Something New

You may have noticed something a wee bit different about my blog.

If you have speakers you've heard my music.

I have wanted to add music for awhile but two things held me back.

#1 The music would annoy people and they would not return {even though you can pause it as soon as you are on the page}

#2 See the following quote....

Music is what feelings sound like.

~Author Unknown

To me, music is deeply personal. You can discover alot about an individual by their musical tastes. I am very transparent to the point where others may be uncomfortable..I feel led to be open about my life, feelings, faith, etc..It is totally comfortable for me..BUT...I wasn't sure if I wanted to go this far.

Music is what life sounds like.

~Eric Olson

As I pondered over this dilemma one early morning, I realized that I created this blog for me. I wanted a place to journal, sort through my thoughts. I found it with my small space in the internet universe. Blogging has encouraged me, healed me and made me become a better person in many ways. It also has ensured I have something in the day that is just mine..and considering I am a mother of four small children I think finding "me" time is important.

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

~Berthold Auerbach

Your witnessing the "healing" part I just wrote of. I hope you all enjoy my music picks...BUT...if you do not...it's okay {would never be able to say that before}...we are not all alike and we all do not have the same taste. All I know is I felt led to go ahead and put music on my blog. To some this may seem utterly ridiculous that it is such an issue with me, but as I said before....music is deeply personal.

Music is love in search of a word.

~Sidney Lanier

Boys Will Be Boys

I have three boys, 6 yrs, 3 yrs and 8 months. I realize that I will experience many different things with the boys than my only daughter {3 yrs}.

I can give my daughter markers, glue, scissors and paper and she will create for a very long time and you won't hear a peep out of her.

The boys on the other hand....yeah right. If they had scissors and I left the room I'd come back to new haircuts for sure!

Lately they are into wrestling. If our oldest is laying on the floor for any reason the 3 yr old will jump on him and this is what ensues.....

At this point they have been given a warning that the baby is on the floor and to settle down. And this is how they will respond.....

After repeatedly asking them to quit beating on each other I finally give up because now my daughter and the baby are both trying to get in on the action. There is so much wrestling in this house that the 8 month old baby actually gets excited when it starts!

I have decided it's not worth the fight with them and if this is how they show their love {because it's usually the only time they are not really fighting} then I will go with the flow.

Boys will be boys.

Wordless Wednesday

"Mommy Giant"

By Sasha Age 3

{I think it's a giant because it took up half the page of paper}

For more WW particpants go here.

Tackle It Tuesday

How about today we start with what I did not tackle this week........

Like putting away the twins preschool year end bags...

umm..they finished in June and it's almost August.

It drives me crazy everytime I walk by them and realize I have not put them away yet.

What is holidng me up?...I have no idea!

The last two weeks I have wanted to post this as my tackle......

...and as you can see I have yet to tackle them onto the wall of my living room....double sigh.

BUT....

I did finish a batch of Apple jelly....

Pressure washed the front of my house, lots of cobwebs and such..now gone....


Deadheaded my petunias
{this pic is also for Gayle because she is the most amazing gardener and I wanted her to say mine look great...LOL}

Whipped up this "money" can for my Sam.

It took me all of 3 seconds to wrap an empty can with this awesome robot scrapbooking paper.

I made a "rainy day fund" as well for the parents of this household.

I am hoping to save money for trips to take the kids on.

Hopefully next week I can tackle those frames.

What are you tackling today?

Go on over to 5 minutes for Mom

and get inspired.

Quotable Mondays

Your assignment on this planet is to enhance

the part of the world you were put in charge of.

You keep that world free by living and speaking the truth.

-David Viscott

Shout Out Sunday

My only link up this week.

Need I say more?

Your Gonna Miss This Moment

It's Friday and the weekend is HERE.

Time to head over to Pam's blog and join in on the fun and remember those moments you just know your going to miss when they pass by.

For me I will miss SUMMER.

Warm weather & trips to the beach........

Boat rides......

A Tan, and yes people that is me with a tan, it's there look closely...

Holding up my daughter who ALWAYS falls asleep on said boat rides.

..oh yeah, other children tend to crash too once we are on the lake.

Gage's 1st boat ride..he missed it..lol.

Living on the Canadian Praires you never know what kind of weather comes your way.

You may start the morning with your furnace on and finish the day with air conditioning.

You get used to it.

BUT....you can usually bet July weather is HOT, HOT, HOT.

Throw in a few good thundestorms and that's our July.

I will miss these moments when the cold hits in just a few short month(s).

Go check out what other's are missing.

Flying By

This year started out with time ticking by so slow.

Remember, my husband was off to college and I was here raising our four children. It was a long four months that he was gone.

Then he returned and summer hit.

Now the days are flying by, faster than ever before..or so it seems.

I had so much planned for the these couple of months...a bible study with friends, start my Stampin Up business, maybe get some more trees planted in the yard, etc. None of this has happened.

Instead we all are either in a swimming pool or some body of water everyday. If not we are inside due to poor weather crafting with play doh or making paper doll/man chains and coloring them.

I am not disappointed that we are keeping busy but it scares me how fast it's going. School supplies are being stocked in the stores and my little grade oner is excited to get some notebooks for the first time. I'm sure I was just teaching this boy how to potty train...wasn't I?

Speaking of this boy we are still having some big issues with control. We both want it.(lol)

I am learning that each child responds differently to discipline. With my oldest, yelling and screaming does nothing. Threatening does nothing. Afterall we are doing this out of anger. Sending him to his room and cutting him off socially...now that does something!

I had another discussion with him yesterday {with me crying} why parents have rules and disciplines and why he cannot battle with us everytime we ask him to do something or not do something.

I love his strong will {If I don't have to deal with it} but it's slightly overbearing, tiring, time consuming and frustrating sometimes.

We are off to the lake again and hope to have a few good days. The sun wears out our little people and rest is important so meltdowns stay at bay. I do however have some alcoholic beverages for myself that can numb the pain of screaming children just a wee bit. I also have some comfy chairs by the campfire to relax in while downing the beverage.

Have a great weekend.

Battles Of The Mind

I am having an inner struggle right now.

I know I am a good person but I also know I fail sometimes at trying to be good.

Do you have that one person in your life that can make you feel like you'll never be enough? You will never dress good enough, never say anything right and you will never be in their league? {not that it matters in the big picture but I think you know what I mean}

How do you deal with it?

Do you avoid this person, do you confront them that they are a just a human being like you? Knock them down a little.

Do you try to be like them? Try not to be yourself?

Do you worry about everything, your clothes, your hair, your body size, your mothering when you are in the same space as this person?

Am I the only one that has someone in their life that intimidates them?

I have been trying for many years now to deal with it all. I feel like I am almost there but then something happens or something is said...not even by this person but by someone mentioning their name and I fall back a few steps.

I start to hear the lies, the deceit...all the stuff I work so hard to pass over.

I know who I am...

I know in who I trust....

But to give full control is sooooo hard and I have yet to get there.

14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:14-18

Wordless Wednesday

Brothery Love

For more WW particpants go here.

Tackle It Tuesday

My tackle was a bust. I did not finish it in time due to a drill malfunction and of course exhaustion after a long day with children inside the house due to crappy weather.

BUT..I got thinking of all the things I accomplished yesterday. I did tackle a lot on my to do list but of course there is always more. It's amazing what we Mother's tackle in any given day and no wonder why we are so tired at sunset.

Yesterday I....

*fed four children three square meals, snacks and of course beverages...this is a constant in this household.

*I kept four children from fighting..especially the three yr old twins

*I gave a baby a bottle X 4

*I changed a babies diaper X 6

*scheduled events for our Mom's group = on the phone

*returned emails, sent emails, booked my first scrapbooking get together.

*I talked on the phone in the afternoon X 3 with good/old friends {not the norm around here}

*I did two loads of laundry

*I took my four children to the library and dollar store

*I swept my kitchen floor

*I played with a baby

*I played hide n seek with the two boys while two other children napped

*I bathed children

*I clean the bathroom while bathing them

*I read to the three older children {4 books in total}

*I kissed and then fought with one child to goto bed

*I chatted with husband before finally going to bed

*I got up with children during the night for numerous reasons X 5 {3 yr old "Mommy my bed's too soft}....sigh

So I guess though I did not achieve what I wanted to...one main tackle.... I still feel pretty good that I made it through the day with happy kids and my sanity.

What are you tackling?

Go check out 5 minutes for Mom and get inspired.

Roller Babies

The highlight of my afternoon....

Kind of reminds me of this picture I took of our

super baby doing pushups a few months back....

My husband was in Police College doing

a couple hundred push ups a week day.

So when he thought Gage had perfect form

I tend to believe him.

Wish I had that core strength!

Quotable Mondays

Live

to

the

point

of

tears.

-Albert Camus

Shout Out Sunday

This weekend while at the lake I ran into someone that was having trouble with her nine month old and solid foods. When I had my first son a friend suggested a Baby Safe Feeder. It was one of the best thing I EVER bought in the infant stage. I lent her mine and I am very interested to hear how it worked out with her little guy.

As you can see it is really a simple thing..invented by a father who's son was choking. I started my kids with grapes or watermelon but have put meat, vegetables and casseroles in it. It was a great way to feed them or keep them busy and it is a great teether if you put ice or frozen fruit in it. Bananas are tough to clean so I try to avoid them in the mesh bag. It also saves money on buying baby food.

It makes a GREAT baby gift as well.
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If you are ever in need of bible scripture or just want to read the bible online you must visit BibleGateway.com. You can search by chapter, by words, and in any of the versions, NIV, KJ they have them all.
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The bloggy shout out goes to Sheila from "Ma Vie Folle" .

Sheila is funny and is raising teenagers. Because she has the older kids I find her stories interesting since none of them involve potty training and sleep issues...well..maybe sleep issues. More like visits to college and such.

She also has her own online store called Aventine Hill Bath Emporium.

I asked Shelia {a long time ago} if she'd ship to Canada and her answer was yes...so you Canadians can contact her if your interested in purchasing some of her paraben free and organic items.

Have a GREAT sunday...the kids and I are going to "chill" after three long days on the beach, bike rides, and just plain activity in hot weather...we are beat! {at least I am}.

Till Tomorrow.

Leave The Man Alone

I would just like to state that.....

the media needs to let Michael Jackson rest in peace.

I was so disappointed in a Canadian entertainment program that was boasting how they have the exclusive story on Michael Jackson's hidden life.

HELLO...the man has passed can we move on? Leave his family alone, leave his memory alone.

Was it like this when Elvis passed? I was a wee toddler when he died so I have no idea. But this MJ stuff has to stop. I can't imagine being a fellow friend or family member and listening to or reading what the next person has dug up about him.

I think it's quite sad.

Yes, MJ had a messed up life but why do we have to relish in all the dark secrets he had?

Move on media.

There is my 2 cents on the subject, now I'm off to enjoy a sandy beach, some rum coolers and numerous bike rides around the trailer park with the little people.

Have a great couple days.

Wordless Wednesday

Wonder if that stick gun is loaded?
Our future fill the freezer guy hunter.

For more WW participants go here.

Tackle It Tuesday

*** I had no idea the guest tackler on 5 min for Mom was tackling her moods either...too funny!**

I'm tackling something all together different than the usual.

It's not housework.

It's work..... but on myself.

I'm tackling anger.

Once in awhile anger just flares within me. I feel anger towards everything and everybody and it is so hard to shake. I get extremely grouchy and I really do not want to be with anyone. I would love to hide out somewhere till the feeling passes.

"In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry"-Ephesians4:26

The only thing that makes me feel better after I have ripped apart those I love all because I am angry, is the fact that I know I am only human....I make mistakes....and I ask for forgiveness. It doesn't make it all okay that I am angry or took it out on my little people, but if I held onto that terrible feeling of wrong....where would that get me?

"and do not give the devil a foothold."Ephesians 4:27

I had other jobs I could have posted today....I cleaned the dishwasher, finally got the kids photo's in frames etc. etc. but this is important....now.

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."Ephesians 4:31

The flare ups of anger are slowly disappearing day by day. It's been with me, rearing it's ugly head, for a week or so. Call it PMS, call it the effect from bad weather for too long...it's still here and it needs to be conquered. Change my thoughts and change my mind...right?

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. "Ephesians 4:32

What are you tackling today. Hopefully something way more enjoyable than I. Check out some Mommy bloggers and get inspired.

Quotable Monday's

To be yourself in a world

that is constantly trying to make you something else

is the greatest accomplishment.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Shout Out Sunday

It rained here yesterday...it seems to everyday.

Sometimes I can get a craft done with the kids if the baby is sleeping...this was one of those days.

It is hard to find a craft that they all will enjoy considering they are three years apart. I was going to make them a paper doll/man chain. I googled it only because I wanted to get it on the first try. If you forget how to make one go here.

I really liked the suggestions on decorating the dolls. Scroll down this page and checkout the aliens. And what a great idea using fabric.

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I love to read and during the summer I read more than usual...especially at the lake. I just ripped through another book and am eager to read the sequel. I found this website through a big bookstore chain. They did not have the book I wanted so they suggested I try here. If i can get the book I want in good used condition for a fraction of the cost of new...why not?

You have to read the "Book Description" area. You may also start to like a particular seller and know their quality is good. So far I have never had an issue with the quality of the books I have received.

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Ever wonder what your going to make for supper/dinner? {laughing} Of course you have if your a mother short on time which can be always around this place.

I LOVE LOVE Kraft's website. On their homepage they have a section where you can enter three ingredients you have on hand and it will give you a whole whack of recipes. Alot of their recipes take minutes to make and most are a hit with my family.

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Blog feature today is another find from Tackle It Tuesday..... "It Feels Like Chaos"

You must check this post out if your frugal in anyway. What a difference a little paint can make. After reading that tackle I looked around the house for something I could buy Rust-Oleum Hammered Spray Paint. What a great idea.

The post is a week old so make sure you goto the most recent to leave her a comment.

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Have a great rest of the weekend. It is finally a sunny morning here and there are weeds to pull and lettuce from the garden ready to pick so I am off to get that done...right after a few more cups of coffee and some blog reading..wink.