Blessed Frugalness Times Two With Twins

Not Missed

2012-02-06T05:55:00.000-08:00

I have spoke of us leaving and church and going to a different one on different occasions. We have found one that we like and feel comfortable that this is where God wants us, at least for now. It is a small church only a few minutes (3 minutes to be exact) from our house. We are excited to be a part of it and our boys love it. The people are kind and more than welcoming. We are excited to be apart of it. Yesterday was our second Sunday to attend and our first Sunday night to attend.
Last Sunday I posted a status on facebook about the message (bridling your tongue). Yesterday I did the same (except the message was on patience).

Here is my status from facebook: Another great message today at church......on patience. Patience is something I don't have too much of these days. Lots of ugliness going on these days and I won't be part of it (hence the defriending button). Anyhow I know how to have patience and I will. Kicking my ugliness out of the way and letting God move in deeper to my heart..........right where HE should be. Lord, help me be more of you and less of me! AMEN! God is so good!!!! "By your steadfastness and patient endurance you shall win the true life of your souls." -Luke 21:19 (AMP)

Keep in mind the reason we left was becuase we are never missed or checked on when we are out and with all the sickness around us we have been out about as much as we have attended. Sunday school teachers nor children church workers EVER have called to see about the boys, even during hospital stays. Noone has ever sent a card or called, nothing.

Last night, our previous preacher's daughter left a comment, something along the lines of we have your irs statement for tithes at the church, didn't know ya'll were going anywhere else.....lol. I commented and told her we didn't need it, we'd already had our taxes done and used our bank statements. They could just toss their statement. Of which she replied that she would let them know and thanks.

This morning her first comment was gone, she had deleted it. She didn't bother to say, we've missed ya'll or anything. My point is I want to be missed. I want to be loved. I want to be prayed for. I want these things but more importantly I want them for my children. Anyhow, what's done is done. I have forgiven them, even though they may not know they were in needing of being forgiven. God loves us all! Praising God for our new church home!

February Menu Plan

2012-02-02T08:42:00.000-08:00

Here is my menu planner for this month. What's going on your table this month?

1 Tangy Pork Tenderloin, Green Beans,Brown Rice
2Roast, carrots, potatoes, chocolatepudding
3 Spaghetti
4 BLT’s, Oven Fries,raisin oatmeal cookies
5 Shrimp salad
6 BBQ stuffed potatoes
7 Chili, cornbread, Shoney’s peach pie
8 Enchiladas verdes Pg. 225, beans,rice, salad
9 Chili dogs, fried potatoes
10 Fried okra, peas, potato salad,cornbead
11 Chicken helper, leftover veggies
12 Steak, baked potatoes, salad
13 Taco salad, strawberry pretzel salad,chocolate covered strawberries
14 Breakfast casserole w/ sausage andcream cheese, fried apples
15 Hm Chicken noodle soup, sweet potatobread w/ pineapple butter Pg. 89
16 Hm beef stroganoff, green beans,Buttermilk salad
17 Ribs, beans, potato salad, fruit tray
18 Lasagna, bread, salad
19 Burgers, fries, salad, pb cookies
20 Santa fe soup
21 Chicken pot pie (Paula Deen recipe),pear salad
22 Fried chicken, green beans, mashedpotatoes, gravy, biscuits
23 Butterpeas, cornbread,mac&cheese, fried potatoes, sauted squash, fried green tomatoes, peach cobbler
24 Potato soup
25 OUT
26 Gravy, biscuits, sausage
27 Nacho bar, CB Oatmeal cookies Pg. 96
28 Pizza, wings (OUT) 29. Shrimp fet. alfredo

A New Month!

2012-02-01T07:58:00.001-08:00

Well, it appears that February is upon us! I wanted to review my New Year's Goals.

Blog daily. I blogged 15 times compared to the 31 I wanted to. However, it is better than just once.
Take more pictures. I haven't really, although I have taken several of the boys @ basketball games.
Read Bible daily. Most days but not all. I did say read through it in a year. I am now striving for a chapter a day.
Read 2 books or more a month. SUCCESS! DONE! I have read Gabby, Money Saving Mom's Budget and Organizing for Life.
Read more to the boys. DONE! Almost everyday.
Restart daily devo and prayers with hubby. Starting today.
Read and pray as a family. Not done . Ashamed to say.
Declutter and organize. A work in progress, however I would say I am 50% PLUS there in the house.
Toenails have yet to be painted, however, feet are in better shape!
Paint and redo master bath. I have the color picked out! :)
New kitchen counter tops. Maybe late fall.
Stick to defined budget and put $$$ back. Sticking with budget. No $$$ back yet.
Finish cookbook and gt to publisher. Not yet.......
Get back to "magic number" weight wise. Not yet but on my way! :)
Organize pics/clean off sd cards. Not yet.
Use kinder and more encouraging words with family. Trying and struggling daily.
Surrender and trust more fully in God! Yes and continually working on.

How are your goals going?

Bless Those Children

2012-01-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

Saturday night after a morning of basketball and after the Circus that afternoon we went to eat Mexican. We chose a little place that we adore called Habernos. We went in and ordered. We all had an entree, three of us had sweet tea and one had milk. We also had some yummy cheese dip with our on the house chips and salsa. Usually John and I order water not from the money aspect but from watching the waistline aspect. We typically eat out once a week. We live on one income, oew no debt and all of our bills are paid. We are working on building savings for each child to attend college and we have a little nest egg of our own, although it would not cover retirement at this point. We are comfortable.

I never and I mean NEVER remember a time in our lives where we dragged our children out to a restaurant, ordered for myself and my husband and told them that could not eat there because they had already eaten at home. If we could not afford for them to eat we would stay home cause we certainly could not afford for us to eat either!

Saturday night as we were finishing our meal up a couple about our age, well dressed came in and was seated behind my husband and Mason. They also had their 4 children with them (somewhere between the ages of 5 and 12). The mom ordered a beer and the dad some other type of alcoholic drink and the children each had water ordered for them. I heard two of the older boys ask if they could have some chips and the mother told them no, they had already eaten. When the waiter came I could not believe my ears! The mother ordered, the father ordered and when the waiter asked what for the children, the mother said nothing. The children ever so quietly protested and asked to order, the youngest one even crying. Yes the mother refused and told them to just shut up, they had already eaten.

It was bad enough that my own children were witnessing such behavior from a grown woman, a mother no less but to hear her speak to them in that tone with those words. Mason actually started praying right at our table for "their mommy to have a kinder heart". We quickly finished our meal. The woman proceeded to have not one but two more drinks and the man another one as well, but yet they would not let their children eat. God help us, what is this world coming to?!

When we got in the car the boys wnated to pray for that family and we did. I wanted to say something to that woman, actually if I were being honest I would tell you that the anger in me made me want to slap her jaws. That was not the Christian thing to do and I refrained. What would you have done? Would you have said something?

I just cannot imagine telling my children they couldn't eat.................

Stomach Virus

2012-01-26T10:30:00.000-08:00

The last week has been trying. The stomach bug has hit and is attacking the McRae household with a vengeance. Last Thursday I picked the boys up from school and we barely made it by my parents for Lil John to use the restroom. He had diarrhea. He told me he had had it that day at school too. It had it the rest of the afternoon and then that night he had started vomiting. He ran a fever with it too. The nest day I kept both the boys home since Mason had been exposed as well. Friday they both seemed fine except John's tummy hurt some.

Saturday they had a basketball game and they played. Everyone seemed fine and we just rested the rest of the day.

Sunday none of us felt too good so I kept the boys home from church while John went to finish cleaning out his Dad's apartment. We met John in town and went by the nursing home to see his Dad for a quick visit.

Monday I sent both of the boys to school as they felt fine. When I picked them up I found out that 3 students had checked out of John's class sick. By the time we made it home and through the door, Mason had diarrhea. That lasted on and off until after bedtime. At 11pm he started vomiting.

He had diarrhea and vomiting constantly for over 24 hours and he didn't eat for 40 hours. We kept him hydrated with Gatorade. In the midst of all of this I called the peds office on Wednesday am for Zofran.

The peds office had been closed Tuesday due to a tornado touching down in the area. 2 were killed and over 700 homes damaged or destroyed. Please pray for these!

As Wednesday progressed Mason was a new child, feeling so much better. He was up and playing and I was a happy Momma!

However, as Wednesday wore on I got sick. Thank the Lord for Zofran and Imodium. I still feel rotten today and am in pain from the diarrhea and dry heaving. Hoping this bug leaves our house soon. The boys missed basketball practice Tuesday night but have a game Saturday. We also have tickets for the Circus that afternoon. Here's to a healthy house of McRae's soon!

Has the tummy bug hit your house or area? Blessings!

Pin Pointing Saturday

2012-01-21T19:31:00.000-08:00

Today has been eventful to say the least! Here is a breakdown of the day. First off, the boys missed school yesterday due to a stomach bug. Thankfully they are much better and food is staying put. It is no fun picking chunks out of carpet and emptying poo out of pants and underwear just so it can go into the washing machine. Thank you, Lord for a great washer with a sanitary cycle! :)

6:00am up, get ready, try to get boys to eat some dry Cheerios and have some Gatorade
7:30am get cooler ready with snacks and drinks (it's our turn to pack these for gameday)
7:50am pick up my Daddy and head to the gym for boy's basketball game
8:30am game starts
9:30am game over (we won 18-10 - WOOHOO!)
The rest of the day was kind of a blur........ate breakfast @ Jack's
home, change, relax, John heads to nursing home to see his Dad, watch tv, play Legos
eat lunch (the boys only wanted cheese, crackers and Gatorade), then nap (1pm)
3 up, John home, get ready, find coupons for supper, go get John a new phone (his is going out)
drive to Trussville (almost an hour away), CVS, Verizon, Chic Fil A, Sam's (the boys love playing on the ipads)
home by 8pm, boys in bed by 8:30. Cookies baked and coffee made. John and I head to our master bedroom retreat to tv/computer it.
9:50pm I blog and get ready for bed.........

Goodnight and blessings!

Cowboys

2012-01-20T10:48:00.000-08:00

The boys love the cowboy lifestyle. Mainly they love the jeans, boots, buckles, horses and hats! LOL! They have decided to have a cowboy themed birthday this year. Their birthday is in March but it will be here before we know it! They want us to grill hamburgers and hot dogs. I will make bronco baked beans and we will have choctaw chips and dip. I am having a friend to make a cowboy cake with 2 smaller cakes with the boys' names. I would love to find some metal pie tin type plates for serving up the grub. I think we are going to keep the family/friend list a little smaller this year. We shall see how it all pulls together! Do you have ideas or suggestions?!

Blessings!

Hard Times

2012-01-19T07:50:00.000-08:00

When people refer to "hard times" it usually pertains to money or finances. However, these hard times are just that, difficult days. We got John's Dad settled into a local nursing home Tuesday evening. He is content there but sad. He had worked right up until 3 weeks ago, as a transportation manager for a Chevrolet/Dodge dealership. His credit card and keys were turned in and last paycheck picked up. We are currently cleaning out his apartment out and should finish this weekend. Dividing pictures up and sorting through his life, mind boggling. I feel like I am invading his privacy, John is just so sad and disgusted. These are hard times. We had breakfast with Sandra (half sister and husband that have been helping) and Kerry yesterday morning, just to sit and have a normal conversation. We had a nice time but then back to the apartment.... back to sifting through life, making decisions what to do with this and that. What to keep for sentimental reasons. I can only imagine how John feels. This is his only parent left and he will lose him soon too (say the doctors- 8-10 weeks at best). It is so hard not to question God. We know that all things work for the glory of HIM. Just please pray for John, Sandra and John's Dad the next few days. This transition is nothing but just plain hard times.

Blessings!

Not Sticking To It

2012-01-16T06:32:00.000-08:00

I am sticking with my new year goals, well all except the blogging one. I am having a hard time finding time. My father-in-law is very sick and it has taken an additional toll besides caring for my parents and aunt. I have also had a tummy bug.

My father-n-law has finally been given a true diagnosis of Cirrhosis of the liver (non-alcoholic type). He is in the final stages of this disease. The home health nurse said he might have 8-10 weeks left. He can no longer stay alone, is on a walker and O2 full time. He doesn't know when he needs to use the restroom. Sometimes he talks out of his head or sees things or people that are not there. He goes from grey to yellow. He eats very little and is staying swollen for the abdomen down. We took the boys by his apartment yesterday to get some pictures. We will be moving him today or tomorrow one to a nursing home in the same town where he lives. One of John's half sisters is a supervisor there and knows the nursing staff and such. She has been helping us with him ever since their Mom died (almost 3 years ago).

There are 2 more half sisters, John is the only biological child and closer to his Dad than the girls. Their Dad is still living and is a part of their lives. There are some hard feeling from one of the sisters grown children that we are not bringing him home with us and taking care of him here. They will just have to get over themselves. (They have not stepped up to help). John works outside the home and there is no way to keep a normal life for our boys, do their activities, me work and continue to take care of my folks and aunt, nor can I lift him. Please pray for us as we watch him transition to the next life. Man knows not when this will happen but the Lord does and we are trusting in him.

I hope to be around and post more often but we will see! Blessings!

Today's To Do List

2012-01-10T05:48:00.000-08:00

Read Genesis 12-30
Make beds
Take meds
Feed pets
Load/run/empty dw
Sweep kitchen and entry way
Clean kitchen sink
Clear/wipe kitchen counters
Plan/cook dinner
Wipe bathroom sinks
Empty trash
Do laundry
Read to boys
Exercise
Quiet time
Prepare tomorrow's clothes
Clean bath mirrors
Clean light fixtures and change bad bulbs in bathrooms
Clean out purse/wallet
Pay/file bills and balance checkbook
Clean toaster
Change boys hand towels
Clean out my nightstand
Send thank you card to Connie
Soup to AM/AP/MD
PO
DG-carpet cleaner/milk
Call Peds East-print out for last year
Mop kitchen and master bath
Vaccum
Iron and put boys stars on shirts
Take Christmas stuff down
Organize spare bedroom
Clea out fridges' freezers
Clean tiolets
Check Mom's meds

Oh my! Maybe this will be today and tomorrow?!

Yummy Goodness...........Pear Preserves

2012-01-09T14:07:00.000-08:00

This is what we've been eating with hot buttered biscuits as of lately! So good!

A Weekend Get-Away, Date night???

2012-01-08T12:40:00.000-08:00

No, neither! John and I have had so much on our plates for so long I cannot remember how long it's been since we've had a date night. I know we left the boys with his sister and we went to supper for our anniversary in October. Before that it had been close to a year. As far as a weekend get-away (just the two of us) was 3 years ago.

Yesterday we hired a sitter so we could drive an hour to the hospital to visit John's Dad. We stayed at the hospital for 2 hours and then went to eat an early supper/late lunch at Chili's. Then we drove the hour home. It was so nice to be able to sit and eat and talk just the two of us. We love our boys dearly but there were NO interuptions, no potty needs, no cutting up food, no spills or messes to clean up...it was JUST us! We would love a get away though!

So how often do you and your hubby go out just the two of you? Or do you? Do you go on weekend getaways together?

Blessings!!!

Saturday, Saturday

2012-01-07T04:49:00.000-08:00

Well Friday slipped away from me without getting a post finished! I started one on couponing but things got in the way and life happened. I also had a really bad migraine. It was one of the worst I have had in several months.

This morning the boys have their first Upwards basketball game. Afterwards we will come home to grab a bite of lunch and leave the boys with a sitter to head to the hospital. John's Dad has been in the hospital a week today. Yesterday he was transfered to a larger, better facility in Birmingham. He has swelling in his stomach/ abdomen area and it is worse when he eats or drinks anything. He also has swelling in his feet and legs and his legs hurt really bad. He is using the bathroom in his clothes without knowing it. His kidneys are not wsorking at all. He has a bleed behind one kidney. Non life saving surgery is not an option at his age (he's 83 years old). His bloodwork is also out of sorts. We will meeting with an oncologist as well.

Please keep him and us in your prayers. Blessings on this rainy Saturday!

I Wanna Read It, I Wanna Read It!!!

2012-01-05T05:40:00.000-08:00

Here are the books I want to read this year! Some of them I did not get to read last year and they have been left on my list. What is on your reading list?

Blessings!

November 2011

2012-01-03T12:58:00.000-08:00

This is our newest addition a Labradoodle that we took at just 2 days old. She was 4 weeks in the picture above. Her name is Princess!

Here's another shot of her and the proud "brothers"!

Here are the boys and my parents at Thanksgiving! Doesn't my Mom look great for the ordeal she has been through?!

Here are the boys in their Thanksgiving Feast attire for their Thanksgiving production. John was Little Deer and Mason was Thunder Bird!

Here is John driving us to our first Auburn game!

Little John is so excited he brought his camera to take pics of his fav Auburn players!

Mason is more excited about the toy catalog and picking out what he wants Santa to bring!

Here is our sweet Princess at 4 days old and 9 ounces.

Here are the boys ready tohead to their first "Panther" football game at school!

That sums up November!!!! Blessings!

Decluttering and Finding Organization

2012-01-03T06:10:00.000-08:00

I love a new year, a fresh start! It makes me feel like I get a do over! In the Summer there is NO time for anything extra with all the work on the farm. It unnerves me and makes me feel lost in my own home. I am here merely to sleep only. Most meals are NOT even eaten here. I always try to get some things decluttered and organized in the beginning of the year so six months down the road when I go to work in June I can find my way....well somewhat!

I purchased a this calendar from here. Search under products. The one I bought is called Full Sized Page Per Day Planner With Scheduled Bible Readings. The purchase was for the whole year and not just the sample page. LOL! It has Bbile reading (you can get it wothout). I think it was $8 and I had a coupon code for $1 off.

I also found this neat FREE declutter and organize calendar. It is a great tool as well!

Next I made a list of all of the birthday, anniversary, ect. cards I would need for the year and went to the local Dollar General and purchased them. I came home and filed them under the apprioate month so I will never be without it when needed. You can also purchase a few extra general birthday cards for emergencies and such.

Then I took Mom Do It All Pocket magnetic fridge calendar and wrote in all appointments, birthdays and things that I already know so that in the mornings I can look on it to see what the day or week holds.

I keep a Mom's Plan It Planner in my purse.

I am currently going through each room and decluttering. This includes any item that we no longer need, want or will use. Then it's off to the Hope House to donate it. We normally have a yard sale in the Spring but I am so tired of things being piled up so I am just donating everything.

So how do you declutter and organize???

Blessings!

January 2012 Menu

2012-01-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

JANUARY 2012

1 Ham, turnip greens, peas, dressing,
potato salad
2Chicken noodle soup
3 Jack’s
4Tacos
5 Shrimp salad, cookies
6 Steak, salad, baked potato
7 Santa Fe soup
8 Enchiladas, beans, rice, salad
9 Leftovers
10 Jack’s
11 Spaghetti, salad, bread, peach
cobbler
12 Peas, fried okra, potato salad,
cornbread
13 Sloppy joe’s, fries, slaw
14 Breakfast casserole, friend apples,
toast
15 Beefstew, cake
16 Pork chops, green beans, corn, fried
potatoes
17 Jack’s
18 Sauted squash, peas, friend green
tomatoes, cornbread
19 Burgers, fries, salad, peanut butter
fudge
20 Brats, slaw, chips
21 OUT
22 Cornmeal chicken, mashed potatoes,
gravy, green beans, biscuits
23 Butterpeas, cornbread,
mac&cheese, fried potatoes
24 Broccoli and cheese soup
25 Chili, cornbread
26 Gravy, biscuits, sausage
27 Nacho bar
28 OUT
29 Roast, carrots, potatoes
30 Potato soup 31 Jack’s

Happy New Year!!!

2012-01-01T09:46:00.000-08:00

Resolutions......smooshutions! Blah! I really don't like to make resolutions! One fellow blogger summed it up as why set yourself up for failure! Here are a few things I would like tomake happen in 2012; however if they don't I REFUSE to beat myself over them!

Blog daily.
Take more pics.
Read Bible daily and get through it in one year.
Read 2 + booke per month.
Read more to my boys.
Restart daily devo and prayers with hubby as a couple.
Read Bible and pray daily with boys and hubby as a family.
Declutter and organize!
Keep my toenails painted and my feet in great shape.
Paint and redo master bath
Get new kitchen counter tops
Actually stick to a defined budget and put more $ back.
Finish cookbook and get it to the publisher
Get back to my "magic number" weight wise! ;)
Organize pics and clean off some of our sd cards.
Use more kind and encouraging words with my family.
Surrender and trust more fully in God.

So what do you want to accomplish in 2012? New Year Blessings on you and your family!

August, September and October

2011-12-08T03:21:00.000-08:00

Here are the boys for Halloween. John was Spiderman and Mason was Optimus Prime (a Transformer).

We also got a Border Collie; her name is Mia! She was rescued from a puppy mill in Georgia last Christmas. She is almost a year and a half old.

For our anniversary hubby and I purchased me a new vehicle! It is a 2011 GMC Acadia. It seats 7 and we LOVE it! The Durango was not cutting it any longer. When I would take my foot off of the accelator it would go dead; most of the time in the middle of the road! We had it to three different places (one being a dealership) and NOONE could find what was wrong with it. Back in September I was making a left handed turn and it went dead, an 18 wheeler almost hit it becaise it did not want to crank back up. It was past time to trade! The best thing is that I do NOT have a payment!!! We were so blessed to have enough $$$$$ to pay for it ourselves!

This is me and the boys on my birthday! I turned 35 this year! So proud to be here EVERY year!

This was the boy's first homecoming at school! They were so excited to wear their homecoming tee shirts and support their Panthers!

This is my Daddy (on the far right) and some of his brothers and sisters. We were celebrating my Uncle Jack's birthday (he is the one is navy striped shirt). September 15

This is my parents! We were celebrating my Daddy's birthday August 20th! Aren't they a great looking couple?! Daddy was 78 this year!

This is mason on his first day of Kindergarten! What a cutie!

This is John on his first day of Kindergarten! Also a cutie! We had the boys separated this year and they have different teachers.

Here I am with the boys on their frist day of BIG school! I was down 41 pounds here!

John is already to go!

Mason is too!

John with posion (oak or ivey) one of the two! It was so bad that he had to get a shot and a steroid pack! Poor thing!

Some of the peaches we grew!

Some of the Red Gala apples we grew! These trees are in our front yard.

The boys riding in the trailer being pulled by the four wheeler. Aren't they cute in their rubber boots?! They are headed into the apple orchard to pick!

Here is John picking! Look how many are already in his basket!!

Here's Mason! He was trying to get his basket full quicker! LOL! Those are half bushel size baskets!

Here are the boys in the tomato field! John planted 6 Cherry plants and Mason planted 6 Roma plants

. They picked 7 pecks (8 quarts baskets) off of the 12 plants and sold them for a total of $88. They spilt the money and put it in their savings! Here you see them picking and Pawpaw in the back supervising! :) That winds up August, September and October! I will get November up soon! I have missed blogging but real life must come first! Hoping someone somewhere still reads my blog! ;) See you soon!

Meal Plan for August

2011-07-31T19:05:00.000-07:00

The last few months have been hard. So many sick and then John and I dieting. I have not cooked as much as usual. I have so, so missed it. Work is still crazy but I am determined to cook! ;) John is finished with all 4 phases of the diet and his metabolism has reset! It is amazing! I am finishing up phase 2 hopefully this week! He has lost a total of 56 pounds! Go baby! I am so proud of you! He went from a 36 size pant to a 30 and from an XL shirt to a medium! I will post my details when I get finished. Anyhow, here is the menu plan for the month of August, at least for most of the family. I may not always eat what is listed, as I am still following the diet protocol.

1 Spaghetti, tossed salad, corn on cob, garlic cheese bread, grape salad
2 Waffles, sausage, fresh fruit/BBQ salad, fresh cantaloupe
3 Southwest pork tenderloin, Spanish rice, black beans,
4 Leftovers
5 Chicken alfredo, whole kernel corn, green beans, fresh peaches
6 OUT-Seafood buffet
7 Enchiladas, tossed salad, chips, cheese dip, fresh watermelon
8 Lemon pepper boneless pork chops, fried okra, butter peas, potato salad, peach cobbler
9 Fish sticks, chips/ Leftovers
10 BLT’s, oven fries, fried green tomatoes
11 Sloppy joes, salad, leftover oven fries, fresh peaches
12 Chef salad, Texas cheese fries
13 Chicken and dumplings, salad, fresh peaches
14 Chili cheese dogs, slaw, chips, dip
15 Potato crusted fish, fried cabbage, corn on cob, fresh watermelon
16 Taco salad, chips, salsa, Peach delight
17 Fried “Krispy” Chicken, gravy, biscuits, mashed potatoes, green beans
18 BBQ beef, Salad, Oven fries
19 Chicken cordon bleu casserole, leftover green beans, fresh cantaloupe
20 OUT-Daddy’s Birthday, homemade peach ice cream
21 Ole farm breakfast casserole, fried apples, cinnamon raisin toast, hm apple butter
22 Quesadilla pie, tossed salad, leftover ice cream
23 Bacon cheeseburgers, onion rings, salad
24 Fried green tomatoes, butter peas, mac & cheese, kraut & wieners, fried potatoes
25 Oven fried pork chops, green beans, rice, fried apples
26 Steak & eggs breakfast casserole, fresh fruit salad, toast
27 Broccoli & cheese soup w/ Hawaiian bread/ Leftovers
28 Steak fingers, green beans, biscuits, gravy, mashed potatoes
29 Brats on the grill, hm potato chips, slaw, fresh watermelon
30 Slow cooker lasagna, tossed salad, garlic cheese bread
31 Hamburger noodle casserole, tossed salad, peach cobbler

So, what's cooking????

Blessings!

And There Was June

2011-06-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

June has come and almost gone! It is difficult for me to find time to blog as of late. Here's a glimpse of what is going on here on the farm and in our lives.

John and I saw the dermatologist at the beginning of the month. I had one place removed and John had seven removed. Mine was fine. John has 2 to come back as pre cancer and one as melanoma. He had surgery last Monday the 20th. He has 8 stitches inside and 10 outside. The doctor says there is less than 5% of a chance they will have to go back in again.

John has now lost 53 pounds since March 7th. I am down 30 something. We are very excited!

I am working MANY hours as of late. Things are getting busier as time goes on and it is hard with the little ones in tow. I am blessed though!

My Mom is making remarkable progress with the HSV Encephalitis. Her brain is healing and she is overcompensating for the loss of it. She started keeping her own house and is cooking some from memory now. The neuro doc is amazed and says it is not of his doing but the Lord's! Amen to that!!! WE do not have to see him or the infectious disease doc for 3 months and the best news is that if Mom is still progressing at this rate.........he will let her start driving again!!! YAY! She is staying with Daddy in the afternoon for the last couple of open hours at our market each day. WE did find out that she has Celiac disease though and that has been interesting finding out what she can and CANNOT have to eat. Also, she had a pain block today in her back for the pain.

The boys are doing well and I cannot believe that they start to Kindergarten in 6 short weeks! They are so very excited and I am too (for them)!!!

The farm is hopping! We are picking peaches, nectarines, apples. blueberries, tomatoes (green and ripe), squash, zucchini, cucumbers, cabbage and cantaloupes. We have finished the broccoli. Most of the plums were froze out. We have 300 plum trees and might pick 20 baskets overall. Not good!
They are picking about 200 baskets of peaches a day and in the next few weeks that will increase to 400-600 a day.

We have had some excitement around here as of late. Several more storms (thankfully no tornadoes) but we have had 70mph winds and more. Someone was snooping around at the back of the house last Saturday night about 9pm (the boys and I were home by ourselves) and they even knocked on the door. Scary!

Oh and if you like Paula Deen, pick up the September/October issue of her magazine. The magazine folks were here at our farm last month and it appears as though the farm and my sister in law will be featured in it!!!!! SCREAM! We love us some Paula Deen!!!!

Well, the bed is calling my name. It'll be a long day tomorrow. Lots of work at different places.

Happy June!!

Responsibility

2011-05-28T03:55:00.000-07:00

We have always stressed the importance of responsibilty to the boys. They turned 5 in March. Here is a list of their chores and responsibilities.

Make their beds

Put their dirty clothes away

Cleaning their rooms

Setting the table

Clearing the table

Bringin in groceries and things from the car

Putting groceries and things away

Helping fold laundry (washclothes, kitchen linens)

Unloading the dishwasher (no knives or glass)

Helping with supper prep

Brushing their teeth and flossing of a morning (we do their bedtime brushing and flossing)

Dressing themselves

Putting their laundry away

Emptying indoor trash cans

Keeping their toys picked up and put away outside

So how old are your children and what responsibilities do they have around the house?

Hodge Podge

2011-05-15T17:56:00.000-07:00

Just a few days after I posted last we were bombarded with straight line winds and tornados. Two tornados hit within 5 miles of us. Straight line winds took out many apple trees and many large trees as well. We were blessed, we are all safe and no structural damage. WE lost a good but of food due to the long power outage.

Daddy's ribs are better! His bp is still dipping some.

Mom got a GREAT report from the neuro doc! God answered our prayers for a full recovery, just will take time (maybe a year). The doc said she may even get to drive again! :) She is having fever as well as intestinal problems though. Her polymycitis is acting up as well.

Big John has now lost a total of 40 pounds!!!! He was hospitalized 7 years ago for the worst kind of migraine. It took 4 days to get it broke. It hit again.......today (fir the first time since that). I gave him some meds and he is some better!

Little John is good other than regular allergies. Mason's coughing asmatha is acting up due to allergies.

A friend from high school had to take her 36 year old husband off of life support and he was buried Friday.

The boys planted their tomato plants. They each did 6 this year. John did grape tomatoes while Mason did romas.

I FINALLY am well enough to get rid of the antibiotics for the staph infection in my sinuses!
I am having bp problems though...it is way too low. The neuro doc took me off of most of the preventive I am on for migraines and now they are back! GRRRRR! So I'll be calling tomorror!
I am still managing two households and cooking Mom and Dad's meals. I guess I am doing okay....just really tired!

So that's where we are now! Blessings!

Good Friday, Happy Earth Day and 5 Year Old Well Checks

2011-04-23T04:23:00.000-07:00

I hope you had a blessed Good Friday and remembered what the real reason of it was as well as served our earth in some way!

The boys had their 5 year well checks and immunizations yesterday. Their appointments were at 9:30am, which meant we needed to be on the road by 8:30am. My Mom would need to go with us since the men folk would be working on the lower farm and she had just started some new meds and would need someone close by incase something happened.

I also needed to drop the boys Easter eggs and the Easter cupcakes off at their school before the appointment so the boys get easily get back to the Easter party and egg hunt at 2:30pm.

So off we went, I knew that my Mom would need to wait in the waiting room since the boys would be upset after the shots and finger sticks. We got there with time to spare.

I signed us in and paid the $80 copays. Then we had to do udpates (even though we were just there last week with Mason) and then I was off with them to tinkle in the little cups. That went well and then back to the waiting room we went. Then we were called back for finger sticks. Wowzee they were not happy and neither was Mommy. I had to carry Mason back tot he waiting room and he cried for a good little while.

Finally we were called back to see the doctor. All of the typical things were done and finally Dr. H came in. Mason's coughing asmatha had flared up due to allergies and John had a sinus infection as well as a ear infection. John weighed 41 pounds and was 44 3/4 inches tall while Mason was 45 inches tall and weighed 47 pounds. We had to wait on the nurse for their two immunizations and blue forms for their schools.

Then it happened, the nurse came in and they lost it. John went first. He cried and screamed during the first stick and the second as well. Mason tried to escape out the door and I had to catch him, then John pulled the second needle out. The nurse had to restick him to finish giving the meds.

Mason screamed kicked and fought the whole time, during both injections. He just kept crying. My Mom said she heard them screaming the whole time. She seemed ok. I had promised the boys we would go to Dairy Queen for ice cream. It was barely 10:30am but hey that was okay. They both wanted vanilla cones while Mom had a club sandwich and I am grilled chicken salad.

Both to the potty and we set off for home. We had to stop and get the meds at the pharmacy. That was a $103.56, 30 minute stop. Mason was due for Singulair and a new inhaler while John needed an oral antibiotic and an antibiotic ear drop. We also needed some Tyneol and Advil for them.

I got Mom in the house and got her settled and then took the boys home. I had gotten a them a chicken finger box to bring home for their actual lunch and they polished it off. I gave them meds and then they took naps. John woke up screaming with his ear and head, once again (I had been up with him all night the night before). He was also running a 101.2 fever. I gave hima dose of Advil ( I was altenating the Advil and Tyneol for him). Cannot do that for Mason since he is allergic to Ibuprofen. I held my precious baby for a long time. He needed to stay home from the party and egg hunt and surpriseinly wanted to stay home. I went to wake Mason and found he was still tired and also wanted to stay home and finish his nap.

Around 3:30pm the nurse called back and told me to up the Tyneol/Advil rotation to every 3 hours as long as the pain was that severe and the meds were wearing off so quickly. I realized the time and quickly called my Mom to make sure she had taken her meds, thankfully she had.

By 4:30pm Mason was up and the three of us were just laying around while Mommy rubbed backs and we watched Phineas and Ferb.

Needless to say I did not get much accomplished in the house but no worries here, I was needed in other roles today. The boys finally went off to sleep between 9pm and 10pm and slept all night. Thankfully!

Have a great Saturday! Blessings!

Needing To Unload

2011-04-19T15:37:00.000-07:00

This will be a random kind of post about many things! Imagine that! LOL

One of the retreat windows is leaking again. A family friend is coming to take a look see tomorrow and hopefully get it fixed.

Many doctor appointments all around. I took Mom to 3 last week and one today. Took Daddy to one last week. The boys had dental check ups last week and will have 5 year old well visits Friday. Whew!

Daddy has cracked ribs and is not suppose to be on tractor, mower, ect. for 4-6 weeks. NOTE** he is a farmer. We'll see how long that lasts.

Feels like not enough of time in the day here lately. I feel stretched way too thin. I feel like I am not giving my boys enough of attention. I also am praying that I tell them about Jesus enough and HIS love for them.

Easter is fast approaching, outfits are needing ironed, baskets to be made and the the family meal to be cooked and served.

I am way behind balancing the checkbook. Thankfully there is money there and the bills are paid.

The diet is going well but not great.

I so am need of a pedicure.

I start back to work June 1. ):

Trying to arrange childcare for my kiddos on Tuesday's and Thursday's after BIG school! My boys are NOT suppose to be this BIG!

My heart is still broken about my Mom. So thankful she is is her with us!

Cooking and taking care of two families/households is a BIG deal!

I am tired almost all of the time.

I so wish I had time to eat out with friends, read this shelf full of books, soak in the tub, take a weekend away with just John and then a vacation with my family.

We took the boys to their first MLB Game Saturday. Go Braves!

The End! blessings!

The New Normal

2011-04-10T07:55:00.000-07:00

We are finding a new normal around here and it is hard. As I have said before running two households is hard. Seeing my Mom in this state is hard. Thankfully my heart is not hard and may not understand but my God does!!!! We have tried to keep things as normal for the boys as we can but sometimes it is impossible. For weeks I had to be at my parents at 6am and stay until after 7am to give iv infusions, then went back at 9pm and did the same again. Instead of being at my house working on the cookbook that was due for publication in May, I had to be back at the parents at 8am to take care of Mom. That left a few minutes in between for me to see my boys, make John's lunch and see them all off for school and work. I would stay at my parents once I went back at 8am until after the 2pm infusion ran. I would get home a little after 3pm and rush to get things done and then go get the boys from school and get supper cooked for the parents and us, then take it back over. Then head back home and do bathes and reading, Bible and time with the boys. I would put them to bed at 8pm and John usually was home by then and then at 9pm back over to my parents. Thankfully that is in the past. The new normal is: Getting up at 5:30am, getting ready, do devotion, take meds, make bed, do a load of laundry unload dw and feed the fish. 6:30am boys up, fed, dressed, devotion, amke John's lunch, give boys meds 7:45am boys and John out the door for work and school, I usually make my to do list, do laundry, load any dishes in dw, empty garbages, wipe down counters, answer emails, make phone calls 8:45am head to Mom and Dad's, get Mom up, give meds, make sure she has breakfast, unload/load her dw, do laundry, clean kitchen, talk with Mom, work on memory exercises, do PT exercises, write out any bills, do any farm paper work, make any calls for them 10:30am IF Mom is stable enough to leave by herself (and Daddy or brother are nearby on farm) I run down to town (3 miles) and pick up groceries, meds, go to bank, postoffice and run errands. Then I go back by to check on Mom and if she's okay I go home. I can see Mom and Dad's house from mine. I call about every hour and make sure she is okay. All the while working on house stuff at my place. I also have a morning snack. About 12:30pm I make sure of her pain level (sometimes I have to go back to give pain meds). I make sure she has lunch. Sometimes I stay on work on housework. I usually start supper prep for all of us then. I usually have lunch about 1pm. 3pm Usually Daddy is home or around and I call him and Mom and remind them of her 3pm meds (just one pill, an antibiotic). Then I satart wrapping up around home and have any cold things for supper already made. Then I go get the boys from school. 4pm Boys home no later usually than this. Give them and I snack, talk about their day, playtime. 5pm Finish supper, take supper to parents, playtime 6pm Feed fish, feed us 7pm bathes, call and check on Mom, John arrives home between now and 8pm. Bible reading, story time. 8pm Lights out for the boys, John showers and eats. time to chill with John. 9pm Call and remind Daddy to give Mom meds and tell them goodnight. More time relax. 10:30pm Bed So that is our new normal. It will to change again before long, as I will be going back to work June 1, here on the farm and at markets. The edges are still rough but we are blessed! Praying for Mom's memory to heal and the confusion to go away. Blessings!

The Last Month

2011-04-08T06:33:00.000-07:00

Oh my! Has it really been a whole month since I last blogged?! Things hva ebeen hectic. It seems that is the norm in my everyday life though. I try to take one day at a time and ask God for his guidance and He sees me through. I am doing okay. Still battling staph infection in the sinuses. I will see the infectious disease doctor again next month. By the time I see him, I will have been on this regime of antibiotics for 5 months. I also had a molar tooth in very bad shape that we decided it would be in mybest interest to have extracted. An oral surgeon had to take it out and it was a doozie. The roots were twisted and one root was wrapped around a bone. The bone came loose and had to be filed down. One root was actually in the sinus cavity where the staph infection is. I probably should mention that I could not be put to sleep and gas makes me violently ill so I was numbed up for the procedure. Had it done on Tuesday and am still feeling the effects! AS of this morning John and I have lost 43 pounds together on the diet (in a mont and a day). It is going very well but is difficult at times. Very hard for southern girl that is used to down home cooking and not just eating it but producing it! :) I cannot wait to get the rest of our weight off and keep it off! John looked so handsome this morning! He is finally beginning to see the changes for himself. It's amazing to get up every morning and see you but a little smaller!!! The boys are doing well. Their allergies are going crazy. Mason is on several meds for them and eye drops by script as well as Singular for coughing asmatha. Little John doesn't have the asmatha but does the allergies! They went for their 6 month dental cleaning this week and got great reports. It looks as though they will not be loosing any teeth for awhile. The peds dentist thinks thye are behind at least 12 months. So they will be over 6 when they loose their first ones according to his calculations. Also they celebrated their 5th birthdays on the 22nd, with an army man/camo birthday party! We all had a blast and even my Mom was able to come. It was hard for her but she did make it! Yay! Speaking of my Mom; she has a little set back due to a change up of meds but is back to where we were before the "new" meds. The short term memory is short, no pun intended. It just isn't there. We still have months to go to see if it will return. She is still confused at times but seems more slear headed this week than before. We finally have some meds to help with the tremors as well and we are so thankful for that! She goes back to the neurologist the 19th and the rhuematalogist the 25th. Prayers please..... As for the farm. The pond is full, so the fish are happy! Cabbage is in the ground. Most of the beds are pulled up with plastic and drip tape. Some ground is left to disk up and then beds need to be made. We lost a few plums but everything looks great so far! All of the peaches look wonderful and we are thrilled! Cows are happy but we are still having to feed some hay. just bought another load this week. One stubborn cow got out again this week so the electric fence is goin up as we speak. I noticed when I left Mom she was on the back porch taking in the 70* weather watching the men folk in action putting the fence up. The blackberries and scuppernongs are also being worked out and trimmed this morning. And now, just now the school has called and said that Mason keeps picking at this place on his nose. they think it is staph. So I called the doctor and got him an appointment and off we go to see what it is. Please pray! Blessings!

How It Looks From Here

2011-03-08T18:49:00.000-08:00

You know life just stinks sometimes. I have two of the sweetest, beautiful children in the world, the greatest parents and brother ever and a wonderful husband too. Things go along just fine and then one day life throws a pickle your way. You know the kind I'm talking about; so sour that you actually pucker and well it's a pickle you have to eat it. Not much else you can do with a pickle. It's not like a lemon (for making lemonade). LOL Anyhow, over the last few months it feels like we've been throw a jar of pickles. I will not lie, it has been awful at times.

Besides my marriage almost ending, myself having a serious staph infection in my sinuses (that I am STILL being treated for -3 months out), relatives passing away and my Mom's serious condition, we are thriving. There are days I forget how we are doing just that but for those of you that don't know it is by the grace of God. I have learned so much about myself the last month alone. God gets me through the days and at night when I collapse in bed of pure exhaustion beside my husband and we pray; I know everything is going to be alright. Praise HIM! Thank you Lord for your blessings!

Yesterday, Mom and I went back to the id doc (funny how we have the same one). She is getting better. He took out the picc line and she got to start on the oral version of the antibiotics. She is still dazed at times and gets things mixed up, she has little short term memory but we are blessed. The swelling/fluid seems to be decreasing in/on the brain. We see the neuro doc the end of the month. We will know more then about any permanent damage. There is high possibility of that but God has this. He will see us through! She still cannot remember meds and such and cannot do anything in the house (cook or clean). She sleeps a lot. The neuro doc said it is good for the brain to heal, so we let her sleep and we wake her for meals and meds. She is still on anti seizure meds as well. The home health nurse still comes as well as physical therapy but she seems to be getting around better!

In the meantime (actually in December) John and I decided to take charge of our health and change things up for the better. We waited until after Christmas was over but then the id doc would not give me the go ahead with the diet program. So we waited and waited and I finally decided it was now or never so we started on it this past Friday (3/5). It has been hard, very hard in fact. I want to be healthy and loose the weight but I love my food. I love everything about food; shopping for it, growing it, picking it, menu planning, preparing it and cooking it! Most of all I love eating it!!! This will not be easy for this southern girl! I guess I should be glad pickles are not allowed on this diet!!!! At least not the kind we've been served up lately! LOL

Blessings!

More on Mom

2011-02-27T09:22:00.000-08:00

We have a final diagnosis for Mom. She has HSV (Herpes Simplex Virus) and Viral Meningitis. She is very sick but getting better. The HSV is like a big cold sore eating away at the brain. It seems that is and the viral meningitis have went through the tough leathery outer part that protects the brain and is in the brain. Most people die from the brain bleeding and never even know they have this. We are blessed she is here. We brought her home on Friday. She has a picc line is on Acylivere (sp) by that and she is on many other meds by mouth. She is confused and somewhat disoriented most of the time. She has to have the iv infusions three times a day. Even though we have home health helping out I do most of the infusions. We have had family in from North Carolina and South Carolina. I am so tired but grateful we could afford the out of pocket to get her home and not have to send her to a nursing home (as that was the other option). The iv antibiotics were going to be $4200 for 8 days and the picc nurse found them cheaper else where (Walgreen's). Mom's short term memory may never return or if it is should return within 6 months. Someone has to be with her at all times and of course she cannot drive. She is weak but getting stronger. We are so thankful! Please pray for me as I run two households, stay with her most of the day and administer the iv meds and others as well. Please pray for her memory and strength!

Blessings!

Broken

2011-02-20T03:21:00.000-08:00

I haven't allowed my self to break down and cry until this morning. The hot tears roll down my face as I type and pray, all at the same time. My heart is beyond heavy and I feel the hurt dripping from it. Mason woke me at 4am with a cough and I couldn't sleep then.

Friday my Dad came home for lunch and my Mom was lying on the couch. She said her head was hurting. My Dad went out back to check on the dogs and came back in several minutes later. She was in the floor and didn't respond to him. He called me and she was rigid and still non responsive. I called 911. We got her to the local hospital and they did a CT scan and labs. Nothing except her sodium was low.

In the meantime my brother had went to get my sil from another hospital an hour away where she had been with her Mom that had just had brain surgery. They came immediately to the hospital.

Daddy I were with Mom while the nurse was changing out something on the iv. They had decided to admit her for observation. Then it happened, she started seizing. My Dad and I both were in shock. She was given Adavan. We would come to find out it was a grand mal seizure but not for sometime. Transport by ambulance was arranged to a larger hospital an hour away.

Mike had sent his wife home to get ready for their son's tournament basketball game and he waited with Mom. I took Daddy home to get a shower and I to get somethings to stay with Mom and a few of her things. I had to arrange for childcare for the boys their supper.

We finally got to the hospital and Mom was there in her room with Mike. Mom was out of it from the meds. Before the Adavan she didn't know much; her name and date of birth. By then it was about 6pm. My brother got a text from out cousin saying that my uncle (Daddy's brother) was not doing well and they needed to come. He was on the floor below in ICU. AS they went out the door CODE BLUE was called over the intercom, not once but three times. They were calling the doctors from Mom's floor there. I waited with Mom who was still asleep for an hour when Daddy reappeared. Uncle Virgil's heart had stopped, he was on a ventilator and there wasn't much time left. The doctors said he would pass before morning. None of us had eaten and by then Mike was back in my Mom's room. I had gotten Daddy and I a pack of peanut butter crackers and a Coke. John arrived then.

Daddy was give out and it was getting later. There was no change in Mom and we wouldn't see the doctor until morning. Mike, John and Daddy got to the waiting area in ICU right as the news was given, Uncle Virgil was gone. He and Aunt Bonnie (who passed away a year before from cancer) could be together again, in heaven. John stayed with me until after midnight and then went home.

Sleep was not found for me or Mom. They gave Mom her regular meds about 10pm and they kept her awake. She had not eaten or drinken all day and brought her a cold plate. I fed her what she would eat. By midnight, when John left she was confused and wanted up. She tried to get up numerous times while talking out of her head and pulling wires and leads off. By 3:30 I was exhausted. They came in then and gave her a breathing treatment and at 4:30 did blood work. She finally ate some breakfast (a few bites) I fed her and Daddy arrived at 8am. I started making phone calls and went down to the cafeteria and got him some breakfast. She was still groggy and confused.

Around 9am the neurologist came in and we could not have been more pleased; it was Daddy's neurologist! He talked with us and gave us some hopeful news. He seemed to think that Moms problems were a myriad of factors. An infection, low sodium, prolonged use of non narcotic pain meds and some other minor things. However, he wanted to do a EEG and an MRI to make sure everything was normal there.

I went home to see the boys and sleep an hour or so and Mike went to stay with Daddy, after feeding all of the cows on 2 farms.. John and I picked up Mike's boys and one of their friends and took them to the hospital about 3 with us so they and Mike could go see Alabama play a game they'd had tickets for. Daddy went home about 4pm.
The tests were done and it was not what we had wanted to hear. The EEG showed she is having continual seizures just not grand mals. The anti-seizure meds were started. The results of the MRI showed an abnormality on the right side. We were told either a tumor or fluid. They also did a lumbar puncture. Mom was asleep with the help of Adavan (used to keep her calm and still during lumbar puncture).

The nurse came in with more antibiotics for the iv. She told us the doctor would be around in the morning (this morning) to explain things but he was treating Mom for possible meningitis. Mike made it back. He stayed with Mom last night and we brought the kids home. After paying the sitter (our niece) we hit the bed. My bed had never felt so good!

Please pray for us and the doctors but especially my Mom. She is very sick. We are trying to make arrangements for someone to stay with her at all times, make arrangements for the boys, get John back to work on Tuesday, work around the visitation and funeral and keep up with farm work as well as household things.
I will keep you posted as time allows.

Life Here

2011-02-15T06:42:00.000-08:00

Life here lately has been a more than interesting. Thankfully this morning things are quiet here on the farm. Today, that is NOT a good thing. All the boys (the nephews and our twins) are at their schools.

Mom is at the family doctor for more antibiotics. The immunosuppressant drug (Imuran) that she is taking to fight off the Polymycitois is really taking a toll. She is staying sick more often than not.

Daddy has taken his sister with him tot he hospital to see their brother who is very sick in ICU. This brother (my uncle) Virgle, had a heart attack last week and fell during it breaking his back. He was at home trying to get to the door to let the home health nurse in. He did get to come home for a few days before getting sick with c. diff and colitis. His white cell count was down yesterday to 27,000 from 33,000 the day before.

Mike and Pam (brother and sil) are at the hospital with her Mom. She is currently in surgery having a brain tumor removed (we hope they can get all of it). Lord help us! We are so blessed but there are days when I have to wonder how much more?. The boys also have the between sickies....you know where you're waiting for the snot to turn green and the cough to get worse just so the doctor will call in antibiotics?!

I am home taking things in today. My energy levels had returned before the stomach bug hit us and now we are working on trying to get them back once again. I know i have one more month of the antibiotic treatment for the staph infection, possibly two....according tot eh infectious disease doc.

John and I had planned to get started on a diet regime the first of the year but it was a no go from the id doc. He said not until I am well. I am tired of waiting and it will not interfere with my meds and should only give me energy so We are preceding with it this weekend. I am so ready to loose some of this weight. Maybe just maybe I might have more energy then. I will see the id doc again March 7th. We have a friend doing this diet and she is doing great. She is a fellow blogger. The diet helps to reset your metabolism and that is what we both need!

The bladder surgery is still on hold. GRRRRR! That so needs to be taken care of. However, I have a tooth that needs pulled and the id doc said to get it done asap. I also have some other dental work that needs done so I guess we will proceed with that as well.

Yesterday was my Mom's birthday and of course Valentine's Day. My Mom had a great birthday. We had a couple of her carpets cleaned for her, gave her some flowers and a Willow Tree thingy (what are they called?). The boys made her and my Daddy Valentine's. They were so thrilled that the boys can sign their own names! I also made her (and hubby-for Valentine's day) a strawberry pretzel salad (each). Hubby was quite happy too! My parents gave me money for my day, while John and the boys gave me cards, a Chondra Pierce dvd and a beautiful quartz necklace from Family Christan Bookstore. I am so happy that i have a Valentine to celebrate with.

Today I've got to order a few things for the diet, check on Braves tickets (we are taking the boys to Atlanta for the weekend soon-since the Disney trip is on hold until next year), I also have an order to get made (a case of Hearthside Coffee) and shipped out, I need to paint the piggies and do some regular household chores. I would like to get some reading in also. I am currently reading The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food and Love by Kristin Kimball. It is really good, for me anyhow. Someone that doesn't enjoy talking about cows and such might not enjoy it. I think it's a great read though. Read more about it here.

Have a blessed day!

Week in Review

2011-02-05T16:46:00.000-08:00

This last week has definitely NOT gone as planned. I do not have a prefect life by any means, I am human and so is John. I am keeping things "real" here at Blessed Frugalness. We've had some issues in our marriage, neither one of of realized them or if we did chose to let them slip by until it was almost too late. We are having to work hard on our marriage that was almost lost. I encourage you to take time for each other and do that often. God is top priority for us and that is the way it should be. He is over this marriage!

This on top of me being sick with this staph infection. I took my Mom back for her monthly check up to the rhumatologist on Wednesday. He was running very late and we got home late. Add in Mason getting sick in the middle of the night Wednesday night. He was over the toilet every 15 minutes or so. I made us a pallet in the bathroom floor and we camped out. I thought he was having reflux problems. Then Thursday at lunch the school called and John was vomiting as well. Yeah...sure sign it was a tummy bug.

Then Thursday afternoon we got hit with a surprise ice and snow storm. No, the meteorologist were not predicting it. John was stuck with a load of haz mat waste at the top of an incline on the interstate when the dot decided to shut the interstate down for 2 hours (until the temps started climbing). Thankfully he finally made it home at 10pm that night.

Friday I kept both boys home with me and we all rested. John had to report to work, unfortunately.

Today, John had to work again and the boys and I stayed home until late this evening. My Dad kept them while I ran to Wal-Mart and the post office to collect our mail. John brought home take out from the Mexican place close to his work for supper. We just finished watching Gaither Gospel hour and now the boys are playing catch with their Daddy. It's almost their bedtime and I am thinking seriously of following fairly quickly. Tomorrow is a shower and church day, then we are having our own little Super Bowl party! :)
Monday I go back to see the infectious disease doctor.

Have a blessed Sunday!

Standing Still and Everywhere to Go

2011-01-28T08:03:00.000-08:00

I have so much on my mind right now. I am just going to do a bulletin post.

There is so much death and sickness going on around me it is overwhelming;especially since it is mostly children.
Little John has been sick with the sinus yuckies and we just finished antibiotics.
We've had to put our Disney trip on hold since I am sick.
I had to put my surgery on hold as well as a deep dental cleaning, a tooth extraction and a crown. So my mouth hurts all the time and I pee on myself every time I laugh, sneeze or cough............just keeping it real! Yes, the bladder has come back out of the temporary position the ob/gyn placed it in. I have to go back for another attempt "to place it" until I can have the TVT-O /Solyx procedure (when the staph infection is deemed out of my body).
I finally go back to the dreaded infectious disease doctor in 10 days! I will have taken 6 weeks liking one day of the 8 week prescribed antibiotics, at that appointment.
I am tired of being sick but glad i am feeling some better and my energy is slowly reappearing even though I still overdo it. I still take a nap almost daily.
The boys have been staying in trouble at school and it is taking a toll of my Mommy skills.
We got out federal tax refund after only 9 days! Praise the Lord!
My Mom has went off a little and decided to start raising Labradoodles. Lord help us all. She got a female (solid black) a couple of weeks ago, named her Molly Lou. The dog is only 10 weeks old and already weighs 12 pounds! Oh and did I mention it is a house dog for time being?! This (my Mom) is the same woman that would not allow relatives to leave their mobile homes and come to her house in bad weather because they would bring their dogs to her house. Anyhow....I just find that interesting!
The boys wanted to play t-ball but know little about it. We have decided that they are not mature enough to play at 4 years old and need to wait. We are taking a LOT of slack about it from friends. It really doesn't matter their opinions though. We have thought it through and with my brother and Daddy's advice have said not now. First of all it is very sad when the kids don't know what they are doing and run the wrong way or score for the other team and the parents/fans laugh. That bugs me! That makes kids self conscience as well as humiliated! Also, I have seen little kids get hurt badly because they were watching the bird in the sky and not the ball. One child got hit last year and got a concussion. So, we are going to work with the boys this year and maybe next year we will let them play if we feel they are ready! Registration is $85 per child. That does not include uniforms. Also, bats, helmets and gloves are your responsibility to buy. That is a lot of money for us times two.
This is the last weekend for deer season to be open and my heart hurts so badly for my Daddy. He loves to hunt and has gotten to very little because of the Trigeminal Neuralgia. I hope he gets to go in the morning some.
We are already starting to work in the orchards; pruning trees.
Beautiful weather today (high 50's) and tomorrow and pleasant for a week or so. Then we are suppose to get a massive snowstorm for here. They are talking schools being out for sometime (a week or more). The school year in already going into June to make up for the last storm that shut everything down.
I am teaching "coupon classes" on a regular basis now; mostly at churches. It is going well and I am learning even more about saving money myself. I thank God everyday for this blessing of being able to teach others how to save money! I am not charging for the classes. I believe the Lord blessed us the way he did when the babies were born as well as financially and he gave me this talent to give to others. I do not want paid for doing right.
I have an uncle that has been in and out of the hospital. He lost his wife almost a year ago and has been having it so bad since. This week he has had a stint put in and the angioplasty done on his heart. He also is fighting c. diff. He is still in the hospital after a week already. please be in prayer for him.
I have a cousin in her 40's that spent from August until Thanksgiving in the hospital (she had a liver transplant). She went home the day before Thanksgiving, the first time. She has had to return twice since. She is still in there. She is finally off the ventilator and has a trachea. She has lost down to 80 or 90 pounds and has a feeding tube. She has one infection left and the doctors think they have it under control. She is having to have major rehab services. Please be in prayer for her. She has an 11 year old daughter that needs her Mommy.

I guess that clears my mind a little. My heart just seems heavy today. I am going to find my blessings though! Right now as a matter of fact! Have a blessed day!

Shopping Trip

2011-01-24T11:13:00.000-08:00

I am beginning to get some of my energy back. I decided to hit the city for a good shopping trip since the cabinets were gettting bare. I went to CVS, Winn Dixie, Publix, Aldi and Walgreen's. I think I was sucessful!

CVS

1 - 12 pk. Coke $2 (after ECB)

2 Soothe eyedrops $6.99-$3 coupon (each)

Crest Complete mouthwash $3.99 (get $3.00 ECB back)

Total was $13.97 -$13.00 (Used ECB to pay) = $.97 out of pocket

Saved $35.48

Aldi (reg. = normal price at premium store like Wal-Mart)

Pineapple $.99 (reg. $2.99)

3 Avacados $.99 each (reg. $1.68 each)

3# bag carrots $.99 (reg. $2.69)

2 Cantaloupes $.99 each (reg. 2/$5)

4# bad Navel oranges $1.49 (reg. $3.99)

5# sugar $2.39 (reg. $2.99)

4# cabbage head $1.19 (reg. $2.89)

3# bag Gala apples $1.49 (reg. $3.99)

Fruit and grain bars $1.89 (reg. $2.50)

2 loaves of whole grain white bread $1.29 each (reg. $2.79 each)

Total spent: $19.71

Total saved: $19.70

Walgreen's

Gold bond body wash $4.99-$1 coupon=$3.99 ($4 RR)

Nivea men's after shave $3.99 -$1 coupon =$2.99 ($3 RR)

4 Stayfree 24 ct. pads on sale $1.99 each -2 coupons (BOGO) = $3.98

3 boxes Kleenex on sale $.89 each -$.50/3 =$2.17

Total $14.32 paid with RR (from last trip) $12 = $2.32 out of pocket and got $7 RR back for next time!

Total saved: $27.18

Publix

2 Snuggle fabric softener $3 each (reg. $3.99 each)- $1 coupon on each

All detergent $3.50 (reg. 5.99)-$1 coupon

2 Country Crock spread $1.99 BOGO (reg. $2.49 each) -$.50 coupon doubled on each

Jalapeno pickles $1.50 (reg. $1.99)- $.50 doubled

2 Ragu pasta sauce $2.45 BOGO (reg. $2.45 each)-$.50 coupon doubled on each

Newman's salsa $2 (reg. $2.99) -$.50 coupon doubled

2.5 # ground chuck $2.99 # (reg. $3.49#) -$2 winn dixie coupon for beef -$2 publix coupon for beef

6 cans Hunt's tomatoes 2/$1.39 BOGO -3/$.45 couple doubled and another 3/$.45 coupon doubled

self rising cornmeal $1.49 -$.50 coupon doubled

2 Taco Bell Dinner kit $2.69 BOGO -$1 coupon

Capri Sun Roarin' Waters $2 (reg. $2.75) -$.50 coupon doubled

Borden sliced cheese $2 -$1 coupon

3# sweet onions $3.49

I also had a $5/$30 coupon on total purchase from Winn Dixie! (I love that they take competitor's coupons!)

Total spent was $26.24

Total saved was $43.73

Winn Dixie

Huggies diaper$9.99 (reg. $10.99) -$3 winn dixie coupon-$1.50 man. coupon

Huggies wipes $2.50 (reg. $2.99) Buy diapers and wipes and get $2 off at register-$1 wd wipe coup

4 Steamfresh steamers $1 each (reg. $1.99 each)- 4 $.50 coupons doubled

60ct. Mrs. Paul's fish sticks $5.79 (reg. $7.79)

Free steamfresh steamer w/ fish stick purchase (reg. $1.99)

Manwich $1 (reg. $1.99)

4 Ronco spaghetti $4 (reg. $6.67) -$1.00/2 (two of these coupons)

2L SunDrop $1.69

2 L A&W rootbeer reg. ( $1.69) Free when you buy the 2L SunDrop

3 Hawaiian Punch $1 each (reg. $1.59 each)

2 Hall's 30ct. cough drops $1 each (reg. $1.59 each) -$1 coupon each=FREE for both

Advil 24 ct. $2.99 (reg. $4.29) -$1 coupon

2 Dole Caesar salad kits 2/$5 (reg. $3.99 each) -$1 coupon each on bag

Tomatoes $3.99

I also had another $5/$30 coupon.

Total spent: $28.81

Total saved: $41.43

Plus I also got a coupon for a FREE flu shot valued at $23.00

If I counted correctly I got almost $300 worth of groceries for about $90 or a little less! Woohoo!

What stores do you shop to get the best deals! Do you bargain shop?

Blessings!

I'd Like to Share

2011-01-15T09:51:00.000-08:00

Here is a link I would like to share. It is heartbreaking, encouraging and heartwarming. Go here.

Booking It 2011

2011-01-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

This year I am going to try once agin to book it. Life as Mom is hosting this. I am choosing my own books and reading them in no particular order. I am trying to read at least 30 minutes each day though.

Here are my books; in no particular order.

The Bible. I am using the Busy Mom's Bible.
The House that Cleans Itself (Mindy Starnes Clark)
Shepherding a Child's Heart (Tedd Tripp)
The Birth to Five Book (Brenda Nixon)
Creating an Intimate Marriage (Jim Burns)
Bringing Up Boys (Dr. James Dobson)
The Happiness Project (Gretchen Rubin)
Confident Parenting (Jim Burns)
More Than Enough (Dave Ramsey)
Making Children Mind Without Loosing Yours (Dr. Kevin Leman)
The Five Love Languages (Gary Chapman)
Healthy Habits, Happy Kids (Gregory L. Jantz. Ph.D.)
The Virtuous Woman (Vicki Courtney)
Have a New Kid by Friday (Dr. Kevin Leman)
I Just Want You To Know (Kate Gosselin)
A Mother's Heart (Jean Fleming)
Family First (Dr. Phil McGraw)
The Complete Parenting Book (Dr. David Stoop 7 Dr. Jan Stoop)

I think that is a total of 18. I also will be reading several if not all of Beverly Lewis ' books. The Amish series. I have many of these and have ordered 5 more to finish my collection. I will be rereading some of them and reading others for the first time.

Are you booking it this year? What are you reading?

Blessings!

Christmas 2010 (Part 2)

2011-01-08T18:50:00.001-08:00

Here is the 2nd part of my Christmas post. I am a little late with it.

This "two peas in a pod" handstamped necklace was my gift from the boys! I love it!

Our family at a Christmas get together the day after Christmas day. Doesn't hubby look happy?

Here's John with our Christmas day snow, on the back porch.

And Mason!

Christmas morning!

This is my most favoirite gift from my parents EVER! I think it is beautiful! I love them so very much!

What Santa left!

the boys in their Mickey pj's with their names on them, Christmas eve night.

Mason with his Bruder garbage truck that Nana and Pawpaw gave him.

And brother John.

Decorating cupcakes!

More cupcakes!

Aunt Brenda and her fishing buddies!

Mason decorating the gingerbread house.

John decorating his side!

Hope everyone had a blessed Christmas!

Treatment Plan

2011-01-06T19:37:00.000-08:00

The ENT called today after speaking with the Infectious Disease doc. They are in agreement that I should stay on the oral antibiotic for 2 more months and the nasal antibiotic as well. I will follow up with the id doc next month and the ENT in March. We will go from there. If they do not think the staph infection is completely gone from the sinuses then I will be sedated and have a pic line put in my arm for iv antibiotics.

I am tired, my head/face always has pressure and sometimes it pains me to wash my face or my hair. My face is swollen and so are my hands. I tend to have a yellow tint to me still. I am weak but my God is strong and I am fighting!!! I am going to have victory over this in Jesus' name! Amen!

Update to Doctor's Visit

2011-01-05T10:42:00.000-08:00

Well, I spoke with the ENT that referred me to the infectious disease doc and he was very upset. He will be speaking with the id doc himself and I am awaiting the results of that conversation. So, we shall see.

Visit With the Infectious Disease Doctor

2011-01-04T18:45:00.000-08:00

I am not sure where to start. There is not much to say. I am highly upset. There, that sums it up!

Really, I am upset. I was sent to this doctor because I was told by the ENT that I needed iv antibiotics. I was also told by the ENT that the meds I am on was only to prevent the staph from getting worse and would not cure what I already had.

This doctor wants me to stay on those same meds even though he isn't sure if they are helping or not. IV antibiotics were never mentioned. Frustrated is not even in my vocab!

He said he would see me in 4 weeks. He also said that I could be glad since this had not killed me yet it probably wouldn't!!!! GRRRR! How nice of him.

Tomorrow I will be talking with the ENT and find out EXACTLY what I need to do now, cause I really don't like the id doc!

What would you do now? Blessings!

Wish I Were Feeling Fine

2011-01-02T08:19:00.000-08:00

Some of you have been in contact via email, facebook and comments on this blog wanting to know how I am doing. I thought I would just make a post of it.

There is so much pressure in my eyes and below as well as my nose. It is very uncomfortable to say the least. I have some swelling; mainly my hands and face. I have a "yellow" tint to me. The fatigue is bad. I am just so tired and weak. The energy is little. I am not use to this. I am use to going, going, going! LOL

I am still thinking about the phone conversation with the doctor (ENT). He called while I was driving to "town" to get groceries at Wal-Mart with the twins in tow. I found a place to pull of the road as he told me the results and the car was so quiet (I had put a dvd in the player for the boys) and I was thinking I am not that sick, I am headed to Wal-Mart for crying out loud! The more the doctor said the more scared I became; "port, pic line, infectious disease specialist, iv antibiotics, hospitalization, infusions, months for the body to rid itself of this infection". This isn't happening. This can't be happening! Don't they know I have 4 year old twins and both of my parents are sick and I have too much/too many people to take care of?!!

I am home from church today and I think that it has sunk in. I am scared but I am not alone. I have my heavenly Father watching over me, walking with me. I am blessed, I do not have a terminal illness. My illness can be healed; in many ways. God is good and I will praise Him in the storm and will see the sun again soon, I am sure of it.

Blessings!

New Year's Prayer 2011

2010-12-31T16:03:00.000-08:00

There are no resolutions, there are no goals, there is only a prayer for me this year. For me and my family and for you and yours..................

Dear God, I pray for health, happiness and God's will in everyone's life.May God show Himself and help us to remember that HE is real and He loves us!

Thank you Jesus! Praise your Lord! Amen!

Starting to Feel the Effects

2010-12-30T11:40:00.001-08:00

I am beginning to feel the effects of this dreaded infection. Yesterday was an awful day. The boys are home from school this week and I felt so bad not feeling like doing anything with them. My head hurt so badly and the pressure in my face was almost more than I could stand. By 8pm when John arrived home from work my face and eyes were swollen and I was yellow. I am weak and lightheaded almost always now. By 8:30pm last night I was in the bed. My eyes are bothering me rather badly. They are tired, so very tired.

I go Tuesday the 4th to the infectious disease docto. I am so happy that I am not going to a oncologist!!!! Praise the Lord for all things! I will beat this with your prayers and the Lord's hand over things! Blessings!

Intentions

2010-12-28T19:51:00.000-08:00

My intentions were for this post to be Part 2 of my Christmas series but I got the results today from the sinus culture. It could be so much worse and I thank the Lord it is NOT but nonetheless my heart is heavy and burdened tonight. I could use your prayers. I have staph infection in my sinuses. It is bad, very bad. Bad enough that oral antibiotics cannot treat it....we've tried. The words................ port, picc line (sp.), hospitalization, daily infusions (an hour each way to the hospital), infectious disease doctor and iv antibiotics were all mentioned. Very scary stuff. I thank the heavenly Father it is not cancer!!! I praise him for that. I just have a long road ahead of me...."months" were mentioned. Also, I will be seeing the cardiologist asap since there is risk that the infection could reach my heart through the bloodstream. With all my past heart issues it is a good idea to have things checked out.

Anyhow....I will keep you posted. In the mean time.....please pray!

Blessings!

Christmas 2010 (Part 1)

2010-12-27T17:05:00.000-08:00

Here are the boys having a a cookie and cocoa party after their school Christmas program. Funny that they have a little girl sitting between them! ;)

The boys with their teacher after the program.

Mason on the back row, singing!

John singing in the program.

Just a larger pic of the program.

Boys Christmas program at church. mason is on the far left and John on the far right. The middle child is not ours! LOL

The boys in front of our tree! Their shirts say "Happy Birthday Jesus"!

Mason's letter!John's letter!

John showing his off!

Mason showing his off!

Here are the boys opening their letters FROM SANTA!!!!

This is my Daddy (the one of the top, far right, in the navy jacket) and seven of his brothers and sisters. One brother is deceased and one was sick on this night). This was the annual get together!

The boys got me this hand stamped pendant for Christmas. It says "two peas in a pod" and has the boys names stamped on it with the two "peas" attached! Love it!

This is my new washer and dryer. It is an LG and I am loving them! They were gotten a little early but still a nice present! :)

This is our new bedroom suit. We are loving it also. Our other one I had since I was 16 years old. I'm 34 now....you do the math. ;)

I love having two night stands!!!! :)

Having a king bed is awesome! We had a queen before and this is like an ocean compared to a pond! LOL

Part 2 coming soon!

Blessings!

Prayer Needed

2010-12-23T20:06:00.000-08:00

The last few weeks have been hard and overwhelming at times. I knew it was coming but it hit hard. I saw the ENT today and I have a a major sinus infection. This is not for the faint of heart. Pictures were taken and there is white puss foaming. it is disgusting. It seems as though the infection has never cleared up....at least all the way (as it should have been). The catheter was very uncomfortable he used to look around and then he took a culture. Oh my! I thought I would come out of the chair. It is a swab on a metal spring! Ouch!!!! He put me on a strong antibiotic (oral) and an antibiotic nose spray. Should know by Tuesday what was grown and then what antibiotic was used to treat it in the petri dish. Therefore, what is needed to treat me with. If it does not clear up...all the way I will be admitted to the hospital to have an iv antibiotic treatment. And with all of that being said.........he is also concerned with my heart. I had open heart surgery at 19 and have been fine since. However, I have not had a check up in the last 5 years. So I will be having a check up soon to make sure the infection has not made it to or effected my heart. So if you could pray I would appreciate it. I feel really bad and the pressure is awful in my face. I am exhausted on top of everything else. Thank you for your prayers!

Christmas Traditions

2010-12-20T01:41:00.000-08:00

Traditions are such an important part of life to me. I grew up making traditions with my own family and I want the same for my own little family. I am not sure if traditions played a large part of growing up for John or not. My parents always made a big deal out of birthdays and Christmas as well as Halloween and Thanksgiving.

I am going to list some of our Christmas traditions that we have started for our own family.

Decorating a Christmas tree for the living room and the boys each have a John Deere tree in their own rooms.
Going to our town's Christmas parade.
Driving around looking at Christmas lights while rocking it out to Christmas tunes in our pajamas!
Making gingerbread house
Making Christmas cupcakes for their school ,party
Making Christmas snack mix
Watching Christmas movies, lots of them!
Drinking hot cocoa after setting up our outside decorations!\
Reading the Christmas story, every night!
Making Christmas cookies
Writing Santa a letter and this year we got one back from him
Family reunion with my Daddy's side of the family
Doing Christmas lace up cards
Drawing and coloring Christmas pictures
Painting and doing Christmas crafts
Going caroling to grandparents homes
Participating in our Christmas programs at church and school
Reading God Gave Us Christmas
Baking Cake for Baby Jesus and having HIM a birthday party
Taking treats to special friends and neighbors
Making special pancakes Christmas morning and opening gifts, spending lunch with my parents and supper with my brother's family.

So, do you have traditions, how do you celebrate?

Christmas Blessings!

Worked Out!

2010-12-18T19:06:00.000-08:00

I am so thankful that things worked out with the mixes! I had a very dear blogger friend to take the mixes off of my hands and off of my sil's hands. I am so thankful for the dear people in my life. God just works things out!

Disappointed

2010-12-18T06:36:00.001-08:00

I am very sad and diappointed as I write this! I took an order almost 2 weeks ago with my mixes; a very large order. I sent the person the total and told her she could pay when she picked it up. She messaged me yesterday onfacebook that she no longer wanted the majority of the $160 order. She is one of my husband's sisters and lives out of state. This is out of charcter for her. Apparently her husband's side of the family is not exchanging gifts this year and she just found out about it. I have been tunring people away and now noone else wants the stuff as it it is wrapped in gifts sets. I had to pay my helper to wrap and work on her order last week. The order has been sitting ready since before my cutoff date (12//11). I would only have 5 days to get rid of it and I have my won stuff to get done. Daddy just had surgery and I have to take he and Mom both to the doc this coming week as well as other things. I also have my children to take care of. When I told her I could not undo what I had done. she could not remember all of what she ordered when I sent her the original list she went me she left off some of the things off her current list but said it was the same and she didn't understand why I was charging her a higher amount but she would pay it!

I just want people to be responsible, do what they say and for now on. I will get paid in full, in advance! Lesson learned! I want to do the right thing but why should I get stuck with her mistake?!

What would you do? I have no use for the stuff myself and everyone that I have asked if they would want it said if I had known sooner....you told me you were out fo mixes and now I've already been shopping!

Just sad...........

Overload and Exhaustion

2010-12-14T18:34:00.000-08:00

Wow, I don't even know where to start. I am just worn out, in every facet! I am blessed and I will tell you all that until the day the Lord takes me from this world. There are many that have it much, much worse than I and I do not mean to complain. I am going to petition for a little prayer though! :)

My Daddy is still having the trigeminal neuralgia episodes and on the medication to treat that. Now, he has developed shortness of breath. After weeks of going to the family doctor;it has been determined that he has fluid in his lungs. He is very swollen in the stomach and ankles. He had several tests done there and an appointment made to see his cardiologist. Many tests there-6 hours we were there on Monday. Tomorrow (Thursday) he will have a heart cath to see why fluid is there. His last cath was 9 years ago. He also had 5 bypasses 21 years ago.

My Mom is slowly coming out of remission and I hate for her. The pain is getting intense. She goes back tot the doctor a week from today. They will probably up the predisone again. She has Polymyositis (a type of Inflammatory Myopathy). This is an autoimmune disease that destroys the muscles. Daddy willhave an appointment that same day, but hours earlier. So I will take him first and drive the 2 hours and then take her and drive the 2 hours again that afternoon (an hour each way, each time).

I try to help out by cooking for them, writing checks (paying bills), running erranda, making appointments and such. I am so blessed to have them in our lives.

The boys have green runny noses and coughs again. The flu is running rampid around here. We are talking some school classrooms only have 7 or 8 students left at the day ends (most rooms have about 25). They are growing and learning so much! I love my babies!

John's Dad was admitted to the hospital again with chest pains. He was releaased yesterday after tests confirmed nothing. He has been to the er and/or been admitted 14 times since August! I think he is lonely and scared. It always seems to happen at night.

John's knee is giving him fits again and the pain has moved to his shin as well. He has had 3 knee surgeries thus far. 2 of those being in the last 12 years since we have married. We are suppose to go back to the doc today but we are expecting a small ice event in our area; which is rare in itself! LOL

I just cutoff orders for mixes and have 2 more orders to go out. I am so glad I am finished! I am so tired! I also am trying to get surgery scheduled. I have held off since October and am miserable. If you are of the male nature please stop reading now! My bladder virtually fell out in October (on my birthday no less) and I went to the ob/gyn and she temporarily "fixed" it. Anyhoo, I am having a new procedure done next month and hopefully today I will have a date. I cannot lift the boys or anything over 20# and I hate that! I mean I live on a farm for crying out loud!

The boys Christmas program at church was Sunday and they did a great job, excpet when Mason got "tired" and decided to just lay down admist the other 25 children on stage! LOL! They are having another program, but at their school this Friday with cocoa and cookies to follow.

We are getting behind with our "traditions" this year. John is working 6 days a week; there is only so much a Mama can handle! LOL I can only handle it with God's help and HIS hand guiding me! Praise HIM!

Hope you are blessed!

Those Moments

2010-12-10T19:12:00.000-08:00

there are good moments and bad moments but they all create memories. Around our house we try to focus on the positive ones. When you have four year old twin boys there are days there are more bad than good. the boys tend to want to show their independence (sometimes too much for their own good). We are trying to create traditions within our home and that is difficult when you have many of those moments.

The day started off badly with one child and tonight by bedtime he was the one that was dressed in his jammies sitting in his doorway waiting on his brother to "do what he was suppose to". He was playing quietly with a toy just being. The other that had a great morning was screaming and fussing not wanting to do what he needed but rather what he wanted.

How often do we as adults do what we want and not what our FATHER needs us too?! HE will supply all of your needs! Phil. 4:19

I will write more about traditions in another post.

Blessings!

Day 30 Giving Thanks

2010-11-30T18:55:00.000-08:00

As the day comes to an end so does the month. It is so hard to believe that another 30 days has passed and life just continues onto the next month and year and so on. Truth be told there are so many things that I am thankful for and blessed with. I serve an amazing God and I AM SO UNDESERVING!!!! Thank you Father for all things! I am thankful for my friends, the ones that I know here online and the ones that I know in "real life". Some of you have been friends for many years and some less than one. I love you each. You each are so very special to me. Thank you for being my friend! So my friends, what are you thankful for?

Blessings to you all!

Day 29 Giving Thanks

2010-11-29T08:52:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for my health! I am so blessed!

Day 28 Giving Thanks

2010-11-28T12:41:00.001-08:00

Today I am thankful for our church!

Blessings!

Day 27 Giving Thanks

2010-11-28T12:41:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for my cooking talent. Hubby and I hosted a little brunch for his family this morning. I fixed my famous Ole Farm Breakfast Casserole and it was a hit. There were 11 of us. Several were missing but we still enjoyed the food and fellowship!

Blessings!

Day 26 Giving Thanks

2010-11-26T12:40:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for great bargains that allow me to buy a few extra things that are wanted/needed! :)

Day 25 Giving Thanks

2010-11-25T15:10:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for this wonderful holiday that I get to spend with family and friends to celebrate my freedoms and give thanks! I hope each and every one of you have a blessed Thanksgiivng!

Day 24 Giving Thanks

2010-11-24T19:07:00.000-08:00

Today as I checked my hubby's paystub I was reminded of how blessed we are that he still has a good job with good pay and benefits! Thank you Lord! Blessings!

Day 23 Giving Thanks

2010-11-24T19:06:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for my freedom to go to the grocery store and purchase what I need, when I need it! Blessings!

Day 22 Giving Thanks

2010-11-23T05:05:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for my new washer and dryer! Yippee! It was delivered today and now I need to learn how to use it! LOL

Here is the washer : http://www.homedepot.com/Appliances-Laundry-Clothing-Care-Washers-Front-Load-Washers/LG-Electronics/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xt5Zbv6hZ21j/R-202017156/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

We also got the pedestals with the washer and dryer. I won't post a link to the dryer but it is the matching one.

I feel so blessed!

Talking Turkey

2010-11-22T08:48:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is just a short few days away! We are having Thanksgiving at my Mom and Daddy's this year. John will have to work. It is our first thanksgiving apart and that makes me sad . It makes me even more sad that he will miss the boys and the boys will miss him on this special day.

My Mom's brother and sister-in-law are in from North Carolina and her niece and nephew-in-law will arrive Wednesday from South Carolina. All of those as well as her sister that lives a piece down the road will join us. I am not are of my bother and sister-in-laws plans. They usually have lunch with her family. There will be a table or two full nonetheless!

As far as the menu goes we usually have the typical smoked pecan turkey, a spiral sliced ham, brown and serve rolls, cranberry sauce (courtesy of Ocean Spray), Mom's delicious chicken and dressing made with cornbread, giblet gravy, hm creamed corn, home canned green beans, potato salad, sweet potato casserole, sweet potato pie and some type of cake....usually homemade honey apple cake.

This year I am going to make the green beans, creamed corn and apple cake. Maybe the sweet potato casserole......we shall see! We usually eat around noon. We usually go back home after the meal and let the boys nap while we watch some football. Then back to mom's for supper!

The boys are spending the night with her and Daddy this year and I am going Black Friday shopping like usual. John has to go into work early this year since Alabama plays at home and he will be traveling through there.

I am almost done Christmas shopping and have discovered once again that I have went a teensy bit overboard! More so with the boys. Some things I am putting up until their March birthday though. We need some pillows, a quilt and sheets for our new bedroom suite (arriving next week). So I will probably hit Kohl's for that. Booster seats are BOGO at KMART, so I'll be going there too and Target has their Wii Fit bundle for $67 and since Santa is bringing that as our family gift I need him to bring that to me! :)

So what is Thanksgiving looking like at your house? Are you cooking? eating out? Going shopping? Watching football?

Whatever you are doing here's to you and yours! Thanksgiving Blessings!

Day 21 Giving Thanks

2010-11-21T18:52:00.001-08:00

Today I am thankful for time with family!

Day 20 Giving Thanks

2010-11-20T18:51:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for a house full of food! (And the knowledge to cook it! LOL)

Day 19 Giving Thanks

2010-11-19T19:38:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for hot water and warm homes!

Day 18 Giving Thanks

2010-11-18T20:09:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for my husband. He is a hardworker and great provider. I am so thankful he is home everynight!!! I love him so!

Day 17 Giving Thanks

2010-11-17T19:24:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for wonderful teachers at my sons' school. Mason busted his nose and had some other minor injuries while I was away at the doctor's office. They called me and handled it and i am so grateful. I am thankful for a great ENT to help me get well yet once again! I am thankful to go with my daddy to the urologist and the great news of NO cancer!!!! Thank you Lord! I am thankful that I ordered my new washer and dryer today and paid for it in full!

What are you thankful for today?

Day 16 Giving Thanks

2010-11-16T19:23:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for the rain! Praise the Lord!

Day 15 Giving Thanks

2010-11-15T04:29:00.000-08:00

I am thanful that today is my last day at the home market (job) until May. It will be nice to have some "down time"!

Day 14 Giving Thanks

2010-11-14T04:28:00.000-08:00

Today I thankful for a warm home and a crockpot filled to the brim simmering with hot Chicken tortilla soup!

Day 13 Giving Thanks

2010-11-14T04:12:00.001-08:00

Today I am thankful for salt water and a netti pot!

Day 12 Giving Thanks

2010-11-12T19:35:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful, just to be. I am thankful that I can write and journal my thoughts and feelings and that I can just be me!

There is so much going on as of late.

I am thankful for my job but glad the end (of the season) is near....like next week.
Thankful to get our cable upgraded, get our back porch (deck) built finally (after 8 years). So thankful to have insurance (dental) and have yet another crown done (the permanent will be cemented Dec. 2). Thankful I have someone coming next week to put down our new flooring (that was donated to us), paint the boys bath, hang Mason's door and install a new kitchen faucet. I am thankful to have a clean house and laundry caught up once again. Thankful to order a new washer and dryer and have it delivered next week as well as the rest of the boys bedroom furniture delivered next week. The week of Thanksgiving our new bedroom suit will arrive. most of the things have been a to-do list for a few years! Thankful to get to mark off somethings!

We also have out of town company arriving the 20th and I am so thankful to have them to visit with us once again!

I am thankful for my favorite drinks; warm cider, hot java and cold ice water! What a combo, eh?! I am thankful for a wonderful husband who took off from work today to drive my Daddy to see his oldest grandson play his last high school football game tonight (as they lost in overtime but still made it to round 2 of the state playoffs).

Thankful for wonderful parents who God bless their hearts are enduring some struggles (with their health) and use some prayers right now. My Daddy had blood work today to check for cancer. He is still having some break through pains with the Trigeminal Neuralgia and is on high doses (300mg) of Lyrica a day. Mom is still on the predisone, ultram and immunosupressant daily. She is in constant pain from her muscles. Thankful for my brother who just had his 3rd surgery since the first part of October.

Most of all I am thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ! Without Him I am NOTHING!!! Thank you Lord for all of my blessings!!!

Day 11 Giving Thanks

2010-11-11T20:09:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for my Daddy, not just because he is my Daddy but because he is a Veteran. I love him so very much. He is a Veteran of the Army. I am thankful for all of those that have served and that do serve for our freedom yesterday, today and tomorrow. Thank you Lord for these precious men and women!

Day 10 Giving Thanks

2010-11-10T19:06:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for my sweet children and their complete innocence! I love those little boys so very much!

Day 9 Giving Thanks

2010-11-09T19:05:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for a day off from work...............

Day 8 Giving Thanks

2010-11-08T03:38:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for fresh fruit and veggies and the access I have to them! It is wonderful NOT to have to buy everything at the grocery store! I am also thankful for a great local grocery store that is locally owned and operated in out little town.

Day 7 Giving Thanks

2010-11-07T03:35:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for the mundane things. Watching "Frosty" with my boys and hubby. Baking a cake in my warm kitchen with modern day appliances and hugs and kisses from sweet little arms and lips!

Day 6 Giving Thanks

2010-11-06T18:28:00.000-07:00

Today I so thankful, for many things.

I am thankful for little things like Canada Dry Cranberry Ginger Ale and grilled peanut butter and honey sandwiches (not eaten/drank together).

I am thankful for my parents, my brother and sil and nephews, great friends (especially Monica and Elaina-seeing them today was a bright spot in my day!), my husband and my children. I am so thankful my husband works so hard for us to provide. I am so thankful for the boys. As we were strolling the isles of Wal-Mart today they broke out in Silent Night and Jingle Bells and then mixed it together. How I love this stage of life! Boy, did we get the stares! LOL!

I am thankful for provisions to buy nice things that I have wanted for many years but were never in the position to have. (We bought a new bedroom suit today). I have had my bedroom suit since I was 16 years old. That would make it 18 years old. We got a king size and I am so thrilled! The furniture place was having a liquidation sale. The suit is all wood and is the headboard, rails, wrap around footboard, 2 nightstands, chest, dresser, mirror and we got Sealy posterpedic pillowtop mattresses to boot! They told us their price and we told them that was out of our league, he said $xxxx and I told him that was out of our league too. He said what can you do? I told him and he went and asked the store manager and he said YES!!!! We got a $7000.00 bedroom suit and mattresses for less than half price!!! I could not believe my eyes/ears! Thank you Jesus! We are so blessed! And the best part is it is paid for. No credit involved!!!!

We are so grateful to the Lord for so many blessings in our life!

What blessings are you thankful for today?

Day 5 Giving Thanks

2010-11-05T20:26:00.000-07:00

Today, I am thankful for being healthy enough to work. Although surgery is on the horizon (January). With my Daddy sick and my Mom not doing as well as most. I am blessed to be able to step up for them. I have to stay off my feet as much as possible and no lifting over 20 pounds.

I am thankful for fresh fruits and veggies to bring home from our market too. I brought home fresh red potaotes, Golden Delicious apples. Rome apples, fresh green tomatoes and sweet potatoes too. I fried some of the green tomates (unbreaded) in a skillet with a Vidilla onion, butter, salt and pepper! So yummy!!!

What are you thankful for today?

Blessings!

Day 4 Giving Thanks

2010-11-04T20:02:00.000-07:00

Today I am thankful for cooler weather, warm drinks and heartwarming words of sweet friends (thank you all for your comments).

Blessings!

Rough Days and Unofficial Giving Thanks Challenge

2010-11-03T18:45:00.000-07:00

It all started last Wednesday. Hubby was sick with a bad sinus infection and went to the doctor. He was given a z pack and Flonase. Little John started with a horendous cough. I started giveing him prescription cough medicine at night to help him sleep better.

Thursday things seemed better. Hubby went to work. The boys at school and I had some shopping and housework to do. When I picked the boys up, Mason seemed down and out. He had been in trouble at school. We talked about it and he seemed better. After supper he said his tummy hurt. We had been weaning him off his reflux meds, so I decided to go ahead and give them to him that night. He seemed better and off to bed we all went.

Friday morning he erupted from his bed and headed to the potty. He dry heaved and then threw up some "fluid". I stayed home from work with him and sent John on to school fully dressed as a firefighter for their halloween celebration. Since a little girl had strep in their class the week before I took him to the peds office. NO strep! The doc thought he was fine, so we stopped at the school on the way home and let him join his classmates for their party. Then home we went. The rest of the day was good and well, normal.

Saturday, Big John had to work. The boys and I worked in the house and caught up laundry. Saturday evening we went to a few family members homes and trick or treated. Then we came home ordered pizza and wings and picked out a movie for the night (ELF). Things were good!

Sunday morning hubby was much more sick and had been up most of the night. Little John had the cough and we all decided to stay home. My sinus infection was worse as well. Late that evening we decided to go to my brother and sil's, my parents and my father-in-laws just for a few minutes each (while staying outside-not spreading germs in their homes). While at my bro and sil's the boys played with their new kitties and chased them around and around in the pinestraw. By the time we got to my fil's, Mason had swelling around his eyes. When we got home he was broke out head to foot. We figure either the pinestraw or kittie cats. Allergy meds and eyedrops administered to Mason.

Monday Mason was better, hubby was worse. much worse after work. That afternoon John's sister called to let us know that his Dad was at the hospital for the third time in less than a week. John headed over there after work. He was admitted with chest pains and his blood was low.......once again.

Tuesday the boys were much better, I was some better and hubby was worse, yet still. I went to the dentist while hubby headed tot he hospital to be with his Dad. While at the dentist my phone rang it was my Mom calling about my Dad. He has trigeminal neuralgia. He started having the attacks again. Two bad ones. I came home immediately after the first crown was cemented. Our friend who owns the pharmacy got his meds ready and Mom picked them up. He got started on them and the attacks subsided......for then. Mike (my brother) and I worked the market, taking turns.

Wednesday, John's Dad was released from the hospital, only to have to go next week to toher doctors and have more tests are a larger hospital in Birmingham. Daddy's meds were increased to 300mg a day (he takes Lyrica) and John (hubby) back to the doctor for the sinus infection. He was given a cough med and Avelox. I worked until 5pm at the home market after delivering a load of apples and picking up supplies at Sam's Club for the market. Daddy has had a couple of attacks today too. Hopefully the meds being raised will help. He is very lightheaded and dizzy (side effects of the meds).

We are thankful. Thankful things are no worse and that my Mom is in remission from the inflammatory myopathy (the type she has is polymycitis). Trying to takeone day at a time and live for HIM!!!

Today I am unofficially joining the giving thanks challenge for 30 days. I saw this somewhere but do not wish to link up.

Going back to day one Monday the 1st, I am thankful for medicines to treat my children when they are sick.

Tuesday the 2nd, I am thankful for having a great friend who is a pharmacist.

Today the 3rd, I am thankful my Dad is some better.

What are you thankful for today?

Blessings!

Talking Washers & Dryers

2010-10-31T05:50:00.000-07:00

We are on the lookout for a washer and dryer. The front load kind. I think we want the pedestols since I am so tall. However, I still am unsure. What do you think? We are just beginning to really look. We knew the day was coming sooner than later since our Whirlpool set is almost 13 years old and saw the laundry of our premie twins with reflux and c. diff. My washer tub is beginning to rust and the dryer does not dry well. The cost to fix them is too much considering their age.

So what kind of w/d do you have? Where did you purchase it? What features do you like/not like about it. What features do I need? Any other suggestions? Thank you for your time! Hope everyone is well! Blessings!

Menu Monday

2010-10-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

Here is my Menu Monday plan. This is hosted by Meredith over at The Ramer Bunch.

Monday: Rotisserie style lemon pepper chicken, green salad and mac & cheese

Tuesday: Chili dogs, fries

Wednesday: BBQ, potato salad, corn on cob, baked beans

Thursday: Beef stew, cornbread

Friday: Steak fajitas, cheese dip, homemade gucamole

Blessings!

Bygone Days

2010-10-02T12:24:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of our summer days! Hope to see lots of peaches and fresh goodies again next year!!!

Loads of peaches ready to hit the road!

This truck was fully loaded all the way to the back. That is one of my nephews (Peyton) helping unload.

All the photos below are from the Trussville Fresh Market!

Blessings!

Randomness

2010-09-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

Things are still busy here but starting to slow. Markets are ending and peaches are at the end of their season. Apples are beginning to ripen and pears as well. Okra is still producing but slowing to a stillness.

The boys are good other than a slight sinus problem. They are thriving and amazing us every day! God is so good!

John is still working six days a week and it is getting old for us both but we are blessed and happy he has a job when many do not.

I have another staph infection (the beginning stages) in my sinuses. I have not been washing the sinuses out like I should and that is probably the culprit. The lower right side doesn't drain properly. I also have an absess tooth that will require a root canal this Friday and then a crown.

I take my Mom back tot he doctor tomorrow to hopefully get a diagnosis. She is better than she was weeks ago but on a lot of medication.

I have been doing so much canning and freezing. Here's a rundown of what I have done this year.

So what have you been up to?

14 bags squash in freezer (for casseroles)
7 jars of squash pickles
48 bags of okra in freezer (32 breaded for frying and 16 unbreaded for soup)
18 bags of frozen peaches
18 containers of fresh salsa in freezer
78 jars of peach salsa
16 jars of pickles
12 jars squash relish
16 jars pear perserves
5 containers pear freezer jam
8 jars pear butter
16 jars peach jam
13 jars strawberry jam
12 containers of frozen strawberries
16 bags of frozen blueberries
5 jars nectarine jelly
8 jars chow chow

I think that is all. I want to do some taco sauce, apple butter and apple pie filling and I will be finished!

August Randomness

2010-08-31T04:06:00.000-07:00

Wow! It is so hard to believe another month has come and gone and summer is on it's way out the door!

My Mom is much better but we still do not have a diagnosis. She had a muscle biopsy last week....no results yet. She has rededicated her life and is back in church with my Daddy. We are just just thrilled! She gives her testimony to everyone and anyone that will listen! God is so good!

My cousin, Regina had her liver transplant last Monday and is recovering well....but slowly.
The ones with cancer are doing well. One is still doing chemo but the pet scan showing excellent improvement. One had a masctomy and is home doing well......no treatments needed! The other is doing radiation and has a ways to go but we are staying positive!

My Dad is doing well! We celebrated his 77th birthday this month. He got a new truck! He so deserved one. His other one is a 1997 and has over 240,000 miles on it. We are so blessed to have him with us!

The boys have been sick with the crud and Mason also had a stomach virus last weekend! No fun for any of us! They are loving school and progressing nicely!

The growing season is slowing, finally. We are short on rain and it was a hard year! We are very blessed though. We have been able to sock back more moolah than last year. We bought a new sofa (with recliners on each end) for the retreat and a new recliner for the living room since John's has been broken for over 3 months.

Went back to the dentist yesterday. They could do nothing until I have a root canal. The pain was really bad this morning. Ibuprofen has become my best friend! Not funny! After the root canal, there will be a crown for that one and a bridge as well as 2 more crowns and a filling and then the cleaning. Not looking forward to that!

I am looking forward to football season and the beach (next month). I still have 3 more Tuesdays for markets and 5 more Thursdays for markets. We are still picking lots of peaches and have 2 more varieties to work through after we finish the 4 we are in now. We are also picking pears (Orient, Asian and Kiefer). Then on to apple season!

I still need to make pear preserves, apple butter, apple sauce and a few other things. Oh and chow chow! I have filled the freezer up and done several hundred jars of canning as well. I need to can some more peach salsa for gifts.

John and I have started a lifestyle change. We started about A week ago trying to eliminate the junk food level in the house as well as cutting our portions and sugar back. Tomorrow is the official day though. My weigh in day is on Monday. I have lost 3 pounds in one week! Yay me! We are also going to incorporate exercise in there too! I think our family present this year will be a Wii. I have heard great things about those for fitness! What are your thoughts on the Wii? Do you have one?

Speaking of Christmas............I can't wait! I have most of our presents already bought for family and friends. I will be making several homemade gifts this year as well.

Well, I think breakfast is calling!

Hope everyone is well!

Blessings!

June and July

2010-07-13T04:31:00.000-07:00

June and July have been quite busy. We have missed many things (VBS, swim and birthday parties) and other things have been postponed (swim lessons) since work has been so hectic. I am averaging about 80 hours a week.

My Mom has been sick (somedays not getting out of bed). She has an auto immune disease of some type and many tests have been run as well as many doctors have been seen. We see the specialist again the 11th and should have a diagnosis then. Her best day was yesterday, she is improving readily!

I have more pictures to post but I added some below to give a little insight. The boys planted their first veggies this year. We decided to start them out with roma tomatoes. They planted six plants themselves. They picked a total of 9 eight quart baskets (the white ones pictured below) themselves. We sold them in smaller containers and made a total of $90 from the tomatoes.It went in their savings for college. They were so proud of themselves and so was their momma!

They are well and have been going to the preschool and after program again this year. We have changed sitters for other times as well. The one that had been with us for 4 years left us very disaapointed and up and quit after she was repramanded for ruining a washer of clothes that she was NOT even asked to wash. She had washed grass covered clothes, with whites, good clothes, kitchen towels and tother things. We are much, much happier now and realize it was of the Lord!

I am good and survived the staph infection from my right sinuses. Made a complete recovery!

I will post more later this month! Hope all is well and I will be back to reading and commenting soon! Hope you enjoy the pics! Blessings!

2000 okra plants being picked by my Daddy.

First mess picked May 26! The earliest we have ever had okra!

Getting a Little Busy Around Here!

2010-06-03T04:01:00.000-07:00

I went back to work this week and it has been hectic, as farm life can be at times!

Today will make two farmer's markets I have been to. All of the yard sale stuff in on a ton truck and a 24 foot trailer ready to be unloaded at 5:30am tomorrow, for the weekend yard sale. We cleaned out of family's market building yesterday and they are in the fields this morning harvesting crops for tomorrow's opening day there!

My Mom has been to the doc this week about the swelling in her feet and hands and is scheduled for tests with a specialist in the am at the hospital as well as a biopsy on her leg.

John is still working 6 days a week. The boys are liking school but with all of the hours we are working finding enough care to help us out seems impossible! We are very blessed though and that is what I''m keeping in mind!

All of the common household things are still taking place like laundry, cooking, paying bills, bathes, reading to the boys and doing devotions, menu planning, making lunches and so on so forth.

We have hired John's brother in law to mow our grass though. it is just getting to be more than we can handle. Summertime is always chaotic here.

This morning I will finish 2 hours of cleaning at my parents market and then home for a few minutes to eat and shower and then off to another market. The market is over at 6pm, then an hour's drive home, unload and then pick up the boys from my parents, home and eat supper, bathe them and me, story/devotion and them to bed, then dishes , laundry and such, John should be home by then (about 9pm), heat his supper and finish chores and then bed for me. Lovely day, don't you think? :)

So how is your summer going? What are your plans? Are you visiting your local farmer's markets?
Blessings!!!

Memorial Day 2010

2010-05-31T04:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day!! How blessed we are to live the land of the free!
Aren't we blessed to serve God? You know, he was the same God when this country was established and he is still here and always will be whatever kind of condition this country is in! Praise His name! Freedom isn't free though is it, I mean really, think on it for a minute.
So many give their lives for us to have freedom, what a blessing that is!
So thank you to our past, present and future soldiers! Please join me today in praying for them and their families!
John has to work today but the boys and I will be talking about our country and eating bbq and tonight we will have more ice cream, bbq and fireworks too!
What are your Memorial Day plans for the day?
Whatever they are I wish you and yours a day of happiness and fun, health, wealth and blessings!!!

Meeting New Neurologist

2010-05-29T04:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I met with a new neurologist. The migraines have been off the charts and I have had a headache now for weeks and weeks. They were just getting worse. So I got wo shots in the new (a combo of cortisone and predisone). Yes, it hurt and quite badly. Then he started me a preventive and well as a new drug combo (Aleve and Reglan), he also gave me the same migraine med I have been taking to use if necessary (Treximet) and then two drugs to help me rest if needed (when all else fells) Vistaril and Phenegran.

I used the ones xceot the last two yesterday to "break" the headache cycle, yesterday and it worked!!! I started the prevenative last night as well. And guess what???? I am headache free!!!! Praise the Lord!!!!

My headaches are caused by so many things. Here is the list as I know now; smelling cigarette smoke (like just walking by someone smoking in front of a store), excess amounts of caffeine, certain aged cheeses, certain spices (cloves and some others), not drinking enough water, constipation, humidity (change in the pressure outside), stress, hormonal changes (around my cycle), nitrates (found in processed meats) and msg (susally found in chinese food).

I had tried some herbal remedies and nothing had worked. I have used every migraine ecedrine and other over the counter migraines pain relievers known. I have also used other prescription migraine meds.

When the neurologist looked behind my eyes he told me he could not believe the amount of pressure back there. He asked me how much pain I wa in and I told him not much, it was not as bad as it gets. I could still talk and carry on a converstaion like normal and I had driven myself the hour there. He said unbelieveable, that most people cannot function when he sees that much pressure there.

I am so glad to have something that works. I will keep a headache calendar for a month and then see the doctor again then. Please pray that this keeps working!!!

Do you have migraines? What causes yours? What meds do you use?

Garden Tidbits

2010-05-26T16:09:00.000-07:00

The garden has been in the ground for awhile now and we are so excited! We also are picking our first variety of plums (MayRipe). We have had squash coming in for almost 3 weeks as well and a few cukes here and there. Today Daddy went over the 660 okra plants and got a mess to fry. It won't be long now!!! How's your garden growing? What do you have coming in?

Let's Try This Once More

2010-05-18T08:49:00.001-07:00

Today is a new day, today is the day I begin the rest of my New Life. Today I am working out and do something for me. I hope to lose weight, maybe lose inches but most of all I want to be healthy! 31 pounds is my goal to loose. So, say a prayer for me and there I go!

Blessings!!!

Happenings

2010-05-17T06:44:00.001-07:00

Well, there has been much but little to go on around here. We are just living life and to some that is just boring. Nothing outstanding has happened, just enjoying life with family and friends and my precious children.

I am doing well, very well actually! We had quite a scare a few weeks back thinking that I might have cancer, thankfully it was one really BAD infection that had taken a toll on my body and white blood cell count. I am much better and looking forward to the harvesting season!

The bys are still fighting allergies and it is bad enough they are using prescription meds and eyedrops. They haven't had any nosebleeds in a few weeks now and we are so thankful for that. AT one point they had 18 between them in a 36 hour period. The boys are growing and thriving so well! the peds office was so excited to see us for their well visit in march. The longest they have ever gone without seeing the doctor was 4 months and that was the four months prior to their well visit! John is now 35 pounds and 41 1/2 inches tall. Mason is 40 pounds and 41 inches tall! We are so blessed by them, everyday! They started back to "school" today at the center where they go while I work.

Hubby is doing well except for the allergies too. He is working 6 days a week. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday he works from 8-8, Wednesday 4am-8pm and Saturday 12pm-6pm. To bad he is not paid by the hour! ;)

The garden is going all just fine. We planted over 6,000 plants this time. There is 6 varieties of tomatoes, okra, cantaloupes, various types of watermelons, eggplant, various tupes of peppers, cabbage, different types of cukes, cauliflower, broccoil, zuchinni, yellow squash and other things I know I have forgotten. The peaches and all tree crops look very well for the minute as well!
I picked the first yellow squash Saturday before last and the first cukes this morning.

Two years ago we lost my mother-in-law to cancer at the age of 64. My father-in-law is 82 this year and now we have loearned that he also has cancer. We are waiting to see the oncologist the 27th of this month. We not know any details, not even where it is located. They found it in routine blood work. Please be in prayer for my husband and his Dad.

I hoep you all are haivng a great Spring and are looking forward to the Summer!

Blessings!

Strawberry Pie & Pics

2010-05-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

My Mom and I took the boys to pick strawberries yesterday! We had a good time the boys were great helpers! Her are some pics below! I also am putting up the recipe for my strawberry pie (aka Shoney's Strawberry Pie). This recipe make 2 pies. Hope you enjoy!

PIE
1 1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c boiling water
4 level Tbsp. cornstarch
1-3oz. box strawberry jello
2 cooked, cooled pie shells
2 cartons fresh strawberries, washed and sliced

Mix sugar and cornstarch well; add boiling water to mixture. Dissolve well and cook on medium heat until mixture becomesclear looking and thick. Add jello. Cool. (Sit opt in ice water in sink). When cool, add strawberries. Pour into pie sheels and refrigerate. Can serve with whipped cream. Yield: 2 pies.

Candied Pork Chops

2010-05-03T17:59:00.000-07:00

I make these a good bit and they are always a hit!

6 pork chops
3-4 apples, sliced with cored removed (I also peel mine)
Brown sugar
1 stick of butter

Heat oven to 350*. In bottom of 13x9 baking dish place apples. Sprinkle apples generously with brown sugar. Dot with thin pats of butter. Lay pork chops over apples. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes; remove from oven and baste with juice from apples and brown sugar. Return to oven and bake 30 minutes longer.

Serve while warm. I like green beans and chicken rice a roni (sounds strange but it delish together!).

ENJOY!!!

The Albertville Tornado

2010-04-26T12:19:00.000-07:00

Many of you know that a tornado came very close the other night. However, this is the same one only it touched down in this town (Albertville), about 35 miles from us. We are very blessed! I feel so sorry for these people. We have friends and family there. The Foodland store carries out peaches. You will see photos of it below. Please pray for all of those affected by tornados over the weekend!

The front of the Foodland store looks fine from the front (in pics below), just the front windows blown out. This is the back of it................

A Sick One

2010-04-15T18:52:00.000-07:00

Except it is me this time........once again. I have been on 2 different antibiotics in the last three weeks. The sore throat and ear ache came back yesterday. I feel like pooh! I called the ENT and he is very concerned since the right side (that was reconstructed) is stopped up again. The bones had fused together and they had to break and reconstruct them. The pressure is so bad and my face actually hurts. I go EARLY in the morning to be worked in. Please say a prayer.

Blessings!

She Fought the Fight and Won

2010-04-14T19:57:00.000-07:00

Aunt Bonnie sits at HIS feet tonight as she left the earth this morning. She won her battle with cancer. She is in NO pain and is NOT suffering. Please be in prayer for her husband and daughter.

Blessings!

Easter Blessings..........

2010-04-04T05:34:00.000-07:00

from our house to yours! He is risen! Praise the Lord!!!

Rough Few Days but Happy Good Friday!

2010-04-02T06:40:00.000-07:00

Thank you Father for sending your Son and Saving us and thank you for him rising again! I praise Him today and always for He lives!!!! Happy Good Friday to you all!!!

The last few days have been rough to say the least. The boys got great checkups Wednesday from the pediatrician. John is 35#, 41.25 inches tall. Mason is 40#, 41 inches tall. They are doing great after each a finger stick and 2 vaccines, except for their allergies. John's had already started acting up and now his are full blown and Mason are right behind. I have been up for 2 nights straight and John slept in our bed Tuesday night. Noses are running, sneezing and John just coughs, coughs, coughs, Mason's eyes are staying swollen. We are using some over the counter things and John had a steroid to help the inflammation in the lungs and lessen the coughing some. We also have started giving John honey, Mason will not touch it. They say if it is raw and local (it is since it's from our bees) that it will help with allergies. It has helped Big John and we are hoping for the same with Lil one.I also am using plain saline spray in their noses.

So, what works for your kiddos allergies? Would my pharmacist friend like to add something here....? Please!!! I am so tired and have a full blown sinus infection to boot and could use some advice!

The ped said the boys need some exposure to the allergens and I understand that, so they will build some immunity to it. There is a fine line there too.......have to be so careful as not to get them sick because of the respiratory issues from prematurity.

suggestions are needed! The floor is yours!

Blessings and thanks in advance!

A New Addition

2010-03-30T06:42:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying I am not having a new addition, we recently purchased a new addition and it is not a pet either. We have been thinking of getting a 3rd vehicle for John to drive his 70ish miles a day to work (round trip). In the summer I use his truck for markets and on the farm and he did want to drive our Durango to work and get it all messed up and rack the miles up on it. Besides those factors it does NOT get good gas mileage. Let me say that BOTH of these ARE paid for in FULL! So we had thought about a small car but the boys seats would not fit properly in the ones we looked at. The boys still use a full seat with a five point safety harness and will for a long while yet.

John's sister (one of the three) called the other day to chat and told me they were thinking of getting rid of their third vehicle since they never drove it. Their third vehicle belonged to my mil before she passed two years ago (the sister had paid my fil for it). So I asked some questions and she quoted a price. I told her I would talk to John and call her back. It is a 2001 Chevy Venture mini van with 83,000 miles on it. The main thing was that the price was right. Actually is was $1400 less than book value. We talked and we decided to take it. It is perfect for him and us. There is plenty of room in it and if we need a family vehicle (should something happen to the Durango) then there it is. We can also get the boys seats in it and they have room too! I am glad that we have it and it is still in the family. i think that would make Mawmaw happy too!

So there you have it, a new addition! Do you have a mini van or are you a car person? What do you drive?

Blessings!