Hygiene and Health

This is for Saturday because I will probably be busy! :)

Are you taking care of yourself? I am REALLY realizing that I can't take care of my family well at all if I don't take care of myself.

You NEED to take care of yourself!

Imagine the strength you would have if you got up in the morning and got dressed so that you feel you look NICE.Brush your teeth,fix your hair.........Do whatever you need to do to feel put together.

Have your quiet time.(Prayer/Scripture.)

Then go and have yourself a healthy breakfast and maybe even EXERCISE! ?

Scott leaves for work at 6:30.I am(usually) dressed with my hair fixed,teeth brushed and his lunch packed/coffee made by the time he leaves.I can have the baby nursed and 2 miles walked by 7:30.(The walking dvd that I do allows me to talk to Scott on the phone at the same time so that is great!)

7:30-8:00 I have my quiet time.

8:00-8:30 I eat breakfast

ALL that before we start school at 9:00!

Now,it does NOT always go that way for me! lol But that is what I am aiming for.I always change the baby,wipe him down,get him dressed etc. in that time too.I like to have that done before Scott leaves if he(baby) is awake.

Then of course,we ALL have alot of interruptions! lol BUT,even if I wasn't done with this morning routine until 8:30 or 9:30 that is still alot to get done in that time.

When I DO get it done I feel on top of the world! Such an excellent start, and it makes me much more faithful to my goals all throughout the day.

I love to:

Start laundry before Scott leaves for work.

Be dressed nice and even have on a necklace etc. before I kiss him good-bye.I *always* make sure I have fresh breath and I usually write him a note too.:)

Have a green smoothie for breakfast.It makes me feel like I started the day so healthy and really helps me to want to make healthier choices for the rest of the day.

Go in my room with the doors shut to pray in peace.I read my Bible out on the couch while holding/nursing the baby and keeping one eye and ear on everything going on lol.I also think it is good for the children to see me reading my Bible everyday.

Exercise in the AM! Just 20 minutes makes me feel SO good and cuts back on the rest of the exercise I have to/want to get done throughout the rest of the day.It REALLY gets you going! It also revvs up your metabolism right away.It is so good for you!

Cuddle with the little children while I read my Bible.

When a body has everything that it needs spiritually and physically it is ready to GO.When you start the day out like THAT,watch out! It is so much easier to OVERCOME the battles.

Do you have anything that you love to do in the morning that really helps you start your day well? Share please!

Are you good at SHOWING your joy?

I am a people watcher.When I am in town,shopping etc. I just automatically notice people and peg them.I *know* that my impressions could easily be wrong.It isn't that I am judging them but I DO get an impression.

Some people just LOOK happy.Some look absolutely miserable.

Sometimes,even if our heart IS happy,we don't do a good job at showing it.I am practicing SHOWING joy.Smiling more.I already smile AND laugh alot lol but I want to smile even more.I definitely have room for improvement.

I am amazed at the transformation that goes on when someone smiles.

There is nothing that makes a woman more beautiful.

Now I don't mean you need to keep a smile pasted on your face 24 hours a day lol but I have yet to see a truly happy,content and joyful person who doesn't smile alot.


Look at yourself in the mirror with 3 different faces.Better yet,have someone take a picture of you with 3 different faces.

Frowning/angry face
Your *normal* face
Smiling face

You will see just how much better you look with a smile!

Sometimes we can feel perfectly joyful and are just to busy to take the time to smile.So make sure that your joy is visible and do it often.Smile for no reason! When you pass your husband in the hallway SMILE.When you wipe your little child's face SMILE.When you pay for your groceries SMILE.

Smiles do amazing things for an atmosphere.Even forcing yourself to smile for 1 full minute can change your OWN mood lol. Try it next time you are feeling grumpy!



Get in the habit of SHOWING your joy!

I was sitting on the couch last night.........

and I looked around and realized that there really *were* children everywhere lol.

One child making a cake.

One child doing a math lessons.

One child zooming around on a little riding toy.

One child hugging Daddy.

One child nursing and

2 children playing in the playroom.

I could see them all from where I sat and I was just overwhelmed with thankfulness!

It wasn't hectic......It wasn't even really noisy but it was just a pleasant sound.Busy,happy voices of children all around..(I didn't mean to rhyme lol)

I tried to imagine if it was just dh and I! ahhhhhhh I can't imagine.

Or if we just had one or two children........Nope,can't imagine.

In ten years from now we will have a 23yo,21yo,18yo,16yo,14yo,12yo, and a 10yo PLUS,if we keep having babies every 2 years like we have so far we could have an 8yo,6yo,4yo,2yo and a newborn!!!!! lol That seems IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!! lol I am already FULLY blessed and if I didn't have anymore babies I could not complain but it would also be amazing to have that many more.

I really can't believe we have SEVEN children.I can remember my first being layed on my chest and being in amazement that I was finally a mother.I kept saying "I finally have my OWN baby".I had always dreamed of being a mother.I couldn't wait until I could DO things with him.I wanted to bake cookies,do fun projetcs......Wow lol life sure is different now and that baby is 13.An amazing boy.

Scott and I are loving this stage of life.We are starting to have oldER children plus we still have our babies.It is really quite awesome!

Connecting with your children when........

you have LOTS of them!

It hit me the other day that some days I get to the end of the day and I feel like I have not connected with or really ENJOYED a few of my children.I mean,I always connect with atleast a few of them and I ALWAYS enjoy ALL of them.I don't mean that they are a burden but sometimes life can get so busy that I don't REALLY enjoy them as I should.Especially the little boys.They bring such DELIGHT to my husband and I every day.They are so funny,cute and just PRECIOUS but somedays,it seems that I look at them at the end of the day and realize that other than chores and school they have just been off playing all day.I have taken care of them,schooled them,fed them,bathed them,brushed their teeth etc. etc. etc. but I have not really taken the time to just sit and read to them for a while or to play with them or to really talk to them and hear their thoughts......I HATE THAT!

I love them so much.......I look at them all and just feel like the richest woman in the world.Do you ever look at your children and your heart just literally flutters and you just feel like laughing out loud and dancing around the room because of the unbelievable PRECIOUSNESS??????

My 13 yo son is becoming such a man.It thrills my soul to think of the future with him.His dream is to just get a job with his Dad and stay back here on the farm with us for life drinking coffee and talking lol.He has plans to buy me alot of equipment for my garden/yard.A tractor and attachments.....He loves this farm though and at this point,just just dreams of growing up and working with his Dad.He doesn't want a wife........:):):):):)

My 11yo dd is such a beautiful young lady.She amazes me with her thoughtfulness and love.She is SO considerate of others.She is such an excellent help to me too.She LOVES her little boys :):).She is such a little Mamma to them and they love her.Even though her and her big brother can really pick on each other and provoke each other,she loves him dearly.She hates for him or anyone else to get in trouble.She wants to please us and the Lord and *sigh*,she DOES want a husband :):).

My 8yo dd is a little precious sweetheart.Wants to do everything the "big" children too.She is kind of right in the middle of "big children" and "little children" and goes back and forth between groups as she wants to lol.When it comes to staying up late she is a big child of course :).She is a huge help to me.She is just learning to do SO much!She LOVES to share her things.Always has.Both girls are absolutley in love with their Daddy :).He has two little princesses who love to get his coffee when he gets home.

My 6yo ds is such a sweet and gentle boy yet he can get hyper too,especially when his big brother has a hand in it :). He (6yo) loves his little brothers(AND BIG BROTHER).They are all such good friends.He and my 4yo are like twins.I can't imagine them being apart.He treats his BABY brothers (2yo and newborn) with SUCH care.He smiles and laughs at them like they are so little and he is so big.He is a Mamma's boy through and through.He also loves to go with his Daddy.He is so cute.He has a bashfulness about him that we all love.

My 4yo amazes us.How can they ALL be so different and special in their own ways.He is HILARIOUS.He really,really melts his Daddy and his Mamma :). He LOVES to go with his Dad every chance he can.Sometimes he has a hard time deciding though because he loves to stay with Mamma too :).He and his brothers are best friends.(Parents who chooses to only have 1-2 children are missing out on so much.They have no idea.) He delights ALL of his siblings with his cuteness and sweetness.

My 2yo lol.............LOL!!!!!!!! I LOVE 2yo's!!!!! See as I am typing this all out,every time I get to the next child I am overwhelmed with amazement that they are so cute,smart,sweet and just PRECIOUS! Every single one them amazes us.Our 2yo is a genious lol.We crack up laughing over him every.single.hour I think.Look how much laughter children bring! lol Anyhow,Isaac is still such a baby but is growing fast:).He loves his "tighty" (Titus) soooooooo much.Never one SECOND of jealousy.It is soooooo sweet.He loves to sleep with one hand on me and one on Titus' cheek.I know they will be great friends.

Titus......*sigh*.......I am so blessed to have been given another baby to go through all of these precious stages above! Right now he is just a precious ball of joy.He is smiling and cooing.......We all stare at him in amazement atleast several times a day lol.He could not be more loved!!!!!!! He has 9 people absolutely gushing over him every day.He is so soft and sweet.I am so blessed to have him.

It is such a blessing to be a woman.They Lord has given us so many JOYS as wives and mothers!!!!

My sister is visiting with me right now too and even though she is not my child I do have to comment about her because she is so amazing! I have no idea how I am going to do it without her when she goes home! :) She is happy,helpful and responsible.I literally have to almost never correct her.She loves the Lord and has a heart to please him.She loves her Mamma and Daddy and misses them very much but loves being her with all of her nieces and nephews! Mom and dad need to just move closer than 600 miles away!

I am strving to take time  to connect with each one of my children EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. I know these days of having them here with me will fly by and I don't want to have regrets.I am so blessed.

LOVE YOUR CHILDREN today!!!!

Beautiful girls

These are my beautiful girls.Actually,one of them is my little SISTER.:) My sister is on the left and she is 16.My oldest daughter is on the right (11) and youngest daughter in the middle.My sister is actually taller than my daughter by a couple of inches but thats it! :) They are great friends!! :)

It makes me feel REALLY nervous ALOT of the time that I have the power to be such an influence and example to these girls.It is a scary and wonderful thought.I am always influencing........a.l.l the time.Even when I don't want to! Those are the scary times! The way they view marriage,mothering,children..........Even things like pregnancy,childbirth,herbs and breastfeeding........Then there are things like attitudes,thankfulness and joy.I SO want to be a godly example to them.

My sister has been staying with me for a long visit.When I think of the times that I have been impatient or frustrated with the children.....When I get overwhelmed with how much I have to do.......I cringe that I am not being example to her.She is at such an important time in her life.

I HATE that my daughters don't see a mother who never gets irritated,is always encouraging,never gets short with them and is always thankful and content.I want to ONLY influence them in a godly direction.

I HATE that I can't be the perfect mother!

On the other hand.....I KNOW that the Lord knew I would be imperfect when he gave me these children.My own parents were imperfect but guess what? Looking back,I see what there heart was.I KNOW that they wanted me to have the best.They wanted me to be godly.They tried to make the best decisions they could for what they knew.It doesn't even PHASE me when I think about the fact that my Mom could lose her temper pretty quickly or that she didn't have tea parties with me every weekend.I couldn't love her more! She did her best and so did my Dad.I can see how HARD it can be to be PARENT.I am 33 and my siblings are 27,18 and 16.Every single one of us love Mom and Dad SO much.YES! Inspite of their faults......I have been critical of how my Mom and Dad raised my younger siblings.(They were 12,2 and 5mo when I married) Guess what? The other day I was going to paint my girls fingernails for the first time.I asked my sister if she wanted hers painted and she said "no". I found out a few days later that she wanted to call her Mom and Dad and ask if it was ok first.Can you believe that? A 16 year old girl that wouldn't even paint her nails at her SISTERS house......600 miles away from her Mom and Dad......

When she talks to them on the phone she grins from ear to ear.She loves them SO much! Just like I do.....Like ALL of my siblings do.

I am starting to not beat myself up so much.Don't get me wrong,I will not EVER quite trying to be my best for the Lord and my husband and children.It is my sincere desire to be the best influence for the Lord that I can be.......

BUT:

I am pretty sure that because we are not hypocrites,we have an excellent marriage,we are dedicated to being the best parents we can be to our children,they love us and love to be with us more than anyone else,they hear us pray to the Lord to help us be all we should be for them and to forgive us when we fail,we are a HAPPY family that strives to live for the Lord.

I bet someday that with all the love they are receiving from us that they will be able to forgive our faults!

That is such a WONDERFUL feeling!!

Thank you Lord for forgiving children!

#7 is no less exciting.....In fact......

It is MORE exciting.

When I had my first child I was overjoyed.I couldn't believe I finally had a baby.I was finally a mother.I had dreamed about it since I was a little girl and then when I got married I lost my first two babies.When my first,full term,alive and healthy baby BOY was born I couldn't have loved him more!I couldn't wait for him to smile,then sit up,crawl,walk,talk,bake cookies with me etc. etc. I was so excited about motherhood!!!I coulnd't wait to experience it all!

When my 7th child and 5th BOY was born,I couldn't have loved him more! I DREADED him smiling,sitting up,crawling,walking etc. lol Instead,I cherished every moment of his precious newborn stage knowing that it would fly by faster than I wanted it to.I don't cherish him LESS because I already have 6 other children.I cherish every moment MORE because now I know how fast they grow up.

Of course,I DO want him to be healthy,thrive and GROW:).He is smiling now and it is soooooooooooo precious.I LOVE it!! But instead of thinking about how I can't wait until he reaches the NEXT stage I am just completely enjoying THIS stage.

I want to live my entire life like that.Being thankful for NOW.For TODAY.

I am so blessed to have this little man!!

My Baby Boy and Me.......

My Baby Boy and Me


It's 3 a.m., they're all asleep,
and no-one's here to see.
As we rock slowly back and forth,
My baby boy and me.


His little hand is feather light
Tucked up against my chin.
I hold his tiny hand in mine,
and stroke his baby skin.


The house about us creaks and groans,
The clock hands creep around.
He snuggles closer to me still,
And makes his baby sounds.


I love these quiet hours so much,
And cherish every one.
Store memories up inside my heart
For lonely nights to come.


All too soon he'll be grown up,
His need for mama gone.
But until then I still have time
For kisses and for song.


Time for quiet hours like this
With him cuddled in my arms,
Where I wish he'd always stay
Protected, safe and warm.


And yet I know the day will come
When his tiny little hand,
will be bigger than my own.
He'll grow to be a man.


But until then he's mine to love
With no one here to see.
As we rock slowly back and forth,
My baby boy and me.



~Author Unknown

Energetic children

Well,I am 14 weeks along in my pregnancy and my morning sickness is starting to go away.I am thrilled about that! I can't *wait* to be back to myself again.Cooking for my family has been especially challenging because the smell of almost everything (especially meat) makes me SO sick.I am convinced that I have been doing a terrible job of keeping them healthy because friends of ours just visited from out of state and ALL of my children got sick and none of theirs did! Which brings me to the topic that I wanted to write about.

Do you ever get frustrated withe the never ending energy and appetites that your children have? I know that it can be a challenge for me at times! When my children are sick though,it always reminds me to be SOOOOOO thankful for healthy,energetic,HUNGRY children! :)

Just imagine the parents out there who are dealing with terminally ill children! I look at my little children laying around with no appetites and energy and even though I feel bad for them,I know they will be back to their normal selves soon.I can't help but imagine how it would feel to have a child who very likely may NOT get better........May NEVER again have an appetite or race around the house full of energy..........and may be in pain that just might have no end in sight.

I take SO much forgranted!!!!!!!!! Thank you dear Lord for energetic,hungry children!!!!!!!! May I fully appreciate them and do my best to take care of them with love and patience because I never know what might happen tomorrow!