Maybe its magic

I'm 3 for 3 on the kids-lovin-their-quilt adventures now.

When Maren was a baby, she didn't have a paci the first few months, but she was attatched to a silky 'lovey' that we called a Snugglie. In baby slang it interpretted as her calling it a "junny." Kellan was never attatched to a junny, but he did love his paci. And as he turned 2, he became attatched to a bear he named "Hackle" instead of his paci.

But Max hasn't shown any inclination of being attatched to anything. He refused the paci at 5 weeks old, doesn't have a bottle to claim as his security item, and could care less about dolls and blankets. Until last week!

My baby, the one who never sits still to snuggle, the one who still refused to go to bed and made sure to protest it everytime we'd just walk into the room with him... has now shown attatchment to his quilt! He'll snuggle on my lap and let me rock him to sleep! (never did that before!) And he will lay down in his bed quietly without the arched back and a "raaaaaaaar" to go with it. It has brought peace back to my baby!

And of all the blankets that the older ones have had, they still love the quilt that 'mommy made' the best. It must be some kind of magic.

Tasty Tuesdays 'whole grain' style

I've been trying to be more resourceful the last few years making my own of just about anything (i have yet to attempt pasta, though I really really want to!) And one of the last things on my list was pancakes. I admit, I usually just buy a mix from Arrowhead Mills brand. Why? They sound so easy? Not so easy in my opinion. I like whole wheat 'healthy crap' haha. And any recipe that I've tried from scratch tends to stick to the waffle iron, or pancake skillet. But I've had success! For those who like 'healthy crap', give this a try!

Buttermilk Wholewheat pancakes

In a large bowl combine these ingredients:
1 & 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tblsp natural sugar cane (sucanat, or turbinado also ok)
1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of sea salt

(mix together)

In a seperate bowl combine:
1 & 1/2 cups buttermilk (I used my own, try this recipe for butter and buttermilk!)
1/4 cup vanilla soy milk (if you use plain milk add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
1 large egg
1 tblsp veg oil

(mix together)

Add the wet liquid to the dry mix with a wisk, don't over mix. Some lumps are perfect! The mixture will become 'airy' with air bubbles, this is great.

Poor into a non stick skillet preheated on medium heat, there is no need to use a spray or butter. When you see a few bubbles begin at the edges of the pancake surface, it is ready to flip over.

Enjoy!

Bringing the mountain to Mohammad

One of the (many) blessings to having children, is that they remind you about what is important in your life. We missed church (again) today because Kellan seems to be having another inflammatory response, sore knees/elbows/eyes, not feeling well. I'm always leary of him catching something else on top of his immune system already being at its threshold limit. And Maren still has this annoying cough from post nasal drip. Though she's not contagious either, it bothers me when other people take their kids out thinking their low fever and green snot is no big deal! Uh, it is! I look at them with irritation wishing they'd quarantine their kids, Maren's cough would throw a few looks my way too. She could rival with the heaviest smokers today.

So she was upset that we stayed home, and since she got dressed before she came out of her room, she asked if we can have church at home. Excellent idea! After a nice breakfast (stay tuned for Tasty Tuesdays) we got dressed and had our own little church at home. Kellan said the opening prayer, Maren read a story from The Friend magazine about being honest, we sang some of our favorite primary songs, and Daddy closed with another prayer.

Then we went to "classrooms" that Maren had set up chairs. I taught the lesson about Earth, our universe, Heaven, and living with Heavenly Father some day. It made me miss my days as a primary teacher a little bit. (Cara, please don't get any ideas about this!)

But my favorite moment was, when classes were 'dismissed', Maren asked if she could stay longer in class and have me teach her some more. I must be doing something right with this child.

A very merry CHRISTmas to you :)

Our house has been filled with a little of this:

A LOT of these:

And has been immersed in a lot of this:

I made 10 loaves of bread, 15 dozen cinnamon rolls, 13 dozen cookies, 10 pints of vanilla extract, 18 jars of homemade hot chocolate, 10 half pint jars of sweet homemade butter, and a lot of love in the gifts we gave to friends and family this year.

Usually we just send a card, and sorry Utah family, that's all you got too. Fresh baked goods just don't ship well. But with a lot of illnesses this year, we have had a lot of love through it all, (and many meals) and I know this in no way repays what was given to us through service and love of all those good people... but I hope it helped repay a little!

"Because I have been given much, I too must give. Because of thy great bounty Lord, each day I live. I shall divide my gifts from thee, with every brother that I see, who has the need of help from me. / Because I have been blessed by thy great love dear Lord, I'll share thy love again according to thy word. I shall give love to those in need, with every brother that I see, thus shall my thanks BE THANKS indeed."

My 'A-ha' moment

I've been re-reading a favorite book of mine called 'A new Earth' by Ekhart Tolle. And the other night while I was reading my scriptures, a phrase from his book came to mind.

I was reading different passages about the virtues and nature of Jesus Christ, not just his teachings and works. But who HE was as a person. And as I gave thought to what he identified with, which was nothing, it made the guilt of what I identify with seem heavy.

Ekhart Tolle talks about 'Ego' as identification having a form. Meaning, who we 'think' we are is based on what we are surrounded by. I tend to identify with my gender, or being a mother, or my religion, my family, my health, my checkbook, my home, and more. We create around us a false reality to allow ego to survive in how it 'thinks' our life should be. And sometimes what we 'think' is reality comes from resentments of what we think we deserve that we see others having. Or what we think others do not deserve.

If you're with me so far, thanks! I promise there is a point.

So in contemplating about how we 'think' I started understanding the wisdom of the commandment "Thou shalt not covet." It isn't because it's mean spirited towards someone else. I mean, it is. But to covet is to establish one person as superior and the other inferior. To judge the fruits of someone else's works against your own. Which in turn, feeds the ego to determine how reality should be to survive the tumultous world that we live in.

So back to Ekhart Tolle's book, he said something that I contemplate often. "I am not the thought. What liberation to realize I am not the voice in my head. [or the feelings i acquire.] Who am I then? The one who sees that. The awareness prior to the thought, the space in which the thought- or the emotion or sense perception, happens."

So if I am not my home, my religion, my gender, my many things that I do and act by every day, but I am the thought preceeding those things, the wisdom of "Garnish thy thoughts unceasingly" becomes very valuable. And to shed the tendency to covet, and judge others, I have tried to give more weight to the thought of it first, and turn those thoughts into admiration for that person's hard work or sacrifices that gave them acquisitions of which I might tend to covet.

In everything of this world, there is a spiritual and a physical element. The tangible, and the ethereal. The creation, and the birth. In physical birth, there is a transition period before something comes from the spiritual world, into this world. Much like the dark and the light, the greatest stillness and silence in the world is in the darkest part right before the dawn. The calm before storms. The thought preceeding the reaction or the identification. That is where spirit speaks, where God lives.

And it all came back around for me when I read in Exodus, as Moses spake to God, and God told him to tell the children of Israel that he would deliver them out of Egypt. Moses asked God "What is his name [who sends Moses] what shall I say to them?" "And God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM, and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."

His name is his nature, he is omnipresent. In all things, the beginning AND the end, no time or identification of any one thing, he is eternal. Jesus Christ taught "At that day ye shall know that I am in my father, and ye in me, and I in you." (John 14:20)

The place of my origination is stillness, from which all creation originates. -Wayne Dyer

Goings on

I was so impatient getting Christmas up this year, because the past few years have been in limbo around Christmas time. We closed on our house 3 years ago and barely got our tree up the week before. Year after that my brother was married Dec 28th so I was in Utah, and Christmas was celebrated early and simply. Last year our house flooded and again found myself in Utah for several weeks, and came home to a hotel for a few days while we waited on floors to be finished. Then it was like moving in again, everything had to be unpacked and put back, Christmas was barely celebrated.

So this year, I had every intention of putting it up early before our trip to Utah, so that it would be up and celebrated beginning after Thanksgiving, as I usually like to have done! Ha! That didn't happen either. I was fighting hard to get over pnemonia so I could go on the trip, and then we caught a stomach bug from flying home. So after much chaos in the Moore household, we put it up. The outside stuff is yet to be completed, but it's almost there too!

But since Max is now walking (yay!) and grabbing everything (boo!) I was not going to deal with broken ornaments, and pulled decorations 50 times a day. When Maren was my only baby I had time to sit more with her, and redirect her. Max is left to his own demise to play during different times of the day, so I know better! I've heard people say- but have never really known anyone- to decorate just the top half of the tree. So yes, that is what we did. And no extra lights this year either for Mr Grabby hands to pull strands and possibly pull the tree down too. Just the basics.

But it's still purdy! The kids love the icicle lights over the porch, and the magical calm ambiance the soft lights bring. They curl up under the tree in their jammies and whisper to each other, and I could care less if there was only one ornament on the tree, my kids GET what Christmas is about, and they think it's the most beautiful tree they have ever seen. Sweet success!

And to this Utah girl, what's a holiday season without a little snow? We saw a possibility in the forecast, a girl can always hope! So we were singing "We need a little Christmas, right this very minute" last night as I cooked dinner. I didn't think the universe would take that literally. And I didn't expect it to come in this form:

That's our air condensor unit outside. Iced over. The ducts in our house have been so clogged since the construction dust last year ripping out all of our floors and cutting into drywall. And we haven't had the ducts cleaned. So appearantly the unit was pulling cold air from outside, but couldn't push through for warm air inside! And it started to produce frost, and covered the machine from the inside-out. I'm actually thankful I have a small house where my oven was sufficient enough to heat it up, we managed to stay warm. But this snow has got to go!

Questions about Vaccinating

Several friends have either asked me for themselves, or for another friend of theirs, questions regarding life of not vaccinating kids. So this information is what I have found helpful that might be beneficial for some of you, or to pass along to your friends.

Vaccinations and Hospital births:
Read the admittance paperwork carefully, or if you're in labor, have your partner! Talk about what you want to do before hand regarding Hep B shot, Vitamin K shot, and even the Eurythromycin eye ointment. All of it is able to be refused if that is your choice. In every state.

Finding a pediatrician:
Remember they are employed by you, not the other way around, so assert your parental authority and feel free to shop around, don't feel like you have to stay with one that doesn't work for your choices. Interview a few of them before you schedule your child for check ups. A few questions I asked when meeting with them were things like "After a lot of research, we feel the best choice is to exempt our child from the recommended vaccine schedules, will you still treat our child for any illness they may encounter, and well child visits? Do you have other patients who do not vaccinate for different reasons?" If the doctor says "It's my opinion that vaccines are necessary, and you are putting your child at risk..." or anything like that, then they will not be supportive in any circumstance that you wish medicinal intervention for an illness or may become pushy for vaccines at each well child visit you do.

Or you could just cold call and schedule an appointment at a pediatrician that a friend recommends. When calling, just simply state that you need to make a new patient appointment for your child, don't ask them any questions at that point. If *they* ask any questions about vaccinations or immunization records, simply state "my child is exempt." And they usually proceed with the next question to schedule the appointment. A doctor's office is not allowed to discriminate or terminate patient relationship based on vaccination status if the laws are complied by. However, many do encourage their scheduling staff to discourage the caller trying to set up a new patient appointment. So it's best to shoot straight, get to the appointment information, or they will tell you upfront they are not accepting any new patients in general. Don't bring up anything controversial until you have an actual appointment with a Doctor, not the telephone staff.

Look for a naturopathic doctor (N.D. instead of M.D.) they are more familiar with other means of prevention besides vaccines, and other methods of treatment besides prescriptions, so they are logically more inclined to be supportive of that lifestyle rather than just tolerant.

Also, a Chiropractor has the same hours of education as an AAP Pediatrician and more in some subjects. So for childhood growth and development, they are also a good advocate to see to your child at different stages.

Filing an exemption:
Every state offers a medical exemption, filed with your doctor and some states require them to be filed with the Health Department as well. These are for adverse reactions to a vaccine, not for the elective choice to not do the vaccine schedule. Most states also allows a religious exemption. Only 22 states allow a Philosophical- which is basically saying "This is what I feel is best" kind of exemption. Click HERE to find out which state exemptions are allowed in your state.

Public schools must allow attendance of any child who is current with either an exemption or a vaccine record. Private schools, and day cares are allowed to discriminate or refuse to allow enrollment. I have found for my experience that a *Religious exemption* has been met with less of a battle than I had expected otherwise. Here is an example of a letter that was given to our children's schools as per the NC State requirement for a Religious exemption. Here is a more detailed example of religious points of view to consider, but in my opinion, simple is best.

This website has a plethora of information regarding headlines of recent vaccines, ingredients, studies, and so much more if you're interested in researching for yourself this decision.


Also, the old saying "It's better to ask forgiveness than permission" applies here too. Don't bring it up in the beginning of any introductory setting other than pedatrician interviews. If you wish to enroll your child in a preschool, public school, daycare, or private school, just go through the process as any other parent would. When asked for immunization records, your record is an exemption form or letter, which ever is required for your state and selected exemption. There is no difference for you in that process. If the facility is not familiar with this issue from other families going before you, they may ask more questions. But generally, if you are non confrontational about it, and supply the proper information when needed, also being confident in your lifestyle and knowledge, you'll find a smoother process of functioning within main stream.

Red at night, a sailor's delight

If we don't get snow in the winter (except for the one fluke day every now and then) then atleast we get a view like this from our front porch. I wish my camera did better justice for what an awesome sunset it was last night!

Life lesson # 87,493

The saying goes something like "Life will give you the lessons that you need to learn and grow." And usually when you've gone through a trial, you look back at it and with the beauty of hindisght, you realize why you've gone through that, hopefully not repeating it too.

But the trick is to figure out the WHY so you don't have to endure it so long, right? Well, I seem to be surrounded by stupidity. So I'm trying to figure out WHY. It must be that I need to either learn 1) a silent tongue (not my first vote, but I'm willing to consider) or 2) tolerance. Or could possibly 3) being more in-yer-face be acceptable in a lesson to learn? Because I've been going with 3 lately.

When we were in Utah, we stopped at our favorite chain, good ol' Starbucks and picked up hot chocolate for everyone back at G'ma's house. Our order was for *12 drinks,* and the girl says to James at the window "Would you like a drink holder?" And blinked ever so innocently. I couldn't keep it back, I very clearly said "Uh, yeah, several please." with so much sarcasm that James actually pinched me.

Lets just say for the record, I have always been sarcastic yes, I admit. But rude, no. (ok, occassionally rude. Give me a break.) And lately my nice-people-person filter has seemed faulty. I've stuck my foot in my mouth way too many times recently, called many on their bluffs in a not so nice way, and I have had to distance myself from several people to refrain from saying what I really want to say! So if you've noticed a decline in our conversations, it could just be nothing, or it could be my way of not wanting to hurt your feelings. This has not been a fun lesson to be learning, so I apoligize in advance.

Home sweet home both here and there

A vacation is never a vacation when you practically take all the contents of your household, including several children, with you. Add in there 13 hours of airports, layovers, and crowds, its enough to make you wonder why ya do it! Long day, quick baths, and straight to bed put to close the end of a really good home visit.

I didn't take my camera, because I figured there are plenty of family members with cameras, it was one less item to pack. And not a single one of them thought to bring their camera to the blessing of the newest baby in the family, the family luncheon after, or the dinner that night. No one brought it to Thanksgiving, to the fun filled sleepover with 5 of the grandchildren at Grandma's house, or to just capture our fantastic faces that they don't see every day. That's what I get for figuring wrong! (*we did take several on James's phone, but it's just not the same, I won't share with you my pain of an uncaptured momentous vacation.)

We took advantage of having time with our kids that we don't otherwise get with life in the way, and enjoyed a dinosaur museum, playing in the snow, driving to all our old places of memories, christmas lights at Temple Square, and lots.of.food. James dubbed it the 'food-cation.' It was bitter sweet cooking lunch yesterday at home, oh how I got spoiled not having to fix 24 meals for 5 people.

As we drove around in Salt Lake City, everything was familiar of course, but disconnected. The mountains made me feel like I was safe in protective arms again, but made me miss all the trees I have gotten used to seeing around me for the last 3 years. I loved not needing so much time to get to places, I enjoyed seeing faces of people who remind me that I am loved, and I savoured the laughter from cousins playing together. It tugged on my heart strings to see them all cry so hard saying goodbye to each other too.

There wasn't a moment or place that made me want to say "this is where we should be." Because there is a lot about the sheltered convenient life that I don't want to assume again. But coming back to NC and seeing everything that is familiar here too didn't give me that "this is where we should be" feeling either. I was relieved to see my home was just how I left it, and I was grateful to be able to kick off my shoes so to speak and settle in. Our home has become a nice reflection of our personalities, our hard work, and our little family. I just wish I could take this, and all the things I love and miss about my other home, and fit them together in the same frame. Something is missing in my life and I can't figure out what.

You crack me up

Kellan has been on a roll lately. He's so hilarious, and the things that come unfiltered out of his mouth are absolutely adorable.

I told him last week "You crack me up!" And he says "I know, you crack me up too. But you have a bigger crack." Me: "What do you mean?" Him: "Your butt crack is bigger than mine."

Of course he's into all potty humor. Anything related to bathroom business sends him into hysterical giggles. What's up with boys about that?

He wanted to tell James that he had bad breath, but in his words it came out "Daddy, your voice is stinky."

And tonight, as he said his prayers, he was so reverent and big hearted praying for everyone he loves, apoligizing for shutting Max's fingers in the door, and then... with so much intensity, he said "Please bless that I can be an awesome sword fighter."

Oh boy. Boy oh boy. I love this litte man.

TV show fineprint: Not intended to replace professional medical advice

Last year I was really into watching ER, all of the reruns were being shown so I set my DVR and caught up on an entire 4 seasons of it.

A girl was in the ER in one episode, and she had an overly worrying mother. The mother warned her daughter about going outside in the cold weather with wet hair, said she 'would catch pnemonia.' To which Abby replies "The only thing you'll catch with wet hair is split ends."

And I thought "I knew it!" So my bad habits of running late, and being notorious for being the only mother to drop her kid off at preschool with wet, unstyled hair continued. Seriously, these mothers, I don't get 'em. Some of them you know they are on the way to the gym in their cute tennis shoes and yoga pants, Danskins support tank, visor holding back their perfectly curled hair in a pristine ponytail. I bet they don't even break a sweat during their work out because their makeup would drip if they did. Gag. I like to look nice, but that's just weird.

But I don't know that I believe Abby entirely. Because I DO shower as the kids are eating breakfast, then quickly run out the door as soon as we all have clothes on. And because I'm constantly sporting wet hair, AND this is the third time this year that I've had pnemonia, it really does make me think there's something to it!

Clutter into cash

I love the convenience of the internet! And I love that other people, like me, also love going there instead of dealing with traffic/cash registers/public to buy things. It's helped me thin out a lot of excess and make some mula back!

I sold our queen mattress set last month for a fraction of what we paid for it 6 years ago. But still more than James thought we'd get out of it. I'm sure the fact that I didn't say "Last baby birthed on it" in the listing might have helped a little! (breath people. It was waterproof covered.)

I sold a carseat, a baby activity center toy, a bookshelf and a chair on craigslist. I sold cloth diapers that Max outgrew on ebay, along with some clothes, bottles, nursing bra (new), and Bed Bath and Beyond coupons. Yes, seriously.

What cracks me up, is that the diapers I sold were used, and didn't even have some of the items that came with a "starter kit" of them, yet they sold for $1 more than what I paid for the starter kit of them! And the kids clothes? I buy them from Children's Place or Old Navy sales. My kids wear them. They're kept in nice condition sure, but I'm reselling them for what I've paid for them.

Now I've got a toilet to find its way to an eager buyer's home. I wish it would fit into mine! This one doesn't have the 'rim' that gets buildup to scrub underneath, it's smooth surface. If you could say a toilet is sexy, it's this toilet, seriously.

Who said raising kids is expensive? They never got resourceful on the internet appearantly.

Some people are like cement, totally mixed up and permanently set.

The saying should have gone more like "If you don't know what you're talking about, maybe you shouldn't say anything at all."

And for the first time, I'm thankful for interrupters, because it prevented me from getting really really angry at someone at church. Not the best place to rebuke, or is it?! So I'm venting it here. I have no clue if this person even reads my blog, but part of me hopes so. I am that.mad.

When you make a comment to someone like "If something went wrong, and you or your child was at risk, how could you forgive yourself? (enter intense eye stare here, to make it obvious 'yeah I"m talking to you' kind of a stare down.) I mean, really? How could you ever forgive yourself."

Wow. You really don't know me. I'm not a risk taker. I'm not a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of girl. I am probably over analytical at best, OCD information sponge at worst.

The conversation was about homebirth with someone else at church, who this person was sitting next to. And this person was also same person who took a LOT of opportunities to indulge scare tactics toward me because she thought my homebirth was wreckless and crazy. I'm sure a lot of people did. Same person also fabricated a 'near death' birth experience to try to convince me how necessary and exclusive hospitals are in the birthing process.

It wasn't something that I thought one day "Oh that sounds cool, I wanna try one" and decided to do it. And I can't think of a thing that I do in my life that is purely for a trend, unless you count paying taxes trendy, because that's one that I don't do willfully!

But I'm sure there are a lot of people who decide to have a homebirth because it seems more feminist, or spiritual, or anti-western medicine. For me, as with all decisions I make, it was a calculation based on options. For my health, experience, age, non medicated preference, it actually was the SAFEST option. You don't have to understand that entirely, because if you don't understand how I can say a homebirth is the safest option, then you probably just don't know that much about it. Period.

I'd hardly call a midwife who has delivered over 300 babies, with only 1% cesarean rate wreckless. A midwife, who had preparations for all of the "what if's" just like a hospital did. What if hemmhoraging, what if low heart rate, etc. And unlike an OBGYN, she was there monitoring the entire time. One who used treatments to prevent tearing instead of allowing it to happen by doing nothing, one who minimized stress and worry on the mother to improve the outcome.

I had prenatal care the entire time. Blood sugar check, iron levels, urine tests, weight, blood pressure, etc. I had an ultrasound to measure and observe vital organs of the baby's development. So the only thing I DIDN'T have, was the offer of pain medication. Obviously. And because I chose a homebirth, if the need occured, I could go have a cesarean at the hospital. Just like any other woman birthing at the hospital.

It wasn't done at home in squalor, without proper equipment to monitor the baby and myself, and it didn't lack the 'what if' preparations. So yes, I could live with myself if something unfortunate happened. Because I took every preparation that I could to prevent that. And just like hospital births, sometimes unavoidable things happen.

I read a fantastic article that might help people understand more why some women choose a homebirth. It uses the analogy of a marathon. I have no intention of running a marathon, but I have friends who have. They train for it. They maintain their health for it. They are educated about how their body will work to perform it. They prepare their endurance, their support, and they know the risks they assume with it. There is medical persons standing by in case of any 'what if' that was unforseeable. And running a marathon is physically excruciating at times for some, done without medication, and really hard work overall. But it isn't something they just woke up and decided to do one day. It takes preparation and knowledge. And it isn't for everyone. But because my friends want to run a marathon doesn't mean I feel like my choice to NOT run a marathon is better smarter or more right. It is just different.

Now, if I were ignoring advances or wisdom that we have of those who have come before us to avoid the 'what if's' and choosing a situation that rejected the best preparation, thinking that I am invincible to anything happening (whether it be a hospital birth, OR a homebirth) then you might have a point.

"Someday you're going to miss this"

I've been thinking lately about each age and phase that each of my children have gone through. None of them have had their 'firsts' in any common way. They have said their first words, slept through the night, first steps, and first foods all in their own time and their own way. So how can there be a standard when every child is so different?

I've been asked a few times if Max is weaned, because he is 1 year old now, that seems like the natural question to fly out of people's mouth. A little weird that they worry about that, but I get it. No, he isn't. I don't know when he will be either! But I'm loving that. With my first, I pushed and anticipated each phase that I missed out on enjoying a lot of the in betweens. AND she was very colicky (is that even a word!) so that phase didn't last long with her. She is and always has been Miss Independent in every way. Kellan was my nonchalant little dude. He just goes with the flow for everything. But Max, he's my medium ground, the one that doesn't go with the flow for everything, but the one that isn't the most difficult either. I have to use my instincts and go by his cues for much much more.

I try often to remember each of them at various ages that I enjoyed, I always find myself saying "I don't want to forget this."

My favorite age with Maren has probably been 5. Her horrible once a month tear-down-the-house tantrums stopped, her independence and confidence sky rocketed, and she has been so loving and giving with compliments, really showing me that she is watching what I say and do, and at this age tries to be just like me. It really helps me watch my actions.

Kellan is my clown. My favorite age thus far with him was 3. 4 has been a difficult time with him! His hyperness multiplied by a thousand, but so did his inquisitiveness. He went from my 'eh, I don't want to learn' kid, to the little boy who can write his name all by himself and is shadowing his sister trying to read like she can.

Max is my sweetheart, and 1 is always a favorite age for me. He 'sings' and bobbles his head, dances and bounces all over. He needs reassurance and praises for his confidence, but that is OK! I love when he leans in for a kiss when he's shy, the pouty 'oh' lips that he makes, and his obvious adoration of his big brother and sister.

But I know moments with each of them will be difficult. And rewarding. Each in their own season. They'll test me, they'll test themselves, they'll find their testimony, their passions, and places. I just hope they remember and learn the virtues I am trying to teach them. But every time I find myself getting more frustrated than I probably should, or being the "no nazi" too much, I keep saying "Why not? Why are you so mad?" And I always hear a quote that I have burned in my memory...

"You're not managing an inconvenience, you are raising a

human being."

-Kittie Franz, American Pediatric Nurse

The goose drank lime

The real lyrics are:

3,6,9 The goose drank wine, the monkey chewed tobacco on the streetcar line.

The line broke, the monkey got choked, and they all went to heaven in a little rowboat.

My mommy told me, if I was goody, that she would buy me a rubber dolly.

My auntie told her I kissed a soldier, now she won't buy me a rubber dolly.

And Kellan has also learned "Rubber baby buggy bumpers" so he created his own rendition of this song. Which I happen to like better ;)

What's on the menu

I love fall. I love cooking. Having something yummy in the crockpot after coming home from getting the kids from school, or taking them to ballet, always makes me feel like someone else is taking care of *me* instead, haha. A little psychology I'll leave you to figure out.

Here's what I've got on the menu for the next week or so, maybe it'll help if you're in a decisive funk like I have been a lot recently deciding what to feed my family.

BBQ Chicken Pitas, steamed carrots, corn on the cob

Turkey Chili, Cheesy jalepeno corn bread

Russian Chicken, brown rice, french cut green beans

Spaghetti & Meatballs, Caesar salad, garlic bread (*yes, Spaghetti in the crockpot too!)

Chicken Parmesean, baked spinach linquini, parmesean breadsticks

Roasted Red Pepper w/ Basil Pesto soup, baked butternut squash

Orange Chicken, vegetarian potstickers, sweet peas

Hickory smoked Salmon on the grill, rice pilaf, creamed broccoli soup

Chicken Fajitas, sautee'd peppers, tatertots


Yes, my kids eat all this. Yes, it's mostly organic, or atleast natural and most of it homecooked instead of kit-prepared. And no, I don't spend a fortune on groceries. But I am farther away from my desire to eat more vegetarian!

Auto Pilot

I think I've figured out how to survive on 4 hours of sleep a night down to a science. Of course, 6:30 bedtimes are mandatory for this equation.

I went grocery shopping this morning, even though every cell in my body was telling me to stay home and put on Yo Gabba Gabba for Max so I could lay on the couch and take a nap. But then I would think of going later in the day with all 3 kids and I'd immediately break a sweat. No way. So I went out this morning. 45 minute drive to Trader Joe's, shopping with just Max, 45 minute drive back. I wanted to stretch out the peace and quiet, so I sat in the dining area of Starbucks and savored a breakfast wrap with an eggnog steamed soy. I LOVE the time of year when Eggnog shows its face!

Picked up Kellan, put groceries away, made lunch, put away 3 loads of laundry (all while on the phone with my mom) and then it was time to get Maren from the bus. I figured the boys would sleep in the car. They had other plans.

I then went to vote, went to the chiropractor so we could all get an adjustment, and then to Walmart.

I wish I could say this was all I did today, but all mom's know how much taking care of kids ALSO entails. And how much brain power you need to pay attention to several of them! Did I mention I did all this while running a fever? I thought I was just achey and in desperate need of sleep... yeah, that too, but my Chiropractor noticed it, and took my temperature. 100.6, cool.

And that is why all kids were in bed by 6:30. But who's going to do the dishes? Has anyone seen my husband?

Halloween

Super Mario and Princess Peach really were a cute duo this year.

And what's a pirate without a parrot?

Max cooperated well, and just like my other kids, he will pose for the camera, I love it! We had a lot of fun, a lot of festivities, and now time to go through the candy take my portion, a few for the kids, and gradually work the rest of it into the trash over time without the kids noticing!

No worries

I'm fine. I feel better after getting that off my chest. I think I may make my blog private, and I found an online job writing opinion articles for an associated editor for various magazines, I might look into that for an outlet of my thoughts. That way my blog will only be filled with all the fuzzy warmsies of babies, vacations, school, and holidays. My shift of becoming a Stepford Wife to fit in is almost complete, haha.

Leave me your email address in my comments so I can send out invites to be a reader.

To quote a few friends...

Betsy, your randomness posts is something I'll probably channel here. I have no point specifically.

Debbie, I loved your quote in your last post: "Expectations are premeditated resentments."

Kari, your 'about me' that says: "I have opinions. I use them. I really don't care if you don't have the same opinion. But you don't have to put me down for mine. I wish we could be more honest with each other without causing too much pain. "

I'v had my feelers hurt lately. And I realize that a lot of it has come from a necessary process of weeding out. Sometimes its a funny process of figuring out who good people in your life need to be. And who does not need to be in your life.

One thing about me is that I do have opinions. I do think a lot. Read a lot. Try to self educate a lot. I don't have to be right about any one of them. But I do know what is best for me. I also like to conversate. I find it very enriching to engage in conversations with intelligent people, and also find out about what is impactful or personal to them, see their point of view, and learn something from each other.

However, if the only reason that you read my blog is to look for something to criticize about, judge about, or entertain yourself in any other way at my expense only without contributing in any way to my life... seriously... do some reflecting.

Because if I, in some way, voice an opinion that you didn't like, which you didn't bother to expand your own thoughts on a subject, and only harbored contentment against me about it, then Debbie's quote might apply to you. I am not here to meet anyones expectations. I am a real person. A mother, a friend, a sister, a daughter, a wife, an activist, an involved community member, a volunteer, a daughter of God, a missionary, a Christian, a GOOD MANY THINGS.

But what I don't aspire to be is your enemy, your conversation piece, your unmet expectation, your pre-determined person of judgement without bother to know about me, your door mat, your therapist, or your temp service go-to guy.

I do live my life with a "pay it forward" attitude. I look for many opportunities to serve other people. I love freely. I don't harbor resentments. I forgive fully. I am diverse. I love friendships that help me be a better person. If you don't fit in the same categories, and you find yourself feeling resentments towards me in any way, then maybe my unmet expectations you had about me needs some reflection.

Offense is NEVER intended. And can only be experienced by being taken.

I will always have a lot to say as long as God blesses my mind and my heart, I will continue to use my voice. Because sometimes, in someway, it has been a blessing for someone. You're not obligated to read my blog. Just keep in mind, I'm a person. And the resentment that you carry around is probably by your own aquisition of it, because I don't deliver any of that around here.

Max's moves n' grooves

For Grandma. (mostly)

I tried to get Max singing, he was pretty much done when I started recording him. And he was losing interest in his activity, so you get the tail end of his 'bobble bobble 'dance moves. But it's still cute!

If it's not one thing, it's your mother.

Or so it seems for Max these days. He's in real "mama boy" mode.

A few months ago, we traded the sleepless days of no naps because of an ear infection, to the sleepless nights of teething. And it stayed that way. Man, that kid gets on a routine easily, too, but only when it's his idea.

So James agreed to help out at night times with Max. He gets up about twice on average. And he hollers! Boy howdy. I think it probably took me some time to tend to him once or twice, and he got it into his head that is how to beckon mama, so he just skips all the in between and starts right off hollering at the top of his lungs for someone. James will go in and see him, lean over and hug him as he stands in his crib, then lays him down. He willingly goes back to sleep with no fuss.

But if mommy does it? He keeps popping back up after I lay him down. And skips the pleasantries and goes right for the hollering. Again. And again. So good thing James is willing to help out at night, because Max is cooperating for him. He doesn't want Daddy in the same way, so he doesn't care, he goes back to sleep easily.

How are naptimes now? Crap. Because James isn't here all day too, naturally. He is at work. And Max has decided to play the up and down Jack that won't stay in his box at naptimes now instead. And will holler despite what I try to calm him down. He is exhausted, obviously in need of a nap. But won't.give.it.up.

So I tried running the vacuum. It worked several times as a small baby. I vacuumed my whole house. And when I turned it off, I expected myself to be calmer from taking a breather of not being able to calm his screaming for anything. And I expected Max to be exhausted and asleep in his bed. You already know the ending... it didn't work. He was still standing in his crib, tired, mad, not reasonable, and continued to scream and holler refusing to nurse/fall asleep with rocking/walking/singing.

So what did I resort to doing? Turning on Yo Gabba Gabba and parking his butt in front of the T.V. for a minute. Yes, the electronic babysitter. And the little bugger gave it up and fell asleep on the carpet.

Quick trip outta town

I am no Kate-the-great, or Cara-extraordinaire-ah with the photos, but I'll post a bunch anyway from our fun weekend.

Fall colors peaked last week in Boone area of the Blue Ridge Mountains where we drove to, but we still enjoyed plenty! It was very cold too, and some snow flakes started to fall as we got out to stretch our legs at a few places.

Before we drove up to the mountains, we stayed the night at The Great Wolf Lodge, James's uncle works there and got us a killer deal ;) It was all decked out for Halloween, the kids had SO MUCH FUN, I think this will have to be a yearly tradition! They played hard in the indoor water park, exhausting James with their requests for "Again! Again!", after every waterslide. Max was a little hesitant and freaked out when I put him down to splash. But he gradually warmed up to it and started to crawl around touching the fountains around him. We sat in the "beach" area with a mock-shore that had simulated waves every now and then.

We dressed in our Jammies and headed down to the Clock Tower for the nightly presentation, and story time, only to sit there for 1/2 hour before someone said it was delayed on the weekend nights because of the trick-or-treating around the lodge. (Which we enjoyed doing that too!) So we said "Meh, forget it" and decided to call it a night.

We saw some family that lives 3 hours away, they have a new 3 week old baby. We learned that we didn't have enough movies for the road trip. We also learned that Kellan talks in his sleep, Max still doesn't sleep, and Maren will always be the first awake at hotels. And you can't hear the bear's snore when he sleeps in the bathroom with the door shut ;)

Sleepless in Monroe

I'm going crazy! I haven't slept well in months. My stress level is through the roof because of lack of energy.

So I moved Max's crib out of my room, into Kellan's yesterday. I have been trying to get Max to sleep through the night for a few months now before doing this. James has been sleeping in the living room to help with this process because his snoring is out of control! It doesn't help a baby learn a good sleep behavior. But I miss my husband sleeping next to me.

Let me just say, I'm not a fan of "Cry it out. " I don't agree with an unlimited time of crying to get them to exhaust themselves past the hysteria. I do, however give it a while and see what they do. I like the recommendation of 5 minutes plus one for each month of age much better. That time frame always worked with the older two kids if they got too irritable and just needed to cry sometimes to work out some energy.

Maren slept through the night at 3 months. Easy peasy! Kellan nursed round the clock every 2 hours until 11 months. Regardless of how much I fed him during the day. He's still a big eater even now. But he slept next to me, so it wasn't so draining on me to nurse him during the night.

But Max, oh Max. He didn't sleep well next to me, so he has been in his crib since he was about 8 weeks old. And I have tried cutting down his night time feedings, feeding him more during the day. He is totally topped off after meals, has no interest in eating more than he already does. A few snacks, several nursings. But during the night it's hard to ignore his growling tummy and say "You shouldn't need to eat right now." So I finally give in around 4 AM and only nurse him once during the night.

So last night, by himself in Kellan's room now, the first time he woke up I let him cry and see what he did. He screamed for almost a half an hour. We live in a small house, so no matter what "white noise" is on in Maren's room she's going to hear it. (Kellan was asleep in my room for this transition, but also got woke up.) After Max cried for a half hour, he layed down exhausted...for 15 minutes... and started it up again full force. After 20 minutes of round 2 I went and calmed him back to sleep.

Only to repeat it 2 hours later.

And then give in and nurse him at 4 AM.

James was *supposed* to help with this process of taking the need of mommy out of Max's mind... let's not get into that, and just say I'm doing this alone.

I need help. Advice. Sleep.

Tasty Tuesdays in Bulk!

All you have to do is say please :) And a few of my friends have, so here's what I've been cooking from just one small chicken. With the weather cooling off, and the fall leaves changing, I love the soups, so stock up- pun intended ;)

Dinner #1: Apple Basil Roasted Chicken

In a large crock pot, put one cup apple juice, 1/2 chopped onion, 2 garlic cloves minced, 2 granny smith apples peeled and diced, a pinch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper
.
Use heavy duty foil and crumple 3 tennisball size balls. These will act as a 'rack' to roast a chicken in your crockpot on top of!

Use 1 whole roasting chicken, 4-5 lbs cleaned and rinsed. Set on top evenly of the foil balls. Place 2-3 pads of butter on top of chicken, and 1 tablespoon dried basil sprinkled evenly. Set your crockpot to high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.

This was a yummy dinner served with garlic and dill red potatoes and sautee'd asparagus as side dishes last night for dinner. The white meat from the roaster fed my family of 5. I took the drippings in a small sauce pan, turned on medium high to boil, and whisked in a rue to make a gravy.

*Don't clean out your crockpot yet! Leave the rest of the drippings and residue for flavor of cooking your chicken stock.

Dinner #2: Chicken Pot Pie

After the chicken is cooled, pull the remaining white meat, and dark meat, add with some mixed vegetables and create a yummy chicken pot pie with your favorite recipe. I use a simple biscuit recipe and make them in individual mini bread loaf pans. *Put the chicken meat away in the fridge to use on another night, no need to prepare anything right now.


Place the bones of the bird you've stripped the meat off of, with the neck and insides (if it had any) in your crockpot. Fill with water almost all the way. (I have a 5 qt size cooker.) Turn to low and let it simmer overnight, 12 hours is perfect. After it's done, pour through a strainer into a clean large enough bowl to strain the bone pieces from the liquid.

Dinner #3: No Chicken Noodle Soup

1 & 1/2 quarts of the chicken stock (about 1/3 of the liquid) in a large tupperware with 2 cups egg noodles, 1 & 1/2 cup frozen mixed veggies, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 small cloves minced, 1 teaspoon dried onion powder, 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Grilled chicken is excellent in it, I always cook bulk of that ahead of time to add to salads, etc. But the soup is great without chicken. *Freeze in tupperware to use another day.

Dinner #4: Black Bean Soup

1 quart chicken stock, 2 tablespoons cumin, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 can black beans (drained). Again, grilled chicken is excellent in this soup, but it's delicious without it! Top with mozzerella cheese and crumbled tortilla chips. Mmm. *Freeze in tupperware to use another day

Dinner #5: Easy Peasy Potato Soup

1 quart chicken stock, 6 large russet potatoes peeled and quartered, 1 can of Campbell's condensed cheese soup, 2 teaspoons sea salt, 1 & 1/2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper, set your crockpot to high for 3 hours or low for 5 hours. Use a hand mixer to whip the potato soup until it's creamy. If you have too much liquid you can add some instant potato flakes a tablespoon at a time to thicken it, or corn starch 1 teaspoon at a time. Cook 6 slices of turkey bacon cooked and crumbled to top off the soup.

Happy Fall Cooking!

You've got 5 yummy recipes to fill up your

freezer and your tummies on a chilly day.

One is so FUN!

(I made a picture for Max's party, and Maren wanted to make a few too to decorate the door)

Maxi-moose, Max-attack, Mix-Max, Man of a Maxamillion nicknames turned ONE year old today!

He's such a content, easy going-with-the-flow kid. He really is a happy baby all the time. He doesn't like to sleep very much! But somehow (against logic) he remains happy anyway. He loves music- c.d.'s, toy drum, Baby Einsteins. We usually find him wiggeling and grooving along to the beat. Sometimes he'll look at me and start bouncing his butt, as if he's requesting a song to dance along to. So I of course oblige that cuteness with "You are my sunshine" or something of the like, and he proceeds to dance.

He has discovered giving kisses! My favorite thing is when he is on my lap, and is excited about something, he will turn and press his face against mine for a kiss/reassurance, and then continue being excited about whatever he is interested in.

His birthday was a lot of fun, he really loves the show "Yo Gabba Gabba" because of all of the music I'm sure. And he's familiar with several of their catchy tunes we sing around the house. So we had to go with it for his birthday! I think the Dancing "Brobee" was the biggest hit.

unsent letter

To Mr. Pompous

What child, who is shorter than a rail along a balcony, wouldn't put his feet on a bottom rail to barely get his chin over the top to see over it? That was innocent behavior of a short 4 year old.

You told me that he "could have tried to climb, could have pulled himself over" and if it had been a different section of rail, he "could have fallen off because it was loose."

Here's where you crossed common sense.

He was not informed that the rail was loose, and did not proceed to ignore a warning of safety. He "could have" done many things... but he didn't. He peered over the top of a rail to find his mother.

Here's what you could have done.

You could have NOT grabbed him by the back of his shirt hauling him. You could have NOT plopped him on a bench in the rain. You could have NOT yelled at the side of his face to "sit there for an hour." And when he covered his face and cried out of fear of you, you could have NOT followed up with "you can sit there for 2 hours" for a behavior he didn't actually do in the first place!

I'm angry at myself that i was concerned about appearances among family members that I told him to 'hush.' You made him pee his pants, and I have never seen him afraid to open his eyes to an adult before. What kind of an adult taps his toe like that?

I'm angry that, before I talked to you, I told my child that he needed to calm down and apoligize. After I brought him to you to apoligize and heard from you what "could have happened" but DIDN'T, I got angry that YOU didn't apoligize for your tirade.

I am not impressed by your wealth. Your riches, luxurious house and freedom from "burdensome children" does not allow you to be a bully. The loose rail was yours to assume accountability for, and you didn't even make that fact aware for me to then assume responsibility of him.

I'm regretful that my husband wasn't there. Family Reunion or not, he would have kicked your ass.

Sincerely,
Mother Bear

Yo!

Max likes to get down to "Yo Gabba Gabba", the other day Kellan was watching it, and I came down the hall to see Max had stood up against the armoir and was dancing :)

Or as we call it "Shake yer booty"

Here's a favorite clip from Yo Gabba Gabba for those of you who haven't been exposed to the crazy show.

Yo Gabba Gabba! (There's a Party in my Tummy !)
by Materialiste

Good vs. Evil

A friend of mine and James, who is an Athiest, once asked us "How do you define Good and Evil to someone who doesn't believe in a Singular divine God?"

Go ahead and think about that one for a minute. We didn't really know how to answer him 6 years ago when he asked that question, without using words in monotheistic ideology such as God, Satan, righteousness, wickedness, etc. His question was asked of good and evil as a noun, specifically defining a person.

We couldn't really give a satisfiable answer to him, without using terms based in doctrine of a Theological understanding. Because that was the key foundation of OUR understanding, but not his.

The definition in the dictionary of evil says:

• a force or power that brings about harm or wickedness
• a wicked, or morally wrong act or thing
• (of a person) deliberatly causing great harm or misery
• (of an act or idea) causing great harm or misery, morally wrong
• very unpleasant

But take out your understanding of God, scripture, prophets, prayer, societal environments, and institutions which have guided YOUR moral compass, and consider the level of understanding of someone else. How do you measure morals without all of the before mentioned things in your understanding?

Well, back to my foundation of understanding, the philosophy rings true to me though it is based in scripture, and can be translated across the board of philosophies when Jesus Christ taught:

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit. But a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Wherefore by their *fruits* ye shall know them.

So back to our moral compass as Christians. What guides my morals is what I've been taught since I was young, what I have learned through teachings of the spirit since my youth, and what I have learned through application. The fruits. My choices of governing my life are conservative because that is what brings further happiness and teachings through the spirit in my life.

I now have a different answer for my friend.

Good and evil is a polarized spectrum to represent opposites to gain understanding of truth. Of what is. It is a measurement. But the truth itself is the fruits of each spectrum, not the definition specifically. For what I deem to be good in my life may cause misery in yours. Here's a thought I cherish and want to share with you.

"The power of intention has to be creative, or nothing will come into existence. This seems to me that this is an irrefutable truth of intention and spirit, because its purpose is to bring life into a suitable environment. Why do I conclude that the life giving power of intention intends us here to have life and have it in increasing abundance?

Because, if the opposite were true, life as we know it couldn't come into form. The very fact that we can breath and experience life is proof to me that the life giving spirit is creative at its very core. What is clear is this: You are here in your physical body. There was a time when you were an embryo, before that a seed. Before that, formless energy. That formless energy contained intention, which brought you from nowhere, to now here. At the very highest levels of awareness, intention started you on your path towards your destiny. The face of creativity intends you towards continued creativity, to create, and co-create, anything that you direct your power of intention toward. Creative energy is a part of you. It originates in the life giving spirit that intended you here in the first place."

And if opposition is in all things, than the opposite of creation is destruction.

My moral compass of understanding comes from the belief in a God who created me. Who is the source of all creation. And anything of a destructive nature whether in intention, creation, or manifestation cannot be of the same divine source. So there is opposites. Whether you believe in God and Satan, Good or Evil, or Universal Energy and empty space, it is the same source of intention. And it is the very intention of each spectrum how you come to know good and evil.

For me, the life giving source of all creation in my existence is my Heavenly Father. And that is where my moral compass points true North.

Burn baby burn!

This is how we say goodbye to the smelly chair that James so lovingly plopped in every night after work, slept upright in some nights, and... broke the frame. Yes, you can love some things too much.

The sucker was in our garage waiting to be hauled off. But James decided to make a bonfire on the garden bed to burn trash (and fire ants) and added the chair to it. It was interesting watching the apholstery drip as it burned.

Now to just clear off the burned spring coils that didn't melt away (obviously), till the ashes in the garden soil, and we will have a fire ant-free, super fertile garden come the spring time! Woohoo for bonfires!

And it came to pass...

Once upon a time this country used to flow with a free market system. If a person had a trade, they would charge a comparible and competitive cost for their trade, ever striving to be successful for themselves in that trade. Consumers would be aware of the cost before paying for the trade, agree to it, and receive services or goods.

Within that market system, others saw opportunity to also create trades to play middle man between the consumer, and the service or goods received. They also were ever striving to be successful and profitable for themselves as the middle man.

But in the endevour to make a profit, it had to be a partnership with the tradesman they advocated services for. The tradesman was now held under scrutiny of injustices done to the consumer, and lawsuits became the new trend. Making it a burden on the tradesman, they sought to limit their liability and absolve themselves from such scrutiny. Judges ruled in favor of the people crying out the injustices, and a new middle man appeared to stand as an advocate for the tradesman, but he also needed to make a profit to be industrial. This advocate was the insurance to protect the tradesman against facing liability and responsibility... whether it was justifiable or not. It shifted the burden instead to the consumer.

But to pay their advocate, the tradesman now had to increase the cost for his services. And the people pleaded with the Judges of the land for fairness. And the middle man between the consumer and the tradesman also pleaded with the Judges, and lavished them with fine gifts, so the Judges said "let each state determine for themselves." And so they did. Each State created a regulation of standards, set forth by the Middle man himself, of what was necessary to provide a quality of service or goods all in 'good faith' to the consumer. And they were given a royal status among the land for many years.

Until there came a day when the consumers started to drop from participation, and the group who remained began to be depleated of their golds and riches without their awareness. They continually had to pay the new Kings of the land for new fees, new taxes, new dues for the protection of their middleman to bring to them the services and goods they desired greatly from the tradesman.

And then one day, the tradesman found a plan to release himself of all liability of the cries of injustice by the people for the services he rendered. The middleman agreed to play the advocate for him too, and created a language that was confusing and superior to the simple people in the land, but they paid the Kings anyway, and so a new law was born by default of agreements to contracts made by the unknowing consumer.

And the Tradesman began to profit in the land once again. And the Kings became nobeler. And the Judges became fat and gluttonous from their gifts from the Kings, that they did not listen to the cries of the dwindling group of consumers who were being stifled by the Tradesman and his advocates.

And the participating consumers felt priviledged. A superior luxury it was to this class of people to afford the payments demanded by the Kings of the land, to gloat above all other members of their race of their achievements by their kinship with the Tradesman. Until, one day... many of those participating consumers began to be cheated. They were not receiving the services they paid to their Kings as the middleman to the Tradesman. But the Kings did not repent. They paid even more to the Judges of the land to allow them the rights to their own regulations, their own penalties, their own governing among the people of the land.

And the free market died. No longer was the industry for the consumer to purchase services or goods from the Tradesman without belonging to the elite royal courts of the Kings. But not all consumers could afford to play by the Kings rules. And many of them knew that even if they did, the Kings were not fair to them but only to the Tradesman. And they were turned away from the courts of the Kings after pleading with them for the life of their child, or mother, who needed the services of the Tradesman. But their cries were not heard, they fell upon deaf ears of the King, for it benefited him not to be merciful to them.

And there grew a large number of people in the land who also could not purchase the services from the Tradesman, because they did not pay riches unto the King. The Tradesman, for fear of liabilities falling upon him once more, refused to provide services or goods to this people, though many of these people were rich people. The King, who was once the middleman between the people and the Tradesman, would not allow the Tradesman to offer services to them. For it was against the new laws in this land.

And again, the people cried injustices to their Judges. But this group of people was now growing large in number of those who once followed in faith of the King, and those who couldn't pay the king, and those who refused to pay the king. And the Judges realized that the laws of the land set forth in virtue of the people had been ignored, and that a new power was rising in the land of the free market which was shifting the authority of the Judges.

But the King feared losing his power. He spread lies among the people. Causing fear, and murmurings, and wars, and rumors of wars. All of this was to distract from the voices of the people, and the virtues that the land was established by for the prosperity of everyone.

To be continued...

First the worst

Alright, the first day 'officially' of Kindergarten arrived, and went off without a hitch. She's in love. With the bus appearantly the most. She enjoyed sitting with the neighbor boy on the bus, even holding hands into school :) awww. She played with old buddies from preschool who didn't make it into her class at K, and wasn't too impressed with the kids that ARE in her class. I'm just going to say the thing you're not supposed to say... Maren seems to have been put in the Island of misfit toys! Out of 37 kids from preschool, not a one of them are in her class! But there are 2 kids who don't speak english, one kid who has a speech impediment that you could expect for a 3 year old, but not a 6 year old. A boy peed his pants at orientation yesterday too. She's not impressed with her classmates, lol.

The 'homework' for today were things she learned when she was 3. "Count from 1-10 with your parents." Come on, really? One policy that I am NOT a fan of was the 'No Child Left Behind' act that the Bush administration created, because all it did was dumb kids down to try to bring in the ones who fall through the cracks. Which if they felt was necessary, also necessary should be a gifted and talented program for the ones who need more stimulation. There isn't an AIG program at her Elementary, I'm going to have to fight to change that.

She didn't get snack time at school today either. I didn't know we were supposed to pack snacks for school, I had packed her a lunch. She didn't eat everything, she packed it back up to save for when she got home, and her teacher threw it away. So come snack time, she could have eaten then, but had to sit there like the kid with the dunce cap on. Poor kid.

I"m just hoping this is a bit of a learning curve as school gets going. And I'm looking foward to parent-teacher conference on September 10th!!

School Rules!

Today was Maren's first day to go to school. It isn't time for her class yet, even though the rest of the grades have started this week. Maren went today for assessments to see where her strengths are, and which teacher will fit her best. She was so excited to take $1.80 for school lunch today and get to try that out with all the other kindergartener's. (Even though she'll take a lunchbox most days anyway.) She proudly took her backpack, allbeit empty today, and marched out of the house before I got a picture of her!

So I grabbed my camera, and the other two kids to high tail it out the door. I got one picture of her quickly before the Principal waved hello and called her name. Appearantly when you're late it's easy to narrow down which kid they are waiting for. Only 8 minutes late by the time we got there... whoops. With three kids, and one of them a nursing baby, I'm surprised it was only 8 minutes ! Thankfully she will take the bus, it picks her up at the stop sign in our neighborhood at 6:45, that sounds like a task for Daddy to do in the mornings

If you give a James a hammer...

(inspired by the book "If you give a pig a pancake" wherein said pig gets a pancake, then thinks of syrup, and continues to think of things that semi-relate until it comes full circle back to the pancake.)

If you give a James a hammer...

he will tinker a while with it thinking of all the many projects that he needs to get done in a house he is seldom inside of.

So he sits for a bit thinking of what to do with this new feeling of being able to catch up on life. He's sitting. On the couch. Oh, a remote is nearby. Click! Now he is watching Spongebob.

For 4 hours.

He finally remembers the hammer goes out in the garage. While out there he sees the attatchments to his lawnmower. Oh, the grass needs to be cut. Out he goes.

When he comes back in, after 3 hours of lawnmowing-turned-into-edging/clipping/spider spraying/garden harvesting/roof repair/ride with kids, and dog play time... he now has a longer list of things to do around the property, all of which I know full well won't get accomplished anytime soon, so it's my job to redirect his attention until he's distracted and forgets for a while.

But I"m thankful he finally realized there was a bee in his bonnet...er...baseball hat. Because of his desire to work on the 'honey-do list' I finally have baseboards in my bathrooms that were torn off 9 months ago when I flooded my entire house.

To be continued with "If you give a girl new baseboards... they will need to be painted... and it will eventually lead to new sofa's somehow." I'm still working on that one.

Kellan-isms

"Dear Heffly Father, bless the food to nurse our bodies. M&M of Jesus Christ. Amen."

(just in case you need the translation: "Dear Heavenly Father, bless the food to nourish our bodies. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.")

Today he has invented his own game. I guess with the Wii out of commission from the power surge from the storm, he's hard pressed for entertainment. So he got his butterfly net to gather all of his underwear from his dresser, and we are expected to reach in and pick the lucky one. Then if we fling the underwear by stretching the elastic, we win a trophey. Yay!

The cool place to 'hang'

If you're Max, those places are the washing machine (he likes to watch it agitate in circles, and watch the water fall into the machine.) and the front entry way.

If the laundry door or front door is shut, be prepared for an angry munchkin.

Say Ahhhhh

Our annual visit to the dentist today did not disappoint anyone's expectations. The dentist is going to make some money, but not too much because I was satisfied as well. No cavities for msyelf, or Kellan. Woohoo!

Not bad for me especially since it has been 6 years since I've had a cleaning. I've just had checkups. They won't do a full cleaning without an antibiotic before the procedure because of my heart murmur, no matter how scrupulous I am at my own hygenine, it still scrapes a lot of bacteria which could work its way into my blood stream, not a good thing for a heart that doesn't fully pump it all out each time it beats. And especially last visit, I was 38 wks pregnant with Max. So I was able to get a prescription for an antibiotic without the insistance of seeing a cardiologist first this time.

It's so good to sit in the chair and have the hygenist say "mmm, very nice color and texture of your gums, excellent health, very very nice." And no, they weren't talking about Maren. She has 2 more cavities ~BUT~ they are spots from last year that looked suspicious that they wanted to observe and not drill/fill just yet. So from the whopping 7 cavity fiasco last year for her, and 2 left over, she had a good year of minimal change!!

I got an impression made for whitening trays, that I get to pick up when Maren goes back for fillings. I love it when someone says "It's normally $[very expensive] but for you... $[much much cheaper]"

It made me feel like I have clout.

Cleanliness is next to Godliness

I love new stuff, fresh new items that you are the first owner of. Like when we redid all the floors in the house, brand new cleanness with no lingering ideas of other people's left-behinds, no matter how professional my husband may be able to clean carpets.

Speaking of professionally cleaning, he did the floors this weekend, every single space. It was so nice watching him use hospital grade sanitizer and 380 Degree hot water on my kitchen floor in 10 minutes you could birth a baby there it was so clean. (No, I have no plans to do that in case you're wondering!) It takes me over an hour to do what he did, with hand mopping it. I'm very insistent on the white washcloth test, it takes me an hour every week.

And speaking of clean floors, my dog is lucky to be alive today. *If James had to work late yesterday, and I came home to what I did after running errands, I would probably have lit a match and walked away from my house. I would NOT have cleaned what was in the kitchen that we shall not describe in detail for the sensetive stomaches. I knew what he did before I even unlocked my door.

(Ok, I probably would have gone to a hotel.)

I like the idea of this dog's potential in the family, a guardian, a friend for the kids, bla bla bla. I do NOT like the insanity to my clean zones he has caused, the chewed up chair legs to my custom kitchen dining table and chairs, or the hair that I vacuum up every single morning. I'm not a pet person just because I own one!

And yes, my kitchen floor is getting professionally cleaned a la James again today. Even after he cleaned up the mess last night going over it 3 times, the final time even with bleach. Not good enough in my opinion!

Not for the clostrophobics!

You know you need a bigger house (or less kids, but that's not legal to sell them) when you find yourself doing any of these:

-a duck and roll out the doorway ninja stealth style if you have to go in your room where your sleeping baby is, so that he won't see you and then want to be awake.

-if you put the locking doorknobs backwards so that you can lock your bigger kids IN their rooms just so you can get a shower without them fighting because they can't get away from each other in a small house

-when your 75 lb Rottweiler takes up half of your living room

- when you are hiding under blankets and pillows despite the temperature nearing 80 Degrees in your house, just so above mentioned baby won't see you and will go back to sleep at 6:30 AM

- if you store your vacuum in your bathroom because you don't have a storage closet. Or a big enough linen closet. Who designed this house, seriously! Not a woman.

-when your husband has a massive snoring problem, is asleep in the living room, and you can still hear him in your room through your shut door and bathroom fan on to drown out noise. Our hallway is only like 10 inches long I swear.

Off to Ikea this week to get some beds with organizing situations, and moving the baby crib outta my room. I hope Kellan doesn't mind getting woke up 3-4 times a night because he's about to get a roommate!