Limitless

This past year, oh have I grown, thanks to our amazing Creator, our loving Father.  He is so so good! I've learned A LOT about myself, A LOT about other people, and A LOT about how trusting my Father is WHERE IT'S AT!!!
I spoke about this to our ladies group at church, and I hope it ministered to them.  I am serious in saying, "get over your ability to be "good enough" and TRUST in HIM!" This has set me free, I can't even give this revelation credit in words.  It's so heart strong that I am just loving living it out.  It is manifesting daily, I'm growing in it daily, and my whole being is excited, real excited for what is to come.  Good good things, I just know it.
The past month, I have heard the spirit whisper, "limitless".  Wow! Yes, that's what I want, a limitless life!  How many times do we limit God?  I know I still do it, but the more I am trusting in His ability, the more I am taking the limits off of Him!  Feels real good to feel so confident about life, the present, and the future.  I really do trust that He has made me for great things in this life and I want it!  Great may not mean what the world defines as "great", but it will be great to me and I will be living in harmony with my purpose.  I already see so much greatness in the present, but I know I will just keep seeing this manifest and the hard layers of my heart will be removed. 
My goal this year is to trust God to reveal where I have limits set and to help me bust out of that thinking.  I just have a good feeling that this is gonna be a good year, a pivotal point in my life, where my eyes are opened for the first time to many of His truths.  That is actually my life goal, to seek His truths alone.  It's there already and I am content to rest in His arms, while He carries me up this staircase called life.

   

Seasons

Have you ever looked back at the past and thought, "I am so glad I am where I am at now?"  Or maybe you really would like to go back to the past, when life seemed a little more simple. 
I had this really good revelation this week.  I was looking at my children.  Noah is now 6 years old, Eli is 3, and Ava is 19 months.  I see them growing up so fast.  It is bittersweet.  I stared at Noah's little face as he slept tonight.  It is so sweet and precious.  Still so young, and how the past 6 years have shaped our lives! 
I envision the future and wonder what each stage of life will be like for our family.  The days when I am less responsible of taking care of their physical needs.  Sometimes I think about how nice it will be to not change diapers anymore.  Sometimes the thought makes me sad.  I look forward to watching them grow up and loving them through it all, but it is going by so fast already.  I don't want to miss the "now" moments, and I want to be so present that I will cherish each day.
I was thinking about how seasons of life are so interesting.  How this season of parenting young children can be so wonderful and overwhelming at the same time!  I look back and think about how when it was one baby, then two, and now three.  Each season has been so different, yet has shaped the very essence of our lives. 
I also began thinking about other seasons of life; childhood, the 20's, and now the 30's.  How so many things have happened in the almost 34 years of my life.  How I've often forgotten how all those seasons have shaped me into the person I am today.  How I have often fought against experiencing those seasons because I never felt like I had it together.  It's easy to look back and judge ourselves, isn't it? 
But God showed me something really cool.  Those moments, those seasons, and what I chose to do with them, shaped who I am today.  I know my Father is always with me, and that even though sometimes I made bad decisions, He has been guiding me to seeing who I am in Christ.  His love never gives up.  Those seasons of life when I tried so hard to control my life, led me to see that I could not.  The issues of my heart are being worked out and for each season I grow in Him, I am thankful.  I can't look back and think of all the mistakes now.  I look back and see His grace, His mercy, and unconditional love walking me through it all.  Every season has been a part of getting me to where I am today. 
I don't want to forget to embrace the seasons.  If there are issues of my heart to be worked out, I trust in Him to guide me through them.  I want to be present, for myself and the people I love.  I want to experience my children's seasons with a presence that doesn't look back or forward.  I know it's normal to think about past and future, but not at the sake of missing the present.  I have been guilty of judging myself of the past or looking to the future for my hope.  I want to live so present that whether it's experiencing the blessing of life I've been given or working out the issues of my heart, I can stay focused on who I am, trusting in His ability.  I am thankful, yesterday, today, and tomorrow that You never give up on me Father.   
 

Vision

I am seeing people in a new dimension. And this is a good thing. It's really hard to explain too, but I'll try. God is showing me a lot of the whys behind human behavior, and this includes myself. I am seeing "roots" of behavior instead of judging the outward "fruits", whether they are ripe or rotten. This makes it much easier to love people. We are taught as Christians to love one another and this is true, but I think you have to get beyond your own ability to love and see through His eyes what loving one another means. I was praying about this since it has been on my mind so much and then turned on some praise tunes on Pandora, which plays random songs, and this came on:

Definite divine moment. I've heard it a million times, I love the song, but this time it really touched my heart. It was just what I had been praying about. "Give me your love for humanity", YES!, that isn't that what we need?! And I am so glad that God has brought me so far in seeing His love for His people. We are all His people, He loves us. "God so loved the WORLD", that's all of us.
Imagine if we trusted God enough to give us His eyes? Our job is not to correct one another all the time, or to judge another man's heart, but isn't that what happens all too often? We are all guilty of being in our own "bubble" and missing opportunities to show compassion toward one another. I am really thankful that God is helping me to grow in His love so I can see these opportunities.
I know it's impossible to fully understand why people do the things they do. If we seek His wisdom instead of placing ourselves as the "god" of our own understanding, then it isn't so hard to love one another, true love, not the love we are "supposed" to have as Christians. You can say you love, but if your actions constantly prove different, then maybe you are seeing out of the wrong prescription.
God's eyes are possible to see from, because we are created in His image! His vision is beyond perfect. If we continue to seek Him and receive His love, then we can take off our glasses and see the world as He does.

Good morning

I woke up this morning to Eli saying "Mama, something is yucky, come look." I see him standing in the hall in a John Wayne stance and realize he has had an explosion. *sigh*. He wears a pull up to bed so thankfully it held some of it. So I get him in the bathroom and oh my gosh, yuck o Rama, I started gagging.
Day 6 of the worst stomach virus I've ever experienced.
So I give him a shower and start the sanitizing routine we have come to know all too well.
I walk past Ava, who is watching TV in her jumperoo, and hear "I poo poo". Oh yes, she had, and the diaper couldn't contain her explosion either.
So she gets a bath.
I finally get a chance to check back on Noah, who is still pretty sick, and he is asleep in the recliner. No poo though. I lay him in my bed. And then start more sanitizing.
Sorry if this is nasty. I just needed to vent. It has been crazy doing this alone the past 2 days, but I am thankful that we are getting better, as bad as this morning has been.

Thankful for help

Since early Saturday morning, a stomach virus has invaded our home. Ava was sick from 12 am Saturday until about 5 pm today. It was pitiful. I woke up feeling yucky and have been sick since about noon. Eli came home from Pa and Nanny's after getting sick around 6 pm. Three out of five and it ain't been easy. But in times like these you see how blessed you are. My husband has taken such good care of us, seriously, he is such a man of service. I can't imagine doing this alone. Also thankful for my Mama for helping even when I told her I didn't want her to get sick by coming over until Jason got home from church. I guess the motherly instinct to care for their children overrides care for yourself no matter how old they are. Noah has been at their house all weekend and told me it was like "vacation" again. I pray protection over all my family against this yucky virus. 30 days of thankfulness will resume when this passes but today I am thankful for helping loving hands in time of need.

30 Days of Thankfulness Days 1 & 2

Several people on Facebook are posting 30 days of Thankfulness. Well I am gonna blog ours, yes ours because I have already made calendars for each of my family members to write something on each day. So yeah, uh, top that. Totally kidding. Anyway, yesterday and today:

Me: my wonderful husband. He is a crazy man who makes life really fun and he is the best husband and father I could ever ask for.

Most handsome dork EVER! ;)



And today was my babies, hmmm, shocked aren't ya? :D

Noah: yesterday: his new nerf basketball goal he got from his PAJCH pal Josh.
Today: his Mario costume.



Eli: yesterday: luigi
Today: going to Pa and Nanny's and the Library.

Ava: yesterday: Nap
Today: chocolate. And I swear that's exactly what she said, no prompting. She's my girl. :D

So I have to take back my words if you read the previous version of this post, lol.  Jason added his this morning. 

Jason:  Yesterday: Me, wonderful me. ;)  Today: The 30 Day of Thankful Calendars. Aww. 

Halloween Candy idea

I'm on a roll today. I was sorting through the kids candy. It is unbelievable how much they got from just our neighbors, my sister, and Nanny, unreal! I sorted it out into chocolate and candy type products then had this idea: pre-made movie candy bags!! I have a huge stash of these popcorn bags and I just filled it with an assortment of candy and we now have movie candy, for FREE!! These would also be a good idea for a movie gift basket for someone else.

Art display

I have been getting lots of good ideas from Pinterest lately.  I came up with one of my own that incorporates the Command wall hooks that stick and removing the clips from the end of those department store pant hangers(I saw this idea on pinterest as a chip clip). I had the boys art all over my kitchen door that goes into the garage because I could use magnets but it looked really messy. So I had the idea to hang those hooks and the clips had a liitle hole on the back so here is my new door and a close up of the hook and clip. I like it a lot better. :)

Ode to my babies...

  This is a typical scene around here...all in "Mama's chair" watching a show or just sitting together and occasionally fighting over touching legs or arms.  This morning they were extremely sweet. 

 She decided to help me do laundry and dumped a whole basket of folded clothes off of her bed.  She put this changing table pad cover on her head and said "I baby" for probably 15 minutes.  Sweetest girl ever.

I could kiss her face off!!

His picture face.

 Mr Handsome

Warrior Pose

Sweet Sweet Noah

Mama's Boy



If you can't say something nice...

I don't know if you read my last post, the one I decided to remove.  There was nothing bad about it, but I posted out of pure emotion...again.  It occured to me that I had done it pretty much immediately after sharing it and it actually felt good to realize that I was being hard on myself...again.  So wisdom reminded me of who I really am and how I really don't feel that way, it was a passing emotional night when I was being hard on myself.  So, even though when I reread it and see there is some good stuff in there, I realize the power words have and decided to not speak of lack in my life.  I don't want to focus on lack and miss the extreme amounts of awesomeness in my life.  So I'm sure no one even noticed, but if you did, I took it down because I needed to for myself.  I'm learning, "if you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all" is easy for me to apply to others, but I also need to apply that to myself.    

Who Am I?



Can you be okay with where you are at, right now, no matter where you're at?  That's what God has been asking me today.  In the midst of all that is going on, I have not been okay with me.  I have been getting my worth from what I am doing instead of who I am.  I want to operate everything I do out of a sense of my image in Him instead of working my own plan to get there. 
It's easy to "think" we are okay with ourselves, but if you find yourself operating in a constant mentality of "not good enough", then you do not understand who you are.
This is a constant battle for me, one that has brought me to a place of wondering, "is this exact mentality the root of ALL my problems?"
It's kind of hard to say this on a public blog, but I felt like God wanted me to share it. I don't know if it will minister to anyone, but I'm being obedient and trusting that I am supposed to put it out there.

Some days, many days, I am not okay with how I look, how I act, or what I do.  So what do I do to myself?  Maybe some negative self talk, emotional eating, and waiting until I am "good enough" to reward myself.  So instead of waking up, enjoying this gift of life and doing the best I can with where I am at, I might see all I lack, stay in my pj's, and think about how much I have to get done.  I admire people who wake up and go out and "kick the world".  Live it up and love it! I should be embracing the blessings I have, and while I do, not to the fullest.  I want to be there.  I know that many deal with this issue and live in a web of lies about themselves.  So what is true?

 I AM A WONDERFUL HAND-MADE

CREATION OF GOD

For you created my inmost being; you knit me

together in my mother’s womb.

(Psalm 139:13)

YES!!!

I praise you because I am fearfully and

wonderfully made.

(Psalm 139:14)

YES I AM!!

Guess what else?

I AM RIGHTEOUS, BLAMELESS,

AND HOLY BEFORE GOD

Christ is the end of the law so that there may be

righteousness for everyone who believes.

(Romans 10:4)

IT IS FINISHED!

But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin,

yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.

(Romans 8:10)

Hallelujah!!

But now that you have been set free from sin and

have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap

leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life .

(Romans 6:22)

For he chose us in him before the creation

of the world to be holy and blameless

in his sight.

(Ephesians 1:4)

It doesn't get any clearer that that!!!

And if I ever doubt who I am, apart from anything I may do that doesn't line up with this word, I am made in His image.  So who am I to treat myself less than who my Creator made me to be?

So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

(Genesis 1:27)

So while we all go through the motions of life and there are things we must do everyday, do them out of a sense of "who you are" and not "who you are not", I think that's where the peace is found to enjoy each and every moment of this precious gift of life. Thanks God for the reminder of who I am, how you see me.  I really needed it today.  I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 



Where is my journal?

So, I can't find my journal from my 30 day log of eating gluten free.  I'm blaming it on a kid, probably Ava.  It's probably kind of boring at this point anyway, lol.  I did make it, with only a couple of instances I accidentally ate it.  One was our trip to Boston and that was probably the most challenging days.  A few of the meals were you ate what they gave you, so I just hoped they were okay.  It was kind of a pain to go on vacation and see all the foods in a different city and not eat them ALL!  But I did it.  There is a building in the marketplace there devoted to food and it was INSANE all the good food I saw.  I had some gelato which was yummy.  The awards night they gave us a crusted fish, and I am pretty sure that was bread-type stuff.  It was good though. 
So when I got back, the next day was my last day of my 30 day commitment.  Well I actually made it to 35 days and then ate a burger on toast.  I didn't die.  lol  I did bloat like a whale, BUT I also had a milkshake and we went to the movies and I ate popcorn, so it could have been any of the above.  Until two days ago, I didn't eat it again, then I decided to try some pizza...oh my, how I missed pizza!  I did get a bloated stomach, so I do know that is one side effect of gluten that shows up really quick for me. 
I went back to the doctor yesterday for my follow-up since the initial appointment where I got my labwork done.  So I was told again, I definitely have hashimotos.  I have been reading the book Hope for Hashimotos, and have learned so much.  I feel like I do have hope that I can make some changes to better my quality of health.  I also have some low blood sugar issues and will have to make sure I get enough protein in my diet.  I am going to be taking a lot of supplements for a while to get my body back to a healthy state.  I am deficient in a lot of vitamins and minerals that will help my thyroid to supplement them. 
I asked her some questions about being gluten free and she said that I am probably not allergic, as in celiac disease, but cutting out gluten is extremely important to reduce inflammation in the thyroid gland.  So if I accidentally eat gluten, or have it every once in a while, it isn't like the effect someone with a for real allergy would have.  Hence why when I ate it after my 30 days I didn't have a ton of ill effects.  I do know I do better without consuming it, so I have decided to do my very best to not eat it 95% of the time.  That's a huge improvement from probably 80% of my diet including it!  It's kind of the same approach I have taken with dairy, which has worked great. 
Saying that, I am going to commit to a 10 day detox program.  I will be eating, but no dairy, meat, sugar, caffeine, or gluten for 10 days.  I have a powder to mix in my smoothies too, so I will probably drink a lot of berry and green smoothies those days.  It will kind of reset my body and then I will add one thing back at a time to see how my body reacts.  I know 10 days isn't a lot, but it is always harder than it seems.  So I am trying to find a good time to start and making a plan so I don't get overwhelmed with what to eat.
I am really thankful to have found a place that is helping me beyond handing me a Rx and sending me on my way.  I am also thankful that I have a passion for health and wellness and have the tools to really make this a lifestyle change.  Trust God to show you a path for healing and He will always provide.     

Homeschool Fun

The past two weeks have been a bit crazy, with our trip to Boston and then me feeling like I was I was lost in space due to jetlag and a never ending sea sick experience.  We haven't been in the same routine and it was nice to sit down and have some fun school.  We did some work with shapes, big and small, opposites, and Noah practiced writing his first and last name.  Then we talked about the seasons and how today is the first day of Fall.  Noah asked when snow is coming and he was bummed that it's gonna be a while...I'm not.  I   guess that reminded him of hot chocolate because he asked if he could watch Dora and drink hot chocolate after school.  I feel like I'm talking like the Give a Mouse a Cookie books right now.
I have this craft book that you use the outline of the hand to make all these cute simple crafts.  I am going to save them for when they grow up and can see their different hand sizes.  I didn't get to do one with Ava today because she was asleep.  Next time I will just have to trace her hand before her nap.  Today we did a tree and used real leaves. 

  Aren't they so cute!

Everytime we get ready to read their Bible lesson, Noah is super ready and Eli always says, "I don't like Bible", just to hear me say, "you like your treat for listening like a big boy, don't you?"  He gives me a sly grin and says, "yeah, I guess."  Little stinker.  He is a rebellious little dude at times.  Today we read about God placing a rainbow in the sky as a promise to never flood the Earth again.  This reminded Noah of The Rainbow Song from the Cat in the Hat on PBS Kids.  It was precious and I captured the moment just for you...well, for me, but I'll share with you:

So Mr Entertainer Elijah went and got his guitar to play some Old McDonald:

what's a video of two little boys without the word "POOP" in it.

Hope everyone has a great weekend and HAPPY FALL!! I'm excited about all the fun fall activities to follow.   

Gluten Free Days 11-17

I'm feeling a bit ambitious, so I'm going to catch up on a few more days of my 30 day challenge.
I did a little better this week and food isn't controlling my thoughts so much.

Day 11:
Breakfast:   Van's Gluten Free Waffles (really good!)
                   Coconut Milk
Snack: Apple

Lunch:  El Tap Fajitas (again)

Snack: Veggies and Fruit (from a tray)
            Chips and Pizza Dip
             1 Chocolate Drop Cookie
             Sample of pudding dessert

Dinner:  Turkey/Cheese Roll-ups
             Chips and Dip
             Dr Evil

Today's challenge was eating with the Mom's from our homeschool group.  Most snacks are just glutenated.  I made good choices except there was some cake in the bottom of the pudding dessert, I didn't eat the cake and stopped eating it once I realized it was there.  I did notice my stomach seems less bloated today but still no weight loss because I'm probably just eating too much or something.  I was a little moody and tired today, probably from lack of sleep.  Still gave in to the Dr Pepper because it is in my house and staring at me.

Day 12:
Breakfast:  Chocolate Protein/Banana Smoothie

Snack:  Veggie Sushi Roll with Braggs(soy sauce replacement)

Lunch:  Baked Potato with BBQ Turkey

Snack: Popcorn and Dr Evil

Dinner:  Steak
             Roasted Potatoes
             Steamed Veggies
             Glass of Wine
Desert: 1 G Free Cookie

Okay day, I ate a wide variety today from sushi to bbq to popcorn to steak, ha ha ha.  No gluten today but I had a day of focusing on feeling deprived despite eating a plethora of different foods.  I really don't miss bread at all, I guess the discipline part is just getting on my nerves a bit, ha ha.

Days 13-17

I did not log anything these days.  I did not eat gluten but I was very moody and emotional.  I felt physically yucky so I just didn't do much of anything to be honest.  I didn't eat much either.  I found out during this time that I indeed do for a fact have Hashimotos and I was dealing with overactivity from my thyroid this week.  I called my new doctor desperate for help!  I am starting a new thyroid medicine next week and some progesterone cream because that came back low as well.   I felt a little overwhelmed but I still feel hopeful that I am on the right path to feeling better.  It reminds me of that Miley Cyrus song "The Climb"...there's always gonna be another mountain...I'm always gonna wanna make it move...it's always gonna be an uphill battle, and sometimes I'm gonna have to lose.  True dat....but the climb will be worth conquering this mountain.  I know I will make it and conquer this mountain with guidance from my awesome God. 
 

Gluten Free Days 6-10

This particular week was ROUGH!  I know my body was in detox mode and I was feeling deperate to find good tasting food, so I ate a lot of junk.  Here is what I ate on days 6-10 of my gluten free challenge:

Day 6:
Breakfast: Gluten Free Pancakes with Maple Syrup
                 Chocolate Almond Milk

Lunch:  El Tap Chicken Fajitas with corn tortillas

Dinner:  BBQ Pork Chops
             Baked Beans
             Cole Slaw

Snacks:  Popcorn, Chips, Dr Pepper, AND chocolate (geesh!)

Today my taste buds seem to be getting normal.  I didn't eat super healthy, it was Saturday, the weekends are always a challenge.  I am craving dairy a lot, but am trying to make sure I don't eat too much until I give my stomach time to heal.  Dr Pepper-my official beverage weakness-tasted amazing.  I feel like my stomach is still reacting every time I eat, not so much with cramps, but bloating.  I have noticed some improvement but hopefully someday I won't look pregnant. 

Day 7:
Breakfast: Berry Smoothie

Lunch:  Turkey Burger without bun
            Baked Potato
            Salad
            Grilled Green Beans

Dinner: Left over fajitas from El Tap

Today my Dad was put in the hospital for pneumonia and I spent most of the afternoon and night there.  I was really hungry around 7, but passed on Captain D's.  I feel mentally set on givng this a chance.  Physically I think I am detoxing from the gluten.  I have some sinus issues going on.  My skin got better then worse, but that could be from the Dr Pepper.  It usually breaks my skin out. :(  I realize that waiting too long between meals is not a good idea since I am not having as much super filling bread products.  I also tend to make healthier choices when I eat smaller meals more often.

Day 8
Breakfast:  2 eggs
                 Sliced tomatoes with basil
                  1/4 coconut milk yogurt

Lunch:  Whitts Nachos
             Tea

Dinner:  El Tap Enchiladas
             CHips and Salsa
 Snack:  GF cookie

I made it a week without gluten, unless it was accidentally consumed.  I notice a little change, but I was thinking I'd feel a lot better, lol.  Today I read it takes about 3-6 months to notice a big difference in most people.  I haven't lost weight, but still eating a lot of calorie, so I can't think no bread means instant weight loss.  My mind is a little clearer and I can concentrate a little longer, but just celebrating sticking to my goal.

Day 9:
Breakfast:  Berry Smoothie

Snack:  Mocha at the hospital

Lunch:  Harvest Salad with Chicken and balsamic vinaigrette(Great Harvest)

Snack:  Cinnamon cashews
             chips and dip

Dinner:  Gluten Free Pizza 2 slices
             Dr Pepper

Snacks:  Almond Crackers, Havarti Cheese, Olives

Today was definitely gluten free.  My pizza turned out pretty good, but I do miss real pizza, the dough is just not the same.  I threw in a Dr Pepper, which is definitely a skin irritant and alters my concentration.  As much as I don't want to, I need to stop drinking it, even occassionally. :(  Maybe eventually I won't want it at all.  I am enjoying drinking beverages more than eating actually, but I can have water, tea, coffee, carrot juice, and dairy free milk.  And the smoothies are always tasty, so I just need to hydrate really well and maybe I won't want the Dr Pepper.  I wonder what they put in that stuff! lol  I can go months without drinking it and just start craving it out of the blue.  Dr Pepper, I will defeat you! :D

Day 10:
Breakfast:  Carrot juice
                  1/2 coconut yogurt

Snack: G Free cookie
            chips and dip

Lunch:  1/2 Portabello Mushroom Pizza
            Dr Pepper :(

Snack: A few cinnamon cashews

Dinner:
Hot Dog, no bun, with chili and cheese
Fries
Vanilla Dr Pepper

Snack
Turkey Cheese Roll Up
Chips and Dip

Okay, today was awful nutritionally speaking!!!!!  I am pretty sure my trip to Sonic may have had gluten.  I am not sure about the chili and the fries I'm sure are fried with battered chicken.  I was emotional today and tried to make myself happy by eating junk....fail.  I tried to avoid obvious gluten but I'm thinking I probably made things worse by not researching my choices first.   

   

Homeschool Funschool Update

Today we had our first meeting with PAJCH(Putnam and Jackson County Homeschoolers).  The kids had so much fun.  We walked since it was a nice day and all the way home Noah kept asking questions about going back.  All the children in the group seem really awesome.  I love homeschooled kids, they just have a sweet spirit about them.  They are paired up with an older kid called their PAJCH Pal, and I know they are going to love that.  Ava's pal was super sweet and stayed with her and played the whole time.  It was a great experience and I look forward to getting to know everyone and letting my kids see how fun homeschooling can be. 
It seems like the more we do homeschool, the more I become aware of how life is learning and seeing opportunities to teach not only when we sit at the table, but throughout the day.  Noah seems to pick up on it too and asks a lot of questions about various things we encounter each day.  Even though I had some nervous feelings and hesitation about the "unknown" at first, I am seeing that this is a good fit for our family.  I am seeing that I can do it and I enjoy it, alot actually.  It's made our time at home during the day seem more quality and not so mundane.  So lots of good things are happening and I am thankful to have the opportunity to teach my children. 

What is Hashimotos? And Food log for days 1-5

"In Hashimoto's disease, also known as chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, your immune system attacks your thyroid gland. The resulting inflammation often leads to an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). Hashimoto's disease is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States. It primarily affects middle-aged women, but also can occur in men and women of any age and in children." Mayo Clinic

There is a link between hashimotos and celiac disease(gluten intolerance) and many people have lowered their antibodies by removing gluten from their diets.  So that is why I am eating gluten free.

My goal started to eat no gluten foods for at least 30 days. 
 
So the first five days of my journaling look something like this:
 
Breakfast:
Berry Smoothie
Coffee with coconut milk creamer
Lunch:
A weird sunflower seed recipe that was supposed to mimic tuna salad... it was okay
Almond Nut Thin crackers
Pesto Tomato Salad
Snacks:
Green Smoothie
1/2 of an apple
Dinner:
Chicken Feta Burger on Rudi's Gluten Free bread(so-so)
Roasted Potatoes
Dessert:
Coconut Milk Ice Cream Fudgesicle
Notes for today:
I feel satisfied with my food choices today.  Everything tasted pretty good and I resisted eating Doritos left over from our glutenous weekend.  Had some stomach discomfort but probably from the weekend of eating or readjusting to Green Smoothies.
 
Day 2:
Breakfast:
Berry Smoothie
Banana
Snack:
Coconut Milk Yogurt
Lunch: (with Debi Smith <3)
Strawberry Salad 
Snack: 
Chili Cheese Fries from Sonic (oops)
Dinner: (at Mama's)
Baked Chicken
Black Beans
Corn 
Dessert:
Baked Apples with coconut milk ice cream
Notes: Okay so not so hot on the choice to eat cheese fries, but they were yum-o, I must admit.  Hope they were gluten free and not fried with the other flour items on the menu. :/  I resisted fresh baked bread and mac n' cheese at my Mama's, that was a little hard, but mentally I feel focused on doing this.  I had a bad headache today and still had a little stomach upset.
 
Day 3:
Breakfast:
Cream of Rice hot cereal
1/2 of a coconut milk yogurt
1 glass of coconut milk (can ya tell I love me some coconut milk!!) 
Lunch:
Salad with vinaigrette dressing
left over feta chicken patty
a few veggie stick snacks
snack:
Caramel Moolatte
Dinner:
El Tapatio Enchiladas(in corn shells)
Chips, Salsa
Desert:
1 Udi's gluten free cookie
Notes:  Today, I was HUNGRY! I know days 3 and 4 have been rough in the past so I was just easy on myself.  I was pretty cranky today.  And I am craving dairy big time...hence the moolatte from DQ.  El Tap was so good, it made me feel like I won't be so deprived while eating out.  
 
Day 4:
Breakfast:
Berry Smoothie
Lunch:
Whitts BBQ nachos(made with 100% corn chips and GF bbq sauce)
A nice big fat iced tea
Snack:
Envirokids Rice Crisp Bar
2-3 Pirate's booty cheese puffs
Dinner:
Hamburger Steak
Home Fries
Salad
Notes:  Really really moody and feeling the detox today.  I am not craving bread, which is great, I just feel the physical effects of no gluten.  I am not eating the healthiest in the world, but still G Free, so proud of myself. I really hope I am not accidentally getting glutened when I eat out.  I think my blood sugar is off too.  
 
Day 5:
Breakfast:
Berry Smoothie
Lunch:
Left over weird "supposed to taste like tuna" sunflower seed salad(this recipe is not returning, lol)
Tias BBQ chips
A few Pirates booty puffs
Snack:
Another Caramel Moolatte
Dinner:
Whitts BBQ nachos...again
Another big fat iced tea
Snacks:
Popcorn
Dr Pepper
A few more Tias Chips
Notes:  Today was ROUGH...as you can tell, I started out trying to make healthy choices, but when everything started tasting gross, I went for flavor.  When I had my moolatte, I bought the boys a cone, and without thinking licked Eli's ice cream off the side.  So I think I got gluten for sure.  Later that day, I craved a Dr Pepper for the first time in a while and my moods got worse.  I am proud of myself for staying G Free despite my mistake and feeling like poo physically and mentally.  I am just relying on the strength of God.
 
 
 

It is definitely time for some writing therapy.  Warning:  You may find these series of posts very boring, but it's my blog and I'll write if I want to. HA HA!!
My physical world has been turned upside down the past 8-10 months.  Despite moving to the homestead, realizing it wasn't working, then moving back to where we started, I've been going through some big health challenges.  I would write it off as stress, which I was under a bit more, but deep down I knew something was not right.  After years of thyroid troubles, I had become overwhelmed with the symptoms that goes along with this condition.  I was having stages of extreme overactive thyroid hormone levels followed by stages of extreme underactive levels.  I honestly, at times, felt like I was going a little crazy, maybe bi-polar or something.  I knew I had to seek help because I wasn't getting it with my current doctor.  My sister, who also has thyroid issues, found a really good place near Nashville that specializes in hormone and thyroid problems, so I made my appointment and waited not so patiently for two and a half months.
So at my appointment, I was immediately impressed.  I am a researcher and not that I know more than doctors, but if given a condition that affects me or my family, I pretty much find out a ton of research and learn all I can.  So I could tell she knew her thyroid stuff.  *big sigh of relief* So she gave me some new information and resources, started me on a few supplements, and did some bloodwork.  She mentioned that my symptoms were pointing to a condition called Hashimotos thyroiditis, which is basically an autoimmune condition.  She recommended that I start a gluten free diet to see if my symptoms would improve and to get the ball rolling in case my tests confirmed her thoughts.
So after a weekend of really living it up in the eating world, one last gluten sabbatical, I started eating gluten free.  I know God is helping me in a supernatural way in this because despite a couple of temptations(which I didn't give into), it has been pretty easy.  Thank you Lord!! I have attempted doing this before for health reasons but gave up very quickly.  I am on day 18 and so far have not purposefully glutened my body.  And I say purposefully because a lot of times foods that are naturally gluten free may contain hidden traces of gluten from cross contamination. 
Last week, I was feeling so yucky.  Like in the pits yucky.  My thyroid had swung into overdrive and it was really difficult to cope with the anxiety and heart racing.  I received a call from the doctor's office that my labs were back and that in fact, I do have Hashimotos.  My antibody levels were very high.  I also was extremely low in Vitamin D and progesterone levels.  So, I am now waiting on a mail order Rx for my new thyroid medication and progesterone cream that will help with my moods.  My husband is probably saying "hallelujer!!"
So the Sunday before my confirmation of this, I was prayed for at church.  I had a great Holy Spirit experience and felt super peaceful that I am on the road to recovery.  I have been prayed for with my thyroid MANY times, and while I know the Spirit was present, something in me wouldn't receive it.  This time it was all about Him and I TRUST that whatever road to healing I need to be on, that's where He is taking me.  No putting God in a box this time, just an open heart and open mind to receive.  It is finished, He has done it. :)
So now I am rejoicing in the fact that I have hope and understanding of why my body has been under literal attack for so many years.  I am letting go of all the harsh feelings I've put on myself because I couldn't figure out what was "wrong" with me, I just wanted to feel good and enjoy this beautiful life.  I have gone from feeling hate towards my thyroid, to learning to be gentle with it, as weird as that may sound.  It is not the 'norm" to eat gluten free and live a different lifestyle, but if I want to feel better, I have to be obedient in these things.  Just like God has shown me with Noah, the physical body may have flaws, but the spirit man has no flaws and can show us the way to live our best life here on Earth despite the "imperfections".  As I've said before, miracles come in many forms.  Would I LOVE to wave a magic wand, or lay a magic hand, and fix every.single.thing, to say no would be lying. BUT! I know God is love and TRUST Him to show me where those personal miracles are for my life and for my family as well, outside of the box if I need to, the strength of Christ in me knows no limits. 
So because I just love to write, I am going to do a little diary about my journey with Hashimotos.  My friend, Audrey, has an awesome blog about nutrition and weight loss and is starting to log her food intake.  I have been writing my food intake down since I began in a journal, but what a great idea to share here.  If only for myself and accountability, that is okay, but if I can help someone else, all the better.  I am not perfect at it, but I am trusting that this road is MY road to recovery.  I actually am embracing my imperfections as learning curves, because if I fight them, I only give up and condemn the process of growth.  So if this bores your socks off, I understand, but if you are intrigued at how in the world I am doing with my journey, I hope I can inspire you to stay on your path and receive from THE source of life, in each and every moment.     

Homeschool Fun School Update

We've had fun the past couple weeks.  Two weeks ago we took a little spontaneous vacation to the Smokey Mountains.  We had a blast!   This is a picture from our hike to a beautiful waterfall. 

It rained on us half way to the top, but we made it with all three babes in tow without hardly any whining. :)

Fun school is still holding up to it's name.  We are still learning a lot about bees.  They are AMAZING little insects and I have learned so much too (like how the female bee is pretty much the backbone of the bee hive, doing all the work. lol).  Noah is doing amazing, he is super smart and eager to learn.  I love this season of life with him.  We made a craft out of bees, it is so neat!  We will work on a flower pot with egg shell flowers for the bee to eat nectar out of next week.
Noah is still doing really good in math.  We have done addition and subtraction and he just "gets" a lot of it without me even explaining it.  :)    We use beans and flash cards along with some pages from our curriculum books. 
I read a lot to them, I know that is a big part of learning right now.  I also love to read so it's fun for me too.  We've been going to the library every other week and checking out books, movies, and cd's.  They are really enjoying that and Ava thinks she owns the library and gets really mad at Mama when I don't let her run wild.  It reminds me so much of Noah.  When he was little, I braved the library a couple of times and decided it was too stressful.  And now I'm in there with 3 little ones and making it happen.  I put Ava in a stroller today, she wasn't too happy about that, but it made it easier for me to keep up with them. 
I also joined a homeschool group that will start meeting next week.  I went to a Mom's night this week and met all the other Moms and painted a really neat canvas.  I had a good time and look forward to taking the kids on Mondays to learn and play with the other kids and Moms.  It's really awesome because they meet literally less than a mile from our house.
So after a month of educating at home, we've had lots of fun and I'm learning a lot along the way.  Life is learning and embracing the moments to soak it all in. 

Homeschool Fun School Day 3

Today we ate breakfast and got started on fun school right away.  We woke up later than usual today so Ava wasn't ready for her nap. I sat her in her high chair while we read "The Greedy Bee" again.  She wanted the book so I had to stop mid-book to let her down because she was fussing so loud.  lol  So she went out on the deck and played.  The boys were very attentive during the book again.  Today I had Noah to narrate the book himself as he looked at the pictures.  Here is his version:
The Very Greedy Bee

narrated by Noah Seyer

The very greedy bee was eating the nectar from the blue flower. He was being very greedy and not sharing the nectar.

The very greedy bee took the ladybug's flower and he wouldn't share or let her rest on the leaf.

The very greedy bee found a lot of flower. Big flowers. He was excited. He said, "The flowers are all mine, and I can't tell anyone."

The greedy bee is jumping on the flowers and falling asleep. He got fatter and fatter and fatter. He fell asleep on the pink flower and snored.

He woke up and he couldn't fly because he was roly poly. He bumped when he tried to fly.

"I'm scared" said the greedy bee because there was a monster.

It wasn't a monster, it was fireflies! "Follow us" they said, and they helped him go home.

He was tired and he heard the waves from the water. He said, "I'm almost home." "But how do I get across?" he said. The tiny ants will help with a big leaf. "Get on" they said.

The greedy bee said, "I'm home!". The other bees said "where have you been?"

He was going to share all his honey.

The end.
 
 
We did a few more questions about things going on in the book and the lesson of the story.  Eli said "eat honey" was the lesson. lol  Noah said, "be nice and share."  Hopefully that lesson will speak to him when he is being greedy with his toys.  
 
By this time Ava was ready for her nap, so I gave Noah an activity page on "B" and Eli colored pictures that start with the letter "B".  He actually remembered that glove didn't start with "b" from yesterday!  
 
They took about a 15 minute break to play and watch "Word World" on la la la la, doink, PBS Kids.  
 
We came back to the table and read a little poem about fireflies.  We talked about how awesome it is that God gave us such a cool bug to enjoy.  Eli said "God gave them to bees because they get lost."  He is paying attention, yay!! 
 
We got out some dried beans to do math today.  Eli was launching beans all over the kitchen, so his lesson was to count how many beans he picked up off the floor.  Noah did awesome with his addition today.  He probably did about 15 sets of adding beans using the beans as spots on the puppies.  I think he really likes Math, he was super excited today about adding. :)
 
We did our Bible lesson today and they made sure to pay real close attention today.  Noah remembered from yesterday that God made the planets, hills, stars, and moon.  Eli remembered the moon and stars too.  Today we learned that next the Earth looked brown and bare so God made the trees and plants.  We talked about the fruits on the trees and bushes.  Eli said God made the blueberries all on his own. :)  Noah said he wanted some blueberries, so that made me remember there is a you-pick blueberry farm super close to us that we will have to visit soon.  They have the BEST blueberries and it will be a definite fun school adventure!
 
Today was fun.  I'm learning how to balance both boys and teach Eli at his level, even though he's more interested in being the class clown. lol  Marshmallows are working as bribery for him to listen when he gets rowdy.  He likes to pretend he doesn't know something as a game, so teaching him is going to be a whole new experience.  Noah is the ideal student, he is really excited to learn, listens very well, and tries his best with what assignment he is given.  I like having both of their personalities to teach, it keeps it interesting and fun.  I'm actually very proud of Eli for his interest in what we are learning and what he is retaining, he just needs to express his inner comedian quite often.  So this week was a great start to our year of homeschool.  I am going to try to post as much as I can in the future, but it may be weekly instead of daily.  I need to use Ava's nap time very wisely to keep up with all my Mama duties. :)  Have a great weekend!    

Day 2 Homeschool Fun School

Today we read the bee book again and the boys really love it.  Then we did some questions about things going on in the pictures of the book, like:  why are there dotted lines following the bee, who is the bee with the yellow crown on?  Then they asked for a spoon of honey from the bee hive pot.  lol 
I helped Noah learn to hold his pencil better because his hand looked uncomfortable and he complained with his thumb hurting.  So I watched a quick video on how to show them how to hold a pencil, lol, seems like it would be easy to show, but the video made it easier to explain, little trick method. lol  He wrote the letter "Bb" again today and I already saw improvement in just one day. :)  Eli scribbled again and said "done."
Then we did some pages out of a letter book where we colored the pictures that start with the "b" sound. 
For our math today, Eli did a Sesame Street page that explained first, next, and last.  And for Noah, we started some basic addition.  He seems to really understand math concepts well, so I wanted to give him a little challenge and he did great.  He had no trouble counting the puppy groups and adding them together. 
Our last lesson was reading from a children's Bible stories book.  They didn't pay much attention the first time because Eli was being silly, so I asked them questions and they didn't remember.  It was a super short story so they could have remembered, lol.  So I told them that if they pay attention and listen and can answer my questions, they get a treat.  Bible Bribery...maybe it will work for me too. lol  They paid attention the second time and had sweet answers this time, so they got some mini marshmellows. 
After Ava wakes up from her nap, we are going to go have some fun outside after lunch.  Today was fun, but Ava did not want to nap and Eli is back to full energy(he's recovering from a virus), so keeping him from distracting Noah is gonna be something to work on.  He kind of comes and goes, which is fine, I don't expect him to sit down, but I guess if he does get down, I will make him play in his room so Noah won't be as distracted.  I'm learning too. :) 

Homeschool Fun School Day 1

Today Noah started his first day of kindergarten......at home.  I am going to be his teacher and I am really excited!! Probably more excited than him because I have all the ideas for what I envision as "fun school" in my head.  I am a little nervous since I've never done this before, kind of comes along with unchartered waters in life, but I feel led to do it, so we are gonna follow that lead and have some learning fun!
So our school time is during Ava Mae's nap in the morning.  Today we started this really neat little curriculum called "Within These Pages."  The whole lesson plan is based around one book.  Our first book adventure is about bees.  We read the book, "The Very Greedy Bee" and talked about what bees eat to make honey.  Then I got my honey pot, (I loooove me some honey, so I have a cute beehive shaped cookie jar filled with honey) and we all ate a little spoon of honey.  This wasn't in the lesson plan, just an impromptu idea I had. :)  I think I might  be good at this teacher thing.  Then we did the letter "B" and Noah practiced writing upper and lowercase "B" and Eli scribbled on his manuscript paper and said "I'm done." lol  Then we took a break to go jump on the trampoline.  While we were outside, we went over to the honeysuckle bush and saw an actual bee eating nectar!! Woo hoo, how awesome, the living example right in front of our eyes.  Then I picked some flowers and Noah tasted the nectar.  Eli said, "Mom, I not eat that yucky stuff."  lol 
Then we came back in and did a few sheets out of a Sesame Street Math book.  That was our sitting lesson time for Day 1.  I wanted to keep it short and sweet so he would look forward to school tomorrow. :)
We ate lunch and then went outside to ride bicycles.  I think we'll be getting lots of P.E. credits this year!!  

Emotions and Circumstance

It's probably safe to say that most of my life decisions have hinged on emotions.  These emotions were triggered by circumstances, sometimes within my control, sometimes beyond it.  Until about six months ago, I didn't realize I was allowing them to control my life.  It was a helpless feeling and I did not know how to change!  I've always labeled myself an "emo" or emotional person, almost with pride.  I have a lot of mercy in my heart, a lot, so it felt good to say I was emotional, kind of like having mercy on myself for having a reason to react a certain way.  I am a thinker, a visionary type person, so I often want answers and direction and want it now.  I want to be the BEST me I can be, mostly out of control.  eeeek, yes, control, I envision something and control until I get there through emotions.  Or at least that is what I did, God is bringing me to amazing places in transforming my heart concerning this.
I felt like there was this one "perfect" path destined for my life and I HAD to figure it out.  It changed often, as often as the wind blows at times.  But my emotions said "this feels right" based on life right now.  Ughh uggh ughh!  So now I see there was some truth in seeing a path.  It's to give me a sense of direction, but not to figure out EVERY.SINGLE.ASPECT and forget about letting God lead me in the present.  oops. :-/  So now that I have seen this revelation, I look back over circumstances in my life, some created, some just that happened because this is a fallen world, and I notice that I reacted out of emotion and sent myself on a path that maybe I wasn't supposed to be on.  God has blessed and honored me through it all, but he has also, ever so gently, because I chose to see what was already there, had MERCY on me and is revealing truths to me. 
I don't have it all figured out, and some days I am very confused and all over the place, but I still feel thankful that He rescued me from myself.  I'm still resting in the revelation that circumstances do not have to control my emotions, or vise versa.  There are truths that do not change, no matter what is going on in my life.  I am learning I am exactly who I was created to be and to be okay with my "normal".  And even though I'm not absolutely sure what that is yet, it's nice to finally accept myself as the daughter of the King, and know and trust that will be revealed to me.  It's okay to be me and live in that realm of peace and contentment no matter what is going on around me or what other people are doing.  Priceless revelation!

It doesn't have me!

So I am going through a rough time with my thyroid, again.  :(  I haven't felt good at all the past few weeks and it is really tough.  I tend not to complain much or try to write when I am going through emotional and physical thyroid stuff, but I just want to declare that I am an overcomer.  I may have thyroid problems, but thyroid problems don't have me!  I refuse to let these symptoms define who I am.  It is frustrating, I can not lie, but I'm holding to my healing promise NO.MATTER.WHAT!  So even though I really want to complain about the million symptoms I am battling right now, I am choosing to not let this circumstance overtake my joy.  Self, line up with who God says you are!  Blessed, healed, whole, and full of the life of Christ.  THAT is what I am.   

This week on the homestead...

Jason bought an awesome green tractor...no it's not a John Deere, but it still rocks!  God hooked it up.  And he took the babies for a ride tonight and they LOVED it.  So sweet!



I planted part of garden in the dark with a big work light shining in the field.  It's raining every other minute, so it was muddy and at first I didn't like it. But then it got fun and I started using my bare hands as a shovel and felt super connected with the earth.  Cheesy, yes, but I'm hippy like that.


The guineas are down to 8 (from 31) and grow so fast.  Everyday I go out to see them, I wonder if Jason is feeding them Miracle Grow.  We are getting 25 more soon to replace the one's who went to heaven.  Hmmm, guineas in heaven, interesting thought. 

I'm still working on interior decorating, and having lots of fun.  Even though it's overwhelming at times, I'm actually glad I have lots of projects waiting for me.  My creative side is smiling.

That's about all I can think of....I'm going to get my camera out more now that we are really getting things going.  So hopefully later I can add some pix in, no promises though, the country life is a busy one.  :) 

What's for Dessert? Church!

God has been giving me a lot of good stuff about the "church" lately.  We are the church, yes, but I am speaking specifically about the churches we attend, in whatever form it may be. 
We were going through a period of life a few years back where we were questioning the institution of church.  Not because our church had offended us or anything, but just God taking us to the place of seeing the purpose of church.  It felt awful at times to be honest because I started to see my codependency on church to serve my relationship "fix" with God.  Then a wise friend said something along these lines:   "Your daily walk with God is the meal, church on Sunday is the dessert."  That REALLY spoke to me.  Church had been my meal, and I was starving from only eating one (sometimes two) meal a week!!
Church can easily become a co-dependent force, and we can forget that we should only be dependent upon our relationship with God, on a personal level.  Church as a substitute for relationship will only lead to dissappointment.  It's easy to look to people, places, or things to fulfill that longing for relationship only experienced with Him.  People in church are still people.  They aren't holier than thou, and shouldn't be expected to be.  Christians are watched closely, and it's easy to point fingers when they get out of line.  "They should know better, they go to church."  Many people confuse going to church for relationship, and I have been there, but praise God I've seen truth!
Church is not mandantory to walk with Him.  Church does not make you righteous.  Church does not give you the right to judge others.  Church is full of people with problems.  Church is not perfect, ever.
Church can be a place to fellowship with believers.  Church can be a place where you grow.  Church can be a place where you serve out of a loving heart.  Church can be a place of acceptance no matter where you are at in life.  CHURCH SHOULD BE ALL THESE THINGS!
If church is not, then maybe seek to find one that represents Him the proper way.
Church is a group of people that can come together with all their unique talents and abilities to fellowship in the name of Jesus!  This leads to many more aspects of what happens as a result of these believers joining together, but that is pretty much what church is.   
Church is not where God lives, He dwells within you, everywhere you go.  Christians meeting to grow, fellowship, worship, and serve because we desire to...that is true church.  Take expectations, limitations, and obligations out of the equation, and church really does become dessert.  A really good dessert that makes the meal perfect.

noooooooooooo

So I just had the best post and it got wiped away so instead I'm going to scream NOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.....
okay, I'm over it...I'll try to repost tomorrow.

Happy Mother's Day

After reading this blog post today, I was inspired to honor some of the wonderful mothers I am close to. 

Starting with these two lovely ladies:

My Mama:  I could write a book about how special she is to me.  She is truely the most self-less person I know.  She has taught me how to see others in a different light.  She always sees truth in situations and leaves judgement out of the equation.  I love her so much.  She serves like none other, she'd give you her last piece of amazing fried chicken even if she were starving.  She makes the best sweet tea in the world (with a little of my Daddy's help) and is THE BEST cook in the land.  She smiles a lot and is always nice to everyone.  She might complain about being tired and overworked, which she has every right to, because she is, but she works hard and with integrity, which is rare these days.  I wish I could pay her a six-figure salary just for being amazing.  She loves her grandkids like crazy!  And they love her too.  She is the best "Nanny" a grandchild could ask for.  She gives, she gives, she gives, and then she gives some more.  I celebrate her every day, and speak blessings upon blessings into her life.  I know we don't deserve anything, but in my book, if anyone did, she'd be at the top of the list.  I love you Mama and thank you for all you've taught me about being a mother.

My Granny:

I think my Mama must have learned a lot from her, because she also would give everything she owned to help someone in need.  Sometimes to a fault, but that is just how she is, and her heart is pure.  She has had a really rough life.  She lost her her husband early, has lost three of her children at young ages, and a number of other family members.  She has been through a lot of tough times, but she loves God and her faith has carried her through.  She never seems to age and is beautiful inside and out.  

A shout out to my sisters:

Amanda- one word:  Superwoman.  You must have super human strength because I don't see how you manage all your jobs and excel at the most important, being a great Mom.

Tonya- Your communication skills with your children is something to be admired.  I have learned so much from watching you carefully deal with issues in your children's lives.  I love that even though you've been through some "stuff" you keep on going with a positive happy smiley face.

  

Cassondra- We didn't grow up together but I can't tell you how happy I am that you are in my life now.  Even if we rarely see each other, I can tell you are an awesome, fun Mom.  Your love for your son is radiant and makes me smile.  And the fact that you sent all those geotracks to my boys make you rock!

Jennifer-  Your kids are the most well-rounded kids I know.  I mean it!  All around they are amazing, and they are SO well behaved, but more than that, they are so in love with God that peace surrounds them!  That alone is a testament to the awesomeness of your mothering.

My sister in law Shelli- Seven amazing kids and you make it look easy, that is a gift from God, fo' sho'!  You inspire me to see motherhood as having NO limits, and that it is possible to "let go and let God" everyday. 

My mother-in-law, Linda- You mothered my husband, and I'm pretty sure it's like mothering Elijah Rayne, so for that, you deserve a medal of motherhood!  And even though you made me polish silverware...lol  In all seriousness, you raised an amazing man, and I am blessed to be his wife.  Thanks for being an awesome Mom and Grammy, we love you so much.  Oh, and also thanks for the phrase, "it's a big ocean".  We get lots of laughs out of saying that.

Happy Mother's Day to all the awesome women I know, I could go on forever about the good Moms I know, and I am thankful to have all of them around me to teach me about this amazing title I cherish.         

Sweet Ava Mae is One!!

*Giant Sigh*  Yes, it's ALREADY been a year since sweet Ava Mae was born.  She is so sweet and happy.  She has brought so much joy into our lives.  Third time was a charm.  All of my babies are charms, of course, I'm talking about my mothering experience.  I guess it just gets easier each time and I have really enjoyed this little girl.
I have a confession.  Before Ava was born, I wasn't sure I could bond with a little girl like I did my boys.  Kind of like how you wonder how in the world you'll love your second child as much as your first.  bwwwwahahahahahaha.  It's comical now to think I ever thought that.  She is so much fun, little girls are awesome!
In fact, I love how my boys interact with her, such little gentlemen.  They have a sweet side that really shines when they interact with their baby sister.  They are the best big brothers.
Ava has the best personality.  She is sweet, sassy, and funny all at the same time.  She is really tough, good thing with these boys around.  She is so smart, she repeats so many words, the other night she said "accident" as plain as day, and said it twice, just so we'd know she did.  She just seems to understand so much, and is pretty much cooperative.  She transitioned into her bed so easily.  The last one, not so much...and even still not so much, so I love her for that.  She does so good at church and the fitness center nursery, so Mama doesn't feel guilty for leaving a crying baby.  She is super ecstatic and might give a cute whine when I return, just to let me know I was missed.
When I got pregnant with her, I wasn't happy about it because I wasn't ready just yet for another baby.  I knew the moment I got pregnant, yes, I do.  Too much information to go into detail about, but I do know this without a doubt.  I will never forget my pregnancy with her though, because is was during this time that I got real with myself concerning my relationship with God, and grew so much, physically, spirtually, and mentally.  So from the beginning, she has blessed my life.  I love her so much and am so happy to have a daughter.  She is pretty much amazing.  Happy Birthday my sweet girl, you are a blessing always!      

House to Home: The Kitchen

I'm going to do some before and after's as I decorate the new house.  I was gonna wait until I was completely done with each room, but that might take a while, so I'll share as I go. 
This is what the kitchen looked like when we bought the house:



Oak Cabinets and Green Countertops circa 1990

And this is my sweet husband putting up my open shelving:

I love this dork. :)

These are the walls before my shelves:

One bracket down, 11 to go.



And now the "after" pictures:

I love how it has turned out, looks just like I hoped.  And my shelves make the whole room look so good!

Here's what we've completed:

Ripped out the side short cabinets

Put on new countertops

Painted the cabinets a bone color

Put new hardware on the cabinets

Replaced the faucet

Painted the walls

New switch plate covers

Replaced the stove and dishwasher(total blessing find)

Added an over the range microwave

Bought a rolling cart island to help with counter space

Things I still want to accomplish:

Making window treatments

Adding baseboards and trim around chimney

Adding a shelf or some cute antique to other side of chimney

Getting a matching stainless fridge(long term goal)

Replacing the light fixtures

And I know it looks like we spent a lot of money, but I was really resourceful and found lots of deals, so we were able to knock out a lot of projects and it turned out great!  I love re-design, and at least I'm using my degree in some way. 

  

Before



After



More to come and I'll update as we finish our list. 

Thanks for stopping by the homestead!