Friday, February 27, 2009

Son update

Just wanted to let everyone know that oldest son seems to be getting better, a little each day. He tires easily and feels weak. He can't sleep laying flat because of drainage and still can't handle anything more than soup or ice cream. We have had a steady stream of visitors and well wishers. He didn't go to church last Wed. but I took the younger three. The church sent me home with cards, balloons and ice cream (Hagendaze!) for Z! Yesterday he brought out all the cards he has received since this whole ordeal started and went over them with DH and myself. I could tell he was . . . proud? Not sure that is the word or feeling to convey his feelings, that so many people cared about him. I for one am overwhelmed and grateful. Many children my sons age and older seem to turn their backs on the church that they were raised with as they enter the "real" world, and need their parents less. The statistic's are staggering and alarming. I am hoping that this event will solidify his awareness of a community of Christians that draw together to help others in times of need. I guess what I am trying to say is that this example will make God's love for him more "real" when he feels tested. I know I am not being articulate here, sorry. I myself am feeling tired and exhausted by everyday duties and tasks. How long does it take to make up a weeks worth of sleep you have missed? Keep us in your prayers.

Blessings, Beth Ann

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Hospital

It has been a long, crazy, hair raising, very bad week since I last blogged. I will try to make this brief, but still give details. Last week my oldest ds was sick, tonsillitis's they said. Thursday we took him to have an abscess lanced. Didn't work. He was extremely ill, weak and completely swelled closed. They gave him a cat scan and put him in the hospital. Treated him with aggressive antibiotics and steroids. Then due to a doctor snafu, thought someone had checked him out and forgot about him. We didn't know this. We waited for over 24 hours for a doctor to see him, while he kept getting sicker. The nurses kept him on morphine while I kept trying to get a doctor to come and see him. At 8 p.m. Saturday night I got the head surgeon to see him. They gave him another cat scan. Found out he also had mono. Then they lanced him. Didn't work. Sunday morning they did an emergency tonsillectomy on him. Sent him home eight hours later! Two hours after being home he ruptured his cauterized throat and vomited blood every wear! We called 911 and got him to our local hospital. They got the bleeding to stop and checked him in for overnight observation (1:30 in the a.m.). Sent him home at 8 a.m. We took him back to the ENT specialist, where they renumbed his throat and re cauterized it. He has been home for two days now with no more misshapes. What I am leaving out is how this affected the whole family, the mental and physical trauma. Can't even begin to explain what it was like to see my son spewing blood and not being able to stop, and I mean alot of blood. Now we have to deal with the medical mishap and find a way to fix it, mot to mention the price of his RX's. They tried him on at least four, each one more expensive than the last - after our insurance, in the $100's. My DH sold his truck, so we had the money - thank GOD! Speaking of GOD, He sent the most special people to help us and be by our side through this. We truly feel blessed for our church family and the staff of the Animal Clinic ds works for. His boss, Doc Tate was so upset at how ds was treated that he felt he should have treated Z himself! LOL Bless him. Bless the Rauls and Koglin family and The Bunge's and all at C.C.C. Keep us in your prayers.

Blessings, Beth Ann

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

son update

Took oldest DS in for a recheck today, on his tonsillitis. Looks like he has a large infected puss bag behind his tonsils. He goes tomorrow to a specialist, to have it lanced (ewwwwwww!). They will see how that goes and then determine what course of action to follow. Still no talk as of yet on taking them out. I had something similar happen to me. I had my tonsils out when I was five, and there was an infection behind it. It was released when they took out my tonsils and went through my entire body. I was paralyzed for two days. Most people are in and out in 24 hours with a tonsillectomy, but I was in the hospital for almost two weeks. Scary stuff for a five year old. Anyway, I always said that is what caused my voice to be so deep for a woman, and ruined my chances at being a rock star! LOL

Pray for Z, Beth Ann

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Grocery Cart Challenge?

Sometimes I participate in the GCC and sometimes I don't. I have no idea if this qualifies, but I felt the need to share it with someone :)

My shopping is kind of wonky the past two weeks. My DH and I agreed to take a bit of tax money and stock up on a few things. But by the end of the month I will be back to my $75 a week budget. Anyway, I had to run into the store today and the pharmacy for my oldest son. He got very ill and we ended up taking him to the ER last night, he has acute tonalities. Nothing cute about it! Ha ha ha :( So while I was waiting for his RX to be filled I went to see if I could find anything the boy could swallow (he looks like a pelican, no chin - all swollen). I headed over to the yogurt section and as I passed the milk I spied these beauties, 3 gallons of half priced milk! I think I might have done a little jig in the dairy aisle. I brought these bad puppies home and put them in the deep freeze in the basement. Milk is so expensive and there is so many of us, that we think of it as a luxury lately. Sigh. That's it. That's my story. Thanks for listening. For more GCC stories visit www.grocerycartchallenge.blogspot.com

Blessings, Beth Ann

Monday, February 16, 2009

Menu Plan Monday

Greetings all. Hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine week-end. It was pretty hectic here, but will post some pic's latter in the week. We had a "love fest" last night at church, with a pot luck. That was pretty good also. Lot's of wonderful food. We have a couple who migrated during Katrina and have had an uphill battle ever since with fixing and trying to get their home sold. They have been MIA for about a month and we all feared they gave up and left. They were back last night with good news and the best Jambalaya (HOT) I have ever had! Looks like their house sold! What a blessing! Now if ya all could pray for our new pastor and his house to sell ! Man, wish I had some of that Jambalaya now . . . Well here is what we do have for this week: (and inside my crock pot)

Monday: Crock Pot roast with potatoes, carrots and boiler onions (pic at right is of my dinner tonight)

Tuesday: Leftover pot roast burritos w/veggie sticks

Wednesday: Bible study/dinner at church
Thursday: Left over pot roast chili w/ bread machine dinner rolls
Friday: Chicken and pepper stir-fry over brown rice
Saturday: Home made pizza w/salad
Sunday: Crock pot corn and shrimp chowder w/ garlic bread sticks
To find most of my crock pot recipes check out my side bar on the right and my Amazon picks. To find more menu plan Monday check out www.orgjunkie.com
What's for dinner at your house this week?
Blessings, Beth Ann

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Catching up

Happy Valentine's Day all! Hope everyone is having a great day! A little over cast here, but another day in the 60's - I'll take it! LOL We don't have any big plans here at our house today. DS is having his girlfriend over and asked me to make one of his favorite dinners for her. I'm a push over an said yes. I am also making my traditional red velvet heart shaped cake for dessert. DH is working a twelve hour shift today and won't be home until after dinner. Then Grandpa D and Grandma S are coming over for a visit. They usually crash and burn early, so by around 9 it should be just me and hubby. Think we will get some Chines take out and watch a video. Then tomorrow evening there is a special pot luck "love fest" at church, so that will round out our activities. I will post some pic's of the kids and my cake tomorrow, but for now here are some pic's I haven't gotten around to sharing yet. You know how it is . . .


Here are two of our cats bird watching. If you look close out the window you can see the feeder that the two of them are staring at.


Another picture of Tina (white) and Joe (black) glued to the window, watching birds.
A couple weeks ago we visited the Discovery Center again. Here is twin ds and his favorite activity in the art room. He loves that peg board and of course he loves making geometrical shapes.

One whole wall in the art room is a chalk board, and I caught oldest ds writing on it.


Here are my two youngest girls painting in the art center. We really enjoy this place, but wondering if we will renew our membership this year.



And finely here is a pic taken last night after dinner. My oldest still living home and my baby, of course she is only the baby by two minutes - LOL but still . . .



Blessings, Beth Ann












Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Here comes the sun . . .

Hi all, just wanted to let all know that we survived the Tornado warning and straight line winds here. Just some tense moments and downed limbs in the back yard. One of the branched punctured our pool cover when it fell, and now we will have a mess when we open the pool. Bummer, it was a new cover too. You would think after seven years of this every spring it would get easier, not! I hate when I am the only adult home and it's my call to hit the basement or not.

On a brighter note, middle dd wasn't here to join the fun, she is spending the day in Chattanooga with grandpa D and grandma S. There is an old wood steam boat (last one) docking for the last time (Delta Queen) before being turned into a hotel, and they wanted a tour. Turned it into a field trip for the kids and will have them do a report. Oldest ds ended up not going, and was bummed that I still made him do the report. What else is the Internet good for?

Not much else exciting and new. Spent yesterday going over my garden plans and getting my Burpee seed order ready to go. Also spent some time with the kids talking about this coming falls curriculum (assuming they both pass this year! LOL). In general just trying to organize where our tax return money will go. Should also be able to pay off the orthodontist, which is good since the braces come off in about four months. Speaking of teeth, I need two more crowns. Hope they are made out of gold and jewel encrusted at the price I have to pay!

Here is something interesting to share: I was reading our local paper yesterday and there was an article on food budgeting and saving money at the store. Oh good I think. Ha. Well the article starts off at the begining, good place to start, how much is enough? How do you know how much you should be spending at the store? The article sites a 2008 study by the USDA and gives these figures, for a family of 4 on a thrifty plan - they spend an average of $121.40 a week. Huh? That is thrifty? I am now more than ever impressed at my own efforts of $75 for a family of 6 a week. If I spent the $121 a week the monthly total would be almost one whole bi-weekly paycheck of my DH! That would leave only one check a month to pay the mortgage, utilities and so on. Have you all had your utilities go up too? I know I have mentioned before how we can't figure out how we stay afloat, but it's always impressive when we are reminded. It is truly the grace of God. He always provides, just enough. DH did a car job on his day off (yes we count all this on our taxes) and a friend asked me if we just bank the money since it's not part of his weekly income. Wish we could, but something is always on the brink, so I look at this also as a gift from God. Last Monday God gave DH a car job so we could keep our phone turned on. Once again, we are not living on easy street or eating steak every night, but because of God's grace we have a roof over our heads, cloths on our backs and haven't missed any meals. We even sneak in some fun. We manage to come up with money for pool chemicals, camping trips, cook outs, book clubs, church activities and fellowship. You get the idea. I just didn't want you to picture us all huddled together wearing rags and eating beans - LOL We live a simple life and we know happiness isn't having what you want, but wanting what you have.

Blessings, Beth Ann

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Pondering Red

As I was pondering my coffee this morning and looking around my kitchen, I found myself wondering when I had become so addicted to the color red. As I recall, as a child I hated the color. I have red hair and my mother told me that since my hair was red I could never wear the colors red, pink, yellow or orange. Wow, that is alot of power for one little color right? Now 30 years latter I have a cranberry colored bedroom . . .


A red toaster . . .



A red tea kettle . . .


A red microwave . . .




And a brand new red kitchen radio! YEA!!!
With the arrival and instillation of my radio I now feel closer in that chapter of my life, the chapter where my old kitchen radio was so ruthlessly wretched from my life. But I digress . . . I started really looking around and realized I have 3 red crock pots, red laundry baskets, toy buckets and linens for the RV. I also have a red durango and three out of five children are red heads! Hmmmmmmmmm . . . I wonder if I have been subconsciously rebelling against what my mother said for the past 30 years? More than likely it's just because red heads have more fun and red is a fun color! (wink) LOL
Blessings, Beth Ann





Thursday, February 05, 2009

Ummmmmmm . . .

Hi. I just felt the need to post something, anything. I guess I could also say Brrrrrrrrr! LOL It has been in the teens the past couple of mornings and I am definitely looking forward to the warmer temps (60's) predicted for this weekend! I mean there was a reason after all that we moved from northern MI :)



Anyway, sorry there has been so few posts. Not much new and exciting here. That's a good thing right? We have been doing the home school thing, 100 day tomorrow - YEA! LOL I have been working on refining our new budget ($75 a week), Wed. night bible study, book club and a new Thur. bible study. I joined the second bible study in an effort to know our new Pastor and wife as she is the one hosting it. But I love it, as it is less formal then Wed. and allows for more fellowship on smaller level as most members work during the day. I also love our new Pastor and wife. I was initially concerned about them and my own person hopes for the growth of our church. But God has a way of making it all work out in the wash as the saying goes. I didn't have a very close relationship with our last Pastor and his family, so this is truly a blessing and makes me and my family feel even more like part of our church's extended family. They are hosting a showing of the movie "Fireproof" at their place for the next couple of week-ends. I think it's great to get to experience this awesome testimony of God's love and prevision for us in such an intimate setting, only 3 couples at a time. We saw this movie last year when it theaters and if I was better on this computer I would find a way to link you to that post! Anyway, It is such a strong movie that I even recommended that maybe the youth group be given the chance to view it as they are on the brink of entering serious relationships themselves. As we all know society has given the impression (every chance they get) that relationships are disposable, hopefully this movie will be a tool to teach otherwise. Nuff said, check out the movie, it out on DVD now.












Not much else happening here. DH is working (praise the LORD) and still doing side jobs on cars. After getting our taxes done last week, we have determined that only his side jobs and the grace of God keep us afloat. Even the lady preparing our taxes looked at us and asked how we make it with that many kids on that kind of money! We fall well more than half way past the poverty line for a family of six. The thing is we don't feel like we are doing with out most times. Sure there has been a few times that things had to wait of got to close for comfort or we just did with out. What else are you going to do when the utility companies are fleecing America? But we still have a roof over our head, haven't missed a meal and have no credit card debt. What more can you ask for? Love? Have it in spades down here from all our friends and church family. Worry is the work of the devil and we just need to remember that God always gives us enough, not extra, but what we need now, not want but need and just enough!



Blessings, Beth Ann

Monday, February 02, 2009

Menu Plan Monday


Hi all, another crazy week is upon us. I got an early start on my Friday shopping list, for next week. I just finished printing out my coupons and loading my Kroger card. Here are three locations to check out for loading coupons onto your Kroger card for quick and easy coupon mixing and matching, www.cellfire.com and www.pgesaver.com or www.shortcuts.com . For free printable coupons follow the link on your Kroger page or check out www.print.coupons.com . Hope this helps. I am getting real good at matching my Kroger card savings with printed coupons that match their weekly sale. There are many sites devoted to explaining this and helping you find the best deals, start with www.5dollardinners.com and work from their. It is well worth the initial time spent until you get a better understanding of it. I love getting to the check out and getting some items for say $.25 for a six pack of yogurt! We wouldn't be getting these things otherwise.
Here is a look at we are supping on this week:
Monday: Spaghetti w/green salad and home made bread sticks
Tuesday: B.B.Q. crock pot meatballs on brown rice with creamed onions and peas
Wednesday: Church bible study and dinner
Thursday: Bratwurst and sauerkraut w/ mixed veggies
Friday: Crock pot wild rice and lentil soup w/buttery bread machine rolls
Saturday: Home made pizza with veggie sticks
Sunday: Chicken tetrazzini w/green beans
Other cooking this week includes but is not limited to: home made ranch dressing, taco soup for pastor and wife, home made granola, pancakes, pecan date bars and home made graham crackers. What are you eating this week? For more Menu Plan Monday visit www.orgjunkie.com
Blessings, Beth Ann