Updated the photos on here

I was sitting here looking at my blog thinking I needed to finish the post from Sat and begin todays, when I realized that the photos are really old.

So I went through everything I have and changed most up them. I really need a new one of myself, but I really love the one that is there. I also have a great one that my sister took when she was up from FL that I want to get on here, I'll try to put it somewhere on here later.

I'll try to see if I can get one of the boys to take a new picture of me tomorrow if it's nice out.

She's two!!!

Yesterday my baby girl turned two! How did that happen? This was taken by my sister Julia when she and our brother were up from FL on the 1st.
She is getting so big.

Happy Birthday baby!!!!

A post

The children and I went up to KY last Thurs to see Mary and her girls. We got in around supper time, we all ate chili and rice that she had for us, which was very good. Then the children watched a movie while we ran to Walmart. She helped me pick out a new skirt and two new tops. See I have lost a bit of weight this year and some of my clothes are becoming sloppy because they are too big. Deanna is also currently working on a new dress for me, which I will get tomorrow.
Friday we all, I mean all 12 of us just spent the day lounging at Mary's in our jammies. It was great. Because I know I relaxed and that Mary did too.
Then around 7 or so we ran Ashlee up to church for teen night, it was cold outside. We went back to the house and talked and looked over the school stuff Mary's using this year with the girls. Around 11 we had to go pick up Ashlee.
Saturday the day just flew by, before we knew it it was time for her and the girls to go to a 50th wedding anniversary party. We quickly ran across the street to the bulk store where I got my 50lbs of oatmeal, some cookies, recipe cards and some spices. Then we got back to the house and said our goodbyes.
The children and I made lunch, ate, then packed the van and tidied up a bit. Still feel like I left her with a mess. I'm sorry, and I love you!.
We then headed over to Marion, KY to the Amish community to get everyone winter shoes. They all have wonderful new black boots. Unfortunately because I was rushing a bit, I think Jadon may have ended up with a size that is too small, meaning not a lot of growing room. So we will probably be heading back up there the middle of November to get him the proper size and this pair will more than likely go to Deanna, as they are only a half size larger than what Caleb got. I could save them for Rachel but I think that they do have shoes that look a little bit more girlish.
We left there and drove home, got in around 10pm. Not bad and I also did it on half a tank of gas.
Now to see how well the gas mileage this week on our trip to FL. We leave Thursday morning I'm shooting for 4.30ish as it is a 12 hour drive and I really want to get down there in time for the children to be able to run around a bit before having to put them all back to bed. We are going down for my Grandmother's 90th birthday.

Thursday 1 Oct

Today I had my routine Dr's apt everything went well, my numbers were all very good. I've even lost 11lb since 1 June. I am working on loosing even more by the time I go in in Jan.

Then we went over to Mom's to visit with Robert and Julia who are up from Florida for a couple more days. Julia took school pictures of the children, several different shots for a family photo, lets be honest in total I think she said that she took over 600!!!! I should think that something in there will be worth using as a Christmas card.

Then Noah and Matthew marched in the Homecoming Parade with their Cub Scout troop, only I ended up marching with them!!!! I havne't walked a parade since high school. My legs are a tiny bit sore, oh well it'll help with that weight lose goal of mine.

Once that was over we still had to go to their soccer game, they lost by one point. But honestly the only team was NOT playing fair. But our referees were not calling anything, so what can you do.

We came home and everyone was in bed rather early for such a full and busy day. I do believe that they are all done.

Do you ever just not have anything to say?

We are just taking it day by day right now. I feel like I have a lot to say but then once I begin to write it always looks like I am just babbling and not really making any sense.

We are not doing well in the school department right now. No one wants to listen to me, no one wants to do their work on a daily basis, nor in a timely manner. I am dealing with some character issues that are the heart of all the problems-discipline, school work, obedience, respectfulness, just the general I'm the mom and you are the child stuff. But it just all seems to be compounded this year with the lack of getting school work done.

I know that no matter what they don't graduate until I say they do and they have met my requirements but gee you'd think that they would all like to be done around 18 or 19. The other thing I think is that for our family getting a drivers license/learners permit isn't something that needs to happen right at 15 so that isn't even a driving(haha punn intended) force.

We did sign up for Scouts and started Soccer practices this week. We have our first game of the season on the 14th, which should prove to be a very busy day. I had already scheduled my Pedicure for that Monday at 3.30 and it takes about an hour. Then from there we will have to get something to eat as we will not be home. About the only good this is that the game is at 5.30 but over in Fayette, but with us already being in Winfield it won't take that long to get down there. But we will still have an hour drive home. We shall drive around the world by the time we get home that night.

Awana sign up is this coming Wed at Church and then we start that the following Wed night. I do think that all of the boys are excited about this.

I am praying that with the outside influence of Christian men & women from Church, and from Scouting and even the sports that this will give all of them the kick in the pants that I just can't seem to get.

I'm still here, just been quiet.

Just trying to put one foot in front of the other without stumbling.

We started a new church, ya I know I thought that I had found where we were to go and it is a wonderful little church. But they aren't going to be involved with the AWANA program and that was something that I was really looking forward to.
So we attended this new Church Sunday morning for S.S., church and then evening service. We also went back on Wed night. The Awana sign up is the 2nd with the first night being the 9th.

I have also signed up the three oldest to play Soccer, this will be the last year that Thomas can do anything locally unless state legislation changes in favor of Home Schoolers. They are also going to be participating in Boy Scouts.

So between Church, Awana, Soccer-for now, and Scouts we should have plenty of outside activities to do. But I am still on the lookout for a piano teacher, perhaps we'll find one by Spring.

The sports will change with the seasons, as we end Soccer, we'll go into Basketball, then 4H Archery, then possibly Baseball, then a short break till fall when Soccer starts again. I'd like to find a swim team but that looks to be something that is to far away and with daily practices, which would leave out doing anything else.

I just keep praying that the extracurricular (sports mainly) that the older boys need in order to meet the requirements for the different Military Academies that they are hoping to attended are able to be fulfilled.

Been kind of quiet here.

The children have been sick since we came back from our trip, Rachel had a double ear infection that required two rounds of antibiotics. Aric & Matthew had this sinus thing in their eyes so bad that their eyes would literally run like your nose, it was the strangest thing I think I've ever seen. Thomas, Noah, Matthew and Caleb all also had to take a round of antibiotics. Every time I think that they are better, Rachel seems to get a low grade fever for a day or two, she did this on Wed & Thur but seems totally fine today.

We've gotten the couch moved finally, boy was that an adventure. I had to move the refrigerator in order to make the doorway of this bedroom. I still have to finish painting this room, I am not looking forward to using the oil based primer again but it is needed since there is wall paper glue everywhere and it is very hard to get off, and latex primer will end up with ugly results and have to be repainted.

Thomas helped me pick out the color for the dining room, it is called antique peach and I think it is a Dutch Boy paint, which is a brand that I have not used before so I am hoping for good results.

Thomas & Aric are going to be moving into my old bedroom with Rachel. I am going to give our queen set to Mary and her girls, the bed is only 3 years old and really nothing wrong with it other than Richard and I don't like it. So for a little while the boys will use it, then I will set up the last set of bunk beds in there for the them, and Rachel will use her crib/toddler bed.

I am going to decorate the room for her, but not in a way that the boys won't mind sharing the room. I found some really cute drapes at Pottery Barn Kids, they are a green with white dots and match the back of her quilts, which are also PBK. I love PBK stuff I just wish that is wasn't so expensive, but we do live 2 hours from an outlet so that helps, A LOT!! We did see a really cool rug at Target that I might get, but might not with these drapes we shall see.

I finally have almost everything out of the storage stall in town, still need to sort through all of it. A tiny part of me says to just toss it all on the burn pile and call it a day, but then I feel that I need to go through all of it to see what is there. Stuff that takes up space, that I probably don't need, can't use or wouldn't now anyway.

So this week we are going to finish with the the new living room, I still have a ton of stuff in here but we are going to take it all out to the barn building. Speaking of barns, this fall I plan on going through all the stuff that is up in the barn loft-which should be fun as our barn is old and sometimes when you are up there I really feel like the building is moving ever so slightly. But it needs to be done as I truly have no idea what we have out there. Which is so sad, that we have so much stuff that I don't know what I have.

Finally have an address for Richard, yeah!!! Now we can start sending him boxes, letters and fun stuff. I also found out that I can mail a footlocker to him with a pad lock, it can't weigh more than 70lbs, which I think that right now it might, so we will probably have to unpack it again to lighten it up some.

So that is what I've been up to, trying to get everyone on the mend. Have a great day.

Now here is an update of what happened while I was gone.

Where to begin.

I was going to announce our that we had been blessed again with a new little one due around the beginning of Dec, however that little one was so special that the Lord took him/her home the Saturday before Mother's Day.

After a possible bit of over doing it on Thursday I woke very early Friday morning with some spotting, thought that it was my warning to take it easy. But as the day progressed I realized that was not to be the case. By Saturday morning I knew that this was something I needed to be seen about. So I loaded up the other children and headed to my Mom's. They were all well taken care of by there Papa and other family members for the rest of the day, as we headed to the ER an hour and a half away.

We got there around 10am, were quickly entered into the system and tucked into a back room, blood was taken, the Dr came in and I more or less stated that I wanted an ultrasound to know what was going on. He seemed surprised and had the well it's what it is and that's that. But he had no more than left the room and then he was back saying that there was another mom there and I would be able to get one soon. After that was done, we waited some more, then they finally came in and said that I could get dressed and that the Dr would be in soon.

I was so worried about my Mom eating(she's a diabetic) that I forgot to eat myself, we had had breakfast around 9.15 and it was now 3pm. I was graceful enough to tell my Mom that I was going to pass out before doing so, and I thank the Lord that I was sitting in the chair and not still on the exam table. She was able to yell for help, and I was quickly woken up, placed on a bed and taken out of our little hidden room to round front right off the nurses station. Leads were placed on me, and an IV line was started-to which I still have a bruise almost two weeks later, my head was below my feet, my sugar was tested and found to be normal and I was quickly given fluids.
My OB Dr finally arrived to let me know that our little one was no longer there and I needed a D&C to make sure that every thing was removed for my health.

Over all from start to finish once he said what was going to happen it took 30 minutes. From the Anesthesiologist coming in to talk to me, to going to the OR, to being in recovery and geting to my room. Once in my room I was able to eat a clear liquid meal, get up and walk, and use the loo. Once I did all of those things I was able to go home, however I had forgotten to inquire about the Rogham(I am sure I am spelling that wrong) shot, I am A-neg and therefore need this shot, but the nurse had never given it before, and didn't realize that she needed to get it from the Lab. While in the course of talking about it I realized that I have now had this shot 16 times, since all of my children are Positive blood type I must get it-they do go back and forth with A and O, so twice each for the seven living children and two for my miscarriages.

I went back to the Dr today for a follow up and other than my iron is a little low, I am doing okay. It was a bitter sweet thing though as I should have been there for the ultrasound that would have given us our due date. But the Lord had a much greater need for this little one back in Heaven than here on earth and I will wait until it is time to meet him/her, knowing that He is always right.

We stayed at my Mom's while I was recovering as I was not allowed to drive for 48 hours after and then developed a really bad headache that ended up lasting for a full week.
We returned home on Tues, only to leave and head up to KY on Thursday to see Mary, the girls and Heather, Bryce and Bryce Eric who had come home from PA for the Battle of Sacramento.
This was my first reenactment, and I was going to learn. I am very interested in the War between the States and attending reenactments. So this was a learing trip, to see how much work is involved, what you do while you are there, and living like they did back in 1861.
The children had a wonderful time, the older boys didn't make it to the solders camp like they wanted to, but they did enjoy standing right behind the cannons on Sunday during the battle. They were really loud, but I believe that they were actually louder over in the crowd on Saturday.

There is a good bit of an investment involved with reenacting, the clothing wouldn't be that difficult as the way they dressed back then is very much the way I am dressing us now, or I am working towards, plus I can make most of our clothing myself. I did buy a blouse while there but I plan on taking it apart to make a pattern. I already use cast iron to cook with, dishes are pretty easy to come by, some use china, other use the speckled tin plates. There are several antique stores around where I should also be able to find glass jars, little bottles, and other props to add to our display.

I see the largest expense being the tent and such, but it will last for a very long time and there is plenty of room for our entire family.

Items in the tent would need to be hidden or covered if they were not period.

I fell though that at this point we will continue to attend other reenactments to learn more, work on collecting items for our own use, and then perhaps next year we can camp with Mary and the girls.

We came home on Tues it was very late, Wed we had an eye exam for Aric, Noah and Matthew, they all did so well that the Dr said it would be two years before he would need to see them again. Then today my Dr visit, while we were down in Tuscaloosa we went to Barnes and Noble and looked around. I bought two books for the children to use in school and they all looked at different things. I found a couple new Klutz books that I am thinking about getting, didn't see the one that I was going to get. We headed home with a yummy loaf of Panera sour dough bread, something I have not been able to figure out with fresh milled flour.

Mom and Dad have a couch for us that they are going to try and bring over this weekend if the weather is nice so we have been cleaning up in between all of the running around. There seems to be school stuff everywhere. I also can't find my camera which I really must do, I have a welcome wreath on the front door and there is now a bird's nest now on it, I feel bad that we are going to be opening the door and praying that there aren't any eggs in it yet. I will probably go around and look tomorrow. I hope that they do not attack me, I am going to try to get some pictures if we can find the camera.

Of course because of all the medical issues and traveling the grass is now two feet tall in some places, I really hope to get out there today now that it is so late/early and get some of it cut.
Last bit of news it that Richard will be back in AL on the 26th, but will NOT be coming home as they have more paper work and will be requiring him to stay in a hotel up close to the unit, of course it's not just him the whole unit is doing this, just those that live close by can go home. So this means that we will not get any family time before he leaves on the 30. But once they get to OK he should get at some point 4 or 5 days off, and I am more than welcome to drive out there to see him. UGGGGG the Army just doesn't make any sense sometimes. I am not sure what we will do yet, but I am sure that either I'll head out there or he's going to be renting a car to come home for those few days.

But that is pretty much every thing has happened in the past two weeks. I have missed reading blogs, posting on here. But at the same time it was a good thing to spend time with my family and friends, I did have my phone, but it just isn't the same thing as having a real keyboard.
Blessings to my readers, may the Lord bless you as you go about your day today.

Sorry for any typos or bits that just don't make sense it is really late and I really don't have a clue why I am still up. God bless.

Pre-teens and a camera

Seems that one young lady that I know and love, got a hold of my camera while we were at her house week before last. This is what she took.

Aric laying on the couch beside Becca.

Jadon playing with his coat.

Thomas making a funny face.

Caught red handed!!!

Ahh the photographer.

Matthew making a really silly face.

Noah and a pretzel that looks a little like Matthew.

I think that there might have been one more photo but really how many do we need of little boys sticking their tongues out at us?

Now this last one I think that I actually took, before I ran off to put Caleb to bed. They were all enjoying the caramel corn that Mary had made earlier in the day. I didn't get any, cause they ate it all.

I am thinking that maybe I should get Becca a camera for her birthday, I do believe that she might really enjoy one.

Rachel and Jen

While we were in KY we went over to our friends house and all the children played with each other but this whom Rachel played with the whole time.

Lovin on Jen.

she is such a great dog.

and then there was the barn cat.

Shelling popcorn for the first time.

Rachel was hard at work when we first got there.

Jadon taking his turn, it was very windy and chilly the day we did this.

Matthew was giving it his all in turning the handle. Becca was watching to make sure that he did it right.



Thomas and Aric are taking turns at the shelling machine.

Caleb was stretching to reach the top to put an ear into the shelling machine, while Noah was turning.

Caleb and Ashlee picking up some that had fallen out of the pan, this was just part of what we did and then some that was already shelled when we got there.

They all had a wonderful time and thought that it was pretty cool to make popcorn. It was very windy and chilly on Monday when we did this. The best part was when we got back to Mary's and we tried 4 different caramel corn recipes, yummy. The children didn't really care for the Gingerbread caramel corn, but they all enjoyed the regular kind. So much so that I didn't really get any. Oh well we have plenty of popcorn here at home, plus we even took some still on the cob.

An afternoon at the park

Christina helping Rachel climb up the slide ladder.

There is a lovely little park just down the road from Mary's house that all of the children enjoy playing at. The weather was beautiful so we loaded up and went down to celebrate Caleb's birthday, we took a large bowl of popcorn and a yummy chocolate cake. Everyone played and had a great time.

They made it to the top and are getting ready to go down.

Aric and Matthew on the swings, I think Aric had something in his eye.

The train tracks are right there next to the road so getting to see the train this close it really fun. Thomas and Matthew are watching. We've also decided that we've seen some of these same cars here in AL.

Becca and Noah on the swings. Swinging is their favorite thing to do.

In the front we have Christina and Rachel, Becca and Kaden, then in the back are Matthew and Jadon.



Caleb at the top of the slide.




Happy Birthday!!!!

Caleb 3 years old.

Falling asleep on the couch

We have a very well used couch, it has a sleeper in it, but the cushions are pretty much flat. At the same time for the last 4 nights I have fallen asleep on the couch, only to wake up really late/early depending on which way you look at it.

I get up go to my bed and stretch out normally I can go back to sleep, not today. I have Veggie Tales songs running through my head, and I just laid there singing.

So I finally got up and made myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, brushed out my hair, jumped in the shower. Talked to Jadon as he had woken up to go potty. Got a glass of water and now I sit here waiting for the day to begin. Listening to my neighbors rooster crow, wishing that I still had my own.

Oh and Jadon is now sleeping on the couch beside me.

general update

Baby Bryce went home with his Mom & Dad on Sunday! Marmee(Mary) was enjoying some snuggle time with him Mon morning while Heather was still sleeping.

I ordered a 12x16 lofted barn for all of our storage needs. It should be here by the end of the month. Then we get to make several trips into town to empty the garage stall we've been renting.
The goal here is to downsize until all I need it the lofted part and then turn the barn into our little school house. YEAH!!!! I might even paint it red. We will probably add windows and an A/C unit later.

I am slowly working on getting all of our new fruit trees planted, we've done 1, only 19 more to go. Plus the blackberries, blueberries and grapes.

I asked a neighbor yesterday if he wouldn't mind turning over our garden, and he said yes. Just as soon as he puts his plow on he'd be down to do it. I offered to pay him but he wouldn't hear of that. I am going to now get started on our plants, since I was unsure of how we were going to be getting this garden done I hadn't started anything. We are going to try for a large crop again this year, they are saying that it shouldn't be as hot this year. We shall see.

I am going to order our chickens next week, 50 of them total-40 hens & 10 roosters. Thomas is chopping down smaller trees to build a new chicken coop for me, he has is all drawn out and knows in his mind what he wants, but is already finding it to be a lot of work. We may just have to build a smaller coop with store bought lumber for now and then use that building for something else later.

The septic tank has been emptied, however it looks like it is old enough that when it was put in they never ran a drain field-ya I know, but what can I say this is rural Alabama here. Anyway to get all the proper work we need done, it is looking to be right under $2000.00, there goes that new to us van we were praying for. I suppose the boys could dig an outhouse and we only use the septic for baths.

Our school work is lacking as usual, the weather has gotten really beautiful and after being cooped up all winter they are bursting to be outside. The time change hasn't helped much either, I am at such a loss as to where I am in the day. I HAVE got to get this under control. We have this seasonal little creek that runs on the back side of the barn that they all enjoy playing in. With the rainy weather it all drains down and makes this wonderful creek, but sadly it will be gone all to soon. I pray that someday we have a place with a year round creek, I love the sound of water running over rocks and of course a source of water.

Thomas, Aric and Noah will be competing in 4H Archery this Sat over in Anniston, AL. Should be a fun day that even Richard gets to go with us. We do need to run over to Tupelo today to get a bow string for Thomas's bow. Kim our teacher finally found the left handed bow, but it didn't have the correct string, so I told her that I would get one since she is letting us use these bows at home. She is such a sweet lady too.

We are still uncertain as to what or when Richard will be going to deploy, but we should know a little more next month. He has weapons qualifing, and then a three day paperwork thing at the end of the month. It has a name but I don't remember what it is.

My sister is another step closer to joining her husband in Germany, I believe that they were going to try and leave next Monday, but that has changed. She has an apt up at Redstone to set up her household shipment, then she will get her travel agrangements at that time also. Praying for her as she is a ready to be together as a family, but scared and nervious about leaving Mom and Dad for the next three years. She is their little girl and we all know it. LOL!!!
I also ask for prayers when she does leave as she will be making this flight(I believe that she has said it will be 17 hours) alone with a very head strong 3 year old and a 9 month old.

The boys and I are going to be making a new clothes line soon. I have the lumber, but need to get the bolts, washers and nuts, plus I think that we might need another 4x4. We will be stopping at Lowe's while in Tupelo today.

So that is pretty much everything that has been going on around here for the past week or so. I hope to start more regular posts, but with the gardening season starting I will do my best. I really need to make daily posts with photos of what we are doing in our school work, to help keep myself more accountable. I need a kick in the pants. Feel free to give me one.

Have a blessed day, enjoy the sunshine if it is shinning where you are.

Prayers needed for Baby Bryce

He was born on Tues evening, which caused a postponement of our trip to KY. Not a problem, just wish that I could go see him and Heather too.

His right lung (I believe) is collapsed and he is currently in an oxygen tank/tent. They were unable to put him in Heather's room so he's in the nursery and she is having a time with that.

She was able to express and he will be feed that through a tube, as nursing is to difficult right now and they don't want to add stress to his little lungs.

Pray that all is well with this treatment and that they will be able to go home soon, they were supposed to be released today.

Pray also for Mary's mom as she has been diagnosed with cancer, around the same lung that she had partial removed, about 4 years ago.

Father it is through your grace and strength that we are able to do all that we do, I know that you are able to heal these two special people. Give Them both the strength that they each need right now to get better, to come home for Bryce and begin a wonderful new life with his parents, to give his Great Grandma the health that she needs to be able to come and meet this newest grandchild, in your precious name, Amen.