Thanksgiving thanks

Some time to reflect on the last week and share some things that have made me grateful.

 No time to be depressed when you are happy for what you have.

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...a certain Giddy boy falling asleep on his own with no rocking, nursing or nonstop singing... bittersweet.

...a best friend coming to visit and spending most of the time entertaining my littles so I could make a necessary phone call for a new doctor.  No hesitation for doing Nanners hair or making Christmas Crack with them.

...the old lady still being with us for another holiday. She experienced another stroke recently so we are blessed she is still alive

...a successful discharge from my IOP program.

...beginning work again although I'm still not asleep as of yet, and should be, I am super excited. 

.....I am very happy I work for such an understanding company regarding my leave and people were squealing to see me back in the office. 

 

 

... finding a brand new homeopath and getting off the mood stabilizers with no bad effects. The RXs gave me nothing but issues but I feel this new homeopath might have some great insight to help me. 

... for a devoted husband. I know I often don't say it enough but he has stood by my side through everything.  He has put up with borderline verbal abuse and mood swings from hell. I know I have not been the easiest to deal with and I am grateful that he has put up with  my crap and doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.

 

 

back to our regular scheduled programming

Some time to reflect on the last week and share some things that have made me grateful.

 No time to be depressed when you are happy for what you have.

**********************

having more time to art journal and learn more scripture to aid in my mental health mess. God loves taking a mess and making it into something beautiful.

flowers I bought myself. Self care is important you know right?

  

a trip to Cantigny for the last time until next year. This is one of our favorite places to go due to the location and price however they are doing renovations and the tanks and museum will be down until next summer.

 

doggies all dressed up nice for Halloween...

 

 

not more damage to my oven or myself when I had burst a pan in the oven. I had not put enough water and it made the glass get hot enough to shatter.  This experience was  good bonding time with Koda as she helped me clean before it all glued and baked to the bottom of the oven. 

hearing Nanners read...

 

cuddles with Magnar as the other dog watches on....

 

one of the running jokes in our house was you weren't truly crazy until you were seeing pink elephants in the room. One weekend I took a trip to Springfield to see a crunchy friend from a Facebook group and sure enough I past Pinkie. I had to do a double take of course as it is bad enough to see a pink elephant but one that drinks martinis and wears glasses...

a family weekend

Some time to reflect on the last few weeks and share some things that have made me grateful.

 No time to be depressed when you are happy for what you have.

************************

 

a fishing filled weekend that resulted in over 16 fish caught...

 

a handpicked bouquet by the birthday girl and our pastor's wife that owns a flower shop. She made sure it was completely in our budget and even provided a pink vase to make her feel special. It was completely worth the $10....

 

finding shells while Daddy and Mark fished. We have never found shells off the local lake so it was exciting to find over 20...

 

Signing up for our naturepal exchange.... 

canning over 40 jars of tomatoes and giving the rest to our family and church. After a time of going hungry and relying on food stamps it is so rewarding to give back to people that helped us. 

seeing Nanners turn into a caring and considerate little lady. I have struggled with a killer headache the last few days, mostly from the changing weather and upcoming moon cycle, and its kicked me in the tail. I have survived only on the cocktail they give in the ER from home but it leaves me in a bit of a fog and exhausted. Nanners tucked me in last night and rubbed my back telling me to go to sleep. She has a servant's heart and it warms my soul to know I birthed this child and she loves nothing more to care for others...

 

a pottery painting birthday gift as some bonding time with Nanners and Ryguy...

 

preparing for Michaelmas and the inner work time to tame our dragons...

 

What are you thankful for lately?

 

Gratefulness

Sundays...

A time for reflection and gratitude. There is no way to be crabby and mean when you sit back and think of all you are grateful for this week.


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being 3 projects away from presenting a diploma...






a garden planted with cucumbers, eggplants and lettuce...

old tomato plants growing up from our previous garden...

some new fingerless gloves on and off  the hook...

a school year almost over for my step kids so we can enjoy summer vacation with them...

a set of donated bowling balls recovered...

specialists appointments in my future to finally have answers regarding my health...

a little boy enjoying his solids... 

a birthday present for friends in the making...

a cuddlebug for when I am hurting and need it... 

Linking up with Woolymossroots  

Gratitude Sunday... being posted on a Monday

A little late as always but I am happy with better late than never. Here are some of our little moments to be grateful for this week.

I walked a mile and actually jogged 1/12 of a mile. Not a lot for most but big accomplishment for out of shape me

Koda finally finished her civics class and passed her constitution test.... with an 88%!

We are ordering Koda's cap, gown and diploma finally as she had to pass her test before I would do it.

Koda finally got her drivers license.

and

her first tattoo.

Some beautiful weather.

Good week all around.  

A revelation....

After having some difficult interactions at work, church and some homeschool groups I have finally made a revelation....

 The actions and opinions of one person or a small group of people does not accurately represent the actions or opinions of an entire group or organization. 

Let that sink in.....

So the one judgmental mom complaining to my husband about feeding our kids McDonalds at Co-op is not how the entire Coop feels? Sometimes our Co-op chairs like a Big Mac too?! 

So the small group leader who states I should breastfeed without a cover as it is too tempting for the men within the group may not be how the entire church feels about breastfeeding?

So the one manager at work doesn't seem to appreciate the little people however our team leader may adore my work and think I'm awesome?

I needed this reminder as there are plenty of people in this world that love my family and want us to succeed.

Why our church reached out and helped us for Christmas without even making us feel like a charity case.

Why co-workers ask about my children and are happy when things are going great.

Why my online crunchy community posts and promotes nurse-ins and works on reducing shame and stigma in breastfeeding.

Although it is very hard to forget the negativity that the few people give to you, a lesson we all need to remember is to look past it and remember the people that love you and cling to them.

***Love and Light***

Wordless Wednesday Mr.Snazzy

Easter Monday?

So... I'm a bit late on the holiday posting but I'm ok with saying happy Easter Monday!

I have had the last week off due to some medical issues. Between some extreme fatigue and pain I have lived more in bed and at the doctor's office than I had my entire 3 pregnancies combined. This has really put me back unfortunately and discouraged me as I feel I am at a disservice to my family at the moment. Luckily Randy has stepped up and been great and supportive. Koda has upped her game as well as well as working more hours which I am so grateful for. I was unable to do some of our regular Easter activities like Resurrection rolls and dying eggs. I had to take a step back and pick between keeping calm, sane and pleasant vs doing the activities. Colored eggs don't have to be just for Easter and we can celebrate Jesus' resurrection every day. I had to promise myself it would be ok as it will. It will always be ok as my children care about my attitude for activities more than the activities themselves.

 Here are a few photos from our holiday weekend.

Nanners bunny she drew/copied from her chocolate rabbit. I was quite impressed as she is only 5. 

 

This was my first ever holiday ham decked out in extra cherries that I made cooking from my barstool in the kitchen.

 

My 2 boys behaved so well at church last night in the nursery with me even when I was not feeling well. I appreciate every time they try to make my life a little bit easier.

Its been awhile

Cue the sappy Stained song.... Actually I like that song a lot. There has been several changes through the last few months and I realized how little I have been posting. This use to be an online journal for me and a reminder to take lots and lots of photos to remember everything. I have been taking less photos since Koda is now pursuing a photography major as she does all the work for me. Here are some of the big things I need to update on.

I had our new baby in early October. He goes by Giddy and for the most part is a very pleasant baby.

 

 

Koda is inches close to graduating and we are starting to plan graduation parties and picking out diplomas. She does not have a college picked out for the time being and is flip flopping her college path of doing criminal justice or photography first as she needs both to do forensic photography. Yes, she wants to take photos of dead people and crime scenes and this confirms she is her father's child.

Nanners is almost graduated from her Cubbies class for Awana and has started a new dance program. She really enjoys her new teacher and luckily since it’s through our local park district that I work at I can be involved and spend more time backstage with my little dancer.  

 

 

RyRy has FINALLY started talking. There was some major concern of a language delay with him as only spoke 20 words, most of them being made up. Then one day, BAM. His vocabulary just exploded and he talks about how cool and happy he is about things. He adores being a big brother and is always insisting on helping with "baby".

 

Homeschool wise I have chosen to take a different approach for the littles as Nanners is approaching school age. As much as she begs to read and many peers are reading it is obvious that it isn't clicking yet. I have done some more research and talking it over with Randy and have decided to take more of a European approach of waiting until 7 to push any real "schoolwork" and we are adding more of a Waldorf approach to their preschool time. There will be an entire entry about that change when I get a chance to write it.

 

Although it’s been summed up in a few paragraphs its been some exciting changes and I can't wait to share more of our adventures with you.

 

Out of the mouth of babes

" Mama, can you do my hair today?" came from a little voice over the weekend.

" Well depends on what you are wanting. I can try" ( she has been known to ask for ornate crazy things for hair that is super long and impossible with her little bob)

" Mama, I want you to do my hair like black people"

............. * kids and husband chuckling in the background*

" Well what do you mean honey?"

" Like a little BLACK GIRL MAMA!" as she hands me her hands overflowing with colorful barrettes and half of them stuck in her hair as is. 


After over a half hour searching Mr. Google. we finally figured out together that she really only wanted rainbow beads and or hair clips in her hair. It is amazing to me how children do not think negatively about other races and embraces it and wants to share a similarity, like rainbow hair. It was a very proud mama moment for me as our families come from some prejudice backgrounds and to have my daughter want to look like that encourages me that I'm doing something right with her. So sure enough we are going to have "black people hair". 



After 3 attempts we only were able to get her hair braided but she seems quite happy with the results. 

Having a good attitude over activies

One thing I have struggled with the last few years has been Christmas. I will be the first to admit that I am a Scrooge. Between my mother dying and the falling out with my ex and getting pregnant, winter has never been a good time for me. I read a great quote the last few weeks and it has really got me thinking. Mommy’s ATTITUDE matters more than the ACTIVITIES. Original post I saw it on

Wow. My sanity, joy and patience with my children is more important than any craft, game or trip I could do with them.

This is constantly something I struggle with as I feel often that I am never doing enough with them. Between working full time and being stretched thin with therapies and my extreme  postpartum depression it turns it to a very rough season.

I have found some ways to reduce this year and just enjoy it.

After the 9th we are done with homework until after New Years. I want time to slow down and do crafts and baking.

We are doing Truth in the Tinsel but relaxed. If we get an ornament done then GREAT if not then its ok.

We are doing a "kindness fairy" as opposed to the Elf on a Shelf. Sally has appeared to come and remind our family to be kind this year.

Moments to Remember

So Ive got behind on a few posts. I do apologize. Luckily the business has been growing the way i have needed it to so we were able to take some time to go to the zoo like we have been wanting to for awhile. we started a new custody agreement that allows us the kids on some weekends so we can take this time to enjoy them off of school. The kids saw plenty of animals but it seems like their favorite part was painting their face in the play zoo area. Nanners decided that she was a cat and Mark was a puppy. 

them working on makeup together

<a href=”http://1plus1plus1equals1.blogspot.com/search/label/Moments%20to%20Remember” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://i678.photobucket.com/albums/vv146/homeschoolcreations/MomentstoRemember125x125.jpg” title=”Moments to Remember” /></a>

Visiting the Music store- Moments to remember

This week Nanners, Daddy, Uncle DJ and I played hookie one day and visited Chicago. We decided to stop at a music store Daddy had hung out at when he was a teenager. With CDs hanging EVERYWHERE and on the ceiling, Nanners thought it was the coolest place ever. She ran around and pointed all the album covers out and saw Homer from the Simpsons and said he was the funny guy.

She also loved chilling and listening to music on huge headphones. Great adventure for a day of hookie!




  Great moment to remember!