Meeting Michelle Dugger

Just one week ago I had the honor of meeting Michelle Duggar. Ya know Ultimate Supermama to a gergillion amazing kids??
Okay maybe not a gergillion but 19 is a lot if you ask me. I've always been so very impressed with her take on life family & children. She amazes me to no end on her ability to show Christ to her children. I'm not praising her because I want to be her it's just that I truly admire this woman. She has the gentle spirit God calls us mamas & wives to have. I struggle with that because I'm not that soft spoken woman, I'm naturally loud & playful. My husband appears to like my dry humor at times & gets a kick out of the fact I can keep up with his one liners.
But I digress.

As we drove to church where The Duggar Family would be speaking my daughter asked me if I was nervous to meet Michelle & to my surprise I was! I know that I've always wanted to meet her because of all the reasons I just stated, of course it would be nice to meet this Godly woman & chat. I was never unsettled about the possibility of meeting before.
But now there was something more, it wasn't a simple chat anymore. It was deeper.

Michelle & I share a bond, we belong to a club & were never given a choice to join. The club is one no one wants to be in yet 1 in every 4 women is in this club.
It's the club of Mommies with little ones waiting at Jesus feet for Mama.
Because of this bond we share meeting Michelle became more intimidating. I knew the substance of our conversation no matter how short would be so much meatier. It wouldn't be compliments on her children or advice on freezer cooking, it would be the instant connection of holding your wee baby & having to let go & say goodbye.
Jim Bob & Michelle shared a beautiful testimony of their love for the Lord & one another but again that wasn't my only focus. As I made my way up to meeting Michelle after they spoke my palms began to sweat because I wasn't quite sure what to say, all I knew was this is what I asked God for.
In December when I heard that Michelle lost her little one I cried & asked God to connect me to Michelle in some way. My heart is so burdened for empty armed Mommies & whenever I hear of a broken hearted Mommy I ask God to help me minister to that person.
So here I was 5 feet away from this woman I honestly never thought I would get near. I had no idea God was going to say yes to my request so I was more than unprepared. Nervous? Most definitely.

Satan began flooding my mind as soon as I made the decision that I would speak to Michelle. I began questioning how I of all people could be of any use to her?? I mean this is SUPER MEGA MAMA!!
How dare I be so bold as to think I can offer her wisdom & wasn't I simply going to make a complete fool of myself?? Just like when I spoke to Todd Smith after the loss of his daughter (btw, I wasn't remotely foolish that time)
But these were the thoughts rushing through my mind as I approached her & more than once I thought I'm going to say hello & offer her this gift bag & let her read my little note on her own time. I'm not going to mention her little Jubilee nor my Isaac & Hannah Joy, I'll just walk away.

But you see God doesn't allow me to walk away, if ever he has something to say & chooses to use my mouth I can't walk away, I can not disobey no matter how much I want to. I'm not saying I'm Tina the super christian I'm simply so pressed down by the Holy Spirit I become unable to avoid what I'm called to do. God knows how a combination of insecurity & outright stubbornness can be a hindrance so in all honesty He kinda flattens me in those moments & if I want to stand upright again I need to do as He is saying. What He was saying that night was "tell her"
He was saying to tell her about the picture. See I have a beautiful card I give to Mommies when they have to say goodbye. It is the most heart healing picture of Jesus holding a sweet baby as He sways back & forth in a rocking chair.
That image is precious. It is wonderful because it is truth, it is the beauty of that innocent pure truth of the reality of our children in Heaven. They are waiting in Jesus arms & when I stop to think of the reality of that it takes my breath away. I remember when I spoke a letter I had written to my Hannah girl at her funeral & read that she was in Heaven, I paused closing my eyes & said "that is the truth & the truth sets you free"
God gave me that picture just then of her playing in Heaven & being free, that image freed me as well.
God simply told me to tell Michelle that the picture on the card was for her & to look at it & remember the truth.
I can't say what the card did for Michelle, I truly don't know but being the humble Godly woman she has shown herself to be I believe that it spoke to her heart.
So yes, I met Michelle Duggar & yes we have this unfortunate bond but we also share the hope of not grieving as the world grieves because God in His awesome glory has set us free.

The Blessed Supermom
Revelation 21:4

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

Do My Socks Really have To Match?

Seriously? I have to get dressed? Everyday????
Come on, now that's just a bit much don't ya think? I mean I understand when company is coming & going to church or the store. But what's wrong with being comfy?? I like being comfy. Don't you??
I don't know about you but I consider it a grand accomplishment to get my kids dressed everyday, now I'm spose to get dressed too???
Okay, so let me splain why all the whining.
I stumbled across this Supermom who is challenging us Mama's to get dressed.
Again...seriously?
I mean I have my hands full in the morning ya know? I have these wee ones who want breakfast & my undivided attention. Then there's the friends who tell me how important it is to have "me time"
They've suggested getting up before my little people & make myself pretty. Not necessarily make up & the whole nine yards but just a little something.
Well, if I'm getting up before the kids (which is a rarity) I'm gonna hang out with God.
So basically, we're all frumping around the house first thing in the morning & they get washed & dressed & I end up looking like this...

(don't ya love the wee piggies)

Now, clearly my feet are cold & this is why I'm wearing the big thick socks but they're mismatched because that's what was in my drawer.
Nuff said...
I'm not gonna run around bonkers trying to find matching socks. It's just not high on my list of priorities. But then there's this challenge.
And unfortunately I can't pass a challenge. It's like getting double dog dared, ya just can't walk away.
So here I am, sitting at the computer with my mismatched socks talking about getting dressed so I suppose I have to go to my closet. But ya know what getting dressed is gonna lead to right?
Make up.
And ya know what make up is gonna lead to...
Fixing my hair.
This is just gonna snowball.

The Blessed Supermom

Giveaway & Launch Party!!!

WOW!!!
Really!
WOWOWOOEEEEEOWOWOW!!! (that's excitement right there)
I have never in my blogging/FB years seen a more amazing giveaway & I follow some awesome blogs & FB pages. But this one takes the cake. I may be saying this because I'm blessed & honored to know this over the top Supermom but I don't think so.
I mean yea, she is truly awesome & I love her to pieces but I have to say, friendship aside..this giveaway knocked my socks off. My good friend is launching a new blog & the goal is to help Mama's in their attempts at training Godly young girls & assisting them in their walk to be Keepers of the Home. It is a 32 week study & she is coming alongside some more amazing women in this task.
This is a subject very near & dear to my heart because God has blessed me with four daughters. I long to see them grow into women that please the Lord.
And even if you don't have any little girls at home don't think this is a giveaway you can't be a prat of. There is so much you can benefit from. There are magazine subscriptions, cookbooks, & all sorts of items you can use towards presents for the upcoming holidays!
I hope you take a look at this awesome giveaway & enter to win some great stuff, you won't be disappointed!


The Blessed Supermom



Training Our Daughters: Welcome to the GIVEAWAY and LAUNCH PARTY!: © cherie > / photoXpress Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! Can you sense my enthusiasm?! God has given me this excitement and anticipation...

Erg..

I'm not gonna make a ton of sense here, just gonna complain. A lot.
K??
Oh & my spelling may just look like a second grader, I don't care. I woke up this morning to a smiling happy baby, a rarity lately as her royal pigginess has evil wicked bones protruding through her tender gums.
Anyway, she woke up all happy & smiley & I thought YAY!! we're looking forward to a good day here. Then lo & behold I stood up, see I was sitting on the sofa. Apparently she can only be happy if I'm sitting or at least that's what it was this morning. This afternoon it could be to walk backwards on my hands wearing clown clothes singing Old Susanna.
Anyway, it's been rough since. I walked into the kitchen to find the Monkey standing on the counter. We don't call her Monkey "just cuz" Commence wicked Mommy stare down & talking through gritted teeth to the little girl with deer caught in the headlights look.
Then there was the incident with the Amish...
No, I didn't have a bunch of meek people yelling gently at me, it was the bread. Amish bread.
If you've ever made the 10 day yummy goodness you know it's really simple stuff. If not, it's really simple stuff OK?
Anyway, ya use starter, basically you have this bag of batter goo & it ferments for 10 days. Yes, it's safe & no it's not gross. So after the 10 days there's enough batter to bake 2 loaves of bread & give away 3 bags (cup each) of starter to friends.
OOOoorrrrrRRr...you give away 2 & keep one. That's what I do. But today, I dropped about a cup of MY starter.
Then we have the ants. Lots of vile little crawling things that are from the pits of hell & they want to destroy me & eat my soul.
OK, not so much but either way I don't like bugs in my home. Well, I had to get down & seriously scrub the floor because this Amish starter stuff is sticky. And ants like sticky.
Then the phone rings, important call, gotta take it...but what? What's that noise? Keys? Whaaa??? Why is the Hubby coming home now?
Lemme just answer the door for him "eh, excuse me important person but can you hold on for one moment?"
Trip over toys, move toys, open door, scream.
Not the hubby but the exterminator.
That was fun....
So now we have the important person on phone, gooey sugary starter spill, a strange man parading through my bedroom, ants running for cover, & screaming baby who now smells kinda funky.
I politely get off the phone, smile & make small talk with exterminator guy & the whole time I'm holding my ever so stinky baby on my hip. After things calm down a bit & piggy has a fresh bottom I get to baking the bread.
Yes, I washed my hands! Geesh..
Something seems off about the Amish batter though, it seems extra stinky. I mean this stuff usually has an odor but I keep getting a whiff of something extra special. And as I go about my day of interesting chaos, there's that wafting little something letting me know I've missed something. I check the trash, move stuff on the counter, look behind the fridge but I can't find anything.
However, it's almost like everywhere I go that smell just kinda pops up.
After several hours of this odd unanswerable question I find the culprit!
It's me!!
Looks like Piglet poop leaked on my shirt.
Nice.

The Blessed Supermom

Bath + Earplugs + Poop = Failure

OK, did I mention in the last post we have one bathroom? 6 people, 1 bathroom...let me leave you with that to chew on for a second.
Well, here I was in my nice relaxing bath only to discover I'm about two feet too big for this thing, now mind you I'm not tall, in fact I'm the opposite...horizontally challenged. Anyway, there I am all crunched up & I figure no biggie, I've got my lavender oil goin & I'll download a book from kindle.
I've never done that so I checked out "free classics" & chose The Scarlett Letter. But then I got to thinking "are there naughty parts in here?"
I mean it is a book where the main character is an adulteress (sp) right? Somebody help me out here.
OK, scratch that...
Supermom is scrunched up in the tub with no book, what to do..what to do??
Ahhhh!! Pandora!
I'll listen to some music :) However, for some wickedly sarcastic reason Pandora isn't working :(
Ok, I'll give tune in radio a shot. Nope, sorry Mommy who is trying to relax tune in radio will not buffer (insert sinister laugh from android phone here)
Out of desperation I go to you tube to play some music & alas, it works!!
But Murphys Law will not give up so easily..OH NO!
This is when the Monkey has to pee, & ohhhh what a giggle it is for her to potty with Mama hiding behind the shower curtain. Finally after she is emptied, wiped, & washed she decides she wants to give me a hug. Isn't that sweet?
I declined -_-
Ahhh...time for me.
But now the water has turned cold & I'm shivering in my scrunched up tub. I still have an hour before The Hubby & I need to leave to meet some friends, but guess what??
The dryer stopped & the clothes are still damp & we're all out of quarters...I suppose they won't mind if I where jammies, grrrrr.....
OK, I'm gettin ticked off.
EVERYTHING IS GOING WRONG!
goosfraba...goosfraba...goosfraba
Better now. Well the bath was a bust but at least I can doll myself up a bit :)
Got the hair dryer & I'll pop in my contacts, but again...no no no. Monkey has to pooh now, I have one contact in my hand, I can't see, my towel is fighting gravity, & she wants a poopy wipe...GRRRRR.
goosfra...oh whatever >{
So now the ONE BATHROOM does not smell like lavender & I'm grumpy. I think I'm gonna go pout & feel sorry for myself and have some cheesecake....that'll help.

The Blessed Supermom

Saving Some Cash

OK, I though of something to post for you today.
I thought I'd share some small ways I save money here & there. All of you Supermama's know the importance of being wise stewards of the budget God gives us. That being said, there are literally a gerzillion ways to save!!
Literally....a gerzillion, no joke.
Anyway, on to the ways I try to save.

1) Making my own laundry detergent.

I can't say enough how much I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this!! It's so super easy to make & lasts forever. At first I was skeptical because I was so trained to believe I needed the Mountain Morning Breeze & Running Through The Meadow scent for it to actually work. Oh yeah, & that it had to be some obnoxious color.
Well, let me tell ya...it works!!!
I was so shocked the first time I washed a load & saw all that dirty water! It looked as though I hadn't washed my clothes for years! Yuck!

Here's a few recipes thanks to the Dugger Family

http://www.duggarfamily.com/recipes.html

Scroll down a bit to find a powdered recipe as well as a liquid. Both work great.

2) Homemade Baby Wipes

OK, when I first read about homemade wipes I thought people were just plain nuts. I mean come on, haven't you seen the pics of all those cute bare bottomed babies. Don't you know they're happy BECAUSE of those wipes?? There was absolutely no way on earth I was gonna steal my baby's tooshie joy! Well, 3 little booties later I started to think of the math of this "wipe industry"
Let's say you buy a box of Huggies Wipes for 2.50 to 3.00 bux. Let's say these wipes last about 2 weeks, so that's only 5 to 6 dollars a month. Not bad right?? But add it up.
You are spending anywhere from 60 to 70 dollars a year!!
Now x's that by how many kids you have & how many years their in diapers. That's a lot of simolas.
It may not seem like much but I believe I've found a better way & that is to make them myself. Most of the ingredients were already on hand so it was easy for me. It's simple, all it calls for is paper towels, baby wash, baby oil, & water.
That's it, voila! And they last for a good month, considering one roll of paper towels has about 70 sheets & that you cut that roll in half you actually get 2 months worth. Also the oil & baby wash calls for such a small amount that those bottles last forever!
There are tons of recipes on line & it's worth a google search. You can add essential oils if you'd like for different scents, as well as lotions to make it softer for baby's hinee (sp?)
All sorts of ideas. One thing I'll warn you about is stick to the good paper towels, I've used both Bounty & Viva & they work great. You don't wanna get the cheepie towels cuz they tend to disintegrate.

So here's a recipe to get you started

Homemade Baby Wipes

3) Cook from scratch

OK...OK...I know what you're thinking.."why cook when you can just buy it from the store??"
Well, first of all cuz pre-packaged foods are just plain icky. I believe that statement has been approved by the FDA.
Second, it saves A LOT of cash to prepare your own food. I bake as much of my own breads & I'm about to get started on English muffins & bagels. I'm trying to make my own snacks at home as opposed to buying them in the stores. Yes, it's convenient but can't we all agree that a homemade cookies tastes better than a store bought?? Well, that's how it is with just about everything made from scratch. Now I will be honest I don't grind my own grain (yes, people do that) but I do try to do as much as I can with my own hands. I'm making my own yogurt, buttermilk, pretzels, granola..etc.
I'm not tooting my own horn here I'm just saying it's possible & if I can do it you can do it.

Here's a few links

Heavenly Homemakers
Graham Family Ministries
Money Saving Mom

These are all wonderful Supermoms. They're women like you & me serving the LORD & providing healthy low cost meals for their family. Some ingredients may look intimidating at first (coconut flour??) but don't let that deter you, trust me. Wean yourself slowly into eating healthy & cooking from scratch. Eventually, you'll get into your own groove & with a few searches on the Internet you'll learn why certain foods are superior to others & where to get them.

There are so many ways to save cash!! I could go on for miles!! Hang your clothes instead of using the dryer, walk instead of drive, cloth napkins instead of paper...the list is endless!! Give some of these ideas a try & use your imagination.
How can you save some money today?

The Blessed Supermom

Daily Posts

Well, I've heard from numerous bloggers the importance of posting everyday. Often times I'm way too busy or frankly, I have nothing to say.
However, I would like to see my blog grow & eventually be able to reach a bigger audience.
Sooooo, here's my post for today....
there I did it.
=D

The Blessed Supermom

Not My Kind of Baking

Well, the heat has finally hit. As of right now it's 91 outside, record high for this time of year. So here I am kicking back in my comfy air conditioned home drinking some ice cold lemonade, right??

WRONG!

Remember last fall we moved? We downsized to a smaller apartment to recover from The Hubby's lay off. Well, this place doesn't have central air, nor does it have a window unit. So, my place is 87 degrees...87 goofy hot & humid stinkin' degrees!
UGH...

Now, I'm not one of those people who like to be warm. In fact I'm one of those people who can eat ice cream in the dead of winter.
I think this aversion to warm weather is my Mama's fault. Now, don't get me wrong, she's super & all but when it came to a hot climate she was super crazy!

Sorry Mama...but we both no it's true *wink*

Anyway, I remember as a little girl watching my mom get so hot she was near the point of blowing her top. She would go the fridge, open the door, let the cool air hit her, & throw on some refrigerated Jean Nate After Bath Splash...
Member that stuff?

And just as the add promises...ahhh!!
Mommy was back down to her cool self & we were safe from the crazed hot lady. At least for a few minutes.
Well, fast forward 30 years & I'm the crazed hot lady!!
I am soooo on the verge of crabby, but up until right about now I've been able to keep it together. I asked The Hubby if we could skip making dinner & buy a rotisserie. I know, I know...not frugal when I can just cook one...ask me if I care??
OOPs!
Sorry, that was the crabby sneaking out -_-
Well, he just called to let me know the store is all out of chickys. I swear I almost cried. The idea of cooking in the heat made me dopey.
I think my brain may be sunburned.
I got to thinkin of all those pioneer ladies & how they didn't have air. Not even fans!! They baked & gardened, & farmed.
Maybe I should be grateful?
Maybe I should be thankful I do have some fans & I have the luxury of buying a pre-cooked chicken for a few bux.
Maybe just maybe I could learn something from those wise pioneer women of old?

Naaahhhh....I'm just gonna borrow my Mama's Jean Nate!!!

The Blessed Supermom

30 Day Photo Challenge Day 2

Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been close
with for the longest.

This is my super awesome sister, Lisa.
AKA...Sa, Manty Sa, & Masa.
She is amazing, I love her so much & I'm so thankful God would give her to little ole me. I look up to her because she is worthy of looking up to.

Lisa & I weren't always "close" when we were kids I think we could of just about killed each other! But even then I knew I could count on her just like I know she's here for me now. In what was by far the most difficult season of my life my sister was more than "close" to me, she took care of me & loved me through my pain.
So, I guess that's a little more than you asked for but I can't help but gush about my sis.
She's beautiful.

The Blessed Supermom

Not Today

If you're looking for an encouraging word it's not coming from me, not today. I'm gonna whine, complain, & throw all sorts of fits. I have bad words stuck in my mind but don't worry, I won't let them come out.
See, I'm feeling very much trapped & down in the dumps lately. Oh! Whoops! I'm not spose to say that out loud am I??? I'm supposed to be all chipper & jolly here all the time right?? How else can I be a testimony to others if I come here & vent full steam??
Well, screw that...sorry if that was too close to bad words. Really not wanting to offend, but that is honestly how I feel. I'm really fried & on edge BIG TIME & need to let it out before I go nutty....again. See, I went waaaaayyyy off the deep end yesterday..screaming & literally stomping my feet.

WHY??

Well, I'm tired for one. The wee munchkin (piggie??) still isn't sleeping through the night. Truth is she most definitely should be & normally by this point all my kids are sleeping like sweet little angels for a good 8-10 hours...buuuuttttt not the munchkin. She wakes up every night once or twice & then is up by 5 AM. Normally, I'd let her "cry it out" I know, I know, I'm evil....whatever.
But, we live in an apartment building now & the neighbors shouldn't have to hear her crying nights on end.
So, no sleep...or at least very little sleep for 13 months straight...
I'm tired.
That alone is a lot of reason behind my perpetual crabbiness as of late but hey why don't we throw in the being locked up in my little grey apartment. Now, I know when I first moved in here I was all "woohoo!! I'm all happy & dancin' weeeeee!!!"
Now, I look more like a kid who's just been told they're candy is all gone & will never return.
Ya know the super droopy sad face look. Well, I know the weather is a HUGE factor & I can not wait for the first blooms to appear & the sun to come out of hiding. I'm in such anticipation of taking my babies & running in the grass, well...they'll run & I'll sit a lot & look at them. But hey!!! I'll be outside which is what I'm dying for. Before, when we rented the house getting out was a lot easier because we had a large backyard so the kids could run like lunatics for a half hour & give me some breathing space.
Now, they run like lunatics right over me!! I'm sure there's all sorts of "teachable moments" here & that I need to get things in order but right now I just don't care. The monkey is squealing & spinning in circles, the munchkin is under the table & yanked the basket of laundry with her...guess where all the clean clothes are now??? And my sweet Bear wants to know what's for dessert.....ugh...I dunno =(
So, thank you for letting me be "me" & purging my soul's grossness to you. I need to tell you my dear readers although I have not "met" all of you that I thank God for each & every one of you. You are all wonderful friends & it does encourage me to know that you have had days such as mine & that you keep pressing on towards the prize & I will as well.
And now this exhausted & spent Supermom must go...The Hubby is on his way home from work & I need to quickly pull myself together & throw on a smile for him.
I know he'll need it.

The Blessed Supermom

True Treasures Review

Hi!
I'm so excited to tell you all about this most awesome gift I received! But first let me give you a lil back story. A few months back I started following Mrs. Lorrie Flem on Facebook, she is an awesome SUPERMOM. She has a wonderful publication by the name of Eternal Encouragement
(formerly TEACH magazine)
I'm always so encouraged by her updates & posts.
So when Lorrie asked if their were any bloggers out there that would consider reviewing materials I jumped at the chance. I can not tell you how ecstatic I was when I was approved to be one of The Gabby Moms !!
I anxiously awaited the mailman looking for my first project. Naturally, it came in God's perfect timing, just after Christmas.
When I was nice & burnt out =)
Here I sat on my sofa opening up a package addressed to me & it didn't even cross my mind that it was from Mrs. Flem. Imagine my joy when I looked upon this beautiful book wrapped in a sweet little bow.

I felt like a child opening up that oh so special present Christmas morn. And let me tell you this book has been a wonderful gift!!
Where do I begin?? There is just so much packed into these 104 pages. There are 6 chapters full of wisdom from Godly Women Such as...
Shelley Noonan
Marilyn Boyer
Nancy Nolan
And of course Lorrie too!
Topics include everything from strengthening your marriage to parenting to successful homeschooling. I really loved the regal theme of this book, following the title True Treasures, the chapters titles are as follows

Chapter 1~Jewels That Make the Heart Sparkle
Chapter 2~Marriages of Solid Gold
Chapter 3~Parenting Pearls:Practical & Priceless
Chapter 4~Homemaking That Dazzles Like Diamonds
Chapter 5~ Homeschooling Nuggets of Wisdom
Chapter 6~Godly Living That Glitters

As I read these articles I felt...well, like a princess!! Being handed all these precious jewels, I am a Daughter of The King right?? =)
This book has been a wonderful blessing & an amazing encouragement. I have gotten so many practical ideas on homemaking & just being a good mama. I'm certain I will pour over this book time & time again in the years to come.
I highly recommend stopping over at http://www.homemakingwithteach.com/
& picking up your own copy of True Treasures. The regular price is $19.99, but if you order before May 31st 2011 you can get $4.00 off by entering the code GabbyMom at checkout. (Only 1 use per customer and per order.)
And while your there be sure to check out all the absolutely wonderful resources offered.

In closing, this book has brought me to tears as I've felt convicted by the Holy Spirit. It has reminded me of God's continual provision & strength. And most importantly it has reminded of the high calling & blessing it is to be called "Mommy"

The Blessed Supermom~


“I received this product for honest review from TEACH Magazine as a part of The Gabby Moms blogging program. All opinions expressed are solely my own.”

Real Housewives of.....

New Jersey, Orange County, New York, Atlanta....
Apparently, this is where the REAL HOUSEWIVES live...
Have you seen them? They are tall, thin, & beautiful with 28 inch waists & hair down to there. They are of concern to me.
Why?
Well, I finally decided to watch an episode because I've been wondering what's all the hype? Being a "housewife" myself (I prefer SUPERMOM) I wanted to see what BRAVO's impression of this type of woman is.
We all already know what ABC thinks...big fat UGH...
Well, unfortunately...it's not much better, in fact I think it may be worse.
Because these aren't actresses, these are real women & although I'm not saying these women are bad I do think it's a poor representation of a SAHM.
First of all, from what I saw there are a lot of Nanny's. Now, let me make a point of saying if you use a nanny or are a nanny yourself I have nothing against you. That being said, most women I know don't have one so that in & of itself isn't so "REAL"
The other thing of serious concern to me was the language.
WOW!!! Seriously????
Call it what you want~freedom of speech, in your face entertainment, independent, bold. But come on, when did ladies stop acting like ladies & become foul mouthed, suggestive, offensive truckers??
I know that I am far from the dainty lady sitting in my heals & wearing a string of pearls, minding all my P's & Q's but I am most certain if there's a camera rolling I'm not gonna be saying anywhere near the stuff I heard Sunday night.
Then there was the arguing, backbiting & downright snarling.

Half these women don't appear to like one another. They are continually running around & gossiping about their "friends" & many feelings are hurt. Unfortunately when feelings are hurt there are no apologies & hugs instead they are vicious & appear that they will tear each other apart.
You would think after arguments & name calling the "friendships" would cease, however, they all end up at a spa or party hashing it out with more name calling & they even come close to throwing fists!!
This apparently, is how they make up!
Now, what I found most noticeable was the appearance of these "housewives"
I have nothing wrong with being good looking, I'm really not so bad myself =)
But I just don't feel this is all too realistic. The women I watched had legs miles long, perfectly manicured fingers, & make up on as soon as they rolled outta bed!

I am most concerned about this last detail because our my little girls gonna think this is what "Real Housewives" look like??
Are they gonna beat themselves up to fit an almost unattainable mold??
NO!!
Because my daughters aren't being exposed to this program but what about all the little girls & young teens who are??
What will they think when reality hits & they are wallowing in piles of laundry as the baby fusses & the toilet overflows?

Just a few hours prior to watching this most interesting show I watched the goodness of God in the real housewives I'm blessed to have in my life...
We had a great time sipping coffee, munching on donuts, & just laughing!!
I am quite certain only one of my Supermama friends had on make up although I can truly say Jo really rocks those glasses of hers & Mrs. Toni was workin' the "do" in my opinion =)
I myself am not too sure my socks matched & my other girlfriend was quite proud to show off her sweater that read "Because I'm The Boss, That's Why"

Now, these women...they are REAL HOUSEWIVES....
They are clothed in humility & beauty. They aren't ashamed to wear the grace of God & show Christ to children who are testing them. They are encourager's to their men & create safe havens for them to come home to.
These are beautiful women.
They are THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF GODLY HOMES.

Bestest Day Ever!!

Yesterday was the best bestest even better than best day ever!!

OK, so first of all I got to sleep til noon!! Yea, noon!!!
12:15 to be exact =)
Of course normally I head out to church on Sunday & I really don't like to miss but I have been plain ole exhausted the past week. The wee munchkin is again fighting sleep & it all caught up with me. I told The Hubby that I was pooped & needed to sleep so he got the whole zoo ready & took them to church. Except for the munchkin, he put her down to sleep before they left. I thought she would be hollering at me in no time flat but lo & behold she slept 3 hours!!!!
So I slept aaalllll morning, insert happy goofy grin here....
Now, if that wasn't good enough today is my "free day"
I'm still dieting, I've lost 11 pounds so far~~WOO-HOO!!! And Sundays are my day I get to be a little looser with what I eat. So I enjoyed some yummy spaghetti. Now, let me just say when I make spaghetti I hafta make it according to my Cow's specifications. She absolutely loves it saucy AND meaty so it's not something I can eat on a "be careful because you don't wanna be fluffy forever day"
It tastes good & is bad for you but oooohhh baby I loved it!
So here I am with a full happy tummy & now it's time to go to my sisters house for an "Art Boutique"
See, my sister is a Super-Duper Supermom who makes amazing hand crafted jewelery. I mean I'm not just saying this cuz she's my sis & I like her...really it's down right beautiful. See for yourself on Bella Boutique. Really take a second & check it out.

I'll wait...go ahead...click...

Beautiful right?!?!!!!
Honestly, the first time I saw her work I was truly blown away. I was kinda like...wow, I'm related to someone that talented??
Well, this was a jewelery party but no ordinary jewelery party, on top of having these eye popping baubles we were treated to breathtaking artwork by my good friend Toni Ruppert, yet another magnificent Supermom.
God has given her hands that paint masterpieces. I have been blessed to have her make a beautiful piece of art to honor the short lives of my Butterfly Babies & I can say personally that this is one artist who captures the heart & emotion of a moment.
That said you really need to stop over at her blog, Transformed~because this girl can paint!!
Soooo...here I am enjoying good company, beautiful jewelry, amazing art & oh a really "stupid good" brownie when in conversation I make mention of the fact my birthday just passed. I was braggin on the zoo tribe having just bought me a waffle iron that we just had to break in yesterday when Toni say's "well, I missed your birthday~go ahead & pick something"
Readers, I had to contain myself from not completely knocking over that woman!! I was in shock, I mean this is for real, she is a phenomenal artist & she's offering me a painting...for FREE!!! For my birthday!!!
I mean come on, how awesome is that?!!?!?!!

Look, check out the one I picked......

Now, this picture absolutely does not do the painting justice because you really have to see it in person but trust me it's wonderful. Besides, I'm liking the smiles Toni & I are workin here =)
I'm also wearing one of my sisters pieces, see the necklace??
Again, pic is not doing her masterpiece justice. So you're really gonna hafta go check out those blogs & see the beautiful work these women do.
So, to Lisa & Toni...thank you for a wonderful, awesome day!!!
Oh!! And thank you my wee lil munchkin for sleeping =)

But As For Me & My Apartment

So the last time I posted I wrote how I had 10 days to move & no idea where we were going. Well, I haven't been here in a while because those 10 days were chopped in half!! God blessed us with a new apartment!!
There were & still are quite a few hurdles. First, I had 5 days to pack my family of 6 & downsize from a 4 bedroom house with a garage to a 2 bedroom apartment with a small storage space in the basement. We had to produce a "team of movers" on very short notice. I had to try & transfer our utilities to a new address & half of them had either been shut off or were in the process of being shut off so it was more than difficult. Honestly, the list goes on & on & there are many many obstacles. However, I'm very happy about the move. I know we no longer have a yard but we have several parks, an activity center, & a library in walking distance. We no longer have a garage for storage but we have 4 pantry's!! That may sound silly but I'm ecstatic about that! I use one pantry for my school stuff. I use another for food, another for small appliances & odds & ends, & yet another for my linen closet. Plus the girls have a huge closet! It's amazing how some way it feels I have more storage.
However, everything isn't better, some things are much more difficult. Like laundry, the washer & dryer are in the basement. It's now 7:28 at night & The Hubby's work clothes are dirty. I have no quarters & it's dark & spooky down there. I'm not a Supermom at all tonight, at least not a Superwife....
Bringing groceries in is really hard too. We live on the 2nd floor now, & I'm not a youngin' anymore. I'm more than thankful for Cow because she literally saved the day & my back. I had done my weekly shopping & she stayed with the girls so they could nap. When I came home I had to unload the van in freezing rain & somehow get 8 or 9 bags up the stairs. Well, Cow came down & grabbed half the bags. We headed up the stairs but halfway to my humble abode my shoulders gave out. I mean they didn't just stop working, they jumped right outta their sockets & ran screaming right down the stairs & outta the house!!
OK~OK....maybe that didn't happen, exactly...but it could of!!
Anyway, I've been moving so many boxes & furniture around that my body just decided it had enough. and that's where the Super Cow comes in =) She grabbed those bags & flew right up the stairs!
Betcha didn't know a cow could fly did ya?
Well, this one can, & she's awesome!
I have yet to get used to things here, like hearing when everyone in the building takes a shower, being mindful to make sure we take lighter steps, & hearing the train go by.
Now that's something my animals absolutely love. The train. They love counting the cars & watching all the cool stuff the train carries. One time the kids were ecstatic to see the train stopped & it had huge tractors. They thought that was awesome! I kinda did too =)
So what have I learned Dear Lord in all of this???
I've learned that God blesses His children when we are faithful. I can't lie, it was really scary to up & move without knowing for certain where we were going. I mean it was down right nutty to some. But, The Hubby & I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt God was saying to get out & we knew that He would provide. Some look at that kind if faith & say it's foolish, but I look to them & say "trying to control the outcome of every circumstance in my life is what I believe to be foolish" I find it gives me great freedom to allow God to drive the vehicle which is my life & to trust that He is best suited for the job.
After all, I've tried driving, directing, & leading my life on my own without His help & it never got me anywhere good.
So with that said, I am more than happy in my smaller, up on the 2nd floor, laundry all the way down in the basement......apartment.

But as for me & my house we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15

Waiting

OK, I know, really I do. I oughta be packing. Yea, we're moving, did I fail to mention that? Well, probably cuz I didn't know myself!
Se, here's the thing, The Hubby & I decided about a month ago we needed to move. The conditions in our home aren't all that good & the rent is waaay to high. So I had the garage sale & thought "cool, we're gonna move soon, huh...maybe spring?" I mean we're still recovering financially from The Hubby's bein out of work so logically, it would be a while right?? But the landlord decided he wanted us to sign another 12 month lease. That was just not possible. So The Hubby said "this is it Supermom, start packing"
I gotta tell ya I was & am a little more than freaked out, The Hubby says we need to go by the 1st of October, that is exactly 10 days from today.
Did you get that????
10 days!!!!
A family of six.....8 cabinets, 7 bins of toys, 6 sleeping bags, 5 sets of drawers, 4 bedrooms, 3 closets full, 2 slowcookers, 1 bookcase & a partridge in a pear tree!!!!
AHHHHH!!!!
Oh! And here's the kicker...we don't know where we're moving. Yep, you read that right...no clue. I know it sounds crazy & honestly I guess to some people it kinda is. But we really believe God doesn't want us living here anymore, in fact, I think God wanted us gone a while ago. We've experienced "The Plagues"
We've had carpenter ants, flies, slab ants, mold, water damage, plumbing problems, everything short of locusts. Well, it feels kinda like God was trying to get our attention & we were too busy with our lives, But now the Bear & Monkey are having respiratory problems & I can't help but think it has something to do with the mold. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to put those two together.
We did get to look at an apartment yesterday & we're waiting for a phone call to let us know if we have it. So that's why I'm here typing instead of packing, because all the praying to just chill wasn't helping & finally I threw the bubble wrap down & said "I need to read my Bible"

God is so good, this is where I found His peace....

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in His word I put my hope. Psalm 130:5

So right now The Hubby is Abraham & I'm Sarah & we're leaving cuz God said so...oh wait I can get technical if you want, he's Abram & I'm Sarai... =)

Legwarmers...

OK, so the unwelcome furry friend in the kitchen isn't leaving. We found out he has decided to take up residence under my sink. Monkey asked if we could please catch Mickey in a box & keep him because he is "soooo coot Mama"
We never picked up the icky disgusting glue trap because the hubby has decided to drown him instead!!
Won't that be fun?
"Oh joy, nothing like waking up to a floating rodent"
I figured I had to come up with a better way of gettin Mickey outta my abode. But in light of recent events I've decided that if The Hubby wants to take a shotgun to Mickey, I'll provide the shells. I know, I know, it sounds terribly harsh, but really he's gotta go. Mickey has crossed the line...
Do you know what he did?
He touched me!!!!!

Now, I know there's seasoned Supermoms out there who think I'm bein' a big fat sissy. And I happily agree, didn't I already state that Mickey is my Kryptonite???
That furry little thing skittered past my ankle & I flew on a chair & was sitting pretty on the table when The Hubby came to see why I squealed! Honestly, he couldn't get me down for a few minutes. I also cleaned off my appendage with some Lysol. Of course The Hubby has been laughing at me since my less then super reaction & I'm OK with that.
I've decided whenever I enter the kitchen, to wear legwarmers...and boots...& maybe a big fat snowsuit too.

12 Week Holiday Planner

OK, I can't take credit for this, although I'd love too. This comes via my Awesome Supermom friend. Lemme tell ya, she's really Super. Ya know, one of those Supermoms that when you get in a sticky situation you think what would shheeee do???

Well, she posted about a "12 Week Holiday Planner" & if she "highly recommends" it well than I do too!

Just look at some of the great stuff this e-book offers

• Weekly "To Do" lists showing exactly what needs to be done each week

• Thanksgiving and Christmas Menus forms

• Shopping Lists

• Christmas Craft and Gift Ideas

• Memory Making Ideas for the Family

• Holiday Baking Schedule

And this is only a small snippet of what's in the e-book, there's so much more! So click on the link below & visit my wonderful Supermom friend & check out the Holiday Planner while your there!!

Take Flight: 12 Week Holiday Planner: "I know...you're thinking it's too early to be thinking about Christmas. Not so! A friend of mine just posted on her Facebook that Dollar T..."

Daughters & Give Aways

I found this great article this morning on realistic ideas on how to carve out time to mentor your daughter. The first & most important aspect this wonderful Supermom pointed out is prayer. Praying for God's direction & wisdom in regards to how He wants our daughters trained for His kingdom.
She is also offering a great give away!!

Check it out here.... Raising Homemakers

Blessings!

6 months

6 months ago I had two Grand Mal seizures. It was terrible.

I had just delivered my munchkin 3 weeks prior & we were celebrating my Bear's 7th birthday. We were leaving the bowling alley, & the next thing I remember I was waking up very confused in the ER. I was advised by the Dr not to drive for 6 months. The likelihood of having another seizure were slim at best but I didn't think it was worth chancing it.
Today, I had all sorts of ideas what I would post here. How God has stretched me & tried me during these past months. How I learned to persevere. I was so sure of all I'd say.

Supermoms this afternoon my Supervan died. Well, maybe it's not dead but it's definitely in the ICU & it could code at any moment. So that changes my post quite a bit, because see I thought I was through with this test. I thought I'd passed with flying colors & I could get my motor runnin'.
But apparently God thinks I oughta study a little harder. Honestly I feel a little like throwin a temper tantrum, OK I feel ALOT like throwin a temper tantrum.
But, I won't do that cuz I'm unfortunate enough to be somewhat mature.

I have learned some things though. Like how to accept what you can't change. Now, I'm no pro at this but I'm getting better at it. When God puts you in a circumstance that is completely out of your control you have two choices.

1. Freak Out.
2. Trust Him.

I'm really good at freaking out. Just ask my zoo animals! You'd think I was the wild monkey. Jumpin up & down howlin & screechin. No throwin poop though =)
Obviously, the trusting thing~I wasn't so good at. But, God is teaching me the freedom in trust. The freedom in letting go. Of just saying "Lord, I can't do this but I know you can, so here ya go, take it, I trust you."
With this new trial set before us there are many questions.

What's wrong with our vehicle?
How long will we be without it?
Can we afford to fix it?
I will take each question & lay them at His feet & trust in Him.

These 6 months have been long & rough, & who knows how much longer & rougher it'll get. But it's OK because the only reason I'm a Supermom is because I have one great big awesome SuperGod!
Philippians 4:19

The Blessed Zookeeper