6 months old already?

Here's a "Happy Cheer" for Baby Dear who is 6 months old today!!!
I caught her scooting backwards in our bed, heading for mattress' end!
She is also cutting her two top teeth right now which means we have been in a lot of drool lately. She chews everything and soon her precious gummy smile will be changed by the appearance of teeth. She has been and is a beautiful blessing and healing from God.

What's happening?

It's been nearly 2 weeks since I "got busy". I have been living the insane life lately and frankly, I'm tired. I've been going to bed later and later and I'm feeling like an old bowl of oats. Pardon me, but I'm wrecked. This is the first time I can honestly say that I could really use a couple of naps each day. Preschooler isn't napping anymore and whilst Baby Dear is sleeping her way to beauty queen of the year, I am busy doing what most moms do while there is down time-cleaning.
I'm actually on the downside of household decluttering. There has been much improvement in the "I can't believe your drawer is full of clothes that are 2 sizes too small!" When all is said and done, my children might have a limited wardrobe, but their drawers and closets will be nice and neat!
Kitchen stuff is hard for me to get rid of. I just so love my kitcheny things. Who else can truly say, "I just LOVE my cookie sheets and my 5 quart stockpot-Oh it's the BOMB!" Is that sad or what? I have been blessed with many years of refining what works and what dosen't. About 3 weeks ago, our hard working can opener disappeared. No one knows any details about the kidnapping, but Mr has taken it really hard.e has searched every drawer and cabinet in the kitchen, to no avail. He's questioned everyone like we were criminals on "Law and Order". I eventually went out to buy a cheapie one to suffice until my new one comes in from the states. He took one look at cheapie and said, "When is the new one coming, this one stinks!!" That's the news from the kitchen front.
From the vehicular point of view, we found out that our yearly inspection expired on our van- in APRIL!! They don't mail reminders here and this inspection certificate is put away in a filing cabinet where it dosen't exist in my mind until he thinks of it, seven months later.......... Umm, that appointment is going to be made this week.
We have driven multiple runs each day for a variety of reasons. One day, I had to leave at 8 for an 8:15 appt, take Teenager to school, go to another appt for Preschooler, turn around and drive to pick up #3 child from Girl Scouts,go home, make dinner, grab #2 and 3 for karate and go to rehearsal for a play that #1 and I am in. At 9pm, I dragged myself home with 1,2 and 3 in tow, fed Baby Dear, made sure dinner was put up, showered and went to bed. Yes, I was tired and still am. Days like this used to be rare, but lately this has been the norm.
No more will this happen. I am just too tired. I used to deny how I felt, but I think this thyroid has gotten to me. It's probably mental, but I am dragging my bones around. Toting happy leaded Baby dosen't help either, but what's a mom to do?

I am slated to have half of the offending thyroid taken out on the 2nd of December. I'm not supposed to hold anything over 10 lbs for 2-3 weeks. I honestly don't know HOW I can't hold my baby for so long, but I'm thinking she is going to be a bit cranky till this time ends. Any thoughts? I'll take any opinions right now. Help!!!

Well, if I am to get to bed before the sun rises, I'd better get to sleep soon.

Blessings from England,
Misty

Baby wipes, Turtlenecks and the Banana of Doom?

It's Sunday evening and we had a loverly British dinner. Roast Pork with sage stuffing and some garlicky green beans. No dessert since I had made a giant-sized fabulous coffee cake for breakfast this morning and I left it on the counter all afternoon only to find 3 SMALL pieces left when I went in the kitchen to start dinner.
This morning we made it to church late again. This has been an ongoing problem for my family and we have come so far lately but today we dragged our feet again. Pray for us. I really dislike being late and disruptive. The church family is so graceful about it and try to encourage us, but oh, we fail. Nevertheless, we shall pick ourselves up and start over again. Thank God for new beginnings!
So our Sunday afternoon moved along with a quick trip to the bazaar to look for Christmas gifts.
This evening was a bit of a ruckus with the oldest and youngest hosting a sing along for the other children while Mr decided to clean out a kitchen cabinet that was driving him crazy. Every time HE opened it, there was an avalanche of cereal, marshmallows and cake mixes. Every time WE opened it, there wasn't. Seeing this as a conspiracy which should go no further, Mr took it into his own hands to tame this beast. And tame it, he did.
After all this excitement died down, Baby Dear decided that it was bedtime and if it's HER bedtime then Chloe needed to go too. We moseyed upstairs and since it was "that" time of the night, Chloe wanted to take a bath. I didn't feel like bathing her so she decided to lose her mind a nd have a fit. She moaned and groaned, whining all the way until April came upstairs to see what was the deal. I gave her a quick splanation and she did what she does best- calm little people down. Well, this time, she grabbed a plastic toy banana and shoved it in the back of Chloes turtleneck which sent her into a fit of laughter! Baby dear is on the floor watching the proceedings with great joy since her sister is such a source of happiness to her.With Chloe wrestling this banana out of her shirt, all the while twirling and whirling in circles, she manages to get her hand on the banana. She sends it flying through the air at a rapid speed and aimed at an innocent victim, Baby Dear! And do you know what? It hit her right in her plump tummy looking like the stem off the top of a cherry!She had this look on her face as if she was saying, "What was that for?". After calming her down, Chloe decided to get her pajamas on. Her shirt was the first thing to come off of her and since it was a turtleneck there was a bit of wrestling involved. Most of it was nearly off except for her head and when that part snapped off, it went flying through the air. Who was the victim of this clothes whacking? Baby Dear, who was just starting to fall asleep in my lap on the floor! My, my, this was not her night, but she calmed down quickly and fell asleep on the floor where this insane picture was taken.
Baby wipes? Hmmm, now I've forgotten what they had to do with this!

Happy 100th Blogiversary?

It's been a long time since I started this blog. Many things have happened and many things have changed. We have moved homes, traveled a bit, endured death in the most heart wrenching way, celebrated life, lost old friends, made new ones, cemented relationships and so much more. But one thing stays the same. I have persisted in my writing so that I could share my life and tell my story from MY point of view. Yep, sometimes it is serious (um, not one of my finer points), and most of the time it is told with the hilarity that I see it as.
Life is short and if you're angry, hateful, resentful, jealous, or any other way that makes you unhappy, then how can you enjoy the short time that we all have on this earth? All those things that keep you from happiness separate you from being TRULY HAPPY INSIDE. That unhappy stuff eats away your love and at your heart.
So what's it all about then? Life is what it is all about, people. If your house burned down, what would you be concerned most about saving? Your 100 inch flat screen tv? No buddy, those things go on sale all of the time. Your family, friends and other people! That's where it's at! People helped make those memories and events that made and shaped you into the person you were meant to be. God already has plans for us to be who we are and if you can't accept that then you are fighting a hurricane with an umbrella. If you are angry at someone for bossing you around or hurting your feelings, especially if they are a family member, let it go. Just ignore the comments and focus on enjoying anything else that you can at that moment. Move to another room if you have to. If you finally have to say something to them, then say this," Stop hurting my feelings. I really want to enjoy you while you are alive and not wish that you had been nicer to me while I am sitting at your funeral." That's a hard thing to say, but it's true! Some people you just can't stop from spreading their internal unhappiness around, sometimes especially on you, but you can sure walk from the situation. Diffuse, that's the word.
Now how did I get to this? A sermon instead of an uplifting speech? I don't think it's a bad sermon, per se, just something on my heart.
Two women stand out to me right now. My aunts mother-in-law and my mother.
The mother-in-law was such a wonderful woman. I NEVER heard her say a bad word about anyone and I mean anyone. She was a saint and I am not kidding. Woman of God, she really was. I loved her and she loved everyone. I so much want to have her attitude- she was like Jesus wants us to be.
My mother was a friend to so many. She had an opinion and wasn't afraid to share it. Most of the time she had such tact when she talked to folks that I wondered about her, but other times, she just let it all hang out. She loved everyone and overlooked flaws and opinions and whatever to help just about anybody. Most of all, she loved "Her Jesus". If you didn't know that, then you really weren't paying attention to what she was saying or doing. She was happy and bubbly-joyful in even the worst of circumstances. My grandmother named her correctly-Joyce (which means joyous one).

So what does all of this have to do with my blogiversary? Well, I can't remember since I had to stop writing to go to church and then when I came home and tried to write again, there was a party going on in the background that consisted of mooing cows, Dave Barry and his colonoscopy, and a barrier on the floor made of stuffed animals. And then the doorbell rang- and all of a sudden, we have unexpected guests. Then five minutes later, the phone rings and someone reminds me that we have a dinner date tonight.

Now I remember! What I am trying to share is that I had a choice in writing this blog. I had a choice to spend my time doing other things like catching up on housework,(an eternal job, if I can say so myself), or sewing or whatever. I choose if I want to whine or pout about circumstances in my life. I can choose if I want to let people know about my life or I can just keep it to myself. If I can make someone see the lighter side of life and how much it is worth living and struggling for and to enjoy even the littlest of things, then I have done well. If I can share with someone the simple truth that Jesus loves you and forgives you for whatever you have done if you just ask him to, then my life is worth living even moreso.

Life is full of choices, good and bad. It's up to you to decide.
I chose to be happy, to love and be loved.
What do you choose to do today?
(I hope you are't too confused by all of this. It's been a long day over here!)

Happy Blogiversary!

It's almost 8 am and we have an appointment........

It's checkup day for the two youngest.
Right now at 7:54 am, I am contemplating the response I will receive from the baby.
I mosey up to the third floor humming a song and entering her domain,(which used to be my bedroom, uugh). She dosen't flinch an inch. I move closer and hum louder, to which she responds in such a way which look like she is rolling her eyes in her sleep. Her body dosen't move-just the closed eye rolling number that she does. So, Chloe climbs on the bed and calls her name and rubs her head.(Should be some more hair there now, but I don't know what happened!). Baby Dear starts to stretch and GRROOAANNN in an annoyed manner. Chloe rubs her tummy and gets up closer so she can whisper in her ear. (She really thinks she is whispering, but in actuality, or reality, whatever, she actually gets louder.)
By now, Baby Dear is highly annoyed and POPS here eyes open to reveal the reddest cherries you could ever see,(except for her fathers eyes the look like red beacons-that's another subject). She turns her head in my direction and gives me a look that sends chills to ones soul. She looks as if she is saying, "WHAT. ARE. YOU. DOING???? (Think of flames shooting from ones mouth.)You, slave mother, have interrupted MY SLEEP!!!!!! YOU KNOW I DON'T GET UP UNTIL AFTER 9:30!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well,it's 8:05 and our appointment is at 9:05. I guess I had better get moving, but meanwhile, where's my fire gear?

More pictures from the party....

Okay, I promise you these are the last ones I will post. I'll have to find a way to put more into the blog or link up to them somewhere.
My time online seems limited lately, so I type furiously and run off to do something. Then I come back, type some more and run off again. Sheesh! The life of a mother! I hate rushing but that is where I am in my life right now with 2 little ones. Besides, this stage is only temporary.
Anywho, here are the photos.

Party Like A Preschooler!!! Part 3 more pictures

PARTY FOOD!
We made a sign that read "Jack Sprat's Not So Fat Snacks"
The birthday cake was a Carrot-Zucchini cake with cream cheese icing. We made some into cupcakes for the little ones. Neopolitan ice cream was served with it also and we had punch with orange juice and sprite.
Veggie plate
Fruit plate
Breadsticks with BLT or artichoke dip
"The Cow Jumped Over The Moon" cheese and crackers
"Three Little Pigs" in blankets
Tortilla rolls (filled with cream cheese, garlic powder, green onions and bacon bits)

The bunting that you saw hanging up in some pictures, was made by me, and so were "Humpty Dumpty" and his gang.
It was a small party enjoyed by all!