lavish love....

Finlay!!

2012-02-08T14:22:00.001-08:00

So my 3rd born baby is 3 now! I can't believe it. He's growing so fast! Yesterday, 3yrs ago, Finlay Costello brought new joy into our lives and it's has been amazing watching him grow and develop his own personality and carve out his place amongst his brothers. We are so in love with him and every day with this precious boy is a treat. We woke up a little early and Fin went out with Daddy for some one on one time. I know they went to Starbucks and a hardware store and walmart to pick up a few things. When they got back we feasted on doughnuts and he got to open and play with his gifts from us. Then Matthew took Milo, Autry & Fin out to ride bikes while Declan took a nap and I cleaned up the aftermath. Then my parents came up and we went out to eat supper at SmashBurger per Fin's request before heading back home for carrot cake and presents from Nana & Papa and Bama & Papa Mike. It was a wonderful day and we thank God for blessing us with our precious boy, Finlay Costello.

A little this, a little that

2012-01-17T19:53:00.001-08:00

I love food. I really do. And that's what got me into this mess. This weight plateau, that is. But now, food is getting me out of this mess. I have been eating following the paleo plan and I've lost 5 lbs in the last 6 days!!! The food is delicious and I feel awesome. And the kids like it too. I will still be buying the bread, crackers, milk, cheese, yogurt etc for everyone else as long as they still want it. But all of our meals have been paleo recipes this week. Anyway, I'll keep you posted on the progress there.
Second semester is back with a vengeance and it is definitely trickier now that Declan is awake more often. But the boys are doing great. We seem to have hit our stride and they each know what comes next and how to do what they can on their own.
Milo had is Brain Highways assessment last week and "passed with flying colors," so to speak. Our little champion will be starting the program this summer. :)
And while my etsy shop is up and running, ( http:/www.etsy.com/shop/lavishlovehandmade ) my husband hasn't had time to design my logo, tags, business cards or etsy shop banner yet. Boo... Soon enough.
So, now, I'm off to mop my floors before my husband gets home. G'night!

Ugh!

2012-01-13T18:01:00.001-08:00

Why am I so tired???? Enter Exhibits A,B,C&D
They're so worth it!

Dentist day

2012-01-10T23:55:00.001-08:00

Hooray! All three big boys are cavity, or "sugar bug", free! Whew! I get real paranoid every six months, lol. This was Finlay's first ever visit and he did great! I was so proud of all my boys. Milo just needs sealant on his new molars. The only bad news... Autry needs all four bottom front teeth pulled to make room for the two adult teeth trying to come in. I'm so sad for him. Apparently, he's got my hair pin narrow jaw and the adult teeth are twisted, angled like the point of an arrow trying to fit in that tiny space. Poor kid. It looks as though he's going to be our dental problem child. Structurally/ health-wise perfect teeth; cosmetically... not so much.
They were rewarded with balloons and kids dental kits and they were all plenty happy with that. Then we went to Old Poway Park with Matthew's parents, who are here from Indiana. Everyone had a fantastic time running around, playing on the playground and playing a progressively trickier game of Steal the Bacon. :o)

Paleo

2012-01-08T11:10:00.001-08:00

So I believe in a young earth and that we're not evolved from cavemen, however, the Paleo Diet makes so much sense to me. Now I will never be 100% (or even 80% probably) paleo because I simply love cheese and bread and such. But if I could reach that 80% paleo mark I know I would be so much healthier( and lighter.)
What is this Paleo Diet, you ask?
Well, it follows the idea that our bodies are designed to digest and make the best use of fruit, vegetables and meat. And that dairy and grains were not part of our original diets because they require the well thought out process of purposeful agriculture. Now, to be clear, I know that God created us with fully functioning brains and we're not evolved creatures as described above BUT I also know that my dependence on dairy and grains for snacking and other favorite but not healthy recipes are keeping me fat despite my best workout efforts. So, this is where I'm at.
Check it out for yourself.
www.paleodiet.com
www.paleoplan.com

Glub glub glub...

2012-01-07T16:37:00.001-08:00

Gosh it's hard to pump enough to set aside milk for Declan for tomorrow night when the little goober wants to nurse all the time. We're taking Milo to a Brain Highways assessment and then out to dinner, just the three of us. That hasn't happened since before Autry was born. I think we're all pretty stoked at the idea. I am hoping to have a little time to make some travel sized samples to take to church in the morning to show Rachel from the Bookshop. I approached her about them carrying my Lavish Love Handmade products and she sounds interested. She already has my product list and I need to bring her the samples so that she can, of course, decide if they're up to snuff. I've decided on labels and just need to order those and get my sweet Husband to do my business cards and I'll be ready to go.
I plan to create a page here with a link to my etsy page in the next day or so.
:)

Lavish Love Handmade

2012-01-02T23:05:00.001-08:00

Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, it's the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I have come to accept not so easily,yet, but with peace in my heart that our little Declan will be my last baby. I will never be pregnant again. Gah! That's sad... It catches in my throat if I say it out loud. But somehow it's ok. These boys that I have been blessed with are amazing and fantastic and healthy and on and on I go... I am truly blessed. Praise God in the highest!
With that said, I am starting a new business! I have begun making bath products and will have my etsy shop up and running soon. My line is called, you guessed it, Lavish Love Handmade. Here are a few samples of what I'm offering... Vanilla Java Soap, Lemon Tart Hand Scrub and Peppermint Tea Bath Salts.

Harumph

2011-12-31T10:32:00.001-08:00

It's a good thing he's so fantastic. If anybody else woke me up from a blissful sleep by puking on my face (literally all over my face) I wouldn't have calmly wiped us both off and kissed him before changing the sheets and showering. Just sayin' ...
Now that's love.

Chicken with Ham & Swiss

2011-12-21T18:37:00.001-08:00

Coat your chicken in seasoned salt and roll in crushed Ritz crackers. Then cook till crispy in butter and olive oil. Transfer to a baking dish and top with ripped up ( to fit the chicken) ham slices and Swiss cheese. Sprinkle with thyme and stick in the broiler for 2-3 minutes. I serve this with steamed veggies and stuffing. Enjoy :D

Easy Enchiladas

2011-12-19T15:38:00.001-08:00

Put your chicken breasts in the crock pot (frozen OR thawed) and cover with 2 jars of your favorite salsa. Cook on low 8 hrs if frozen or 4-6 hrs if thawed; shred with forks right before you're ready to bake. Dip your taco size tortillas in a little chicken broth and fill with shredded chicken and cheese and pack into a baking dish. Pour 2 cans of enchilada sauce over the whole thing and top with more cheese. Bake @ 350 for 30 min. Enjoy!! Ooops. Forgot to take a picture before we devoured it. :)

Man, I was doing so good

2011-12-10T19:52:00.001-08:00

But lately I've fallen down the rabbit hole between home schooling, getting back on the P90X wagon and all my new social network apps. I think it's clear what needs to give...
The working out, lol just kidding.
But here's the hard part which apps go?
I mean I'm never on fb anymore but it's the only way I connect with some people.
And now I really like Path but hardly anyone is on it.
Pinterest must stay. No brainer.
Twitter is great for chatting with my best friend but I also talk to her on all the others, too.
And now that we both use MyFitnessPal we can chat on there, too.
Instagram is fun but its similar to Path but without the videos.
They all have their pros and cons and I just have to figure out which 1-2 I'm going to keep. It's just too much keeping them all updated. But in the meantime here's a few photos from the last week or so... Enjoy.

New tattoo and antiqueing

2011-11-29T17:30:00.001-08:00

I only made it through one foot :(
I'll be going back hopefully next week to do the other foot. The full tattoo will say, " Perfected in Weakness"
It's, in my opinion, a more biblical version of " what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
Then we went antiqueing and picked up this beautiful push/pull infant sleigh and some fantastic blue and purple glass apothecary bottles.

Gobble Gobble

2011-11-24T22:48:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Crafty crafty....

2011-11-23T18:03:00.001-08:00

We are attempting to make salt dough ornaments. And our homemade fingerpaints are cooling....I'll let you know how it goes...

Hmmmm?

2011-11-23T10:57:00.001-08:00

Do I dare go to Costco with all the kids today (the day before TG) for 1 pie???

Super day today

2011-11-21T18:36:00.001-08:00

So, today was pretty fun. I got up and left a well fed baby snuggling in bed with Daddy, big boys sleeping and took Finlay alone to the grocery store with me. We got everything for Italian Beef Sandwiches (secret recipe, shhh) and threw it all together in the crockpot when we got home. Then I had to run straight out to go have my hair done (woot woot!) by the lovely Sweetpea Suter. I love how it came out. Pics to come...
Then pharmacy, back to the grocery store and home. The place was hoppin' with men and boys. They put up the Christmas tree while I was gone. :(
And Matthew's friends Harold and Jake came over and hung new doors to the boys bedrooms. Then dinner -delicious and key lime pie for dessert...mmmmmmm.

It's raining, it's pouring....

2011-11-20T17:31:00.001-08:00

I love rain. I really do! And it's raining outside right now and my house smells like chocolate chip pumpkin bread, my big kids are happily watching a Lego movie and Declan is content in his bouncer while I've been cooking. <3
I'm making parmesan breaded chicken (recipe under Mama Cooks) with Harvest Grains from Trader Joes and biscuits. It's a happy night with one exception.... I really wish Matthew was home. He's at church serving the Lord with his talents. All good. But I also selfishly wish he was here enjoying this night with us.

Sickie sickies over here

2011-11-17T14:13:00.001-08:00

Man alive! I am so tired of my family catching every gross illness that comes down the pike. Seriously. And now with Declan here, I'm terrified that he'll get sick. Which would just break my heart. I'm praying for a hedge of protection around my family as we weather this cold and flu season....

Gah! iPhone overload

2011-11-15T22:50:00.001-08:00

So, after years of being jealous of my husbands iPhone he got me one a month ago. :D
Well, I had to put a few games on it for the kids, of course. Educational ones, fun ones and ones that I want to play, too. Then I started looking for the apps that I've heard so much about. I, of course, got my Facebook set up first but then got hooked on instagram that Delane talked about all the time. And then I wanted to be able to do the little tweegrams on instagram, so I got Tweegram. After that, I realized there must be a blogger app and here I am, getting back to my blog with a vengeance. Then Delane invites me to Pinterest... So, now I'm on Pinterest and enjoying it so far. But she texts me today and tells me I need to get back on Twitter.
To be honest, my head is fairly spinning.
I can truly say that I love how simple my iPhone makes it all but I don't know how long I can keep all these plates spinning. Not because I feel overwhelmed by them but because of my addictive nature. They are so numerous and ever-changing that there is always something new to add, check and respond to. I fear my own dependency on social media. If you know me at all, you know I'm really not that person. Well, actually, I apparently am.... :o/

Thank you Calvert

2011-11-13T11:03:00.001-08:00

For making school a fun experience for us.
I love that the lessons are so simple to follow yet complete and allow us so much time for child led learning. Oh and a shout out to A Beka for reading and BJU Press for an awesome bible Curriculum, too.

It's beginning!

2011-11-13T10:58:00.001-08:00

We started decorating for Christmas this morning! It's my absolute favorite time of year and I'd be one of those crazy people who keeps their home decorated all year if my husband weren't the guardian of sanity. Hahaha!

The Choir and Lucille's

2011-11-12T13:03:00.001-08:00

I got to go out with my wonderful husband our sweet Declan last night while the bigger boys had a fun sleepover at Nana and Papa's!

Going to his first show

2011-11-11T13:49:00.001-08:00

Were going up to Pomona to see The Choir perform an acoustic show at a pizzeria tonight. Pretty exciting!

2011-11-10T15:51:00.001-08:00

My friend, Meredith, came over today and took photos of Declan. I can't wait to see how they came out but here's a shot I took on my phone while she was shooting.

Whew!

2011-11-09T18:44:00.001-08:00

It was like running a marathon today. We got up early to go have school pictures taken then straight to the bank then home to drop off the 3 older boys and my mom while Declan and I went to his 2 week appointment. He's gained more than a pound, btw. No shots.
Then we ran home to make a shopping list and pack everyone back in the car to go to Trader Joe's. Then back home so I could put all the cold stuff away before jetting over to the big boys' P.E. class. Then finally back home for dinner. Declan cries almost the whole time he's in the car, so it was rough. I'm thrashed but so happy that my Mom was here all day to help and talk with. I love her.

Pictures from Declan's first 2 weeks

2011-11-08T14:35:00.001-08:00

Just some photos from October 22nd to November 5th

A day out

2011-11-08T14:28:00.001-08:00

We decided to go out for an awesome breakfast at The Mission in Hillcrest. I highly recommend it if you haven't been there. Fresh, delicious, and inspired food.
Then we ran over to the mall downtown to cruise around and get Fin new shoes. A boy after my own heart; he chose black chucks with the Velcro straps (bonus for Mama.) We even ran into a guy at the Vans store who grew up down the hill from me, so, I got to show off my family.
Then because we hadn't had enough, I guess, we went to Fashion Valley next to walk around and window shop. Then our last stop was Chipotle for supper (I know! I didn't cook at all today) before heading home for an early bedtime. They didn't fall asleep right away but I was able to get a few loads of laundry done and finish Declan's little pumpkin afghan before it got too late. All in all a fantastic day with my family. We're blessed.

First Sunday at church!

2011-11-06T21:40:00.001-08:00

I managed to get all four boys and myself showered, dressed and ready in time to get to church early this morning! Pretty stoked about that. Everyone was excited to meet Declan. It was great to get back to church and hear the message and see our friends again.
Then we got home and were so blessed to hang out with my Bestie, Delane, for a few hours. It was so overdue and awesome. I'm seriously wishing she would move closer to me again. We don't get to hang out enough anymore.

Gosh, I'm terrible at this...

2011-09-28T12:09:00.000-07:00

It's not that I haven't been online. I just haven't had the desire to share the minutia of our days, I guess.
So, as of today, I am 35 weeks 4 days pregnant with little Declan True. I'm feeling great overall. My hips are starting to hurt while I sleep and my back only if I sit to long. And I'm getting tired earlier and earlier in the evenings. But still, nothing to complain about. :o)
Milo turned 7 on Sept 13th!

He' doing fantastic with school. Honestly, Calvert's 1st grade is a little too easy for him. But I'm pressing on and just adding a page of copy work and a math worksheet to each day and letting him read through his included Reading text books as fast as he wants and he hasn't gotten bored so far.
Autry has been asking to take his training wheels off his bike pretty much since he got the bike for his 5th bday in June. But I was the one dragging my feet about it. I finally consented and the boy was riding perfectly the first day. None of that running behind them holding the seat for balance stuff. Silly Mama. He did run into and knock off a neighbors mailbox, though. :o/ lol (we fixed it, btw.)

He is also doing fantastic in school and loves all the hands on activities. My only struggle is figuring out what to turn in as a work sample for Social Studies. ?? The Calvert is a literature based curric versus last years history based WinterPromise. So, that's where I'm having to supplement for him.

Finlay is just fantastic. He is so sweet and sensitive and empathetic and curious and I can't take his cuteness. It's just overwhelming. I just want to eat him. We do alot of snuggling, reading, tickling and imaginative play like knights and super heroes.
These great photos were a gift from my bestie, Delane, who came down to visit and take some maternity photos with her new camera.

Thank you, Delane!!
My baby shower is next weekend and I can't wait to get together with all my friends and family and have fun. :o)
Matthew is going back to Indiana next week on Oct 3rd! It's been way to long since he's been there so, I'm so happy he's able to go.

Recipe for preserving a husband

2011-09-09T17:25:00.000-07:00

I saw this in a christian moms forum I belong to. A lady spotted this in the Jams/Jellies section of her new Amish cookbook. lol

Be careful of your selection. Do not choose too young. When once selected, give entire thought to preparation to domestic use. Some insist on keeping them in a pickle, others constantly getting them in hot water. This makes them sour, hard and sometimes bitter. Even in poor varieties may be made sweet, tender and good by garnishing them with patience, well sweetened with love and seasoned with kisses. Wrap them in a mantle of charity, keep warm with a steady fire of domestic devotion, and serve with peaches and cream. Thus prepared, they will keep for years.

30 Days of Blogging v2

2011-09-05T20:35:00.000-07:00

Day 02- The meaning behind my blog name

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” 1 John 3:1

30 Days of Blogging

2011-09-04T13:41:00.000-07:00

In an effort to get back on the wagon, I'm going to be following the "30 Days of Blogging"calendar. So here we go.Day 01- A recent picture of me and 15 interesting facts about myself.

1. I am surprisingly conservative.2. Cooking is a stress reliever for me.3. I'm very friendly and have many close acquaintances but very few real friends.4. I love making things that have a use or purpose. Knitting, quilting and making clothes make me happy.5. I really struggle with having enough patience.6. I would love to have a daughter but I'm also afraid of having a little me.7. I think 5 kids is the perfect #.8. I love the structure of classical curricula AND the ease and nurturing aspect of Waldorf toys and activities.9. I'm always the last one ready to go anywhere or do anything.10. I honestly wish I was a better house keeper.11. I knew I would marry my husband within a week of meeting him. I never had any doubt in my mind about that one.12. I love sleeping. No really. I could sleep all day.13. The Pretenders are my favorite band of all time.14. Sour Patch Kids are my favorite treat.15. I really struggled to come up with these. And they're probably not all that interesting but, oh well.

Tuesday with Papa

2011-09-01T14:31:00.000-07:00

We got up early (for us anyway) and got ready real quick to go out to breakfast. And Daddy let Alvin drive.

I figured we'd go to this little local mom and pop cafe we found recently but Matthew had much grander plans for our day. We headed down to Hillcrest for some Hash House A Go Go "twisted farm food."

This is a pic of what I COULDN'T finish if my life depended on it, but delicious Biscuits and Gravy.
Then since we over fed the meter we walked down to Buffalo Exchange and I scored two new tank tops on the cheap.But then we had to practically run back to the car to make it back in time. lol
After getting all loaded up in the car again, Matthew says, "Let's go see your dad at work." :o) Now, for those of you who don't know him, my Dad works for the Navy on North Island. I haven't been on base in forever and the kids hadn't ever gone. So, he called up my Dad to see if we could swing by and 20 minutes later we began the tour. We started in my Dad's shop where they build/ load with explosives the ejection seats for the jets. Then we got to walk through the hangar where they rebuild to perfection the jets that need love. After that we got to visit the airplane graveyard and hangar where volunteers restore to mint (though not operational) condition for the Aerospace museum. They were working on a WWII fighter plane that had been sunk in Lake Michigan for the last 50 years and was just pulled up. It was incredible to see and talk to these men who were so knowledgeable. But the best was yet to come.
My Dad had made a call to a friend and all the boys got to sit in the "display bird," an F-18, on the flight line.

The boys were so excited and all agreed, "Papa's work is sooo much cooler than Nana's work!" No offense Nana. hahahaha
Then, per my request we stopped at Ikea for a few things and the big boys played in the kids playroom while we shopped. Poor Fin slept in the stroller the whole time.
Then Rancho's for supper. And a visit to Nana and Papa's house completed our day. It was such a wonderful day. Praise God!

Homemade Mac 'n Cheese

2011-08-26T19:46:00.000-07:00

This is so easy you probably know how to make it already, but just in case you're still buying the boxed kind, here's how we do this.

1 bag penne (or whatever kind you want really)
8oz whipping cream -hey you want it to be good right?
2 egg whites
16 oz shredded sharp cheddar
4 oz unsalted butter

Boil your pasta as directed; drain and put back in the pot. Add your butter and stir till pasta is covered. Then over super low heat slowly add the cheese and whipping cream and egg whites, mixing until the cheese is melted before adding more. You'll know when it's ready. It'll be all creamy and fantastic. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Fresh photos

2011-08-25T11:14:00.000-07:00

That lettuce meets it's maker tonight with our eggplant parmesan. My recipe is under Mama Cooks if you want it, btw.

And I made this little fly-away top for my niece, Brooklyn. Gina had shown me two similar tops that miss B already has that she likes but don't fit quite right and I was pretty certain I could eyeball it and whip one up. And here's the result! So now I'm praying that it fits her. lol

Make 5 dinners in 1 hour?!

2011-08-24T09:31:00.000-07:00

Really? This might be the most helpful thing I've read in a while. I downloaded the sample menu and am pretty excited to try it out. If it works the way she describes, I'll be ordering several menus to prepare and freeze for after Declan is born. Here we go....

self loathing

2011-08-22T13:49:00.000-07:00

Uggh. I am so selfish and unmerciful and not helpful. It's makes me angry at myself. I see someone I love bending over backward, straining other important relationships, taking excessive time off from her job to help someone who may or may not be in as bad of shape as they say and all I can do is stress her out about it. I'm sooo convinced that she's thrown all "healthy boundaries" and the concern of her family out the window that I've probably hurt her feelings and added more stress to her plate than she was already dealing with. I totally suck. I don't think I'm wrong or even feel bad about what I said to her. But I feel bad that it went this far and that in expressing my concern for her, I was heartless towards the one she cares enough about to go all out for. I'm not helping her in anyway. Just making things worse...... gahhh! I'm going to keep my mouth shut from now on. It's her life and whatever she wants to do with it is up to her. I love her with all my heart and I will not say anything else to bring her down. Please pray for my family and that God will heal what is broken and build a hedge of protection around my Mom who is the most wonderful, merciful, self-sacrificing and long suffering person I've ever met. I hope to be half the woman she is.

mmmmmm

2011-08-21T13:27:00.000-07:00

I picked three beautiful eggplant today which means eggplant parmesan tomorrow night. It would be tonight but we're headed down for a bbq at my brother- in- laws tonight. Should be a great time. :o)
This morning's message was great. I love it when a pastor isn't afraid to teach difficult verses in scripture. Like 1 Cor 14:34-35
Well done.
And even more exciting, we have our first meeting with our EF (educational facilitator from the Charter school tomorrow morning and we'll get all of our curriculum for the year! Woot woot! It's like Christmas when the boys open their boxes and get to see all the fun stuff we get to "play with" all year.
After that, we are having some friends from church over to play and stay for lunch. Should be a fun day!

In very sad news, a very sweet friend of mine confided that they've miscarried a second time yesterday while trying for their first child. Please keep them in your prayers. Thanks.

Photo Day!

2011-08-19T15:53:00.000-07:00

I make curry a lot. A lot a lot. All different kinds and ways. Last week before our vacation started I made this and it was delicious.

Chop chop

Boil your potatoes

This is the curry I used this time. I definitely recommend the medium because it
s still not spicy.

Serve with basmati rice and naan and you're all set.
We also took the boys to Mulberry Park and had some fun to hanging out together.

Then we decided to take advantage of Matthew's time off and ran out to Las Vegas for a few days before our camping trip.

We noticed a chip when we stopped in Menifee at the Super Target and by the time we finished shopping it looked like this. :( Matthew had the insurance co send out a chip repair guy who turned out to be someone we knew (!) and he did his best but before we left Vegas we had to get a new wind shield. Lame.

In an Auntie Anne's pretzel trance

If you're ever in Vegas, go here. Killer.

After Vegas, we came home, unpacked, washed clothes, repacked and went camping. I'll post camping pics later. Too many to go through right now.
Today I drove up to Menifee again but this time I got to hang out with my bestie, Delane, and finally deliver Scarlet's birthday presents. A full two weeks late, geez. I made her two dresses and a reversible skirt. (And knit a beanie with built in pigtail holes that turned out poopy, so I didn't give it to her.)

Whew.... I think that covers it for now. I'll post the camping pictures asap.

Pure Beauty

2011-08-09T13:18:00.000-07:00

Hey all, I am so excited and honored to be the first featured blogger in Amy Jean's Pure Beauty feature! I hope you'll head over there and check her out!

Not a Toy!

2011-08-07T11:12:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post a pic of what Autry cut his finger with. Tin snips are not toys. Now they know why I said, "don't touch!" Don't touch seems like a simple enough command, doesn't it? But no. They needed to find out why. And now they know. Handled.

note: these were in a box of irrigation pieces and mending supplies that somehow got left in the backyard. hmmmmm....

2011-08-05T17:53:00.000-07:00

Today started out pretty normal. Things went awry right after snack time when I was laughing at myself putting out basically a party platter for the boys for snack,

and then within 4 minutes it was gone! lol The little jackals. Geez louise.
It was funny enough to me that I thought to take pictures, obviously. Then while I was cleaning up the boys went out back to play and I checked my facebook to see if the pictures had posted. Suddenly I hear Autry screaming bloody murder and Milo is running towards me yelling "Autry got cut!" I could see the blood dripping from his finger from far away and my brain started freaking out. As I was washing it and the blood just kept coming and coming, I decided "ok, this is going to be our first ER run."
So, I wrapped it in a dish towel and had him pinch it while I got all the kiddos dressed in record time. Yes, they were still in jammies at 10:45. Don't judge me. And we rushed over to the urgent care at Kaiser(thanks to a call from my ever calm Hubbs.) Of course, urgent care didn't open till noon. Of course, right? Well, fortunately the bleeding had stopped and he was just wimpering at this point. We waited for almost an hour for it to open but then got right in. All in all, he got an expensive bandaid.

Because he's fine... That's right. His finger's life flashed before my eyes for naught. He's fine. lol
But during the wait I was texting with a good friend and sister in Christ about how ridiculous it's going to be to feed these boys when their teenagers and she confided about their current financial hardship. She is so on my heart and I've been praying for her and her sweet family. After we got home, the boys and I were just hanging out and I was reading my new Above Rubies magazine

and there on pg 5 was this encouragement:

Do you feel poor? Can't pay the bills! Your house is too small! You are in the very situation to make many people rich (2 Corinthians 6:10.) You can make your husband rich by making your home a sanctuary of love, joy and contentment. You make your children rich by showing how to have a joyful attitude even in trials. You make them rich as you impart God's Word richly into their lives (Colossians 3:16.)
- Nancy Campbell

This is both challenging but hopeful. I think we can all apply this no matter our circumstances.
That's all for today.
Much love!

Tuesday- Today

2011-08-04T12:20:00.000-07:00

This is how we roll at the beach... lol
Matthew and Milo were too far out in the waves for me to get a clear picture of them but they were there having a great time, too. We plan to go back next week!

And today we had quite the harvest party in the back yard! We've been harvesting deliciouseness for the last 2 weeks but never as much in one day as this. Then I blanched and froze the beans and peas and we'll be having those tomatoes in salads tonight and tomorrow.
Some sad news, for me anyway, is that my bestie, Delane, and her family are moving about 45 minutes away. But it's a good move for their family, so, who am I to complain about a 45 minute drive. Selfish selfish.

Lazy day with a friend

2011-07-30T20:23:00.000-07:00

Today was pretty chill. Got up early (for us anyway) and got to cleanin'. Then after lunch we all got ready and my friend Jayme and her two sweet boys came over to play. The kids all ran around and played monsters vs. Spiderman and had a great time together. And Jayme and I just hung out and talked. It was wonderful and relaxing. Then after they left, I made my Bestie, Delane's, recipe for chicken with peppers and it was fantastic, of course. And now the treasures are in bed and I'm here typing away. This tiny little paragraph adequately sums up our day. It was simple and sweet. Good night all!

Whew...

2011-07-29T15:31:00.000-07:00

God is good all the time and all the time God is good!
On Tuesday, We all hopped in the car to go hang out with my family for dinner and after picking up some strawberry shortcake supplies (mmmmmmmm) were headed to my parents house. On the way we saw a man laying on the sidewalk behind a parked rv with a crowd of people trying to help him and his motorcycle laying in the street. I said a prayer for him as we drove on by.
Then at my parents house everyone's getting into the hustle and bustle of getting supper ready and the phone rings. It's my Aunt Sandy. She's been in a car accident and she's bleeding in the street. So, my parents take off to the accident while my brother and Matthew and I continue making the food and watching the boys run amuck. After awhile my parents come back as Aunt Sandy and my cousin, William, are now loaded into the ambulance.
The story goes.... My Aunt is driving along and out of the parking lot of a strip mall bar a drunk driver cuts her off making a left turn and my Aunt slammed into them. Her car is totaled (sp?) and the drunk driver takes off. William got hit pretty hard by the airbag but is otherwise fine (we know now) but with the car filling up with smoke some witnesses are trying to get them out quickly. When a lady tried to pull Aunt Sandy out she started to pick her up but realized right away that something was wrong with her leg and had to put her back down. Praise the Lord the car didn't do anything crazy while they waited for the FD and cops to get there.
The EMTs were worried about William who, having Downs Syndrome, couldn't tell them if he was in pain or how he was feeling. He was just stoked to be in an ambulance.
So, when my parents get back we finish getting supper ready, my mom heads over to the hospital and the rest of us sit down to eat and hang out. But it's not exactly the joyful family gathering we'd all envisioned earlier in the day. With talk about how they're doing and what recovery will be like and what will happen with William and the like. My Aunt's ex husband went to the hospital and sat with William in the Trauma ER while they did a full work up to make sure he was ok and then took him home when he was discharged later that night. Aunt Sandy had several MRI's and CT scans which determined a lot of bruising and that her left leg was broken in two places. Now, for those of you who don't know her, She has SEVERE rheumatoid arthritis, the likes of which I've never seen anywhere else. She is so frail and fragile that a few months back she broke her leg standing up getting out of bed. SO, while we were happy to know that's all that had broken, we were nervous about how well they could repair it and what recovery would be like for her. She had surgery Wednesday and despite warnings that she may wake up with only one leg they were, in fact, able to reset her brittle bones and she has been in good spirits. Today, she was transferred to a "skilled nursing facility" to aid in her recovery and physical therapy. She's hoping to only be there a week but I have a feeling she may be there longer and that it would actually be really good for her to stay as long as she can to have the best care. She will be in a wheelchair for quite some time but the dr says that with proper PT she'll be able to walk again. Thank you all for your prayers as she recovers.
In other, totally less important, news:
The garden is exploding! It's so fantastic having berries and beans and peas to eat from the garden and the promise of so many more goodies in the near future!

Hey, anyone know what kind of white squash this is? I bought these as starts and they were labeled zucchini. But when they started spreading I knew they must be pumpkins of some sort but now the fruit is white without any banding. They're totally smooth and round. I'm confused.

One of my gargantuan tomato plants is covered in beautiful green tomatoes and I am just so excited for them ripen up already. However the other, just as large and even bushier, has none. So weird.
Last night, I made Parmesan Breaded Chicken from my Nourishing Traditions book with mashed potatoes and buttermilk bisquits. Sooo good.

Parmesan Breaded Chicken Breasts
8 Skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 C unbleached flour
1 tsp pepper
4 eggs, beaten
2 C whole grain bread crumbs
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese
about 4 tbsp butter
about 4 tbsp olive oil

Trim the chicken breasts and pound lightly with the small prong side of a meat hammer. mix flour and pepper together on a plate; have beaten eggs ready in a bowl; mix bread crumbs and cheese in another bowl. Using tongs (or your fingers)

dip each piece first in the flour mixture then in the eggs and lastly in the bread crumb mixture. Saute a few at a time in butter and olive oil about 7 minutes per side, being careful not to burn.

Transfer to a heated plate in the oven until ready to serve.
This is a delicious substitute for fried chicken.

Yesterday

2011-07-19T13:38:00.000-07:00

was a pretty fun day! First thing after breakfast, Matthew and Fin left to go see Winnie the Pooh at the theater. Finlay's first movie! He was scared to go into the dark theater but once he saw the screen he was ok. And then he loved the movie. After they got home, I kept hearing him make believe he was eating honey. hehe...

Then Autry went to the garden center and target with him, while Milo, Finlay and I watched Gumby.
the big boys and I also did our second lesson out of their Bible curriculum that came in the mail the other day. I hadn't planned on starting until we begin school September 6th but the boys are excited about it and want to do it. So, I'm definitely not going to say no. I'm hopeful they'll have the same attitude toward their core subjects when we get them next month.
In other news, I had my 24 week appt last wednesday (not sure why I haven't blogged about it till now) and everything is going great. Declan is growing right on track has a healthy heart rate and our only squirmish was my ...ehem... rate of weight gain. ugghh. Up till this appt, I had only gained 8 lbs in the first 20 weeks. But then I gained 7 lbs in the 4 weeks since that last appt. Boo! So I was told to "watch my weight." Now, in my defense, we have had quite the sweet tooth lately and fell for the lemon meringue cake from costco, made smores several times and then with Atury's Birthday week I indulged in 2 birthday cakes, pinata candy, pizza, Sonic and In-N-Out spread out over 4 "birthday parties." Yikes! It's not hard to see how that added up on the scale, eh. So, after doing pretty good since wednesday, I made peanut butter cookies today, my first treat.
That's about it. Much love <3

In the grind

2011-07-10T21:34:00.000-07:00

Good grief. This past week has been a challenge. My bestie and I have been going through a rough patch lately and when we all hung out on the 4th it was awkward for various reasons. Then I've had a busy week with Matthew being home a lot more than usual, which seems like it should make things go more smoothly, but somehow it doesn't. And then i was a little crazy on friday trying to get the house ready to have Matthew's brother and his family over for dinner and hanging out that night. They brought up carne asada to grill and it was a really nice time. So, this morning, I realized that somehow the week had gotten away from me and I hadn't texted my bff and she hadn't texted me either, all week long. So, I sent her a quick note on fb apologizing for going mia and a shorter version of the above weeks play by play. She got back to me a little later and we kind of had another exchange, if you will, and now we both agree that it's time to work this out for real and get it behind us, whatever this is. Growing pains? I hate how it's been lately. I miss her. We're working on it. sigh....
On a happier note, I'm starting to notice a very slight tan developing on my legs. Woohoo! Now, honestly, it's not much to be proud of. And to most people here in SoCal, they're ghastly white but for me, it's quite the accomplishment. The garden is doing fantastic. My new broccoli sprouts have come up but still no sign of the new lettuce sprouts. I'm hopeful but not holding my breath. I'll keep you posted.
I still don't have an eta on my proposed chicken coop although My dad has said he'd bring up the wood a few times now. And we've gone to the feed store and checked out the chicks they have available and pricing and everything. But nothing set in stone. Again, you'll know as soon as I do. hahaha.... That's pretty much it, I think.
But now, I'm exhausted and I'm going to go veg on the couch with my Husband.
Good night all!

too cute!

2011-07-03T11:34:00.000-07:00

I finished his has the other night and am just now posting about it. I think it came out great! Thanks Diymommy.com

Updates

2011-07-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

So, We are now 23 weeks along in this pregnancy! Little Declan True is a busy boy constantly kicking and flipping around in there. Yay! I'm knitting him a bright royal blue cabled baby beanie right now and starting to gather supplies to begin his bedding set. The theme will be owls. Hooty hoot!
I also just made a list of what I need to make some maternity clothes based on tutorials from diy maternity

Megan Nielsen has two excellent blogs and wonderful easy to follow patterns for both maternity and baby! Go check her out...
The garden is growing tall and bushy (depending on the plant) and the only no show is our lettuce. Bummer. I'm going to re-sow it and a few other bald spots and hope for the best.

We also had a great visit with Matthew's parents who came to visit last week. Which means we also got to spend some concentrated quality time with Gina and our nieces, as well! Yay!

The boys actually asked to do school yesterday. I think they miss the structure. So, we did a bible lesson from Landmark Freedom and a couple math and LA worksheets and games.

Happy Baby Company!

2011-06-29T10:58:00.000-07:00

This is a FANTASTIC natural baby care store. There's always FREE shipping. And I'm now an affiliate! Whenever you purchase through one of my links I'll earn a 5% commission towards their products. No, It's not much but, shoot, every little bit helps.

Use this sale code to get 10% off your purchase of $30 or more.
NEW2HBC

Happy Shopping!

Ten Ways NOT to Look at Children

2011-06-23T13:09:00.000-07:00

Ten Ways NOT to Look at Children
by R.C. Sproul Jr.

Wisdom is a narrow path. Folly, on the other hand, is a wide, gaping desert. Our conversations in the church about children tend to be contentious and emotional. Few things touch closer to home. Which is why we need all the more to develop a careful, thoughtful and sober understanding of the Bible's wisdom on this issue. Below are ten common ways we err in our thinking. May He give us grace to fill our quivers with blessings, and our hearts with wisdom.

10. Children are a hassle to be avoided. What has become conventional wisdom in the world is now conventional wisdom in the church. We quip about longing for school to start, about dreading when they outgrow children's church. We make the same stupid jokes- "Do you know what causes that?", flaunting our folly. We are so biblically illiterate in the church we have no idea we are calling God a liar, who tells us children are a blessing from His hand (Psalm 127). We are so historically illiterate we don't know that every denomination in Christendom condemned practices designed to avoid blessings from the beginning of the church until little more than fifty years ago.

9. Children are more precious than rubies and must be attained at any cost. On the other side of the above spectrum are those who see having children as the only blessing, and their purpose on the planet to conceive as many babies as humanly possible. The truth is that wisdom is more precious than rubies. God, however, is the one with all wisdom, and so is best equipped to plan our families. Seeking to pry babies out of His gracious hand, employing sundry technologies and timings, ironically, like the above problem, separates the blessing of the marital act from the blessing of children. What is to be a joy, on both counts, becomes a duty on both counts.

8. Children can be ordered like new flatware from the Pottery Barn. The Bible reminds us that God is the one who opens the womb, and the one who closes the womb (Genesis 16). To suggest that you can have children of this sex or that, this far apart or that is hubris of the highest magnitude. If you want children, God may bless you, or He may not. If you don't want children, God may bless you or He may not. In the meantime you look pretty silly sitting in your baby car seat turning your toy steering wheel, thinking you are driving.

7. Their lack of children is a sign of God's peculiar disfavor. I'd like you to meet your friend Job. To affirm that children are blessing from God does not mean that those who have not been so blessed are not God's friends. God has many kinds of blessings and He gives them, in His grace, as He sees fit. You can no more measure a man's piety by the size of his quiver than you can by the level of his suffering. Neither is someone's family size proof of any error in their thinking on children. You can't rightly assume that those with small families are guilty of error #10.

6. My abundance of children is a sign of God's peculiar favor. The flipside of #5, only here the pride is slightly easier to see, and yet equally ridiculous. Children are a gracious gift, not a paycheck.*

5. Children are an unalloyed blessing. That the blessing is alloyed doesn't mean it's not a blessing. It does mean that children, even the ones in large families, sin, wake up in the middle of the night, throw up and break things, sometimes even our hearts.

4. Children are God's version of the "Hitler Youth." Our children fill our quivers in the battle against the seed of the serpent. We are drill sergeants, raising them for battle. And they are soldiers right now. But the Bible doesn't call us to do this only for the sake of battle. Instead the Bible says children are a blessing, a joy. If you are not enjoying them, you're doing it wrong. If you think the kingdom comes by breeding, you are missing the point. The kingdom comes by joy, and joy comes from many places, including the blessing of children.

3. Children are given for our glory, or our comfort. It is true, and a blessing that godly children bring honor to their parents. But that honor comes to us not as they live for us, but as they live for Him. My children do not exist to spread my fame, but to manifest the glory of the reign of Jesus Christ. There is a thin line between letting your light shine before men and praying on street corners like the Pharisees. You will only know which side you are on by humbly and honestly examining your heart.

2. Children are no longer needed; the world is overcrowded. There are plenty of thoughtful arguments to gainsay this folly, filled with statistics and sound economic theory. The simplest one is this- God said to be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. We'll know we're done when He tells us we're done.

1.We have to have more children before the west is overrun. Though the west has been profoundly blessed by the impact of the gospel, it is the gospel, not the west that matters. We don't need more white children; we need more covenant children. We don't need more Americans; we need more Christians. We don't need more Republicans; we need more citizens of the kingdom of God.

These mistakes, of course, come from all sides. Large families can make some, small families others, and some both sides can make. We would go a long way to combat all of them, however, if we believed this simple truth- children are a gracious gift from God who opens and closes the womb, for His glory and for His kingdom. We might go even farther, however, in combating these errors this way, by being certain to hug and bless the children He has given us.

* = My personal opinion and is not included in the quote.
*Octomom, Jon&Kate and even (gasp) The Duggars.... I'm looking at you.

5!

2011-06-21T18:49:00.000-07:00

Today, 5 years ago, Autry Scott joined our family!
I had been having annoying, yet, not painful contractions for a week or so before feeling the real thing on Tuesday evening. At my doctor's appointment the day before, Dr. DuHamel had said she was amazed by how low he was sitting and I was already 4 cm dilated and 75% effaced. I was told that Autry would be born in the next 72 hours. And sure enough, I started having labor contractions at around 5 pm the next day (Tuesday.) So, off we went to the hospital with big brother, Milo, thrilled to finally get to meet him! After about 7 hours of labor I asked for something to "help me!!!!" but not an epidural. They checked me and I was 7 cm and decided to give me Stadol. (Yuck no one get this!) I felt horrible, almost drunk-like and Matthew said my speech was blurred. But right afterward I was complaining about a pain by my left hip that would not go away. They checked again and his head was on it's way out! The dr on call, Dr. Murrillo, who had also delivered Milo, was still at home so they sort of freaked out a little and told me to lay on my side while they turned off the pitocin until she could get there. Matthew called my parents to see where they were and luckily they were in the parking lot on their way in.. So, Nana and Papa arrived just in time to see Autry be born. Two pushes and he was out!
Autry, you (and your brothers) are my greatest accomplishments and the joy of my life! This is truly a day that no one celebrates more than me! I love you!

Happy Birthday to my Amazing Autry!

PLEASE watch these!

2011-06-17T15:59:00.000-07:00

Food Allergies... Disease.... Cancer..... Why is our food making us sick?

This is why I garden. Why we shop at Trader Joes and Jimbos. Why I cook almost every single thing from scratch. This is why I've become a "food nazi." Yes, we have cravings for the junk food we used to eat liberally because the chemicals and the additives used sometimes have an addictive quality. But once you know the truth....

They say, "Ignorance is bliss," right?

Well, now, what will you do with the knowledge?

Please, do your own research. Watch the documentaries. Find out for yourselves and then make a change. My children and my husband are too important to not make sacrifices for, in order to feed them REAL food. What about yours?

Stromboli !

2011-06-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

mmmmmmmmmm......

Simple Stromboli "simple" options are in parenthesis

2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp cornmeal
1 lb homemade pizza dough (13.8 oz pkg refrigerated)
1/2 pkg pepperoni, or enough to cover (4 oz ham slices)
1 C shredded mozzarella
1 C fresh prewashed baby or torn spinach
1/2 lb sweet italian sausage (4 oz turkey slices)
1/4 C kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1/3 C red/ green/ yellow bell pepper
1 egg lightly beaten

*Preheat oven to 375. Lightly brush a baking sheet with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal; set aside.
*On a lightly floured surface, carefully stretch or roll pizza dough into a 13 x 10 inch rectangle. Arrange pepperoni on dough in a single layer leaving a 1/2 inch around the edges. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Layer spinach and sausage on the cheese. Top with remaining cheese, olives and peppers. Roll up the dough, starting from a long side. Pinch to seal the seams and edges.
*Place loaf, seam side down, on prepared baking sheet. Brush with egg. Using a sharp knife, cut slits in the top for steam to escape. Bake about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes and slice into serving size pieces.

(We tried the "simple" version of this recipe first and it was tasty and affordable but wasn't a legit stromboli in our opinion. So, I improvised.)
Either way you make it.... Enjoy!

Since Wednesday ...

2011-06-13T21:32:00.000-07:00

*I colored my hair red again

and discovered that my hair has finally reached the point that I need 3 boxes to cover it all. Gaah!
*Joyously found out that our charter school has decided to make an exception and pay for the entire Calvert curriculum for BOTH boys and even cover the difference beyond the $700 they typically allow by rolling over Milo's remaining EU's from this year! Praise God!
*Our seeds have sprouted in the garden boxes! The boys and I are always excited to see seedlings popping through. It just feels good, for some reason.
*We Enjoyed a "graduation Sunday" carnival on the back lot at church yesterday. It was a great time and the boys were surprisingly well behaved. They partook in inflatable fun, hot dogs/ corndogs (eeew), a train ride and even jousting.

Autry got in ONE good hit before...

his inevitable defeat.

Then at the car they ALL decided they just had to pee. They're 6, 4 & 2. Don't judge me...
Then we had a great time with my brother, Mike and his sweet girlfriend, Rachel, who came up to help out, hang out and devour some In-N-Out with us. Mmmmmmmm....
*I had my 20 wk prenatal check up. I took Finlay with me and the older boys went to pick out plants for the back hill with Matthew. It was actually quite fun having him with me. He helped Mary, my midwife, find and listen to the baby's heartbeat and asked 100 cute questions and even got four Spiderman stickers for being so good. Then he and I went to Starbucks for treats on the way home.
There was more mundane stuff but who wants to know that much about us, really?
Much love,
The Bennetts

Gasp! Wordless Wednesday!

2011-06-09T23:21:00.000-07:00

Eggplant Parmesan

2011-06-08T14:02:00.000-07:00

Easy Eggplant Parmesan
1 average / large eggplant
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp water
1/4 C unbleached flour (or chickpea flour for my wheat free friends)
1/8 tsp pepper
2-4 tbsp unrefined oil, for frying
1 C parmesan cheese
1 jar spaghetti sauce, a thicker/ creamier kind works better than a watery/ chunky style
1 C mozzarella
shredded fresh basil (optional)

The first thing you need to know about cooking with fresh eggplant is that you need to get that bitter juice out so that that's not all you taste. Wash, skin if you like and slice your eggplant into 1/2 inch slices. generously salt both sides of each slice and let them sit in a dish to juice up in the fridge 30 minutes to an hour.

see the droplets? Rinse them off and set them on a towel to dry while you start the next step.
Preheat your oven to 400. Begin heating the oil over medium heat. In a little bowl mix the flour and pepper. Combine your eggs and water in another dish and dip each slice of eggplant into the egg first and then the flour, coating both sides. Drop them into the hot oil and cook, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides. Remove and let drain over a towel on a wire rack.
Then spread a spoonful of pasta sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish and make a single layer of cooked eggplant. Top with parmesan and a sparing layer of pasta sauce. Repeat until you run out of eggplant. top with enough sauce to thinly cover the whole surface and sprinkle with the mozzarella evenly.
Bake uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes and top with the basil, if you want it.
Enjoy!

aaaahhhh.....

2011-06-07T19:49:00.000-07:00

Today was a pretty relaxing day, actually. After breakfast we went out back to work in the yard some more while the kids ran around on their new grass and jumped on the trampoline and Fin played in the playhouse. It was really nice. Matthew stained Peppers fence and I started planting veggie seeds in my new garden boxes that have finally found their permanent home.

We took a break and ran to Lowes as a family to get more stain and buy some starts that I didn't already have seeds for, and I made out like a bandit.
I planted:
lettuce, peas, carrots, green and yellow beans, broccoli, bell peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, chives, tomatoes and strawberries. And I still have our zucchini and straight neck squash to plant tomorrow. I'm so excited to finally have started planting. I've been chomping at the bit but haven't been able to plant any veggies because of all the other yard work. Fortunately our long growing season here in Sunny southern California gives me a grace period. And Matthew has decided that I do, indeed, need more garden boxes. So, although I doubt I'll see anymore before next Monday, I'm very excited to have more space to plant. I'd like to actually have enough to can this year. Last year, we ate everything as it came up.

A very tired gardener :)

These raspberries were gobbled up seconds later.

I, also, wanted to share that despite my excitement about the Calvert curriculum, finances and a change to the schools curriculum buying process have scrapped the Calvert idea for us. While we still get $700 or EU's to purchase curriculum from our charter school, it is now broken up into $400 for the Fall semester and $300 for the Spring. Calvert requires that you purchase the entire curriculum at once and thus we would have had to front the difference for both boys. Yikes. So, on the hunt I went for a new curriculum that was not only secular (already a bummer) but a complete package, within the $400 Fall budget AND that I liked.
And I found Oak Meadow.

http://www.oakmeadow.com/curriculum/first-grade.php
It's a Waldorf education style and I like everything about it although it's VERY lenient (and thus far below Milo's current level) in language arts. So, I'll be supplementing with A Reason for Handwriting for both boys(http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find?event=EBRN&N=1030439&Ne=1030439&Nso=1&Nu=product.endeca_rollup&Ns=product.number_sold) and AOP's Lifepac Bible worktexts (http://www.aophomeschooling.com/product/bib0100/)for Milo and This other workbook (http://www.christianbook.com/bible-story-puzzles-lessons-goodness-grades/linda-standke/9780887248658/pd/48650?event=1016BIB|1776486|1016#curr) for Autry.
Those supplements are out of pocket but so worth the money. So, now that that's settled in my mind and ordered I was at peace about it today.
God is good all the time and all the time God is good.

Insanity

2011-06-06T09:47:00.000-07:00

They say, "The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again but excpect a different result." So, that means that everyone in my house needs to be institutionalized. For example, I have been taught that consistency in discipline is going to pay off.
However, that payday must be far in the future because no matter how many times I have drilled into their heads AND reminded them in the moment to, "obey the first time" they ignore me, none the less.
SO, am I insane to expect that this time it's gonna work?

Or when my husband comes home everyday expecting to walk into a spotless, peaceful sanctuary of a home and gets shot down daily because that expectation is simply more than this insane Mama can muster; does that make him insane?

How about our children?
Milo comes to the supper table every single night and throws a tantrum (yes, he's 6) because he "hates!" this food. Every single night....
Autry (almost 5) still cries and screams when he's angry or frustrated despite being told a bazillion that screaming and crying NEVER gets you what you want.
And Fin is still only 2 but runs in the house more times a day than I can count regardless of how many times (in the same day) he slips or trips on the wood floor and hurts himself.

Is this insanity? It certainly feels like it.....
But Scripture says:
Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Ephesians 6:4
And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Thus, I'm praying that He will give me peace in my heart and like the p31 woman;
Proverbs 31:26
She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
I want to be like her.... truly.
And I'll just keep praying that I can hold out until all this training up and consistency comes to fruition.

A few finishing touches...

2011-06-04T21:33:00.000-07:00

Though we'll probably never be done.

Fast & Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

2011-06-04T21:13:00.000-07:00

4 C chicken broth
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 lg carrot or 8-10 baby carrots
1 stalk celery, sliced
1/2 C rotini pasta (we like brown rice pasta)
1 C shredded cooked chicken
Bring the broth, pepper and veggies to a boil. Add the noodle and chicken and cook another 10 minutes and you're done! So easy and classic.

Honey Dijon Chicken

2011-06-02T20:30:00.000-07:00

It could be called Staple Chicken because I make this on a week when we're a little strapped since all I have to buy, if I don't already have it, is the chicken.
You'll need:

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb)
1/4 C honey
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Preheat to 350. Put the chicken in an ungreased baking dish. Combine all the other ingredients and pour over the chicken. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes or until juices run clear, turning and basting with juices every 15 minutes.

Serve with rice and a salad and you're set. Enjoy! I forgot to take a picture, sorry.

Win a Boon Flair Highchair!!!

2011-06-02T08:52:00.000-07:00

http://sometimessweet.blogspot.com/2011/06/giveaway-boon-flair-highchair.html
Who doesn't want one of those?

More pics of the yard!

2011-06-02T08:33:00.000-07:00

I'm getting an itch for a bbq....

Herb Roasted Chicken and Veggies with Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower

2011-06-01T19:53:00.000-07:00

Oh yes I did!

Herb Roasted Chicken
1 4 lb whole broiler chicken
2 tbsp melted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tsp dried basil, crushed
1/2 tsp ground sage
1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbsp melted butter, additional for basting

*Preheat to 400. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Brush with melted butter and rub with garlic.
*In a small bowl mix all the other ingredients and rub onto the chicken.

Vegetables
1 lb red potatoes, halved or quartered based on size
a handful of baby carrots
1 medium turnip, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 in pieces
1 medium onion, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 bell pepper, roughly chopped

*Cook the potatoes, carrots and turnip in boiling water for 5 minutes; drain.
* In a large bowl toss the drained veggies plus the onion and bell pepper with enough seasoning salt to suit your taste.
Arrange around your chicken in the roasting pan.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes; remove foil turn veggies and baste chicken with additional butter and bake another 30 minutes.

Meanwhile:
Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower
1 medium sized cauliflower, stem and leaves removed
1 C chicken broth, low sodium
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 tbsp olive oil
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 C milk

*Bring broth to a boil in a large pot and add prepared cauliflower and garlic; drizzle with olive oil and cook, covered, 8-10 minutes.
*Check for softness with a fork or potato masher. If it's soft enough let the broth begin to cook off while you break up the cauliflower and add the cream cheese and milk. I use a hand held food processor to get them creamy like mashed potatoes.
Season with salt and pepper if you think it needs it.
Enjoy!

The yard !

2011-06-01T19:15:00.000-07:00

Yay!!!!

Wordy Wednesday!

2011-06-01T19:07:00.000-07:00

Praying for Self-Control, Diligence, and Self-Discipline
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.
Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness
and peace for those who have been trained by it.
- Hebrews 12:11

Consider the following warnings from the book of Proverbs:
* "Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control."
* "He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin."
* "The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied."
* "The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly."

By contrast, the future looks bright for children who learn to exercise self-discipline, diligence, and self-control. Proverbs 10:4 says, "Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth." Hebrews 12:11 promises that discipline will produce "A harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained in it." And 2 Peter 1:5-8 links attributes like self-control and perseverance to effective, productive Christianity.

Which do you want for your kids: Poverty, dissatisfaction and unrest... or wealth, righteousness and peace? Brokenness, ruin and death... or effective, productive living? If you picked the latter traits, then character traits like diligence and self-control are not optional in your childrens lives. They are mandatory assets without which genuine happiness, contentment and satisfaction become impossible to attain.

I am so blessed by the wisdom in this book, "Praying the Scriptures for Your Children" by Jodie Berndt and I so recommend that you buy the book yourselves.
Blessings!

More progress

2011-05-30T23:35:00.000-07:00

Our sweet great dane, Pepper, is a giant. And as such, she steps on and breaks things that, to her, seem tiny and insignificant, like our new plants. So, for our sanity and to keep her from getting in trouble for doing nothing except being a careless dog, Matthew built this fence to create a dog run for her on the shady side of the house. It's a rather large space and contains 3 trees and quite a bit of open space for her to cruise around in when we can't be outside with her. He chose this fence design to be just at her head height (tall enough that she doesn't realize she could easily jump over if she wanted to) and with wide gaps in the boards so that if we are outside but don't want her around, like say a bbq or playdate where she might steal food or knock little kids over, she can still see what's going on and can visit with people who venture to her side. It still needs to be sealed but I'm very happy with how it came out!
While he was building that, the kids helped me plant all the berries and other plants that needed to go in the ground still. Matthew also got all the fruit trees planted and drip lines connected, as well. Well... all except our cherry tree whose intended home turns out to be in solid rock. So, now we've gotta find it a new home. And we will. Tomorrow he'll finish up the prep for the sod which comes Wednesday!!!! I can't wait to post updated pics. Check back soon...

The Orchard is here!

2011-05-28T14:16:00.000-07:00

My sweet husband just got back from Clausen's Nursery with a grip of fruit trees, berries and other plants.
We now have a:
Hass Avocado
Valencia Orange
Granny Smith Apple
Red Fuji Apple
Burgundy Plum
Rio Red Grapefruit
Wonderful Pomegranate
Kansas Sweet Cherry
and a Golden Amber Apricot
joining our Navel Orange, Tropic Snow Peach, Lemon and Lime trees! I couldn't be more excited! Here's a pic of our new Pomegranate tree.

He also brought me 2 new raspberries, 2 blackberries and 2 more boysenberries to join our bramble patch.
Food in my yard! That's right y'all.

Where was I?

2011-05-26T15:44:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a wild week. My kids and I have, obviously, been working through some stuff and the Lord is really stretching me although I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be learning yet. I know I need more patience. I know I need more wisdom. And I know I need to just let go and let God. But I also know that my husband and family can't wait for me to figure it all out first. So, what's a stressed out, overwhelmed Mama to do? Pray! SO that's where I'm at people. I'm praying. I don't have an answer for everything. (Surprising, I know.)

Meanwhile, I missed Wordy Wednesday. So, here you go:
This is more wisdom from "Praying the Scriptures for Your Children" by Jodie Berndt. Go buy it!

One of the best ways we can foster a love for God's Word is to encourage our kids to memorize Scripture. Young children, especially, have a seemingly limitless capacity for memorization -- a lesson I learned when Hillary, as a three-year-old, recited the entire peamble to the Beauty and the Beast story on video, word for word. For me, that did it: I figured that any child who could recite a Hollywood script could certainly learn a couple of Bible verses!
Let _______ keep Your words and store up Your commands so that he will live. Cause him to guard Your teachings as the apple of his eye, and let them be written on the tablet of his heart.
Proverbs 7:2-3

Buy it here: http://www.christianbook.com/praying-the-scriptures-for-your-children/jodie-berndt/9780310232162/pd/32166?kw=32166&en=froogle&p=1013824&cm_mmc=CBDfeeds-_-froogle-_-books-_-32166

I think I mentioned in my last post that I'd had to print some forms for Autry's enrollment in the charter school. Well, one of them was a physical form that had to be filled out by his pediatrician. That meant that he needed to go in Tuesday to have it filled out and do whatever was necessary to get ready for kindergarten. Well, that included a PPD test (tuberculosis) which requires bringing him back againfor them to "read" it on Friday. Fine, no big deal.
Then yesterday, Milo started showing some symptoms of another ear infection. Cough, sore ear, swollen glands and (gag) green drainage from his tear ducts. Not uncommon for My poor boy. So, that brought us to the dr's office again this morning to confirm it and get the meds. Could they "read" Autry's arm today. NOPE. Has to be a full 48 hours from the test. Thus, we'll be going back again tomorrow morning. Yay....

We were supposed to have a playdate with my best friend, Delane, Jayme, Rachel and a few other Mamas and the SWARM of kids that belong to us, respectively. lol But you know what they say about the best laid plans.... It just sorta fell apart. With my mental health vacation and my other friends just wanting to lay low today we just decided to push it till next Thursday.

What else can I tell you all??? Oh, I've been thinking about starting a cooking feature on here because I simply love to cook and then eat it. And I hear I'm not too shabby at it. The cooking, that is. hahaha
So, just to kick it off, here's what we're having tonight. Barbeque Ribs in the slow cooker with garlic mashed potatoes and cornbread. Here's a not very exciting pic of my homemade bbq sauce for the ribs. My house smells like Heaven, btw.

BBQ Sauce
Unrefined oil
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 C brown sugar, packed
1 C ketchup
1 tbsp hot pepper sauce, or to taste
2 small red onions, finely chopped
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 C cider vinegar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp chili powder

In a skillet over medium heat, add oil and cook garlic and onions until softened and lightly browned. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer gently for 5 minutes and you're done! Easy peasy!
Now this is just enough for us. It won't be long before I'm doubling this. So, if you've got a bigger family or just big eaters, double it. Enjoy!

Geez louise

2011-05-23T22:23:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have those days where nothing in particular goes wrong but just every little thing gets under your skin and no matter how aware you are of simply having a bad attitude you can't shake it? That was me today.
The day started out pretty normal for a shopping day; "what is left for breakfast?" No big deal, there was plenty to eat. Then I ran over to the charter school to meet with our new EF (educational facilitator) whom I adored. She's very chill but also very knowledgeable and organized. She's been facilitating with Dehesa for 8 years and has three boys. We talked about the curriculum we've been following this year and what's working or not working for us. She couldn't believe the level of Milo's reading, writing and math examples that I turned in. :o) And we talked about ordering the Calvert curriculum for both boys next year. Apparently, our former EF couldn't hang and not only didn't order curriculum for any of his assigned students but also just showed up at the office, dropped of his keys and said he quit. Nice.
I went next door to the Montessori side and asked if they could transfer Milo and Autry's registration forms over to the ISP side which, of course, was no problem. I had originally put both boys on the waiting list for the montessori program 2 days a week for next year but found out 2 months ago they won't be getting in until the following year. Oh well. Lame but not a huge bummer. I left this morning feeling pleased and accomplished.
After I got home we hung around and did lazy weekend things. Felafel for lunch. mmmm.... And later in the afternoon took off to run errands. This is where the story goes downhill. First was a stop at the Postal Annex to print out some forms still needed for Autry's enrollment and the boys did very well. Next we went to Target for a few things that TJ's just doesn't sell and the boys weren't specifically wild but they were bothersome. Mild wrestling, Fin wouldn't stay in the cart, begging for gum, knocking things off of shelves and the like. No tantrums, no fighting, yelling or crying. Just irritating.
Next was Jimbo's to try to find some superfood powders that I've never heard of before but are considered essential and instead of my current vitamin ritual per my Nourishing Traditions book (love love love. Thanks Rachel!)

Of course, I couldn't find them and was getting even more agitated by the vitamin counter people ignoring me as they listened to a forever long presentation by a Jason Lotion rep and the boys continued mildly crazy antics.
Finally, over to Trader Joe's we get everything, except 2 qts of whole raw milk (bummer,) and it even cost less than I was expecting, woohoo! However, when the boys pouted and refused the lollipops that were the only available prize for finding Arrrrmando it was so awkward and pretty embarrassing. Out to the car we go but by now I'm fuming. All the way home I cranked up the Smashing Pumpkins so that I couldn't hear their teasing and bickering. Then at home, it's past supper time so I'm rushing to get the cold stuff put away while cooking supper and keeping the kids at bay while Matthew did who knows what out back. The kids liked it but despite not being happy with how it came out myself I was pissed that Matthew didn't like it. After I got the kitchen cleaned up, all the kids in jammies, teeth brushed, stories read and in bed I was exhausted! But now that it's later and Matthew's working on free lance with Jamie at the Yellow Deli, I'm calm and can think back on how I let myself get so bent out of shape. Blah. It makes me sad. I feel like I wasted the afternoon being upset and rude to my kids and husband. I pray tomorrow is a better day from start to finish. Good night all!

Wordy Wednesday!

2011-05-18T15:38:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a break from my Psalms devo to pray through the book, "Praying the Scriptures for your Children: Discovering How to Pray God's Will for Their Lives" by Jodie Berndt.

I've done this devo before and after an epiphany yesterday about why some animals eat their babies am feeling led to pray through it again.

Today I read Ch 8 which is Praying for Self-Control, Diligence, and Self-Discipline.
I'm only going to cite a few of the verses because I fully want you all to go out and buy this book. It's awesome!

"Help _____ to be self-controlled. Let him show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose the gospel may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about him." Titus 2:6-8

"May _____'s sin find him out, so that he will be drawn back to You, Lord, for forgiveness and Your gracious blessing of a new beginning." Numbers 32:23

"Cause _____ to make every effort to add to her faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. Let _____ possess these qualities in increasing measure, so that she will be effective and productive in her knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:5-8

And one of the Prayer Principles says;
"When you pray for your children to learn things like diligence and self-control, you are asking God to give them attributes that are absolutely essential to their future happiness and success."

Get your own copy here:
http://www.zondervan.com/Cultures/en-US/Product/ProductDetail.htm?ProdID=com.zondervan.9780310232162&QueryStringSite=Zondervan

Love it or Exchange it

2011-05-18T10:15:00.000-07:00

Finding the right cloth diaper for your family can be hard (but fun)! Return any stain-free cloth diaper within 30 days for a full store-credit to purchase any other cloth diapers or items in our store!
Use this link:
http://www.jilliansdrawers.com/customerservice/returnsandcancellations.

Cloth Diaper Contest Giveaway!

2011-05-18T10:06:00.000-07:00

Jillian's Drawers is giving away:

2 BabyKicks 3g Pocket Diapers of your choice and
3 Hemparoo Joey-Bunz
to one winner this Friday, May 20th after 9 PM ET
What an excellent chance to build your/ my stash!

http://www.jilliansdrawers.com/products/clothdiapers/fridaygiveaway

Us!!!

2011-05-17T19:50:00.000-07:00

I can count on one hand the number of photos, besides wedding photos, with both Matthew and I in them. Well, this beautiful photo was taken at our good friends Tyler & Stephanie's rehearsal dinner. Tyler's brother Ethan tagged us on facebook and now I'm bringing it to you all. Congratulations Tyler and Stephanie!

16 week appt.

2011-05-16T21:35:00.000-07:00

It was short and sweet. Weigh in (still only 3lbs gained), blood pressure reading, pee in the cup, general chit chat with my midwife, my uterus and baby now almost reach my belly button, listened to his heartbeat, talked about whether we're still going to try for a girl or not and finally a PPD (tuberculosis) test. Made 3 future appointments and out the door. Yay!

*Update: I do not have tuberculosis. Whew... I was really worried. hahaha

Such a sweet Man

2011-05-13T22:39:00.000-07:00

My sweet husband just surprised me with an awesome Moleskine Gardening Journal! I had asked him for one a week ago because I want to keep track of everything and what does well (or doesn't) when to do what to each plant and what we truly end up using so that I know what to plant again, and when, next year. I love this man!

Workin' men...

2011-05-13T22:22:00.000-07:00

Somehow or other these photos of my boys didn't make it into my earlier blogs about the yard transformation so I figured I'd just throw them up, anyway.

That's my 6 year old, Milo, filing in irrigation trenches!

And our (current) middle son, Autry, who's 4, digging. They are such great workers and I felt they should get the credit due them. <3

Playdate

2011-05-12T21:03:00.000-07:00

We had a great time this afternoon with my Bestie, Delane, and my new "real life" friend, Jayme (talked to her online for more than 3 years before meeting her two months ago) and all of their sweet kiddos. We Mamas had a great time relaxing and chatting while the kids ran amuck through my house and turned the playroom on it's ear in a surprisingly short amount of time. I don't have all the photos, because I'm terrible about remembering to tae photos. But my girl, Delane, is a pro and took a bazillion photos. Check out her blog (Life of a Mombie button to your right)for photos of the event!

Wordy Wednesday!

2011-05-11T12:29:00.000-07:00

Theme Because God is Creator, Lord, Savior and Deliverer, He is worthy of our trust and praise. Because He is faithful and His Word is dependable, we can rejoice and sing, giving thanks and praise.
Author Anonymous
Psalm 33
1 Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise Him.
2 Praise the Lord with the harp;
make music to Him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3 Sing to Him a new song;
play skillfully and shout for joy.

4 For the Word of the Lord is right and true;
He is faithful in all He does.
5 The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of His unfailing love.

6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made.
their starry host by the breath of His mouth.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
He puts the deep into storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the people of the earth revere Him.
9 For He spoke, and it came to be;
He commanded and it stood firm.
10 The Lord foils the plans of the nations;
He thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
the purposes of His heart through all generations.

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people He chose for His inheritance.
13 From heaven the Lord looks down
and sees all mankind;
14 from His dwelling place He watches
all who live on earth-
15 He who forms the hearts of all,
who considers everything they do.
16 No king is saved by the size of his army;
no warrior escapes by his great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all it's great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him,
on those whose hope is in His unfailing love,
19 to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait in hope for the Lord;
He is our help and our sheild.
21 In Him our hearts rejoice;
for we trust in His holy name.
22 May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord,
even as we put our hope in You.

A few plants of note that I'm excited about

2011-05-10T11:58:00.000-07:00

This is one of many small blueberry bushes scattered around the yard.

Her's our Tropic Snow Peach tree! Probably another year (maybe two) before we see fruit but I'm excited.

One of 5 echinacea plants that I intend to use for remedies. Yay!

This is called Society Garlic. You cook with the leaves and the whole plant smells like garlic. Delicious!

Boysenberries! I was planning to make jam but they've been so good the boys keep eating them off the vine.

And last, but not least, a Strawberry Tree! I don't have any experience with this one but I'm told it grows sweet edible berries. Not like the ones that come to mind when you think strawberries though. So, we'll see!

Backyard progress!

2011-05-10T11:11:00.000-07:00

So, while I've been busy not blogging we've been doing this!

planting...

placing flagstone paths...

mixing in compost where the sod is going....

SOD!

What? we actually have grass IN our yard!

The men laid the sod and cut all the edges to make a nice flowing shape and of course to fit around our flagstone steps...

Yay!!!
Now of course its waterlogged and we have to stay off it for a few weeks so that the sod will take root but 1/3rd of our yard is complete! Hooray!

And this area will be the bbq island!

IT'S A....

2011-05-05T11:44:00.000-07:00

Wow, so our 3D/4D ultrasound went great! We went to a place in San Diego called A Baby Visit and they were excellent! The people there were so friendly and helpful. They were recommended to me by my best friend, Delane, who went there to "visit" her last baby, Draven.
I was so excited that so many people were able to come. My parents, Matthew's Mom, our sil, Gina, and our two beautiful nieces, Brooklyn and Austin, of course, my bff Delane and her sweet kiddos, Scarlet, Dexter and Draven. The waiting room was pretty small and looked alot like any old drs office waiting room.

When it was our turn to go into the room, I was surprised by how big the "theater" was.

And the floor to ceiling viewing screen was excellent for all of our guests to get to see our precious little one!

Baby was incredibly active the whole time and was making it very difficult to see what we were looking for. As soon as we got close to seeing, baby would move or kick. And we saw a lot of the baby's back. As if the baby knew we were prying.
Well, after being told to get up and walk /jump around (and drink some orange juice, Thanks Delane!) to see if we could get the baby to turn around....

Delane took this picture, so obviously, she's not in it. So, we had some taken of us together, too.

Wordy Wednesday!

2011-05-04T08:07:00.000-07:00

Theme Declaring loyalty to God. If we are genuinely commited to God, we can stand up to the opposition and examination.
Author David, possibly written during the days of Absolom's rebellion

Psalm 26 of David.
1 Vindicate me, O Lord,
for I have led a blameless life;
I have trusted in the Lord
without wavering.
2 Test me, O Lord, and try me,
examine my heart and my mind;
3 for your love is ever before me,
and I walk continually in Your truth.
4 I do not sit with deceitful men,
nor do I consort with hypocrites;
5 I abhor the assembly of evildoers
and refuse to sit with the wicked.
6 I wash my hands in innocence,
and go about your alter, O Lord,
7 proclaiming aloud your praise
and telling of all Your wonderful deeds.
8 I love the house where You live, O Lord,
the place where Your glory dwells.

9 Do not take away my soul along with sinners,
my life with bloodthirsty men,
10 in whose hands are wicked schemes,
whose right hands are full of bribes.
11 But I lead a blameless life;
redeem me and be merciful to me.

12 My feet stand on level ground;
in the great assembly I will praise the Lord.

* Now initially when I read this, I was a little unsure what to think about David claiming to lead a blameless life. Was he being self righteous or even worse trying to decieve the Lord? Because, for real, no one is "blameless." And then the verses about not sitting with hypocrites or deceitful men was troubling because I have friends who are unsaved and I pray that while being their friend and enjoying spending time together they will see Jesus shining through me and that they would know by my actions and heart why I am different and hopefully want it for themselves. But when I looked into the notes at the bottom of the page, I found some excellent insights.
26:1-3 In asking God to declare him "blameless," David was not claiming to be sinless- that is impossible for any human being to achieve. Instead, he was pleading with God to clear his name of the false charges made against him by his enemies. We also can ask God to examine us, trusting Him to forgive our sins and clear our record according to His mercy.
26:4-5 Should we stay away from unbelievers? No.Although Christians should avoid some places, Jesus demonstrated that we must go among unbelievers to help them. There is a difference, however between being with unbelievers and being one of them. Acting like unbelievers harms our witness for God.
Ask about the people you enjoy: If you are with them often, will you become less obedient to God in outlook or action?
If the answer is yes, carefully monitor how you spend your time with these people and their affect on you.
26:12 Too often we complain about our problems to anyone who will listen and praise God only in private. Instead, we ought to complain privately and praise God publicly.

Good grief!

2011-05-03T15:06:00.000-07:00

Sorry for going mia on ya! As most of you know, my husband is a graphic designer and by default, not a manual laborer. Well all of his hard work in the yard paid him back with a trip to the dr for some iv fluids for dehydration and an order to back off for awhile. After losing 16 lbs in a few days time, loss of appetite, head aches and lethargy he agreed he should probably give it a rest. So we took a few days off and had others like my parents, myself and our boys pick up the slack on Saturday. We got all the pipes covered and the patio beds dug out (yes, again! thanks a lot, excavator) and the whole yard as smooth as humanly possible.

Yesterday my sweet man rallied and built two of the new garden boxes for me and they came out great! They still need chicken wire stapled to the bottoms (dang gophers) but we still have time to do that.

And now today we have helpers again! Yay! Ramon, Emanuel and Mitch are back and Matthew hopes to have the irrigation completed, the fire pit is almost finished and dg should be moved from my driveway to the back patios this afternoon. Progress!

Day #3

2011-04-27T16:43:00.000-07:00

So much got done today! The excavator was just the thing for digging trenches and they already had pipes together and laid in the trenches by the time I got back.

I left with Ramon around 10 to go plant shopping. It hadn't sounded like a big deal. I asked if I should bring the kids or not and he said, "Oh, no. We'll need to take my truck." So, Matthew says," Cool, they can hang out while I dig right here."

Matthew had to dig from our main in the front of the house around to the back so that there will actually be water flowing through those pipes! Bonus, right!?
Neither of us realized what kind of excursion I was about to go on. We went to several large nurseries, the likes of which, I've never seen. It was like gardener heaven! I won't lie, by the end, some 6 hours later, I was draggin' and Matthew was repeatedly texting "where are you?" and "please hurry! The kids are going nuts!" I was pregnant, hungry, walking up and down dirt/ muddy hills, carrying plants from the rows to the back of the truck and man-o-man, sunburned! But it was a very successful shopping trip that produced 5 trees and 50ish bushes, edible plants including society garlic, blueberry bushes, a strawberry tree and the like, perennial flowers and ornamental grasses!

Obviously not everything is in this photo, but you get the idea! Hooray!

Day #2

2011-04-26T15:54:00.000-07:00

Matthew, his friend Mitch and our landscape designer, Ramon (hiding behind the post), dug some irrigation trenches this morning before deciding to rent an excavator to finish the job tomorrow. Hahaha! They quickly moved on to digging the beds for our fire pit patio and the bbq island patio. We also discussed and marked with bright pink spray paint the placement of plants, trees, flower beds, garden boxes and the borders between sod, mulch and DG. Tomorrow is another big day but my brother, Mike and dad, Dennis, will be coming up to help out after work! So, that will be excellent! To be continued....

Day #1

2011-04-25T18:32:00.000-07:00

Of the new backyard makeover! My work horse of a husband and his friend Tom tilled the entire backyard today. They dug out tree stumps, old french drains, stone paths and brick borders. Shoveled old rock garden beds (think arizona landscaping) into a pile near the gate and raked out all of the weeds. Tom was able to stay about 5 hours but Matthew worked from before the kids and I were up till supper time. He is heroic! Here's a sampling of the progress made today!

It looks like grass in the photo but that's carefully deceptive mowed weeds masquerading as grass.

"Hi ho, hi ho, home from work I go...." hahaha that's a pick axe, if you can't tell. So, it's funny.

Beautiful tilled soil ready for irrigation, new sod, garden beds, edible landscaping, a new patio and a fire pit! Yes, oh, yes! A ton of work ahead of us, but I cannot wait!

Happy Good Friday!!!!

2011-04-22T10:02:00.000-07:00

Today is the day that our Lord Jesus Christ was hung on a cross and died for our sins. A sad but glorious day! We like to eat sweets and teaching our children about Jesus is super important in our house, so, here's what we do on Good Friday. We make:

Resurrection Rolls

* 1 package Crescent rolls
* melted butter
* large marshmallows
* cinnamon
* sugar

Read John 19 to the kids while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If you're really on top of things, spend the week before reading John 12-18 with your kids.

Give each child a triangle of crescent rolls.
The crescent roll represents the cloth that Jesus was wrapped in.

Give each child a marshmallow.
This represents Jesus and His purity.

Have the child dip the marshmallow in melted butter.
This represents the oils of embalming.

Dip the buttered marshmallow in the cinnamon and sugar.
This represents the spices used to annoint the body of Jesus.

Wrap the coated marshmallow tightly in the crescent roll
(not like a typical crescent roll up, but bring the points up and seal the marshmallow inside)
This represents the wrapping of Jesus' body after death. You can brush with more melted butter if you like, but it's not necessary.

Place in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or according to package directions.
The oven represents the tomb (pretend like it was 3 days and nights!)
While the rolls are baking, read John 20:1-18.

Open the tomb and remove the rolls. When the rolls have cooled slightly, the children can open their rolls (cloths) and discover that Jesus is no longer there,

HE IS RISEN!

The marshmallow melts and the crescent roll is puffed up,
but like the tomb - IT IS EMPTY!
While you enjoy the sweet treats you can read 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 for the sweet news that Jesus is coming again!

**A good friend since kindergarten (I kid you not) just sent me this recipe for Easter Cookies, made the night before. I've never made them before but they sound good and it came with lots of verse references to read with the kids, so we're planing to try them. I thought I'd include the recipe here for all of you, as well.

Read all the way through first before doing with the kids so you know what's coming up. This is meant to do on THE NIGHT BEFORE EASTER!

Ingredients:
1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
zip lock bag
wooden spoon
tape
Bible

Preheat the oven to 300F

Place pecans in the ziplock bag and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp vinegar into the mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until still peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isa. 1:18 and John 3:1-3

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoon onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mount represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matt. 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and TURN THE OVEN OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matt. 27:65-66.

GO TO BED. Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matt. 28:1-9.

This came from my sweet friend, Jackie.

Wordy Wednesday!

2011-04-20T13:12:00.000-07:00

I know, I know! The trend is "wordless Wednesday" but I decided that doesn't work for me. This is my blog after all, right? So, every Wednesday I'll be posting the Scripture that I studied during devos that morning. Ok? Ok!

Psalm 12
ThemeThe proud and lying words of people versus the true and pure words of God. A call for protection against those who try to manipulate us.

For the director of music. According to the sheminith. A psalm of David.
1 Help, Lord, for the godly are no more;
the faithful have vanished among men.
2 Everyone lies to his neighbor;
their flattering lips speak with deception.

3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips
and every boastful tongue
4 that says, "We will triumph with our tongues;
we own our lips - who is our master?"

5 "Because of the oppression of the weak
and the groaning of the needy,
I will now arise," says the Lord.
"I will protect them from those who malign them."
6 And the words of the Lord are flawless,
like silver refined in a furnace of clay,
purified seven times.

7 O Lord, You will keep us safe
and protect us from such people forever.
8 The wicked freely strut about
when what is vile is honored among men.

This is from my NIV Life Application Study Bible that I use on a daily basis if you're wondering what translation this is. Although we study NKJV at worship services at our church which is a Calvary Chapel, I LOVE all of the notes and insights in my NIV. It really explains in depth how to apply the verses to modern life and other scriptures (of course) for further study.

A mish mash

2011-04-18T20:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we got to go visit our precious new niece Austin at the hospital and she is simply to die for. I forgot how much I forgot about brand new babies. Does that make sense? Like, she is impossibly soft, smells like heaven, I instinctually wanted to nuzzle her or that 8lbs 4oz feels like holding air. Unfortunately, she has/ developed (hey, I'm no M.D.) bilirubin so she had to be under an intense light almost the entire time we were there. Gina explained that it's like having jaundice on the inside... And that there was some kind of reaction between Gina's and Austin's red blood cells. Shrug... We had to watch her get pricked for blood tests twice while we were there and while it was very sad, she has the sweetest little cry I've ever heard. How is it that baby girls are sooo enormously different than baby boys even at birth. It's wild to me. If we have a girl this time around, I will be on pins and needles to see what she looks like. Will she look like my nieces, who look so much like their dad (Matthew's brother?) Or will the look like my boys who are a decent mix of the two of us or would she look like me? So many possibilities! hahaha
Our day today has been pretty hum drum. School, yard work, Target and Trader Joes. Have I told you how much I love Trader Joes? I love Trader Joes. Only a few things we have to go to Target for. We can get like 99% of our stuff at TJ's. Just the usual running around, weekend stuff. In case you didn't know, Matthew's days off are Mon/Tues since he works at a church and thus Sat/ Sun are work days. Unfortunately, Matthew has a cold so that's been a bummer. Overall, A great day, though!

Welcoming a new Bennett!

2011-04-16T17:49:00.000-07:00

The lovely Austin Jeanne Bennett joined our family today! She is absolutely perfect with the sweetest little nose and round cheeks, deliciously soft brown hair and, of course, blue eyes for now. She was born to my beautiful sister in law, Gina, and Matthew's brother, Mike. They sound quite sure that Austin completes their family of four, joining her sister, Brooklyn, who is not yet 2.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Girl!

Quiet time...

2011-04-16T14:46:00.000-07:00

So, I just began Psalms again and everyday I'll read a chapter or two and a jot down notes or insights along the margins and, of course, pray. Well, the Lord is the Lord and He knew full well that beginning Psalms again was exactly where I needed to be. I cannot tell you how fortifying and encouraging His words are to my heart. And I've been blessed to share the Word fresh in my heart and mind during a time of need.
This week has been such a vivid example of how we are simply vessels made to be filled up so that we can pour into others.
I will just share a few short verses of what has been soo uplifting.

But You are a shield around me, O Lord;
you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
To the Lord I cry aloud,
and He answers me from His holy hill.
Psalm 3:3,4
I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for You alone, O Lord,
make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8
But let all who take refuge in You be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread Your protection over them,
that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.
For surely,O Lord, You bless the righteous;
You surround them with Your favor as with a shield.
Psalm 5:11,12

God is good all the time and all the time God is good.

contesting...

2011-04-15T15:20:00.000-07:00

I've recently realized as I've been researching cloth diapers that there are some serious cloth diaper giveaways on other blogs. This is not only FANTASTIC but educational as well. I've entered only 2 so far, including the following one. You still have till tomorrow to try for it. The prize includes:
* 2 bumGenius 4.0 diapers (snaps or velcro) (In winners choice of color and closure style)
* 1 package of six Thirsties Fab Wipes (In winners choice of color)
* 2 Sample Packets of Rockin Green Detergent
* 2 Sample Packets of Tiny Bubbles Detergent
* 2 Sample Packets of bumGenius Cloth Diaper Detergent

How cool is that? As a total novice cloth diaper-er (? hey, I claimed novice) to possibly win two cloth diapers some cloth wipes and samples of 3 different brands of cloth-diaper-specific detergents is pretty rad. What an excellent way to try different things out and see what works best!
So here's the link:
http://www.thebudgetmommy.com/home/2011/4/4/cloth-diaper-set-giveaway.html?lastPage=true#comment12623296

Please check them out, and good (wait, I don't believe in luck)...er...blessings!

New Curriculum!

2011-04-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

Last year, I really wanted to use a Charlotte Mason method Christian curric. and found an excellent one called WinterPromise.
We homeschool through a local charter school and they will purchase up to $700of school stuff for you. They bought as much as they could but, being part of the public school system, they couldn't buy all of it because, of course, they can't buy "religious items." Although I initially planned to just buy the rest myself, time got away from me and it never happened. I either borrowed comparable items from the charter's resource center or had them buy acceptable items from Amazon. I loved everything that we got from WinterPromise and would highly recommend them to anyone. Here's just a small sample of what we got from WinterPromise.

However, through our process this year, I've learned so much about my boys and what they respond to best and how they most enjoy learning and we've decided to take a different route next year.

We will be using Calvert K for Autry and Calvert 1st for Milo. And honestly, I couldn't be more excited. It is a complete curriculum that our charter can purchase in full and it will make homeschooling the two big boys so much easier once I also have Fin plus a newborn. I had our EF (educational facilitator) order them today so we should have them before the summer and be ready to go next year. Woohoo!

Cloth Diapering

2011-04-12T21:15:00.000-07:00

I have always wanted to try cloth diapers and with Milo I did for about a week and a half (I know, rockstar effort.) But with Milo I only had prefolds and no covers that fit correctly and simply gave up. I never tried again with Autry or Fin.
Well, after a lot of online research and a visit to a local baby boutique that has a cloth diaper sample station where you can try all of the different cloth diapers they sell on a baby doll and check them all out, I have come to a conclusion.

With this new baby, I plan to use gDiapers. I'm currently saving up for their gDiapers gBaby Bundle- small which contains 12 tiny gPants which are sized for newborns, 6 small Little gPants, 2 pkgs of small biodegradable gRefills (80 count) and a Swishstick. It's on sale at Target right now for $124 but I probably won't have enough before the sale is over so it'll likely cost me $150.

But I think it'll be worth it. If this is a girl and I have a shower, I'll register for the larger size and prefolds which I plan to use while at home. I think I'll only be using the gRefills when we're out and about.
Oh, and I discovered that there are also little liners that you can place on top of the prefolds to catch any "solids" and then you just throw that away and throw the wet prefold in the wash. Nice. These ones, are available at BabiesRUs @ $6.99 for 100 liners. Not bad!

Cloth diapers have come a long way since my Mom cloth diapered me. She never encouraged me to try it because she didn't have much fun. hahaha. I'm excited though.

Family birthdays

2011-04-10T09:23:00.000-07:00

My cousin Dennis and his wife Olivia have two precious boys and their youngest, Luke, turned 1 yesterday! So, the boys and I piled in my Mom's Expedition for the drive up to Placentia, CA. It was sunny but VERY cold and breezy. There was a bouncy house that Milo and Autry took great advantage of but Fin avoided like the plague. And decorate-your-own cupcakes, and hot dogs and hamburgers and such. It was a really nice time and I'm glad we made it up there.

My clown-like "you did it" face and my cousin, Dennis with the Birthday boy, Luke, on the bouncy.

Autry and his cousin, Nathan.

Obviously, serious cupcake decorating going on.

Home improooovement

2011-04-08T21:26:00.000-07:00

We bought our house almost a year ago, exactly. And of course, we've been fixing up a bunch of little (and a few big) things ever since. Well, Hubbs has recently gotten the itch again and in the last few weeks has finished painting the outside trim after painting the entire house last summer, tore down the old and built a brand new fence along the back of our property and tonight had a friend over to help replace a few of our oooold cheapy-cheap 1970's interior doors.

He bought 5 doors in all but they were only able to hang 3 tonight. Apparently as our house has "settled" over the years our door frames are no longer perfectly rectangular. So they've had to do a lot of cutting and sanding to make the doors fit into the frames.

But after all of their hard work we have 3 beautiful new doors and I couldn't be happier with the look of them.

I thanked them with carne asada tacos and all the sides they could eat and I hope that Harold can be persuaded to come again and help us out with more projects as they come up. He's such a nice and knowledgable, God fearing guy and we were blessed to fellowship with him tonight.
Yay!!! for home improvements!

Oh...my....stars!

2011-04-06T16:31:00.000-07:00

So, truth be told, I haven't seen my natural hair color in at least a decade. I've been a red head for the last 5 years with varying shades from a mild strawberry blonde to a bold bright auburn but never straying too far from the realm of natural shades. The most unnatural colors I've had were blue-black and black cherry but not really all that rebellious.
Well, I've long envied the women who were bold enough to color their hair WHATEVER color they want, regardless of the social consequence.
So I decided to take the leap but keep it in my comfort zone with a bold red.
I picked this up at Walmart yesterday:

It was a two step process so first I bleached:

Then I colored:

And obviously the results were less than accurate....
However, I'm taking it in stride (despite feeling a lot like a My Little Pony) and I've decided to rock it for awhile.

Growing growing growing

2011-04-03T19:58:00.000-07:00

Our current youngest, Finlay, turned 2 in February, is halfway potty trained (interpret however you like) and as of today is now in a big boy bed! He's gotten up a billion times simply because he can tonight but I know that will pass once the novelty wears off (we have done this before after all.) Oddly enough, he disappeared a little before lunch today and when I went looking for him, he was asleep in his bed! Wild! Spontaneous sleeping is considered WILD in our house. We'll see what tomorrow brings!