Mandy Mom

I was washing the dishes the other day when my three-year-old son approached me.
“Mom, I need to wash my hands.  They’re guilty.” 

This morning, as I was bathing, the same little munchkin shuffled into the bathroom and swished his hands in my bathwater.  “My hands are guilty.  I gots to wash them.”

Now, I know what he means to say is filthy, and it just comes out “guilty”, but, spiritually speaking, filth equals guilt.  Guilt equals sin, and, as sinners, we all could use is a good washing.

Just as we (hopefully) bathe regularly to keep our bodies clean and fresh, we should also cleanse ourselves spiritually through The Word so that our minds and hearts will be clean and fresh as well.

I feel that the more I drift away from reading The Word, the more likely I am to fall into temptation or lose sight of the ultimate goal, but when I read and pray often, when I listen to annointed preaching, and when I fellowship with those who are also passionate about the things of Christ, then I should be continually convicted and encouraged in Christ.

Sometimes, we are so filthy that we need a good scrubbing. I can tell you from experience, scrubbing your skin, naturally speaking, isn’t all that comfortable and relaxing, but afterwards, the clean feeling is worth it.  I can also tell you from experience, that spiritual scrubbing is painful and often humiliating, but… again, worth it.

Not to long ago, my dad had a cancer removed from his neck.  For years, this little spot on his neck was often irritated, but he tried to tend to it the best he could.  He put off going to the doctor until my mom pushed him.  Luckily, it was confined to this area and they were able to remove it.  Now there is a slightly pink scar where this quarter-sized spot use to be.

Much of the time, this is how I am.  There is something in my life that I keep trying to deal with on my own, but, when it comes right down to it, my efforts are useless.  The only person who can heal me is the Great Physician.  I need His guidance and help with my problems and issues.  I can look back in my life and see things that were cancerous, spiritually speaking.  In one experience, the “cancer” spread to so many areas of my life.. even “infecting” my children.  Why?  Because I was trying to deal with it myself, even though I knew it was beyond anything I could solve or cure on my own.

I am so thankful that God has shown me the “cancers” I need to remove from my life, and He promises to help and guide me in correcting my wrongs and realigning my steps……

For I am guilty, and I need to wash my hands.

So, I’m back from my beach vacation, and boy, did I have a blast.  No, I’m not crunchy tanned, but I did get a bit of a glow.  I use to be the type of gal (especially as kid) who soaked up the sun without thought, but now I worry that doing so will curse me with cancer, so I slather on the SPF and hope for the best.  Thirty years from now, when I’m in my 50’s and look like I’m 30-something (as my mom does), I’ll thank myself for preserving my skin by steering clear of harmful rays.  Can I get an amen in the house, er.. bloggesphere?

I just want to warn you all, I have loads of pictures.  In fact, when I uploaded the last few photos from my camera to my mom’s computer last night, I counted about 400 pictures, and well, that’s missing about 50 more that my friend Ashley took of our family. 

Don’t worry.  I’ll narrow it down to the best 100.

Some of these photos will be posted here, but for the most part, I’ll be flooding my Shutterbuggin blog (see navigation, right column) with the majority of our snapshots.

Ashley took some awesome photos of our family, and I can’t wait to have them printed.  I might just wallpaper my whole livingroom with them.  Here’s a little teaser, just one of many photos I have to share!

(With my parents, Charles & Cathy, and my brother Chip, far right)

Nolypie put on my glasses and said, “Look Mommy! I’m you!”

(Picture by Merbear)  He looks good with glasses!

She could be one beautiful geek.  Geeks rock.

And Keagie?  Well, don’t the glasses say it all?

I usually wear my contacts, but during allergy season, my glasses are my friend!

I see a big need in churches across the world today. There’s something lacking, something major, and it’s called TRUTH.  I see too many people depending on their own understanding of the bible, or even someone elses’s understanding, instead of digging into the bible and allowing God to reveal the Way.

Jesus answered, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  [John 14:6]

I was watching Joel Olsteen preach the other day (on television), and I was saddened that his message was not that of the Lord, but that of a “feel good God”.  He has twisted verses, left off tidbits, and basically, rearranged the bible to mean what he wants it to mean.  His message is that God wants us to be happy.  He wants us to be financially wealthy and to have everything our heart desires.

You know, if Jesus came to earth to make us happy, he failed miserably.  Look around.  I see few people who are truly happy, even those with riches and wealth.

The good news is, Jesus did come to give us temporary happiness and wealth.  He came to give us peace, joy, and everlasting life. 

I grew up reading the bible, but for years, I read it with a particular mindset.  At some point, I asked God to take away my preconceived notions and ideas about what the bible said and to reveal His Word (and meaning) to me with refreshing clarity as I read it.  I had read the bible many, many times, but I was amazed as I read it again, seeing and understanding things I had not seen and understood before.  My husband did this as well, and, each night, we’d excitedly tell each other about the revelations God had given us throughout the day.

God revealed that the only way to heaven is through His Son.  For years, we had tried to follow a set of rules, had tried to live up to a standard… and had felt like such failures.  He showed us that salvation is “of the Lord”.  Salvation doesn’t come from our works.  It doesn’t come from belonging to a certain group.  It’s not anything we have done.  Salvation is a gift from Christ, who died for our sins, who experienced hell while on the cross so that we would not have to.

What it comes down to is that salvation is a result of belonging to the Lord. 

The law, or the commandments, were to show us that we don’t measure up. The law was made to reveal us as sinners so that we would realize we are unworthy.  The bible says the wages (payment) for sin is death.  I am so thankful that Christ paid that in full.  What a shame it would be if I didn’t accept the payment!

The grace of God allows us through the gates of Heaven, not our works, but our works are definitely a result of our salvation.  When we love someone, we long to please them. If we have given our lives to the Lord, then we will allow Him to use our lives for the good of His kingdom.

For years, I strived to please God.  I ached inside, because I knew there was something missing. At some point, I gave up, because I felt I would never make it, would never get it, and was doomed for hell. While I am not proud of the events that ultimately led me to God’s feet, I am thankful that God used the experience to show me what a mess I was.  We need to realize that we are sinners.  No, we are not just “people who make mistakes”.  We are sinners.  Filthy rags.  Disgusting.  Repulsive.  When Jesus took on our sin while on the cross, Father God had to turn away because He cannot be in the presence of sin.  I am SO thankful that Jesus took on our sin.  While on the cross, he experienced separation from God, darkness, and thirst- which is what hell is described to be.  He experienced hell so I don’t have to.  He experienced separation from God so I don’t have to.  He experienced bondage so we could have FREEDOM.

I never understood freedom until I had freedom. Freedom from guilt.  Freedom from rules.  Freedom.  As Paul said in a letter to one of the churches (I think it was Paul), this freedom doesn’t mean we can do whatever we want and still go to heaven, but it is freedom from the bondage of religiosity.  Religion is mans way of reaching God.  It’s man’s creation.  Christianity is God’s way of reaching us.  It’s Jesus.

God doesn’t want us to be caught up in a bunch of rules and regulations.  He wants us to be caught up in Christ.  He wants us to be passionate about Jesus.

Every Sunday, Brother Jerry preaches a truly annointed sermon.  Every Sunday, I feel like God has really “smacked me around”.  I leave feeling convicted of my sin, but I also leave feeling extremely grateful that God has spoken to me.  I love that Jerry speaks directly from the bible.  He is able to take a few verses and pull so much wisdom from them (hours of it!). 

There are times I’ve sat in a fellowship meeting/church and heard things that do not match up with the bible, and my soul aches.  There are times I’ve met with ministers and preachers who have talked against the bible or twisted verses completely out of context.

This is why it is so important to read our bible and allow God to fill us with understanding.  Allow God’s Word to be our filter, not just against the world, but against religion.

As a parent, I have to be my children’s filter as well.  I long to strengthen them in the Lord.

Just posting a little sibling love…

My brother has been on my mind a lot lately.  You know, he and I have had many, um, tiffs, through the years, but ultimately, we make it through. 

As a kid, I was glad to have him go ahead of me because I was a ‘fraidy-cat.  I was glad to have someone experience school before I did.  When I was a freshman, he was a senior, and he was able to show me around the highschool.  We even went to college together.  It was less frightening that way.  Easier for me to ease into.

But then, I got married.  Then I had babies.  I was in uncharted waters.  My brother had yet to make those steps, and, here I was, having to make it up, on my own, as I went along.

I was definitely a tag-along sister, and sometimes, I miss those days.

Love ya’ bro!

Oy.  I feel like ubercrud.  I have a love/hate relationship with Spring.  I love the weather.  I love that the earth seems to come alive once again.  I hate that this causes my nose to run, my chest to seize, my eyes to itch and water, and my head to feel like it’s about to explode.  My cheeks hurt. 

I definitely have not stuck with the routine today.  First of all, I had to make a run to Target to pick up “woman stuff” because my body decided to surprise me this morning.  At least it didn’t surprise me on Thursday, the day we head out for our week-long beach vacation!

Speaking of, I am so excited that I’ve actually contemplated counting down the hours until we leave.  I’m sortofkindof packed (meaning I’ve tossed a few clothes in a suitcase which means I’ve done 10% of the work I need to do), but, well, as a true procrastinator, I’ll probably wait until Wednesday.  Why, don’t you know, it’s much more fun to scramble and panic at the very last minute, then pray that I have everything I need.

If we were really structured homeschoolers, the kind that sit down with real curriculum and lesson plans for several hours every day, today would be the beginning of summer vacation. But, we’re the unschooling type, so.. this is just another adventure!

Mom, Merikalyn (one a month or so old), and Me! (2003)

 
Chip, Granny, and Me (1999? 2000?)

Happy Mother’s Day!
 

by Mandy Mom
She seemed to have it down, perfect as can be.
And I suppose that I assumed it just came so easily.
Every day she tackled all her duties with great zeal
So I rarely stopped to ponder just how she might feel.

With the mind of a child, I said, “You don’t know what’s like,
I hate this place. I hate you, Mom. I even hate my life.”
I stormed from the room, and she heard the front door slam
as I yelled from beyond, “You don’t know who I am!”

She sighed,
Mothering’s not for sissies, this I know is true
Lord knows it’s not peaches, sugar, cream
But oh, yes, I know that it’s worth it all for you
And someday, you’ll understand what I mean.

Oh I became a mother, three children in tow
And I called her one day, how the tears they did flow.
I told her of my trouble, my soul it did ache.
I said, “I think the Lord is crazy, he gave me more than I could take.”

She laughed just a little and said, “I’ve been there before.
Yes, I know what it’s like when your heart is feeling sore.
You’re overwhelmed, and you wonder if you’re cut out for this
Well, you may not be, but, just remember, God is.”

Mothering’s not for sissies, this I know is true
Lord knows it’s not peaches, sugar, cream
But oh, yes, I know that it’s worth it all for you
And now, I know you get what I mean.

No, baby, Mothering’s not for sissies, this I know it true
Lord know it’s not peaches sugar cream
But oh, yes I know, that it’s worth it all for you
And someday you’ll understand what I mean.

As promised, here’s my daily routine!
8a-   Let the dog out and feed her.  Breakfast.  Family Devotional/Prayer
9a-   Get ready for the day (bathe, brush teeth, get dressed, etc).  Make beds.  Start a load of laundry.
10a- Bible study activities for kids (crafts/projects, songs, etc)
11a- Switch wash into the dryer. Prepare lunch.
12p- Tidy house.  Fold laundry and put away.
1p-   Reading time
2p-   Snacks. Outdoor time (if possible).  Errands, if needed.
3p-   Nap time for kids (and me, if needed!)  15-30 minutes spent on focused cleaning or decluttering.
4p-
5p-
6p-   Prepare supper.  Get meat out to thaw for tomorrows meal (if needed).
7p-   Tidy living spaces and bedrooms.
8p-   Kids get ready for and into bed.   Wash a load of diapers.
9p-   Switch diapers to the dryer.  Let the dog out.

I don’t have anything specific set for four or five , which allows me to move things around easily, especially if we have a fun outing or a play date.  Sometimes, I use that time to do extra cleaning or spend it writing emails and blogging.  Often, we head outdoors for a walk.  Often, the kids aren’t in bed until nine-thirty, but they’re usually ready for bed by eight-thirty.  It helps for us to be flexible, because the kids often want to do projects or learn something specific (right now, they are really interesting in learning ABC’s and handwriting).  I need to be able to stop what I’m doing and help them out.

I do expect them to help with tidying.  My daughter is an expert at folding clothes.  She folds her clothes and her brothers’ clothes, then helps me put them away.  They help each other make the bed and clean their rooms, which is helpful.

Later, I’ll post my day-by-day chores/routine. 

A couple people asked me if I had a specific routine or schedule that I stick to.  Honestly, our routine has been pretty loose lately, and I’ve been aching for more structure.  I am the type of person that needs to know what’s coming next, otherwise, I sit on the couch in pure overwhelming confusion.  It wasn’t always that way, but then I had children, and, well, ha… there you go.

So, I pulled out my home management binder (Flylady calls it a “control journal”), and began organizing it once more.  I suppose I was under the impression that, as “unschoolers”, schedules and routines are evil, evil things, but, truth be told, even those of us who don’t use structured curriculum or lesson plans still need a little daily planning.

Of course, my schedules are fairly flexible, as they should be. However, attempting to stick to it as best as we can helps all of us, especially the children, to know what’s coming next and what’s expected of the day.

I am not the type of person who strictly schedules in when to nurse the baby or take a potty break, but it’s nice to have reminders to take out the garbage (so we don’t miss the trash collectors) and set days to wash bed linens (so you aren’t sleeping in your sweat and dirt for a month).

I wish I could say I do well with home maintenance, but it doesn’t really occur to me to clean until it’s extremely obvious something needs cleaning.  I definitely wasn’t “born organized” like my mom, but that’s okay.  That’s why I write down routines. It helps me “keep it together” before it all falls apart!

What’s in my home management binder?
First of all, I have a calendar.  I write in birthdays, appointments, and special events along with reminders like, “Replace toothbrushes,” (which you should do every three months).  I also jot down growth information of my children.  It’s good to keep up with their weight and heights on a monthly basis, especially when it comes to the baby.  I note when I’ve tested a new food on the baby.  If he has a reaction a day or so later, it’s easier to pinpoint the allergy.

Along with my calendar, I have my routines written out.   Once the routine has really settled in, I’ll type it out, but it usually takes a few weeks to iron out the kinks.  I have my daily routine (things we do everyday) and my day-by-day routine (chores or errands that need to be done on a particular day).  I’ll post these at some point.  Remind me, okay?

I keep a list of important numbers in this binder.  I’ve written our personal phone numbers, emergency contacts, and numbers of immediate family (parents, brothers, and sisters).  I also have written our home address down.  This is great to have when someone is babysitting your children.  If something happens (God forbid), they need to tell emergency services where to come, and will need to contact someone if you cannot be reached.

In fact, you may want to make a specific print out for the babysitter which includes a list of allergies, the location of the first aid kit, and other information that your babysitter would need to know.

I have these little plastic sheets which hold baseball cards, wallet-sized photos, or business cards.  I use these as my “tip” sheets.  I tuck important tips into the pockets, like, “How to wash cloth diapers.”  If my husband, or someone else, should ever need to wash these special items, they’ll have simple directions available.  (This is very important when it comes to cloth diapers since they need to be handled with specific care.)  These pockets also hold recipes for cleaning solutions (using household stuff like vinegar and baking soda).

I’ve seen many a home management binder (or folder), and I can tell you… everyone has something different.  There are so many things you can include in yours.  It’s tempting to load it up all at once, but I suggest you build it slowly.

Some of my friends have a divider for their meal planners.  Usually, I use Menus4Moms’ (free) weekly newsletter (which provides recipes and a master grocery list), so I don’t have do this.  I did a while back (when I had just one child), but not anymore.  When I don’t really care for the meal plan from Menus4Moms, I do a “restaurant inspired” menu.  These week, our menu was inspired by Chili’s Bar & Grill.

My favorite section of my home management binder is where I keep articles and notes I’ve printed from some of my favorite blogs or copied out of books.  They give me direction, encouragement, and, sometimes, correction!

The weirdest thing in my binder? Hmm, that would probably be the section all about unassisted home birthing.  When we were preparing for the unassisted home birth of baby Keagan, I printed out loads of information and put it in the binder for my husband to read.  If you want to read about his birth, CLICK HERE.

Anyway, that’s about it.  I am sure, in a couple months, I’ll have added more to the mix, but for now, it’s pretty basic (with the exception of the birth research).  Maybe I’ll have pictures for you later!

Btw, if you haven’t stopped by Noggin News, my homeschooling blog, please do so!  It has been updated (including a portion of my newest HOTM homeschooling e-zine article!).

Sometimes it’s fun to sit down with the camera and take a few goofy shots! Enjoy!

This adorable cloth-diapered booty is brought to you by Christy, who is selling me her never-used stash for a super good price!

It’s the fifth day of the fifth month, which marks my daughter’s fifth year of life.

Baby girl, nearly 5 months old.

Three precious years!

Four fabulous years!

And here we are, five. FIVE!

She’s slimmed down so much, lost the baby chub.
I cannot believe I have a five year old!
(And hey, I don’t have a 1 year photo because I’m too lazy to scan it!)

I’ve been “craving” a dog, and now I have one.  A lovely family needed to find a home for their one year old miniature pinscher-chihuahua mix, and I jumped at the offer, especially since she’s already house trained.

Her name was Gypsy, but the kids were dead set on changing her name.  N wanted to name her Stitch, but M refused the name, so he counteracted with Lilo (from the cartoon, Lilo and Stitch), which M still didn’t approve of.  After arguing about it in the back seat on the way home from picking her up, they agreed, Kiki.  She answers to it, so that’s good. Must sound close enough to Gypsy.

She attached herself to our family immediately.  We took her to Petsmart before we went home so I could pick her up a bag of food and a toy or two.  She has a personality as big as Texas.

While we were in Petsmart, N sees a huge dog coming in and he hides behind Kiki (who definitely NOT a huge dog) and says, “He’s a bad dog. Bad dog.”  A man standing next to us laughs, commenting, “Yeah, she is a big dog.”  I suppose, in my sons mind, big equals bad.  We’ve never had a big dog in his lifetime.  When Merikalyn was a baby, we had a mammoth of a dog- a husky/german shepherd mix- who would wack her across the room with her tail and send her into giggles.

Kiki seems to be a man-hater, but she eventually warmed up to Brandon, and he was able to pet her last night and hold her this morning.  She barks like crazy when a man tries to get close to her, and had nipped at Brandon a couple times last night.  He solved that pretty quick by showing her who was “big dog” when he bit her on the nose. 

These are the types of dogs that you have to be bold with so they know to be submissive.  She’s really good with me, but she has definitely had to learn that Brandon is “alpha-male”.

Here are a couple photos of our newest addition.  (She reminds me very much of my dog, Teekie, that I got when I was in junior high.)

Yours truly, with Kiki and M.

M pretends to be an airplane while Kiki snuggles up to me in the background.

Keagie and Kiki, what a wonderful pair.  (With Auntalicious Ashley)

I was taking my monthly bath this morning (haha, kidding on the monthly thing, I try to bathe a little more often than that), when Merika peered over the edge of the tub and asked,

“Do you think superheros need baths?”

Well, I pondered, I suppose, after all that superheroing, they are probably sweaty and stinky.

Merika dipped her finger in the water and swirled it around.  “Sweaty like you and me?”

Yep, sweaty and dirty.

She furrowed her brows in thought.  “Yeah, I bet they take baths.”

My question?  Where do these thoughts come from?

This week:  Have a picture of your desk or your children’s desk?  Post a picture in your blog, and send me a link!  Even if you’re not a homeschooling parent, I’d still love to see your work area!

My children don’t have desks. (Although, we do have a very cool vintage set of desks in the back of our yard that needs to be cleaned up.  It’s the type where the back of each chair has the table, or desk, attached.) However, I like having a desk, and so, I have taken an old island and turned it into my “work area”.  It’s located in the guestroom, and it’s my little “safe place”.  I read my bible there.  I design my daughter’s outfits there.  I make her hairbows there. I doodle (see the little cellphone I doodled on the yellow notebook?), draw, and journal there.  I have some of my favorite verses and quotes written on the chalkboard (which surrounds the top half of the room) and on post it notes.  I’ve also tucked some of my favorite photos here and there (like an old photo of my daughter in a pink frame, a couple photos of my parents, a pregnancy photo reminding me of how beautiful I felt with my big ol’ belly).  I also have some of my painted creations hanging out (the pink frame, the bird house tucked into the pocket… these are for my daughter’s room, once we finish remodeling it). One of my favorite things in this room is that pink checkered apron (tucked into one of the pockets on the left).  My great-grandmother made it, I believe.  It was passed to my mom, who passed it along to me a couple years ago.  I absolutely LOVE aprons.  I only have a few, but.. man, aprons are awesome. All in all, it’s my creative area.

For some reason, this room just makes me want to be quiet, and even the children, when they enter in, are a bit calmer as well.  I keep books and puppets in the room for them to play with should they want to join me. 

This room also doubles as the laundry room (the washer and dryer are in the closet), so I usually fold my clothes on the guestbed (after 5 loads of piled up… ha!). When I fold clothes, it’s a time of reflection.  Sometimes my daughter comes in and folds clothes with me.  She folds her clothes in perfect little squares.  Sometimes we chat, but usually, we just fold in silence.  I suppose you could say it’s time I spend talking to God.  I wonder what’s going on in that head of hers.

My title is a line from an Eminem song, if you recall.  I listened to his music when I was a teen.  I still love his style, but don’t listen to his music because it’s not very uplifting!

Things have been so crazy here.  I’m really looking forward to our Mid-March, er, I mean May (see how screwed up my brain is, especially when it comes to time?) holiday at the beach with my family (for a whole week!).  My husband and I have been sharing one vehicle for some time, which means the kids and I have been going stir crazy because we’re stuck around the house all the time!  This also means I haven’t been able to get out and run errands, because many of the places I need to go are closed by the time my husband gets home from work.

Fortunately, my husband was able to buy an old Jeep to use as his “work horse”.  Once he got it registered, I was able to take my van back, and so I have been running around like crazy trying to do things that should have been done long ago.  I have a load of packages that need to be mailed, and hopefully I’ll be able to do that this week.  This packages were actually suppose to be mailed months ago, but I sent one to the wrong address (I’ve been switching numbers around lately, so it was my fault as I messed up the zipcode or something).

I’ve been trying to prepare for our family holiday as well, and have done a wee bit of shopping (mostly for shirts and dresses, as well as some clothes for the kids for our family portrait on the beach).

Sunday night through Tuesday night, we had church services for our revival (and the preaching was wonderful, as usual).  God definitely convicted me of my sin and brought me before Him numerous times.  I was reminded that I really need to go to the Word and not to others for my guidance.  The world may believe in the “gray matter” or a rainbow of choices, but really, the Spirit makes things very black and white.

It is very risky for us to depend on our own wisdom and knowledge.  God’s plan is much greater, and, personally, I just feel a need to be ready and willing for whatever He asks me to do.  I want don’t want to be a “dormant” Christian.  I want to be active in fulfilling His great commission to spread the gospel Truth.

In all the chaos, I nearly forgot that we had a birthday party to attend today.  A friend asked me what I was doing on Saturday (today), and I felt like I had something planned, but had failed to write it down.  Thankfully, she clued me in that I was suppose to be going to our friends’ son’s third birthday party.

Good news for me:  Baby K is sleeping through the night, or, at least, has for the passed week.  I usually nurse him between 9 and 10, and he has been sleeping until about five.  This morning, he slept until eight thirty (maybe longer)! I was amazed!  I’ve been thankful for the uninterrupted sleep, although, this morning, I feared that something was wrong with him (you know how it is).

With my first two, I was constantly checking on them.  I’d place my hand on their back to feel the rise and fall of their chest as they breathed.  I haven’t been as paranoid with Baby K, maybe because my mind is so scrambled that I don’t have the time to check him every thirty minutes (haha).  Although, admittedly, I did do that for the first week or so of his life. 

Today has been a relaxing day.  I snuggled with my husband this morning, then forced myself to get out of bed and make a real breakfast for my family.  (Yes, I often give them a cup of yogurt or a granola bar and a banana when things are hectic.)  Afterwards, I took a relaxing bath, then realized I had 40 minutes until we needed to be at the birthday party, so we dunked the kids really quick and got out the door looking fairly presentable.  Woot. Go us!

Now, most of the family is napping, but I’ve been hooked into watching the History Channel.  I love watching these shows about the underground buildings/headquarters/bunkers in our world.  I’m currently watching one about Joseph Stalin’s underground military bunkers.  Very interesting.  The previous one was about the bunker built in Washington DC under a hotel.  I love this sort of stuff!  It’s educational as well!

Yes, I’ve been away for a while, but I haven’t forgotten about this blog.  (Although, when I’m gone for a few days, people begin to panic since I usually write daily.)

I’m taking a break from blogging and focusing that time on God.  I hope you all are doing well!  Leave me a note and let me know what you’re up to this week and what you’re looking forward to when summer rolls around!

Yesterday was a beautiful day, so I took the Keagsters outdoors for a few snapshots to document his seven months of age.  He had never really laid on the good ol’ earth before, so, at first, he wasn’t too sure about that…. grass… stuff.  Seriously, what’s up with this stuff.  It pokes and it kind of smells.  And hey, he’s a baby, he doesn’t know that little boys are suppose to smell like sweat and grass stains.  He thinks little boys are suppose to smell like fresh laundry and sweet milk.

He’s even holding his little hammer. I love to take pictures of the kids with their favorite toys or stuffed animals.  Keagan has yet to get attached to a stuffed animal.  Merika was a little under a year old when she bonded with Clifford the Big Red Dog, and I can’t remember how old Nolyn was when he picked out his stuffed puppy, but I do know he wasn’t a year old yet.

Oh, guess who just woke up from his nap!
Hope you enjoyed the photos!

My youngest child is seven months old today.  With each month, I ache as I realize he’s growing older.  I just want him to stay right here, at this stage. *Sigh*

He’s a jabberer.  His main phrase is “Ahhhhdadadadadadadadadadadada,” which of course, my husband believes is an effort to say his name.  Nevermind that “da” is the easiest thing for a baby to say.  (We’ll amuse the man and let him continue thinking this.)

He rolls and wriggles around pretty well.  He crawls walks his legs up until they’re practically up to his face, then slides forward.  Reminds me of a caterpillar.

His favorite toy is this plastic hammer.  It entertains him for quite a good while, sometimes even a whole hour!  He loves to crawl underneath things as well.  Brandon couldn’t find the little munchkin one day, then realized he had scooted himself under one of our big wicker chairs.  All you could see was his little feet sticking out!  So cute!

Merikalyn is turning the big one-two-three-four-FIVE next month (5-5-08).  She wants a Cinderella-Hannah Montana birthday.  No idea how we’re going to pull that off!  Maybe princesses holding guitars? Ha!

I think I mentioned this before, but I’ll mention it again.  I love watching my baby grow, but I just want to cherish every moment.  I don’t want him to grow up too fast.  My first two? Their babyhoods flew by.  I was eager for them to crawl, walk, speak…… but Keagan?  I just want to enjoy him where he is…. and I want to soak it all in.

Slow down, kid. Mom’s not ready for you to g