School has started

It doesn't seen right that school here in Georgia starts so early! In Michigan, we wouldn't have started for 4 more weeks, but here in Georgia, despite the 95* temperatures everyday, the kids have gone back to school. Unfortunately, none of my kids who are in elementary are in class with their best friends, but Mikayla and Micah both got the teacher they wanted! Katelyn didn't know hers but seems to really like her. I can't believe that Seth is starting 7th grade! Where in the world does time go and am I really old enough to have a 7th grader??? I remember 7th grade like it was just yesterday....I remember my 'boyfriend', my first locker. I remember teachers and the excitement of switching classes. For him, he started at the middle school last year, so we are used to that routine and so 7th grade isn't quite the same for him as it was for me when I started "Junior High". Seth was just glad to be in 7th grade and not be the low man on the totem pole anymore. He was joking about teasing the 6th graders, telling them they need to see the school pool (which they don't have) and telling them the wrong hallways for their classrooms. Typical 7th grader!!!! He didn't even want to go to the bus stop a few minutes early because it was all 6th graders standing and waiting. haha!

Here are a couple pictures from the kids first day. They are getting so big!!!








Day 2. The kids love their new clothes so wanted pictures again.

They're home!!!

After a LONG summer, the kids are finally home from Michigan. A little taller, a little older, and a little more independent. For those of you who don't already know, we took the kids up to Michigan on Memorial Day weekend to visit family for the summer. We left 4 of the 5 there and brought just Jacob home with us. The last week of June, we went back up to visit for a week and then left Jacob there with the rest of them. He was so lonely here without them that it just seemed like it would be better for him to be with them instead of with us. Tim and I came back to Georgia and spent the summer studying for boards, which we will take in just about 6 more weeks! It was a crazy time without the kids, but there was also some enjoyment to it too. It was nice to be able to 'date' my husband again, something that is difficult to do with 5 kids in tow. We were able to go out to dinner several times, went to a few movies, went to bed late and slept in even later!

But I'm so thankful that the kids are home safe and sound. It's hard having them gone and feeling totally helpless if something were to happen. It's hard when one of them calls you to tell you that they got grounded or lost a privilege, when it's not something YOU would have grounded them for. Even though it's family, it's hard having to trust someone 100% with your children.

The kids all start school tomorrow, bright and early. I know they are ready to see their friends again and to get back into a routine. Tim's parents are going to be here for the next 3-4 weeks to help out while we continue to study for Boards. Boards is a VERY scary thing for me, but I'm starting to feel a bit better about them. We will need to stay out late a few nights a week with study groups and will be having 'Board Review" start in a week that will be Friday night, all day Saturday and all day Sunday, for 3 weekends in a row! Talk about a crazy life!!!

So, while I took the summer off of blogging, I'm hoping to jump back into it now that the kids are home and I'll have more to talk about. :)

Not Me Monday 5~3~10

Ugh....what a week!

I did NOT totally get overwhelmed and forget to blog last week. Not a single day!! And I didn't tell myself "I'll get to it after dinner" only to be bogged down with other things.

I did NOT sign up for taking 3 dozen bagels to my school on May 3, and then wake up this morning, and her tell me that today was the day I needed them. I guess I did NOT realize that May 3 was a Monday....TODAY!

I did NOT turn off my alarm this morning without knowing it, and my husband didn't turn his off either. We didn't then wake up an hour late, have to race the kids to school (making a stop at the store for those darn bagels) and arriving 10 minutes late!

I did NOT tell my 12 year old that he was fine and going to school, even though in the pit of my stomach I had a feeling he wasn't.

And I certainly didn't get a bit excited when I got a call from the school nurse saying he was sick and had to be picked up. I didn't sigh a breath of relief at the thought of skipping my own classes today and getting my house picked up instead.

I most certainly did NOT come home, make my son go to bed and then take a small nap instead of cleaning the house like I had planned.

And I'm sure I couldn't have been the person to go into my daughters bedroom and throw away just about everything they had laying on the floor.

The house is getting cleaner by the minute, blogging is done for now and I will NOT go and do a bit of a happy dance now.


HAPPY MONDAY!!!

Sunday Simplicity-My Top 10 for Apirl 25

My Top 10 favorite things!

10. Animal-Bear
9. Color-green or purple
8. Flower-gerber daisies or peach roses
7. Holiday-Christmas
6. Season-Fall (but it has to be a MICHIGAN fall!)
5. Food-Mexican
4. Non-Alcoholic Drink-Diet Coke
3. Alcoholic Drink-Pomegranate Martini (or a shot of tequila...no lime, no salt!)
2. Addicton-CHOCOLATE
1. Thunderstorms (didn't have a category for this)


What are some of your favorite things?

It's a Giveaway!

When we started on the journey to healthier eating, I thought it would be difficult for the kids to follow suit. I'll be honest that I was trying to hide spinach in spaghetti sauce or in ketchup. My kids have always been big veggie fans so that part wasn't hard, but they weren't into spinach or some of the really amazingly great vegetables for you. Of course, they came by it naturally because their mom doesn't care for them.

I came across a site having a giveaway for a Sue Gregg Cookbook. Her books include: Whole Foods Cooking, Whole Grains Baking, Main Dishes, Meals in Minutes, Soups & Muffins, Breakfasts, Desserts & Lunches and Snacks. She really focuses on healthy cooking and making it simple, and fun. If you've been looking to get your family started on healthier eating, but didn't know how to go about it or where to start, this is the cookbook, and giveaway, for you!

http://raisingolives.com/2010/04/sue-gregg-cooking-class-review/#comment-19667

Dreary, Rainy Saturday

...equals kids stuck inside and out of control. And since we cut the cable, that makes it all that much more crazy. All of my plans for the day have been ruined by the rain,but we definitely need the rain to wash away all the pollen. I had planned on sending the kids across the street to our neighborhood park and then it would be nice and quite for studying and house cleaning since I'm overwhelmed by both of these. Instead, I have some fighting over the XBox (the 12 & 5 year olds), some sitting at the table drawing on construction paper and making some beautiful artwork. The 3 year old is running around telling everyone that they aren't his friend. And what am I doing? Nope,not chasing them around and stopping all the fighting....BLOGGING! It's going to be the one thing that keeps me sane, if only for 5 minutes.

What are some of your best rainy day ideas to keep the kids occupied, especially if you have work that needs to be done?

Missing Toof

Micah has had a wiggly toof for a couple ov weeks now. Everyday he asks me when it will vall out, but it nefer seemed to be super wiggly. Yesterday, he got home school and was super excited! While on the bus on the way home from school, he decided to pull it out. He finally lost his first toof!!! The toof fairy in this house is pretty cheap so he only got a dollar (in quarters) for it, but that didn't matter to him. He thinks he's the richest kid in the world!!

Here's my toofless wonder

"When are you due"

Today I got up for school and felt really good. I've really struggled with self esteem lately and have hidden it behind eating. I've gained a few pounds, but nothing too drastic, but I realized this weekend that I'm eating so that I can attempt to hide. In the back of my head, I was telling myself that if I was fat, people wouldn't approach me and I wouldn't have to fake a smile (or hide my smile since it's not good right now). I got dressed, put on some bead bracelets and a big chunky necklace. Black shirt, khaki capris and super cute big black thick heals. I felt GOOD! I looked in the mirror and as I walked out of the bedroom, I felt a pride in my step. You know what I'm talking about. That special outfit that when you put it on screams "DAMN I'M HOT", despite how may feel any other day of the year.

I walk into school in the cafe and sit down. Jacob was with me and so I was getting him situated with a movie on the DVD player so I could study for a test I had coming up in an hour. A lady sits down behind me and comments on how cute he was. She asked how old he was and then proceeded to ask "And when is your next one due?" I didn't know what to say. In that brief 2 second pause, so much went through my head. I thought about saying a date or "3 more months". I really considered lying and pretending I was. Instead, I decided to embarrass her with truth. I told her that I'm not and she fell over in the booth, totally humiliated. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry". I said "Listen, I have five kids. I'm in school fulltime and so is my husband. I don't have time to work out and so I wear my 'baby weight' with pride. It's sort of my 'battle scar" and turned around.

A friend told me I should have responded with "They hid your adam's apple really well. I really can't see it" or "When do you finish your transition surgery?" Truth was, she was a beautiful 5'11", very thin black model looking lady, but maybe something like that would have made her think next time before she talks.

Another friend said I should have responded with it being a very fast growing tumor.

How would you respond? I'd love to hear other witty comments you'd come back with, just in case it happens again!

I'm not Weird....

My daughters came home from school today, just raving about a little girl at their school named Haley. Haley is a first grader with Cerebral Palsy. At the beginning of the year, someone told her she was weird, which really hurt her feelings. She had never considered herself weird before. Well, her mom got the idea to write a children's book so the two of them worked together and the product is now finished. Haley was on the tv announcements at school today talking about her new book. They have a copy of it in the school library for all the kids to read and are having very open discussions about it.

Tonight I decided to see if I could find it and came across the dad's blog. The first entry I saw was a picture of Hailey on her big tricycle, peddling away, and a blog written by her dad. The book is being published and is for sale through their website. I hope that by passing it on, many of you will consider buying Haley's book and not only supporting her, but supporting the physically challenged all across our country.

Check it out.....and buy her book and support her. Teachers...this would be great in your classrooms. Future DCs (or current DCs) grab a copy for your reception area. Parents, get one for your kids!!!

I'M NOT WEIRD

Wordless Wednesday 4~21~10

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love Diet Coke. A friend spent his spring break in Miami and apparently was thinking about me because when he saw some litter bug had thrown a Diet Coke in the sand, he felt the need to take a picture for me. Weird? YES!!!!

Tuesday Tantrums~Kids Birthday Parties

I have so much that I really want to rant and rave about today, but some of it is too fresh and the wounds still too new so I'll have to wait on those. I've settled in on writing about kids birthday parties, since we just went through one.

I'll be the first one to admit that I HATE kids parties. You know that you think it too, but you just don't want to say it out loud. By admitting that you hate going to them, it'll look almost hypocritcal when you send out invitations to your child's next party.

I hate it when parents go overboard and to major extremes, sparing no cost, for their 2 year old, who will never remember it to begin with. All the kid wants is cake, presents and maybe a balloon to bat around the room. Instead, I have a friend who gave her 4 year old a princess party. All the girls dressed up in princess outfits, and I'll admit, they were super cute. I was flipping through her pictures on Facebook and came to one of a 'chariot'. They had taken their simple red, Radio Flyer wagon, covered it with unbelievable amounds of lace and satin, created a canopy for it and brought each of the girls from the front door to the room where the party was being held. The ceiling was decorated with draping satin and lace (not the typical crate paper we all grew up with). The 4 year old was in one of the pictures, dressed in the most fru-fru burgandy dress (that had to cost upwards of a hundred dollars at least), leaning out the side of this magic chariot, waving her best princess wave at all those who were taking pictures. (It's no wonder that this mother later commented about the major meltdown this beautiful little princess had when it was time to cut the princess cake (2 tiers, white icing, beads and like a miniture wedding cake!) I was so thankful I wasn't invited to this one!



I have 5 kids, so it seems that every week there is a birthday party that they are invited to. My 9 year old got upset with me yesterday because I haven't let her go to any of them so far. Remember, I HATE birthday parties! Let's get down to it....I can't stand that parents invite a whole bunch of little kids over to throw gifts at their child. I hate that the child is made to be the 'party girl/boy' and therefore think that the whole world revolves around them. I hate that we spend money on toys or gifts, that will probably be thrown in a toy box or the bottom of the closet after a couple weeks. I hate that parents try to 'out do' each other. Just in the last month, my kids have been invited to a party at Sparkles at Monkey Joes, at bowling alleys, at aice skating rink. One was having a Mario themed party where the kids were asked to play a role and dress up. One was having a princess party at Snip Its where they were getting manicures, makeup and hair done. These were 2nd graders!!!

So yes, I HATE kids parties. We'll just stick with cupcakes and ice cream sandwiches, or maybe get 'fancy' and make a dirt cake, complete with gummy worms and gummy bugs. Nice, quiet, no chaos and still a lot of fun and presents.

Not Me Monday 4~19~10

This weekend, I did NOT throw a fit when my husband decided to go to the mountains for a day with his best friend, after already making plans with me. I'm not the one threw a shoe at the door when he left and I most definitely haven't given him the cold shoulder since Saturday night when he told me his plans.

I also didn't decide that my son didn't have to study for his CRCT test, once I realized he didn't have to pass it in order to pass 6th grade. I also didn't say outloud that for all I care, he could fail it and that it would serve his teacher right. (I don't really like her, can ya tell?)

I did not buy some new flip flops, even though I know that I really don't have the money for them. What can I say, I couldn't pass them up??

I didn't suggest that my husband just shave his head to see what it would look like and I did NOT cringe when I went to kiss him and felt his bald head instead of a head of hair. I also did not say "I don't think anyone will even notice" when he asked me what people would say.

And I most definitely did not turn my alarm off this morning, deciding to sleep an extra 30 minutes and then run around like a chicken with it's head cut off to try to get everything done and still leave on time. It's going to be a long week....

CRCT testing

I hate state standardized testing for our kids! I hated it when I was younger and I hate it now as a parent of kids going through it. This year, I have 3 kids taking it in grades 2, 3 & 5. From what I'm reading, only 3, 5 & 8 must pass. It looks like, from the researching I've done today, that 3rd graders must pass the reading section, 5th must pass the reading and math and 8th must pass all. Fortunately, my 3rd graders will be fine and my other 2 don't really have to pass it at all, but that doesn't take the stress off. The teachers push these kids so hard, creating so much stress on them, because when it comes down to it, it looks good or bad for them based on how their class scores.

There HAS to be a better way than this. How about the obscene amounts of homework they get, the testing they take all year long, the projects and assignment? In the big scheme of things, these grades and assignments are a waste of time. The long nights of studying so my child can pass a test with a good grade, doesn't hold weight if he fails the CRCT. The CRCT website states "The CRCT is designed to measure how well students acquire the skills and knowledge described in the Quality Core Curriculum (QCC)". Truth is, and they can't state this, is not anything to do with our children and how they learn, but how teachers are teaching. If my child is one of the ones who learns more hands on, then something like Social Studies, where it's all book knowledge, he will continue to struggle with. If the testing was truly about HIM, they would see the results, and figure out a way to help him. In this type of testing, there will ALWAYS be kids who are falling behind. Not all kids learn the same, not all test the same. Testing anxiety is a major issue with this type of testing. Kids have such pressure put on them, that they totally freak out when they go in to the test. I know, because I deal with this myself in my classes at school.

I agree that there needs to be testing done, how about we just get back to the days where kids pass or fail based on their performance in their classes. If they meet the requirements with a C in the classes, they pass, if not, they don't. Why is it so complicated and stressful these days to be a kid?

For my 6th grader, I have been on the phone several times a month with her and discussing my sons performance. I try to be an involved parent, but she was giving homework that not only was my son struggling with, but my husband and I were too. My son said that there were several of his friends whose parents were doing the homework FOR them! The teacher and I discussed this and I reminded her that WE, as parents, are NOT the ones in school. Her response was that they are preparing for the CRCT and that this is the mandatory work required.

According to a recent study, "Evidence is mounting that for a growing number of schools, teaching is being redefined as test preparation. Seventy-nine percent of teachers surveyed by Education Week said they spent "a great deal" or "somewhat" of their time instructing students in test-taking skills, and 53 percent said they used state practice tests a great deal or somewhat." This was taken from a great article on why Standardized Testing is FAILING our children! The 7 reasons listed were:
1. At-Risk Students Placed at Greater Risk...this has to do with not having as many resources in their homes. MUCH of my children's preperation for their testing was done online. There was a point where we disconnected our cable and internet for a bit, and the kids really struggled because all their work was done on the internet. How do inner city kids prepare for this? Answer is, the don't. And they continue to struggle and eventually fail.

2. Lower Graduation Rates. "Grade-by-grade testing and graduation tests actually increase school dropouts. A Harvard University study found that students in the bottom 10 percent of achievement were 33 percent more likely to drop out of school in states with graduation tests. "

3. Higher Test Scores Do Not Mean More Learning. THis has to do with the above information about teachers gearing to the testing and not actually teaching. The article states "n one school, for example, students were taught to cheer "Three in a row? No, No, No!" The cheer was a reminder that if students answered "c" three times in a row, probably at least one of those answers is wrong since the test maker is unlikely to construct three questions in a row with the same answer letter.

Although this kind of test preparation may boost scores, it does not necessarily produce real gains in understanding that show up on other tests or performance measures or that students can apply in a nontesting situation".

4. Standardized Testing Shrinks the Curriculum. "Educator Alfie Kohn advises parents to ask an unusual question when a school's test scores increase: "What did you have to sacrifice about my child's education to raise those scores?"

5. When Tests Fail. "Tests themselves are often flawed, and high-stakes errors be-come high-stakes disasters."

6. Teacher Stress. "While teachers support high standards, they object to learning being measured by a single test. Not surprisingly, in a national study, nearly seven in ten teachers reported feeling test-stress, and two out of three believed that preparing for the test took time from teaching important but non-tested topics"

7. What's Worth Knowing? "The fact that history, drama, the arts and a host of subjects are given less attention in the current testing movement raises intriguing curricular questions: What is really important to teach'? What is worth knowing?" Remember that those who don't know history or doomed to repeat it.

It's time we get back to teaching the core subjects and raising our standards IN the classroom. I wish this was an easy fix, but unfortunately it's not. No Child Left Behind was a great concept, but many have been left behind. Standardized Testing was a great idea, but it's not working! It's time to look for a new way and a brighter future for our kids.

Information taken from http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Test_Problems_Seven/?page=2

Sunday Simplicity-My Top 10 for Apirl 18

Top 10 about my medical beliefs....this one is not really 'simple' and is actually quite controversial, but it sounded like a good topic for this morning. But read on anyways. :)

10. For those who don't know I'm a chiropractic student right now.

9. I believe that most women could have a homebirth or at least an unmedicated birth if they wanted to. (Maybe I'll write more about why I believe this way in a future blog).

8. I believe that immunizations are over rated.

7. I believe that the body has an ability to heal itself most of the time.

6. I believe that "The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease" as Thomas Edison stated in 1902.

5. I believe that chiropractic is a great means of unleashing the brain body connection, allowing the energy to properly flow from the brain, down through the spinal cord and out into every nerve of the body.

4. I believe that what we eat and drink plays more of a role in our health than what we have given it credit for in the past.

3. I believe that by educating the public, not on the medicines and the side affects listed on tv, but how about how their body works, will bring about a revolution in the health care industry.

2. I believe the current system is fraudulant and misleading. "Healthcare" as we know it now, is really "Sick Care". Health care is still a work in progress.

1. I believe that the with the new "Obamacare" being implemented, we are all going to lose in the long run. If you think the govrnment is able to properly manage health care, talk to our US service men and women or our veterans! Their healthcare benefits are pretty embarrassing. If our government can't even properly care for those who protect our nation and keep us safe, why do we think they will suddent be so much better managing OUR bodies and health?

My "Sexy" Bald Man

So, bald can be beautiful, especially in the case of Shemar Moore or Montel Williams. These two men are SEXY bald men!! Bald is beautiful on the women who are in the fight of their lives against breast cancer. But I'm now finding out if bald is beautiful when it comes to my husband!! Last week he was whining and complaining about needing a haircut. The lady who cuts his normally was in Iran for a month visiting family, and he didn't want to go anywhere else and risk them messing up. I jokingly said that if he couldn't take it anymore, to shave it and this would be his only chance. His best friend shaves his head and I HATE it on him. He tries to go for that scary, bouncer at the bar, sort of look.

This morning Tim says that he's going to cut his hair. I didn't think anything of it and assumed he was going to go get it cut since the lady is back in town now. I run to the grocery store really quick and come home to find him with trimmers in hand. By that point, it was too late. The damage was done. He had giant streaks of missing hair all over his head, so I stepped in to help him.

I'll say that the end product isn't too bad, but when I went to kiss him before he left for a rugby match, and I touched his head like I always do when I kiss him, I felt myself cringe! It's going to take some getting used to...

Here's a BEFORE, taking at our son's preschool graduation.

During the process
The finished look. What do YOU think? Do you have a sexy bald man in your life? Show him off in your blog so we can see.

Been MIA

...but I'm back now. Last week, my husband made the decision to 'save some money' and cut off Comcast. What a mess! He didn't really think it through when he made the call and so not only did he cut the cable, but also the land line phone and the internet. We have 2 of us in grad school and a middle schooler son, who all NEED internet as part of our studying and homework. I was having to make runs to Caribou Coffee every night just to send emails or check all the kids Teacher Blogs for school. So, after a week of fussing, complaining and whining (HIM, not me), he finally called AT&T and got DSL hooked up. That, in and of itself, was a nightmare. The modem came yesterday and he said he had to get it hooked up within a few hours. Problem was, it wasn't setting up nearly as easy as it was supposed to. He called tech support today but they really gave him the run around. They wanted to charge him $40 just to answer all his questions! They wouldn't answer any of his questions with a straight answer. Long story short, he ended up calling the company that our router is through and they finally got us up and running. It was my husbands mistake (putting in the wrong email address for his username, of all things!) So, an extra $30 later (yes, he finally ended up paying the router place to help him) and him feeling like an idiot, and me not letting him down easily, he has gone to see a movie and I'm online....FINALLY!

Lots of catching up to do over the next fews day....kids birthday parties, loser friends, people who take advantage of ya or only look out for themselves, feelings of despair I'm having. You'll get to read it all! Should be a fun weekend. LOL Enjoy your weekend...and my ramblings.

Not Me Monday 4~12~10

Here ya go! This week, I did not tell Jacob "It's ok sweetie. You have a diaper on. Just pee in that" when he told me he had to go to the bathroom.

I did not sit and insist I wasn't mad at him when he had an accident in his big boy pants saying over and over "I'm NOT mad at you", even though he kept saying "I'm in so much trouble". Only to start changing him and realize he had pooped! I didn't say "Ok, Mommy lied. NOW I'm mad!" < hanging head in shame on that one >

I did not insist on going to a birthday party in Kentucky, only to get there and have a pretty big hissy fit about being there!

When I broke a tooth this week and I did NOT cry like a baby, because it was in the front and something everyone will see. (And something I can't get taken care of for a couple of weeks!!!)

I did not tell my kids "uh huh" or "it's ok" while driving the 7 hours in said car, to EVERY question they asked, because I couldn't hear them and it would be easier than having them repeat it louder.

I did not get very irrirated at a "friend" this week for lying to us. Ok, so I DID get very angry at said 'friend' and am about to release that anger and let him know. Stay tuned next week to see if I did or didn't do it. ;)

Wordless Wednesday 4~7~10

Georgia Pollen Hits Hard

Tuesday Tantrums

I HATE that my kids are on spring break this week and that I have class. It makes it so hard to try to balance going to classes when I don't have childcare. Today I have my 3 year old with me for class, but I'm not sure it's going to go too well so I may end up leaving pretty early. He sat ok through my first class, but it was only an hour.

I hate that I'm still stuck here in Georgia, with no family, no real friends and no support system. I really miss home. :(

I hate that I'm living 100% on student loans and that there is no money for ANYTHING extra. In fact, as of Friday we are cutting off the cable at home. I HATE that! It'll save us $150 a month (or $450 a quarter) so it's a good thing financially, but it sucks!

I hate that people are inconsiderate. We have a friend who lives with us. He went away last week for Spring Break, with his girlfriend of about 3 weeks. I had asked when they would be back and told him they were welcome to spend Easter with us. I never heard anything from him, so on Easter, went about my day. We sat down and ate and about 15 minutes after we were done, he called my husband to say they were on their way! T said we had just eaten but they were more than welcome to come and finish up. They did. They came, they ate, they left! Ate my food, but then didn't even have the decency to spend the rest of the day with us. Just ate and left!! I hate that type of rudeness!

I hate that my battery is dying and I forgot my charger at home! So with that, I'm going to have to end this venting session. I feel 10 pounds lighter after posting all my complaints. Off to grab some lunch and then to my next class. :)

~K~

Not Me Monday

This week, while potty training, I did not tell my son to 'get his finger out of his butt'. I didn't encourage him to run around naked for a few hours and I most definitely did NOT laugh hysterically, when he informed me that 'his balls' were wet. (Grandma apparently taught him that he has 'balls').

I did not tell my husband, upon returning from the doctor with his a note that he needs blood work because his blood pressure was a bit high, that he did NOT need to go have blood work done and that he would NOT need the medicine they prescribed him. (He probably thinks I'm trying to kill him off or something). It might be because I also didn't tell him early in the week that I could always trade him in for a younger model. "I" would NEVER say that!!!

I didn't "encourage" my husband to go and by the new Love & War book by John and Staci Eldridge because we had argued and I felt he needed to read a book on marraige. ;)

I didn't make my kids pose at the Easter egg hunt on Saturday because I missed them finding eggs the first time. And I did NOT purposely post a facebook message about what I was having for dinner, knowing that a friend who was supposed to be here to eat with us, 'forgot'. I did NOT post in detail everything that we were having, and post it as I was sitting down to eat, knowing that within 20 minutes he'd call to say he was on his way. AND I most definitely did NOT laugh hysterically when he called Tim to tell him that he and his girlfriend were on their way, and Tim informed them we were done but we would leave the food out if they wanted to still come and eat what was left. I would NEVER do that....

"Christian Holidays"

(This isn't the most well written blog as I found myself rambling and going off on rabbit trails, no pun intended) on more than one occasion. I left it in it's simplest, unedited, form so hopefully you won't get lost in my ramblings. And it could be controversial to some, so don't read if you are easily offended or don't like to have your belief system challenged). You've been warned...now read away. :)

I've always struggled with the "Christian Holidays". I mean, Christmas and Easter mostly. What makes these days 'Christian' days? Is it because we 'celebrate' Jesus on them? I have a very dear friend who doesn't do easter baskets or eggs or anything. She says it's 'foolishness' and 'just plain silly'. To me, it's something kids enjoy. It's ok to be silly sometimes. I have another friend who several years back, decided they were no longer going to do Santa Claus in their house. Their kids were 7, 6, and 4 at the time (I believe). They sat them all down, told them 'the truth' and that was the end. They removed their Christmas tree and instead, put up a giant wooden cross. No one had the heart to tell them... HOLIDAY! They would have been better to put a manger in the corner. Anyways, for me, this never has made sense. ALL these holidays are man made holidays. Jesus never told us to celebrate His birth or to celebrate His death & resurrection. In fact, it's something we should remember every day, in my opinion, not just one day a year.

There has been much controversy over the years of when Easter & Christmas should be celebrated. Some, in the 3rd & 4th century felt it should follow the Jewish calendar. Others felt it should be totally separate, apart from the Jewish holiday (Passover). Regardless, I always find it sad that we in the "Western World" always tend to think that WE are the Christians and WE know how it's done. We think that our style of worship is the 'proper' way, despite their being Christians worldwide who would never step foot in one of our churches and worship the way we do. Back to Easter & Christmas. In Jerusalem, the crucifixion is actually reacted every year. Here in the US, that is too 'real' for most of us and we would never tolerate it. So many of us won't even watch The Passion because of the realness. We like to think of Jesus' resurrection, but we don't want to see the reality of what He went through 3 days earlier.

So, what is the point in all of this. Easter is a day. It's a day we 'celebrate' Jesus' resurrection, but it's a day, in my opinion. It's a day to celebrate family, community, and yes, Jesus gift to us. But why is it that in celebrating that, we can't also have FUN? Why do we have to make it a somber remembrance day. I was raised in a Baptist church and I remember going on Easter and seeing people who hadn't stepped foot in the church since the Easter before, Easter lillies everywhere and people decked out in the best of their best clothes. (Does Jesus notice when we dress up like that?) Then it was time to sing. Everyone stood up and sang in unison...."I serve a risen savior. He's in the world today. I know that he is with me, no matter what they say....He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today..." yet it felt like we were at a funeral! No one seemed excited that Jesus was ALIVE! It felt like everyone was going through the motions that were expected of them on this Holy Day. We now are more Charismatic (ordained pastors in our previous church as a matter of fact) and it's much more alive, but it still often feels like motions.

Ever look at what celebrations often surround Easter? We have a Jewish Holiday of Passover, we have a Pagan holiday. Think that maybe, just maybe, we as Christians felt WE needed a holiday during that time too? NO WHERE in the Bible do we find a celebration of Easter. We do, however, find many references to Passover. In fact, "EASTER" named after the Teutonic Goddess Eostre, the Goddess of Spring who gives fertility to the earth. (Note that Easter coincides with Spring in the Northern Hemisphere). Hot cross buns, that are so popular at Easter time....pagan (the saxons ate them).



The bottom line is that Easter (and Christmas) are both days that we as Christians have taken from other religions, other nations and other people & times. We have created a day for ourselves to celebrate our beliefs. And that's fine. But don't try to claim that these days are strictly to celebrate Jesus. The roots, as far back as we can trace them, are not inherently Christian. And a little Easter bunny on Easter Sunday isn't going to make your kids not believe in Jesus! Did it for you???

Sunday Simplicity-My Top 10

This weeks Top 10:

Things that Annoyed Me this week:
10. That it was my spring break and I got NOTHING accomplished that I needed to.

9. As I sit and see myself in the sliding glass door reflection, the roll above the top of my pants seems to be getting BIGGER!

8. Poopy underwear during potty training.

7. Groping husband.

6. Whiny, arguing kids.

5. People who don't care about other people. For instance, I invited someone for dinner today and STILL don't know if they are coming, but am guessing they will just 'show up' so have to be prepared for THEIR lack of preparing.

4. Carrying the weight and responsibility of everyone else, because if I don't do it, it'll never get done.

3. Having to wake up early during my break because the kids still had school.

2. Bloggers-OMG I've been looking at blogs today and see these women with amazing blogs, all on these "Top Mommy Blogs" type sites and yet they have NOTHING to say! I want mine to be different than that so really have to get to thinking....

1. That the holidays just don't seem to hold the same 'magic' that they did when I was little. :(

Easter Egg Hunt & Coloring Eggs

Today was our neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt. We weren't going to do it and I actually decided very last minute that we were. I raced to the ladies house on Thursday, the deadline to sign up, and dropped off our eggs. I'm so glad we went though. We have a really great neighborhood with great people in it. I was hoping this would give us a chance to get to know some of them more, but it really didn't. We have about 300 houses in our subdivision, which was originally farm land that belonged to the grandparents of Travis Tritt. (click HERE for the history. It's pretty cool!) Anyways, today there were probably 50 families represented at the egg hunt. Kids were everywhere so there was no real way to meet new people. The kids had a great time though and that's what is important.

Tonight we colored eggs with them. One tip I came up with this year and I'll pass on to all of you for next years egg dying, is to let the littlest kids use a spaghetti scooper to handle the eggs. It worked like a charm!! The eggs fit perfectly into the scoop and once they put the egg down in the color, they just flip it over and pull it out, leaving the egg behind. Great idea!!! Hope you all have a fabulous Eater!!

What a great looking group of kids!!!

Katelyn

Mikayla

Micah finding eggs

Jacob and the Easter Bunny

Katelyn and her egg couple

Mikayla and her egg family

Jacob
See how great the spaghetti scooper worked?

Favorite Recipe of a Sloppy Chef

I swear I am the worlds messiest cook. Tonight as I was making stuff for tomorrow's breakfast and Easter dinner I looked around and thought "Oh my gosh! What a mess!" I was making my mom's 'famous' "pink fluff" and was spraying the jello mix all over my shirt, the wall and the counter with the hand mixer. My pink shirt was covered in red drops. The muffins for breakfast were in the oven, overflowing and spilling all into the bottom of the stove, blowing smoke everywhere. The house sure didn't smell as good as it should have when making cinnamon struessel muffins. Remember walking into your moms or grandma's house and thinking that they must have fresh chocolate chip cookies because the smell was so amazing?? Not my house!! People walk in here, smell burning food and know I'm cooking. Funny part is that most of the time, the food itself doesn't even burn, it's just the overflow or the stuff that falls into the bottom of the oven.

The baking for tomorrow is now done and the sink is piled with all the dishes that still need to be cleaned. I use so many dishes when I'm cooking and baking that the dishwasher couldn't hold them all! So, what was the recipe that is so worth all the mess, the spraying jello and the food color stained arms that look like I've cut myself and am bleeding all over the place? PINK FLUFF!!!! My kids ask for this at every holiday or special meal!

PINK FLUFF
large box of jello
2 cups hot water
2 cups sherbet (flavor of choice)
12oz Cool Whip, thawed

Mix the jello and water. Once thoroughly stirred, add in the entire container of sherbet. As it melts, just scoop out the chunks that don't mix in. It's the easiest way!! Add the coolwhip and mix with a mixer until well mixed. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Our Favorite is PINK....raspberry jello with raspberry sherbet. At Christmas we will also do a GREEN....lime jello and lime sherbet. For 4th of July PEACH....peach jello and peach sherbet.

So what is your favorite recipe...messy or not, doesn't matter. ;)

Because I'm a follower, too!

I saw this on a few other blogs and thought I’d join in because I am a follower LOL

FOODOLOGY:
What is your salad dressing of choice? Kraft Zesty Red Pepper Italian
What is your favorite sit-down restuarant? Right now-Macaroni Grill
What is your favorite fast food restaurant? Right now-Arby's
What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of? chocolate!
What are your pizza toppings of choice? all meat pizza or ham, pepperoni, & pineapple

BIOLOGY:
Are you right-handed or left-handed? right
Have you ever had anything removed from your body? a few teeth
What is the last heavy item you lifted? I moved a dresser today and had to pick it up to get it over a heat vent
Have you ever been knocked unconscious? nope
Have you ever fainted? no

BULLCRAPOLOGY:
If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? heck no!
If you could change your name, what would you change it to? I used to love the name Jessica
How many pairs of flip flops do you own? about 5, but I was out looking for a new pair (or two) today. Haven't found any yet though.
Last person you talked to? Seth

FAVORITOLOGY:
Season? fall, but it has to be a MICHIGAN fall!
Holiday? Christmas
Day of the week? lately it's been Sunday because that's my day to get out of the house all day long and 'study'
Month? July
Color? Purple or green
Drink? Diet Coke
Alcoholic? Pomegranate Martinis, Margarita or just straight up tequila. Really can't pick

CURRENTOLOGY:
Missing someone? my friends and family back in Michigan
What are you listening to? my kids playing in the sandbox
What are you watching? nothing
Worrying about? money, school, how I'm going to manage this summer
What’s the last movie you saw? The Hurt Locker
Do you smile often? I guess....
If you could change your eye color what would it be? I love my green eyes
What’s on your wish list for your birthday? I have no idea...
Can you do a chin-up? probably...but only 1
Does the future make you more nervous or excited? both
Have you been in a car wreck? yes
Have you caused a car wreck? yes…I rear ended someone when I was 16
Do you have an accent? no.
Last time you cried? about 3 days ago
Plans tonight? watching a couple movies iwth the kids.
Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? yes.
Name three things you bought yesterday? clothes for Jacob, Easter Basket stuff for the kids, Starbucks Java Chip frappucino
Have you met someone who changed your life? yes. My most recent is my friend Andres who was one of my interns at school.
For the better or worse? BETTER
How did you bring in the New Year? Inlaws brought the kids back from Michigan. We had a small party and did a bubble wrap stomp at midnigh
Would you go back in time if you were given the chance? not sure. I'd like to visit a few decades, but I wouldn't want to stay for long.
What songs do you sing in the shower? I don't sing in the shower. It's too early in the morning.
Have you held hands with someone today? no.
Who was the last person you took a picture of? My kids when we went to the mountains on Saturday
Are most of the friends in your life new or old? new. I still keep in touch with my 'old' friends in Michigan but the people most in my life are new friends
Do you like pulpy orange juice? YUCK!!!!
Last time you ate peanut butter and jelly? Wednesday when Tim, Jacob and I went to the park
What were you doing at 12 a.m. last night? sleeping
What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? ALREADY???
How many televisions are in your house? 3
What color cell phone do you have? black (Droid Eris) with a pink cover

Friday Funnies

Ok, so this week I've heard all my funnies from Jacob, my 3 year old, inform me that he had balls. Yes, I'm refering to his gonads! He was very proud in the fact that he knew they were called "balls".

He also was going potty and screamed out "Look mom! A waterfall!"

He calls Buzz Lightyear "Buzz Right Here" and almost every time we walk in to a room that he is in, he proudly announces "HEY! I've seen you 'afore'!"

Gotta love 3 year olds!

Thankful Thursday

As Easter is just around the corner, there is SO much to be thankful for. Thankful for my family and for my friends, even though so many of them are a long ways away and I don't get to see them. I'm thankful for being given the crazy chance to go back to school and to better my families future. I'm thankful for a husband who is motivated to keep pursuing this crazy dream of ours, even when it gets hard and overwhelming! I'm also thankful for our amazingly good health, and all that we have learned regarding HOW to STAY healthy!!

Now to a bit more light heartedness. I'm thankful for my Starbucks Java Chip Frappacino that is so totally refreshing on this hot, spring day.

I'm thankful for a beautiful, sunny 81*!

I'm thankful that Jacob is almost finished with daytime potty training!

I'm thankful that I'm DONE, FOREVER, with my basic sciences at school.

Worldess Wednesday 3-31-10

Tuesday Tantrums

I HATE that I'm on break and I still have to get up every morning at 6:30 so I can get the kids off to school! I'm so tired and don't feel like I'm getting caught up on any sleep. I just want to sleep in ONE morning!!!!!

I hate potty training!! It is such a daunting task and it seems that once it starts, it has to be seen through to completion. It seems that there is a good day, followed by a bad. Yesterday was the first full day of starting Jacob with potty training. He did amazingly great and even told me a couple of times that he had to go. Today, totally different story. He told me 2x that he had to go, only it was after he had already gone. The good thing is that once we are done, we are done for GOOD! No more babies=no more potty training!!

On a different note, my biggest tantrum for today is about people who refuse to take any sort of responsibility for their actions or the actions of their families. I hate listening to people make excuses about why they are acting the way they do, why their children do they things they do and why they shouldn't be held responsible. It grinds me to no end!! Take responsibility. Stop blaming everyone or everything around you. Stop pretending that you don't have any options or that no one understands. Stop letting life make it's decisions for you and take control of your life and your actions.

Tantrum done....until next week!

The gods & fairies didn't show up!

This is an old blog that I wrote a couple years ago, but thought I'd bring it and post it here.

Ever have those days where you are made to feel like you just don't do enough? That you have sat on the computer all day and so you OBVIOUSLY have neglected everything. After all, the things that did get done, probably got done by some 'outside force'.Let's see what all we don't do as SAHM.

1. The laundry fairy takes care of all the washing (at approx 15+ loads a week). The fairy then makes sure it's all folded, put into drawers or hung up, socks are folded and everyone has what they need.

2. The food genie does all the grocery shopping and makes breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.

3. The school god gets up at 6:45 every morning, gets the uniforms out, kids fed, lunches packed, kids dressed and to school, not only on time, but early. He then picks them back up every day at 3:15, and goes back at 4:45 or 5 if they have an activity.

4. The homework helper makes sure that the kids get their homework done everynight and has it all packed back into their backpacks so they don't get into trouble.

5. The money tree sends out automatic payments to the mortgage company, car company, electric company and everyone else who wants money. PHEW, glad "we" don't have to deal with all that. EVERYONE seems to want money so I'm glad that the money tree takes care of all that for us.

6. Then there is the veteranarian who is here to clean up the dogs throw up and make sure the dog and cat are fed everynight and the cat liter box is cleaned out. The nurse is on call so that she can bandage every scrape, put ice on every booboo and kiss every pinched finger. The landscaper is here to mow the lawn and pick up the crap that is thrown from the white Explorer that so conveniently parks in the driveway and feels the need to clean itself out every morning, right onto the front lawn. The maid stops by daily to pick up all the toys, clean up the dishes after the meals, clean the kitchens, make sure the bathrooms are clean, and do the vacuuming. (Thank God for her...that job would suck!)

7.Then there's the nanny. WOW! What a job she has. Getting the younger kids dressed every morning, changing all the diapers, washing all the sticky fingers and faces after meals, helping to keep the potty training kids on track and not wet all day long and breaking up the fights that seem to happen almost hourly. Her job seems so stressful. Don't forget the baths that need to be given (that alone is an hour of time), teeth brushed and in bed between 8-8:30 EVERY NIGHT....always on time!

8.Let's see, the sex goddess. Yep, thank God for her too. We'd hate to think that when a husband comes home after a long days work that we need to have sex because he is stressed but horny. PHEW, thank goodness that all these other people take care of everything else so that if we wanted to have sex, we'd have the energy to actually do it.

Wow, these men are right...with all the help from the gods and faries, nanny and babysitter I guess we really DON'T need a break. Now, if they would show up just ONE time for their job, it might all be good.....

Not Me Monday

Today is my first "Not Me Monday". I did NOT laugh at my 3 year old son yesterday as he ran around the house, pretending to shoot his siblings, while screaming "You killed my wife!!!" I did not tell him today "Please do not put boogers on my phone". And I most definitely did NOT encourage him to put his new underwear on his head to try to encourage him to go potty on his new potty. Nope, that wasn't me!!

I did not sit at the computer and watch as my husband took out the window cleaner and cleaned the glass door. (Ok, so I did...and I enjoyed it!) I did NOT giggle everytime I told my son that he couldn't pee in his new "Woody" big boy pants (and I'm not STILL giggling even when I type it!) And I didn't encourage him to keep saying "Buzz Right Here" instead of Buzz Lightyear. SO CUTE, but I would NEVER encrouage improper words like that. ;)

I'm not the one who rolled my eyes when my daughter needed my help with her homework, knowing that she really could have done it without any help!!

And I most definitely did NOT encourage my sons to keep teeter-tottering excessively roughly, just so I could it on video. Nope, I didn't do it!!!

Such a slacker

I've been so bad with this blog, but I promise to do better!! I got caught up in the quarter at school and blogging just sort of fell by the wayside. I'm going to work on doing something a bit more daily though. Here's my plan....

Monday-"Not Me Monday". For this, I'm going to do all the "Not Me/I didn't do it" sort of things from the weekend. Just wait and see tomorrow. ;)

Tuesday-Tuesday Temper Tantrum. This is my place to rant and rave!

Wednesday-Wordless Wednesday

Thursday-Thankful Thursday

Friday-Friday Funnies. This will be the crazy, off the wall things my kids have said or done during the week.

Saturday-Serious Saturdays-HOPEFULLY this will be the things I've learned for during the week. Could be about parenting, might be about not taking myself so seriously, might just be something cool I learned at school. Who knows

Sunday-Sunday Simplicity. A place to post the Top 10s of the week. Top 10 things about me, about my family, about our life, about whatever Top 10 I choose for the week.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Does anyone dread this day as much as I do? Why is it that I always feel like "I" am the one being graded? I feel like I'm being graded on my parenting, how clean my kids are, how much I push them in school, their behavior, etc etc etc. With having 5 kids, each kid has a totally different personality, but a teacher in class only sees one kid so bases all their ideals about the family on that one child's performance and behavior.

I wake up this morning, absolutely dreading this day. I spent extra time in the bathroom curling my hair, doing my makeup and getting ready. "Put on your best face" is all I kept thinking. I had class today myself so went to school for a few hours then races back home to change into something a bit more classy (ok, not really....jeans and a cute sweater with a long necklace down the front, clunky black boots, adorable beaded bracelets that match my sweater). I check the mirror again. CRAP! Need some more style to the hair so quickly throw in a few more minutes at the mirror before I race to the school. Sunglasses are propped nicely on top of my head to add to my 'cuteness'. I'm ready!!!

Walking down the hall, I felt like I was going to the principal's office. The nerves were there. I know the kids are all good kids, and that they are smart, but there is still that "What if" playing out in my mind. This is the day that I may have to full admit to the world that I'm NOT SuperMom.

Teacher #1 greets me and we make small talk before getting down to business. All in all the conferences have gone well so far. 3 down 1 to go. I'm currently sitting at Panera, grabbing some lunch and preparing for my 4th conference of the day. This is the one I'm probably dreading the most!! It's the Middle School conference and my middle schooler has really struggled this last quarter. I believe that in the district we live in, which puts so much emphasis on performance in academics, that most of the parents probably do the homework FOR their kids. There is no way that the kids are doing some of this middle school work.

Question:

When you have parent teacher conferences, who goes? You or the kids dad? I can't think of a time that Tim has gone with me and I made the decision today that this is changing with the next ones later this year (if they have them). Why do "I" have to admit I'm that I'm not a super hero? I think it's time he joins my world....

I hate potty training

Jacob is 3 and probably should be potty trained by now, but I'm a realist and know that most kids REALLY aren't ready until about this age, unless of course you can take all day everyday for a few days in a row. Jacob is definitely showing interest, but he just can't figure it out. He'll all of the sudden yell "I have to pee in potty potty" and it's so cute. On Sunday I put some Tigger underwear on him and told him that he needed to keep Tigger dry. About 15 minutes later I hear him screaming "OH NO!!!" I ran up to the kitchen to see him standing in a puddle. I said "Oh no, Jacob. What happened??" He responds with "Tigger Peed!"

I found a journal entry that I wrote about a year ago. I figured I'd share it because I think so many can relate!

I have to the world's worst mom. I love my kids, I really do, but I don't always like them. Today is one of those days. The kids had me to tears tonight. The defiance, the disobedience, the screaming the fighting. All I could do was yell back. My patience was gone. My sanity, pushed to the brink. I was done! I wanted out! I tried so hard today. I got the girls lip gloss. I did their makeup. I played in the sandbox with Micah. I tried to do things with them to keep them busy and active and all of us being together.

A mom wants the perfect child. We look at them as a baby and have big dreams. dreams of perfect grades, beautiful looks, athletic, the works. We have the polite, well loved, obedient child with exceptional manners that amaze everyone. Pipe dreams? Maybe, but it's what we all dream of when we look at our small baby. As they grow older, they learn to push every button that we have. They smart off, argue, fight. They backtalk, scream, get angry. And we lose it.

We hate this side of us. We hate that we yell and scream back. We hate that we can't be the perfect mom who has all the answers on how to raise that perfect child. It's not necessarily the child though, it's us. If we could just figure out how to correct our children, point them in the right direction, and keep our cool while doing it, these stages would end quickly and we could all move forward. My anger pushed my children further. My screaming made their screaming and fighting first. I didn't keep my cool and that only made matters worse.

How can we become the moms we want to be? How can we have the child that we dreamed of? We hear that consistancy is the key, but when we don't know what that looks like, we don't even know where to start. Dr Phil often has moms watch videos of themselves, which leads to them breaking down and crying. Most of us don't have the option of seeing ourself on video though. So, start your day by looking in the mirror every morning. Talk to yourself. Give yourself a pep talk. When the kids get out of control in the afternoon and you feel yourself losing your mind, tell them you are going to your room for a minute. Take 5 minutes to again look yourself in the mirror and get your head on straight. I have a friend who is swearing by playing praise music in her house in the mornings while getting the kids ready for school, that they are much more controlled and things go more smoothly. That's my plan of attack for this week.

So, know that if you feel this way, that you love your children, but don't really like them, that you aren't a horrible person! You are a mom and you are normal. You aren't in this alone, but we can all become better moms through encouragement of each other. If you had ideas or help tips, I'd love to hear them. Leave me a comment!!! :)

School Closings

Georgia doesn't usually get too much snow, but tonight it's snowing and there is such an excitement in the air, despite the roads being totally empty. What makes this snowfall different than the normal once a year dusting of snow we get is that it is COLD-brutally cold!! The low is supposed to bottom out at 17* tomorrow morning at 6am, just in time to start getting up and getting the kids ready for their 7am bus pickup. The snow isn't going to melt like it normally does. This snow is going to turn to ice on the roads and since there are no plow trucks, no salt and a bunch of drivers who are too afraid to drive anywhere, I think it's going to be extremely slick. I've been pushing refresh on my screen every 10 minutes or so, waiting to see if the county cancels classes. Of course ALL the counties around us are closed, but not us. A friend had posted on Facebook about wanting her kids to have tomorrow off and another friend asked Am I a bad mom? I hated "A's" school being cancelled" (A is her daughters initial. I removed the name.) I decided this was a good topic for a 'normal mom' blog. HECK NO you aren't a bad mom!!!! More than likely I am the bad mom. I'm lazy and don't want to have to get up early. If the kids have school, that means getting up at 6:30am and getting 3 of them off to the bus by 7. Seth then will need to get up and finish his homework before going to the bus at 8:30. Yes, they'd be gone all day and I could get some much needed housework done (or even take a nap!!!) but sleeping in sounds heavenly too! The kids also missed a couple of days of school this week because they were sick and so have a lot of work to make up. By not going to school tomorrow, that will give them something to do during the day and they can get caught up. Yep, I'm probably the bad mom. My reasons for my kids staying home are pretty selfish ones, but that's ok. It's nothing an extra couple hours of sleep in the morning won't make me feel better about. Now, I'm off to check for school closings.....

Potty Training

I HATE potty training! Jacob turns 3 on Saturday and it's time, but he doesn't seem to realize that! He got new Thomas the Train big boy pants from Santa for Christmas and I was sure that would get him excited. Nope. He'll go sit on the toilet for all of about 30 seconds, proudly proclaim he's done and start to climb down. I tried today to make him stay there and tried to talk to him about what to do. I turned on water. We waited. And we waited. After about 5 minutes, he gets down and declares that he's done. I've done the whole timer thing where we go in there every 15 minutes but that doesn't work. I know all the lines of "He'll get it in his own time" but I don't like his time! I want it now, gosh darn it. Anyone have any amazing tips for potty training? You'd think that by kid #5 I'd have this down pat, but I don't. :(

My purpose

I've spent the last few days pouring over blogs by moms who appear to be "SuperMoms". I read some great posts, but they seemed to be so focused and organized. It left me feeling a bit down and like I'm not succeeding at this thing we call 'Motherhood'. My kids don't do all the chores around my house. Shoot, the majority of the time I can't even get the to make their beds or pick up their dirty clothes. I don't homeschool. I don't make everything from scratch or create perfectly well balanced meals. I didn't babywear or use cloth diapers. I WAS a stay at home mom until my husband and I decided to both go back to school to become chiropractors, and I have to say that I'm much more fulfilled now that I'm outside of my home for several hours a day. I used to say I loved being a stay at home mom and I didn't need to be outside my house, but once I actually discovered adult conversation and life outside the walls of my abode, I realized I really did need that part of a life. Spending the last 4 weeks off of school has left me excited and anxious to go back next week. My husband isn't the perfect model of dad or husband. He's human just like myself.

That said, we are both Christians, just trying to live a life that is God approved but not being ultra religious about it. We aren't into religion, rules or even guidelines of how our lives should be lived out. We are about a personal relationship with Jesus, and because it IS personal, you may never hear us tell you much about it. If you are in conversation with us, you will know we are Christians, but we aren't going to push it on you or even use "Jesus" or "God" in every other sentence.

I've read on all these other blogs about how the couples are 'allowing Jesus to guide how many kids they have'. While this may work for them, it's not for me! When Tim (my husband) and I got married, I had wanted 3 kids, he had wanted 8. After 4, we truly knew we were done. God DID surprise us with a 5th, despite us using "protection". I now have an IUD in place and can honestly say that if I have another baby, it IS because of God, not because of me just not caring what happens. I used to tell my mother in law that if God wanted me to have more kids, I could have my uterus taken out and I'd STILL get pregnant. I believe that God IS that big and capable. ;) I believe that while it's good for some to turn this area of their lives over to God, I also feel that God wants us to take responsibility for our families and our lives. I believe that God wants us to make responsible and wise decisions, and for me, 5 kids is PLENTY!!! (I WOULD like to adopt some day, probably when my youngest is about 7 or so.)

I'll share with you about my family in a later blog, but for now, I want to close by saying "WELCOME" to all the normal, everyday moms who are just trying to survive another day. To all the moms who dream of being a SuperMom, but their circumstances keep them from it. We are in this journey together! I know that you've read those other blogs out there that left you feeling you were incapable. I'm here to tell you "You aren't alone!!!" I hope you will visit me often and leave your feedback. As I get better with design, I'll (hopefully) add more to this blog. Until then, stop in and see me again soon!! I'll be here, trying to survive another day.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate,
our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves,
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest
the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we're liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkdgK3adrmw
Marianne Williamson

As we start out this year, we have a chance to really let ourselves shine through. We have a choice to make on how we will live out the next year of our lives, how we will react in situations, how we will live each day. We are capable of great things, each one of us! Somewhere along the way, we've lost sight of that though. We've been told that we were incapable of excellence, that we were meant to live a life of 'simplicity' (ie. poverty), that we were meant to be 'just a mom' or 'just a wife'. We all had dreams of what we wanted. We all saw Cinderella in her castle or Sleeping Beauty being kissed by the prince, and our hearts skipped beat. Deep inside us, we all wanted that. We wanted to be swept off our feet. Now, our 'prince charming' is wearing holey sweatpants, drinking beer or sitting watching football, not sweeping us off our feet like he did during those early years of dating. But don't be fooled. WE have changed too! We've settled for the comfortable atmosphere of our homes, knowing that our husband will be there, despite our looks, weight or attitude. We forget to do our makeup, wear our hair pulled up most of the time and have our own holey sweatpants. (And yes, I'm sitting with my hair pulled up, no makeup on as I type this!!) We settle for the "This is how it was meant to be" or "this is how it's going to be so I just need to accept it" mentality.

It's time to change that mindset. We are ALL made for something bigger than mediocrity. We want our kids to strive to be the best they can be in their classes, their sports or their other activities, but we don't push ourselves the same way. Could it be that we are scared of what would happen if we demanded that same type of determination for ourselves? Could it be that we are scared of the person that we have hidden behind our extra 20, 40, 100 pounds? Could it be that if we became the person we were designed to be, that we might just find ourselves in a position of authority, in a place where people wanted to KNOW us and we were surrounded by friends.

In this near year, I challenge you to find yourself. Become the you that you were designed to be! God has called us to bigger and better. Make 2010 YOUR year to shine!!!!