8.03.2012

8/3/12

I cannot get pictures on here yet.  Not important why.  Today is one week since Mama died.  I have been reading Gone With The Wind for the past few weeks.  The day Mama died, I was sitting beside her bed reading this...
      She was less frightened also because life had taken on the quality of a dream, a dream too     terrible to be real. It wasn't possible that she, Scarlett O'Hara, should be in such a predicament, with the danger of death about her every minute.  It wasn't possible that the quiet tenor of life could have changed so comletely in so short a time.

4.25.2012

La La Land

I watched a segment on Nightline tonight about human trafficking and the sex trade in America. It was alarming to say the least. I walked away sad, sick and scared for my daughters. What I also walked away with was something I am now very proud of.  It just came so easily in about 10 minutes.  I know it was from the Lord.
La La Land
Life is grand in La La Land
I like it here
I have no fear

In La La Land we're safe and free
And children are allowed to be

Life is grand in La La Land
I like it here
I have no fear

I wish to stay in La La Land
So I must watch what I hear
'Cause what I hear leads me to fear

This life is hard and far from grand
It truly is just sinking sand

Sin is real
And wrong is wrong
And La La ain't a happy song

What can I do?
What can I say?
What difference is there if I pray?

He says to ask; You will receive
I must have faith
I must believe

'Cause in this world I will have trouble
I do not live inside a bubble

This life is hard and far from grand
But if I walk, I will stand
And run the race and perservere
You drive out doubt, You cast out fear

This life is hard and far from grand
So we will long for La La Land
For it is real and we will see
One day when we are free to be

4.20.2012

Our world

When clicking on the internet just now, these were the top headlines on the FoxNews page.  Does it get anymore disheartening?  Does it lead me to pray?  No, but it should.  Not necessarily for things to change, because I do believe things will continue to decline, but for believers to live as Christ and to share Him with this lost and dying world.

3 More Gone in Secret Service Scandal




 

4.08.2012

for now

I have a million (maybe not) posts in my head but for now here are two pictures from today--Resurrection Day!

3.09.2012

Consequences Jar

I saw a friend posted an "Uh Oh" jar she found on Pinterest. I needed something! The punishments I have been doling out have not been working. Therefore, I got on Pinterest too and found a few ideas. I don't have a picture of the container but it is just an old oatmeal cylindar that I wrapped with plain red wrapping paper. Inside you will find folded pieces of paper with specific consequences (either restrictions or chores). I needed to have concrete reasons for why and when they were to use the jar. I came up with 4. Here they are.

Why you would have to use the consequences jar:

Disobedience to a known rule

Anyone then who knows the good he ought to do and does not do it sins. James 4:17

Not obeying right away
Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right.
Colossians 3:20


Speaking in an unkind tone of voice
Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn away from evil and do good: seek peace and pursue it.
Psalm 34:13-14


Talking back / complaining
Honor your father and mother that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Exodus 20:12

Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world Philippians 2:14-15


I like to know "why" things are the way they are so I figured my kids needed to as well. Plus, I wanted them to see what God had to say about their behavior. So far so good. My house is a lot cleaner for one, and two, I am yelling about 100% less. All I have to say is, "You need to come pull from the jar". And then we read the reason for the punishment along with the verse. AHHH! This is when Pinterest and social media are excellent!

Boo!

2.24.2012

2 things

This picture is almost 2 years old. It was April of 2009 in Baton Rouge. Ella took it, of course. I just thougth it summed up this post. Contemplative yet tired. I am not that tired. It is just that my brain is.


The past few days I have been trying to figure out what I am doing as far as feeding this baby. People keep asking if I am nursing. My response is, "I don't know what I am doing. I am 99% pumping but trying to work nursing back into the equation." However, as of two minutes ago I now know. I am only pumping. I just nursed her for an hour and then had to feed her 4 oz of pumped milk to get her full. I have milk. She just does not get it out. Chip says nursing her is like giving her a tranquilizer. She knocks out and therefore does not get a full feed. I know pro-nursers with 1 kid would say to make her uncomfortable, put ice on her feet, strip her down etc. I don't have time. I nursed her all during school today. It ain't gonna work. My brain finally clued in that this is Nate all over again. He was a very lazy nurser and therefore he killed my supply. I want to keep up my supply therefore I will be pumping exclusively. Sometimes just having a plan is liberating.



This brings me to my second thing. I have been trying to figure out what to do about Nate and preschool next year. I thought about taking him out completely to save money and time and just to have him here with us. With homeschooling it would be way more convenient not to have to take and pick him up but rather just have him at home. I also thought about just putting him in MDO two days a week. It is time to register for next year so it has been on my brain (what little space is left) the past few days. Today I was also thinking about how and where I can squeeze money out for a maid. I know it sounds frivolous but again, I just can't do it. Maybe its because Lucy is just 6 weeks. But maybe its because I have 4 kids now and I homeschool. Maybe its because 6 people make a lot of laundry. Maybe its because at night Chip and I are tired and need to relax, not clean. So, as I looked at the MDO paperwork and the preschool paperwork and saw $115-$175 a month it hit me...there is my housekeeper money! I breathed a little easier once I had my epiphany. Chip will be thrilled when I pass this info on to him.

2.19.2012

N is for Nate

(I took this picture upon his request)

Last week Nate's preschool teacher had to resign due to some family obligations. I was so sad. It is his first teacher and she loved him. She would allow him to be a boy which I think is just great. For instance, she thought it was awesome when he showed up at school dressed in a Power Ranger costume for his show-n-tell. It was pretty great. I wanted to get her a small present and I found something at Hallmark that was just perfect.


On the "N" page I added his name and a picture of him.


*Feel free to copy this idea all you preschool mommies out there.

We Love Lucy


Streed was helping me watch Lucy while I was doing something else, probably pumping. I love that Ella and Streed really can help. I can ask them to hold Lucy while I get something done quickly and I know I don't have to worry about her safety. I think when I took this picture I had asked Streed to sit by her for a minute. I came back in to find him laying beside her. He had even covered her with his blanket. So sweet.

5 1/2 weeks of life and this is her first picture with her Daddy. Chip has loved her from the get-go but is getting more entranced by the day as she gets more alert and vocal. Apparently she smiled at him today, again, while I was pumping. (I am glad I can pump. It seems at times that all I do is pump. I know this phase of life will be over too soon. Even though she is only a month old it seems to be going by really fast.)

2.07.2012

I need a cape!

Chip has been out of town since Sunday morning. Therefore I have been handling the day to day and night to night business around here. My den is a disaster at the moment with 3 laundry baskets and a chair full of clothes. Not to mention the 3 super heroes running around with Nerf guns. Actually only one is holding the gun. I will let you guess who that might be! Streed and Ella are at a friends house today. Nate opted to stay with me under the pretense that his two buddies could come over. So, after I pumped 8 ounces,
I called my friend and asked her to bring her two boys over. I fed Lucy and then fed the 3 super heroes! Now, I am blogging. Not folding clothes, but I think I need a cape nonetheless!

about the pumping: At Lucy's one week appt we found out she was losing weight. She had lost from one of her bilirubin checks to the one week check. So, at that point I started pumping and feeding so that I could know for sure how much she was getting. At two weeks she was back to her birth weight--9 lbs 6 oz. I have since tried to nurse once but actually prefer the pumping. It has become a nice 15-20 minute break where I actually read and have a moment to myself. Besides the bottles I have to wash I cannot complain. I have 53 ounces stored up in the freezer already. Twice today I have pumped 8 ounces. (I actually spilled 3 of those!!!)Currently she only eats 4 ounces at a time so it is working out nicely.

Again, cape please!

Totally kidding but I am proud of how well this week is going. I was thinking as I was washing dishes earlier that really as believers we should not worry. He truly does give strength to the weary, be it supernatural or in the form of help from friends. Either way, worry is sin because it leaves no room for faith. Thank you Lord for once again proving yourself faithful in my life.