What I Did Yesterday!

This is me towing the line, so the branches won't fall on my house!

The boys were trying to help me, after they saw a limb jerk me forward, but they were told not to help, because it is easier for one person to control the rope as far as knowing when to release the line goes! I was perfectly happy with the security, but I tried to go with the flow!

The kids are "behaving" here!The tree remover's daughter was keeping Meeeeema occupied!

Tree Hugger?

Tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimber!

Yep, this is what I did yesterday! UGH! I knew it was going to be hard work. They certainly earn every penny they make! (To think, out of the "kindness of their hearts," they let me help! ha! They were a man short, so I did not get a choice! Thank God my sister was around to keep the kids corralled! She would tell you, that is no easy task, when there is something like this going on!)

Donna's Zucchini Bread

Now, I know what you are all thinking, or what I would be thinking if I were you anyway! Who is Donna? I don't know! No, really, but I thought she should get full credit for the wonderful zuc. bread recipe that I found on All Recipes.com! I will go ahead and give you the link to Donna's actual recipe too, because it is going to be too good to pass up! No, really! It has almonds and chocolate chips in it! That's right, CHOCOLATE and a vegetable together and it is Aaaawesome!

Boring old zucchini that my sister so graciously gave to me!

The fabulous mixture of Donna's zucchini bread!

Can you smell it?

Ha! Well, I can!

Mouth full of zucchini bread with chocolate chips and almonds! What could be better?

She can't think of a THING better than that!

What a good way to say, "kids, eat your vegetables!"

Friends

You know, I got the chance to run away with some of my girls last night and I must say, it was AAAAWESOME! Now, of course, they would tell you that I tried to get them run over by a semi, but that would just be an elaborate scheme to make me look bad! I would never! Ever! No, really, I wouldn't! I love them all way to much for that! They would also say that we talk waaay too much about boobs, when we are together! I would have to say that they are wrong about that too, because we each have two, so double the conversation about boobs should be just right, right?

We did so little and had such a good time. All I really wanted to do was be with them. I got all that I could ask for by just spending time with them. I really do love them all. I guess that is something I should have mentioned in my blessings blog entry. I could not feel more blessed to have such caring, loving, wonderful friends, long distance and short distance friends alike. I really do love them all! I can not say that enough!

Thanks to all of my friends, for being my friends! You are the best! I am so happy to have you in my life! I am so glad that you can stand me, even when I can't! I am so glad that you stuck around! I am so glad that you are you!

Guacamole

Guacamole is not something I have ever really been lucky enough to make successfully! I tried once and it was AWFUL! I did it the other day though and it was wonderful! And, why wouldn't it be with all of these fabulous ingredients in it!!!

Don't mind the fact that I did not use enough lemon juice though! We will pretend that I did not eat it when the entire top layer had turned brown the other day! Glad we got that straightened out! ( I guess I did not end up using the peppers, but they came out of my garden, along with the onions and the cilantro! I was so excited!)

Blessings

You know, I have been wanting to do a post of faith in man kind, or blessings, or something like that for a while now. I know that many people have their faith in the goodness of the human race shaken often, but in our situation of raising many kids, we see a lot of good-natured happenings. So, I believe it is about time to start handing out thank you's to the people who so graciously do not want to be identified!

For the "lady" who stuffed a $50 in my neighbor's hand, after she found out my husband lost his job, and made him bring it to us, so she could remain anonymous--THANK YOU!

For the repair man who did not try to stick us with the $900 part to repair our anti-lock brake nodule, but rather just unhooked the ABS system for us, until we can afford to get it repaired (before winter he says!) and at no charge to us, I might add--THANK YOU!

For the lady from church who brought us her garden green beans, because there were too many for them to eat, but not enough for her to care about canning--THANK YOU! (I even shared them with others!)

For those of you who heard my cries, fears and otherwise and pointed my husband in the direction of SOME work that could be done--THANK YOU SO MUCH!

For any of you who keep us company, invite us over--even though we are almost an army--say a kind word, when I am ready to implode, coloring my walls with brain fragments--THANK YOU TOO!

I completely, totally, unequivocally THANK YOU ALL for everything you do in kindness! It does not go unnoticed!

Lil Ones vs. BIG Ones!

First off, let me say that the kids helped me seed the garden! With that said, these are the carrots I have been finding in my garden.

And, these are the carrots that I found today!!!

shower

Why is it that taking a shower without anyone ScReAmInG at the door is too much to ask? I already have two small children in the bathroom, one in the shower and one waiting, but do all the others really have to BUG me while I am in there? UGH!

Not My Child Monday!

Ok, so I was not really planning on doing a "Not My Child Monday" post, because I was thinking that I really did not have anything to post on, considering the nearly perfect (ha) nature of my children. Until, I remember my dear sweet husband telling me that my youngest child, whom I call Meeeeema for blogging purposes, said "bullshit" on Saturday! Great, right? No, not really! Not My Child! And, I know that she most certainly did not hear her very own daddy saying the word that she did Not say!!! I also did not cringe when thinking about taking her to church after her learning such a colorful new word! NO, Not Me!

I know I keep trying to get you all to participate and YOU DON'T, but I am thinking maybe since you are ratting your kids out this time and not yourselves, you might be more inclined. So, hows about it?!?

Sarah over at Adventures in Ava-land is having a giveaway in honor of her one year blog anniversary! She is giving away a few different items including a very cute frame, a few bright and colorful note pads and a $15 Target gift card! The rules are listed below, so if you are interested, hop on over and tell her Happy Blog-O-Versary!

1 Entry - Leave me a comment and tell me what you might use the gift card to buy (You don't have to have a blog to leave a comment or win. If you don't have one and want to enter, simply click on "Your Takes On It" enter your comment in the box, and then choose the Anonymous option.)

2 Additional Entries - Become a follower or tell me that you already are a follower

3 Additional Entries - Blog about this giveaway. Leave me a comment if you do so and post a link to the entry.

You may enter until Tuesday, July 21st, at noon (CST). I will select a winner no later than Wednesday evening! This is a great way to come out of hiding if you've been reading about us but haven't left a comment! We would love to know our readers so we can check you out too!

(This giveaway is limited to US residents only. Thanks)

Home! Home! Home!

My boy, this boy, is finally home! I am so glad to see him! Once he saw that I was snapping pics, he was blocking my shots, but I managed to get one!

A Little Help Please?

Gotta love a girl who wants to be in a dress even less than her momma!

I finally got her to drop the arms and maybe a little of the attitude!

I said a little of the attitude! Not all of it!

Ok Ladies, I need some help! If any of you have any good ideas about how to attach the straps of this dress without putting buttons on, please fire away! I made a dress for Meeeeema today out of a pattern (yes I said pattern, which I can fumble through where sewing is concerned, just not crochet, really!) for a sundress. The sundress calls for buttons. I love to sew, but I don't do all the fancy zippers and stuff like that. I improvise as often as possible! I can do buttons, but they are appropriate in this case. This is a very elegant dress for my sister's wedding! I love it, but I have no idea what to do with the straps. I hate to admit having used sticky velcro to hold it up for the pic! I may even be reduced to tacking that velcro in and making it part of the final product! UGH!

A Parenting ? For My Blogging Friends

Do your kids ever make you feel like they are driving you down a one way street to the nut house, with all intentions of dropping you off there and never coming back?

Oh, no?

Ok, mine never make me feel like that either then.

Gee, this is uncomfortable!

For Deb

Sorry Deb, I wanted it to be a surprise, but I just can't do it! I love this and I had to share it!

Now, for the rest of you, I asked Deb about a week ago, for a price on a certain type of bag that she makes. She emailed me back saying that a crocheted bag would be just the right price! You know that I jumped at the chance to exchange one type of goods for another!

Thanks Deb! I will get this out to you ASAP! I suppose it will be a while before it reaches you, but we will hope the New Zealand post is running on time for this one!

My Friend Marcia!

My friend Marcia has started her very own Etsy shop! I thought I would give her a little extra help and give you all her address, so you can check it out for yourself!

Good luck Marcia!

She can be found at Girl Mama on Etsy!

Mommy's Little Princess? (with a set of horns!)

This is my little Meeeeema trying to color on a car with a crayon!

Now, this car coloring is pretty serious business!

You can't see him, but she is looking up adoringly at one of her big brothers!
She looks pretty sweet, huh? Or, does she???

Not Me Monday!

This Not Me Monday comes to your from MckMama! Her info is above, if you would like to take a look and see what the Not Me is all about!

I personally did not wake up and sneak out of my bedroom, even though my youngest was a little awake, knowing that she would likely wake her daddy up, only to go back into the bedroom a few minutes later to find one 18 month old with poop all over her hands! She had shown no evidence of having done that when I left the room, or I would have changed her. She was just laying there quietly. I thought that was my cue to sneak a little peace and quiet, but I guess I was wrong! I did not get to spend the next few minutes cleaning up poop and even more time washing her sheet and blanket! NO, Not Me!

So, how wonderful and enlightening was your week?

If you think I believe there has been nothing of the Not Me kind in your week, you are crazy!

Spill it! It's all in good fun!

I Decided...

I decided to do the best I can, so that my family can eat healthy foods, as often as we can. I had the opportunity to get some groceries today. Mainly filler, thankfully just filler! Anyway, I picked up some natural peanut butter, although I am already convinced that I won't like it. I also got natural cheese, organic soy milk, maybe even some organic soy choco milk! I found organic cherries that were really no higher priced than the other cherries, so I got them and I even got organic baby carrots and brown rice and black beans and lentils! Sounds like I did a pretty good job, right?

Um...

I sort of...

Might have....

It is really quite possible that I ate two of the sloppiest maple dough nuts ever on my way home!!!

No, I am not proud, but they were sooooo yummy!

It's Officially Unofficial!

The Operations Manager of my husband's job seems to think they will all see a lay-off starting next week and extending through...

who really knows!

Maybe he will get called back and then again, maybe not!

I am here to tell you that I am thankful for what little we have, including food, shelter, clothing and transportation. I am not worried about much else. I will be grateful to come out of this recession with those very things and nothing else. I pray to come out of it with those things.

I don't want much. I ask for even less. I pray to see some stability in this unstable world! (Yep, it may sound silly, but I am still doing it!)

...

Praying for stability in a world that seems so unstable makes me feel a little silly!

My Sisters Giveaway!

I figured I would return the favor and show you this great little giveaway my sister has set her viewers up to be able to win! The rules are...Ha! I am not going to tell you the rules, but I will tell you that she has them all listed on her blog, if you want to go there and check it out! Go to Through the Eyes of the Young and Naive and have a look around! If you like what you see, click on the Etsy store link on the side bar and have a look around there too!

Man, I Am Sad!

My son, 12 year old Z, just left to go with his grandpa for two weeks. They have a 4 hour drive ahead of them. I pray for his safety on the way there, that he has a great time while there and that he be delivered home safely! He is mouthy and getting too big for his britches, but he is MY boy and I love him!

No, I didn't cry!

Yes, I wanted to!

I made him make sure to give his littlest sis a little extra love before he left, because she is going to be lost without him! She won't begin to understand where he has gone off to! She waved a little as they pulled away. She called his name, in sad little confusion. That was just a few short minutes ago.

No, I am not crying!

Yes, I would tell you if I was!

He was not supposed to leave until 4am, but since our festivities got rained out, we decided to let him go early, if they felt like leaving and beating all of the worries of drunk people on the roads! I was hoping they would go before any of that begins! I feel like too many innocent people end up dying on the 4th, for some reason. Just a mom fear maybe, but why not be safe?

I hope you are enjoying your holiday! We will have our "take 2" tomorrow!

I will leave you with an image of my boy and his littlest sissy! She had been asleep and her crazy hair was blowing in the breeze of the fan in my room, but she's still pretty darned cute! She loves him so much and he loves her too!

And The Winner Is...

And the winner is, Kylie!

Ha! Sorry, poor humor on my part, right Marcia, since you have said before that you understand the poor humor part?!

You had better understand, since you are the real winner!

I will get that right out to you!

I hope you all have a safe and happy, rain free, Independence Day!

Change of Plans

There has been a change of plans, since my local post office closes tomorrow, in observance of the 4th, I will be drawing at noon today and posting by 1, so as to alert the winner of the cute green bag that I am giving away!

I will be letting you know soon!

Yesterday

Yesterday was a bad day.

Yesterday is gone.

Yesterday I wanted to...

Yesterday I was wrong.

Yesterday I used to could.

Yesterday I was blue.

Yesterday was a sad day, because I was missing you.

Yesterday I thought I might...

Yesterday I did not.

Yesterday is yesterday and sometimes best forgotten.