Stored Memories

About 2 weeks ago, I was roaming through our digital photos in preparation for an upcoming project when I discovered, to my horror, that some of the files were corrupt. WHAT!!! NO!!! Surely I was not losing some of my favorite memories!!! But, yes, I was. The evidence was there. The question then became, HOW much did I lose?

I immediately began to transfer/upload as many as I could to a new location. At that point I was able to save at least 50%. Then I went and got some extra equipment, and SLOWLY, was able to save an additional 35%. Now I only have 15% left to go, and about 7% of that I am able to duplicate from other resources with some effort. For instance, I lost 90% of Kiahna's 4th birthday party pictures and videos, but my sister still has hers that she took on that same day. So even though the pictures will not be the exact same ones that I lost, they will still cover the same event.

With the remaining 8%, I will attempt to have them "professionally" extracted; though I have been warned that the prognosis is rarely good. I have been able to recover most of the major events, but I do have a video from Isaiah's birth day that is a little sad to say good-bye to. It's the video that captured his big sisters meeting him for the first time at the hospital. It's truly a precious video, and I am hoping that it will be salvageable. I also have a few birthday videos, and a few other special pictures, so for now, I am hoping.

The ironic thing is...a day or two before all this happened...I had been pondering the subject of memories. I was remembering sweet details of each of my children. I was remembering wonderful things about each of them, and I longed to go back for one more moment...just to kiss those cheeks once more, or listen to the silly song being sung, or watch the beautiful dance...just once more. I commented to myself that videos and pictures are wonderful, but the real treasures of all those memories are buried in my heart. The wonderful thing about videos or pictures is that they can take me back to those buried treasures long after my mind has forgotten how to get there.

Sometimes when I watch a video or look at a picture, I want to kick my in-the-past self for not capturing the moment LONGER...or not capturing enough special moments. Then there is also an awareness that sometimes history has a tendency to NOT want to be remembered. Sometimes there are things that I SHOULD forget, and there are somethings that I just WANT to forget. I don't REALLY want to experience labor pains again, or all the times my heart was broken from one thing or another. I love the new born baby photos, but do I really want to experience all the sleepless day and nights again? the vomiting and diarrhea? Then there are the experiences that I created in which I don't want to remember--the ones where I lost my patience, when I said or did things that hurt or disappointed my kids.

Lesson? Well, here is a quote from a very famous guy, "Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

I just need to make sure my treasures are in the right place...

Not a Wimp

About a month ago, my husband said he hurt his wrist at work. Over the past few weeks, he mentioned off and on about his wrist hurting him. Finally, last week he decided to make an appointment to see the doctor--the same doctor who did his shoulder surgery. That appointment was today...and guess what?

HE HAD A BROKEN WRIST!

WHAT? Did I hear that right? For the past month, my husband has been lifting heavy boxes, helping me (or should I say, me helping HIM) move the twin captain's bed from the storage back to the house, helping me to build shelves (which meant he screwed in the hard-to-reach/hard-to-do screws)...all the time with a broken wrist.

Well, My Love, you just earned about a million points in my book! I'm so proud of you! You definitely do not belong in the wimp category...and I am thankful for that! I guess Kiahna is right...you are the strongest man in the WORLD!!!

The Big Push

Tomorrow will be the beginning of our last week of school for this school year.  As usual, we are ending when most people are thinking about beginning.  This will be our 3rd year in a row that we will be finishing up school just in time to journey to Arkansas for Henry's birthday. Of course, the first time that we journeyed, we didn't know what the actual day was going to be...we just knew it was eminent.  Come to find out, we had a week to spare!

We are really having to push hard to get everything completed for this year.  The girls are working day and night to finish assignments, file papers in their folders, make sure all their folders look nice for report-card day, etc.  We will (hopefully) finish everything by Thursday, and then have our party on Friday.  I'm not sure exactly what we will be doing yet.  Krispy Kremes is on the suggestion list...perhaps roller skating, maybe an afternoon at a water park/pool...maybe a trip to the animal safari.   I'm not really sure yet.  The only requirement is FUN, FUN, FUN!!!

Once I get school out of the way, then I need to start thinking about all the things to collect and gather for the trip.  I have several projects that I will be working on while I am on "vacation".  I always have more to do than what I actually ever get done!  Or maybe it's the list keeps growing...I'm not sure.  Either way, there is always something to do.  

While I am in Arkansas, I will get the finishing touches completed for our Harris Highlights Blog Makeover.  It's been years since I have "remodeled", and it's time to do it again.  I have all the technical skills, but lack in the creative department.   My sister Betsy functions as my web designer--she has all the designing skills. 

We will also be doing some canning...maybe some sewing....maybe some homeschool lesson planning.  Lots to do!  Lots to do! 

Broken People

Hurting people hurt people. Relationships are risky. There are no guarantees, and you can only change yourself. What do you do when you find yourself in an unhealthy, dysfunctional relationship?

Healthy relationships are hard to come by. However, they do exist. Usually it takes a healthy person to expose an unhealthy one. This has happened to me on many occasions. I didn't know that it was possible for a Christian to live a joyful and victorious life...until I met some who were. I didn't know that marriage didn't have to be miserable...until I met people who weren't. I didn't know parents could raise their children with such love and discipline and training that they never had to endure "those difficult years"...until I met parents who did.

I noticed that these people were able to be Life Givers because they were whole...healthy. Not perfect...just healthy. It gave me vision and hope that when a situation/something wasn't right, IT DIDN'T/DOESN'T have to be that way! It gave me HOPE that the situation could change! The deciding factor was me. Would I be willing to change? Would I be willing to make the difficult shift in the right direction? Sadly, there have been times along the way that I was not willing to do what needed to be done. Sometimes further down the road, I changed my mind and moved forward--other times I decided to stay stuck.

Some of these decisions I did not make alone. Several years ago TJ and I decided that I would stop working to be home with the children. A big decision, and a big shift. A big price to pay. Years later, we can see how that shift has benefited our family. Some of the shifts and decisions only affected us, sometimes they affected others. There are many more examples...but I'll leave those alone for now.

So, here I am on this journey. I want to be whole. I want to be life-giving to those around me...but I find myself still broken. So I search. It's not hard to find the leaks. This time, these leaks are from other broken people with jagged edges...just like me. What to do?

I don't know. I do know, though, that nobody has ever gotten healthy by surrounding themselves with unhealthy people. Removing yourself, though, is not enough. A process of detoxification needs to occur. The lies have to be traded in for the truth.

An example of this for me is being overweight. I have all the tools I need to be at a healthy weight: I know the right things to eat, I make healthy food, I am willing to exercise to the extreme...but yet I still find myself sabotaging all my efforts. I don't want to...but I do. So when I begin to ask myself why I do that, it's hard to get an honest answer from myself. But I do know this...somewhere I have believed the lie that I'm not valuable. I know that my outside condition is a reflection of the inside of me. A fat person doesn't feel valuable, or loved--especially loved unconditionally because WE KNOW there are conditions to love.

The result is double-mindedness. On one side, I know I am very valuable. I have a strong sense of worth given to me by my Creator and the relationship I have with Him. On the other side, I have a strong imprint that I am the unlovable one, the non-chosen one, the unfavored one, the difficult one, the annoying one, the irritating one, the one people dislike to be around. Being double-minded is not healthy--I have to pick a side. Which one should it be?

Several months ago, I read the following except from one of the Biggest Loser trainers. I thought it to be interesting.

**********

Jillian Michaels
April 11, 2011

Unlimited Tip - The psychological, spiritual landscape of forgiveness is a tough one to navigate, but it’s a journey that yields powerful, permanent results. It enables us to stop taking on other people’s issues & allowing their shortcomings to define who we are. In other words, you'll understand that what happened to you wasn’t because of your limitations, but the other person’s. Additionally, by learning to let go we gain complete freedom from the negativity we allow to fester when we hold onto grudges and wounds from the past. The energy we use up being angry, or fighting with people, hating people or otherwise feeling wronged, drains us physically & emotionally. When we open ourselves up & embrace forgiveness, we release ourselves from victimhood. We then can find psychological healing from past wounds & our lives can then take on new, positive meaning. By putting those old hurts in a context that helps us grow, rather than holds us back, we become unstoppable.

**********

Beginning now I am stepping aside to examine my relationships with those around me. I will also be learning what healthy relationships are, what they look like, how they function, and then I will be applying what I have learned to those I am connected with...first to my kids and husband, then to friends and extended family as appropriate.

My husband and kids are the first people to suffer from my brokenness. It's for them that I choose to learn NOW how to have a healthy relationship with each one of them, so that I never lose sight of the prize. Everyone after that, well...I don't know what to say. One of two things will happen...either I will be so healthy, that I can return to the relationship with confidence...or I will be so thankful to be free from the bondage, that I never want to return again. 

Chickenless Soup

A few months ago, I was laughed at by my sister Betsy. Being laughed at wasn't my issue...I'm used to that! My issue was the REASON she was laughing at me. In fact, it had never occurred to me that "this" could ever be an issue. What's the "this" all about? Well, it's about chicken, or more accurately, the lack of.

I love from-scratch, home-made, chicken noodle soup. I start with boiling the whole chicken. After it's cooked, I remove the chicken and let the broth cool. I then strain the broth to remove any chunks and fat. Then I turn up the heat again on the stove and begin adding the finely chopped vegetables--onions, carrots, and celery. Next I season with REAL salt, fresh ground pepper, and 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Finally, after all the vegetables are tender and the flavors are blended, I add the noodles.

So what's the laughing matter??? Well, apparently, it's HAALARIOUS that I do NOT add back any of the meat. Frankly, I believe the stringy meet ruins the good soup, and I also would prefer using the meat to make chicken salad instead. Why waste perfectly good meet when you can get a whole other meal out of it? Is this truly worth being laughed at? I don't think so.

Tonight I made my chickenless soup, and it was a raving hit! So there...laugh all you want. I'm still keeping the chicken meat out of it!!!

Marathon Day

Today...I was supposed to run my first marathon, but I didn't. I began the actual training in January with the hopes of being able to run the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon May 1st. I was doing pretty good, and then I started having shin splint issues. It was a month before I could start training again. By this time, I discovered barefoot running. True barefoot running is awesome, but it's not something that you can just "step into" right away. At this point, I had worked my way up to 12 miles, but now after the leg issue and also starting with a new running technique, I was back at 1-3 miles. It took me another month to catch back up to 11 miles again, which I did 3 times before the half marathon race in Arkansas a month ago. That still left me 13 miles that I hadn't really trained for yet...and only 4 weeks (really only 3 training weeks) left until the marathon.

I decided at one point, that I would do the race no matter what--even if I couldn't run all of it. As the days and weeks passed by, I was beginning to realize that there was a chance that I actually might not get to do the race after all. It was a sad thought...but one that I was having to face.

Race week finally shows up, and it's official: I'm not running. I was pretty bummed. I decided that I would still participate and still cheer for other runners. One of the local running stores hosted a marathon watch party at mile 20, so I decided that's what I would do.

I got up early Saturday morning, and headed out the door...in the rain. WHAT??? BACK UP!!! It was pouring rain!!! I couldn't believe it. Not only was it raining, it was cold!. I ran back in the house and grabbed a blanket. I drove to mile 20, and nobody else was there yet. I caught the race route and started driving along it. I didn't see any racers yet. Finally, I started seeing some people, so I headed back to mile 20. By that time, one of the store employees had arrived. Then the owner and his wife showed up. It was still raining pretty heavily, and I didn't have an operational umbrella (thanks, Aliya and Kiahna). The store owners had a u-haul trailer that they backed up to the street, then we climbed up inside, and waited for the racers to pass by.

A little after 8:00am we started seeing runners trickle by. I didn't realize it at the time, but these were all the people that had started the race at the early start time. Then I was told we were still waiting for the actual racing runners to pass through.

Finally, we saw the front of the race, and it was awesome! There were 2 police-motorcycle escorts, along with a patrol car, and then there was the racing truck with the digital clock rolling the time. All of this was in front of the first racer, just pacing him. I thought that was cool. This guy had a good lead, but there was still 6 more miles to go. I'm not sure how the race played out or if he was the one to actually finish, but it was cool to see all the frontal action--something I will probably NEVER see again!!!

At this point, it became obvious who the racers were. They were running at a much quicker speed than the other folks. I was surprised at how fresh they looked. They didn't look to me like they had just run 20 miles in the pouring ran with 6 miles left to go. I must say that it was refreshing to see their faces. In my training group, I never was in the front of the crowd. I always had a rear-view of the runners as they passed me...and then before long, they were gone completely, and I was eating their dust.

As the steady flow of runners passed by, we cheered and offered encouragement. I only recognized one runner out of everyone who passed by. Did I tell you that it was cold and rainy? There was also lightening and thunder, with a little bit of hail. It was bitter nasty cold. When I first began cheering, I shed a tear or two off and on. I really was sad that I wasn't out there in all the action. A few hours later, I was still sad, but also thankful that I wasn't out there in these conditions for my first marathon. It was miserable! One lady stopped and asked if I could help get her gloves up because they were falling down. I barely touched her hands, and it was painful to her because they were frozen.

When I had drove by earlier, I didn't see any crowds of people cheering the runners. In fact, I didn't see anyone at all. It had to have been a very long, lonely route because people REALLY perked up when they saw us,4 people and 3 dogs, standing in a u-haul truck.

On one hand I was glad not to be suffering so...on the other hand, I know there is this special feeling of accomplishment that you feel after you've finished a task that was exceptionally brutal or more intense than normal. When these people crossed the finish line today, yes...they would be miserable, but they would feel SO GREAT knowing that they completed a VERY difficult task.

Finally, after 3 1/2 hours of cheering, it was time to wrap it up. The owners needed to get on to other things, and there was no way I was going to stand out in the rain with nothing. So... I decided to follow the race to the finish line. I found a parking spot and made my way to the Finish. I was surprised at the lack of cheering. There was a miked announcer, but other than that, it was a dreary crowd. I think everyone was just wet, cold, and miserable.

I stayed for 2 seconds, and then hopped back in my nice warm vehicle. I drove around a little while longer, just pondering over the days events before heading back home. One thing is for sure: I definitely want to do the race next year!

Celebrating 100

I started running back on October 25, 2010. My first night was slow...I clocked 2.4 miles in 36 minutes. I have ran several times since then, and my time continues to slowly improve. I have been keeping track of my total miles ran, and tonight I crossed over 100 miles! Not only that, I also hit my 2nd personal goal of completing 10 miles in one shot.

My miles are adding up fast now. I completed 25 miles this past week alone. My weekly goal now is at least 20-35 miles a week. It's been a challenge balancing running with all my other activities, but somehow it's getting done. Aliya goes out with me the most, but now Niah is starting to come along, too. Even Isaiah and Kiahna tag along from time to time.

As of right now, I plan to run a half marathon in Bentonville, AR, on April 2, 2011. Then I will be running a full marathon here in Oklahoma City on May 1, 2011. IF I feel like I can keep going, I want to run an ultra marathon (50 miles) in Tulsa on July 1, 2011. Some days the goals seem reasonable...other times, they feel a little lofty. Tonight as I hobbled the last mile of the 10, I wonder how will I ever do 16 more all at one time, much less another 40! I'm thankful that I have a little bit more time to train and practice...and THAT'S what gets me out the door with my running shoes on!

Crying over Milk

As of a week ago today, Isaiah is no longer a nursing baby. He recently turned 18 months old, and I knew that this time was coming...I just didn't know that the weaning would be completed all in one day! I am NOT for stopping progress. Transition is a good thing. But that doesn't make it any easier to DO!!!

Potty Time!

Earlier this evening, Isaiah started pulling off his diaper and talking gibberish. I ask him if he had to go potty, and he nodded his head 'yes'. I grabbed the potty chair and called for TJ to help show him how it's done. The guys spent some time together and before long, Isaiah was pointing to his little yellow puddle, grinning from ear to ear. Of course, it helped boost his ego to have a cheering squad sing his praises!!!

At this time I do not have plans to enforce the potty training routine--we might tackle it in a few more months...but for now, if he wants to go to the potty, then I won't stop him!

Recovering

TJ made it through surgery without any complications. My mom was able to stay with us for a few days, and that helped out a lot!

The first day was pretty painful for him, but after that, he recovered very quickly. Over the weekend, he was able to get some rest. In fact, he slept almost 12 hours straight one night. In all the years that we have been together, I don't recall him ever sleeping that long of a stretch before!

He went back to work today for a few hours. I think he enjoyed getting out of the house for a while! He still has to take it easy--he can't lift, pull, or push anything for a while yet. This coming Friday he will go back to the doctor to take the stitches out. Overall, he AND I both survived!!!

Post-Poned

TJ's surgery has been rescheduled twice, due to the recent floods. As of today, he is scheduled for Wednesday, June 30th. I will try to keep everyone posted once he has the surgery. We aren't sure exactly what to expect...so we will just wait and see!!

Surgery It Is

For the past month, TJ has been doing physical therapy for his shoulder. He had his follow-up appointment today, and he was told that he would need surgery to repair the tear in his rotator cuff. His first concerns were with us (his family) because he will need to take some time off of work. As the sole-provider for our family, that is a valid concern. I was concerned about being able to be there for my husband during the surgery without having to bring along the kids.

TJ is a very hard worker, and he really enjoys working. I know that he will be back to work as quickly as he can...but I don't want him to rush back prematurely. He needs to heal properly so that he doesn't have to do additional repair surgery. We know God's faithfulness, and we know He has already provided everything we will need. My sister Betsy had already planned to be here for vacation during that time, and she has volunteered to watch the kids so that I can be with my husband during his surgery!

So now, I guess, the only concern left for TJ is how to avoid going stir-crazy in the house! I will probably have to take the kids out for some errands or to the park at different times so that he can rest.

Isaiah's First Word

Isaiah has finally spoken his first REAL word. No...it's not Dada or Mama. It's not even one of his sisters. His first and FAVORITE word is 'geese'. Yep. That's it. He makes a hissing sound right after the 'g' sound. Isaiah is fascinated with all the geese that live around us, and he gets very excited when he sees them.

The other night I had to run a late-night errand, and I took Isaiah with me. When we got back home and were walking toward the house, I asked him to say 'geese'. He did. I asked him to say 'Mama'. He shook his head no. I asked him to say 'Dada'. He shook his head no. I asked him to say 'geese' and he did. I repeated this same process a few times, and he was very consistent. He REFUSES to say any other words.

Even though Isaiah does not say any other words, it does not mean that he doesn't talk. He is constantly making sounds--the same sound, just in different pitches. He changes the tone to mean different things, like water, eat, sisters, play, outside, etc. He knows how to get his point across--he just doesn't use words.

I think it's rather funny. TJ does not. I know that when it's finally important enough to him to say what's on his mind (like geese), he will eventually say it.

Mrs. Kangaroo

A few weeks ago Kiahna came into the kitchen while I was cooking dinner. She had a baby sticking out of her pants. Crazy visual, right? Well, I was trying not to freak out or laugh because she had this serious smirk on her face. As calmly as I could, I asked her what she was doing. She quickly informed that SHE was MRS. KANGAROO. I almost busted out laughing! That was SOOOOOO cute and imaginative!!! Then Aliya joined in, and they played "kangaroo" for hours.

I did have to put a stop to their playing when we went to the store. I thought that others might misunderstand why they have babies in their pants, so I told them that we only play kangaroo at home.

Well, tonight, Mrs. Kangaroo showed up for dinner because her house burned down in a forest fire. We were very pleased to have Mrs. Kangaroo as a guest, and we hope that she will come visit us again--just not when we go out in public!

Watch the Trash Can!!!

This evening, TJ and I were sitting at the table discussing the day's events when Isaiah came around the corner with a toy in his hand. He walked straight to the trash can, opened the lid, and dropped the toy inside. He was very proud of himself, but then he started to fuss when he realized that the toy was "gone". We will never know exactly how many items we have "lost" over the years to the trash can as each one of the girls went through this stage. Now when we are missing something, we will wonder if it's because the item has been misplaced or because 'somebody' threw it away. I guess that we will just have to do our best to inspect the trash bag before we throw it out.

Daddy Days

We love the snow. It's so pretty, and as long as it doesn't interfere with our electricity, we welcome its arrival. During my Arkansas school days, my sisters and I REALLY looked forward to the snow because that meant school was canceled and we had a FREE day!!! When we lived in California, we didn't have snow days--we had "mud" days. It didn't rain very often, so when it did, we just had mud. Since we lived on a 2 mile dirt road, we ended up having a 2 mile mud road, which meant that on rare occasions we would be stuck at home until the road dried.

Even when I was working, I enjoyed being snowed in. Technically the days were not "free" because my job never paid for snow days--I had to cash in vacation or sick days. Niah doesn't have fond memories of snow days--maybe because her school never closed. The school stayed open which meant that the kids who didn't show up had to make up the school work when they came back.

Now that we are homeschooling, the snow doesn't stop us from having school. We may celebrate the colder weather with a hot cup of cocoa, but we continue on with our assignments as usual...which leads me to subject #2.

Occasionally TJ gets off from XPEDX a few hours earlier than expected, and he "surprises" us by coming home. The girls (and now T2, too!!!) are always very excited, but I have to admit...I haven't always been thrilled. My lack of enthusiasm was not because of TJ (though I'm sure he thought THAT a time or two!), but it was because of the crimp in MY SCHEDULE. I had a list of school assignments and household responsibilities that were not going to get done now that Daddy was home. Sometimes I tried to continue with school, but the kids' minds were not focused. Often times the end result was me just feeling frustrated.

Then it dawned on me . . . . we needed to substitute SNOW DAYS for DADDY DAYS!!! We now have a new rule: If Daddy is home, it's a DADDY DAY! We get to stop doing all school and just enjoy our Daddy. So instead of feeling frustrated, we just shut down and reschedule it to another day...just like everyone else does for snow days.

Now for the big finale!!! Yesterday it started snowing, and we ended up with 5-6 inches. All the schools in our area are closed. We normally do homeschool PE on Fridays, but that was also canceled. I went ahead and scheduled regular assignments, knowing that the kids would need something productive to do today. TJ was up early this morning getting ready for work, but after making some phone calls he told me that XPEDX would be shutting down for today. So. . . it looks like we get to have a Daddy Day AND a Snow Day!!!

In celebration of this fabulous day, I went straight back to bed (thanks, Sweetheart, for watching the kids). When I finally decided to get up, I went in the kitchen and started whipping up lots of comfort foods--cornbread (which I had to make twice because the first one didn't last long), vegetable soup, potato soup, and kugel for me! Yum! Yum! Kugel is a Jewish pasta dish made with caramelized onion, cottage cheese, sour cream, and egg noodles. I seasoned mine with salt and pepper and topped with sauteed mushrooms and zucchini. Other versions of kugel include adding cinnamon and sugar, topping with crushed graham crackers, and baking in a dish for about 30 minutes to crisp a little. The Hungarians also have a similar recipe called Turos Csusza but it calls for ham or bacon--you won't find THAT ingredient in a traditional kugel recipe!

Today has been a GREAT day! I have really enjoyed our Daddy Snow Day. I'm thankful that we (I) have gotten this issue solved. In summary, Sweetheart, YOU are now an official holiday!!!

Our T2

Our son eats anything and everything. From the moment he was born, he showed us right away that he knew where his mouth was and how to use it!

At first it was only his hands, fingers, and blankets. Then it was toys and any objects he could grab a hold of (like our phones or keys). Once he started crawling, it was anything that he could find--leftover bits of food, dead bugs, leaves, sticks, string, beads, dirt, etc. Now that he is walking, there really are no limits to what he can find.

The girls are constantly shouting, "Isaiah has something in his mouth! Isaiah has something in his mouth!" Today he was biting off chunks of my white board eraser and eating them. He also found a medium-sized ball that he could fit inside his mouth! His tasty treats shows up as "little treasures" in his diapers.

We hoped that introducing REAL foods to him would curve his appetite for the undesirables, but Isaiah will get down from his high chair after a FULL MEAL and find more "snacks" to munch on.

By now, I have come to the realization that all the munching in NOT from hunger, but it is simply how he explores his surroundings. He is definitely a hands-on (technically, mouth-on) learner, and he probably always will be. I'm still hoping for a day when he DOESN'T constantly put things in his mouth...I'm just smart enough not to name a deadline!

So...now the question is, what's up with "T2". Well, actually, that is his nickname given to him by his Daddy. Apparently in French, T2 (spelled Titou per Auntie Jessica!!!) means someone who is always nibbling on something or putting things in their mouth. I never knew how to spell it, and TJ didn't either...but one day he was texting me and used the abbreviation T2, and I thought it was perfect! So, Isaiah is our little T2.

We love you, Son. Even though this stage is rather startling at times, we want you to be all that God created you to be. So...to quote my little darling Ginny Girl, "I'm gonna EAT YOU UP!!!"

P.S. It's REALLY cute when SHE says it!!!

I know...I know

Yes...I know it's been a while since I have posted. I'm very sorry to disappoint any faithful readers out there (if there are any!), but I have been VERY busy!!! I have picked up several new things in the past few months, and they each have sucked up a lot of my "spare" time.

For one, I have been cloth diapering. It's now a common daily task, but initially it required a lot to get started. I had to make my own laundry detergent, I had to create and make my own cloth diapers, and then I have to keep up with the cloth diaper laundry (washing, drying, and then hanging them on an indoor clothes line to finish drying). While cloth diapering is a huge money saver, it is also a time stealer!

For second, I started milling my own flour earlier this year. It took a lot of research time (a.k.a. web-surfing and library book reading) to learn what I needed to learn to do this. Whole grains is a WHOLE new world with a whole new set of vocabulary words, instructions, information, etc. I am STILL working on this. I just found out today that in order to maximize the benefits of whole grains, I need to be soaking the grains/flours before cooking with them. THIS will be an ongoing project for me over the next several months.

For third, I have been trying to make my own sour dough. This is a TIME-CONSUMING project and one that is currently on a back burner for a little bit since my first batch was not successful. Supposedly, we should be eating only bread products made from sour dough starters because the yeast is naturally grown vs. just adding baker's yeast to our recipes. HOWEVER, baker's yeast is much more user friendly and QUICKER. Sour dough recipes take lots of planning and time-management skills because you need at least 12-24 hours in order to make the bread. It's much easier to mix the ingredients, add the baker's yeast, prepare the dough, and bake the bread within 2-3 hours. I have heard from people that make sour dough bread on a regular basis that it really isn't that difficult, but but it does take time to figure out how to work it into your daily routine--like setting it out the night before to use the next day, etc.

For fourth, I have picked up sewing again. I am currently making fleece sleeper sacks for Isaiah, Kiahna, and Aliya. It started out as a project just for Isaiah since he needs one to keep warm at night. I use the sleeper sack as a BLANKET--not as his actual pajamas. The girls saw me making them for Isaiah, and they (Kiahna and Aliya) both asked me if I could make one for them. I have made Kiahna's, and now I am working on Aliya's.

For fifth, I researched the process of making my own vanilla extract. It's not a quick process. The recommended brewing time is 3-6 months. Last week I ran out of my store-bought vanilla, so I tried mine. Overall it wasn't too bad, but I still think it needs to brew a little bit longer.

For sixth, I am continuing to make homemade and home-cooked meals. This always takes a lot of time. Several hours during the day gets assigned to food and meal prep. Example, if we are having pita pizzas for dinner, I have to take 1-2 hours to make the pitas first BEFORE I can use them to make the pizzas.

For seventh, I am still homeschooling. This takes a lot of my time during the day--lesson preparations, lesson teaching, supervising assignments, grading papers, etc. I am currently trying to simplify our school work so that I am not wasting time doing things that are not important.

For eighth, I am currently researching kefir. I am needing it for many of my future recipes, and also for as the acid medium for soaking grains.

For ninth, we started growing herbs several months ago. We have had minimal success. I lost some to under/over watering, but then I also think that I am just not getting enough natural lighting for them to grow properly. I am going to wait another month or two and try again. Spring is around the corner (hard to believe, I know!!!), and we should have plenty of sunlight then.

For tenth (last but not least), I have started clipping coupons and watching ads--especially produce ads. I have found some fabulous produce deals like 10 lemons for $0.99, 3 pound bag of white onions for $0.68, etc. I try to actually visit the store that is offering the promotion, but sometimes my grocery shopping has to happen late at night once the kids are in bed, which means most of those stores have closed already. While I am not a Wal-Mart fan, I do appreciate the 24-hour availability AND the price-matching option. This allows me to shop when I want/need AND I can still get the discounts. Clipping coupons and watching for deals takes a lot of time and effort. It's much easier to pay the extra buck and not worry about it. However, I have noticed the benefits in our budget. The pennies do add up--especially when I can buy the produce so cheaply. On one of my produce goldmine expeditions, I came across sweet potatoes for $0.10 per pound. I couldn't pass that deal up, so I ended up buying about 50-60 pounds!!! It only cost me 5-6 dollars, but I spent several hours every night for a week peeling, slicing, steaming, blanching, freezing them in single rows, and finally putting the frozen slices in freezer bags for future use. I used this same process for all the onions and green peppers I also bought on sale.

Needless-to-say, but TV time has gone out the window--I just don't have the time. The only show I really tried to watch was The Biggest Loser, and it was always a struggle. I finally gave up watching it on TV and just caught the replay via the internet. Then it got to where I was one week behind, then I was two weeks behind. I watched the Biggest Loser Finale 3 weeks after the original air date! I really do not miss watching TV. I am much more productive without it.

At some point I am going to have to stop and introduce myself to MYSELF because I hardly recognize ME any more. I never thought I would actually turn into Little House on the Prairie!!! I used to declare growing up that I wanted to be Amish and live on a farm with horses and buggies. I did, however, put in the stipulation that I would like to keep modern plumbing and under garments. Now, I have added another one--washing machines and air conditioners!!!

So, to all my faithful readers (yes, all 2 of you!!!).....I AM STILL HERE, and I will try to update a little more often. In the meantime, it might help if you find something more productive in your own lives so that you aren't depending on my blog to entertain you!!! Just kidding! (maybe)

First Steps

Isaiah took his first few steps tonight. He has been working on it for a little while now. TJ has seen him do 1-2 steps at different times...but tonight he took 4 steps all by himself. He paused halfway...and then he kept on going. He is growing up too fast!!!

First Foods

Isaiah had his first official food today. I say official because technically he has already eaten a lot--leftover pieces of dinner, cereal bits, bugs, leaves, strings...ANYTHING he can find and put in his mouth before he is caught.

I have never been a big fan of store bought baby food. For each of the girls, I waited until they were a year old and could eat straight table food. My sisters Betsy and Marcie introduced me to a fabulous book (Super Baby Foods) that explains in COMPLETE detail how to prepare and serve whole, healthy foods. I have been reading the book this past week and decided to give whole wheat crackers a try.

I mixed them up, baked them, and put them in a little baggie to take with us today. All of us (the girls were just as excited!) gathered around Isaiah, and I handed him his first cracker. He was thrilled that he was allowed to have it without mom digging her finger in his mouth trying to get it back out.

This week I will mill some brown rice to make for porridge. I will also be introducing avocados and sweet potatoes in the next 2 weeks. Isaiah is going to be a really happy guy!!!