The life and times of us.....

Braces, fevers and other miscellany.

2015-01-07T19:44:00.001-08:00

Today our Benjamin got braces. I can't believe it.

Seems like just yesterday he was a baby and now he is becoming a man.

Our Chloe has had a seizure every morning this week. We had to miss church on Sunday because she had a big seizure and fell into her door, wall, shoe rack, nightlight and boots. It was pretty rough, poor thing. Then today she developed a fever. Which explains the seizures. When her body is fighting infection she is more prone to seizures.

This was her beautiful cake from the Westside Bakery in Fairlawn. So good!

We were swimming at the Y yesterday and I pulled my gastroc muscle. I tore it this summer. Stupid leg.

In case you wondered.

Anna and I have discovered joy....

Nothing funnier.

And Isaac and Titus are just enjoying life. As always. Wrestling. Playing Nintendo. Reading to Mamma. And asking for sugar. Good times.

This was Sunday morning after Chloes big seizure. They sat down, read the Bible and prayed for Chloe all on their own. Sweet babies. ❤️

Hope you all had a happy New Year!

Since my word for the year is INTENTIONAL. I've been doing a lot of reading on topics that will help me in my life. I rec nelly came across Lysa TerKeurst. She has two books that I can definitely recommend. One is Unglued. So good for us Mammas who are home bound most of the time. And the other is Made to Crave. Wow. Life changing.

Merry Christmas

2014-12-22T07:01:00.001-08:00

It is my New Years Resolution to start back blogging. I promise. ❤️

But until then I wanted to share a couple things from my heart. I posted this picture of the Grinch because that is how we've been feeling the last couple of years about Christmas. We noticed there were several families in our church that were older couples whose children have started their own lives in different areas of the world and they don't have anything to do on Christmas. So all those years they had Christmas at home with their children just like we are doing this year and now they get to sit at home on Christmas Day and long for those days. So we started having a couple maybe two even, over on Christmas Day to share our Christmas with. Now, eight years ago after losing my mom to cancer I didn't have any good feelings about Christmas. I didn't enjoy it. I didn't want to decorate for it. I didn't want to cook for it. And I most certainly didn't want to have any company over for it. My mom always did huge Christmases. We got hundreds and hundreds of dollars worth of presents. We always had a huge dinner with our pastor and his family. All of our relatives would come over. It was a big deal. And so when I lost her, I didn't know how to replicate that. We don't have a lot of family living in our area. And the ones that do live here want to do Christmas at their house with their children. Then I looked around at our church family one day and I realized that these people were as close to family as you could get. And they had needs that needed to be filled. And we have spots at our table that need to be filled. And after all isn't that what Christmas is about? Making family even if you don't have a big one. Being someone else's family when theirs is across the country and can't get home for Christmas. And it is been such a blessing for our family to realize that others needs might just be a little bit more important than our own. So I encourage you to go invite somebody to your Christmas. Maybe an elderly couple who will just be sitting at home remembering bygone days. Be a blessing this Christmas season.

3 Years Ago Today

2014-07-03T08:43:00.001-07:00

My life was forever changed. I woke up at a hotel room in Indiana and my leg and hip hurt so bad I could barely walk. Long story short, I had a 8 inch blood clot.

Fast forward to today.

Going through a life changing emergency like that does change you. It gives you a new perspective on life. I realize that I don't have to compare my life to anyone else's. I have life and that's enough. I have five children then I get to raise. My husband doesn't have to depend on somebody else to help him raise the children,it's me. I get that privilege. And I'm so thankful for it. No my children aren't perfect, they weren't born perfect. They'll never be perfect, but they're mine. I get to be my husband's wife. He's not perfect either, but then again neither am I, and I'm so thankful for that opportunity.

Our daughter Chloe was diagnosed with epilepsy this year. I'm so thankful that we've been able to walk this journey together. With The Lord. We have hope, you see. Not as those without hope, the Bible says. We have Christ.

So while life may take its twists and turns I am still thankful. Thankful to be alive. Thankful that all my children are able to walk and talk and breath. Maybe we have to slow down every now and then because of a seizure, but so thankful to HAVE LIFE. Enjoy your family this weekend. Be a light to someone who doesn't know THE LIGHT. Hug your kids! Hug your husband.

Happy Fourth of July! Thank you to all of those who made it possible that we can enjoy freedom!

Poem from my eldest...

2014-02-06T08:39:00.001-08:00

My Mother

I love you Dearly,

O yes it's true!

Will you be my Valentine yearly?

I hope you do.

You are the Mother

All the greatest is in you!

You think about others

And not about you.

We can't tell you how much

We love you.

We can't even touch

What you do!

I know this isn't the best poem

That you've heard in your life

But I want you to know

Your the best Mother and wife.

SOB!!!!

How is everyone? Good. Glad to hear it.

We took our little Annaleah in today to get her cast off. She broke her foot.

She was clearly not detoured from this. She still played, ran, fell, jumped, etc. She just couldn't go play in the snow. Which really bummed her out. This was the week she got her cast on. Didn't phase her a bit.

Our beloved Max, the dog, has cancer. In his elbow. We are dealing with it as best we can. One day at a time. He is to have surgery on Monday. I think he'll survive. Oh Maxxy Muffin Mut! What would we do without you.

The other kids are doing well with school. Well, as well as kids can be expected to do with school. They love it! Nah, just kiddin. They tolerate it.

And so, that's my yearly, I mean monthly update to my blog. I hope you all are doing well. I try to keep up on everyone's blogs that I have followed through the years as best I can! Have a great day!

Updates of my ever so exciting life...

2014-01-01T17:03:00.000-08:00

I got a transcription job! My very first ever! I have been an intern for almost a year with a great lady and now, I have my first job. I'm still excited since I haven't started yet. Next week, the excitement will wane. I will be crying. And life will resume as normal.

Our Border Collie, Max, tried to commit suicide yesterday.
He eats plastic. Not sure why. He is seriously psychotic.
He went after the baby swing and got his neck wrapped up TIGHTLY in the rope.
And his arm.
And then he panicked.
And it tightened.
By the time I noticed something odd, he had a garbly bark going on trying to signal for help.
And, I came to his rescue. Me, and my trusty sidekick Ben.
Wow. That dog.

I have 5 children.
Have I mentioned that?

I have lost 5 pounds in the last 2 weeks! YAY me!
I started back on Weight Watchers.
My third time.
Once after Isaac.
Then after Titus.
And now...after our lil' caboose.
Bittersweet really.

Regrets...

2014-01-01T17:01:00.000-08:00

I regret every time I laid my baby down because I needed a moment alone.

Now, I get lots of alone moments.

I DON'T regret one time that I rocked any of my babies to sleep.

Those are treasured memories that I can't go back and do again.

I don't regret one minute of wasted sleep
because
I get up with my husband at 4am
and read our
Bible and pray together...
those are precious moments.

I do regret not getting into
God's
Word more as a teenager and college
student.

I wonder if
God could have used me in bigger ways...

Thinking over the last year and trying to pick a word for this year.

I think...

PRIORITIES.

Yes, that's it.

Priorities.

Sometimes, I get all mixed up in my head and have to retrain my brain.

What is really important?

Sleep Deprivation....

2013-10-29T06:45:00.002-07:00

Anyone want to testify?

I really thought that I had gotten used to this no~sleep state.

Especially since my last 3 children basically slept with

us until they were around a year and just nursed on demand.

It didn't even phase me with our last one.

I'm a light sleeper, always have been.

But now...

Now that Chloe has had a couple of seizures...

I'm up all cotton pickin' night...

Listening...

For the sounds of a person seizing...

Which is odd because THEY DON'T MAKE ANY SOUNDS.

And so in my sleep deprived state, I remember that eventually and

then I get up and go check on her.

Look to make sure Annaleah is breathing (she always is, just making sure.)

Make sure Titus has covers.

Find Isaac in the bottom of his bed.

Look at Ben (I know he's alive because he snores. Thank God.)

Climb back in bed.

Wonder if my kitchen is clean.

"Did I make Justus' lunch?"

"Should I get up with him at 4 and make breakfast?"

"Nah, I'm tired."

"What do I need to do today?"

"Oh yeah, don't forget that."

Roll over...

back to sleep.

NO WONDER I'M SO GRUMPY!!!

Camping 2013

2013-10-15T12:59:00.001-07:00

Not gonna lie.

I did not want to go camping.

At all.

My husband has ALWAYS LOVED CAMPING.

And has wanted to go forever.

So I finally decided...

Well, I'm not pregnant, can't use that excuse.

I'm not nursing a baby...

Can't use that excuse.

I don't have a baby in diapers...

Man. Imma have to go camping.

And I loved it soooo soooo much!

It was beautiful weather, a beautiful spot, wonderful time together with our family.

It was so peaceful.

Chloe had had a seizure the week before so we weren't sure we were going to go.

Kinda thought maybe we ought to stay home.

But something, maybe God, kept telling me to go.

It'll be okay, just go.

So we did.

I can honestly say, if you want to bond with your family...

go camping.

It's just you...

and

them.

No TV.

No computer.

No phone.

I loved sitting by the fire all day and evening.

That crackling noise is addicting!

I loved doing our devotions each night in our tent or outside of our tent around the fire.

Chloe did well too.

She has headaches pretty bad after a seizure for weeks but

I think getting away from everything helped.

She's still very white in that picture but she did well.

And my boys were IN THEIR ELEMENT.

Ben is seriously the best fishermen in the family.

Much to his father's dismay. LOL!

I didn't shower for days!

Um, that part was a bit gross.

Annaleah had the time of her life.

She wubs her Daddy

Our last morning there we climbed this "mountain"

and...

I got chiggers...

but that's not important.

We won't talk about that.

Nope, we won't.

(((He's so cute, isn't he? And yet...so evil. And poor Annaleah has no idea.)))

And each kid carved their name or initials on a tree up on top of the mountain.

It was really neat.

I got a pic of each of them with their tree.

Can't wait to go back and see their names.

Anna really got into the whole posing for pictures thing...

"Pitcher me Mamma!"

I love my family.

Can't wait to go camping again!!!

Amy

Sunday Afternoon musings...

2013-10-06T14:15:00.000-07:00

I ALMOST died this morning while playing

the piano at church.

IT WAS HOT!

So hot.

But you see, I had bought this adorable dress

yesterday with a beautiful sweater to match

and

HAD

WEAR

TODAY!

And so, the piano playing wasn't perfect,

but I lived after all.

Thank the good Lord above.

This was my husband's first Sunday as teacher of the Adult Sunday School

class at church.

He did a great job.

I'm excited for him to have this opportunity.

We've been Youth Pastor here at Crusade for 2 years now, almost 3.

So, it's good for him to branch out and talk to adults.

Ha.

I spent the afternoon at Panera Bread.

ALONE.

With the lesson plans for the next month.

It was glorious.

I ordered the Caramel Cappuccino and sipped slowly as I worked.

I'm going to try to keep up with this once a month.

A "pulling myself together" time.

I need it.

I forgot my Bible at home today.

I'm very often *NOT* altogether.

Happy Sunday!

Amy

Our Chloe~girl

2013-10-02T11:31:00.000-07:00

On August 19, we awoke to the first day of school! The kids were so excited, as was I. We ate breakfast, did our pledges on the front porch and sang Count Your Blessings on the front porch. Took our yearly first day of school pictures. Weighed ourselves on our Wii Fit and then jogged a while. We then went to the school room in orderly fashion (ha) and opened our Bible.

This is when I noticed something was wrong with Chloe. She couldn't find any verses in the Bible. She was just flipping and flipping and flipping with an "I don't care" attitude. She had no idea that I was upset or that she wasn't "obeying" or anything. I called my husband right away and said "Something is wrong with Chloe." I knew right away that something was definitely off... Chloe doesn't just not obey and then smile at you. Anyway over the course of the morning I called Justus 3 or 4 times. I was bawling at this point. I had never seen anything like this before and I had no idea what was coming. Justus finally told me to call Jack, a dear man in our church, and ask him to come pray for Chloe. Justus was over an hour away at this point in his work truck and then it would take him another half an hour from the plant to get home, he knew we needed some prayer NOW.

Mr. Jack came over and tried talking with Chloe for a bit. He then began to pray and as he was praying I heard a sound coming from Chloe...I opened my eyes and she was in the middle of a full blown tonic-clonic seizure. I have never seen anything like it before in my life. Before I could get to her, she fell off the couch and landed on her nose, breaking her nose. She continued to seize on the floor for several minutes. Jack told me to dail 911. The EMT arrived just a few minutes later and Chloe was still seizing. She actually didn't stop seizing for around 5 hours or so. Apparently she had a very rare seizure called Status Epilepticus. She (and I) were in the hospital for 3 days while she recovered and they did every test imaginable. They still haven't found the cause for her seizure. She has had one more seizure that didn't develop into an SE because we were able to catch it in time and give her the Klonopin they prescribed.

These have been the scariest weeks of my life. Watching Chloe seize and knowing there was nothing that I could physically do to stop it...wondering when the next one would arrive...wondering if the next one would be during the day or (God forbid) in the middle of the night when we might not notice. BUT GOD has shown HIMSELF so real in our lives through this very scary time. He has drawn us closer to HIM. All of us. Ben was right there with his sister both times she had a seizure. He was so scared and worried. And all I could do was say "pray, Ben, pray." And he would.

And so I am asking you, dear friends, to pray for our Chloe~girl. The doctors hope to not have to put her on a daily seizure medication. So we wait. And hope that she never has another one. And trust that God knows... He always knows. Exodus 20:20-21 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not; for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. The funny thing about God...He was already in our "thick darkness" waiting for us. To calm us, to comfort us, to even heal us (Chloe) when we ask. He truly is amazing.

During my absence, Revelations and Catching up.....

2013-07-16T20:13:00.000-07:00

My oh my, it's been a while, hasn't it? How are you?

A lot has happened during my absence.... kids are alive, being home schooled and all you have to wonder. Little Petunia is 2. Oh she has brought so much joy to our lives! I can't even begin to say.... Titus is 5 and he is beyond thrilled to get to start school this coming year! Isaac is 7 and will be in 1st grade this September.. He's happy. Was Isaac ever not happy? No, I think not. Chipper lil' fellow that one. Then there's Chloe...sweet Chloe. She is in the 5th grade. Silly lil' girl. Glad to have a sister to sleep with her. She's all but forgotten the bygone days when she used to BEG for me to let "Benny" sleep with her every night. It wasn't fair that everyone else had someone to sleep with! And then there is my Benjamin. He's 11....going on 35. Very responsible little bloke. Does the boys laundry. Folds it, puts it away. Takes care of Annaleah while I am working, etc. He's the man.

And now, onto the revelation.....

After my blood clot and I was physically unable to take care of my own family for a long time... things sort of became more precious to me. Like cloth diapering my baby. Doing dishes. Fixing their dinner. I had never enjoyed doing those chores so much in all my life as I did after my clot. I was so thrilled that God had allowed me to live and that I was the one who got to do those things for my family. So happy. So, for the last while I have just been eating up this life that God has graciously let me live. I don't regret for one moment giving up my blog for this time.

We are still homeschooling. This will be my first year schooling 4 children. I'm a bit nervous about that. I know it's going to be a bit helter skelter around here. I am also very excited about it. Titus will be doing A Beka Kindergarten. He already knows his sounds, etc. So reading, I hope, will come easy. Isaac is going to do A Beka video school for 1st grade. He really needs the structure. He's doing well with learning to read and he is great in Math. Ben and Chloe are going to be doing Saxon Math, A Beka Language, and My Father's World for everything else. I have always wanted to use MFW so I am especially excited about that.

We just got home from vacation. We went to Idlewild Park in Pennsylvania. SO FUN. Then we drove up to Hershey PA for a day and then on to Gettysburg. What a time we had! Just us. Daddy didn't have to work, Mommy didn't have to clean or cook. So wonderful. I got a new Vera Bradley purse with a matching wallet. What good is a new purse without the wallet? ;) We then spent several days with my precious Mother-in-law. I like her better and better each time I am with her. I've always loved and admired her...but the more time I spend with her the more I really like her friendship. She and I can talk about spiritual things, or funny things, or kids, or homeschooling, etc. Just anything. She is an amazing person and I am blessed to know her.

And so, there is the update. I can't say I'll be back often, but here is this one. I hope you all are doing well. I think often of my homeschooling mom blogger friends and wonder what you are doing this year...I have just recently started reading blogs again. I hope to catch up with you all soon!

Isaac....

2012-09-05T14:08:00.002-07:00

Today in the van Isaac was being ornery so I said I was going to sell him. (My best parenting skills, if I do say so)

So I acted like I was yelling out the window...."WHO WANTS TO BUY ISAAC?"

So good old Iz pops up and says, "No one can buy my except maybe Grandma."

"I'm gonna go home and pack my bags.

Take me to Grandma's.

I've lived with you for a while.

Actually for a long time.

So, so long.

Yes, take me to Grandma's."

Those were his exact words. Bwahahahahaha! This kid, I just can't take him somedays. I know I am a lot to handle so maybe it is time for him to go live with Grandma.....

2012-05-16T08:50:00.001-07:00

My <3's

Apps

2012-04-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

I recently got a Kindle Fire and have found a couple of great apps that I am not sure how I ever lived without before!

One is pepperplate. It's for meal planning, recipe storage and grocery list making. I love it.

Another one was a free app of the day. It has all kinds of restaurants listed and the exact nutrition facts for every thing they offer at the restaurant! I am so happy that was free.

Now having said that all, I just kinda stumbled on these lil' dittys! But I am sure there are other great apps out there that you all are holding out on!

So SHARE!

I NEED APPS!

I NEED LOTS OF APPS!

What is your favorite app? Has it changed your life? I like life changing apps. Can you tell?

Bike Rides

2012-03-16T07:21:00.000-07:00

I love bike rides.

We usually go quite often to the farm market that is on a dead end street off of our road.

It's called Boughton Road.

I think all the people who live on that road are Boughtons or are related somehow.

I love it!

But, last year, I was ginormous.

Then, I had that little incident of death knocking on my door.

So I wasn't able to ride my bike at all.

Booohooo!

But yesterday when Isaac said "Mom can't ride her bike."

I took that as a personal challenge to get on my beautiful old blue Schwinn given me by my wonderful Father in law years ago. He also got me one of those huge cushiony seats! I love it!

One time when he was visiting for 2 weeks, we all went on a bike ride to the Boughton Farm Market.

It's in their barn, lest you think it is a high class establishment.

My Father in law got to talking to the lady who owns it.

Well, Justus took off with the kids but I decided to wait for Dad.

So, there I was on my bike.

He finished up and said goodbye to Mrs. Boughton.

And started walking down the drive

WALKING

WITHOUT HIS BIKE.

Hahahaha! I laughed so hard.

So did he.

Then he sheepishly turned around with a smirk on his face and got his bike.

Every time I go there, I remember my beloved Father in law laughing at his own mistake.

I miss him.

Anyway, so today when we woke up, I said

C'mon boys, lets go for a bike ride!

Hopefully this new-found "exercise" business will cause much needed weight loss.

We'll see.

I do so love my bike.

Happy Summer in March!

Confessions From the Breakfast Table Part 2:

2012-03-12T07:06:00.001-07:00

Isaac:

Mom, you make the best "cninnaminn" rolls.

They are only a little bit disgusting.

Thanks Isaac.

Happy Sunday!

Confessions From the Breakfast Table Part 1:

2012-03-10T07:35:00.001-08:00

Chloe:

"Sometimes I say things and I don't even know what I am saying."

Me:

"Yes, yes you do."

Happy Saturday Everyone!

OUTRAGE!

2012-03-09T07:56:00.000-08:00

This morning I had 3 dentist appointments for me and 2 of my children.
This is a new dentist office we decided to try. My husband had been there before, but we hadn't taken the kids.
So, I got ALL 5 KIDS UP AT 6:30 and left the house at 7:30 to drive the 20 minutes to the office.

I was filing out paper work when they called Benjamin back. He looked at me and I said, "Will you be okay?"
He said yes, he would be fine. He's a big man now.

I finished the paper work and walked through the door and told the receptionist that I was going to check on my son. She said OK.

When I got back there, the dental hygienist was flossing Ben's teeth. I smiled and said "I just came back to check on him." She stopped working and said that the dentist hadn't been back to see him yet, they would let me know when they did. But she wouldn't continue working. She finally, after moments of me just looking at her, said "Ma'am, you can't be back here."

HUH?

I can't be back here?

No. You can't be back here.

So, I said "that is my child, I gave birth to him."

Yes, she knew that, but it is policy. "We have found out that children behave better without their parents."

Again, HUH?

I AM ONE ANGRY MAMMA!

First off: IS THAT LEGAL? I mean, can they seriously take my child into a BACK ROOM where it is just my child and a dental hygienist in the room? IN THE BACK ROOM????

Second: Do you, someone who has never EVEN MET MY CHILD presume to know how to get him to behave better than his own Mamma!

I am astounded. I am baffled. How is this even possible? Do people really just leave their child in the hand of a stranger? And, yeah, they probably do behave better because they are scared out of their minds! I can't even believe it.

So, we left. Not my child. Not my child.

I am getting ready to make some phone calls. Whose rules are these? Is this legal?

I'll be back.

Mad, angry Mamma.

One of those days...er, weeks, er lifes.

2012-03-08T15:08:00.000-08:00

I was tired yesterday.
So tired.
I started a new job about a month ago, and I had it a wall yesterday.
I hadn't been sleeping well at all this week. Going to bed at 12 or 1am.
Waking up at 5 or 6 to go to the gym and work from home at my computer.
Homeschool.
Nurse my 8 month old.
Clean.
Do laundry.
Cook.
Wipe toilets.
Wipe bottoms.
Wipe noses.

I think you get it.

Last night after church, I came home and I was going to give the kids snacks and send them on happily, skipping (or so it was in my dream) on to bed.
I got online to grab some transcripts and my boss wanted me to call her.
Uh-oh.
I hadn't scored well on my 2 week assessment.
So, she had to let me go.
Hmmmm, I said.
Hmmmmm. Ok. Well, that's that then.

So, I was pretty bummed.
Justus was pretty bummed.
Woke up this morning bummed.
Until Justus said "go spend a couple of dollars."

Hehehehe! Um, okay! Pitty party ova!

Off I went to spend some money.
I got the cutest purse. Absolutely adorable!

We went out to eat to Macaroni Grill with our Pastor and his wife.
Went to Sam's Club.

Came home.
I tripped up the steps.
I may die.
I'm going to bed now.
Good feeling gone.
Life stinks.
Let the pitty party resume.
Buh-bye.

Saying goodbye......

2012-02-18T09:10:00.000-08:00

Last night we said goodbye to this man:

He's joining the military.

Going into boot camp on Tuesday.

And I bawled the whole way home.

This is our nephew.

The first one that I fell in love with when I became part of the Snow family.

He was 4.

And the cutest lil' brown headed kid with a button nose you've ever seen.

We've watched him grow.

Brought him Skittles.

Loved him.

Prayed for him.

Now he is all grown.

And it breaks my heart.

Why must they grow up?

Is it going to happen to mine?

Surely not.

We are so proud of you Matthias!

I can't wait to see what God is going to do with you!

A picture post...

2012-02-08T08:09:00.000-08:00

This baby!

Has our hearts.

Justus has never been a "baby man."

He loves our children, don't get me wrong.

He just didn't know what to do with babies.

Until Annaleah came.

Now he pats her bottom to sleep every night while she lays in the crook of his arm.

Last night he put her there and she pulled the blanket over her head like he always does.

You can't even imagine what that does to this Mamma's heart.

Our kids fight over who gets her attention.

Who can feed her.

Who gets to carry her to Mamma.

Who gets more smiles.

I'm so thankful that when we decided we were all done having kids,

God decided we needed just one more.

She is absolutely wonderful!

Rough Morning....

2012-02-03T05:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning I woke up with some kind of a rash all over my back.
It spread through the day yesterday.
Last night at midnight I was awoken by said rash and an infernal itching ALL OVER MY BODY.
I came down to the couch to catch some Psych on Netflix while I itched.
Justus got up at 4.
He left at 5.
I ~~woke~~ got up at 6:30 for the day.
Ate a banana.
Broke back molar on said banana.
Am still taking Coumadin.
Dentists are very leery to extract the rest of said tooth b/c I may bleed to death.
And they certainly don't want that to happen at their office.
Then they would have a strike against them, right?
So.
Here I sit.
Me and 7 children.
And my coffee that I can't really drink because my TOOTH HURTS.
And I'm still itching.
And that folks, is my sad little life for the day.
May God bless you.
Amen.

Out of the mouth of Isaac

2012-01-31T19:48:00.000-08:00

He kept insisting the other night that he was gonna marry Annaleah.
I tried to explain to him that he couldn't.
That's gross.
There are laws about that kind of thing.
I know you love her, but you just can't.

So, at age 5, he says: "Well, then who will I marry?"

To which I replied, "Daddy and I will let you know when we find her."

To which he replied, "No way! What if she is an old lady!?!"

What is wrong with this kid?
He's 5.
I really believe he didn't get enough air coming out of the womb.

A Dieters Revelations:

2012-01-30T07:02:00.000-08:00

So, I've been on this Weight Watchers diet since the beginning of January.
This is my third go at WW.
Once after each of my last 3 kiddos.
It works. Every time. Ha. You actually have to do it, but it works.
I love going to the meetings and weighing in.
Well, so far I love it! But, then again, I've lost weight every time so that helps.
Anyway, yesterday I had a "moment."
You know what I mean, right?

We had a Funday Sunday with our teen group. Once a month, they stay after church for a couple of hours and I fix dinner, we play games, have a time of devotions, etc.
Well, I was soooo hungry at Sunday School time.
Then, I was soooo hungry at church time.
So then when I went back to the kitchen to start cooking, I was ravenous!
So, I figured I hadn't used any of my points that morning and I would just eat a cookie. That should help.
I ate it.
Then I got my little calculator out to figure up the point value.
(Note to self: figure out points before shoving into mouth.)

6 points in one cookie!

Of course I didn't discover this until after the cookie was gone.
And then I got to thinking about it and I didn't even enjoy the cookie.
I scarfed it!
3 or 4 bites and it was gone.
And I don't remember one moment of it.

So....fast forward a few hours.
This really began to bother me.
My lack of character.
I just eat and don't enjoy it.
I don't savor it.
I mean, if you are going to spend 6 points on a cookie, you better enjoy every bit of it!
But I hadn't.
So, I made a bath for myself during the few minutes of afternoon we had between services.
I poured a Pepsi One into a large cup of ice.
And got a cookie.
I sat in the bathtub and savored every bite of that 6 point cookie.
I felt better about it the second time around.

Bwahahahaha! 12 points on cookies in one day.
I'm a loon.
There is always tomorrow, right?

I was so certain....

2012-01-10T09:12:00.000-08:00

That one day I would just pull it all together magically.
I dreamed of a life with a lot of children baking cookies while wearing my
Williams Sonoma apron. Hair and make-up on EVERY.DAY.
House cleaned.
Bathrooms sparkling.
Children educated.
And properly trained so as to never embarrass their parents while out in public.
All wearing beautifully ironed, never stained clothing.

Instead.

I do indeed have a lot of little children. AWESOME!
I don't bake cookies because I'm fat.
And on Weight Watchers.
And I am a characterless eater so to make cookies would be my down fall.

I do indeed own a Williams Sonoma apron.
It's pretty.
Yellow and blue.
I don't know where it is or if it's clean though.
Or if it would fit over my 5 time champion baby belly.
I cleaned my hair today.
It's not fixed yet. And I don't put make up on because...I just don't. I don't know why.

My house....oh my. What to say about that.
It is always on the verge of shear disaster.
One step away from condemnation.
And even if I just cleaned it, there are always those congested areas that seem to never make it into my daily regimen of cleaning. They linger in the back of my mind always undone.
Like my stinkin' walk in closet.
Never gets cleaned.

Dishes get done in the morning.
Never time in the evening to do dishes.
Laundry gets done...daily. But never completely caught up.
EVER.
It's the dark cloud over my head.

Children are educated.
Though, they do embarrass me.
I am Isaac's mother, remember?

And yet, I am deliriously happy!
I have 5 beautiful, healthy children who I get to stay home with every day and raise!
A wonderful husband who loves me with or without make up.
I have a nice home.
Dirty, but nice.

So, this is my reality.
And I love it.
How you doin?