Sunday Soundoff

It is the intent of God for me to have my children. I know that sounds crazy to some. Sometimes it hits me hard that this was not a choice that I have been given - this is what I am meant to do. I was given my first four when I was younger so I would have the experience and put me into place so that I would be able to have the patience and understanding for these last 2. I was given this ability to perform in the way God desires due to what I have had in my past. My 3yo DS has his slower abilities(disability to me means not able; he is able- just slower). I was given the ability to have him at an older age so that he would benefit from a mom who accomplished more in her life and was able to have him in a place where he would benefit at the maximum level. I can't believe the road God had me on to get me here. Regrets? There are none. I wourdn't be who I am if I didn't go through everything that I have. Now, I am able to be the best advocate for my son because I know what is possible. If he had been born 16 years ago I wouldn't have been able to do what I can now. That is amazing to me. When I have a pity party for myself(and yes, I allow my self to have them when I feel overwhelmed) I sing I Almost Let Go. That song pulls me through with the power of the Lord. I almost let go sometimes, until I feel the pull the strength that the Lord has given me. My heart is dancing now thinking how powerful that is. All I can say is Thank You, Lord.

Blogging in Word 2007

Thanks to Word 2007, I can now create and post blogs straight from the word processor.

Los gracias a la palabra 2007, puedo ahora crear y fijar blogs derecho del procesador de textos.

Monday Menu(a few days late)

This will not become a bad habit - posting Monday Menus late.

Monday - Frito pie

Tuesday - Chicken alfredo

Wednesday - Fish and fries

Thursday - Sausage and hashbrown quiche

Friday - Red Beans and Rice

Saturday - Leftover/ Clear the deck

Sunday - Chicken something

Wednesday Whinings

Sitting here, I can look to my right and am greeted by the most beautiful largest pair of eyes ever seen. They are topped by the longest pair of lashes known to mankind. That little boy must have decided in Heaven that he would share him with his little sister, who is a plumper female version of him. That little deedup's health has been a cause of concern for the past 2 years(and he is only 2 years old). He has delays which span physical,speech, and vision.Now, we have gotten an MRI which is revealing something his doctor needed to get a second opinion on as to how to proceed. I worried myself into a migraine yesterday and have the remnants of it still today. I have to be careful what I take as I am breastfeeding so it is basically Tylenol and pain. If anyone knows what else please let me know. I am planning on asking my doctor when I go next week. Other than that, since it is midweek it might be helpful to at least my family if I posted my menu from my kitchen control journal to the fridge. I cannot believe I am holding off on doing something so simple. Bad me!!!

Wednesday Windbag

I am not really going to whine - just talk about what is going on. I will keep the name until I come up with something else. What to talk about? Friday, my D2yS will be undergoing 2 procedures while sedated. First he will have an MRI to try to determine if there is a cause for his nystagmus, a condition that shows itself as an involuntary constant rapid eye movement. There isn't a cure for it but there are tactics that people are able to use. Some he already uses on his own like tilting his head to level the world. While under he will have blood drawn too to try to see if there is a biological reason as to why he isn't gaining any weight. Next he will have surgery to remove his umbilical hernia. I am assured by a friend that this is not a major surgery but anything that cuts my little guy is major to me. He will be out of commission for a few days. What did his intelligent mother do? Made an appointment for Friday afternoon for the older 2. They will be staying home to help me - one will go to the hospital with me in the morning and the other will stay home to tend to the now 5 week old. Then we will all go to the dentist in the afternoon if we get out of the hospital on time. If not, I will reschedule. The dentist was very open to playing it by ear when I called with the dilemna yesterday. Thank goodness they are of age to where I can sign them in and then stay with the 2 littles until the 2 biggies are done. I knew there was a reason why I had them so long ago :-).
I have an idea for Mother's Day - it hit me in the car and I had to cry to a song that played when I was carrying the 16 yo - Oleta Adams Get there any way you can. I am going to write each child a note about what there presence on this earth means to me - what do I think is their great features, one thing I am proud of, a memory of them that makes me laugh out loud, a memory of them that can break me down in a heartbeat. As a parent, I tend to think that simply providing a roof over there heads, food in their bellies and clothes on their backs is showing them that I love them. It is great but it is also helpful to be able to pull out a note and remember when they were told I love u in a note form. I keep old loveletters from my other half and smile and cry whenever I read those sappy things. Knowing how much it took for him to write them - ok, he is actually more of a sappy writer than I am so there were many notes - but he took the time to write to me to tell me he loved me(first time I was told was in a note that he slipped to me at work; the goofball couldn't tell me face to face although he wrote it and didn't want me to read it until we parted company). I have them all and read them whenever I feel as if he doesn't understand my feelings on something or if I know I am about to go over the deep end. Puts things into perspective. Anyway, I am going to write to them all and may just mail them to the house - seems crazy to spend a stamp when they all live in the same house. Nope, I got it! I will put the notes in the mailbox at home without the stamp - they check the mail. I can put them in before I pick them up from school but after the maildeliverer has come for the day.
Anywho, time to make the donuts - really,it is time to drink another glass of water to keep up my moo milk supply.

Monday(yes, it is 2 days late) Menu

My weekly menu may be late to the site but it was at least posted to my fridge on time.


Monday - Tuna Casserole(need to find a new recipe for this; the kids didn't like this one but they rarely do
Tuesday -
Wednesday - Mexican Lasagna(shhh, I pulled out the beef from the roast I made a couple of weeks ago and used that as the meat. They were pleasantly surprised and of course one kid realized it.
Thursday - Enchilada casserole - already done because I will be out of the house most
of the day tomorrow taking 2 kids to the dentist and meeting a few friends for lunch
Friday - Homemade pizza
Saturday - leftovers - I don't think there will be much of that so it may turn into a OYO Dinner
Sunday - Pork chops, mashed potatoes, green beans, biscuits
I burned my right hand badly a few years back and have not been able to bring myself to fry pork chops again. Call me crazy but I can feel the pain of the months of yucky hand still and am scared even though I know what I did wrong when I burned myself. If I can't bring myself to fry them, they turn out nicely in the oven. :-)

Monday Musings

Life is like a box of chocolates - or at least that is what Forest Gump said. For me, life is like a baby's neck - sometimes it smells like sour milk and you want to hide from the world and sometimes it smells so heavenly and fresh that you can't help but cry from being so happy. For me today, life is heavenly and happy. I held my almost a month old dd and realized that this is my calling. Yes, I have had the thought before but it truly hit me today. It hit me so hard that I choked up as I looked down at her face. I had just finished taking a shower and, when I turned the water off, I heard her crying. Ok, she was shrieking in that tone that says, "Stop being so selfish and bring me my udder." I was fussing to myself as to why noone else heard her when I realized that the TV in the kitchen was up too high for them to hear anything else and the others were downstairs in the family room and couldn't hear her either. I wrapped a towel around head and threw on my clothes and came out. I picked her up and realized that she would have to take a bottle for this feeding as I had selfishly given myself a secret pleasure by showering with Imari soap - not smart if you breastfeed. I held her on my lap and just looked at her as her sister prepared the bottle and realized that this is what makes the world go around - little babies and love and mothers. I am truly meant to be a mother. The phrase "too blessed to be stressed" means such a different thing when you take it from the point of being a mother. Looking back at the past few months and the issues we have had with the now 16 yo ds I realized that even he and his now over 6 foot tall body was once this small and I held him just like this. Motherhood is my calling; my spiritual gift is the gift of love.

Menu for the week

Yes, I am getting better at my efforts for organization. My menu for next week was completed before I went grocery shopping. What's on the menu?
Sunday - Sloppy joes, fries
Monday - spaghetti, garlic bread, buttered corn
Tuesday - enchiladas, corn
Wednesday - crockpot chicken, green beans
Thursday - pork chops, mashed potatoes w/gravy, peas
Friday - leftovers, on your own meal
Saturday - Loaded baked potatoes
Sunday - Ham, potato salad, greens, cornbread

Saturday Splendors

Today has been a good day. I managed to get my shopping done yesterday - broke my own goal of only getting what was on my list but stuck very close to it. When we were out, I realized we could stock up on a few items on discount so I grabbed those to. I did very well - usually my trips mean a one time $120 and then several small 10-20 dollar stops. The first one was only 59 bucks - and that was the big one! I felt so proud as I used my 8 dollar off formula coupons for 2 containers of powdered formula - I am using it to supplement my breastfeeding. Totally awesome deal! Then I came on a consignment sale and got a baby carrier for 7 bucks. All in all, I managed to spend a whole lot less than I usually do - thanks to the stocking up in my pantry. My deep freezer arrived today - yep, I ordered it and got it delivered. I had to do the dance of joy as I had also found some ground beef, chicken and steaks on sale during my travels(travails too) yesterday and needed to get them out of the fridge as quick as possible. All in all I had a good shopping time. Even managed to do it with the newborn and her 11yo brother in tow - only meal we ate out was lunch. I had cut it too close to picking up the others so we had to eat on the fly and even that was cheap b/c we had a coupon from the consignment sale that gave us a lot for a little price at Long John Silvers. Excellent shopping I would say! One thing I learned yesterday - 10 cents off per gallon really only adds up to about a buck on a fillup. I was thinking I was doing something great by doing my mandatory 100 bucks/month at an area store but it didnt make a dent really in the gas - but I did get a free soda thanks to their current promotion. Well, duty calls and I have to start preparing dinner for tonight and load my deep freezer with my shopping palooza!

Thursday's Thumpings

Today was a wild ride from start to finish. The elementary school was closed today for parent teacher conferences and I was honored to attend my 5th grader's conference. The teacher was laudatory of his accomplishments and very appreciative of his manners. I was proud and dismayed when she remarked on his never-failing use of the word ma'am: proud because it is always good to hear when your child is using some aspect of his/her upbringing in the world when you're not around but dismayed because the teacher remarked that he was the only one in the class who did so. I was insulted(not too terribly but still felt slapped in the face) when she asked was that something that was required in his school we just moved from(in the south). My on time response was, " No, the school didn't require it but his father and I do require it of every one of our children. Manners and respect are expected at all times. To this day, I use the ma'am and sir as well and my mother is quick to remind me if I slip when speaking to her - and I am a mother myself several states away." Was I crazy to feel that I was insulted? Why aren't more parents insistent and persistent in their desires for their children to use simple signs of respect? Now that I think of it, for each of the conferences we have attended over the past few weeks across all 3 school levels teachers have remarked about our children's manners and respectfulness, but in a fashion that causes me to wonder what are the other children doing? Anywho, the menu I have been working on for the month is almost completed. I have to complete the menu tonight as the weekend is threatening to storm and grocery shopping must be completed tomorrow morning. Bless me, Lord, as I shop with the babies. :-) I am determined to stay along the grocery list and control my shopping habits. My passion is finding a good bargain and I will be vigilant in my control of this. The house is calling....

Still wearing maternity clothes - oh boy

I am 3 weeks out of the hospital from the birth of our latest family addition, Alanna Pearl, and just realized that the pretty turquoise shirt I am wearing with my outfit today is actually a maternity shirt. Does that mean I am going to take it off? Heck no! It is a beatiful color on my skin and goes perfectl with my Old Navy pants. I am going to have to get over the feeling of dejectedness I felt and realize that I am not supposed to be in pre-pregnancy clothes right now. In fact, before I go back to work, I am going to have to go shopping because I don't have many outifts for the spring and summer. I have suits that have lining designed for the winter. I remember trying to wear one last year around this time - mistake!!!! I had to turn the AC in the office down as far as I could to keep from passing out from the amount of heat my own body generated. Lesson learned - LOL. Just because you are small framed doesn't mean you can get away with anything. Anywho, I am neurotically surrounded by cookbooks and my Mom's Family Desk Planner trying to get my grocery list and month menu completed for next month. Time to replenish my stocks and see if I can get a good deal on a deep freezer. May have to rent one for a few months until the sales come on. Don't want to but may be my only option. What else for today? Dinner is already on - 2 roasts in the oven and red beans in the crockpot. The house smells delicious. I felt a great sense of pride when my 11 yo DS walked in yesterday and asked, "Ooo, is dinner done already, 'cause it is smelly some good???" Thanks to Flylady and LargeFamilyLogistics, the answer was Yeppers!!! What am I going to do when I return to work in a few weeks? Definitely get out of the office on time and try to - no, not try, make sure that dinner is in the crockpot or - since I will definitely have a deep freezer this weekend - have it pre-prepared so the kids will just have to throw it in the oven and we can still eat at a decent time together. Now, to search for more menus online because I am running out of meals and I know I can cook more than what is on my list so far.

For starters...

I am officially beginning my blog today. Okay, where to start??? I am the mother of many - as my blog indicates, including a beautiful now 3 week old little girl named Alanna. I am in the staffing department of a major teleservices company. I enjoy writing short stories and poetry - although I haven't had much of a chance in quite a long time. That's probably why I am so crazy right now - no outlet for my energy. Since I am on maternity leave, I am determined to organize my home even further - thanks to Flylady and a few other sources. My current aim is to get my household binder back in shape with my daily, weekly, monthly and yearly routines as well as get my menus for a month at a time completed. You would think with all of the time on my hands it would be easy but it really isn't. I am used to getting into work and not having much time to think a lot. Now, I have more time than work and can't get myself together. I have rediscovered the library and have a favorite library to haunt during the day with the little one in tow - truly sad. So of course I have a stack of books, movies and CDs but haven't gotten to them. For someone who pared her house down tremendously with the last move a few months ago, I have discovered the locations of several discount and secondhand stores. It is a sad occasion when you give birth and return to the stores and they remember you well. Alas, I am addicted to bargains. My family says obsessed is more the word for it. Anyway, I enjoy it and it doesn't hurt anyone. My second obsession came when I went through a massive nesting phase towards the end of the pregnancy and managed to catch several grocery sales. My home doesn't or at least didn't have a pantry - just a lot of cabinets in the kitchen. I created one in my garage first(oh, did I mention the bazillion cans of veges, washing powders, bleaches, household stuff that I managed to hoard over the last month or so of being pregnant??) and then moved some to what is supposed to be my linen closet. My understairs storage closet became a linen closet thanks to 2 bakers racks I got from - where else? - the dollar store. Before we moved, I found a deal at Dollar Tree for a bunch of towels for $1 each - so I loaded up. Then I got here and found some more so we have plenty of towels - enough to contain a small army - which is what I have in the home anyway. So, I must organize my home a little better - in particular those 2 areas. The kids' rooms are in need of my attention as well but I am dreading getting those started. I at least have handled the master closet. I am determined not to by any more clothes until/unless it is organized to see what is needed/not needed. Anywho, I have to get started. As Flylady says, you're not behind, just jump in where you are. I will not get boggled down with perfectionism - or try not to dang hard. :-)