My Sweet Treats...

Spring has sprung in the south!! The warm weather is finally here which means one thing.... GARDEN!

Yesterday hubby brought home 4 beautiful roma tomato plants and our veggie garden has begun. It joined the Oregano that is coming back with vengeance from last year and about 25 strawberry plants .

The kids and I are so excited to begin our gardening adventure. It has been a long gray winter and the sun is badly craved!

All my perennials are popping their heads out of the soil. Every morning after the kids are fed, I make my rounds. My neighbors must think Im crazy but I don't care. Nothing makes me happier than visiting my gardens and watching my flowers grow. I sit outside for an hour or so just enjoying the wonders of nature.

Its the small things in life that make life so good!

I May Not...

I may not be rich....

but money cannot buy giggles and kisses from my little ones.

I may not have the newest and nicest car...

but money cannot buy one on one conversations with my older girls.

I may not have the biggest house...

but money cannot buy the amazing times we have shared our home with friends and family squished around our table sharing our hearts.

I may not be able to buy the nicest clothes for my kids...

but who needs nice clothes when we are trekking thru the creek or planting our garden together.

I may not be able to go out and eat like the rest of America...

but then my kitchen would be empty. I would not be able to laugh with my kids as we cook dinner together and then eat our hard work!!

I may not be able to vacation 3 times a year to exotic places...

but what fun would I have without all the children I love???

I may not be rich but I would never know it because to me, Im the richest girl in the world!

Here He/She is...

At 9 weeks and 4 days our baby is growing strong!!!!

10 Weeks

Today I am 10 weeks!!!! My Drs appt went well and my little teddy Graham has a strong heartbeat and is measuring just right!!!

I am still sick so please excuse my delay in posts. Shame on me for neglecting my precious readers.

Im rejoicing though even thru the stomach pains. 30 more weeks before I hold my precious bundle!!!

Yesterdays Fun!

Yesterday was our neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt.

A lot of time and love went into preparing and hiding all the eggs for the kids.

My Little Red House was invaded by little hands searching for that coveted golden egg.

Our firemen came and chatted with the kids and talked about fire safety.

Neighbors came out of hiding to meet and greet each other.

and my Abby-girl hid in the corner when she thought no one was looking and ate thru all of her candy...

We Are Busy Today...

Enjoying the sunshine!

Our Black Beauty...

Our Little Red House has been busy. Our Big Black Van has taken a turn. Something is amis with her and needs fixin. Im not upset. She has high miles and has been oh so good to us for so many years.

When we got her I was pregnant with #4… Noah. We had spent the previous months praying for a van and God gently placed this big monster in our laps. We were instantly in love..

We drove her off the lot and straight to a friends house to celebrate. Right there in the driveway, she was prayed over. A prayer of 400,000 miles plus. We are not there yet but have not had a problem with her in the 4 years we have had her. ( Besides normal maintenance)

Anyway, today hubby will start performing “open heart surgery” on her. We hope and pray all will be well in time for this VERY warm weekend coming up.

Until then I will try my best NOT to go bonkers by being locked in the house…..

We Have A Winner (sort of)

We have a BOYS name! To be quite honest, we have had it for quite some time but just the idea of being able to use it gets me so excited. As for the girls…

Maisy

Daisy

Olivia

Sofia

Mia

Lilly

Lila

Anna

Elizabeth

Not so much. After reading a book entitled “One Gazillion baby names” , we still came out with nothing….

Having Girls...

Whenever someone hears that I have FOUR girls living under one roof, I always hear the same things....

"Oh you poor thing..."

"Ugh, your husband is gonna run away..."

"I feel sorry for you in a few years..."

I love to turn the tables and tell them that they are the ones that are crazy. I love having all these girls around me. For me, having all these girls (and possibly more) couldn't be better!

The reasons are endless:

Bows

pink

dresses

princesses

long hair

pink

shoes

dress up

giggles

constant chatter

instant-friends

company in the kitchen

shopping partner

companion

I know that no matter how old I am or how grown my kids will be, my home will always be full. Girls come back and with them come their life.

My kitchen will always be full,

My house will always be full of chatter

and my door will always be open.

When all those people that consider kids (girls) useless and bothersome are alone, my quiver will still be full. Perhaps then, I can invite them over and give them a glimpse of the blessings they missed out on all these years.

The Name Game

And so it begins....

What shall this new little one be called? I know Im only 8 weeks and 3 days but I need a plan! A call to arms is in place and the name game has begun.

Unlike most of America, I have already named 5 children... 5 of the best names in the english language. Im out of ideas. Done. Empty.

If this poor baby is a girl who knows what the name could be.... or how long she will be on earth BEFORE actually having a name.

Every name I like, hubby doesn't.

I mention a name and one of my precious, nosy, opinionated children just raise their eyebrow and casually turn to Dad and say..." um NO dad!!"

Lovely kids.

We have a theme. Classic 2 syllable names. Pretty, old-fashioned and sometimes biblical.

The heat is on. Everyone has an opinion.

So... whats yours???

Let there Be 6...

" I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made ; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well... " Psalm 139 :14

On Valentines Day I got an unexpected surprise. We were shocked, happy, scared and in complete disbelief. God answers prayers. Even in ways we wouldn't expect.

" He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord..." Psalm 112:7

February 25th, after days of blood work and number counts, the time came for a sonogram. At exactly 6 weeks I got to see a heartbeat. A strong beautiful, rhythmic heartbeat.

" He will cover you with His feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." Psalm 91:4

I am exactly 8 weeks and 2 days along. I wait in faith that God did not give me this baby in vain. I have kept it a secret for too long. Its time I come out and share this journey with all of you... no matter what the future holds. Life is not always perfect. Its filled with hurt. Last night a friend told me that sometimes the devil wants us to remain quiet. Being isolated and oppressed makes him dance with glee... But its times like this that believers need to stand together.

So I ask for your prayers for my family and we tread on this very unexpected journey. We have no control. It lies all in our Saviors hands. Sometimes thats the hardest.... letting go. Not knowing and having to go with the flow...

Right now I will celebrate because I AM having a baby. A baby thats already anticipated and dreamed about. A baby that is so loved....

Motivation...

I have NO motivation today. Im not feeling well, the rain is coming down hard and my toes are cold. 3 out of my 5 kids are not dressed. Im not sure when school started and my bigs are teaching the littles out of books they got from Chic-fil-A. (Very educational I might add...really!)

Emma needs help in math, Hannah needs help studying for a Language Unit test and loads of laundry await my hands.

I would give my new Coach pocketbook for a big plate of Olive Garden right now. (complete with salad and breadsticks of coarse.) They don't deliver and that makes me sad.

I think I will take a nap...

I discovered...

The wonders that can come from cans of black spray paint. Im truly addicted. Things that were old and ready for the trash can now be made new!

Nothing is sacred.

For $2.97 I can change the world.

Oh, and did you see that blue Rooster on the stool? I just couldn't leave Ross without it. Hubby just shook his head when I showed him my treasured find. I just love him!!

I can't wait for Spring. My perennials are peeking thru. Its almost time.....

Happy Sunday!!

Happy Sunday to everyone. The weather here has been fabulous and I have been spending most of my time outdoors playing with the children and soaking in as much Vitamin D as my body will allow.

This weekend hubby ripped up another patch of sod and planted 20 more strawberry plants. He has been diligently checking temperatures and covering them at night to make sure they survive the cold temps at night.

The seedlings are tiny and so delicate but their root system is strong. They might flinch at a gust of wind or shudder at a cold dew drop but they will survive.

The spring time always reminds me of my children. Many times I have compared homeschooling my precious brood to growing a garden. The backlash received from many homeschoolers is that they are sheltered... ill prepared for life or have no way of dealing with the world. Oh how wrong those people are.

My children are precious little seeds who I sprout in my home. Just like gardeners do in the very early spring, I keep my children in an environment that is safe for their time. I teach them, love them, water them and pray for them.

All too soon my little seedlings will grow big and need to be transplanted. My safe warm, temperature controlled home will have to be left for the inconsistencies of the soil.

At the right time I will bring them out and let them go, I will watch from afar as my husband has been doing. We will run to them if they need us but mostly sit back and let nature take its coarse.

We are confident that they will blossom. We have prepared their root system well. They are now prepared for the season.

I often tell my doubters that sending kids out for battle unprepared will only bring them back scarred and battered. Some children make it fine and others are destroyed.

The choice is up to each parent. For me, there is no choice. Nothing in life is guaranteed, but when looking back, I want to make sure I did everything possible to help them grow....

Praise...

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 NIV.

As I watch the news, talk to people or pick up the newspaper the same message seems to be abound. Life is HARD!!! It is. Anyone that deny's that obviously has no clue! Bills, job loss, illness, never ending car problems, relationship problems, kid-raising.... the list goes on and on. The news has been flooded with devastating scenes from Haiti, Chili and now Taiwan.

As I was having a moment this morning, my mind quickly shifted to Jesus. I began praying to Him and my mood lifted. Instantly I knew what had to be done... music. I went straight to my blog where my favorite songs are. Even as I type this, I have my playlist playing.

My thoughts are shifting to those that don't know Jesus. How do they manage? How do they face their trials? How sad and scary life must seem. How pointless and angry and bitter... When they are having a bad day, where do they go? How does their spirit get renewed?

Sometimes its easy to forget about Jesus. Self-pity and selfishness can easily crowd Jesus out of our life. We can get instantly swallowed up and drown in a sea of pain. But just as Jesus pulled Peter from the water, He can pull us out of ANY situation we are in.

Perhaps not in the way we want. The situation might still be there but He will give us a peace and a strength that can make us rise up higher than an eagle. We then, can soar above the circumstances.

Today I will focus on praise. No matter what comes my way, no matter how I feel, I will raise my face toward the sun and I will praise. When your heart is focused on Jesus nothing but a smile can be on your face. When you worship your creator, you push away the cares of this world.

So, today, I challenge you to do that. No matter what is going on in your life, push it away and praise the one who can renew. Instead of thinking about how horrible your situation is, smile and just praise. I promise you, your problems will seem alot smaller when your done. =)

Prayers Needed

Please pray for this little guy, who as we speak is undergoing risky open heart surgery in Charleston. His mom Rhonda is kind enough to be updating her blog for all those prayer warriors all over the world who have been following her story. CHeck out her blog for updates. His surgery will be ongoing for the next 7 hours. Perhaps a word of encouragement as well....

and for those who will say something negative to her for blogging while her son is in surgery... go away!

Some Little Red Updates...

Well, my sister is gone, the house is back to normal and I am able to blog again. Always so much to do and so little time.

Today was our official first "no company" day in a long time. It was so sad to see my sister go, but it was nice to have order restored. Rooms were cleaned, laundry was folded and put away and kids were back at the table working hard at school.

I had to push thru our routine as I am still not feeling well but am thankful that its not as bad as it could be.

I turned on the morning news to realize that we are getting yet another snow storm.... yes, you read that again... A-N-O-T-H-E-R storm. Did I mention I live in the south? Yeah, I forgot too. What a crazy winter. Up until this evening, we have been enjoying some spring like weather. The kids have been outside jumping into each other on the trampoline, I have been scouring the dirt for any signs of life from my perennials and staring at my seed packets just dying to plant. But I can kiss that all goodbye tomorrow as we get covered with more white stuff. Ugh...

But the good news is... it will be gone the next day and life will be back in the 50's. So I guess you gotta love the South after all right?

I lost internet again. For 1.5 days I had no contact with my keyboard. I was not happy (perhaps that explained the clean house??) I would love to say one of my kids touched something they shouldn't have but I can't. Hubby messed it up. Not sure how cause I just don't get the mumbo jumbo of cyber world but he fixed it good as new!

I spent the evening watching my hubby put together our new wet/dry vac for our deep garage cleaning soon to come. I was all excited to try a new white Queso dip I picked up at Target. But as soon as I put it in my mouth, it tasted like pure throw up. Gross. I have enough of that taste all day, don't need to add to it anymore!!!

My cousins are here!!! They are official South Carolinians. We welcomed them to their new home this past Saturday and helped them move... well I didn't help, I watched and ate ;) but kept them company none the less.... Its so nice having family close by.

Well my dear friends, Im beat. I will be awoken too early in the morning to the squeals of eager snow-deprived children who will want to play. I just wanted to take a minute to say hello and keep you posted on some of the things that are happening in our Little Red House. The best is yet to come though, so stay tuned....