Christmas

Merry Christmas!!! I would like to a say a thing about Christmas.. (or several).Let's love one another, be kind, be help full, be nice ,be excepting, Lets just remember WHO this season is about!! It's not about gifts or things! It's about you, and me, and our families, about Jesus and his gift to the world. Don't let things get in the way of having a celebration to rejoice in our Saviors birth! Let us give thanks, and praise, for the one that saved us, and forgives all!!!!

Thankful

It is so easy to be thankful when all is well. It is really hard, but yet so much for meaningful, when times have been rough. Jeremy and I (my husband) have been through sooooo much together. More then a lifetime of struggles. He has always had my back. He is my hero! Thanksgiving is a very special time for our family. We have a huge supper after we visit our family. Just the 6 of us. We have turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, squash, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy, applesauce, and pumpkin pie. This year will be even more special. We had a rough year. But we still have each other. We set the table with candles, and we all go around the table, saying what we are thankful for. This year I am most thankful for my best friend/husband, my kiddos, all of my family members,and my new friends. This year I will take more time to thank Jesus for all his many blessings!

Holy Cereal Appocalips

I Love to be cheap!!! It makes me happy! It is the wind beneath my wings! I have been sick all week with a terrible cold and Jeremy,(my husband)offered to go with me to get groceries. I made a list according to my meals planned for the week.(more on that to follow). I always(try)to go with a list. It keeps you on track, in and out, no extra spending. I always am "scanning" the aisles when shopping. There is always sales that are not in the flyer, and clearance(insert Oprah voice. CLEEEEEEERAAAANCE) I know lots of you are afraid of clearance food! Don't be! It makes me swoon, like a love sick girl! The real reason they mark things down is NOT scary! The reasons they do is-

1. A new package/box is coming out.

2. The expiration date is coming up.

3. Huh... can't think of the others. I will let you know if I think of it.(yes...:( this is what my husband deals with)

Ok, so the first 2 reasons, not scary. I was soooooo excited when this week I found boxes of cereal for .99 cents! Full size boxes! So I bought 23 boxes! Yes that's right, 23! I have 4 kids, and we go thru cereal like crazy! I know. I should cook for them in the morning. But, I don't. Trying to get everyone out the door is the goal. Not being mommy of the year.(sorry kid's)Anyway... Back to what I wanted to talk about... We get home from groceries. The kids all come out to help us bring in our bags. I tell Sam to bring this bag and this bag etc... down to the basement. I start shelving ALL my boxes and boxes of cereal. Chewy(our youngest) comes down and all the sudden I hear "HOLY CEREAL APPOCALIPS!!!!!!" Yup that's how cheap I am. They think I am preparing for the end of the world. Nope. Just a cheap, poor mom! Trying to make the most of what I have. So here's hoping they don't get sick of strawberry stars! Fingers crossed.(Don't worry... you can always turn yucky cereal into marshmallow treats for school parties. hehehe) So here's to cheap Mama's! Let us keep scarying our kids and making them sick of strawberry stars!

Bad Mom? VERY Dirty Kids?

Soooo I have a confession... I know all Moms will relate to this but especially those with larger fams. It is HARD work to keep up with keepin' my kids clean. Our days are crazy! As is yours! We have 4 kids. Our day starts at 6am. Husband and 2 big kids are out the door at 6:30. Little kids up at 7am then out the door at 7:30. I clean and do laundry, feed and care for our dog, 10 hens and 3 goats. Garden. Can and freeze our veggies. Sew. Patch endless numbers of knee worn out jeans. Crochet and knit. Clip coupons and meal plan. Pay bills and pray my checks will not bounce!(Please don't bounce!) We also are remodeling(very slowly as money will allow)Then they all start trickling in around 3. Then its homework! Make dinner. Then trying to get #3 ready for football. (Please say a prayer for me! I swear this kid has molasses running in his veins!)Leave at 5:30, home at 8pm. Then a second supper( they are "starving, I didn't eat enough") Try to get all that done by 8:30 for 30 minutes of reading. Then fill out reading logs and other school papers. (how much homework do these kids need!?)Then on Saturdays its a football game. Chop and stack wood. All the other chores. Clean our disgusting van, garage, house, barn, chicken coop. Then ohhhh my gosh!!! When was the last time 3 and 4 had their last shower???? I check their feet...:( I discover I am NOT super mom of the year!!! BOOOOOO!!!!! Well... They are alive, well fed, learning, learning responsibilities, are sorta respectful... What can I say. Anyone relate to this? The real kicker is, I scroll thru my week and hmmm... was it Wednesday the last time I showered? Thursday? Did I really just blog about this? I am just saying these are the things the should talk to kids about in health class. They don't tell you that having 4 babies in 5 years will reduce you to blogging about this! Oh well. They are my world(dirty or not)!!

Waiting for the Storm to Pass

I bought a little wooden sign about 7-8 years ago. I saw it and had to have it because it spoke to my heart. It said " Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain". Isn't that sooo beautiful? So hard to remember that when you are down, but so true. There is always something good, and beautiful in your life! Really, it is true. When you are going thru something tough, that sounds like total crap!! But its true! So for all of us having a rough day,(or year)(or life), look for something that makes you smile today. Today, lets dance in the rain!

Tonights Supper: Garden Veggie Salad

All the veggies are coming in from the garden! Yea! So tonight we are having salad. The best salads are always what's fresh! That's what's so great about having a garden. So tonight we will be having salad, with fresh broccoli, onion, cabbage, lettuce, cucumber, peppers and grape tomatoes. Chewy has offered to help me make biscuts! Yummy!

Raw Goat Milk Spa

My oldest, Sam, has become the little farmer! I am sure his Great, Great Grandpas, Silas and Frank would be proud! He spends so much time out with the goats, and chickens everyday! So proud! It takes a lot of time and love to take care of animals. Well, Sam has been learning to milk Lady, our Mama goat. He is doing a great job! He has been doing it about a week. Lady decided she needed to kick the pail. Sam was not holding her hind leg as much as needed, and Sam got a very nice spa treatment! Raw milk in the face! It was a full on soak of the whole body! Poor Sam! Really funny for the rest of us, but not so much for him! He was a trooper and took a shower and was back at it the next day! Good for you Sam! By the way... He did NOT appreciate me yellin' "IN THE FACE, IN THE FACE!" What's a Mom to do?! They know I am NEVER a grown up!!