Thursday Thirteen

1.
I was walking by the kids hall and they were heading into Doves room with towels. I thought about the relationship to water and or anything else that I might want to know about so after a moment I looked around the corner to find this...
Dove was playing yoga teacher to Dash.
They were making up all kinds of poses.

Now any one who does yoga out there I think we could call this one bummed in the face.:)

It was adorable. I think that they say this some time ago on a PBS show.
Too cute. They have been off of TV and all media for two weeks almost and the creativity is amazing!

2.

I was here shot... She was using the camera apparently wanted to see herself.
3.

She showed us what she saw.
The ever present dog.
I tell you a should of named this dog "Johnny" for Johnny on the spot.

4.

Oh yes I did, I thought it would be worth a try so I picked one up for myself at the drug store.
I do not have the verdict out yet. I'll let you know.
5.

I have used this sewing machine for over 26 years. It was built in the 1950's.
I know it like the back of my hand (or better).

It is time to become more modern. I gave some time to learning the new 1++ viking.
It is so full of bells and whistles. It even tells me what foot to use. I threaded the bobbin and have sewn one panel sides.
6.

Dove desired to chop the lettuce for lunch today. She was really impressed with the big knife.

7.
I boiled 12 eggs and mixed the dressing for egg salad. I put the dressing in the refrigerator until the eggs were done and chopped.
8.
Dash wanted to stir

EGG SALAD
hard boil 12 eggs with 1 tablespoon vinegar in water (helps to dissolve the shell)
1/3 mao
2 tablespoons mustard
3 tablespoons
2 dash paperica
2 dash's celery salt ground in the pestel
let the dressing set

This is a beautiful batch of egg. When I thought they were done. I took one out and cut it in half to confirm it. Drain eggs under water.
8.

"can I stir mom?
"sure"...say I The more they are involved in making the meal the more they enjoy and eat
it.
10.
Two choices within my peramiters...
Dove likes crackers
Dash loves just the salad
I enjoy rice crackers and lettus.

11
Lots to sew...
The bathroom cleaned and detailed!
I am so excited!

12.
Second load of disheds in before 12:30
Chickens are sleeping in the heat.

13.
Tomorrow is meet the teacher. and the last day of summer vacation for the kids. Soon I will have a quiet house again. The laughter and shouts will fade as the school bus pulls off down the street. I expect the silence to be deafening. I will be making three lunches instead of one. The Dogs will miss the play mates. Fall will soon be in the air. Hours of sewing and unpacking in store for me.
Evening of homework and personal relationship problems for the children. Learning all the new teachers and players in the lives of my thriving children. Second and fourth grades are the new lessons taught. My sweet daughter will be with kids two years younger than her. I do so hope she is able to cope with the new challenges ahead. I pray for her esteem and for her safety as she is so very vulnerable socially. Dash will have to overcome the hearing aide stares.
Oh Sweet glorious life!
I have not been alone from my kids hardly at all for 3 months now.
I'll go be with the little goof balls. They are playing TV with the puppet show house.

Thankful Thursday

Yesterday Dove was struck in the eyeball when Dash opened a marker. Dash's fine motor caused him to not be able to control the force and the pop of the marker cap left his little arm flying and then Dove was right there watching him and she was struck. The cap of the marker striking her with some force. After the couple of crying jags within the afternoon we decided urgent care was in order. The doctor had to numb her with drops and then stain the eye and look at it under blue light to check for her cornea. This was done with great struggle on Doves behalf. She was absolutely panic stricken! I was able to help her focus on her breathing. She felt bad about the struggle she gave.
There was a mark in the eye the size of a swipe of marker ink. We did not see any tears. She has a red eye but is doing alright today.
She and dash were outside playing this morning and she accidentally hit Dash in the eye with the business end of the shovel. He screamed bloody murder!
Thankful they are both alright.
Tomorrow is meet the teacher day. They are both excited about school. They are looking forward to doing homework and riding the bus.... Is that strange? Dash was telling me how he wanted to do his homework first thing after school every day. At the school they attend they have "Friday Fun" for those who accomplish all the homework packet and bring it in on Thursday. I am so stunned and amazed at the joy they have about starting school. The joy about learning and the thrill of riding the bus. How fortunate we are to have such a joy of going to school.
I was able to clean the children s bathroom yesterday. I am so excited to sew again. I have measured the bathroom and the yardage and made my first cut.
I am so appreciative of kindness . Bren sent me a great list of healing scriptures to renew my mind

3 John 1:2

1 John 5:14-15

Hebrews 12:12-13

Romans 8:32

James 1:17

Romans 8:31

Malachi 3:6

Isaiah 41:10

Deut. 7:15

Exodus 15:26

Jeremiah 30:17*, 33:6*

Lev. 26:3,9

Isaiah 58:8

Genesis 20:17

2 Kings 20:5

Numbers 23:19

2 Chronicles 6:14

2 Chronicles 16:9

Psalm 145:8-9, 67:2, 105:37, 103:3*, 147:3*, 23:1*, 30:2*, 34:19*, 41:3*, 42:11*

Job 37:23

Matt. 7:11

Isaiah 53:5*

Matt 8:17*

1 Peter 2:24*

Galatians 3:13*

Colossians 2:10,15

Hosea 13:14...I would use this if ANY of my children had a terminal illness

Deut. 5:33

Job 5:26

Psalm 91

Proverbs 9:11

James 5:14-16

Mark 16:15-18

Romans 10:17*

Hebrews 11:1*, 11:6

I Corinthians 3:16*

Romans 8:2*

Romans 8:11*

Philippians 2:13*

Romans 6:14*

James 4:7

2 Timothy 1:7...this one was for me!

Psalm 107:20*
For all of you who also are facing those challenges. Does'nt this sound like a good read.

Oh how wonderful the Word, living breathing and set to awaken the truth in us.
There is a dove and a thrasher and several sparrows, just outside my window. Another chicken showed itself a rooster this morning too cute. I am not sure who it is yet. That will put our count down to 8 birds. The goal is no less than 5. We awoke to the charming sound of a young rooster giving life his best shot. We were both sweetly amused.
Every tradgidy and every crisis is averted and managed in that place of ...all is well with my soul.
I am pleased in His presence. The grass is green in my own yard. I hope it is thriving in yours.

Word filled Wedesday

"Looking at barriers in a spiritual way makes the walls fall down, the barriers begin to crumble and the mountains fall flat."

This was a line in my devotion this morning. It spoke volumes to me.
Sorry about the boo hoobies yesterday....life is a challenge and for many reasons, that challenge hit my heart. I know that this is just a part of my life...not who I am or a definitive of my life.

Awaking to a divine morning after a nights rain fall in the desert is a hot humid beauty that is reminiscent of a relaxing sauna. It is so comforting in a strange way. My skin is moist and breathing in the freshest air a treat. It is 7:15 and the second load is in the washer, the dish washer is empty as is the kitchen sink except for the cookie sheet from last night. Dove made a simple supper. She is very sweet. I sat with the ice bag she retrieved for me, after our errands I was in a hurt. I took them to "Big Lot's" to get a few school supplies. Dove had prayed for the back pack that we found there. I saw it the other day and asked God to hold it if he would have for me to gift her with it. It was $8. a great price, however we had purchased a book bag last week. She has been concerned the book bag was a bit too small. When I showed her the back pack she beamed, it was really just what she had prayed for color and all. We were all dressed in yellow yesterday. Do you ever have those days where everyone just happens to dress in the same color.

When we got home from buying the dog food (no I did not lift it) I needed to get my hand pain tended too. Dove brought me a nice glass of ice water and the bottle of the pain pills and an ice pack for my hand. Such a sweet caregiver. I delegated supper to my 11 year old and she was so good. I gave her step by step instructions. Funny how good it is to see independence fill her up with pride of accomplishment. She put the tatter tots on the tray with the chicken tenders. Heated the oven and Dash was her runner. He set the table and tended to the freezer errands for her. They worked together as I sat there with the ice on my hand. Funny sorta like sitting on my hands to delegate. It was a good exercise in letting them grow. Daddy Man came home and supervised while I just took it easy. WOW sorta like being spoiled.:)

I tossed the flower seed into the gravel front yard in the evening. With the wonderful rain storm it was well rained into the rock. Perfect timing!

This morning, I draped my clothes over the line, I can not find the box with the clothes pins in it.
Nice to hang my things out again. I really miss using a clothes line. I love the quiet of hanging the laundry out in the early morning. When I opened the patio door there were over 40 birds that took flight . Many sparrows, dove and tanagers. They have found the new feeder. I think I may of heard another rooster this morning but I did not see who it was. Jasper perhaps. Well my second load just beeped at me and Dash is at the kitchen table playing and sneezing. I'll get his eggs going.
Have a fabulous day!

Wordless Wendsday

We are having a great thunderstorm here!

The storm left a good inch or so of rain in an hour and a half. It was awesome!

Tackle It Tuesday

Good Morning!
We Had a wonderful play date yesterday.
The flower fairy came for me.
This morning the tooth fairy had come for Dash as he lost his other front tooth yesterday.
I got a bit of hard news at the end of the afternoon. The report on the xray was called in. There are no breaks in my hand and in this I rejoice, however the news was that there is minimal (it has begun) degenerative joint disease, Osteoarthritis has now hit my hand. It is in my knee, stinosis in my low back and hip now it is showing itself in my hand. I am trusting once the sprain cleare that I will not have this pain as a constant. I am so young for this. All of my sibblings (I am the lsat of 8) have the same challenge for it is a familur type. I was pretty upset for I use my hands so much. The thought of this pain now in my hands and not just my knee and my low back is disterbing. I remember my Mother crying saying "why does it have to hurt so bad...?"
Sad memories of my Mother suffering.
I went to the bead group from our chuch hoping for some fellowship and discovered thta the young woman (an only child) simply needed an audience. Nothing I shared had any value.
I do not think I will return and I am so disappointed, I really wanted to have a place to share that passion with like minded. She just wanted to make money off of me. I am grieved.

So My tackles today...
To enjoy the wonderful flowers my sweet friend gave me.
Thank you Trishia.
Clean my kitchen.

Be very gentle with my sore sprained hand.
Grieve a little and then go on. :)
Call to make the appointment with the guy for my knee. I think that the Synvisk injection are worn off I got a good 11 months out of the injections. That is good. Now I need to see what is next.
Enjoy the last few days with the young ones for they start school next Monday.
Buy Dog food.
Enjoy the wild birds at my window.
Cry a little.
Clean the kids bathroom if I can.
Play the rest of the Monopoly game with the kids. We started it yesterday.

Dash won after so many hours...Dove really had a melt down.

Comfort the kids for they are upset about my hands too.
That surprized me, Dash is angry at the radioligist for telling mom that her hands are not o.k.
He is really angry that someone upset me.
He is also upset that the tooth fairy did not give him what he wanted. Tooth fairy does not give out $10. toys!
Oh! Life!
I will tackle the turn of this day into the strength that is the joy that is the force to get this day in line with the beauty that is my life.
Challenges and all.

Marriage Monday *Recreation*

Join us over at Chrysalis

Daddy and kids made a film this weekend.

click on picture to watch video

We seldom do Dates just the two of us.
We were married 16 years before we adopted the children.
We spend our time together as a family.
We are the support for one another and the children.
Once and a while we get to be alone together. We wold most likely go for a drive.
Having fun on a tight budget.
We are creative, using ideas rather than money.
We found some mitts and baseballs (t balls).
We go to the park and play together.
Friday night is our family movie nights. We do series, presently we are doing "The Young Indiana Jones". We have done the Walton's, Little house on the prairie, Chronicles of Narnia.
All movies with a moral to the story. We talk about it and the children will play it out. We make props or costumes for them and they internalize the lesson by playing it out.
History is also a big one at our house.
We invest in the DVD'S. Rarely do we go out to the movie. We like the food here and being able to pause it. It is often cheaper to wait and own the DVD.

We have little funds for travel. Our daughter gets very car sick, our son does not like travel much either. Everyone here loves being home.
During our first 16 years we traveled Arizona almost every weekend. We camped and such.
We do not have dates very often, yet we are in love and enjoy time together in each others arms..
We (as a couple) hide out in his office when the kids are asleep and watch "The Office". We would love to travel and go on dates a lone, but we count it loss while we spend this time raising the children and taking care to meet their special needs.
We enjoy building and creating, drawing with and for the kids. History is a real important hobby for both of us. We often watch travel shows together.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday:

Lunch:variety sandwiches. We have a play date so I will offer meat or PB&J

Dinner: Miracle Cajun rice...with steamed cabbage
On Friday last our evening meal was delayed for a left over meal...We all went out to play baseball. Two hours later we walked in to smell...I LEFT THE BURNER ON! It was O.K.! A bit singed on the bottom ,but the double batch was *not* burned. This dish had a pound of my home ground beef in it! I am going out for the evening to bead with a church group.

Tuesday:

Lunch: Pasta for the kids, rice cake, soy butter and cherry preserves for me with green tea.
Dinner: Chicken Noodle soup for Dove (as per her request)and I. Bean burrito for Dash and nachos for Beloved (as per his request)

Wednesday:

Lunch: Chicken soup Dove and I, Dash gets meat burrito rolled
Dinner: Roman Pasta with Ezekiel pasta, (as per Dash's request) bacon, spinach and tomato. We watched a cooking show together.

Thursday:

Lunch: Egg salad with dill pickle rellish on cracker for Dove, bread for Dash and rice cake for me. Fresh veggie sticks.
Dinner: Sweet brown sugar Chicken Jasmine rice (Polynesian style), Broiled chicken tenders with pineapple, fresh cucumbers, Mandarin oranges for desert.

Friday:

Lunch: Tuna Salad cracker or rice cake for Dove and I, Dash gets a bean burrito.
Dinner: Porcupine meatballs (rice in them) in a savory tomato sauce. Fresh celery. Sweet potato steamed.

Saturday:

Lunch: Chicken soup for the family, Dash gets a burrito (he does not like soup texture it gags him) Sensory stuff.
Dinner: Steak, Tater tots, green beans and bread.

Sunday:

Lunch: Hot dogs for them and a salad for me? or soup
Dinner: Left over time Mom time off.

Prep foods: make re-fried beans (thaw butter), chop and dice celery (soup and tuna salad) and carrots., clean veggies and grapes.Thaw chicken tenders, thaw burger 1 pound and steaks,Cook rice for porcupines, fry bacon and crumble, boil eggs, bake cake and lemon bars, bake cookies. Thaw hot dog buns Friday.

Snacks: upside down pineapple cake,lemon bars, chocolate chip cookies for the kids, Apples and nut butters, grapes,celery sticks, crackers and meat or cheese for Dove.

Lunch is a problem for me...I feed the family and all the pets and neglect a healthy lunch for myself.
It is time to remedy this and have a plan if action. I did this for a couple of months last year and weight loss was progressive.
Mom's Lunch (this is a plan to take better care of myself):

Sunday Smiles

I hope all of you are having a great day. I type this one handed a bit out of it from the pain medication. The sprain in my hand being the culprot.
We are having a great day,. Church service was awesome! we had a supper service abouy atonement and repentance and forgiveness, Wonderful worship. The old songs of hymns are mt favorites. I used to read old hymnals in the wee hours years ago. I love the "old Story". How fun it is to fellowship again in a baptist congregation. I love the worship.

Daddy and kids made a film this weekend.

click on picture to watch video

He so rarely takes a weekend nap, but when he awoke with a brain storm (an idea) for a short film. They finished the filming and he is editing now.
He will post it on u tube and I'll be able to post it in here. It is so funny!


I slept a while. rested most of the day due to the pain medication/anti inflammation I am very sleepy. It is really helping my hand feel better. The middle finger is now turning blue a bit, I so seldom bruise.
I have so many things I want to do..clean the kids bath so I can start the drapery and start the compost...Oh I am chomping at the bit to have free rein. Lord slowed me dow though. I will pray for many and think and rest.
loving all of you

I think of you often, a side bar of soul that touch my heart.
Do you know how very loved each of you are.
Each and every care you have does matter,
Each and every challenging trial you go through matters,
know that you are loved by your maker more than you can fathom.
Things that occure to you and around you are not due to that love faltering or leaving you.
I need to rest my shoulder...one hand typing is tirering to that one arm :)

A full life!

I had a Day alone with Dash.
We took Huck to the feed store and got a bail of straw for composting (the hens are peaceful).
Dove had a girls only play date.
Dash and I went to a map store. It was fun to look at the globes, he is pretty good at geography.
We then went to a store that had a rack of jokes.
most of them were mean spirited and Dash noticed. I taught him about jokes that are fun for both sides are alright, mean jokes were upsetting to him (ya!).
We Went out to lunch together.
A child near us was behaving badly and I made a comment to Dash About it.
Dash replied "I would rather just focus on the good food Mom, I want to just focus on our blessings and enjoy them".........I sure like this kid.
I told him that most adults forget to even do that, I thanked him for the good reminder
Daddy and I took the kids to play some baseball last night

Dash greeted us with a nice card this morning.
He awoke before us and wrote us both a poem.
He read the Lego catalog and talked while I began the morning chores.

When my Darling awoke he went straight to work on the mixer (aptly named by Dash...Mixie).
He fixed it! It is now a working tool for the kitchen. He used the mill ( he used to me a machinist, still is) to make a new part. You can not buy parts. Yipee I have a new mixer!

My left hand and middle finger was hurting me badly this morning. Yes I am typing one handed.
When it kept swelling and the pain continued to get worse I went to get it x raid. It is a hyper extended sprain, it appears it is not broken! :) I hit a ball with the t-ball bat and did not have a firm enough grip on it. Goodness it hurts! He gave me a prescription for pain/anti inflammatory, and I dropped it off at the drug store. I just took some Tylenol to see if that wold just be enough.

Daddy and the kids are listening to a comedy radio show. The laughter is so beautiful!

Heat Composting and Worm Composting

Well we are going to start our next process.
We are going to grow our own soil.
It is our heart to create life upon this estate.
We are making my dream come true right where we are.
I have always dreamed of living in a forest land and tilling the earth and becoming self sufficient.
Well, the forest is not a possibility and I have realized that I do not have to let go of the whole dream.
Chickens, a healthy plot of land to grow foods starts with composting our kitchen scraps into earth.
My Sweet father-in-love gave me a big bag of newspapers with some ingenuity I found a great use for them. I can only use the non glossy news print but it will be a great help in the process.

composting (if you scroll down to page 21 it is the three bin one)
I had the idea of using it as a fence for the garden , at lease it would take up 9 feet of the 16 ft width. Less expense for us right now. We will not be planting for a while until the soil gets healthy. It will keep the dogs out of the garden plot.
After we amend and reclaim the garden space we can move the compost against the east wall of the yard. Meanwhile the compost system would be right there at the garden plot.

We have a Rooster! Huckleberry Finn is out a here!

Good Morning!

It is official this morning Poor Maud the Duck Wing above is being picked on by Huck below. Huck shook himself and ruffled his feathers and stretched out his neck and let out a little crow. Sorta like a teenage boy trying to sound like a man. Very cute! However Huck is going to have a ride to the feed store.

You see City code = No roosters.
Even if not I really like my Maud, she is the coolest of the chickens and you mess with Maud your out a here! :)

I put up a new feeder and I have dove and sparrow and tanager not two feet off my left shoulder just on the other side of the glass. A hummer just visited me. A feeder for them would go nice on the eave of the porch. This is what I love. I love birds and all the beauty they offer. They are so calming and happy to me.