Will/Can this Cycle Ever Be Broken?

I was so beyond excited this year after I filed our taxes. We usually get back a decent refund because we always opt to allow the government to have a loan at our expense & having 3 kids doesn't hurt either ;) So this year was no different.

When I found out the amount, I immediately made BIG plans! Well, big to us anyway. We were going to get to PAY OFF 4 small bills! Anytime anything is paid off is cause for celebration. This in turn was going to free up a decent chunk of money each money that in turn was going to be paid onto this stupid bill that we have had since we got married! And after almost 13 years, that bill would be paid off by the end of the year! WOW!

You can see my cause of excitement, right?!

Not so fast darling........... That's what I get for making plans!

It seems that these small little inconvenient noises that my beloved PAID FOR Suburban has been making lately are going to cost more that its really worth to fix. UGH! Its fine for now, but who knows what will happen down the road.

Really, REALLY?!

We just freed up some money & now we are looking at having to go back into debt. I guess (thinking positive) its a good thing we paid those bills off. But this just makes me SICK!

For one, I am not ready to trade cars. I have liked vehicles before, but have never cared one way or the other about holding onto them. I actually really like my Suburban!

For two, I really want to do God's will concerning not just a new car but debt in general. This is not something I take lightly anymore.

Praying that God drops the right car in my lap!

Anyone want to buy a nice Suburban in need of a little TLC?

Tales of a Homeschool Nothing ~ I must have done something right

I know that I haven't posted "Tales of a Homeschool Nothing" in a while. I've combined everything lately. But this was specific.

Makenzie has been a little  s l o w  with picking up reading & phonics. Math seems to be her strength. She is doing 1st grade math already & has been for a while. YEAH.

So, she has slowly been getting a little better with sounding out words. The problem is that usually she just says some random word without giving it much thought.

She wanted me to read her a book tonight. She went and picked out Dog Diary. I honestly have NEVER seen this book before. Where in the world did she get it? I'm not sure, but I know it was a gift from God for just this moment!

In the Usborne First Readers, the parent reads one page & the child reads the other page. With the exception of "Jock", "quick", and a little help with sounds, she read  A L L  of her part!!!!! HALLELUJAH!

On another note, Austin is not struggling with math nearly as much as he was! You see, he is my reader (last year in 3rd grade, he was reading on a 7th grade level!) but doesn't care too much for math. He refuses to memorize his multiplication tables, which makes it take entirely too long. Ugh.

Funny thing though, he LIKES division! He even said it was fun. Strange boy.

I will take whatever small successes I can get & be thankful for them!

Treasure Box Moments

Makenzie woke up & said, "Momma it looks gray outside. It looks like a page from a coloring book. Can we color it?"

Austin while looking out the window said, "Little elves have been here. Look at the little footprints. (I think it was the melting snow)

Justin hollered for Austin to bring him his deodorant (he was out & somehow, there wasn't any under the cabinet). Austin promptly walked into the bathroom with an opened cup of yogurt! I think its time to clean out his ears!

We were running late (imagine late) to the 4H Food Show when Makenzie said, "Its ok if we are late, but we shouldn't speed. If I speed, I might get upset. If I get upset, I might struggle, & that could cause a heart attack." I giggled & said, "yeah, struggling could cause a heart attack." She said, "well, isn't a struggle & a heart attack the same thing?"........................ "oh, you mean a STROKE." bwahahaha

Austin CHOSE not to do the Food Show this year. Instead, he CHOSE to go to the Cherry Grove Men's Conference! I realize that more than likely, he only wanted to go because his daddy wanted to go, but I'm thankful that he made that choice. I'm thankful that my kids have a Godly father to follow.

Logan has been super fussy. He still doesn't feel the greatest. His ears still hurt & those cute little bottom gums are almost sporting teeth. Because of all this, my precious boy has not been sleeping good at night. And the silly thing thinks he no longer needs a late afternoon nap - which makes for a super cranky baby. ....... A friend shed new light on the situation ~ Of course, he's tired, I just love to keep him up all night nursing. hahaha 

On a personal note....I lost 5 pounds last week! AND was able to put on a pair of jeans that I haven't had on in 2 years!

Spring Fever

The bug has bit me! I am SOOOO ready for warmer weather! The past few days have been beautiful. I have raised the windows to let all that glorious fresh air inside. And, believe it or not, I have been in a cleaning mood. *gasp*

The kids certainly took advantage of the nice day. They have been making a river in our garden. Its a big muddy mess, but they are having fun.

Austin has been digging this hole & constantly making it deeper & wider. He sure is persistent - why can't he be like that for school work? Unfortunately, he is not very observant. But neither is Makenzie. She walked behind him just at the exact same moment that he was throwing dirt over his shoulder & WHACK. Instead of meeting air, the shovel met Makenzie's head.

She started wailing before he even realized what had happened. When he checked her head for bumps, he found blood instead.  (here's the funny part - if their can be a funny part) He tells her to RUN. So while she's running & crying, she kept saying  "WHY ARE WE RUNNING?"

Thank goodness I am not a "panicky" mom. (never have been) After seeing that this was not a life threatening ordeal, I actually made them go hose all the mud off & take a bath before the trip to the emergency room.

4 hours & 3 staples later, Makenzie was good as new & rewarded with stickers & a popsicle. 

......... Did I mention that she also stepped on a thumbtack?

Yeah, that was before 8am. Austin knocked over our calendar board & forgot to look for any missing tacks. (They knock it over all the time & the thumbtacks fall out all the time. ~ Needless to say, the calendar has now been stapled to the board!) Well, lucky Makenzie found the tack WITH HER FOOT!

After all the trauma/drama Austin wanted to "camp out" with Makenzie (AWWWWWW - isn't he sweet).

I really hope today is BOR-RING!

And That Has Made all the Difference

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim

Because it was grassy and wanted wear,

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.


I have always liked this poem by Robert Frost. It screams adventure & individuality. It proves that it is ok not to be like everyone else.

While growing up, it is a very big deal to "fit in", be popular, & part of the cool crowd. Even as adults, we still don't want to rock the boat too much. We are afraid to be considered strange or a social outcast.

I am glad though, that I am different. Jesus made us as Christians to be a "peculiar people". 1 Peter 2:9 says:

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

The definition of peculiar means different, special, or set apart. If we are truly acting as Christians, then we are distinctive & we do stand out.

I started dwelling on this early today.

I'm not crazy about getting up early in the morning. Its not hard for me to wake up, I just choose to stay up entirely too late. But, I know that I need to get up early. I know that this is something that God desires of me. I need to start my day in prayer & studying His word. I WANT to do this, but its so easy to go back to sleep.

I didn't set the alarm last night. I thought, "if God wants me up, He will wake me up." YEP, He was paying attention & answered this prayer even though I didn't actually "pray" it. Logan woke up at 6:15 to nurse. I chuckled to myself when I looked at the clock because he had been asleep since around 12:30! That's almost unheard of in his little world! So I smiled & thanked God for waking me up.

I had a WHOLE HOUR to study God's word, pray, & do some recreational reading before Austin's alarm went off. I hadn't even told him to set it. 

Thanks to this special time this morning, our day has went off without a hitch. We have gotten a lot accomplished & everyone has been well behaved (for the most part). My heart has been filled with thanksgiving & joy all day! PLEASE remind me why I don't just give in & do this every morning! 

I look forward to that road less traveled!

Mardi Gras ~ Laissez les bons temps rouler

When I was in college, I foolishly wanted to experience New Orleans in the height of all her "glory" - Mardi Gras. It just seemed like one big party to me, & hey, that's what I went to college for, right? ......

yeah, anyway

I never made it to Mardi Gras, but I did make it to New Orleans about 11 years ago. It wasn't quite what I had in mind, but at the same time, it was everything I had imagined.

Bourbon Street itself is not only a little strange, it is a whole different world! People are cra - zy! Mimes perform on street corners & CHASE you if you take their picture. Young kids tap dance with bottle caps on their shoes as a distraction so their partners can pick your pockets. Naked women hang out of windows. And old men in suits & fuzzy bedroom shoes interview invisible people in McDonalds at 3am.

There is so much history & legend in New Orleans. It would be interesting to go back today & actually appreciate that history. BUT I REALLY do not want my kids anywhere near that insanity! So we will just read about it.

Mardi Gras is the celebratory season before Lent that culminates with Fat Tuesday. It has pagan roots that evolved into Christian beliefs. The idea of Mardi Gras is to prepare oneself for the fasting & self denial that occurs during Lent. In recent years, the carnival celebrations exploded into debauchery.

So for the fun of it, I cooked Jambalaya & a King Cake. As usual, I tweaked my recipe, but you can find the original here. I combined & rolled out 2 cans of cinnamon sweet rolls & shaped into a ring. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Mix the included icing with 1/2 jar of Vanilla frosting & 1/4 c. of milk. Separate into 3 bowls so you can add food coloring (purple represents justice, green is for faith, & gold is for power). Then drizzle icing over the warm cake. Decorate accordingly. (I didn't feel the need to hide the baby.)

Parmesan Pork Chops with Lemon Butter Potatoes & Pears

Parmesan Pork Chops

1/4 c. flour           1 egg

2 Tbsp milk          1 c. crushed Ritz crackers

1/2 tsp. salt           3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese   

1/8 tsp. pepper     1/4 c. melted butter

6 pork chops

Place flour in a bowl. Whisk egg & milk in a separate bowl. In a third bowl, combine crackers, cheese, salt, & pepper. Dip pork chops in flour, then in egg mixture, & then in crackers. Put melted butter in a baking dish. Add pork chops. Bake uncovered at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Lemon Butter Potatoes

1/3 c. butter                3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt                     1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg          12 new potatoes

Boil new potatoes covered with water in a small sauce pan (I used my Mirco-Cooker from Pampered Chef) for about 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain, set aside. Heat butter, salt, pepper, & nutmeg. Pour over potatoes. Sprinkle with parsley.