Quotable Monday's

The greatest gift you can give you somebody

is your own personal development.

I used to say,

"If you will take care of me,

I will take care of you."

Now I say,

"I will take care of me for you,

if you will take care of you for me."

-Jim Rohn

Shout Out Sunday

Today I must give a shout out to my friend Sheila of Ma Vie Folle. She is witty and not scared to let you know her views on something. Go check it out and tell her who sent you!

Sheila has an online store called Aventine Hill Bath Emporium and the minute I checked out her website I knew I wanted to order some great natural products. Here is what came in the mail a few weeks ago.....

I love her packaging.....felt like I just purchased something real luxiourus but did not have to spend a ton of money. The scent from these products were wonderful, not overpowering. They were just beautiful to look at.

I was interested first in her goats milk soaps. I ordered the Calendula - Orange Creamsicle soap. Oh My Word!!! The scent of this soap is amazing and after using it for the past few weeks I am in awe that it still has a yummy orange scent. You can even see the orange rind in the soap but you must go here and enlarge a picture to see for yourself.

I have enjoyed the bath salts as well...again the scents are just perfect, not overpowering but just there to enjoy and take in.

I recommend heading over to Aventine Hill's website and checking out the products. The prices are very reasonable and the shipping to Canada was incredible. I know I'll be visiting again real soon.

Your Gonna Miss This

With summer ending I am going to miss the sounds of some of the animals you hear during the warmer months.

I often wake to this wonderful cooing sound. Since I grew up in the area I knew it was a crane. I was lucky to grab a photo of the huge birds when we were on our way to the lake.

You can see our house in the background and that is usually how close they are.

I'm sure these are a Sandhill Crane. They are beautiful birds..or so I think.

This is what Wikipedia says about their call.....

"This crane frequently gives a loud trumpeting call that suggests a French-style "r" rolled in the throat, and they can be heard from a long distance"

They have a wingspan up to 7 feet and just look awesome when they take off.

Now head on over to Pam's blog and check out what others are missing.

SP3?

I am happy to report that Grade One is so far exciting and fun for my oldest son. He loves his teacher {as do his parents} and he is excited that he has a locker!

But, I do see the difference of Grade One over Kindergarten and that is influence from the older kids.

Owen came home Wednesday after his first day of school and told me we need a SP3..I thought about it for a minute and realized he is probably talking about a PS3..playstation 3. I asked him why we needed one and he said they were better than a PS2..lol.

We have no video games only for the reason that my husband is not a gamer but more the hunting-be-outside-type....you know take your quad and see how many huge mud holes you can go through. Honestly, Owen has no interest in video games. He has tried a Wii and it lasted about 5 seconds. The only thing he really liked was Guitar Hero or Rockband..I'm not sure what he was playing.

That being said, I think we will see some changes in maturity and what this little boy likes over the next year. Should be interesting.

I just hope I can guide him in the right direction.

Wordless Wednesday

For more WW particpants go here.

Quotable Mondays

"The best kind of friend is

the one you could sit on a porch swing with,

never saying a word,

and then walk away feeling like

that was the best conversation you've ever had."
~ Unknown ~

Shout Out Sunday

"It's not High School Musical"

"Being part of something special, makes you special"



And now go sing "Just a small town boy...." because it will be stuck in your head all day!

Can't wait for this show to start this fall.

Your Gonna Miss This Moment

What I'm going to miss in a few short weeks.............

I am so lucky to see these beautiful flowers all from my front deck!

Looking forward to colorful leaves falling and comfy warm clothes soon...very soon.

Head on over to Pam's blog and check out what people are missing.

YAY, its Friday

I'm tired.

School starts next week BUT....VBS was this week and I am so tired of getting up early every morning.

Sad I know.

I have company arriving today and really need to at least wash some sheets on the bed she is sleeping on.

BUT...

I cannot find the energy.

Hopefully I survive the Mass today at VBS because I am parenting all four kids by myself. At least I do not have to fear my children being disruptive...there is another 40 kids attending, someone else is bound to have loud children that forget their manners at any given moment!

Have a great weekend.

Pretty Things & Time

I want to speak of my frustration of how different life is with little children. I'll define little by the age of 4 and under.

I would have been to a point this year that I could actually get a nice bowl or vase for this table. The kids would have left it alone and I would have felt the entrance way was completely decorated.

But....surprise baby #4 still has to get through his few years of curiosity and learning what he can and cannot touch. I know it is such a frivolous thing to be concerned about but people in my situation feel like the time when we can have "nice" things out or feel like our home is put together, that time seems like it is far away yet. Will I even care by then?

It's not just bowls on tables, it is alot of things that right now I have to put on the back burner because my children need me so much at this moment in their lives. Maybe I need them that much too and I don't realize it. Instead fatigue from sleepless children takes over all ability to think clearly in any given situation.

I long for a date with my husband, I long to buy a white shirt and wear it without fear of stains from children, white pants...well let's just say I have never thought that far. I long for van trips to town that are not exhausting right after we have left the garage {3 in car seats still}.

But I also long for the little arms around my neck giving me hugs and kisses. I long for the smell of the baby when he first wakes up in the morning and how soft his cheek is when I rub it with my lips. I enjoy watching every new development with all the kids but I am also tired and feel guilty when I just sometimes do not take it all in.

It is a two way street this motherhood thing. Sometimes you want to run fast to them on the left side while your passing Mother's running away on the right. I am that Mother on the right often but then I get my little time away and my brain resets, I get a glimpse of what it would be like riding in the vehicle alone and to be honest I don't like it. I like singing "You Are My Sunshine" at the top of my lungs with the kids, I sometimes don't mind listening to the boys fighting in the back because it's ridiculous what they are fighting about.

Yes, it's a tiring, thankless job at times but I was put here for a reason. Baby #4 was blessed to us for a reason and we don't need to understand all of it but we need to do the best job we can and relish in the fact that God knows exactly how were feeling when we are so tired it feels like our eyeballs are bleeding. He knows when we need to go lock the bathroom door and breathe deeply for a few minutes until we can face the little faces that can be so stressful at times. God knows and he will get me through it and teach me something along the way.

He also knows exactly who to place in our lives that can get us through this. I may not have my Mother anymore but I have friends that are supportive and in the same season of life so they can all relate when they phone me and I talk 100 miles a minute to explain why I am sending the six year old to boarding school far away in another country.

We make each other stronger and help keep the sanity intact over coffees and playdates. We need to immerse ourselves so much in our families that we forget sometimes what it's like to just relax at someone's kitchen table and shoot the breeze.

And someday I'll buy that bowl or basket or a new table for that entrance way...but for now a coat rack about 3 feet from the floor is going up there. The table will be moved and I'll look at the kid's backpacks until I can put something pretty and possibly fragile there.

"Powerful Lord, help me not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time I will reap a harvest if I do not give up."

(Galatians 6:9)

Wordless Wednesday

Our poor Princess...do you think she can breathe?

For more WW particpants go here.

Tackle It Tuesday

Yay, it's Tuesday which means I have to find motivation for something because I always want to particpate.

Today I had my husband "around" {he wasn't really home all day} and I was short one child due to VBS. I decided to tackle my phoning list and that I did! I called everyone I needed to call, sent some emails, made some appointments and only have one unanswered email waiting. It felt good to actually remember to do everything I wanted to do and have the sanity and peaceful moments to get it done.

We also finally got some kittens. We live on an acreage and have a mouse issue...problem is we also have a cat disappearing issue as well {it has four legs and white fur and can bark}.

Meet Tank....{yes the boys named her, psst they don't know its a girl}

And Princess...{you can guess who named her}

I also tried to go through my sock basket because it's that time of year when the socks are needed. I use "try" lightly. As soon as I dumped the basket and started to sort I had some company.


I kept at it and Sasha was actually helping.
She is just as upset and annoyed with the boys as I was.
Gage was eating the socks and Sam was just rolling in them.

And to top it off...Gage managed to eat dirt...this is not the first time but I had to take a picture....sigh. I am sure my grey hairs are from having three boys!


What are you tackling???

Leave a comment and let me know or send me over to your blog and let me check it out.

Head on over to 5 minutes for Mom and get inspired to tackle something.

Quotable Monday's

Normal day,

let me be aware of the treasure you are.

Let me learn from you,

love you,

bless you before you depart .

Let me not pass you by in quest of some

rare and perfect tomorrow.

(passed on by a friend and it is now where I can see it everyday)

Shout Out Sunday

How do you pray?

My friend over at Sippy Cups & Fingerprints has some very good points in this post.

I know she opened my eyes and my heart.

Your Gonna Miss This Moment

It's the weekend which means it is time to join Pam over @ Your Gonna Miss This. Each week Pam hosts a carnival and asks us to post about the moments we know we will miss and they pass us by.

This week I had a hard time figuring out what to post. I have had little sleep due to sick kids, sick myself and a baby who seems to be waking alot in the night now. BUT...this morning I took a look at my pictures from the past week and came up with something.

I'm going to miss reading to my children. I know I still have many more years to do this but right now the three year olds get right into the book. They are so intense when I read..it's cute to watch and nice to know they like the story.



This book was actually quite long for Sam...he can't handle the long ones. But he did sit through most of it and he now loves Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss..of course..lol. Yes, those are orange goggles on his head, don't ask.

Head on over to Pam's blog and read what everyone else is missing.

Wish Me Luck

I'm off to buy school supplies.

Yes I left this task for the last minute {close, school is still a week a way}.

I wasn't fearing the mobs of people until I thought of what Wal Mart can look like during the off season on a Friday pay weekend {government assistant cheques come out today}. So I have decided to hit the office supply store instead. Many Moms have mentioned that you may pay more for the odd item but you can get exactly what is on the list, and there are some particulars on my son's supply list.

At my son's age we don't need to worry about a whole new wardrobe..he could really care less. He needs new indoor running shoes and that's it. Besides we received the notice for hockey registration and it's $330.00 not including Community Club fees, therefore..no new clothes son if you want to play the sport.

Now his mother...yes she could use new back to school clothes and plans on buying some in the near future. I figure at 9 months post partum it's time to start wearing pants that are not meant for mother's with a widening abdomen and thanks to Ms Jillian I am slowly shrinking in that area anyway.

So off I go leaving Daddy with the troops who are are sick with colds...thanks to their Mommy spreading hers around. Daddy at the moment is cuddling with his little girl watching TV and I hear movement from upstairs which means soon I'll hear "Mom, can I have..." a thousand times per minute.

Have a great Friday!

Thoughts

Why does loving those you love become difficult?

Why do we have expectations of others that make the relationship more complicated?

Why do preschoolers have so much energy on so little sleep?

Why does the moon come out when the sun is still in the sky?

Just wondering...

Wordless Wednesday

Oh my silly children!

For more WW particpants go here.

Tackle It Tuesday

Do you have that one cupboard that drives you crazy! The place where there are items you need but do not use on a daily basis? Here is mine.....

Spices, coffee and filters, food coloring, cake decorating items, etc. I have a spice rack so the spices in here are bulk bought containers or spices I do not use that much. The only thing I use in here everyday is the coffee filters and coffee grounds. It was dirty and frustrating me so this is what I did.


Threw away the outdated spices and any containers that were empty. Filled up two bins with like items, labelled it and put my coffee on the bottom where it's always been and within reach.

Simple but efficient.

Makes me wonder why I wait so long to do stuff like this.

Head on over to 5 Minutes for Mom and get inspired.

Quotable Monday's

One of the advantages
of being disorderly
Is that one is constantly making
Exciting discoveries.
-A.A. Milne

Your Gonna Miss This Moment

What am I going to miss knowing/praying that I am done having babies....

Sleeping babies of course...

{Gage 8 1/2 months}

I love to watch my children sleep.

When they are so little it is the most peaceful thing in the world.

{Owen 18 months with Daddy}

Sasha {sleeping} Sam {not sleeping} 2 weeks old.

Sam {sleeping} Sasha {holding Sam's hand and not sleeping} 1 month old

Head on over to Pam's blog and check out everyone's entry that is playing along.