7 Quick Takes for the last day of January

Without further ado. . . here are seven random facts for this Friday.

1) Planning ahead for our family, I invested in some used hardback math textbooks for next year (Rebekah will be fourth grade and Samuel will be doing third grade math).  Basically, these are the same type of books the schools use (in fact, both of these came complete with the stamp on the inside cover where each child writes his or her name for the year). So what, you say?  Well, first off, I am pretty proud that I got both of these books (that had good reviews) for less than $10 - for both, shipped!  But in my brilliance. . . I did not think about the fact that the answers are not normally put in the back of school textbooks.  And of course, I was too cheap to get the teacher's manuals as well, thus, guess what I am going to spend my summer doing?  Third and fourth grade math, apparently, in order to create an answer key for each.  It makes me laugh just to think of it.

2) We have an old house, with old wiring.  Although we have a breaker box with "the normal" amount of breakers, most of our house is all wired to one.  Seriously, the entire basement, the entire kitchen, about half of the upstairs outlets, and the furnace and air conditioner are on ONE breaker!  Since our bedroom is in the basement, it often loses power when I try to use too many appliances in the kitchen at once, or the heater cooks on as I'm trying to start the coffee, etc.  What does all this have to do with anything you ask?  Well, not long ago we I had to replace my alarm clock, as someone (I honestly cannot remember if it was me or one of the kids) spilled liquid on the last one.  But, I got this cool alarm clock that automatically sets itself!  No more worrying about if it has a back-up battery and what-not.  Just plug this baby in and it is good to go!  The catch?  It is ten minutes fast and I have yet to figure out how to convince it of that! I was SOOO excited to finally have "the correct time" (as I have often set my other clocks a little fast, but then I feel like I had permanently LOST those extra five minutes somehow - it was weird).  And suddenly I not only do not have "the correct time" but I have lost an additional five minutes!!!  It drives me nuts some days and is just minorly annoying on others :)

3) The previous takes do not appear to be very "quick" so I'm commenting on that point as my third "take."  Be grateful for my generosity.

4) Tonight I made split pea soup, for the first time ever.  (I do not think I have ever eaten it before either.)  It was SO GOOD!! Wow, who knew?

5) Miriam update:  She has about six words right now, but, with pointing and body language she sure gets her point across!  Her three favorite words are "baby," kitty," and "bye."  She also makes the most adorable meow and signs more in the context of eating.

FYI: I stole this picture from some website - it is not original to our family.

6) Tonight I was grateful for the generosity of my aunt who let me bake my bread in her oven (because mine was dirty and my hubby did not make it home to clean it as I had hoped - and perhaps because I had forgotten it was dirty anyhow when I started the bread - guess I need to find a preg-friendly oven cleaner. . . ).  I'm also grateful for my cousin (my aunt's daughter) who kindly delivered the bread to my house once it was finished so I did not have to pile the kids in the car for a return trip to Aunt Martha's house.

7) I have SERIOUS pregnancy-brain.  I can still remember the very first time I forgot ONE THING when I was pregnant with Rebekah and it FREAKED ME OUT!!  Now, I can hardly remember anything for more than five minutes.  It is not as freaky, as I've grown to expect it, but rather more. . . entertaining/humbling/often embarrassing. (Like the time I tried to order 6 pizzas for our family and the kids were were babysitting when the babysitting kids' Mom had already put in the order - and had talked with me about it, but I, of course forgot - fortunately Pizza Hut realized two giant orders were going to the same address. . . /sigh yep, that was me.)

7.5) (since I skipped three. . .hehe)
So, tonight I had serious pregnancy brain as I drove home from dropping my doughy bread at Aunt Martha's to bake, I realized my car was making FUNNY noises every time I turned.  (Not, the usual whine of a power steering problem, but an odd squeak.)  I would still guess it was low on power steering fluid, though. Anyhow, I was thinking, "Woah is me, my car is BROKEN and I am now stranded at my house until my dear husband is able to come home and rescue me!!!"  But a couple hours later, it dawned on me that I DO know how to check power steering fluid and how to add more!!  (And I'm pretty sure we have a bottle in our very garage!)  The car I drove in college once got a leak in the power steering pump and I had to check it and refill it several times before I got it fixed.  But I guess I blocked that out or something.  See, what I mean, so weird.

Well, looks like that's all for tonight.  Hope you enjoyed.  Time to fold some laundry and head off to bed.  The way all "cool" adults spend their Friday nights, I'm sure :)

The Road I've Traveled

I missed posting anything about my birthday (which was last month), so I'm using that as my excuse for the random pondering to follow here. . . 

I'm "past" thirty now in years and really starting to feel like. . . well, not necessarily OLD, as in I cannot do things I once did (that has nothing to do with being old and has everything to do with a husband and growing family), but more like "AN ADULT."  No one bothers to card me anymore (surprise, surprise).  No one looks at me and wonders how I can be "so young" to have all these children.  I would say in the path of life I am definitely "ESTABLISHED."  

(On a side note, I am PHYSICALLY starting to feel quite old, but that really has little to do with my age and most to do with being pregnant with our sixth child. . . but, I am hoping/praying that, as in the past, once baby makes her departure, I will eventually be able to convince my body to behave "in an acceptable way" again.  I figure this is just training for when I AM actually PHYSICALLY OLD and start to have some of these same "issues."  I will be un-phased, for sure and might even have some tricks to employ to make my life easier.)

Anyhow, all this reflection has made me decide to make a list. . . a list of things I never thought I would do.

*Get married

*Have a baby (and like it - also should add breastfeeding here I suppose)

*Raise children

*Stay home with said children

*Homeschool said children

*Attempt to cook more and more meals from scratch

*Turn to more "natural-type" remedies rather than traditional pharmaceutical solutions 

*Like coffee (silly but true - although I still need quite a bit of creamer to enjoy it)

*Have anything to do with the military (my hubby joined the Air Force for a short time)

*Shoot a gun

*Give any thought to possible scenarios where our government ceases to function

*Enjoy running for pleasure and exercise and do so with any regularity

*Own a van that seats more than 8 passengers (which technically I still do not, but the end of those days are hopefully coming soon as our family will cease to fit in our van by mid-June this year)


I suppose that completes my list for now. . . perhaps I will add more later.  But it is kind of fun to take a moment and assess how "out of control" my life appears to have become, but I suppose that is what happens as I try to give it over to God.  Each day I marvel at what He has in mind. . . often the exact opposite of what I was thinking. . . but I really could not have picked a better fit for myself. . . even if I tried.

Journal #19

Out My Window:

Cold.  Supposedly it is 22 degrees but feels like 11.  In any case, it is enough to keep me from trying to work-out in the garage and from going anywhere.  Today I am VERY VERY happy to homeschool.

Clothing Myself In:

Ummm. . . still in pjs (sweats).  I was indecisive about grabbing a shower this morning or not as I could not decide if I was going to try and work-out because I would have to do so inside (rather than in my "home gym" in the garage) and I have not been feeling the best so I was thinking of skipping it, but then the kids got up and suddenly they want breakfast and oh look my day started without me ready! (my life is so complicated, I know)

Around the House:

I was going to start "school" again yesterday (after the "Christmas holidays") but somehow I ended up buying a used wii (it was actually an excellent deal for all the games and equipment it came with) and then I spent most of the morning rearranging the tv room so there would be room to hook it up and play it properly (a lot more complicated than it sounds - I had to move the train table and a bookshelf and a relocated a bunch of toys.  Then I convinced the hubby to move the bigger tv in there (as one cannot play wii on a little 22 inch screen or course) but there was no place to set it, so he had to mount it and. . . well, it was quite the endeavor.  And it is not complete yet, either.  This morning I realized the cables from the DVD player will not reach the far end of the new tv from their location on the bookshelf, so I guess I will need to find/buy some longer ones, but now I'm not sure I can plug them in at the same time as the wii (must consult the manual. . . or the hubby later) so maybe I need to consider a different video cable in order to not have to unplug on re-plug the other every time I want to switch from one device to another.  Yes, first world problems - my life is so complicated!

I also moved a bookshelf from the study downstairs to the laundry/storage/utility room which is slowly becoming an "office" as that is also the location of my new amazing printer.  The bookshelf is home to most of my homeschooling resources and books not being used this year, so it is handy to have them near the printer (as usually I make copies, etc).  Plus now there is a bit more room in the study so I made the table in there a little bigger as we have many new little legos and block sets that need some table space!  I find it entertaining that we do not really do our "school work" in the study (as I had originally thought) but having another area to play/study/create with a table is  turning out to be a tremendous asset.  The big kids generally do their school work at the kitchen table or at the little desks I picked up (think of the one-piece chairs with desks attached that you probably sat in for high school) on a swap meet and keep in the front room.  Those have been one of my most brilliant purchases this far.

The Baby:

She has a new word "baaa beee."  She has been "saying things" for a long time.  Things that generally sound almost like the real words for the things the represent.  And she has inflection figured out.  She will sound like she is having conversations all the time.  But now she has definitely mastered the word "baby" (said nice and slow) and when you say it she goes to find one, or take care of hers.  She is such a sweetheart.  This age from about a year to two years is just so adorable in my opinion.  Babies doing (or trying to do) the things the big kids do is basically the cutest thing ever I think.

The Kids:

I'm trying to get them to buckle-down and head back into their school work. . . it is a little tough, but we are slowly moving in the right direction.  It helps that they like reading - we have been doing a lot of that to get going again.  Back to a full load today I think.  It will help that we have a wii now for them to enjoy when they finish - nothing like a little bribery :)

I recently implemented rewards charts and they are working brilliantly.  I just made up little charts on excel and have the kids put stars on them as they complete a tasks, etc.  I did not exactly spell out each one's chores (as the minute I do that, the chores change, etc) but they know that they can earn stars.  Basically the rule I have is that we have to agree what will be done for the star BEFORE they do it (so they are not picking up a toy and then demanding a star every five minutes).  

Paul gets a star for pooping in the potty (which he does regularly - no accidents - but he had a regression when we went to Grandma's to Christmas so I figure a little more encouragement is ok and it is helpful as earning stars is kinda difficult for him).  In order for Paul to earn a star for a chore, it has to be a fairly specific (for example, pick up all of the big legos and put them in the container) - so if the conditions are not just right, as in there are a few of a lot of different toys to be picked up, or he does not really know where they go, or is not able to reach that spot or what-not, he cannot really be much help).  In any case, we are making it work.  

Rebekah and Samuel are earning stars regularly for cleaning off the table (everyone is supposed to take their own dishes to the kitchen, but they bring over Miriam's dishes and the food platters, etc), wiping off the table with the rag, and sweeping and mopping the floor.  They are also most helpful in picking up toys (as they generally know where most everything goes, or can at least get all the toys off the floor).  I am fairly free with my stars right now, but my plan is to get them used to doing their "chores" and then they will (hopefully) just "be helpful" all the time and instead of "earning" their rewards (which is basically time on the kindle fire - or now the wii) they will just be allotted a set amount of time for this and we can revert back to the earning system if they need to be reminded.

Crafting:

I have been dreaming about knitting again. . . I finally found my needles and project (I had left them at our church's coffee shop like I thought).  Rebekah has been knitting again (I got her started a long time ago) and so I think this might be something we sit and do together.  I just need to make the time to do it.

Reading:

On the recommendation of some friends I am now reading Mountains of Spices as I finished the first book (which I have read several times now), Hinds Feet on High Places.  Although, in all honesty, I rarely get more read in my day than a few minutes in my bible and catechism, but it does help to have a book on hand that I'm interested in.

Bringing Me Joy:

-Homeschooling!  I just love having the kids here with me all day.  I love being the one to help them with their work and play and enjoy them.  I love being able to snuggle up on cold days and sleep in some days and eat meals together and just do what we want when we want!

-Sneaking in quiet time.  As much as I love my children, I DO need a minute or two away from them now and again.  Fortunately our house is large enough and my kids are getting old enough that I can say "I'm going to take a few minutes to myself - play quietly" or "do your work" or whatever "until I come back upstairs.  Then I leave the oldest in charge and generally things work out ok.  I'm blessed with some pretty great kids :)

-My hubby and his ability to fix things!!  He recently replaced the "guts" in both of our toilets and they both work WONDERFULLY now!!!  He also mounted our tv and is building anything and everything it seems.

Bible Verse:

He took the blind man by the hand and let him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Can you see anything?"  (Mark 8:23)

Comment: I like this verse because it shows Jesus bending over backward FOR US.  He could have healed the man by looking at him and saying "you are healed" but instead he takes the time to lead him away from the people and comes up with this somewhat complicated method that really is all for the man being healed.  It was what that man needed (or more likely "thought" he needed).  Notice Jesus does not sigh and grudgingly drag him off or complain about how much work it is and how messy he gets as he fixes him.  He just does it.

Catechism:

"Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ.  Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark of his belonging to Christ.  No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation."  (CCC #1272 - emphasis mine)

Pictures to Share:

Happy Birthday to Samuel!!

Samuel's birthday is in December. . . and it is now January. . . this has NEVER happened before, honest!  But it did this time.  My "perfectionist" nature has been pestering me to just skip this year since I missed the month, but. . . oh Samuel, I love you too much!  So, although it is late, here is my yearly reflection of Samuel who is now seven-years-old!

* Samuel is incredibly athletic.  (He probably does not get that natural talent from his momma.)  He enjoys Aikido and you should see him fly across the mat.  

* He is amazingly smart.  He loves to read, writes quite well (especially for a boy), and catches on to things really fast.  (Yes, he gets all that from his momma.)

* Samuel's favorite toys right now are legos, his remote-control car, and his dinosaur-action-figure sets.

* He loves to play with his brother Jacob.  On "school days" when he knows Rebekah will be busy with school work basically all day, he is VERY EAGER to get his work done as soon as possible so he can spend the rest of the day playing with Jacob.

* Samuel ALSO likes to play with Rebekah, especially in the evenings, now that he has a later bedtime!

* This may sound silly, but Samuel is actually the best of all the children at cleaning up the toy room.  He is focused, gets the job done, and does it better than any of the other kid!

* Samuel does NOT like to be in-the-wrong.  When I go to correct him on something, he gets a sheepish look on his face and is SO UNCOMFORTABLE!!  Often he mumbles, "I know, I know," and is so miserable to have done something wrong -even if it is super-small!  Oh my poor perfectionist son, I did not mean to pass that trait on to you!

* He really gets a kick out of busy-work-type schoolwork.  He  loves to start his school day with a math worksheet (I have a book of "math minute" worksheets), a phonics sheet, and a handwriting sheet.

* Samuel LOVES his momma.  (I'm sure he will deny this later on in life, but he is MY BOY through and through right now.  Just as Rebekah is definitely "Daddy's girl" right now, Samuel is so all mine.  And oh I love him for it!  :)

My dearest Samuel, I pray that God continues to bless you and form you into a warrior after His own heart!

New Year Intentions

Disclaimer: Most people have New Year's Resolutions.  However, I am not most people.  I am me and I like to have "New Year's Intentions" because these are things I INTEND to do.  I may not do them perfectly.  I may not do them consistently.  But they are basically good ideas that I'm going to start giving a try.  And when I miss a day (or a month) I might reread this post and remember these great ideas and try them again.

New Year Intentions for 2014

1) Get up on time (whatever time my particular schedule for the next day specifies).  

This is an odd intention for me, as I am very-much a morning person and normally getting up in the morning is really not a big deal (in fact, I have had to MAKE myself NOT GET UP early before because I was getting too little sleep and making myself sick).  But, being pregnant, sleep (especially sleep in the morning hours) is so much more attractive and often irresistible.  Keep in mind, though, I'm not planning on getting less sleep.  I intend here to try and be responsible and get to bed on time so I can get my sleep and still start my morning off well, too.

2) DAILY PRAYER TIME. . . I'm not sure I really need to even mention this.  

As much as I love God and all, for the past several years (pretty-much since having kids) I have struggled to get that prayer time in.  Now, there is ALWAYS prayer in my day.  I pray as I work, make the meals, clean the kids, teach the school, clean the house, etc, but I know it is important to fuel my brain for better prayer and my conscience through my understanding of the faith (if that makes sense) so I need to make time to read my bible and my catechism (and/or possibly another spiritual book) and reflect on them in order to continue growing intellectually and keep that treasure of information "on hand" so the Holy Spirit can pull it out when I need it!

3) Wash the dishes. . . NOW!  

I'm sure you all have "those dishes" that for whatever reason do not go in the dishwasher.  Maybe they do not fit, or they are fancy, or delicate, etc.  I have my fair share (probably I hand-wash more than I need to) and lately I have been LAZY letting them pile and clutter my kitchen, making cooking more difficult and frustrating (as I have very little counter-space as it is!) and I'm hoping to put a stop to it.  From now on I intend to stop putting off this chore.

4) Set weekly fitness goals.

Obviously, since I'm expecting, I'm not exactly dieting to lose weight (although a pound or two now and again would not bother me a bit) but that does not mean I should not be fit, eat well, drink enough water each day, get my exercise, etc  I'm setting these goals weekly as that seems to work best.  I usually can manage something for a week and then, if I do not die from it, I often can tackle it again, or shoot for something else.  This week my focus has been to NOT EAT OUT (mostly because it is expensive, but also because I eat TOO MUCH and it is way less healthy than what I would come up with to eat at home) and to make sure I get my daily intake of water. (I have determined - a bit optimistically - to drain two jug-fulls per day and my jug holds 64 oz.  This is probably more than I need, but I would rather error on the safe side for my active lifestyle.)

5) Offer up more stuff!

I have only recently figured out exactly how to "offer things up" and man it is powerful and seems to make those struggles so much easier to handle!!  But I just forget to do it.  Instead I tend to let all those little minor annoyances eat at me until I'm about ready to blow up (or sometimes I actually do - especially at the kiddos. . . /sigh) or just am so stinking crabby. . . well, it is just a not a pretty sight.  I do not do well to try and ignore my struggles, but offering them up. . . well, everything is better with God's help and He can handle my honesty.  I'm not making this stuff up!!  For example, one look at my legs would show you my beautiful (and often painful) varicose veins and even my hubby grumbles sometimes at how long it takes me to get those silly compression tights on.  But rather than just being annoying, this is a chance for more grace, just gotta remember to approach it with the right attitude and tap into the blessings.

And a random picture of a cool castle.  Enjoy :)