Oh, and please keep praying for baby Noah. There's a good post from a few days ago on HOW to pray for them.....

In case anyone's wondering where I am.....I'm sewing! LOL Well, sewing in between homeschooling, church, and just plain L-I-F-E. I won't tell you how late I stayed up last night but let's just say the roosters were almost crowin'......only one more day to go then I can have my sanity back:) Will take pics tomorrow before I turn it in.

Please pray right now

I was doing my daily blog-hop and there is an update at baby Noah's blog. He needs prayer right now! I've linked in this message so you can just click on over and see what's going on with this dear baby...

Thanks!

Monday Pics

Brandon doing his schoolwork...

Hailey doing pushups. She's trying to crawl....

What was that bright light???

Matt and Hailey playing cars...

Hit his head on the coffee table...

I was showering and Hannah gave Hailey a graham cracker. They get a kick out of her making faces while trying new flavors. I guess they decided to take a picture, I found it when I was uploading the others...

Other happenings today include...housework, always fun. Schoolwork, we got it all done! Office cleaning at hubby's office tonight. I planned on sewing tonight but am just too tired. Me and Hub stayed up late talking.

Our afternoon

Me and Hannah spent the afternoon together.
We spent most of the afternoon at 2 different Joann's stores. The one store only had 3 buttons and I needed 4. I spent wayyy to0 many brain cells deciding which buttons to put on my wool contest jacket. These are what I ended up with...

For my grey jacket w/purple satiny lining. They reminded me of the famous Skagit Valley Tulip Festival from "back home". What do you think of them? Think about what a jacket would look like with metallic, pearl, or plain buttons....they each would totally change the "look". Like I said, it was a hard decision for me. I know, I'm pathetic! LOL

I also bought some costume fabric that was on sale to make the kids capes for Christmas like these I found on Etsy.

They'll totally get a kick out of them, and they'll only cost me around $5 a piece! These won't even get touched until December though!

Some glimpses of Hailey's week....

Hailey getting ready for church this morning....

Helping with yardwork....

Playing with Brandon...

Playing with Jake.....


Are we done playing yet???? Mom, rescue me....

Baptism today

Here's the play-by-play....

Waiting for Pastor Williams to meet us.....

Pastor speaking on baptism and salvation....

Brandon stating "Yes!" that he's accepted Christ and reciting his chosen verse, John 3:16....

Being baptized....

My Tuesday

Got off to a sloowww start. Matthew got a "cold" on Saturday, Hailey got it yesterday (Monday), and I've gotten it today. I was really-really tired this morning.

I wasn't real productive until this afternoon, then things got a little crazy. Picture this....me fixing dinner for the kids (carb-laden one), pleading with Brandon to hold his little sister just a little longer so I can fix it (she screams when put down), walking Hannah through sewing her skirt for the wool contest, and answering Hubs' call asking me what I want him to stop and get for *us* (low-carb) for dinner on the way home.....all at the same time! Nope, I didn't pull any of my hair out but thank you for asking:)

I made a quick run to the grocery store after the kids were tucked into bed. My Love had forgotten the milk and bread that I actually had him stopping at the store for on the way home. Took Opie for the ride. I LOVE having a dog I can take on car rides. Came home and took Opie for a 15 minute "huffin' it" walk around the block.

After that, I finished cutting out all the pieces for *my* wool contest entry. I had to cut out the lining and the interfacing pieces. I started sewing it the other night too, it's a miracle! My "plan" is to do one step a night until I get it done. That's my PLAN. We'll see what life holds.

Here's a peek at the pattern that I ended up using...

I Found It!!!

Ok, last night (reaLLY late!) I was watching the news and they had a story about stay-at-home mommies who blog. They profiled a woman who has six kids blah-blah-blah. Well I was kicking myself for not writing down her blog addy, silly me was gonna "remember" it today LOL, anyways while I was surfing tonight I found a link to this lady's ebay auction she had back in August and in it was the addy to her blog! She's funny, you should check her out....one other cool thing that was in the story. She makes money with her blog.....like $4,000/month money!

Monday's weighin

Weighin day was yesterday. I am the same. No biggie, I just need to exercise more. Hopefully I can afford that granny bike on Friday:)




188/167/135


I can do all things though Christ which strengthens me. Philippians 4:12, 13

We can do anything we want if we stick to it long enough.Helen Keller

Just thought I'd pop in and do a quick update.

Still on my diet. Today I woke up with food-poisoning again, guess I shouldn't have had my "cheat" day yesterday. Tomorrow is weighin day though so maybe it'll be good to me:) As far as exercise, I've been doing good, could always do better I guess. I've been taking daily walks with Opie and doing various other exercises. I'm currently looking into getting an exercise bike again. One of the granny "fan" types where the arms move. We'll see if I can afford it on payday on Friday.
This worked really good for me back in 2005 when I was losing weight for Hub's company trip to Puerto Rico. Now, I'm trying to lose for a possible trip in March to Atlantis. We were told to buy our passports but haven't received an official invite yet......we'll see. Childcare for a week for 5 kids is very different than for 3 or even 4.

I got my jacket cut out for the wool contest. I might start sewing tonight. We'll see. I went ahead and pinned the main part together and tried it on to see if the thing was going to fit, it looks very possible, I'm still trying to lose these 10 lbs just in case though.

Can you believe that it's already the middle of October. I was looking at a calendar yesterday and Christmas will be here before we know it! Good grief, where'd the year go?

Just click!

I came across a little button on a lady's website today. By clicking on it, the breast cancer site can give someone a free mammogram. It is sponser-supported and will cost you nothing. Please click everytime you visit my blog:) I'll put it over on the left, just scroll down a tad.

Randomness from my Tuesday...

Today we went up to Michael's work to visit the famous "V.P." He's in town until tomorrow from Wa. It was a good visit. The kids behaved very well, that's always good!

After that we raced to church. Brandon needed to meet with Pastor to go over his upcoming baptism. I guess he wanted to talk with him once more before the deacons vote on him on Thursday. Pastor was reassured and he'll be baptized on Sunday:)

Grabbed Mc D's on the way. I was good and got my salad with GRILLED chicken.

Had a good night at AWANA. I have been just blessed by this little arabic boy that has been coming. It just really blessed my heart tonight to see this little arabic boy memorizing and learning Scripture, the TRUTH, not learning the false teachings of the Koran. He started coming with an arabic family that are members of our church. They (husband/wife) were both born in Baghdad. They were saved over there after hearing some missionaries, moved here and are now Americans. Anyways, in the current political world that we live in, it was just refreshing for me to see him learning about the one and only God in AWANA tonight:)

K, it's late. Gotta' go to bed!

Weigh-in day!

Weigh-in today was good! I'm down 10 lbs from last week when I started. I'm now at 167. Most of it water weight, but encouraging none-the-less. I'm hoping to lose another 10 in the next month.

We've not had much anything interesting going on around here. I cleaned the 2 offices this weekend. Was in nursery yesterday at church with one of my friends and fellow homeschool mamma. That was a nice visit. We usually don't really get a chance to talk, just US, no kids interupting...

Today I haven't accomplished nearly enough! We haven't even done school so we'll have to play catch up this week. Tonight Hannah is getting her skirt cut out for the wool contest. I'm debating whether or not to sew up the full length jacket that I've got or just submit the crocheted capelet. I'm hesitant to do the capelet since my friend that was with me in nursery yesterday is entering the crocheting category. I don't know anyone that's entering the sewing category.....oh decisions, decisions! I did find a gorgeous purple crepe fabric to use as the jacket lining and the dress underneath. I guess I can go ahead and do it anyways since I was hoping to wear this outfit to the symphony next month. Michael had gotten tickets at an auction dinner earlier this year.

Ok, Hailey is screaming and I can't take it anymore! All she wants is to be held. I was trying to get her used to being in her walker and playing by herself. I guess that's what happens when you've got alot of siblings, you get used to being "entertained"!



188/167/135

We must all suffer from one of two pains:
the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.
The difference is discipline weighs ounces
while regret weighs tons.(or lbs. in my case!)
Jim Rohn

Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. Proverbs 16:3

And it starts....

Ok, I started my diet yesterday. I was good all day until last night, we were at the mall getting Hailey's ears pierced. I ended up with mexican food. I didn't over-eat though! I lost 2 lbs overnight. (water weight, blah-blah-blah)

This morning I was determined to do this. I stayed good all day. I even exercised! So, we'll see how far I get this time.....

I dug up some quotes and verses last night to help keep me on track and remind me to keep going. Again, this is probably going to be a spiritual journey, bear with me. I rely on food for comfort, stress, etc. and not God, I'll admit it. Gotta' fix that first!

Inspirational Scriptures....for dieting.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of sound mind.

2 Tim 1:17

Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. Proverbs 16:3


Whatsoever you do, do it heartily as unto the Lord and not unto men..Colossians 3:23


I can do all things though Christ which strengthens me. Philippians 4:12, 13

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:19

Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. Philippians 3:19

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1

Inspirational quotes....for dieting.

We can do anything we want if we stick to it long enough.
Helen Keller



Good habits result from resisting temptation.
Ancient proverb



Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more;
whine less, breath more; talk less, say more,
and all good things will be yours.
Swedish proverb



He who restrains his appetite avoids debt.
Chinese proverb



Everything must have a beginning.
French proverb



We must all suffer from one of two pains:
the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.
The difference is discipline weighs ounces
while regret weighs tons.
Jim Rohn



'Now' is the operative word. Everything you put
in your way is just a method of putting off the
hour when you could actually be doing your dream.
You don't need endless time and perfect conditions.
Do it now. Do it today. Do it for twenty minutes
and watch your heart start beating.
Barbara Sher



A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan
and a deadline.
Harvey Mackay




...who waits until circumstances completely favor his undertaking,
will never accomplish anything.
Martin Luther



A goal without a deadline is a dream.
Alec Mackenzie



Real obstacles don't take you in circles. They can be overcome.
Invented ones are like a maze.
Barbara Sher



There is no failure except in no longer trying.
Elbert Hubbard



People begin to become successful the minute they decide to be.
Harvey Mackay



Hard work often leads to success. No work seldom does.
Harvey Mackay




Our history is not our destiny.
Alan Cohen



The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult.
Mme. Du Deffand



Success lies in only one direction: straight ahead.
If you backtrack, you get sidetracked.

Spoiled!

We've not had a dog that we let on the furniture since we left Az. 6 years ago. This guy is so spoiled!!!!

It's never boring around here!

In case you were ever wondering...

We went to leave the house around 4:00pm to run some errands. Took the large stroller out of the back of the van so we could put the smaller one in and look what I found..

Yes, that's a black widow with 2 (TWO!) egg sacks. I decided to run to Walmart and get the industrial-strength bug killer that we ran out of to handle such PESTS. This is *only* number 6 of the females that we've found in the garage or outside the house this year, we've also found and eliminated (umm, KILLED) 4 males.....Ok, so off to Walmart we went!

Whilest we were looking for the industrial strength bug killer we stumbled upon the venus flytrap display. Can anyone say SCIENCE PROJECT! We've already fed it some porkchop....

After Walmart we ran home to apply the bug killer, that's when I snapped her picture. I really wasn't very close that's why it's so blurry. I zoomed in as far as I could so that I could stay as far away as possible!

After that, we headed to the mall to check into the price of ear-piercing. It was a hard decision for me, but hubby wanted to have it done while she was little. I *am* a little traumatized by it, she might be too. She was more mad than anything that she was being held down. She started screaming just because the lady was trying to mark her ears with the marker. Isn't she cute though!

Back home we got all the kids ready for bed and IN bed. The dog went in our (and Hailey's) room to snoop around. I went up stairs to bring him back down and brought Hailey back down with me. One of the kids (not naming names!!!) left their shoes on the stairs and I fell down the whole flight with Hailey in my arms. For the life of me I don't know how *she* didn't get hurt. Praise the Lord though! We would've kept going except I stopped us by going head first into the wall on the landing.

So, how was your evening!?

Bill of Rights day

This is our homeschool group. Well, MOST of them. 1 or 2 families were missing.
This is us giving our presentation on the 4th Amendment. Legal searches and seizures.

This is one of our posterboards. The policeman is my Pa. He got specially dressed up to take this picture for us at the last minute....