I am celebrating 13 amazing years of marriage today...

I don't know if he will read this our not...but here I go...

To my Mr...

You are an amzing man after God's own heart. I love that you chase after Him and lead our family in the way that God wnats you to. I love that you lead our family in prayer. I am thankful that you are a wonderful and loving husband. You are showing our son how to be a husband and love his wife and you are setting the bar for what our daughter will look for in a husband. I want to say thank you for providing for our family in such a way that I have the opportunity to stay home with our children and homeschool them as well. I am thankful that God placed you in my life so that I can spend forever with you. Happy Anniversary, I love you bunches!

The year is winding down...

I feel like December first came and I blinked celebrated Christmas blinked again and in just a few days it will be January! Holy cow! Where did my year go???

Like I said we just celebrated Christmas. We got together with friends and family and had a great time seeing everyone. I think that kids were spoiled by all sides and for us we still have one more Christmas gathering before the year is done. This was the first year that we focused our children more on Jesus and His birth more than presents. (Before you fret, they did get presents I just didn't want that to be a focal point.) I think that Little Buddy enjoyed it more that way than any other Christmas. We read Luke 2, had a thank you prayer, sang a song and then we continued celebrating our beautiful day with our family.

Then I blinked and we are where we are today.

So now with New Years right around the corner do you set resolutions hoping to make them happen? Hoping that you can make it past the first 2 weeks of January? LOL...yes, I have been in that same boat. I have many a new year resolutions that I have not followed through with as of today. SO let's change this and decide to set some amazing goals...nothing outrageous that could never be accomplished but realistic monthly goals. I have some that I will share with you....

I would love to______________ in 2012!:
learn to sew using my sewing machine
learn sign language
decorate one room in my house the way that I want it (exp. bedroom: new bed, bedding, paint, curtains, etc.)
organize better (buy the items to organize with)


Ok, so there is a couple for me and I feel like those can be actual goals to do before next year. But I would love for my son to set goals to. How do I do that? I found something earlier and I will be sitting down with him later. Here are four questions to ask your child if they are old enough to set goals...

What one place do you want to visit?

What one thing do you really want to do?

What class or skill would you like to take/learn?

If you could help anyone, who would it be?

I think these are amazing goals to have even as an adult. Do you have any others for me to consider? What kind of goals do you wish to set for yourself?

Little Drummer Boy

I have been listening to Christmas music, tis the season, and I heard one song that I have heard all my life...you know the one....

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum

A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum

Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum

To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,

When we come.

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum

I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum

I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum

That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,

On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum

The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum

I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum

I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum

Me and my drum.

We have been diligently working on making presents for everyone this Christmas, in the mean time we have been talking about the talents God gave us. How do we use them? Are we honoring God with them? Are we blessing others with them? Some people have lots of talents and others seem to only have a handful but all the same we are supposed to use them for His glory.

So this song has played over and over in my head. Here are the wise men and their gifts were amazing in themselves and they were giving what they thought was the best. He comes this poor little drummer. He has nothing but his talent. He could have went off and pouted and sat down and played a sad tune called Woe unto Me. BUT he chose to go praise the King of Kings with his drum. He gave the only thing he had his talent!

I am honored to teach my children that God is pleased and smiles at them still this day when they use there talent for His glory. I am so excited that I get the honor of teaching them this simple truth. I get to demonstrate it in my daily life. I am blessed with all the talents that God has given to me and I pray that He helps me to bless others.



Santa vs. Jesus

We finally had the "talk" tonight. You know the one....Santa isn't real. I had dreaded this conversation for many a reasons. I didn't know how he would take it due to him taking everything so literal. Looking back I don't even know how it all began, his belief in Santa. I just don't think I ever told him not to believe. It always seemed so magical and all the shows at this time of year I honestly think he just picked it up. It also doesn't help when family members encourage this belief. So we allowed it until this year.

We got to talking and we started to compare Santa vs. the real reason to celebrate...Jesus.

Santa:

lives in the North Pole

isn't real, make believe

only brings me a present if I am good

jolly, fat man

doesn't know anything about me

only comes around once a year

just a man

has flying imaginary reindeer

Jesus:

lives in my heart (well, the Holy Spirit does)

is very, very real

loves everyone good or bad - He gave His life for me

a amazingly strong man

knows EVERYTHING about me...(Psalms 139)

walks with me daily and I can talk to Him whenever I want

the King of Kings, our Saviour, Prince of Peace...

has the most amazing angels you've ever seen!

So, how did he take it? He did awesome. He had a few questions and that was about it. I did tell him that it is not his job to tell others that there is not a Santa. I told him if he still wanted to pretend then that's ok too.

But after comparing the two..I'd rather him believe in Jesus.

Merry Clothmas!

Yes, you heard me right, I said Merry Clothmas! It is my favorite time of year when Cloth Diaper Addiction host what they call "The 12 Days of Clothmas". If you are new to cloth then you want to go check them out! 12 Days of Clothmas will run December 1-12, with a new giveaway going up each day with some great prizes. Each giveaway will be open for a total of 3 full days. At that time the giveaway will close, winners will be drawn and all winners will be announced on December 15th.


I will be attending and hoping to see some new diapers that are on the market. I wish for you to attend as well and I hope you win something amazing!!!

Thank you Cloth Diaper Addiction for hosting a fabulous event!!! Merry Christmas to you!

Days 23 - 30th, I am thankful for...

Wow! Thanksgiving week through me for a loop! I completely didn't blog and I feel terrible about that...so here we go:

Day 23: I am thankful for laughter in our life. I know that things get crazy and yes there are days that I lose my cool, but we will always laugh during the day. I love hearing my children laugh, I love that my husband can make me laugh so hard that I cry. I am thankful that even through the hard times we can find something to laugh about.

Day 24: I am thankful for Thanksgiving! I am thankful for the ability to buy the food that we needed to celebrate this amazing day with friends and family. I am thankful that everyone that came to my house loves me and my family like their own. I am thankful that we were able to relax and have an awesome day of fellowship.

Day 25: I am thankful for COFFEE!!! Yes, you heard me. I got up around 6 am Thursday and didn't go back to bed until Friday morning about 3:30am! Target called my name and I had,  no needed, wanted to go so badly!!! I love to shop and I wanted to go and this was my first year ever joining all the crazies out that early. Had a blast and would definitely do it again but I am thankful for coffee because it helped me get through Friday:)

Day 26: I am thankful for rest. I know that I already mentioned naps but this is different. I am thankful that after all that we did over the past two days to just be able to be content and rest with my family. No deadlines to conquer, no have "to do" lists, just rest and enjoy my family. We don't get too many of those days and I am glad we had a chance to do so before the holiday weekend was over. I am thankful for rest.

Day 27: I am thankful for church. I am thankful that I can freely go worship where I want and when I want. I am thankful that I can go as I am ( I do dress up, but if I wanted to go in sweats they would still love me.) I am thankful that I can hear God's word taught to me. I am thankful that my family enjoys going and worshiping together.

Day 28: I am thankful for the ability to read and write. I love that my little girl will pull out books and look at me with longing eyes wanting me to take a minute out of my day to read to her. One day she will be able to read and won't need me, so I will take time to read with her. I am thankful that I can write, because I have to teach my children that as well. If you can write then you can jot down any thought that you have.

Day 29: I am thankful for this blog. It is an outlet for me to talk to other adults when I spend my entire day around my favorite little people. I need a place to vent my bad days, share in our triumphs, and hopefully connect with someone. I need this more some days than others.

Day 30: I am thankful that Christmas is our next holiday. I enjoy blessing others and I am so excited about this Christmas because I am having a Homemade Christmas. I am trying to make all of our Christmas presents and even a couple for my own children and I hope that everyone enjoys what they receive. I am so thankful that God has showed me all the things to be thankful for this month. I am thankful for more than what I tried to write down here. I hope you all saw new things to be thankful for as well...

Thanksgiving Day...

I practically begged my husband to allow me to host this most blessed event. For 13 years we have gone to someone else's home. Not that I really minded, but I knew that one day I would want to do it at my home. This year we purchased our home and even though we don't have everything the way that I want it...I want to host. All of mine and Mr.'s parents have had a rough year in one way or the other, so I wanted to host for that reason alone. I wanted to say thank you for all that they have done for us over the years. We should all grow up one day and hopefully do for our parents and this is my year.

I wished to have houseful and a ton of memories to fill our home for years to come. Unfortunately, I will not have all the family that I wanted here. So I tried desperately to fill our home...extended family made other plans so they were out, now what? We prayed about it and I asked for people to be sent my way. We decided to ask the Korean family that goes to our church and they said yes. Then they knew some that didn't have any family here and asked if they could come and we said yes!

So now I have a mix of my family and some that needed a family. Isn't that what Thanksgiving is all about? I wanted a housefull to make memories and these people will carry on that memory with them forever. I wanted to share God's love with everyone that I could and I can with everyone entering my home. I wanted to cook and host for people that I love and now get to and I am uberly excited! I am thankful for this opportunity that God has given to share our home with others.

What are you doing for Thanksgiving? Do you have any traditions that you'd like to share?

Day 21 & 22: I'm thankful for...

Day 21
I am thankful that I am not snooty! I think that I have a good attitude about everything and I am such a people pleaser that it would be hard for me to be snooty to anyone. I am a little shy and I pray that God will help me grow out of that and blossom a little more.


Day 22
I am thankful for everything that God has blessed me and my family. We may not have a whole lot but the blessings that we have received are miraculous and I will never take them for granted. In turn I am thankful that He has given me a giving heart as well. I want to bless others with things that they need. If I have it I want to give it to you. I can't stand for anyone to go without....

Day 20: I'm thankful for...

I am thankful for all of my family...Brothers, Sisters, Nephews, Nieces, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and really close friends that should be included in my family. I am grateful to have each and everyone of them in my life. I am thankful that they encourage me and they have taught me so much through the years. I hope they each know that they are special to me and hold a special place in my heart. I love them all dearly:)

Day 19: I'm thankful for...

I am thankful for rainy days. I love snuggling up with the kids and letting the house work slide for a moment while it pours outside. I enjoy taking time out and resting for a while and watching them grow. I don't want to miss this and I don't want them to grow up to fast. The rain seems to help in this and it seems to make time stand still, at least around here it does. It reminds me to take a step back and enjoy them for a minute longer, get a few extra kisses, laugh a little louder, give a couple of extra hugs, and just play a little more.

Day 18: I'm thankful for...

I am thankful for naps! I have mentioned it before, but my baby has not slept the night through as of yet. I am somtimes extremely jealous of the parents that have babies that slept through the night at 2 weeks...uuggghh! I have learned to accept this behavior and have learned to accept taking naps with my daughter. There are nights that I may only get a couple hours of sleep so I desperately await the nap time that day. She will grow out this one day and I will be extremely thankful for a full night's sleep with no need to nap:)

Day 17: I'm thankful for...

I am thankful for:

Christian music that plays during the day while we work and clean.

an air conditioned home when it's hot outside or the heat for when it's cold outside.

a fireplace so we can toast marshmallows inside this winter.

a washer machine that works really good and the dryer too!

a dishwasher to wash all my dishes so I have more time with my family.

an oven so I can prepare meals for my family.

comfy furniture so we don't have to sit on the floor.

clothes! I love hand-me-downs:)

shoes so we don't have to go barefoot.

electricity to run everything in the house.

clean water to bathe in or drink.

technology...my phone & the computer I'm typing on.

I am thankful for even the little things that I may take for granted everyday.

Day 16: I'm thankful for...

I am thankful for all the gifts that God has given me. I am thankful that I am crafty which helps when you home school because sometimes you have to come up with a cheap craft when you need one. I am also hoping to have a handmade Christmas this year,  (will post those later). I am thankful that I can sew and knit, yes I am myself how to knit!

I am thankful that I have the ability to cook. I love being in my kitchen and making meals that my family will enjoy. I love baking too! I am thankful that I am creative in the kitchen because sometimes you have to be when you are on a tight budget.

Am I failing?

I knew when I started home schooling my son that I would have struggles, good days and bad days, not so structured days and ones that go exactly as planned. A lot of people thought I was crazy to homeschool him with the Autism factor. I prayed and and prayed and our decision was yes and God would help us. I had thought about what if he doesn't pass this or fails that and had a plan. Yet, I don't think I ever thought about the days that I would feel like I was failing him. Today was that day.

Math, Art, Social Studies, and Science all seem to come easy for him and he enjoys those subject. Language Arts and Reading Comprehension is difficult for him to pick up and right now we are struggling with adjectives. I sat for 30 minutes each day last week and explained, showed examples, wrote sentences and prayed with him. Since we didn't have school yesterday we picked back up today and did the exact same thing. So I was frustrated when he took his quiz and scored a 42!

A 42!?!?!?!

Really? a 42?

I went into the kitchen and cried.

I really wanted to go hide in the closet but I wasn't going to make it that far.

What did I do wrong? Am I failing him as a teacher? Would someone else teach him better? Was this just a fluke? Tears streaming down my face quietly as I search for answers and prayed for strength because I was going to need it along with patience and understanding today.

So we sat there and tried again. This time he made a 72. Better but still not what I expected.

Side not: I am not one of these parents that expects all A's. I know that there will be things that he masters and somethings that are difficult. I do expect his best work though. If he had made a 72 the first time then I would have been fine.

So what now? Well, I am not allowing him to take the test, at least not yet. He will have a ton of worksheets this week until I am satisfied that he KNOWS how to identify adjectives. He will be drilled and drilled all day and asked to put adjectives into his everyday sentences. I have to conquer this one so when the next bump happens then I can stand up against it with confidence.

I've decided never again will I feel like this. It is by the grace of God that we have gotten this far with His grace we will finish. Just because we hit a bump doesn't mean that I am failing him. It just means I may have to find a different approach. There is always more than one way to learn something.

Do you homeschool? Any experiences you want to share?

Day 15: I'm thankful for...

We are halfway through!!! This is where it seems to get a little tougher for me. NOT that am not thankful I think I am just looking for BIG things and I need to remember that it's not always the big things but the little things too...

Day 15: I am thankful for my car. It is a couple of years old but it runs great and gives awesome gas mileage. I am thankful that we are able to afford it and can't wait until it's paid off. It gets us where we need to go. I am thankful that it has a radio that plays Christian music, heat when it's cold outside and air condition when it's hot. I am thankful that the tires are good. I am thankful that I am blessed to have car:)

Day 12, 13, and 14! I am thankful for....

I am behind on my own blog hop..that's bad...hehehe! So here I go:

Day 12: I am thankful for my job. I was able to pick up a part time job about a month ago and it has been a true blessing. I have a full time job as a mom, but to get paid to do something is awesome! I love going in to work knowing that I am going to be able to help my family financially, even if it's just a little. I get to help!

Day 13: I am so thankful that I can get up on Sunday mornings and go worship the one true God. I am thankful that I can get my kids up and we they are excited that we are going to church. We put on worship music, the one and only day I really don't want the tv on, and we dance and sing while we are getting ready to leave. I want my children to be excited about worship!

Day 14: I can't believe that I haven't posted this one yet....I am thankful for my grandparents. I only have one set still living and they are amazing to me. My grandmother (Bana) loves on my children like no one else can. We went to lunch together and I realized how blessed I am to still have her. I am thankful that I can call her up and talk to her...I love talking to her. My grandfather is funny. He always has a "joke" to tell you. I am super blessed~

Day 10 & 11: I'm thankful for...

Day 10: I'm thankful for my friends & my homeschool group. I am thankful that I have someone that I can call when I am just in the mood to talk. I am thankful that I always have someone praying for me. I am thankful that there is someone always in my corner. I am thankful that they all are different and inspire me in different ways. I am thankful that God has placed each one in my life. I am thankful that at least once a week I can get out of my home and socialize with other moms! :)


Day11: I am thankful for a clean house. It may not stay clean for long but at least I can enjoy while they sleep:)...lol!!!

Day 9: I'm thankful for...

I am thankful for my in-loves (aka the in-laws). I have heard that phrase a few times around and thought I would start using it as well. I love their son with all my heart and they are wonderful people so why not? I am thankful that he loves his mother, because I know that he will always take care of me:) I am thankful that they raised him to be a hard worker. I am thankful that they chose life for him too! I am thankful that they gave him good morals. I am thankful that they taught him great work ethic. I am thankful that they love my children.

Day 8: I'm thankful for...

I am thankful for restful nights. I have not slept the whole night through in over a year, but some nights are more restful than others. There are some nights that I don't get to sleep because baby girl struggles all night long. Then there are nights that I get something close to 5-7 hours of sleep. I have learned how to live with what I get and some days are better than others. I am so thankful that we have a warm bed to sleep in as well. I am thankful for the covers that cover us and the music that plays all night. I am thankful for the night light, even though I don't need it, it does give light in order to help her rather than doing it in the dark! I am thankful that we have angel's that guard our home the whole night through. I am thankful that I have a baby that wakes me up...even though I really can't wait to sleep all night:)

Day 7: I'm thankful for...

A day late....sorry.

I am thankful that I can talk to God...not just what He wants to hear but how I really feel. I don't want to water down my words or make them all flowery and pretty. I know that he KNOWS my heart and that means that I can share with Him everything. I can ask all my questions and the what if's. I can confess all my hurts, fears, and anger. He made a person not a robot & I definitely have thoughts, feelings and a ton of questions. Yet, He listens and guides me without judgement:) I am thankful that He loves me and wants to know me.

I dare you to join!

We started off the month of November blogging about all the things that we thankful for in our life. The first week is down so I challenge you to finish the month with me!  So hurry up and join in on this hop with me! If you want to join in then all you have to do is the following...it's never too late to join.



1. Blog each day in November about something that you are Thankful for in your life!

2. Put this button on your page:)




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That's it! Please join me and leave me a link of where you are and I will come visit you this month! Happy Blogging:)

Day 6: I'm thankful for...

I am thankful for the option to homeschool. We didn't start homeschooling until the end of last school year. I wanted to protect my son from things that were going on in his school. I believe that it is a personal choice and this is something that I had to pray long and hard about. I kept thinking...but he needs to be socialized and he needs interaction. Could I truly take this on with him having special needs and the whole deal? I was definitely scared and worried about "how I would do"...then I realized that I was going to be a tool for God to work through. He can help me do anything that He has put in my heart to do. I knew I could do this and we would be just fine.

So I am thankful for the ability to homeschool by the grace of God. I am thankful that I have found curriculum that works for us. I am thankful for the routine that has been established in our home. I am thankful that we can read our Bible and pray freely! I am thankful that I can teach all the pledges (the American flag, the Christian flag, and the Bible). I am thankful that my son is learning memorizing scripture and that will be imprinted on his heart forever. I am thankful for the flexible days when we just want to be a little lazy or stay in our p.j's. I am thankful for the jam packed days. I am thankful that he is getting the one on one attention that he needs. I am thankful that we can slow down and concentrate where he may need the most help. I am thankful for homeschool groups so he can have some buddies to play with & I get some grown up time.

Day 5: I'm thankful for...

I am thankful for finally having a home of my very own! After years of moving, (we have moved 6 times in like 7 years) and renting for just as long I finally have a home...

We have been here for about 2 months and it seems that it doesn't seem real. I have another little confession...I still have not hung one picture, not one! I think that I will be working on that this week.

I am thankful that we have this beautiful home that God provided for us. I am thankful that it sheilds us from the weather outside. I am thankful for all the hand me down furniture inside this home that we have something to sit on and lay in at night. I am thankful for the huge yard where the children can play and have fun, I hope to have a small garden next year(: I am thankful that it is fenced in and the dogs can run and play...no more walking them 3-4 times a day. I am thankful for running water and warm showers. I am thankful for a fireplace and can't wait to start one this winter! I am thankful for all the trees that provide shade during the day. I am thankful that we are in a safe neighborhood and God protects our home.

Day 4: I'm thankful for...

I am thankful that God blessed me with the ability to be a mother. Even more blessed to be a mother to the two most awesome children in the world! I may be a little bias...lo(: There are days that I take for granted and I may lose my cool but at the end of the day I wouldn't trade motherhood for the world. I don't usually use their real names on the blog all the time but today I will....

So meet my first born, Ethan...

I am thankful for Ethan for so many reasons: he has taught me that their is more that one way to do anything. I am thankful that I get to stay at home with him and get to see him blossom everyday. I am thankful that he his an awesome little man who loves God with all his heart. I am thankful that he is learning how to pray. I am thankful that she is healthy. I am thankful he is one of the most friendly kids that you will ever meet. I am thankful that he has a very creative imagination when it comes to Lego's and paper. I am thankful that he can entertain himself. I am thankful that he is an awesome big brother, he loves his sister so much!

Now lets meet Gianna...

I am very thankful that God blessed me with her after so many years of prayer. I am thankful that she is so happy, she has an amazing grin and you just can't help to giggle. I am thankful for the mornings that she sleeps in late. I am thankful that I learned about cloth diapers because she loves them. I am thankful that she has not had a hard time with teething...she's had her moments but they could have been way worse. I am thankful that I get to stay home with her and have been able to enjoy every minute of her. I am thankful that she is healthy. I am thankful that she loves her brother so much, she searches for him in the house...really its too cute(:

As you can see I LOVE my children and I am very thankful to be their mom. They are nine years apart and I don't know if I would have it any other way. They are great with each other. I am truly blessed by both of them...



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I have done a few product reviews and giveaways and would love to have the opportunity to do more. I have an active Facebook fan page and twitter account in addition to my blog. I utilize both of these social networking sites to help gain more readers.

Thank you for your visiting my blog. I hope you stay for a minute and look around. If you are interested and want to know more or how to get in touch with me, please click on the "PR Friendly" tab above. I hope I will have the opportunity to work with you!

Day 3: I'm thankful for...

I am thankful for my husband. We have been married for almost 13 years...WOW! I really can't believe that it has been that long. It has been a roller coaster ride, we've had our up and our downs. We are not perfect but we compliment each other perfectly. We are both saved and we training our children in God's word as well. He is my best friend. I love him with all my heart.

I am thankful that God placed him in my life. I am thankful that he puts God first. I am thankful that he is the leader of our home. I am thankful that he works really hard so that I can stay home with our children. I am thankful that he is a little OCD because sometimes I get out of cleaning the floors...hehehe. I am thankful that he is active in our church. I am thankful that he has a huge heart for others. I am thankful that he loves me. I thankful that he is an awesome daddy to our two beautiful children.

Of course there is more but again that would a very long post so I will end it here... 

Wordless Wednesday...

the fairy princess & the baseball player

Day 2: I'm thankful for...

I am thankful for my parents. My parents married very young, (he was 16, she was 15) and they were married for a while before they had me. I am thankful the chose life for me:)

Even though they divorced when I was seven I am thankful for the following things given by either parent, (or step-parent): I never had to worry about food, shelter, or clothes, they raised me to be a good person and to care about others, took care of me when I was sick, they took me to church and shared Jesus with me, they love me and my husband and my children, I believe that if they could they would give me anything within their power that I needed, they have been my "rock" at different points in my life, they tried their best to be good parents in their own way, and they pray for me.

There is so much more and would probably take forever to write down. I love both of them very much. I am very thankful to be their daughter.

Day 1...I'm thankful for...

I am thankful for my Salvation. I am so blessed that Jesus was sent for me. I so did not deserve it, but that is why His Mercy & Grace are so awesome. He would have come if it was only for me. I am thankful knowing that my past no longer matters because it is forgotten. I am thankful that I don't have to worry about my future because He has it laid out for me as long as I abide in Him. I am thankful that I can come boldly, but humbly, before Him in the throne room and make my requests known or just sit for a while in His presence. I am thankful that He calls me His own, I am a co-heir with Christ. Praise God always and forever!

Thankful blog hop!

Tomorrow will be my One Year Anniversary in the blogging world. I started last November because I wanted to blog about every thing I was thankful for, a way to count my blessings so to speak. So I thought it would be fun to do a hop with this! If you want to join in then all you have to do is the following...

1. Blog each day in November about something that you are Thankful for in your life!

2. Put this button on your page:)

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That's it! Please join me and leave me a link of where you are and I will come visit you this month! Happy Blogging:)

Is ignorance bliss?

I have written about this before but my son was diagnosed with Autism at 15 months. I love him with all my heart and it breaks my heart when I hear how people react to the word "Autism". I was recently around a person that kept making comments and hurtful things and as a mother I couldn't stand it any longer. How dare you say anything negative about child that is not yours? It really shows how ignorant you truly are when you continue to make comments after you know. To me it's no different than making fun a child with cancer. That is how cruel your actions seem to another person.
Many people will NEVER know what I go through during a week. You never see the meltdowns that he has behind closed doors. You never see how he cries because he thinks that he has no friends. You never see the dance he does before he has to go to the bathroom. You never see how he struggles to make a simple sentence with his spelling words. You never see the looks or hear the whispers that I get when we are in public. By the way these were just a handful of things off the top of my head.

Yet, on the other hand...You may or may not see how truly smart he is in just about everything. He is an amazing artist. He can build anything out out Lego's or paper. His most recent paper building is Bugs Bunny's Home...I will have to take pictures and show you later. He has a smile that will liven up your day. He is really sweet and tells me all the time that he loves me. He is an awesome helper and great with his sister. He is extremely passive so he isn't the first one to throw a hit. I have had to tell him to hit back - only circumstantial and not all the time. But if he doesn't then sometimes the other kids won't stop hitting on him. I have also taught him that there is no shame in walking away.

So unless it's your child that your exposing all their social faults to the public around you, then keep your mouth shut. Because when you are supposed to be the "grown up" it is definitely not cool for you to talk about kids that aren't yours in such a negative fashion. You don't know what that parent goes through and how hard they fight for their child. I am an open book and will answer any question. But you need to educate yourself before you speak. Your ignorance isn't bliss it is just plain ignorance.

Sorry, I had to vent...but mama bear came out and I couldn't breathe.

Wordless Wednesday: Pumpkins!

Five Qestion Friday...

This is my very first Five Question Friday! It looks like fun so I thought I'd participate...

I’m liking up with The Life of a Sippy Cup Mom!

1. Where do you escape to when you’ve had enough?
Ha! I don't think it's possible to escape...lol! If I can get a babysitter the a coffee house will be fine with me. I usually go hide in my closet....it's really big. I sometimes also escape to the shower:)

2. What shows are you watching this fall?
I am loving the show Parenthood (not the movie). I love that they are doing an awesome job of portraying Autism/Aspergers. I also love Castle..really cute. We always watch the Middle. We also love College Football in the home:)

3. What was the longest roadtrip you’ve ever taken and where did you go?
That's a hard one. I think the longest trip was when I was little and we went to Washington DC. We had a lot of fun but now days we stay close to home. Baby Girl screams in her car seat so traveling is difficult with her. Hopefully we could do something like that with our kids.

4. Do you plan on taking your kids to Disney World?
I would love to take them to Disney. I went when I was younger and so we definitely plan on taking them. Maybe we could plan that for next year?...hmmm

5. What is something people would surprised to know about you?
If you know me then you KNOW me. I am an open book. I think people are a little surprised about all the stuff I can cook. It has taken a long time for me to get good...but my husband doesn't complain...lol!

I hope you all have a blessed weekend!

Leave you blog address below if you do this and I will come see you!

Coffee perfection...

As you know I am a coffee addict! So with that being said I have to need my coffee.I always make it early & I drink it all day long. I like it hot, I like it cold, with ice, lots of cream & a little sugar...I love coffee! I love all the flavored creamers. My favorite so far is the peppermint one...hopefully will be back soon!!! If my house could smell like Starbucks then I would be in heaven:)

I have only had one really nice coffee maker and it started to leak water so it got tossed, (by my husband). My latest coffee maker was a hand-me-down and it worked. So I would set it up to brew my coffee every morning. Then one morning I went in and it didn't brew my coffee! Oh no! I checked to make sure I put water in it, because I've done that before. Yep, it had water. After a few minutes & finally coming face to face with my denial...I declared my beloved coffee maker dead. :(

Died on 9/21/2011 :(....my ugly beloved coffe maker.

SO what was a coffee addict to do?!? I need my coffee! I thought for a minute and remembered that we had something that I could use...could this work?

Yep, old school percolator!

Could this be my life saver today? I had only used it a few times while camping. It worked then, so why not now. I prepped it and placed it on the stove & prayed. Moments later I heard it working. I was so excited! I know that it is so not the same but it makes me coffee.

I've been doing this for almost a month now and I have learned that I cannot rush the process. If I want really good coffee I have to allow it to do it's thing on med/high heat for about 20-30 minutes! For me that is a long time to wait on coffee. I would much rather have it ready for me when I wake up, but right now that is not a possiblity. At the moment this coffee addict is just happy to have coffee in the morning.

Recycle...

Since I've been cloth diapering I am more aware of what we throw away. I hate to admit it but living in the apartment we would empty the trash can daily. Ouch! Now that we have moved into the house, we have began to recycle. We are super excited to be "helping" our planet. I know that we could have done it in the apartment but it was just a little crazy to figure it out. What we are finding out is that 90% of our trash is recyclable!!! WOW! That is crazy! I can't believe it! I looked in the trash can & the recycle can last week and the recycle one was stuffed full and the the regular trash can had only 1 bag. (They are both 96 Gallon trash cans!)

I have been teaching Little Buddy what it means to recycle. It really cute to hear my son yell out, "This has a triangle on it!!". We are teaching our children that this in important. We want them to see that we can make a little difference in our world.

We have even be up cycling. We've used cereal boxes as paper holders. We even decorated them so they are really cute. We use toilet paper rolls for art projects. We hope to use some milk jugs to start planting some seeds for our garden we want to have this spring. We have stacked some boxes together to make a "secret hide out". Have a little imagination and go wild!

What kind of blog are you?

I have been blogging for almost a year, my "Blogaversary" is the first of November. I have been writing on and off because of learning to home school, raising a new baby, and then moving. Of course there are times that I just didn't know what to say or didn't want to share my life at that moment. I love to write because after being home all day with a child that doesn't talk much and a baby...I need some grown up conversation. So I blog.

Over the past year I have noticed that there are different kind of blogs. There are informational ones, anything from homes to Autism to breastfeeding. There are personal ones, where they share every bit of their life's journey and you feel like you are right there with them. Then there's my favorite...the review/giveaway blogs. I love that they share all the info with you on a product. Trust me if I had money I would be broke from all the stuff that I fall in love with.

So what kind of blog do I really want to be? I would love to share our everyday stuff that I think someone would like to read and enjoy, but I would LOVE to learn how to be a review/giveaway blog as well. I wish there was a blog to tell you how to start this too!

I send out emails to different companies to see if they are interested in some one to review their product and I never hear back?.? I have heard back from a few...Zookies! (love them), Moms Crafts 4 U (super sweet), Snack Taxi (cute bags), and I have one more coming!!!  (I can't wait to tell you about her store!!!....keeping it a surprise for now. ) So if you have taken a chance on me thank you! I am forever grateful and I still tell people about you and your business.

My question is how do you do this? Is there a secret sign up place that I don't know about? Do you have to drive the business people crazy before you actually hear back from them? I am asking for help...so thank you for any and all information:):):)

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month

Pregnancy loss hits very close to home and I struggled with even talking about it at all. Yet, I know so many that have lost their baby within the first trimester, some who lost theirs in the second, and even a couple that lost theirs at the very end. Even one of my dear friends just lost their baby to SIDS. So this post is for those that have been in or experiencing this now....may God Bless.


July of 2008, we found out, after months of trying, that we were finally pregnant. We told everyone right away, because we were super excited & just knew that everything would be great. Little Buddy was super excited and couldn't wait for "her" arrival...he just knew it would be a girl and named the baby "Kate". Well, of course we wouldn't know for months if he was right so I allowed him to name the anxiously awaited baby. Our family was happy for us and we eagerly set our doctor appointment and waited. I was extremely sick. Morning sickness stayed with me all day and I couldn't hardly eat. I felt terrible but still excited.

The day of my appointment came and I got all dressed up and my husband did too, we were planning on going to lunch to celebrate. We sat on the edge of our seats to be called to the back and we they did I wanted to sprint down the hall. I got up on the silly table where there do the ultrasounds and the magic wand looked for my baby. There in the shadows laid "baby Kate". BUT WAIT!!! There was no heartbeat. Nothing. The nurse sat silent. I held my breath as tears ran down my cheek because I knew something was wrong. I was immediately asked to get dressed and was escorted to a doctors room. Were they told me that I was no longer pregnant. The baby never fully developed. I got in the car and broke down from there and wept all the way home.

Thoughts were flying through my head..."What do I tell everyone?", "Did I cause this?", "How am I going to tell my son?", " What's going to happen now?"...and the faster they came the harder I cried. I decided to have the DNC because I was teaching at the time and didn't want something to happen while I was at school. I remember not liking to have to make that decision. When I told Little Buddy...he broke down completely and cried for weeks. The morning after is when it hit me that I no longer had my baby and I broke down again.

It took a long time for me to heal emotionally. I was never mad at God even though I never, and still don't, understand. I actually turned to Him more during this time. Because I know that ALL GOOD THINGS come from Him and he would NEVER want me to hurt like this. The one that was getting "joy" in it was a murderous thief, the Devil and I refused to give in to thinking that God took my baby away.

I did heal and I will never forget "baby Kate". Little Buddy still talks about "baby Kate". I know that she is in Heaven and Jesus and all my friends and family that are already there are loving on her and telling her what her mommy, daddy and brother are like. That brings me comfort when I am missing her and wishing she was down her with me.

A wife who loses a husband is called a widow.
A husband who loses a wife is called a widower.

A child who loses his parents is called an orphan.
There is no word for a parent who loses a child.
That's how awful the loss is.

- Ronald Reagan

Here is a video I found on another's blog...get some tissues.

Fall art project: Pumpkins

 I love to decorate my home for all occasions and fall is no exception. Little Buddy loves to help in this process as well. Since we home school we are making Friday's craft days to decorate the house. This past week we chose pumpkins....

Our homemade pumpkins....

If you want to learn and do this with your little one the just follow along. This was a super easy craft:)

First you will need supplies:

orange paper (2-4 pieces depending on how many pumpkins you want),

brown paper (kind of hard to see in the pic sorry),

scissors,

glue stick,

 hot glue gun (or tape will work too).

I cut the strips of orange paper in varying sizes because I wanted different sized pumpkins. You can have you little one also cut the strips for you using safety scissors, of course.

Then criss-cross 4 strips of paper while putting clue in the middles so they will stay put:)

One by one pull the ends to the middle and either use tape or hot clue (parental supervised) to secure them. I then use a small strip of brown paper to make the stem. I rolled it up to give it depth, but you can use that activity for fine motor skills.

Sorry that it went sideways:(



We then decorated the fireplace with all of our finished pumpkins. We had a lot of fun making these and even Baby Girl got to help. I hope you get a chance to try these at you home this fall:)

Another baby...

Before I start..no I'm not pregnant:) I just want to get that out of the way just in case any friends or family read this. These are my personal thoughts and beliefs and I thought I'd share them. I also am referring to "married" women in this post. My husband may or may not share the same feelings express in this particular subject, nor does he really know about this post yet...


Recently I have been secretly longing for a third baby. I have been hearing a lot of friends having or thinking about having more babies. And of course looking at their baby's pictures makes my internal mother want another. I know, I know, Baby Girl just turned one and it would be a little much at the moment. But I still can't help but to think about another.

I was talking to another mom about this and she made a very interesting point, "Does we ever really feel like we are done having kids?". God made us to reproduce, right? Did He ever tell us to stop? I guess what I mean is that I believe God placed a desire in our hearts, as women, to want children. I don't think that God will ever put more on us than what we can handle. So how many can you handle? Some days the two that I have are plenty. But then I think how I would have loved my son to have someone to play with and now I'm starting to have the same thoughts for Baby Girl.

This also brought up another question with another friend that is sometimes controversial...birth control. I know some couples that use absolutely nothing and leave it all in Gods' Hands. Could I be that brave? I don't really know how my husband would feel about this subject and would probably freak out a little...hehehe. It says in 1 Peter 5:7 to "cast all your care...", does that include a possible pregnancy as well? ALL means ALL, right? Do we get caught up in trying to control our own lives through modern day contraceptives? I am definitely guilty of this. I think sometimes we feel safer if we can "keep" from getting pregnant. I feel if I can control that part of my life then it will be okay.

So, will I have another? I don't know. I would like to one day (some family members just fainted..lol!). I know that if I don't then that will be okay too. I know that God has a plan for me and my life and it is a perfect plan. What do you think?, (please keep it family sensitive).

Thansgiving...yes its coming:)

I recently asked my husband if I could host my very own, very first Thanksgiving. He said he would think about it....still I'm on edge because Thanksgiving will be here before you know it!!! I would love to be able to invite our parents (three sets: mine...divorced & remarried, and his), our siblings and their kids, and possibly my grandparents and Aunt. It doesn't look like a lot but I think it totals about 25 with us included!

For years I have left and traveled all day on Thanksgiving and now that I have a home of my own and my children are little I would love to have it here. I would like to be able to open our home to our family and friends that really don't have a place to go on Thanksgiving. I would love to host, because I love being the hostess. Yet, there are other reasons to...my MIL is physically unable to host this year, all though she will be stubborn and try as usual, love her:). My mom has MS and doesn't get around very good lately, right now she has two broke arms, yes both of them! My dad and his wife may want to stay closer to home this year?, so I was going to invite them as well. I am realizing as I get older that our parents are as young as they used to be and they don't get around the way they used to. I just want to honor them this way because I show love by doing things for others.

YET, for the longest time, 13 plus years,  these precious parents secretly don't really get along. My MIL in holding grudges against my dad and stepmother because of how they treated my husband before we were married and even though they have apologized and its been 13 years she still won't let go and forgive. My mother and stepmother have a LOT of history because sometimes people say things in custody battles that should never be said. That happened 25 years ago and I think they get along for the most part or at least they try to for our sake.

I want this so badly and because of all the drama I don't think it's going to happen. Which in turn will break my heart. I don't want to go to someone else's home and cook part of a Thanksgiving feast. I want to cook my own feast in my own home and give them all a chance to relax. If they would like to bring a dish of their favorite item then yes, I would love that. But I really just want them all to enjoy this Thankskgiving.  

Happy Birthday Baby....

I think that it hit me this week that you, my darling baby girl will be turning one very, very soon. We began to pray for you about four years ago and that is the moment that we began to love you. We so badly wanted one more baby to add to our family. Little Buddy, your big brother, wanted a baby sister so much that he would begin to cry when we talked about it. Our whole family felt like we were missing someone.

So, after lots of prayer, a tough pregnancy-because you wanted to stay low and I started having contrations in June-, and a very short delivery. You were born this month weighing 8lb. 9oz. (a big baby for me). With a head full of hair and perfect in every way that you could imagine. I was truly blessed to be be chosen to be your mom.




This picture was taken the day you were born.


We felt like our family was completely whole. I think your brother was the most excited and couldn't wait to show you off. He wanted to hold you and carry you and change you. You had his heart from the first moment he laid eyes on you. Daddy was excited to know that he had his boy and now you, his girl. He claimed that you were a girl from the moment we knew that we were pregnant and told everyone that you were a girl before we actually knew. Of course, your daddy thought that you are extremely fragile and so I took care of you most of the time.

I have enjoyed watching you grow over the past year. You have learned a lot of new things that should never be taken or granted. You have learned to hold your head up, roll over, and reach for really cute toys. You have learned how to sit up crawl, and walk - I think you may be on the verge of running- and dance! You have learned how to coo, make all kinds of noises, laugh, and say a few words. My favorite is "Hey Dadada!". I love to hear you greet your daddy so cheerfully as you run to the door. You have learned how to feed yourself, and drink from a sippy cup & a straw. You have learned how to pet the animals softly and play with your baby dolls. You have also learned that screaming gets you attention - not always the attention you want - and how to point at something and say "that!". You have also learned how to climb and give a "high -five". I know that there is more but these are just a few of my favorites.

I know that you have so much more to learn and so many more "firsts" and I promise that I will be right here for you every step of the way. I can't promise to be your best friend because I am your mother but I will be your personal cheerleader and prayer warrior. I will cheer you on as you continue to grow and explore the life around you. I will pray for your personal relationship with Christ and to grow into the little girl that God wants you to be because His plan for you is perfect.

I know you can't read any of this right now but one day you will and you will know just how loved and wanted you truly are in this family. I thank God that I get the privilege to be your mother. I hope that your first birthday is awesome and followed by so many more. I love you so very much!




My little ham:) ...lol, love the tongue!

  

                    

The perfect home....

We started looking at houses about three years ago. That's when the bank went all crazy. We ended up renting and moving two more times since that time. We don't move because we think its fun it's just that rent goes up and we end up not being able to afford it with only one income.

So when we found out that we were pregnant we decided to start looking again. We live in a two bedroom apartment which was fine until you add all the stuff that goes along with baby. So now we have the 2 of us, 2 awesome children, & 2 dogs. Because it is a two bedroom Baby Girl doesn't have a room. So I have to be creative and I have some of her stuff in the dinning room, the living room and my bedroom. It is starting to get a little crazy...

We found a house last December and thought this is the one! It turned out not to be the one. Then we found another and that wasn't the one either. We started to think what are we doing wrong? We have made our list of wants and prayed to find the perfect house and still nothing. I was heartbroken and angry that nothing was panning out for us. Then we realized what we were doing wrong. We had forgotten one very important detail...yes we had prayed but we didn't let God lead us. WOW! That was a huge revelation when we realized what we had done.

I first asked for forgiveness and asked for His complete help. I needed Him to not only help but I needed Him to drive the "car". I know that God knows the desires of my heart, sometimes more than I do because He made me, according to Psalms 139. We didn't even really know where we wanted to live. We have lived all over the county that we live in now and didn't know whether to stay in close or move out a little. But I know that He has a perfect plan for my life according to Jeremiah 29:11. This was something that I cared about and needed to hand it completely over to Him, 1 Peter 5:7. I asked for the following:
1. An agent who was a believer in Christ. One that would not only show homes but pray for her/his clients.
2. Money, I know this is crazy request but yes, you need a lot of money to purchase a home. We needed money for earnest money($500 - $1000), an appraisal($450 avg.), an inspection ($350-$500) and any money that needed to be put down (usually 3% of your loan).
3. I asked for Him to prepare a home for us. I wanted to go out only one more more time (because at the point we had already seen about 50 homes).
4. I asked for all the appliances to be there and in working condition.

Well, within one week we received a phone call from a Christian real estate agent. Then my Mr.'s job realized that they had made a mistake about a year ago on his check and was going to pay him the difference and a family member loaned us the rest. We found the perfect home for us on the "last trip out" along with everything we needed. Everything was perfect because we allowed God to take over the whole thing.



This is the house that God prepared for us:)

 I now realize that everything that I do whether it's big or little needs to be completely handed over. I thought I was letting God "drive"  but I was being a back seat driver. How many times do I try being the back seat driver? I need to stop and just enjoy the ride. I need to learn that once I hand over anything that He has it and doesn't need my help. Trust me it was way faster doing it His way instead of mine and a whole lot smoother and peaceful. What He does want is my constant praise because that is what fuels the "car". I need to constantly praise not just in the good, but in the bad (which is really hard...been there too), but even in the unknown. We don't always know what God has planned for us but if we rely on, trust in, and rest in Him then it can't be less than perfect!

snackTAXI...Review & Giveaway!!!

CLOSED***** Winner has been notified:)

I am a mother of two wonderful children and they love to snack. If we are going to be running a lot of errands that day I usually bring snacks with us. I also bring snacks to the grocery store, the park, and church! For whatever reason I seem to always be out of the ever so needed plastic bags. Now I don't have this problem anymore because of snackTAXI!

I LOVE this print...coffee cups/doughnuts & coffee beans! How fun is that!!!



The coffee bean snackTAXI opened up...





The coffee cups with doughnuts snackTAXI opened up:)



I used the first time and put graham crackers in there...perfect fit!

I have fallen in love with snackTAXI's products. Their snack and sandwich bags are awesome! I've used them to carry sandwiches, crackers, carrots, celery, sliced cucumbers, cheese squares (baby girl loves cheese), popcorn, strawberries, and sliced apples! I know that I can use them for so much more and can't wait until we have to leave again so I can them with us. They are very durable and I love the long strips of velcro.

They are also machine washable. I have just washed them out by hand really good because I haven't used them for anything messy yet. Because they are super cute you will want to use these more than your throw away plastic baggies:) Plus they are free of lead, phthalates, & BPA.

Do how many bags do you use in a week? If you have one person that you pack lunch for: 1 bag for sandwich, 1 bag for chips, 1 bag for fruit or snack. So already at least 3 per person times five times a week =15 bags! snackTAXI's will definitely save you money! Each reusable bag that you use can keep up to 1000 plastic bags out of the waste stream.

So, if you decide you want to make the change and go completely reusable then check out their website, click here. Not only do they have amazing reusable bags but they have lunch bags, produce snacks, and reusable napkins:)

snackTAXI was awesome and sent this set for one of my very blessed readers to win! I love this set too! This will be shipped from my home, so only US entries please.

This could be yours!...

If you would like to try and win then the listen up and I will tell you how...& have fun:)

Mandatory Entry:

Be a GFC follower of this blog ~Coffee & Laughter w/ the Harris Family

 Go visit snackTAXI and tell me which product they sell is your favorite.

Please leave your email in each entry.  

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This Giveaway is open to US entrants only, please and ends on August 5, 2011 at 11:59 pm PST. The winner will be chosen by Random.org and will be notified via email on August 6, 2011. The winner has 48 hours to respond or another winner will be picked.

 

Disclosure:  All opinions expressed are 100% my own and may differ from yours. No monetary compensation was given for this post.