Wow, I received so many responses and comments about the anxiety entry, that I had to share the link featuring Pastor Erwin Lutzer's sermon on Living With Anxiety. Click on the link and then scroll down the page to find the sermons. There are 2 of them and they are about 20 minutes each. Great stuff!
Here's the link: http://www.moodyradio.org/brd_programarchive.aspx?id=46499
I pray it will bless you!
Blessings,
Camy
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Lifestyle Changes
The entry-before-the-last-entry made mention of lifestyle changes that I've found helpful during our roller coaster ride of transitions. Didn't want to leave you all hanging!
My "normal" night consisted of waking with the racing heart, as I wrote about in that entry. During one of my waking sessions, my radio was still playing on sleep mode. At 11:30, my Moody radio channel featured Pastor Erwin Lutzer (Moody Church) talking about anxiety (I love Erwin Lutzer!!!) As Pastor Lutzer spoke, my ears (and spirit) perked up at what he had to say.
He described how anxiety can really be a tool of the enemy of God. How it destroys people both physically and mentally. Pastor Lutzer further discussed about his counseling of those experiencing debilitating anxiety.
This counseling involved identifying the areas both physically and mentally that were the root of anxiety. Obviously, one can make changes in those regards, but then what he said next made a light bulb go on for me.
He told this individual that when the anxiety would strike, this person should speak out against it and it's author (Satan). Just as Jesus spoke out against Satan tempting Him in the desert (He used Scripture), should one go about resisting the enemies attempt to defeat us with anxiety. So, I began to speak out.
I immediately felt peace inside, though my heart was still racing. Yet something different happened, I fell right back to sleep and slept the rest of the night. This was a huge breakthrough for me! Huge! After a few months of this, I am sleeping much better, though still waking with the racing heart. It is much better, and I go back to sleep immediately. (fyi, I have learned that waking with a racing heart indicates an adrenal issue involving adrenaline).
That's one of my lifestyle changes..more later!
Blessings,
Camy
My "normal" night consisted of waking with the racing heart, as I wrote about in that entry. During one of my waking sessions, my radio was still playing on sleep mode. At 11:30, my Moody radio channel featured Pastor Erwin Lutzer (Moody Church) talking about anxiety (I love Erwin Lutzer!!!) As Pastor Lutzer spoke, my ears (and spirit) perked up at what he had to say.
He described how anxiety can really be a tool of the enemy of God. How it destroys people both physically and mentally. Pastor Lutzer further discussed about his counseling of those experiencing debilitating anxiety.
This counseling involved identifying the areas both physically and mentally that were the root of anxiety. Obviously, one can make changes in those regards, but then what he said next made a light bulb go on for me.
He told this individual that when the anxiety would strike, this person should speak out against it and it's author (Satan). Just as Jesus spoke out against Satan tempting Him in the desert (He used Scripture), should one go about resisting the enemies attempt to defeat us with anxiety. So, I began to speak out.
I immediately felt peace inside, though my heart was still racing. Yet something different happened, I fell right back to sleep and slept the rest of the night. This was a huge breakthrough for me! Huge! After a few months of this, I am sleeping much better, though still waking with the racing heart. It is much better, and I go back to sleep immediately. (fyi, I have learned that waking with a racing heart indicates an adrenal issue involving adrenaline).
That's one of my lifestyle changes..more later!
Blessings,
Camy
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Homemade GREEK Yogurt...AT LAST!
So, many of you are familiar with the homemade yogurt thing, and some of you are reading this and thinking "WHU? You can actually make yogurt at home?" Well, yes, my friend, you can, and it's very cheap.
The biggest challenge for me all of these years, when it comes to making yogurt, is the thickness. If you don't culture it long enough, it can be too thin, and if the incubation period is too long, the yogurt can become very tart. And then to add insult to injury, I discover this Greek, thick, delectable, yogurt in the store dairy section.
I immediately think "Humph. They must use some sort of pectin or starch to to thicken this stuff." My Sherlock Holmes self turns to the package nutritional and ingredient info. in order to catch these Greek yogurt makers in the act.
I read cursorily through the ingredients and see no thickeners. None. Nada. No how. This persuades me to look off in the distance with a furrowed brow and wonder how the heck they do it. How does one make such thick, wonderful ambrosia without adding additional thickening measures?
Rest would not find me until this great mystery was solved. (obsessive compulsive).
My computer must have the answer. As Google appears, my fingers move fast and type the words "thick" "Greek" "yogurt" "homemade" "recipe." Alas, the answer appears! Simply strain your yogurt to achieve the Greekness! BWAAAHHAAAAA, off to my mad scientist lab to try it out.
Many of you have made the yogurt recipe posted here at the blog, but you may want to try "this recipe using powdered milk (which I prefer now). It is very economical.
Also, some of you may want to try using the crock pot to make yogurt, which I like to do as well.
After incubating your yogurt, you must now strain it to achieve the Greekness. I use a large strainer, lined with coffee filters. It helps to dampen the filters first and then stick them in the strainer.
Now, put your strainer over a large pan or bowl in order to catch the whey (which can be used to make cultured veggies...very healthy and easy..more on those later).
Spoon or dump yogurt into strainer. Drape a muslin cloth or dish towel over the top and the let sit all night either in the fridge or on the counter. I let it sit on the kitchen counter.
You will wake up with excitement, knowing you have Greek yogurt sitting in your kitchen, just waiting for you to dive in to it.
Actually, you may find that the strained yogurt is too thick. This is what happened to moi. I had to stir some of the whey back into the yogurt to make it more yogurty.
Now add fruit, vanilla, and some sweetener (if you wish) and ENJOY!
Blessings,
Camy
The biggest challenge for me all of these years, when it comes to making yogurt, is the thickness. If you don't culture it long enough, it can be too thin, and if the incubation period is too long, the yogurt can become very tart. And then to add insult to injury, I discover this Greek, thick, delectable, yogurt in the store dairy section.
I immediately think "Humph. They must use some sort of pectin or starch to to thicken this stuff." My Sherlock Holmes self turns to the package nutritional and ingredient info. in order to catch these Greek yogurt makers in the act.
I read cursorily through the ingredients and see no thickeners. None. Nada. No how. This persuades me to look off in the distance with a furrowed brow and wonder how the heck they do it. How does one make such thick, wonderful ambrosia without adding additional thickening measures?
Rest would not find me until this great mystery was solved. (obsessive compulsive).
My computer must have the answer. As Google appears, my fingers move fast and type the words "thick" "Greek" "yogurt" "homemade" "recipe." Alas, the answer appears! Simply strain your yogurt to achieve the Greekness! BWAAAHHAAAAA, off to my mad scientist lab to try it out.
Many of you have made the yogurt recipe posted here at the blog, but you may want to try "this recipe using powdered milk (which I prefer now). It is very economical.
Also, some of you may want to try using the crock pot to make yogurt, which I like to do as well.
After incubating your yogurt, you must now strain it to achieve the Greekness. I use a large strainer, lined with coffee filters. It helps to dampen the filters first and then stick them in the strainer.
Now, put your strainer over a large pan or bowl in order to catch the whey (which can be used to make cultured veggies...very healthy and easy..more on those later).
Spoon or dump yogurt into strainer. Drape a muslin cloth or dish towel over the top and the let sit all night either in the fridge or on the counter. I let it sit on the kitchen counter.
You will wake up with excitement, knowing you have Greek yogurt sitting in your kitchen, just waiting for you to dive in to it.
Actually, you may find that the strained yogurt is too thick. This is what happened to moi. I had to stir some of the whey back into the yogurt to make it more yogurty.
Now add fruit, vanilla, and some sweetener (if you wish) and ENJOY!
Blessings,
Camy
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Why They Are In School
I want to change the look of the blog, but it occurred to me that I should inform ya'll about our big changes this year.
Numero uno change, was the fact that we decided to put 4 of our children in the local Catholic schools (no, we are not Catholic). This came as a big surprise to some, especially that fact that we chose the Catholic schools.
The past 5 years have been filled with personal health challenges. All these years of being superwoman, and suddenly my body said "no more!" It was necessary for me to whittle away at the daily doings in our home, in order to maintain the must-do's, and focus on getting our days under control.
Homeschooling began to be more of a chore for me everyday, rather than a joy. It could be my age, I'm not sure, but it seemed that something clicked inside, and I decided that it was time to pass the education torch on to the school. Our kids have done well in school (some have had to work a bit harder than others), and have become more self-motivated. This has been a good change for us.
Another change, is the fact that my husband began new employment. We are happy with the job, with the exception of the long travel time necessary. It is our hope that this temporary inconvenience will remain just that: "temporary." I miss our morning coffee time, which we had to give up so my husband can be on the road early. Dislike!
Speaking of "on the road", our twins are now licensed drivers! I seriously don't know how I survived without an extra chauffeur in the house. Now we have 2 new ones! What a blessing it is to have their help. They willingly pay us almost $50 a month each to help with insurance and gas costs. Thank God they have great jobs.
Now we are all reeling from these changes, which can have a big impact on a large family. They have not come without certain difficulty, but God has been faithful to get us through, day-by-day.
I found myself becoming so stressed both from these transitions as well as lack of sleep (toddler who has a crazy schedule is learning how to have healthy sleep habits again). My nights would go like this: go to bed, have trouble sleeping, wake up with racing heart... night after night. Not fun.
A visit to the doctor revealed a healthy heart, but a stressed-out momma. "I am not superwoman" could likely have been the diagnosis. This meant a lot of soul-searching and prayer...
I'd like to share some of my lifestyle changes in the next entry..
Blessings,
Camy
Numero uno change, was the fact that we decided to put 4 of our children in the local Catholic schools (no, we are not Catholic). This came as a big surprise to some, especially that fact that we chose the Catholic schools.
The past 5 years have been filled with personal health challenges. All these years of being superwoman, and suddenly my body said "no more!" It was necessary for me to whittle away at the daily doings in our home, in order to maintain the must-do's, and focus on getting our days under control.
Homeschooling began to be more of a chore for me everyday, rather than a joy. It could be my age, I'm not sure, but it seemed that something clicked inside, and I decided that it was time to pass the education torch on to the school. Our kids have done well in school (some have had to work a bit harder than others), and have become more self-motivated. This has been a good change for us.
Another change, is the fact that my husband began new employment. We are happy with the job, with the exception of the long travel time necessary. It is our hope that this temporary inconvenience will remain just that: "temporary." I miss our morning coffee time, which we had to give up so my husband can be on the road early. Dislike!
Speaking of "on the road", our twins are now licensed drivers! I seriously don't know how I survived without an extra chauffeur in the house. Now we have 2 new ones! What a blessing it is to have their help. They willingly pay us almost $50 a month each to help with insurance and gas costs. Thank God they have great jobs.
Now we are all reeling from these changes, which can have a big impact on a large family. They have not come without certain difficulty, but God has been faithful to get us through, day-by-day.
I found myself becoming so stressed both from these transitions as well as lack of sleep (toddler who has a crazy schedule is learning how to have healthy sleep habits again). My nights would go like this: go to bed, have trouble sleeping, wake up with racing heart... night after night. Not fun.
A visit to the doctor revealed a healthy heart, but a stressed-out momma. "I am not superwoman" could likely have been the diagnosis. This meant a lot of soul-searching and prayer...
I'd like to share some of my lifestyle changes in the next entry..
Blessings,
Camy
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Life Transitions
Change.....it's not a word that sits well with some of us. Would it not be easier if we could just have consistency every day and not have to worry about doing anything differently?
I don't think so.
Now, I used to think change was bad. Au contraire!
God is teaching me that "Change" is all for Him and His glory. Seriously. Change is HARD. But God can see us through.
All these years (12 of them), I have been homeschooling and having babies. The babies are growing up, and I am not homeschooling (with the exception of my preschooler, to whom I read and teach to write...but that's not school, that's fun!). Now, I am sitting in a coffee shop, sipping cafe au lait, and having leisure time on the laptop. This is new for me!
What's amazing is how I used to do this years ago in college, yet it seems so far in the past.
I sit here and smell the aromas of warm chai, coffee, and pastries. Nearby, two ladies are having an enchanting and upbeat conversation as their cellphones go off every now and then (they just push the silent button so as to not interrupt their lovely chat). Traffic flows by intermittently on the two-lane, old-town street outside. A ceramic lamp sits glowing nearby with its slightly crooked lampshade.
I like this change...Snnniiiifffff (big inhale)...I love the smell of chai.
Where to next, God?
Enjoy the "Change" that God has given you.
Now I shall do what I was supposed to do; make my grocery list (smile).
Blessings,
Camy
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Tears in a Bottle = Encouragement Overflowing
"Thou tellest my wanderings; put thou my tears into thy bottle; are they not in thy book?" Psalm 56:8 (Kings James Version..how I love the poetry of the King James!).
Though God is certainly omniscient and omnipresent...etc. he may even be frustrated with trying to keep up with me lately. Between the already overwhelming daily upkeep and care of our busy household, we have football practices, driver's training, readying 4 children for school (that's another post...we are putting 4 of our children into the area Catholic schools..no, we are not Catholic), and to top it all off, the disaster which presented itself today upon my arrival home from errands.
Sorry about spewing that all out at once! Let's put this in reverse and explain the precursors to the above paragraph.
This is not quite an unusual late-summer/pre-fall for us. The anticipation of football and all that it entails keeps us very busy. However, there is a new matter, Roger working far away and not in town. This puts more responsibility on my shoulders and means I need to get people where they need to go without calling my husband and asking for his help.
Well, after 3 weeks of this, I am starting to feel it. Anger, frustration, helplessness, fatigue, ALLERGIES (ragweed season..blah), unexpected occurrences (lots of those in a big family). Well, you can only go so long with that laundry list of items before some thing's gotta give.
This morning while driving around (chauffeuring, of course), I was allowed some time to pray and ask God to give me grace while at the same time asking His forgiveness for my angry, hard heart and selfishness (self-preservation kicks in when we're busy!). I just couldn't give it up...I didn't want to! I wanted to be mad and furious (inside..ha ha...the only one who really can see that I feel this way besides God, is my husband).
After a few hours, I felt the Lord softening my heart (He really does do that!) and telling me that I need to have a good cry. Lord, I can't do that right now! I don't want to appear red and puffy-faced in public! The crying spell could wait. I arrived home and phoned my husband meaning to apologize to him for my stubborn, cold behavior of the morning. But I had to eat first, so I thought stir-fried broccoli and rice would be great. I'd get this started in no time after getting the broccoli out of the downstairs chest freezer.
Before opening our family's freezer, one needs to remove the piles of stuff off of the top, which takes a few minutes. Alas, it was clear and time to open the lid. What I found inside brought me almost to my knees and certainly into guttural tears.
A completely defrosted freezer with the remnants of the frost remaining in 4 inch pool at the bottom revealed itself to me. Much of the food was defrosted (hours of hard work preparing strawberries and blueberries..AAGGHHH). Someone had unplugged our basement chest freezer.
"Well, God", I thought, "perhaps this is a good time to have that crying spell. Thanks for providing the opportunity." (an then what followed was sobbing, crying, frustrated sighs here and there..you may be familiar with it).
So, after mopping up all of the water (my tears mixed in with the pool in the freezer bottom), I took a deep breath and began to count my blessings (with God's grace and help). I wanted to scream and yell at my children about how frustrated I was. Wow. Talk about intense feelings.
God reminded me that most of the meat in the bottom was partially frozen and could be saved. I could refreeze the fruit and just use it for smoothies. And best of all, the freezer got cleaned out! ha ha. One of those dreaded seasonal jobs that is last on my to-do list.
It's amazing how children react to a sad momma. Mine began to feel sympathy toward me and tried to help the best they could. Phew. I know I need their help.
My dear husband phoned, and I told him the whole story (breaking down once again in tears!). He, as always, listened patiently and commiserated with me. There is no one who can make me feel better.
Dear sister calls. I tell her the story, again in tears! Geesh. I was really beginning to sound pathetic.
I am doing much better now, an hour later. You're hearing the news fresh off the presses.
What a blessing that God collects all of our tears in a bottle. When that bottle runs over, encouragement eventually comes in a flood. His encouragement.
I praise Him today!
Blessings,
Camy (who wonders how many of you dear readers are holding in loads of tears, thus preventing God's flood of encouragement meant for you. Let it out!)
Though God is certainly omniscient and omnipresent...etc. he may even be frustrated with trying to keep up with me lately. Between the already overwhelming daily upkeep and care of our busy household, we have football practices, driver's training, readying 4 children for school (that's another post...we are putting 4 of our children into the area Catholic schools..no, we are not Catholic), and to top it all off, the disaster which presented itself today upon my arrival home from errands.
Sorry about spewing that all out at once! Let's put this in reverse and explain the precursors to the above paragraph.
This is not quite an unusual late-summer/pre-fall for us. The anticipation of football and all that it entails keeps us very busy. However, there is a new matter, Roger working far away and not in town. This puts more responsibility on my shoulders and means I need to get people where they need to go without calling my husband and asking for his help.
Well, after 3 weeks of this, I am starting to feel it. Anger, frustration, helplessness, fatigue, ALLERGIES (ragweed season..blah), unexpected occurrences (lots of those in a big family). Well, you can only go so long with that laundry list of items before some thing's gotta give.
This morning while driving around (chauffeuring, of course), I was allowed some time to pray and ask God to give me grace while at the same time asking His forgiveness for my angry, hard heart and selfishness (self-preservation kicks in when we're busy!). I just couldn't give it up...I didn't want to! I wanted to be mad and furious (inside..ha ha...the only one who really can see that I feel this way besides God, is my husband).
After a few hours, I felt the Lord softening my heart (He really does do that!) and telling me that I need to have a good cry. Lord, I can't do that right now! I don't want to appear red and puffy-faced in public! The crying spell could wait. I arrived home and phoned my husband meaning to apologize to him for my stubborn, cold behavior of the morning. But I had to eat first, so I thought stir-fried broccoli and rice would be great. I'd get this started in no time after getting the broccoli out of the downstairs chest freezer.
Before opening our family's freezer, one needs to remove the piles of stuff off of the top, which takes a few minutes. Alas, it was clear and time to open the lid. What I found inside brought me almost to my knees and certainly into guttural tears.
A completely defrosted freezer with the remnants of the frost remaining in 4 inch pool at the bottom revealed itself to me. Much of the food was defrosted (hours of hard work preparing strawberries and blueberries..AAGGHHH). Someone had unplugged our basement chest freezer.
"Well, God", I thought, "perhaps this is a good time to have that crying spell. Thanks for providing the opportunity." (an then what followed was sobbing, crying, frustrated sighs here and there..you may be familiar with it).
So, after mopping up all of the water (my tears mixed in with the pool in the freezer bottom), I took a deep breath and began to count my blessings (with God's grace and help). I wanted to scream and yell at my children about how frustrated I was. Wow. Talk about intense feelings.
God reminded me that most of the meat in the bottom was partially frozen and could be saved. I could refreeze the fruit and just use it for smoothies. And best of all, the freezer got cleaned out! ha ha. One of those dreaded seasonal jobs that is last on my to-do list.
It's amazing how children react to a sad momma. Mine began to feel sympathy toward me and tried to help the best they could. Phew. I know I need their help.
My dear husband phoned, and I told him the whole story (breaking down once again in tears!). He, as always, listened patiently and commiserated with me. There is no one who can make me feel better.
Dear sister calls. I tell her the story, again in tears! Geesh. I was really beginning to sound pathetic.
I am doing much better now, an hour later. You're hearing the news fresh off the presses.
What a blessing that God collects all of our tears in a bottle. When that bottle runs over, encouragement eventually comes in a flood. His encouragement.
I praise Him today!
Blessings,
Camy (who wonders how many of you dear readers are holding in loads of tears, thus preventing God's flood of encouragement meant for you. Let it out!)
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Blessings From Heaven
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where a need arises, yet the prospect of fulfilling that need seems either difficult or close to impossible? I would like to share with you my own experience related to that.
Our family is always busy. Certainly not a strange phenomena for a family of 10. Teenagers are going one way, adolescent children are itching to go and learning that their time has not yet arrived, preschoolers/7 year olds are busybodies and wonderful noisemakers (hankering for a philosophical conversation about simple things), and toddlers keep you on your toes and remind you of all the non-childproof areas in your home! Suffice it to say, all of this activity consumes much of my time and allows for little extra minutes. (and those minutes were happily spent with my 25 year old sister who was visiting! Great fun!)
While mulling over the week's plans, it seemed to me that Friday would come quickly, and that my energy level would likely be near its exhaustive state. Wednesday presented a dilemma. It was a birthday eve for our Sammy and a cake would need to be made. Also, it was grocery week, and in our house of 7 ravenous boys (and a hungry, growing girl), it occurred to me that dinner would be very challenging since the refrigerator contents was beginning to wane and would require great innovation to create a satisfying meal (I used to be innovative..sigh). It's always feast of famine in our house!
This is when I prayed "Lord, you know my needs for the week, and you will certainly provide." He has been so faithful in times past, and this has allowed me to take my needs to Him often. I asked Him how in the world I would find the energy to plan the needed meals for the week as well as make a cake. My prayer was interrupted by fighting boys (surprise), so my day went on as usual.
Well, God began to put His plan into action. I love how there are so many threads used to weave together a beautiful tapestry of God's goodness (to borrow an Edith Schaeffer idea). So many intricate details and people are part of the things He does for us! Let's get back to the story.
My 3 older boys went to a gathering at a friend's house nearby. A summer cookout with lots of food and boys both. My husband took 3 of our younger boys out for ice cream and a visit to grandma's house. My daugher (who was a bit under the weather), our baby and I remained at home...a quiet home without all of the guys. We had a nice evening.
Around 9:30, our older boys arrived home with two items that were specific answers to my prayer mentioned earlier. One of these items was a HUGE chocolate brownie cake (I could easily adapt this into a "shark" themed birthday cake for my little boy), and the other was a bag containing 2 ziploc bags of grilled hot dogs and buns enough to cover the dogs. These were the leftovers from the cookout. I was astonished.
God had provided a birthday cake and dinner! Not only that, my time was freed up to tackle other things that have been waiting in the wings for weeks.
So, the moral of the story is "Cast your cares on Him, for He cares for you." Not only that, but "He supplies all our needs through Christ Jesus our Lord."
I love that.
Have a blessed day! I'd love to hear your "blessings provided" story as well.
Happy birthday, Samuel Oliver (5 years old today). You are my child prodigy and sweetheart. Thanks for keeping your older brothers straight.
Blessings to you, dear reader!
Camy
Our family is always busy. Certainly not a strange phenomena for a family of 10. Teenagers are going one way, adolescent children are itching to go and learning that their time has not yet arrived, preschoolers/7 year olds are busybodies and wonderful noisemakers (hankering for a philosophical conversation about simple things), and toddlers keep you on your toes and remind you of all the non-childproof areas in your home! Suffice it to say, all of this activity consumes much of my time and allows for little extra minutes. (and those minutes were happily spent with my 25 year old sister who was visiting! Great fun!)
While mulling over the week's plans, it seemed to me that Friday would come quickly, and that my energy level would likely be near its exhaustive state. Wednesday presented a dilemma. It was a birthday eve for our Sammy and a cake would need to be made. Also, it was grocery week, and in our house of 7 ravenous boys (and a hungry, growing girl), it occurred to me that dinner would be very challenging since the refrigerator contents was beginning to wane and would require great innovation to create a satisfying meal (I used to be innovative..sigh). It's always feast of famine in our house!
This is when I prayed "Lord, you know my needs for the week, and you will certainly provide." He has been so faithful in times past, and this has allowed me to take my needs to Him often. I asked Him how in the world I would find the energy to plan the needed meals for the week as well as make a cake. My prayer was interrupted by fighting boys (surprise), so my day went on as usual.
Well, God began to put His plan into action. I love how there are so many threads used to weave together a beautiful tapestry of God's goodness (to borrow an Edith Schaeffer idea). So many intricate details and people are part of the things He does for us! Let's get back to the story.
My 3 older boys went to a gathering at a friend's house nearby. A summer cookout with lots of food and boys both. My husband took 3 of our younger boys out for ice cream and a visit to grandma's house. My daugher (who was a bit under the weather), our baby and I remained at home...a quiet home without all of the guys. We had a nice evening.
Around 9:30, our older boys arrived home with two items that were specific answers to my prayer mentioned earlier. One of these items was a HUGE chocolate brownie cake (I could easily adapt this into a "shark" themed birthday cake for my little boy), and the other was a bag containing 2 ziploc bags of grilled hot dogs and buns enough to cover the dogs. These were the leftovers from the cookout. I was astonished.
God had provided a birthday cake and dinner! Not only that, my time was freed up to tackle other things that have been waiting in the wings for weeks.
So, the moral of the story is "Cast your cares on Him, for He cares for you." Not only that, but "He supplies all our needs through Christ Jesus our Lord."
I love that.
Have a blessed day! I'd love to hear your "blessings provided" story as well.
Happy birthday, Samuel Oliver (5 years old today). You are my child prodigy and sweetheart. Thanks for keeping your older brothers straight.
Blessings to you, dear reader!
Camy
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Yummy Recipe Idea
Pizza Rolls
So, my grand idea of cleaning the kitchen for one hour per day (see previous entry), crashed royally. That story is a whole new blog entry in itself, so stay tuned (LOL). However, I had to jump in really quickly and share a great recipe idea, as well as one of my favorite websites:
Keep in mind that there are other homemakers doing the very same thing. You are the unsung heroes who make home a refuge and haven.
Vickilynn Haycraft at Real Food Living blog, posted a delicious recipe (pictured at the beginning of the blog entry). It features the cinnamon roll idea, yet converts its sweetness to savory. It sure looked great to me! I also thought it would be a great make-ahead meal for those of you looking for options there.
The possibilities are endless for this food roll. You could add convenience by using prepackaged frozen bread dough. Canned pizza dough would also be ideal.
It is my desire to make wonderful meals to nourish my family. However, I have not always been in the season to do so. Health issues, schedules, other obligations and such can at times put things on the backburner, so to speak.
I pray you are in a good season of life at this time, and if not, that you are seeing God's hand in your circumstances. Have hope! He will see you through it all.
Is there just one, simple thing you can do today to make your home a nicer place to live? How about:
1) Decluttering a hotspot or doing the Flylady Home Blessing (see Flylady).
2) Wash your windows, either on the inside or outside, or both! Or, just wash that one window that has dust, fingerprints, and smears on it.
3) Make your bed.
4) Help your children tidy their rooms.
5) Freshly cut flowers or even weeds! I usually send my daughter outside to search for selected flowers and weeds to make a nice arrangement. We use various size mason jars to display our bouquets.
6) Make a nice meal or batch of cookies to nourish your family (and to distribute a pleasant aroma throughout your home!)
Just do one thing today that is different from what you do everyday.
Keep in mind that there are other homemakers doing the very same thing. You are the unsung heroes who make home a refuge and haven.
Blessings!
Blessings to you all!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Order in the Kitchen
Summer has presented a quandry to me. My kitchen is a mess!!!!! Why is it that my house becomes absolutely and totally "high maintenance" when summer arrives. Besides the humidity and dirt that comes in the house, our activity level changes, and I am usually not in a cleaning routine.
Well, I'm hoping to tackle the kitchen this week, in the spirit of Flylady. I urge you to take a peak at her website if you haven't already.
It is my aim to spend at least 1 hour per day cleaning and organizing. I liked this link for organizing: http://http://www.wikihow.com/Organize-a-Kitchen. It's very simple and to the point.
So, I must now depart and go to the kitchen to clean up the mess from supper.
Hope you are all enjoying your summer! We sure are.
Blessings,
Camy
Well, I'm hoping to tackle the kitchen this week, in the spirit of Flylady. I urge you to take a peak at her website if you haven't already.
It is my aim to spend at least 1 hour per day cleaning and organizing. I liked this link for organizing: http://http://www.wikihow.com/Organize-a-Kitchen. It's very simple and to the point.
So, I must now depart and go to the kitchen to clean up the mess from supper.
Hope you are all enjoying your summer! We sure are.
Blessings,
Camy
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Long, Overdue Update
Wow....it has been such a long time!
Just a few, short bits of news: our baby is now 10 months old, my twins are now 16, and I have celiac disease. Exciting, huh? LOL!
My access to a computer is still limited, yet the desire to write still festers. I will try hard to make a new entry soon...with photos :o).
Blessings,
Camy
Just a few, short bits of news: our baby is now 10 months old, my twins are now 16, and I have celiac disease. Exciting, huh? LOL!
My access to a computer is still limited, yet the desire to write still festers. I will try hard to make a new entry soon...with photos :o).
Blessings,
Camy
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Hi Everyone!
I'm so sorry about the delay in posting. I wanted to share the details of our new baby's arrival with you all.
He arrived on April 27 at around 6 am. This was a very different birth for me (and my husband..LOL). This was different from all of the other births in many ways.
First of all, it may be worth mentioning that I am 41 years old. No spring chicken. And this can certainly affect pregnancy and childbirth in "interesting ways." My blood pressure wanted to creep up towards the end of the pregnancy, and this interfered with my ability to relax. Sleep was limited factor, and anxiety became a prominent and annoying friend. Needless to say, I spent a lot of time praying when my heart felt like it was beating out of my chest and I literally broke into cold sweats from anxiety.
As labor commenced, I could not relax through the pain, and announced to the nurse at the hospital that I wanted the epidural. My first ever epidural. My husband paused and looked at me. Always wanted to accommodate my wishes, he said "Whatever you need."
The epidural immediatly took the edge off the pain, yet I could still feel contractions and had a "hotspot" where the anesthesia didn't take. I like this because I knew when to push. However, my labor slowed down immensely. I normally get to the hospital and give birth within an hour. This time, it took 6 hours. I know many of you have much longer labors!
Little Silas James, 8 lbs. 9 ounces & 21 1/2 inches long, arrived as I was standing in the bathroom. I caught his head and announced to the doctor (who was waiting outside the bathroom) that he had crowned. The absence of pain (from the epidural) made this a very pleasant experience. I even offered to cut the cord and give the baby his bath, since I felt so wonderful. LOL!
It's funny how natural childbirth was so important to me with all of the other children. Actually, I had wonderful births, for the most part, with a tolerable (most of the time) level of pain. This time was entirely different!
Silas is now 4 months old and weighing in at a hefty 17 1/2 lbs. He is a big boy! I still have no photos to share...Sorry! He is a joy to us all.
Had to share!
Blessings,
Camy
He arrived on April 27 at around 6 am. This was a very different birth for me (and my husband..LOL). This was different from all of the other births in many ways.
First of all, it may be worth mentioning that I am 41 years old. No spring chicken. And this can certainly affect pregnancy and childbirth in "interesting ways." My blood pressure wanted to creep up towards the end of the pregnancy, and this interfered with my ability to relax. Sleep was limited factor, and anxiety became a prominent and annoying friend. Needless to say, I spent a lot of time praying when my heart felt like it was beating out of my chest and I literally broke into cold sweats from anxiety.
As labor commenced, I could not relax through the pain, and announced to the nurse at the hospital that I wanted the epidural. My first ever epidural. My husband paused and looked at me. Always wanted to accommodate my wishes, he said "Whatever you need."
The epidural immediatly took the edge off the pain, yet I could still feel contractions and had a "hotspot" where the anesthesia didn't take. I like this because I knew when to push. However, my labor slowed down immensely. I normally get to the hospital and give birth within an hour. This time, it took 6 hours. I know many of you have much longer labors!
Little Silas James, 8 lbs. 9 ounces & 21 1/2 inches long, arrived as I was standing in the bathroom. I caught his head and announced to the doctor (who was waiting outside the bathroom) that he had crowned. The absence of pain (from the epidural) made this a very pleasant experience. I even offered to cut the cord and give the baby his bath, since I felt so wonderful. LOL!
It's funny how natural childbirth was so important to me with all of the other children. Actually, I had wonderful births, for the most part, with a tolerable (most of the time) level of pain. This time was entirely different!
Silas is now 4 months old and weighing in at a hefty 17 1/2 lbs. He is a big boy! I still have no photos to share...Sorry! He is a joy to us all.
Had to share!
Blessings,
Camy
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Quick Update
Please accept my apologies for the lack of entries.....many of you know that we have gotten rid of our home Internet service. For our family, the Internet is quite the temptation, and it will often occupy our thoughts and thus leading us into certain temptation. It is hard to say "no" to it, and we then use much of our precious time viewing Mortimer Snerd and Davey & Goliath on Youtube (not to mention an old clip of The Six Million Dollar Man battling Bigfoot...it's a 70's thing). The Internet is now accessible to us at the library, where it is well-controlled and contained (grin).
But alas, my blogging days are a challenge due to this relocation of Worldwide Web. I appreciate your patience as I attempt to drag myself to the library to keep in touch with you all. At this very moment, my little John (5) is sitting next to me in a chair and reading a large, oversized comic book. He's my buddy today.
Just wanted to tell everyone that my pregnancy is going blessedly well. We have about 4 or 5 weeks to go! Our whole family is very anxious and excited to welcome our little baby boy into the "outside of the womb" world. God has blessed me with a heavenly pregnancy...and for that I am so grateful.
Winter is trying to hold on, but the 3 foot snowbanks in our front yard are meeting their demise (the sun). We are all renewed and energized by the prospect of spring.
So, that's about it for now. My time is short today. May you all be blessed and encouraged!
Love,
Camy
But alas, my blogging days are a challenge due to this relocation of Worldwide Web. I appreciate your patience as I attempt to drag myself to the library to keep in touch with you all. At this very moment, my little John (5) is sitting next to me in a chair and reading a large, oversized comic book. He's my buddy today.
Just wanted to tell everyone that my pregnancy is going blessedly well. We have about 4 or 5 weeks to go! Our whole family is very anxious and excited to welcome our little baby boy into the "outside of the womb" world. God has blessed me with a heavenly pregnancy...and for that I am so grateful.
Winter is trying to hold on, but the 3 foot snowbanks in our front yard are meeting their demise (the sun). We are all renewed and energized by the prospect of spring.
So, that's about it for now. My time is short today. May you all be blessed and encouraged!
Love,
Camy
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Don't Have a Phone Conversation in the Bathroom
If you were a random passerby walking near our home, you might hear quite a variety of sounds. Those audible noises can range from utter chaos, mother-gone-mad (embarrassing, but true..LOL), rough housing boys, complete silence (rare), and hysterical laughter (often mixed w/ crying). Yesterday we experienced an "hysterical laughter day (w/ crying mixed in) scenario on the range of possibilities.
S0, dear daughter Rachel (7 1/2 years old) decides she would like to phone her grandmother to have a conversation (usually a one-way conversation ;o) about her own Christmas gift desires. This after she had already given her an extensive list the day before (laugh). Anyway, out of the corner of my eye I noticed Rachel chit-chatting away and walking into the bathroom as she did so. This was one of those "Momma has a red flag moments, but doesn't call it out" type deals.
I lazily chose not to reprimand her, and ignored my own uneasiness regarding her having the phone in the bathroom. In my experience as a mother of many, the bathroom is one of "those" rooms. It has water, waste receptacles, bathroom tissue, cosmetic/personal care products, and important household plumbing. These items are not ideal for children....LOL...and they often need supervision near them, especially when the children are under age 10. You can tell this story is headed to a big finale, can't you?
Suddenly, the bathroom door literally flies open and hits the wall adjunct to it. Rachel is standing there, horrified. "I dropped the phone in the toilet!!!" she exclaims with utter horror. We all stop what we are doing and stare at her. This is when the hysterical laughter breaks out...by the way, I am not the one laughing!
The boys are almost rolling on the floor in stitches of belly-rolling guffaws. They begin imitating Rachel's conversation with her grandmother: "Hey, grandma...this is what I want for Christmas..FLUSH!" They can hardly contain themselves and repeat this over and over. Rachel is not humored in the slightest, and only more troubled by what she has done.
My first reaction was obvious irritation. I gave her a 1 minute lecture about how it is not smart to have a phone conversation in the bathroom. Obviously, I left out the part about me not calling her about it in the first place! This is one of those "duh" lectures where nothing really needs to be said, and that the event itself taught her the lesson. (But it did make me feel a little better...grin). Rachel dramatically flees upstairs to her bedroom to throw herself down on her pillow and weep, Scarlett O'Hara style. (the boys continue to bust their guts with laughter...yelling upstairs and taunting Rachel even further).
We realize the phone is not operational, due to its fall into the toilet. Thankfully, we have a spare phone available.
Elijah (9 1/2 years old) immediately calls grandma to explain what cut her and Rachel's conversation short. She did say she heard a rather loud screech and then dead air.
As Elijah is walking around the house and chatting with grandma, I notice a crude sign taped to the bathroom door, in Elijah's 9 1/2 year old boy handwriting. This brings the beginnings of hysterical laughter to my mouth:
"No phones in bathroom!"
The whole drama died down after awhile...until my husband arrived home. The boys had to explain and re-enact it all over again. At this point, Rachel had gotten herself together, and was able to listen without crying. She even cracked a little smile as the boys mercilessly teased her.
When all was said and done, Roger (my husband) told Rachel a funny story about the time her brother Greyson actually "fell" into the toilet (head first) when he was potty training. This made her smile and gave her a little ammunition to strike back with.
And so goes another sound on the wide range of possibilities featuring noises emanating from our home....
Merry Christmas to all! May your home be filled with laughter and joy!
--Camy
S0, dear daughter Rachel (7 1/2 years old) decides she would like to phone her grandmother to have a conversation (usually a one-way conversation ;o) about her own Christmas gift desires. This after she had already given her an extensive list the day before (laugh). Anyway, out of the corner of my eye I noticed Rachel chit-chatting away and walking into the bathroom as she did so. This was one of those "Momma has a red flag moments, but doesn't call it out" type deals.
I lazily chose not to reprimand her, and ignored my own uneasiness regarding her having the phone in the bathroom. In my experience as a mother of many, the bathroom is one of "those" rooms. It has water, waste receptacles, bathroom tissue, cosmetic/personal care products, and important household plumbing. These items are not ideal for children....LOL...and they often need supervision near them, especially when the children are under age 10. You can tell this story is headed to a big finale, can't you?
Suddenly, the bathroom door literally flies open and hits the wall adjunct to it. Rachel is standing there, horrified. "I dropped the phone in the toilet!!!" she exclaims with utter horror. We all stop what we are doing and stare at her. This is when the hysterical laughter breaks out...by the way, I am not the one laughing!
The boys are almost rolling on the floor in stitches of belly-rolling guffaws. They begin imitating Rachel's conversation with her grandmother: "Hey, grandma...this is what I want for Christmas..FLUSH!" They can hardly contain themselves and repeat this over and over. Rachel is not humored in the slightest, and only more troubled by what she has done.
My first reaction was obvious irritation. I gave her a 1 minute lecture about how it is not smart to have a phone conversation in the bathroom. Obviously, I left out the part about me not calling her about it in the first place! This is one of those "duh" lectures where nothing really needs to be said, and that the event itself taught her the lesson. (But it did make me feel a little better...grin). Rachel dramatically flees upstairs to her bedroom to throw herself down on her pillow and weep, Scarlett O'Hara style. (the boys continue to bust their guts with laughter...yelling upstairs and taunting Rachel even further).
We realize the phone is not operational, due to its fall into the toilet. Thankfully, we have a spare phone available.
Elijah (9 1/2 years old) immediately calls grandma to explain what cut her and Rachel's conversation short. She did say she heard a rather loud screech and then dead air.
As Elijah is walking around the house and chatting with grandma, I notice a crude sign taped to the bathroom door, in Elijah's 9 1/2 year old boy handwriting. This brings the beginnings of hysterical laughter to my mouth:
"No phones in bathroom!"
The whole drama died down after awhile...until my husband arrived home. The boys had to explain and re-enact it all over again. At this point, Rachel had gotten herself together, and was able to listen without crying. She even cracked a little smile as the boys mercilessly teased her.
When all was said and done, Roger (my husband) told Rachel a funny story about the time her brother Greyson actually "fell" into the toilet (head first) when he was potty training. This made her smile and gave her a little ammunition to strike back with.
And so goes another sound on the wide range of possibilities featuring noises emanating from our home....
Merry Christmas to all! May your home be filled with laughter and joy!
--Camy
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Update
I apologize for the lack of blog entries, but our computer is down at home. It may be awhile.
Just wanted to let ya'll know that we are having another boy! We are all very happy (yes, even our dear Rachel).
See you soon!
Camy
Just wanted to let ya'll know that we are having another boy! We are all very happy (yes, even our dear Rachel).
See you soon!
Camy
Monday, November 17, 2008
Color With Your Child
My children love to draw and color. I keep a ready supply of paper, pencils, and crayons in a box under our bench in the dining room along with paper nearby. This way, when the inclination hits, they can grab a piece of paper as well as a drawing medium, and go at it.
Rachel drew this photo of a fairy in fairyland, and I helped her color it! We had so much fun. If you want to spend some good, quality time with your child, try coloring or drawing with him/her. It doesn't have to be Picasso-like, just some stick figures if it pleases you. They just enjoy having you close by and doing something with them. And to tell you the truth, it is a lot of fun!
The kids have been telling me that my tummy is getting HUGE, so here is the obligatory pregnant momma photo:
It doesn't do the size of my tummy justice, because trust me, it *is* getting HUGE! I think after having so many children, things just "fall out" a bit sooner (grin). Oh, well, I shall just choose to enjoy the blessing of carrying this little one. Oh, and by the way, we shall have our ultrasound on December 4th! This way, we will get to know this precious one even better. Any dibs on whether we will have a boy or a girl?
Rachel drew this photo of a fairy in fairyland, and I helped her color it! We had so much fun. If you want to spend some good, quality time with your child, try coloring or drawing with him/her. It doesn't have to be Picasso-like, just some stick figures if it pleases you. They just enjoy having you close by and doing something with them. And to tell you the truth, it is a lot of fun!
The kids have been telling me that my tummy is getting HUGE, so here is the obligatory pregnant momma photo:
It doesn't do the size of my tummy justice, because trust me, it *is* getting HUGE! I think after having so many children, things just "fall out" a bit sooner (grin). Oh, well, I shall just choose to enjoy the blessing of carrying this little one. Oh, and by the way, we shall have our ultrasound on December 4th! This way, we will get to know this precious one even better. Any dibs on whether we will have a boy or a girl? Blessings,
Camy
Friday, November 7, 2008
Happy Birthday, Grandpa Big Waters!
My husband's grandfather turned 96 the other day, and we were blessed to be able to spend it with him, his wife, Aunt Cathy, Cousin Kelly, and Cousin Riley.
The funniest moment occurred when Aunt Cathy took a photo of Grandma and Grandpa together. She asked Grandpa to smile. It took him a little work, but suddenly his face burst out with the most delightful smile. We all broke out into joyous laughter at the sight of Grandpa displaying a smile that took him a bit of work. 
In the above photos, I am scolding someone...but whom? As you can see, Sam is around the corner looking like he wants to do something shocking. It is likely that I am saying, "Sam, you better watch your back, mister."
Our children refer to Grandpa as "Grandpa 'Big Waters" due to the fact that Grandpa and Grandma used to reside along the shores of the "big waters" of Lake Michigan. Grandma is known as "Grandma 'Big Waters."
The funniest moment occurred when Aunt Cathy took a photo of Grandma and Grandpa together. She asked Grandpa to smile. It took him a little work, but suddenly his face burst out with the most delightful smile. We all broke out into joyous laughter at the sight of Grandpa displaying a smile that took him a bit of work. It is comforting to know that Grandpa and Grandma Big Waters are able to be together in a nice, assisted-living environment. We are also amazed to observe Cousin Kelly help attend to their needs. She always seems to know just what they want...sometimes even before they ask. Kelly is an example of a dear heart who cares deeply and with much love. We can visibly see Grandma's delight at having Kelly there.
If we could all do this for one another, especially for those who really need the help, not only would those being served be blessed, but those who do the serving as well. There is something about caring and serving others. Jesus said if we held onto our lives, we would lose them; yet if we let go of our lives (an example would be service to others) for His sake, we would keep them.
I like that so much. I pray for a servant's heart and that my children would also desire to serve others as well.
When we visit Grandma and Grandpa Big Waters, it is evident that they and the other residents at the assisted-living home, depend on others for daily care, comfort, and survival. It is very humbling for me to be there, witnessing personnel feeding, wiping mouths, and aiding the old and infirmed human beings who live there. I never leave without having something to pray or think about.
Caught On Camera
In the above photos, I am scolding someone...but whom? As you can see, Sam is around the corner looking like he wants to do something shocking. It is likely that I am saying, "Sam, you better watch your back, mister."
Hope you have a wonderful weekend! We'd love to hear your comments. Click HERE to do so.
Blessings,
Camy
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The Fall Round-Up
Here the hungry boys pose patiently, waiting to eat these freshly, baked oatmeal muffins. As you can see, Sam (in hat) is rarely without his "gun", which is actually part of one of our dining room chairs (?????)...LOL!
R.I.P, dear aloe vera plant. You once flourished in our home and added comfort and relief to burned and irritated skin. You brightened the living room with your greenliness. Now, you are but a victim of a heinous plant-beating crime.
Greyson holds the weapon used in the plant-beating crime. It is confiscated as evidence "exhibit A."
The guilty perpetrator confesses after a bit of questionning (wink). 
This is what you do A LOT when you live and strive to survive with 6 brothers. And as you can see by Rachel's smile, it's kind of fun sometimes (grin).
This is what you do A LOT when you live and strive to survive with 6 brothers. And as you can see by Rachel's smile, it's kind of fun sometimes (grin).
John, with his weapon at-the-ready.
Frolicking in the leaves.
Noah, #6, ready to lay a hit on somebody.
Malcom getting into position.
The victorious Pop Warner Peewees Greyson and Elijah.
We had to take this picture to show Sam trying to fit his enormous head into a too-small-for-him football helmet.
The victorious Pop Warner Peewees Greyson and Elijah.
We had to take this picture to show Sam trying to fit his enormous head into a too-small-for-him football helmet.
Things are slowing down a bit here. We are all catching our breaths before it gets busy again.
Take care and say "hi" by leaving us a comment HERE.
Thanks!
Camy
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
We're now in the homestretch of football season. One more game!
At this point, our whole family is exhausted....even the football players themselves. We are thankful for an upcoming, short break. We are contemplating winter sports at this time with the boys.
For your listening pleasure, I have added a playlist of some of my favorite music (see sidebar). Perhaps you can take a listen as you read the blog entries!
I love these chorus lyrics by Mark Schultz in "He Will Carry Me"
Even though I'm walking through the valley of the shadow
I will hold tight to the hand of Him whose love will comfort me
And when all hope is gone and I've been wounded in the battle
He is all the strength that I will ever need
He will carry me....
You will see that my playlist is full of songs that encourage during the struggles of life. These songs really lift my spirit, and I hope you will find them a blessing as well.
This week we are trying to clean and organize (after all the chaotic activity during football season). Shoes are our biggest project right now. We have 3 large laundry baskets full of shoes! LOL! They are a blessing, but we need to weed out some of them. We only have 18 feet in our house to put shoes on (grin).
Have a blessed and wonderful day!
(p.s. We got to hear our baby's heartbeat! Rachel and Sam accompanied me and got to hear it as well. At the same appointment, my blood was taken, which Greyson and Elijah were thrilled observers of the process...quite a homeschooling fieldtrip, eh?)
Can't wait to hear your comments...click HERE to say "hey."
At this point, our whole family is exhausted....even the football players themselves. We are thankful for an upcoming, short break. We are contemplating winter sports at this time with the boys.
For your listening pleasure, I have added a playlist of some of my favorite music (see sidebar). Perhaps you can take a listen as you read the blog entries!
I love these chorus lyrics by Mark Schultz in "He Will Carry Me"
Even though I'm walking through the valley of the shadow
I will hold tight to the hand of Him whose love will comfort me
And when all hope is gone and I've been wounded in the battle
He is all the strength that I will ever need
He will carry me....
You will see that my playlist is full of songs that encourage during the struggles of life. These songs really lift my spirit, and I hope you will find them a blessing as well.
This week we are trying to clean and organize (after all the chaotic activity during football season). Shoes are our biggest project right now. We have 3 large laundry baskets full of shoes! LOL! They are a blessing, but we need to weed out some of them. We only have 18 feet in our house to put shoes on (grin).
Have a blessed and wonderful day!
(p.s. We got to hear our baby's heartbeat! Rachel and Sam accompanied me and got to hear it as well. At the same appointment, my blood was taken, which Greyson and Elijah were thrilled observers of the process...quite a homeschooling fieldtrip, eh?)
Can't wait to hear your comments...click HERE to say "hey."
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Never A Dull Moment
We sure stayed heavily occupied last week, as you can tell by the absence of blog entries.
This is one of the myriad of Lego creations by Greyson and Elijah featuring the Indiana Jones theme. They've been hard at work building and taking photos of their masterpieces.
Still more bread....if we're lucky, this will last us 2 days.
As you can see, there is never a dull moment in our home, and we thank God for that.
Hope you and yours are enjoying October!
Send us your comments HERE...we sure love hearing from you!
Blessings,
Camy
Our family has a new addition. Meet "Kit", Rachel's new American Girl doll, courtesy of her Grandpa and Granna.
The addition of this doll to our household has created quite a stir. The boys are somewhat stupefied by this feminine creature. It would be their delight to kidnap Kit and rearrange her anatomy. However, their mother has strongly cautioned them against such a feat....as well as listed the possible consequences of such an event.
Needless to say, Ms. Rachel is so delighted with her new "sister", her reference to Kit. So sweet! Can you believe that we put away her dolls a few months ago after Rachel announced her new, profound interest in science? She still loves science, but she's not ready to put Kit into that stored-away doll box.
Here are a few other happenings at our house this October:
This is one of the myriad of Lego creations by Greyson and Elijah featuring the Indiana Jones theme. They've been hard at work building and taking photos of their masterpieces.Did you ever make leaf paths when you were a kid? I remember making leaf houses on the playground in elementary school as a child. Here is a "leaf labrynth" (as Greyson has labeled it) in our front yard. Greyson worked hard raking and organizing this pathway, much to the delight of the younger children! They played for a few hours, running and finding their way around the winding maze. Greyson timed them as they navigated, which caused competition, which in-turn caused dissention, which led to arguing, tears, blah, blah, blah (grin).
Rachel is holding a plate of her bread creations, fit with sprinkles!
Still more bread....if we're lucky, this will last us 2 days.As you can see, there is never a dull moment in our home, and we thank God for that.
Hope you and yours are enjoying October!
Send us your comments HERE...we sure love hearing from you!
Blessings,
Camy
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
My Haven and Place of Rest
This is my kitchen sink, my haven from the world. My place of prayer, solace, tears, laughter, rejoicing, sadness, brainstorming, ....you name it. It is clean right now, for the first time in weeks. I have been tired and pregnant-nauseous, which often inhibits my ability to tidy and keep the sink area clean and clutter free. I love my 70's vintage orange formica countertop! Not only does it hide a lot of warts, but the yellow tones in the orange tend to brighten my mood a bit.
I love to put a few drops of lemon essential oil in my dishwater. The scent both relaxes and rejuvenates me at the same time, not to mention that it cuts grease. There are also two, small oil-burners for simmering various essential oils. These help to tone down cooking odors and cheer the air.
I like to put up reminders in this place of habit. To my right, I have an afternoon list, a verse, and a postcard from a dear friend with a suffering sister. Since I spend long hours at this spot, it is helpful for me post items that I want to keep in mind.
On the left side of the sink, I have poster that reminds me to be thankful for freedom of religion in this country. These are dear souls who have either been jailed or killed for their Christian faith in Sharia law countries. When I feel downhearted, a glimpse of this poster tells me that many of my worries are so minor....I have learned to love the times spent at my kitchen sink, my haven and place of "rest." Getting lost in my thoughts, as well in piles and piles of dishes each day is what I do here.
Blessings to you this day.
Thanks so much for your comments. You can leave them HERE
~Camy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)