The big Freeze

I haven't cooked much all week then I guess I got motivated and cooked 8 meals in the past two days. My friend Jenn motivated me when I went over to her house and her freezer was full of meals.

Chicken was on sale and so I just bought a whole bunch, grabbed a book on tape and camped out in the kitchen with my recipes from "Don't Panic it is in the Refrigerator" and "Once a month cooking."

It must have been that cup of coffee I had at Sonshine's game at 4;30pm. I had so much energy that I just started cooking up a storm around 7:30pm. I finished the main part around midnight.

I also threw in a boneless pork roast and cooked up some butternut squash to eat for lunch today. Wow did I feel on top of the world. I though I would be so stressed out and sorry I started the meals but I wasn't.

Tonight I finished listening to the last CD from the book on tape, when I finished up my meals The house smells good, the kitchen is even clean and my family will eat great.... at least 8 times this month.

Picture day

Sonshine had pictures today with his soccer team.

We needed to be there by 1 pm and at 12:35, Sonshine couldn't find his uniform. He solved his problem by putting on a mis match throw together multi blue uniform. I was not a happy mama. I has spent the summer helping him organize his room so that he could have a place for everything and everything in it's place, including his uniform.

How in the world did he misplace it? I started in with the usual "you better find your actual uniform or you can forget going to pictures..." "I am not wasting my time helping you anymore, I can't believe you lost your uniform, why isn't it where it needs to be?" and so on. He was frantically looking, angry and frustrated.

Then suddenly all that wonderful parent training kicked in. Since groaning at him wasn't working and we were both just getting angry and more frustrated I decided to change tactics.

"You know what Sonshine, I am taking on a problem that isn't mine and I am very sorry, I want to take you to your picture, I really don't want you to miss them." I said. " I am going to take you as soon as you find your uniform. The pictures are at 1pm and it is now 12:50."

I walked out of the room disappointed and assuming that we would be missing pictures. but, this way if he missed pictures it would be his fault not mine.

His little sister piped in. "I'll help you look brother." together at 12:57 they located the missing uniform and we hussled to pictures, we were late and I half expected the pictures to be over but he made it just in time. Afterwards, he thanked me for taking him to pictures. I never expected a thank you.

Frustration

AHHHHHHHHHH. I blog so much that I can never remember the user name or the password. I have wonderful things to say... to share, Yet it takes me a very very long time to figure out how to get on here and by then I must move on to the next thing, like taking care of the kids or I have forgotten what I wanted to write in my frustration. Don't panic though, I have now written the important information down and I am set to go the next time I get a chance to share my thoughts of the day.

Boy I hope I remember what I did with the information I wrote down.

Hello again

Has it really been that long? October since my last blog.
So much has changed.

School starts in 18 Days, (not that I am counting) and it seems we just now have the routine of kids home all day down.

Where did the summer go? I am just now starting to really enjoy it. Late nights, swimming, camping, sleeping in and all the other wonderful things that go along with summer. I hope to keep up better with this blog so that we can share our lives with you as so many of you have shared you lives with me.
Here is a rundown of our year since last October.

January I turned one year older, yet not old enough to join my dear friends (you know who you are) in a (paying) survey. Maybe next year. Husband and I visited Alaska.
February Princess turned 5 and will be starting kindergarten in the Fall
March- we discovered that teenager hood may feel like it but it is not terminal. After a rocky start we discovered we will survive Beans entering the 9th grade and thankfully she got most of her brain back. And We spent one week in Utah camping, riding ATV’s and loving every minute of it.
April hubby and I went on a Cruise to the Caribbean and it is as gorgeous as it looks in pictures.
May- Beans turned 16 years old. Hubby and I celebrated 11 years of marriage.
June. Swimming, movies, library, etc. etc. etc.
July- Hubby turned one year older, Angel turned 17, Sonshine turned 8.

Beans

 

Butterflys

I have butterflies in my stomach. They are mad and making me miserable. They started with the onset of the teenage years of my older children and haven't let up since. I had no idea butterflies could last so long. I wonder if my stomach will ever be the same.

Raising teenager is challenging and uncomfortable.

I have teenagers and butterflies, maybe that will explain why I have not blogged in a long time. Both do not leave very positive things to blog about. And I certainly do not want to "bemoan" on this blog.

So here I will share about how teenagers and butterflies go hand in hand.

Above, I shared about the butterflies in my stomach. I worry about my girls choices, they aren't always healthy, sometimes down right destructive. I worry about the next moment when I have to confront my daughter on something she is doing that is not acceptable, I worry about what consequences she will face. I worry, I worry, I fear and I Pray. (I am getting better at the praying first part.)

But just as a caterpillar is not a caterpillar forever, my daughter will not be a teenager forever. Angel has proven that God has had her in Hand at all times and she is now a beautiful butterfly. A new creation, who makes good choices, and is succeeding.

I hate the butterflies in my belly and I plan to combat them with a trust in God. He promises "I know the plans I have for your life, they are of good and not evil." -Jeremiah
I choose to trust Him. That is called faith. Every person has faith in something whether it be a paycheck, themselves, or something else. I have learned the faith I want to have is not in myself but rather in my God. I look at my butterfly daughter, Angel, and know I put my faith where it belongs.

I love the butterflies that flutter around, there are even some still out this late in October. My youngest, Princess, points them all out to me.

I remember, butterflies start as caterpillars, plain and slow, eating their way through life. Then they add something special to this world. BEAUTY
My caterpillar won't be a caterpillar forever. The butterflies in my belly will dissipate with my trust in God and they will soar through my daughter as she grow up from caterpillar to butterfly.

Beauty

 

Last night My husband, Sonshine(7), Princess(4), and I were sitting on the back porch, My 4 year old daughter commented that my breath was REALLY bad. Then she followed up with " but you are still really beautiful mom." Thank God bad breath and beauty don't go hand in hand.

God has really taken to making sure I know I am beautiful to Him. He does it through my two young children.

One day I refused to put makeup on. I had no where to go until that evening and it seemed like too much work on my relaxing day. "I will put it on later." I decided
"Later came to quick. In my hustle to take Angel to work, feed my family, and get to my appointed meeting on time, I neglected to "put my face on" as my grandma would say.

We pulled into the parking spot when I finally remembered my neglected face. "Oh great," I mumbled, "How could I have forgotten my makeup" My 7 year old Sonshine piped up with "Mom, you are so pretty you don't need any make up." I smiled at him, brushing his comment off as something all little boys say about their mommies.

He hopped out of the car and walked up to a beautiful bush that was turning red and yellow with the onset of fall. "Mom," he said in a grown up voice, "do you see this beautiful plant? It does not have any makeup on and it is beautiful...because God made it. You are beautiful because God made you." I stopped, gazing first at him then at the plant. "Sonshine," I said, "thank you for reminding me how beautiful I am."

I see the beauty in others. My friends and family are the most beautiful people I have ever met. But finding the beauty in me... well that is another story. But my children, my God, will not allow me to see myself as anything less. The world may see a plain girl or they may not notice me at all, but my God notices me and He is faithful to remind me through the eyes and mouth of my babes.