NYE and NYD

We enjoyed our New Year's Eve at Dollywood - our last day with our season passes for the year.  We didn't do rides, but we caught some of the Christmas shows and enjoyed the lights.  After that we ate at Tony Gores, a BBQ restaurant in Sevierville.  

Today, we were looking forward to a day of church and an ice cream sundae party for Pastor Bates (today is his birthday), but the Lord had other plans.  We got 4-5ish sick kiddos with congested coughs. 

And on Thursday night I was giving Hailey a bath and was leaning over and slipped with slippers on b/c Ryan had mopped the floors and I hit my belly on the side of the tub.  It was only from a few inches, but beginning yesterday I've felt like a muscle strain in my abdomen and back so today I am resting and taking it easy.  Jammie day! 

We still plan to have our traditional New Year's meal.  My MOST FAVORITE MEAL  of the whole year - ham, black-eyed peas, collards, cornbread, and pecan cream cheese pie.  I am looking forward to it.  

I actually stayed up to ring in the new year and give my honey a kiss.  :)  

Happy New Year!  The Lord has shown me that I need to focus on love (charity) this year and gave me 1 Cor 13 and 1 John 4:18.  

We also have some goals for 2017:  Sell our townhouse, pay off Westgate, get a new vehicle, recite Matt 5 in church with Ryan and Sean, learn Charlotte Mason homeschooling method and begin this next home schooling year, attend a Charlotte Mason Teach Them Diligently convention, take sermon notes during church and study them during the week, go to CO for Christmas, finish reading the Wellness Mama web site, get season passes to Ripley's Aquarium and their other sites in Gatlinburg, and I think that's it.  Or least that's all I can remember.  

And I'm still talking.  Typing.  Sorry.

Library and Glowing Tree

When me and the kiddos go for a walk around 430 in the afternoon, the sun hits this tree just right and the kids like to point out how it is glowing.  This picture doesn't do it justice of course and the sun wasn't quite shining right, but any way here it is.   

Hailey at the library on Sunday.  She LOVES Hello Kitty.  I took Hailey, Hunter, and Addison up there while Sean stayed with the other two, Ryan had thrown up that morning.  :( 

Starting Nov

We got a new bench!  It was actually an old bench that our neighbors were throwing out.  Sean went with The Carrascos to a saw mill and got the wood cut for it and James did something to the wood and then gave them to us and Sean put them in and scrubbed the green stuff off the iron and repainted it and voila! 

We went on a field trip last Friday with our umbrella school and with our friends The Carrascos to Marble Springs in Knoxville, which is the home of the first governor of TN, John Sevier.

Devon and Peanut at the saw mill getting our wood for our bench :)

We are well here.  Well, not well well.  Sean and all the kids, but Ryan, have colds.  And Hunter threw up twice on Monday.  Me and Ryan are well.  Well, I've had poison ivy on my lips (yikes!) and the side of my nose near my eye, but it is healing so yay for that!  November has started out big with The Cubs winning The World Series (Sean's fave baseball team) and the presidential election and then Veteran's Day.  We took advantage of the blessings on that day and got a free car wash, free haircut, and free dinner at Calhoun's for Sean.  THANK YOU VETERANS!  I can't believe next week is Thanksgiving!

Easter 2015

We didn't get to attend church services today, unfortunately, because we don't want to spread our sicknesses, but we did enjoy a nice day at the house eating a yummy lunch/dinner and taking food to some of my coworkers, and ending the day at a new playground!  Yesterday, the boys did an egg hunt!  Of course, though, we are glorying in the fact that Jesus died and rose from the dead so that we could be saved and have eternal life!!!!

While We Wait

 With the children still being sick, we aren't really going anywhere.  We don't want to get anyone else sick and we don't want them to catch anything else, especially while they are on antibiotics with a lowered resistance.  Also, we are trying to keep Andrew well for his surgery.  But so we don't go totally stir crazy, we took them to the park yesterday and didn't really hang out with any other park patrons.  We decided to go to West Hills Park in Knoxville.  We chose there because it's a quick step down the road from the mall.  I had to go to Godiva to get my free $10 birthday cash!  MMMMMM, Godiva truffles!!!!!!  Evenings just got a little bit better.  Iced coffee.  Godiva.  Hubby.  Hallmark movies.  Comfy bed.  What more could a girl ask for!!???  :)  Any way, it was a really nice park with multiple playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball courts, walking trails, swimming pools, etc.  

We took the kids back to the doctor on Thursday.  Andrew is all good.  Ryan and Hunter had their antibiotics extended, but Ryan's ears looked good, just still coughing.  Hunter still has fluid behind his ears and a runny nose.  Hailey's ears still looked bad and her cough has been really crunchy so the doctor changed her antibiotic to Augmentin.  She said they have had sinus infections.  

We haven't been to church in a lllllloooooonnnnngggg time!  We are hoping that after Andrew's surgery this Wednesday we will be able to start back next Sunday.  

Munching on a plastic bag

Chik-Fil-A picnic

Our Andrew.  Who is getting way too spoiled by me because of his upcoming surgery!!!!!  I'm turning him into a little monster :(

Few Words

Just a few things to say today!  Quickly though because Ryan is standing here coughing all over me and snorting and dripping mucus and talking my ear off and waiting to get on the computer BECAUSE he officially started kindergarten!!!  He is on Day 6 I think!!!  We are doing Abeka DVDs and we are also waiting for the workbook kits that go along with the DVDs.  He is doing very well so far and enjoying it.  He is doing it while the others nap, close to four hours a day! 


Ryan, Hunter, Andrew, and Hailey all have colds, but good news is Andrew went to have his ears rechecked yesterday and they look great!  The doc asked if we wanted to take him to an ENT doctor, but Sean said no.  We are hoping and praying that his ears stay good because there's been talk about getting tubes put in his ears.  Yikes!!!!!


Hailey has started her first solid....hard boiled egg yolk with sea salt.  She is doing very well with it!  She has not been sleeping as good as she usually does and so me and Sean have been a little tired, but thankful to have the little girl!  I guess we can sleep when we retire!!!!  lol


Finally, I have a new work schedule that will start in August that I'm excited about!  I will work 2 Saturdays a month (7a-7p shifts) and then the other two weeks I will work 3-11 on Fridays and Sundays 7a-7p.  That will mean only 6 shifts a month instead of 8 and less commuting and more time at home, especially since Ryan is in school now.  I had asked for it, but wasn't sure I was gonna actually get it! 


OK, time for Ryan to do school.  I will be happy when our lap top gets fixed because we are giving it to Ryan and then I can have this computer back!  :)

Comments On Last Post

I've been reflecting on the importance of hiding God's word in our hearts.  It is awesome to memorize and be able to recite big words and long verses, but my hope is these living words will come to mind when they are needed most.  When a question needs to be answered, a problem solved, a hurt feeling mended, a moral decision made, an anger outrage avoided.  These are the times when we need God's wisdom.  I still try so much to figure things out on my own and God lovingly reminded me recently that I need to go to His word.  ESPECIALLY when I am struggling with anger and anxiety.  I've been practicing that this week and it has been such a blessing and a comfort.  It has also been something I've been doing with the kiddos.  When they are fighting with each other or not sharing toys or any of the other difficulties they may be facing, I've been taking them to The Word.  I urge all of you to do the same!  It will NEVER be a waste of time!


Update on my grandma:  Last time I talked to Dad, she was still on the vent, sedated, and with chest tubes.  During one of her 'sedation vacations', she did nod to my Dad and uncle's questions.  I also know the vent is on a low setting because she is doing some breathing on her own.  Please continue to pray. 


Little Andrew has had an ear infection and Hailey seems a little congested off and on.  Hunter is back to 100% and Ryan stayed well. 


We are looking forward to an extended visit from my in-laws this month and praying that God provides for us to go to AZ in August to see my mom and step-dad. 


More later.  Blessings!

Homemade Vapor Rub

“Better-Than-Vicks” For Little Ones Under Two

• 4 teaspoons grated beeswax (where to buy beeswax)
• 3 tablespoons cocoa, shea or mango butter (where to buy cocoa butter, where to buy shea butter,  where to buy mango butter)
• 7 tablespoons coconut oil (where to buy coconut oil)
• 30 drops high quality essential oil – 10 drops eucalyptus smithii, 10 drops tea tree, 5 drops lavender, 5 drops chamomile*

*Please note that only lavender and chamomile are generally considered safe for babies under two months, eucalyptus (the smithii variety) can be introduced at two months and tea tree can be introduced after 6 months. Essential oils are very potent so use sparingly, alternating with this method for very young babies.

Method

1. Melt beeswax/tallow and shea/cocoa/mango butter in a double boiler.
2. Once melted turn off the heat and add coconut oil and essential oils.
3. Pour into a clean glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 year.


She recommends to put it on the chest and then also under the four smallest toes. 


We just made a batch yesterday.  It was super simple to whip up and it seems to be working well.  I don't know about your household, but here in ours the winter just seems to bring about the goop (AKA congestion and cough!)


http://www.mommypotamus.com/diy-vicks-vapor-rub/

Family News Update

We have found renters for our townhome! We have shown our house twice and the 2nd set of people decided they wanted to live here. Praise God. I was a little worried about this instead of giving my worries to Him. Sean knows the guy from school. It will be him, his fiancee, and her brother living here. This is our first time doing this so we are hoping to get some advice from our friend and realtor who helped us find our townhome.

We also picked our date to move - July 21st! My Dad is so kind and will be helping us get there. Maybe once he sees it, he won't want to leave either! :)

Sean got his summer schedule set up and will be gone Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 am to 10 pm and then Wed from 1030-1230. This means I will be alone and outnumbered during bathtime. I am blessed that we are both usually home for that and I'm not sure I know how to do it by myself. I'm sure I will figure out the logistics!

Hunter is slowly getting better, but it's not stopping him from learning new words! He now says mama and Ryan, but it comes out "yaya!" lol Big brother yaya. Love it! He has also started waving bye-bye. :) Such a joy to see all these little milestones.

Ryan is also slowly getting better, but it's not stopping him from being a funny little man. I have to share this! While we were in TN, I came out to say or do something, but my hair was wet and uncombed from washing it and Ryan says, "What happened to your hair mama? Try again, mama. Try again". We all cracked up. He has always been really focused on my hair and will tell me when he doesn't like what I've done with it. lol With a toddler also comes the challenges....at least our toddler. We have still been on vacation mode (aka lazy) and need to get back on our tough love with him. He is in full force with talking back to us, not sharing with his brother, hitting his brother, and not listening to us. Ryan helps us work on our character quality of PATIENCE everyday!

And that leaves me. Really no news with me. I am starting to feel little baby movements occasionally. I love those moments. :)

We did lose our neighborhood duck, Lazy Mazzie. I took the boys for a walk the other day and we saw her dead in the grass. Not sure if she was hit by a car or what. I tried to explain it to Ryan, but I don't think he could really understand. He kept saying "She wants to go swimming" and "She's hungry." He also said that she needs to stay on the sidewalk so she wouldn't get hit by cars. Awwww. Poor Mazzie. She was such a sweet duck. We went to feed her bread all the time and she would even let us pet her. She was here for years. We will miss her!

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.