We enjoyed a visit from my Dad (Grandpa) last weekend and we all had such a good time! Hannah and I got to take him out on a special Daddy daughter date to Paradise Bakery where we had fun sharing our hearts, talking and laughing. I am so thankful for a man like my Dad. He means the world to me and I love him so much! <3 Hannah , David and Anayah came over and Hannah brought her special spinach crust pan pizza to share with us which was absolutley amazing! I have to say she is the best deep dish pizza maker around! ;) I made a yogurt cheesecake which actually to my surprise was pretty good! We figured since it was 80 percent less fat than regular cheesecake than we could have 3 pieces instead of one! After dinner Dad helped the kids carve a pumpkin that he had bought them. I loved watching the joy on their faces as they watched the master carver at work! Silas loved taking the seeds out of the pumpkin while Mireya and Jude looked on with disgust! As I sat and watched them laughing, asking questions and talking with their Grandpa, I told my Dad how special these memories would be to them. I remember as a child loving all the simple things that my Grandparents and mt parents did for me and with me. I remember my Grandpas LeFevre's jelly bean jar that he kept in his office. Every time we went to visit him, he would bring us the jar and let us pick out a jelly bean! I loved all the stories he would tell as we would all climb up onto his lap, and I loved his laugh, the twinkle in his eye and his smile. My Grandma LeFevre would always shower us with love and give us apple juice and let us watch cartoons. We loved her knick knack shelf, and would always ask to stand on a chair and very carefully hold each piece. Every time I drink apple juice I think of her.
My Grandma figgs would always rock us in her little pink rocker..sometime 3 of us at a time and sing songs like "Home on the Range" and" Take me out to the ball game" Every night when she would lay out our sleeping bags on the floor and after the last light was turned out we would all sit up at the same time and say "Grandma, we are hungry!" She knew we would ask every night, but she would patiently turn the lights on and make us all a piece of bread and butter! We would always pack lunches for my Uncles and Grandpa and take them to the shop since they owned a wrecking yard..yeah we were junk yard kids and couldn't have been happier! My Grandpa always ahd a smile and a twinkle in his eyes..his hands were always dirty and he always smelled like grease. He would always threaten to "thump us all", but there was never a sweeter guy around! Every time we showed him anything or told him about something he would reply with "I'll be darned!" I remember him giving us rides in his little airplane and in his yellow pick up truck.
I always thought I was special because I was blessed with 3 sets of Grandparents since my birth Mom passed away when I was little.
My Grandpa and Grandma Frymyer always had a special place in my heart also..I loved eating vanilla icecream with chocolate syrup at night with my Grandpa and watching tv with him. I loved his chuckle and how when he would laugh his eyes would dissappear. He seemed like a tough man, but Hannah and I always saw his tender, loving side. I miss him so much...I remember loving all the crafty things Grandma Frymyer would make for us. She was very talented with sewing and woodworking and would always bring us gifts. She also is missed and was very loved.
I could go on and on about my Grandparents...so many special memories. We even adopted a Grandma who was a wonderful German lady that we adored who had a sheep farm in Ohio. Her name was Mrs. Lutterus and what a fun time we always shared with her. We loved to go and help her in her garden, have tea time, play with the baby lambs, and help feed the sheep. She always made the most delicious feasts and to this day no-one can make meatballs like I remember her making!
Of all the memories I can recount with my Grandparents and of my childhood I remember the simple things the most. We loved our Christmas presents but the huge refrigerator boxes were the best! We had a big farm in Ohio with a huge hill on our property..so..we would get in the box and roll down the hill! We had hours of fun with what we called "summer sledding!" I loved walking through our hay fields, playing on the huge hay bales, swimming in our creeks, building forts, swinging on our big tree swing, catching lightning bugs, reading Christmas storied together as a family and taking long summer walks. I remember the smell of my Mom's fresh homemade bread when we came in frozen cold out of the snow, milking goats, gathering eggs, and most of all all the time we spent together as a family. Family movie night every Friday night was a BIG deal. We would spread a blanket out on the living room floor and eat popcorn, apples, crackers and cheese! Sure, I remember the trips to Dollywood, to the ocean, Sea World, Cedar Point ect. but those aren't the things that stand out. I think we need to remember as parents that the "BIG exciting things and opportunities may be fun and wonderful, but they aren't the most important. Tears come to my eyes when I talk to my children and they tell me that family time and their family is what is most important to them. We started a "Thankfulness tree" today where the kids and I made a big tree trunk out of poster board and colored it brown. I cut out a bunch of fall colored construction paper leaves and told the kids that each day of November we would each write one thing we were thankful for and pin it on the tree. Mireya wrote "My Family" and Silas wrote "Jesus" Jude wasn't quite as deep as he wanted me to write his "badge" which is just a little plastic badge for his shirt that says Sheriff on it. :)
I pray that through life I always remember what really matters. Through the pressures of life and keeping up with everything and making sure our kids have the "best" opportunities, experiences and adventures, let's not forget the small things and the things that will leave a lasting mark and impression on their lives.
So next time we think that our kids would love going to California Adventure land rather that digging in the mud and laughing with us..maybe we should take a step back and think again. Let's not discredit the specail times of cuddling, playing, reading, laughing and playing in the dirt. I want to make the most of these precious days making memories with my children. I want to look back and know that we took advantage of every day making it as special and memorable as we can, and just loving the simple things in life.
oops, having problems getting my pictures where I want them for some reason!
I can't sleep tonight..I have way too much on my mind. I feel buried under the tremendous responsibilty of being a Mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend, house keeper, cook, teacher, seamstress, doula ect.. I feel like I just can't do it. I don't know how to get everything done that I need to do in a day. I wish I had more time to sit quiet with my children and play games or just cuddle and talk and do nothing. I feel like life comes at me every day so quickly and I don't know how to slow it down. I fall into bed at night exhausted and wonder if this is how we were meant to live. I LOVE my life and wouldn't trade it for anything, but sometimes I think I am trying to spin too many plates and yet somehow I still feel like I am not doing enough and could still be doing so much more! AHHH...I feel so overwhelmed! I always feel so frustrated that I can't get everything done. Maybe it is because I have my agenda and I am trying too hard? I don't know... What can I cut out? I try to cut out house work, haha! but that just makes me crazier when it is messy! :p
When I think of life I think of the many activities and responsibilities of my days...making meals, dressing children, changing diapers, teaching school , ministering to the needs and the hearts of my children and husband, doing dishes, picking up, oops he got in the mud again..oops spilled milk..NO..Don't throw that in the toilet! What does the Bible say about being kind? Did you really get hurt again? Who cut up all the paper all over the floor? How many times have I told you not to eat popcorn on the couch? vacuming, sweeping, mopping, laundry..oh the laundry! It is such a monster that I can't keep up with no matter how hard I try!! No to mention shopping, meal planning, crafts, schooling, devotions, praying, time with friends, phone calls, classes, sorting through clothes, decorating for different seasons, packages to mail, cards to send, baths, pictures, organizing, homeschool groups, tap lessons, piano lessons,excersize, church activities, birthday parties, baking, ministry, blogging, e- mails-unfinished sewing projects, decorating projects and home projects!!!!! The list could go on and on it is so ridiculous! These are things that make life happen..the things that keep us going... the things I seriously LOVE...the daily monotony of life and the beauty of life.
Sometimes I just want to climb in a hole and be still and hear nothing but quiet. I know I am rambling..probably because I am tired like usual.
I don't know all the answers and how to organize my time and my days. I feel like I try so hard to stay on top of things, and I try to stay balanced and not be too busy, but it is so hard for me! Every day life without adding anything extra is busy! I want the peace of God to reside on our family. I don't want to be too busy where I miss out on the simple things in life...I want to take my guitar to the park and play while my kids run and have fun. I want to always have time for people and put God first. I want to sit on the couch and be still. I never want to be too busy with my plans that God can't change them..
".Please help me God to put you first. Weed out the things in my life that aren't beneficial to our family and to our lifestyle. I admit that I can't do this on my own..I need your help to be a balanced, organized person. I feel like I have so much on my plate, but at the same time I am not doing what you have given me to do very well. I don't want to do anything half heartedly. I give you my days and ask for wisdom to order my time. Use our family for your kingdom...shine in us and through us so that your name will be glorified. I love you Lord and I thank you that when I am weak then you are strong."
"When my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the rock that is higher than I"
Psalm 61:2
I can't sleep tonight..my mind can't help but wander to that night 3 years ago when our little Jude made his grand entry into the world. My eyes fill with tears of thanksgiving, gratitiude and the emotion of the experience we went through that night. I don't mean to exagerate or make this into something it's not.I know that there are women with horrible, painful birth experiences that mine can't even compare to. My heart breaks for those parents who have lost a child. I have never had to suffer such trauma and grief. I can't even begin to imagine the pain.
I praise God for His mercy in our lives and I know that Jude is truly a gift of God to our family!
So, let me back up before Jude was even thought of. :) After we had Mireya and Silas, Michael had mentioned to me that he was feeling like maybe 2 children was the number for our family. I, of course was very sad to hear this as I had always hoped to have at least 4. My heart felt heavy. We agreed to pray about the number of children that was right for us, and I had resolved that whatever the answer was that I would trust God and His plan for our life. I never wanted to have a child without Michael and I being in total agreement and I always wanted us to both " want " a child and not have one because we felt like we 'Should".
I don't remember how long it was after we had talked, but I remember Michael announcing one day that he wanted one more baby. I was shocked to hear this, and of course wanted to know why the sudden change of heart and make sure he really wanted this and wasn't just trying to make me happy. He explained and assured me that he really wanted another baby and was ready to start planning.
I remember how excited I was when the two lines showed up on the pregnancy test! I think I have always had to take at least 3 tests to make sure I was reading them right :) Sure enough we were really going to have another baby!! Number 3 was on it's way!!!
We decided to go the home birth route once again as my last birth with Silas was such a wonderful experience and a smooth easy delivery. We figured number 3 would be a piece cake, so why not have baby at home? I began seeing our wonderful midwife whom we loved so much and I felt very happy with the care I recieved and the relationship I had with her. Towards the end of my pregnancy however I began to get very fearful and I cried a lot and worried that something was going to go wrong. I prayed and tried to give these fears to the Lord, but they wouldn't go away. I talked to Sue (my midwife) about how I was feeling and she told me that it was good to pay attention to how I felt and that it wasn't too late to go the hospital route if I wanted to. I told her that I really wanted to have a homebirth and I think I was just getting nervous about the last homebirth experience that I had gone through. I remember talking to people and really wondering when it was going to be my turn to have something bad happen to me or one of my children. I don't know why I was feeling these things, but for some reason I was thinking that surely my life is too perfect and I was just waiting for something to go wrong. What terrible thoughts! My due date came and went and still no baby...I was getting pretty large and starting to get very depressed that my little one wasn't coming. I tried everything, and I mean EVERYTHING to get my little guy out! I danced ( rather wildly at times!) did tons of squats, drove on bumpy roads, walked really fast, ate spicy foods, had my membranes stripped, tried to do different labor inducing pressure points, swam, tried different herbs and teas..nothing worked!!! We had chosen not to have an ultrasound at all this time as long as my pregnancy was normal and baby and I seemed healthy. I remember thinking that I was having a girl..I guess I was wrong! :)
September 14th on a Sunday afternoon I went in to see my midwife. I told her that I REALLY wanted this baby out and she decided to strip my membranes one more time, only this time she was going to be" mean" is how she put it! She was quite rough, but it did the trick! I started feeling contractions fairly soon afterwards, My Mother in law took me to the mall and we walked and walked. I was starting to feel a little cramping which was wonderful! Maybe I was actually going to have this baby!!! I came home and Michael and I walked the neighborhood several times. I was definately having stronger contractions, but I knew I still wasn't in active labor. At about 5:30 pm I knew that this was it...there was no turning back now! I was definately in labor. I called my midwife and called friends and family to let them know the news. My sister Hannah was already with us, so we knew that Mireya and Silas would be well cared for which was so comforting! I called Sue to let her know that I think her "trick" had worked, so she headed over to check on me. When she got to our house she watched me have a contraction and afterwards smile and talk to her and she said " I think you are still a little too happy" She told us to call her when things started getting a little more painful and intense. I think it was about 8:30 when Michael called her the next time. I felt like I must be getting close to transition. The surges were coming very close and they were very strong and hard. I sat on the ball moaning and rocking back and forth with my head on the side of our bed while Michael was rubbing my back and encouraging me. We did this for a long time...a very long time. My midwife filled up the birth pool as I really wanted to have a water birth. I got in the tub and she checked me to see how far I had come. I was only a 4. Needless to say I was so discouraged. How could I only be a 4? I continued to labor in the tub and I started to feel nauseous, dizzy and shaky. I knew that maybe finally I was in transition. I didn't know how much more of this I could take. Sue checked me once again in hopes that maybe we were close, but no I was just a 5. What???? I am only halfway there?????How is this possible? I felt like I wanted to die...I didn't want to do this any more. I don't even know what time it was. I lost track of all time. It was all I could do to make it through each contraction. Relax, relax, relax...I tried to tell myself, but my body was so tense and I was in so much pain that all I could do was lay on my side and curl up in a tight ball. My midwife tried to get me to squat on the ball, sit backwards on the toilet, get on hands and knees and in the shower to try to get baby to move and come down, but nothing seemed to work. My world was black..I couldn't even open my eyes. The pain was too much for me to bear..so intense. I had no break from my contractions. Sue would try to move me in between them and I would end up on the floor in a heap as they hit. I wanted someone to stop the pain and I called for someone to "Help me, Please just help me!" Poor Michael was the most amazing coach ever. He never gave up and stayed by my side except for a few breaks. I think he was beginning to go crazy and hated to see me in so much pain. I know that he felt helpless and won't talk about it to this day. All he can say is that he would rather die than have me go through that again.
They finally checked me again and I was finally at a 9! That was definately more of an encouraging number! Little did I know that I would be stuck at a 9 for hours..
I don't even know what time it was when I finally thought maybe I could push. I actually think I pushed too early..it seemed to feel just a little less painful to push with my contractions. My midwife encouraged me to listen to my body and do what I felt like it wanted to do. I really didn't know or care what my body wanted at that moment, all I knew is that I was exhausted and wanted to be out of pain. I began pushing and pushing and pushing...this little man just did not want to come out! Sue told me that she wanted me to move onto the floor onto my hands and knees to see if we could use gravity and a change in position to bring him down farther. I honestly don't remember much but I remember delivering his head and pushing with all my might. My midwife kept telling me to push, but he wasn't coming. They moved me, turned me, and tried everything in their power that they could and still he wouldn't come. I think God literally held me at this moment, because I can't even describe to you the pain and fear that I felt. It felt like my body was being ripped in half. I don't think I ever opened my eyes once...everything was dark and I felt like I was going to die, then I heard it.. " Call 9-1-1!! Someone call 9-1-1 now!! Now my heart felt like it was breaking..I felt all my dreams of holding my beautiful baby turn into a nightmare. All I remember is all I could do was scream and cry. Michael called 9-11 and I could hear him trembling and shaking as he spoke to them. " I don't know how old my wife is".. I , I don't know.."I heard him say. He couldn't answer their questions and could barely talk. My midwives were both Christians and they began crying out to God to save him. My sister and Mother in law left the room and began praying very hard. I talked to my cousin Jaymie later on and she said that she started praying really hard for me right around 5:30 which was the time he had gotten stuck. There was a battle taking place for his life that night but God heard and answered all of our prayers.
At 5:33 am Right before the emergency response team swarmed into our room, my midwives delivered our baby Jude. They immediatley layed his limp, blue body on my chest and at that moment I thought I truly had lost him. They told me " Talk to your baby!! Rub his back! Talk to him!! and they placed an oxygen mask over his face. I will never forget the moment he took his first breath and began crying!! Tears of relief, oh what relief!! My baby BOY was here and he was ALIVE!!! Praise you God!!
The Lord was so good to us! Mireya and Silas didn't wake up through all the screamimg, noise and firemen running up our steps. After baby Jude and I were all cleaned up and resting in bed, Mireya and Silas woke up and came in to meet their new little brother.
I remember laying in bed before my midwife left and crying. She told me that she was so sorry that this happened to me. Out of anyone it could have happened to, she couldn't believe that I went through this. I could tell that it had really shaken her pretty badly and she was on the verge of tears. It had been a very emotionally draining, difficult night for all of us involved. I told her that I had wanted to be a midwife before this happened, but that now I could never do that. I wanted nothing to do with birth ever again. I felt like my dreams died that night...something in my heart broke and I felt so weak and frail. Why did this happen to me? Why do I love homebirth, but have such terrible experiences with them? What if my baby would have died? I could never have forgiven myself if that had happened. I knew that I would never have another child. I was done..no way would I ever have another one.
When all was quiet Michael and I settled into our bed with our new miracle and we cried and cried together...I don't think either one of us has ever held each other so long and sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. He was our miracle..Jude Matthias Wood. What a fitting name...Jude means "praise" and Matthias means "gift of God" He truly was a gift from the Lord to us and I know that God has amazing plans for his life.
I couldn't sleep for a week after he was born. I was very depressed and had an extremely hard time. So many thoughts and questions plagued my brain and my heart. Jude had a heart murmer when he was born, so we had to take him to the heart doctor. We were worried about his neck and his shoulders from the trauma that he endured, so we saw a chiropracter to make sure he was ok. He had lots of tests and checkups and this made me even more exhausted.
God has definately used his birth in many ways to shape me. I don't know what would have happened if I had decided to have Jude at the hospital...maybe none of this would have happened or maybe it would have been much worse. I have heard horror stories of babies with shoulder distocia born at the hospital and the doctors having to break the baby's collar bone and then be taken right away to a special childrens hospital without any contact with their Mother. God has done so much in my heart and life and I have learned to trust His sovereignty in all areas of our lives. Many of my questions have been answered and my heart has been healed. I don't know why hard things happen at times, but I do know that if we allow God to take our brokenness and our hard times and questions that He will use everything in our lives to shape us and help others.
I am blessed everyday by my little JuJu bug. He is such a little bubble of life! There is not a dull moment when he is around! :) and his big smile and bright eyes bring such a joy to my heart. He loves to sing and praise God...His life is a Prasie to God and we thank Him everyday for blessing us with such a precious gift~
It has been one of those days that I just pause and think how blessed I am. I am so thankful for my husband who is so humble and such a great example of a person who is seeking God with his whole heart....He challenges me each day to live a life of repentance and surrender. I have 4 healthy children that I feel so priviledged to be a Mother to. They bring me joy that I could never begin to explain. Our physical needs are met so perfectly with a beautiful home,vehicle, and plenty of healthy food. I love that we are able to homeschool and walk with our children through this fun educational and spiritual journey! We have wonderful parents, siblings and special friends...we have a wonderful church and church family. My heart is just overflowing with thankfulness and the blessing of such a rich, full life!
Most of all I am thankful for my relationship with God. Without Him I am NOTHING..I have been praying lately that I would fully realize this and see this. My prayer is that God will use our family to shine for Him and it is so amazing that as we ask God to use us that He does. He will use ANYONE who is willing to be used by Him. I love it that God isn't waiting for a perfect person, but rather just an ordinary, simple, weak person with lots of problems who simply says "Here I am Lord, use me" Sometimes I think we make our lives to complicated...we think that we have to have it all together before God will use us, but that's not true. Ask God to use you and you will find that He will start bringing opportunities into your life and that He will use you just as you are and in the proccess He will refine you and cause you to grow. I love this journey of faith that we are on...God is so good to us and I am truly blessed.
Thank you for this sink of dirty dishes; we have plenty of food to eat.
Thank you for this pile of dirty, stinky laundry; we have plenty of nice clothes to wear.
And I would like to thank you, Lord, for those unmade beds; they were so warm and comfortable last night. I know that many have no bed.
My thanks to you, Lord, for this bathroom, complete with all the splattered mess, soggy, grimy towels and the dirty lavatory; they are all so convenient.
Thank you for this finger-smudged refrigerator that needs defrosting so badly; it has served us faithfully for many years. It is full of cold drinks and enough leftovers for two or three meals.
Thank you, Lord, for this oven that absolutely must be cleaned today; it has baked so many things over the years.
The whole family is grateful for that tall grass that needs mowing and lawn that needs raking; we all enjoy the yard.
Thank you, Lord, even for that slamming screen door. My kids are healthy and able to run and play. Many children cannot.
Lord, the presence of all these chores awaiting me says You have richly blessed my family. I shall do them cheerfully and I shall do them gratefully.
Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm rings... Thank you, Lord, that I can hear. There are many who are deaf.
Even though I keep my eyes closed against the morning light as long as possible...Thank you, Lord, that I can see. Many are blind.
Even though I huddle in my bed and put off rising...Thank you, Lord, that I have the strength to rise. There are many who are bedridden.
Even though the first hour of my day is hectic with socks that are lost, toast that is burned, tempers that are short, and my children that are so loud...Thank you, Lord, for my family. There are many who are lonely.
Even though our breakfast table never looks like the pictures in magazines and the menu is at times not balanced...Thank you, Lord, for the food we have. There are many who are hungry.
Even though the routine of my job is often monotonous...Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to work. There are many who are jobless.
Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day and wish my circumstances were not so modest...Thank you, Lord, for life.
This week has gone well, seeing that it is our first week of school...sometimes I find myself wondering though just how other Mom's do it all! It seems like I take one step forward and two steps back some days. Between spilled milk, food on the floor, laundry, dishes, pencil shavings, spilled bubbles, and let's not forget dirty diapers and messy hands and faces I feel like all I ever do is clean!!!! How am I supposed to ever get ahead?? I have been trying not to get overwhelmed, but remembering that if God has called me to do this then He will provide ALL I need to accomplish each day. Our days may not look like I want, and that is a hard thing for me to learn! This is just a season of life with two little guys and I have to just remember that and not expect things to be clean all the time!
I started my day off with a good morning jog! It was very refreshing and HOT! I decided that I was done paying a gymn to be tortured...I could save money and just torture myself! :) I am going to try to run just 20 minutes a day...hopefully I can be consistant.
I took Mireya and Silas out this morning to run a few errands and do a librairy trip. Wednesdays are going to be our new librairy day...we all love books so much and I want us all to READ, READ, READ!!
School went well in between all the messes.....I caught Jude walking around the house with a spray bottle and when I asked him what he was doing, he replied "just getting all the flies" I wondered what flies he was talking about as I watched all the water dripping down my cabinets and onto the floor. The kitchen floor is another story..no matter how often I sweep there are always little "things" sticking to my feet and Cade thinks it's great because every day on the kitchen floor is snack time! Gross!!! I am always pulling stuff out of his mouth!
Summer time in Phoenix can get frustrating when the kids are tired of being in the house. Mireya just told me the other day that she wanted to move to Antarctica! Haha! I know how she feels! With little boys there is always so much energy to burn off...after lots of jumping jacks and running down the hallways I decided to send the children outside for a few minutes to get some fresh air. I sat down at the computer thinking maybe I could figure out my blog header, which I did! Yay! Pretty soon Silas came running in holding a VERY muddy something. "Look Mom!!! I found a fossil!" He was so cute and so excited! I tried to act excited but wasn't too happy about the pieces of mud falling onto my floor. I think it was an old liscence plate he found in our backyard. Boys are so messy, but Oh so much fun! Later on I went in the bathroom and found some more mud from the little" fossil experience" that was all over the toilet, sink and pretty much everywhere! Jude grabs some toilet paper, wets it and starts "cleaning it up for me" :)
I have to blog these things, because I know that one day I will look back and laugh. Life is full of messes and I am so blessed and thankful that my house is not perfect; because if it was than there would be no children, and YES children are a blessing and SO worth it! Well, I have rambled and I really need to go to bed. I have been so bad about staying up late and then being exhausted before my day even starts. Tomorrow is a new day holding new messes and blessings! ;)
We had a wonderful amd successful first day of school! The kids had fun looking at all their new books while chewing their BIG LEAGUE CHEW bubble gum and sucking on pop rocks!! We had to get them special treats on their first day of school especially since these treats went way back in our childhood memories! We started off our day with prayer and "circle time." We sang songs, talked about the seasons, days of the week and month of the year and read a special story. Mireya and Silas are my helpers since they already have all these thing memorized. It is fun to see them helping me teach Jude! The older two did their Math U See and language arts while Jude watched his character dvd and played with water in a tub... pouring, squirting and dumping. Cade wasn't so helpful today as all he did was" help" Daddy empty the dishwasher by climbing onto the open dishwasher door and holding onto the counter while Daddy had his back turned...he seemed to find all kinds of ways to be "helpful" even though he had so many toys to keep him busy...sigh...maybe tomorrow will run a little smoother in the Cade department! We are excited to start KONOS which is a unit study that incorporates all the children in their own special way and emphasizes on character developement and working together as a family unit! We will start that in a few weeks!!! Mireya and Silas had their first piano lessons today! They are so excited and I can't wait to start hearing them practice and learning to make music! I am so excited for another year of homeschooling and the priviledge of having our children at home walking beside us and learning together as a family!
It was one of those HOT evenings with nothing to do...so we gave the kids a hose and let them spray each other and make a big mess!! We originally just let the older 3 go out, but poor baby Cade was standing at the window begging to join the fun, so we couldn't resist! It was so fun to watch them play and laugh and enjoy all the mud!!
6 cups hot water
2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons instant yeast
Then add:
2 tablespoons dough enhancer
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup vital wheat gluten ( I have never used this)
2 tablespoons salt
Blend for 2 minutes and slowly mix in about 9 cups( maybe a little more or less) whole wheat flour until sides of bowl are clean. Knead for 10 minutes and shape into greased loaf pans. Let rise until double. Bake at 350 F for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve hot with butter and honey! Enjoy! :) Makes 6 loaves
My Baby Cade is 10 months old already and took his first steps the other day! Time is going so fast with him ...I can't believe his 1 year old birthday is right around the corner! I love to watch them as they start taking their first steps. The big smile and excitement that comes over his face as we all cheer him on is the best! I can't believe the changes that take place during the first year of a babies life...It's amazing to watch as they roll over for the first time or start to crawl. Then there are the little teeth that start poking through the gums..so cute! Cade has 4 teeth now, his bottom two and top two! I absolutely LOVE his big grin with those new teeth! My sweet baby Cade...don't grow up too fast!
I decided it was finally time to go through my junk cabinet, and while I was doing so I was wondering what to put in it :) I came up with the idea that I could fill it with different baskets of activities for the little guys. It seems like I always need things to occupy their little hands, so it would be great to be able to pull out different baskets or ziplocks with different projects for them to do while I am cooking or teaching school to the older children! I have come up with some fun ideas on my own and others I have found in magazines or have been ideas from other creative, desperate ;) Mother's!
#1 newspapers, catalogues or old magazines, glue stick and a notepad. If they are old enough to cut then they can make a fun picture book!
#2 measuring cups, measuring spoons, funnels, plastic cups, BIG THICK towel and of course water :) they could play with it in a shallow tub in the kitchen, or I have just let them sit on a towel with a big bowl of water
#3 cheerios or fruit loops...the options are endless with cheerios! They could practice counting, they could put them on a string and make a necklace or glue them on a paper to make a picture
#4 For older toddlers 3 or 4 under supervision: a thumbtack and large letters from the alphabet printed off the computer. My cousin's son was in a montessori( Sp?) school and they would have the children poke holes in the paper tracing the letter. They said that it was wonderful practice for learning to hold a pencil!
#5 Spray bottles and rags. Let them "clean" :) your shower or tub for you or if your windows need washed anyways they can do the prep work!
#6 Bean bags and a bucket
#7 cornmeal on a cookie sheet or tray to practice writing with finger
#8 crayons and sandpaper (an interesting change from paper)
#9 A pie tin and small toys with magnets glued to the bottom of them
#10 A can of shaving cream and a nice smooth surface (counter, small inflatable pool, cookie sheet) This will also make your tile floors sparkly clean! :)
#11 A drop of food coloring in water, an eye dropper, and a paper towel or coffee filter
#12 Clothes pins and just abouth anything that can be clipped together; paper, cloth, paper cups
#13 Pictures with colored glue. If you use this on a smooth surface such as a page protector, then you can peel the pictures off when it's dry! It's also great fun to paint your hand, let it dry and then peel it off like x tra skin! :)
#14 Pudding painting with your fingers!!
#15 Playdough!
#16 Paint with water books or coloring books and crayons
#17 Very big beads and a drinking straw ( easier to handle than string) Mom can make a sample pattern for the child to follow if she glues the two end beads
#18 Empty containers with lids (such as, empy yogurt containers, bacon bits tubs, Baking powder containers) and plastic animals. They can take lids on and off and put small animals or other objects inside and practice putting in and taking out! :)
#19 Alphabet magnets for the fridge. I love our leap frog alphabet magnets!!
#20 Sewing cards or cardboar!d shapes with holes punched all around the edges, and a piece of yarn tipped with masking tape
#21 Flashlights!
#22 Blank notebook and stickers of all kinds!
#23 Egg carton and 12 wooden eggs ( you can buy these at Michaels or Hobby lobby) They can decorate the eggs with paint and then use them to practice counting with
It has been one of those days...the kind of day that leaves me so tired and discouraged if I let myself dwell on the things that went wrong. We just got home from our "vacation" ( Which by the way I have learned that once you have more than a few children it is really no longer a " vacation" but rather just a "get away" from the normal routine) So, you would think that I would be smart enough to just take a break and not jump into everything again; but NO that would be way too easy! Let me back up to yesterday, so you can get a true grasp on the frustration that enveloped my day. My day yesterday started off by hearing wonderful splashing sounds coming from the bathroom...it was Cade having the best time ever in the toilet! I didn't even want to know who had used it previously and forgot to shut the lid. I was secretly hoping though that they at least remembered to flush....anyway moving on! I met my sisters for frozen yogurt at the Yogurt Jungle soon after and we had a great time for which I was thankful. I rushed home to make Michael a sandwich and get him out the door for work. I had to make a trip to Wal-mart (which is my least favorite store in the entire world) but I knew I had to get taco shells for dinner and I had to let the kids pick fabric out for the sewing class that I was hosting the next day (which was today) we will get to that in a few minutes :) I loaded all 4 of my little guys in the car in at least the 100 degree weather and we were off to Wal mart! The drama started when we were looking at all the fun fabric...I told the kids that they could all pick fabric to make an apron for our class the next day. Jude immediately saw the Thomas the train fabric and was so happy when I put the big bolt of fabric in his arms! I love seeing their smiles and the joy on their faces! Everyone picked out their fabric and we were on our way to get it all cut into 1 yard pieces. The minute the lady behind the counter cut Jude's fabric and we handed him the piece he burst into tears. He thought I was buying him the WHOLE bolt of fabric and his heart was broken. I don't know what he thought it was ,but all he knew is that it was a BIG Thomas the train" something" and now he was just getting a scrawny little piece of "something"..poor guy! I tried to explain but it did absolutely no good and he cried very loudly the rest of our time in the store...so stressful! I was trying to hurry home because I had invited a good friend which I hadn't seen in over a month for “taco Tuesday." I told her to come at four o clock and I knew I was going to be late. I finally got back to our car and realized I didn't have my phone...ugh! To make a long story short I was totally disorganized, my house was a wreck and I was late for my own dinner! The ice cream truck just had to be going by as we were unloading and the ice cream truck is Jude's favorite thing in the whole world, so I decided to let them all pick something out and put it in the freezer for later. Jude wanted to hold his and cried and cried when I made him put it in the freezer. After lots of crying and kids spilling food and drinks at least 5 times I was so frustrated and tired! My friend left and I started the bath routine and got everyone tucked into bed. Phew that day over!! That was yesterday :) Now for the drama today! I know that I am rambling but I decided that it is therapy for me to write things down sometimes even if it is just for my sake to read 10 years down the road. :) My day started off decently. I had to make a cake and get everyone ready to go for a sewing class that I was teaching at a friend’s house at noon. I bought a boxed cake and already prepared frosting so it would be quick and easy. I hate making boxed cakes by the way...I feel like I am cheating and I really love to bake. I got everything done this morning and we even were able to have our family prayer and devotion time. We are working on the 10 commandments with the children, which has been a lot of fun! Their version of the 2nd commandment is: You shall not make for yourself any "grimage" Ha ha! We laughed and laughed. It is a little easier to pronounce that than" graven image!" We got to our friends house a little late because I lied the boys down for early naps, so I had to wait for them to wake up....then the search for missing sandals and scratched sunglasses. It wouldn't be the same if we didn't have to find someone's lost something before we left.
My frustration began when we took the foil off the beautifully frosted cake and it ripped off most of the frosting...It was our friends birthday and we wanted to surprise her with a little party. I was so sad that the cake looked awful! I tried to fix it but when I cut into it to serve it, it pretty much all crumbled and fell apart. :( My sewing class ended up being a huge failure because my sewing machine would not work...I was so frustrated and tried to fix it, but it was not working!! Cade was getting tired so he was fussing and Jude was yelling at the little girls and taking toys from them...I finally broke down and cried and then left.
Why does this always happen to me? I felt so frustrated and humbled. I got in the car and started praying and crying again. A song came on and the words said" Be still my soul be still" I realized that in my effort to make life fun and provide learning experiences for my children that I neglect to consider wisdom sometimes. I want to do everything and provide countless opportunities for my children, but I think if I would take time to be still and be quiet that it would mean more to them than running them to this thing and the next thing. I have so much to learn about motherhood and teaching my children..I pray that I will always be humble and ready to hear the voice of God as he whispers his rest to my spirit. He has given me all I need to raise my children and to meet their needs. Sometimes I think that it is all about the experiences and them doing everything, but I am finding that we all need a lot more quiet and rest than we get and our children desperately need it as much as we do. You can be a stay at home, home school mom and still neglect the quality time developing relationships with your children. I have learned from today not to be so quick to jump into everything, even good things….there are so many activities and things out there, but they all have to be in moderation and at the right time. We have to be sensitive to so many things as a mother, but sometimes we can do more for our children and for ourselves by just being still.
Once again it has been a LONG time since I have posted anything! I want to change that!!!! I guess I need to recap our life and the big things have taken place since my last post....hmm.....where do I start??? Life goes by so fast! Each day I see more clearly how life truly is a " Vapor' just as the Bible describes it. I feel an urgency to redeem the time and make every minute count and not wander down this road aimlessly with regrets. Lately I feel that God has been stirring my heart to " Be still." We (I) can get so busy in this life with So much going on that everything blurrs together and I get overwhelmed, stressed and rushed, constantly comparing to all those around me in hopes that I am doing the "Best Job" in my life and with my family. I have lived the feeling of not quite reaching the goal and not doing enough and being enough for my children....There will always be someone who is doing more, and looks like they have it all together better than we do! I have to constantly remind myself to take the time to listen to the Holy Spirit and let Him guide me and show me how each day should look. I am so blessed as I think back over the last couple of years. My prayer is that I remain humble and moldable in God's hands as he teaches us and guides us in this exciting journey called life!
oops, having problems getting my pictures where I want them for some reason!
