUGGGGGGGGHHHH....

Oh well...I had to clean him up, put back on his shirt, and then...

I had to wrap his diaper-only bottom in his coat.  I was so embarrassed to leave the hospital with his bare feet dangling out below the bottom edge of the coat.  Then...we came home.  He had fallen asleep.  He is one of those that can thrive WAY past naptime if he gets a 15 minute power nap. 

This is a look of him after we pulled into the garage.

Then I came home and tried to work on a project that needed me to print.  You guessed it...my printer wouldn't work.

These days just happen.  I'm trying to remember that these days happen.  I'm trying to remember that tomorrow has the hope of being a bit better :))

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I have to say that I'm enjoying getting to know my new neighbors.  Many times I am considered an odd-ball amongst friends IRL.  It's nice to know that there are other like-minded people in the blogosphere.

Today I visited one of my favorite places.  Katherine at Raising Five wrote a great post called Keeping Score.  I can't say how timely it was.  Take a peek.  I hope it blesses you like it did me.

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It's Frugal Friday over at Crystal's Blog and I think I've stumbled upon a tip that's worthy of sharing.  Last month over the holidays I travelled quite a bit.  I needed to use my cell phone to get numbers to places I didn't have contact info for.  I just got my cell phone bill.  At $1.80 per call, let's just say they rang up royally.  Can you say $35 in Directory Assistance?  Ugh....

Anyway, yesterday I logged onto Yahoo and found an article detailing where you can go to get 411 assistance for free!  What's the catch you ask?  Well, on some calls for assistance you may have to listen to a 10 second advertisement.  I think that is WAY better than $1.80!  Tried it today and it worked great!  Click on the link for more info.

Be sure and visit Biblical Womanhood for more Frugal Friday tips!  Read Crystal's tip and then make sure you see all the other tips listed at the bottom!

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There are lots of places these days to find more great blogs that inspire and encourage you... Check these links out!  (Click on the pictures for more info)

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You may have been wondering what I'm doing since I haven't posted in awhile.  Well... I've been trying to be a good steward of my time - computer time that is - and I've had something else to do with that computer time....

Play with my new computer!

I went and bought myself a new computer...a MacBook to be exact.  I've been moving files, learning my way around the Mac system (I'm a long time PC user), and just getting acquainted.  I need to name her.  (Yes, I've decided it has to be a her cuz I'm in love and I couldn't be in love with another man now could I :)

I'm open to suggestions for a name.  I'd love to here your ideas.  She's sleek and thin (my idol).  She's also  BLACK!  I've already had a car named "Black Beauty" so don't suggest that.  Anyway, here's a picture of her!

So, hopefully, now that I know may way around a little better, I will feel more comfortable spending time blogging.  I almost feel guilty about not keeping up.  I know that the 10 of you who read have missed me!

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Today I got busy putting away my Christmas stuff.  I was determined not to go past a week after the new year with Christmas decor still staring me in the face.  I will never forget the year my tree was up until MARCH!....

I didn't have much to remove this year.  Because of our being in and out of town the month of December, our Christmas decor went only half unpacked so the cleanup was a breeze.  I packed away the ornaments, garlands, and other doo-dads in plastic grocery bags and put them away in storage containers.  I took down the Christmas artwork from last year....yes...my three year old's holiday art work was up a whole YEAR.  I was too lazy couldn't bear to take it down :)

Last but not least I took down the tree.  The box it came in has become a little beat up so I asked hubby to purchase a tree bag from the Container Store.  It definitely holds our tree but it is HUGE. 

The box was hard to deal with but it kind of "smushed" the tree down to a manageable size.  This new contraption might be a bit harder.  Oh well, my boys enjoyed the new bag!  They even got a ride out of the deal when I drug this monstrousity out to the garage!

I'm looking forward to getting back to normal.  I'm looking forward to starting the new year!  I'm also looking forward to blogging about it!  I've been a little hit or miss through the holidays and I'm glad to return to daily (or at least semi-daily) blogging!

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The holidays are drawing to a close and I welcome and dread the coming days of the return to routine.  Routine is my friend.  It allows me to accomplish all the things required of me as a wife and a mother.  It allows me to make time for the things most important to me without forsaking other things not as enjoyable but necessary.

The last couple of weeks have been full of spontaneous activity.  I've tried hard to lay down my love of schedule and spend impromptu moments in the bed watching TV with my oldest, or rolling on the floor w/toys and boys.  I've tried to get some rest, all the while staying up late to finish things that were on my heart for this season.

I have a love hate relationship with "breaks".  I need them.  I want them. However, they make me lazy.  I get used to things being a little slow, a little helter skelter, and a little fun-loving.  Taking it easy during the holidays makes our laundry a little behind, or meals a little more thrown together, and our activities a little more FUN.  There is time for board games (should have played more).  There is time for watching the complete season 1 of Little House on the Prairie.  There is time for making ornaments (that still need to be painted).  There is time for trying new recipes and ordering takeout b/c those new recipes weren't so good.

I am thinking about my new year and what the Lord would have me to change.  I sense that He would like for me to return to my routine with an eye on opportunities for spontaneity.  Basically, looking for Him during the day and opportunities that He would have me to take. 

Routine and discipline are important.  The Bible speaks frequently about discipline and the need for hard work to make life prosperous but the BIble also speaks about being sensitive to the Spirit and making sure that we do what is important to Him.

My thoughts this last week of the year are on getting back in the groove, inviting my routine back into my life, ceasing laziness and disorder.  My thoughts are also on being open to the Spirit and settling His groove, His routine, and what is important to Him.  God give me BALANCE!

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On This week we made it an ALL DAY AFFAIR.  Hubby came along with the kiddos and we drove out to the mall.  We arrived in time to eat lunch.   Now I told my hubby all day but next time I think I'm gonna have to clarify what ALL DAY means!  We ended leaving at 9pm! 

I don't think it was my intention to stay that long.  It just kind of happened.  We have a teenager and she just shopped til she dropped!  My parents (Poppy and Nonny) eventually showed up, encouraged us to stay for dinner, and made us want to hang around a bit longer.

So back to the beginning.  At lunch time, I tried to do good, but let's face it...good is VERY difficult at the food court.  I'm always thinking about what food choices to make for my littles ones when eating out.  I think that next time we go out like this I will make the effort to either feed them ahead of time or pack them a lunch.  This will save my worry and my pocket!  I'll just have to get geared up for more thought and preparation before hand.

After eating, we bought the boys an all day pass to the Merry Go Round.  At $5 per kid, it wasn't a bad deal considering that the price for one ride is $2 per kid.  This was one of the best decisions we made for the day.  They must have ridden that things 20 times :)  So after we finished lunch we headed in that direction to let them have some fun before being confined to the stroller for awhile.

After lunch, we attacked the mall one floor at a time, starting at one end of the mall upstairs.  We walked the whole length of the upstairs and then took the elevator down in the last department store.  Then we proceeded to attack the bottom floor.  Although I'm sure my hubby was in agony.  He took it all in stride! 

There was lots of time for joking, laughing, and talking as we strolled around.  I timed our visit to the mall during the boys naptime so that we would have a guaranteed time for quiet and calm as we shopped!

We don't frequent the mall too much (preschoolers/toddlers are a lot of work in the mall) so my boys were in amazement.  So many sights and sounds.  It just brings my heart joy to see how excited they get about "Christmas Time" or "Kissmas Tiyam" as my 3yo says :)

When my Mom showed up, we were just about done but somehow her presence gave my 15yo daughter new energy for going in and out of stores!  So...we kind of called a meeting place and separated.  The middle of the mall at the big Christmas tree was the stop. 

A vendor was there selling one of the neatest toys I have seen.  We stopped there for awhile and played.  It is like a seated scooter with no motor or batteries.  It moves with wiggle power!  The salesguy told me it could hold up to 400 pounds so I decided to give it a whirl too.  This little spot held our attention for quite a while.

When my husband looked like he just couldn't take anymore, we all found our way to the foodcourt.  The boys were delirious, my husband was rolling his eyes, my Dad was looking overwhelmed (as my little ones were all over the place), and we STILL HAD A GREAT TIME.  It's all about being together.  Even at the end of a long day there was still fun to be had. 

Since we were so close...we took a few more rounds on the Carousel! 

Our last stop was the mall play area.  The little ones got to burn off whatever steam they had left.  My daughter got to lay around on her grandmother's lap.  My husband got to experience watching BOTH little ones in that crazy spot.  My Dad got to help my husband...and I to watch it all thinking how blessed I am during this special time of the year!  There is nothing better than family!

Great day!

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I just did thanks to Ronda "Rugby"!  Over at the Rugby Homeschool blog, Ronda "Rugby" has posted instructions for backing up a blog that can be understood by everyone - even the technically challenged.  Thanks Ronda!

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This week's stay at the Ronald McDonald House was once again AWESOME.  I worked harder this time than last time b/c I was the only person here to chase K.  As a benefit to being here alone with him though, I had naptime and bedtime FREE.  I watched TV which I never do and got some reading done. 

From what I understand, each room at the House is decorated with a unique theme.  This time I stayed in the "Red Room".  It had a bed and breakfast feel.  K and I rested well even though major construction was underway on two sides of the building!

The Red Room

Food was a focal point at the House just like on our last visit.  Dinner was provided EVERY night.  Tuesday night was a special treat.  The Chop House (similar to a Ruth's Chris) provided a five star dinner.

More food....

The chefs were dressed in their full attire as they set up for the meal which included CHEESECAKE (as if I didn't have enough temptation).  God watched out for me though.  When I went back for some, it was all gone!

Cheesecake is served!

Since Christmas is around the corner, the House was decorated appropriately.  I believe that previous guests decorated Gingerbread Houses which were still displayed in the dining hall.

Gingerbread Houses Galore!

My last night here, the House had it's annual Christmas Party.....MORE FOOD!

Best of all, Santa Claus showed up but K wasn't interested in him b/c he was too enthralled with Ronald McDonald!  K had a hard time choosing between Ronald and Barnery!

K and Ronald!

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I'm back in Philly again, my son has had his cast removed and also is undergoing intensive therapy 2x a day for the week.  It has been exhausting.  Every evening I have grand plans of blogging, reading, hanging with friends I have here, and pulling out my Pilates video.  Every evening I'm dead tired.  I'm writing this blog at 2am b/c I fell asleep in the TV lounge and just now got up to come to my room.  I remember wanting to watch the Biggest Loser and get some reading done.  The Biggest Loser happened but the reading didn't :)

The amount of sheer physical energy required for each day is unbelievable.  From getting an active 2 year old dressed, keeping up with him as he runs everywhere, choraling him into high chairs, getting him into his car seat, and going back and forth to the hospital for therapy, I am busy all day.  The effort is increased b/c he is wearing a splint in place of his cast which adds extra weight and bulk (the car seat becomes an ordeal) and when he is not wearing his splint I have to keep a really close eye on him to make sure he doesn't fall, play to rough, or stress his recovering joint.  Except a much needed break at naptime, I'm on all day and it is definitely wearing me out.

I'm truly grateful though.  Working with a great doctor at Shriners in Philly and awesome therapists is such a privelege and a gift.  We have not had to pay a dime for all of the great care we have received nor have we paid a dime for our stays at the Ronald McDonald House.

I miss my husband and children who are at home and I look forward to getting back there soon.  For now though, even with all of the extra work, I am enjoying the moments of solitude and rest that I am able to get while the baby is sleeping.  Soon enough, I will be back in full throttle at home with my attentions divided between multiple people and multiple tasks.  At least right now, even with the increased load with this one child, I am just focusing on one child :)

One day I look forward to coming back to this city and actually getting to "see" it.  I have a rental car and have found my way around a bit but haven't had anytime to sight see or hang out in the city really.  There is so much history here and rich character.  Everything is "old" and since I am studying US History this year with my oldest, I am anxious to rediscover history for myself by exploring the museums, landmarks, etc available in the city of Philadelphia.  Once we get some distance from Kanaan's recovery I'll have to come back.  It would be nice to bring my oldest here and enjoy the city with her.  Hmmm....maybe a Spring Break/Summer trip idea?

I toyed with the idea of getting out with the baby and just pushing him in his stroller while I saw a few sites and he slept.  Normally this wouldn't be problem cuz I'm one of those Mom's that still does "stuff" with children in tow but my son has been nursing a cold all week and it has been wise to come right back to our room so that he can rest in his warm playpen.

The week is almost over.  A couple more days and I'll be back home, blogging from my favorite chair in the living room.

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Things have been crazy the last few days.  Every night I go to bed wanting to blog about the latest happenings but...the latest happenings are wearing me out!  So, I'm blogging today about how I haven't had time to blog.  Isn't that a mess...

Hopefully later today I will get to post something interesting.

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Today, the weather shifted...true to Texas form!  We went from 65 degree wonderful weather 30 degrees with snow, and some ice.

My little ones were sick so we watched from inside.  Sister went outside to bring the weather indoors, bringing back a cup of snow.  Tre' was entralled.

He stuck his tongue in it...

Then somebody (SISTER!) suggested using the snow as "dip" to go with Doritos

The joys of childhood.  I'm glad we had one of these moments...even on a sick day :)

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Our Thanksgiving holiday started with a family outing to the Dallas Turkey Trot.  We did the 3 mile race.  The boys rode in the stroller, hopping in and out every now and then.

Back home to shower, change, and pack for our trip out of town....Can you say RUSH!!!  We are gonna have to figure out this for next year.

Off to my in-laws for TONS OF FOOD.  My binge apparently had one last leg (sigh)

Then off to Pine Cove for the holiday weekend.  This is a favorite place for our family to be.  We grew up going here every year.  My Dad would be the featured guest speaker and we'd also get a family vacation out of the deal.  Even now, as adults, we love going back and being together as a family.

As the weekend drew to a close, the females in our group decided to take a trip into town while our littles one slept.  We left them in the cabin with "Poppy" (their granddad) and took off about 2:30 pm.

At 4:00 pm, my Dad called me and said that the front door to the cabin was open and Tre', my 3yo wasn't in the house.  He checked everywhere and my son wasn't there.  Within 15 minutes of his phone call, Tre' was found and returned by the POLICE....he had been gone for TWO HOURS.

From what we can piece together, Tre' must have run out of the room and out of the front door, trying to catch us as we left for shopping.  My Dad was in his room with his door open and still didn't hear Tre' leave.  The police picked my son up at 3:15pm from some folks who had him for 30 minutes already. 

Tre' walked out of the cabin, off of the campgrounds, and onto the main road - a two lane rural road on which vehicles travel fast.   He was wearing a diaper....no socks, no shirt, only a diaper.  A car passed and he ran out into the road behind the car.  The car stopped, picked him up and took him to the nearest house on the road.  From there the police were called and the search began to try and find who this kid belonged to.  He wasn't taken immediately to the police station b/c this is a small town and he couldn't have come from too many places.

Finally someone was found who knew that the speaker for Pine Cove was my Dad and that he had brought his family with him.  The police brought Tre' back to the camp.  When I arrived and went into see Tre' he said, "MOMMY, I FOUND YOU"!. 

The police said he was a happy kid.  They could tell he had been crying b/c there were dried tears on his face but from the time they picked him up...he had been smiling and laughing the whole time.

Later that evening, I asked Tre' why he left the house.  He said, "I had to find you Mommy".

Can somebody say JESUS!!!!!!!

We are so grateful.  Words cannot describe how thankful I am that we are not still looking for him, that he was no killed on an open country road, that he was not picked up by some evil person,  or that he did not drown in the lake less than 100 yards away. 

Our son was in a perfectly safe place, with a perfectly safe person, in a perfectly safe area and still found his way into a dangerous situation.  It could have been so much worse. 

We truly have a great reason to be thankful this holiday.  My son is home, safe in his bed, and I have the privilege of being his Momma one more day.  My husband has his son, and his siblings have their brother.

If you are reading this....make sure you kiss your babies.  When I left my son that afternoon, I didn't know that my kiss to him before his nap would prelude such an event.  We just never know what's coming...make every moment count.

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We've started something new in our household.  It began with my oldest wanting to create a fun experience for the boys.  So, we all joined in and this is our first family Friday.  The boys enjoyed the popcorn - eating it AND watching it pop.  They also got the privilege of eating in Mommy & Daddy's room, on a Barney blanket, while watching a movie (CARS).  We all had fun.  And as usual, I was snapping away.

We watched and watched...the boys weren't really that excited...until...

It started POPPING!!!

Daddy and boys watching the movie :)

(I've got to start developing all of these shots, but this is so much FASTER than scrapbooking :).

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