Is it really Thursday Night?!!

I really thought I posted yesterday. But it was Monday that I posted! Wow. The week has flown by, and I can't even tell you what I have done!


What I can tell you all about is the amazing deer that my awesome hunter of a husband shot and killed dead. Apparently you can call these big bucks up with old antlers from previous unfortunate deer (rattling maybe?) because they are all walking around with "big boners" (those are NOT my words--I think maybe he wanted to make sure I was paying attention) trying to fetch themselves some lovely women. Well, my skilled husband called one up while hiding in a bush or something. It looked right at him, and Cam put a bullet directly in his neck. And he just fell over. No running around and trying to get away. Just dead. Cam is that good. Anyway, it had 11 points and scored a 141 4/8. Whatever that means. I think that is good. Really good.

This picture came from my brother's phone because the talented hunters failed to bring adequate electronic devices to capture the kill of the season.

Hello Out There!!

Life is back to normal as we know it. It is so nice to get back in to the swing of school, shopping, errands, cleaning, and cooking! I just love being home!

Things just got super quiet...around 3:45, so I went in search of Faith. This is what I found. Isn't it precious! SHE is precious.

We had a good week in the metroplex. It just doesn't seem like we there for almost a week! The time sure did fly. Ellie has now mastered the staircase. She deftly goes up and down without any falls on the big ol' noggin. The cousins had the best time...Colby and Gracie were inseparable. Poor Colby. We heard, "Colby, let's play wedding!" from Gracie. I just don't think he knew what he was getting himself into! But what a good sport he was. And Faith has apparently decided that Caleb is her new best friend. I need him here to go shopping with us. He was the best keeper! I sure wish we were closer so they could play like that all the time...


Now the tree is up and decorated in hues of red, pink ,and green. Very nice, if I may say so myself. The gilrs love it. Especially Ellie. She is just determined to take everything off of the bottom of the tree. She will learn...soon I hope! (And YES, I know those stockings need to have a visit with the iron. It will happen sooner or later, so just don't even mention it :) hehehe)

I'm Late!

I'm late! I'm late! For a very important date. No time to say hello, goodbye. I'm late! I'm late! I'm late!

We are off to the metroplex for the week. Y'all have a happy happy Thanksgiving!!

Some Thankfulness

I haven't posted much this week. Not sure where the week went either! So, I will post some thankful thoughts for you...

I am thankful that:

-Ashley called on Monday and invited us to lunch (once I returned the call on THURSDAY, we
met up). It was wonderful to sit and talk and watch her chase Cullen up the mall rampway. hehehe He is THE most precious little boy ever. I just wanted to cuddle him up and take him home with me!

-my Mom had my two little ones during the aforementioned lunch so I didn't have to chase anyone!

-the Ladies Night Out went well last night and that I didn't throw up when I spoke and that my words came out in some sort of organized group of sentences that provoked both tears and laughter (which is the desired effect in speaking I think)

-Cameron and I got to have dinner alone tonight (and the sweet potato loaded with brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, and roasted pecans was heavenly!).

-I found new jeans that are long enough for less than $25 each

-I get to homeschool Gracie and not only get to watch her learn all sort of new things, but that I get to be an integral part of the learning process (some days I am NOT thankful for this :) but today I am very grateful).

-Faith loves her new dresses and that she just told me that with kisses.

Prayer is the Answer

So, I have been working on my prayer. I have decided to pray all day. I pray for things while I vaccuum, while I swim, when I do dishes, when I nurse. All day. Well, I have done very good (thank you very much!) putting Ellie in her crib every night. When I put her in, she cries. Loudly. And she won't stop. So, the first night, as I was holding her, I started to pray. I prayed that the Father would calm her and ler her feel His embrace through the night. That she would feel safe and loved. I then laid her in her crib. She looked up at me and closed her eyes. It was amazing! I am not sure I have seen answered prayer that quickly ever. And it didn't happen just once, but two nights in a row. I love the way He knows what I need. And I NEEDED her to be okay when I put her down. I NEEDED her to not cry. I have made mention of how difficult the whole bed thing is to me. The reason, in case you don't know, is because I found Chloe in the crib. I associate her death with the crib. This is HARD for me. Very hard. But God's grace is amazing and pure and so incredibly indescribable. I love the way He spoils me and heaps things that my heart desires on me. He wants to treat me the exact same way I want to treat my daughters. I am so thankful. So thankful.

No Computer...

I am on Cam's computer bc mine is getting tweaked and changed, so I will be out for a couple days. I just can't type on this laptop!! Talk you then!

Look!!

Do you see? Where she is napping? She is in her crib! It is a milestone! Last night I sat with her and sang to her and soothed her until she fell fast asleep in the little pink and green rosebud and toile haven called her crib. She slept alone for a little more than two hours before she awoke and I fetched her to come cuddle with me. Then, today, she fell asleep for her nap in my arms and I gently placed her in her little haven and she stayed there. Asleep. That is, until THESE two cutie pies
woke her up. Stinkers!

WooHoo!!

I swam three laps (6 lengths) without stopping this morning! And the "stopping" afterward was actually swimming on my back for another lap then 2 more laps of regular swimming (what is that stroke called?). My goal is going to be...drumroll...25 laps!! Not sure when I will ever be able to achieve it, but hopefully not too long! It felt great!

So today, I am thankful for the gym membership. Exercise makes me feel good and gives me lots of energy. It also makes the guilt fall away when I eat the pumpkin pie I made last night... :)

A MUCH Better Tuesday

I am so thankful that Monday is over! We made it through the day with minds in tact and hair still attached. I went to the bookstore and bought a new book today. It is Lisa Welchel's Taking Care of the ME in Mommy. (I also got the new Karen Kingsbury. Yay!) I haven't read much more than the intro, but it looks good. Encouraging. I also took Ashley's advice and read this about peace. I know I need to change my mindset. I know this. I also know that it isn't easy. So, I think my game plan is to get up, read my Bible, pray and go about what we always do. Only, now, when things get overwhelming, I will stop all of us and say a prayer asking Him for peace to abound. I will stop getting mad and start letting Him take control. I know this won't be easy either, but I think it is worth a good effort. So that is what we will do. And Faith. She will still be difficult, but as I was drifting to sleep last night, I realized that I am so busy teaching and cleaning and nursing that I am not taking time to play. Gracie gets one on one school time (where she spends a lot of time in my lap as I read to her), Ellie nurses all day so she is getting attention, and Faith, well, Faith gets yelled at. So, I also decided it is time for me to take time to sit and have tea parties and play dolls, and house, and Barbies. And give Faith some attention. Then perhaps she will stop getting negative attention.

On a totally diffferent note, Cam did not get the house for us. Someone bought it last week. Actually he STOLE it! He got a really good deal from the owner (whom we could not get in touch with). So, that possiblity is lost to us, and this weekend we must renovate the playroom to make room for Ellie a place to cry until she learns to sleep on her own. Those of you who know me well know that I have issues with the whole crib thing. So pray for me. Pray hard.

Today...Monday. Again.

In this house, Mondays are miserable. It seems no matter what I do, Mondays are the hardest day of the week. This week, after a frustrating week last week, I decided to be proactive. I got up before the household and read my Bible. For ten minutes. Then Faith joined me. With whining and needs. Then came Gracie 10 minutes after that. Out flew the quiet time I so desperately needed. You see, I am looking for divine wisdom on how to manage Faith. She is so strong willed. I discpline in all sorts of ways. I spank. I do time outs. I make her put her nose in the corner. I yell. I whisper. It doesn't work. Not long term. She may stop for, ohh, 10 minutes. Then it is back to misbehaving. This morning, while we were having school, she emptied an entire box of kleenex, not just any kleenex, but Puffs Plus in the "coordinate with the bathroom" box, into the bathtub. Then she turned on the water. Then Ariel Barbie took a swim in the toliet. The bathroom floor is soaked. Still. I just can't go clean it up. When I go in there, I get angry. So, I am distancing myself. Maybe the cleaning fairy will pay me a visit...
So, in an effort to outrun the devil, because I am convinced that he is the source of my miserable Mondays, I decided to take the girls to the park for a picnic. The logic was good. Do happy things, and you can't help but be happy. Right? Yeah. Sure.
Meanwhile, while Faith was soaking things, Gracie was in the midst of meltdown mania. She decided that she couldn't sound out words. The word was Sam. She said, "hmmmm...I think it is pat". I looked at her. Yep. I just stared. I mean, I think Pat sounds like Sam. sss aaaaa mmmm Pat. I hear it. FRUSTRATING. We finally made through her book and moved to Math. She had to write the numbers 1-29. After 19 comes...17! She KNOWS this. She can count. She didn't want to. So she played dumb. Like a dog. I wanted to cry. In the corner. Alone. And while these two children were testing me, Ellie was in her crib screaming because she "needs to be crib broken". She cried for an hour. And did not go to sleep. She was so very tired. It made me cry with her. I don't want her to sleep in her crib. I hate that crib. I want her to sleep with me. I want her to stay a baby. I don't want her to grow up because I will never have another baby. She is it. My very last one. And the tears are starting again. So, tomorrow, if Cameron doesn't buy us a new house at auction, we will rearrange the playroom and make it Ellie's room. So she can scream her little self to sleep without upsetting the sisters. How very very sad.

So this was my day. But I am thankful. I am thankful that I have three precious little girls that try my patience. I am thankful that they are alive and that they love me despite my faults. I am so thankful that they make me run to the throne room of my Kingly Father and get on my knees and beg Him for wisdom and rest. Daily. Hourly. Every second they are awake. I am thankful. Despite my grumblings. And when they crawl into my lap and cuddle up close and whisper "I love you Mama", the day melts away. And I am left with nothing but the joy of being blessed.

Thankful Thoughts

Ashley had a really great post about Thanksgiving. You should go check it out. I agree with all that she said and am determined to post a thankful thought each day this month. So, for today, which was a hard day, and I don't WANT to be thankful for anything because it makes me less grumpy :)...

I am thankful for my Grandparents, whom I had lunch with today. I watched them walk away from the restaurant hand in hand and it warmed my heart so completely that my eyes filled with tears. They have been married 48 years (I think) and their passion (yes. passion. You just have to know Grandad) is still so alive and strong. They love us in a very unconditional hands on way. We see them weekly or talk to them at least that often. We have dinners with them, they watch our babies, they are there for every important event and even the not-so-important events in our lives. They are the greatest grandparents, and I love them so much more than I could ever even begin to express.

Trick or Treat

Prrrrrrrr...Gracie is the sweetest leopard ever.
Faith refused to wear her tutu dress, but went instead in a plain velvet black leotard

Ellie the Clown. She wouldn't wear the hat, but she had a ball running to the doors with her sisters!
Had to show you the hat...isn't it precious?!!

Halloween SHOULD be too cold for tanktops!

We had a really nice evening! We started out in full daylight at about 7:00. Cam pulled the wagon with my best friend's daughter Aryna and our two oldest. Ellie and Wyatt followed in the stroller (Ellie stayed in for all of three house lengths). Cam kept trying to make the girls get out and knock on doors of houses that didn't have their light on. I tried to tell him that a light on the front porch was the universal sign of "we have candy to give you". He just would not believe me! So they went up to one door and we could see the man in his kitchen. He came and gave them something then promptly shut his blinds so no one else would mistake his kitchen light for "the sign". So embarrassing! About this time, Camerons says, "so I shouldn't have turned our porch light when we left?". !!!!! Oh Cam. There weren't many houses with lights on, but it was plenty. We don't need lots of candy! The girls had a blast and can't wait for next year, and that is all that matters!