FuzziBunz Giveaway

OOH I want to win these!



My second choice would be for you to win :)


Head on over to:
http://makingmyamericandream.blogspot.com/2009/01/fuzzi-bunz-giveaway.html

and leave a comment to enter. Be forewarned, it is a great site and you may want to peruse a while :)

A Friend Close By

I have had a hard few days. yes there is a lot going on and a lot on my plate and a lot that is expected of me. Yes I "just" had a baby. There is a lot that could bring on the blues but..it is me. It is my outlook and my endurance and fragility.

I caved in to peer pressure and joined facebook. I found a lot of friends on there right away. Did I feel loved? NO, I felt like they was a big party going on without me. Its not like I hadnt been invited 961 times. A dear dear friend, and neighbor is moving. (Edie, I KNOW how you feel and I dont like it :(

This friend would do anything for me. And she has. When my father in law had a heart attack, she walked over and stayed up all night with our kids while we drove to the hospital. When I paced the block trying to jump start labor, she came over to see how she could help. Gabriel's heart tones dropped and our planned home birth ended in a mad rush to a hospital an hour away. My neighbor stayed, without a second thought. A few times a month she'll bring us fruit. Or presents or toys or clothes that her daughter has outgrown. Her daughter ehlps with birthday parties for my kids. Her son climbs up in my rafters and amkes a MEAN R2D2 cake. She has overflowed such generosity and kindness on us so many times. So many. Nothing too big or too small.

They have owned and lived in their house forever. From the time they were married. Three kids came home from the hospital to that house. Those three kids have been home schooled in that house. A few years back their dad was laid off from his long time job. He has looked everywhere and tried many things...things aren't coming through....their house is being foreclosed and they need to move. Now. To where? They could stay temporarily with extended family. Those three kids don't want to leave their friends, lives, and all they have ever known. I am watching my friend lose everything and don't know how to help.

I want our community to rise up and join together and have a bake sale and car wash and barbeque and buy their house free and clear. But three more of my immediate neighbors have also lost their homes to foreclosure recently. It feels like everyone around me is selfish and blind to the needs of others and unrealisitic. Yet, what am I doing to help? What can I do? I can't do anything to "repay" her for all that she has given to me. I can't undo her situation. I can cry with her.

My baby is up coughing and it depresses me :( I am glad no one else is awake though as I sing unconventionally to him. Right now it is "ooh baby I love your ways, I want to be with you night and day oooh ooh"

I am feeling torn in so many directions and unable to help in the ways that I want. Yet I KNOW that GOd has equipped me for what he has called me to do. He has plan for my life and won't let me get in the way of that plan. I believe that. I know that. I can see that.

Having "Littles" (and a giveaway)

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my children. I feel so blessed to be in a family and so honored to be entrusted with the character traininga nd nurturing of someone made in the image of God. Each time I have been pregnant I have felt so unworthy and soo grateful.

I have my hands full. I *constantly* feel like I am neglecting someone. Maybe that is good, maybe it keeps me on my toes and causing me to constantly re-evaulate.

I am a big believer in scheduling and the MOTH system in particular. Trouble here is that mom can't get to bed at a decent hour and wakes up two steps behind throwing everyone else off course. I also overestimated what I can expect of a just turned two year old. I thought I would give the first part of my day to my littles because it is most important. I thought we would go through a nursery school curricuilium and sing songs and make crafts. it never flew. Maybe I should try again. I do not want to park my toddler in front of the tv so that I can do more with my older kids.

We are invovled in a history/geography co-op this year. I am in the birth-5 age group. People had ideas of detailed lesssons and planning and crafts and....My two year old misses his two hour nap while I try to nurse my baby, change my baby, keep peace with the 4 year olds and enforce "we all sahre together" "please don't satnd on furniture" "lets not touch anyone"....maybe at this age a consistent lesson on social expectanncies is all we will get done.

I am feeling overwelmed and frustrated but I am also glad to be where I am.

If you can relate and are where I am right now..maybe you would like to enter this contest as I am :)

head on over to
http://inevergrewup.net/giveaway-25-bumbleride-indie-stroller/
and see how :)

Do Whaaat?

I am feeling pretty silly. On two levels. First I feel pretty shallow mourning a store going out of business. Then I feel guilty having taken said store for granted for so long.

The Big Lots in our town is gone. The Big Lots that was just a few blocks from me. The Big Lots where I bought Waverly table cloths for $6.00, organic & dye free Mac n cheese for 65 cents, organic breakfast cereal for $2.00, baby wipes for $1.00 a pack. I was there so often. My son also reminded me that we'd buy Little Debbies there. For less than $1.00. Came in very handy on our snack night for Boy Scouts.

There is another store a half hour away. But we wont go there. I cant send my husband out for a quick errand with a toddler while I school the olders. I cant sneak there during a Scout Meeting to eat Little Debbies. I cant run over there when out of Baby Wipes. It costs $$$ to drive a half hour away.

I will miss Big Lots.

I was there when our store closed. I was actually in the store when they turned the lights out. Very surreal.

Do you have a store taht you are taking for granted? One that could fill the gaping hole left in my life by "my" Big Lots abandonement? Do you have a suggestion on where to now get the things that I use to get at Big Lots? HELP!!!

Week In Review

Anne Kimmel teaches that life is made up of ordinary days. I need to hear that. I am not sure if I crave excitement. I am content to be at home with my family. I guess that is not without it's excitement....I feel guilty about parenting and homemaking and my Christian walk and living. It feels like Idon't get enough done...

This week?

My oldest boys made paper mache' "gourds" in honor of South America.

My 10 year old went on his first fishing trip..

I carpooled to a Homeschool support meeting. I ate way more than my share of treats there :)

I stared using cloth diapers again.

I stressed out over the cloth diapers from Miracle Diapers being too big for my 6 month old. I freeted. A friend brought me the disposable diapers that her son had outrgown. the PERFECT size. I now have time to think this through without spending money.

While I was in the bathroom, a child asked me if they could have lemonade. I answered "in just a second." Before I made it out of the bathroom. They had made lemonade, fought over who had more lemonade and spilled lemonade (64 oz) on our dining room carpet and my purse. All through my purse. I cleaned and mopped and soaked. I finally laid down baking soda and waited for it to dry and soak up the moisture from the carpet pad. I got out our honking shop vac to clean up baking soda. I turned it on "blow" by mistake and shot baking soda/lemonade paste all through our kithcen and office.

I dreamed of a new purse. My son asked over and over and over if his $4.00 could buy me a purse. Of course not. DUH!! ANd felt guilty becasue I REALLY want a few hundred dollars for a purse. Really really.

I bought a purse for $4.00. Can you believe that? Exactly $4.00. Son took back his offer.

A friend and I went through all the laundry baskets in my entry way and folded and foleded and paired socks. This was such a blessing. I read recently a blog where a mom had visited and fodled all the family's laundry. I was jealous. A freind an hour away heard we were sick, drove up to make chicken soup, and asked if she could fold clothes. God is so god to us and we are so blessed with good friends.

I was given a high chair (we already have one) and moved book cases and armoire to fit one in for 6 onth old to sit and play safely while toddler is still confined to learn to eat neatly.

"We" took a door off the hinges for a young boy who says his door needs to shut and baracaded himself in "his" room.


I talked to a friend whose husband is out of work and whose house is being foreclosed on and felt helpless.

I posted about our "shoogah" fiasco. and night in the ER.

I won a contest at www.lifeingrace.blogspot.com.

I bought a baby carrying wrap that is too small for me.

We had colds this week and it was a stay at home and rest kind of week.

Our night in the ER

We were figuring out wether or not to let our son go on a camping/fishing trip this weekend, on our way to get food for dinner, sorting out a fist fight at a homeschooling co-op, pondering running noses.....and then we realized that my husband's back ache wasn't a backache. The pain got progressively worse all day, was tender to the touch and was in the kidney area. Hmm....Could NOT wrap my mind around all that needed to happen in the next few hours. Called to say that our son wouldn't be at his Boy Socut meeting. Started dinner (son finished.) My dear friend came by and assessed. She then went to the store and bought unsweetened cranberry juice, saline for our babies' noses, and magnesium. My husband's pain got worse and worse and he writhed. We both will do anything, just about, to stay out of the hospital. Especially our local hospital. (Remember that when my baby's heartbeat got odd, we drove with me on oxygen, to a hospital an hour away :)

We spent 6 hours in the ER. They were kind. They were efficient. They found nothing and gave him pain meds.

We had our 6 month old who if at home would have slept soundly through anything but cried and cried. I had a BAD attitude after a few hours. My back ached with no where to sit and waiting and waiting tested my patience. I went outside to get a diaper and saw a sweet women crying on her cell phone. Her husband starting having chest pain out of nowhere. I wanted so badly to help her somehow. Later we saw him transported by ambulance to a hospital an hour away (this hospital can't treat heart issues :) As he wheeled by each of us in the ER, he made eye contact and smiled. What an example of the good attitude that I needed. There were people crying in the hall. There came to be so many people that they were pulling up chairs and waiting by an ICU room. The hospital security threatened to cal the police. Their heartfelt sobbing touched my heart. THEN I found out why they were crying. The night before, a 14 year old boy was shot. He died while we were waiting in the ER. The faces of the young men waiting. Large, grown men. Strong men. Crying their hearts out.

A lot of things came in to perspective, including a renewed respect for the work that my husband does. He works in a hospital. He sees these situations every day. He respects the privacy policies of his employer and isn't able to share them when he comes home. I could NOT do what he does. Speaking of, what he does. He had to call in sick for a few days. We cant really do that. Our prayers are that his pain will stop and its cause found.

Meal Planning Monday

Monday- Tacos with beans and spiced meat (double meat for next week)
Tuesday- Homemade Pizza OR Meatloaf
Wednesday- Baked Chicken
Thursday- Hamburgers
Friday- Enchilada pie OR Spaghetti
Saturday- Pizza OR Meatloaf (make xtra and freeze)
Sunday- Spaghetti

There are a few OR's this week because I am low on funds and havent gone shopping yet..may need to be creative this next few weeks :)

UH.....How did THESE get on my camera?



Is that my label maker tape???

Shoo Gah

Today was a very LOONG day. A good day though. Everyone is in bed except for my bundle of energy two year old. My ten year old son offered to turn off all the lights and lay down and watch a movie with him. Couldnt hurt, right? So, I blog surf.

Now, we arent big junk food eaters around here. My husband asked me the other day why we had white sugar in the house and asked that I remove it. (But then how will I put it on cereal late at night?)

So, here I sit blog surfing and "catching up."

I sneak past my little movie watchers and get a bowl of ceral. I eat and enjoy and blog surf.....two year old wanders off...comes back to ten year old who asks, "are you eating salt?" "NO! SHOOO GAH!" Ten year old runs to the kitchen to find...

NOW. Why don't I have a picture of this? Try to visualize with me!!!

I climbed up above our cupboards and got the 5 pound Tupperware container of sugar. The sugar that wasnt supposed to be there. I lEFT THE LID OFF and left it on the edge of the counter. I would NOT have found it amusing if a child had done this. You are not ALLOWED to forget. To remember is your JOB! We have a toddler in the house! You can't just think of yourself!!

I stood for a while wondering how one cleans up this much sugar and mess. I'm not about to ask my husband's advice. While I am pondering, two year old son is on his knees SHOVELING "shoo gah" into mouth.

Mess is cleaned, toddler is cleaned, kitchen is unstickified.

Hee hee. My husband just came out of bed to go to the bathroom....

"Why is Luke still up?"

"Why is he JUMPING UP AND DOWN?"

Series of Unfortunate Events?

How transparent should I be here? How honest is ok?

Christmas? Pretty much sucked (and I am VERY much against that word) The plan was to go to my in laws an hour away. My husband was schedueld to work, we got sick, our van broke down (repairs between $700-$800) THEN we lost the key to our garage. I have whined before about how we have only one way into our garge--the large, sliding door. We have only one key to that door. We are sooo ridiculous with that key. it doesnt leave the house. It has its own large stuffed aniumal keychain. We have tried and tried to have a copy made but no one will do it. ?????? So, after 8 hours of working hard not to lose the key. WE LSOT THE KEY.

We decided to celebrate with our small family on Christmas eve. We had no money for food. We had a turkey frozen from the Thanksgiving package delivered to us. My mother in law had given me some presents to wrap for our kids. We celebrated. In between looking for the key that is. We searched and searched. And we searched some more. Didnt wnat to call a locksmith on a holiday AND we have 0 money. Our checking account may actually be overdrawn but we arent going to go there right now.

Our 12 year old son is being a HUGE pain. He has hormonal issues. But his mother has enough hormonal issues for the whole family. His eight year old sister is crying and doesnt know why and wants to be nine. His little brother is 2. We have no room for his hormonal issues right now. That may not be *right* it may not be fair. But we have no room for it right now. PERIOD.

Christmas day. 12 year old is sick and hacking and coughing and cannot seem to blow his nose on tissue cleanly but on EVERYTHING else in sight. No vehichle, no way to lock garage, no father. My inlaws call repeatedly to yell at me. Somehow, they think I have more power over the universe than I actually do. I listened. They passed the phone back and forth and I listened. They yelled. My husbands grandparents were driving down to the same place we were. Only they realized last minute that it was too much for Grandpa. (I want so badly to loudly say DUH but I have been a big person so far)My husbands uncle comes and picks up our 10 year old and eight eyar old to go down with our presents to them. They have my eight year old call me 5 times to tell me that we COULD come if we wanted. Somehow they didnt get that we dont want to at this point.

My mother in law doesnt have heat. They dont have trash pick up. She just had surgery and is having trouble picking up her home. All the food was purchased by her mom (who lives blocks from me) and driven the hour to their house. I offered to host Christmas here. Grandpa could come and go as he pleased the few blocks between us and not be stuck anywhere. There was no having that.

Maybe holidays are harder for me not having an extended family of my own. Not having fond family memories. Maybe it si me. But being stuck with no car, and no husband (and no meals) and being yelled at are not anyone's choice of a holiday.

I missed church the next week to "guard" the garage. I had someone comment (not from our church) that it was all going to burn up anyway and we shouldnt even lock our house. We do live in a high crime area. I am going to say that I NEED my washer and dryer. Maybe I shouldnt but especially without a vehichle I feel that I do need them. maybe that makes me spiritually inmature. Maybe I want to be a good steward. maybe this person isnt the one to make that judgement call :)

When my eight year old and ten year old were picked up to be shuttled to their grandparents for Christmas, they brought along books to read in the car. Their great uncle watching tehm get in commented on the title of one of the books and how fitting it was for this Christmas, "A Series of Unfortunate Events."

Since then, we were able to get a temporary fix for our van for $40. We were able to fix the garage door for $20.00. (what a pain and series of *funny* stories THAT was) and we were loaned $170 for groceries. Things are looking better.....And I am planning Christmas NEXT year.