Squirly Girls

One Busy Momma

2010-11-15T15:32:00.003-06:00

Well, since my last post, over 2 1/2 months ago, I have been one busy momma. In fact, I haven't even had time to read my favorite blogs till now, let alone post something of my own. But, since I am taking a sick day, because I'm sick again, I thought I would update the world on my squirly girls.

This fall has been so full. Full of fun with friends, schooling, and field trips. We have four in school this year and that keeps me hopping.

Bryce is in the 7th grade now. She has grown into such a beautiful young woman. She has a heart to teach. She often helps me here at home, but she has a new opportunity doing a Bible story and craft project every Wednesday with the children she babysits. She spends the whole week preparing the lesson, pictures and craft pieces so that they will be filled with truth. I love to see her passion for their little hearts.

Sadey is in the 6th grade this year. She is still our comedian. There is never a dull moment with her around. She has a love for animals that I cannot comprehend. She has been spending time trying to train our new little puppy so that I won't change my mind on keeping her (the puppy that is. What was I thinking saying yes to another dog?) Sadey has also been doing some volunteer work at a horse ranch near us. The ranch uses horses to work with mentally challenged children. Her time there, while brief, has been wonderful. I could totally see her running a place like it some day, where she could work with children and animals.

Macy, our 4th grader, is growing up to fast, at least for me. What a difference there has been from third to fourth grade. Because Bryce and Sadey have started babysitting occasionally for other families, Macy has been able to step in and be the oldest in the home. I love to see how my kiddos react when they are given an opportunity to be more mature. Even this week, she had deemed herself my nurse and has been busy taking care of me and keeping Piper busy and off my lap. Her heart to help others is always teaching me how to be more thoughtful.

This year is Caymber's first year of school. We did pre-k with her last year, but she had little interest in any of it. This year she loves it. She is reading and writing well. I love that God and Scott provide so that I can be there for these moments when they are learning new things. She has even begun to come out her shell a bit. Her shy nature is still there, but she is beginning to want to have playtime with friends. That is a huge step for her.

Aylee and Piper are still our little munchkins. I know, they are 3 and 4 now, and not so little anymore, but I'm choosing not to focus on that (Ha!). They are like two little rolly pollies. They play together and laugh together. They are each others favorite toy and best friend. I love watching them together. I am not completely blinded to them growing up. They have begun to have their own little chores around the house. Let me say there is nothing cuter than a little one mopping.

These are my six squirls that keep me hopping. Life is so full and busy right now, but I'm soaking it up. Can't wait to see what 2011 will bring. *hopefully more time to blog again :)

Hard to Believe She's Four

2010-08-31T07:41:00.003-05:00

Four years ago this morning, we welcomed our fifth baby girl into our family. Her arrival had been much anticipated.

This was the first pregnancy we had used a midwife and were eager to have the home birth experience. But, when this pregnancy went 14 days past the due date, we were beginning to wonder if she would ever arrive.

At 6:30 am on August 31, after only 3 hrs of labor, we finally got to hold our adorable Elizabeth Aylee Jane. The home birth experience was wonderful and such a beautiful moment for Scott and I to have together.

She weighed 10 lbs 14 oz. and was 21 in long. The biggest baby I'd had, but worth all the work.

Aylee was a quiet and content baby. She was so laid back easy going and still is today. Her bubbly personality makes us all smile.

God has big plans for her and I know she'll do it with a huge smile on her face because that is how she does everything.

Happy Birthday to my now big girl Aylee Jane!!

They're Back!!!

2010-08-02T08:34:00.002-05:00

They are back in the city.

My brother John and his beautiful wife Alicia have moved back to Oklahoma City.

Let the fun begin!

It will be so nice to have everyone close again.

I'm envisioning many dinners out, slumber parties, maybe some pool time or bonfires.

They are just in time for the upcoming football season. They will get to be here for all the tailgate parties.

I am so thrilled to have them living closer.

Welcome back guys!!

Now let's have some fun!!

These are a few of my favortie things...

2010-08-01T15:37:00.017-05:00

You know the song from the Sound of Music with the line, "...these are a few of my favorite things..."? While my list is not compiled of whiskers on kittens or warm woolen mittens, here are a few of my favorites.

* My new fave is toe picts. How cute is this?

* My beautiful sisters

*Puppies who think they are the princess of the house.

* Toddlers playing

*Nieces and Nephews playing in the pool

Something New

2010-07-30T08:37:00.003-05:00

Want to see my new cook top?

Here it is

Before this, we had a glass cook top. While it was beautiful, it was not functional. First of all it sits just under the microwave so things were always dropping out and landing on the glass. Second, I was constantly worried about my little ones reaching up and puting their hands on the glass thinking it was the counter.

Several weeks ago, one of the girls dropped something out of the microwave onto the glass top, and it broke into pieces. So when we went to Lowe's to find a new one, I was thrilled when I found this. My little ones cannot reach the burners on this unit and it is stainless steel.

I'd like to see them try to break this one. No, really, I don't. I think Scott has had enough practice this summer being Mr. Fix It. Hopefully, he will get a break and everything will stay intact in this house full of six little people saying "oops".

Creative Entertainment

2010-07-27T09:30:00.006-05:00

While I was cooking dinner, I rolled out the butcher paper, opened up our box of markers and let Piper and Aylee get creative.

I got a little creative and snapped a couple of shots in black and white. I love black and white pics. I think it totally changes the feeling of the picture.

I got the butcher paper from Sams and it is does not cost much.

I love to use this to entertain them while I'm homeschooling.

They think this is their "school".

These two have so much fun together.

Our Fun Tuesday

2010-07-21T08:08:00.012-05:00

This is our yesterday. Not to much different from every other summer day, except that this time I remembered to grab the camera and snap some shots. I love to compare our swimming pics from this summer to last summer and see how much they've grown.

Ok, so this part of yesterday was out of the ordinary. Scott and I left Bryce and Sadey at home to babysit while we ran my car in to get worked on. In an attempt to entertain the little ones, Bryce got the play makeup out and did some makeovers. This is what we found when we came home.

What a fun babysitters my two girls are.

We ended our day in the pool. With the heat we've been having, there is no better place to be. Here are a few pics of the girls having fun.

Piper

Aylee

Bryce

Caymber

Sadey

Macy

Here's to you Mr. Guilt

2010-07-19T13:23:00.002-05:00

The first quiet moment in over a month so I decided to sit down and catch up on the blogging world. After reading several of my regular stops, I found that old friend of mine. His name is Mr. Guilt. He shows up every time I don't take time to post. He doesn't care if I've been finding a cure for cancer or bringing world peace. He wants to know why I started something and haven't added to it since June 13Th. So here are a few excuses/reasons.

-The master bedroom was flooded. I remember the day it happened, it was the day after my last post. I know this because I watched our pretty blue pool and nice manicured lawn (see pics above) quickly turn into a swamp in just a matter of hours. As the water rose it came into the master bedroom and bath. At one point it measure about 2-3 inches. The clean up was extensive.

-VBS. Love it, but oh my how very busy it is.

-Recovering from VBS. We packed up and headed to the lake for the weekend. We also celebrated Macy's 9th b'day while we were there. She was so proud of her self because she learned to ski on one ski that weekend.

-Two parties in one week. The following week we spent putting the house in order, buying and preparing food, and all that goes into hosting two different parties in two days at your house. It is so awesome to have such amazing friends in our lives. Having them all over was such a treat for us.

-Time to leave for the lake again. The girls and I headed to the lake the next week and Scott met us a few days later. We were able to spend 8 days at the lake house this year for the Fourth of July. It was a much needed time of r and r.

-Baby showers and Slumber parties. I couldn't possibly list the number of slumber parties there have been in this house this summer. It is so nice to have the girls friends and cousins around. Watching them have fun in the pool is what summer is all about. Thank goodness for Netflix. The girls have thoroughly enjoyed the movies at each party. Between my kids and the cousins we have 6 summer birthday parties to throw. This keeps us partying all summer long. Then there are the baby showers I have been to, invited to, and thrown this summer, but I love every minute of it. I get to cuddle a newborn and not have to do all the midnight feedings. How could you go wrong with that?

-This week we are headed to the lake again. This time with my side of the family. This is a first for all of my siblings and my parents to be able to get away at the same time. I can't wait!

-Miscellaneous. I didn't mention that Scott had two root canals in one week, or that the stove top broke, or that the new puppy (who by the way should get a paragraph of her own for keeping me so busy) is now painted blue thanks to Piper (she applied a large amount of blue eyeshadow to her fur and not all of it will wash off).

Here you go Mr. Guilt. I don't know how other gals are blogging daily with such witty stories and adorable pics. I am busy treading water in life right now, trying to keep my head above water. No complaining. It's been a fun summer filled with lots of memory making time. It is not over yet. We still have a few more parties to throw here and movies to watch (hopefully, we are done with things breaking here for a while). So if I do not post for another month or two, rest assure that I will have a long list of excuses to ease the guilt.

I hope your summer is going well. Please send any suggestions on organizing one's time more efficiently. Just kidding. I don't have time to read it:)

Mornings With the Pup

2010-06-13T09:22:00.013-05:00

Our new morning routine:

Piper and Mommy take puppy out to potty.

She follows the pups every move.

No matter where that pup goes.

She is right behind her every step of the way.

Through monkey grass, rocks, or trees...nothing will stop her.

This is the game they play.

Here is another game they play: Spin around the pole while puppy tries to nip at the end of your night gown.

She is getting distracted. Where is the puppy?

Found her!!!

Time to give her a hug.

Oops! She's gone again. Maybe you should go find the pup.

Distracted again?

Who doesn't love the feeling of sand in their toes?

Who doesn't love toddler toes?

And she is off again!

Well at least the toddler and the puppy will be worn out before 8am!!

Aylee and Piper Swimming

2010-06-02T16:45:00.001-05:00

I can't believe it! My two littlest ones are swimming, without mommy and daddy helping.

Mom couldn't believe it either and so I took this video for her to see.

Why is it the little ones want to grow up so fast?

Enjoy!

Now What?

2010-05-23T10:16:00.003-05:00

The vacation has come to an end. Now what?

Each day, I spent time with the Lord asking Him for truth. Truth that I may not see or hear when I am at home with six little distractions. The last vacation Scott and I had, God so filled my heart with truth. I came home refreshed and challenged in several areas that I knew God had shown me direction in. But, each morning this week I asked for truth but was still waiting for it. Not that God's word is not full of truth, but as my mom calls it, I wanted the "meat" of the word, not just the "milk" of the word.

As I sat with Him this morning, I thought back on this week. I thought about how different I am on vacation. Every time Scott and I go away, I make it a point to exercise every morning. I ate better this week. I had a quiet time every morning. I never lost my temper or spoke in a harsh way. That is when God spoke to my heart, "Now that vacation is over, now what?" Do I just go back to doing all those things that are wrong just because I am not in the "garden of eden" any more? Again He spoke to me. He showed me how I have an idol in my life. My idol is stress.

Stress must be my idol. Look how I sacrifice to it. I do not do what I know I am supposed to do because I am stressed. Sometimes I choose to do wrong to relieve my stress. Yes, life is busy and full of opportunities for stress with six kids (or with one kid for that matter), but they are not the cause of my stress. My stress comes from not asking God what He wants my day to have in it, or from taking my focus off of Him and eternal issues and focusing on the present. Sure following Him here in the "garden" has been easy. We all need a time to be refreshed, but I know that He gave me meat this week so that I would be filled for the journey He has for me at home.

I sat there and thought about the sacrifices I make in name of stress. Then I thought about what sacrifices I could make in order to continue this "garden" relationship with Him. This is the list of things that I want to work on for the year. I want to look back next summer and see how I spent my time with Him and no other. One of the books I read this week, related it to marriage, in that I do not want to "cheat" on God. I want Him to have my whole heart just as Scott does. I know this will only come with an eternal perspective.

Here is my challenge to myself: Go home, remember all that God spoke to your heart this week, remember how He opened your eyes to many areas of your life, and live each day challenged to stay completely in love with Him.

Two of the books that I read this week, and would highly recommend, are:

How People Change

by Paul Tripp

(this is a book I will read over and over it is that good)

The Practice of the Presence of God

by brother Lawrence

Love Message to my Girls (4)

2010-05-22T09:26:00.002-05:00

This is it!!

Your last day of vacation.

I have loved hearing all the fun things you've got to do with Meme.

I miss you all so much and can't wait to squeeze you.

Not that being away makes me realize how wonderful you girls are, but it does open up the eyes of my heart to pieces of you that I might be to busy to notice, as often as I should, at home.

Bryce and Sadey: You have grown up so much over the last year. There was such maturity in your voices each time I talked to you this week. I love that you consider it a joy, not a burden, to play little mamas. You have shown such gentleness, not bossiness, to the little ones this week. I am so grateful for the sweet spirit you share with others.

Macy: You were so brave when mommy and daddy were leaving so that Caymber would not see you and be more upset. You too are growing up into a thoughtful young lady. I know your joyful spirit helped cheer up the little ones several times this week. You are so helpful.

Caymber: I heard how you worked hard this week to practice obedience. In the car, outside, and even at bath time, meme told me that you followed exactly what she said. I am so proud of how grown up you are becoming. You have such a loving spirit. I know that as you grow up you will help lead your little sissies to do the right thing.

Aylee, Piper, and all of you: I miss you. I can't wait to see you and snuggle you. Have fun today. I love you!!!

Love, Mommy and Daddy

Love Message to my Girls (3)

2010-05-19T19:57:00.002-05:00

Hi girls!!!

Well the vacation is half over. I hope you all are having fun. Mommy and Daddy are. It has been a very relaxing time. We went to see a movie last night, and that was fun. Today mommy and meme went and played golf with daddy and papa. It was a beautiful course just at the base of the mountains. I took lots of pictures so you could see how pretty it was. We saw a bunny and a roadrunner and papa even saw a snake. We also got to see the home of two celebrities who live on the course. I took some pictures of that too so you'll see it when we get home.

I heard there was more bad weather there today. I hope everything is ok. Hopefully you will not have anymore for the rest of the week so you can play outside each day.

I was so proud of how good you babysat the other day. You older girls are such good helpers.

I can't wait to hear what you bought at the store. Be sure to tell meme a big thank you.

I miss you and can't wait to hold you all again. Enjoy the last part of your vacation and I will see you in a couple of days.

Love, Mommy and Daddy

Love Message to my Girls (2)

2010-05-18T08:29:00.002-05:00

Hi baby girls!!

I hope you are having fun at Meme's today.

Mommy and Daddy are going golfing today. The weather here is so nice. Just a gentle breeze and in about the 80's. I think daddy is going to play golf every day:) He said the course he was on yesterday had so many bunny rabbits running around. You all would have loved it. There is a cute little mommy duck and daddy duck that keeps coming up on the porch at Meme's room. They are looking for food. Meme took some pictures to show you when we get back. I wish I could bring back some of the strawberries they have here. They are so sweet it is like having a peace of candy. I know how much you all love strawberries, especially Macy. You would be eating these for every meal. All the fruit and veggies here taste so good because they are so fresh.

I was so glad to hear how much fun you all were having. I know you are showing Meme and Papa your sweet spirits. Don't wish for home so much that you miss all the fun this week. Soak up your time away with them. I will write you again tomorrow. We love you and miss you.

Love, Mommy and Daddy

Love Message to my Girls (1)

2010-05-17T17:59:00.003-05:00

To my, if any, regular readers you will have to excuse me the next few days. I told my girls I would send them a message each day while we were gone, but we cannot email from here. So, I am using this site to send love messages to my girls. Thank you for stopping by and come back when I am backing to real blogging.

Hi girls!! I hope you all are having a great time at Meme's! We are having fun here. Daddy played golf today and mommy and meme got to sit by the pool. It is very pretty here. We are going to go shopping tonight, so maybe we will find a suprise for everyone. Sorry I haven't been able to upload a video message for you to see, but I will write to you each day. We miss you all and can't wait to see you. I am sending you lots of hugs and kisses! I hope you get lots of spoiling time with meme. See you soon.

Love, Mommy and Daddy

Momisms for Mom's Day

2010-05-07T18:41:00.002-05:00

Inspired by Mother's Day, I am going to share some of my momisms.

You know, those phrases you repeat at least 100 times a day.

The phrases your kids use when doing their impression of you.

I can not take credit for coming up with everyone of these.

Some have been passed down from generations.

But these are the ones that my squirls get to hear most often:

"Don't say 'I can't'. That means 'I won't'. I want you to try."

"Close the door! Were you born in a barn?"

"When do we obey? Right now. Obedience is immediate."

"It's not clean until I say it's clean."

"Buddy up"

"Muster up"

"This is not a negotiation"

"Dessert is something you earn"

In case you haven't had enough momisms, I am adding this video that I know many of you have seen but it never gets old.

Friday Character

2010-04-23T09:08:00.004-05:00

Compassion

vs. Indifference

Investing whatever is necessary to help heal the hurts of others.

1 John 3:17

"Suppose someone sees a brother or sister in need and is able to help. If he doesn't take pity on them, how can the love of God be in him?"

(New International Reader's Version)

After going through the proceedure with Caymber on Tuesday, this character quality was on my heart to share. So many showed compassion to our family through prayer, phone calls, and text to say they were there if we needed help. We were truly shown the love of God this week. There are always people who are hurting. Who are you showing God's love to today

I can not figure out why sometimes when I post it will not enter space between each line. If anyone else has encountered this and knows why this is happening, please leave me a tip in the comment. Thank you.

What a Day!

2010-04-22T16:56:00.002-05:00

There are just some days that you look forward to from the time you become a mom.

This was one of those days.

With Bryce's twelfth birthday only two weeks away, we decided to let her get her ears pierced today.

She was a little nervous, but did great. Oh, how grown up she looks.

This birthday is a big milestone in our house. Not only do you get earrings, but you get to start wearing make up too.

So, off we went to the Clinique counter at the mall for a professional makeover by the makeup artist. The lady that helped us did a wonderful job of giving Bryce a natural look.

I had so much fun shopping with her today. I have waited along time to get to do some of these older things with her. I can't believe the time is here, but I am loving every minute of it.

This is just beginning. I see many mall trips in our future.

A picture that is worth a thousand words!

2010-04-21T07:34:00.003-05:00

This picture says it all.

Yesterday, we took Caymber, who is five, in to get tubes put in her ears. She has struggled the last few years with ear infections, and the pediatrician had mentioned doing this before, but I would just say no. I know when I was growing up, it seemed like they wanted to take out every one's tonsils, and now they've changed their minds and say it should only be done as a last resort. Having tubes in your ears seemed a little like that to me. Was this just another trendy procedure? Well, after a month and a half now of Caymber being on antibiotics and nothing helping her double ear infection, I knew I had to get over my stigma and contemplate the procedure. It has been hard on her. She had not slept all the way through the night with out waking up crying from her ears in over a month. She had started talking loud and certain pitches of sound would make her throw her hands up over her ears. So, after discussing her case with an ear specialist ,we set the date for Tuesday. We told Caymber what was going to happen and she counted down the days, literally. As we led up to the surgery, my big worry was that she would not want to be separated from her parents. Anyone who knows Caymber, knows that she wants to be right by my side. I prayed hard everyday that God would help her to not be afraid as they took her away. At the same time, I tried to plan out how I could help her let go. Little did I know how great she was going to do. As we waited for the nurses to come and get her she was playing around and in a great mood. She had no fear. Then when the nurses came and asked her is she wanted to go for a ride, she told them she would and left with a smile. The picture above shows it all. All the worrying and fear that I had, and all the planning on how I could help her through this was useless, because God had taken away any fear and sadness. I was amazed! For a little girl who struggles being in new places with new faces, I could see that this kind of response from her was definitely the work of the Lord.

The procedure went well, and even though her morning was rough trying to recover, by last night she was up and playing with her sisters. Last night was the first night in almost two months that she has slept through the night. I am so glad we went ahead with the tubes. I am so thankful for my mom coming up there yesterday. I will never again underestimate how much it means to others when you come and just sit with them during their hard time. I am thankful for friends who prayed for her healing and my peace. God heard you and He answered in a miraculous way. I am thankful for nurses who know how to be gentle with children who are hurting. I am thankful for a God who listens to the "big" prayers and the "small" prayers and answers them both. And I am thankful that He is holding each one of my little ones in the palm of His hand.

Friday Character

2010-04-18T07:28:00.003-05:00

Sorry this post is a couple of days late, but better late, than never.

Self-control

vs. Indulgence

Instant obedience to the initial prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:25 "If we live in the Holy Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit."

Do you ask, "How do you know God's voice when you hear it?" I answer with a question: How do you know the voices of your loved ones? You know them because you listen to them often. Listen in obedience to the still, small voice of God.

Isaiah 30:21 "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left"

Product Review

2010-04-14T11:06:00.002-05:00

I have two new products to tell you about. Well, they are new to me. the first one from above is the Color Quick polish pen from Sally Hansen. I love to use this to polish the little girls nails. I don't have to worry about a bottle being tipped over as I am painting. It is all contained in the pen. When I used it on my self, I didn't think it did as smooth of a job as normal polish and brush would do. So if you have little girls like I do who think manicures should be a daily routine and are looking for an easier way to polish, I recommend this product.

The second product, the nail art pen, is a fun little addition. We have used it to do polka dots, flowers, and stars. It looks adorable on their little fingers. My big girls love it just as much.

If you are looking for something new to try, I recommend you give these two a try. It is so much fun!

Thankful Thursday

2010-04-08T13:55:00.002-05:00

Normally, my thankful Thursdays come with a list, tallying up all the great things my Father has given me over the last week. But, this weeks thankful post will be for one thing. One thing that I had not taken enough notice of. An answer to prayer, and yet I had not seen how far He had carried us. I should start from the beginning.

In late August of 2001, we invited all our family members to come to church with us on Sunday morning to dedicate our new little bundle, daughter number 3. Scott's grandmother had passed away just a couple of weeks before and this was an opportunity for us all to get together and have a joyful moment celebrating life. Matching dresses were bought and lunch plans were made for after the service. It was supposed to be a good day. Bryce, our oldest, woke up that morning not feeling well. I passed it off and we went on as scheduled. As we sat in the service, she became weaker and more pale. Near the end of the sermon, as it came time for Scott and I to take the girls down front, we noticed that little Bryce's lips were looking blue. A normal person would have stopped here and taken their daughter in, but we were thinking of all the family who had come to see us. The pictures that were taken that day of the dedication show a pitiful little girl who felt miserable. Being just three at the time, she couldn't express just how bad she felt.

After church, we all headed to the restaurant, but on the drive over, Scott and I could see that we had to take her to the doctor immediately. An hour later we were sitting in the pediatrician's office trying to get some answers. He told us that she probably had pneumonia and he gave her a breathing treatment. It totally turned her around. She had color back in her face and was ready to go.

Months went by and then another episode. We took her to the pediatrician and this time he said it was asthma. No medications were given, just another breathing treatment in the office. Each time this would turn her around. This continued on for almost 4 years. I'll admit, I should have asked more questions about keeping this from happening, but the doctor and nurses weren't offering any information on preventing attacks and I was busier and busier as each baby came. In October of 2006, Bryce was spending the day at her grandma's. Meme had called and said that Bryce wasn't feeling well and was very tired. She told her to lay down on the couch and rest while she was busy around the house. After about an hour of resting, she walked through the room and saw that Bryce's lips were blue and she was very pale. She went over and bent down next to her and asked how she was doing. All Bryce could whisper was, "I'm scared." Immediately my mother-in-law called me and I rushed Bryce to the pediatricians. She was so week I had to use a wheel chair to get her up to the office. Her oxygen levels were so low, that they automatically started her on oxygen and began talking about admitting her in the hospital. The rest of that day was a whirlwind. We did not admit her because the oxygen and breathing treatments helped open her airway again. That day Scott and I decided we needed to check into an asthma specialist before it got worse, if that was even possible.

We saw an asthma specialist in November of '06 and they started her on an assortment of medicines. Since then, she has not had a full out asthma attack. The medicines help to ward off any triggers, and we have learned the steps to take before it gets to bad. Over the last 2 weeks Bryce has begun feeling poorly again. We tried the steps we knew, called the doctor and tried other steps, but things were not getting better, not worse, but not better. So yesterday I took her back into the specialist. They changed some of her medications and said she should feel better by Friday. As I sat there discussing her case with the specialist, we talked about how far Bryce has come. She still takes medicines daily, but they are all the lowest dosages. She had no trouble with her asthma in the fall and only one incident so far this spring. This is leaps and bounds from where we started out.

As we drove home, I poured out in my heart how thankful I was. I had missed how far God had taken my little girl. He had carried her in His loving hands in those dangerous moments and He had carried her through to where now she can live her life attack free for the most part. This is my thankfulness for the last week. I am so thankful that God keeps working even if my attention is not on the fact that He is there answering my prayers. I am so glad that He loves and takes care of my babies. Bryce has already started to feel better after just 24 hrs on the new medicines. God is good -- all the time -- God is good!

Easter Pics

2010-04-05T16:31:00.007-05:00

EASTER PICS

What a fun Easter! We celebrated at our house Friday with Scott's family. Here are some pics of the egg hunt we did in the back yard. My little ones just walked around staring at the eggs and giggling most of the time instead of picking up the eggs, but my older girls knew just what to do.

To all the moms out there that get adorable pics of their kids on Easter, I say "How do you do it?" I try, but this is the one day of the year that it doesn't work. Of course, my older ones are pros, but the little ones just can't sit still on a day that has been filled with this much sugar. At least we got our matching dresses. I was so excited to find some. I think this is our last year. The older girls are starting to outgrow this, but I took one last opportunity to see them all match.

We went to the Saturday night service at church. Finding a pew to seat 8 on Easter morning has proven in the past to be impossible. After church, since no one had to get up early, we had a bonfire out back. Such a fun time. I could get used to going on Saturday nights, if I could just talk all of our friends into doing the same so we could still see everyone.

On Sunday, we went and ate lunch with my family. Followed that up with another egg hunt with all 15 cousins! Then came home to a restful evening.

I hope your Easter was filled with memories just as ours was!

Friday Character

2010-04-02T15:50:00.001-05:00

Thriftiness

vs. Extravagance

Not letting myself spend that which is not necessary.

Thankful Thursday

2010-04-01T08:44:00.002-05:00

Another Thursday, another chance to stop and smell the roses. Time to take a moment and let my heart pour out praise for the Lord's blessing this last week.

- Answers to prayers. Some I have been lifting up for a while and others just recently, but God heard them all and works in miraculous ways.

- Wonderful weather that allows little girls to use up lots of energy and go to bed so much easier.

- Time on the back porch last night with my boyfriend. What an amazing man! I love moments like that. They are not brought together with a babysitter and dinner out (not that I don't love that too), but when we can get a romantic moment in the middle of life, it is priceless.

- Painting 10 dozen eggs with the girls and the cousins. Messy? Yes, but SO much fun.

- Sticking our feet in the pool for the first time this season. The water is still very cold, but getting our feet wet yesterday made us all want summer to hurry up and be here.

- Family getting together this weekend to celebrate Jesus' resurrection.

- Borrowed Scott's bible this morning for my quiet time, not sure where mine was moved to. But, God had a message for me there. As I was reading, I notice on the side of the page where Scott had written some notes. The note said: Failure is an opinion, not an event. How encouraging! We all struggle with feeling that we are failing. Sometimes it changes from minute to minute. These words remind me to keep going forward.

- So many other parts of spring that I could list. From flowers blooming to park play dates, the list is never ending.

What are you thankful for today? Remember to take time in the next few days and thank Him for the greatest gift ever given.

Others' Posts

2010-03-31T10:34:00.005-05:00

You need to go check this post out: http://www.myshannonigans.com/

I know it might seem lazy to put a link instead of actually composing something myself, but I love sharing other peoples' posts.

I thought it was great!

While your here, check out these pictures of the flowers growing in our garden.

Friday Character

2010-03-26T12:46:00.002-05:00

Hospitality

vs. Loneliness

Cheerfully sharing food, shelter, and spiritual refreshment with those God brings into my life.

This begins in the heart. Pray and ask God to bring others into your life to practice this character quality.

Spring Break '10

2010-03-22T16:39:00.012-05:00

I LOVE SPRING BREAK!!

Last week was Spring Break, so the girls and I headed to the lake. Warm weather and lots of sand castles to build. It was calling our name. So off we went. Here is a few pics of our fun.

Acting Like a Monkey

2010-03-13T17:11:00.000-06:00

A year or more ago, our third born was struggling with obedience. Nothing out of the ordinary for someone who is six. But, when she would get in trouble, she would feel such strong grief. She would spend days beating herself up over it. She would refer to herself as a "bad girl". Not because we were calling her that. We tried to have an extra gentle manner of correction with her, but she could not separate the act of disobedience from identifying herself as only that.

One day, in a moment of correction, I asked her that if she stood up and held a banana in her hands and walked around the room acting like a monkey, would that make you a monkey? Of course, she responded with a "no". I went on to explain to her that when we fail to obey, it is just how we are acting. It does not make us bad, but we are acting bad. You could see in her eyes that she finally understood. From then on out, we would give her warnings on her behavior by saying, "You are acting like a monkey."

Months went by without me having to say this to her less and less. Sad to say, I didn't even notice how long it had been since I had had to say it. I had just noticed how much more mature she had become. She walked up to me one day and said, "Mom, did you see that I am not acting like a monkey any more?" I stopped right then and showered her with praise. I apologized for not noticing and mentioning sooner how grown up she had become.

Parenting is challanging, but I love using word pictures. It helps each of us process what the other person is saying with out making what they are saying an attack.

Friday Character

2010-03-12T08:13:00.002-06:00

For a weekly school assignment, the girls have been writing and memorizing a character quality. They must memorize it, quote it, and be able to give a life application for each quality. This has been life changing for them and for me. I would like to start posting one each Friday so that you too can enjoy.

These quality definitions have been taken from http://www.duggarfamily.com/characterqualities.html

Today's Character Quality:

ALERTNESS

VS. UNAWARENESS

Being aware of that which is taking place around me,

so that I can have the right response

Mark 14:38

Life application: If I am looking for opportunities to help others, God will put this in my path and I will be able to show others Christ's love. Example: We went out to dinner and were sitting at a table near the door. My daughter saw that an elderly couple, one of which was in a wheel chair, were walking up to the door. She jumped up and held the door open. The rest of the table had been rapped up in our conversation, but she had been praying for God to give her an awareness of others needs.

In what way can you apply this to your life?

Thankful Thursday

2010-03-11T13:41:00.003-06:00

Thankful Thursday- one day a week where I can write out my praises to the Lord.

1. I am so thankful that next week is Spring Break. I/we so need this! I am looking forward to spending all day playing with my kids.

2. I love our church. Each Sunday and Wednesday I walk away loving the heart of the people there.

3. I am thankful for exercises. That's right. I love how it is the one thing I do for me and what a sense of accomplishment there is in it.

4. I am thankful for the morning walks I've had with my oldest lately. She is an unbelievable girl. What great talks we have had during this time.

5. I am thankful for spring. Sunny days, warm weather and flowers blooming all make me want to get outside and be a kid again. And the dreaming and planning for summer vacation makes this time year so fun.

What are you thankful for today?

A Short Story

2010-03-03T17:06:00.002-06:00

After waking up from their afternoon naps, my two munchkins crawled up on the kitchen counter to watch me cut up a bannana for their snack. As Piper sat their in her groggy and a tad cross way she said, "Mom I want...mom I want...mom I want...mom I want...mom I want...". Did I mention she is two. Anyone who has or had a two year old knows it sometimes take them a week to say one sentence. This went on for what seemed like five minutes. Then the sentence ended like this, "...mom I want a doughnut." Sister Aylee responded with this, "You can say that again!" My first thought was "No!! She can't!! It would take too long!" Little ones say the funniest things.

Aren't Three Year Olds Great?

2010-02-24T03:04:00.003-06:00

I wasn't sure what to title this post.

Title #1: What to do with a three year old, who has lots of energy, and can't go outside because it is too cold.

Title #2: Homeschooling Dance Class

or...

maybe the real title should be...

Title #3: how to entertain your little ones while you clean house. I crank up the music and let them jam while I get floors mopped and finger prints off windows (for at least two seconds).

Then I came around the corner and saw this and had to capture it. Which leads me to the last title possibility...

Title #4: The next Taylor Swift? (and her backup dancers)

But, I settled on the title above because that is what it all comes down to. Three year olds are great!

Pretty Pink Boots

2010-02-23T09:15:00.003-06:00

These adorable pink boots have been with us since the beginning.

Each girl has had her turn to walk through life in these. But daughter #6 has loved them the most. She doesn't see the scuffs. She doesn't even care if they match her outfit. She wears them each day as if they were bought specifically for her. Occasionally, she even sleeps in them. Now that is love.

I once read that the meaning of contentment is: Realizing that God has provided everything I need for my present happiness.

If we were all as content as little Piper is, we would revel in all that God has given us...even the hand-me-downs.

That's Why God Made M & M's

2010-02-22T13:45:00.001-06:00

Because of this post:http://firsttime9months.blogspot.com/

Which led me to this post: http://thepioneerwoman.com/homeschooling/2010/02/how-dominos-pizza-saved-my-marriage/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+pioneerwoman-full-rss-feed+%28Pioneer+Woman+FULL+RSS+FEED%29 Wow that link is long!

Which caused me to laugh out loud and almost pee my pants.

I had to follow up on these two posts by telling how I survive.

"Survive?" You ask. "Survive what?"

Those days when I have to constantly remind my older girls that the definition of homeschooling is not "mom sits beside me and does every question with me." I spend 50% of the time teaching them subjects ranging from math to science and 50% of the time teaching them to be diligent w/o someone watching over their shoulder.

Then there is the hourly tearful break down of my little ones. To bad God didn't make sharing as natural to them as breathing ( or as natural as screaming comes to them).

There is the laundry marathons that happen several times a month. They come after days of being to swamped to even walk into the laundry room. So, then comes the catch up. Trying to get it all done in one day or we'll be naked.

Last week was so rough, I told my sister that I had thought about quitting my job. She said the problem was that I work with a whole bunch of immature people:)

So why homeschool? It is like anything else in life. It is hard! Like the other post talked about, if you see someone who you think has it all together, think again. Life is hard no matter what your daily grind is. But.....

THAT IS WHY GOD MADE M & M'S

Think about it.

M & M's make life nicer. Your child will do whatever you want them to do if you promise an M &M. These tiny candies are small enough that eating five or ten of them won't make you feel guilty. They are so special that people sprinkle them on other deserts like cakes or ice cream.

Life is not going to get any easier. No matter how many kids you have. No matter if your kids are grown and gone. No matter if you homeschool or not. But just like Mary Poppins said, "A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down." So sit down with a handful of M & M's and realize that everyone is roughing it. Everyone is running the race. Don't believe the lie that others are handling this crazy life better than you. When you feel yourself being fooled into looking at others, STOP, and look at your own life. Pray that you can see it the way God sees it. START counting your blessing, those things all around you that make your life beautiful and precious. I can count six blessings off the top of my head. How about you?

Wish The Stayed This Small

2010-02-17T12:03:00.006-06:00

I wish they could stay this little forever. Small enough to sit in the sink. Obsessed with chap stick. Absolutely adorable after a bath and a good smothering of lotion.

Who can say "No" to this face?

"Look Mom, make up!" The smell of baby lotion mixed with the to-sweet smell of lip gloss must be getting to my head because I would give her anything at this moment.

"Don't I look cute?" She knows when to stop. Never overdoing it.

"One more sweet pose for the camera. Then I'll go back to acting like a two year old is supposed to act."

"Well, maybe just a little more wouldn't hurt. Mom says I'll look like Tammy Faye, but I don't even know who that is."

They are growing up so fast. Pretty soon it will be real make up, she won't need me to help bathe her, and she'll be making fun of me for being old enough to know who Tammy Faye is. But, for now I am cherishing it all.

Story of True Love

2010-02-11T13:26:00.003-06:00

You want to be encouraged?

You want to see how big God is?

Want to hear a story of true love?

Please go read this story.

http://enjoyingthesmallthings.blogspot.com/2010/01/nella-cordelia-birth-story.html?spref=fb

I want to be a better mom after reading this.

I'm I that strong.

How can one little baby's story make us all want to be better?

I hope you will be "more" after reading this.

Another Must See

2010-02-11T08:10:00.001-06:00

This site is another must see.

This is the most amazing photographer in Oklahoma.

Go check out her new site!

http://tiffanymgardnerphotography.blogspot.com/

Boomerang Syndrome

2010-02-10T12:07:00.002-06:00

She's got IT!

My two year old has Boomerang Syndrome.

Everyone of my girls has contracted this around the age of 2.

How do you know if your child has this? Well, you put them to bed, and then they return to you. Again, you put them to bed, and they return back to you. This could go on for hours.

What are the signs to watch for? If you see a grumpy mom with her eyes half open, or a two year old who is cross and flopping on the floor in exhaustion, they probably have this.

Not sure if it is contagious. I have not seen any of my older children catch this from my younger ones. They usually just show the same symptoms of grumpiness that I do. It is still up for debate on whether or not she could have caught this from someone in the church nursery:)

Cure? A dose of patients, mixed in with consistency, but mostly it just takes time.

Got to go now. To tired to type. Hope my little one gets over this fast.

Mom Talk

2010-02-03T10:04:00.002-06:00

Last night our church held a session called Mom Talk. It was a time for moms in different stages to come together and encourage each other. This was my first time to attend one of these session, and boy did I need it. After days of snow and being trapped in with kiddos, I needed some mom time. The leader of our group asked us different questions and we would share our own experiences with each other. Here are some of the questions that were asked:

What is the greatest advice you ever received as a mother?

I shared that the best advice I ever got came from my mom. She once said to me, "Is this a ditch you want to die in?" I am a black and white person most of the time. This reminds me that somethings are gray, and I have to decide to pick my battle with my kids.
One of the other ladies shared her greatest advice was, "Whatever you stay up late to do, and whatever you'll loose sleep over is what is most important to you. So what is most important to you?" This grabbed my attention. Bed time has been such a struggle lately, not because of the kids, but because of my attitude. I confess, I just want to hurry up and get it over with. I want to get downstairs, sit down with my honey, and relax watching tv. But, this advice reminded me to grab hold of those selfish thoughts and slow down and enjoy this time because it will not last forever. I am showing my girls, with my attitude, that they are not as important to me as my relaxation time is. I am purposing to slow down and go back to ending their days with mommy's love, not my impatience.

What do you do to unwind?

I touched on what I do to unwind above. I cherish my time with Scott at night after everyone else has gone to bed. This is my time with my best friend. I love telling the girls that he is my best friend. We also have one hour a day where each of the girls go to a different room for reading time. Even my little ones who cannot read yet spend time looking at the pictures so that mommy can have some quiet time to recharge.

Where do you find your gratification?

Outside of the Lord of course, I get my encouragement from Scott. I soak it up when he comments on even the littlest things. I am so praise oriented that I can live on a compliment for three days.

What is your greatest desire for your kids?

Salvation first. Then I greatly desire for them to have a deep relationship with the Lord. I want Him to be so real to them. I want them to know Him, and love Him, and share Him with all those around them. They are growing up in a harder world then we even did, so they need to hold fast to Him.

This was a great time sharing our hearts as mothers. Moms should encourage each other more. Some times as moms we feel like if our kids fail, than we have failed. Some of my failures in life have brought me closer to God. I want them to stand strong, but when they fall I want them to land in His hands.

So, who are you encouraging? Are you looking for those around you that are a few steps behind you in life that you could encourage?

How would you answer the questions above? Any great advice for this mom? I want to glean from all those around me. I am not a perfect mom. I am constantly changing as God changes me and as He changes them.

I don't know all my readers, but I am praying for you. I am praying that you are encouraged and that you will encourage others.

Happy Birthday, Hubby

2010-01-31T10:15:00.007-06:00

Happy Birthday To The Most Wonderful Man In The World!!

You are amazing!

I love you!

Let It Snow

2010-01-29T08:56:00.002-06:00

I love play days!

Ice and snow storm has closed down our state, again. Since we homeschool, we don't normally take off for snow days. Scott got off work early yesterday and doesn't have to go in today, so I decided we were going to have a play day and catch up on school later.

I made cookies.

We watched movies.

I've done some blog hopping. You know, that's where you go to a blog you follow and check out the blogs they follow that you've never been to. So much fun.

We're having some friends who live nearby slide over to our house tonight and have a game night.

So, as long as the power stays on, we are loving this winter storm. Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

What am I doing?

2010-01-23T16:47:00.008-06:00

What am I doing?

When I am not cleaning up, I am...

...watching you show off. "Mom watch this!" is said more times than a person can count, but I love it because it makes you smile from ear to ear.

When I am not teaching, I am...

...making you giggle. Your laugh makes me laugh.

When I am not cooking, I am...

...playing with you. Watching you grow is my favorite pass time.

When I am not going in ninety different directions, I am...

...slowing down to watch all the creative things you come up with. I stand amazed at how you can turn trash into treasure.

When I am not rushing out the door, I am ...

...cracking up laughing at the funny things you say. You keep our sides hurting. You are filled with so much joy.

When I am not thinking "I can't wait till one of you is old enough to do _?__", I am...

...realizing how fast time flies. I look at you and am amazed how we got here so fast. Your tenderness and grace remind me to be a better person.

What am I doing? Slowing down to take it all in before it's gone!

This is a Must See/ Must Have

2010-01-18T13:35:00.003-06:00

I found out about this on Facebook.

You've got to visit this site.

The site is Bex Bows. It is linked below.

The bows are beautiful. There are lots of colors, sizes, and styles.

They make great Valentine's Day gifts , birthday presents, or just use them to make your cutie a little more adorable.

I am definitely getting my squirls some for Valentine's Day, so I'll post some pics of how cute they look.

GO! Look! Enjoy!

http://web.me.com/ellifffam/BexBows/Photos.html

The Polly Anna in Me

2010-01-11T08:11:00.002-06:00

Lately I have found myself dreaming of warmer weather. Maybe it's the subzero temps, or snow that has been here for 2 weeks now, or the static that is everywhere, but I am wishing January away. So, the Polly Anna in me, decided to make a list of the things I will miss about this time of year, and hopefully find my thankfulness again. Here it goes...

- cuddling up with a quilt. No need for a blanket on you lap during the warm summer nights.

-chili, soup, hot cocoa. All things that you don't want when it's warmer.

-exercising w/ cold weather. Now when I get to hot working out I can quickly cool off outside, but in the summer you just stay hot. So I guess that is a plus.

-winter clothes. I hate it in the spring when I have to put away all the girls adorable clothes from winter. The whole time I am thinking how they will never be this size again:( But, then I overcome this feeling after seeing the cute summer clothes that I had forgotten about:)

-no yard or pool maintenance. Wow! This I love.

There's the first part of my list. It has helped already. What would be on your list? Try it, it'll bring out your inner Polly Anna too.

Friday Funny

2010-01-08T09:35:00.004-06:00

A friend emailed me this this morning. I am not sure who originally wrote this, but it was so funny I had to share it with everyone.

1. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to take a nap when I was younger.

2. There is a great need for a sarcasm font.

3. How are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

4. Was learning cursive really necessary?

5. Map quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I am pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

6. Can we just all agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to start all over again.

7. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least a little tired.

8. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any to my 10 page report that I swear I did not make any changes to.

9. I hate it when I miss a call right at the last ring, but when I immediately call back, it rings 9 times and goes to voicemail. What did you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run?

10. Don't you hate it when you leave the house having a good hair day and you don't run into anyone? What a waste.

Sisters

2010-01-04T22:01:00.002-06:00

Sisters

There were never more devoted sisters.

I love that all my girls are "best buddies".

Plus, I thought my blog needed a better pic than so you wouldn't have to look at the pox pic anymore.

Update: The pox are no longer contagious, but the pokadotted remains of the illness are still here. I'm ready for this plague to be gone for good.

Pox Attach 2

2010-01-01T10:14:00.001-06:00

The camera does not add 10 Pox!

Represented by the Best

2009-12-29T17:25:00.001-06:00

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

2009-12-29T11:27:00.002-06:00

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

2009-12-27T19:36:00.002-06:00

"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

2009-12-25T11:10:00.003-06:00

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

2009-12-17T13:45:00.002-06:00

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

2009-12-12T09:47:00.000-06:00

Remember Them

2009-12-09T12:34:00.002-06:00

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

2009-12-03T14:20:00.004-06:00

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

2009-12-01T15:51:00.004-06:00

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

2009-11-19T13:41:00.002-06:00

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!

2009-11-12T15:09:00.006-06:00

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

2009-11-11T09:20:00.003-06:00

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

2009-10-29T13:04:00.005-05:00

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

2009-10-28T17:50:00.006-05:00

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

2009-10-27T15:25:00.002-05:00

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

2009-10-24T10:49:00.003-05:00

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

2009-10-18T08:55:00.006-05:00

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!

2009-10-16T22:15:00.004-05:00

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

2009-10-16T09:34:00.001-05:00

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

2009-10-13T13:33:00.002-05:00

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

2009-10-12T18:38:00.007-05:00

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

2009-10-10T21:25:00.002-05:00

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

2009-10-07T14:52:00.005-05:00

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?

2009-10-07T11:04:00.004-05:00

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

2009-10-05T17:58:00.003-05:00

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

2009-10-03T15:06:00.005-05:00

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

2009-09-29T12:02:00.004-05:00

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

2009-09-25T09:25:00.010-05:00

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

2009-09-24T15:26:00.004-05:00

Lyrics: Songs About President Obama - Political News - FOXNews.com

Posted using ShareThis

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

2009-09-24T14:51:00.003-05:00

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

2009-09-23T11:39:00.002-05:00

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

2009-09-17T14:11:00.003-05:00

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

2009-09-16T21:47:00.004-05:00

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

2009-09-16T10:39:00.002-05:00

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

2009-09-11T10:40:00.003-05:00

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

2009-09-07T10:38:00.011-05:00

.....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

2009-08-30T09:56:00.015-05:00

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.

What Will You Do Without Freedom?

2009-08-26T17:53:00.003-05:00

This morning I drove my older girls to a nearby neighborhood to babysit for Meme's Bible study. It is a gated community, so as I approached the gate the guard stepped out. I simply told him I was there to drop off the girls for a Bible study. He smiled and opened the gate, but as I drove away it hit me. What a privelege it is to live in a country where I can openly say I am headed to a Bible study.

I live in a country where I can have 6 kids or more if I wish to let the Lord bless me.

I live in a country where I can homeschool my children. I can choose what is put in their hearts and minds.

I live in a country where Scott and his family can run a small business.

I live in a country where I can go to church with out fear.

I live in a country where I can write about God and how He has changed my life.

These are all freedoms that I hold dear. But, when I think of what I would do without my freedoms, I can not sit back and watch as they are threatened. I am not an activist. I was not even politically minded till recent years. I am "awake" now. Maybe it is my age,or maybe it is a sign of the times, I think it is a mixture of both.

I wrote a post in June ( http://squirlygirls.blogspot.com/2009/06/throw-off-your-complacency.html) encouraging all readers to become more educated. I hope you all have done so. If not, begin now before you loose what you hold dear.

Lets stand up and let our voices heard. If you are in Oklahoma, please join me and others on 9/13 at 3pm on the steps of the State Capitol.

Before then, I would encourage you to watch Glenn Beck this week and learn what/who is threatening your freedom.

You can live without freedom. Many in other countries do. But, what will you say to your children and grandchildren years from now to explain why you did nothing as this great way of life was taken away piece by piece? Everyday between now and that day, you will have to answer for. So, wake up and act now.

12 Before Your 12 - Part 1

2009-08-25T15:20:00.003-05:00

Last January, Scott and I were able to get away for a whole week, just the two of us, alone. This time really strengthened our relationship with each other and with the Lord. While on this trip God spoke to my heart. He showed me how there was only a year before B would turn 12, a very important turning point in a girls life. So many things change around the age of 12. He put it on my heart to plant some seeds in her heart that can carry her through these changes.

She has grown up learning God's word, but I wanted to find His truths that were specific to what the "future Bryce" would need to know. So, sitting in a hotel room in Phoenix, AZ I began to write. I titled it "12 before your 12". Starting in May, when she turned 11, we have spent 1 Saturday a month going over the truths that God laid on my heart to share with her.

Last Saturday, after going these truths, she said, "Mom, you should share this with other people." So here I am sharing this with you. I hope you find this as encouraging as she and I do. I'll start with Discussion Topic 1 and will post others over the next few weeks. Remember these are talking points. I share a truth and then she and I discuss it. I encourage you to do the same with your daughters.

Discussion Topic 1: Becoming a Woman of God

How does God define a woman of God?
How does she appear?
How does she act?
What are her does and don’ts?
Who are her role models?
Lets study Proverbs 31 and see how these verses relate to today's women?
Verse 10- “a wife of noble character, who can find?” The word noble means: distinguished; famous for her character not her talent or her dress or outward appearance.
“she is worth far more than rubies” Why rubies instead of diamonds? I read this on the Internet- “Large gem quality rubies can be more valuable than comparably sized diamonds and are certainly more rare.” In this world they want you to think that diamonds are the best, but this shows us that there are many diamonds but few rubies.
Verse 11 & 12: “her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.” “she brings him good, not harm, all the days of his life.” This is the job of the wife/helpmate. This may seem like a topic for when you’re engaged, but remember she can only be this to her husband if she has a noble character. This character is something that starts now and grows forever. I found this while researching the Internet for commentaries on Prov 31. "The mentality in our culture is to think nothing of giving our hearts to guy after guy, to learn to effortlessly flirt with any cute guy that comes along, and to act with very little discretion in numerous ways. Especially when it comes to our relationships with guys we don’t often seek to honor our husbands. We go for the short term pleasure rather then pleasing God and loving our husbands all the days of our life.
The concept of being faithful to one's husband is commonly applied to the married woman. However, in referring to "all the days of our lives", wouldn't it include our childhood, teen, and single adult years? How do we honor someone if we don’t know who they are?We can not expect that when we are married all our bad habits are going to disappear and we will instantly become godly wives and women. It does not work like that. We need to work towards honoring our husband; for it is not an instant thing and it is not something you only do while married. Above all we need to pursue godliness and seek to honor God above all else. May all that we do honor and glorify Him. " This was written by a young girl who is only 15-16. What amazing truth coming from someone who is in the "battle". It's easy as a mom to look back and say do or don't, but here is a young girl walking through it with such clarity.
Verses 13-15 talk about how she works. 1.she works eagerly 2.she does not take short cuts (she’ll go far to provide) 3. Not lazy (gets up early to meet the needs of others)
Verse 16 tells us that she is educated and that she is responsible with her money.
Verse 17 uses the word vigorously this means strong and energetic. The second part of the verse tells us that she is not weak. Nothing can stand in her way.
Verse 18 and 19 tell us that she stays up and continues to work.
Verse 20 talks about how she helps others.
Verse 19 through 24 tells how her outward appearance is clothed beautifully but not provocatively (because her husband is respected). Covered for all seasons.
These other verses have been talking about her appearance and her home, but now it turns to talking about her heart/ character.
Verse 25-27 “she is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue… does not eat the bread of idleness.” Verse 29 says “ many women do noble things,but you surpass them all” So outwardly she is: a eager worker, no shortcuts, not lazy, educated, responsible with money, strong energetic worker, helps the needy, dressed beautifully and has a wonderful home. Inwardly she: has dignity( conduct and speech showing self-respect), not fearful, she speaks with wisdom which only comes from scripture. Maya Angelou once wrote,”A woman’s heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.”

Other discussion topics will be coming, but they will mean nothing if first you are not a woman of God.

And the Answer Is...

2009-08-21T09:10:00.002-05:00

I let you do the interviewing, so here are the questions sent in. There were not many, but here were the top three.

*Disclaimer: I do not claim to be an expert at anything. These answers are only based on what God has led our family to do. I encourage everyone to search scripture for the direction that God has for you.*

is having six girls two times harder than having two?

Some people get caught up in the number of children we have, while others think it would be harder because they are all girls. Seeing that we have never had a son, I could not tell you if all girls is harder or easier. But, I do believe that it is our goal as parents to teach self-control to all our children. Yes, girls have more emotions, but they can learn to control those emotions even at an early age. Ok, back to your questions. I would not use the word "harder", but maybe busier. After Scott and I had #4 we realized we needed to change the way things were going in our house. We became more organized, and that is when we started teaching the older few to help out. The few times that Scott and I have only had P and A with us it does feel slower. I could not live like that for long. We love the "chaos" that is our life. If we did not have 6 girls, we would, like everyone does, find 100 other ways to fill our time.

when it comes to our expectations of our children as far as housework goes. I'm not sure what I should expect them to do; by that I mean what is an appropriate amount of work.

Great question. Like I said above, it was not until #4 that we started having the girls pitch in. This was out of necessity and the first three were just then old enough to take on chores (they were 7,6, &4 then). I am a big believer in children helping in the home. I think this is a wonderful way to instill great character in them. It teaches:
-thoroughness. Proverbs 18:15 says, "The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out." I want them to have a heart that is eager to learn new things. I do not want them to stand behind the excuse "I do not know how to...".
-orderliness. I Cor 14:40 says, "But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way." It is something scripture tells us to do. You could keep your home in order alone, but what will prepare them to follow this scripture in their own homes in the future? Some moms like to use chore charts/cards that label different jobs for each child. I don't do this because I think this can cause a heart issue. A heart that says "That is not my job on the list so I do not need to do it." I want my girls hearts to be willing to help at all times. I want them to have Initiative (def.:recognizing and doing what needs to be done before I am asked to do it).
As far as how much your children should do around the house, that is up to your discernment. Chores are for teaching. But I promise, if you are consistent, you will see your children begin to take pride in the job they have done. This brings about self assurance. Which helps them be leaders, not followers.

how do you get any alone time with 6 kids?

I'll keep this answer short since this post is already enormous. We have been blessed with two wonderful grandmas that will take on our large crew on occasion. Scott and I find this to be such an important part of marriage, so when grandmas are not available we find other ways. We have taught the girls to go upstairs and play for one hour (with out coming down unless something major). This helps us to get that much needed moment to visit with each other.

Thank you for all your questions. I hope you will some how be encouraged by all this!

Questions, Anyone?

2009-08-18T15:00:00.002-05:00

Well, life has been so busy here lately. I have been neglecting my computer. Between slumber parties, swim get-together, and trips to the lake my plate has just been to full. Then there are all the last of the summer projects Scott and I are trying to get done around here before school starts. So I thought, while little ones are resting, I would take a short break and say hello.

I have been thinking about this post for a while now. Often when I read other blogs, I come up with questions I would like to ask the blogger. Simple questions that tell how they do what they do. I read someone describe blogging as driving past a house at night and the shades are open where you can see in. For a brief moment you get a glimpse into someone else's world. How cool would it be if you could also stop in and interview that family. Everyone has a story. With all this in mind, I decided to write a post encouraging all who take a glimpse at this page to ask me questions. Maybe you want to know about raising six girls, or homeschooling, or just something random. Whatever it is I'll try to answer it.

So let the interview begin. I will leave this up until Friday, and then answer all questions in the next post. So go on, the floor is all yours!

Who Is Watching Who

2009-08-05T17:33:00.004-05:00

Dog Sitting?

Sitting with Dogs?

If these pictures did not make you laugh enough, go watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEFE3B0Rje0

The Things They Say

2009-08-04T11:16:00.003-05:00

After returning from Six Flags the other night, the older girls began telling C about all the rides. The younger three had stayed with grandma. C response was to begin telling her older sisters how she too had gone to a park that day and ridden rides. Her story was so elaborate if I did know better I might believe her. Later we did clarify the difference between lies and truth.

My sister recently told her 4yr old son how she had seen a possum in the back yard the night before. He was not impressed that much because, as he told it, he has a possum as a pet. He holds and feeds it....you get the picture.

From the back seat of the car I hear A tell me she was 3 now. I said "Not yet, but soon on your b-day." She responded, "No! God made me three now so I am three now."

These kids say the funniest things. Sometimes my sisters and I just sit back and tell story after story, and crack up laughing. They can be better comedy than anything on TV. So sit back, listen to your little one's stories and feel free to share them with me. I love it!

Fun Friday

2009-08-01T09:40:00.009-05:00

What a great time we had Friday!

My sisters and I took our large crew to the park near Lake Hefner. If you have not been there, it is a must. I love spending time with my sisters. We are best friends and now our kids are too. The only thing missing from yesterday was the "fourth musketeer", mom. I took along my camera (because I am obsessed). Here are a few of the cute pics.

We walked a little bit further to the lighthouse. The kids loved it. It was beautiful there.

We even got a great shot of the three of us. This is rare because we always seem to have someone in our hands.

Thanks Mandy and Tiff for the great day!

The Things They Say

2009-07-22T16:33:00.004-05:00

Caymber: "I am going to get married."

Dad: "Not yet, I hope."

Caymber: "Not yet, I have to find someone to match you."

Hide and Snap

2009-07-20T16:10:00.005-05:00

What happens....

...when your mom is ....

...always taking pictures?

You run and hide!

I thought it was just a simple game of hide and snap. Don't worry, I am seeking help! Photographers Anonymous here I come!

Commercial Free?

2009-07-15T08:14:00.006-05:00

I thought I was doing so well.

I thought I was raising them right.

Some moms want to keep their children from processed foods,
I just want them to be commercial free.

I don't have a soap box on watching commercials, I just find them annoying.

I thought I was consistently pushing mute when commercials came on.

But, I was wrong. Here is proof. Here is A singing the song to the Safe Auto commercial.

New philosophy: Commercials are annoying, unless performed by my adorable 2yr old.

A Great Find

2009-07-11T17:08:00.004-05:00

I found this at Sam's today. It is the kind of paper that they put on tables at restaurants.

I had an idea to spread this on our long dining table for school next year. I can put A and P on one end of the table to draw, while C and I work on school at the other end. It will make school more fun for C (you know, instead of just paper after paper), and hopefully entertain A and P.

I just thought you'd like this too. Thought you may want to try this even if you don't have other little ones to entertain. The roll of paper is only 17$. Enjoy!

My Little Irish Twins

2009-07-08T10:00:00.007-05:00

Think you're seeing double?

Nope.

It's Piper's new haircut. She matches her (not much) bigger sis, Aylee.

I can only get away with this for a while. It won't be long till they won't want to match at all.

So, here is one more adorable pic of Pixie Piper and her new look.

She Was There

2009-07-07T10:13:00.005-05:00

She was there from the beginning. The first purchase we ever made as a couple. She was going to be practice for the future six. Adorable and cuddly, we were in love.

She was there, in the middle of all the other pups, laying calmly. How deceiving this was. After taking her home we learned what a free spirit she was.

She was there a few months later at our wedding. Well, not at the church, but waiting at home (chewing on everything she shouldn't) till we returned.

She was there to eat us out of house and home. She ate everything from birth control pills to sheet rock.

She was there as each girl was born. She never minded if a toddler pulled up on her as they learned to stand. She was patient as each learned she was not a horse to be ridden. She must have loved dress up, because she wore many costumes and bows over the years.

She was there on the front porch every time she ran away. This dog loved to run away. She was fast and could not be caught. She would not come back no matter how many times you called. But, give it ten minutes and she would be back on the front porch waiting for us to open the door and let her back in. Boy was this dog a pain some times.

She was there, surrounded by four teary eyed little girls, waiting for all of us to get to say good-bye.

She was there for thirteen years. Now she's gone. She will be missed.

Confessions Of A DVR

2009-06-27T04:53:00.003-05:00

What does your dvr say about you? Does it tell a story about you or your families likes and dislikes? Maybe I am making this into something more than it really is. Our dvr says we have 6 wee ones and therefore never watch live tv. That's ok with me, I love fast forwarding through all the commercials. So here's a peek at our dvr list:

Most recorded show: Max and Ruby

Favorite recording right now: The Duggars

Oddest recording: Ten O'Clock News from Feb. (They happen to be at our church on a Wed. night reporting on something else, but that was the night that #2 was baptised by her daddy and they showed it on the lead in to their story. I can't bring myself to erase it.)

Oldest recording: See above.

Can't wait to record: the new season of Psych on USA

What's on your dvr?

Now and Then

2009-06-27T04:43:00.006-05:00

After M.J. death the other day, one of my girls asked me who he was. I was not the biggest MJ fan, but his music definitely takes me back to when I was a kid. This got me thinking of how many things my kids know nothing about. Things that are very much a part of my childhood. It seems like just yesterday that my grandma was sitting on the couch drinking a Tab. You know, the soda. Here a few more that ran through my memory. See if this doesn't take you back.

Atari

Records (mom would turn on the record player--beach boys-- and we would rock out while cleaning house.....confession....I still do this with my girls)

guess jeans

bangs that stand straight up

rabbit ears on tvs

TG&Y

tv shows like Alf, Punky Brewster, and basically all life before reality tv

Pay Phones-- if you needed to call someone from your car, you pulled up to a pay phone, and it only cost you a quarter

Then I started thinking what list my girls might make some day. What will their children find in antique shops? It might look something like this:

vcr

video games from this era

computers from now

film for cameras

tapes and cds (you know everything will be digital then)

Ah, memories. Does this fill you with thoughts of your childhood? If so, I would love to hear what you remember. Nothing better than taking a walk down memory lane.

Since I seem to be unable to make a post with out a pic added to it, I am ending this post with this. I found these hair bows at Walgreens. They were 3 for 9$. You can find these on the Internet, but then you have to pay shipping. Just thought some of you might like this.