11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven

A Midnight Serenade, A Bus Wreck, A Nonviable Fetus.... Happy Birthday To Me!

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:12:46 PST

It started at midnight, as the title suggests. I had fallen asleep approximately 15 minutes prior, and was awakened by terrifying pounding on my bedroom window. Because of the time in which we live here in Mexico, believe me when I say I was horrified. And John was out of town. With my heart nearly beating through my chest, I crept to the nearest window and peeked out the blinds to find nothing. I did the same with the next window, but as I started towards a third window, I heard the soft sounds of a guitar being strummed in the backyard.

"Okay," I said, "I know what's going on here."

I put on my robe, opened the door and peeked out, and there, in the cold, were the 16-year-old girl, sitting on metal folding chair playing the guitar, the 15-year-old boy, the 11-year-old boy, the 9-year-old girl, and a dear friend and neighbor, a senior at the local high school, exuberantly singing "Happy Birthday To You!" But this wasn't any version of "Happy Birthday To You". It had a second verse, which went.... "I looooooove you sooooo much! I loooooooove you soooo much! I loooooooooove you sooooo muuuuuuuch! I loooove you soooo much!" But that's not all! It had a third verse, which was a copy of the original first verse, but sung an octave higher, in falsetto.

It was stunning to say the least.

When they were finished, I hugged them all and invited them in to get warm. We passed through my bedroom and went into the hallway, and our neighbor tried to convince me to let the kids stay home from school the next day because they had sacrificed and stayed up late to sing to me, but I gave him the look, so he stopped talking.

After the look, I looked at the 15-year-old boy, who had charcoal smeared on the side of his mouth. I asked, "Son, have you been eating charcoal? You have it all over the side of your mouth." With his hand he tried to wipe it off, not realizing that his hand was covered in the same charcoal, thus adding much more insult to injury, smearing charcoal all over his nose, chin, and the other side of his mouth. We all started laughing so hard, and our neighbor began shaking his head in disbelief, so much so that he hit his head against our textured cement wall. This caused him to continue laughing even harder, but also to writhe around on the hallway floor in agony, which caused all of us to laugh much harder as well.

When we all calmed ourselves down, I ended the party and made everyone go to bed, but as I lay in bed, I thought, "What a great way to start my birthday." :)

I woke up at the usual 6:10 the following morning, did the usual morning routine, then when the kids were off to school, I began food preparation. Here in our tiny Mexican farm town, the tradition is to visit people on their birthday. Our birthdays are published on church calendars, ward (Mormon word for congregation) emails, and ward rosters. Your birthday will NOT go unnoticed.

And I think it's wonderful. In preparation for the visitors, I put on a pot of Vegetarian Pozole, then stirred up the dough for Chocolate Truffles to offer visitors as they came. My first visitor arrived at about 9:00, which was too early for goodies, but not too early for a good heart-to-heart.

My next visitors were three of the 16-year-old girl's friends who came over for lunch, which was where the pozole came in handy. I loved the hugs and well-wishes, and they loved the soup, so we all won.

During the afternoon, while Baby Hippo was sleeping and the twins were navigating youtube videos, their new favorite hobby, I took a half hour nap, then headed to the high school to play the piano for the chorus. I do this on a daily basis, and it is one of the best parts of my day, every day. There, I was greeted with at least 40 warm and tight hugs from so many darling 16- to 18-year-olds, and was sung Happy Birthday to again.... and given a Hostess cupcake with a lit candle stuck in the middle. It was beautiful.

On the way home from school, after having picked up the 4 school-aged children, the 15-year-old boy, who was driving, stopped at the stop sign at the corner next to the school. Just as he was letting his foot off the brake, however, I saw a young man from church and told the 15-year-old boy to ask if he wanted a ride. The 15-year-old boy immediately put his foot back on the brake and yelled across the road to see if the boy needed a ride, when we were slammed into from behind. Hard. I turned to see who had rear-ended us to find that one of the beautiful, European-esque school buses from the Academy had plowed into us. He had seen the 15-year-old boy stop once, then proceed, but had been looking away when he stopped again.

I told the 15-year-old boy to pull over to the side of the road, and the bus followed suit, but not before tearing off a nine-inch in diameter branch off one of the trees along the side of the road.

Because many other towns-people were picking up kids from school, it didn't take long for the town authorities to be notified and arrive, who happen to be my second- and third-cousins. My third-cousin, whose only interactions with me are teasings about the fact that I am mostly vegetarian, said, "Jen, we're going to have to take [the 15-year-old boy] to jail because he was driving without a licence. "That's fine," I said. "Do what you have to do." He started laughing and elbowing my son, then put him in a bend-wrist head lock until my son started making girl noises. My cousin asked, "Uncle? Uncle?" and my son squeaked "YES!" He was then released.

After leaning on the front of the bus for nearly half an hour more, watching every small-town neck crane to see the carnage as they passed, observing the bus driver and town authorities trying to keep the kids on the bus, and attempting to discourage the 5-year-old boy from jumping in the nearby ditch, we were finally able to go home. It was then, during this 2-minute drive, that I decided to tell the kids this....

"So guys. I need to tell you something. About a month ago, I found out we were going to have another baby, but then about two weeks later, it died. So, tomorrow, I need to go to the hospital so they can take it out. Pretty crazy birthday for me today, right? Hahaha!"

I really can't even remember how they responded. I think the 5-year-old boy said, "Awww, that's sad, Mom." The next day the 9-year-old girl told her friends and teachers at school....

"I felt so sorry for my mom yesterday! First a bus hits her on her birthday, and then her baby died and she is in the hospital now so they can take it out!" Yes, you can imagine how the town interpreted this data. Fortunately I think it was nipped in the bud before it got too far past the school playground.

Getting back to my birthday, I arrived home and began laundry and directing the kids to their after-school chores, received another visitor, and simply went about continuing my house work and trying to keep order.

This because I knew my mother was coming to surprise me on my birthday. Here's how that played out.

The previous weekend I had tried to convince my mother to come down on Friday and visit us for the weekend. I had told her that there would be many basketball games to attend (her favorite) and that it was the weekend after my birthday and the weekend before the 9-year-old girl's birthday and that it would be really fun! She said she would think about it.

The day before my birthday, Wednesday, I called her and asked, "So, Mom, what did you decide about coming this weekend?"

"Well, I decided to come, but it was supposed to be a surprise, I think."

"A surprise?" I asked. "Well we talked about it. It wouldn't have been a surprise at all, Mother"

"Well, the surprise was that I am going to come on your birthday instead of Friday."

"YOU'RE GOING TO COME ON MY BIRTHDAY?!?!?!?! THAT IS AWESOME! THAT'S A WONDERFUL SURPRISE! THANKS, MOM! :) :) :)"

"Oh, so you didn't know I was coming for your birthday?"

"No, Mom, I didn't."

"Oh. Well. Surprise. Hahahaha!"

Later on my birthday evening, while I was rocking Baby Hippo to sleep in the dark of my bedroom, I heard my mother and John arrive. I enjoyed listening to the sounds of the kids animatedly greeting them as I held my baby and when I finally put him down, I joined them in the kitchen where the 16-year-old girl and our neighbor, the same who helped to serenade me at midnight, were making my favorite chocolate vegan cake for my birthday. And lest you think chocolate vegan cake is something to shun, think again. My mother couldn't stop talking about how delicious and rich and moist it was.

And thus ended a memorable birthday. And I know you are wanting a little more info on the nonviable fetus.....

But lest you mourn for me, let me explain. I'm not sad. The only reason I discovered I was pregnant was because with the rush of the holiday season, I completely forgot that I should have had my cycle. When I returned home from my border hometown to our home in Mexico, I was lying in bed, and the thought suddenly occurred to me, "Wait! I should have had my period. Let me grab one of my handy-dandy $1 pregnancy tests that I pick up by the dozen from The Dollar Tree and take a look-see." To my surprise (and I'm really not sure why this always surprises me), I was indeed pregnant. And since this was my 11th pregnancy, and perhaps my last, my next thought was, "I am going to see what it feels like not to tell a living soul." I'd never done that before, and I thought it would be an interesting psychological experiment.

I succeeded in keeping my secret for nearly two weeks, but in a effort to explain my fatigue and nausea, I told John, over a sushi dinner in the big town, that I hadn't been feeling too well and that perhaps I was coming down with something. He asked, "You don't think you could be pregnant, do you?"

Now, since I couldn't just out-right lie to him, I started smiling and laughing, and looked him in the eyes, and he knew instantly. He started laughing, too (he is always a bit surprised as well), and we spoke further about the pregnancy and other things.

About two days later, however, I started feeling good, which was cause for alarm. My pregnancies are notorious for making me miserable for at least four months.... nausea, fatigue, bloating and the like. The only way I can usually alleviate my nausea is to make sure to have food in my stomach every two hours, so I actually did a test to see how long I could go without eating before I felt nauseous. It was five hours. As the days went on, I felt better and better, my stomach size remained the same, and I instinctively knew what had happened.

I went to see Dr. R, the same genius (no sarcasm intended, and you can read all about his genius-ness HERE) that had delivered Baby Hippo, and told him my concerns. He looked at the fetus and said it was too young to detect a heartbeat, but that it really should be bigger. He told me to return in a week and we would know. I did return, and I already knew, and after performing the ultrasound, he knew.

I suppose because I had told so few people and because I knew the baby had died early on, I wasn't heart-broken over the loss, especially since we had lost another baby at about this stage only six months earlier. Maybe I was somewhat prepared. And I tell people I'm really okay, and they say things like, "Yes, but it's a life and no matter how small or early it was, there is still a since of loss and sadness" or they say, "Yes, but any time a child inside you dies, it is heart-breaking." I'm not sure why some try to convince me that I should be sadder than I really am. I don't know what to say when they do that. I don't want to argue with them, and say, "Nope, not really sad at all," because that seems kind of heartless, but really, I'm not. Actually, I feel a since of relief because I'd known he was gone for two weeks, just waiting for bleeding or something else to start, and now he is gone, and there is closure and I feel great physically and I feel like I can move on emotionally.

And I want to tell you all about how a D&C works in Mexico in the next post! Just as a teaser, the ten hours I spent in the hospital with my mother attending me were wonderful, relaxing, love-filled hours that bring me fond memories every time I recall them. I heart Mexico! :)

Thanks for listening.

Homemaker Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:49:00 PST

One day I'll write my own Homemaker Monday post, but not today! Thanks so much for your links and visits and have a wonderful day!

My Beautiful Baby Boy

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:46:55 PST

(Photo taken at the ball game with my beautiful new Nikon 50mm f/1.8D lens)

Homemaker Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:08:41 PST

Thanks so much for your Homemaker Monday posts, links and visits! Hope you have a wonderful day!

First-Time Bowlers and Vegan Cashew Kale Chips

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:53:01 PST

A few days ago my 19-year-old son, on right...

...who is serving a two-year mission for our church, emailed me the following letter. It was so entertaining and useful to me, I thought I would share it with you, unedited. Thanks for listening!...

So, yesterday I was pretty frustrated so my email was lame so I felt bad. So now, while my companion is in the library to do something for his school I am also in the library and i have a little bit of time to write you a slightly better e-mail! How exciting!

Now, i must tell you that one of the most entertaining things I have ever seen in my life is what I saw when i went bowling with a bunch of old mexican men who had never gone bowling before. They would lift the bowilng ball HIGH over their heads and then swing it backwards as far as their arms would stretch and then swing with all their might to throw the ball high into the air and listen to it SMACK the lane like a comet! But some would use both hands and roll it or they would just kind of sit it on the floor and then push it down the lane. But no matter what way they pushed, rolled or threw it they would always, when the ball was curving towards the gutter, LEEEEAAAAAN as far as they could to the direction they wanted the ball to go and they would say "hay'sta hay'sta!" And if they would even hit one pin they would say things like...

"Asi hermanos, asi." It was literally the funniest thing I've ever seen.

But, mother, I must tell you about my branch mission leaders wife... she is vegan and she makes delicious food. I went to their house the other day and she pulled, out of her dehydrator that is the same one you have, a lump of what looked like dry, tangled, seaweed and said "Here, it's a kale chip." So I said thanks and then ate it. And it was wonderful. So i got the recipie for it:

1 bunch organic kale
3/4 C. cashews that have been soaked for at least an hour if possible
1/2 red bell pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 C. nutritional yeast
1 tsp. sea salt

Mix all the ingredients except the kale in a blender (I have a blentec)... take the stem off from the kale and cut it into pieces bigger than bite size because they shrink... then mix the sauce with the kale and put into a dehydrator sheet with the plastic for wet stuff... the kale pieces dont have to be seperated into each individual piece just spread along the sheet as you can (I used 2 sheets)... dehydrate at 110 all night until crispy... they dont stay crispy for more than one day... they can be put back in the dehydrator or eating like that... they are good anyways...

So thats her directions... I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things that you should remember how merciful the lord god hath been unto the children of men in preparing them delicious kale chips. now make some... because they are delicious. Also, if you want to send me a wonderful birthday present you can make some really delicious waffles, try them to make sure they are good and then send me the recipie for them so that i can eat waffles for every meal. How does that sound? Good? good.

So that's pretty much it. My companion is ready to go now so I will say goodbye and apologize for my lame letter yesterday.

OKLOVEYOUBYE!!!

P.S. Tell the kids I love their letters that they send me.

P.P.S. There is a missionary here named Elder Snow (I can't believe I don't remember his first name, I just gave him a blessing today) and he is from El Paso! How wonderful eh?

Homemaker Monday: The 9-Year-Old Girl's Raspberry Cheesecake

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:46:01 PST

So I edited the photo, but before I could ask her where her recipe for this delicious cheesecake was, the 9-year-old girl went to bed. I'll get to it tomorrow, okay? Thank you for your patience!

And here's Linky for those of you who have your tips, how-tos, and recipes more prepared than I do. Thanks so much for your visits and links and I hope you have a wonderful Homemaker Monday! :)

Homemaker Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:27:59 PST

Getting all the kids ready for back-to-school this evening, so no Homemaker Monday post on my end, but I'm looking forward to reading yours! Thanks so much for your links and visits and have a wonderful Homemaker Monday!

Vegan Mexican Four-Layer Veggie Dip

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:35:37 PST

Do you think I could add any more adjectives to the title? Ummm, how about.... delicious?

So, as part of my new year's eating plan, each day I must consume 1 pound of raw veggies, 1 pound of cooked veggies, 1 pound of fruit, and various nuts, grains and beans.

But I have to tell you that eating a pound of raw veggies every day is a huge challenge for me. Even if I put two cups of spinach in my morning chocolate banana smoothie, that only weighs about 2 ounces, which leaves a lot more to go.

So today I had a hankering for something cheesy and Mexican, but since cheesy is off the plan, I opted for an extremely healthy cheese substitute, a recipe I've posted on my blog HERE. With this cheesy substitute, I created a delicious 4-layer dip for one sliced bell pepper, and one sliced cucumber, which just happens to weigh exactly one pound.

It wasn't difficult to throw together and look how amazing it looks.....

When the 16-year-old girl saw it, she said, "You have to eat all that?" and I said, "I GET to eat all that!" So here's what I did.....

Bottom layer: refried beans (I used the dehydrated kind to which you add water. Love them!)
Second layer: Vegan Nacho "Cheese" Sauce (Recipe HERE)
Third layer: guacamole (You can try THIS recipe)
Fourth layer: salsa (mine was homemade and bottled)

And that's it! This was so filling that I didn't want to eat for ages after I had finally finished. Hope you like it, too!

Thanks for listening!

Homemaker Monday: Top Ten 11th Heaven Posts of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 21:41:16 PST

Welcome to the 165th weekly edition of...

Thank you for joining us! If you're new to this carnival and would like to enter your post, please check HERE for the rules and regs.

YOURS: This week's "YOURS" goes to Dr. Lisa at "Naked Moxie" for her Asian Lettuce Wraps! Lettuce wraps are one of my all-time favorite things to order when I eat out at P.F. Changs and I was so thrilled to find this recipe linked up last week. And to top it off, the photo is stunning. Look.....

And I love that Dr. Lisa posts a vegetarian alternative. Thanks so much, Dr. Lisa, for linking up and sharing this tempting recipe with us. Your blog is amazing and I'm looking forward to learning more from you. For Dr. Lisa's Asian Lettuce Wraps recipe, go HERE Enjoy!

MINE: So today, this second Homemaker Monday of the year, I thought it would be interesting to share my top ten most popular posts of the year 2011 according to Google Analytics. Here goes!

{Sprouted Wheat Manna Bread}

10. My Testimony of Jesus Christ

9. Cleaning Your Microwave

8. I Heart Mormon Funerals

7. Amazing Cake Balls!

6. Easy 48-Hour Camping Menu

5. Vegan Food My Kids Like: 15-Bean Soup

4. How to Can Dry Beans Without Precooking

3. Best Ever 100% Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

2. All About Me: A Mother to a Multitude, A Wife to One Soldier, A Survivor, A Wife to One Godly Man

And coming in at first place for the second year in a row......

1. Sprouted Wheat Manna Bread

Thanks so much for listening! :)

OURS: Now it's your turn! Can't wait to read your homemaking tips, recipes and how-tos. If you're new to Homemaker Monday, please feel free to dig through your archives and post anything homemaking. Have a great day!

Homemaker Monday: How to Soften Brown Sugar

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 04:05:26 PST

Welcome to the 165th weekly edition of...

Thank you for joining us! If you're new to this carnival and would like to enter your post, please check HERE for the rules and regs.

YOURS: This week's "YOURS" goes to "Whole New Mom" for her baked oatmeal recipe! As someone who has tried to make a New Year's resolution to eat more whole foods, I was thrilled to find this recipe. It really does sound healthy and delicious. Just look....

Right?

I can't wait to try this! Thanks so much, Whole New Mom, for your recipe! You all will definitely want to check out her blog for more whole foods inspiration! For her post, click HERE!

MINE: So my tip for today is simple, and I may have posted about this before... I can't remember. Anyways....

My husband always does things in a big way, such as marrying a girl with 6 children, which works out fine, because with ten kids, it is usually expedient that things be done in a big way. Thus, the 20-lb bag of brown sugar in our food storage room. Now I am all for buying in bulk, but this particular bag of brown sugar is not air-tight, and after a few days, it began to become hardened. But this was no problem, because 23 years ago, when I lived with my grandmother immediately before the birth of our first daughter, she taught me that all you have to do to soften brown sugar is to put it in the microwave. It works, seriously. I did it tonight, when I made THESE brownies....

Homemade Brownie Mix

<p>A freezer mix using butter instead of shortening….</p>

See Homemade Brownie Mix on Key Ingredient.

This is honestly the best brownie recipe I've ever come across, in all my years as a brownie connoisseur. I get requests from people of all walks of life for these particular brownies. And I think it's the light brown sugar crust that makes this recipe. So try the brown sugar tip, and the brownie mix! And thanks for listening!

OURS: Okay, now it's your turn! I can't wait to read all of 2012's newest homemaking ideas! Thanks so much for visiting and linking up and enjoy your Homemaker Monday! :)

Fun with a New Train Set From Daddy!

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 23:15:19 PST

In case I haven't said it recently, my husband is amazing. He spent all morning and afternoon setting up and playing with this Christmas train set with the kids. I'm the luckiest lady around.... :)

I hope your holiday season continues to be filled with light and goodness as ours have been. Thanks for listening!

High School Chorus.... What I do when I'm not changing diapers...

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 16:45:51 PST

As you may have noticed, my blogging has decreased somewhat over the past month or so. As I explained a couple of weeks ago, I've been CRAZY busy preparing performances with various musical groups. My favorite group to work with, however, is our high school chorus, of which the 15-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl are a part. I'd like to share some photos. These were taken by a dear and beautiful friend as I played the piano during our Christmas concert... this friend, of whom there are over 6000 photos on Facebook, but this is one of my favorites...

{I love you, A~!}

Before we begin, however, let me express to ALL of the students, in addition to the soloists, how much I love each and every one of you and adore working with you. You ALL are amazing to me!

Let's begin.....

The 16-year-old girl, an alto, or soprano, whatever you want her to be, one of the hardest-working, most talented, morally courageous people know, one of my favorite people to spend time with, preparing to sing Phantom of the Opera's "All I Ask of You"...

....and now singing, with her bass counterpart....

...and here, singing The Beetle's "Let It Be"...

....and finally, here, singing Cats' "Memory". She was beautiful in her black dress with dry ice fog floating up around her ankles....

Here, a soprano, and one of my favorite girls in town, singing a gospel spiritual, "Oh Happy Day"...

And here, the afore-mentioned bass counterpart, a serious, responsible amazingly talented perfectionist (who can cut loose every so often), singing "Stars" from Les Miserables....

...and here, playing the bass during a performance of Elvis Presley's "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas"...

...with these tenors....

...and here, singing "I See the Light" from Tangled....

....with this alto, a beautiful girl, both inside and out, who hails from South Africa...

....and also dances...

....along with these other talented musicians....

...and here, singing "The Prayer"...

....with this tenor, who completely captures the hearts of everyone who hears him sing, and has a heart of gold himself...

And sing he can....here, performing "O Sole Mio"...

...and here, cracking a rare smile....

I feel so honored and privileged to be able to work with these amazing, dedicated, hard-working, talented students. But mostly importantly, I need to thank our chorus director for the countless hours she spends working with us, poring over and choosing music, worrying and fighting for the rights of these kids to learn the arts, and being there for all of us. We love you, M~!

Thanks for listening! :)

Homemaker Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 07:56:30 PST

Happy Homemaker Monday! I hope your Christmas day was filled with goodness and light. I am spending time with extended family this week, so I have no Homemaker Monday post, but for those of you who do, here is linky! Thank you so much for your links and visits and I truly hope the rest of your holiday season is bright!

Fresh Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 21:00:50 PST

Add caption

This recipe was shared with me by a friend who posted about it on Facebook. It sounded so delicious, that I had to try it that very day. Thanks, Julie! And can I just tell you.... these are honestly some of the best cookies I have ever tried in my life. The fresh cranberries lend a crisp, cool tang, the white chocolate chips add a hearty texture, and the oatmeal base is completely satisfying! You'll be so glad you made these!

Fresh Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

<p>Fresh cranberries lend a delicious tang to this recipe! :)</p>

See Fresh Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies on Key Ingredient.

Okay, it's your turn! Can't wait to read your homemaking posts! Thank you so much for your links and visit and I hope you have a wonderful Homemaker Monday! :)

Homemaker Monday: Patience

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:32:04 PST

Welcome to the 163rd weekly edition of...

Thank you for joining us! If you're new to this carnival and would like to enter your post, please check HERE for the rules and regs.

YOURS: This week's "YOURS" goes to Cheryl over at "The Bz House"! Cheryl, a great friend I've met through the blogging world, posted a tip on how to keep water from boiling over a pot, and because this happens all too often in my house, I had to take a look. I can't believe how simple an idea this is and I can't wait to try it! To read Cheryl's tip, go HERE. Thanks so much for linking up, Cheryl! :)

MINE: Patience. John prays for it, and he says it comes in the form of a new (or two) little being we've co-created with God every, roughly, 22.5 months. People tell me that they would never have the patience to raise ten children, but I am no different than anyone else when it comes to patience. Patience came gradually, one child after another, one trial after another, and sometimes, one disappointment after another.

But having this many children is refining, to both John's character and mine, and we wouldn't trade it for anything. The ups definitely outweigh the downs and we feel so blessed we have been given this opportunity to raise and care for these special spirits of God He has sent to us. And here, I want to share a few photos of John doing his thing with the kids. This is entirely the norm, every week.... every day.... and sometimes every hour..... and John loves it, haha, most of the time!

I love these men in my life, both big and little. Thanks for your patience, John. I learn from you every day. :)

Thanks for listening! :)

OURS: Okay, now it's your turn! Can't wait to see what homemaking projects you've got going on. Thanks so much for your visits and links and I hope you have a wonderful Homemaker Monday! :)

Homemaker Monday: When a Digit is Severed

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 21:28:27 PST

Welcome to the 162nd weekly edition of...

Thank you for joining us! If you're new to this carnival and would like to enter your post, please check HERE for the rules and regs.

YOURS: This portion is in progress. Thanks for your patience. :)

MINE: Homemaking isn't just cleaning and cooking. It's chauffeuring, party-planning, tutoring, playing therapist, nurse, and sometimes, like this week, emergency medical technician...

As I read advice over the internet, I find conflicting reports about how to care for a severed digit if you are planning on taking it to the hospital, along with the victim, to be reattached. Thus, this anecdote should not be used for medical advice, just entertainment. You should talk to someone who knows what they are doing if you really want to know what to do with a severed digit.

Anyways..... The 4 five and under, myself, my dear friend, and two of her kids were sitting outside, enjoying the warmth and a little bit of free time before it was time to start lunch. The kids weren't getting along so well, though, so after becoming weary of the continuous fighting and whining, I told the 5-year-old boy and Twin B that they needed to go inside and stay there for a while until they could get along. They went inside and I turned back to my friend to continue our conversation. Soon, however, I could hear them starting to argue again, then I heard the slamming of the wrought iron screen door, then a shriek, then saw my friend look over my shoulder, eyes wide, and heard her say, "Oh, no."

I turned towards the door and saw the 5-year-old boy crying, no, wailing, and holding his finger, which was dripping blood. I ran over to him, grabbed his good hand, and pulled him toward the sink to administer first aid. My friend stayed outside with the other kids.

Upon putting his finger under running water, I was shocked to see how damaged it was. After rinsing for a few seconds, I quickly wrapped it in a clean rag, then I froze and thought for a second. I didn't remember seeing any nail, and the finger seemed shorter than it should have been. It then hit me, like a lead brick, that a part of his finger was missing, and that I would need to go find it.

My first instinct was to simply pick him up and sit him on the island, next to where I had retrieved the clean rag, and to tell him to wait while I went to look for something. He obediently stayed. I then went back to the door and got on my hands and knees and began looking for a piece of finger. It was difficult, however, because there were a lot of wood chips and dry leaves the color of skin and I kept picking up things that weren't a finger portion. My friend soon saw me on my hands and knees and asked what I was doing. I told her that I thought part of the 5-year-old's finger came off and I was looking for it. She got down and started helping me. No sooner did she began, than I glanced over to the bottom of the door, and attached to it, by a thin line of blood, was what I was looking for. I pulled it off the door and put it in my hand, and when I looked at it, I gasped and nearly threw up because it was the entire top portion of the 5-year-old's finger, from about 1/4 inch below the base of his nail, cut off at about a 45-degree angle. I think what got to me the most was the fact that his little fingernail was dirty, just like it always was when it was attached to his body. I was holding a portion of my son's body in my hand, a part so familiar, and natural when it was attached, but so horrifying when dismembered! I let out a curse word, which I'm not proud of (I guess too many PG-13 movies), then I ran back to the kitchen, and I don't know if I got the 5-year-old boy off the island or put his severed finger portion in a bag of ice water first, but somehow, at some point, the 5-year-old boy ended up on the couch, with his severed finger in a Ziploc bag. I then called the local doctor to see if he was working in town, but there was no answer, so I told my friend I was going to have to go to the big town. Without hesitation she said that she would stay with the little kids and take care of lunch for my big kids.

When we got into the car, I wasn't sure exactly where to have him sit. I didn't want him on my lap, because it is dangerous to drive 15 miles on curvy roads with tiny shoulders with a child on your lap, but I wanted him where I could see him, so I decided to buckle him into the front seat. We started to drive, and his cries became whimpers and he said "Mom, I might die," and I said, "Son, no you won't, because your bleeding has stopped and you are going to be okay." He stopped crying then, and said he wanted to go to sleep, and I said I could understand that because then he wouldn't feel anything. And he asked if the doctors were going to be able to sew it back on, and I said yes, I think so, and then after a few moments of silence, he said in a soft voice, "I feel like I'm dying," and I looked over and he was reeling sideways, passing out. I grabbed his shoulder, and jerked him back up, and yelled "No, no, no! You can't go to sleep right now! You have to stay awake until we get to the hospital!"

He was deathly pale, I thought maybe he was going into shock, so I just tried to distract him from going to sleep and drove faster.

We finally arrived at the hospital after what seemed like hours, and I put my purse across my shoulder, and grabbed the ice bag with his severed finger portion in one hand, and picked him up and carried him like a baby into the hospital because he didn't have shoes on and because I didn't think he could walk without fainting.

I walked through the emergency room doors and up to the front desk, held up the Ziploc bag, and in my broken Spanish I said, "He cut his finger, and it is here in this bag."

I was quickly taken to a bed in a room with other beds divided by light blue curtains, and the 5-year-old boy was examined by two nurses, a doctor, then another doctor, an orthopedic surgeon, who was summoned from a nearby hospital. Having the 5-year-old boy examined by him made me feel reassured, because I knew he was an expert. After examining him, he spoke very fast Spanish words to me, and I thought I understood that he was going to take him into surgery, put him to sleep, and attempt to reattach the finger. I know he said much more than that, but that was all I got.

I had changed the 5-year-old boy into a hospital gown by this time, and one of the nurses started to pick him up and carry him out of the room. I followed her and offered to help, but she said she was fine. I followed the entourage into another room, then I saw the nurse handing the 5-year-old boy to someone else through a long, tall paneless window, which I thought was odd, because I didn't know why it wouldn't be a door. I then realized that this was where I was going to be separated from my son, and I asked if I could go in, knowing what their answer would be, and they said no. The 5-year-old boy started whimpering and I grabbed his hand and said he would be fine and that the doctors were going to fix his finger and that it wouldn't hurt at all.

And then they ushered me out and closed the door and told me where I could sit and I waited, and tried to call John, which was very difficult because I had forgotten my cell phone and he was 3 hours away at work, and I had to call many of my friends and family and ask them to try to reach him, but it took so long, and then when I finally was able to reach him, he was in a meeting and couldn't talk to me, so I had to face more silence alone and then I began to try to remember what the statistics were as far as deaths from anesthesia and I began praying really hard.

Soon, to my utter relief, my father-in-law and sister-in-law walked into the lobby and I felt like the world had been lifted off my shoulders. While they were there, the 5-year-old boy was finally wheeled out, and the doctor was able to tell them that he had successfully reattached the finger portion. My FIL and SIL were able to understand everything that was said and to my great relief, translated it for me. All the news was good, the instructions clear, and my family left promising to bring me something to eat and drink. I told them I couldn't eat, but they said that I would be there several more hours and at some point, I would probably be hungry. I agreed and accepted their offer.

After thanking them and wishing them good-bye, I went into the recovery room with the 5-year-old boy and waited for him to wake up. He was sleeping so soundly, and his previously ashen face was now peachy with rosy cheeks. He looked wonderful. I laid down on the sofa next to his bed and fell asleep for a few minutes until the nurse returned and said she needed to give him a shot of antibiotics. The act of pulling down his underwear brought him out of his sleep, and he began to whimper and cried when he got his shot, but quickly quieted when the nurse turned on a TV high in the corner of the room, flipped the channel to a cartoon, and gave the 5-year-old boy the remote. He would later tell his sister that this was his favorite part of being in the hospital. We don't have TV.

For the next three hours, we watched movies together, intermittently napping, and sipping on drinks. It was relaxing and pleasant and nice to spend time alone together, and to feed my boy the vegetable soup he was served.

Before being discharged, my FIL returned to help me check out. What a relief it was to have him there. He also kindly agreed to go to the pharmacy on the way home to pick up the 5-year-old's meds so I wouldn't have to stop. I owe him and my SIL a debt of gratitude for all they did for me, especially for the delicious sandwich they brought back to the hospital which I was eventually hungry enough to eat.

And I love living in a small town, because while at the hospital, the 5-year-old's kindergarten teacher called to see if we would still be in the hospital when she passed by on her way home, because she wanted to come visit. Unfortunately, we were about to be discharged. While we waited, another friend called to let me know he had heard what had happened and to see if there was anything he could do. These little gestures completely warmed my heart and made me want to be a better person. And upon arriving home, the 5-year-old boy was presented by his 6th-grade brother a poster his class had put together at school. In the center of the poster in block letters were the words "GET WELL SOON!" and surrounding that were sweet notes from each student in the class. Intermittently taped between the messages were pieces of wrapped hard candy and chocolate! It was adorable!

In conclusion, all's well that ends well. The 5-year-old boy plays like nothing happened and we will return to the hospital on Monday to see how the attachment is going. Wish us luck!

And thanks, as always, for listening!

OURS: Now it's your turn! Can't wait to read your homemaking tips! Thanks so much for your visits and links and have a great Homemaker Monday!

Homemaker Monday: Images From An American Thanksgiving in Mexico

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 21:00:35 PST

I've been a horrible blogger lately! The holiday season is a busy time for everyone and I'm no exception. My favorite part about the holidays, though, is Christmas music.... listening to it and making it. This season I am involved in no less than four musical groups who are all holding performances in December. And I absolutely love it! However, it doesn't leave a lot of time to write my thoughts, so thank you very much for your patience. :)

For today's post, I'd just like to share a few pictures of our Thanksgiving dinner. There were about 40 people in attendance, and the most amazing thing was that everything went smoothly and according to plan. I don't think I ever felt stressed out during the preparations at all.... and I don't think that's ever happened before. And I don't know why it happened, but it felt like a miracle. Even my mother commented how non-stressed I seemed and she was right. Even when someone in my family said something that hurt me, I let it go very quickly and cheerfully went right on with my preparations. I've been reading a lot of self-help books lately, so perhaps I can credit it to that.

Anyways, I have never seen so much food in any domestic residence, ever, in my life. There were at least 30 dishes of food, plus 21 pies. It was completely insane. And yes, there were leftovers, but the pies only lasted for 2 days on the counter, what with teenage boys coming in and out all day and night.

All in all, it was a wonderful day, and what made it extra-special was that my mother came into town to celebrate the holiday with us. I hope your day was, as the twins say it, "Weally, weally awe-yum!"

Thanks for listening! :)

(My mother is going to kill me for posting this picture.)

Okay, now it's your turn! What recipes, tips or homemaking how-tos do you have for us today? Can't wait to read! Thanks so much for your visits and links and I hope you have a wonderful Homemaker Monday! :)

Homemaker Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 21:32:55 PST

Crazy, crazy weekend, so not sure I'll get a Homemaker Monday post up, but here's Linky for those of you who did! Thanks so much for your links and visits and have a WONDERFUL Homemaker Monday!

Homemaker Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 21:49:54 PST

Maybe I'll post a Homemaker Monday tip today, maybe I won't, but here's Linky for my faithful and much appreciated followers who did! Thanks so much for your links and visits and I hope you have a wonderful Homemaker Monday!

Having Twins is Adorable

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:11:56 PST

(Left to right: Twin B, Twin A)

As the twins get older, their differences in personalities, likes, talents, and gifts have become more manifest and it is fascinating to me.

Twin A has always been the brainy one. He always thinks before acting, studying a situation out to gauge the consequences before jumping in. As a result, he's had a lot fewer bruises than has Twin B during their first three years. He's also shy and timid, and won't talk to you unless he's met up with you on several occasions, and you've made a conscious effort to befriend him.

His gifts for processing have recently manifested themselves in his ability to learn to use media devices. One of the twins' favorite things to do is to watch Youtube videos. They watch everything from musical performances from Broadway, such was Wicked, to Emmitt Smith's greatest plays, to Dr. Seuss stories being read, to Michael Buble singing "Just Haven't Met You Yet". Twin A has learned to navigate through the videos he wants and he must always maximize them to full screen for the full effect. Twin B seems to have absolutely no interest or need to learn to do this because when he wants to watch a certain video, he simply asks Twin A to click it, and Twin A is happy to oblige. The same goes for using their father's Vizio tablet and the DVD player.

Twin B has always been the social one, always having had a ready smile and he's not afraid to make friends and tell them all about what is going on in his life. In recent weeks, he has become the phone and door answer-er, my secretary, in effect. Without words between them, he seems to be the twin that is always delegated to greet people who might be in need or want of something at the door or on the phone. While he greets, Twin A usually simply continues to navigate through youtube to find enjoyable videos for all to watch.

Now, lest ye judge, just know that youtube time certainly doesn't go on all day, just during the times when I need distraction, such as shower or dinner time. Most of the rest of our days are spent playing outside, eating sweet peas or raw sweet corn from the garden, and playing in the play-place John built for the kids...

...or tackling each other during a pick-up football game while I hang laundry...

And sometimes we go inside and just sit at the island and swipe our fingers all around the bowl covered with brownie batter. To me this is art...

...and thoroughness.

Explanations of how we don't watch Youtube videos all day aside, I just find it fascinating that the twins, as do some husbands and wives, seem to have become two halves of a whole; each developing his own gifts and relying on the other's talents to get things done as a pair. It seems as though I could learn a lot about how to get the most from marriage by watching their teamwork as they grow and learn and live out their daily lives. I thank God constantly for the gift of the twins.

Thanks for listening. :)

How are you serving your holiday meals?

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 07:29:31 PST

How about in one of these at 20% off ? :)

For more Flirty Aprons, go HERE and use the coupon code: CHRISTMAS20 (expires 12/6)!

Cinnamon Sugar Pie Crust Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 21:57:05 PST

Just a reminder, that when you make pie crust, it's always fun to make cookies for the kids with the leftovers. THIS is one of my favorite pie crust recipes, and with the portions I cut off the edges of the pie plate, I re-roll it, cut it into squares, brush melted butter on...

...sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top...

...then bake at 400 degrees F for 7 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown....

This plate of cookies lasted no longer than four minutes as it was set on the kitchen island directly within the traffic pattern of many boys and nearly grown men running through the kitchen. What with pie-making season approaching, you'll have ample opportunity to make this. Have fun and thanks for listening!

Homemaker Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 20:58:44 PST

Here's Linky. You know what to do. Thanks so much for your links and visits and have a wonderful Homemaker Monday! :)

Oh, The Joys of Traveling Alone!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 14:34:46 PST

Now I love a good family vacation as much as the next person. The family closeness in the 15-passenger van for 17 hours, the five fast food meals in a row, the decisions about whether to wake up the kids to go potty while we get gas, or stop at the next gas station 30 minutes away after they've woken up, and carrying three pack 'n' plays wherever we go are all part of the rip-roaring family fun we have together. But seriously, all kidding aside, I do love to travel with my family. Even though there is still laundry to take care of and meals to provide and messes to clean up, at least I am doing it in a different and exciting place and we are creating memories for the kids that will last a lifetime, or at least a few weeks. In fact, just yesterday, the twins, using their newly-formed language skills, were reminiscing on the trampoline while eating sweet peas they'd picked from their daddy's garden about the trip to California we took this summer.

" 'Memmoh wen Dally toot us wide weally, weally bid wale????" (being translated: Do you remember when Daddy took us to ride on the really, really big whale?), said one, and...

" 'Memmoh wen Nanny pu' me in women pool? An' I plash weally, weally bid? (Do you remember when Landon pushed me in the swimming pool and I splashed really, really big?")

It was a joy to listen to them as they remembered the fun times we had and it made the myriad sacrifices spent planning and implementing the trip well worth it.

On the other hand, traveling alone can have its rewards as well, and certainly did for me last week.

It had been about ten years, or even longer (because I actually can't remember the last time I traveled alone), since I took a vacation by myself, and I had been looking forward to my trip to Utah for weeks. For years I had had this fantasy of what traveling alone would be like. I would wear a cute suit and heels, shucking the stretchy breastfeeding t-shirt and practical shoes. I would carry a laptop and watch movies instead of packing board books and crackers. And I would not, under any circumstances, carry a diaper in my purse.

When the big day came, my fantasy was fulfilled, but in a bit more practical sense. I didn't wear a suit, but I wore slacks and a really cute and crisp pink pin-striped button-down with a darker pink tee under it. I wore the cutest pink and silver chandelier earrings and matching necklace and rather than heels, I opted for flat black boots, which look equally awesome and were much more comfortable for walking through long airports.

When packing my purse, yes, I took out the diapers and the Cheerios and I almost left the wet wipes in there, but then I thought to myself, "Self, you are not messy. You do not need to pack a box of wet wipes in your purse. If you should need to wipe your hands, you can use a napkin or go to the bathroom." So I tossed out the wipes, which made room for my Kindle and yes, my laptop.

As I walked into the airport, I did so unencumbered, with a purse over my shoulder and a carry-on bag with all that I would need for the trip, including my Medela breast pump. I did not have to strap a car seat to my back, sling a baby onto my hip, then trip to figure out how to pull my suitcase behind me and somehow carry my backpack with the baby supplies. I felt like I was in Heaven.

But I'm not finished. During the first flight, a fellow passenger asked if I had a long layover and I answered that I did. She offered her condolences, but I said, "No! It's wonderful! I have two hours to just sit and read quietly. I can't wait!" After I told her I had ten kids, she smiled and nodded knowingly.

During previous layovers, I have often walked by fancy airport restaurants in which fancy people in business suits sat, mingling or working on important papers, or of course, their laptops. I had always longingly looked into these restaurants, but had had to keep trudging by like the pack-mule that I was to the nearest fast food center with a high chair.

But not this time! During my layover in Phoenix, I saw a Mexican restaurant called José Roux. See, the name José speaks to those who love a good Mexican meal, but the name Roux is just Frenchy enough to make it sound really classy and sophisticated. So I went in and I ordered the most delicious chile con queso I have ever had, and I ate a salad with ceviche and drank agua mineral and then doughnuts for desert. I leisurely ate and read The Secret Garden for nearly one and a half hours, and was almost sad when it came time to leave for my gate.

During my flight from Phoenix to SLC, I sat next to a fellow-Mormon, and we hit it off so well that we told each other all of our deepest secrets because we knew we would never see each other again, and when we got to the baggage pick-up, as we had walked together from the plane through the airport, she looked at me oddly and said, "Didn't you say that you didn't check any bags?" I hit my hand to my head and said, "Oh my goodness, Yes! I was having such a good time with you that I guess I didn't want to leave!" So we hugged and bid each other well, and I easily walked outside because I wasn't carrying a car seat and a baby and a stroller, and met my daughter who was already there waiting for me.

We drove directly to a raw vegan restaurant and ate a delicious dinner together, one filled with good, healthy vegan food, reminiscing, planning the future, and just laughing. After we had stuffed ourselves with goodness, she kindly drove me to my hotel..... where I did whatever I felt like I wanted to do, which was walk around in my underwear, because you can't do that at home when you have seven boys, and turn the heat up really high, because I can't do that when I share a room with someone as hot-blooded as John, and read my book.

Strangely, although I thought I would sleep like a rock, I didn't sleep well, I think because it was too hot.

The next day was filled with more good food at restaurants, the mommy blogger meeting, which was the purpose of my trip (read more about it HERE) and my daughter even set up a massage for me in a massage/coffee shop that smelled of essential oils and roasted coffee beans and had walls covered with inspirational sayings and shelves stacked with crystals and books and oils....

(My sweet daughter, while we waited for the massage bed to become available)

The massage therapist was only 20 years old and a self-proclaimed psychic, and I think she was because she was so in tune with my body and knew exactly where I was hurting.

The best part of the trip, I think, was what happened between me, my daughter and her boyfriend on the way back to the airport. I wish I could tell you all about it, but my daughter's boyfriend is somewhat private and probably wouldn't like me to blast our conversation all over the internet. Suffice it to say, we have a somewhat, shall I say, "tense" relationship, but in the car on the way to the airport, we talked with and listened to each other and both genuinely seemed to enjoy and benefit from the conversation. I left Salt Lake City with such a feeling of well-being, both spiritually and physically, and I enjoyed equally wonderful, solitary flights on the way home to El Paso.

And might I say THANK YOU to John, my dearest husband and friend, for encouraging me to accept the invitation to the mommy blogger meeting and for making it possible, both financially, and by taking time off work to care for the dear children. I love you and I really appreciate what you did for me. :) Let's take a trip together sometime, without the kids, and I promise I won't turn the heat up too high!

Thanks for listening!

PMS and the 48-Hour Rule

noreply@blogger.com (Mom2my10 @ 11th Heaven) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 23:21:41 PDT

So I'm 41 years old, and only within the last year did I discover I have PMS. I believe my dear husband could have informed me, but I think he knew better.

Recently I've read two fascinating books called The Male Brainand The Female Brainby Louann Brizendine. Believe it or not, the book about the male brain is actually longer than a small pamphlet. It was actual book size, and it was fascinating to read about the hormonal changes a male brain goes through from the fetal stage to the grandfather stage. It helped me accept why my four 5 and under are constantly on the go, competing, fighting and yelling...,

I also realized why my 15-year-old doesn't want to do his school work, and why homework is not even on his top ten list of things to do. And to illustrate how accepting I've become of my boys' brains' chemical makeups, while my mother and I were rebounding for the 16-year-old girl as she made her 300 shots for basketball practice, the 15- and 11-year-old boys started wrestling on the cement. They were grunting and sometimes yelling and the 11-year-old boy's face was red and grimacing, but showing no signs of surrender and the 15-year-old boy was panting and laughing. I stood over them as they writhed to and fro, and, calling across the court to my mother, I said, "See mother? This is healthy and normal!" and I continued rebounding as the boys continued to fight for the alpha male position.

The real revelations came, however, after studying the female brain. I learned why my girls spoke sooner than the boys did (because their communication centers are nearly twice as big as those of boys), why they're innately more nurturing...

...why the 16-year-old girl is giggly/bubbly happy one hour and raging mad the next and sometimes a little selfish, and I learned what happens in my brain a week before my period starts.

It turns out that chemical reactions in my brain create hormones that make it difficult for me to handle everyday disappointments and disillusionments . . . like today. Over the past two days I have become offended on a number of occasions. My innate reaction would normally be to bring the offense to the offender's attention. This practice usually ends with negative results. After reading The Female Brain, however, I discovered the PMS 48-hour rule. To follow this rule one must not act on urges to vent feelings of anger or hurt that occur during PMS until 48 hours have passed. If after this time lapse, the feelings remain strong and the need to voice ones concerns persists, then the issue can be further considered.

I believe that by following this rule today, I have avoided embarrassment, further resentment, and hurting friends, family, and loved ones. As I discussed my new plan with a good friend today, she said she's going to try it, too, which statement prompted me to share this portion of my vast wisdom with you today. You're welcome.

Thanks for listening!

Oh, and P.S. If you feel like you could perhaps be one of the offending parties, please do not ask me to confirm or allay your fears because the 48-hour time frame has not expired. :)