Sunday, December 21, 2008

ICE ICE BABY!

We came home to this today from Christmas at both Grandmas houses, I'm so exhausted I can barely type. The kiddos wore me out physically and emotionally this weekend. Traveling back with the tribe ALONE without daddy has probably happened for the last time until they get MUCH bigger :). My pea sized brain just can't take it.

The logistics of THE TRIBE are overwhelming at times. ESPECIALLY IN 5 DEGREE WEATHER!!!!!

The packing, The presents, The crying, The bleeding, The juice cups, Potty stops, The missing binky, The snacks, The fighting, The unpacking, The blankies, The dressing, The undressing, The bathing, The feeding, The fever, The medicine, and the UNPACKING-MORE THAN BIG MAMA CAN TAKE TONIGHT! Thank God Aunt Brenda gave our family (BUT I'M NOT SHARING) a 40 oz-2.5 POUND of chocolates & I WILL muster up the energy to shovel several in so I can save the last bit of my sanity (at least for tonight).



Don't turn me in to the NUT HOUSE yet people (i already live there) I will be back to my old bloggy self by tomorrow after the above mentioned chocolate, a couple Benadryl, some prayer and a good nights rest. Thanks for letting me RANT :)

PS...I MISS YOU CAPTAIN....REALLY BAD!!!!!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Please Take a Moment-PRAY!

I do not know the Lamberth's personally however their story HAS touched me personally. One week ago today, Mark Lamberth was in a dirt bike accident and has been unconcious since. He is a man of God and a husband to Angie and father to Nolan.

Tomorrow he and his wife Angie will celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary. Angie asks that you join her in a day of fasting and prayer for Mark. Please take a minute, go to their site and leave a prayer or word of encouragment for her and the family.

If you have a healthy husband today, BE THANKFUL! Take time today to love and encourage him and Praise God for his health and well being. It is amazing to me how God brings together the body of Christ to pray for and cry tears for a total stranger. What an awesome God HE IS!

Brainwashed my kids into Rotten Breath?

Yesterday as many days we sniffed our kids breath to make sure they REALLY brushed their teeth (yes, we sniff hands too). For some reason for MONTHS Mr. Smearfritz's teeth have wreaked. We even went so far as to get some BREATH RX from the dentist. So yesterday The Captain takes him into the bathroom and proceeds to do yet another schooling on the brushing of teeth. During the demo, The Captain proceeds to put a wad of toothpaste on the brush-Mr. S agitates instantly and dad knew instantly something was wrong..It went something like this...

The Captain: Whats wrong?

Mr. Smearfritz: You know toothpaste is a DRUG and you don't want to put that much on the brush?

The Captain: Huh?

Mr. Smearfritz: I READ THE LABEL & toothpaste has drugs in it!!!
The poor kid, I think he's heard so much about BAD DRUGS in his short 9 years and with all my preaching and public speaking about drugs and drug endangered children, he saw the word DRUG on his toothpaste and has probably been agitated about this for who knows how long.

We assured him it was safe to put a glob of toothpaste on his brush as long as he doesn't EAT THE WHOLE TUBE, he should be just fine.

Oh, the minds of children and what they think..... The breath is better and that helps us all!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Busy Bee, Busy ME!!....

We got our first snow of the season yesterday-about 3 inches. Wyatt has a GREAT sense of style, Here he is in his tank top, shorts and John Deere boots gazing out at the snow. WHAT COULD BE SWEETER? We do not make a big deal out of clothing in our house, we are LUCKY to get the little stinkers dressed at all. Clothing is optional for those 4 and under in our house for sanity's sake (there Beth, I admitted it :). It's been just TOO brutally cold to take the 6 littles outside so our last few days have been filled with stress, I mean psycho mom, OH, I mean beautiful memories crafting and cooking with my 6 lovely youngest children.

When I think of Christmas THE FIRST COOKIE that comes to mind is the all famous Candy Cane Cookie, made famous by my sweet mother, my also sweet Aunt Christy & Betty Crocker. The cookies however are not the sweetest. That's what's SO GOOD about them!

I forgot how much work it was to roll out each little candy cane and put it together-Tori gave it the good ol' college try and finally got it right! Aunt Christy, I did make an "adjustment" in the recipe and switched out the white flour for whole wheat-I figure if they are gonna' eat 400 cookies each they may as well be as healthy as possible right? It did make the white in the cane a "TINGE" tan but the kids were clueless!

The CONS of making cookies with a massively large family are simple...THEY EAT ALL THE COOKIES! Those little boogers chowed those canes down faster than I could roll em'! Plus they are so excited they HANG right by the stove and make mommy a nervous wreck. AND they all want to get their germy little hands in the dough.

The Pros.... A GORGEOUS husband who does the dishes! AHHHHHH that makes it all okay doesn't it? Nothings more attractive than a man with a dish towel huh? Oh, and they did save me 2 cookies so that was nice too.

On to crafting. I decided to make most of my family gifts this year, I have given up trying to give many friends gifts (at least for a few years)since I have had this commune of children. I can BARELY keep afloat trying to keep the 7 of them equal. I used to be a really good, thoughtful, caring, "always there for ya'" kind of friend. The children have made me slip.......sorry friends. I will make it up to you one day. On to crafting again....

First I bought flour sacks from Wal-Mart and Target and a few bamboo dish towels. Also some acrylic paint & sponge brushes. Then I had one of my sweet children hold the stencils in place with a towel placed under the dishtowel to soak up the paint so it wouldn't bleed.

Then I added a sweet flower or other stencil and VOILA!! I MADE SOMETHING PEEPS!

I made these for all of my family so if you are a woman in my IMMEDIATE family......ACT SURPRISED, I'm sorry I had to share this because it was so easy and sweet and I thought others may want to make some in time for Christmas!

All that being said, we are all exhausted and anticipating an ice storm tonight! Thank you Lord for all the bautiful gifts you have given me. Gotta go snuggle up with all these precious ones by the fire! Night Night!