PhoDay

Eric and I found a restaurant that I can eat at safely.  It is Vietnamese food and has delicious pho (rhymes with la).  We met Isabel on a Friday and have since been back again on a Friday.  Eric and I now get very excited for Phoday.  Millie also loves it and even ate tripe out of Eric's pho.  

 It is clearly easier for Millie to drink the soup through a straw.

Our Homeless Experience

We live in a small town.  Our children's experience with homeless people is almost nonexistant.  When going into the city, we have the occasional traffic light beggar but they are not usually homeless.
When we put together bags to give to the homeless/needy, the girls were very excited to get to help someone.  We had three bags sitting in the front of the car ready to give to someone.  Me being nearly a hermit, caused us to not have the opportunity to give out a bag for almost a month.  The times we did leave the house, the girls were combing the streets and parking lots looking for someone/anyone to give a bag.  We should be praying to have no homeless people in the world, but begging for a homeless person to cross our path may have entered our prayers.  Then last Sunday, the moment happened!

We were on our way home from church and stopped at Walgreens.  Eric went in the store while we waited in the car.  I then spotted him.  He had his shirt pulled up and tucked into the top of his shirt.  This exposed his whole stomach.  My children consider this as naked.
I said, "Girls, I see someone in need.  I think he needs one of our bags."
Hattie chimed in, "I think he needs to pull down his shirt!"
I explained that it was quite hot outside and he was trying to cool off.
Lydda was extremely excited and wanted to give out the bag NOW.  I wanted to be safe and wait for Eric to come out of the store.  She was SCREAMING, "Give him a bag!  Open the door and give him a bag!"  As I'm sure you know, the car windows are not sound proof and the man could totally hear her.  He was directly in front of our car.
The dear man walked around towards the front of Walgreens.  Eric was taking forever, so I went ahead and took one to him.  He was very appreciative and told me, "I could really use these things.  Thank you and God bless you."
I returned to the car and replayed the whole conversation with the girls.  We discussed how it helped him and made our hearts feel good because that's what God wants us to do.  Doing what God wants makes Him happy.
The girls began discussing if they thought the man was homeless or just in need.  Lydda said, "He couldn't be homeless.  He was wearing clothes."

Go ahead and let that sink in and remember when handing out a needy bag to a true homeless person, avert your eyes and aim very high.

Helping Those in Need

We recently had a group of youths from the church over to fill bags with items homeless people or those in need could use.  The church members keep them in their cars and when we see someone on the street in need, we hand it to them.  We had a good time putting these together and it really got the kids thinking about the needs of others.  

I also took my girls to see the Compassion Project.  What a powerful way to show people real life examples of poverty.  Other than taking your children to a third world country to witness it, this is one of the best ways for them to grasp the magnitude of need.  Check to see if they will be coming to an area near you.

  Eric and I also impress upon them, the need here in the United States.  Nothing gets our blood boiling more, than people (children and adults) that feel they are deprived because they don't have the latest and greatest.  I hope no one ever thinks we are deprived because we choose not to "keep up with the Joneses."  If they feel that way, maybe our family's joy and happiness isn't showing through enough.  Our family has too much and we know it.  I pray my children continue to know that they are blessed beyond measure.  Our material things do not equal our blessings.

I'm a STICKLER

I am a STICKLER for rules.  I even go so far as making up my own laws for my children.  These include but are not limited to:

- It's against the law to not return your cart at the store.

- You have to wave to someone that has let you in in traffic.

- You will go to jail if you even think about touching anyone else's gum.

-  Eating sticky things in the car will warrant a ticket.

-  Littering is against the law.  Ok that one is real, but I am VERY strict about it.  I've been known to pick up other people's trash and my kids tend to try and do the same thing.  I know, GROSS!  Don't hold our hands.  We understand.  

When I was teaching, one of my stickler things was dress code.  I was sure to help each student obey the dress code and followed my principals' instructions to send a notice for each dress code infraction.  I was simply following the rules.  If my principals told me to just smile at them and remind them, I would have done it that way.  I was only following the rules.  

So you see why I was a little discombobulated and stressed the morning Lydda couldn't find her belt.  

Lydda's school handbook states that wearing belts is encouraged.  In my mind, that tells my dress code OCD self that it is a MUST.  This caused our morning to be a bit hectic.  Luckily Lydda likes to be dressed, fed, hair done, shoes on, book sack on her back, and jumping up and down telling me to hurry AN HOUR before it is time for the bus to arrive.  I absolutely love her enthusiasm but I noticed it was a little suppressed the morning she told me, "Mommy, I can't find my belt."  She not only saw the panic wash over my face.  She smelled it on me.  It was oozing from my pores.  I made a crazy sweep through the house.  You'd think I was diffusing a bomb with only 10 seconds to detonation.  The beads of sweat were forming on my brow.  I seated Lydda at the table interrogating her and having her recall her every move from the day before.  She kept returning to two answers. 1. I don't know and 2. I took a bath in your bathroom.  I probably took it off in there.

Do you see this picture of my bathroom?  Does it LOOK like it is in there?  We went through all the dirty clothes in the house.  I checked under every piece of furniture.  Lifted up the couch cushions (remind me to clean that).  Dug into all the chairs.  Tore apart all the beds.  Took out a flashlight and looked under the furniture again.  The pantry was minus one belt.  It wasn't in the freezer or microwave either, I checked.  It wasn't in my car.  I was a mad woman! No matter how many times I asked Lydda, she didn't know where to find it.  Eric began to think that she hid it so she didn't have to wear it.  Well she was already testing my sanity by refusing to tuck in her shirt, maybe the belt was her next rebellious thing to push me over the edge.

Luckily, Lydda was saved from the wrath of psycho mommy when she appeared from her room with an old belt that Emogene used in kindergarten.  We put it on and away she went to school.  Crisis averted.  Now, back to the mystery.  It was driving me NUTS.  I called her when she got home from school to remind her she had to pick up in her room to try and find her belt.  She wasn't to turn on the tv until the belt was located.  Don't be too sad for her.  The belt was found.

I want you to look back at the picture of my bathroom.  The belt is in the picture.  I found it later that day and sent each person into the bathroom one at a time to see if they could find it.  Can you?

Behind the Scenes

Before

After

I whisper screamed for Eric to come in and remove anything on the ground from behind her.  It was difficult to take the picture of her face and avoid getting the mess that is my room in the picture.
I removed her pacifier and tucked in the tag too.  Ha!  Much better picture.

Gluten Free Cornbread Bread Stacker Sandwiches

Being a Celiac family makes it necessary to be a little creative with lunches.  

Dinner isn't difficult, but lunches for school are tough because the girls can't heat up any food.  

Gluten free bread is expensive and also isn't very yummy unless it is freshly toasted/grilled.  

The girls say it gets soggy in their lunch box.  This ended sandwich lunches. 

I had to come up with an alternative.  

After making cheesy corn dog muffins, I had some leftover batter.

I thought it would make good sandwich bread so I saved it.

It turned out yummy.  Here is how to do it.

 I used Bob's Redmill Gluten Free Cornbread Mix and mixed it according to the directions.

Remember this is the left over batter from making cornbread muffins so it isn't very much.  

 I stored it in a gallon size bag in the fridge until I had time to use it.  I rolled it out while it was still in the bag.  After it was flat enough (1/4 inch), I cut away the top layer of plastic and pulled it back.

I used a pizza cutter to cut it into squares.

I melted a pat of butter in the pan.  You can use other oils.  I would recommend avocado, grape seed, or coconut oil.  We are a butter loving family though.  I cooked it for about 2 minutes on each side.  Push on the top of the bread to check to see if it is done (springy).

Then start adding the meat and cheese to two pieces.  Cut it down to low or even remove it from the heat.  You are just melting the cheese at this point and don't want to burn the bread.

Stack one on top of the other and put the empty piece on top.

We love these sandwiches.

We eat them warm at home, so I can't wait to find out tomorrow if they were yummy cold.

I paired it with frozen blueberries, carrots and ranch, and a GF cookie.

Keep in mind that just because it is gluten free doesn't mean it is healthy.  

Imitation items produced to copy gluten items (breads, pastas, etc) are not the healthiest and are especially not low carb.  This was created for someone that can't have gluten and misses bread.  It was not created for someone that wants to lose weight on a gluten free diet.

YOU WILL EAT IT!

Now that it has been a week out from the day I lost it, freaked out, went on a rampage, I feel like I can talk about it without my vein protruding from my forehead.

It began on a Tuesday.  I had just finished, brace yourself, my third load of towels for the day.  Not towels and clothes, not towels and bedsheets, JUST TOWELS!  I could feel my inner psycho bubbling towards the surface.   It had not been weeks since my last towel load.  It had been DAYS, meaning less than a week.  You may say, "but you have a big family."  I know that!  But, finding FOURTEEN mostly wet towels on the floor in ONE kid's bedroom is a bit excessive.  Thankfully, for the children, they were not home at the time I washed the towels.  I could only attack them in my head.  I was muttering things under my breath of the like I would not like to repeat in the likelihood I may incriminate myself.

Your finger must have been wet.  Get a towel!
You got a drop of water on your foot? By all means get another towel.
Your hair, face, feet, legs and arms couldn't possibly use the same towel.  I wouldn't even suggest it.  Take five towels.
Playing The Wizard of Oz?  "Follow the yellow towel road, follow the yellow towel road, ..."
You can't have a puppet show without three clean towels.  Duh!  I completely understand.
Let's play spa!  May I use five freshly laundered warm towels?  My customer sisters deserve only the best.
Oh no!  The bottom of the tub is wet.  That isn't normal.  Dry it with a couple of towels.
You flooded the bathroom?  DON'T YOU DARE TELL ANYONE.  Just soak up the water with 10 towels and secretly put them in the hamper.  It is so funny to watch mommy try and carry 50 pounds of towels into the laundry room.


That was the old Mommy.  Sadly for you, new Mommy is here.

I am giving you ONE, OOONNNE towel for the week.  You will use those hooks in your bathroom to hold your towel everyday, EVERYDAY.  No, those hooks no longer hold Harry Potter's invisibility cloak.  Actual, visible towels will now be on those hooks.  Those towels were monogrammed for you.   You will use the towel with YOUR initial on it.  DO YOU UNDERSTAND?  If you so much as LOOK at another towel, I will make you eat it, EAT IT!  I will cut it up, saute some onions with a little garlic and cook up your towel in little pieces.  I think that is fair.  

It is a beautiful sight, isn't it?  The hooks are being used.  I need extra hooks now.

I barely scrounged up enough towels, rags, and dishtowels today to make one load.

It was GLORIOUS! 

It helps that the kids haven't been swimming this week.  They may be scared to swim for fear of eating the beach towel.  Fear is good.

Just in case the big girls aren't taking me seriously, Millie has my back.  

"For your information, this is my stabby comb.  Mommy will borrow it if you use another towel."

First, Sixth, and Eighth

They were so excited to see what public school was like and ride a school bus for the first time.

I still get excited to hear about their new schools and kiss them when they get home.

This is the first year they have been in public school.  I taught 2nd grade for 14 years at a private school and the girls went with me.  I saw them all day, every day.  This is so strange.

I hate that I have no idea what is going on and can't see them at lunch time.

I pray that they learn lots and most importantly let their light shine so others may see Jesus in them.

No Ma'am

Wait a minute!  Someone is getting too growny.

Lydda is one happy first grader now and this mommy is 

teary eyed watching her go off to a new school.

She rode a school bus for the first time and really enjoyed it.

I can't wait for her to get off that bus every day.  Not seeing my kids throughout the day is such a big change for me.  I get so excited to see them when they get home and wonder what they are doing all day long.  

Messy!

I have a confession.  I obviously CAN'T wipe off all the yogurt Millie gets on her face during breakfast.  It is impervious to my wiping.  I may stop trying. 

Dumpster Diving Success!

Can you believe it????!!! Someone didn't want this water hose holder anymore.  A diving I will go, a diving I will go, hi ho the derrio a diving I will go.  I may have been singing that as I approached it and found a spot to put it in my trunk.  I seriously had a sparkle in my eye.  

I have been wanting one for a long time and had put it on my Christmas list.

I spotted this beauty and knew it was meant to be mine.

Please ignore the $3 water hose that is going to make me have a breakdown in the front yard one day because it won't stop crimping and cutting off the water flow while I'm trying to water the plants.  Also, you know how the hoses in the movies whip around uncontrollably when you turn on the water.  That is also a common occurrence with my $3 hose and I get very wet.  If you see someone screaming and unsuccessfully throwing a water hose across the yard, understand it isn't their fault and the water hose deserves it.  

Disclaimer:  By dumpster diving, I may have meant my sister's carport.  I already had it in my trunk before she texted me back to say I could have it.  I had spotted her two brand new ones and had a feeling she no longer needed it.  Thanks Boof!

  

Just a Peck of Dirt

A lady at church, Ms. Mary, told me we all need a little peck of dirt in our diet.

Millie has a peck covered and possibly a bushel too.

You have to watch her like a hawk.  She will eat a dirt clod like its an apple.

Just Farming

I wouldn't call us farmers for a number of reasons, but here are two.

1.  This isn't our garden.

2.  I have NO IDEA what I am doing, picking, or looking at.

A very kind man at church has a green thumb the size of Jolly.  He has a small garden that produces so much bounty.  He blesses many church members and continues to poor out his blessings to us too. He was running out of time because of work and asked if we would like to pick some of his produce. You bet!!!  We love veggies.  How hard could it be?

The girls got to work right away.  They love veggies and aren't afraid to work hard to put some on our dinner table.

Just one of the cutest farmers ever!

 Who me?

She even made away with a butter bean that she WOULDN'T give up.

Our cornucopia!  Now, did I pick enough to feed our family, no.  Why?  See #2 above.

In fact, come the next Sunday, our friend commented on how I didn't come pick like I told him I would so he had to do it.  We got a good giggle out of it because I did in fact come, but I was clueless and made SUCH an impact, he didn't notice anything missing.

I was also a little scared to pick too much because I didn't want him to think we were greedy.

So tonight, we are each eating half a stick of okra, ten butter beans, half a piece of eggplant, and a slice of tomato.   Just kidding!  He gave us two huge bags of butter beans that I missed. Emogene said, "I told you so!"  She apparently knows more about veggie picking than me.

Well, I went back today and one of his neighbors came over to assist me after watching my frustration at being Farmer Ignorant and watching what appeared to be a toddler all alone eating dirt in his neighbor's garden.  I was hiding in the middle of the butter bean vines but still keeping an eye on my dirt loving Millie.

I am trying over and over again though because Eric and I are doing our own garden next spring and I need to get better at it or we are going to be super hungry.

Also, there is something therapeutic and calming about sitting and shelling those butter beans.  I love spending that time with my girls and mother in law.

The Joys of Nursing

Millie and I have had a rough go at nursing.  Not from lack of effort though.

We nursed and nursed and nursed with lots of frustration during her first two months.

She had an undiagnosed tongue tie that was making nursing very difficult and keeping her from transferring enough milk.  Here are some things I've learned over the past 8 months.

1.  I'm a little freaked out that my baby is either very visually impaired or has TERRIBLE eye-boob coordination.  She will stare at my boob and get very excited.  She flings her self forward like a catapult and then hits the middle of my chest and starts trying to latch.  WHAT!? She is always way off target.  Concerned a bit.

2.  My family has very mixed thoughts on nursing in public.  I don't mind doing it.  I do like to put a cover on because showing others my boob doesn't promote modesty for my girls.  I don't care if anyone else nurses without a cover.  Go for it.  Some family members would prefer I go lock myself in my car, but that doesn't appeal to me.  Nursing in public doesn't freak out my children (anymore), and I'm hopeful that it will teach them that nursing in public is okay.  

The first time I nursed Millie in a restaurant (McDonalds), they were very concerned about it.  They were so scared someone would see my boobs.  I showed them that I could do it discreetly.  Now they don't even notice when I'm doing it.

3.  Eric calls me a cow.  He actually calls us a dairy farm.  During Millie's tongue and lip tie problems, we were constantly pumping, cleaning pump parts, making bottles, and keeping the cow full of supplements to make more milk.  It was exhausting.  It was worth it though.  Millie is now 8 months old and loves to nurse and is successful at it.  I did lots of pumping and Eric did lots of bottle and pump cleaning.  Eric said, "We are running a dairy operation and one of the workers is the cow."

He was always busy doing something related to pumping.  

4.  Speaking of feeling like a cow.  It is hard to feel otherwise when one child keeps trying to milk you.  SERIOUSLY, I'm trying to nurse Millie and I keep having to pop another kids hand off of my other teat.  Eric is in the background talking about future therapy appointments and having a child that is scarred for life because she was trying to milk me.  

5.  I was so consumed with trying to get Millie to be a good nurser that I nursed her often.  Eric began questioning my need for a shirt.

6.  I used to get dressed in hiding because of Eric, now I do it to hide from Millie.  While I'm getting dressed, Eric will walk in with her and I'll scream, "Don't let her see my boobs!"  Sometimes we just don't have time.

7.  I got lots of strange looks when I told people Millie had a speech therapy appointment.  The therapist, Laura, helped her with sucking and strengthening her mouth muscles to help her suck better.  She also helped with nursing positions.  Laura wanted me to video myself nursing her at home so she could see Millie in a more relaxed environment.  During the 3 minute video, Hattie was filming and asked many times if Millie was done yet, Emogene kept trying to kiss Millie on the head, and Lydda told me 5-10 times that she could count by 5s.  She then proceeded to unsuccessfully count by fives.  Eric and I decided not to send in the video because it was basically three minutes of my nipple with very strange commentary.

8.  Millie and I saw a lactation consultant many times.  I highly recommend you do that at the hospital and after going home if you have ANY concerns.  I was really embarrassed that I wasn't getting the hang of nursing while in the hospital and kept trying to convince the LC that I knew what I was doing.  I wish I would have swallowed my pride and gotten all the help I needed.  They might would have caught her lip and tongue tie then instead of having to wait until she was almost 4 months old to get it fixed with a laser procedure.

Millie and I went through a lot of tears and hard work to have a nursing relationship.  At her 6 month visit, her pediatrician said we no longer needed to supplement.  She was gaining so well and looking great.  I am so thankful and I don't even get upset with the several middle of the night feedings.  I've even told God many times in my middle of the night groggy state, "I asked/begged You for this and I am ever so grateful."

From Teeny Weeny

to

Big Pig

Pregnancy Pictures

I finally got around to buying the disc for my pregnancy photos.

I loved how they turned out.  I remember having fun taking them.

The kids were getting eaten alive by mosquitos that day so as soon as possible, I sent them to the car.

I love the smile on my face in the last picture because Eric was making me laugh just like he does every day.  

This was June 13th.  Millie was born July 25th.

The Tooth Fairy Returns

Lydda has finally made it into the lost tooth club.

She lost it without knowing it, so she lost her tooth.  

Hattie noticed it was missing.

The tooth fairy still showed up with her dollar that night.

She quickly lost her next tooth thanks to Dr. Nannie.

This time, the tooth fairy actually got to take her tooth.

Now we wait for new teeth to grow in.

I am quite nervous about our next dentist visit.  Someone is addicted to candy and has been getting a peppermint from one of the teachers every morning without me knowing.

Yikes!  We will be funding the dentist's next vacation I'm sure.