4 Sweet Sisters

We interrupt your blog time to let you know that I've fallen off the Order wagon and need desperately to get back on! I feel like my life is in complete Chaos, but if you were to look through a window at it you would just see us as being a bit busy. I mean, I haven't even posted pics of our new girl, Big Betty and she's already on her way to the doctor's. In case you have no clue who Big Betty is, she's a new to us 1997 Suburban. ( Ooooo do i like her!) We tend to name our automobiles around here. Don't ask me why, but we do it with our children also. They leave the hospital with their birth name, but by the time they arrive home they have their nickname. Then blog names there after. I'll try and post some pics of Big Betty when she gets back. Praying it's a inexpensive celluloid problem (not cellulite). We're also doing our end of the year school testing this week. I like to do it early. It shows me where we've fallen off track and where we are...

Getting caught up in perfection can be haphazard to my health. Today the Little Chef found a tea set that I don't let the girls use very often. Not because there are Disney Princess' on it, but because it is breakable. Hmmmmm. Usually I feel as though we need to plan for a party. Make or at least have some sort of cookie in the pantry. Get tea and honey out etc. Well, not today and not because of my own doing! The Lord orchestrated this very simple but terribly fun time! This morning I saw a commercial amidst the news hour about a little girl having popcorn at her tea party. No fancy cakes, pastry or cookies. She was drinking fake tea. Yes, I know the commercial was an add for popcorn but I was allowed to see it at the right moment. To prepare me for my little ones plea... So when the Little Chef ran in excitedly asking for a tea party and her older sister suggested apple juice and crackers, was there any doubt I would say yes ? Actually, to be honest for a split second I thou...

I guess I should have looked up the definition of Cross Training before I started this post. Since that would be to laborious, I've decided to give you my definition. (See the stuff you read online may not always be accurate.) Reader Beware ! My definition is just this: Exercising 4 to 5 times per week using different muscle groups on opposing days. How am I going to accomplish this? Let me tell you... it has been a HUGE brain struggle! I've been warring with myself for a couple of months over this. My brain has finally won. I've decided to Nordic Walk 2 to 3 times a week and Swim 3 times a week. My body has become somewhat stagnant with just swimming and due to concerns over osteoporosis I needed to get in some bone building exercise. For Christmas I received a new pair of walking shoes and have really been trying hard to do my foot exercises each night. Urban Girl and I took our maiden walk on New Year's day (before I came down with the crud, again). It was great!...

Or should I say has one of your chickens ever laid one like this? I keeping thinking "Vermont Volleyball" ( Bing Crosby, White Christmas) but that really has nothing to do with this or does it (poor Danny Kaye). We seem to have girl that lays like this occasionally. No extra squawking, but it sure looks like it's got to be painful! You can't tell from the picture but this egg is larger than a Extra Large Fancy eggs from the grocery. It's just like any other egg once you crack it open, but it does look unappetizing. Have you ever "laid a egg"? I'm sure we all have. In fact there are days where it's just best if I keep my mouth shut! Today could be one of those days. Lots of extra squawking and pain for everyone in ear shot. I'm relying on my Father to get me through and keep my beak shut! Have a great day! julie

I really enjoy blogging but often I ponder the reasons I do it. Today is one of those times. I haven't shared much of our families history because much of it is painful and we are all still dealing and healing with different issues. One issue has been a visual disability that my oldest two chickadee's and I share. For some reason words and numbers do not bounce correctly from our optic nerves to our brains. I'll leave out all the technical jargon today but in severe cases (which one of my beauties has ) it makes life very difficult. Especially when your a very articulate and intelligent young woman. She reads and understands a myriad of things, loves history, science and writing. But can't memorize digits, words, etc. We've been through every phonics program , math memorization program and medical visual therapy. To be left with huge gaps. Some have filled in, while others have not. Leaving the chickadees frustrated. Enough said. Difficult especially when your ...

Just a update and a way for me to see my progress. Started water aerobics the end of June. (2 times a week) July continued water aerobics, but added in another day (3 times). Gained 6 pounds but feeling great! I can feel the muscle. Mid July added in swimming laps 40 to 50 laps in 1 1/2 hours (1 to 2 times per week and water aerobics 1to2 times per week- total of 4 days) August buy swim pass. Goal: laps 4 times a week. ( 2 weeks of water aerobics, twice a week). I feel that I really need to step it up. Feeling really good. NO weight loss. Losing some inches. By mid August shaving off time down to an hour for 50 laps (1000 yards). Swimming only laps 5 days a week. Gained 2 more pounds (freaking out!) Feeling really good . Seeing muscle definition. Feeling a new strength in my body. Mid August start eating only when I'm hungry and stopping when satisfied. A few bumps in the road, but doing well. No more dieting. Praying and asking for direction. Start really upping the pace of my lap...

Have you ever read about the Sumo Wrestler's diet and how he trains? Well in my morning reading (which doesn't happen as often as I like) I started a book by Laurette Willis entitled , Strengthening Your Body and Soul: Basic Steps to Godly Fitness. I've had this book for a couple years and tried her alternative to Yoga work out. I liked it, but wasn't quite ready for it. Anyway on the third page of chapter one she goes into the Sumo's diet. I was soooooo distraught. I'm on that diet!!!! Not totally, but pretty darn close! Go here if you want to read up on it. I did a small search and found out it's true......ugh..... I've been working my buns off in the pool to no avail! ( i've seen a lot of strengthening and a couple of inches- but not what should be happening.) For years I've been trying to figure out why I gain weight when I exercise. Anyone know what I'm talking about? I'm talking 5 to 10 pounds (muscle gain) and then staying ther...

I'm having a cranky day... I'm not joyously tackling my jobs. Anyone else had a day like that? Well, after being short with every single one of my daughters and then apologizing (to some). You would have thought I'd changed my tune. Unfortunately no. I was driving back from Urban Girl's work when I noticed the sign of a local church. I see this sign regularly and know the name of the church. Today I took a quick glimpse and read Price Of Peace. Huh? I did a double take. Oh, Prince of Peace. Anyone ever been disciplined like that? Price of Peace. hmmmm . The price was dearly paid for today. My children think I'm an ogre of a Mom (and I was acting like one). Thank you Lord for my little wake up call.... I wish I had deeper words of wisdom or wonderful scripture to spill forth, but all that keeps coming to mind is. Slow down and do all with a joyous heart. julie

My life has felt like a bit of a mess lately. I have many (many,many) excuses, but in fact it boils down to me, me, me. Changing everything up and putting it on a summer schedule seems to be a lot to handle for an eat the same breakfast everyday kind of girl. When I was a much younger woman say 19-23. I thought change was extremely hard. I learned to deal with it, even learned to embrace it. I seemed to easily let the Lord handle it then... Once I started having chickadees change was almost at a constant and I really thought I, I, I had it licked. Then the first chickadee started to homeschool and not realizing that she had a visual disability (regular eye exams didn't pick it up) we proceeded to try every known spelling, phonics and math program for the several years. Our daily home life was also always changing, between new babies, floods, remodels, moves and just day to day life..... All of the sudden change was killing me. BUT it didn't. The one constant that I see...

As you can probably tell from previous post I'm not a very eloquent person or a good writer for that matter. Which leads me straight into today's topic..... Perfectionism. Oooo we really hate/love that word don't we! I do. I still get caught up in it's ugly web. Perfect dieting (weight control), perfect marriage, perfect homeschool children, perfect school program to name a few. Yikes, that's only a few. The thing I've (pretty) much learned over the past 16 years of marriage and motherhood is that my Dad isn't looking for perfection from me. He's already got that and more! He wants me to be good, maybe even superb in many areas of life and to come to him whether I'm good or bad at it. So this leads me to homemaking, child rearing, schooling, and husband loving. Way back when my first daughter was just a tiny babe I would purpose to sit down in the afternoons and read a couple of scriptures and write in my prayer journal ( not for long or I would ...

I'm just stopping by.... I have so much trivial and mundane stuff to share, but I just haven't had the time. My real job has been super busy with a Surprise Trip out of state thrown in! So I've been feverishly knitting scarves and crocheting hats ( 1 goal down for the new year!). I crocheted this hat.... not the scarf (target clearance) I did crochet this hat and I knitted this scarf... I've been doing a lot of sewing and school with the chickadees . We pretty much finished my Christmas/Birthday Room which I'm putting off sharing until I get back from the Great White North. Which incidentally we hear will be having a warm snap while we're there! Pray for SNOW !! The other item I wanted to share is the Surprise Baskets for the little chickadees. It's a tradition my Mother started when we were young. Depending on the age of the person you may write notes and/or give tiny gifts to open for the days you are gone. I did this for Superman when he had to trave...

Good morning. This was rather a hectic week here but I need some accountability so I'll be posting what I hope to accomplish! It would be soooooooo easy to just call it craft day! -Bible and song - math and spelling tests -water garden -clean master bedroom (never got to it) -clean master bath (yikes!) -apple granola ? -milk pick up and pumpkin bread delivery -oversee pumpkin bread making -dust and vacuum living room -older chicks to Bright Lights - chili dog dinner for Superman and youngers -oversee painting of the inside of chicken house- younger chickadees -Craft till I drop night! I really need to get these things done. It's been hard with being in a unsettling time in our lives... I really can't discuss it now, but some days it does get the better of me. I've been in much prayer and am having difficulty with patience.....just when I think I've conquered it! Sometimes just doing what needs to be done and concentrating on that brings me to a place of gr...

Well, I'm of to a rather poor start! I went to bed very late last night (we watched the movie Luther) thinking of all I needed to do today. As I was praying and drifting of to sleep I kept saying I needed to make a list of what is coming up. I seem to have lost my organizational zeal... If you come across it, I really need it back! Anyway... Up with a start! Superman caught some krypton which kept him home from work today. So we all over sleep...isn't it the weekend when he is home? Okay up... Music and Bible with the girls Apple granola in dehydrator 4 loads of laundry hung/ dried/ folded water the garden school chickadees give counsel when needed to older chicks (youngest in with Superman doctoring him) make list (should have happened sooner, but it happened) chicken to boil for soup take chicks to buy pumpkin bread supplies work on Christmas gifts spend some time with Superman Unfortunately I didn't keep my self control about me. I've really been trying to work on...

Hi all! Sorry it's been so long. To much is happening right now for me to blog. Between field trips, regular school work, 4-h and Christmas rehearsal .... I'm beat! We were so slow and relaxed this summer that it all has taken me by surprise. I actually have thought about giving up blogging during this season. Today, I moved my pray and praise chair back into our bedroom. It's been out since Feb. because it doesn't match with the room and takes up space while trying to sell the house. Can I say it has thrown me for a loop! I NEED my little quiet space. So if someone wants our house they're gonna have to handle my black leather guy chair!!! I also went through my Christmas present stash and reorganized so that I don't over buy. I won't over spend because we have a set budget. I'm hoping to squeak a new computer or camera out of it! I also went through our DVDs and purged! I purged before our garage sale a couple of weeks ago, but seeing the garage e...

Thank you Lord..........................for. Restoring my health so quickly. A taste of cool autumn air. A husband that only You could pick. A 1 year breakage warranty on 3 week old glasses. Fresh vegetables and fruit. Forgiveness. Four crazy, beautiful daughters. Being patient with me. Floss. Teaching me patience and perseverance ......... Lord, I praise your Holy and Righteous name, Father. Teach me your ways, O Lord. Keep me on the path you have placed before me. Song in Head: Ruler of the Universe....3day

Look at the size of this sweet potato!!! (Don't look at me, I needed a nap). I got about half way through the peeling process when Superman asked if I gotten a pic. I would be remiss if I didn't tell you that HE was the one who dug it up. This is what we made from it. Notice in the above picture that Superman got out the fire extinguisher! What is he trying to say? Then the chicks wanted to make fries. We were all craving a bit of salt and fried food. I think it's been over a month and a half since we've been to Chick - fil - a. It was all so tasty. We have more taters so I think we'll have a sticky chicken and sweet tater dinner this week. Then I'll put the fryer away for another 2 years! On the same day . Many of us were in the kitchen when Hawk Nelson (our neighborhood hawk) started zooming in a flying sort of way around our oak tree. Then we saw the fuzzy little squirrel he was hoping to have for Sunday brunch. It was amazing to watch the drama play out. My ...

Our biggest hurdle is all the little extras that we didn't know were coming. We save for the large ones, house, car, working on that 3 to 6 months. I'm talking about after we have set our bimonthly budget, I've got the allotted cash for each area set. We have done the shopping etc. Then someone calls and says, "By the way the field trip the girls are attending is going to cost $22". Yikes! When we thought it was free. First we re-evaluate is this really needed at this time or should it be canceled? If we should go ahead then were does the money come from? Well this is how we handle it. I have a household budget that covers everything from food, car oil, a gallon of paint to crafts. We have a separate car repair fund, clothing, and house repair. So I break my "household" into 3 to 4 areas: Food$200, Food Co-op $25(save), Biweekly$50 (deals and those things that sneak up) and sometimes a Special Date $25. *The Bi-weekly (which I might add the Lord prompted...