Represented by the Best

This is a must see!

Want to know who is representing our nation? Check this out.

http://www.nragive.com/ringoffreedom/nr_j0199_landing.html

The Pox Attack

CHICKEN POX

Need I say more?

4 out of 6 for now.

2 other families, that we were with 14-21 days ago, now have it too.

Between the Blizzard of '09 and this I think God may be telling us to slow down, stay at home, and enjoy some time together.

Hopefully they will all have a light case and this will go away quickly.

Got to go bathe someone in Calamine lotion and Benadryl.

Thanks Baby

"Thanks Baby!"

"Thank you Honey!"

These are words that I say multiple times a day because my hubby is so sweet. His thoughtfulness is amazing. He is so helpful. He even matches socks for me, since I find this to be the most AWFUL job on the planet.

This month marks our thirteenth year of marriage and I love every minute we get together. With six kiddos there might not be very many quiet moments, and the to-do-list is never ending, but as long as we're side-by-side we're happy.

Every year my sweety gets me a Precious Moments figurine. This year he got the one titled, "They will know us by our love." Oh how I hope this is true! I love this man with all my heart.

So, "Thank you, Honey!" for EVERYTHING.

Blizzard '09

White Christmas at the Parker's house:

* A covering of thick white snow out my window.

* Waffles, cinnamon rolls, eggs, and bacon for breakfast.

* The smell of homemade soup for "linner".

* Two little girls, who slept in rollers, now look like little Cindy Lu Who.

* Tons of toys for everyone to play with, and tons of new movies for mom and dad to enjoy.

* There is sledding to be done and hot cocoa to be had.

Thank you blizzard of '09 for slowing everything down so I can enjoy every moment!

A Proud Moment

A little over eight years ago, an adorable little girl came into our lives. We didn't know she was a girl before she arrived, but when she showed up with chubby cheeks and all that hair we were ready to apply all things pink to her. Since we had kept her a mystery for the last nine months we decided that daddy would be the one to introduce her to the world. He stepped out into the hall with her in his arms and announced to our family that little Macy was here.

Last night, again daddy wrapped his arms around her, baptised her, and announced to the church that Macy was the newest member of this family of believers. Tears were falling as I watched and thought of the similarities. Our little gift from God was now choosing to be used by Him in every way. I can not think of a more proud moment.

A while back God gave me this verse. It is my prayer for the girls.

Eph. 3:14-19 "For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, my have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

Jesus Saves

Remember Them

I recently sat down and visited with a girlfriend whose husband is deployed. I picked her brain and asked how they felt about all that is going on. Her answers were so sweet. Here is a family that is sacrificing so much for so many, and yet they expect nothing in return. (I, on the other hand, take the trash out and think I deserve a parade.) I asked her what some of the hardest parts of the deployment are for her husband. One thing she talked about is how (where he is stationed) he sees the fallen soldiers come through daily. Yes, daily. Sure the media has stopped showing the names of the fallen, but that doesn't mean that men and women are not still laying down their lives for the freedoms that you and I enjoy. We can not forget that they are still over there, without their families at Christmas, and putting everything on the line.

What can we do to support these amazing individuals?

1) There are many organizations accepting donations for the troops. It's just everyday stuff like toothbrushes, cds, and tissues that they want.

2) We also need to be informed and involved. Find out who your elected officials are and what they stand for. Write emails to your Senators and Congressmen letting them know how you want them to vote. Remember, they represent you, so tell them how you feel.

3) Pray. Pray for the soldiers. Pray for their families. Pray for the witness they can be to others around them. Pray for the natives of those countries and that their hearts would be turned to Christ.

4) And, as my friend said to me the other day, "If you want a godly nation filled with those whose hearts are turned to Christ, witness to your neighbor." I was so moved by this. Being active is great, but God's work in the hearts of those around me will be what brings about real and lasting change in our nation. What better time to talk to your neighbors, or a cashier, or the mailman, or anyone about Christ than at Christmas time?


I am so thankful for the freedoms that our family enjoys and grateful to the men and women who sacrifice it all to make those freedoms possible.

Christmas Decorating

As you can see, the Christmas decorations are out here at this squirly house. I sent my 5yr old in to the living room this morning to do a quick clean. After a short bit, she came back to me beaming from ear to ear. She said she had cleaned and decorated the room for me. Here is a picture of how she decorated for us:

I thought it was so cute, I just had to leave it like this.

Christmas decorations are wonderful. They brighten every one's day. It is priceless to see my 2 and 3 yr old sitting and playing with the manger people. You can sit and listen to them imagine what is going on in that manger. Then there are the many stuffed animals, mini-Christmas trees, and dancing Santas each playing a different song and constantly singing. Have I mentioned I love Christmas? Scott and I were even married in December with a holiday theme (many, many moons ago). I hope your holiday season is filled with oyj, I mean JOY:) It truly is "the most wonderful time of the year".

Busy, Busy, Busy

So much has been going on here. Seems like there has hardly been time to stop and chill. I guess it's no different than any other house out there. I've spent the last week cooking and taking food from one relatives' house to the next. We've spent the last month almost consumed by play practices for the church Christmas play coming up. Busy, Busy, Busy! Now basketball practices and games are starting. But, it is all worth it. Seeing how much the girls enjoy their activities and the friends they are making, makes it OK that life is busy.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I hope you did too. Ours was somewhat a "redneck" thanksgiving. We took our guns out to Scott's aunt's farm and shot skeet. It was so much fun. My aim wasn't bad. I told Scott that I thought I could defend myself if someone broke in just as long as the bad guy stood really still for about 5 min. while I got my aim just right:) Oh well, maybe I'll rely on the dog and house alarm instead.

It was so nice to take 3 days off school last week, but very hard to get back to the routine this week. Remember how I wrote a while back about my little ones spending one night in our room while they were sick and thinking that was the new way we would do things? Well, my older girls can be that way with school too. I guess we are all like that. The lighter load is much more preferable. But, tomorrow is Wednesday and we should be back into full swing by then.

There have been so many "training opportunities" around here for our kiddos lately that blogging has had to move to the back burner. This is the stage of life we are at. They are our eternal work so I must put them first. It seems that in our house their are highs and lows. There are moments of peace and love, and then there are moments of training and love. We are definitely in a training phase. I don't dread these times because this is when I can really see their hearts. So, if I don't blog for a while it is just because I am busy trying to mold 6 little hearts so that they will follow Him.

Thankfulness

It's that time of year.

It's on every one's mind.

But, how do we stay truly thankful during all the hustle and bustle?

Last night our pastor shared on this and it was so good I had to pass it on to you.

In Luke 17 you can read the story of the ten lepers. These ten men approached Jesus as He was heading to Jerusalem and begged to be healed. Jesus sent them to the priest and the scripture says that "as they went, they were healed." Only one of the men, after seeing he was healed, returned to thank Jesus. In verse 19 Jesus says, "Get up, go your way, your faith has made you well."

While all the men were healed, only this man was made well.

What does this tell us? It shows us that thankfulness is healing to our soul.

During this Thanksgiving holiday we should lay our offenses down and share with those around us how thankful we are for them.

How do we provoke ourselves to thankfulness?
*it starts with a heart of thanking God
*you stop looking at what others are doing wrong and choose to look at the good in their hearts
*Ask God to help you be sensitive to others
*become more focused on people rather than projects
*make a list of things that others have done that blessed you and then respond to those things


Now that you have your mind and heart in the right place, set a goal to formally thank someone, daily!

How can we express our gratitude?
*be specific
*write it down
*call them
*ask others if you can pray with them and through prayer express thankfulness for that person and what they do

As Christians we have all been healed. It is time to be thankful and through that bring healing to our souls and to those around us.

Challenge: Who will you show an attitude of gratitude to today?

Family Pics Can Be Fun!

After years of going to the mall and taking family pics in a cramped, hot room, we decided we had had enough. We never really got those truly happy smiles out of the kiddos because we were all hot, crowded, and contorted just to fit into the small space. All that has changed now, thanks to a wonderful photographer named Tiffany Gardner. We did pics with her for the first time last fall and loved the whole experience. So, we decided to use her again this year, and look what we got.


Those are the smiles that were missing from the indoor photo shoots. She is so good at capturing that perfect shot. Plus, it is painless. She makes the whole experience so pleasant and enjoyable. The girls commented to me the other day, "She is always happy!", and she is.

How cute are the chubby little fingers of little P, or the yellow M & M that you can see A hiding, or the half polished nails of the older girls. She has captured this moment in time in such a sweet way.

Here they are! Best friends to the end of the road.

She truly captured their squirliness here!

I saved the best for last. It looks like a picture out of a fairy tale.

Once upon a time their were six little girls who spotted a rabbit hopping by (they really did). Thank goodness Mrs. Tiffany was there to capture that moment on film. Now their mom will always remember this fairy tale time in life.


*Disclaimer: Tiffany Gardner has not given me anything to say this. I am simply overwhelmed at her talent and the sweet nature she has shown our family. If you would like to have a wonderful family pic experience than please contact her at tiffanygardner@me.com .

Taking a Peak into Their Hearts

I was driving home the other day with all my squirls in the car plus one extra. My older ones were having a friend stay the night. They were rocking out as we drove down the road, when on came a song that I love. In the past, I had told the girls that this song was my song to daddy. Of course I turned it up a little more and joined in on their jam session.

From the back seat I heard S say to her friend, " This is my mom's song to my dad. She absolutely adores him."

I almost teared up. I do absolutely adore him. I want them to know that and be sure of it to their very core.

Our marriage is not perfect. We are not perfect. But, we do want to show unconditional love, God's love, to our girls. What better way to show that than in our own relationship.

It is in these moments, like the car, that God lets me get a peak into their hearts.


Wow! I have been soaring ever since!

Pumpkins, Pumpkins Everywhere

We have pumpkins everywhere!



Down the sidewalk,

around the corner,

it just keeps going,

all over the front porch too.

We have pumpkins everywhere!

There were pumpkins we did as a family. Then there were the ones we did with the homeschool group. To top it off, we did some at Meme's house. Don't forget that the girls and I had already decorated the front with some hay and pumpkins. You would think our front yard is a pumpkin patch. Maybe we went a little overboard, but we have had lots of fun.

Three Princesses

Once upon a time,

there were three princesses...

...who lived in a castle with their fierce dragon...

I love watching them pretend! I wish they would stay young forever!

A Sunday Funny

Another day, Another story. That's what happens when you're a mom 24/7.




We had a Sunday School gathering to go to this last weekend. After church, all of our class and their kiddos, gathered together for a pizza picnic at the church park. Things were going so well. The same children who come out of their classes every other Sunday threatening to eat me if I don't quickly present something edible, were patient while waiting for their food and drink. They ate, we visited, and all was smooth.


I was getting to comfortable. I let my guard down.


After they ate, they ran off to play with all the other munchkins their age. They were playing so nice and having a ball, and that is when it happened. Right as I was relaxing and visiting with all the ladies. Just as Scott was cracking a joke to his buddies. Right in plain view where everyone could see it, Piper (who is 2) pulls down her panties, squats, and pees!!


I know that in the last post I said she was not wearing panties in public, but we decided to bite the bullet, bring extra clothes, and give it a try on Sunday. I guess we weren't thinking about the lunch plans.


When I saw what she was doing, I made a mad dash across the field to snatch her up, but it was to late. She was done. Of course, everyone could see what had happened. Was I embarrassed? Nope! She's #6! This is not my first pee story. I just told them all that I was glad she had pulled down her panties first. I can't wait till she is older and I can make her blush with this story.


Other than that, no one took their clothes off (another common occurrence with my little ones), got lost, or lost their temper. Overall, I'd say it was a good day. At least it was pee and not, well you know. Just another day, with another story from a mom with 6.

Mother 24/7

Mother 24/7

There are no sick days.

You will be required to work nights and weekends.

Lots of on-the-job training.

There will be light cleaning (every minute!).

Negotiating skills are required.

Other skills needed are: love, grace, and patience.

This job requires you to be bi-lingual.

You must be able to speak each child's love language,

baby talk, and text in teen lingo.

You can never quit or retire.

You will be paid in priceless items, such as hugs and kisses and the occasional spontaneous "I love you."

This is the hardest job in the world,

full of stretch marks and embarrassing moments

in public, but...

This is the BEST job in the world,

where heroes and leaders are being formed.

Mother 24/7 moment from this past week:

I took the 3 little ones with me to a store. After being in line for 10 min. or so, I look down at little P to see a bunched up pair of panties hanging out of her shirt. No, she does not wear panties in public yet, still working on that. She had decided to put some on ( that is, around her waist, not through the legs) before we left. These panties were to big for her and were now hanging out the bottom of her shirt. It was so noticeable and you could tell that it was undies. I wish I could insert a pic here so you could see how funny it looked. So, what did I do? I laughed, tucked them into her pants, and waited till we got to the car to take them off of her.

I am proud to be a Mother 24/7 x 6.

Do you have any stories that prove your job title is Mother 24/7? Please share.

12 Before Your 12 - Part 2

You are a product of the God you serve,

the friends you keep,

the tv/movies you watch,

the books you read,

and the music you listen to.

This was the theme of our third month in "twelve before you're twelve". This is a time that Bryce and I take once a month. We spend time just the two of us and I share pieces of wisdom based on God's word. I think this is a very important age. She will be entering her pre-adult years and there will be many temptations. I hope to plant some seeds of truth that will carry her through.

Our discussion that month was on friendships. I know that as a parent we cannot choose their friends for them, but I believe we can encourage them to be leaders whose friends do not influence their convictions. That is what it all comes down to, their convictions. She has reached the age where our rules should become her rules. This builds off of the first part where we talked about the Prov. 31 woman. Once a decision has been made to follow God's example, then you naturally begin to establish your own convictions. The more time she spends in His word, the more her heart will be drawn to the things He wants in her life. She will be drawn to those who encourage her walk with the Lord and are building their own character.

I used the word picture of bumper guards to explain convictions to B. Like in bowling, when the bumper guards are up, if the ball sways to the side it will not fall into the gutter. Instead the ball will bounce back over and continue down the path to its goal. Our convictions should be there to keep us from falling into the "gutter" and push us back over to our intended goal.

Do you have young ones in your life? What are you doing to encourage them to follow God's plan for their life? His plan is not in the future, it is in the now! Take time to encourage them to have their own convictions based on His word.

Boomer! Sooner!

Remember this?

In this house we're Sooner born and Sooner bred!

On this OU/Texas weekend there is only one thing to say,

GO! SOONERS! GO!

Texas joke of the day:

How do you keep a Texan out of your front yard?

Paint a goal line on it!

Disclaimer One: The above joke excludes all Texans who root for OU!

Disclaimer Two: Scott says it is wrong to hate except if you are hating Texas:)

The Flu of '09

We made it through! We started off our week with the flu. Monday morning #1 was the first to feel ill. By Tuesday, there were 3 more (#'s 2,4,6). On Wednesday #5 followed their lead. That only left one, #3. She has shown no signs and is going strong, maybe she's been spared.

But, if I end the story here, you'd miss all the details, like:

Why is it that letting three little ones make a pallet in your room one night translates to them that this is the new norm and they should expect to do this forever?

I have been to Walgreen's four times in four days. Confession: I did go with a Tylenol stain down the front of my shirt and was wearing my slippers. I'll admit there were a few looks.

Our new washer came on Wednesday. It came just in time. Every blanket, pillow case, and towel needed to be sanitized. #5 was so disappointed that it was not pink. In her world everything has to be pink.

Through a friend who is a PA ( and she has a great blog at http://mommysondra.blogspot.com/) I found out about Sambucol. It is a natural immune builder. You can get it at Walgreen's near the Zicam and Airborn. The kids like the taste of it. I started them all on this immediately and I think it shortened their illness.

I had a chance to practice relaxing this week. No, not the kind where you curl up with a good book. It's the kind where I choose no to stress if life is not going as "smoothly" as it normally does. I had fun playing Uno with my older girls and cuddling with my little ones.

Most of all, I have been amazed by daughter #3 this week. This is a girl that loves life. She can be very distracted at times. For the last year Scott and I have been trying to mold her character to slowdown and think of others needs. There have been moments we wondered if we were getting through. This week God showed us how her heart is turned towards others. She showed great maturity this week as she helped mommy care for everyone. To see how God has used this week in her life makes all the hard work well worth it.


Now everyone is well. No one has ran a fever in over 24 hrs. Yea! The sun has returned to our state. Yea, again! The OU/Texas game is on Saturday. Yea, Yea, and Yea! Normalcy is Back!

Way to go Mr. Rogers

You have got to see this.

Great job, Mr. Rogers!

He says what so many of us are thinking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=G44NCvNDLfc

Time to Reminisce

Another cloudy, rainy day here.

So there is only one thing to do.

Stop and remember all the fun in the sun we had this summer.

I love going back and looking over our pics, especially when the clouds start bringing everyone down.

I wish I could say that I handle life with a smile like this:

But sometimes my attitude can be affected by days of rain.

So, when all else fails, it is time to reminisce.

It is working already!

How do you get rid of the "rainy day blues"? I would love to know, especially since this weather won't be changing anytime soon. Hope it's dry where you are.

With In The Word

Do you need some encouragement?



Wish you could join a Bible study, but you know that you have no time?


Well, guess what, you are in luck!

My mom has been working towards this for a long time. She finally has a website that allows others to see her bible study, follow along, and get some encouraging words.

SO, what are you waiting for?

Go visit to http://withintheword.com .

You will love it!

Truths

There are some truths that you pick off trees.



There are truths in life that are easy to see. Want to know the truth about raising a two year old? Go to Barnes and Noble and you'll find most anything you want to know. Need to know the details of the prescription you are taking? Just call the pharmacist. Want to know facts on other topics? It's just a click away. We can Google to find answer quickly and easily. Even God's Word has truths that are plain to see. It is a blessing to simple minded people like myself. I have given all my braincells away so that my kids would be smart. I can open up Psalms and find truths about my Creator. In Proverbs I can find what a Godly wife should be like or how to be a wise person. Genesis shares the truth on how the world came into existence. These verses are easy to glean truth from. It is as easy as walking up and picking fruit off of a tree.



There are some truths that you have to dig for like potatoes.



There are other truths that come after you "get your hands dirty". These are the pearls of wisdom that you should search for in your time with the Lord. And when you find these truths, they will be life changing. Ask yourself when was the last time you dug for truth. Unfortunately, we seem to only do this when our life seems to be falling apart. Imagine if you already had some deep truths whenever trials came. You would be armed and ready.



So go on and eat your "fruits and vegetables"--- Soak up those easy truths, and dig for those pieces of wisdom.

What Is That?

Want to know what that is?

Well, lets go back in time. Back in June I wrote a post about Throwing Off Your Complacency. It was based on this verse:

Isaiah 32:9-13 "Listen you women who lie around in ease. Listen to me you who are smug. In a short time- in a little more than a year- you careless ones will suddenly begin to care. For your fruit crops will fail and the harvest will never take place. Tremble, you women of ease; throw off your complacency... For your land will be overthrown with thorns and briers. Your joyful homes and happy towns will be gone." (NLT)

For to long we have allowed evil to influence our children and stifle our freedoms. We have sat back while God, marriage, parenting, and the home have been attacked.

We must start caring! We need to stop being complacent! If we fail to act, we will lose our joyful homes and happy towns.

So, how do we protect our homes?

-It starts with prayer.

-Then, you need to be aware and active. The button above will link you to As A Mom. This is a new site where moms can join together, inform one another, and encourage each other on ways to take a stand.

Please join me and others at As A Mom. Lets stand together!

You Are Not Alone

Are you exhausted?
Are you willing to take any sales call just for some adult conversation?

Do you feel alone?
Do you feel like no one else has ever felt the way your feeling now?

I'm here to offer you some encouragement. As a mom of many little ones I can remember days when I only had three. They were all so close in age. There were many days that I felt overwhelmed. I saw other moms that were a little further down life's road and thought they had it all put together. But I have come to realize two things. First, they had older ones to help with their many little ones (thankfully I do too now). Second, they did not have it all together. They felt overwhelmed weekly, if not daily, just as you , and I do. So the truth is we all feel overwhelmed, but we all make it through.

How do I make it through?

First, I would encourage you to daily spend time in God's word. He will be your strength, joy and peace. When you start to feel like you're loosing your mind, stop and think "Have I had time with Him today?" I can always tell those days when I told God I was to busy to read His love letter to me. Make this a priority. Dive into His word and get to know Him in a new way. He is the one that has called you to motherhood. He has a plan. Ask Him what His plan is for you and your little ones. Your heart will be softened as you read His word and spend time in prayer.

The next thing I would encourage you to do is to start an exercise routine. Whether you are a size 2 or not, this can help. I don't say this to encourage vanity, but motherhood is a demanding job, you need to be ready for everything. I wish I had started this earlier in my life, but I often poo-pawed it. In the last year, I have made it a part of my morning routine. It is my time to do something for myself. I do it before anyone else is up so I get to watch the show I like, or spend time praying, or even listening to music. All of this starts my day off with a smile. This does mean you will lose some sleep, but "no sleep" is just part of motherhood. Everyone needs to have their own time. Maybe your special time is not exercising, but you need to find something you enjoy. Make time for it!

The last thing is, who is your support group? You must have a support group! Who are those around you that you know will encourage you? Even if they are not on the same path as you, who are those that will let you vent your struggles and call you back to Christ? This is not a one person job, that is why I used the word group. You need ladies around you that have older children. These are the ladies you could seek advise from. Ask them how they survived. Have others whose children are the same age as yours. There can be some real validation from these ladies. You will realize you are not the only one, you are not alone. You should even have those that have younger children than yours. Through them you'll be reminded of how you felt before and made it through. You could be a big encouragement to them.

So remember:

You are doing the greatest job in this world!

Satan wants you to fail!

You are not alone!

Let the joy of the Lord be your strength.

Fall Decorations

What a great Friday night! After feeding all little ones, Scott and I left the two oldest in charge and went on a date, well, kind of. We are letting the older girls practice since they are not quite old enough, so we ate dinner outside. The little ones thought we were gone, so there were no interuptions. After about an hour, it was time to go in have a slice of pineapple upside down cake I had made earlier and start movie night. It was a late night, but lots of fun. I got up this morning and took all the girls to the Farmers Market. I love doing this. We just don't do it enough. We bought some corn to go along with the ribs daddy is cooking for dinner. But, we were really there to pick up some pumpkins. After gathering all sizes and shapes, we headed home to decorate. Here are some pics of how it all turned out:

Didn't the girls do a great job?! I love fall! I wish it was like this all year. How about you?

My Most

After visiting a friends blog (http://mommysondra.blogspot.com/), I was inspired by her "simple list". She made a list of all the simple things around her that she enjoys each day. I have decide to change it up a bit and make a list of my mosts.

What I do the most..... laugh.
My answer could be clean or teach, but I laugh far more than anything else in my day. My hubby makes me laugh so hard it turns into the ugly laugh. The side hurting, eyes watering, gasping for air kind of laugh. Our six "squirly" girls are always doing or saying something that interupts all seriousness and sends us rolling on the floor. I think parenting is a comedy routine (just ask Bill Cosby).

What I think about the most...
There is a four way tie on this:
"What time is it?"
What was I about to do?
"Where did that go? "
"I need to add that to the grocery list! "
Years of mothering have left me very forgetful.

What I say the most...
So many things that it is hard to narrow it down. At the top of the list is:
"Use your nice words."
"Time to quick clean."
"Please remember to flush."
"Lets go!"

Around me I see...
A beautiful fall day. Little girls playing outside with frogs. We have had so many frogs lately that we are checking into the plague theory.

At night I hear...
Sure you may not be able to understand a word she is saying, but God does. He knows she is praying for the two frogs she played with earlier. She named them Katie and Jojo. He understands every word she is saying. All I know is that it was so cute I had to get it on film. (What is it about a three year old that is so cute? Everything she does makes us all giggle.)

What is your day like? What are your "mosts"?

Product Review

I have found a few things at Target lately that have made my life a little easier, so I thought I would share a little product review with you.



First, we have the EZ Combs. I found these to be great. I used these for the first time last Sunday. They were very easy to use. It was a quick way to get a beautiful look, and on a Sunday that is very important to me.

I don't think they are strong enough to last very long, but they were cheap enough to replace later. It came with two, one wooden and the other black. Here is Macy and Sadey showing off their new look. They were kind enough to be my models.

The only "problem" is that the packaging says that there is a free online styling video, but I've searched for it and cannot find it. (Quick side note: I did find out that there are many videos on youtube that show how to make lots of cute hairstyles. Being a mom of 6 girls, I was in heaven.)

Overall, I thought these were great. Give them a try and tell me what you think.

The next two products are:

So, maybe they are new to you, but this was an answer to prayer for us. We have had 5 other children that stayed confined to the indoors when told, but #6 is totally different (remember she is the one practicing for her future career as a sky diver). With a pool, even though it is fenced, I could not have her going outside at her choosing. These handle locks were so easy to install. I did not even need any tools. Maybe this will keep her in, I hope.

What new products have you found?

What has made your life a little easier?

Indoctrinating Kids

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Have you seen this? It seems like I am hearing more and more about American children being taught the wrong message in school. Sure I knew they were not opening the Bible in class each day, but I was naive enough to think that they were not being indoctrinated. Foolish me! I have said before how I used to pay little attention to the news and what Washington was doing, but that has all changed. Why? I realized things were going on around me that were going to rob my children and grandchildren from some of the freedoms that I hold so dear. I am now "awake" and listening. I am searching out truths in order to protect their future. Next, I am indoctrinating my children. You heard me right. I am indoctrinating them with The Doctrine. My goal is to fill them with so much truth, that they will be able to easily see a lie when it is presented. Not my truth, but His, our heavenly Father. I want them to make scripture their measuring tool. If the facts do not measure up to what scripture says, than it is not truth. I hope that a fire is being stirred up in the hearts of all believers to prepare our children to carry God's word to the next generation. Will there be a Daniel? Will there be a David Livingston? Will there be a Dwight L. Moody? The phrase that changed DL Moody's life was "The world has yet to see what God can do with one man wholly dedicated to Him." Wonder what God could do with six little girls? What could God do with a stay-at-home mom? Great and mighty things, I know for sure! At the end of Mr. Moody's life he said this, "I do not know anything America needs more today than men and women on fire with the Fire of Heaven. Not great men, but true, honest persons, God can use!" He spoke these word over 100 years ago, and how true they still are today. Want to know what will change the future? Our children will. Will we raise men and women on fire for God, or we will let others raise them to worship and praise mere men?

Coping

I just got back from a great lunch with my sisters. When Tiff called this morning and asked if I could meet, I told her I was going to make it happen. I love my sisters! We have so much fun together. We laugh so much, it is obnoxious. The three of us might be the biggest smarty pants in the world. As we share our hearts with each other, I am overwhelmed at how we feel the same pain and joy. Sure I have friends that I can nod my head with when they are telling me of their daily grind, but with my sisters it is different. I feel like, no I know, they can read what my heart is saying, not just what my mouth is saying. I can do the same with them. There is nothing fake between us. So as we sat at lunch today, Mandy said something that stuck with me. She said, "Are you coping, or hoping?" Even as I drove home, I thought more about that question. I have been just coping! I have been doing whatever it takes to get through the (long) days lately. Have I been obey Christ's direction? Yes. Have I been checking things off my to do list? Yes. But for about 3-4 days now something has been off. I was not Hoping. In today's society hope means wishing for or desiring but not very sure it will come to be. But, as Christians, the word Hope means a strong and confident expectation. Hope is the confident expectation that what God has promised in His word is true. He is my Hope, my real Hope! My eyes had not been on Him, but rather on whatever situation life was throwing at me. Wow, has my outlook changed since lunch. I have my sight set on Him, and my Hope has returned. So, for Thankful Thursday, I am so glad I had lunch with my sisters. I needed it. And I am thankful God uses them to call my attention back to Him.

Romans 8:24,25 "For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it."

My Perfect World

In a perfect world...

-I wouldn't have to tell my 2yr old to stop spitting on daddy's laptop.

-I would never have a cross or screaming kid in public.

-Laundry would fold itself instead of lying on the floor, mocking me, reminding me that one more job needs to be done.

-My third grader would work without daydreaming or talking. I would not have to remind her again to be diligent.

-All 12 little hands would pick up after themselves.

-The appliances in our house would never break causing more work for everyone.

-There would be more time with my hubby.

-I would get more sleep.

-I would not feel the Holy Spirit reminding me to be more patient.

-Homeschooling would be easy.

-Watching the news would not give me nightmares about my children's future.

-I would be a more creative writer instead of using this blog as therapy.

-My little ones would not be fighting right now (have to pause to make #4,and 5 let #6 in to the playroom).

-The before mentioned playroom would not have so many toys out that it looks like all the toy boxes thew up while no one was watching.

-My house, car, backyard, and garage would always be clean and orderly.

In a perfect world like this I would not call on my Savior each morning to help me with the day to come. I would not ask Him to help me know my children's hearts and how to train them to love Him and others. I would not thank Him when Scott and I get to steal a moment together. I would not have anything to do and would be miserably bored. So I think I'll let my perfect world look like this...

-God what do you want me to do today?

-How do you want me to train/teach?

-Thank you for all that I have to do today. Thank you for the messes that will keep me from being bored.

-Thank you for the Holy Spirit that strengthens me all day long.


What does your perfect world look like?

Foul Ball

Little Girl Tosses Back Foul Ball - Watch more Funny Videos

This is so adorable! The dad's loving reaction is priceless. I guess little girls can really get away with anything!

My Week

My week in a nutshell...



Monday - Home school outing. Had many pep talks with #4 before leaving the house in order to encourage good behavior. It worked, kind of. The outing went well, but lunch with dad after was asking to much. She and #'s 5 &6 had been quiet long enough. I feel like I should say sorry to those in the restaurant. Hopefully they have kids and where understanding. I tried my best, even to the point of letting #6 eat butter with her spoon. Butter is a food group, right? Just ask Paula Deen.



Tuesday - #6 wakes up cross. This had building for 2 days, so I figured it was an ear infection. I packed up the youngest three and headed to the drs. As I am sitting in the room waiting for the dr, the "jr dr" comes in to check little PJ. After telling him of all her symptoms, he precedes to tell me, w/o even looking at her ears, that it didn't sound like she was sick and I was overreacting. Why do some drs question moms? Our real pediatrician came in, examined her and found a double ear infection.



Wednesday - Out the door early to get older 2 to bible study. Came back home and started school with #3. I heard a noise in the kitchen, so went to check it out. I found PJ completely naked grabbing cereal out of the cereal box. To do this she had to first push a heavy chair over to reach the box. Nothing stands in her way. A couple hours later she was practicing for her future career as a sky diver. She jump from the top of the chair and hit the tile. She has a nice bump on her head. Now she has a headache and an earache.



This is only the first three days of this week. I'll leave out the everyday demands of cleaning, laundry, dishes, cooking, and bathing little ones. On weeks like this there is only one thing to do, focus on all the blessings around you. So here is my Thankful Thursday list:

1) I am thankful for God and how He hears me cry out during those demanding days. He is the source of my peace, and the One who puts a song in my heart.

2) My awesome hubby. I am thankful that he took the girls to the park the other night and gave me a whole hour of peace. He is so helpful, and always knows just when to step in. He is my best friend and I love every minute with him.

3) My girls and how helpful they are. I love my time with them. I enjoy talking with my older girls and just chilling with them on the couch. Those little ones keep me laughing. I can't even plan for what comes next with them.

4) My mother-in-law and my mom. They are so helpful to me. They sacrifice their own time, to help me accomplish daily activities. Their thoughtfulness can not be measured.

5) My other best friends...my mom and sisters. I love how close we are. I love how we laugh at each others jokes and finish each others stories. I wish we had more time together, but for now I'll take the brief phone calls and occasional lunches.

There is so much more I could say thank you for, but that's it for now. So no matter what the next few days bring, I'm ready for it. I hope you are having a good week, but if yours has been a little crazy like mine, take a minute and count your blessings. You'll find your smile again.

He's the One

I love the fall. When the cold weather sets in, I get so excited. It puts me in a romantic mood. Why? It was seventeen years ago, in the fall of 1992, that I met the man I had been praying for.

He is my whole world. When Scott has to go away, the girls and I know how to manage. I know how to hold down this fort, but it is like I'm doing it with less oxygen. That is the best way I can describe it. When he returns, our whole world is right again.

So how did it all begin? Scott and I met in the ninth grade. Neither of us remember that exact moment, but it wasn't long before we were best friends. We spent the next four years talking every night on the phone and spending our days together in class, never choosing to date. From the beginning if I missed one day of talking to him, the world seemed off. I'm not sure how I didn't see sooner that he's the one.

He is "the one"
.... that makes me laugh. No one is as funny as he is.
.... who I still love holding hands with.
.... with so much wisdom. God has given him girls, but nothing gets over on him.
.... that makes all my dreams come true. All my dreams revolve around us.

I can remember praying for "the one" when I was younger. I prayed for a David that would walk with the Lord. I prayed for a Daniel that would be obedient even if it meant facing giants. I prayed for a Noah that would follow any of God's requests. I prayed for a Paul that understood "the walk" in a deep way. He is all of these.

So when at the young age of 18 he asked me to marry him, I knew he was the one. It took about 5min after the wedding for us to have our first girl. I am pretty sure it was about 5 min between each of the other girls. Time has flown by and now we are coming up on our 14th anniversary.
Our marriage has been like climbing up a mountain. It's a hard climb, but the view is beautiful the whole time. I love this journey we are on. It can be hard sometimes and a blast other times, but it is never boring. I know I can go anywhere as long as he is right there with me.

He is the one forever!

Mom of Toddlers

Does your car smell like goldfish and is littered with scribble pictures from Sundays gone by?

Do you find small pairs of undies scattered throughout the house (they know how to get them off, but can't put them back on)? If you're like me, you have to do a panty and shoe check before leaving the house to make sure everyone has all they need.

Do you speak a language that others around you can not begin to understand, mostly because the words you are using to represent certain objects do not sound in any way like the correct word for that object (ex. in our house "bum" = blanket)?

Are small toys scattered throughout the house? Do you find yourself, even after cleaning before bed, always stepping on that one small (excruciating) toy as you stumble off to bed?

Can you change sheets in a dark room filled with 3-4 other children and never wake anyone up? possibly not even fully wake up yourself?

Does every black shirt you wear quickly get smeared with snot and every white shirt get smeared with food stains? No color is safe.

Do you open your purse to sign a check only to find that the only writing utensil you have is a broken crayon? (you know, the one lying next to the goldfish crumbs at the bottom of the purse)

Do you carry a small potty in the back of your car because you know they will need to go when there is not a potty in sight?

Can you get a onesie off and a child lifted on to toilet in 2.5 sec (because that is all the warning time you will get from them)?

Do you have these kinds of conversations?
me trying to teach animal sounds: "What does the pig say?"
Caymber: "Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin!"

Do you find yourself trying to capture on camera every little adorable thing that they do?

I am guilty of all the above and proud of it. I am the mom of toddlers. It can be challenging to my patience level, but the moments of joy and laughter far out number those challenging times.
They are just TOO cute! Don't believe me? Watch this....

GO SOONERS!!!

**Please take time on this day of remembrance to consider the cost of freedom. Please tune in to Fox News tomorrow and watch those who have gone to Washington on our behalf to stand up and say enough is enough. If you are in the Okc area, please join me and others on Sunday at 3pm on the steps of the capitol to make your voice heard.**

Catching Memories

.....Once upon a time...

...there were six young girls....

....whose mother was always busy...

....capturing their beautiful smiles.

...Their story is still being written...

...but we have a picture for every page.

Some people bake, some scrapbook, but I can't help but snap. With all my little subjects so willing, I enjoy snapping a shot wherever we are.

Happy Labor Day to all! Whatever you are doing on this holiday, grab your camera and catch a memory.

While He Was Out

While dad was away we....

went to see a beautiful stream with a waterfall....

...Stopped to see some deer...

...went to a "cave" near our house...

...overall we played, explored, and posed. Can't wait for dad to get back and hear all about it.