tid-bits

Confessions of a stay-at-home mom:
There are some days that I dream about putting my kids on the shiny-yellow-school-bus that stops in front on my door, every day at 7:45am. On these days, I would blissfully cruise to Target. I would rendezvous with my sweet Target, with a grande carmel macchiato in one hand and a high-limit credit card in the other....;)
Today surprisingly is NOT one of those days. Today I have enjoyed my children. Not because they have had stellar behavior. Certainly not because that haven't argued, bickered, yelled, and engaged a civil war amongst themselves. Nope. Today I have enjoyed my children b/c of their conversations. They are freaking hilarious...not too mention sweet. Here are some tid-bits of my day.

Abby: Mom, do you know why I hate flies?
Me: Nope, sweetie...why do you hate flies?
Abby: Because they have germy feet. And when they crawl on you they spread germs. You know what mom?
Me: What Abby?
Abby: Flies should learn to wash their feet..because crawling all over someones peach with dirty germy feet..well its just rude!

(Can't argue with that!)

During lunch prep:
Gabe: Mom, I love potato soup. It's so thick and creamy, gooey and warm and comforting. Just like you mom!
Me: Um....thanks Gabe...I think.

(Somewhere in that I think there was a compliment)

Grace: Hey Gabe, after lunch you can come to my dance party in my room!
Abby: Yeah...it's gonna be wild!
Gabe: Hmf...what should I bring?
Grace: Just your sweet moves Gabe...just your moves.

(Yeah...um...I'm speechless.)

And lastly...
Gabe: Mom, your the best mom in the world.
Me: Awww thanks buddy.
Gabe: If you weren't here the whole world would just stop functioning.
Me: Um...well I'm pretty sure the world would go on.
Gabe: Not mine mom...not mine.

(tears...see it pays to be like potato soup!)

The moral of the story is that while I may have occasional fantasies that may or may not involve a childless day, a sexy homeschool principal, hot coffee, and shopping for a $100 pair of jeans that make my butt look fantastic......I DO have three great children that in spite of rough days...still manage to melt my heart and make me laugh.

Yay! It's Fall....I think

Fall is one of my favorite seasons. I look forward to the leaves changing color and the days getting cooler and shorter. I love the way it smells outside too.
This weekend we decided to go on a little field trip and take the kids to an apple orchard and pick apples. The kids had so much fun picking apples from the trees. After we filled our basket, we had to wash the apples, feed them to the grinder, and then press them into juice. Super time consuming but the juice we brought home was really yummy! My kids all told me it was one of the funnest days ever! (Poor homeschool kids... ) :) It was fun to watch them and their daddy-o being silly and havin' fun. My only complaint was how chilly it was. By the time we were finished we all had red, frigid hands.
Of course Sunday rolls around and we woke up to 2 inches of snow!!! Are you kidding me! It's the beginning of fall and suddenly there's snow outside! Robbed, I've been robbed of my fall!!! Fortunately it's just a "cold front" and the fall like weather should return...but still....rude.
One a side note, Clint is in need of work. Neither one of us have been getting phone calls for work. My dads cabinet shop has really slowed down and Clint's services aren't currently needed. I.E. he needs a job!!!!!! He's not particularly thrilled with the idea of turning wrenches again, but I know he'll do whatever he needs to keep us afloat. So if you think about it, keeps us in prayer. And if you know of anyone who is hiring let us know....he's trained in mechanics, cabinet making, home inspecting, worship leading, and pole dancing uh..I mean...uh he's sort of a "jack of all trades". It's hard not to get stressed out about it, but we are really trying to look at this as a change in the seasons of our life. Who knows what God has in store for us next. He's rearranged our lives before and we are willing and obedient to go where He asks us to go, and do what He asks us to do.
I'll finish this up with some pictures from our apple picking day. Please disregard my son in the first one....I'm really not too sure what that pose is all about! :)





One last thing..in order to save some money, we are having our home phone line turned off and only using our cell phones. If you don't have those numbers and would like them, please send me an email.

Sum-Sum-SummerTime

It's been a while since I've updated the blog. I'd apologize, but frankly we've been to busy having a fun summer to spend time on the computer.
Here's a couple of the highlights. We wrapped school up and I took off to see my friend Dawn on her farm. We went to the home school curriculum fair and I got all my curriculum for next year ordered. This will be my second year of home school, and I am really excited about it. Now that I have one year under my belt, I know this year is going to be a little easier, (at least I pray so).
When I got back from Seattle, the kids started swim lessons. This was year 3 for Gabe and Grace, and the 2nd year for Abby. The kids really took off this year! I am so proud of them. Abby jumped off of the diving board like a crazy woman. And Gabe and Grace found a new love for the water. This is the first year that they finally seem to enjoy it, and aren't afraid of it. Of course now they keep begging me to let them go swimming in Grandmas pool! Seeing as how it has finally been oober hot here, I don't' mind so much.




Gracie-Goo turned 6 this July! With every birthday I am always shocked at how times flies and the kids are just growing soooo fast! She requested a "hotel" birthday, and since Clint's parents were flying into town the next day we headed of to "B" town and had a blast! We had dinner at Red Robin, and then went swimming at the hotel.






After all the hotel fun, Granny and Papa, flew in for a visit. The kids enjoy spending time with them. We really only get to see them 2, maybe 3 times a year at best, so I love when they come out and hang with us. I'm very blessed to have great in laws. I genuinely enjoy their company. Of course Granny sealed the deal by doing my laundry all week! I told her to knock it off, I can take care of it. (As long as I do one load a day, I'm good.) But she reminded me that she too had 3 kids once and knew what it was like to be enslaved to the laundry room! :) I enjoyed the break.



In a couple of weeks Auntie Alecia and the cousins are coming out for a visit. I'm really looking forward to seeing the kids! It's always good times to watch the cousins play, and fight, and make up, and play, and then fight some more! Yes, these are the moments childhood is made up of!

I'll finish with a couple of pics I took of the kids this summer. And yeah, I know they are waaaayyyy to big already!

Test Results

We are back from Salt Lake. Yesterday we had a routine exam with the pediatric opthamalogist. This was the first time Abby was old enough to cooperate and "read" and eye chart. The result from this put her vision at 20/400. Legal blindness starts at 20/200 with correction. There is no correction available for her at this time.
This morning they ran an ERG on her while she was sedated. Basically this test measures how the rods and cones respond to electrical stimulus. Her doctor said there was no response in either the rods or the cones. Her technical diagnosis is Cone-Rod-Dystrophy, which means that her cones as well as her rods have little to no function. Obviously b/c she has sight they are functioning to some degree.....its just too small to be measured on their equipment.
Cone-Rod-Dystrophy is a genetic recessive disorder. Clearly Clint and I must both be carriers in order for her to have it. He told us if we ever have more children the likely hood of them having this disorder is greater. Clint told him that he had already taken care of his "rods and cones" so there won't be anymore babies! :)
There is no cure for this, and very little we can do to treat it. We will be getting some amber tinted "sun" glasses to aid with the light blindness, and her school work will need to be magnified. The doctor also feels that the prescription glasses she has been wearing for the past 10 months are doing little to no good and doesn't feel she needs to continue with them. Other than that there isn't much we can do at this point.....
But Pray. And that is what we intend to do. It is nice to finally have some answers after 4 years, but we have been fully aware that only God can change this situation. The doctors can't do much for her, but God is the Great Physician. I fully and totally believe that Abby is/will be healed. I don't know if it will be a one time miraculous event, or if her healing will come gradually over time, but it will come! When the Hillsong song "Healer" came out, I cried every time I heard it. I know there is a lot of controversy about that song, but the message is still the same....He is our Healer....and now more than ever He holds MY world in His hands.
Thank you to everyone who has prayed for us for this trip. She did so well and seemed none worse for the wear. Please continue to pray and believe with us for Abby's complete and total healing!

Please Pray For Abby

Today we head to Salt Lake with Abigail to see the pediatric opthamalogist. We are going to have a routine exam today, with the intention of running some test tomorrow morning. Abby will most likely need to be completely sedated for this test....and that just makes me feel really yucky! I know she will be fine, I just hate to see her go through the whole iv thing. Please pray for us that all goes well and that we will finally come home with some answers! We are fully aware that regardless of what they discover, there is likely no treatment. But we know that God can change that. I will try and update as soon as we have anything to update with!

Run, Run, Fast As You Can

You, can't catch me...I'm the gingerbread man!

Last week in homeschool we learned about patience and what it means to be patient. Along with that we learned about wheat and the process that wheat goes through to become bread. So of course we had to read The Little Red Hen, as well as the Gingerbread Man. And if you read the Gingerbread Man, you might as well make gingerbread cookies. So we did.
If there is one thing my kids know about me, its that I don't like messes! But for the sake of education, I set aside my own druthers and let them roll the dough out on the table, and cut out, then decorate them there as well. When I brought the flour bin out and started sprinkling the table, all three of my kids simultaneously gasped! Then Gabe astonished says "Mom, you're making a mess!" It was priceless. The kids LOVED it. And I gotta admit, I did too.











Yep, this was a day I really enjoyed my kiddos. And by really enjoyed them I mean that I didn't beat my head on the wall and wonder why I procreated!
Kidding! I love them! And they are stinking cute!

Hub-a-licious

I am so blessed to have a wonderful hubby! Sometimes Clint and I can totally get on each others nerves. Those times are rare, but they occur nonetheless. This week has kinda been like that. I will take the majority of the blame and admit, I've just been plain cranky. He topped it off by not noticing I got my hair cut, (it wasn't just a trim)! I gotta be honest though, my husband is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. He truly is so good to me, and he is my very bestest friend. I would be lost without him. Here's a couple of things I love about him, just to name a few:
1. When I am sick he totally takes care of everything.
2. He brings me coffee in bed EVERY morning.
3. He never fails to thank me for dinner.
4. I LOVE the way he makes the kids laugh.
5. His smell. It's a combination of his deodorant, and just him. And I love it! Sometimes after he leaves for work, I will move to his side of the bed, b/c it smells like him. (I know, I know, too much information. It's my blog. Don't like it, don't read it!)
6. His voice. 'nuf said.
7. He never ends a conversation with me w/o saying "I love you." If something ever suddenly happened to either us, I guarantee our last words to each other would be "I love you".
8. His eyes. The color of his eyes are gorgeous, and unique. But what I love the most is the what I see in them when he looks at me. I think that might be the one thing that told me he was The one.
9. His sense of humor. People either love it, or hate it. I for one find him hilarious.
10. He's mine all mine. I loved him long before we were ever "together". But it's so much sweeter now that he's my hubalicious hubby!
Next month we celebrate our 10 year anniversary. I am so blessed.

God Gave Me Grace

This post is for me.... I don't ever want to forget moments like these......


Today I started a new curriculum for homeschool. It's called KONOS. I heard about it from a fellow homeschool mom and she LOVES it. Because I was totally unhappy with the current stuff I was using I thought why not give it a try.
Part of the suggested requirements is to teach you children certain hymns and the stories from which they were written. This week we are learning about trust. Within that character quality we are also learning about floating and flying. This units hymn is "It is well".
I had just discussed with the kids what it means to trust in God completely, which led into the story behind the hymn. It was penned in 1873 by Horatio Spafford. I begin by telling the kids that he was a lawyer who had a good business but lost it all in the Great Chicago Fire. Shortly after the loss of his business he decided to plan a trip to Europe. He sent his wife and 4 daughters ahead because he was delayed with business details. While sailing to Europe the boat collided with another and sank rapidly. He then received a telegram from his wife saying "SAVED ALONE". Heartbroken he sailed to Europe to meet his wife. As he crossed over the sea where his daughters had been lost God gave him the words to the hymn.
Then I start to sing the first verse for the kids so we can all learn it together. Mind you the words are definitely from the 1800's and certainly foreign to the kids.
Right before the chorus I look up and my sweet 5 year old Grace is weeping!
I instantly stopped singing and asked her what was wrong. She's embarrassed that I noticed (how could I not?) and says she's not crying her eyes are just watering! I wrapped my arms around her and told her it was okay to cry that the story was very sad, but that the man trusted in God even through one of the saddest moments of his life! She looks up at me and says, "I don't know why, I just have to cry when you sing that song".
My heart just broke for my sweet sensitive daughter! She was so moved by the story and the song, but she still so young she doesn't even understand why she's crying over it!
When I explained the story to the kids, I had forgotten the name of the man, so I went in to google it. I then read that Spafford joined his wife in Europe and had three more kids, (again losing a son in infancy). It then says that he, his wife, their baby Bertha, and newborn baby GRACE moved to Jerusalem to start a mission for the poor!
It was so awesome to be able to tell my Gracie that there was a happy ending to the story. That the man got to have more daughters and even named one of them Grace.

I thank God for days like today. I love my daughter more than words can say. I pray that I can be ever so careful with her tender heart as I raise her. Maybe someday she too will pen such a inspirational song.

It's begining to look alot like Chritmas!

We have a Christmas tree....we have decorations o'plenty....we have sugar cookies, cocoa, a fire in the fireplace and 4 inches if snow outside....it is definitely feeling Christmasy around here. All that seems to be lacking are presents under the tree. I have them stashed away some place safe. I just keep waiting for those silly little elves to come out and wrap them for me!
I have lots to update on so I've decided to break it up in smaller categorized posts. That way you don't feel so overwhelmed. I know, I'm a saint!
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas! I have cards that I intend to send out, but for those of you who aren't on the list....wha-la...Merry Christmas!

Home Sweet Home

In September we decided to remodel the living room. It was so ugly with its mismached paneling, and nasty old windows. So we bit the bullet and pulled down the panneling, and put up sheetrock. New windows, texture and paint, refinished the original hardwood floors, tiled the entryway, new window seat, new crown molding, and eventually new trim (it's sitting on the floor waiting to be installed)! My lving room is now the prettiest room in the house...which therefore makes the kitchen look like a pit! But hey one room at a time! Our house was built in 1910 so that makes it nearly 100 years old....it's an understatement to say that it's a project...that's right people we're living in the projects! :) One of these days I will get around to posting pics of it....but I want to wait unitl it is finished...that means trim finished, pictures hanging, and final decor in place!

Hi-Ho Hi-Ho.......

Besides the remodel, September through November are my works busiest time of year. I have been going non-stop the past three months! Between homeschool, housework, and three clients a week, I have nearly reached the breaking point. Lesson learned. I can't be all things all the time. So this next year I am cutting back on how many clients I take, and putting my focus on being Teacher Mom, and Hot Wife! If it means we struggle a bit financially...well then I'll just be forced to pimp Clint out! :)

Clint has also been busy. He has been juggling a major remodel, his own business, and is now working full-time for my dad. That's right, my man is now a home inspector, cabinet finisher, auto mechanic (as needed), home remodeler, and soon to be worship leader....again.

Family

Family life has finally settled down the past week or so. We took a trip to Seattle to see our family there. Clint's parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary and it was great to have all the kids and grandkids together to be there for it. I LOVE to see my neices and nephew. I know that when we all get together it is going to be loud and crazy, but that is half the fun. Getting to see Abby and Liv play together was priceless! They are only 2 months apart, and now that they are going on 4 they really seem to enjoy playing together. When they weren't bossing each other or fighting!
On Sunday we had the kids sing Happy Anniversary to Granny and Papa. It. Was. Adorable. We were shy one kid....Kira couldn't make it for church, but the others did good and made me proud...with the exception of my youngest...she panicked and couldn't remember the words...so stinkin cute.

As soon as I get the video off of my camera, I will post it....I promise!

Chruch

In case that last part about Clint being a worship leader again, through you off...let me fill you in on another change in our family. In September God really began to impress on Clint and I that we needed to step down from the ministry at out church (ELCC), and wait for His direction as to where to go. God had been dealing with Clint for nearly a year, but it he kept fighting it. Here's a little history on us...WE DON'T LEAVE CHURCHES! In our married life of nearly 10 years, we have left two churches...both because of a move. So when we felt lead to leave it was not a decision we took lightly. After a lot of prayer, we resigned in early October and did the church shopping game for two months...not a game I am fond of...it comes with NO party favors! :)
I could ramble on and on about all the churches we tried and the great people we met..but more recently God made it very clear (finally) where we were supposed to be. Of course it came right after WE had decided where we WANTED to go. God said, "Yeah not so much...go here". We said "Oh God NO not THERE!" To which He replied "YEP"! Funny thing when God gives you a ministry and talent, you don't get to choose where it is utilized. For those of you who have grown up with me...now would be a good time to grab your heart...here is come...we will now be attending and ministering at Valley Christian Center (formerly Hazelton Assembly Of God). I KNOW!!!!!!! Trust me when I say that God had to do some serious talking for me to realize this is where we belong. Its hard for me to return to my roots, but the Pastors there are great and their vision for the community and salvation is so refreshing and easy to couple up with. So please keep us in your prayers...the people there are wonderful, but for me it almost feels like we are being called to the mission field! I say that in love.

Awwww Memories....

Silence Is Golden.....??

My wonderful Mom took Abby for me this morning. She had to run a couple of errands and Abby woke up insisting that her siblings did NOT like her and she was running away to live with Grandma.
Only having 2 instead of 3 really changes the dynamics of the house. Especially when its the older 2, because the are so self-sufficient and entertain themselves well. I took full advantage of it and relaxed on my bed watching a TV movie and snoozing while I was waiting for some laundry to cycle.
When the movie was over I thought to myself..."they sure are playing quietly together." It's such a reprieve to have the house so quiet.....too quiet.
I went in to see what they were up too.....
Whoever said silence is golden was WRONG!





All I can say is THANK GOD they weren't cutting Gracie's hair.....oh and there are two little kids in this house that are in big trouble and grounded from toys.....FOR LIFE!!!!!

"weev-wee"

There comes a time in every moms life that your daughters make your heart swell..... mine was today.

I was busily working on some photos before we get school started, and the girls were contentedly "playing" in my bathroom. When they came out.... I died. Their beauty is overwhelming.



Gracie's potential as a make up artist is clear. She will go far in life.



The BEST part of this is that after I took their pictures, Grace gave Abby a mirror so she could see how be-a-u-ti-ful Grace had made her.
One look in the mirror and Abby says, "Awwww man Grace! I look like a clown!"

And I died.

Old Man Winter

It snowed a little bit on Friday. It was kind of funny to see these tiny little flakes come down.

Saturday morning Grace came running into our room.

"Mom! Dad! All those little flakes stayed. I looked out my window and there is snow everywhere! I pinched myself. I'm not dreaming!"

Sure enough there was 3-4 inches Saturday morning. And it snowed ALL day, and most the night. By Sunday morning we had between 10 and 12 inches in some places.

It was no longer funny. I'm not ready for winter. And in protest, I will be wearing my tank tops and shorts with flip flops today. And crank the heat up.

BOO. BOO to you Old Man Winter.

How dare you try to sneak in and ruin one of my favorite seasons.

By the way, on Thursday the "meteorologist" said we had a chance of some flurries over the weekend. Clearly he partied his way through college! It's IDAHO, there's never a "chance of flurries". That ALWAYS translates to "winter storm watch 2008".

On a bright note, the kids loved it.

Clearly my child has a snow deficiency.