Friday, December 28, 2007

New year prep

Good rainy day to all . Here in middle TN. we continue with our unseasonably warm weather, which by the way started back last March. Today is 60 with rain. Once again I am reminded why I moved here! LOL

Yesterday Zachary and Breanna cleaned the basement! I will count that as a Christmas gift to me. Not only did they clean the basement, but they did so with out fussing and working together!! A true Christmas miracle indeed! I was suffering from sinus headaches and that really made my day. Just seeing the basement clean made me feel better. I truly believe that a clean house can affect your out look on so many things. I am truly blessed by my family.

I have been busy making homemade croutons, ranch dressing, granola and bread. Cooking from scratch and with whole, good foods is certainly more time consuming, but it feels good to find uses for everything and waste nothing. I will have to keep you posted on the economical side of things. So far it seems to be a tad less expensive. But whole chickens here aren't any cheaper than buying flash frozen boneless skinless chicken breast in a bag , so probably won't do that again. The flavor of your own roasted bird is certainly better, but more time consuming in the cooking area. So six to one, half a dozen of the other. Guess it will be determined in the end by the current price when purchased. I pickled some garlic the other day as well. I tried some when we were in S.C. and loved it, but couldn't afford it at almost $8 a jar. So found a recipe on-line for about $3 a jar! It called for it to sit for three weeks before eating, so it will be ready on Knute's b-day - I can't wait! Tomorrow Bre and I are going to make Kimche, speaking of pickled food - LOL It is part of her unit study on Korea. Part of me wanted to opt out and buy some, I found it pre-made for about the same price as making my own. But the teacher side of me had a conference with the mom side and explained about how if she did it herself it would stick with her better that just tasting a jar made version. Once again, this will have to sit about two weeks before we eat it. Man our house is going to smell... I mean be aromatic.

Well as fate would have it, if we believed in fate, Knute and I were discussing our plans for a garden in 2008 , when in the mail our Burpee catalog arrived! We are hoping to get one put in on the cheap side and reap some fresh veggies all summer/fall. This year Bre planted some turnips and had good luck. I would love to plant some turnips, parsnips, rutabagas and sweet potatoes. I love boiling them and mashing them up in place of typical mashed potatoes. It is much healthier for you, and so yummy too! Also thinking of putting in some cucumbers, green beans and garlic. The kids always like to plant radishes in a container as well. We have tried this with carrots in the past with poor success, but more that likely will try again. So until we start prepping our garden area in late March we will content our selves with curling up with our catalog and making a wish list and checking it twice - LOL

Blessings, Beth Ann

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

School pictures

Here are just a few pictures from our school year so far. We use Sonlight as our home schooling curriculum and you can check them out at www.sonlight.com



End of the year ramblings

Well here we are, another year over. I know it has been quit some time since I posted. I had some trouble accesing this dashboard, but trouble seems to be over now. I could go into a long sentimental account of m;y year in reviwe, but I won't! LOL Just doesn't seem there is much worth mentioning. It has been a very longggggggggg year for us, strarting with our car accident in Jan. and my dh changing jobs in Feb. But things are starting to look up now, now that the year is over - LOL Seriously, Knute finealy started his own auto service in conjuction with his managment position at the Zone. He talked about it for almost two years. So about six months ago he went for it. It has really started picking up this past fall. We had struggled with one of us getting a second job and prayed profusly and unceasingly over it. Always with the same result, no. We feel that his business picking up is our answer. If he gets 3-4 large jobs, or 6-7 small ones it is the same as a second part time job or me getting a job outside the home. The benifits are enormus.
With the new year just around the corner I am finding myself making all kinds of promises to myself, after promising myself not to do that again! LOL Call them resalutions if you will, but I call them doing what I ought to have been all along. The top ones on my list are: Tithing, no excusses. Bible reading. Eating, cooking and preparing healthy whole foods. I will stop worrying about points, if it is vegan or to much sugar. I will only buy, fix and eat food to the best of my budget allowence that is as healthy as posiable. Means more work in the kitchen for me, but I am the best cook I know anyway. The health benifits will be enormuse since beans, rice and whole grains are better for you than prepared cemical inhanced sauces, cereals and aspertaim injected beverages and dairy products. I found a wonderful website, wwwthefamilyhomestead.com It has given me many culunary and basic baking ideas that make me want to smack my head and say duh! LOL If you check it out. please drop me a line to let me know what you think.
Well that about wraps things up. Check back often as I will post more, including new pics of our annual Edisto Island , S.C. vacation; now that this site is working better.

Blessings for a very Happy 2008, Beth Ann

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

How was your summer?

Greetings one and all! It has been a long, HOT summer. Here are some statistics from the news last night............... Yesterday was the 12th day in a row at 100+, day 20 at 95+, day 28th at 90+. The current record is in 1954 with 31 days at 90+ temperatures. They said we will have no trouble breaking that since there is no relife in sight for the rest of this month! Whew! Yet when my oldest dd calls from northern MI it is only in the low 60's there. Makes me miss it...... a little, especialy the early fall like Sept.



Speaking of my oldest dd, she came to visit the end of June and brought her entrerouge - LOL It was her, my grandson who was 6 months at the time, her monther in-law to be, her step-daughter to be and her step-daughters half sister. Got that all straight? LOL we had trouble too. I t was a WONDERFUL visit, but went by way to fast. We ate to much, cooked out, played in the pool, had all our friends over and looked at her baby pictures! We all went to the Chattanooga Aquarium and saw the penguins, then came home and had to watch "Happy Feet". I think one of my favorit memories (not my dd to be sure) is when she took my other two oldest to visit their dad in East TN. (Morrison) and got lost on the way back. Late at night during an electic storm we get a tearful call, "Mom I'm at the Virgina welcom center!" OOPS! LOL



Well summer has went by wayyyyyyyyyyyyy to fast, but we are gearing up for a really great fall. Which we need since the year started so bad with our car accident and all. Then continued in a down trend with my dh being out of work, braces, bills, pastor moving to South Korea and lets not forget last week......... lice, opposum bit my doxin's tail off, underwire bra puncturing me and my family trying to make up by pretending nothing is wrong with their behavior. Big Sigh, and those are just the highlights.



But looking ahead we are once again feeling renewed in our faith. We have a great intream Pastor from Franklin leading our church family and helping us grow stronger as we sellect a new Pastor. My oldest son went on a mission trip that was a huge success and he has been asked to join our adult team as they go on one of thier yearly mission trips to Hati. An honor indeed, no other youth was asked. Same said son is starting high school this year, with a learning I.Q. already higher then mine when I graduated. My middle dd is starting 6th grade and entering puberty, interesting combo. And the twins are busy wrestling each other, learning to share and not only working on colors as well as numbers; but have developed quit an affinity for classical music. I believe Beehtovan is Elijah's favorit while Elysha prefers Wagner and a little Vivaldi. Isn't home schooling great? Speaking of home school, my son was asked to join our local library board as they prepare an expansion project. I can only assume it is because he is of a dying breed, teenagers who actualy read books. And we started our home school co-op yesterday. The kids really loved it and the twins are now at an age to fully enjoy it as well. Once a week we go over to Tullahoma and join with other home schoolers and share our skills and teach new things. My dh is teaching guitar this year and I am teaching a kid bible study with arts and crafts. The best part is my ds can take his biology lab over there as well as his college prep writing.

Monday, May 28, 2007

Happy Memorial Day!



Just wanted to take a quick minute to wish you all a safe and happy holiday week-end. No matter how you feel about our current status in Iraq, please remember all prayers are welcome and NEEDED!

This week-end will always be special to me since my twins were born on the 28th of May, 2004. So every 3 years their b-day falls on Memorial day. Almost seems like it would have been more apropriate if it had been Labor day - LOL! Can't believe they are 3 today! We opened our pool and had a grand old time. Took lots of photo's I hope to post here soon.

Speaking of photo's, here are some more of my grandson Jack from about a month ago. Him and his mama, my oldest dd, will be here in 4 weeks to visit!! I am so excited!!! I could almost spit! LOL Can't wait to take them to church and show them off.

My oldest ds is leaving in a week for MS, on a mission trip to help Katrina victims rebuild. He is very excited and hoping to get much from it. He fears most of the teens will view this as yet another "social" event. He told me he wants more from church then his friends do, and sometimes they don't understand him. He shared with a few that his new history hero is Leanardo Di Vinci, most of them thought that was the guy in the movie Titanic - big sigh for my son. All I can say is that I am proud of him and am glad to see the fruit of our home schooling.

Well the kids want me to get in the pool with them, and I need the exercise. I have been doing the Weigh Down Diet, and am very succesful. I have also been faithful to Curves and have seen results there too. Since I have ceased making calories, charts, points, low-fat and other diet paraphanailia my idol, God has done amazing things in me! Amen

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Long time no see

Greetings fine friends and family.

Sorry it has been so long since I last updated. If truth be told, I have had some problems logging on here to update. Still not sure what I did differently this time!

Not much new and exciting around here. We are just trying to settle into a new routine with DH new job, and only being paid every two weeks. He did eventualy get the managment job at AutoZone, but at a slightly less amount of pay. And we are really noticing the difference! So we are all trying to adjust our belts and redo the budget. Not much room for extra's. I wish there was more I could do. With the twins only being 2 and our home schooling, I don't feel like I have time for much more. Still we can't complain. Our church and our friends helped us through the roughest part. God has always provided, and will continue to do so. We have never missed a meal, had the utilites turned off or been late on the house note. What more can we ask for? Still wish I could pare things down a bit more to give us some breathing room though. The house is MY "job", and sometimes I feel like I am doing it poorly when ends don't meet. But I have been here more times then not - LOL So am not too worried.

I went to the Doc yesterday, after a 6 month sabatical. Lets just say he was not to impressed with my b/p or my weight. He made me promise to not go off my b/p meds again and to work on my weight. He really wasn't even buying my plea of poverty as an acceptable excusse for my gain. So with a big sigh (pardon the pun) I am revisiting my weight watchers roots again. I talked to DH and he said he would try to do it with me. I know this will be a huge deal to him, so I truly value his support of his DW. He is more a low carb man, but I keep trying to tell him we can't even afford meat anymore! LOL So I will keep you posted. I go back to the Doc in 3 months.

We are all just getting over the spring time crud here, and my teenage son had shingles! So things can only get better :)

On a sadder note: My pastor has accepted a new post in Korea, he and his family are leaving in 2 weeks! We were close to them. Our children we close in age and we enjoyed camping with them. They were one of my staples of home school support. We can't even imagin what church will be like with them gone. My oldest DS is a little upset since he already lost his best friend two years ago when they moved back to Mexico. He is starting to feel a tad jinxed I do believe. But like most things in life, something new will enter when something old leaves. I pray for him and his faith. He is not your typical teenager, and in this I take more comfort then you can imagin. I know God has something special in store for him and the people he touch.

Blessings for now, Beth Ann

Friday, February 23, 2007

Jack - Jack attack !!!


Here it is, finely, a photo of my grandson Jack. Sorry it took so long for me to get an uploaded photo, but it was worth the wait right? LOL In this pic he is a month old and about 9lbs. Both him and his mom are doing well and thriving. I believe she is enjoying motherhood more them she thought she would. After my trip up there I have few worries, she is a great mom! That is Jack's great grandma holding him in the photo. Makes me a little sad, wish I was there to hold him all the time. But we all have our paths to walk and sometimes they are different then the rest of our loved ones. I am looking forword to his visit this summer, and know the times going to fly.

Speaking of flying, my older kids came home two days ago! Got many big hugs from them. Guess it's true, absences does make the heart grow fonder. Or at least makes you aprieciate your mom more when with grandma and grandpa for a week! LOL I know they had a wonderful time, they talk alot about Hoover Dam and Mt. Charleston, but I also hear alot about how they had to follow grandpa and grandma's rules and how they told the kids we do things the wrong way. Big sigh. At first I was hurt by this, but after praying and talking to my husband I am getting a better grasp of this. I am learning this is typical of most parental relationships. I also already knew they didn't agree with our home schooling among other things. In a nut shell they think we are nice but miss guided. I have to remind myself daily that the road to God is narrow and less traveled. Jesus told the us to expect ridicule and persacution for our obdiece to Him. I just finished reading an excellent book by Jerry B. Jenkins on this very subject, so that was excellent timing. I had the book since last Oct. but just started reading it last week. God's time. My montra is becoming, "the majority oppinion is not necessarily God's". I still firmly believe my choices and way of life are what God wants for my family. Now I need to learn how to convey this in a christian way to others so that I may lead by example.

Blessings, Beth Ann

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Free time?

Happy early Valentines day everyone!

Well I put my two middle children on a plan for the first time yesterday, and sent them off to Las Vegas to spend a week with their grandparents. First time for many things: them flying, them flying by themselves, first time being to Nevada. So they are one up on their old Mom - LOL I have never flown or been to Nevada. It was a hard thing for me to do believe it or not. Many people think all parents can't wait to get rid of the children for any reason. That has never been the case for me. I am extremly close to all my children and never feel quiet "right" with them gone. Guess that is why we are so succesful with home schooling. They will only be gone for eight days, so yesterday at the airport wasn't as bad as when I say goodbye to my oldes knowing it will be at least 6 months before we see each other again.

Now if I had a dime for everyone who has said to me, "what are you going to do with all that free time since you won't be home schooling"... LOL I always remind them I still have 2-two year olds at home, what free time? My own DH asked me this and when I replied that I will probably just finish all the projects I never seem to have time for while doing school, he replied that it seemed such a shame ! He wanted me to do something fun and exciting for myself I guess. Many people don't understand that all my fun/exciting time is with my family! I guess that is why we are able to get along well enough to RV on a regular bases. I do however give myself me/quiet time (with DH help). This usualy includes going upstairs to my room, which is such a cozy haven with the small twinkle lights on my angle wreath, the warm walls my DH painted for me, my comfy glide rocker and stoole. I have coffee (since I am still looking for a nice tea set), read, stitch or just watch Rachael Ray or the News depending on the time of day. Just an hour up there can help me decompress and help me get through the afternoon/dinner rush. Thought those only happened at restaurants? Well in a household of 6 with the youngest being 2 year old twin tyrants... LOL Gets a little hectic and LOUD around here. Some days I can't even hear myself going quietly insane.

Speaking of DH, he is making me a special early Valentine dinner tonight since we will be at church tomorrow night - awwwwwwwww! He is so excited about this, just like a little kid or maybe when we first dated. With the big ones in NV, we will have the whole downstairs to ourselves while the twins are snuggled up cozy in the nursery upstairs. Could this mean dancing in my future?

We are still experiencing a valley in our life right now and still are in need of your prayers. DH is still looking for work, going on may interviews, but most people are waiting closer to spring to hire. We are also getting no unemployment yet, seems like his ex employer is fighting this, and still calling it a "suspension" . It has been almost a month now with no income coming in, and we have just about used up all our resources. Starting to look a little bleak now, but we know God will provide for us if we are faithful. I am determined to not act like Sarah in the book of Genisis, trying to help God along by jumping in to give husband my help when God already said he would provide. It would be the same as telling Him that I lack faith in Him and His promises.

Just keeping all updated and in our prayers.
Blessings, Beth Ann

Saturday, February 03, 2007

I'm bacccccccccccccccck - LOL

I am looking at my recent trip to MI as a pilgramige, and our trip back as nothing less then a mircle.

I feel my trip to be with my oldest DD during the birth of her first child and my first grandchild was a mission God sent me on. I needed to see how she lived, who she was with these people she lived, and that she was basicly "OK". I guess it is a mom thing, but I am grateful God lite a fire under me and made it possible for me to be there and experince her life and to not let her down, when so many have in her very short life.

So first off, I missed the birth by 12 hours due that she had to have an emergency C-section as the baby was breech. Second, my wonderful Emma Elizabeth was actualy Jack Edward! They told us for 6 months it was a going to be a girl, and hundreds of pink dollars latter they pulled out a healthy baby boy! LOL Cia La Vie - Thats LIfe
Mom and baby are duing fine and everyone bonded and had a great time. The younger kids loved being with their big sis during this special time, and it made my heart swell to have all 5 of my children under one roof again. We even got to squeeze in some snowmobiling time before we left. The average temp the whole time we were there was 10 degree's.........Brrrrrrrrrrr.

Now our trip home was an incrediable test in faith, patients, and love.

First we got a late start due that our tow dolly had a flat and had to have that fixed on a Sunday morning in small town northern MI. Then we were doing well until we started running into some bad weather north of Lansing. Quicker then you can say, "should we pull over?", we lost controll of our SUV which was towing my DH chevy pick-up truck. I remember looking out the windshield as we became airborn and thinking to myself that we were going to roll. I braced myself as my DH yelled for everyone to hold on to something, and started to pray. We landed with a dull thud upright in a mud bog in the median. - PRAISE THE LORD!!! I was sitting there thinking, "that wasn't so bad", when a gental man who stopped to help asked us how the heck did we manage not to roll; since from his view of the accident that is what should have happened. I lost it and started to cry. Well the police got us a tow truck and that driver wanted to know where we were headed. When we told him the Nashville area he asked , "why the heck you facing north then"?

Well the truck had come up off the dolly and was sitting on the Durango hitch, which mad us thankful that the whole truck and dolly didn't fly all the way lose and land on top of us. We are also extreamly thankful that niether of our airbags deployed. Everyone of us, six in all, and all three vehicals were mostly alright. The car dolly was whacked a little, so after being towed out we had to find an AutoZone to fix it before we could tow again. They had to pull each item out seperatly from the mud, and that is expensive. When we told the tow guy we only had X amount of money to get home he only charged us half price. I want to believe it was because he knew we were Christians and not because he already had 3 more calls the same as ours to answer.

So a 16 hour trip took us over 21 hours, we arrived home at almost 6 a.m. the next day. My husband hadn't slept in 2 days due to driving up to MI to join us. So he called into work that day. Unfortunaly he had called into work the MOnday before because the U joints fell out of his truck on the way home from MI that week as well, and missed 2 days of sleep also. And since he missed the first MOnday of the month as well due to court over our child support from my ex, that ment he hand't worked a whole week the month of January. They fired him.
So we are duing much praying and soul searching. My DH used to work two jobs before the twins were born, one at the boat factory and the other at the AutoZone. They are building two new ones in M'boro and many of the employees are jumping ship to work at the new stores that are closer to them. So my DH is up for managment at his old store, which is also the closest one to us. We should know by next week. Please keep us in your prayers. Thank you much, and remember that God is always with you.

Blessings, Beth Ann



Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Power of prayer

I wanted to let you all know that this week I will be going up to MI for the birth of my first grand baby, Emma Elizabeth. She already 4 days late in her arival, so please pray that I get there in time to be wiht my oldest DD. Her boyfriend is out of state for his job and she needs me to be there. I will be gone for a couple of weeks. When I come back there will be pic's of Emma to add :)

Now I wanted to share to other things with you that are connected in a circle of life sort of way. First, I lost my wedding ring about 3 months ago through my own ill temper and stupidity. I immediatly regreted it, but it was no where to be found. It was lost in the nursery and no matter how hard I or DH searched, no dice. Then two nights ago DH and I were having some quiet time alone I told him I didn't want to go to MI without my wedding ring. He said he had tried to replace it but he couldn't find the same one (matching his) again. We prayed, I repented for my sin and shared with DH how sorry I was and I finely took the blame for what had happened. Well, not but a few minutes latter he went to use the restroom and on his way back stopped and knelt by our bed. He said he was checking for his work boots for the morning, but he pulled out my ring! Now the room was almost pitch black and this is not the room I lost it in. I can't tell you the emotion's that went through us. I am not sure who was happier, him or me. Now you can offer a few different ideas about how this happened, but for it to happen it that time span in that order is just to big a coincadent and I believe there are no coincadents. Just God at work. I had been defient, ill tempered and unrepentent towards my DH. I felt distenced from him, and wouldn't even wear my engagment ring. Then I walked around the house moaning about what was wrong with my DH and our marriage. But I am here to tell you that since the new year and my renewed submerssion in His word I have felt closer to DH. Then when I finely repented God worked a mircle! Praise the LORD!

Now I want to share how this miracle has a two fold effect on not only my life but that of my oldest DD. First I am going off to MI with a lighter heart and a more positive outlook on spending time with DD and her boyfriend and his family, we all don't realy get along. I have been praying for alnost 8 months straight on what to do in this situation, stay here or go up there. I have felt no guidence in this area before now. But now I know I wasn't able to hear over my own whining voice. My daughter has voiced several times her desire for me to be there. I guess I am just finding it hard to believe after all we have been through together. There was years of therapy , scores of medication, cussing, not coming home, jail , dropping out of school and so much more that these items are just the tip of the iceberg. My childhood wasn't so hot either, so my selfesteem is pretty low before you add these things to it. I had years of hearing what a bad mother I was, especialy when I put her on meds and wouldn't bail her out of jail. So anyway, guess I wasn't convinced she ment it, that she might rather have her friends there. But she never changed her mind no matter how many chances I gave her. I feel that God giving me my ring back imediatly after me saying, "I don't want to go with out my wedding ring", is His way of saying,"well here it is, now stop looking for a way out and go to your daughter. Show her by example how I can work in ones life". So I am sitting here feeling mad that I was ready to give up on my relationship with her at the age of 22. I can clearly see she has made many positive changes in just a short time. She chose a long hard path to walk in this life. As a monther it breaks my heart and I want to help her "fix" it. But the best thing I can do for her is show her that not only will I not leave her like everyone else (her birth mom and dad), but God won't either. He will be right here waiting for her as she makes her way, in her own time, towards him.

SO, I am setting out to start a new chapter as Grandma with my oldes DD and as a misionary for God into her life and those of the people around her and my new and first grand baby. He truly is an Awsome God, and I am gratful to see the answer to all my praying. It happened in His time, not mine, and you know what.... It was just at the right time!

Blessings, Beth Ann

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

The rest of us




Here is almost the rest of my clan. Here is a pic of my middle children that I am home schooling, Zachary (14) and Breanna (10). This was are one and only snow so far, back in Dec. The kids managed to scroung up just enough snow to make these two snowballs - LOL
Next is everyone eating pumpkin pie after dinner on Thanksgiving, and watching Charlie Brown on T.V. I just love this pic, it makes me smile every time I look at it. I especialy love how the twins are sitting in their own little chairs eating so proper.
I have also included this picture of Howard, our 5 year old red male mini doxin. Don't you love how he is laying on the couch with the remote! LOL

Me


This one of the few current pic's of me I like. I am sitting in this tree on
the beach, at Edisto Island . Edisto is located right in the Atlantic Ocean off of South Carolina. It is our most favorite vacation place and we go there every year. This pic was taken on my birthday. DH and I woke up early and snuck out of the RV before any of the kids woke up so that we could take a walk on the beach and enjoy the sunrise together (pictured at left). A little one on one time.

My twins

Here are Elysha & Elijah, they are 29 months in this pic. This was back last Oct. 2006 on our trip to Edisto Island, South Carolina.

Monday, January 08, 2007

So you wanted pictures............

Well I figured out the picture thing - LOL Here is a picture from my wedding, April 12th. 2004

Saturday, January 06, 2007

What is wrong with the youth/America today?

Okay, today I am officaly taking to my soap box. As of March ALL Wal-marts are doing away with their fabric section. They say it is to make more room for electronics and crafts. Now I ask you, what is sewing if it is not a craft? I will give you the Wal-mart answer, it is not money making in high enough profits like MP3 players and scrapbooking is. So once again we are reduced to numbers, not independent people or villiages trying to raise well rounded children or saving money on other clothing that is not made in Tiawian! Now your asking how does this affect our youth or the decline of American society. Well it starts back in the bible, everything does :) God does not want women to work outside the home if they don't have to. See whole bible or concentrate on the books of Genesis, Corinthians and Ephisinas. Now I am not looking to make people angery, I too was a working mom for over 15 years. I am just saying that if you have a choice to stay home and YOU be the teacher to YOUR children you you need to step up to the plate and stop blaming teachers when your children are in trouble. You can see a direct corolation between the decline of traditional family values starting when women entered the work force. So for those of us who chose to stay home and want to teach our children the life skills we value instead of lets say buying our cloths from a corporate slave driver and supporting communist countries (yes, Wal-mart is in China too)with our hard earned dollars that are needed here more, Wal-mart is making it almost impossiable as they have driven out smaller locally owned businesses.

This is just a small snapshot of a larg ongoing problem in America. First they took away our right to use lay-away on thier item, and now the fabric is being deleted from stores. What is next? MY DH and I are going to take our American dollars else where from now on. I suggest you all review your options as well.

For those of you doing the bible reading with me, today is Gen. 16-18 and tomorrow is 19-21.

May God bless you and yours. Beth Ann



Friday, January 05, 2007

It's here, it's here! (TGIF was done to death - LOL)

Greetings all from Never - Never land, where no one under 5 ever sleeps!!! Just thought I would do a quick shout out today to let you all still feel the love.

Bible reading for today was Gen.13-15, tomorrow will be 16-18 of course. Keep this up and it will become a habit, a very good one.

Not much else going on here in middle TN. Still having some pretty mild if not some what rainy weather here. It was so mild last night we slept with the window open! Can you belive that - wow! First of the year and our windows are open. Got to remember that where I come from summer is refered to as 3 bad months of snowmobiling :) Once again remined as to why we moved here in the first place.

While I have been reading Geneisis and Abrams journey from Ur to an unknown land I think about my own migration to TN. Here is a study note from my bible (NLV) that I would like to share with you all, based on Gen. 12:1 ..." When God called him, Abram moved out in faith from Ur to Haran and finally to Canaan. Gods will may come in stages. Just as the time in Haran was a transition period for Abram, so God may give us transition periods and times of waiting to help us depend on Him and trust His timing. If we patiently do His will during the transition times, we will be better prepared to serve Him as we should when He calls us". Wow, huh? That just blew me away and I had to share it with you all. I feel you can apply this to any asspect of your life, in so many ways - Amen

Well it is TGIF no matter how much I hate to use the term. But what that means around here is paying bills and hoping to have enough to get everything on my shopping list. I only shop once a week, so my list has more then groceries on it, like pet food, t.p. and more. All school supplies, gifts and clothing come from this too. So always stressful. I am sure this is true in many more homes then just mine. So lets all just remember that "the Lord will provide".

Blessings, Beth Ann

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Thursday tactics continued...........

Okay I just finished dinner and am still alive to tell about it. Lets recap, to make it through the morning you need nerves of steel, and a grin and bear it attitude. Sometimes I have to many helpers during the morning, so I try to look at that as a blessing. Several strong cups of coffee don't hurt either - LOL It is even better if I have my new favorite find in it, Splenda coffee creamer sticks. Yummy :) I have only tried 2 of the 3 flavors (mocha and vanilla) both wonderful, will get the hazelnut next. I know, I know, splenda is evil and will kill ya. But I figure so will all this extra weight , according to my doc (whom I pay monthly to tell me), so one step at a time.

Surviving the afternoon is another thing. It seems while I am upstairs putting the twins down for their nap all my helpers go on hiattus. So I have to ever so sweetly and under my breath remind myself why I had children in the first place as I clean the mess they left before I can get any lunch for me. At this point a big soda always seems to help and since I have most my water for the day in (60 oz.) I indulge. Then I start counting the hours for DH to get home so that the ratio of adult to child is a little more even.

I know it is wrong but I hit (bet you thought I was going to say children here) the coffee pot again - LOL around 4 p.m.

Now I am in the home stretch for friday and the week-end. Just need to make it through the dinner hour. Am I the only one or does anyone elses kids seem to get worse the closer it gets to dinner time? Wonder why, drop in hormones? Brain cells? "Things that make you go Hmmmmmmmmm" LOL dating myself with that one.

Top 10 Thursday survival tactics....

1) Have nerves of steel
2) Coffee
3) Able to ignor annoying children in a single bound
4) Grinding teeth together while muttering under breath
5) Big soda
6) Nashing teeth together while spitting out finger nails that you chewed off
7) Make sure to say "your father will be home soon and..."
8) COFFEE
9) Ride your artifical sweetner high all the way upstairs for an hour alone with ... (insert tv personality of your choice here, unless DH is already hiding up there since he was tipped off on the status quoe by your standing on the roof screaming at the children to "just wait until dad gets home").
10) Your a Mom so you just suck it up and try to burn at least 100 calories after the kids go to bed (wink, wink) LOL

Good night to you all and remember - "The majority opinion is not necesarly Gods will"

Blessings from Beth Ann

Thursday - tactics for making it to the week end!

Greetings all! Well didn't sleep well last night, what is new.

My DH has sleep apnea, and it just keeps getting worse. It is to the point that I sleep much better without him. Not to mention he is a heat making machine, leaves sweat on his pillow in the dead of winter. LOL But I didn't get married to sleep alone, so I try to tough it out. I hope he will lose some weight with me and things will be better. We use to sleep all snuggled up together, and I miss that.

Well the clock on my blog is wrong and I can't fix it. I also can't figure out how to get pics on here, so bear with me please. I would love to share some shots of my beautiful family, just like all my friends do on thiers :)

It is 10:41 a.m. here in middle TN. and so fare I have surrvived the morning. Just finishing some unit projects with older kids, then will start school schedual full steam on Monday. Seems like I am always running around trying to finish something. My favorite time of day is when the twins nap. They are down to just one nap and it last usualy only an hour. But for that hour.......... That is when I try to get my reading for me done. I start with my bible, then what ever I am currently reading for recreation. Right now it is "Twas the bite before Christmas", by Lee Charles Kelly. It is the 5th in a series, but only the first I have read. I am not going to go out and read the rest if you catch my drift - LOL

Todays bible reading is Gen. 10-12 and tomorrows is 13-15

Dinner tonight is "camping chili w/baked potatoes" . That is my middle DD favorite bean recipe. She is a litteral child, litteraly. If it is called camping chili we eat it when we camp. It it were called Tuesday chili she would expect to eat it only on Tuesdays. Well we went camping to Gulf Shores AL last week and ended up not making it. So being the penny pincher I am, we are eating last weeks food this week so that I saved on the grocery bill last Sat. :) I like to make it while camping because it is easy to start then just leave while I am out at the beach or site seeing! I have added the recipe including the point values. Points are how us weight watcher people count our calories :)

Camping Chili -

1 can white beans
1 can red beans
1 can black beans
1 large jar salsa
1 1/2 pound ground meat (I use Morning Star Veggie Crumbles)

Drain beans. If using veg. crumbles don't thaw, just toss in crock pot. If using ground meat, brown first then drani and add to crock. So put all beans, meat and salsa in crockpot. Then add about 2 cups of your choice of stock. Heat on low for about 4 hours, or until heated through.

Makes 6 1c. servings. with meat 5pts., with veggie crumbles 4pts. If you garnish with cheese or sour cream make sure you add those points too.

Blessings for now and will try to let you know if I survived the afternoon. Beth Ann

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Getting started

Good evening all. I am a newbie at this so bear with me. I hope to share my insites, wisdome, faith and foul - ups on this site in hopes of reaching out to my family and friends.

I am a 30 something mom of 5, deivorced and remarried . I have a 22 year old step-daughter from my first marriage who is expecting her first child, a girl, and my first grand baby. I have raised her since she was 2, so I always count her as one of my own. I also have a son and a daughter from my first marriage, which ended due in part to his bi-polar disorder. I am from northern MI, but relocated to middle TN almost 5 years ago. I remarried and had boy/girl twins who are now in their terrible two's!

I am a stay at home mom (first time ever) who found God down in this beautiful part of the country and He lead me to home schooling. I will tell you that after moving here I finealy feel like I am home and that I fit in. I am also embarking on a health quest with the start of this new year. A quest to be healthy mentaly, physicaly and spiritualy. I look forword to sharing this with you all.

I enjoy reading (mysteries and christian based), music (light jazz and classic such as Billy Joel),counted cross stitch, and RVing with my family and two dogs (14 yr. husky & 5 yr. doxin). I ador cooking and am great at it, hence the need to loss weight- LOL So always looking for new foods, food shows, cook books and kitchen gadgets. Looking forword to sharing my recipes and finds with you all.

That is my intro in a nutshell. Please be kind and remember to always behave like God is sitting right next to you, because He is.

I am also reading the bible in a year, and if you would care to join in I am starting with Geneis. I have already read 1-9, tomorrow will be 10-12.

Good night and blessings to all.

Beth Ann