Whew!

I think she is on the mend. Praise Jesus!




Cheese!

Impressive?

*UPDATE*
I took Ella to the OD this morning and she diagnosed her with Pre-septal cellulitis. She is now on antibiotics. Hopefully they will kick in soon and she will start to look better. It doesn't seem to bother her, so that is good.

Ella woke up this morning like this. One eye swollen to the point almost shut. I waited most of the day before calling the Dr. to find out they were on vacation. Lovely.

Call our dear friend who is also a Physicians Assistant to ask her if I should take action to the ER. She came. She saw. "Impressive" she said. At this point we are treating it like an allergic reaction. Maybe to Hank the Guinea Pig. She gave her Prednizone. Lovely.

A two year old on steroids. Lovely.

Monday Menus

Monday: Taco Salad
Tuesday: Lettuce Wraps
Wednesday: Church BBQ
Thursday: Oriental Chicken Salad
Friday: Eating out/ Swim meet this evening

Sides this week will be lots of fresh veggies and melon.

Join Laura for more Monday Menu Plans ;o)

A new look

Ooooo...Look at my new blog!
Thanks to my lovely and very creative daughter.
Notice the 3 column layout? So smart :o)

Weekend update:
Lost 1/2 pound
Walked over 14 miles (with some jogging/plodding)
...ate at McDonalds (Quarter pounder with fries and drink)
...ate too much at a potluck
...had a wild cherry milkshake
...yummy, but bad food week
...I'll do better next week

A new appriciation

No my daughter doesn't dress like the teen in the picture, and no my husband doesn't wear a suit to work. And in reality I would not look so confident and brave. I would have my hand on my forehead and look like I am about to scream. I would also have several more kids around my ankles. Some not even belonging to me.

I have a new appreciation for my friends that are single moms.

It is really hard being the sole person in charge. No one to discuss important matters like parenting and discipline with. No one to give you a break at the end of the day. We are in our second of three weeks in a row Ron will be out of town with work stuff. He comes home on the weekend to sleep and to have the laundry washed.

This is hard stuff. I appreciate you my single friends.

My little entrepreneur

The guinea pig saga continues.

I told Eden on Monday that if she wanted the rodent she would have to make the money to get all set up. We figured it would be about $60 for everything. I thought I was safe for awhile. That is a lot of money for a 10 year old especially one that money burns a hole in her pocket. I figured she would blow a bit here and there on candy necklaces, Littlest Pet Shops, gum and such.

Little did I know that this little girl would earn all the money in three days! She sold kool-aide, Popsicles, and ice cream to the neighbors and earned all the money. It did help that her sweet sister Evie (7) gave her $20 for three Otter Pops. She tried to charge me for 2 otter pops for Ella (2) and Gracie (2). I told her forget it since I paid for all the merchandise to begin with that she was selling off. Last night we went looking for the guinea pig. Today we will go buy all the paraphernalia that goes with it and probably get the rodent this weekend. She is so excited and trying to think up a good name. Any suggestions?

When her dad called from camp last night I told him what had transpired this week and he just laughed and said he was game. Good thing because I think we are committed. ;o)

WEEKLY UPDATE:
Lost 1.5 lbs.
Walked 14.5 miles
Really watched what I ate this week. Wendi and I have been walking farther this week...and a little faster.
Running the .2 miles at the end is no big deal anymore. I am hardly out of breath so I think I need to step it up a notch. It feels great!

Finding the 'Thing'

Part of parenting is helping our kids become whoever it is that God has designed them to be. Unique. As much as I enjoy the differences of all five of my kids, I wish that they were more the same. That way the same principals would apply in the same way. Each of my children are so different (just like yours) and helping them find their strengths, talents, and gifts can be exciting and tiring. The older they get those traits naturally start to take shape.

It has been fairly easy to watch the two oldest kids (14 &11) fall into their strengths and gifts but our middle child, Eden (10), has been a bit more difficult to figure out. "Poor me" is her battle cry. Always the underdog. The victim. I know that those things come easily to the middle child, at least that is what Kevin Lehman and birth order will say. But oh my goodness.

This Summer in an attempt to find "her thing" she joined the city swim team. They meet Mon-Fri 8-9am. While the exercise has been good, I am seeing that team sports is really not her passion. She is much more interested in chatting with her new BFF Raven. They are always the last two in the pool, and when Raven is absent swimming is no fun for Eden. This morning at 7:30 I was trying to wake her up and her reply was "Please don't make me go, I am so tired." So I let her sleep wondering if that was right. After all she is a team member. She has made a commitment. She has a meet on Saturday. But then again, she is 10 years old.

I think this swim team experience is good for both Eden and I. It again confirms that a child has to LOVE a sport to justify this much commitment at this age. Eden loves to swim...just not like this. She just wants to play in the pool. Not work on her butterfly stroke. As much as I dislike the commitment of football in the fall our son is passionate about it. So we let him play and endure all the hours of practice and playing while cheering him on.

Back to Eden. She has recently decided that she doesn't want to go to college. Instead she wants to work in a pet store. Oh yes, she loves animals. Have I ever mentioned that I don't care for creatures in my home? She has decided that she would also like a guinea pig. My thoughts are this: Smelly. Dirty. Rodent. Cost me money. Nagging about clean up. Hairy. Dirty. Smelly. Did I mention stinky? But in yet another attempt to find Eden's passion we are in discussions and fund raising for the guinea pig. She had a lemonade stand this week which earned $9. I am of the thinking of 'prove to me how much you want this'.

Am I the only one that thought parenting was only about raising children and helping them to become whatever it was they were created to do? Because parenting has taught me also so much about myself and also God's role with us. Especially my impatience. I am sure He is smiling watching us try to figure these kids out.

Kids and messes

Katherine @ Raising 5 had a great post on keeping things picked up with the kids. She asked for readers to share how they deal with the messes that come with kids.

My philosophy is 'PICK YOU BATTLES'. There are certain things that drive me crazy.
*a dirty sink - either with dishes or just not rinsed out
*a sticky floor
*backpacks left in the living spaces
*jackets not hung up (or towels since it is Summer)
*dishes or food garbage left out
Most of the time I can deal with Mr. Potato Head pieces left out, blocks all over the floor, or the kids making a mess in the kitchen. That is unless something else stressful is going on and that one thing leads to a Momma Meltdown.

I want my kids to live, have a good time and make some messes. I also want them to know how to clean those messes up. All the way up. All my kids have chores that they are supposed to do and do do for the most part. They all need encouraging from time to time to make sure their jobs are done.

Yesterday in a very short amount of time we had two big messes. Eli (11) dropped a bowl of milk with cereal. It exploded all over the dining room and into the kitchen. Sticky milk mess. Then Eva (7) dropped a container of watermelon and it exploded on the other side of the kitchen. Sticky fruity mess. My flesh wanted to scream. But they were both accidents. They cleaned and helped clean up the messes and all is OK. Mom didn't freak (this time). My house may not always be tidy, but it is mostly clean. ;o)

With this many people living in the house and friends here all the time the house is going to get messy. That is OK. I found for my sanity I need to know what is important, what are my triggers, and live accordingly.

The Poser

Last week in a moment of impulse I bought a Prevention magazine/book at the check stand. Big promises of 'Drop 10 Pounds Fast', 'Walk off more calories', 'Kick-Start your Metabolism' and 'Loose Fat Everywhere' caught me and I could not resist. Don't judge me. I told you I was struggling with believing lies. ;o)

Last night I was reading/looking in bed at the section on Yoga. This is what the magazine said:

Yoga is a known stress buster, but it is also one of the most effective workouts for fighting stubborn fat stores, especially the ones that crop up after age 40. (Oh no! You mean there are more to come?) ...The following workout will do that while firming up your arms, legs, but and abs. Start now and see results in as little as 3 weeks.

Doesn't that sound just fabulous? 3 weeks to a stress-free skinny me! At least that is what it said to me. Ron leaned over to see what I was reading and gave me look that said 'You can't be thinking about doing that'.

I thought to myself as I looked over the pictures of the poses that it couldn't possibly be that difficult. The models made it look so graceful posing with big smiles on their faces, stretching arms and legs into into long and lean poses that told me it would be so easy. Poses with names like 'Cresent, Willow, and Rocking Boat'. I feel more peaceful already.

After my walk this morning I turned the book to the pages and tried to read the instructions while attempting to pose.

Stand with feet together, toes forward, and arms at sides. Inhale and raise arms overhead, reaching fingertips toward ceiling. Exhale and bend forward from hips, bringing hands to floor (it's okay to bend at the knee). Inhale, and as you exhale, step right leg back into a lunge. Inhale and raise arms overhead; gaze forward. Hold, then return to start and repeat, stepping left leg back.

Huh?

I am very much a visual learner so this did not go so well. There was only one picture for a pose and each pose had several steps. It was not graceful or stress-free. It also showed me I do not have the balance of a ballerina. More like a Weeble-Wobble. Thank goodness my bedroom door was shut and no one could see me. I didn't care too much for what I saw in the mirror either. Me wobbling and looking more like a crooked old Oak tree than a graceful Willow.

Maybe tomorrow I will try a little Tai-chi?

Sings My Soul

I have been lurking through the Sings my Soul Saturday at Amy's for several weeks. I like to see how music cooperates and works with the Lord as He teaches. So I thought I would participate this week.

God has been working on me with the lies that I tend to believe. Let me tell you friend, they are many. And they all have to do with my thoughts a post or so ago about 'Enough'. Although one part of me does not believe in lies, another part does. It is the struggle inside my heart for truth. I am working on listening to the Voice of Truth and believing Him above any lie.

Weighing in on the issue

Just a quick update as I am waiting for my little camper to run through the door at any moment.

No movement on the ticker this week. I suppose I will be OK with that. I have been walking farther this week. Wendi and I had a great walk on Thursday - 3 miles at a rather quick pace - it felt great.

I am trying to focus on all the positives about feeling better, walking faster and farther, eating right and being healthy. Trying not to focus on the number on the scale and the size of my pants. Way to go Wendi for dropping another pound!

I hope you all know that blogging about this is just my way of keeping myself accountable. I really don't want this blog to become all about my weight or my journey to loose the pounds. I just know me and if I don't keep myself accountable this way I will go bake myself some brownies or give into a big bowl of ice cream. So there you have it.

Yea! My girl is home!

The finished product

Here is the painting that I did for Eden's room. I wish I could take the creative credit for this, yet I cannot. Kim @ Lifesong posted a picture of her daughter's room and I really liked it...so I copied the idea.

I had asked Ron to help me come up with a good verse to put around the border. We came up with ideas like 'do all things without complaint' but thought that maybe we should have something a little more encouraging. This week in my bible study the verse just popped out and screamed that it would be perfect for Eden.

"And this is my prayer: that your love will abound more and more in knowledge and depth and insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Jesus Christ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Christ." Phillipians 1:9-11

That is really the prayer of my heart for all my kiddos, but it fit perfectly for this project. I would like to do something similar for each of the kids claiming an individual verse for each of them.

No other gods

I have been working on this Bible study this summer with a group of girlfriends and can I just say this is much harder than I thought it would be. The study is No Other Gods by Kelly Minter. I thought I would have this one in the bag. Just a sweet little summer study, no pressure, no conviction, no changes to be made. OK, maybe a little one here or there but nothing life changing or altering. Then God shows up...hmmm...leave it to HIM to get in my business. This morning as I was walking with my music it seemed each of the songs that were loaded on the player was speaking directly to my issue. Argh!

The study is about confronting the idols in your life. I was thinking big, hairy, ugly, obvious idols. You know like a golden calf, something like that. Not the more subtle one that has been clinging to my for well, let's just say a very long time. I knew it was there and I always struggle with it, but I never considered it an idol. The author defines an idol as anything that we place too much value on. Something that takes the focus off of the Lord and puts it somewhere else. Another word she uses is 'functional idol'. The verses that the study starts with are in 2 Kings 17:33 "They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods." and 17:41 "Even while these people were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols." These were believers loving, worshiping, giving to God, yet serving their idols. This has really been hitting me this week. One my walk one of the songs was Jeremy Camp's 'Enough'. Especially theses lyrics:

And all of you
Is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with your love
And all I have in you is more than enough

Even though I know all the words to this song and sing it loud, I really don't think I believe it. If I did I don't think I would let some of the things that occupy my thoughts be there. I don't think I truly believe that God is enough. Ouch. If I did believe this I would not think so much about what other people think, how my kids act, how much I weigh, what I am wearing, how my hair looks, what grades my kids get, what people think about how well my husband does his job, or the kind of car I drive. This is just the short list. I could go on and on. Not that any of these things are bad to think about, it is just the value I place on them. These things are all just symptoms of the idol I have that needs to be put in it's place. So now I go to work on tearing down the idol...only with God's help will I be successful.

I can't believe that it is already past the fourth of July! Our family reunion was held in a forest area so there were no fireworks at all. So without the sparkly festivities it didn't seem much like the fourth.

I sent one of my kiddos off to camp this morning. I will be sending another one off each Monday for the next couple weeks. Ron and Emma leave next for youth camp and then Ron and Eli for boys camp. Eden was so excited she could hardly stand it. She was a bit worried she didn't pack enough candy...big worries.

Her room is all painted so this week I am working on getting her moved in and the room finished. This is the fun part! I am asking the Lord to give me a great bible verse for a piece of artwork that I am doing for the room. I will post a pic when I get it done.

Have a great Monday!

Happy 4th of July!

Just a quick update of the weight thing before we head out of town to celebrate with family for the 4th.

This week my ticker moved one pound. I will be glad to take it since I really didn't think it would move at all this week. I am so glad that I didn't buy that box of doughnut holes at the bakery the other day. I REALLY REALLY wanted to bring them home. They called out to me and promised to be my new best friends... but I knew they were just trying to deceive me. Have I ever mentioned that cake is my dessert of choice? Any kind of cake, even in the form of little seemingly innocent little balls of goodness. I really shouldn't dwell on those little guys so much or I might have to go rescue them after all. I don't plan of being too good this weekend. I do plan a trip to the Cold Stone Creamery just because it is tradition on this trip to make a big family trip to the store. Yum! Looking forward to that so much. Hopefully that will be the only binge of the weekend.

Wendi and I stepped up the walking a bit this week and walked over 2.5 miles a couple times. I also did some swimming. I am so glad for the really short hair cut I got a week ago. It has made the swimming thing much more appealing not thinking about doing my hair afterward.

Have a wonderful weekend celebrating with friends and family!

Kim @ Adventures in Switzerland has given me a little love. Thanks Kim!

When Kim received this award/tag she stated that she was surprised. I am amazed too that anyone stops to read the stuff I post about or come back after reading. I am certainly not the most entertaining, most theological, or even the most entertaining. This blog is mainly just a way for me to process what is going on in my life. A way for me to actually complete a thought in one place. Even if it sometimes takes days to complete it.

So this is the deal. I tag or share this award with all those blogs out there that I love, that I read regularly, that I relate to, laugh with, cry with…you know, that make my day. I will comment on their blogs to let them know they've been tagged and then they can link back to me when they've posted their taggees (I guess you'd call them).

Jamie @ Purposeful Pursuit - I love ya! I have the pleasure of calling Jamie a real life friend. I have been friends with her sister Beth for many years and I guess with that family if you get one you get them all, which is wonderful because the whole family just awesome! Including Wendi! I love checking in on Jamie everyday to see what antics her family is up to or what God is teaching her. I have to tell you Jamie is the real deal!

Second, I would like to share the award with Sarah @Life in the Parsonage.
Sarah makes me laugh! She just throws her stuff out there for all to see. You gotta love a girl who posts pictures of her before and after shots. Sarah also has a very compassionate side and love the people who live in her tiny town.

I guess why I like both these bloggers so much is because the are both married to the ministry. They make me feel like maybe we are not weird after all ;o)

There are a couple more bloggers I would like to tag....but they would have to be blogging or at least have a recent post! I'm just sayin'...

Imagine with me for a moment...

I have started painting Eden's (10) room. I had great visions of the end result. The quilt set I bought is green, yellow and white strips. Lovely and fresh. It reminded me of Spring, very light and airy. I took the sham with me to match paint. We picked out 'Darlin' Clementine green' (aren't clementines orange?) and 'Corncob yellow'. Do you have a visual? Good.

It all started out great. I got a fresh coat of white paint on the ceiling and trim. Ahhh...clean and crisp! Then I started to trim out the yellow. My first thought was 'Hmm...this is really yellow' After the yellow was painted I started with the green. I think it was mis-named. It should have been called 'Oh my hayday! This is really really green. Like neon LIME GREEN!'

It reminded me of a few years ago when I bought a new brown bed set for my bedroom. I wanted it to be relaxing and peaceful. So I bought some blue paint to go with the brown. I was wanting the spa type of thing. That is not what I got. My ever-so-decorator-savy sister in law came over and saw it and said "This is like a Blues' Clues kinda blue." Not exactly what I was going for. Not exactly at all.

When my mom saw it she told me I should always keep my blinds closed becasue it looked so tacky from the outside. Thanks mom. We lived with Blues's Clues for a year until my mom brought me over a 5 gallon bucket of bland brown paint that she got at Lowe's for $5 and said 'Here, my gift to you.' I think she really hated that blue.

I have come to the conclusion that I am good at picking neutral colors like taupe, beige, brown, etc. But I probably should stay away from the bold bright hues.

One a positive note Eden loves it! It is bright, vibrant and screams 10 YEAR OLD! I wonder if it will scream 11 YEAR OLD or even 12 YEAR OLD?