Hand Prints

I love this! I am such a sappy person, who gets attached to small treasures like this. I wish I would have done this with G & J from birth, but better late than never!

The Baby is here!!!!

I am NOT pregnant anymore!!!!!!!!!!! I am so very thankful and I am feeling so so so much better. Our son "P" was born on my husbands mother's birthday. She passed away 21 days before our son J was born which was almost 3 years ago. Our daughter got to know her. Our son J was named after her. And now P shares her birthday. They all have a piece of her. My labor was easy as can be expected. I had a very good epidural! The delivery was easy peasy. My hubby pushed the epidural button moments before delivery so I was completely numb for the pushing. It turned out to be a good thing because I had to wait while I was 10 centimeters for the Dr. to get there. He wasn't even at the hospital! But he got there and it was 3 contractions to push through and we had our newest bundle of joy. We are so very blessed! He is so precious and such a good baby. I couldn't ask for a sweeter little boy. He was 9.2 lbs! I was shocked to have an over 9 pound baby. But I knew that he had to be big because I was HUGE and I hurt so bad. I am enjoying this new adventure of 3 children. I am in a bit of a dreamland for now because my mother is here helping me and she will be greatly missed when she returns home. But I am not thinking about that for now.
All glory to my loving Heavenly Father for knitting together in my womb this child, and trusting him to my care. Let me teach him to Fear and Love the Lord!

Up from the ground He arose.

Just thought I would share a cute Easter Story. My kids have been watching the animated version of "The Passion" for the last week. It is a constant question, "can we watch the Jesus movie." I have indulged partly because I want them to know the story inside and out, but also I have zero energy being 9 months preggers.
While I was cooking dinner a few nights ago I could hear my kids playing in the living room. G and J were acting out the movie. I peeked in and saw G laying prostrate and weeping saying "Sir, if you took His body, just tell me where you have laid Him." Then she instructed J to say, "Mary it is I"
I love them and I love that they are learning the story and I long for the day that it is not just head knowledge but heart knowledge!
I hope you all had a blessed Resurrection Sunday!j
(P.S. My Easter dress was thrifted for $6.00 and it is Vera Wang for Target. It isn't maternity but it worked!)

Good Friday.

Last night my G girl got VERY upset before bed. I had a hard time claming her enough to find out what the problem was. My mind always jumps to something terrible. I fear someone has hurt her or she has done something she is very sorry for. Once she was calmed enough to speak she expressed her fears. She said, "I wish I didn't have brothers, so that you could love just me."
Of course my first comment was to inform her that that was her sinful, black heart that felt that way. That her brother J is her best friend and she would be so very sad without him. Then I got to share with her the wonderful gift God has given mothers. The ability to love another child without taking any love away from the others.
As my due date comes closer I am flooded with memories of fears I had right before I had J boy. I remember desperately holding onto G the nights before his arrival and thinking "She wouldn't be my baby anymore." I remember thinking "I don't want this new baby to take the place she holds in my heart."
However, these fears and lies that I was feeding myself were washed away completely. God has truly given us the ablility to love our children equally and unconditionally.
Having children has taught me more about the Father's love for us. How much Him giving us His son was truly sacrifical. How I would be unwilling to give my children for a righteous man much less my enemy. How He doesn't love me less when I fail him daily. He just looks at me and sees the image of His Beloved Son in whom He is well pleased.
I understand G's fears. She if feeling better today. She is assured of my love and she understands greater that my love is unconditional just as God's love is when we place faith in Jesus' finished work on the cross.
I am so thankful for the Cross!

Resurrection Cake

I am getting my ideas together to make our annual Resurrection Cake.
We will be making it a little different than last year but my kids are very excited about this project. In the past we have done a two dimensional cake but this year we are planning on making it 3D. We will have to get some yummy candies and cookies to decorate with but this is always a fun project that gets my family talking about Christ and his FINISHED work on the cross.
What do you do with your family to celebrate our Savior raising from the dead?

History lesson

I think my daughter missed out on the last part of a history lesson.
We were in the car and we had a friend and her son following us in their car. J asked "why is D (we will call the son D) sitting in the backseat?" I told him that it was for his own safety and that that is why he sits in the backseat too. G added to my answer with "Brother, kids and colored people sit in the back." She was so matter of fact about it.
I was in shock!!!
She learned that in the past "colored" people were forced to sit in the back while we were on a train ride in FL. We actually sat in the "colored" car. I guess we forgot to tell her that this is no longer true. However we did communicate that it was not right and that it was people's sinful hearts that made them make these rules. I spent the car ride explaining the "end" to that history lesson.

I am home!

Not to brag...but...I am in FLORIDA!!!!! I am so happy to be here visiting with my family! I haven't seen them since September and that is a lifetime. My kids are in heaven playing with all of the toys that are @ Grammie and Papa's house. To top things off my Daddy made his grandkids a clubhouse. IT IS AMAZING!! I will post pics of it when I get home. It isn't 100% finished but it is playable and they ask just about every minute of the day if they can go play in it.
We are enjoying our time!

(Old pic of my g-pa and my kiddos in FL)

I am convinced.

G has had a weird bump/rash/cyst/thingy on her foot for months. Her pediatrician is a member of our church so I have taken advantage of that and asked him several times to look at it. He was very gracious and looked at it for me. He was not sure what it was. At first it was a cyst like bump about the size of a m&m on the top of her foot. He said to keep an eye on it for changes. I did, and change it did. About a month later it flattened out. I had him look again. He said he still wasn't concerned and still wasn't sure what it was but that I could go to a dermatologist if I wanted to. But he said he would still just keep an eye on it for changes. It didn't look like an infection or anything to cause alarm. I am a CRAZY worrier and a weird bump under my kids skin is cause for alarm to me. I am thinking it is cancer and it is spreading. I am crazy I know. I kept my eye on it and another change happened. Another bump formed, Ahhh! What is it?! Now it is flattened out with a lot of little bumps inside and the skin is a little discolored.
When I got G out of the bath last night she told me it was hurting her a little bit (WORRY BEGINS AGAIN).
Then, the answer popped in my head. I had a word come to my mind that I hadn't heard since I was 10 years old. When I was 10 I had a weird brown patch of bumps on my leg. Good old Dr. Hall told my mom, "It's Granuloma Annulare". Why did that pop in my head? I am not sure why, but I had Hubby google it. The first image we saw was EXACTLY what G's looks like. I am convinced this is what she has. Looking at the info on it is a common skin condition that will clear on it's own. Of course there were some dramatic cases that scare you to death

but G's is not bad at all. I am still going to keep my eye on it and vow to STOP worrying.
I am also going to give my diagnosis to my pediatrician and see what he thinks. Maybe, he can research for me more than WebMD.

Polo to Messenger

Hubby was cleaning out his closet and got rid of a few shirts. I salvaged this one and decided to upcycle it into a messenger bag for Jboy. I didn't have a pattern I just started cutting and pinning. I think it turned out pretty cool. J was so happy with it he immediately started filling it up. It was also brought to the dinner table and checked on numerous time throughout the meal. Now, I need to make a girly one for G.

Another cute kid quote.

Quote of the day by the kids. It made me laugh I hope you do too.

G was telling J to do something he shouldn't. So...
Me: J boy, G isn't in charge of you.
J: Yeah! God is in charge.
G: Mom, J said God's name INSANE.
Me: (Quiet laughter to my self enjoying my 5 and 2 year old)

I love my kids!

A Quote of the day by my son. This was said while he was walking around the living room on his tip toes. With a Knife and a Sword in his hands
"Here rabbits, rabbits, rabbits, I will knife you up."

A Quote of the day by my daughter. Said while she was trying to convince me to let her watch some afternoon cartoons.
"Mom, can we watch PBS? I just really Love learning new words and things like that."

Enjoying, them!

KY Kids Sale. I WANT TO GO!

I found a HUGE kids consignment sale. However, it is all the way in Elizabethtown KY. Over 4 hours from here. I was wondering if anyone wanted to go with? Or do you know of any great kid consignment sales in the area? Or possibly one closer?
I went to a sale like this in Northern Alabama a couple years ago and it is amazing. Great deals, Name brands, lots of choices, and it was just like a Giant "clean" yard sale. Right up my alley. If anyone were interested in going with I am up for it. I am not sure Hubby wants to go and spend hours looking at kids clothes with me. But in the long run he does appreciate the savings. As the Duggars like to say "Buy used, save the difference."

A Funny Found on Facebook

For anyone who is planning on ever being a parent,
For anyone who is a parent,
And for anyone else who wants to laugh at parenthood,
This is for YOU!


Thinking of having kids? Do this 11 step program first.

Lesson 1

1. Go to the grocery store.

2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.

3. Go home.

4. Pick up the paper.

5. Read it for the last time.

Lesson 2

Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...

1. Methods of discipline.

2. Lack of patience.

3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.

4. Allowing their children to run wild.

5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.

Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.

Lesson 3

A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...

1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)

2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.

3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.

4. Set the alarm for 3AM.

5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.

6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.

7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.

8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.

9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive)


Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.


Lesson 4


Can you stand the mess children make? T o find out...

1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.

2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.

3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.

4. Then rub them on the clean walls.

5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.

6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?

Lesson 5

Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.

1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.

2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.



Time allowed for this - all morning.

Lesson 6

Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.

1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment.

Leave it there.

2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.

3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.

4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Lesson 7

Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

Lesson 8

1. Hollow out a melon.

2. Make a small hole in the side.

3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.

4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.

5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.

6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.


You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.

Lesson 9

Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.

Lesson 10

Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

Lesson 11

Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.

This is all very tongue in cheek; anyone who is parent will say 'it's all worth it!' Share it with your friends, both those who do and don't have kids. I guarantee they'll get a chuckle out of it. Remember, a sense of humor is one of the most important things you'll need when you become a parent!

For anyone else reading this - I'm thrilled that you are all enjoying it, as I did - immensely. However, I DID NOT write it! I found it on a friends facebook. I'm not sure who the original author is however many of them are ringing true.

Girls day out.

Saturday morning I got up, got ready and told G to get ready too. She wanted to watch cartoons but I had plans for us. We jumped in the car and headed down the road to the local nail salon. When we pulled in I told G that WE were going to get our nails done together. She was excited but was instantly nervous when we walked in and she didn't understand a word that was being said to her. Let's just say it is owned by sweet folks that English is their second language. However, she was soon involved in choosing the color she wanted to paint her nails with (purple with silver glitter) and giving advice to me about the color I should choose (pink). We sat together and just enjoyed one another doing something fun and fancy. I can tell she felt big. She felt loved. She felt special. Mission accomplished! I know this isn't an instant fix to having a good relationship but it is my start. Spending time with her, encouraging her in the Lord, making HER feel like she is a priority in my life even more than the dishes and laundry. Showing her that I love her unconditionally.
I shared with my Sunday School class that I was feeling discouraged and asked for their prayers. I can honestly say, I feel God moving and changing my heart. I feel the comfort only He can give. In the last week I have made a concentrated effort to praise G (and J) when I see something positive. I have also slowed down my reactions to disobedience. I want to be slow to become angry and I am working on that. I am reminding myself that they are children and they are going to be disobedient. THEY ARE NOT PERFECT THEY ARE SINNERS JUST LIKE ME!
I am so blessed to have them! They have changed me and my view of God's love for me. They have truly shown me what a true sacrifice it was for God to send His ONLY son for SINNERS such as me. I wouldn't be willing to give my children for a righteous man much less someone who doesn't deserve anything. But thankfully I serve a Merciful God who gives Grace freely to all who believe and trust in the sacrifice of His only son Jesus Christ. What Love! That is the love I want to show G and J. I want to adorn the Gospel and make Jesus attractive.
Thank you all for your prayers in my days of discouragement. I am encouraged and I know this is a lifetime process and I am going to ENJOY the ride!! I am going to ENJOY the giggles, stories, songs, dances, games, pictures, and all of the hugs and lovings. They are not perfect kids but they are MY kids. I am not a perfect parent but I am the parent God chose for them. God be merciful to me a sinner.

My girl "G"

I don't know about other girls mom's but mine is the best! She is smart, fun, beautiful, loves the Lord, giving, caring, assertive, and she Loves me unconditionally. Growing up it was my hearts desire to be with my Mom and to make her pleased with me. Now that i am grown she is my best friend and I Love her so dearly. It scares me sometimes how much we are like one another.
As a mother myself now I have growing fears that my relationship with "G" will not turn out as my mother's and mine. I fear that she won't want to spend time with me when she is grown. That she just sees me as a strict Mom who fusses at her and doesn't let her do what she wants. I have been very convicted about this as of late. I feel like I need to take steps now to assure that we have a healthy Mother/Daughter relationship.
I was kept up all night Tuesday by an incident that had happened late that evening with G. She said something that was very troubling and I made her explain it to me so that I knew why she had said it. In getting this info from her I made her cry. It wasn't my goal but I NEEDED to know. It was a very serious matter and I needed the truth. But all night I thought, "she is scared of me, she doesn't feel safe with telling me things, I have failed". So in the morning I crawled into the bed with her and snuggled with her and assured her of my love and that she had not done anything wrong. That it was just Mommy's job to make sure she was safe and that was what I was doing. She seemed to understand and not think much of what had happened the night before at all.
I spoke with Hubby about my concerns and we decided I needed to do more with G one on one. To make more Mommy/Daughter time. Time where there was no room to be cleaned or brother to nag or task that Mommy had to tend to.
So I am taking G to get our nails done on Saturday. Nothing fancy, just a little time away just us girls to giggle and be ladies and bond. She is such a treasure to me and I want to communicate that to her without sounding like "lets be friends", because at this point she doesn't need a friend but a Mother. I am OPEN to all ideas and Godly advice to grow that special bond with her. I know the bond between Mother and Daughter is like NO other and I want to cultivate mine with G to make ours strong now and in the years to come. I ultimately know God is gracious and merciful and He hears my cries to Him and my plea's to be a Godly mother and to lead them in the way that brings Him the most glory. Because Ultimately that is all that matters.
Sorry for the venting session but my heart has been so heavy. Again I would love tips!

It's a...

BOY!
We found out this morning we are having another baby boy. All looked well during the ultrasound. The tech even told us he has 10 fingers and 10 toes. I guess she was counting. J is happy, G would be happier if it were a girl. But I think she will come to enjoy the perks of being the only girl. Well, now that I know it is a boy I can stop stressing out over making up a girl name. We already knew what we would name a boy. So now we just have to wait another few months to meet this little man.
We are super excited!
We covet your prayers for a healthy baby and an EASY delivery!

Eating update

My kids are eating better!

The list of newly tried and LIKED foods:
Lima Beans (gasp)
Green beans
BBQ
Rice
Mashed potatoes (J doesn't like)
Lasagna
Quesadillas
Pickles
and many more I can't think of right now.

Things are going well. I still have to force food, but the rules are holding and we are making progress. G is doing really well and I know she just has a fear of trying the food for the first time. But so far she hasn't eaten something she hasn't liked.
Mommy even took a dose of her own medicine. I ATE PEAS. I forced myself to try them for the first time since childhood. They are the only food I don't eat, but I did try and decided they are not as gag worthy as I remember. However I am not fixing them and won't eat them regularly.
Thanks all for your encouragements in the eating department. It is nice to know I am not the only one with kids who don't like to eat.

Picky Eaters, HELP!!!

As a child I ate everything! I also like pretty much any and every food. I can only think of 2 that I didn't. Peas and raw tomatoes were the only things I couldn't stomach. My parents had a policy where I had to try everything @ least once. I wasn't allowed to say that I didn't like something unless I had tasted it.
My husband is a different story. He was VERY picky. He disliked more foods than he liked. His parents also had a policy about eating. He had to sit at the table till he ate dinner. This lead to many many hours at the dinner table for my hubby.
I have now been blessed with 2 picky eaters myself. I am sometimes embarrassed by my children lack of love for food. A sweet couple from the church took us out to dinner after church on Sunday and this is how it went.
G- ordered Mac and Cheese. They brought out this beautiful bowl of homemade Mac and cheese NOT the blue box version. My daughter doesn't taste it she just looks at it and announces "This is Gross!" So I give her some of my salad (plane iceberg) and she doesn't touch that either. She decides to have a biscuit with jelly. She then continues to eat the jelly off the top but doesn't touch the biscuit.
J- gets eggs and bacon. He does better than his sissy and eats his whole egg. He doesn't touch his bacon. The sweet couple who are treating us to lunch get concerned that he didn't have enough so they order some rolls. and he doesn't touch those. They make him some buttered crackers, and he doesn't take a single bite.
Both kids are more consumed with the crushed ice in their drinks than eating. As we are leaving the gentlemen with us says "we are going to have to do something to get them to eat more."
Where did I go wrong? I guess I haven't been as much of a stickler as my parents were in getting them to try new things. But they don't like anything!!! Not bread, not french fries, nor any other type of potatoes.
I welcome any advice or methods of feeding the picky. I wouldn't be too concerned about my kids lack of eating except that G is in the 10th percentile and J is in the 5th. Help!

1st Day.

I did my first day of K-4 homeschooling with G today. It went well. She and I both had fun. For curriculum I am just using a bunch of early learning books that I have found. When we were done, and we had lunch I put the kids down for a nap and I decided I needed to do some true research for what I am going to do with her next year. I want to have a plan in place, books in hand, lesson plans made, and support groups in place. I have many friends who are homeschooling who have given me some great advice. My friend Julia who has a daughter in high school and a son I believe in 5th grade told me about "A Well Trained Mind". I went onto the site and did a lot of browsing and reading and praying. After reading this very informative blog I feel like I know what I want to teach and I know where to find it. I only skimmed the surface of the links and forums and curriculum available, but I have a better grasp on goals to shoot for. I was truly encouraged by a page of the website that described a day in the life of a homeschooling mom. It was encouraging because it was "normal". One mom describes her kid wanting to bring a toy to class, and being interrupted by a dirty diaper. These are the real moments that I am anticipating dealing with. Along with a clinging 2 year old who wants attention. There are even tips for that. I think I will be spending a lot of time on this site in the near future preparing for my journey ahead. G will be turning 5 in less than 2 months and that just sends dread to my heart that my baby girl is a big girl.
I have heard homeschooling described in terms of a tree. A "mother" oak hides her saplings under the protective shade of her her limbs and nurtures them till they are Strong and mature ready to be transplanted and stand on there own. My prayers is that I will be that protective shade for my children and that they will grow into mature, strong, Christ following adults. That is the "Goal"!