I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I made it through all the HOMES!! YAY!!! HAPPY DANCE!! I will post pictures of my bleeding fingers later my poor mouse is smoking!

I am HALFWAY thru the Bloggy tour of Homes! I am a woman on a mission -- I will finish - but DANG my under review blog file is gettin B.I.G. !!

UPDATE!! I have made it to 146!! I'm almost there - but I am out for the night! If I didn't post on yours - sorry -- my fingers are bleeding! LOL!!

ARGH!!!!! I went to bed last night and there were 218 participants - now there are 230!! YIKES! LOL!! I made it to 175 this morning - taking a break to play with the Things and throw them in the pool before the water boils! I WILL make it to all these houses! I will! (I think I can, I think I can, I think I can)

I have made it so far - to 70+ houses, 2 in Australia, one in Scotland, another one in the UK, also Spain and Indonesia. Nevermind ALL OVER the US and I am not done yet! There are over 200 participants in the Bloggy Home Tour - and I am determined to visit them all!

Of course I am doing this while watching a "Good Eats" marathon -- I LOVE Alton Brown - he's like a mad scientist of the kitchen!

Back to snooping!!! I mean TOURING...

Well I didn't wanna do it! I REALLY didn't. So for truth in advertising -- ya got the untouched (kinda) version of my house. It's NOT perfect not by a strech - BUT you can see the floor and the sink is shiny.

Our playroom - DH built those shelves so I can put the toys in buckets and away from little fingers - unfortunately the little fingers are taller now and know how to use chairs!

The living room - we have to paint over the yellow walls - and we'll eventually take up the carpet - but the kids are still in the spilling stage.

Little man at the computer - above him is my shelf of official curriculum

Our kitchen. Our dining room is just off this - but it looks like a BOMB went off in there! ;-)

GIVE ME A BREAK!!! Apparently the news would like to create a dustup over THIS magazine cover. Go look - I'll wait.

OK? A baby nursing at the breast. BIG FLIPPIN DEAL. The magazine is targeted at new moms and moms to be. Our local news did a piece on how some people are "outraged" at the cover photo. Of course when they showed people they interviewed - only ONE person said - "oh she should cover up" in fact a 20ish year old guy said "I think we should be more worried about the guy sittin next to her trying to get a peek. Babies are made to eat that way. I think we should lock the guy up" (ok that's NOT verbatim but I can't remember what EXACTLY he said, but I did get it 90% right)

Then they go to a woman with a new baby (STILL in the hospital!) who "tried" to nurse but it was "too hard" and besides "people look at you like you're disgusting if you do it in public". WHAT?
1. Yes it's weird and a little uncomfortable at first - especially if your baby's latch is not great. BUT I AM SORRY trying a couple times while still in the hospital is NOT trying

(my personal opinion only - I have had a DEAR friend walk though h*ll to be able to nurse - but have to have surgery and have to wean, and finally walk though h*ll on GLASS with her second child to be able to nurse AND SHE DID IT!! I have another friend yes sister-in-heart who had a mass removed as a teenager and only has half the ducts on one breast AND SUCCESSFULLY NURSED 3! Do I think there are reasons to quit? Sure. Am I a militant BF mom? Somewhat. Will I accost you in the mall and tell you you're a bad mother becasue you're giving that baby a bottle? NO!!! But if it's not for you - then OWN THAT. Don't try to placate anyone with - it's too hard, it's weird, it hurt. POOP! Own your choice - you will get alot more respect for just saying "It's not for me" that a bunch of excuses. Someone get me the ladder so I can get off my soapbox now?

2. I have NEVER EVER had someone look at me like I was disgusting. In my 3 years of nursing my 2 kids I can count on one hand the number of negative comments I received. And they were from my AUNT (who DID NOT DO "THAT"). I know that negativity towards breastfeeding happens - it was not my experience. I took the stance that I never "saw" anything wrong with what I was doing, therefore no-one else would either. You reap what you sow. If you are looking uncomfortable, furtive, or otherwise like you are doing something wrong - SOMEONE will pick up on it.

I KNOW that is a generalization and there are nosy busybodies everywhere and "grumpy old men" who feel like they can say whatever they want, whenever they want. Breastfeeding mothers (just like bottlefeeding mothers) need to embrace their choice. You are NOT doing something dirty, weird, lewd or yucky. YOU ARE FEEDING YOUR CHILD. I am not advocating bare breasted Amazon mammas marching on Washington babies at the ready. What I am advocating is simple - embrace your choice - whatever it is. Make no apology, no excuses. It sounds odd - but think nothing of it just nurse your baby, just give your baby that bottle. If that is your family's choice LIVE IT. The more confident you are in YOUR choice the more the outside world will "accept" it. (not that the outside world has to accept anyone's choices but my goodness isn't it easier if you are not criticized at every turn?)

For our family the breast is best. I carried my babies in my sling and nursed them whenever and wherever they needed it (including in the FRONT ROW of a very conservative church when my Sister in Law got married and Thing 1 was 3 weeks old and got smiles and pats from little old ladies) I did cover myself with the tail of my sling for privacy's sake (especially in the beginning and I was still learning to get that Ft. Knox of a bra open with one hand!) And when I was around older people like my grandfather - out of respect for them. I did not cover myself at home at all (unless my Pop-Pop was over) but neither was I Amazon woman! LOL!!!

I am SICK of the "Mommy Wars" over breastfeeding or not, working or not. We all need to embrace the choices that we make for our own families. Be comfortable in your own skin and hang the rest.

Now, somebody hide that soapbox from me....... Stay tuned I will post pics for BooMama's tour of homes later tonight!!!

This is an amazing web site! GO here NOW -- The Shape of a Mother

I am gettin blog burnout- I can't think of anything to write about. Well - not much anyway. But I have to come up with something! Cuz Karin mentioned me and ALL THESE MOMS said they were going to check out her blog favorites!! ACK! Although my utterly ridicules goal is to get on the bloglines/blogrolls of as many people as possible! Tee hee!!!!

Nope - I didn't live blog America's Got Talent last night - watching the live results show right now.

As for Melanie - I found it pretty interesting that one of PBS's reasons for firing her was that she may "lose credibility with her audience" because of the dialog of this 30 second spot. HUH?? Her target audience is 3!! Why would they be watching a spot that is 7 years old?? What possible credibility could she lose? If she purposely KEPT it from PBS or there was a morality/behavior clause in her contract I could see her being fired - but :losing credibility" with toddlers? Over something they will never see? Frankly PBS lost the credibility if they really expect me to believe THAT.

Thing 2 has been going to Dance camp all week and loving it! Wild thing and she look SO.DARN.CUTE. Thing 1 has had a good time playing with all the other brothers downstairs (he could have done the camp if he wanted to, but the darling declined)

OH! On our way to camp everyday -Thing 1 has been able to bring a couple toys to play with downstairs - on Wednesday he brought his rocks (polished ones)! He wanted to bring them so he COULD.DO.MATH!!!!! Yes he did!!! And we did math - that boy can add in his head! WOW!! He impressed me!

We also went to the library to see a little concert from a local music class/school then spent an hour reading books in the library and borrowing tons (after mommy paid almost $20 in LATE FEES!!! BAD MOMMY!) We had a GOOD HOMESCHOOL DAY. Without even trying.

OH!!! I got my new curriculum in for bible study - I like it - but dang I will have to find the verses for each week and come up with a craft - sigh - I may actually have to work. (Ok - I am kidding - except they really could have noted the verse #'s) Other than ordering the math workbooks I need. I am DONE BUYING - for now. (ha!)

So here it is - LMK if you have dropped by from Karin! And I will get back to posting almost daily once I catch my breath.

Beenhaving blogger and Phone issues (not my fault! The phone co. broke it)

BUT I AM IN SHOCK!! mealanie - from "The Goodnight Show" on PBS Sprout GOT FIRED! http://www.sproutletsgrow.com/good_night/index.html

Here is a feed to the video -- OH MY WORD - No she didn't!!! Do NOT watch this with kids in the room!!!!

http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/438978?htv=12&htv=12

Back tomorrow~

Boomama has been touched by tragedy - her dear friend Elise's husband was in a freak accident and went home to the Lord. He leaves behind his wife and 3 children. Please go over and give her your support and prayers for both families.

The question was asked on Her bad Mother "How do you find your way when the path is dark?" She is struggling with faith and what to teach her child , having been disillusioned by the Church.

Go and check out her post and then weigh in here, there, or on your own space it you have much to say (like me!)

I am a saved Catholic - I was raised in the Church - and HATED it. I turned from God - ran from the Church. Until I joined my friend's youth group - I was in a group of kids that were my peers who were able to talk openly about God - with adults that were excited about God and what He does for us. That put my feet back on the path for a while.The youth group was Methodist. And that is where I accepted Christ as my savior.

Then I became a teenager. And the youth group was not enough. I did not have a church to fall back on and I went down the wrong paths. Even when I did GOD STILL LOVED ME. I just didn't know it. It took many years and 2 children (and a car being THROWN at me) to get my sorry behind back in a church. And for me finding my current church was a BLESSING for my entire family.

We have to remember that there is more than One Church, and this is my personal belief - the Catholic Church is not necessarily the True church - I am not saying that Catholics don't know and love Christ and that they are not saved - I am saying I don't believe the ORGANIZATION of the Church as a whole is not pure. Not that any one church is. My church is part of a larger organization that I don't always agree with, but my church takes a more open and forgiving approach to some aspects. The message of our church is clear. JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SIN. IF WE LOVE AND BELIEVE IN HIM WE WILL BE SAVED. There NOTHING we can do that is unforgivable - GRACE (unconditional and undeserved love of God) coves us all.

I guess what I am saying is - explore other churches, we found our home in a Presbyterian church - My hubby and I talked about going and hemmed and hawed about it for so long - but finally I just WENT and visited a church nearby -I was looking for something DIFFERENT that The Church and I found it. OUR church is inclusive and exciting and excited about what Christ has done for us. It is ALL about how we have been given Grace -unconditional and undeserved love by God and that NO SIN is too big for God. Once you have been SAVED BY GRACE there is NO LOSING that grace. Just like when we get upset with our children - we don't stop loving them! God does not stop loving us - even when we turn from him.


"As a Father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him" Psalms 103:13

Study the BIBLE for yourself - don't concentrate on the man made rituals of a church if that is your objection. We cannot possible conceive of his Grace filled love for us except to like it to our love for our children.
Visit churches - find one that resonates with you. And as for influencing your children with your own "prejudicial experiences" why shouldn't you? If you say have had bad experiences in a certain religion why shouldn't you tell your children about it (when old enough to understand) and explain WHY that was a problem for you, explain WHAT you believe and WHY you believe what you do. We do it all the time - Don't go to the car guy down the street honey - he's crooked, don't date the boy who is in all kinds of trouble, we train our children with our own experiences all the time - why would teaching our children about the pitfalls of organized religion be ANY different? Please note I said ORGANIZED RELIGION not GOD and His love for us.

I know I have repeated myself in a couple places. But it bears repeating.

NOTHING we can do that is unforgivable - GRACE (unconditional and undeserved love of God) covers us all.

N'Vevirsity - WOW - although I was expecting it to go somewhere - THANK YOU BRANDI!!! YES! Those Clothes are WRONG on a 16 year old! WHY DOES A 16 YEAR OLD NEED TO BE SEXY!! They Prayed about it? And could they pray for more FABRIC please?

Mark the Knife - good as usual - but I liked the first one better.

Leonid The magnificent -- I miss his last costume! Well act least this time he DID something - hopefully he will get a job from it. But I was not impressed with his performance. Peirs is to harsh on him though. DANG! But he handled himself well!

And the Judges choice is............ We'll find out tomorrow!

Bobby Badfingers -- a professional snappist -- WHAT the HECK is that?? Nice to say nice things to his mama. Bad it is - this is NOT a million dollar act I am so sorry! DING 15 minutes up! (what is with the baywatch thing?? Tee hee- I KNOW why he watched Baywatch - and it's not David Hasselhoff)

Sugar and Spice - Hopefully no matter what they will find a place to live. Oh man -- they are REALLY off key. And WHAT is that baby doing out there!!?? I don't CARE what Mom says - they don't belong out there! That bothers me.

At Last - They are amazing - they were sooooo impressive - they owned the stage! And the audience

Natasha lee - she will grow into a fine Concert Pianist someday. She is very talented for an 8 year old.

Valdamir - hand balancing act - The camera angles SUCKED -- I do not want to see the audience - I want to see the ACT -- dang it's annoying. I liked it - what I could SEE of it...

ABC - pay attention to the acts - and stop with the annoying camera tricks!

OK - Dave the Horn Guy! NO NO NO -- I mean the patriotic thing is ok - but I am with Peirs - annoying! Thing 1 liked him though

Realis -- WOW! I truly admire talented athletes like these! They were amazing - the Things both loved them.

Off for reading and kisses - BRB!!

Live blogging will start soon!! Gotta put the kids to bed! If you're lurking LMK!!

I'm melting! It's hot - but oh yeah the heat wave broke - it's only in the 80s -- (and watch me complain about the cold in the winter and dream of this heat)

Yesterday was interesting - my cousin calls me Monday night - telling me he's moving THAT NIGHT. WHAT??? He has decided to move in with his drug using mother (who, BTW, STOLE $10,000 from my grandfather's estate intended for my children - long story but I can't prosecute) . He moved to Virginia with his mom and her jailbird boyfriend (did I mention she's married to someone else?) and left almost ALL his stuff behind in his apartment including his pets.

YUP - left the pets! An iguana, a couple firebelly tree frogs and a large Oscar. Left 'em all for me to deal with. He left all this stuff from our grandfather's house behind - a ton of clothes, furniture, food, trash and CO2 containers EVERYWHERE (and YES I know what he used them for).

SO DH and I went over last night to salvage what we can. We took all the food, and sentimental stuff. I am going to go back with DH tonight to get the bigger furniture and I will have to find a home for the Oscar. Fortunately a friend came and took the Iguana and the frogs because her son is into reptiles.

Maybe I am a little crazy to upset myself about this stuff - after all he is 25 and an adult making his own HORRIBLE choices. But I can't help but worry about him. I am NOT cleaning his apt and making it so he would get his deposit back - I am only taking the things that mean something to me or are of value.

So anybody want an Oscar?

Summertime!

Pools (clothes strew everywhere in the children's hast to get into their "baby soups")

Ice Cream (the hum of the ice cream maker in the background 16.97 at Walmart!)

Homemade pizza for lunch (pocketless pita make GREAT pizza crusts!Works for me!)

Friends coming over for pool time this afternoon! YAY!!

(and a 5 year old who has decided today he is a dog and is barking at me...Sigh..)

I got a sign post from God on Saturday.

We went yard saling (sooo fun! I got a microscope for $1~) And around noon it started to storm - so we decided to get some lunch. And of course Brian wanted to go to his favorite Diner (T.J. 's nearby) We go there ALOT - the managers KNOW us. I really didn't feel like going to T.J.'s at all - but I decided not to argue - it's decent food and cheap. The kids played with their monster truck toys they had scored that day for a quarter while we waited.

Fast forward to the finishing of the meal. Bri has gone to pay with Thing 2, I am getting Thing 1 organized (picking up some game pieces from a phonics game I had scored for .50) and the woman in the booth next to us says
"I know you from St. James!"
"No" I said - because I was thinking of St James High school (which was a BOYS school)
"No really - from St James Preschool!"

(back story here -- St. James is a preschool I had to pull my son out of in 2004/05 school year because the" teacher" did not belong in a classroom - she told another parent that my son was VIOLENT - anyone who knows my son would be on the floor LAUGHING at this assessment- also she used food as a reward for proper work and withheld it from kids who did their work wrong! In a 3 YEAR OLD CLASS! She was requiring them do CORRECTLY paperwork intended for kindergarten and when my son didn't do it right - SHE TOOK HIS PAPER RIPPED UP AND MADE HIM THROW IT AWAY!!!! When my son told me about this I was told he made a paper airplane by the director - which he was NOT able to do at that age- and that I was being overprotective because I had been a preschool teacher. When 2 other children had the same story of the same thing being done to them the Classroom Aide FINALLY came forward and told the director what had really happened - The it was all apologies and butt kissing. Needless to say I RIPPED the director a new one, pulled my son out of that horrid school and got my $$$ back and I tell EVERYONE in my area about that school and discourage ANYONE form sending their children there )

K- told ya that story to tell ya this one. The woman I am talking to - Crystal - her DD was the third child involved in the incident. So we got to chatting for a minute. I told her after I whipped Thing 1 out of that school, I tried another one the next year - and we didn't LOVE it - it was not horrific like the first one - which by the way - when we pass that school Thing 1 STILL tells me he didn't like Miss Stacy and I put Miss Stacy in a time out. (I would have put her in the hospital if I could, I was THAT mad) And that we were going to homeschool now. She almost leaped out of the booth! She is thinking about homeschooling herself. I gave her my phone # and I hope she calls. We talked about her situation - she has 2 older kids and one was on medication just to stay in school - because the SCHOOL said so! I told her she HAS GOT to call me! There is another way.

I KNOW this was a sign post that I am on the right path for my family. I was SOOO conflicted about it. After DH and I made the decision though, and getting the cirriculm and committing to it. I have felt SUCH PEACE with it. I am not at all afraid of the prospect and the yard sales the last couple weeks have found me some great materials.

My mother is a little trepidation - but nevertheless - when she found my Rainbow Resource center wish list - which I had sent her to show my bible cirriculm choices - she bought EVERYTHING on my list! Yay Momma - she is stepping out in faith for me! ('course if her grandbabies don't seem to learn anything heads will roll!)

Now my FIL is another story - he has the usual "what about socialization questions" Which cracked me up! because what he asked me is this...
"Well, how will they learn to get along with all kinds of people in the real world if they are not in school??"
To which I replied ..
"Dad, in the real world are you grouped with 30 people the same age as you all day??"
"No - but well I.. I Just.. I don't know much about it but it seems to me..."

So I smiled, handed him a few CHAP and Homeschool education magazines and said - read these and then come back to me with your questions. He WAS really good about saying he just didn't know alot about it but was willing to learn (10 years ago the man would have just blown his top!) And so far he has been willing to learn - he didn't think DH and I would last (his marriage only lasted 10 years or so and they fought ALL THE TIME- we don't do that and WILL not let him come in screaming and yelling - that took a while- but that's another post) Then he wasn't sure about our having babies so young (I was 24 when T1 was born) or me staying home, or me breastfeeding, and all along he has learned that we really do know what we are doing. Just to show ya- you can teach an old dog new tricks! So I will prove myself to dad again. I am confident that he will be on board before the 1st grade (you can teach the old dog - but it does take longer!)

If you are still with me WOW!!! ya'll are committed! Thing 1 is ready for his computer time!

Got lots to say! Check in Monday! I am goin to bed - BUSY weekend! There was ice cream and bread making and picnicing reading shoping... DO-ING!

DANG!! AGT is running my sitemeter skyrocket!!!

Also I got a search for a barefoot picture of 4 year old child..... hmmmm.. What WERE you looking for? Nevermind - I really don't want to know - and I will pray for you.

Cake is baked and iced and waiting to be taken to church -- and all I could think of was "sweatin for Jesus"in the hot kitchen... LOL!! Boomama I think about you ENTIRELY too much!

Kids are having some downtime before the church picnic tonight. Thing 1 is supposed to participate in the show (they will do a few songs ect from VBS) . We'll see how it goes.

I MISSED THE RESULTS SHOW!

I can't believe I forgot! I went out to run errands. It looks like Taylor was chosen by America - she's the little girl who yodels.

I might not post much today- more errands to run, a cake to bake for VBS picnic, and then the picnic tonight... soooooo I will pop in where I can!

Little miss woke up around 12:45 feeling chipper! She's eaten oatmeal and is watching Miss Spider's Sunnypatch friends.

Baby Girl has been napping all morning. At first she couldn't even keep down water. She can now thank goodness. Sleep is the best for her.

Thing 1 is with his aunt (Rockhound, Diva and Dictator's mom) along with the kids. So I have a sleeping sick baby and nothing to do but HOUSEWORK -- ICK

So far -- in between water runs for Baby -- I have put away 2 baskets of laundry, running more thru, changed the dishwasher, swept and MOPPED the kitchen floor (pick up your jaws PLEASE) I have floor tiles the color of dirt for a reason! I swept the dining room, cleaned the table, and I will mop the dining room - wood floors in there. No vacuuming since Baby is sleeping.

Ick - housework - Although I do take 15 minute breaks to shop my Rainbow Resource Center catalog or check my blog roll....

We interrupt our regularly scheduled blog for a sick little girl. Thing 2 woke up with a sore tummy and is now bringing up plain water. Poor thing. Pray for her to get better quick.

Shawn Ryan -- not my cup of tea - and he seemed to be streaching it.

Those POOR doggies!!! What was he thinking!!

Hoopalicious.... Well....Um... Interesting. Great for street performing

Corina Brouder! A HOMESCHOOLING MOM!!! Cool! I would like her top be more pretty!

The Miller boys! I LOVE those boys!!! The love between those boys is amazing!

Alexis Jordan - WOW can this girl SING but I do feel like she is stressing herself as far as she can go - I think in a few years she will pull this off much better.

NO HE DIDN'T! Regis just asked if the guy would keep his balls in the air -- Yes he's juggler but REALLY!

Vladik - Eh - ok not spectacular - I agree with Piers

TEE hee!! Throwdown on the Show!!!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AAAAAHHHHHHH!!! My TV listings had America's got Talent listed as starting at 8:30!!! I dared to put my children to be and missed the first 15 minutes!! Who was on First???

Love the Clogging boys - very cool.

The ventriloquist is cute - he does have a point about having a 40 minutes show normally and now having to condense it to a minute.

Lurk Lurk Lurk....

Does anyone else do this? I swear I check my faves a few times a day (did anyone post something new? How 'bout now? Now? How 'bout now?)

Then I check my site meter - and I am getting ALOT of new hits - some from Bloglines, some from Crazy Hip Blog Mommas, and some - haha! from me - lurking my own site to see if anyone commented! LOL!!!

What is WRONG with me? ;-)

On another topic - I have managed to pick up all the pieces of the kids Fall curriculum - except for the Alpha Omega Horizons Math, and a bible study for kids. YAY!! I am almost there!

We HAVE CORN!!!! The corn is growing ears and tasseling! Hip hip Hooray! Hopefully we will get to eat it instead of the tree rats - I mean squirrels.

(now? How 'bout now? Anyone? )

I got back on my Zoloft and feel much better -EXCEPT for Aunt Flo visiting! Well - that would explain my attitude a couple days ago as well.

ANYWAY! Back to lurking!!!

"Miss Heather - When I grow up I'm going to be the Tooth Fairy"
This is from Wild Thing on the way to the Art store this morning. So cute!

Lisa - "happy" pills are 50 mg of Zoloft daily. They work well for me. I have come to realize I have battled depression on and off for YEARS (in the double digits) and just not recognized it as such.

The past 2 years have been especially harsh. My beloved grandfather was attacked in his home and murdered by a family member he loved and trusted. My mother was diagnosed (and has beaten the pants off of!) stage 2b breast cancer. Then there was the inevitable (in my family anyway) issues over the sale of the family home (Pop-pop's that is) and distribution of property, and my drug using Aunt. Just to name a few things.

The Zoloft - for ME- takes the edge off - it lets me be ME again without the anger, sometimes rage at my helpless children and hubby. It lets me not have the deep down lows. For some women they say that it takes away ANY emotion. For me this is not the case, I still feel happy, sad, angry, joyful ect. It seems to remove the extremity of emotion, and lets me deal with the minutiae of my day to day life without getting bogged down in it.

Also - my sex life has improved (TMI I know) poor DH while I was suffering - BOY was he suffering. It's not perfect, but it's better by worlds.
We can fight productively now also instead of me falling to pieces.

I have renewed my interest in my interests (does that make sense?) I am back to gardening happily, not burying myself in books endlessly and ignoring the world, my kids and the housework. I am sewing when I feel like it, I am TEACHING my children instead of just feeding them.

Being ME (I want to say again - but I am not sure that I was ME before!) has allowed me to contemplate things I hadn't before - like homeschooling my children. I have finally gotten back to church and re-connected with my faith. I am seriously contemplating another child (or 2).

Here is the other side. While off it for 3 days - we were short on $$ and couldn't pick up the script until yesterday (I got it last night and am back on !) I was moody. Yesterday was kinda bad. I was sooooo tiered (one of the reasons I had gone to the doc a year ago - I was not sleeping at night my brain just would not shut off). After a couple days I felt like I had before I was on them. And in order to have those children we want, I have to go off them for a year. And THAT scared me. I can breastfeed while taking Zoloft (although I would probably half my dose) but I sure can't get and be Pregnant on it.

I love being plugged in to my family instead of just existing in it. And the truth is I am a little scared of having to go off me "happy" pills to grow my family. Hopefully, when the time comes I will know what to do. It will require alot of prayer (something I did not have before) and support(I will have MORE of that this time around) so I don't distance myself from them.

Having another child is a few months off. We have some construction that MUST be finished before we can do this - and although Man plans and God laughs we don't plan on trying (and I have birth control in place) to conceive until early spring next year (o7) so that the baby clothes we have will work for the new baby (since both our kids are winter babies).

So - that was a LONG answer for a relatively easy question! Sorry! I didn't realize this was going to be an Ode to Zoloft, but maybe if more of us come "clean" about sometimes needing help than maybe it wouldn't be so taboo (and morons like Tom Cruise would just shut up and look pretty and sell movies)

NIGHTMARES!! What to do when your previously good sleeping toddler is waking up with night terrors?? My friend Rachel is having a terrible time with her daughter -- here are my ideas - what tips and tricks do you all have? Read her post and then answer here or there. Here's my 2cents.


What about getting a crib tent? The ones people usually buy to keep kids in? Tell her that it will keep stuff out.

A sound machine? We use this in our rooms to keep street noises ect at bay. Maybe something is waking her up (a barking dog- the trees who knows?)

a GLO-Worm doll - than she could cuddle it and it would light up the dark a little?

Either add (or subtract) a nightlight? Either the shadows might be scaring her from one - or adding one might be good - we use a touch lamp that has 3 light levels - When Thing 1 wants to read in bed we leave it on the brightest setting, when it's sleeping time we "turn" it down.
Anti teddy bear spray -- (Febreaze type stuff in a bottle) spay it around right before bed time to keep out the bears.
Ask her what will keep them away - she may have an idea that works for her - you'd be surprised.

I remember when Thing 1 had the same problem ( I think he was Julia's age)Our final thing that worked was a special friend from Build a Bear (we already had it - but you could invest in one) Bailey the dog scares away any monsters (because everybody KNOWS monsters are afraid of Doggies.

I was also told to tell him God watched over him and protected him. At the age Julia is - I don't think it would work -although now at 5+ it does help him.

I am in SUCH a mood. Things have been tight around here - I am 3 days without my "happy" pills. And I. AM. NOT. HAPPY. I don't feel like blogging, I don't feel like doing much of anything. Dh is watching a movie, and I just want to hide. I don't want to hear it, I need headphones.

Anyway - the story was (since I left ya'll hanging ALL DAY) Thursday evening at church (while gettin ready for VBS - starts tomorrow!!!) My Dh and Jennie's DH are hanging paper vines from the ceiling of the church (in the SANCTUARY) and Jennie's Dh is using a push pole - it's this LONG thing that my DH uses in his line of work (telecom installation) basically - it's similar to a hook they use at stores to take hangers down from high shelves. Jennie proceeds to say - to all our kids - "Look guys! Daddy has a big stick!"

Just let that sink in.

Yes She Did! And I totally went there! "Jennie!!!!" Of course that was NOT what she meant - and she turned BRIGHT RED.

oh yeah - did I mention Pastor Jeff was about 15 feet away and there were a couple other people in the room?

Yeah she was ready to KILL me.

But that does not top the squid (the theme of the camp is Treasure Cove so oceans ect) cut out! I am downstairs helping to decorate the ocean rooms- hanging paper fish from the ceiling, attaching shells, starfish ect to the paper covered walls. Kim holds up (Kim is the pastor's WIFE) this cut out of what is supposed to be a squid. EXCEPT that is SOOOOO not what it looks like! So she holds it up to her hubby (THE PASTOR) and says - Hon? What are we gonna do with this? The look on Jeff's face WAS PRICELESS! He looked over at me and got SOOO red! Jeff consigned the phallic symbols to the trash amid giggles and quips of "dang kids what kind of church are we sending you too????" LOL!

Tee hee!

I have SUCH a story for ya'll!! I will post after church but let me tell you - you must read THIS POST from BooMama to get in the right frame of mind.....

SORRY!

Been busy the last few days helping get the church ready for the vacation bible school.

Dh and the kids and Ihave all been helping. Sorry I haven't posted today. Hopefully I will be re-charged tomorrow!

LOTS-O-ANSWERS>>>

Ok I never answered the yard sale question -- Sorry!

The total spent was $8.25 (sorry Jennifer - the kids only conned the hockey thing for free).


Lucy T -- as for that itchy baby belly fever.. (imagine really bad French accent) Say hello to my little friend . Pretty much ensures there will be work involved to get PG. Brian is gettin REALLY itchy though. He was holding the Dictator at the fireworks the other night and he kept giving me that "I miss having a baby" smiles... He NEEDS to get to work on the house.

One Question! How bad is it when you start hearing those Time Life compilation album commercials on TV and the music starts to sound GOOD?? Dang --- am I getting old? Or the Monster ballads on Music Space

We had a civics class on the 4th! After making the playdoh Thing 1 decided (on his own I might add) to make a picture to mail to the president. Yes he did! I am having him make a birthday card for the Pres. as well (and he has also informed me that we need to invite "George" over for dinner). I am really proud of him and we will be mailing it tomorrow.
I don't necessarily like the President, as is my right in this country, but I am SO PROUD of my son for getting what the 4th is about. I am teaching him respect for the office (and the person behind the office) we can learn POLITICS later.

So yes Mr. President - you are welcome to join us for dinner anytime.

America's Got Talent Live Blog Part 4...

I am scared ..

Flippy The Magnificent -- There is a BLOWUP DOLL and Loin cloth!!!

The Players Club - a Step group - UGH Piers doesn't get American culture.... I loved it a Stomp type dance act...

Laughing Yogi - I don't even know how to describe it!

Quick Change artists - Cool -- Dh was trying to figure out how it's done.. I love a good magic act.

America's Got Talent LIVE BLOG Part 3!!!!

Hubby thinks I am nuts to be doing this! Tee Hee - He married me!

Sharon - the Bird Caller - oh man - she thinks this is worth a MILLION DOLLARS? Brandi Looks Nervous! Oh dear -- she is doing a poem. Sweet lady - teach it in preschool. But Dang the judges were really harsh on her.

T (?)- she yodels - I wonder is she is homeschooled... Cute kid wow!!She really can yodel also a nice singing voice.. comfy on stage too....

Buster balloon wow BIG PINK BALLOON.. Ummm ok -- got INTO balloon - looks very strange.... Oh Dear

Oh DEAR - the next guy up looks to be wearing VERY LITTLE

America's Got Talent LIVE BLOG!!! part 2! Hubs is gettin into it too!

The contortionist - She was amazing -- it is astounding to have that much control over her body --

Shawn Crumb - singing for 9 months and HE says he's awesome... OH MY WORD -- WHO LIED AND TOLD THIS MAN HE COULD SING????

Mark Faye - the worlds most dangerous comic - OH MAN!!!A bowling ball, 2 steak k knifes, fire and a LIVE scorpion.... Oh man! Oh he was sneaky - he said he was banned for a stunt he's gonna do on the next show!

OH my Word!!!!! America's Got Talent LIVE Blog!!

The Chicago Bulls guys!!! I LOVED THEM!!!!! They were so fun!!!! I bet they are good guys to go to a game with! Not $1,000,000 good but they must be great to see at a game!

Passing zone - the patter is strange.... but very cute! I was disappointed in the brevity of the actual trick. Hopefully they will be better next time.

The Millers - a couple of brothers.. That little boy can PLAY a harmonica!!!! And the older brother is a decent singer also cute boy band material! They did a great job with Sweet home Alabama.

Our 4th of July project. Home Made playdoh!

The recipe is a GREAT one! It turned out perfect soo here it is!

2 C. Flour
2 C. Water
1 C. Salt
2 TBSP vegie oil
4 tsp cream of tarter (this is about $3 a jar in the spice section at the grocery store but it will make several batches)
Food coloring - be GENEROUS if you want bright colors
extracts (for scents - optional)

Mix ALL ingredients EXCEPT EXTRACTS and cook over LOW heat for about 5 minutes. (Add the color to the water and mix in - you will get a more uniform color - RED doesn't work well - you will get dark pink - but my kids didn't seem to mind. Also you won't stain your hands with this method when it comes to kneading it. )

When you get to a gooey thick stage - mostly smooth, transfer to your mixer (this will save your hands since it will be HOT) slowly add a little more flour until you get a snickerdoodle cookie texture - you want to keep adding flour until it doesn't stick to your hands. (You could probably adjust the recipe to 3 C flour to skip this part , But this is really not as hard as I am making it sound) Now is also the time to add extracts for scents. Our white dough smells like lemons!

After it's mixed it will be pleasantly warm. Cover your table with plastic (NO NEWSPAPER - the print will transfer) flour up the kids hands and your own, and go to town kneading it more and playing!

Let it cool COMPLETELY before storing in an airtight container to plastic baggies - otherwise it will get nasty and sticky.

The kids will LOVE it! I guarantee it!

HAPPY 4TH Of July!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am drawing a blank. I have nothing to say. (OK! Those of you who know me IRL can lift your jaws off the floor now).

I am still digesting the message this week. I have been going back and forth about replying to Jules' post at Everyday Mommy about the direction the church in general is going.

This week Pastor Jeff talked a bit about "stuff" getting in the way of hearing God's word. Whether it be the kids, bills, the announcements at church or the problems with the music (we had had a small sound system glich - apparently the practice session for the worship band had been a trainwreck as well). That those things were Satan trying to take the Word from us, trying to distract us from worship. At this point I also had an epiphany about homeschooling and the difficultly I had making the decision - that it had been Satan trying to stop me from raising my children in a Christian home. (Ok - again those of you who know me may be surprised to "hear" me talking like that - but Hey! We all grow up sometime - it just takes me a little longer than most)

What I remember from the service is this passage

Mark 6:25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

We are supposed to let go of our everyday worries, and let God take care of our needs. I have a hard time with that. I am still digesting this.

Also today (gosh I guess I had a lot to say afterall!) we went out to a local diner for dinner. Things we going fine, we were about halfway though our meal and Thing 1 says

"Mama! Did you forget something?" (this has been an ongoing thing with him and it usually involves forgetting to BUY him stuff so I am mildly irritated)
"No baby, I don't think so"
"We forgot to say our dinner prayer!"

Oh no, I was embarrassed. NOT that we had forgotten the prayer (since praying before our dinner meal is something we have only been doing for a little more than a week) but that he wanted to do it in a PUBLIC PLACE.
What is wrong with me? There is NOTHING wrong with wanting to pray in public but for a second I tried to discourage him. I realized what I was doing and had him go ahead anyway (Thing 1 likes to lead us, he gets real pride out of it) So we sat in the restaurant and said our prayers.

I don't know WHY I was so embarrassed except that I rarely see anyone pray in public. Maybe that is part of the problem.

I know that I am proud of my son for bringing it up.

OK back to our regularly scheduled blog.....

Don't forget to scroll down and check out my yard sale finds! Play along and see if you can guess how much I spent!

WHY? (warning I am PISSED)

I was at a BBQ tonight at a neighbor's home. Now I am not close to this family, we're neighborly, the kids play sometimes, if her hubby needs computer help or an extra pair of hands for something Brain will lend a hand, I'm even the emergency contact for their girls (their private school is up the street, and Mom works more than a half hour away - if there was a major get the kids out emergency, I am the only at home mom she knows who's close which is fine with me - really -) yah know like that.

So here I am at the BBQ - with Wild Thing's mom - and she (WT's Mom) is talking with a couple of other moms I am listening but not contributing much ( I was also taking care of the almost 2 year old Dictator and there was a mini moon bounce- need I say more?).

"You should send her full day right away. I mean it will be hard at first, but she'll get uses to it and it will teach her to be self reliant" WHAT? This is what I hear one mom (who a know as a friend of my neighbor - a "Hi how are you?" acquaintances) say to another. Mom #1-the acquaintance- is telling Mom #2 that she should send her JUST BARELY 2 year old to full time preschool - to TEACH HER SELF RELIANCE!!!

WHY????????????

She's freaking barely 2!!!!!! WTF???? She needs to be HOME WITH HER MOTHER learning that she has wings to fly but that she also has a soft place to fall!

What is it that we need to send out children out into the BIG BAD world to GET TOUGH??? What happened to childhood?? This dear little one is JUST coming into herself and she's to be thrust into the world of SELF RELIANCE??? I am not self reliant! I rely on my family, my friends and my God. I rely on my Mother and my Husband and my Bible.

WHY THE HELL DOES THIS SWEET CHILD NEED TO RELY ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN HER MOMMA???

They keep talking and I just can't stand it. Mom #1 keeps talking about how it is better for HER to send her almost 4 year old to preschool full day. NOT it's better for her son, NOT he's so excited, NOT we're just going to try it, NOT I think he's ready. And if it doesn't work out she'll try somewhere else NEXT YEAR. So her poor son should suffer though a whole school year miserable - BECAUSE IT'S BETTER FOR HER!!!!

I was steamed and I just don't know these people well enough to tell them off (and hurt my neighbors). Meanwhile I KNOW that Mom #1 slept with her son in HIS ROOM until he was over 2 - even though her hubby was so NOT ON BOARD with this. Which would be fine if that was their family lifestyle - but then she had the NERVE to complain about how he didn't sleep by himself (although she didn't BOTHER trying to get him to sleep on his own). She really irritates me.

Now here is where I should say - I sent Thing 1 to a preschool 2 years ago - and had to yank him out because his teacher was an abusive asshole (YES I said it and SHE WAS! But that's another post).

His second pre-school this past year was better - but he still didn't thrive, and moved us toward our current decision to homeschool.

Thing 2 will be trying preschool 2 days a week (half days) just to play with friends. If it doesn't work out - that's fine I'll pull her.

I have NOTHING against pre-school (I was a pre-school teacher) I am totally against using preschool to HARDEN your children. It is there to expand your child horizons, to introduce them to new people, new ideas. Not to teach your child to be tough, but to help give them wings to blossom.

Owlhaven has done this a couple times -- so I thought I would try you gals out!

I stuck Yard sale gold!I got 22 books for reading and teaching (some great literature and chapter books, I'll list the titles after the picture) a fosebal (?) mini table, a Barbie vacuum, an ABC stencil,a little airplane that attaches to the ceiling and flys around the room, a domino set, and a Tonka transforming fire truck.

How much did I spend??? Answers will be taken until Monday night (because of the holiday!) And then I will declare the winner the prize will be announced.



the titles are as Follows....

Misty of Chincoteague - Marguerite Henry
The Borrowers - Mary Norton
My Side of the Mountain - Jean Craighead George
Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade - Barthe DeClements
The Wizard of Oz - L. Frank Baum
Ramona the Pest - Beverly Cleary
Peter Pan - J.M Barrie
The Journal of William Thomas Emerson - a revolutionary War Patriot
People Come in All Colors (a book of art and poetry)
Fudge-A-Mania - Judy Blume
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple - Karen Cushman
The Horse Called Pete - Elisa Bialk
The Butterfly Jar - Jeff Moss
Hans Brinker or The Silver Skates (a collection of stories) - Mary Maples Dodge
Madeline in London - Ludwig Bemelmans
The Underground Railroad - R. Conrad Stein
Ivy Cottage - E.J. Taylor
Sarah Morton's Day - A day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl - Kate Waters
Wemberly Worried - Kevin Henkes
Hurry Santa - Julie Sykes
The Wild Toboggan Ride - Suzan Reid
Chicka Chicka 1 2 3 - Bill Martin Jr.

WELL???