I Almost Finished Lunch!

This cartoon isn't completely off the mark, right? LOL.  My husband told me the only time I sit down is when I use the restroom.  Well, that is from having so much energy all the time!  Sometimes I don't sit down when I eat either but lately I've been trying to remind myself to.  A good way to assure that is have everyone eat in the formal dining area and then I HAVE to sit down.

Sunday was an excellent day in church.  I read 1 Corinthians 5 and it finally made sense to me about some things.  It's a pretty straightforward chapter in the Bible.  I love straight forward teaching that really digs deep. 

I have to mention that Switched On Schoolhouse is working out fantastic for Chaz!  He is loving his bible course he is taking.  I always want to sit with him while he is studying because I'm fascinated by some of the stuff he is learning. I already know the books of the bible by heart but gee... I never thought of Adam and Eve as the first farmers.  Good point.  See, I always knew farming was the way to go.  What am I doing in the city?  Sigh.  So, anway, that program is working out much better than I thought and Chaz is enjoying it himself. That is excellent for learning for sure.  What he was doing before was so boring that we would both fall out of our chair practically from falling asleep. It was also very unorganized and after I got administration to admit it, I knew it was time to switch.  SOS cost some but it's even more worth it if you have little ones underneath them that will be able to use that grade in the next few years coming up.

Walking With God

There is no longer any grass in the yard because of winter and I don't want to plant any winter grass so the kids are finding their own things to do around the yard.  On this day they were looking for buried treasure.  Ryan found a really old canteen.  It does look old!  Well, anyway, that was treasure to them.  The yard looks so barren now but that'll soon be fixed since we are relocating our vegetable garden and putting it in more visable places.  Soon chickens will also be around but NOT near my garden this time. 

Last night I couldn't go to church and I was so sad that I just sat in my living room for a sec and cried.  I love church.  I love praising God and I love hearing more about Him.  After awhile I grabbed my bible, the kids and the study book  I  asked them to each sit on a cushion of the couch as if we are sitting on chairs at church.  I asked them to show me how quiet they could be.  6 little ones under the age of 9 is not easy but it's possible.  I told them that we all have some obedience issues we need to work on.  I told them that we were going to study some things about God in our study book (Growing with Jesus).  We learned about jealousy and how it affects others and how it affects our own heart.  We also learned a little more about who Jesus is.  We sang our own worship songs and did prayer requests.  My heart had been heavy because each child has their own area of weakness.  Their own need.  Their own walk with God is different for each one and they are in different places.  Chaz truly loves to be close to God and he prays and reads the bible.  Ryan is just not there yet.  Often he asks me why God doesn't answer his prayers.  I asked him yesterday what kinds of things he was praying for.  He told me about toys he wants or he'll ask God to make something magically appear.  I had to sit and explain it a little better to him but he takes it like, "Well, God isn't that powerful then."  So I've been praying for Ryan in this area.  Chaz and Ryan are 8 and 9 so they are thinking more about deeper issues than their younger siblings.  Parenting can be complicated.  I care about their souls of course.  In the end, after we all talked and prayed, I felt much better knowing that at least we had bible study together. I have to be stronger and I have to work harder to be a good example to my children in my faith and walk with God.  I'm glad the kids see me praying and reading my bible everyday because that's one way to show that it's more than just talk out of my lips. We need that personal walk with Him.  It's another reason why I'm so pleased with Switched On Schoolhouse when it comes to our homeschooling.  I absolutely love that no matter what they are studying, somehow the bible is put into it.  I really love the bible course they are taking!!  Chaz is learning so much and I just started Ryan on it last night even though he wasn't going to start it till 3rd grade.

I love this picutre out my front window of the clouds.  What beautiful days we have been having! 

Someday...

God,

Some days I'm full of energy.
Other days my mind is tired.
Some days I'm proud of what I've accomplished.
Other days I wonder where to begin.
Some days I think my heart is so clean
Other days I'm shocked by my own thoughts
Some days I love life
Other days I wonder when You're finally coming back.
Some days I wish I could have fifty babies
Other days I wonder what the heck I did to myself
Some days I devour your Word and hold it dear
Other days I have to fight my flesh just to pick it up
Some days I feel like supermom
Other days I feel so inadequate
Some days I love homeschooling
Other days I just want that yellow bus to pull up
Some days I get excited to make friends again
Other days I shrink back in fear from past hurts
Some days I feel like I could even love my worst enemy
Other days I find it hard to forgive even my spouse
Some days I am thankful for Your forgiveness
Other days I'm in awe of Your grace.
Some days You hold me in comfort
Other days You correct me out of love
Some day I get to see You
Some day ...

Not Enough For Caleb

Caleb is now 4 months old.  He has been fussing a lot at night.  I wasn't sure if it's tummy but I started to finally realize that he wasn't getting enough milk nursing.  He certainly wasn't having enough wet diapers.  Finally, during Sunday School at church, I drove to the store to get him some formula.  I felt so bad about it.  I'm not a staunch nursing mom it's just that I do believe it's some great stuff!  Plus, formula soooo nasty tasting.  Bleh.  I gave my church nursery the bottle and they said Caleb chugged it and wanted more.  NOW, he's exploding in his diapers!  LOL.  Not trying to gross you out but that is a good sign.  He's in the 25th percentile so now he should finally gain some weight.  He's also sleeping better at night so I'm getting some rest too.

Ryan just loves, loves, loves to hold Caleb.  Ryan is homeschooling here while holding his baby brother.  Caleb thinks it's pretty great too!

Ryan climbed into the crib with Caleb to read to him and hold him.  I love Ryan's soft heart. He said he wants a lot of kids some day.  Some lucky girl gets to have Ryan some day!  For now, I'm his main lady.  :D  Thank goodness.  I still got these little guys for a decade or so. 

Anyhow!  It's been pretty warm here.  So much so that my kids have been having a blast making mud pies in the back yard and just making a mess in general!  Letting the kids go mud crazy makes a big job for me when its cleanup time but who cares?  They are having tons of fun and using their imagination.  I love how they are playing together making up stories together.

Potty Busters

I'm such a (sniff) proud mother right now.  My kids.  My smart...smarty, oh, so smart kids.  Put pullups on their head and decided to play super heroes with them.  Wow.  I mean.  Could I get any more prouder than the last post of my daughter going for the cactus or hanging over the railing?  I know guys.  Now just in case any of my friends wish their kids were as mature as mine, I assure you that my kid's behavior came with a lot of hard work on my part.  I may not put diapers on my head but I do take pride in dancing on my bed or jumping on the trampoline with my kids while singing a silly song. 











Kyle is ready to fight crime.  At least to find out who wet their pants.

Ivy will look back on this one day.  I assure you.  My blog will still be around and I will remind her of this.  I will tell her how proud of am and that she came from good stock!

Science Center

We took Chaz's friend with us to the Science Center and stayed for for 5 hours.  I LOVE learning stuff too so we all had fun there. 

I liked how this was blowing Ivy's hair back.  She was learning how to "fly a plane".  Man, this place is so cool.  It has four floors to experiment with all kinds of stuff.

This locomotive was so neat to see in the history area.  I wanted so badly to go inside and really look at all the history of what people used and stuff.

Check this out!  LOL!  As I'm taking the picture, I didn't see what Ashley, my two year old, was reaching for.  I caught her in the act!  After the fact. I did find out she touched it but thankfully got no pokes.

Chaz got to help out with exploring the digestive system.  Of course it all went to poop in the end. It was pretty darn cool so have it all explained and shown how our system works.  It was funny because toward the end he said, "So, what happens right when its passes through?" Something to that effect.  None of wanted to say it out loud.  So he said "Poop!"  Then named the other words for it.  Umm....yeah.

Chaz riding the bike on a tight rope way above me by the second floor.  Was so cool!  I would to have loved to try it.

This had us laughing and laughing!  Even funnier was what I noticed after I took the picture.  Ivy hanging on the railing.  It's not dangrous, it just looks like something my kids would do.  Going for a cactus or hanging upside on a railing.  You know, one time my first born touched a cactus at about that age long ago.  I told him, "Now Chaz, don't tough that cactus." Well, that was a mistake to say because of course he had to go ahead and try it.  His whole hand had sticklers in it. Whatever you call it.  They were so numerous.  I finally asked a nurse and she said to give him as warm a bath as possible and just let him play for a long time. His pores would open up and the sticklers would just fall out.  Totally worked.

Chaz's friend Seth on a bed of nails.

Beautiful, Dreamy, Rainy Day

I wish I could have rested more today. Maybe I should have. It doesn't rain here very often. When it does, we all think it's so neat it's hard not to keep looking out the windows. Heck, when it rains here, some schools even shut down. No joke. Being I homeschool, well, my school was open for the day. It was also my husband's night out with his friend so we were going to be alone tonight. Around the time it was to get dark, our power went out. I had just enough light peeking in that I quickly gathered the few candles I had and one flashlight. The kids were scared once it got really dark. We left a couple of windows open to hear the rain and there was a tornado warning. Well, the wind slammed our bedroom doors shut and it would make the kids scream. They kept opening the doors back put to have them only get slammed again. Finally, I shut the windows. When the power went back on, I very quickly turned on every light in the house. I hate the dark and I rarely have our lights off in the house unless we are gone. Anyway, I thought it was so beautiful outside and I knew our flowers just drank it up.

I love checking the mail every day but being that I'm barefoot everyday, I ran out quickly here to check my mail in the rain.  You can't see the rain in the picture.  Only in the puddles which I so wanted to splash in.

Yesterday wasn't rainy at all but all my kids had conspired and did something naughty yesterday so they were grounded from the backyard today.  I know, torturing not just them but also myself.  My kids will play outside for hours!  Well, with how windy it was today with heavy rains, it turned out that I wouldn't have let them out their anyway but they didn't know that.  They were begging me to go out and I reminded them that they were grounded.

As you can see in pic above, I never got around to finishing the girls' paint in their room.  If you look closely, it'll be Disney's Tinkerbell color green.  I'm actually wanting to finish it badly but we weren't sure exactly what we were going to do.  I think I'll keep it. 

Moms with ADD

Aaahhh!  I'm so excited I stumbled onto this book, Moms with ADD, at the library!  I've known for quite awhile I have ADD and I definitely know from looking back at my childhood.  However, it can be really hard at home trying to be organized.  Whoo.  I AM TELLING YOU.  The sad part is that many moms with ADD are accused of being lazy. That is not true at all!  I work harder but not smarter.  I'll work my butt off all day and still not have that perfect house.  Here is a part in the beginning of the book that is like reading about myself.

• It's hard to be a mom with ADD

....in some cases, girls are hyperactive.  As children, they're seen as "tomboys, and as women, theyre perceived as highly energetic or manic.... (Whoo, ain't that the truth).

It's also true that women with ADD share traits that can sometimes make it hard to function optimally, especially when you also hold the role of mother.  Traits such as distractibility, disorganization, impulsivity, and the already mentioned inattentiveness don't seem useful when you are trying to rear one or more children in our non-ADD world.  In this world, you're supposed to color inside the lines, go slow, and eat all your vegetables-among various other expected standard behaviors.  It's hard to be someone seen mostly as a person who forgets everything, is off on her own planet, or is foolishly impulsive and sometimes just plain silly.  The name calling can be tough; ditsy, absent-minded, space cadet, or worse- crazy or lazy. I know this intellectually and I also know it personally, as do most of my readers. 

A lot of that is so true.  Women can sometimes not understand what its like for an ADD person to function.  HOWEVER!  I personally see ADD as a gift in some ways.  ADD women are good at juggling many tasks.  I have high amounts of energy and my mind goes a million miles per hour it seems.  James Dobson said that with some help, ADD moms could really use it to their benefit and BOY do I believe that.  I think it's actually been a gift to me and I'm glad I have it.  Most of the time.  Other times it can be hard.  I may have a lot of energy, but as I said before, I work harder.  Not always smarter.  I've had family (not my mom. Need to clarify) in the past look down on me for this.  They are both perfectionists and you can be sure they keep everything perfect.  It's so awesome for them.  However, I can do the same thing IF, and a big IF, I sacrifice time with those I love.  Some people, housekeeping comes so naturally (not saying they don't work hard), they have time for all the other stuff.  Not with ADD.  ADD people can be extremely forgetful and has a very hard time finishing tasks.  There was a time in my life where I let people pressure me into being that perfect housewise.  I look back now and I feel so sad how much I put it above my boys at the time.  Wish I could go back and just cuddle them more and cherish that time with them.  I cannot have it all.  I have to say that the fact I can sit through a 45 minute sermon at church is just a miracle in of itself.  You should see how fast people tell me I chew gum or shake my leg.  I don't know I'm doing it. Sometimes I feel like standing up and dancing and then sitting back down.  I drive myself nuts I tell ya. 

Now that I've said that.  I am happy I have so much energy.  If having ADD means I can handle juggling so many things at once, even though not perfectly, have so much energy, can have supercharge moments to get things done, can handle having so many kids, then..well, I guess it's not so bad after all!

Are there any other moms out there that relate?

Making More Messes To Clean

It was one of those days when the kids were bored and they asked if they could break out the paints. Washable paints that is. So I said, "ummmm....awwww....well, sure." I knew what I was getting myself into with all the cleaning. After they got bored of that they turned their painting on each other and decided to have some fun. Being it's washable and since I check the tag on my kids that they are too, I let them go for it. Man, they were busy for hours!   Chaz and Ryan pose with Ashley.  They weren't done with her here but they were proud of their work so far.

My model below (Ivy) will show you how to properly sit still for a face painting.

Kyle actually was to have a lot more to do on him.  The unfortunate part was when it all started to dry, crack, and peel.  Then it got itchy.  For now they are just having a blast.  It's OBVIOUS where we live it's not cold.  This day it was in the 80's.

Chaz put a lot of concentration on making Ashley up.  I'm telling you, I'm so happy for these paints and it washed off everything.  Their clothes washed off great.  Your kids will go nuts doing this.  They were careful too not to get it in the eyes. 

My other model below will show you expert drawings that you could also try on your next victim..er... model.

With 6 kids at home all day and everyday, finding something for them to do outside of homeschooling is great.  Of course I take them places to get them out and learn.  Like field trips and stuff.  The other day we visited the local science museum and stayed for 5 hours!  Phew.  It was so fun.  We also visit the library every Tuesday.  Anyhow, here was art 101.  Haha.  It was a neat day and they seriously were out there till sunset playing with the paints.  After all the baths and tub cleaning (which wasn't too bad), they were all worn out.  I made sure to take their pics so they felt like all their hard work could be looked at later.  :D  By the way.  My kids are involved in an awesome school for homeschooled kids.  It's only once a week but they go for the whole day and get all their extra curricular stuff.  Next year I am going to switch their days to Monday so I can pick which classes they take.  Actually, they'll get to pick.  I'm hoping one of them is band because my grew up learning 5 different instruments and I just love music.  I really think the chess class will be good for Chaz.  I'm hoping Ryan will take drama.  He's the drama king and loves to act.  He's good at it too.  They are begging me for karate but I'm not sure I'm ready for them to be able to kick each other's butt any more than they do already.

Lemons

Heh heh, the nerd in me just had to share this joke:

A woman applying for a job in a Florida lemon grove seemed to be far too qualified for the job.


The foreman frowned and said, "I have to ask you this; have you had any actual experience in picking lemons?"

She replied: "I've been divorced three times and I voted for Obama."

Family Game And Sugar Night!

When we do a game night it always means major sugar too! We loaded up on ice cream cones, cookies, ice cream punch drink, etc. We get loaded in a good sort of way! Haha. It is just sooooo cute playing pictionary with the kids. Especially the little ones! It was Ivy's turn to draw something so she got her paper and pencil. This is what happened once we started the timer.

Mommy: "Ready....go."

Ryan: "Is it a box?"

Ivy: "Noooo...it's a flag!"

This is what happened once we started the timer.


Mommy: "Ready....go."

Ryan: "Is it a box?"

Ivy: "Noooo...it's a flag!"
OOPS! She told us the answer. LOL. Haha. She's four years old so it's fun watching her draw. She cries when we can't figure out what she is drawing.

Here is Ivy's alligator!  We couldn't guess it and she was so bummed that we didn't see that this was an alligator.  So, so, so, so cute.

Yummy punch thingy we put together.  Ginger Ale, red punch, and vanilla ice cream.  We just drank this gone!

Sometimes my kids are weird, but hey, they belong in this family!  Look at Ryan's tooth (the last picture) that is coming in!  He looks like snaggle tooth.

Pictionary is one of our all time favorite gaves because the little kids can play and it can be so funny.  This time we played blue eyes against green eyes.  Green eyes won which was Kyle, Chaz, and Charles.  Ashley, my two year old, is blue eyes so soon we will be able to add her to my team.  Now we have to figure out what color Caleb's eyes will be.  He's only 3 months old.  LOL.

At The Zoo With Family

My sister and her family came down to visit for only 3 weeks from South Africa. We tried to cram in some time with them being they had so many people to visit and conferences to attend. We love, love, love the zoo! So we all met there for my sis' birthday and had so much fun running around. If anything, the zoo is a place where kids can be crazy and run their energy off! LOL.

Caleb, above, riding with me.  :D

My nephews in the red shirt with my own kids and my sister on the right.

This was so funny how he was hanging out here over the edge.  LOL.

My sister taking picture. ^

Such a beautiful picture! ^

My own boys with their cousin in red shirt and other cousin on far right. 

Kerrie, you're not the only one that takes a rest in the stroller!  Ha ha!

My Brother-In-Law Guest Preaches

This is Dan. My brother-in-law who has a church in South Africa. They are down here for a brief visit before going back up. He was guest preaching at our church.

Ivy (below) is giving me the eyes while I'm adjusting my camera.  I turned the setting onto Museum so there would be no flash or sounds.  So I snuck some pictures in of Ivy.  Hence the pics below.

Ivy below is sneaking into my lotion and she thinks I don't notice.

Kyle is my 6 year old sweetheart.  My husband didn't really know I was taking these pictures.  Sorry for goofing off, Hon.  I couldn't help it.

The Dark Circus

A play put on by my church.  It was great!  The parts I understood was that these two girls get tricked into checking out whats supposed to be a fun circus and it ends up showing the traps of life.

The message at the end and the most important of all. It doesn't matter what our sins our. The cross is what saves our soul. Not an idol, relidious works, or even Mary. But Jesus who died on the cross for our sins. I loved, loved, loved this picture I caught since it was hard to take pics without a flash.

These two pics above show how a father is enticed to sacrifice everything dear to him in order to climb the ladder of success.  Sacrificing his family for power and money.  That's why you see the people under the ladder.  Wow!