The Birthday Boy is 8

Caden... This little guy is EIGHT years old already. I can hardly believe it.  

We had a very busy day for his big day.  His Daddy took off work to spend the day with him and we started our day with donuts for breakfasts followed by dressing for the day and some schooling.  We had an early lunch combined with Caden's birthday party and headed out the door right after noon to pick up friends for our first homeschool choir performance of the year.  The four oldest children performed with the homeschool choir at a local nursing home which is always a wonderful time and then. We headed out spend some time at Chuck E. Cheese followed by CiCi's Pizza.  That wasn't full enough for one day so we did a little birthday shopping for Legos.... because it is all about the Legos these days.  The last stop of the night was The Dollar Tree and then, we headed home to CRASH OUT!  

Ch-Ch-Changes... Blog Photo Update

It is amazing what how much the faces in your family change when you don't update your blog photo in THREE years.  Ha!  This is the 2011 photo and for the record I just did not realize so much time had passed:

Sierra, Sahara, Caden, Savannah, & Sienna

And this will be the new one... for 2014... 

Ummm, yeah.... that is a huge difference!  My baby is not even a baby anymore.  I remember thinking how grown up my kids were looking in that 2011 picture and well.... I could cry.  Only I won't because I am joyful that they are healthy, living, growing children and what more could a mother ask for?!  

And just so you know who is who is who in the new pictures...
Group pic is left to Right:
       Top... Sahara (5), Me (41), Caden (7), Savannah (13)
       Bottom... Sienna (3), Sierra (10)
Top Right:  
       Caden (7)
       Cody (41) with Sahara (5) photo bombing & putting a rabbit on his back
Bottom (left to right):
       Sierra (10)
       Sienna (3)
       Sahara (5)
       Savannah (13) 

Also, it may take me a while to figure out how to fix my edits... sigh... I can not remember how to make this look right... because it has been three years since I have done this stuff.  So, I need that picture larger and centered... and so, I have to wake my brain up.  ;)  Update:  I already figured it out... yippee!  Amazing!  For my own future reference (and anyone else that may need to know) I had to open my saved photo in "Paint" and changed the "resize" setting to 1600 megapixels wide and then save and upload the new photo.  I hope I remember to look here if I need to do this in the future.  Otherwise, I will probably do a whole new post for this same thing.
 

The Easiest Cake Your Ever Gonna Make... & it's Festive & Chocolate Packed!

This was my daughter's (Savannah... the big "13") birthday cake that I made for her requested slumber party this past weekend.  I have never thrown a cake together this fast!  Yet, there was not sacrifice on the quality and taste.  




This is NOT whole foods folks, so let's not even get started worrying about all that.  ;)  This cake is all about delight and splurging and that is what birthdays are for, right?!!  


So, here's what you need:

• 2 boxes of Devil's Food Cake Mix (I used Duncan Hines)
• 1 Container of Chocolate Icing (from a container... GASP!!  This was my daughter's request.  I was just happy it said "No High Fructose Corn Syrup" on the label, so I bought it and moved on.  sigh...)
• 2 Large Hershey candy bars
• 1 package of Hershey's Caramel Kisses (These are our weakness in my home.  For that reason they are only purchased about once a year.  Sinful I say!!!... but oh so yummy!)
• 1 package of Mini-M&Ms (You could buy a small individual package, but we put the remaining amount in a candy dish on the table and they were wiped out almost instantly.)

I really don't need to tell you how to make it because it is pretty much a look and see it kind of thing.  Not too much explanation is needed.  But here we go:

• Mix the cake mix according to the instructions.  I added on extra egg because I just like to do that.  I also added a cup of milk in place on one cup of water.  Other than that I followed the directions on the box, oiled my pan, and baked it.  I used a large round Spring Form pan and put a small amount in a small round 8" pan because I had too much mix for my Spring Form pan.  
• After baking I left it alone to cool while I did other things, do do something for a couple hours and come back.  ;)  This is a good time to unwrap all the caramel kissed and place in a bowl... and hide in a safe place until you are ready for them.
• Now that the cake is cool move it from your pan and put it on a glass platter or whatever you wish and simply open your container of store bought chocolate icing.  Spread it all over the top and sides evenly.  It will not matter if it is smooth because you are going to cover it all with excessive amounts of candy.
• Begin with the candy bar and break it along the break lines.  Stick these little bars to the side of the cake as you see in the picture.  I spaced mine about 1/4 inch apart to make sure I would have enough.  I could have put them closer together, but that's okay because I had a little extra to munch on.  ;)
• Next you will evenly space the kisses all over the top of the cake.
• Lastly, get your sprinkle on.... Sprinkle the Mini-M&Ms all over the top as liberally as you please.  This adds color and makes it all so happy and pretty!
• Serve and enjoy with guests.  Like... say 13 pre-teen/teen girls at a slumber party. 

My Old Fashioned Maw Maw: Sunbonnets

In the interest of time I am borrowing this internet snapshot because upon doing a quick search this looks the most like the ones my grandmother used to make.  So, for the record the Sunbonnet pictured is NOT my own picture.  This is the style when laying flat.  And here is the one my Maw Maw made with her very own hands:

Savannah (11)

Sierra (8)

 

As I wrote the post about my grandmother the other day I began to think about her sunbonnets.  The one pictured here is the one that she gave Savannah for a birthday gift one year.  We treasure it.  We had another that she gave us when Savannah was born, but I can not seem to find it.  It was my favorite because it was all white, but made from a calico fabric with a faint print.  The one pictured has been worn by several of my girls and it is very versatile.  That one will fit on the baby and the eleven year old.  How smart is that?!  And that is the way things of old were.  Versatile... useful... simple.... lovely. 

As I stood at the washing machine yesterday that little bonnet was laying nearby and I picked it up and ran my hands over it.  I kept thinking, "I wish I had Maw Maw's old pattern."  For whatever reason I kept moving things around and the little bonnet was back in my hands over and over again.  Eventually, I thought, "I could make a pattern off of it, if I take the time."  And that is what I did this morning.  I started at breakfast time carefully marking out the pieces and then, I began writing out step by step instructions and thinking out the whole process.  By noon I had it done.  Of course, I am not busy at all with everyday life... LOL... so things take me longer than the average person might.  So, I am happy to now have a pattern off of my Maw Maw's sunbonnet with detail instructions that my own children can one day use. 

And as I sit her now I am reflecting on her love for Sunbonnet girls....

I've seen her make things like this.  In fact, I have seen her make whole quilts like this with each block of the quilt being a different scene.  I can hardly imagine the HOURS that went into one quilt like that... Or even the hours that went into one square for the quilt.

I remember large quilts with these little girles all over, also.  Oh how she loved her sunbonnet girls.  I am guessing they reminded her of her own children or of the child she once was. 

{This post was actually typed on May 16th and scheduled to post.}

Pondering My Very Old Fashioned Maw Maw

My grandmother and my cousin 30 years ago

I was hesitant to use this picture since the people in it do not know I blog, but this is such a great picture of my Maw Maw.  Sorry, I cropped out my uncle, but only because I am not sure he would want his pic on the internet or on my blog.  I do love him, too.  So, look at my Maw Maw.  Do you have a Maw Maw?  I doubt many of you do.  It is so rare to have such an old fashioned woman in your lives.  Ladies today want to be called by anything other than a grandmotherly term.  And the very thought of wearing all handmade clothing like she is wearing would send a modern grandmother running for the nearest department store or mall.  She is missing her prairie bonnet in this picture.  She would often be found wearing hers in her garden or while she was chopping wood for her wood burning stove.  Yes, I said WOOD BURNING stove and yes, up until a few years ago she lived on her own and cooked her meals on that stove.  She did have an electric "hot plate" that she used some since she was alone (a hot plate is like a two burner ministovetop).  And those bonnets... well, they helped to put dinner on her table.  She has been a widow since I was four, so I guess that would be about 36 years.  Selling bonnets, homemade stuff animals and dolls, and quilts were her way to make some money to go along with what she got from Social Security each month.  The last I heard her Social Security payment was about $400 a month.  Amazingly, she had everything she needed.  She minded her money well and stretched it further than anyone I have ever known.  There was no waste or none that I was aware of.  I can not imagine there is room in the budget to waste much more than a penny with that sort of income.  She She is in her 80s.  And yes, up until a few years ago she gardened and quilted.  She canned and cooked everything from scratch.  And she had chickens.  She loved her chickens...and I always thought she was crazy for that until last year when we started raising chickens.  I wish I had understood her wisdom.  She was "simple", yet there is so much wisdom in simplicity.  She raised eight children and I do mean raised, because I think "reared" is just too pretty of a word.  I am certain her life was messy and hard, especially since her husband suffered from some psychological issues, as well.  I know there was a period time he was out of the home due to it.  Life was different then, also.  She married when she was a mere thirteen years old.  I can not even wrap my mind around that sort of thing.  Today it would be illegal for sure.  She birthed her first child that same year.  She was merely a child herself giving birth and the doctor that her husband brought to her broke the baby's neck, so her first baby was stillborn.  She went on to lose two more over the years for other reasons.  She was married to a harsh man that was harsh to their children.  I can not imagine how hard it must have been to raise her children and the loneliness that can be overwhelming in those situations.  You could always find her Bible lying next to her chair in her home and words like "fool" and "butt" were considered profane. 

I miss the days of seeing her moving around and living life, but she is living and we are able to go see her and talk to her.  I just had to ponder today how many people have had the experience of a truly old fashioned Maw Maw like I did.  I was not super close to her since I shared her with something like forty grandchildren... or more.  I never could keep count of all the cousins I had.   Anyway, there were some of the cousins that had broken homes and now I realize they needed her and she was closer to them because of it.  I guessed I realize that after my oldest child was born and saw the interest she had in my child.  She had not come to see me on my birthday as a child that I could recall, but she came to Savannah's.  It was then that I realized I had misunderstood her for all those years.  She loved Savannah simply because she was mine and she loved be simply because I was my daddy's.  She could be gruff at times, bit in hindsight I remember her as soft spoken, yet firm.... very firm.  If she said, "Get out of that garden.", you knew you better listen.  And if you did not listen you might find her having to "take care of you".  Literally!  Because if you got peppers in your eyes, she really would have to "take care of you"... with her remedies like pouring milk in your eyes.  Yes, I was one of those kids that tested her to see what she would do if I did not listen.  ;)  I learned that she was telling me to save me from a bigger problem... and that I should have listened. 

I wish I could go back in time and learn to quilt by her side or watch her embroidery.  I wish I knew how she pieced each tiny scrap of fabric together to create a beautiful quilt.  I wish I had HER bonnet pattern.  I was the lucky recipient of her fabric stash, although I am not sure what I will ever do with it all.  I do have her gift, though.   I have the gift of being able to see something and do it.  I don't understand how I know sometimes because I know some people look at an item and are puzzled by the very thought of how they might create the item.  I feel that way about motors, so I understand that it is possible for someone to feel that way about fabric, building, crafting.  Anyway, today I am just pondering my grandmother....

And I have always said, "That stepping in her house was like stepping back in time."

Jump!

Jump!
... on the trampoline with your kids!
... when your 40... or 39.... whatever!
Just jump! 

Age And Aging

Aging seems to be an issue for a lot of people.  I think it especially bothers ladies more.  This has never been a huge deal for me.  I want  to grow old gracefully.  I am sure that is partly due to my mother's and my aunt's approach.  Both of them were born in the early 50s and I can remember them both turning 30.  Oh my!  Oh the tears my aunt cried.  And when my mother turn 40 I threw her a surprise party.  She found out earlier that day and got mad at me and did not show up to her party.  I remember 30 well.  I felt like I was really young.  In fact, I felt like my life was really just beginning. 

Growing up it took my mother two hours to get dressed everyday because it took that long to do her hair and make-up.  And I never saw her real hair color.  My whole life I thought my mother had black hair.  Guess what?  I was wrong.  It was really brown until she started going gray.  Wow, that was so hard for her.  The idea that her hair would turn gray really upset her and thus began the quest to lighten it, so in my teenage years (her late 30s) she was having it "highlighted" and lightened.  I think she tried out every color to avoid gray.... to avoid aging.  Guess what else?  It did not stop the aging process.  ;) 

And why do I write this post?  Well, I will be 40 this summer.  And it really seems to be a big deal to other people.  My sister-in-law told me a while back she wanted to throw me an Over The Hill party.  She thinks it will bother me to turn 40.  I really don't get it.  Actually, I already say that I am forty sometimes.  I guess I know I am going to turn forty this summer, so when someone asks my age now it just slips out.  It's not a big deal to me.  I do hope my sister-in-law does not throw a party, but not because of my age.  I don't like attention for my birthday no matter what age.  It's just one of those things that makes me uncomfortable and I like that stuff to be reserved for kids. 

Pre-mature graying runs in my daddy's side of the family.  In fact, my daddy was turning gray at 19 years old.  Oh, how I remember him fighting the aging, as well.  Around the time I was seven (he was close to 30) I can remember him dying his hair... and mustache.  Oh yeah, the mustache was a thing he tried out to look younger.  Even as a teenager I remember finding an occassional gray hair.  Boy, did that ever scare me.  I thought I was going to be 25 with a full head of gray!  LOL!  I did not happen, though.  After my 30s the gray started coming a little more and I would randomly find one and pluck it out.  After my second miscarriage I really started finding a lot more gray and I do think stress can cause your hair to turn gray.  While I was pregnant with Sienna (just turned one) I decided I better stop pulling my gray hairs out or I was going to be bald!  LOL!  And it's funny how everyone thinks it is appropriate to tell you they think you are old when you are pregnant.  But I am not old.  Old is a state of mind!!!!  I know many women that have been old since their late 20s... they act "old" and I just do not get it.  And I am really fine with my gray hairs.  I think they are like a badge of honor.  And I am fine with being 40... soon. 

Birth Posting, Sienna 4 months, Job Changes, & A New School Year.... Oh My!!!

So, my blogging in pretty sad these days.  Time is something I seem to always be short on.  One thing that is driving me a bit crazy is that I wanted to make one last post to the series regarding Sienna's birth.  I wanted to post about Caesarean recovery, but honestly I can't formulate good enough memories to put it down.  There were just too many drugs and too much pain.  I will say that my recovery was one of my hardest and was followed by a series of illnesses and setbacks even after I was back home.  It was a good 6 weeks before the illnesses all passed here and try as I might I just can not put together a decent blog post about it.  So sorry if I left anyone wondering. 

Next thought is that my tiny baby girl is no longer so tiny.  She is already four months old and I have been loving every ounce of her!!  My kids adore her, too.  I love watching all of them interact with her.  Caden is a bit rough, but she smiles about it (when she is not frightened... sometimes he startles her).  Savannah gets to hold her walking around some (with caution) and she has changed some diapers and clothing.  Sierra is jealous... not jealous of the baby, but that Savannah is allowed to do more.  Savannah is 3 years and 3 months older than Sierra.  Sierra is allowed to hold Sienna, but is not supposed to walk around with her or get her out of her highchair, etc..  She does it sometimes, anyway... and gets scolded.  Sahara loves to crawl in the baby bed and lay beside Sienna and play with her.  Caden does this some, also.  And yes, I let them.  Call me crazy, but I let my kids love on the baby as long as it is being monitored for safety and such. 

Our Summer has not been what I wanted.  Chaos has kind of been the mood around here this Summer.  I do not like chaos.  Goals have not been achieved and I am pretty sure I am the only one that cares.  LOL!  Only it really is not that funny to me.  ;)  But our Summer is coming to a close.  Normally, my husband would go back to his normal teaching job about a week before the students would.  That date would have been August 16th and that would leave us with almost a full month of Summer left.  That will not be the case this year because quite unexpectedly Cody got an Assistant Principal job at a local elementary school (Pre-K thru 1st grade).  It is very exciting!  His first official day of work will be August, BUT unofficially he is already working.  He interviewed on July 11th (Monday) and was supposed to find out the next day; however, within a few hours he got the call.  He signed the contract two days later on my birthday (Wednesday).  Then, he had a teacher workshop to attend the next day and went to work on Friday.  That was last week.  This week he will be working four days.  Next week he is supposed to work on Monday and be off the rest of the week, but we will see.  Other than the possibility of being off some next week our Summer has come to a close.  That's okay with me, though.  I am reading to get back to a routine!!  And it is pretty exciting that what we have wiated for has finally happened.  We could not ask for anything better!  ... and honestly we are having a hard time processing that this is reality because it is so stinking perfect!  God is good!

My closing thought is that I am prepping to get out schooling underway.  For the most part when Cody is at work we are at work/school.  It is just easier to follow his schedule because when he is home our schedule goes out the window.  And as I type this I wonder if that is the case for other homeschoolers out there.  Are you able to get school done when Daddy is home or does it just get too crazy?

Welcome Our Sweet Sienna !!!

Sienna Faith

Water broke & Labor began at 4:45 p.m. on Monday, March 14th

Born on Tuesday, March 15th

at 3:14 a.m.

8 lbs. 9 oz.

20 1/2"

I wish I had the energy to share the birth story right now.  I just am soooooo sleepy.  I do want to share pics and in doing so I have to tell you that we are obviously at the hospital.  It was not part of the plan, but that is what we needed to do and I am happy with the decision we made to assure a healthy momma and baby.  I will try to post some details very soon.  The most important thing is getting my friends out there pictures!!

Sienna in the incubator for her transfer from the operating room to the nursery.  Birth day, Tuesday, March 15th.

My first time to get to hold her!  She was born at 3:14 a.m. and this was at 6:30 a.m. ..... Finally!

Coming home day.... Thursday, March 17th. 

Sienna in her car seat.  I could not resist a pic of her little bare feet sticking out.  I despise baby socks & booties because they just will not stay on.  She had them on for some of the pics upstairs, but as soon as they fell off I chunked them to the side.  Blankets are much more reliable for keeping their little feet warm.

A van load!  Literally, we are AT our maximum capability for this van.  Anymore additions to the family will require another vehicle purchase or using our shuttle bus. 

This Is What An Almost Seven Year Old Looks Like

Sierra

6 years, 10 months, 3 weeks, and 1 day old...

Soon to be 7.

Interestingly, all of my kids have looked like carbon copies of one another for the most part, but something about Sierra has always been a tiny bit different.  There is a uniqueness about her that is hard to explain.  She is the easiest of my kids in many ways, yet has a very complex emotional personality.  She is the most helpful, most thoughtful of my kids.  She obviously has the gift of service and is eager to help most of the time.  She is always making us stuff... usually out of paper... cards, crowns, paper toys that little hands destroy as soon as they touch them, etc..  She tries everything with gusto.  She outdoes her older sister on many things and with a 3 year and 3 month age difference it is hard to imagine it is possible.  Poor Savannah gets so frustrated about it.  Savannah learned to ride a bike and Sierra was doing it a few short months later.  Sierra can climb trees better.  Sierra can blow bubbles with her bubblegum.  She gets twice as much schoolwork done (not because she is smarter, but because she is a doer).  Sierra started out very reserved and afraid of many things, but one day she just changed.  She was a shy baby not wanting to be in the spotlight, but you would never know it now.  She wants to be a "rock star" (not really a "rock" star as she does not truly know what that means, but she loves to be the center of attention).  At church she is the one singing out uninhibited.  She is a leader.  She is usually trying to control us all and I tell everyone that she is going to be the President one day.  She is the little Momma around here... and quite often has to get disciplined for it herself.  ;)  She is the one that at the age of two was telling me how to drive the car.  No joke!  When Savannah was in public school we would have to go pick her up and Sierra would always tell me to go (in the stop and go traffic of the pick-up line).. she would say, "You are going to miss your kid!"  I would turn to her and say, "I think I know how to drive." and then, I would realize I was talking to a two year old.  Quite funny indeed.  She is controlling and highly irrational and emotional.  I don't claim to always understand this one, but I do love her.  I worry about her extreme emotions and guiding her on how to manage those emotions.  I think that is a hard area to understand with anyone, but when you are the Momma you feel like you are responsible for teaching them how to handle their emotions... even when you are not so good with yor own. ;)  At any rate we will make it through and I know that one day she is going to be one incredible little lady.  And I think she is so very beautiful. 

I just don't understand how six can look so much older.  I am not one to adorn my children with bows in their hair (a few times a year) or add to their appearance with other things like lipgloss, etc..  I don't fuss daily over vanity and the perfect outfit.  They can pick what thye wear unless we are going somewhere and even then I am not too picky as long as they look "cared for".  I don't even care if they match sometimes.  What I am saying is that I am not about vanity with my children, so it surprises me how they look so "big" and in the little everyday moments how beautiful they look. 

Just A Few Pictures So You Know What These Kiddos Look Like

I thought I would share a few photos, since I am so bad about not doing that. Those little faces on my sidebar have aged by about a year and a half! Maybe some day I will update those! ;) For now I will just share a few snap shots that kind of reflect normal life around here.

This is Sierra doing a little of her math.... outside. We have been trying to get outside and enjoy the fabulous whether we have been having this fall. I wish it was like this most of the year! I could really get use to temps ranging in the 70s and mid-80s for the highs. Check out Sierra's giant marker she created while we were sitting here. She was quite proud of herself. I want to note that this year when I bought the new Crayola Washable Markers I was a little surprise by the solid black tube. I am quite impressed that Crayola made this switch for environmental reasons. The only down side that I have found is that when the cap is not on the marker you don't know what color you have. Or if your six year old mixes up her marker caps and you decide to borrow one you might want to read the tube BEFORE writing. Twice I have been surprised by the color that comes out on my paper. ;) This problem could easily be solved for pre-readers by putting a color dot or sticker on the side of the tube.

This is Savannah looking at her math book. She does a lot of "looking at it" as this is the first year we have used a textbook. She has had a hard time with this switch, but the math, Rod & Staff, is a great book. I am very pleased with the layout of the book. I do sometimes wish it was a workbook, though.

This pic is of Savannah, Sierra, and Caden.
They were ready to play cowboys and indians with another homeschool family. All those things are homemade stick horses. That mischevious grin that Sierra has is because she is pointing a toy gun at the camera. Caden is pretty excited, too. Can you tell?! Savannah is looking very tall and grown up in the pic with exception to riding her zebra stick horse. She will be ten next month and Caden will be four this week! Time is flying by!

I caught Caden "reading" to Sahara while we were doing some school work. This was a sweet moment. He was telling her about all the pictures of our family at the zoo in this little scrapbook. I love sweet moments like this because usually when they disappear for a couple of minutes around the corner it looks more like this.....

Ooooooh! That was bad day when Daddy got home.... we were very busy with schooling that day and time got away from me and we did not get it cleaned up before Daddy got home. We meant to. In fact, that is the only reason I took a pic. I thought I would show Cody what the missed out on.... but he got to see it himself. Not a good moment!

But you can't stay mad at this face long! Even with snack crumbs on his face he is pretty cute. All boy... All mischief... all mess maker and he is pretty good at recruiting Sahara to be his "partner in crime". They do get in a lot of trouble on a daily basis!

Laughing At Myself

I'm sitting here thinking about what I want to say here. I have a couple of draft posts that I was working on and those may take longer than I had planned, so my frugal series about Christmas did not make it and the one about vacation is going to be a while in coming, too. The days leading up to Christmas were quite busy for us like everyone else, but more than anything I am trying not to miss the moments that are happening. I can't believe Christmas already came! Can you? It seems like you blink and it is over. I told my husband that somewhere along the way Christmas just seems to happen faster... the years pass faster... you're nineteen years old and then suddenly, you are thirty-seven and where did Christmas go?... as well as, much of life's fleeting moments. The pastor at our old church is always saying, "Life is but a vapor." That is so true. Do you ever feel like you are trying to grab the moments before they slip right through your fingers.... and speaking of fingers I am watching my hands and suddenly in the last few years they look so old! Gracious! And I am getting all those little wrinkles around my eyes and lips... and across my checks! The grays hairs are taking over my head! Seriously, I am just too young for this.... really! ;) Like.... I'm really still just a bit past nineteen, right?! Where did the time go? And ... anyway... back on track... Christmas is past now, yet not. It is still the Christmas season and I am trying to hold onto it a little longer. I always do. I leave the tree up and all the decorations out through the month of January... or until I tire of seeing them. There's no rush to get them down and I really enjoy this time after Christmas when the rushing is over somewhat. We had a great Christmas and I hope you all did, too. I got lots of beautiful cards in the mail although I failed to get mine out. :( I had some technical difficulties with my photo... arghhhhh... sorry to those that may feel cheated. Really, I wanted to send them... even at the last moment, but then some unexpected company came for the evening that I was to work on such things and they stayed the night and through part of the next day. I am thankful for that time with them, but I also had to change some of my plans. And that is the way with life... we have to change the plan many times and be flexible... welcome someone into our home.... take the time to connect to the people that are in front of us at the moment. And so, I just wanted to check in for a moment with you all and see how your Christmas was (leave me a comment) and let you know that I may be on a sort of blogcation somewhat. I have much to do over the next week. I am trying to control some disorder in our schooling area and at the same time grab some time for special family outings while my husband is off work for Christmas break. We are hoping to squeeze in some overnight getaway time, but just don't know where or what we want to do.... craziness... I could vacation everyday of my life, but I also have some matters that are calling my name here, too. Who knows what we will do.... I just don't want the time to pass so quickly! Slooooooooowwwww doooooownnnn! Hope you all finish this year off in a wonderful way and slip into next year with peace in your hearts! I'll blog you next year!!!

Frugal Series, Part 3: My Daddy

My last two posts have been set up as "scheduled posts", but they did not post... ???? Go figure.. I guess I did something wrong. So here it goes.... more about my frugal side.

So, this one is about my daddy. There is one thing that I wanted to cover that just did not quite fit with my post about my mortgage even though these two things are related. I just thought this needed it's own post and that my daddy's health could use a bit of an update here. What does this have to do with being frugal? Well, no matter how frugal I am I had to weigh what is truly important ten years ago. I chose my dad's health! I would even go in debt to have my daddy in this world and that is what I chose.


You see I mentioned that my little house was built to be added on to. I drew up the "blueprint" myself. It had a drop down living room on a slab with a couple of steps into that room and there was a huge closet off of a new master bedroom and that closet adjoined a laundry/utility room. My existing living room would become the dining room and all these changes would leave us with two smaller bedrooms. I can't remember all the changes, but it was all very well thought out. Something happened one day that would change that plan completely, though. I was at work doing my secretary job (before kids) and I got a phone call from my mother and she said my daddy was at the hospital and they thought he was having a heart attack. I went down to the hospital and he was taken in for an emergency five bypass heart surgery. His main artery into the heart was almost completely blocked, as well as, other blockages. The doctors told us that even if they had him open on the operating table and he had a heart attack before they repaired the blockage that it would be a massive heart attack and they would be unable to save him. They were able to complete the surgery before that happened and he is alive today!



I had to re-evaluate MY plan for that little house. Within a year later I had to make a very difficult decision. I had to decide if I wanted to hang on to that house or my daddy. One day that house might be the only thing left that I had of my daddy, but right then.... I felt I had to make a decision to hang on to him. And that's when I put up the For Sale sign and I never looked back. No matter how frugal we are we have to choose the people and those relationships in our life. I now have a mortgage, but more importantly I have my daddy!! And I will gladly look that mortgage square in the face each month and pay it and never question that decision.



Just to update you a bit about my daddy's health.... well... WOW! It has been some year for me... my daddy's bypass surgery lastest him ten years. This past February he started having chest pains and went to his heart doctor to get checked out. They did the usual stress tests and said he was fine and sent him home. In March he had a some massive pains and went to the Emergency Room where they evaluated him. They could find nothing wrong in all their testing and it was decided that he would have another arteriogram. The arteriogram revealed a blockage and while they were in doing the arteriogram the doctor was able to insert a stint. He had suffered a heart attack, as well. A second time my daddy had survived his heart issues, but not a day passes that I don't panic everytime the phone rings. The spring left me feeling almost incapable of breathing in fear of the next phone call I might get. Early this summer another one of those calls came. My daddy was in the hospital, again. The stint had failed. Apparently, there is a 20% chance of this happening and scar tissue formed around the stint causing it to fail. They were able to put another one in and he has now survived round three. I have dealt with my fears somewhat and had to give them over to God, but I do still wonder everytime the phone rings what that call might bring. My daddy is doing well, but there is a noticeable difference in him to me. He is aging and doesn't seem so invincible to me anymore. I am just thankful to have him longer. God has given him an extra ten years and am hoping and praying for much more than that.



And for you all out there.... If you ever deal with a possible heart issue, I want to pass this information along. Stress tests and all that other stuff can NOT determine what an arteriogram can. INSIST ON and DEMAND and arteriogram! It can be the difference between living and dying. They insert a catheter (large needle thing) into your inner thigh and run dye through your arteries to get a look at the heart.

Going Somewhere...

Well, it's going to be a short trip, but we ARE going somewhere. Tomorrow we will be heading out to the Texas Renaissance Festival for their School Days. I meant to post this a couple days ago, but I have been sooooooo busy. I was going to see if anyone out there is going to be attending, but by the time you tell me I will be on the road now. ;) Ooops!! Maybe I will see some of you there. Leave me a comment if you attend... just because I would love to know it even after the fact.

So, I am Missing In Action... and I do mean action... it has been crazy here! By the time I post my My Father's World updates I am going to have 3 weeks to post at once. Whew! I don't know how everyone else gets it done!! Seriously, I have been trying to put my computer aside and focus on schooling. If I let myself get on the computer I kind of "check out of reality". My focus has been on trying NOT to do that and I have been tackling some projects.... reorganizing closets, going through all the kids clothing, celebrating a third birthday for Caden, having a yard sale, tackling a filing nightmare, changing our schedule (AGAIN)... not really changing it, but rather juggling it because life gets messy and that schedule thing justs gets all scrambled around. Maybe that will be the way for a while. Some days I like to let the kids wake up when they want and play with each other... you know they are learning to enjoy one another and that is something that is not in our books completely... I just don't want to look back at a rigid schedule and wonder if I could have been more relaxed about it all. On Wednesday it was Caden's birthday and I just let all the kids play together until lunch time. It was so great to see them just buzzing through the house having fun as siblings. I thought of all those children sitting in desks staring at their papers and missing out on this... this is why I started homeschooling... togetherness and loving being together... not just schooling on a rigid schedule.

Anyway.... I am actually going somewhere outside the walls of this house!! Ah--ha--ha--ha!

Little Momma

Sierra has always been such a little Momma to Caden, but since Sahara has been born she has switched gears a bit. She has been more concerned with protecting Sahara from Caden and a little bit less of a little Momma to Caden. I guess that just kind of happens with us Momma's sometimes, doesn't it?! ;) Caden will be three on Wednesday and we have been talking about it for weeks now. While he was having his nap today we were looking at the calendar for the upcoming week and a half because it is going to be a bit hectic. I told them I HAD to talk with them about it all because I need full cooperation. Of course, Sierra can't read, so she saw that I had something written on the calendar of Wednesday and thought it was church. When Savannah and I told her it said, "Caden's b-day!" she burst into tears!!! We had no idea what was wrong with her. I asked her and in quite a bit of distress and tears she said, "Caden is going to be three!!" She was horrified. Savannah was trying to sound excited although she was confused, so she was saying, "Yay! Caden is going to be three!" Sierra said, "He's growing up!!"... and he's almost a MAN!!" Awwwww... my little Momma knows how I feel!! Actually, I thing she may be more distraught by it than ME!! :)

Eight Years... Looking Back... Inviting YOU

You are invited to see my HOME!!

Well, this is just weird, but what I want you to do is go to the END of this post and start reading there. Technical difficulties (I mean, brain difficulties) have made me post my pics backwards and I just don't have the patience to fix it or reload pics. So, play along with my game, okay? We'll just pretend I did this on purpose, okay?! :) Okay, so start from the end and read each paragraph under the pic after you read this paragraph. So, I am home alone and I started looking back at some old pics and let's just say a lot has changed in our lives. Remember ... go to the end NOW.

I just realize I need to make sure you realize that is Savannah in the costume above... whoa, she looks just like the pic on the sidebar of Sahara.... Our kids really are clones of each other!!! LOL!

And for whatever reason I feel like showing off my little ladybug in her costume that I made for her. She had hosiery on her arms to make her black and her wings snapped off to go in the car seat. See.. I told you she was "cheesy". Go look in my sewing category to see some pics of her modeling the one-of-a-kind children's clothes she used to model for me. She is a natural model, but we don't do that anymore. It was a huge hindrance in our lives. Weed out the hindrances!!! I just feel like passin on advice today. :) And before I close I want to make sure that I say that God sent us to this house... against our will even... He knew what He was doing and it is only recently that I have really started to see the profoundness of it. I have always know it, but even more now. Strange how God reveals His plan for our lives!!! TRUST GOD AND HIS PLAN!!! (I hope you are reading this Bridget!)

Around this same time we went to Johnny Carino's for our very first time and this was our date out with Savannah because she went with us everywhere (and they all still do). Little did we know this would become our favorite family restaurant. YUM! You can also see where all my kids get their curls from in this pic. When I was little my hair was the exact color of their hair, so one day I guess they might all have my black hair, too. Interesting... time will have to tell that story.

This is a "glimpse" of the interior .... can you say NEUTRAL... lots of beige and off white. I LOVED it... Loved being past tense. After about three years I started painting and re-doing and adding LOTS of color. I'll have to invite you back to see the inside sometime and some of my projects ...and my R~A~I~N~B~O~W of colors.

Just another view. I know it may not look all glamorous, but I can remember feeling like I stepped on the cover of Southern Living magazine... and were you paying attention when I said foreclosure. So, if I have any advice to give it is to check into foreclosed homes, BUT make sure you know what you are getting and the extent of needed repairs. And if you are buying a 100 year old home like this be prepared to have some projects. I have to say ours were minimal because the previous owners (Mr/Mrs C) had already done the major updating. We got this house for a steal.... but you have to know that we could not of afforded another dime. Our other option would have been to buy a much different type house... and much smaller. And if you envy us at all... let me remind you of the saying about "blood, sweat, and tears" because this house has had it's share from us.

This is the veiw from the back corner of the lot (3/4 of an acre) and the deck was a God thing!!! Thanks to Hurricanes Rita and Ike I am missing two of these trees now and the fullness the other trees used to have, but things happen and God spared our home. What a blessing!

You start to get a little better idea of the size of this house when you look at it from the sides. My daddy in "inspecting" it. Don't those dead azaleas make beautiful hedges? Uh, yeah... they needed that overhaul I gave them later.

And this is where we live now! This is what it look like when we first saw it. I have to tell you I am known for what some call having "vision" and a "green thumb". This house had been foreclosed on SEVERAL years earlier and the bank was letting it be used as a rental property. They were renting out a 3500 squate foot house for $600 a month!!!! Uh, do you have to be suprised that the tenants would not maintain it properly!?! The original owners (who are our current neighbors... Mr/Mrs C) had beautiful landscaping when they lived here. You so those horrid looking scraggly bushes on the right side? Those are all azaleas and they are all around the house, but at this point they were mostly dead. I got in there and cut them all back to healthy and got all the dead out and amazingly saved them. I even surprised Mr/Mrs C. They thought it would all die. Honestly, I had my concerns, but they looked awful. By the way, we thought this was a small house when we first saw it. It's frontal view is very decieving.

I had to include this pic of Savannah's big ole smile. She was and still is sooooo "cheesy"! No need to "say cheese" to get her to smile. I use this Pooh blanket even now with Sahara. Look close in the entertainment center and you will see VCR tapes, which are almost obsolete!... makes a person feel old! :)

I am struck by how young I look here... BECAUSE IT WAS EIGHT YEARS AGO! Wow! I think I was 28. My daddy helped me build this house and I paid for it as we built it in my early twenties while Cody and I were dating. Cody would come over and visit (and work). I lived in it single for a year and then, we got married and he moved in. He proposed to me on the front porch and we married in 1995. Five years later we had our first child, Savannah, in 2000. I thought I would live in this little house my whole life, but things change and decisions have to made sometimes that we never plan for. In this case, this house was SMALL... I built it with a plan to be single, so it was bursting at the seams with a family of three in it. The intention was to add on to it. I intentionally designed it the way I did with an additional floor plan for that add on, but ten years ago when my daddy had and emergency five bypass heart surgery I decided I would rather have debt and my daddy living. It was not a hard choice for me, but it was hard to leave that little house behind. In the pic you see there is an open room with baby furniture and clouds on the wall. That was really the dining room until Savannah came into our lives. I turned that little 8 X 10 dining room into a nursery for her and we squeezed a small drop-leaf table into the 12 X 14 kitchen. It was perfect really.... although it was cozy. We knew we were going to want one more child (Ha!), so it would quickly become too cozy without the add-on. I began searching for larger home and we would later move when Savannah was eight months old.