Wow! See this movie!!

http://www.bellamoviesite.com/

We saw this today. I loved it. I saw the ad on the Rebelution website and looked it up. It was playing in my town, so we dashed over to see it. I was very nervous it wouldn't be appropriate for the girls, but there was only one scene that I had to sheild their eyes during (there is plenty of warning in the movie that it is coming), and it wasn't a tenth as graphic as prime time crime shows. It has a strong pro-life message, but because of the way it is presented it will reach people of any and no religion (though the main character is clearly Catholic). There is no overt talk of abortion so I didn't have to explain what that means to my girls. I bawled my eyes out. The girl that sold me the tickets told me it was the best movie she had seen all year (she also answered my questions about how the movie would go over with the girls so I was comfortable taking them). I would have saved this movie for my birthday "date" with hubby, since I always get to pick a movie, but I knew that this small film would surely be gone by January.

Some post editing...

All the talk of gossip around the net left me feeling convicted for venting a little here about family members, so I have removed anything I felt was inappropriate.

I am in constant need of reproach and I am thankful that God can use so many wonderful women's blogs to both inspire and convict me.

Thanksgiving Food and Family...

In the back is my sweet potato casserole topped with brown sugar and pecans. In the front is the first of two carrot cakes, not yet iced, because it is fresh from the oven. The cakes took so long to cook (and I forgot I had two ovens so I did them one at a time) that I didn't ice them until we got to Mother's and had eaten the meal. The carrot cakes iced just in time for the first taker...
My mother's beautiful Thanksgiving table:
Her centerpiece:
The handsome nephew showing off his favorite hat (one of his twin cousins' "tea party" hats):
My wonderful and handsome hubby with the lovely Tristie (who picked out her outfit):
And angry looking but also lovely Tabby (who also picked her outfit, changing from a skirt to jeans due to the cold):
My handsome Tay (who picked his outfit as well- despite the extremely cold temperature- he will only wear short sleeve shirts and only has 3 pair of jeans that he thinks "fit right" so he opted for a tee and shorts)-- I won't share the details of why he is covering his nose, because ladies are not amused by body humor:

My dashing father lounging in his rocking chair:

My handsome brother and equally beautiful sister in law, the parents to that bundle of joy in the tea party hat:

My lovely mother working busily in the kitchen while everyone else relaxes (what a better inspiration for me!):

And where am I? Behind the camera, of course, but mostly helping Mother and keeping her company.

Slow coming scarves...

I have even more done than is shown in the picture. I hope to see them all done soon as I have much more to accomplish before Christmas.

Thanksgiving Play Pictures!!!!

Here are the girls in their woefully inadequate costumes I made the day of the play (I actually made them for all 7 girls in the play). Here I am narrating in the pilgrim get-up (I made the hat and apron that day as well, and just wore them with a white tee and black dress).
Tristie and me:
Tabby enjoying my pumpkin bread muffins after the show:

Thanksgiving went well...

We had a nice time. No major tensions arose. I made sweet potato casserole, which was much too sweet, but everyone liked it. I also made carrot cake, which dh said was the best cake I had ever made. Hard to believe I spent almost the entire day cooking and only made two things. I am very very thankful for my husband and children, and if this is all the Lord chooses to bless me with, I will be content and thankful forever.

I did have a small epiphany with my mother. I decided to call her every day. I am hoping that it will rectify some of the distance I have been feeling. So far she seemed much happier with me and I have only done it for 3 days. More to come and pictures as well, later...

Why am I dreading Thanksgiving?

I decided to edit this to remove any negativity in my post about anyone else. Needless to say it was pointless to worry, because God was in control and it was a nice holiday.

An epiphany during Bible Study...

Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. 1 Corinthians 7:17a

So if I feel dissatisfied with my life it is because I do not have enough faith or trust in God. He has given me my perfect assignment and I need to be a good steward of it.

My babies are 5!!!

Here they are at their party last Saturday. I french braided their hair and it looks so sweet.
Here they are jumping with brother. He was a big help during the party (surprising since he begged not to go).
Here is Tristie with her birthday "banners" she made while sissy was sick.
Tabby enjoying her "pupcake."
Tristie enjoying hers.





It is hard to believe how the years have flown...
4 years old!

3 years old!

2 years old!

1 year old!

3 days old!

Negative 1 day old!

If I could go back in time and live the last 5 years over again, I would. I would nurse longer (we quit at 2.5) and never take a job outside the home even if I could take them with me. I would enjoy them more and photograph them more. And I would never begrudge one sleepless night or one dirty diaper. I miss my babies!

A better day...

I removed the bit about ds and I. Things are much better than I thought they were and we are closer than ever. I am learning to trust God more and worry less.

I am making costumes for our Thanksgiving play. I am making all the girls (6) Native American looking shifts to wear over their clothes and hopefully headbands if I have the time. They aren't going to be super looking because I am looking to do them on the cheap. I am also making myself a bonnet, shawl and apron to wear over a black dress while I narrate the play. It is more of a pageant than a play since all the children do is sing and I narrate in between. It is really a nice show though. Jessie (the preschool director) did a great job of putting it all together. They will sing "Give Thanks", "Jesus Loves Me", "Jesus Loves the Little Children", "God Our Father" (the blessing song), "This Little Light of Mine", "Hallelu, Hallelu" and "One Small Voice". The girls are doing a duet on One Small Voice. I think it is funny that the song is about one voice and she is having two girls sing it. I will post pictures of the pageant when we do it. I hope I don't embarrass myself with the poorly constructed costumes.

Gotta go do devotional with ds and put the girls to bed (they fell asleep on the couch again...) then it is off to bed for me. I am trying to get into the habit of going to bed early so I can rise early to do my quiet time before everyone gets up.

A future project...

http://fortytworoads.blogspot.com/2007/10/toy-kitchen-is-finished.html

A bad day...

I couldn't find the yarn I needed after going to 4 different stores! So frustrating. So I just ordered it from LBY. We didn't make it to the thrift store since it took me so long to look for the yarn. I did get a few cool things: a pumpkin muffin pan for all the pumpkin bread I make this time of year, some capri tights that actually fit and don't pull my undies down (2 pair - all they had in my size) and some fabric drawers to put the girls toys in on the bookshelves. We also ate at Panera bread and everyone had the broccoli cheddar soup with bread for dipping. I also had a half of a harvest orchard salad. That has to be my favorite restaurant.

I removed the personal info here about ds's and my discussion. Typical mom and teen stuff that is better now.

I want this book: (and some musings about family)

http://store.taunton.com/onlinestore/item/070988.html

Here is an interview with the author:

http://www.craftzine.com/blog/archive/2007/10/prairie_girls_guide_to_life_in.html

Just reading it made me remember one of my life's goals is to interview my parents and other family members about their childhood memories. I was surprised to find out since I became an adult, that when my dad was a baby, his family had to live in a tent for awhile. They also owned a pig that used to greet him and his brother at the bus stop everyday.

I took out the other stuff because I felt it was wrong to post my concerns about others.

I'm so excited!

I am starting on Christmas gifts. I am making this scarf for every woman on my list. http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/70354AD.html
I just bought some of the yarn and already have four flowers finished. I am a fan of projects that don't require me to constantly check the pattern, so I can work in the car or while dh watches tv in the semidark.

Ds, dds and I all have the day off so we are going in search of the colors I couldn't find and to have a fun errand trip. We may head to the thrift store. It has been a while since I visited and there may be some cute new skirts for me or the girls (we need WARM skirts and leggings to wear under them), plus ds needs new jeans. No one can keep up with how fast he is growing. I can spend $20 there on what would easily cost me $100 in the cheapest store.

Halloween pics

Now you may not even realized that they were dressed up. They are Nancy Drew, Girl Detective. I had planned to make their outfit, but decided not to stress myself out. I found the tshirt, socks and skirt at Target. I had bought the Nancy Drew necklaces and purses at the bookstore (they came with books). The headband I finally found at Claire's. People kept asking them what they were going to dress up as. I had to step in and say, "They are dressed up." We did the church festival and trick or treated in a friend's neighborhood.

I know many Christians do not celebrate Halloween. However, it is dh's decision that we do. I educate my children on All Saint's Day (All Hallowed's Day) and that this is the eve'n before. It is clearly be a princess or make your own outfit if you don't want your daughter to look immodest.

Schooling, health, and homemaking

We completed the second lesson in 100 Easy Lessons to Teach your Child to Read. If I had realized it was this simplistic, I would have started it a long time ago. I thought you had to know all of your alphabet letters and sounds before you could start it. Really it teaches them as you go along. The girls are excited to be doing "homeschool" again. I had laid off when they were in Ms. Aimee's class, but now that they are having different teachers, I am less confident about what they are learning. I would still like to homeschool next year, but I am at least assured that if dh persists in his desire for them to go to public school that they will be ready for such a long time away from me. They have handled being in another person's class for more than an hour without melting down, which had never previously happened.

I am having real body issues that I can't identify. I am tired and irritable. I know I am sick with an upper respiratory thing and haven't been able to slow down the pace at all. Dh takes every day off as a "fun family day". He isn't one to lie around and rest. His workdays aren't as hectic as mine though, so at the end of the week, he is ready to go out and have some fun. I am worn out from caring for other people's children as well as my own, so I am usually ready for a break. I think the time change messed me up also. I am trying to go to bed early because I am still waking up at 5am (formerly 6am), but it doesn't work out that well. Last night I fell asleep while dh was shredding documents in our bedroom at 9pm. How tired do you have to be to sleep through that? Hopefully I can work out whatever is wrong with me and fix it.

I am going to join Candy's perfect palace project: http://myblessedhome.blogspot.com/2007/11/introducing-perfect-palace-project.html

Too often I get caught up in just maintaining that the improvements never seem to get done.

On that topic...

http://humblemusings.com/archives/2007/10/13/stirring-the-gravy/

I'm having an existential crisis...

I really want to quit working. I only work part time as a nursery worker and preschool teacher at church and am always with my children. I just find it harder and harder to be the woman God has called me to be while doing time at these jobs. I took the jobs to give me financial freedom, because my dh has control issues (that he acknowledges) with money. What I have found is that with greater freedom, I don't spend wisely. It has been fun spending money that I don't have to be accountable for, but I am no better off with what I buy than I would be without it. I need to pay for what I have recently spent (not too much) and ds's braces. When that is done, I can quit if I want. I am such a people pleaser though and I don't know if I can let down everyone I work for and with by quitting. It will break the hearts of the children and their parents if I quit the preschool. My coworker and friend in the nursery job will be so upset if I quit that job. Why do I find it so hard to hurt people that are less close to me when I am doing what is best for my family? Right now I am aiming for a January quit time. That give me time to pay things and even then, I would have to give a month's notice. I have some second thoughts about being financially dependent on my dh, but I am hoping that God will bless me for my obedience. Nobody ever said that life was totally fun and you get everything you want anyway. That is just a lie the world tells you. Maybe it will be a struggle but I want the freedom and peace that comes from following God's path.