I recently posted on facebook that I had spent the day making a total of 16 meals for the freezer. I got a lot of comments on that, and many people wanted my recipes. Most of them are Trim Healthy Mama and Brianna Thomas recipes, which are copyrighted so I shouldn't post them, but they are not hard to find on pinterest or on the websites of these ladies. And really, if you are going to do monthly meals, at least in the beginning, you should use recipes that are already tried and true for your family. It would be terrible to make a lot of meals, only to find your kids hate them!
What I will do is tell you what I did:
I spent four weeks in South Korea a couple of months ago, taking care of a son who had had complications from surgery. On one of his bad days, when he spent most of his time sleeping, I decided to allow myself as much time as I wanted looking at blogs and websites on frugal and healthy living. It wasn't something I want to do often, but I must say I really enjoyed that day, and I took a lot of notes.
One thing I found on monthly meal planning was to think of 20 meals that your family really enjoys eating, then write down all the ingredients you would need to make those, and there is your grocery list. So, while I sat there that day, that's what I did.
Since I try to stay gluten and sugar free, those are the recipes I listed. I had been using them for a while, so I know which ones the kids like and don't like. I have a little meal planning notebook I bought at Michael's that helped a lot (and it's always more fun when you have something cute to use for these things).
Recently, a few blogs I follow talked about freezer meals. I used to do that a lot, but hadn't in a while. I decided to try again.
I went to the Walmart grocery site, and ordered a month's worth of groceries. Then the next morning, very early before my kids are normally awake, I went to the store and picked them up (this is a great plus of your kiddos growing up, you can leave them asleep while you run errands. I had told them the night before I was doing this. They were FINE with that! 😁 )
Once home with my groceries, I spread it all out of the table, and got started. I had picked about five meals that we will have once a week or less, depending on what's going on that week. We have junk food night where I usually buy pizza or fast food hamburgers, and Sunday nights are more snacks. Lunches are usually left overs.
I won't kid you, it was a LOT of work. I fried, boiled, baked and mixed all day, from about 10 in the morning til 3 in the afternoon. It wasn't unpleasant, just hard. I also homeschooled while doing this, but again, my children are older and mostly work on their own. I was just there to put the passwords in the computers and answer questions where needed, like "If I read this whole book (the Jungle Book) can we watch the movie?" Answer: Yes.
I tried to wash dishes as I went. One bonus of cooking this way is you can just rinse pots, pans and mixing bowls and use them over and over.
I used my own pans and also bought a very cheap pack of aluminum pans at Walmart, 10 for $5. And yes, if we don't destroy them, I will wash them and reuse them.
I wrapped in cling wrap then in foil. I sure don't want my meals ruined because they become freezer burned.
The key is, just keep at it. Your back will hurt and you will get tired, but once you are done, you have a freezer full of good meals, you won't be tempted to run for take out, and you will likely eat healthier.
The only thing you have to do is remember to set your meal out to defrost in the fridge the night before!!
Showing posts with label managing a large family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label managing a large family. Show all posts
Thursday, September 5, 2019
Friday, March 7, 2014
Fleeting...
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever." Isaiah 40:8
Time is marching on. I will be 60 years old in a couple of months. I am finally acknowledging that I am indeed getting older. Am I elderly? I didn't like that idea, so I googled "elderly" the other day. According to the internet, I have five more years until I am considered such...that doesn't mean, though, that the young lady at McDonalds the other day didn't offered me the senior citizens discount. I firmly believe that senior citizen discounts should NOT be offered, they should be asked for. I guess it's vanity, but I would rather believe I still look too young for one of those. And the crummy thing was that, according to McDonalds, who caters to the very young set, I WAS eligible for it!
SIGH...
Which brings me to the reason I am writing this blog this early morning. It's not just me that is getting older and moving into a new stage of life. My children are moving right along with me. They are ALL growing up now. I've been a mom for 38 years. With birth, fostering and adopting, it's been rare that there has not been a baby in my house for most of those years. But now, there's not. And I'm thinking, the way my back feels and my bones ache, that likely, except for grandchildren, that part of my life is probably over. I hung onto it for about twenty years longer than most of my friends. I have loved raising children so much. And I'm not completely done yet. It's just that it seems the baby part is over.
My youngest child is six years old, and growing quickly. Recently, I have realized that having a child who thinks I can do no wrong, and is so dependent on me is fast coming to an end. It's funny what can bring you to that realization, although it has been at the back of my mind for a while.
We went to Legoland with our homeschool group. I don't take my children to places like that very often, so I decided to go ahead and spent the massive amount of money for seven of us to attend - mainly because we were getting a group discount, which barely made if affordable. Later, Angel-Leah grabbed my cell phone and went through the pictures, and then hotly declared that the only people I took pictures of were Mary Susannah, Cynthia and Tommy.
"Mary Susannah and Cynthia confiscated my phone and took pictures of themselves!" I defended myself. "And the rest of you ran away, and Tommy was the only one who wanted to hang out with me!"
And it hit me how true that was. Even Selah, who is only a year older than Tommy, spent her time with big sister Angel-Leah. I think, though, Legoland was too big and too loud for Tommy to feel like Luke could take care of him. So he opted to spend the day with me.
We took selfies on the airplane that I had to peddle like mad to keep up in the air:
And I caught him in a picture while he was trying to catch criminals:
It was a long day, but very fun. As Tommy said once when he could barely talk: "Me (Tommy) and Mommy, on a team!"
Yesterday, we pulled up in the parking lot of our homeschool co op. I walked around the back of the car and opened the hatch. Big and little kids grabbed their things and ran off to the door, leaving me standing there alone - except for Tommy. He stood chattering away, waiting for me. I smiled at him and remembered Legoland. Me and Tommy, on a team. We walked into the church building together. Later, at lunchtime, my kids ran to find their friends, not acknowledging me at all, except for Tommy, who also ran to sit with his friends, except that he glanced back, just making sure mommy was there. And I was.
I guess what this mommy, who was been mothering for nearly 40 years and has 12 children, wants to leave with you this morning is just this:
They grow up. Even when you have 12 children, eventually, the time of having little ones is going to end. Those sleepless nights, those clingy days when you get nothing done except rocking the baby, the messy house, the diapers, the nursing...
It ends. They get married. They go to college. They might even move off to Viet Nam.
And all you have is the memories.
And no one left to take selfies on the airplane with. In fact, you don't even get on the airplane anymore - unless your grandchild wants you too. Which is good, too!
Enjoy them. It so fleeting.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Time is marching on. I will be 60 years old in a couple of months. I am finally acknowledging that I am indeed getting older. Am I elderly? I didn't like that idea, so I googled "elderly" the other day. According to the internet, I have five more years until I am considered such...that doesn't mean, though, that the young lady at McDonalds the other day didn't offered me the senior citizens discount. I firmly believe that senior citizen discounts should NOT be offered, they should be asked for. I guess it's vanity, but I would rather believe I still look too young for one of those. And the crummy thing was that, according to McDonalds, who caters to the very young set, I WAS eligible for it!
SIGH...
Which brings me to the reason I am writing this blog this early morning. It's not just me that is getting older and moving into a new stage of life. My children are moving right along with me. They are ALL growing up now. I've been a mom for 38 years. With birth, fostering and adopting, it's been rare that there has not been a baby in my house for most of those years. But now, there's not. And I'm thinking, the way my back feels and my bones ache, that likely, except for grandchildren, that part of my life is probably over. I hung onto it for about twenty years longer than most of my friends. I have loved raising children so much. And I'm not completely done yet. It's just that it seems the baby part is over.
My youngest child is six years old, and growing quickly. Recently, I have realized that having a child who thinks I can do no wrong, and is so dependent on me is fast coming to an end. It's funny what can bring you to that realization, although it has been at the back of my mind for a while.
We went to Legoland with our homeschool group. I don't take my children to places like that very often, so I decided to go ahead and spent the massive amount of money for seven of us to attend - mainly because we were getting a group discount, which barely made if affordable. Later, Angel-Leah grabbed my cell phone and went through the pictures, and then hotly declared that the only people I took pictures of were Mary Susannah, Cynthia and Tommy.
"Mary Susannah and Cynthia confiscated my phone and took pictures of themselves!" I defended myself. "And the rest of you ran away, and Tommy was the only one who wanted to hang out with me!"
And it hit me how true that was. Even Selah, who is only a year older than Tommy, spent her time with big sister Angel-Leah. I think, though, Legoland was too big and too loud for Tommy to feel like Luke could take care of him. So he opted to spend the day with me.
We took selfies on the airplane that I had to peddle like mad to keep up in the air:
And I caught him in a picture while he was trying to catch criminals:
It was a long day, but very fun. As Tommy said once when he could barely talk: "Me (Tommy) and Mommy, on a team!"
Yesterday, we pulled up in the parking lot of our homeschool co op. I walked around the back of the car and opened the hatch. Big and little kids grabbed their things and ran off to the door, leaving me standing there alone - except for Tommy. He stood chattering away, waiting for me. I smiled at him and remembered Legoland. Me and Tommy, on a team. We walked into the church building together. Later, at lunchtime, my kids ran to find their friends, not acknowledging me at all, except for Tommy, who also ran to sit with his friends, except that he glanced back, just making sure mommy was there. And I was.
I guess what this mommy, who was been mothering for nearly 40 years and has 12 children, wants to leave with you this morning is just this:
They grow up. Even when you have 12 children, eventually, the time of having little ones is going to end. Those sleepless nights, those clingy days when you get nothing done except rocking the baby, the messy house, the diapers, the nursing...
It ends. They get married. They go to college. They might even move off to Viet Nam.
And all you have is the memories.
And no one left to take selfies on the airplane with. In fact, you don't even get on the airplane anymore - unless your grandchild wants you too. Which is good, too!
Enjoy them. It so fleeting.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Mom hints: What to do when kids drive you crazy!
A joyful heart is good medicine,
But a broken spirit dries up the bones.
Proverbs 17:22
As the mother of a large family, people will sometimes comment that I must have great patience. These are always people who might not know me well, because my children will be quick to tell you that one thing I do not possess is a great deal of patience. At least, no more than the average mom.
And while my children do give me great joy, they can also exasperate me sometimes. Sometimes more than a little bit.
In fact, sometimes, they can exasperate me a LOT!
I do try hard to be a good mom, so when these exasperations come, I spend a lot of time trying to think of a way to fix it.
And sometimes, I have brainstorms that work pretty well.
I had four sons in my 30's, to be exact, I had four sons in eight years. Growing up in a family of girls, these sons were a great mystery to me for a long time, and now that I have added two more sons to my brood, I still have trouble figuring out the male mind. Female minds ( I also claim six of those) I have no trouble figuring out. The only problem there is I have the same mind they do, so sometimes I'm a lot of help, and sometimes, I am part of the problem. But that's another story.
So while in the midst of raising these aforementioned four older sons, who eventually all became teenagers at the same time, I had to do a lot of exasperation solving thinking. And that brings me to a couple of my brainstorms.
My boys had a terrible time calling each other "nicknames" that would drive the nicknamed child up a wall, some of them more than others. Gage didn't mind too much, his nickname came from an older sister who nicknamed EVERYONE (she's got a son who knows no other name but Beatle) and she nicknamed Gage Dude. Max was next, and he was Fryguy to this big sister, and that didn't matter much, either. But then Gage nicknamed Max "Toad" and it really stuck. And Gage had fun with that once we got a computer, transforming pictures of a big ugly toad to have Max's head on it's shoulders. I still have one of those today. They were hilarious to everyone but Max.
Daddy (Bill) was responsible for Spencer's nickname of "Dancing Man" which came from a really cute picture he drew of himself "dancing in the dark" when he was about four years old. Then, for some unfathomable reason, Max began to call Spencer, "Daniel". All.The.Time. And as you guessed, that one did not go over well. Again, for some unfathomable reason I have never understood. Why would one male want to come to blows with another one just because he was called Daniel? It's a mystery - one of those boy ones.
Beau was called "Beaubeau the orangutang". Don't ask me why about that one either, but one of the boys would probably remember. Thankfully, Beau is the calmest, gentlest of my sons, and he answered to anything. Now that he's bigger than some of his brothers, that might change, but he lives in Colorado so they are safe.
Poor Mary Susannah was called "America" by her oldest big brother. Always. And it made her cry. One of those female mysteries. I think it had to do with lack of power to do anything about it. But it's hard to seriously get after a big brother when the tattle is "Mommy, he called me America again!!'
So I spent some time thinking, because this was becoming quite a problem and disturbing the peace of our house. And then I had a brainstorm!
They were welcome to call their sibling names, but if they did, they had to pay them a dollar for the privilege. It didn't matter if they "forgot" the rule. If you call your brother (or sister) a name, you had to give him a dollar.
If you can imagine, this really took the sting out of being called a name. One or two of the kids were getting rich, while others were running out of money and having to pay their debts by doing the offended siblings chores.
Max says Gage never did pay the money he owed him for calling him Toad all the time. Gage, you owe Max quite a bit. Now that you are a rich restauranteur and lawyer out there in Viet Nam, it's time to pay up. I imagine what you owe him will pay for his honeymoon in June!!
My second brainstorm came about because these same boys had a terrible habit of calling each other liars. Yes, these are my perfect children who did this. Now this could not go on, because I felt like this bordered on sin. So I sat them down one day and told them that as Christians, they had no choice but to give their sibling the benefit of a doubt. That from that moment on, they were not allowed to call each other liars, but instead, they had to say this sentence, and they had to say it exactly: "I am sorry, but I do believe you have made a mistake in saying that." I said if they did not say the exact sentence, or something very close, they would be punished. The wonderful thing about this is they usually could not get the whole sentence out before they were laughing.
To this day, a couple of them still do this. Recently, I made a very large - ummm - exaggeration while I was telling Max something. "Mom, that's the biggest mistake you've ever told!" He exclaimed.
Well, maybe it was...
So this brings us to today, and a whole new crop of kids. Once again, I have accumulated four kids in the space of just less than eight years. I have a girl 10, a boy 9, a girl 7 and a boy 6. No, that doesn't add up to eight years, and they didn't join our family in that age order, but that's how long it was from Luke's adoption to Selah's. And they can exasperate me and try my patience very well. But the main thing that is driving me crazy these days is the sentence: "What (name your item)?"
As in, in the space of about two minutes this morning - and yes, it was Selah, which will surprise no one who knows her, but they are all masters at this - as we tried to get ready for a homeschool meeting:
Me: "Selah, I put your clothes on the table. Go get dressed."
Selah: "What clothes?"
Shortly thereafter:
Me: "Selah, I saw your shoes in your room this morning. Go put them on."
Selah: "What shoes?"
Now if you don't have children, this may seem awfully minor. But it you do have children, you will understand what I mean. Multiply this by 50 times a day...
Me: "Tommy, go pick up your coat from in front of the door."
Tommy: "What coat?"
Me: "Luke, go get your shoes out from under the table."
Luke: "What shoes?"
Me: "Angel-Leah, pick your books up off the couch."
Angel-Leah: "What books?"
GAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH...........................
What shoes/books/clothes/coat do you think I mean??? I told you specifically what it was and where it was. YOUR coat, by the door. YOUR clothes, on the table. YOUR shoes, under the table. How can you ask me, what coat, what clothes, what shoes???
Literally, it is about to make me a raging maniac!
Oh, wait, I already am. You know how people always say, "I'd go crazy if I had 12 kids?" Well, I did go crazy, and most of the time, life is a lot more fun that way.
Except when they say, "What clothes...."
So as I gritted my teeth this morning, and willed myself to be calm, I had a brainstorm. I called them all together and told them exactly what they had been doing, and how and why it was making mommy insane. Because I had already explained to them exactly what to get, and exactly where it was. And to say "What (item)" was being lazy and procrastinating.
So from this moment on, I said, they were not allowed to ask me that question. I told them I realize sometimes I make mistakes, and maybe what I asked them to pick up WASN'T where I said it was. Or maybe it was Tommy's instead of Luke's, or Angel-Leah's instead of Selah's. In that case, they may question, but they have to say these whole two sentences: "I am sorry, mommy. I looked for my clothes where you told me to look, but they are not there."
I told them if they didn't and resorted back to "What clothes/shoes/coat/books," they must pay me a quarter to tell them again: the clothes/shoes/coat/books on the table/couch/by the door/ under the table. And that when I got enough quarters, I might buy myself a big bar of chocolate and eat it all myself as a reward for not losing my patience. Kind of like having to pay your brother a dollar for the privilege of calling him a name. It takes the sting out.
So next time you see me at the dollar store, counting out handfuls of quarters for that big bag of peanut M&M's, smile with me, because you know I deserve it!!
But a broken spirit dries up the bones.
Proverbs 17:22
As the mother of a large family, people will sometimes comment that I must have great patience. These are always people who might not know me well, because my children will be quick to tell you that one thing I do not possess is a great deal of patience. At least, no more than the average mom.
And while my children do give me great joy, they can also exasperate me sometimes. Sometimes more than a little bit.
In fact, sometimes, they can exasperate me a LOT!
I do try hard to be a good mom, so when these exasperations come, I spend a lot of time trying to think of a way to fix it.
And sometimes, I have brainstorms that work pretty well.
I had four sons in my 30's, to be exact, I had four sons in eight years. Growing up in a family of girls, these sons were a great mystery to me for a long time, and now that I have added two more sons to my brood, I still have trouble figuring out the male mind. Female minds ( I also claim six of those) I have no trouble figuring out. The only problem there is I have the same mind they do, so sometimes I'm a lot of help, and sometimes, I am part of the problem. But that's another story.
So while in the midst of raising these aforementioned four older sons, who eventually all became teenagers at the same time, I had to do a lot of exasperation solving thinking. And that brings me to a couple of my brainstorms.
My boys had a terrible time calling each other "nicknames" that would drive the nicknamed child up a wall, some of them more than others. Gage didn't mind too much, his nickname came from an older sister who nicknamed EVERYONE (she's got a son who knows no other name but Beatle) and she nicknamed Gage Dude. Max was next, and he was Fryguy to this big sister, and that didn't matter much, either. But then Gage nicknamed Max "Toad" and it really stuck. And Gage had fun with that once we got a computer, transforming pictures of a big ugly toad to have Max's head on it's shoulders. I still have one of those today. They were hilarious to everyone but Max.
Daddy (Bill) was responsible for Spencer's nickname of "Dancing Man" which came from a really cute picture he drew of himself "dancing in the dark" when he was about four years old. Then, for some unfathomable reason, Max began to call Spencer, "Daniel". All.The.Time. And as you guessed, that one did not go over well. Again, for some unfathomable reason I have never understood. Why would one male want to come to blows with another one just because he was called Daniel? It's a mystery - one of those boy ones.
Beau was called "Beaubeau the orangutang". Don't ask me why about that one either, but one of the boys would probably remember. Thankfully, Beau is the calmest, gentlest of my sons, and he answered to anything. Now that he's bigger than some of his brothers, that might change, but he lives in Colorado so they are safe.
Poor Mary Susannah was called "America" by her oldest big brother. Always. And it made her cry. One of those female mysteries. I think it had to do with lack of power to do anything about it. But it's hard to seriously get after a big brother when the tattle is "Mommy, he called me America again!!'
So I spent some time thinking, because this was becoming quite a problem and disturbing the peace of our house. And then I had a brainstorm!
They were welcome to call their sibling names, but if they did, they had to pay them a dollar for the privilege. It didn't matter if they "forgot" the rule. If you call your brother (or sister) a name, you had to give him a dollar.
If you can imagine, this really took the sting out of being called a name. One or two of the kids were getting rich, while others were running out of money and having to pay their debts by doing the offended siblings chores.
Max says Gage never did pay the money he owed him for calling him Toad all the time. Gage, you owe Max quite a bit. Now that you are a rich restauranteur and lawyer out there in Viet Nam, it's time to pay up. I imagine what you owe him will pay for his honeymoon in June!!
My second brainstorm came about because these same boys had a terrible habit of calling each other liars. Yes, these are my perfect children who did this. Now this could not go on, because I felt like this bordered on sin. So I sat them down one day and told them that as Christians, they had no choice but to give their sibling the benefit of a doubt. That from that moment on, they were not allowed to call each other liars, but instead, they had to say this sentence, and they had to say it exactly: "I am sorry, but I do believe you have made a mistake in saying that." I said if they did not say the exact sentence, or something very close, they would be punished. The wonderful thing about this is they usually could not get the whole sentence out before they were laughing.
To this day, a couple of them still do this. Recently, I made a very large - ummm - exaggeration while I was telling Max something. "Mom, that's the biggest mistake you've ever told!" He exclaimed.
Well, maybe it was...
So this brings us to today, and a whole new crop of kids. Once again, I have accumulated four kids in the space of just less than eight years. I have a girl 10, a boy 9, a girl 7 and a boy 6. No, that doesn't add up to eight years, and they didn't join our family in that age order, but that's how long it was from Luke's adoption to Selah's. And they can exasperate me and try my patience very well. But the main thing that is driving me crazy these days is the sentence: "What (name your item)?"
As in, in the space of about two minutes this morning - and yes, it was Selah, which will surprise no one who knows her, but they are all masters at this - as we tried to get ready for a homeschool meeting:
Me: "Selah, I put your clothes on the table. Go get dressed."
Selah: "What clothes?"
Shortly thereafter:
Me: "Selah, I saw your shoes in your room this morning. Go put them on."
Selah: "What shoes?"
Now if you don't have children, this may seem awfully minor. But it you do have children, you will understand what I mean. Multiply this by 50 times a day...
Me: "Tommy, go pick up your coat from in front of the door."
Tommy: "What coat?"
Me: "Luke, go get your shoes out from under the table."
Luke: "What shoes?"
Me: "Angel-Leah, pick your books up off the couch."
Angel-Leah: "What books?"
GAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH...........................
What shoes/books/clothes/coat do you think I mean??? I told you specifically what it was and where it was. YOUR coat, by the door. YOUR clothes, on the table. YOUR shoes, under the table. How can you ask me, what coat, what clothes, what shoes???
Literally, it is about to make me a raging maniac!
Oh, wait, I already am. You know how people always say, "I'd go crazy if I had 12 kids?" Well, I did go crazy, and most of the time, life is a lot more fun that way.
Except when they say, "What clothes...."
So as I gritted my teeth this morning, and willed myself to be calm, I had a brainstorm. I called them all together and told them exactly what they had been doing, and how and why it was making mommy insane. Because I had already explained to them exactly what to get, and exactly where it was. And to say "What (item)" was being lazy and procrastinating.
So from this moment on, I said, they were not allowed to ask me that question. I told them I realize sometimes I make mistakes, and maybe what I asked them to pick up WASN'T where I said it was. Or maybe it was Tommy's instead of Luke's, or Angel-Leah's instead of Selah's. In that case, they may question, but they have to say these whole two sentences: "I am sorry, mommy. I looked for my clothes where you told me to look, but they are not there."
I told them if they didn't and resorted back to "What clothes/shoes/coat/books," they must pay me a quarter to tell them again: the clothes/shoes/coat/books on the table/couch/by the door/ under the table. And that when I got enough quarters, I might buy myself a big bar of chocolate and eat it all myself as a reward for not losing my patience. Kind of like having to pay your brother a dollar for the privilege of calling him a name. It takes the sting out.
So next time you see me at the dollar store, counting out handfuls of quarters for that big bag of peanut M&M's, smile with me, because you know I deserve it!!
Thursday, June 20, 2013
"Rocking" our babies
Cleaning and scrubbing can wait til tomorrow
For babies grow up, I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs, and dust go to sleep
I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep.
This morning, I was awake around 6. I got up for a few minutes and bushed my teeth and did a few other things, then settled back into bed to do my Bible reading on my nook. Wasn't long, though, before Tommy came creeping down the stairs. Still not quite 7 in the morning, he crawled in under the covers and burrowed into my body. Soft breathing told me he had fallen back asleep.
I laid there and held him for a few minutes, and contemplated my day. There were quite a few things I wanted to get done before I took my newly adopted daughters (well, okay, it's been a few months, and I have procrastinated terribly...), Cynthia and Selah, to the Social Security office in Cleburne to get their names changed on their SS cards. The more I thought about all there was to do, the more I wanted to get up. I was getting hot and sweaty laying there. I started to try and move my arms out from under my sleeping son. His eyes slowly opened and he looked up at me, then his eyelids drifted slowly closed again and he snuggled closer.
And I remembered this poem.
And I thought, "I'm 'rocking' my baby. All those things I need to do can wait." I tossed the covers off my hot body but left them on Tommy, and I settled in to enjoy holding my little guy a little longer, because I've been a mommy long enough to know the truth in the line "babies grow up, I've learned to my sorrow."
We did finally leave the soft bed, and my day began in earnest. But I've thought about "rocking" our babies all day long. And I realize that the "rocking" should never end just because they have gotten too big to fit in our laps.
Tommy came to us a sick, sad little boy. One day shy of six months old when he moved in with us, I was his fourth mommy. He had attachment issues that we had to work through. He was a large baby and I'm a small mommy, but we could rock. And rock, we did, and it got us through those first few months, and helped us learn to love and trust each other:
Tommy wasn't the only baby I rocked. I've gone through a lot of rocking chairs in my 37 years of being a mother. I only wish I had more pictures on my computer to show them all...
Rocking carries on into the next generation, too. I always made up songs when I rocked my baby. Brillant song writer that I am, I sang lyrics such as, "Mommy loves her little baby. Mommy loves her little baby. Mommy loves her little baby. Oh how Mommy loves her baby."
Imagine my surprise as those first two babies grew up and had babies of their own, and one day, when baby number two, Celeste, was visiting, I heard her in the next room, rocking her baby and singing, "Mommy loves her little baby..."
"Hey, Celeste!" I called. "Where'd you learn THAT song??"
"Oh, mom!" she laughed. "It's just so mindless..."
Her babies grew up, too, and her oldest is leaving for college in a few weeks. Not much time left for 'rocking' now...
As I thought about rocking babies today, I thought: should our 'rocking' stop when they outgrow our laps? Just because they are big, does their need for 'rocking' stop?
I don't think so...
What are some ways we can 'rock' our older kids, even on up into the teen years, and beyond? Don't big kids need to feel love, too?
I remembered a lanky firstborn son who always waited until all his little brothers and sisters were in bed to come into my room and talk. He would pace and wave his arms as he told me the things he thought about during the day. I remember I would close the book I was reading to make sure my eyes did not travel back to the pages. He needed me to concentrate on what he was saying. It was my way of 'rocking' my big boy.
In fact, I remember another lanky teenage son who still laid on the end of my bed and listened as I read to his much younger siblings. And now that he is a grown man who lives only part time at our house, at the end of the day, when all the little ones are asleep, he comes to talk, too.
Angel-Leah, even at the age of nine and a good reader, wants to be read too. If I will read just a couple of chapters, it is the equivalent to 'rocking' her. Her love tank is filled up. Surely I can find time to do that for her?
Mary Susannah likes to stop at Starbucks. Other coffee shops won't do, there is something special about that one. A trip to the thrift shop where she can buy things for her hope chest are a thrill for her. I like to 'rock' her by doing that with her. I should do it more often. Maybe I will!
I only took Cynthia to the SS office today, and we stopped off at Braum's afterwards for ice cream. Just the two of us. And yes, I bought a large, the best way to 'rock' her!!
Take time, and 'rock' your babies.
Because they grow up, we've learned to our sorrow...
Yeah, there is always a goofball in the bunch...
In fact, sometimes there are a whole lot of goofballs...
But regardless, they grow up:
So quiet down, cobwebs, and dust go to sleep..
...while you lay in bed and cuddle a few more minutes, or make a trip to Starbucks, or read another book...
...because babies don't keep...
For babies grow up, I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs, and dust go to sleep
I'm rocking my baby, and babies don't keep.
This morning, I was awake around 6. I got up for a few minutes and bushed my teeth and did a few other things, then settled back into bed to do my Bible reading on my nook. Wasn't long, though, before Tommy came creeping down the stairs. Still not quite 7 in the morning, he crawled in under the covers and burrowed into my body. Soft breathing told me he had fallen back asleep.
I laid there and held him for a few minutes, and contemplated my day. There were quite a few things I wanted to get done before I took my newly adopted daughters (well, okay, it's been a few months, and I have procrastinated terribly...), Cynthia and Selah, to the Social Security office in Cleburne to get their names changed on their SS cards. The more I thought about all there was to do, the more I wanted to get up. I was getting hot and sweaty laying there. I started to try and move my arms out from under my sleeping son. His eyes slowly opened and he looked up at me, then his eyelids drifted slowly closed again and he snuggled closer.
And I remembered this poem.
And I thought, "I'm 'rocking' my baby. All those things I need to do can wait." I tossed the covers off my hot body but left them on Tommy, and I settled in to enjoy holding my little guy a little longer, because I've been a mommy long enough to know the truth in the line "babies grow up, I've learned to my sorrow."
We did finally leave the soft bed, and my day began in earnest. But I've thought about "rocking" our babies all day long. And I realize that the "rocking" should never end just because they have gotten too big to fit in our laps.
Tommy came to us a sick, sad little boy. One day shy of six months old when he moved in with us, I was his fourth mommy. He had attachment issues that we had to work through. He was a large baby and I'm a small mommy, but we could rock. And rock, we did, and it got us through those first few months, and helped us learn to love and trust each other:
Tommy wasn't the only baby I rocked. I've gone through a lot of rocking chairs in my 37 years of being a mother. I only wish I had more pictures on my computer to show them all...
Rocking carries on into the next generation, too. I always made up songs when I rocked my baby. Brillant song writer that I am, I sang lyrics such as, "Mommy loves her little baby. Mommy loves her little baby. Mommy loves her little baby. Oh how Mommy loves her baby."
Imagine my surprise as those first two babies grew up and had babies of their own, and one day, when baby number two, Celeste, was visiting, I heard her in the next room, rocking her baby and singing, "Mommy loves her little baby..."
"Hey, Celeste!" I called. "Where'd you learn THAT song??"
"Oh, mom!" she laughed. "It's just so mindless..."
Her babies grew up, too, and her oldest is leaving for college in a few weeks. Not much time left for 'rocking' now...
As I thought about rocking babies today, I thought: should our 'rocking' stop when they outgrow our laps? Just because they are big, does their need for 'rocking' stop?
I don't think so...
What are some ways we can 'rock' our older kids, even on up into the teen years, and beyond? Don't big kids need to feel love, too?
I remembered a lanky firstborn son who always waited until all his little brothers and sisters were in bed to come into my room and talk. He would pace and wave his arms as he told me the things he thought about during the day. I remember I would close the book I was reading to make sure my eyes did not travel back to the pages. He needed me to concentrate on what he was saying. It was my way of 'rocking' my big boy.
In fact, I remember another lanky teenage son who still laid on the end of my bed and listened as I read to his much younger siblings. And now that he is a grown man who lives only part time at our house, at the end of the day, when all the little ones are asleep, he comes to talk, too.
Angel-Leah, even at the age of nine and a good reader, wants to be read too. If I will read just a couple of chapters, it is the equivalent to 'rocking' her. Her love tank is filled up. Surely I can find time to do that for her?
Mary Susannah likes to stop at Starbucks. Other coffee shops won't do, there is something special about that one. A trip to the thrift shop where she can buy things for her hope chest are a thrill for her. I like to 'rock' her by doing that with her. I should do it more often. Maybe I will!
I only took Cynthia to the SS office today, and we stopped off at Braum's afterwards for ice cream. Just the two of us. And yes, I bought a large, the best way to 'rock' her!!
Take time, and 'rock' your babies.
Because they grow up, we've learned to our sorrow...
Yeah, there is always a goofball in the bunch...
In fact, sometimes there are a whole lot of goofballs...
But regardless, they grow up:
So quiet down, cobwebs, and dust go to sleep..
...while you lay in bed and cuddle a few more minutes, or make a trip to Starbucks, or read another book...
...because babies don't keep...
Monday, July 30, 2012
Feeding my family
Today will probably be grocery shopping day for me. It's the one job of caring for my large family that I just don't like much. I think one reason is because I am so torn...
I want to be frugal. I joined The Grocery Game to help me organize coupons and save money (check this site out, and if you join, remember to tell them that Carla Raley sent you!!). I try very hard to get a Sunday paper each week just for the coupons. I shop several stores to save money. I feel like getting the best deals is part of my job as a stay at home mom - making the most of the money my husband works hard for.
But sometimes I get discouraged. After getting yet another bad watermelon at the local farmers market, in fact, getting TWO bad watermelons, I found myself at Central Market yet again last week while I was in Fort Worth. I could live on watermelon during the summer. It's so hot, and watermelon is the perfect food, I think. I know when I get a watermelon at Central Market, it's going to be good. So I went, and with spending just a bit more than I did at the farmers market, I brought home a wonderful, sweet watermelon.
So I sometimes struggle between being frugal, and getting what I know will probably be more pricey, and yet be something my family will enjoy eating, rather than just eating.
And yes, I have tried and failed many times with a garden in my yard. I did plant watermelons in my herb garden this year, and I have a few actually growing out there. If they work, I'll try it again next summer with watermelons that will ripen earlier. It's just that I've never been able to get more than a few, and I want watermelon EVERY DAY!!
I am pretty good at not buying processed food, and have learned that once you have weaned yourself off it, it doesn't even taste good anymore. We make things from scratch in our house, which saves a bundle!
It's not hard for me to be both frugal and "green". I don't like chemicals, they scare me a bit, so it's easy to use baking soda and vinegar and soap nuts and essential oils to keep my house clean. I know that this also helps Tommy, and all of us for that matter.
It's easy for me to be frugal in the clothes department. I have found so many places to be frugal there. Thrift store shopping, online sales: I just got two dresses for my little girl at an online store I recently found: The Dashing Bee, I was very pleased with what I received.
I want to be frugal, but the kids want blizzards when we go out. I want to be not only frugal, but stick to Tommy's diet, but the snow cone stand makes memories. I want to be frugal, but I want to be fun, too.
Food is so important to happiness, don't you think? So I struggle. Town Talk, or Central Market? Thankfully, these two stores, which are at opposite ends of the spectrum, are both an hour away from me, so I don't have to make that choice often. Within decent driving distance is Aldi's and HEB, and those are my main stores. So this afternoon, I will sit for a while checking sales and gathering coupons, and trudge off again. Saving money is all a part of it, but a happy family is important too.
I would love to hear how any of you handle this!!
I want to be frugal. I joined The Grocery Game to help me organize coupons and save money (check this site out, and if you join, remember to tell them that Carla Raley sent you!!). I try very hard to get a Sunday paper each week just for the coupons. I shop several stores to save money. I feel like getting the best deals is part of my job as a stay at home mom - making the most of the money my husband works hard for.
But sometimes I get discouraged. After getting yet another bad watermelon at the local farmers market, in fact, getting TWO bad watermelons, I found myself at Central Market yet again last week while I was in Fort Worth. I could live on watermelon during the summer. It's so hot, and watermelon is the perfect food, I think. I know when I get a watermelon at Central Market, it's going to be good. So I went, and with spending just a bit more than I did at the farmers market, I brought home a wonderful, sweet watermelon.
So I sometimes struggle between being frugal, and getting what I know will probably be more pricey, and yet be something my family will enjoy eating, rather than just eating.
And yes, I have tried and failed many times with a garden in my yard. I did plant watermelons in my herb garden this year, and I have a few actually growing out there. If they work, I'll try it again next summer with watermelons that will ripen earlier. It's just that I've never been able to get more than a few, and I want watermelon EVERY DAY!!
I am pretty good at not buying processed food, and have learned that once you have weaned yourself off it, it doesn't even taste good anymore. We make things from scratch in our house, which saves a bundle!
It's not hard for me to be both frugal and "green". I don't like chemicals, they scare me a bit, so it's easy to use baking soda and vinegar and soap nuts and essential oils to keep my house clean. I know that this also helps Tommy, and all of us for that matter.
It's easy for me to be frugal in the clothes department. I have found so many places to be frugal there. Thrift store shopping, online sales: I just got two dresses for my little girl at an online store I recently found: The Dashing Bee, I was very pleased with what I received.
I want to be frugal, but the kids want blizzards when we go out. I want to be not only frugal, but stick to Tommy's diet, but the snow cone stand makes memories. I want to be frugal, but I want to be fun, too.
Food is so important to happiness, don't you think? So I struggle. Town Talk, or Central Market? Thankfully, these two stores, which are at opposite ends of the spectrum, are both an hour away from me, so I don't have to make that choice often. Within decent driving distance is Aldi's and HEB, and those are my main stores. So this afternoon, I will sit for a while checking sales and gathering coupons, and trudge off again. Saving money is all a part of it, but a happy family is important too.
I would love to hear how any of you handle this!!
Friday, July 6, 2012
Country Life - my heart's desire
Psalm 20:3-5 May He give you what your heart desires and fulfill your whole purpose.
I don't love EVERYTHING about the country life. Rattlesnakes bother me a lot. I had already had one experience in May, when one surprised me in the henhouse. You can read all about that HERE. That was quite enough, thank you very much, especially since we have lived in this house for ten years, and it was only the second time we have encountered one. I figured it should be at least ten more years before we had to do that again. So I was quite dismayed to hear the kids coming running in screaming earlier this week that there was one in the baby bunny cage.
Beau quickly came to the rescue with the .22, but not before the snake had struck two baby bunnies and they died an awful death. Poor little things. Why would even a snake want to harm something so sweet and cuddly?
Angel-Leah spent the rest of the evening in tears. But the dad of this house thought the rattlesnake would make a great snack: after all, they had tasted it at the rattlesnake round up. So he and Beau skinned the mean old baby bunny murderer (Beau is preserving the skin) and Bill took the rest inside to the stove and fried it right up. Gross. No I did NOT eat it - but I think Angel-Leah and I were the only ones who didn't...
Now, on to one thing I do love about living in the country...
Luke's two sisters are staying with us. If you remember, they were the ones we were asked to adopt, we said yes, went through the whole process to be licensed with the private agency , only to then be turned down by CPS. You can read that story HERE. Anyway, they are still allowed to come for visits with their brother, my son Luke. They will be with us for two weeks. We are having fun, and so glad they are here.
I also have three grandchildren staying with me for a few days. To say I have a houseful is an understatement. But hey, we live in the country and there is a LOT to do. Big sister loves to build, and she has quite a construction crew. They have been working on the tree house out in the chicken coop for days. Big sister is the president, which means she calls all the shots. Grandson Mikey is the vice president. Angel-Leah tells me she is the presidents servant, and Tommy is the mascot. Until today, Luke and Beetle were not in big sisters crew, they were going to make their own clubhouse. But after two days of watching how much better her work was going, they decided to join her. Little sister, however, is a different story. The work is hard. The boards are heavy. It's hot. She didn't know the rules. She didn't hear the other kids when they read them to her. She stood on the boards while they tried to build. She didn't know she was standing on the boards She didn't know she was supposed to say sorry when she did something wrong. She didn't know that when you DO say you are sorry, you aren't supposed to roll your eyes. It goes on and on. So she is regularly kicked out of the club. Today, "I" made the rule that each day is a new start, and she can try over. I think she lasted a total of three minutes before she was kicked out again...
This club has a password. Before you enter, you must tell President Big Sister the password. Here is mascot Tommy whispering it to President Big Sister:
Here's Angel-Leah working hard. I wonder why she doesn't work so hard when it's time to clean her room? At least it's air conditioned there! That's grandson Beetle chilling on the bike, and little sister wishing she hadn't broken the rules:
The rules are posted on the front of the clubhouse. There is a zero tolerance law for breaking them, it seems:
When we found the first snake, Bill spent much time cleaning the chicken pen. He picked up all the boards, cut down brush and low hanging limbs, raked grass and threw away broken toys. It was amazing the work he did. It made hunting eggs back there so much nicer and so much less scary. Unfortunately, the chicken pen is back to being a construction site, and things are messy again:
But honestly, I don't care. I have ten kids over here, and the beauty of living in the country is that they never run out of things to do. It's a wonderful place to raise children and have grandchildren over to play. I am so blessed to have this messy little place.
I don't love EVERYTHING about the country life. Rattlesnakes bother me a lot. I had already had one experience in May, when one surprised me in the henhouse. You can read all about that HERE. That was quite enough, thank you very much, especially since we have lived in this house for ten years, and it was only the second time we have encountered one. I figured it should be at least ten more years before we had to do that again. So I was quite dismayed to hear the kids coming running in screaming earlier this week that there was one in the baby bunny cage.
Beau quickly came to the rescue with the .22, but not before the snake had struck two baby bunnies and they died an awful death. Poor little things. Why would even a snake want to harm something so sweet and cuddly?
Angel-Leah spent the rest of the evening in tears. But the dad of this house thought the rattlesnake would make a great snack: after all, they had tasted it at the rattlesnake round up. So he and Beau skinned the mean old baby bunny murderer (Beau is preserving the skin) and Bill took the rest inside to the stove and fried it right up. Gross. No I did NOT eat it - but I think Angel-Leah and I were the only ones who didn't...
Now, on to one thing I do love about living in the country...
Luke's two sisters are staying with us. If you remember, they were the ones we were asked to adopt, we said yes, went through the whole process to be licensed with the private agency , only to then be turned down by CPS. You can read that story HERE. Anyway, they are still allowed to come for visits with their brother, my son Luke. They will be with us for two weeks. We are having fun, and so glad they are here.
I also have three grandchildren staying with me for a few days. To say I have a houseful is an understatement. But hey, we live in the country and there is a LOT to do. Big sister loves to build, and she has quite a construction crew. They have been working on the tree house out in the chicken coop for days. Big sister is the president, which means she calls all the shots. Grandson Mikey is the vice president. Angel-Leah tells me she is the presidents servant, and Tommy is the mascot. Until today, Luke and Beetle were not in big sisters crew, they were going to make their own clubhouse. But after two days of watching how much better her work was going, they decided to join her. Little sister, however, is a different story. The work is hard. The boards are heavy. It's hot. She didn't know the rules. She didn't hear the other kids when they read them to her. She stood on the boards while they tried to build. She didn't know she was standing on the boards She didn't know she was supposed to say sorry when she did something wrong. She didn't know that when you DO say you are sorry, you aren't supposed to roll your eyes. It goes on and on. So she is regularly kicked out of the club. Today, "I" made the rule that each day is a new start, and she can try over. I think she lasted a total of three minutes before she was kicked out again...
This club has a password. Before you enter, you must tell President Big Sister the password. Here is mascot Tommy whispering it to President Big Sister:
Here's Angel-Leah working hard. I wonder why she doesn't work so hard when it's time to clean her room? At least it's air conditioned there! That's grandson Beetle chilling on the bike, and little sister wishing she hadn't broken the rules:
The rules are posted on the front of the clubhouse. There is a zero tolerance law for breaking them, it seems:
When we found the first snake, Bill spent much time cleaning the chicken pen. He picked up all the boards, cut down brush and low hanging limbs, raked grass and threw away broken toys. It was amazing the work he did. It made hunting eggs back there so much nicer and so much less scary. Unfortunately, the chicken pen is back to being a construction site, and things are messy again:
But honestly, I don't care. I have ten kids over here, and the beauty of living in the country is that they never run out of things to do. It's a wonderful place to raise children and have grandchildren over to play. I am so blessed to have this messy little place.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Even more good things!
The first of the month is always my really big grocery shopping trip. Mainly because it's the pay period where I have the most money, but also because - I confess - I HATE grocery shopping. It's been a lot easier on me lately, though, because all of the children have decided they don't really like this chore either, so they have been opting to stay home, and I get to go alone. When you are a stay at home, homeschooling mommy of ten children, even going to the store alone can seem like a mini vacation. And more important, without little (and sometimes) big voices begging me "buy this!! buy that!!", it is a much calmer experience to go alone. I can actually think about what I'm doing.
I have been making an effort lately to use coupons again, to search out the deals, to buy as much on sale as possible, and to buy in bulk. With that in mind, I first checked out The grocery game
If you look at the bottom of this blog, you will see a widget for it. And if you decide to try this site out, please give me as a reference. If I get three people, I get a month free!! This site lets you pick a store in your area, and it tells you what the best deal is each week. It's a way of stocking up on sale items. Try it out, there is a trail period for $1. It's easy to understand!
So off I went with my coupons, to Aldi's, HEB, and CVS. I shopped for three hours, I think. Then I lugged it all back home. One advantage to having a large family is that they can carry bags in from the car for you, and help put up the groceries!!
That done, I set to work. I have been scouring websites for "freezer crock pot meals". I love this idea: you put the meal, seasonings, chopped vegetables, and whatever else all together in a zip lock baggie. Then all you have to do is dump it all in the crock pot when you are ready to cook it. Someone suggested to me that it really isn't that hard to just put it together when the time comes in the first place, and that's very true. My problem is that most of the veggies get shoved to the back of the fridge in favor of the things the kids like to eat, and by the time I'm ready to make my crock pot meal, maybe two or three weeks into the month, they are too rotten for anything but the chickens. So this way, I chop them the day I buy them, put them in a freezer bag with the meat, and it's still good when I am ready for that particular meal!
Here's a peek in a bag of chicken breasts:
Then I went to work on breakfast. I made banana pops (found the recipe on Pinterest): just cut a banana in half, stick in a Popsicle stick, then roll it in yogurt (I used organic vanilla), granola, and chocolate chips:
These are GOOD!! I'm eating more of them than the kids! I let them have these at snack time, too.
Next, I made breakfast ice cream - another Pinterest recipe. I put pineapple, several strawberries and about four banana's in the blender. Once it was blended well, I put it in individual containers in the fridge. Luke "gikes" it! (Ok, he's too big to say "gike" anymore, but it's still one of my favorite of his mispronunciations when he was a little guy!):
Next, I put together salad. If you haven't seen THIS blog, go check it out!! It's great! It taught me to chop up my salad, and then vacuum seal it. This lady uses a jar, but I opted for vacuum bags instead. Beau wants salad every day in his lunch box, so now it's all cut up and ready for him. Mary Susannah loves this too. Since broccoli/cauliflower salad is a favorite of mine, I tried chopping and sealing it this time, too:
Once all the food was done, since I was in the mood, I decided to make some bath salts. My children play outside all day and get eaten up with insect bites, so I made some "itchy" salts. I used epsom salts, layered it with dry milk and baking soda, and sprinkled tea tree oil, lavender and a blend of herb that is good for bites, among other things, on each of the layers. I mixed it all up and put a tight top on it.
I also made a calming blend, with the same epsom salts, dry milk, and baking soda, and I added lavender alone to this one. It's my favorite. Mary Susannah says I would make the whole world smell like lavender if I had my wish. Hey - anything calming is my friend!
For two weeks, we have Luke's biological half sisters (the ones we wanted to adopt, but were turned down for being too religious for) staying with us. Some grand kids are here right now, too. It's been great having a freezer full of food just ready to pull out and fix for them. Two days ago, two big sons and a big grandson also showed up at mealtime, and I just threw some cooked and frozen meatballs in a pan, poured barbecue sauce over them and stuck them in the oven, along with some already cooked and frozen barbecue chicken, and tater tots casserole left over from the might before. We also had some left over macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes to heat up. It was a stress free, quick way to feed 13 people - a big part of them teenagers - on the spur of the moment!
Try it, it's great!!
I have been making an effort lately to use coupons again, to search out the deals, to buy as much on sale as possible, and to buy in bulk. With that in mind, I first checked out The grocery game
If you look at the bottom of this blog, you will see a widget for it. And if you decide to try this site out, please give me as a reference. If I get three people, I get a month free!! This site lets you pick a store in your area, and it tells you what the best deal is each week. It's a way of stocking up on sale items. Try it out, there is a trail period for $1. It's easy to understand!
So off I went with my coupons, to Aldi's, HEB, and CVS. I shopped for three hours, I think. Then I lugged it all back home. One advantage to having a large family is that they can carry bags in from the car for you, and help put up the groceries!!
That done, I set to work. I have been scouring websites for "freezer crock pot meals". I love this idea: you put the meal, seasonings, chopped vegetables, and whatever else all together in a zip lock baggie. Then all you have to do is dump it all in the crock pot when you are ready to cook it. Someone suggested to me that it really isn't that hard to just put it together when the time comes in the first place, and that's very true. My problem is that most of the veggies get shoved to the back of the fridge in favor of the things the kids like to eat, and by the time I'm ready to make my crock pot meal, maybe two or three weeks into the month, they are too rotten for anything but the chickens. So this way, I chop them the day I buy them, put them in a freezer bag with the meat, and it's still good when I am ready for that particular meal!
Here's a peek in a bag of chicken breasts:
Then I went to work on breakfast. I made banana pops (found the recipe on Pinterest): just cut a banana in half, stick in a Popsicle stick, then roll it in yogurt (I used organic vanilla), granola, and chocolate chips:
These are GOOD!! I'm eating more of them than the kids! I let them have these at snack time, too.
Next, I made breakfast ice cream - another Pinterest recipe. I put pineapple, several strawberries and about four banana's in the blender. Once it was blended well, I put it in individual containers in the fridge. Luke "gikes" it! (Ok, he's too big to say "gike" anymore, but it's still one of my favorite of his mispronunciations when he was a little guy!):
Next, I put together salad. If you haven't seen THIS blog, go check it out!! It's great! It taught me to chop up my salad, and then vacuum seal it. This lady uses a jar, but I opted for vacuum bags instead. Beau wants salad every day in his lunch box, so now it's all cut up and ready for him. Mary Susannah loves this too. Since broccoli/cauliflower salad is a favorite of mine, I tried chopping and sealing it this time, too:
Once all the food was done, since I was in the mood, I decided to make some bath salts. My children play outside all day and get eaten up with insect bites, so I made some "itchy" salts. I used epsom salts, layered it with dry milk and baking soda, and sprinkled tea tree oil, lavender and a blend of herb that is good for bites, among other things, on each of the layers. I mixed it all up and put a tight top on it.
I also made a calming blend, with the same epsom salts, dry milk, and baking soda, and I added lavender alone to this one. It's my favorite. Mary Susannah says I would make the whole world smell like lavender if I had my wish. Hey - anything calming is my friend!
For two weeks, we have Luke's biological half sisters (the ones we wanted to adopt, but were turned down for being too religious for) staying with us. Some grand kids are here right now, too. It's been great having a freezer full of food just ready to pull out and fix for them. Two days ago, two big sons and a big grandson also showed up at mealtime, and I just threw some cooked and frozen meatballs in a pan, poured barbecue sauce over them and stuck them in the oven, along with some already cooked and frozen barbecue chicken, and tater tots casserole left over from the might before. We also had some left over macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes to heat up. It was a stress free, quick way to feed 13 people - a big part of them teenagers - on the spur of the moment!
Try it, it's great!!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Bluebonnet time
One of my favorite things about our house happens in March and April, when the bluebonnets come out. They are profuse here, and it's a ritual to take pictures in them. Sometimes we do a lot of pictures with lots of people if I can get them over here during the very few weeks they are at their peak. This year, so far, I've only gotten pictures of my four youngest children.
And I had to bribe Mary Susannah to get her to take them. She is so much better at it than I am.
And by the way, Mary Susannah does take bribes - in other words, she would love to do this as a job. She is very good if anyone would like pictures made!! Just give us a call. Here's some examples for you:
Smelling the flowers. Bluebonnets do smell good!!
Much more typical of these guys!
Luke in a rare, quiet pose...
And my beautiful Angel-Leah
I had a hard time deciding which picture of Tommy to put on here. I finally chose this one, just one, because I didn't want to overload you!! :o)
And Mary Susannah can even use her timer to take pictures of herself! Isn't this a good one?
I'm such a blessed momma!!
And I had to bribe Mary Susannah to get her to take them. She is so much better at it than I am.
And by the way, Mary Susannah does take bribes - in other words, she would love to do this as a job. She is very good if anyone would like pictures made!! Just give us a call. Here's some examples for you:
Smelling the flowers. Bluebonnets do smell good!!
Much more typical of these guys!
Luke in a rare, quiet pose...
And my beautiful Angel-Leah
I had a hard time deciding which picture of Tommy to put on here. I finally chose this one, just one, because I didn't want to overload you!! :o)
And Mary Susannah can even use her timer to take pictures of herself! Isn't this a good one?
I'm such a blessed momma!!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Spring must be here!
I enjoy my little farm so very much, but I don't have a lot of success at it. My fences always break down. The animals people tell me will make me rich, like peacocks, really just drain money. Even when I get rabbits, which are supposed to be prolific, they don't have babies for me. At least, that's how it usually is.
So imagine my surprise when I went to feed the rabbits a couple of days ago, and found a baby bunny on the ground outside the cage...
To back up, I have had these rabbits for a while, and they have never produced. I've kept the male and females apart, I've kept the males and females together. No matter what I do, no babies. What was all this nonsense about rabbits have many, many litters a year, anyway?
So I recently decided that I would try pasturing the rabbits, like my favorite farmer, Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm does. I rigged up what we had here on hand, and I put the two females and one male out on a big patch of lush grass near the house.
Like many of my other endevours, that ended in disaster when somehow, someway, the male got out of his cage, how I still don't know since it all seemed intact. My dog got him. By the time I found what had happened, daddy rabbit was nothing more than a patch of fur. I was quite disappointed.
So I put the females back into their large cage, and just figured they would be nothing more than fertilizer producers for me...
...until I found the baby bunny. Daddy bunny must have decide to leave a legacy after all!
I climbed into the large cage, no small feat for a short old lady when the cage is so high off the ground, and peered into a very large box we keep in there. Oh, my, there were a LOT of babies in there! Eight in all. And so far back, no wonder I didn't know! These babies looked to be three or so weeks old.
My children are estatic!!
(Please excuse the mess behind them. That area belongs to THEM - it's where they are allowed to drag any treasures they find and build clubhouses or whatever they feel like creating)
And I'm having fun, too. I just love this! I am not looking forward to the day when my kiddos all get so big I don't have anyone to be excited with me!
Now we are looking forward to Lacy, our Pyrenees, having her puppies, which will happen any day now. Here she is, along with one of Angel-Leah's cats, getting a look at the bunnies, too. She's not really licking her lips, is she? Guess daddy bunny gave her a liking for rabbit?
This is why I don't let the kids open the door on their own. Lacy is just waiting and ready for a chance to get in there!!
So...we have baby rabbits, puppies on the way any minute, and our chicks are growing well:
We also have a bunch of hens that still haven't realized it's spring and they are supposed to be laying...
They better get on the ball soon, because I have lots of space in my freezer!
So imagine my surprise when I went to feed the rabbits a couple of days ago, and found a baby bunny on the ground outside the cage...
To back up, I have had these rabbits for a while, and they have never produced. I've kept the male and females apart, I've kept the males and females together. No matter what I do, no babies. What was all this nonsense about rabbits have many, many litters a year, anyway?
So I recently decided that I would try pasturing the rabbits, like my favorite farmer, Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm does. I rigged up what we had here on hand, and I put the two females and one male out on a big patch of lush grass near the house.
Like many of my other endevours, that ended in disaster when somehow, someway, the male got out of his cage, how I still don't know since it all seemed intact. My dog got him. By the time I found what had happened, daddy rabbit was nothing more than a patch of fur. I was quite disappointed.
So I put the females back into their large cage, and just figured they would be nothing more than fertilizer producers for me...
...until I found the baby bunny. Daddy bunny must have decide to leave a legacy after all!
I climbed into the large cage, no small feat for a short old lady when the cage is so high off the ground, and peered into a very large box we keep in there. Oh, my, there were a LOT of babies in there! Eight in all. And so far back, no wonder I didn't know! These babies looked to be three or so weeks old.
My children are estatic!!
(Please excuse the mess behind them. That area belongs to THEM - it's where they are allowed to drag any treasures they find and build clubhouses or whatever they feel like creating)
And I'm having fun, too. I just love this! I am not looking forward to the day when my kiddos all get so big I don't have anyone to be excited with me!
Now we are looking forward to Lacy, our Pyrenees, having her puppies, which will happen any day now. Here she is, along with one of Angel-Leah's cats, getting a look at the bunnies, too. She's not really licking her lips, is she? Guess daddy bunny gave her a liking for rabbit?
This is why I don't let the kids open the door on their own. Lacy is just waiting and ready for a chance to get in there!!
So...we have baby rabbits, puppies on the way any minute, and our chicks are growing well:
We also have a bunch of hens that still haven't realized it's spring and they are supposed to be laying...
They better get on the ball soon, because I have lots of space in my freezer!
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Questionable music and our children
As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Proverbs 23:7
A few days ago, a homeschooling friend of mine came over to my house. Like me, she sort of has two families: older grown children, and a younger child - a daughter about the age of my Mary Susannah. Somehow music was brought up, and we both agreed that we had changed so much in that area as we grew in the Lord. Music we enjoyed as unsaved teenagers and young adults did not appeal to us anymore. In fact, we were both grieved at the lyrics of music, both then and now.
In fact, one day a few years ago, I was at the grocery store with Mary Susannah, who may have been six or seven years old at the time. As we bought groceries, Billy Joel's song "Piano Man" came over the loudspeaker. In my old life, I had loved that song, and soon found myself quietly singing along as I bought groceries. After a minute, Mary Susannah looked at me with her pure, innocent eyes, and asked, "Momma, what's that song about?" I looked down at her in horror! What was I supposed to tell her? "Well honey, it's about a piano player in a bar singing to a bunch of drunks..." I told her it was not a nice song, and I was sorry I sang it. Then I prayed quietly in my mind, and asked God's forgiveness, too.
When I was a young teenager, my father gave my sisters and I an allowance on Saturdays. I would usually take that money straight to the store and buy a 45 record. But my father forbid me to buy the Beach Boys song "Fun, Fun, Fun". He told me "All that song is about is a young girl disobeying her father." I rolled my eyes and thought he was silly. But now, as an older mother, I think he was very, very wise.
I heard a man in church once ask if we really meant the words to the songs we sang. He was talking about hymns: are we really as passionate about God as the words we sing would suggest?
I would ask that same question in another way: as we sing those impure songs about lust, drinking, young people disobeying their parents and other sins, are we enjoying them in our hearts? Jesus tells us Matthew 5 that if we even look at a person and lust, we have already committed adultery in our hearts. He says it's better to gouge out our eyes than go to hell. So what if we are singing about it? Would that not be the same thing?
Proverbs 6:27 says "Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
A few days ago, a homeschooling friend of mine came over to my house. Like me, she sort of has two families: older grown children, and a younger child - a daughter about the age of my Mary Susannah. Somehow music was brought up, and we both agreed that we had changed so much in that area as we grew in the Lord. Music we enjoyed as unsaved teenagers and young adults did not appeal to us anymore. In fact, we were both grieved at the lyrics of music, both then and now.
In fact, one day a few years ago, I was at the grocery store with Mary Susannah, who may have been six or seven years old at the time. As we bought groceries, Billy Joel's song "Piano Man" came over the loudspeaker. In my old life, I had loved that song, and soon found myself quietly singing along as I bought groceries. After a minute, Mary Susannah looked at me with her pure, innocent eyes, and asked, "Momma, what's that song about?" I looked down at her in horror! What was I supposed to tell her? "Well honey, it's about a piano player in a bar singing to a bunch of drunks..." I told her it was not a nice song, and I was sorry I sang it. Then I prayed quietly in my mind, and asked God's forgiveness, too.
When I was a young teenager, my father gave my sisters and I an allowance on Saturdays. I would usually take that money straight to the store and buy a 45 record. But my father forbid me to buy the Beach Boys song "Fun, Fun, Fun". He told me "All that song is about is a young girl disobeying her father." I rolled my eyes and thought he was silly. But now, as an older mother, I think he was very, very wise.
I heard a man in church once ask if we really meant the words to the songs we sang. He was talking about hymns: are we really as passionate about God as the words we sing would suggest?
I would ask that same question in another way: as we sing those impure songs about lust, drinking, young people disobeying their parents and other sins, are we enjoying them in our hearts? Jesus tells us Matthew 5 that if we even look at a person and lust, we have already committed adultery in our hearts. He says it's better to gouge out our eyes than go to hell. So what if we are singing about it? Would that not be the same thing?
Proverbs 6:27 says "Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
Can we listen to and sing along with impure music day after day, and not be changed by it?
What about the young children who are listening to that music with us? Can they listen to, and sing along with music that tells them to disobey their parents, to grow up wild, to let a young man hold them through the night, and still be pure and moral as they grow to adulthood? Can we plant seeds like that in their impressionable hearts and minds and not expect to reap a harvest from it?
Matthew 18:6 " But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea."
I have such a burden for little children and their parents today. I wish I could make them understand how important it is to keep their own minds, and the minds of their small charges clean and pure. There are so many beautiful songs in this world. There are the old hymns, and even the newer contemporary Christian music. Why would we expose our little children to music that sings impurity to them?
Hebrews 12:14
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Busy Day!
My day started out at 5:30 this morning. Bill, Mary Susannah, Spencer and Beau got up that early to head off to Red River for skiing, although it was more like 7 before they finally left. I got up with them and hopped in the tub to start my day because I knew the post office would be calling me around 6:30 to come get the very noisy baby chicks I had ordered. As cute as they are, the employees there seem very anxious to get them gone!! And sure enough, the call soon came.
I waited for Bill and the kids to take off so we could wave goodbye, then the rest of us headed for the post office. Grandson Jayden (aka Beatle) is spending several days with us, and he got to come along for this wonderful event! We soon had the chicks home, unloaded from the box and after much cuddling, had them set up in the "chick nursery":
I had ordered forty chicks, and got 42, so I will forgive the company for sending me one with no eyes...
That one has lovingly been placed in a bird cage, andhas had much water spilled on him has been faithfully cared for by Tommy this late afternoon. I don't have much hope for the little guy, but who knows?
We then loaded back up in the car, and headed off to meet our homeschool group at the Waco zoo:
I've been going to the Fort Worth zoo all my life, and have bought many yearly passes over the years of homeschooling my children, but I had never been to the Waco zoo. The two zoos are about the same distance from my house in completely opposite directions. The Fort Worth zoo is much larger and fancier and more expensive, but this little Waco zoo has a lot going for it too, the first being much cheaper, and you don't have to pay for parking.
The kids had a wonderful time looking at the animals:
Can you see the alligator in the left hand corner, and the vultures on top of the rocks?
The thing I liked best about this zoo is that there are playgrounds scattered throughout, instead of just at the end like the Fort Worth zoo. It was wonderful to let the kids play while tired old mommies sat for a while, and took pictures. This one was at the end, and the kids favorite by far:
Doesn't it look like the horse is screaming because Tommy is choking it? I didn't notice it until I downloaded the pictures!
Luke and Beatle LOVED these rope swings. The picture doesn't do justice to seeing them swing on them.
This thing was really fun. The different squares played different music notes.
I was quite tired by the time we finished making the path of the zoo. It took a little over two hours, and my back was about done. The kids thought they would die of hunger - all the little shops were closed for the winter. So we headed back for the car and looked for somewhere to eat in Waco - after I followed the GPS's advice and went down a one way street the wrong way. It's always good to pay attention and not just trust the GPS, something tired mommies are prone to do. I got turned around before anyone saw me, though, and we headed back in the wrong direction to go home, but the right direction according to the one way sign on the road. Soon we were back on the highway and trying to find a place to eat in an unfamiliar town. Beatle knew he had seen a What a Burger on the way there. Luke wanted McDonalds, and Angel-Leah wanted Wendy's. All I wanted was something to drink...
So we went to Jack In the Box, Beatle's second choice. My kids had not been to Jack in Box before, so that was fun!
I think by this point, Luke was kind of tired of getting his picture made, but still willing. It's just looking a little strained...
So, that was most of our day...after that, we came home and I got half to sleep before son Max called and said he was leaving work and for me to meet him if I wanted him to take Beatle back home.
So up off the couch I got, got the kiddos BACK in the car, went to the feed store and got baby chick feed, went to our preacher's store behind his house to meet Max and pick up frozen chicken legs a lady from church got for us at Town Talk in Fort Worth (don't worry, all my grown children, you don't have to eat it). Back home with my sore back, I got the 50 pound bag of chicken feed out of my car with Luke's help. We put that up, moved my new chicken tractor my husband made me that has 15 hens in it (blog about that coming up when the rest of them are finished) got the blind chick settled in his new home, came in and started this blog, had a visit from Rose (see stories from a while back about Rose, she ends up getting our meaner animals, like the goose that chased Tommy and our buck that chased me) and now I am finishing this up. I think we are going to have smoothies and bread with Feta cheese for supper. I have four days of not having to make meals for big people!
And thanks to son Gage for leaving his camera behind when he went off to Japan. I'm...uh...borrowing it, okay?
I waited for Bill and the kids to take off so we could wave goodbye, then the rest of us headed for the post office. Grandson Jayden (aka Beatle) is spending several days with us, and he got to come along for this wonderful event! We soon had the chicks home, unloaded from the box and after much cuddling, had them set up in the "chick nursery":
I had ordered forty chicks, and got 42, so I will forgive the company for sending me one with no eyes...
That one has lovingly been placed in a bird cage, and
We then loaded back up in the car, and headed off to meet our homeschool group at the Waco zoo:
I've been going to the Fort Worth zoo all my life, and have bought many yearly passes over the years of homeschooling my children, but I had never been to the Waco zoo. The two zoos are about the same distance from my house in completely opposite directions. The Fort Worth zoo is much larger and fancier and more expensive, but this little Waco zoo has a lot going for it too, the first being much cheaper, and you don't have to pay for parking.
The kids had a wonderful time looking at the animals:
Can you see the alligator in the left hand corner, and the vultures on top of the rocks?
The thing I liked best about this zoo is that there are playgrounds scattered throughout, instead of just at the end like the Fort Worth zoo. It was wonderful to let the kids play while tired old mommies sat for a while, and took pictures. This one was at the end, and the kids favorite by far:
Doesn't it look like the horse is screaming because Tommy is choking it? I didn't notice it until I downloaded the pictures!
Luke and Beatle LOVED these rope swings. The picture doesn't do justice to seeing them swing on them.
This thing was really fun. The different squares played different music notes.
I was quite tired by the time we finished making the path of the zoo. It took a little over two hours, and my back was about done. The kids thought they would die of hunger - all the little shops were closed for the winter. So we headed back for the car and looked for somewhere to eat in Waco - after I followed the GPS's advice and went down a one way street the wrong way. It's always good to pay attention and not just trust the GPS, something tired mommies are prone to do. I got turned around before anyone saw me, though, and we headed back in the wrong direction to go home, but the right direction according to the one way sign on the road. Soon we were back on the highway and trying to find a place to eat in an unfamiliar town. Beatle knew he had seen a What a Burger on the way there. Luke wanted McDonalds, and Angel-Leah wanted Wendy's. All I wanted was something to drink...
So we went to Jack In the Box, Beatle's second choice. My kids had not been to Jack in Box before, so that was fun!
I think by this point, Luke was kind of tired of getting his picture made, but still willing. It's just looking a little strained...
So, that was most of our day...after that, we came home and I got half to sleep before son Max called and said he was leaving work and for me to meet him if I wanted him to take Beatle back home.
So up off the couch I got, got the kiddos BACK in the car, went to the feed store and got baby chick feed, went to our preacher's store behind his house to meet Max and pick up frozen chicken legs a lady from church got for us at Town Talk in Fort Worth (don't worry, all my grown children, you don't have to eat it). Back home with my sore back, I got the 50 pound bag of chicken feed out of my car with Luke's help. We put that up, moved my new chicken tractor my husband made me that has 15 hens in it (blog about that coming up when the rest of them are finished) got the blind chick settled in his new home, came in and started this blog, had a visit from Rose (see stories from a while back about Rose, she ends up getting our meaner animals, like the goose that chased Tommy and our buck that chased me) and now I am finishing this up. I think we are going to have smoothies and bread with Feta cheese for supper. I have four days of not having to make meals for big people!
And thanks to son Gage for leaving his camera behind when he went off to Japan. I'm...uh...borrowing it, okay?
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Facebook VS Using Our Time Wisely
I admit it: I kind of like facebook. In the beginning, I got a facebook page because I wanted to keep up with my grandchildren, and also see what the kids that my own kids were hanging out with were doing. Not that I really let my kids "hang out", but they do have friends and many of them had facebook pages. You can get quite a glimpse into people's character by looking at their facebook page.
But before long, I had found a whole slew of people I didn't expect to find. Old church friends from YEARS back. Old school friends. People who used to go to church with me, but moved. Homeschooling friends Old email friends who had left the email groups. Grown sons who moved off to Japan...well, okay, it wasn't a surprise to find him...
I learned it was a goal of some people to see just how many friends they could accumulate on facebook. That wasn't something I wanted to do, I wanted my facebook friends to be mostly people I really cared about.
So yesterday, when someone said to me, "I don't do facebook. I don't have time for that." I just smiled. I knew in a way it was either a rebuke, or a superior attitude. But it also got me thinking...Do "I" really have time for facebook? Am I letting facebook take time away that could be better spent doing something else?
What HAD I done yesterday that was worthwhile? Anything? So as I was sitting with the kids today while they worked out their math problems, I thought over the day before:
I woke up around 6:30. I did my Bible reading. I have a "read the Bible through in a year" type plan on my Nook, and I am enjoying this one - it goes through the Bible in Chronological order. It's interesting, and usually I try to read two days worth, so I will keep up even if I miss a day or so.
That done, I went to work on a crocheted collar I was making for Angel-Leah. I really wanted to finish it before she woke up, because it was her Valentine's present. I didn't quite make it, but she was thrilled, anyway. I finished it as she watched me.
By then, Luke and Tommy were up and clamoring for computer time. I sit them to work on math games while I found something for breakfast.
Fed them, helped Tommy bath, got them all dressed: hair done, shoes and socks found.
Straightened up the house, fed the chickens and rabbits and then we took off for a Valentines lunch and party with our homeschool group.
While the morning was moving forward, once in a while, I checked over my email group and facebook. It was fleeting, just a very few minutes here and there. Enough to keep up. But all the above was accomplished by 11:30, at which time we left for the party.
We went to the Valentine party and had a great time, then I took Mary Susannah to the dentist. From there we stopped at Home Depot to buy the pins to turn Luke and Tommy's twin beds back into bunkbeds.
We arrived back home at about 4 or 4:30. I did check my email and facebook again, and I was tired, so I laid down on the couch for just a very few minutes to read a book. But the little kids were too excited about their Valentines to let me read, so I gave up and looked at cards with them.
I got up and started dinner. While I was doing that, I texted back and forth from that time on until bedtime with a grown child who is struggling to make sense of life. We covered a very important subject. I was very grateful this child still thinks his mom has enough wisdom to hear what she has to say.
Dad came home with lots of candy. We passed that out, then he and Beau worked on the bunkbeds while I set dinner on the table.
We ate. Mary Susannah and Beau had left for Beau's guitar lessons. Beau had told Mary Susannah if she wanted to go with him, he would take her to Starbucks afterwards. Bill headed off for his office, and I got the little kids ready for bed. I checked facebook and email as they changed and brushed their teeth. I was still texting the grown up child.
Then I settled on my bed with the little ones, and we read for a while. We are reading "Where the Red Fern Grows". It's the first time for them. I have no idea how many times I've read that book to children, but it's been many!
After that, I took them upstairs, we said our prayers, and I tucked them in.
I came back down at the computer, still texting the older child with what was bothering him on my phone, and this time, messaging another older child about something that was bothering me in private facebook messages. I was also having an enjoyable conversation on my foster adoption group.
After an hour or so of this "me" time, I turned off the computer and settled into my bed with the book I was trying to read earlier. But this time, Mary Susannah and Beau came home, and Beau turned back on the computer to do school work as Mary Susannah settled across the foot of my bed. We talked and teased for as long as I could keep my eyes open, then we all went to bed. Or at lest I did. Not sure what those older kids did, and I could still hear Tommy and Luke...
So, I thought, did facebook waste my day? Or was it sort of the same thing as taking a "coffee" break. I do know this person who told me they did not have time for facebook does take time to sit down with a newspaper. We don't get the newspaper here, because we are rural and they won't deliver it.
Did I do enough yesterday? Well, I imagine if I had not sat down at all at the computer, I could have done more. But as a stay at home, homeschooling, older mom who still has little children and teenagers in her house, it is kind of nice to 'escape" once in a while.
I know the computer can be a real time waster, and I admit that there have been times in the past where I have let it almost take over. It was a time when I was a bit unhappy with my life and I was trying to find a better way. But finding that way on a computer screen, I soon learned, wasn't going to do it. Instead, I found more happiness by doing the things I was supposed to be doing: keeping my home, schooling my children, and being "creative", which can mean different things to different people.
I have never played facebook games. I rarely even have time to read the many articles friends send in, although sometimes I do if they pertain to my life at all. I don't watch the music youtubes. That's not what I'm on facebook for. I keep up with my friends, have some funny conversations, and then, refreshed, I'm ready to tackle dirty laundry, dirty faces, dirty chickens, dirty cats and dogs and a dirty house.
I really don't feel guilty - most of the time!
But before long, I had found a whole slew of people I didn't expect to find. Old church friends from YEARS back. Old school friends. People who used to go to church with me, but moved. Homeschooling friends Old email friends who had left the email groups. Grown sons who moved off to Japan...well, okay, it wasn't a surprise to find him...
I learned it was a goal of some people to see just how many friends they could accumulate on facebook. That wasn't something I wanted to do, I wanted my facebook friends to be mostly people I really cared about.
So yesterday, when someone said to me, "I don't do facebook. I don't have time for that." I just smiled. I knew in a way it was either a rebuke, or a superior attitude. But it also got me thinking...Do "I" really have time for facebook? Am I letting facebook take time away that could be better spent doing something else?
What HAD I done yesterday that was worthwhile? Anything? So as I was sitting with the kids today while they worked out their math problems, I thought over the day before:
I woke up around 6:30. I did my Bible reading. I have a "read the Bible through in a year" type plan on my Nook, and I am enjoying this one - it goes through the Bible in Chronological order. It's interesting, and usually I try to read two days worth, so I will keep up even if I miss a day or so.
That done, I went to work on a crocheted collar I was making for Angel-Leah. I really wanted to finish it before she woke up, because it was her Valentine's present. I didn't quite make it, but she was thrilled, anyway. I finished it as she watched me.
By then, Luke and Tommy were up and clamoring for computer time. I sit them to work on math games while I found something for breakfast.
Fed them, helped Tommy bath, got them all dressed: hair done, shoes and socks found.
Straightened up the house, fed the chickens and rabbits and then we took off for a Valentines lunch and party with our homeschool group.
While the morning was moving forward, once in a while, I checked over my email group and facebook. It was fleeting, just a very few minutes here and there. Enough to keep up. But all the above was accomplished by 11:30, at which time we left for the party.
We went to the Valentine party and had a great time, then I took Mary Susannah to the dentist. From there we stopped at Home Depot to buy the pins to turn Luke and Tommy's twin beds back into bunkbeds.
We arrived back home at about 4 or 4:30. I did check my email and facebook again, and I was tired, so I laid down on the couch for just a very few minutes to read a book. But the little kids were too excited about their Valentines to let me read, so I gave up and looked at cards with them.
I got up and started dinner. While I was doing that, I texted back and forth from that time on until bedtime with a grown child who is struggling to make sense of life. We covered a very important subject. I was very grateful this child still thinks his mom has enough wisdom to hear what she has to say.
Dad came home with lots of candy. We passed that out, then he and Beau worked on the bunkbeds while I set dinner on the table.
We ate. Mary Susannah and Beau had left for Beau's guitar lessons. Beau had told Mary Susannah if she wanted to go with him, he would take her to Starbucks afterwards. Bill headed off for his office, and I got the little kids ready for bed. I checked facebook and email as they changed and brushed their teeth. I was still texting the grown up child.
Then I settled on my bed with the little ones, and we read for a while. We are reading "Where the Red Fern Grows". It's the first time for them. I have no idea how many times I've read that book to children, but it's been many!
After that, I took them upstairs, we said our prayers, and I tucked them in.
I came back down at the computer, still texting the older child with what was bothering him on my phone, and this time, messaging another older child about something that was bothering me in private facebook messages. I was also having an enjoyable conversation on my foster adoption group.
After an hour or so of this "me" time, I turned off the computer and settled into my bed with the book I was trying to read earlier. But this time, Mary Susannah and Beau came home, and Beau turned back on the computer to do school work as Mary Susannah settled across the foot of my bed. We talked and teased for as long as I could keep my eyes open, then we all went to bed. Or at lest I did. Not sure what those older kids did, and I could still hear Tommy and Luke...
So, I thought, did facebook waste my day? Or was it sort of the same thing as taking a "coffee" break. I do know this person who told me they did not have time for facebook does take time to sit down with a newspaper. We don't get the newspaper here, because we are rural and they won't deliver it.
Did I do enough yesterday? Well, I imagine if I had not sat down at all at the computer, I could have done more. But as a stay at home, homeschooling, older mom who still has little children and teenagers in her house, it is kind of nice to 'escape" once in a while.
I know the computer can be a real time waster, and I admit that there have been times in the past where I have let it almost take over. It was a time when I was a bit unhappy with my life and I was trying to find a better way. But finding that way on a computer screen, I soon learned, wasn't going to do it. Instead, I found more happiness by doing the things I was supposed to be doing: keeping my home, schooling my children, and being "creative", which can mean different things to different people.
I have never played facebook games. I rarely even have time to read the many articles friends send in, although sometimes I do if they pertain to my life at all. I don't watch the music youtubes. That's not what I'm on facebook for. I keep up with my friends, have some funny conversations, and then, refreshed, I'm ready to tackle dirty laundry, dirty faces, dirty chickens, dirty cats and dogs and a dirty house.
I really don't feel guilty - most of the time!
Monday, January 23, 2012
Unexpected Weekend Visit
I had my weekend all planned out. I had the coupons clipped, I was going to shop. I even thought about asking Bill for a couple of hours to go to the fabric store with Mary Susannah alone. I was kind of looking forward to it. Doesn't every lady love to shop?
But about three in the afternoon on Friday, I got a phone call. The new foster mom of Luke's sisters was sick enough that she was going into the hospital. The family needed a sitter for the weekend, and right away, the adoption worker thought of me. Could I keep them on such short notice?
I will pick them up and keep them forever, I thought, but I answered out loud, of course!!
Two hours later, I pulled up in front of La Gran Plaza in Fort Worth, and little sister jumped out of foster dads car into my arms. They were back, even if it was just for a day or two.
Once we had transferred their things and foster dad left, big sister talked me into actually going into this Spanish mall. Birthmom spent most of her time with Spanish people, although she herself was not Spanish, and big sister had visited this mall many times with her and little sisters biodad. So in we went, and I felt like I had been transported into another world. I got a glimpse of what it must be like to be Mexican in a white world. I didn't understand the music and everything there was geared to another culture. Since big sisters favorite ice cream store was closed, I managed to get us out of there pretty quick.
Having them back that night was like a dream come true and although the kids mostly concentrated on each other instead of me, I enjoyed just hearing them in the house again.
The next day we were up early, and big sister wanted to make smoothies for everyone. I said sure, that was a good idea, and headed off to stick a load of clothes in the wash. When I came back, I found that my idea of a smoothie, and big sisters idea of a smoothie were quite opposite: my idea? Fruit and juice blended together. Big sisters idea? fill the blender with chocolate ice cream and a pina coloda Popsicle, add coke for liquid, and throw in an orange for good health.
Everyone liked it but Tommy, who pronounced it "gross". I think it had something to do with the orange pulp floating on top.
We had one bad spell with little sister, as she clung to my waist and begged me to let her "be adopted to me." She cried and cried while I tried to explain that I tried so hard, but they wouldn't let me because they thought it would be too hard for big sister to adjust to our lifestyle. She promised me that they would like it. I told her to pray, and I would too, and we would see what happened. But that I would always be there anyway, even if I couldn't be her mommy. I would come get her every chance I got!
Mary Susannah really wanted to go somewhere, but it's expensive to take seven children and myself just about anywhere. A wreck on the highway at the end of our land, complete with a careflight helicopter, captured their attention for a while Once all the emergency vehicles had cleared away, Mary Susannah and big sister headed for the creek, where the wrecked car had landed, to see the scene. Once they got back, we decided to go to the lakehouse and have a hot dog roast.
Big sister and Angel-Leah quickly climbed trees:
I had packed my crochet bag. After the hectic morning, I had visions of myself crocheting while the kids played.
That lasted for less than five minutes before the four little ones were begging me to go down to the lake. Oh, well, I thought...I can crochet at home...
We headed off.
Luke and his little sister are two of a kind.
Beau didn't stay long, and Mary Susannah stayed behind to paint some furniture:
It was pretty fun watching their excitement, and I even found what I proclaimed to the kids was my throne, which I dusted off and sat on a ledge so I wouldn't have to sit in the mud:
It did get cold by that lake though, and soon I told the kids that Dad had a fire going. That was all it took to get them running back up the hill.
Coming back, I found Beau on the roof. This boy, who would never notice that the kitchen floor needed sweeping, was on top of the house, sweeping the roof...
Bill got a campfire going:
The sun set, and before long we were roasting hot dogs and eating S'mores.
Wow, Beau looks like Gage in this picture. Maybe because it's so blurry?
I had the grand idea that I would take along pajamas and towels and get the four little ones their church baths while we were there, then we could just put them in bed when we got home. But just as I walked towards the house, Bill informed me he forgot to turn on the hot water heater...So I sat back in my chair while he did that, and enjoyed the fire a while longer. What is it about a campfire that makes you never want to leave?
After a bit, I tried the baths, but they were pretty cold, and I finally gave up by the third bath trying to get the water warm enough.
No trip to the lakehouse would be complete without a picture of the house mascot:
This silly frog is an icon there, and always gets attention. Who knows why?
The next day was church. Little sister was pretty good, although we did have to go out once. Our services are very long, and during the last 15 minutes, who should come walking into the auditorium but Max! I was surprised, and wondered. Tommy ran from the ladies side to the men's side to sit with him - Luke was already there with Beau. Then in a minute, I saw that Spencer was also there on the back row. My heart began to pound - I didn't know why both boys would be there during the final minutes of the service, and all I could come up with was that something terrible had happened, and they had both shown up to tell me...My mother? No, they would not have sat down, they would have gotten me out of the service. My mind went all kinds of places, but in the end, it turned out that Max was coming to church to be with us when his car broke down on the highway, and Spencer was the only family member he could get ahold of. So Spencer rescued him, and they both came to church and stayed for fellowship meal. It was so nice for us all to be there together, and they helped a lot with the little ones. Afterwards, Max had a funeral to go to, Spencer dropped him off, then came back to our house. Later, Max came back with things to make pizza. I had to drop the girls off before it was ready. We parted this time without tears, just promises to get together as soon as we could.
I miss them already....
But about three in the afternoon on Friday, I got a phone call. The new foster mom of Luke's sisters was sick enough that she was going into the hospital. The family needed a sitter for the weekend, and right away, the adoption worker thought of me. Could I keep them on such short notice?
I will pick them up and keep them forever, I thought, but I answered out loud, of course!!
Two hours later, I pulled up in front of La Gran Plaza in Fort Worth, and little sister jumped out of foster dads car into my arms. They were back, even if it was just for a day or two.
Once we had transferred their things and foster dad left, big sister talked me into actually going into this Spanish mall. Birthmom spent most of her time with Spanish people, although she herself was not Spanish, and big sister had visited this mall many times with her and little sisters biodad. So in we went, and I felt like I had been transported into another world. I got a glimpse of what it must be like to be Mexican in a white world. I didn't understand the music and everything there was geared to another culture. Since big sisters favorite ice cream store was closed, I managed to get us out of there pretty quick.
Having them back that night was like a dream come true and although the kids mostly concentrated on each other instead of me, I enjoyed just hearing them in the house again.
The next day we were up early, and big sister wanted to make smoothies for everyone. I said sure, that was a good idea, and headed off to stick a load of clothes in the wash. When I came back, I found that my idea of a smoothie, and big sisters idea of a smoothie were quite opposite: my idea? Fruit and juice blended together. Big sisters idea? fill the blender with chocolate ice cream and a pina coloda Popsicle, add coke for liquid, and throw in an orange for good health.
Everyone liked it but Tommy, who pronounced it "gross". I think it had something to do with the orange pulp floating on top.
We had one bad spell with little sister, as she clung to my waist and begged me to let her "be adopted to me." She cried and cried while I tried to explain that I tried so hard, but they wouldn't let me because they thought it would be too hard for big sister to adjust to our lifestyle. She promised me that they would like it. I told her to pray, and I would too, and we would see what happened. But that I would always be there anyway, even if I couldn't be her mommy. I would come get her every chance I got!
Mary Susannah really wanted to go somewhere, but it's expensive to take seven children and myself just about anywhere. A wreck on the highway at the end of our land, complete with a careflight helicopter, captured their attention for a while Once all the emergency vehicles had cleared away, Mary Susannah and big sister headed for the creek, where the wrecked car had landed, to see the scene. Once they got back, we decided to go to the lakehouse and have a hot dog roast.
Big sister and Angel-Leah quickly climbed trees:
I had packed my crochet bag. After the hectic morning, I had visions of myself crocheting while the kids played.
That lasted for less than five minutes before the four little ones were begging me to go down to the lake. Oh, well, I thought...I can crochet at home...
We headed off.
Luke and his little sister are two of a kind.
Beau didn't stay long, and Mary Susannah stayed behind to paint some furniture:
It was pretty fun watching their excitement, and I even found what I proclaimed to the kids was my throne, which I dusted off and sat on a ledge so I wouldn't have to sit in the mud:
It did get cold by that lake though, and soon I told the kids that Dad had a fire going. That was all it took to get them running back up the hill.
Coming back, I found Beau on the roof. This boy, who would never notice that the kitchen floor needed sweeping, was on top of the house, sweeping the roof...
Bill got a campfire going:
The sun set, and before long we were roasting hot dogs and eating S'mores.
I had the grand idea that I would take along pajamas and towels and get the four little ones their church baths while we were there, then we could just put them in bed when we got home. But just as I walked towards the house, Bill informed me he forgot to turn on the hot water heater...So I sat back in my chair while he did that, and enjoyed the fire a while longer. What is it about a campfire that makes you never want to leave?
After a bit, I tried the baths, but they were pretty cold, and I finally gave up by the third bath trying to get the water warm enough.
No trip to the lakehouse would be complete without a picture of the house mascot:
This silly frog is an icon there, and always gets attention. Who knows why?
The next day was church. Little sister was pretty good, although we did have to go out once. Our services are very long, and during the last 15 minutes, who should come walking into the auditorium but Max! I was surprised, and wondered. Tommy ran from the ladies side to the men's side to sit with him - Luke was already there with Beau. Then in a minute, I saw that Spencer was also there on the back row. My heart began to pound - I didn't know why both boys would be there during the final minutes of the service, and all I could come up with was that something terrible had happened, and they had both shown up to tell me...My mother? No, they would not have sat down, they would have gotten me out of the service. My mind went all kinds of places, but in the end, it turned out that Max was coming to church to be with us when his car broke down on the highway, and Spencer was the only family member he could get ahold of. So Spencer rescued him, and they both came to church and stayed for fellowship meal. It was so nice for us all to be there together, and they helped a lot with the little ones. Afterwards, Max had a funeral to go to, Spencer dropped him off, then came back to our house. Later, Max came back with things to make pizza. I had to drop the girls off before it was ready. We parted this time without tears, just promises to get together as soon as we could.
I miss them already....
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