She is my youngest baby girl(for now) and she is starting to look so old.  She no longer has that toddler face she had when she first came.

I know, I know...to be expected.

But still...

He has heard me talk of cocnuts from El Salvador that when he saw some at the store, he begged to have the same experince.

How could I say no??!!?

He actually finished most of the coconut milk between last night and this morning.  He didn't know if he liked it or not, but he finished it anyway.

Now... to eat the coconut meat!!!

Look at what the guys in my famly fininshed last night!

The directions said, as told by the designer, AKA my husband:

Add chicks.

It has been decide by my son and myself, that should we ever need surgery, we will not be using the services of this child.  I think she just about killed the batteries in one sitting.

But she sure is having fun. lol.

New Week, New Opportunities

I was reading this blog this morning.  It just so happened that I was also reading 2Cor. 11-13.

Which could be tied together and be incredibly encouraging!

Why am I so darn lukewarm?

What am I afraid of?  Rejection?  No, not really.  I have been rejected enough in my life that it kind of rolls off.  And even though it still hurts sometimes, I realize it is not worth not doing something because someone is going to reject you.

Some one is ALWAYS willing to reject you.


Is it fear of being considered radical?

Nope.  The overcoming of that fear started back when we started homeschooling.  WAY back ago when no one had heard of it, and people thought you were a hippie or anti-social.

When really, all we were trying to do was be obedient to HIS calling. Sheesh.

And my family already thinks I am whacked in the head ( radical) and treats me accordingly.  Sadly enough, I do not share with them so much, because the rejection and being thought of a whack in the head got old.  Bummer because I miss being close enough to share our victories and defeats and still laugh and love.

Oh well, moving on...


Is it because I am lazy?  By George, that may be it!!

Huh.

Ok, so since I am too lazy in my faith...what is the solution?

A swift kick in the rear?  What would that entail?

I met someone recently who had such joy.  Joy in life, and allow me to tell you that she has had crazy-as-all-get-out situations I wouldn't wish on anyone.  But inspite of it, she lives it out.  Because HE is hers and she is HIS.

Yup.

That is what I want.

That is where I am going.

Through the tears that will most certainly come with it, through the struggles that are a guarantee, through the joys of the journey that are your heartbeats.

Lazy butt faith...you need to go.

I need to surround myself with those who are willing to walk.  I need to care about those who are not, but not hang out there with them so much that lukewarm becomes my middle name.

Again.

Random moment:

Chickens can come TOMORROW!!!

Granted Wednesday is their due date, they warned us that they may be a day early.

Here is to hoping Wednesday is still the right date.  :P lol.

Catch you later.

A Week in the Life

The seeds are doing well!!!

The big shoots are all the squashes for us, but really for that little boy.

And I finally got my water kifers. ( inside the glass jar)  I have been waiting for them to come in.  I already have a few families who want some once mine reproduce.  Which doesn't take very long.

See my bullet?  It is awesome!  My son is not a fan of breakfast.  But he will have a smoothie for breakfast.  So I make it using greek yogurt which has almost 2x the amount of protein than regualr yogurt has, I add some berries, and loads of raw organic spinach.  Add a little agave to sweeten it, because after all he is 13, and it is good to go.

First time I made it, I neglected to tell him about the spinach until after he slurpped it up. 

He didn't appreicate it as much as I thought he would, but after admitting that he liked it and didn't even notice the spinach, he has agreed to keep drinking it. 

In fact, he asked if I couldjust put all his greens in it so it is less painful. lol.

I went with my experienced chicken raising friend to get my supplies yesterday.  We went to the Tractor Supply Co.  Can I just say, I never knew we had such a redneck store in NJ.   And it was only 40 minutes from my house!!  I know this is a snobby and ignorant statement. But since I hang around my area, which is mostly city suburbia, or NYC,  I tend to be country ignorant more often than not.

I wish this place was more normal for me.

Anyway, here is my son and her daughter holding chickens.  Um, stuffed animal chickens.  It is not THAT redneck.

My babies.  Their sister is coming soon!  We got our 1-600 approval!!  Now we are talking weeks until she comes!!

John loves chocolate.

Until this little girl came along, he was the only one.

Here she is with her chocolate smile. lol.

Playing Hello Kitty bingo.  She likes to play with him becausehe is nice.  I am too competitive. Pray for me.

Beautiful girl cooking.  Her favorite thing EVER.  My mom got her a whole box full of play cooking supplies.  She willm ake you anything you want from muffins to sandwhiches to ice cream to anything.

PUZZLES! Someone in this house loves puzzles. She insists they should be considered part of her school.  Not a bad idea.

Life is good.  And GOD is great and worthy.  Of everything.

Live it out for HIM!!

Feeling Like a Million Dollars. Or At Least A Dollar Fifty.

We get our first raw milk delivery this Friday!

Why am I so excited, since I don't even drink milk?  Well, probably because I don't drink milk and don't have to taste it. lol  But also, because my kids DO drink milk and now it will actually be good for them!!

After doing my milk research, I couldn't wait to go raw.  Ew.  That statement skeeves me out, until I re-remind myself I DON'T DRINK MILK, then I am ok, again.

We were in VA Beach this past weekend visiting a beautiful baby boy who happens to be my grandson. It is a 7 hour trip one way. TOTALLY WORTH IT.  It was wonderful to see him and kiss him and hold him, rock him and watching him crack up.

I just can't get enough of it.

But what I really like just as much, is seeing what a good mommy my daughter has turned out to be.  That little boy is such a happy baby, so secure in her love for him.  It does this momma's heart good.

I also loved seeing how in additon to nursing, she makes all his food organically, how she is using cloth diapers without out thought, takes care of her family and seens so happy.

GOD is good.

Mind you she is still my Jersey girl and all that comes with that.

But that is another story for another day. lol.

I have lost some weight.

Isn't it a bummer when you lose weight...BUT YOU CANT TELL??!!??!

It is.  Trust me.

It is looking like our Congonese daughter may be here soon!  At least by Spring.  WOO-HOO!

I will most likely be going to Congo by myself.  It is financially hard for both of us to go, both in the fact that since John owns his own company, if he doesn't work there is no income coming in, and then the expenses of actually going.

By some miracle ( it could happen) there may still be a chance that we maybe able to get an escort.  But I am no longer counting on it.

GOD is good.

Off to the next project!

And PS, the seed started coming up!  The kids are excited to see them, and I love seeing HIS miracles at work.  I will post pictures later.

OH! And PSS  Chicks come in 8 days!!

What was I thinking??

ADD at it's Its Best

She got LOADS of craft things for her birthday, and she loves loves loves it!

When people asked what to get her, I said, crafts things and school stuff/workbooks.

It would NEVER occur to me to say ANYthing 'school' for Samuel.

But she loves them.  She can never do enough school.  When she is done for the day, she has a look on her face like her life is over.

wHoA.

So we pull out a craft, and she comes back to life. lol.

So, Eagle & Giants fans can co-exsist.

Go figure!

We are getting more ready for...

12 - 13 more days until those chicks come. 

It is nerving and exciting.  And I may or may not be in denial.

Ok fine. I am.

But I am ready.

HA.

I think I will make this for dinner tonight.  I have seen the recipe for a long time, but never made it.

Maybe with some pita??

Anyway, I am starting a 2 week meal plan. I am so darn tired of trying to figure out what to make every-glorious-day that morning.

After 27 years of thinking of something everyday, I am tired.

I will only think of it 2x amonth!

Really, it is something I should have done 26 years ago.

Better late than never! :)

Tomorrow, we go to VA Beach to go see this amazingly beautiful baby boy.  And I CANNOT WAIT!!!!

It has been too long.

2 months is way.too.long.

And HEY! 

I need to declutter our bedroom.

UGH.

It is a little overwhelming, but I have no one to blame but myself.

I married a minimalist neat nut.

Everything is there is my fault.

It really is.

:P

But I will do it when I get back from kissing cheeks and little toes.  And maybe that beautiful neck.  :)

generations

It is funny.

I was looking at old pictures, and it was so nostalgic to see the older kids when they were young.  Was I REALLY that young mom??!!?

Seriously.

What was the neat part is...just how many pictures there are of my daughter and her best friend from long long ago.  Like the picture when they went to the father/daughter dance when they were 5.  Or with their American Girl dolls. Or how about when they wore matching clothes like they were twins, even though they look as differnt as night and day.  Or their 'awkward' stage with braces and interesting hair.  And when they bloomed into the beauitful young women they are today.

And of course Chloe's wedding pictures with Annalicia as her maid of honor.

                                                           At the wedding rehearsal.  <3

As you may or may not know, these 2 each have a little brother.

Who also happen to be best buds.

How many pictures do I have of them??!!?

I lost count when they were about 5.

And when they even lost their teeth together.

And still at it today.

Life is good.  I love it when I can go back and remember these wonderful times.

Were they all wonderful times??

Heck to the no.

But there were enough.

They are my joys.  Not that I live in the past, just that I am so very thankful for it.

GOD is good.  All the time.  

A Weekend to Remember.

It has been an intense weekend.

I do not wish this kind of weekend on ANYONE.

Staring with:

My husband & my son went skiing on Friday.  Last year my son came to me and told me he was a good enough skier that he did not need to wear a helmet anymore.  He is right.  He is a great skier.

So I made a deal with him

I told him he didn't have to wear a helpmet, unless he wanted to ski.  Ski = helmet.  No helmet = no skiing.

He was not amused, which worked out ok because it wasn't for his amusement.  It was for his life.

He got into a bad accident Friday.  I mean so bad, he still doesn't remember what happened.  Actually no one knows what happened.  His whole right side of his body is bruised, and his brand-spanking new helmet is scratch ALL OVER with no rhyme or reason.

He has a bad concussion.  He is getting his short term memory back slowly but surely.  Thankfully.

You could tell him something and 1 minute later, he had no idea what you had said anything to him.  He only remembers the hospital and the CT scan from OUR memory, from telling him over and over again.

NOW he is starting to remember alsmot everything.

Except that whole day.  And the accident. And the hospital. And even the ride home from PA.

And a few pockets here and there he forgets temporarily.  Like when he called his sister.  Later he asked me if he talked to her.  But couldn't remember what they said.  He remembered the conversation last night.

Scary-stuff, let me tell you.

Then of course, not as stressful, but nail-biting worhty:

The Super Bowl.

These 2 teams wreck havoc on my heart.  The Giants is my 2nd favorite team.  The Patriots is my daughter's and husband's team.

Plus when they get together to play, they make sure you are at the edge of your seat freaking out.

They didn not disappoint in that aspect.

Again.

I feel bad for my other 1/2 of the family.  Chloe, Samuel & John were all about the Patriots.  Lance, Elena & I were all over the Giants.

I guess Audrey will break the tie.

Poor child.  Such pressure.   :P

Today starts a new week.  A thankful my son is alive and no serious damage was done.  Thankful everyone is healthy.  Thankful GOD is supreme and holy and master and King.

Where would I be without HIM?  Without my friends & family who went to HIS throne on our behalf.  Not just for the technical healing, but also the peace that passes all understanding.

I would be a mess.

huh

Well, a few months ago, I started using essential oils for, well, just about as much as I could for anything that came along.

See...every year, Samuel gets a wicked ugly flu, at least once if not 2x during the winter months.  I mean, 105 fever, passed out sick as a dog , his muscles feeling like mush, and his bones like jelly, and wishing he wouldn't have to wake up until it was all over, a week or so later.

One year he got the swine flu.  Yes he did.  It was scary as all get out.

Oh, allow me to mention that Elena also got several colds every winter, and once got her brother's flu.

So this year, I armed myself with oils and started the battle against toxic bacteria.

I infused Thieves when ever someone came over, or when I started to get a cold so no one else would catch it. ( It barely lasted, and I remembered to start using the oils as soon as I got sick.)

To date, no one has gotten sick.

WOO-HOO!!!!!


We have also being using other oils very successfully as well, for a myriad of other things that have come along. The medicine cabinet is looking quite different these days.


On this journey, I also started researching going more natural.  Granted we decided to get the chickens back in mid-november, and that was going to be the extent of nature in our home, or so I thought, well, as time has marched on, I now have gotten rid of all the toxic cleaning products in our home.

I can't believe the poisons I was bringing into our home!!

I also can't believe how well my homemade stuff works!!    (Can I use the word CHEAP here, too??!!?  :D )

I ran over to the library and educated myself with loads of books.

I am slightly stunned at at the ignorance that is rampant in the country.  Myself included.  All I have to do was barely scratch the surface, and BAM, the amount of information out there is astounding!

We always buy organic eggs and milk.  These products are hormonal to begin with, only the give it more than plenty of  synthetic and not for human consumption use hormones, but given to cows,  to mess up your system.  Well, the chickens will take care of the eggs, so now I know exactly how healthy and natural our eggs are.

And now, I found a raw milk place.  Right here in Jersey!!  Grass fed, free range cows, that we can go visit if we want to. ( I think I will pass, though it might make a fun field trip.) ( maybe)  We don't drink alot of milk.  And I discovered how store bought milk has stopped being milk at all!  Even the organic stuff.  It is the cause of so many intestinal problems.  People are not lactose intolerant, they are processed milk intolerant, which in turn messes up their digestive system.

I realize that yes, some of this stuff is a little more expensive than their on-the-supermarket-shelves counter part, but in the end I am spending less money on medical bills.   And everyone is healthier.  Not just physically, but mentally, too.  Yes, indeed, so many of these things affect your neuro-system.

Am I going off the deep end?

Nah.  I am just trying to take better care of my family.  And if that is going off the deep end, then by all means give me a hard push.