The Honor Of Being Called Mommy

Many years ago I had a vision. No, not chandeliers shaking as a slow fog filled the room. But a vision nonetheless.

If asked as a teenager what my family would look when I grew up I often said I would have seven children & would stay home taking care of them.
Most times I got a sort of an eyebrow raised, nose in the air, tight lipped look. And that was from my friends!!
Forget the older women I told this to! They would just laugh & tell me how naive I was & that once I had ONE baby I would change my mind real quick!!
Wow! What a discouragement!!
Here I am, this young girl with a beautiful God given vision & my friends with some family as well were trying to steal it.
Remember, satan comes to steal, kill, & destroy & he will use whatever means necessary to do just that. Including you're sweet little old neighbor down the street.
I see this happening with my daughter. She is around the corner from turning seventeen & she longs to have a large family & stay home with her babies. However, there is already so much opposition to that "lofty dream"
She has already been told it's impossible. That breaks my heart for her.
Often times she'd smile & says she wants twelve children, but lately she says "as many God wants to give me"
That statement makes me so proud of her because she's putting faith in God for an area that seems to be "off limits" to Him.
Now, will she follow through on this mindset? I like to think so but I can't control her life or her walk with God. All I can do is present to her His Word, pray for her, be an example to her, and trust God for the rest.

It is an honor to be called "Mommy" I'm so thankful my daughter sees that.



The Blessed Supermom

Summer Fun

OK, my girlies are not used to being trapped in an apartment, neither am I!! I do thank God for our little place however we are without a yard so the little people here tend to get bored & a little loopy too!
Today I took a look at Money Saving Mom to find links to some great summertime ideas to keep our kiddos hands busy. Both on rainy days & not so rainy days.
I decided to save these great links on my blog so I'd know where they are. I tend to look at some really great ideas on the Internet & promptly forget where they are. I know I could just bookmark it but considering I have about 42 million bookmarks I thought this would work better & you could benefit too =)

Tub 'O Fun



Mom I'm Bored Activity Cards




101 Ways To Embrace Summer


The Blessed Supermom

Wordless Wednesday

My Big Baby & My Little Baby =)


The Blessed Supermom

Easy On Mama =)

Well yesterday was a pretty easy day for this overworked overstressed Mama. I really needed to just chill after all the recent nuttiness. I did get this weeks grocery shopping done with The Monkey & even that was easy on me cuz ALDI was closed for Memorial Day. Although I paid a little more than usual it was worth it, I still kept the bill under 85 bux & for a family of 6, I think that's pretty good =)
We had a good long day visiting with the in laws & as you can see the girlies had 2 tons of fun.

Today I have to catch up on my weeks cooking. I have really grown to like getting everything done I possibly can in one day. Yesterday I did bake a few loaves of bread in the bread machine but aside that not much was done. However, this week is gonna be super easy on me because I'm headed to the ICHE homeschool convention & all the vittles I would normally prepare won't be needed. YAY!!
Tonight, I'm frying up some chicken (can't premake that one)
And tomorrow is a baked ham. That will leave enough leftovers for Big Daddy to make some sammiches for himself & the girlies. And he opted for hot dogs for himself Friday evening, can I just say...WHOO-HOO!!
OK, so what does need to be made?

I'm gonna crank out some Mashed Taters
Fruit Salad
Chocolate Pudding Pie
Kool Aid Pie w/ sweetened condensed milk instead of the evaporated & sugar (TRY THIS!!!!)
Brownies
and maybe Amish Sugar Cookies

The downfall is I have lots of laundry that piled up over the crazy days & that has to get done before convention. Today will be 3-4 loads which means running up & down a gerjillion stairs.

I may look like this by the end of the day.

The Blessed Supermom

Innocent Curiosity

My little girl had some tough questions for me, she wanted to know more about Isaac & Hannah. It all started because my Bear was telling her little sister "you'll always be the baby sister" But I reminded her she is always gonna be the big sister to our Wee Piglet, & Isaac & Hannah too. Then the questions started. See Monkey was only 18 months old when Isaac died & not much older when Hannah went to Heaven to be with her big brother. Honestly, she remembers nothing because she was too young. But, she's heard their names her whole life.
Today she asked me "are Isaac & Hannah our babies"
I said "yes, they are but they couldn't come home from the hospital & live with us"
She asked why & I told her because they were sick to which she asked "did God heal them?"
I told her that yes He did..in Heaven.
Then she asked me "are you crying?"
I felt all this hurt rising up & all these tears coming...
"yes baby, I'm crying in my heart"
My beautiful girl ran & hugged me with a huge smile on her face & her big sister joined her. These little arms wrapped around me & although my heart hurt my spirit rose, & I felt the joy of having these precious two with me, & their sisters as well.
God does give me sweet moments with ALL my children. Earlier as I made lunch I heard the girls playing & as all children do, they were pretending & imagining. I could hear from the kitchen as they played with their "friends"
You know what their friends names were right?
Isaac & Hannah =)
I heard squealing & laughter as well as my sweet babies names, it was as if they were in the next room. That felt really good.
Then last Sunday my oldest was being attacked by her tickle monster sisters. It was so cute. Cow pinned down as these itty bitty girls jumped on her & tickled every part they could get their hands on! Even the Wee Piglet tried to get in on the action. All the girls were rolling around on the floor & laughing, & somehow..someway, Isaac & Hannah were there.
I know people don't believe that sort of thing, but I'm not being weird. My babies were playing & rolling on the floor. It was not in this world & no I don't mean some odd ghostly supernatural thing.
But, if you've lost a child you know what I'm talking about & you don't think I'm weird.
At times my girls ask really hard questions about their baby brother & sister, even Cow who is 16 still asks at times. I don't always have the answers, but they know they can always talk about them & no question is off limits. We are as open as we can be & this helps to heal all of our hearts.
There will never be a time that Isaac & Hannah are not a part of our lives. They are more than children that died. They are someones brother & sister, someones grandson & granddaughter, someones nephew & niece, someones cousin, someones friend...& they are my SON & DAUGHTER.
I will honor them by speaking their names & allowing their sisters to love them.

The Blessed Supermom

Cookie Chaos & A Merry Christmas

Well, I haven't been posting, sorry bout that.
It's been more than a wee bit chaotic over here. See, I resolved in '09 that I was going to join in the Cookie Baking Bonanza. Last year I noticed so many of my Face Book friends were posting about cookie baking everyday. Now, don't get me wrong...I bake. Really, The Cow & I are always tearin' up the kitchen makin' all sortsa goodies for family parties. But their appeared to be some exclusive club that I hadn't entered into.
So alas, this holiday season...I earned my stripes.
For over a week the girls & I cracked eggs, rolled dough, cut shapes, burned fingertips & wiped tears.

This was hard!!!

I couldn't believe how sore I had became! Honestly, I can't bend anymore.
The Hubby & I expressed our feelings at times with our decorating....

these were his "Gingerbread Men"

And here's "Mama Ginger"

But, I hafta say..it was totally worth it. We made soooo many cookies & yea, some dough ended up straight in the can. And maybe our iced sugar cookies aren't picture perfect but seeing the girls all smiles makes me happy =)

And hey! I think they did a really good job.....

Even the Wee Munchkin was thoroughly enjoying the cookie madness.....

I know there will be a day when my girls are grown & in homes of their own & I'll long for the days of having them on my lap covered in flour giggling at each other.

Until then,
I'll accept my fingers will get singed from time to time....
I'll step in frosting....
I'll wince at my aching back.....
I'll laugh as my babies eat waaay too much sugar.

From my house to yours...MERRY CHRISTMAS

Busy & Chunky McChunkster...no not me

OK, I have been super busy. Not only did I pull off the worlds fastest move but I've been posting on my other blog daily. My friend Jessica posted the challenge of 30 Questions in 30 Days so that's been keeping me busy over there.
But alas, I can not stay away much longer, I must ramble on & on about my wee people whom I love but lately are making me feel somewhat loony.
I really oughta have grace for them ya know cuz their little lives have been turned around some, although they are adjusting well they are getting used to some different stuff. Like cable for example. We haven't had anything other than regular TV for years....YEARS. And now my kids are a little overwhelmed at all the choices. And honestly it's a trap for me because I can get a lot done parking them in front of the set. So I need to be disciplined with television as well & it's kinda hard. I like The Cake Boss =)
But anyway, what's new? The wee-munchkin is cutting a tooth, I think. She's really outta sorts & her gums look like their gettin ready to pop some teeth through. This being my 4th little animal you'd think I'd know by now but I'm always second guessing myself, oh well. Other than that she's still my Chunky McChunkster~that's what The Hubby calls her :-)
The Monkey is gettin a little...ummm...odd. She's been testing Mommy's boundaries & giving me a run for my money. I'm not likin' it but I know it's normal & I have to guide my little animal without losing it myself.
As for My Bear~she's my little ray of light right now =>
Making me so happy. She's trying so hard in school & doing so well. I just ordered some Math to do with her & I can't wait to give it a go!!
My Cow's homecoming is this Friday!! I can't believe it! She's growing up so fast & so beautiful! I will most definitely post pics of my gorgeous girl.
The Hubby is currently passed out on the recliner~my baby works so hard & I miss him so much.
And last but not least...ME. I have decided to......GULP....lose weight. ACH! There I said it, bleck...ech ech...UGH. Now, why am I choking over here?? Because you see I said it to the Blogosphere & now YOU KNOW. I can't go back.
I'm hoping you'll help & comment asking me some questions or just basically keep me accountable a bit. I plan on keeping you updated so lets see how this goes.
Oh & here's my goal 30 lbs by February 19th, Angies Sweet Sixteen party. I'm starting on November 1st & even added one of those little tickers on my blog, really~scroll down...see?? I plan on getting a fancy scale this weekend too that includes ounces so I can know every little bit I lose. Lets see how this goes!
*REMEMBER*
Please keep me accountable! I need all the help I can get!! Thanks~

Pictures Say uhhhh???

Ah yes, that's right. Pictures say a thousand words so considering my life has been more than busy I'll just post a jillion pics & hopefully you'll get a window into my world =)
Enjoy!!

Visiting Isaac & Hannah

Hosting Mom's Prayer

Greg Laurie Harvest Crusade

Hopie's first bath in the new sink =)

Angie with her girlies'

Candles for Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day

Makin' cookies for their baby sis

Passed Out....

Daddy & Hopie havin some fun

Apple Picking



Papooh Visiting

Still unpacking ;(

Sittin' up in her booster, standing alone, & showin' off her chunk

I really don't know

and last but not least, the most important person in my life