Sunday, September 5, 2010

Which Do You Want First?

The Good News?  Or the Bad News?

Go ahead. Think it over for a minute.

I'm guessing you would like to hear the Good News first...



GOOD NEWS! Paying Your Tithing Brings Blessings!

Hubby entered me into AAA's "We Know Disney" Sweepstakes. And I won. Really! I did. I won a Family Four Pack of 2-Day Park Hopper tickets to Disneyland and California Adventure. We had the option of getting the tickets now and using them by January 3, 2011 or getting the tickets in January and using them by May 31, 2011. We chose the latter.

Our kids are very excited. We started saving up for Disneyland a couple months ago. We were using the experience to teach our kids about working hard, budgeting their earnings, and saving for a long-term goal.  We made sure to pay tithing on all our earnings. We discussed with our children the Lord's words, given through the Prophet Malachi: "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3:10)

My kids, remembering our discussion, are convinced that I won because we paid our tithing. Can't say I disagree. ;)


BAD NEWS...Fasting and Prayer Works

Today was Fast Sunday. Hubby and I chose to fast for his Momma to pass soon.  She has been slowly dying for four months now. It is not a good situation. The brain cancer is doing horrible things to her.

Our prayers were answered tonight. My dear Mother-In-Law passed on at 8:07 pm. She was only 65 years old.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Testing, Testing...

So...Blogger has an updated editor. With lots of cool new features. You may have noticed dots between my paragraphs in previous posts. I had to use them to keep the paragraphs separate. Otherwise, all my words and pictures ran together in a big, jumbled mess.

But that doesn't seem to be the case any longer. Wahoo!

Putting pictures in also seems to be easier. So without further ado, here's this week's update:




Rose has been growing her hair steadily for two years to donate to Locks of Love. Rose, Anne and I all donated hair in January 2008. We've all reestablished the length. Anne and I love our long hair. Rose was hating it. She wanted to wait a few more months before donating, but the maintenance just became to much. I took her down to get her hair chopped and styled. We mailed the locks and Rose is enjoying her new shorter do. I think it is quite becoming.

Anne and I have decided to be selfish. We are not donating our hair. We are keeping it. Sorry.  Although Anne says she will keep growing her hair down to her bum then chop off ten inches to donate. That way she keeps her long hair and still helps with wigs. We'll see how it goes.



Joe is a Dangerous Boy. As such, he is required to build a go-cart. The Iggulden brothers suggest going to the local dump to get the necessary supplies. Joe and Hubby opted to go to Harbor Freight and the local hardware store instead.  The purchased four wheelbarrow wheels, saddle straps, threaded 36 inch dowels, 2 x 4 x 8's, and a few other items.


They got busy putting the cart together. Joe kept calling it a "Goat-Cart". We're not sure where he thought the goats would fit.

Cakes helped too. Mostly he helped by demonstrating to Hubby and Joe that things were or were not put together sturdily enough not to be broken.




They took the cart out for a few test runs. The front wheels could pull a ninety-degree turn on a dime. The guys learned this when Joe, unknowingly, pulled hard on the strap and went flying. Hubby added a wood block to limit the turning degree. They are still working on it. Taking it for rides to test then making the necessary adjustments. It is Wonderful to watch Hubby, Cakes, and Joe work on this "dangerous" activity.


I have fattened up my baby. He now weighs a bit over 15 pounds. He doesn't look much fatter though because he is such a TALL baby. It will be interesting to see if his height follows him into adulthood or if he will just hit 5 foot in third grade and never grow again. Cross your fingers that he makes it to at least 6 feet before the growth spurt stops.


This little cutie is also starting to get teeth. His poor little gums are swollen and he is drooling up a storm-hence the bib. But do you think that would upset him or cause him to grumble? NO!! He is still as happy as ever. I sweat there is nothing that can get this kid upset. He laughs and smiles and coos, just happy as can be. And doesn't he have the prettiest mouth that you ever did see???  SO HANDSOME!!


I have finally figured out how to arrange my living room. I mapped everything out and Hubby is implementing my plans. The blue tape is a rough outline of a bookcase that Hubby is going to build for me. The yellow line represents the TV. The bookcase will be 11 3/4 inches deep and 98 inches tall by 72 inches wide. We purchased BEAUTIFUL solid-Poplar pieces. Poplar is my new Favorite wood. It is a gorgeous hardwood- creamy colors with streaks of green and gray. I LOVE Green and Gray!

I'm counting this as my Anniversary present from Hubby. Now I just have to get him something. He's easy though. He considers a date night with me (sans kids) to be the epitome of grand gifts. So that's what he's getting...except I am bringing the Baby Jim. Hubby agrees-we don't leave babies with sitters until they are one and the Baby Jim is only four months.

And that is the end of my testing. I just "Previewed" this post. Everything stayed in place! And my pictures corresponded perfectly with my text. Hooray for this new editor!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

My Counting is Off!

Once upon a time my family consisted of:  Me, Hubby, Rose, Anne, Joe, and Cakes.  Six people. Four children, two adults.  I am a counter. I count the kids when we get into the car, during activities, and when we leave. Counting ensures that I know where all kids are at all times, thereby ensuring their safety and my sanity.

A year ago, we added Miss Q to the count. Adding one was fine and I had a few months to get used to the new count of five children.

Then we added Mr. J and our count became six children. Again, adding this one was fine and I had a few months to get used it the new count.

Then came Baby Jim. We had known about his arrival for quite a while, so he was easy, easy to add. And my count was seven.

It was a large family. Nine people in total. Seven kids to keep track of. But I was fine. My count was spot on.

Then the first week of July Mr. J left. The first week of August Miss Q left. And my count was Off!

I kept counting five kids and thinking I'd left someone behind. I'd count and recount. Sometimes while I was driving I'd have the kids count off for me again, just to ensure that everyone was in the car, even though I had counted them getting in.  It was ridiculous.

The foster kids left in such rapid succession that it took a while for my brain and count to acclimate themselves to the new number. I now have five children. Only five. Once my count readjusted I was fine. Absolutely fine.

A stranger, on hearing that I had five kids, asked how I managed with "so many children". I laughed and told her Five was easy when compared to Seven...I just had to adjust my count. ;)