Dec. 16, 2009 - His Eye is on the Sparrow...and our Coats
On Saturday, we did a winter coat shuffle in our house. Our oldest had the privilege of passing down his winter coat, which really still fit him fairly well, to his younger brother who was coatless. He was not exactly thrilled at being given the opportunity to give up his coat for another, but he did it, nonetheless. In return, I handed him a coat I had found at a consignment sale last year. Apparently, I hadn’t looked too closely at it when I bought it for $2…the zipper was broken and the hood was missing and it wasn’t in great shape…
Anyway, at church on Sunday, when I left the sanctuary to wrestle, rock Becca to sleep I saw a brand-new looking coat on the table in the fellowship hall with a “FREE” sign on it…my heart jumped!! I took a break from wrestling rocking and went to see…the coat would be a perfect fit for David!!! …and on top of that, it was a UNC coat, which David loves!
I just praise the Lord for his provision and for whoever was willing to pass their nice coat on to someone else, perhaps less begrudgingly than my eldest child did to his brother. I praise the Lord that He cares about the little things. I praise Him that He showed my son that He loves him, by not only providing a coat, but a
Dec. 15, 2009 -
Message the Movie
I've been waiting to post Bub's latest short on the blog as well. He's been very busy the past few months and he's looking forward to a productive year with many exciting opportunities. The song that comes to mind when I think of what he's doing is GOD WILL MAKE A WAY. 'He works in ways we cannot see....He will make a way for me. He will be my guide, hold me closely to his side.....' Love that song!
pure Faith ( low quality web version ) from Jivie on Vimeo.
At this moment the younger children are QUIETLY playing with toys in the room next to me. The two eldest are working together in the kitchen and dining room while I type - trying to think of what to write this Christmas. Christmas music is playing in the background, old time Christmas music......Sleigh Ride.....bringing back childhood moods.
I never posted many Thanksgiving photos....so I am doing that now while it is fresh in my brain space. Jo and I are getting ready for a special someones birthday. She/We will work on an airplane cake for the birthday child and he will feel SOOOOO special. That's the plan anyways......
We've got an idea for the birthday boys cake, as well as a fabulous idea for a Christmas cake. I'm especially excited about that one.........
Jo put this cake together for her Grandfather for Thanksgiving. Grandpa LOVES carrot cake, so she created the little ditty above as a special treat for him because he's SO SWEET!
Dec. 14, 2009 - Muffin Tin Monday ~ The Biggest Snowman Ever ...
I am happy to be getting back to Muffin Tin Monday. This week's theme is Christmas books.
We read The Biggest Snowman Ever for our Muffin Tin Monday activity.
I decided that it would be fun for the kids to make marshmallow snowmen for their muffin tin treat. I only used what we had on hand. It would have been nicer to use white frosting. However, my southern children never see enough snow to cover the dirt so all snow gets muddy quick. The "mud" on the snowmen seemed normal to them. LOL!
Clockwise ~ Chocolate kisses, big marshmallows, toothpicks, sprinkles, frosting, mini-marshmallows.
Blessings,
Dawn
Dec. 11, 2009 - Embracing Advent and Christmas ...
When we were becoming foster parents years ago, one of the social workers told the class that, if we loved the holidays. we may want to reconsider being foster parents. I thought that was the strangest statement. She went on to explain that Christmas stirred up all kinds of birth family memories and troubles in the child and then the child would act out. In my naivety, I thought that love and a really magical Christmas would wipe all those concerns away. Shortly after we became foster parents, we got our third placement, a little girl (20 months old) who was cute as a button. She was a Christmas baby (born just three days after Christmas)! We did the holidays up in a huge way that year! All the trimmings! Because we had two foster children that year, we were given many gifts through a foster angel tree as well as by our family that were excited that we finally had our long awaited babies. There was a sea of gifts that took up half the room.
The magic of Christmas scared our little girl. She became even wilder than usual. The next two years were a bit more toned down but much the same. Our dd acted out more and more. We would "lose" her around Thanksgiving and not get back a reasonable child until February. As the years passed and our dd was adopted, things continued to be very difficult around the holidays. We started to drastically play down all holidays and hide from the mall, TV and people and their joy at Christmas time. Sometimes we postponed her birthday for weeks, hoping that we could get her behavior under control enough to celebrate her birthday in peace. We became prisoners to her drama and chaos and began to dread the holidays. My Mother and I would start planning how to survive Christmas in September each year. It was a sad time indeed.
Last year when Goldilocks was nearly 8 years old, I felt that we had to establish a gentle routine for Christmas that allowed the rest of us to enjoy Christmas and left room for Goldilocks to enjoy or avoid, depending on her ability to participate on any given day. Instead of hiding from Christmas, we would embrace it, starting with celebrating each day of Advent in December. It was a radical move. Somewhere on the Internet I saw the idea of opening a Christmas book each day of Advent and reading the story to the children. I loved the idea. I added the idea of a special activity that the kids could do each night. I thought it would allow us to enjoy Advent but also not be different from our regular routine. We have storytime every night of the year, and the activity would be considered school time with Daddy (something the kids love). The same routine, just different packaging. To our relief, it has worked wonderfully. Advent books have given us many lessons. It has allowed Goldilocks to get used to the process of waiting for the surprise (now daily instead of waitng weeks for the big event). She has learned to deal with the disappointment on a small scale of it being a story she did not care for. She has learned that a flat package is not going to hold a live unicorn! It sounds funny, but this truly has been a problem that has caused major meltdowns in the past. Because there is something to open each night, the UPS man stopping often at our home with packages that must wait is not causing endless crying. She is getting used to secrets being okay and even fun when the parents are in control of them. Every night, she is learning the true meaning of the season: compassion, sharing, learning about Jesus, family togetherness, magical wonder, peace and joy.
The days are still rougher than usual. Goldilocks is on a slippery slope. She is having trouble getting through each day. Her behavior is getting pretty hard to deal with. Even her one-on-one worker and my friend who helps with her for a few hours a week are having a very hard time controlling her. But my family is enjoying the season in between Goldilocks's blow outs, and sometimes she is enjoying it, too.
Some pics from Advent ~
Setting up the nativity after hearing The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey.
Trying tamales after reading Too Many Tamales.
The kids made marshmallow snowmen after listening to The Biggest Snowman Ever.
Blessings,
Dawn
Dec. 10, 2009 - ~Yet another quick update......
The children were overjoyed seeing 8 boxes of cereal arrive and I was quite chipper with the price.....$1 per box!
I prayed before I left that the Lord would bless me with deals on meat. He did just that! Included in the savings were 2 large packages of drumsticks, 2 large packages of thin cut steak and 4 packages of smoked sausage! The meats totaled about $15 of the total bill.
Yogurt is always a necessity! I love making homemade yogurt and usually do that by the gallon, but I have not found the time to do this for quite a while now. We have been buying the yogurt (large size) and today were blessed with $1.00 off on each. True savings!
The total bill for everything on the table was $51.09. The total savings was $62.89. Tonight I am planning on making homemade soup using the carrots, cabbage, sausage, and some barley and spinach we have leftover. I think I'll make some homemade biscuits as well. The temperature is falling once again and soup is PERFECT in chilly weather!
Jo wants to bless us w/some sugar cookies for desert and I'm not sure if we'll have cocoa with that as well. I think we'll enjoy some warm food and cuddle up with a good book tonight!
The savings was recently depleted a bit and I'm focused on doing all I can do to help replenish those reserves! God is good and has once again provided opportunities for savings!
School has went well for our first week back and before we know it we'll be facing another short holiday. LOVE Christmas! LOVE the reason and meaning! LOVE family! LOVE all the good eats!
Now that's a quick blog update!
Dec. 9, 2009 - Grandpa's House
We took a family trip to Wal-Mart on Saturday. It reminded me why I usually shop during the week when the (seemingly) only other people that shop are a few momma's with preschoolers and the wonderful older generation. But, alas, we found ourselves there on a Saturday morning.
While gathering our groceries, the kids heard over the loud speaker that Santa Claus was in the back of the store from 10am-2pm. We don't "do" Santa around here. I don't have anything against the guy, I just knew from the get-go that I couldn't pull off such a wide-spread coverup with my kids...my practical side is too strong. So, from the beginning, I've just told them about the real "St. Nicholas" and that people just like to pretend that Santa Claus brings presents to everyone at Christmas. They're fine with that!
Their curiosity about Santa, however, was piqued. Sammy and Susie have never seen a Santa in real-life, they've only seen pictures, so the big kids wanted to go see him and show him to the little ones. So, we told Sammy and Susie that we would go see Santa and that he's a "nice guy" and he's "just somebody's Grandpa".
We then decided to go ahead and get a free picture with Santa just for the fun of it. Everyone was on board with the plan...until we walked around the corner and saw HIM. Immediately, Sammy said, "I don't like him." The big kids hopped in his lap and Santa took Becca (14 mo) from Julia...bad idea...and the screaming began. Susie and Sammy stood behind the camera and screamed while Becca sat in his lap and screamed. We took the picture with 2/3 of the kids and went back to find Daddy.
Sam and Suz recovered quickly from the trauma...and from then on, every time Becca fussed I heard Sammy rush to her and say, "It's ok, Becca, he's a nice guy...he's somebody's Grandpa!"...with much inflection.
Fast forward 3 days when we found ourselves back at Wally World because I had actually forgotten my list on Saturday...ugh!!! As we drove towards the empire, Sammy called up from the back..."Are we going to Grandpa's house?" It took many such inquiries before we figured out what he was talking about. Sam looked for "Grandpa" the whole time we were in Wal-mart. I don't think he even knows Santa's name.
...and now Santa forever will be "Grandpa" to us.
Dec. 8, 2009 - Another reason why to homeschool
#152 Promotion of Felony Crimes in High School Musical
Can you imagine your children being encouraged to practice a lifestyle that could give them diseases and cost them their lives? Only in our public schools can you get this teaching. When will Americans finally have enough?!!
Dec. 8, 2009 - Christmas Cookies ...
We are having fun baking around here this week. We started off with our favorite Christmas cookie, Chocolate Surprise Cookies. 
CHOCOLATE SURPRISE COOKIES
(bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees ~ makes about 8 dozen)
Purchase
8 dozen Hersheys Chocolate Kisses
Cream Together
1 1/2 cup of butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar
Beat In
2 eggs
4 teas vanilla
1 teas almond extract
Add and Mix Thoroughly
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teas baking powder
1/2 tea salt
1 cup very finely chopped blanched almonds
Refrigerate dough to make it less sticky. Form balls around each kiss so kiss is completely enclosed. The thinner the dough on each kiss, the more kisses can be covered. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet until starting to turn light golden color. Let cool -- These taste better that way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We made a DOUBLE batch (200 kisses) so that there would be plenty left over for Christmas gifts.
First the kids counted out 200 kisses using a tallying system.
Then the kids peeled the foil off the kisses.
Next we creamed the butter and sugars.
Next the kids chopped the blanched almonds.
Then they took a break for a sensory moment. Ahhh...feel the blanched almonds.
Now we mixed in the rest of the flour and such. This was about the time Mommy realized that she really did not have a big enough bowl for a double batch and she really NEEDS a Kitchen Aid mixer. The kids started getting really messy, and the dog started waiting for flying food to land at her feet.
After giving up on the mixer and Mommy mixing the dough with her hands, it looked like this.
The kids rolled kisses into dough and put them on a baking sheet.
Yummy loveliness! You can dress them up with some frosting and sprinkles if you wish.
Blessings,
Dawn
Dec. 7, 2009 - ~O CHRISTMAS TREE....O CHRISTMAS TREE....
One of our Christmas traditions is making Christmas cookies and I thought I'd share a few photos on the blog.
We had fun surprising the children with the tree and all the fixins for the cookies and cocoa. As usual, Jo headed up the cookie decorating and everyone had more than their fair share of yummies.
Gary and I made our homemade potato soup (which is a family favorite) and it was exceedingly memorable finding the handmade ornaments from years gone by.
Dec. 6, 2009 - Who Knew...
...that if you ask your 7-year old daughter to occupy your 14-month-old baby for awhile and she decides to spin said baby in a chair for 10 minutes, that said baby will lose her dinner???
Now we know...
