Happy New Year!

I thought I would do this one early..lol.

New Years Eve is an awesome day for me, because I get to celebrate being married to an awesome man! Okay he isn't always awesome, but neither am I. We have our spats and sometimes we drive each other crazy!?!?! Sometimes we disagree and want different things and sometimes we may not talk to each other for a little minute. But then on the other hand...we can make each other laugh so hard, we encourage each other when we need too, we serve each other, we make a good couple most days. This year will be 12 years! I can't believe that we have been married that long, it's crazy! I love him with all my heart! He is a hard worker and the husband to my two children. He believes in me and loves me. He is a God fearing man who leads his family the way that God intended for him. I am blessed to be his wife.

This is also the time of year that people begin to make New Year Resolutions. Yes...I have a few personal ones and some that aren't so personal that I will share with you...

We always fast in January and I almost can't wait to start this! I love spending time with God and getting to know Him on a much deeper level. Usually this fast last 21 days and then it is over. I plan on trying to devote one day a month to fasting...I don't want it just to be for January. I want to make this a life change to constantly long to be in His presence this way.

I would love to actually read a couple of books too! I have a few that I start and then I get distracted and never pick them back up. If I want my children to have a love of reading then they need to see me reading and what I read counts too!

I plan on not being hurt so easily. I tend to let people hurt me with their words and then I think about it for about a week. I need to learn to let go and that maybe they are not that happy. One such influence in my life is a constant. She likes to knock me down and she does this well. I have allowed this too affect me for way too long ~ so no more! I will try my hardest to let God have it right away. I know this will not happen over night but I have a WHOLE year to accomplish this!

I want to take one day at a time and not stress out about next week! I tend to plan WAY ahead and then I start to stress and then I get all flustered and then I feel like I am going to blow!!! Yes, I know I need to stop doing this and focus on today and only today. This will also take some practice but my husband will be happier too! I know that I need to have plans and not wait to last minute but I don't need to over stress something I can't even take care of today or tomorrow.

Of course I have more but these are the only ones that I am willing to share right now. I may share the others later? we will see. I hope that if you make any resolutions let them be reachable. I think we tend to think I can lose 50 lbs by March 1st and when we fail the first week into the new year then we give up. DON'T GIVE UP! Pray about what God would want for you to change in your life. Seek Him first because He has the perfect plan for you! I hope that you all have an awesome new year and I will hopefully not write until then...See you in 2011!

Merry Christmas!

I know that this is a little late but hear me out...

Merry Christmas to all that read here:) We had a wonderful Christmas, well it started that way. We had Christmas with my husbands parents on Christmas Eve and my dad's wife's family (not really mine) on Christmas Eve night. All was good and then my little man woke up bright and early at 3am! Yes, you did read that right!!! I was horrified but we told him as long as he went to sleep he could get up whenever he wanted too...of course I am telling this to the child that NEVER sleeps...should have known better. Baby girl was up too so we might as well do Christmas right? Well I started to run a fever so when the baby went to sleep so did I. My husband decided to go out and get some meds and some Chinese food (mainly because of the Christmas Story) and then our trouble begins...

I took my medicine and every time that the baby slept so did I. I didn't feel good at all. I don't think that I actually ate much either:(. Finally we put all the children to bed about 8pm and we went to bed too! My husband woke up around 4am Sunday and was SUPER sick! He now had a stomach bug or maybe it was some bad Chinese (I didn't eat any...so we are hoping that it was bad Chinese food). He continued on his routine visits to the bathroom all day long until he finally passed out around 6ish and I ran a fever all day (again) so we both didn't have a great Christmas but we were thankful that we didn't have to leave the house to go visit anyone! We also felt bad because we missed out on church.

Yet! Yes there is always a positive side...My little man received everything that he wanted for Christmas and loved being able to stay home and play with all his new toys. Baby girl's first Christmas ended up also being a White Christmas, something that we will never forget! I enjoyed watching them play and enjoy the day even though I couldn't be right next to them all day. I am thankful that whatever came upon us has now left our house and I praise God that it didn't affect my children. Plus we learned to never order Chinese food on Christmas Day! (lol)

I hope that all of you also had a wonderful Christmas!

Coffee Shots?

I had to share this with you! My super cool husband brought home something for me. I tend to drink A LOT of coffee. Which may be the reason that I never sleep...lol:) I LOVE Starbucks because I can add shots to my coffee and if I drink two of them in one day it's dangerous. I thrive on caffeine and I seem to need it more now since I have a baby and she is in demand of my attention. My husband likes to make fun of me because of my coffee addiction so this is what he brought home to me as a joke:

Catch the phrases: "Limit 2 per day" and "intense coffee shots". They even have a "warning" on them...lol!

These things are little and they are super strong. My husband took one and it made him completely "stupid" - he said he couldn't be still nor could he think straight...lol. I took it and stayed up until about 2am and cleaned the whole house:) So if you are in need of something to get you going then I suggest these coffee shots. I don' know where he got them but they work!!!

Applesauce!

Last week we made applesauce! We had a bunch of apples that were about to go bad and I thought it would be best to make applesauce:) Here are a few pics:

Like I said we started with apples...LITTLE apples. I think we peeled about 20?



Little man was super excited to help! He loves cooking with me in the kitchen. He will make an awesome husband one day:)



So we boiled them under they were super tender....

drained them and then we put them in a bowl to "mush" them...

I added a little bit of sugar (like a pinch) a dash of cinnamon and little bit of water and "mushed them up:) They were absolutely delicious!

On the 12th Day of Christmas....

Over the past 12 days I have participated in trying to win items from ClothdiaperAddiction.com. I did win a diaper cover and some wipes from http://www.zookiescrafts.com/, it's a really cute diaper!!! If I am receiving my first pick it is black with hot pink and white flowers:) I can't wait until I get it and try it out. I have cheered for the others that have won items as well. I have really enjoyed this and I hope that she does it again next year.

I have entered to win the 12th Day because I am super excited about what she is giving away! Listen to this...First: planetwiseinc.com is giving away a FREE wet/dry bag. For those that do not know what this is it's a bag to keep your clean diapers from your dirty ones. I think it's super cute and has some really adorable prints. I like Midnight Swirl, Art Deco and Dot Tastic..it will be so hard to choose! Just some of their features: PVC Free and Lead Free Zippers, Reusable to avoid using plastic bags, helping to protect our planet, Reusable to avoid using plastic bags, helping to protect our planet, Resists most stains odors - keeping smells in!

Second: www.grandmaels.com/ is giving away a diaper rash remedy and prevention cream. It's fragrance free and it it great to use with cloth diapers. I am finding out (through reading) that not all diaper rash creams are usable with the cloth diapers...some of them can cause damage to my baby girls diapers:(

Third: Lena Loves is giving away a dryer ball! You can get to her site here. You can cut your drying time up to 30 minutes depending on how many dryer balls you use. They come scented and unscented too! They are colorful and I think I would love to use these:) They don't have to be just for cloth diapers, you can use these with your regular laundry items! So for the mom that spends forever to dry clothes these might help...just saying.

Fourth: Northern Mom (click here) is giving away this absolutely adorable snowflake diaper!!! If you know me then you know I LOVE snowmen and this is super duper cute! I would love to win this item as well:) I went to her website and I now have a "wish list" for her store, lol. I know, I know...I think baby girl will be getting some cute cloth diapers for Christmas!

I know some would say I am gong a little overboard but I love sharing this with you all. I actually had someone comment that this is all that I talk about...well I am new to this and I am excited about what I am doing. I haven't bought disposables in over a month now! Talk about saving money!!! WOW! Could you imagine how much money (without coupons) that I would have spent in the past month??? The only expense right now is formula:) I am so happy that I ran into a woman who introduced me to cloth diapers when I was pregnant and she didn't pressure me to have to buy them or make me feel bad when I made that face that everyone makes when you mention cloth diapers. Her name is Emily and you can view her site here.

We actually went to church on Sunday with just the cloth diapers. I also made a quick run to the grocery store with just cloth diapers! All the sites highlighted here I have personally been to and looked around so feel free to look even if you don't think that you are interested. Maybe it will give you a visual when I start to talk, and talk, and talk about cloth diapers:)

Disappointed but Blessed

We have been looking for a house for what seems like forever. We found one that we liked, my husband liked it more than I did, but it was cute and I was ready to make it my home. I had started getting ideas on what to do in each room, how to place the furniture and so on. Then the news hits us that the house that we are trying to buy should have never been placed on market. It comes to our attention that there is a tax lien against the property that he supposedly "didn't know" about.

I was a little crushed because I had seen the house three times already. I liked the laundry room - I constantly wash clothes and so a nice big laundry room would be nice. I liked the big yard and the fireplace, the new carpet, and the plantation blinds. I did not like the bathroom or the closets and there were a few things that needed some updating but that is ok, I guess.

So now we are looking again. We found one house that we like and placed a bid on it as of yesterday. It's a little more modern and I like the openness of the floor plan but now we have a little yard. I can't seem to have both :( .

I decided to get a little curious...I started looking in the city of Auburn. OH MY GOODNESS!!! You should see some of these homes...seriously! I found huge homes on huge fenced in lots! I was extremely impressed. I fell in love with some of the homes that I saw...you know the ones that you dream about when you are a little girl. I called my husband and started texting him all these pictures of these beautiful homes. I think I sent him about 7 houses, all sitting on an acre or more. I asked him if that would be too far away to to work...lol.

I feel like I am having to compromise : big house, small yard or small out-dated house with a huge yard. I wish I could have both...but the only way to get that and actually afford it is to move to Auburn. I know that the Lord has a purpose for me and my life and I know that He has the perfect house for me and my family no matter where it is...so pray for us. I want the Lord to help us find that "perfect" home.

Cloth Diapers...

Yes! I am starting to love my cloth diapers more and more everyday. I actually went a whole week using just the cloth diapers (NO disposables). I was so proud of my accomplishment! I hope to keep this up...now to venture out of the house with cloth diapers only is the next step...maybe we will try this Sunday???

I joined a blog about a week or two ago called Cloth Diaper Addiction. I was told that once you start cloth diapering you become addicted to these diapers and the cuteness of them too!...lol. Anyways, she is having what she calls, "The 12 Days of Clothmas". She has joined forces with several companies to give away FREE stuff! WHAT?!?!?! I am super excited! Who doesn't like getting something free?

Today she has teamed up with GDiapers. I think these are super cute! I like the little "g" on the back of the diaper because my daughters name starts with a "G" and this would be too cute!!! I would love to win the package that is being offered today :)

If you cloth diaper or know someone that does then hook up with her over the next few days. Not only is this a cool way to win stuff but she has a lot of interesting ideas on her blog as well. You can also find her on FB!

Christmas already???

I LOVE this time of year. I love the rush, the shopping, the sales, the give aways, the surprises, the hot cocoa and coffee, and the parties and family get togethers.

I love decorating my house and putting up the Christmas tree as I carefully unpack the ornaments that my son has made over the years. I get caught up on each one as I remember when and why we got each of our ornaments. I have some from when I was a baby, dating my husband, getting married, and the birth of our son. Now I will get to continue that tradition with my daughter. She will receive her first Christmas ornament this year!

Yet, this Christmas is different...I am not decorating the house, putting out all my snowmen (I collect snowmen and I place them all around the house), putting up the lights, or hanging the stockings. We have found out that we are getting a house, as long as everything goes through, we will moving the week before Christmas and the whole first week of Christmas break!

I am super excited, but at the same time I am kind of sad. I have raised my son to love the holidays. He makes me decorate for every occasion!  I really want to do something but can't decide what I can I do for him. I need some suggestions. I don't want to do anything "big" because we have 15+/- days to pack up the whole place and by the way I have only two boxes done because I can't get anyone to save boxes for me:(

This Friday we are headed to the Lego store to drop off his "wish list" and then over to Bass Pro Shops to play in "Santa's Wonderland". They have free games:) and hopefully we will see Santa and get a free picture! I hope that he will enjoy this and hopefully we can make a paper ring to count down the days until Christmas.

I know that it is not about the decorations, and that we are celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, but I will miss this part. I hope that if we do close on the house in the next couple of weeks that we can at least put up the tree? If not I will have to go buy the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree, lol!!!

Our Thanksgiving...yes I know this is late!

We had a great Thanksgiving. My sister-in-love and I actually cooked just about everything this year! We were so impressed with ourselves...lol. Then my family headed over to my mom's family where they were having Thanksgiving and a ton of fun. I haven't seen them in such a long time!!!





So here is a picture of our completed "Thankful Wreath"...

It was wonderful eating with the family and hearing all the wonderful things that we are thankful for in our lives! I will do this again year after year. We are NOT a perfect family, in fact we are far from it, but we do try our best to be a good family:)





Here is a picture of one of our crafts that we made this year...

I had a friend of my son's over for the day and we walked around the lake and did a scavenger hunt. When we returned home this is what they made! I thought they were super cute:)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you to all of those that like to check in and see what we are up to and what we are thankful for in our life I hope that you have enjoyed reading. I plan on doing something different for next month.

Just to recap: I am thankful for my Lord and Saviour. He rescued me because He loved me so very much and wanted a personal relationship with Him. His door is always open and I know that He hears my prayers. I am thankful that He gave me His Word and so many other things as well!

I am thankful for my husband. He is my best friend. I can lean on him and come to him about anything. He allows me to be me and doesn't try to make me be someone else. I am thankful for his job and being able to be a full time stay at home mom. I am thankful for my children they are a blessing to me and I will always treasure them. I am thankful for my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. I am thankful for my friends.

I am thankful for a warm house, food in the pantry, clothes, utilities, a car, a cellphone, computer and other gadgets as well. I know that I could live with out some of these items but I love the fact that I have been blessed with these as well.

Thank you Lord for blessing me and my family. I can't wait to see what you have in store for us for the next year!

I am Thankful for...

23~ I am thankful for my car. It's nothing really special but it gets me from point A to point B. I have had several different cars over the past twelve years and it's important to have something that is dependable. I am thankful that we can afford to put gas in and pay the insurance too! Thank you for providing me with a dependable car that suits or needs just perfectly.

24~ I am thankful that my son has friends. When your child is a little different, they are sometimes pointed out in the crowd and then they are left out. I have witnessed many occasions where my little buddy has been "left out". It breaks my heart when I can't defend him. I know that he has some social and speech issues but he is so smart and he knows when he is being treated differently that other children. I have worked with him on this as well and he is getting better. So when a child asks if they can come to my house and play with him, my heart beams. I want him to know true friendship. I long for him to have a best friend. Thank you Lord for placing the perfect friends for him in his path. Don't allow the ones that "abuse" his friendship to be close to him. I pray that he will see the difference in these type of friends. Thank you for giving him the desire to want to have friends.

Thankfuls for 20-22nd:)

Nov. 20~I am loving this weather! I love walking outside and feeling the wind whip around me and the leaves being tossed through the air. I love the colors and the crunching of leaves as I walk. I love layering clothes. I wish the weather could stay like this always...but then there would be no swimming pools for the summer and no beautiful flowers for the spring and the snowmen in the winter time would just be a thing you read about in books. I am thankful that we get to experience all four seasons but this one is definitely my favorite:)

Nov. 21~ I sat and watched today as some of my family and church family got together to celebrate Thanksgiving. I watched them laugh and enjoy conversation and share recipes. I love my family and I miss the ones that I don't get to see very often. I can't wait until Thursday when I get to see relatives that I haven't seen in such a long time:)

Nov. 22~ I think that some people look down on the moms that get to stay home or the ones that can't afford to work so they have to stay home. I am somewhere in the middle of that statement. I was asked to stay home this time after having our second child. I have worked on and off my entire life, (since I could work). I wish some days that I did have a job because it would be easier financially, but I would miss being here and taking care of my children.

Here are somethings that I do: I am a Housekeeper, a Cook, Daycare Teacher, Facilities Manager, Computer Operator, Professional Driver, Psychologist, Janitor, Laundry Machine Operator, CEO of my house, Staff Nurse, Event Planner, Nutritionist, Bookkeeper, Administrative Assistant, and an Interior Decorator. So far for the year I should have grossed $170,000!!!

Unfortunately, I do not get paid in cash, but what I do get is worth so much more! I get a precious baby that smiles so big that her eyes sparkle. I will get to see her roll over, her first word, and I will get to witness her first step. I get the first hello from my little buddy getting off the bus and get to hear about his day. To practice math principles and get to help in the school projects. I even get the opportunity to help out at his school. I receive a simple thank you and a kiss from a husband that knows that I long to go shop for a new something, but I will dig deep into the closet instead to pull out something I haven't worn in a while.

I love being able to stay at home, not because I don't want to work, (because this is a whole lot harder than any job I've ever done) I want to be here because I believe this is where God wants me to be right now. So anyone that thinks I am, or someone else they know, is staying home because they are lazy, selfish or spoiled then think again.

I am thankful that my husband makes sacrifices so that I can stay home right now. I used to think that I would go crazy being at home all the time. I have been home for three months and I am not bored nor am I going crazy. I have things that have to be done daily and I take pride in a job well done at the end of the day. Thank you Lord for putting me in this place and thank you for Your support so that I may continue to do this as long as You need me to!

Shutterfly :)

This is the time of year that everyone thinks of new pictures. Family pictures, pictures of your children, and pictures of Santa all float around in our head. I know because I have thought of this too! I also love getting the pictures of families in Christmas cards.

This year Shutterfly is making this possible and reasonable too! I found out from another mom (Mommy Made Green) that they are giving away 50 Christmas cards to the ones that post a blog about them and share with their family and friends! Being a stay at home mom I can use this to my advantage. I can have my Christmas cards and show off my family at the same time.

Thank you Shutterfly! I can't wait to post some options and see if anyone wants to help me choose the layout...so keep your eyes open! You can click here http://bit.ly/sfly2010 to go do this yourself!

Forgiveness

I am thankful for forgiveness. I still struggle with this sometimes. I think everyone does. I am thankful that the Father forgave my sins. I need to forgive others too! This doesn't mean that I am perfect, because I am most certainly am not. I know that there are days that I do or say something that doesn't line up with God's Word and I know that if I come to Him with a repentant heart that He will forgive me. Not only will He forgive me, but He will no longer remember it!

Isn't that amazing! God's grace is so awesome! We don't have to live in that guilt and the sin. We are FREE! We don't have to live in the guilt either. I love knowing that we have a forgiving and loving God. He wants me to forgive others just as He has forgiven me. In the Lord's prayer we see that He put that in there..."And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven (left, remitted, and let go og the debts, and have given up resentment against) our debtors...". We are suppose to forgive others before we go into His presence and ask for forgiveness for our own sins, mistakes, or down fallings.

I have a few friends whose parents are divorced, my parents are divorced as well. Sometimes hurt and resentment can set up camp very easily. It may be because of how a parent or a step parent has treated you. It could be because you felt abanded by a parent, or not loved enough, or not even seen. Whatever the case may be we have to learn to forgive our parents. We can't move forward with God without forgiving them. We need to have the wholeness, healing, and full restoration that God wants us to experience. If we hold on to these things that bind us then we don't allow Him to "clean house", nor can you fully accept His love for you. I am learning, now that I am a parent, that no parent is perfect. No parent does everything right. Even if they were perfect, then how could you love up to their standards? We have to forgive our parents.  (This includes everyone not just parents.)

I kind wish that He could give us the ability to forgive and forget that it ever happened. Because I believe that some of us live their too! We have forgiven someone but there is no way that I am ever going to get that close again. We become guarded and then we don't truly heal because that is a wall that we refuse to let God take down.

I have heard it said that forgiveness is not just for the one needing the forgiving, it's for you too! When you hold onto that unforgivess and resentment it can make you sick. I have known people that hang on to grudges and resentment and refuse to let them go. They are very sick people and they don't know why they can't get better. I don't want to give someone that much power over me. Why would I do that? I want to be able to forgive and let it go. Don't allow it to have power over you.

I am thankful that I am forgiven and that I have the ability to forgive others. I have the gift to share the grace of God because of His forgiveness Thank you not making me jump through hoops or wait for years to be forgiven. I know that when I ask it's done right then and there. Help me to forgive others and not to harbor resentment.

My Bible

I am so thankful for the Word of God. It can be a weapon in warfare, a light for my path, a search engine to the answers of life, a standard to live by, a parenting manual, a marriage counselor, and so much more!

I love my Bible. I received it from my parents on Christmas Day in 1994. Wow! That is almost 16 years ago and I'm really not that old, I promise. I love looking in my Bible and seeing all the passages where God has spoken to me. All the notes that I have written in the front, some of them follows: "You fail your faith, your Faith does not fail you!", The blood of Christ does not cover up my sins but it washes away ALL of my sins.", "Using your faith is doing the impossible, not understanding how it can be done.".

I have tons of Scripture references written out in the back. I have a song, and the names of God written out too! I can look in this Bible and see where I was and where God has brought me to today. I have written notes in the margins and across the top and bottom of different pages. I know that I can pop open my Bible to a number a Scripture verses by just the way the pages feel as my hand runs across them.

I am thankful for this Love Letter that is 66 books long. He poured ALL His promises into this book so that I may have them. If your parents had a will, what use is it to you if you don't know whats in it??? I want to know what is in my Father's Will for my life. I know that He has a plan for me, (Jeremiah 29:11). I should make time each day to talk with Him and allow Him to talk to me too! It's not so much fun to have a one-sided conversation. He wants me to search Him out and the more I know about Him the more I fall in love with Him.

The Power of Prayer

I am proud to call myself a child of God. I am still discovering who I am in Him, but I do know that He hears my prayers, "And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him; [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us. And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him." (Amp. 1 John 5:14-15)

When I read this scripture, I am reminded just how precious I am to Him. He listens to me! An endless number of people praying constantly and in different dialects all over the world and all with different needs, yet He listens to each of us. I don't know how He does it because I get overwhelmed when baby girl is screaming and my little buddy is asking me questions and tv is too loud, lol. Yet, He listens to me.

Sometimes I feel like a prayer goes unanswered or wasn't heard and that's when Matthew 7:7-8 comes to mind, "Keep on asking and it will be given to yo; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking [the door] will be opened." (Amp. Bible).

It's not that He didn't hear me. He has perfect timing. We live in a "Microwave Society", a give it to me now type attitude. He may not want you to have something that you think you want right now. He knows you better than you know yourself (Psalm 139). Sometimes we have to wait and sometimes His plan differs from our own and it is way better than what we could ever imagine. This is really hard for me sometimes because I know that I can be impatient or I want it my way. I am trying to be better at this but it is a hard lesson to learn.

Another truth in the first verse I gave is the fact that what we ask needs to line up with His word. For example: My little buddy was really sick one evening. He had began to throw up and couldn't keep anything down. I went to the store to get some anti nausea medicine. When I got there I realized that it was getting dark and both my headlights were out. I ran in only to realize that I left my wallet at home would've panicked but I went out to the car, then I heard someone call my name...it was my dad! For whatever reason he decided to stop in at that store to buy a snack. He purchased the medicine that I needed for my son. I returned home, gave him the medicine just for him to throw it up 2 more times. At this point I am ready to take him to the hospital because he is beginning to dehydrate. My father comes over to the house and we all laid hands on him and instantly, before the prayer was even over, he sat up and told me he was thirsty. He started to hop around and tell us, "thank you, thank you for praying to my God!". That night he learned that he can pray and God will hear him, and heal him too!!! What an awesome truth for him to learn. (Isaiah 53:4-5)

I am so thankful that I can go boldly into the throne room and make my requests known. I don't have to go on a waiting list, go through someone else, or hope that someone will help me. He is already there waiting on me and knows the request and He wants me to remind Him of His Word, not because He is forgetful but so I will KNOW His Word! Thank you Lord for giving me this privilege. I am truly honored to be able to come into Your presence. Thank you for hearing my prayers!

Grandparents...

I said earlier that I have two sets of parents, (three if you count my in-loves). Unfortunately, I only have one set of grandparents left. My mom's parents have passed away, and both of my step parent's parents have passed away also. My in-loves parents have passed away, (one set is still living but they don't want to be a part of us). So I have one set of grandparents left, on my dads side.

I love my Nana. I remember being little and she would take us to the movies and McDonalds. I remember her taking me to Parson's (a store) and I would walk through and look at all the dolls. She has always loved her grandchildren the same and now she is the same way with her great grandchildren. I love my grandfather too! He has worked hard all his life and he loves his children.

I am thankful that I get to share them with my children. They are blessed to have such wonderful great grandparents. Thank you Nana for all that you do! I love you so very much!!!

Coffee!!!

I love me some coffee. I used to not drink, but now I practically live on it. I can drink it hot or cold. I have to make a pot a day and I usually drink the whole thing, (I share a cup or two with my Mr. if he wants some).

I love going to Starbucks. It is intoxicating when you pull up and the aroma hits you as you enter the parking lot. It draws you in and you automatically become giddy. I love when I can sit down and sip my coffee. I like watching the people as they hurry in and out. I could sit there for hours, especially if I am with a friend. My little buddy loves going to Starbucks and he even knows how to order his drink, lol!

I am thankful that I have something that can keep me up and keep me going when I need it the most.

Got Talent?

I am not one to "boast" about myself, or at least I don't think I am. I know that God gives different talents to each of us: some can write or speak eloquently, some are blessed with book smarts and others with street smarts, sewing, drawing, great with kids, cooking, singing, a perfect home-keeper, artistic, fix it smarts, and the list can keep on going.

I am happy with the gifts that God has blessed me with because they help me from day to day. I love to sew, so I have made a few outfits for myself. Yet, I can't for the life of me sew on the sewing machine. I plan on taking classes after the beginning of the year. I love to draw. I love to cook~My Mr. thinks I can do this well. I love to experiment with things and see what I can come up with and how to make it better. I can do other things but these are the ones I use the most.

I am grateful that God has blessed me. Not so I can brag about myself but so I can bless my family and others. I am very thankful for the friends that I have that posses different talents than me. Thank you Lord for giving me the talents that You have, I pray that I don't take them for granted and help me to grow within those areas so that I may bless others.

Hand-Me-Downs

I love going through my closet and getting rid of clothes that I haven't worn in the past year or just isn't "me" anymore. I do this on a regular basis. Not because I like to shop, but because I love hand-me-downs.

My stepmother and my little sis loves to shop for clothes. They are always going through their closets to give away the clothes they no longer want. I love it when they bring in a big bag of clothes and lets us all rummage through it. I think it's funny when they pull out a shirt and you hear "mine!" coming from three different mouths. It's kind of like a scene from Finding Nemo and the birds all yelling, "Mine?, Mine?, Mine?". Sometimes, I wish I could be a fly on the wall and watch us...but then the fly doesn't get any clothes!

About a week ago a friend of mine met me and handed off two nice size boxes of baby girl clothes. I was extremely happy! It was like Christmas for me. I went through and "oohed and aahhed" over every little outfit. I was so happy to know that she had clothes. I am thrilled when my children receive hand-me-downs. I wish I could find someone a little bigger than my little buddy.

I am thankful for the people that give me and my children hand-me-downs. They may not be brand new, but they are new to us. So thank you to all who share with my family. For us the hand-me-downs are not just clothes, this includes furniture too. The table we eat at was Mr.'s grandfather's table. My couch and recliner are hand-me-downs too! I am grateful for anything that helps my family out.

Dinner time!

I admit that I am guilty of allowing my family to eat in front of the television. We haven't always had a table to sit at, or it was just me and my little buddy and it was easier to eat that way. Yet, as my children continue to grow I am finding it to be most important to sit down with them at the table and eat.

When I was younger, this was something that I would strive for each night with my family. I longed for us all to sit at the table. As I got older and started to help out with the cooking, I would set the table just so they could grab their plate and go sit in front of the television. I wish now that we would have engaged in conversation with each other. I may not be so horrible at speaking aloud now if I knew that what I had to say growing up was important.

My Mr. has always worked hard and was never home for dinner time. For years this used to frustrated me. I would long for him to have a 9-5 job so he could enjoy dinner with his family. When he was home he was so tired and beat up from working so much that he just wanted to sit somewhere comfortable. I understood and so I allowed those nights to pass too.

I believe that dinner time teaches so many valuable lessons to our children. It teaches them that they are important. It teaches proper table manners, you'll want these to be present when you go out to eat! It teaches them how to pray and to be thankful for our food. It teaches them how to converse. I can't afford to pass these up and not teach my children.

I am thankful that my Mr. finally has the 9-5 job now and is home for dinner. I love when my family can sit down around the table to eat. This is the one time during the day that I can slow down and take them in completely. I want my children to grow up and know that what they have to say is important. I want to know that they can come to me and talk about anything and I will sit and listen.

Peaceful sleep

I love watching my children sleep. They seem so very peaceful and angelic. My little buddy never really slept good. When he was little he would wake up every 2-3 hours and scream constantly. I thought he was never, ever going to be able to sleep all night long. He finally did sleep all the way through when he was about three. Yes, I went years with him not taking naps and never sleeping. Even to this day it is a struggle for him to sleep all night. I am not sure what time he got up this morning, but I know that it was before 5:30am, but he does this all the time.
When I was pregnant with baby girl, I prayed over her all the time. I wanted her to be able to sleep. After my little buddy, I needed one child to sleep. She does very well and sleeps for 7-9 hours straight. Then she usually wakes up, eats, and goes back to sleep for about an hour or two. How wonderful is that? I am very thankful for a good nights rest.
I am also thankful for the times that I can curl up with both my babies and snuggle. With my little buddy it's usually when he is watching a movie or his favorite t.v. show. Yet, he still likes to cuddle. When baby girl takes a nap, I am guilty of cuddling with her too so I can take a nap!
I love these special times with my children, These are the times that I will miss when they decide they are too big to snuggle. My little buddy has already began to tell me that kisses are for babies and he is a grown up. It breaks my heart, so I take what I can get when I can. I don't want them to grow up and not know that they are truly loved. So I don't care if the house is perfect as long as they are fed, loved and taken of~ that's all that matters.

The School Meeting

We met with my little buddy's teacher tonight. Not only did we meet with his teacher, but his para pro, speech teacher, and the Assistant Principal. WOW! I know!!! They knew that I was extremely upset with the fact that they are allowing him to fail. When he brings home 5 U's in one week that spans work done over the past two weeks there is a HUGE problem. He also gets in trouble (grounded) for ALL U's brought home. I try to keep an open mind, but for the most part if I know that it was all him and nothing else (if he has an open-book test and still fails because he refuses to go look for the answers and he just picks one then yes he does get into trouble).
First of all, if he is failing the same type of work over and over again, week after week, then let's see if we can figure out a solution. If he fails a test that I KNOW that he knew the answers to and the rest of the class passed the test then let's make sure that he knows the material. The test, or work, should be evaluated immediately. No exceptions! I shouldn't get it 2-3 weeks later and be expected to go over the work with him and expect him to remember the topic. Really, that is not cool at all.
I know that he has issues with reading and comprehension so we should be able to re-evaluate how things are done. Nothing was really accomplished tonight. We are going to have to have an official IEP meeting and sit down for an hour or two and hash this situation out. I may have made his teacher feel bad, but she doesn't send home work after it's done. For example, He took a test 2 weeks ago, failed it and I just saw the grade tonight. Why? I told her that this is unacceptable. I have told her before that I am willing to come in to: read, grade papers, make copies, ect. So she had no excuse to not get his work to me. If it was the other way around she wouldn't accept homework two weeks late just because life is busy and we didn't have time.

I am thankful for...

I am thankful for my husband's job. He has been with them for a while (3 years, I think) and has been truly blessed. I am thankful for the type of work he preforms is in high demand and they need him. He is able to work a full 40 hour work week and possibly over time too! He does work really hard to support us and I thank God that I have that type of husband and not one that wants to lay around all day.

Here we go again...

My heart sank a little as the doctor described my baby girl as "floppy", (yes that is the awful word that she used). She wanted me to look into Physical Therapy and possibly take her to the Neurologist. I came home and the more I thought about it the more I cried. I began to think "Here we go again...weren't we just here eight years ago, do I have the strength to do this again?"
No one truly understands what it is like to raise a child with Autism, unless you have a child with Autism and even then we are still different because they aren't all the same. My little buddy was diagnosed, by a neurologist, at 15 months. We started therapy and continued with therapy until this summer. He received Speech, Occupational Therapy, and ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis).  I have worked really hard to help get him to where he is today. I was ready to give him the wings he needed and was prepared to march through heck to get too!
So needless to say, when the doctor looked at me and said "She's kind of floppy." my head swirled and my heart started to panic. I know that I am willing to fight again. I believe the only thing that is going on with baby girl is hypotonia, (low muscle tone). Most likely it will go away by the time she is one or when she begins to walk. She just needs a little extra help in some areas and is only slightly delayed in this area.
I know that God hears our prayers and I know that He will lead us through this too. I know that nothing is put upon me that I can't handle. So I know that I will fight in order for her to succeed. It may be hard work on our part and hers too, but we will overcome this as well! 

Cloth diapers or not?

I can picture your face as I mentioned the phrase "cloth diapers". Most likely you also in visioned the old timey ones that your grandmother used. You know the ones that you have to have pins and the wet pants too! I know because that is what I thought and said when the subject was brought to me. I thought, "Really?!? Why would I do that? How could I do that? Eeeewww gross!" I just didn't understand...

First of all, if you don't me then you should know that I am really "prissy". After my parents finally let me wear makeup I wouldn't go get the mail box without dolling up first! lol. I still put on makeup to go the grocery store, to get my little buddy off the bus, and sometimes just to wear around the house. I change clothes sometimes 3 times before I settle on what I am actually going to wear. Sometimes I am a little over dressed but I that's just how I am. I love jewelry, the idea of fake nails (can't afford them right now), coloring my hair, shopping, etc. (~not that you can't be prissy and still be okay with cloth diapers). I just thought that I was too prissy to consider them to be an option for my family.

I thought about the idea of cloth diapers for the majority of my pregnancy with baby girl. I knew that I was going to try to breast feed her (which never worked out for me and her) and I was trying to think up other ways we could save money. I talked with my Mr. and he was okay with me trying them out. I went to a meeting and I really liked them they looked just like regular diapers you just get to wash these....(pictures below)

The inside of the diaper

(the stuffing is already inside)

The outside - purple:)



Baby girl with the diaper on.  



She is so very happy!

This one is my favorite:)

      



So I took the plunge and one of my parents offered to buy them for me. I LOVE these diapers. I use two different kinds and I would love to try some others I just need to get some money so I buy them and try them out. I am tempted to try the pre-folds, but with a liner that looks kind of like the diapers that I have, (with the velcro or buttons)

I have to confess that I am not fully on the cloth diapers. I use disposables at night and when we leave the house for long periods of time. I also us the disposables at church because I don't know if anyone would actually change her. I hope to be able to get to the point where these are all that we use and I am sure that I will. Baby girl is starting to sleep more at night so I might look into the hemp stuffins because I hear they last longer at night than regular stuffins.

I can also honestly say that when she does go "poo" it stays in the diaper! The disposables allow it to run out the sides and up her back...yuck! I have touched less poo with the cloth than I have with the disposable...( I have a diaper sprayer, made it myself).

They may sound expensive (about $20 a diaper) but I can use these diapers now until she is potty trained and not have to keep buying them over and over. I hate it when I see that we are "low" on disposables, because that means I have to go to the store and buy them again and they will be gone within 2-3 weeks. At least I am not spending $20+ a week just to diaper her. I did choose this route because of the money issue not so I can be green. It helps both areas though!

Thank you for listening to me ramble on about the awesomeness of cloth diapers. If you know someone on the fence about this subject I think they should at least try it. If it doesn't work out there are sites that will help sell them for you and try to get back some of your money for you. I hope that if you read this and you are the one thinking about this subject that it helps you. I do know someone local that can answer more questions and you can even meet with her personally. Let me know if you have any questions...

My church...

I am thankful that I go to a small church, sometimes. I feel lost in a really big church. I know some people prefer either or and that it fine...wherever you may go I hope they teach God's Word and not doctrines of religion. My church is full of family and ones that have known me since my father married Mrs. S. I have watched my church go up and down in numbers of attendance. Yet, the faithful remain.
I am thankful for them allowing my husband to be nominated by his peers to teach them. He enjoys teaching the Young Adult Sunday School Class. He studies and prepares all week. They love watching him teach too! ~Yes I said watch...they do listen, at least I hope, but he walks in circles because he can't be still. He has also "preached" on a Sunday to the whole church and he is about to do it again!
I am thankful for my Pastor. He is a loving, patient, kind man who radiates Christ throughout his entire being. His family has been under attack with health issues this past year. Yet, we have seen prayers answered and miracles present themselves. He loves the church members. I know that if I have a need that is greater than what I can handle then I can go to him and he will go before the Father with me. Thank you for all that you do and the time and the effort that you pour into our church body.

I am thankful for options in schooling...

I have noticed that my little buddy is struggling this year. His therapy ended because Medicaid said he was smart and was on grade level. They apparently don't know anyone on the Autism Spectrum. I am frustrated that I can't get him the therapy that he needs. He needs Speech, OT, and ABA. I am capable of doings these myself but he fights me.
Anyways, he is usually an A/B student and so far this year he has been bringing home A's and B's until he brought home the 24 on a test that dropped that A to a C. Since then he has brought home even more of the same bad grades. I don't understand?!? He is supposed to have a para pro and she seems to be okay with the fact that he is not making the grade this year. When I try to contact her on the phone she is in too much of a hurry to talk about what's going on with him. Now she is talking like they are going to put him in a smaller, special needs classroom. He has been in a regular classroom since Kindergarten (I had him repeat this 2 x's, once in a SDD classroom and once in a reg. classroom.) If we move him into a Special Needs Room he will not understand at all. As a parent I can't do sit back and watch silently to see if he would further regress. I know that I have rights and I am going to have to research them over the next few days since we have a meeting on Wednesday.
So I am extremely thankful for a husband that sees the need for me to stay home, (he wants me to stay home for both of our children). I am thankful that he is open to the idea of homeschooling my little buddy. I am researching my options and I have some ideas up my sleeve to get us out of the house so he is not cooped up here all day. Please pray that we make the right decision. I want my little buddy to prosper. 

Friends

I have different types of friends; all of them equally important to me. I am thankful that I have friends. It' s important to have someone that you call lean on or call when you really need to talk. Sometimes I wish I had more friends that would understand where I am coming from when I talk about my little buddy, (it's just hard when they don't have a clue and want to judge). I am thankful for the ones that I can call no matter what time and they are there for me.
To all my friends I say thank you. You are the ones that help lift me and my family up in prayer. You are the ones that I can talk to about anything. You are the ones that are always there for me. I am so thankful that I have you all in my life.

Where you lay your head...

I mentioned earlier that Mr. and I have been married for almost 12 years and during this time we've moved a lot! The first place we lived was a small one bedroom apartment. It was cute and ugly all at the same time, lol. Yet, it was our first home. We lived there for about a year, then we found this beautiful house and we just had to have it. So we signed our life away and we now had a three bedroom home that we got to pick out all the decor and everything. This is where I brought home my little buddy.
Then things went south, very way south, and it seemed like it happened so fast. My marriage was in trouble, we were losing our home, I didn't have a job and my husband's job had lost a lot of business. It felt like a whirlwind. We let the house go and moved to another apartment, then a house, to the house right next door to that one, to another house across town, to where we are now! Not only have we moved a lot but it's been about every year!!! Now we are looking to move again, this time to a more permanent home. I have learned that where I lay my head is my home it doesn't matter what it looks like or where it's located, my family is there with me.
So today I am thankful for the fact that I do have somewhere to lay head. I am thankful for the food in cabinets and in the refrigerator. I am thankful for the ability to have the money to heat it up so my children will not freeze. I am thankful for the beds and blankets, the furniture and everything else that helps to make it a home for my children. I am thankful that God is first in this home, as for me and my house we will serve Him always!

the Moby :)

This is my Moby...I LOVE this thing! Sometimes babies just sleep better when you hold them, but how can you accomplish things around your house if you hold baby all day??? You wear them! Baby Girl loves to be wrapped up in this and can sleep for hours. I can clean, type on the computer (with both hands), fold clothes, vacuum, sweep, grocery shop, and even cook (yes I am careful with her while I'm cooking). I can do all this while having both my hands free. She is close enough to me that I can kiss the top of her head. I can hear her breathing and she can hear my heart beat. I wouldn't know what to do with out this product.
For those that know someone that is about to have a baby or has a new baby this is a great gift, (if they don't have one). It doesn't hurt me to wear it and it's actually really comfortable. You can get one at your local baby store or you can order one from mommysecretsonline.com, (I bought my cloth diapers from her, a whole different subject I'll post soon.)

My Parents...

I have two sets of parents:) I have my dad and mom and then step- parents. My dad and mom married when they were 15 and 16, yes I wrote that correctly! They were in high school when they decided to marry and they finished high school afterwards. They had me when they were in their twenties and divorced when I was about 7 years old. My dad married again (Mrs. S) and my mom married again too (Mr. E). They are both really happy now in their marriages and I am glad that God has blessed them.
Dad and Mrs. S raised me for the most part of my life. I love my dad. He has worked hard all his life to provide for his family and had chased after God for the majority of his life. What they taught me: If you really want something (i.e. a car, schooling, etc.) then you should work hard to pay for it yourself because you will appreciate it more. They gave the street sense, to pay attention to my surroundings, and not to take things for granted. Family is important, so keep them close. Take your children to church, because if you don't start when they are little they will not want to go when they are older.
Due to crazy things (court and everything else) I started a relationship with my mom after I was 19. I know that she loves me because she carried me and raised me during the early part of my life. I missed out on a lot because I was confused and needed time to grow as well. Over the part 12 plus years, mom and Mr. E has taught me: that that I need to breathe, that if I have a little then I can give a lot. It's ok to cry. A phone does make outgoing and incoming calls (lol). How to take care of your spouse. There are no secrets, anything can be discussed - it just might take a while to process.
They all have taught me more that what I wrote, I just typed out the first thoughts that came to me first. I love them all and pray for them everyday. I know that through the four of them I have become an awesome parent myself, (yes I can brag a little, lol).

What's for dinner?

I love to cook and love trying new things. I usually discuss new ideas with Mr. first, but tonight I didn't. I could just imagine his face as I told him what I wanted to try and so I thought it was best to keep it a surprise...

I cooked chicken in a skillet on top of the stove and then put it in the oven until it was done and the topping is made up of feta cheese, some butter, and freshly chopped sage. Sweet mashed potatoes with a hint of nutmeg and steamed pears with red onion. This was a delicious meal! I prepared their plates and brought it to the table and their faces were priceless...lol!!! Mr. and my little buddy were true champs as they tried it for me. Mr. liked everything but the mashed potatoes (which I'm going to try again, because I know I can make them better), and my little buddy tasted it and said no thank you.
I found this recipe while watching Rachel Ray...I usually tune in when it is just the cooking part. If you want to try it I can tell you exactly what it is called so you may look it up too!

My amazing children...

Today is November 4th and I am extremely thankful that God chose me to be a mother to my little buddy and baby girl. They are a huge part of my life. They bless me everyday and I couldn't imagine my life without them. I love them both with all of my heart.
My little buddy was a surprise. He was not planned for and it was shocking to find out that we were pregnant. He came into our lives and changed us forever. He was diagnosed with Autism at 15 months and we decided then that we had to work hard to give him wings to fly. He continued therapy until this summer and he is doing great! He is so super smart and so loving too! He is my little buddy and my sunshine:) He has given me so much over the years...he has taught me that there are two ways to do anything, that you don't always have to talk to communicate, and how strong my faith can be in Jesus. Whereas most parents take for granted that their children talk, I will not, (He didn't talk until he was almost 3.) I have seen miracles that only God could do in him and I will always remember.
In between my little buddy and baby girl, I miscarried. I was only 7 weeks along but I knew that I wanted that baby. My little buddy wanted us to have that baby too! He just knew that it was a little girl (he wanted a sister) and he called her "baby Kate". It broke my heart to lose her and even more so when we told my little buddy that baby Kate had to go live with Jesus. He understood but we were both broken hearted for a long time.
Two years after baby Kate, I gave birth to Baby Girl. It almost didn't seem real and sometimes it still doesn't. She is a huge blessing to us and her big brother thinks that she is the best thing that has ever happened! She can light up the room with her smile and I am so very happy to have her in my life. She was prayed for every day for the past two years.
God is so good. His timing is perfect. To me I have 3 children. I may not have them all with me, but they are all loved none the less. I praise God for the blessing of parenthood. It is crazy sometimes but I love being their mother more than anything!

My Wonderful Husband...

Nov. 3~ I am thankful for my husdband. We have been married for almost 12 years. He is a man that chases after God. I love going into the bedroom and seeing that he has the Bible, Strong's concordance, dictionary, paper, pen and possibly another Bible too and he is studying God's Word...that right there is truly sexy! He works his tail off so that we can make it each month and he doesn't complain. He is an awesome husband and he loves me even if my hair and make up aren't done that day or if I have spit up all down my shirt (mommy perfume). He takes care of me when I am not feeling well too and has even prayed over me.
He is an amazing father. He loves little buddy and baby girl like nothing else. They can make him light up and they love to spend time with him. He looks forward to the weekends because that is when he can sit down the most. He loves to be the one to tell little buddy about Jesus and how amazing He is to us, baby girl listens too.
He is my best friend. I can go to him and talk to him about anything and he will listen to my nonsense babbling, smile and nod his head. He holds me when I cry and tells me that everything is going to be ok. My favorite place is in his arms because I feel everything melt away. I love him with all my heart.

What does thankful mean?

We were at the dinner table last night and the question came up, "What does thankful mean?" Thankful means to be grateful, or full of thanks. Somedays it may feel like everything is falling apart around us but we can find something to be thankful for regaurdless. My family has been through a lot in the past 12 years and when the "poo" hits the fan I tend to paninc first and then I go into my prayer closet not just to pray, but to lift up praises. I know that when I praise God in EVERY circumstance, not just the good ones but the bad ones too, He can move mountains.

So I explained to my little buddy that when you receive something you usually say "Thank you!", (or at least you should). This time of year we forget to sit down and really think about what we are thankful for in our lives because we are too busy. Next month brings the hustle and bustle of Christmas and I know that my little buddy will have a list a mile long of all the things that he would like to have, (I sure do miss him being little and not realizing what Christmas was) and I know that I will not be able to get everything on that list, but he will be thankful for everything that he will get. I so badly want him to learn this concept this month and see that he has a lot to be thankful for, as well as myself and the Mr.

Today is day #2 and I am so thankful for my Salvation. God loves me so very much that He sent His ONLY Son to take my place. God bankrupted Heaven for me!!! Of course He did this for you too, but if I was the only one that accepted Him, He still would have died for me. I don't think anyone here on earth loves me enough to die for me, but Jesus did. Not only that, but when I am in need He goes before God the Father and helps plead my case. He doesn't charge me for this nor does He want anything in return other than my love in return. So why should my praises, thanksgiving, ever end? They shouldn't. Thank you Jesus for taking my place and loving me so much. I don't deserve it, but you freely gave up your life so I can give you mine.

To be Thankful?

Last year a friend of mine posted things she wast thankful for during the month of November. I thought this was a wonderful way to share positive things that happen everday that we take for granted. I have decided to do this with my family this year. I will post what I am thankful for each day here on my blog and facebook as well.

As for my family, we are going to do it a little different...I have cut up strips of paper and every night at dinner we will be writing down what we are thankful for and putting them in a canister. We will be reading them aloud during our Friday night family time. Then we will make a wreath with our strips to hang up the Monday before Thanksgiving. I will take pictures and show you how this turns out. I am super excited to see what we are all thankful for in our lives. 

As for me, on this first day of November:...I am thankful that God's door is ALWAYS open to talk, because I talk a lot! He is never to busy to spend time with me. I am in constant need to talk to Him because life is crazy.