School Is Back In Session

Hi!!
Long time no see...I mean type =D

Anyway, you would think over the summer months it would be easier for me to blog right?
WRONG!
Turns out the girlies want my attention & stuff like that. And ya know what? Three people shorter than me are actually quite organized. They did things like tag team all night waking me up then want pancakes in the morning followed by laughter & games! Seriously, that's a lot from one Mama..
Well, we had a really nice summer. We went swimmin by Grandma's a few times, had a great time at Six Flags, & had a ridiculously awesome time with our homeschool group on the 4th. Our summer was packed with all sorts of health issues too. My lil Bear had a lot of tummy troubles. I had to put her on a special diet, take her to multiple appointments, she had lots of needles stuck in her, & my baby was even sedated & had a scope stuck down her throat.
I was not a happy Mama during that last one, I never prayed so hard in a hospital hallway my whole life! Hopefully, I wont have to do that again for a very long time!! Like when I'm old, gray, & wrinkled & in some weird out of body experience where I'm praying for myself. Well, it's not like I want to be praying all hard for someone else I care about...but I'm rambling now.
As you can gather my summer was pretty full & blogging was way at the bottom of my list. But now that the girlies are sitting at the table I can type a bit.
Yay me!

Our first day is pretty laid back & the work load is light so as Bear would say things are "easy peasy" That is if it wasn't for The Homeschool Tyrant...

Yes, this is The Piggie Tyrant laughing at me...seriously, at me. See those two white boxes behind her? Under that is one of those plastic bins used for storage. Well, I use em' for school, notice how it's slightly open? Piggie thought it would be hysterical to tear into that bin & the boxes on top, then thought it was even funnier for Mama to crawl around on the floor trying to stop her. You know how this goes right? I snag something from her & put it back in the bin, she pulls out 4 more "toys" then she laughs at me.
Since I was already on the floor & apparently she was winning I figured I'd take a pic =)

My little Monkey girl was way more cooperative, excited actually. She kept telling me she didn't want her little bit of morning play time, she wanted to do school.

She even put on a dress! Now that may not seem like a big deal but for this girl to where a dress is like asking a dog to fall in love with a cat & have little mouse babies.
OK, maybe that was a little weird but you get the point right? The kid don't dress up but she did for school so this Mama is encouraged.

Then I have my oh so wonderful gentle flower, she makes me so happy.

She tries so hard & doesn't give up. Bear is downright brilliant when it comes to logic. Math, analytical thinking, deductive reasoning. Honestly, I'm not too quick in those areas but it's where she flourishes. She's my struggling reader but I know when it "clicks" she'll take off like wildfire. She dressed up too, when school began she was rockin the Little Red Riding Hood gear *happy mama smiles*

And so here we are, first day of school & the girlies are just about to wrap things up. We are start our study on the state of Alabama this afternoon & I can't wait til Thursday...we're making a pecan pie! The pecan is Alabama's official nut...hmmm...kinda like me!!

Oh & one last thing, I had to add a pic of the piggie not being so much of a tyrant...she's just too darn cute!

The Blessed Supermom

Kitchen Limbo

Well, this weekend was the Illinois Christian Home Educators Convention. It was great! And crazy, my homeschooling friends know what I'm talking about. It's kinda like being at a wonderful farmers market, there's all these great things to see & do. At first you take in all the sweet aromas & meander slowly though this ever so relaxing time, maybe even run into a few friends & buy some treasured items. After a while though, your feet start to swell & all those previously sweet smells begin to mesh together & you have a headache, Then BAM!!! Run over by a cart full of flowers!!
You're laying their dazed & confused but there's all this pretty stuff around you & no matter how much you know you should walk away, instead you limp toward the flowers & ask for more....
Now, if you think I'm exaggerating you should take a look at the golf ball sized bruise on my leg!
That being said, the bumps & bruises are worth it I'll go into more detail, but not today.

What is on my mind however is the mysterious allergic reaction the Bear had just over a week ago. I was really leaning toward cheese or some sort of dairy product because she had another reaction (or so it seemed) Wednesday & the only connection I could make was cheese. We also thought it could have been food poisoning but after thinking some that doesn't add up with all her previous tummy issues.
I just spoke to her pediatrician & she has absolutely NO ALLERGIES...UGH...seriously???
Well, we are still waiting for the Gluten Intolerance results & hope to get them tomorrow. But come on really! I am trying not to wig out over here! What's the deal???
I'm really at a loss, I don't even know what to feed her & don't want to give her something hurtful.
Errrggggggg.....

OK, pardon my miniwig.
I think I just made up a word...miniwig...fun.

Anyway, without having clear direction I don't feel comfortable having my regular Monday Cooking Day. I will bake some breads for the week & try to come up with a menu plan but that's about it. I'm also toying with the idea of removing Gluten anyway because an article I read explained the difference between Gluten Intolerance & Wheat Allergy. There is a large portion of people with Celiac Symptoms (gluten intolerance) who don't test positive for it. These people assume maybe they're just allergic to Wheat & go about their lives with the impression everything is fine & it's OK to eat it learning to live with the chronic issues. Or maybe their diagnosed with IBS. The problem is if you're not testing positive for Celiac & do have it, it becomes quite a danger over time. It is not an allergy, it's an Auto-Immune Disease & is cause for concern if not treated.
Well, after schooling you on all the Celiac stuff you probably understand a bit more why my kitchen is at a standstill. And furthermore why I may just cut Gluten out all together, see Bear is having so many symptoms of Gluten Intolerance & if it doesn't show up on her initial blood test we have to do further blood panels & possibly a biopsy of her small intestine.
Yea, I really don't think I'm gonna go there.
Who knows maybe it will show up on the test & I will have answers & if it doesn't Big Daddy & I will figure it out from there, either way I'm sure God will direct our paths.
And my kitchen =)

The Blessed Supermom

Seriously????

Well, things have been more than a wee bit interesting around here. We had the Wee Piglet's peanut butter incident, the PB assaulted her. Then there was Monkey's realization she couldn't fly & the subsequent ER visit. So you'd think things would mellow out a bit right?
Uh-uh nope, things just got more nutty!
Saturday The Hubby had a wonderful idea, he suggested we have a picnic in the back of the van & play some board games. We decided to go to the cemetery to hang with Isaac & Hannah, it was nice. It was raining just a bit so the van wasn't overheated, it was just the right temp. Everything started real nice, we were all laughing & munchin' our subways, listening to some music. Then The Bear said her tummy hurt a little, she giggled & unbuttoned her pants thinkin she ate too much. But a few minutes later she said she was really sick, she felt dinner was about to burst out of both her upper & lower regions. The problem was all the seats were removed & stacked up to give us room for our picnic. I told my baby all would be fine & decided to take her to the chapel (funeral home)
The Hubby gave me a concerned look because he knows I haven't stepped foot in there since Hannah's funeral & have no desire to. I assured him this was necessary & I would be fine. So off we went or better said we ran a mad dash, well Bear did & I desperately tried to keep up realizing that I am no youngin' anymore.
Unfortunately, when we got to the chapel it was locked. Of course, in my brilliance I decided to keep walking thinking the fresh air would do her some good. So we walked to a mechanic shop which was closed...UGH.
I called The Hubby admitting my defeat, there was no potty in sight. I figured we would start walking home, we live about a mile away from the cemetery & although The Hubby was quickly coming to save the day, I thought we should keep movin.
This actually turned out to be a good decision cuz we came across a little spa. We both were running now cuz I had no clue how much longer Bear could keep it together.
Well, you would think it was a relief to make it to the facilities right?
God forgive me, it was heinous. I've seen my share of my kids insides but this was just unbelievable. I'll spare you all the gory details but lets just say by the end of it we both lost our lunch ;(
We figure Bear had an allergic reaction to something, she was a real mess...vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, hives, headache, & chills.
Like I said...life got nuttier.
Funny thing is her Pediatrician & myself suspected she was allergic to something & I just picked up a referral for the lab earlier that day.
Weird huh?
She's feeling better but we were surprised to see she had a slight reaction from this morning's breakfast.
All of these things are foods she ate before so we're a little bewildered. However, I've heard allergies can develop over time & a friend of mine said it could of been food poisoning. Either way, we'll find out soon.
Again, I'm intimidated to find out how much more eating habits we'll have to change around here. I'm thinking next week we may eat nothing but fruit & homemade bread.
Seriously, I have no clue what to put in these kids tummies anymore. Honestly, God has put it on my heart to get serious about our eating habits so I suppose this just makes it easier to cut the fat.
Awww man...no more fat??

The Blessed Supermom

The Diagnosis

Well, yesterday I received the Wee Piglet's allergy results & you guessed it, she's allergic to everything!!
Nahhh, just kidding =D
She's allergic to peanuts & soy, so YAY!!
I was so worried she'd be allergic to all things food. Seriously, I was sure she was gonna make cooking very difficult but I can live without peanut butter...I think.
I mean what am I giving up? Not much right??
Just PB cookies & homemade PB cups...uh & PB brownies ;(
Hey! Wait a minute here! Stop the train...I don't want to go to a town where peanut butter can't come with me..boo-hoo.
And guess what I found out? Nestle Chocolate Chips have traces of peanut, soooo guess who's gonna be makin chocolate chips?
Yeah...
Anyway, we can definitely do without soy...yeck, blech, ach..
I use it from time to time but it isn't something major like PEANUT BUTTER!!!!
And now Princess Bear aka "quickly becoming talented in the arts of drama" is getting a blood test to check her gluten as well as milk/eggs & the like.
And let me tell ya, if Mrs. Thang can't have milk or eggs or BIG FAT UH-OH...no gluten
I'm throwin' in the towel!

Oh well, I'm gonna go eat a big gluten filled peanut butter cookie with a ton of chocolate chips!!

The Blessed Supermom

Painful Owies, A Lesson In Forgiveness, & A Serious Lack of Sleep

Picture this, you're peacefully driving along when your hubby calls you, gingerly you pick up the phone, "Hi baby! " Instantly it's apparent something is wrong, there's fear in his voice, hysterical screaming in the background & he's saying "you need to get home, you need to get home right now"

Well, this is how my evening began. The Hubby called me & he was obviously afraid, now let me just pause here & say I've learned to take my sweet hubby's reactions with a grain of salt at times. Not because his feelings don't matter but sometimes his reactions...hmmmm...shall we say can be a wee bit scary. For example a year ago I had a sudden seizure & The Hubby ran to me yelling "she smashed her face"
I didn't smash my face but that's what he thought so that's what he said & after many years with him I've gotten used to waiting the whopping one minute it takes for him to rethink his statement. But this time he wasn't wavering, he was scared & you could here it in his voice. He was also very calm which made me very nervous. He told me that my 4 year old pushed my 8 year old, I thought "OK, is it that bad? Did she break a bone" Turns out Monkey pushed her off the toilet that she was standing on right into the bathtub. My sweet Bear landed on her back banging her head as the shower curtain & rod fell atop her stomach.
I told him to get her ready & that I would take her to the ER, I just had altogether a bad feeling. Now, I'm not the Mama in the hospital every other week, I used to be but after all the flu's, twisted ankles, & mystery fevers 4 kids bring I tend more often than not to be Dr & Nurse.
However, with the fact that she was dizzy, nauseous, & "tired" this had head trauma written all over it.
Sooooo, I got home & brought my sweetness to the ER where they triage her quickly & the doc ordered a CT. After a short wait we met with doctor who checked her out both physically & neurologically, he said getting a CT wasn't the best option for my baby (radiation exposure) & that she had a concussion. What she needed was pain meds & plenty of rest.
I was glad Bear didn't need to go thru any tests & that we could go home.
Now, through all this mess...the fear, stress, & worry I was amazed at my daughters reaction to the ordeal.

She wasn't mad at her sister!! Ya know, the one who knocked her for a loop??!?!!??!!
Instead, she asked that we call her from the waiting room where she proceeded to tell her "I just wanna tell you I love you & I forgive you, even if you don't say you're sorry, I know you didn't mean to cause me all this trouble"
WOW! WEE!! WOW!! WOW!!!
I was floored!
How many times do I pout & hold a grudge against my husband just for lookin at me funny? Or worse yet how many times do I harbor resentment towards my children when they aren't behaving as they should??
My 8 year old taught me a huge lesson in forgiveness, she chose in her heart to forgive her sister & show her grace when she didn't deserve it, it amazes me because on the way to the ER she told me "Mommy, ya know that scripture you told us about yesterday? The one about God giving....ummmm, ummmm..oh yeah! Grace??I was just thinking about that"
She was referencing James 4:6 “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
I feel privileged to watch God's grace through my beautiful & humble little girl.
I'm very proud of my sweet princess, she had a terrible experience & came out of it with a few bumps & bruises but her heart was unscathed.
This Mama has had a very long night & the bed is calling out to me, it's only a few hours til the Wee Munchkin makes her presence known, so I leave you with this...
Today, when someone cuts you off, when you get that snide remark from the check out girl, when that one family member continues to treat you unfairly...remember the reaction of a little girl who had every right to get angry. She had every "right" to give the cold shoulder & hold a grudge, but instead she chose to be a blessing, not a curse..instead she chose to "be Christ" to another.

The Blessed Supermom

Happy "Golden" Birthday!!!

Today is a wonderful day...my sweet little girl is celebrating her "Golden Birthday"
My Princess is 8 years old!! I can't believe how blessed we are with this wonderful girl, I remember when she came into this world..ooOhhhhH!
She...was...mad!
She was crying so loud you could hear her down the halls, but as soon as she was in Mama's arms she was fine. That's a little how the past 8 years have been, she can get all worked up at times but she just loves to cuddle (with Mama) & when she's in my arms she's content.
I'm so proud of this little lady, she is only 8 years old today but you would think she was older if you had to guess, not because she looks it...oh no...she's still my lil peanut =)
But, because she is so responsible & helpful, she's ALWAYS so willing to help, my Princess helps me do dishes, laundry, cook, clean, & take care of her sisters. She really is a wonderful Godly woman in the making.
I love to call her my "gentle flower" because she has such a sweet spirit, she is so empathetic & sensitive to the needs of others. I always tell her we'll take care of her heart like a little "gentle flower" & she gets the sweetest most innocent smile.
Oh! I need to mention how much she loves God. It is by far the most amazing thing about her, she has such a sweet abandon for Him, I can just see God smiling as she worships Him. She has a real desire to know Him more & it amazes me every day.

My Sweet Beautiful Little Girl...I love you more than you can imagine. You are such a wonderful little person & I believe with all my heart you're going to do amazing & awesome things in your life. I know you love God & sweet girl...keep on loving Him because He loves you sooooo much He sent His son to die for you. You mean that much to Him Mamita. I want you to always remember that you're Mama loves you & likes you too, I think you're a beautiful example to your sisters & a great "encourager" You fill my heart with joy & I can never get enough huggies & kissies from you. Beautiful Princess, don't ever change because you are perfect just the way you are.
Happy "Golden" Birthday Sweetness.....

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

Butter, Syrup, Whipped Cream...OH MY!!

Whew! Me & the girlies have some seriously sore arms & huge muscles now. We made butter!!
OK, it wasn't all too hard, but a lil more work than I thought. Probably cuz we made a whole cup of butter & another cup of whipped cream.

Yes...oh so yummy!!

So here's how we did it....

We started off with a simple carton of heavy whipping cream, here are my wonderfully gorgeous models showing it off. Aren't they beautiful!!

Then the Bear started whipping. Honestly we whipped the daylights out of this cream & we were getting a whole lot of NOTHING...

Poor baby. However, she wasn't upset, in fact she was tickled at the idea of making this yummy topping. After a while of getting nowhere we couldn't figure out what was wrong so I called my SuperSister who suggested we use a chilled metal bowl.

The Monkey gave it a whirl & lo & behold...NOTHING!!
Ha! Just kidding, it just wasn't happening fast enough for my girlies so Mama had to take over. Once it started to thicken up they naturally became interested again & promptly took over =)
We added some vanilla & sugar & ran a few taste tests. It passed!!

Then came the butter. OK, maybe we shouldn't of tried to make as much as we did. We started off with 2 cups of heavy whipping cream in a jar then shook the daylights out of it.

Honestly, this part was hysterical! Watching the girls shakin & shakin! Well, you can imagine that it didn't take all too long before they decided that I should do it! Well, I didn't let em' get off that easy & we all took turns, however~my turns were two to three times longer than theirs. Finally, we started rolling it across the floor to one another & VOILA! BUTTER!!!
So we got all excited & tasted it, then decided it was gross & added a wee bit of salt...PERFECT!

I was able to explain to the girls how the forced air from the mixer whipped the cream into a fluffy consistency. However, when we didn't add air by keeping the cream in a jar the consistency of the cream was different. The fat particles in the cream began to "stick" together making butter =)

With all this homemade yummy goodness we decided to make waffles for dinner! The Hubby cooked up some bacon & Monkey even helped make some vanilla syrup. It was an awesome time with my sweet girls & we all enjoyed breakfast for dinner =)

The Blessed Supermom

Dancing w/ Daddy

*make sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page & pause the music on my pop out player before starting*

I love this video. I simply adore the way My Sweet Little Girl is looking up at her father. Just before this was recorded my Bear got all dressed up & smiled at her Papa asking if he would please dance with her. He was in the middle of a project & told her he couldn't dance right now. I looked on as her face fell & her shoulders drooped as she walked away. I'll admit, I was disappointed, I wanted very much to get involved & well...shake him. But, I need to say that I didn't give my husband credit.

He was very aware of his little girl & her need for him...

He stopped what he was doing & unknown to her he went & dressed up in his dress clothes & even threw on a jacket. He then came into the room & asked her to dance =)
You can see in the video how filled with love she is for her Daddy.
She's continually smiling & doesn't even care when her crown falls off. She carelessly throws it to the side enjoying the dance with her father more. The dance ends with the sweetest hug as he tells her he loves her.
I'm so in love with my husband right now. It takes an awesome father to step up & be a man of character & an example of love for his daughter. She will hold other men to the standard that he sets for her.
He is giving her the attention she needs as a little girl & he is actively capturing her heart.
He is a good man, a great dad, & a wonderful husband.
My girls & I are blessed to have him as our own...

New Years 2011...she made it!!!

Well, The Bear finally made it!!
She was soooo excited to ring in 2011 with Daddy & Mommy. It was so adorable, she's made it to midnight once before, when she was 2, but apparently that doesn't count because she can't remember. Every year since then she has fallen asleep, I really thought she was going to pass out with her sister around 11pm. Monkey was unconscious on the sofa & absolutely nothing was waking her. Eventually Bear was on the floor wrapped up in her blankie telling me how tired she was. I was so exhausted (as usual) & privately hoped she would fall asleep so I could go to bed. I offered the idea to her of taking a "nap"
I know, I know...bad mama...we all know it was a plot to get her to sleep so I could climb into bed.
But she was determined...& before we knew it 2011 was moments away!
As we began counting down I thought she was gonna burst!! She started doing her "signature squeal"
Now, lemme just tell you a little about that. I have never ever ever heard a child screech as this child can, the Hubby says she's calling down the eagles!!

Now, somehow through all that screeching The Monkey was still sleeping. So being the good mama I am I woke her up. She was then somewhat ticked at me & only wanted Daddy...

Then the dancing began, yea...you read that right...DANCING. Bear just couldn't contain herself & The Hubby is a big kid at heart so they proceeded to have a wiggling jiggling free for all. The Hubby was even caught on tape but I have no doubt that if I post the video I may not live to see tomorrow. So I'll just share some pics of the dynamic duo...

Honestly, as you can see by all the pics, The Bear wasn't slowing down...she was so happy & felt like such a big girl for being up so late. The Hubby & I let her go wild a lil bit longer before bedtime.

But alas, all good things must come to an end & it was time for my little girl to calm down & get some rest. The Monkey cuddled up with Mommy & was falling asleep in my arms in no time flat. Bear was still pretty excited but was willing to slow down a bit.

Over all, ringing in the New Year was a lot of fun & I'm already looking forward to the kiddos excitement in 2012!! Who knows, maybe next time The Monkey will make it & we'll have a serious party!!

Blessing Others & Ourselves Too

So the girls & I had a great time working on a shoe box for our Operation Christmas Child. First we went & bought a bunch of stuff for our little girl, I thought maybe this year we'd make a shoe box for a boy but what can I say...they like girly stuff.
We did hit a few snags though. Like I couldn't find a shoe box!
Normally I buy a gift box, well...it's not exactly a gift box. More like a decorated keep sake Christmas themed box thing-a-ma-jig. And it's bigger than a shoebox so getting a few more items is no big deal. However, this time I couldn't find one of those boxes so I opted for a regular ole shoe box. No biggie right??
Wrong, seems you need to call shoe stores ahead of time because they toss 'em. I mean right away, they tear em' up & toss them!! UGH!
So I figure OK, quick run to the dollar store to pick up a plastic shoe box with lid & we're set.
Wrong again.
Dollar store is all out.
So I'm ready to just sit down & cry, Oh did I mention this is Saturday & I need to turn the box in Sunday at church??
OK, where was I? Oh yea, I'm gonna throw a weeping hissy fit.
However, I remember that I have one of those plasticky box thingys at home, it's full of little toy animals but all I gotta do is empty it (where?? I dunno).
So, finally I get home & we're ready. I get the girls & we lay out all the toys, crayons, notebook paper, etc. That's when I noticed it, we had too much stuff. I just didn't know how in the world we we're gonna get all that stuff in there,
The Bear had all sorts of ideas & The Monkey gave up

Thankfully, the Hubby saved the day. He has an uncanny knack for packing things. I mean give him 20 clowns & a compact car & he'll get them in there, so naturally he took over. He & Bear sat there for a good 45 minutes putting things in & rearranging & sure enough every single item fit!! YAY!
Bear was so very happy & so was The Hubby, I think they were both really proud of what they'd done & that they did it together...

I was really proud too, but I was most proud of what happened next. Hubby took Bear on his lap & said it was time to pray. They both laid there hands on the box & prayed that the little girl receiving it would be blessed, feeling the love of Christ & come to salvation. Hubby took the moment to teach Bear to remember to be Christ to others, to be His hands & feet and to be "The Good Samaritan"

I'm really in love with that guy...oops sorry. Wandered off for a moment =)
I'm really blessed to have a man who knows to take every moment he can with his children & be an example of Godliness. I'm very happy with my little girl too, she's got a huge heart & it belongs completely to God.

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... =)

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

RRRRRRRrrrrrrr....

Another older post, but as schooling season is swiftly approaching I thought it was a good read.
Enjoy!

Fall-08

OK so I'm crazy. K? I just wanna get that out there, a disclaimer. First of all I LOVE homeschooling my kids. Really, I do. I love seein all the cool stuff happening. It's like when your baby starts walking & they keep tryin & tryin, toddling, tripping, falling & getting back up. Then when they finally get it & they're walking it's like "WOW!!! AWESOME"
Thats how it is for me to homeschool. When The Bear catches on, sounds out a word & with big ole amazed eyes starin at her book she says MMMAAATTT, MAT! It's like "WOW!! YEAH!!! YOU SAID MAT!"
Ok but heres the down side, I'm a freakin lunatic.
I just have to say teaching a kid to read...not that easy. I mean you would think it's easy because I mean come on, do you remember NOT reading? Probably not, it's second nature, & obviously you can read cuz you're reading this.
But here's my problem...OK ready?
Here it is
"rrrrrrrr"
Yup, thats it.
It's trying to get a 5 year old to make that sound, now lets be specific here OK. It's nor "arrrrr" or "errrr" it's "rrrrr" & that my friends makes a 5 year old angry. Which in turn makes a mommy ANGRRRRRYYY.....ya know like the Hulk(yeah I'm a Superhero, It's on my Facebook profile)
I mean it's not an easy sound to mimic, go ahead say it...sound it out...I'll wait...
SEE!!!
If you did it right, the way the "PERFECT GONNA MAKE YOU GO INSANE" book tells you how, the sound comes from the back of your throat.
Tell Bear that & she looks at you like you're insane. Why would she want a sound to come from the back of her throat???? There's no mouth there...makes no sense! Thats her neck!!!

Well, here we are...stuck on RRRRRRRRR & apparenly learning to read is something I can't blow off. So I'm venting to you in hopes of not going completely bonkers.
I really do appreciate the time to ramble on because running ouside, screaming, pullin' my hair out, climbing up a tree & barking at a bird is generally frowned upon.
"RRRRRR not ARRRRRE" OK? Lana?
Ok, Mommy..."ERRRRR"

AAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

The Blessed Zookeeper

Burnt Chicken & a Pooped Mama

Wow.

I am one overdone Supermom. I am so pooped, frazzled...spent. The hubby went back to work a week ago (PRAISE THE LORD)

We are both happy for him to be back out there workin' & sweatin...gettin' all manly dirty & stuff ya know. Honestly, it really has been waaaaaay too long, almost 7 months!! I mean it's like ice cream, it's soooooo good but after a while your tummy is like "eh hello?? this is too much & I'm done, you're gonna be sick now"
That's kinda what it's like when your workin' man is laid off. At first it's all peaches & cream. I'd get up early & make him a nice breakfast, the girls are all squeals as Daddy becomes the "Tickle Monster"
He's all puffy eyed & cute =)

Well, the honeymoon is long since over & I've had my fill of "Ice Cream ala Hubbee"

So, one thing I need to be honest about is that in the 7 months he's been home I got ever so spoiled! I had him here all...the...time. I could pass off the wee-est munchkin while I got dinner ready. I could enlist his help in getting some laundry done. I could take a few minutes to hide from my animals while he kept the Zoo under control. But nnnnoooooooooowwwwwwwwwww...he's not home (insert pouty sad face here)
And yes, I know what you're thinking, I did complain it wasn't good for us to be in each others faces all day. And yes, I did pray God would give him work. And yes, the kids need Mama to be taking care of them & be consistent...

Hey! Come on...cut me some slack! Enough already!
Wow, you're tough.

Anyhoo, I hafta say, I'm exhausted. The Bear & The Monkey well, they're bein extra stinky, I suppose they need to adjust & they're keeping me on my toes. Today I was outside for not 10 minutes & when I walked in I found crayons all over the floor, the kitchen table was "colored" & Monkey was punchin Bear. As I write they should be "resting" however I can hear The Monkey barking.
Didn't know a monkey could bark did ya? How's that for a visual??
And my wee one has decided sleep is unnecessary & she would very much like it if no one else slept either. Oh! And did I mention it's 90 degrees today & my air isn't working, we have no cooking gas or hot water, & the flies are still invading.

Soooooo, I think I'm really entitled to bein way pooped. However, I found myself gettin pretty self righteous today & feeling entitled to a bad attitude too. Thankfully my Mama was willing to shed some light on my denseness (is that a word?)
Something she keeps remindin me of is the JOY of the LORD is my strength(Nehemiah 8:10). That I can't depend on circumstances to make me feel happy because in this fallen world, it'll just never happen. I need to continually remember that God stays the same & to be dependent on Him for my joy. This is a season of life & although it's a little difficult (I've been through worse) it is only a season & it'll pass.

My Cow, Bear, Monkey, & Munchkin' will get back into a routine & mellow out, the air conditioner will get fixed, the flies will go away, & so on. And as long as I keep my eyes on Him & find ways to thank Him for all that I'm learning through these circumstances..well, then I suppose it's all worth it. Don't ya think?
So, yes..I'm exhausted, & it's likely my munchkin won't sleep tonight & it's a strong possibility that at bedtime there will be "much wailing & nashing of teeth" & I definitely burnt the chicken =( Don't ask. However, I will find my rest in the everlasting God who does not grow weary. I will keep my eyes on Him who does not change. And I will be strong because His joy enables me.

The Blessed Zookeeper