Cuteness

Eden put these sunglasses on Joshua last night. It was so cute! He was watching Daddy mow the lawn. Chipper was there, too!
Eden was dancing and singing in the kitchen. She is doing that a lot nowadays! Tommy is in the background.

My All Star

Dan is going to Orlando for the Florida All-Star Baseball Championship tournament today. Games run through Saturday and then depending on their win record, they may play Sunday, too! Grandpa (80 years old) drove him down and will do so again tomorrow because Daddy has to work and mommy is caring for littles. I wish I could see him play! Good luck, Dan!

A Summery Sunday

We're deep into what really feels like summer, but it doesn't officially begin until June 21st, right?!? Temps here have been in the mid-90's with heat indexes of over 100. Needless to say, we are trying to keep ourselves busy indoors. We only have a couple small trees on the lot, so we venture out after 7 p.m.

Jamie left for St. Louis today. Stu, Dan, Max, & Tom drove him to the airport in Orlando. He will be gone for 8 weeks. :( I will miss his help cooking, his fun card tricks, and long hair. Dan and Max are still in baseball All Stars and have a couple games and practices this week. I will be glad when baseball season is over. It's been long this year! They have learned a lot and are both better players, but all the nights home alone are wearing on me. It's hard to drag the little babies to the park in this heat, so we just stay at home. I have a sore throat today and a runny nose. I think I've got the cold the kids have been passing around. Ick! Now I'm off to figure out something for dinner. Have a super week!

A picture thought

It's so hot that Eden even wear sunglasses at breakfast!

Summer

Ah, so it begins. It begins, with birthdays (Jamie's and mine), All-Star baseball practices and games, hot days, rain, antsy kids, Jamie leaving, homeschool planning for next year, and what to do with all this time on our hands? I'm trying to plan some fun things that are free or virtually free. The problem is the heat. We have no trees on our property, so my kids don't play outside during the day. They would be scorched in the 90+ degree heat. What I need is a good vacation, but that's not going to happen! So, any ideas appreciated!

Happy 15th Birthday, Jamie!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Turn of my music at the bottom of this page to watch this slideshow! Thanks!

The Latest

The most recent news is rain and lots of it! Due to this, the boys' baseball tournament had to be cancelled. They kept rescheduling and finally gave up. However, Dan has try-outs for All-Star team on Saturday morning. He was one of 3 pitchers for his team this year. I'm praying he makes it!

Joshua's newest thing is learning to walk. He is 13 months now and is getting more brave by the day. He took 6 steps to Max today. Joshua is very reckless as a walker and enjoys crashing at the end of his walking attempts. This child is going to get hurt!

Eden spent Saturday afternoon at the emergency room. She had a anaphalactic-type allergic reaction to something she ate. Her tongue swelled up 2.5 times normal size, she had trouble talking, and was gasping for breath. We think it was coconut oil in some gummie snacks. I'm not sure I want to do that again soon!

Jamie is out of school in 6 short days. Thus ends his first year of public school since kindergarten. He currently has a 3.83 GPA and won 2 awar ds: an academic honor for 3.5 and above, and the Most Outstanding Integrated Science Student. That's #1 in the whole 9th grade folks! I knew homeschooling him paid off! He will continue at the high school for at least one more year and then is planning on dual-enrolling in order to earn college credit while still in high school.

Celeste has been working a lot and is making plans for continuing her college education in the fall.

We have pretty much wrapped up homeschooling for the year. Max has a little more math to do. We add Tommy as a kindergartner next year. He already knows all of his letters and beginning sounds. He can print pretty well and he can count to 100.

I'm selling Thirty-One Gifts and having lots of fun with it! I'm having an eShow right now, so you can click on my name and shop! Stuart is busy with his holster/gun business, PbPrecision. And that's our update for now. June is coming!

No, Mr. President. Killing is killing no matter what we call it.

Please watch this...

John Piper addresses the sanctity of life.

Thirty-One

I have a new endeavor and I am SO excited about it!!! I am a Thirty-One consultant and can't wait to share it. In an effort to help with our family finances I am looking forward to sharing these neat products. Check out my Thirty-One website. For the best view, click on place an order to look at the neat totes, purses, lunch sacks, etc. Most can be personalized. How fun!!

Verse of the Day

Mother's Day 2009

My children on Mother's Day 2009

Celeste 17, Jamie 14, Dan 10, Max 8, Tommy 4.5, Eden 2.5, Joshua 12 months

(and our Jack Russell, Chipper--he's 11)

Celeste made me a cool flip photo album. I got a Starbuck's card, birdseed, music, & bath salts. Happy Mommy!

Wednesday--A Picture Thought

Eden says, "Look, I wearing socks!" (They're Daddy's.)

The Long Haul

Graduating our first homeschooler this past week has caused me to think on things. There are 6 dear ones behind her. Currently, my youngest will graduate high school in 2026 and I will be 57 years old. Life is an adventure. God has given me so much! I am richly blessed! At first, I think of the long road ahead. Everyone has been asking me if I am relieved after the graduation. Honestly, I cannot say that I am. I am proud of Celeste's (and my) accomplishment. I am excited for what comes next. I am contemplative. Relieved, no. Thankfully, God's grace is there every day of my life and I can do all things through Him. It is awesome to think on what great things God has for us and what the future holds. I am thinking on this verse today:

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4

May God's grace be evident to you today and may you lack nothing in Him.

Pictures from Graduation 2009

My Sweet Grad
Celeste with Max and Joshua

Zach, my Jamie, & James (The Cheeseballs)

Stuart & I with Celeste--Proud Parents!

Celeste with her display board

Here She Is!

Celeste Marie

Life Verse
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

High School
During her high school years, Celeste has been very busy with many interests and activities. Some of these include: piano lessons, MimeTime, Community Band, 180 Youth Group, helping out with child care, and volunteering. Celeste is an avid reader, amateur photographer, and enjoys scrap booking. When not in school, she works part-time for a local grocery store. Currently, Celeste is dual-enrolled and will complete her high school education having earned 30 college credit hours. Her family appreciates all the effort she has put into school and work for the past 2 years!

Future Plans
Celeste plans to complete her Associate of Arts degree in the next year. After this, she hopes to transfer to University of Florida or another similar university. Celeste desires to continue to develop a Pro-Life Advocacy Group and to one day become a Godly wife and mother.

Our First Homeschool Graduate

It's going to be a busy week! Next Saturday, we will graduate our 1st homeschool graduate. It has been a lot of hard work, so I am quite reflective at this point. It makes me think about our decision to homeschool and how we got here. Back in 1996-1997 I used to manage a medical office. Every day the UPS Man would come in and testify about Jesus, his church, and how much he loved his wife. Also, he began to tell me about homeschooling. At this point, Stuart & I had just gotten married and we had Celeste(6yo)and Jamie(3yo). We were starting our own family and God led us to make the decision for homeschooling. Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9. We have had challenges and made mistakes, but God has been so faithful to Celeste. She is a very hard-working young lady who is currently taking 12 credit hours at the local community college and working at a local grocery 20-25 hours per week. I don't get to see her as much as I'd like! I'm going to post her bio in the next post.

Raising Money For Adoption

My friend, Becky, who designed this blog, is adopting a second little girl from China! They are trying to raise money for this adoption, so please visit her website that has an auction-style garage sale of really cute little girls' clothing.

Chloe's Closet

They received their placement and can't wait to bring little Jada home. Please pray that this would go smoothly and they would get to love on their new daughter VERY soon!

Joshua Turned 1 Yesterday

Border Patrol Beats Baptist Pastor

This says it all...

See this eye-opening video HERE.

Some favorite baby things

Being a mother of 7 children, I have tried out quite a few baby products. I thought I would share a list of some of my favorite things.

Graco Contempo High Chair--I don't have much use for the extra tray that sits on top, because Joshua likes to pull it off and throw it. :) This is probably the best high chair we have owned!

Graco Quattro Tour Travel System--This stroller, while not light-weight, is very sturdy and has held up better than ANY full-size stroller I have owned.

Britax Roundabout Convertible Car Seat--Hands down, this is the absolute best car seat I have ever owned! I've had mine 3 years now and it was passed down from Tommy to Eden and then to Joshua. It is the easiest to install, is comfortable, and has a nice velcro feature for the straps when not in use.

New Avent bottles BPA-free (Finally!)

Nuk brand pacifiers

Huggies Diapers--the regular ones

Sprout Organic Baby Food by Tyler Florence--It's like you just made it!

Baby's Only Organic Formula (If you can't nurse...)--We used this for Tommy, nursed Eden, and then are now using it for Joshua.

McClaren Volo Lightweight Stroller--I bought this little baby in 2001 and have NEVER regretted it. It has been through Max, Tommy, Eden, & Joshua and is still going strong! I have owned it for 8 years! You can sling it over your shoulder. Great stroller for toddlers for travel or whatever. Highly recommend!

My SlingEZee baby sling--I have tried others that are more costly, but this is my favorite.

Graco Jump-up--I have owned this jumper for 15 years!! Can't live without it. Great for showers and computer time!

I'll stop for today... I need to go make dinner and we have a storm on the way. I think baseball may be cancelled for this evening. I have really been looking forward to the games tonight, but I can't control the weather!

Happy Birthday, Dan!

Dan turned 10 on Wednesday this week! I can't believe it's been a decade already! He is growing into a helpful young man. Dan loves to read and is quite smart with his school work. He's a great pitcher for his baseball team and I am just enjoying him this year.

The nature of Jesus Christ

I am currently participating in a Beth Moore bible study called, "Believing God." This particular verse impacted me tonight during my study time.

Colossians 1: 15-17
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (NIV translation--bold print my emphasis)

First of all, let me say that God is Sovereign. He allows the current government that we, as U.S. citizens, are enduring. My concern is that Christians are concentrating too readily on the gloom and doom purported by the media. While this nation's economy (among other things) is not a rosy picture, may I suggest that we can trust God to move mightily during this time in His own way.

Secondly, "all things were created by him and for him." The chief end of man is to glorify God. I am asking myself, "What am I doing on a day to day basis that glorifies Him?" Consider this point carefully and move to meet its challenge.

Third, "in him all things hold together." Hold fast to this statement. In difficult times, in uncertainty, in sickness, in trial, let us hold to God's promises and pray fervently, believing in Him who has the power to accomplish anything. I am letting God hold me together and trusting in the Hope that he has given me for my future. Amen!

More pictures

They all pretty much look alike! Dan (almost 10), Max (8), Tommy (4.5), & Joshua (11 months)
Dan pitching.

Max's Eye

This is what Max's eye looked like 3 days after getting hit with a baseball bat. Today, you can hardly tell and it's been a week. Both he and Dan won their baseball games on Saturday. They did a great job! Dan pitched an inning where he struck out 3 players and Dan got a home run at one point, too. This week we are on "spring break." Older brother, Jamie, is in St. Louis for the week. Eden threw up several times yesterday. I'm hoping it's isolated and others don't get sick this week. It seems that every year during our break someone gets sick and we are stuck at home. I am hopeful we'll enjoy a great week. Dan turns 10 this week!

It's going to be better this week...

Hopefully, this week will be much better than last week. On Tuesday, I took Joshua to the doctor for an infected boo boo. He is on 3 different meds to get him better. On Saturday, Celeste was in a car accident with her boyfriend. (It was his car.) Someone smashed into her passenger door. She is sore, but doing alright. Last night, Max got hit in the eye socket with a baseball bat. His brother, Dan, was trying to show him "something" and Max didn't back up far enough. Oops! After 7 hours in the ER and a CAT scan we are just observing Max for concussion-type symptoms through tomorrow. God is good! Everyone is okay! I hope to post more this week. I have a lot to say running through my mind, but with 7 children it's hard to find time.

Unfailing Love

I am doing a Bible study called "Believing God" by Beth Moore. If you haven't read her books or ever participated in a Bible study by her then I highly recommend that you do! In my course of study this past week I came across this verse:

"Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,
says the LORD, who has compassion on you."
Isaiah 54:10

Wow! God's love for us is unfailing. His covenant of peace will not be removed. He has compassion on us. I am thankful and grateful for the truths of this verse today. Read it out loud. He loves us SO much! Have a great week!

Eat. Sleep. Breathe.

Little League

Joshua is 11 months

Joshua is now 11 months old. It happened yesterday on St. Patty's Day. It has been an amazing journey with him. I can't believe he is almost one! I'm sad inside because I know how fast they grow up and I love, love babies. He isn't my best sleeper, but I am cherishing the moments to hold him. That won't last forever. He is currently cutting 6 teeth. Joshua has his moments with that, but is doing quite well.

Chick-Fil-A

Celeste says she always wants to go on Sunday. Mmmmm, waffle fries...
(Scroll down to the bottom of my page and pause my music to listen to this.) I just love Tim Hawkins!

A Recent Trip to Siesta

I just got back last night from a 2-day trip to visit my parents in Sarasota. Celeste (17) and I went to Siesta Key Beach, out on the boat, and to Philippi Creek Restaurant. It is Celeste's spring break and I needed a little respite. It was fun, but I am glad to be home again!

Money Saving Link!

Here is a link to a site that can save you A LOT of money on different things. You can sign up to get daily emails sent to your inbox on the best deals. I recently got a Huggies diaper coupon for $5 off. That is well worth it! And this is FREE. (Unlike some websites...)

Never Pay Retail Again

Haiku Friday

Trip to Siesta

A great break for sure, Woo Hoo!

Sand, sky, gulf with 'Leste

Thanks to Amanda for inspiring this sad bit of poetry. Gotta know I'm not a poet. Tomorrow is opening day for baseball and then it's off for a couple days. Celeste is on spring break. Pray for Stu will all the littles. (Wink!)

Rarely seen here...

Here is Jamie. He rarely lets me photograph him now, but here is evidence that he still is around! His hair is getting quite long. (Shhh, he uses his sister's Chi, but don't tell anyone...) Jamie is always eating. He pointed out to me that he was putting groceries away in this photo; not eating them!

Please pray for this baby

Jonah has a very rare skin disease. Please pray for baby Jonah and his parents who love him. Click on the picture to learn more. Thank you!

This week

Here I am! I had one of those "there's only one of me and 5 of them" days. (I'm speaking of being home and trying to homeschool with kids 9, 8, 4.5, 2.5, and 10 months.) It was a crazy day, but I made it through. Right now Daddy is at the ball field with Dan & Max at baseball practice. We have a big week for that! Opening day is Saturday and there's practice on M, T, and Th this week. Plus we have caregroup on Wednesday night. Busy, busy!

I have a new love/interest. It's coffee... I think. ;) I don't own a coffeemaker and I would love to get one. I'm not sure I would want something sitting on my counter all the time. I think I would probably fire it up 3-4 times a week. Any info or suggestions would be appreciated. I think I like the flavored types like mocha, french vanilla, etc.

I'm off to finish up dinner. Tonight it's 5 can soup (listed on my recipe blog--sidebar), white rice, and homemade cornbread. It will cold here in FL tonight with a low of 25. Chili was in order. Have a super Monday night!

I just have to laugh...

Things just keep breaking around here! Have you ever had one of those days/weeks/months?!? Here is a list of things that have happened recently:

~garage door needs new springs (small children, not ours, were riding on it)
~yet another window in my 4 yo home won't open
~vacuum died (hubby fixed it!)
~Stu's car has broken down 3 times
~the doorbell broke (Celeste fixed it!)
~the home pc and my laptop crashed due to viruses (both in the last week)
~the ice dispenser on the 4 year old fridge stopped working

Needless to say, we're all waiting for the other spring to let go on the garage door one day soon. Oh, and we are so disadvantaged now because we have to actually open the door to the freezer and reach in to the ice bucket and pick out our ice. (She says sarcastically...) Stu was funny, he told the kids he used to have to make his own ice in the little cube trays. They really should be thankful. I just have to laugh at all the stuff that's breaking. It is at the point where it's almost comical. Last week, we husband lost his job. The company he was working for closed its doors locally. He is still "doing" real estate, but the market is moving at a snail's pace. So, in light of all of these crazy things, I am thankful for:

~healthy children
~a roof over my head
~yummy food to eat
~Jesus (he's free, too!)

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thess. 5: 16-18

Recipe Blog

Check out my recipe blog. I just added a recipe for Easy Chicken & Rice. We are always looking for simple, low cost meals to feed our big family. If you have one, please leave a comment for me. Variety is the spice of life!

Friday Felicities

Some of my favorite things:

~my laptop computer

~a tall mocha latte from Starbuck's (a special treat now and then...)

~The Homeschool Lounge

~rocking a sweet little Joshua (love the fuzzy hair on my cheek)

~Eden using the potty (several times a day!)

~wisdom gleaned from friends

~the quiet hour after 11 p.m.

~weekends

What are your favorite things? Hosted by Becky.

Some Picture Thoughts

Joshua @ 10 months

Joshua is 10 months old already and I can hardly believe it! This first year has gone way too fast and it grieves my mommy heart to think about it. Of course, I think he is the cutest baby that ever lived, but I have probably said that about all of them! Joshua is slowly cruising furniture and pulling up on everything. I am just enjoying still having a baby in the house. Hug your little ones today--they grow up too quickly!

Happy Valentine's Day!

A Favorite Valentine Memory

In 1987 I was living in the sorority house (Sigma Kappa, UF). One of my sisters came upstairs to tell me there was a really cute guy downstairs with flowers for me. I wasn't dating anyone at the time, so I was like, "Wow!" What a sweet surprise it was when I went downstairs and there stood my older brother, Ed! He had a card and some flowers for me (and a big hug!). Then he treated me to lunch. You're the best, Ed!

5 Things About Me

Amanda over at Moving Forward suggested I write 5 things about me. I'll just say that you may not know them. Off we go:

1. I grew up in Sarasota, FL. My senior year I went to the beach almost every day after school. (I got out before 1 p.m.) I love to scuba dive and anything to do with the boats, oceans, fishes, etc. I haven't been diving since 1990.

2. I have been married twice. My two oldest children, now 17 and 14, are from my 1st marriage.

3. I have been a hostess, sales clerk, store manager, teacher (3 years special ed), doctor's assistant, weight loss counselor for Jenny Craig, medical office manager, and a wife, mother, & home schooler. Wife and mom are my favorite "jobs!"

4. I am a major night owl. Typically, I am up until one in the morning. It's my time to get work done, enjoy some quiet, and unwind from each day.

5. Max says he likes the food I make. Cooking is not my favorite thing! Doesn't food taste better when you don't have to make it? I love to eat out! Okay, the real #5 is that I couldn't live without music. Music is such a gift from the Lord! It lifts my spirits and inspires me.

If you want to know a little more you can look at the 100 Things About Me in my sidebar. I'm just not that exciting. I am a Mom Just Like You...

Dinner

Dinner tonight was interesting. You know you live in a large family when... First of all, my hubby was at a meeting and Celeste was at work. That leaves 7 of us. Evidently, it was the crazy 7. Jamie is getting the last drink. He is serving lemonade to Tommy and the pitcher just explodes (somehow) and lemonade goes everywhere. There's sticky on counter tops, cabinets, floor, etc. Jamie tries to "mop" it up with a dishtowel that only spreads it further. By the time he sat down he was flustered. During dinner Tommy, 4, and Eden, 2, are making random noises and humming. At the same time, I am attempting to feed Joshua with my left hand while I eat with my right. He is babbling and screeching in between each bite. The older kids give me this look. I think we live in a "zoo" sometimes. Looking back it was funny. After dinner Jamie goes to get the mop to clean up. It has been sitting on the back porch in the bucket for 10 days. Not using that mop! Hands and knees got it done right, though. Stu came home and told me to get away. Needless to say, a trip to Starbuck's and the grocery store saved me from a lobotomy, lol!

Great Bloggy Give-Away

My friend, Amanda, over at Moving Forward is giving away a $25 in Usborne books AND a set of personalized note cards from The Note House. Go check it out!!!

Monday has been a challenge. It's no wonder I don't care for Mondays! My hubby just took Dan and Max to baseball try-outs. They will be on 2 different teams this year. While baseball has been a fun sport, I'm not looking forward to the differing schedules I'm sure they'll have. Jamie is currently practicing with the track team, too. Celeste is working, a lot, and taking 4 classes at the community college. We almost never see her! Tommy, Eden, and Joshua are tagging along with mommy and just being little--life is good.

Valentine's this week. It's nice to show your friends and family you love them. I am always overwhelmed by holidays such as this. I'm hoping to love on my family that day. Stu and I need some couple time. I'm praying for that to happen this week!

Max turned 8 this week. I will never forget he was 10 pounds, 5 ounces at birth! Maximillian Isaiah is appropriately named. :)
Joshua, this morning, just being cute. (9.5 months old)

I thought I lived in Florida...

You know, I thought I lived in Florida. Today the high is 45 degrees and the low is 16. Yes, you saw that right SIXTEEN! It's downright cold here. No worries, though, because it never lasts long. My 9 year old, Dan, loves to check on the weather. We found a wonderful site that has tons of weather information about every locale. Go to the Weather Underground. Once there you can mark favorites and keep track of the weather all over the country. It's fun!

Yesterday was one of those days I would rather forget. Try nearly 4 hours in doctors' offices and 1.5 hours in transit and 15 minutes home in between... All of this with 5-6 children. No, don't try it because I already have and it's the type of stuff that makes your brain explode. Enough said. Have a super Wednesday! This week it's my favorite day.

Life is Full

I am currently reading aloud Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The boys are really enjoying it! This evening, at the end of the 3rd chapter, they were clamoring for more. But alas, it was already past bedtime. I am surprised at how much I am enjoying reading to them. We have really learned a lot about life in the late 1800's. So tonight I am feeling very blessed to be in my centrally-heated, cozy home instead of the 40 below weather in Almonzo's era with wood-burning stoves. We are trying a new approach to our homeschooling. It's more of a Charlotte Mason approach. I need something I can involve all of the children in; something that accommodates everyone here. Otherwise it can be crazy! In addition, we are using Remember Me Pockets for February from CurrClick. This is a fun and inexpensive "unit" study to do this month. We enjoyed doing some Groundhog Day activities today and learning about Laura Ingalls Wilder. There's more than we can do this month and it was only $4.99!

Also, a fun announcement: My good friend, Chris, had her 8th baby on Friday! She's a girl and so beautiful. Hop on over to Joyful Mother and take a gander. Congratulations to Chris, Donnie, and the whole family!! Jesus has surely blessed you!

For Today

--It started with a migraine. Yuck! Thankfully, Dan and Max were good with the younger kids while I rested my head for a little while.
--Joshua awoke at 6:20 a.m. for the 2nd day in a row. I think he's still "off" from me being gone over the weekend.
--Tommy is running through the kitchen and into the family room in a loop, over and over.
--Home school is complete for the day. (Certain children complained when schooling. You know who you are!)
--It's frozen pizza night. We have care group. LOVE those people!
--Celeste is getting ready for work and just got home from her classes at the college.
--Jamie is at a friend's house.
--The weather is dreary. I want a crisp, cold winter day. (Not too likely in FL!)
--Eden and Joshua are napping at the same time!!!! I need to go be productive... C YA!

A picture thought with Max

Math Helps!

Today we used 2 wonderful math helps. In order to practice his times tables, Dan likes to go to Multiplication.com. He really enjoys playing the trial version of a game called Timez attack. This is a free download. There are many other games to choose from on this site, also.

Then, today, Max was learning subtraction with borrowing. We found this short little video that really helped him to understand it. Base ten blocks would be wonderful to have. I may have to get some soon! It's going to take a lot of practice, but I think he'll get it.

A picture thought I'm sharing...

You can never have too much fun in the bath!

Fight the Freedom of Choice Act

Today is the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Please go to Fight FOCA and sign the petition. In addition, get involved and contact your state representative and congressman.

"Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
So God created man in his own image,in the image of God he created him;male and female he created them.
And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day." Genesis 1:26-31

Weight loss note: I just finished my first week on Weight Watchers and have lost 5.8 pounds. Woo Hoo! Today starts another week. I'm not as hungry today. Praise the Lord!

In which Eden gets her ears pierced...

She cried for only a minute and now Eden has cute little ears just like her friend, Jill. Celeste was a sport while holding Eden on her lap. The lollipop was quite a treat as E had never had one before. After 4 boys in a row, we're being girlie around here.

I'm doing Weight Watchers right now. I would start a weight loss blog, but I wouldn't want to bore anyone ;)! My good friend, Tara, and I are spurring each other on. I feel like I spend every day hungry, but maybe that will pass. I'll try to keep you up-to-date on how it's going. This week has a been a little rough with Sara's Memorial Service and our crazy schedule.

Joshua has his 9 month well check today. I will add info to his blog later today.

What's going on here

I've been up into the wee hours the past several nights working on a scrapbook for my mother-in-law, Sara, who went to be with Jesus on December 21st. My fil asked me to do it for the memorial service that's this weekend. It has been a trip down memory lane. I am hoping it will help others remember her as a vibrant, talented woman and honor her memory.

Tonight, I have a mom's meeting. Usually I go alone, but I'm taking the baby this time. He's increasingly active now since he's about 9 months. He follows the big kids around like a pro--crawling, of course! I'll have to take a jacket tonight. The low is forecast to be 30 degrees. Yay! it's finally winter in FL. We were all wearing short sleeves and some us wore shorts up until a few days ago. A friend of mine is in MN and their temps have been 20-40 below zero. That's serious!

Since I have been scrapbooking a lot lately (in my free time, haha!), I have been working with my digital scrapbook program. I recently found this site that I want to share with you. They have a lot of cute digital goodies. Their weekly newsletter comes out on Saturdays and offers discounts. Check it out!

Care Bear Love

Care Bear Love
Originally uploaded by mommy7fl

This child is just too cute! She had just gotten up from a nap and she always has to have her Care Bears.

Piggies and M-ade

Eden is now just over 2 years old--27 months to be exact. If you remember, this feisty little girl had no hair for the longest time. Finally, she has her hair in pigtails! She calls them "piggies" and asks for them almost daily. Another cute thing she is saying now is "M-ade." She has eschewed regular juice in favor of "M-ade." (I only use it as a treat, though.) In addition, she is now sitting at the big table with us in the Stokke Kinderzeat which she calls her "kindermaseat." I love how cute they are at age 2. It's not even close to be terrible...

Recently Read

When Stu asked me what I wanted for Christmas, the book 20 and Counting! by Michelle & Jim Bob Duggar was at the top of my list. Why? For the past 4 years I have been fascinated with all things Duggar. They are an inspiration to me. Their children are bright, industrious, normal, and love Jesus. Even as an older mom, I never stop learning. Who better to glean from than a mom to so many. This book answers many questions about the family. They have made bad decisions at times. Quite a few of them. (Just like me...) There are family recipes throughout. This has been fun. We had Poor Man's Pizza the other day for lunch. The next day the kids asked, "Hey, Mom. Can we have that pizza for lunch again?" All of this is just to say, if you're curious about the Duggar family and you need encouragement, read this book. It's for all families, big and small. Enjoy!

P.S. There are recipes posted on their website, too. Our family loves the Tater Tot Casserole!

P.S.S. If you have any books that have inspired your parenting journey please share them with me in the comment section.

Homeschool Science Help

I am always searching for resources that will help me teach my children about this amazing world that God made. Recently, I received a free publication that is "top notch." The Institute for Creation Research has been doing some awesome work. They publish some free publications, namely Acts & Facts magazine and a devotional called Days of Praise. You can sign up to receive these free at the ICR website. While some of the language in Acts & Facts may be too grown up for young homeschoolers, it is helpful for me to explain to my younger children and is age appropriate for older middle to high school students. There is a wonderful article on the human ear (and it's wax!) this month. You can read this issue online, but if you're like me, you just LURVE books and want to have something concrete to peruse. I hope this will encourage you in your pursuit to raise a generation that marvels at God's creation!

The beauty of a quiet spirit

God spoke to me today. He told me to be quiet (silent, actually). This was in regards to a matter of heart that I am having. If you know me, you know that is very hard for me to do! In being obedient to Him, I saw immediate fruit from my action. God is so good! After bringing 7 children into this world, my brain can be mush, so the Lord was so good to lead me to scripture, too. 1 Peter 3:1-7 is scripture that challenges us to be better wives and helpmates to our husbands. This is always a good thing. Marriage and parenting is a sanctifying process. Sanctification can feel like trial by fire sometimes, but I am reminded that I am always to glorify Him in all things. (Even when being quiet is the last thing I want to do!) My hope is that this verse blesses you. It is confirmation of God's amazing love. That He would not leave me, but be there and encourage me in the smallest of life's happenings.

"but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." 1 Peter 3:4