My baby is one today!!!!

A year ago today, my sweet Noah entered the world. He has been nothing but joy since! Noah is laid back and not in a hurry to grow up, which I love. He is now crawling and loving the new found independence. Noah is such a cuddle bug! He love to just hug and kiss and be close. He can't just smile, his whole face has to light up and grin open mouthed. He is learning a few words and loves exploring EVERYTHING around him! Happy birthday, my sweet Noah!!! Mommy and Daddy love you sooooo much!!!!!!!

Quotes from a 4 yr old...

My four year old has been asking questions lately. I am one who answers just what is being asked, honestly, using correct language. So, the other day, he asked where babies come out of. So, I told him. A couple of days later while talking to my mom.....
K., "Nana, I am glad God made me a boy and not a girl."
Nana, "Oh, why?"
K., "I don't want babies coming out of my pajamas."


Again while speaking with my mom...
K., "Nana, God is in outer space!"
Nana, "I think God is right here on earth with us too."
K., "No, Nana! He has to be in outer space! He has the whole world in his hands!!!"

Must see video! Will make you smile!

I hope you had an amazing Thanksgiving!!! I had a wonderful time at my parents' home, celebrating with family. Thanksgiving, and the advent season are my very favorite times of the year. I will soon have pictures.

First, though, check out this video! It is really wonderful and is sure to make you smile today!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE&feature=player_embedded

Kaiden LOVES "school"!!

When Kaiden began his "school" this year, he was not sure what he thought about it. He does not like to color, he does not want to sit still very long. I am not for pushing school early. I don't think they actually NEED it. A lot of times though, they want to have "school" like their siblings. Also, I need him to have activities so that I can do school with the other older siblings. Anyway, school time has become a great time for Kaiden and I to get some one on one time while having fun and learning a few things along the way. I LOVE a set of puzzles that I got from Costco! There are numbers up to 30, letters, colors, and shapes. I can just pull out the ones I want to work with Kaiden on, and leave the others. I like that the colors include not so common ones like tan and grey. Kaiden really enjoys our time and the success he feels!

 The little blocks below were a surprise find on Ebay! For just $3, I got this cute little set of wooden sticks in four different colors, wooden pieces with numbers 0-9, and some with the math symbols on them. These have been great for one to one counting, and story problems to practice early math skills. Even though Kaiden wants to, we are not using the symbols yet. We just play with the sticks mostly. For example, I say, "If I have 3 green sticks and you have 5 blue sticks, how many sticks do we have together? What if I take two sticks away? How many do we have then?" He likes to then find the numbers and lay them by the stick pile that corresponds to them.

I am so, so proud of Kaiden!!! He began this year, not wanting to take any instruction or follow any directions. Now, he is excited to play and learn and follow instruction! He began the year cutting a piece of paper into shreds of tiny little pieces. Now, he can carefully follow a line that even curves or zig zags! There are many, many things he has learned and  many ways he has matured. I so enjoy this very smart, fun, creative, silly boy!!! I am also so thankful to be able to experience this growth in him first hand. I am so, so blessed to be able to homeschool my children! I absolutely LOVE it!!!!!!!

Wonderful Christmas Gift Ideas that benefit adopting families!!!

Please go visit Building the Blocks for some wonderful Christmas gift ideas!!! Each gift purchase helps adoption in some way, weather a specific family trying to raise money or a group raising money to help in some way. (If you are adopting, there is a note at the end of her post that you can contact her and let her know. She is going to make a second Christmas gift list soon!!!!)

http://buildingtheblocks.blogspot.com/

Wordless Wednesday (sort of)

 My sweet Ashlynn turned 9 in all the craziness of the last couple of weeks. She made her own cake as requested and did a great job! Happy birthday, Ashlynn!!!!

 Kaiden has finally found someone who enjoys sword fighting with him! He is training Noah to enjoy this past time. He says that since Noah is a baby, he needs a baby sword. So, Noah gets to use a toy screw driver. Not quite fair if you ask me. Kaiden has been impressing me with how good he is with Noah!! They are really forming a tight bond lately!

In desperate need of refreshing!!!! - Keep'n it real...

I am burned out! There I said it. I know, sad. It is only Nov. and I am drowning in all my expectations for myself. What happened to all my motivation??? I am already in the place where we are just getting the basics done. Isn't this supposed to set in about April? Right now, I am supposed to be finding all sorts of fun things for the kids to do dealing with Thanksgiving and Christmas. I am supposed to be reading like crazy to them because there are so many great books on these themes. Am I? No. I am getting math and Eng. done. (Most of the time.) Every once in a while, I will do some preschool activities with Kaiden. Ugh!

I am kind of getting drug down in my normal cyclical wallowing. I know I am prone to some depression. Before children, it could get really bad. I could spend weeks in bed. Since children, there is too much at stake to let myself fall (plus children have a way of not letting you stay in bed). I learned how to push it back and notice the signs of it coming on so I could try and avoid it. I think I am there now.

Do you know the feeling that you aren't doing anything right? Have you felt that there are so many areas to work on that you can't get even see where to begin?

WARNING: Stop reading if wallowing and complaining really bother you. This is my outlet, so I am just going to do my ugly venting here. My house is never completely clean. There are dishes ALWAYS in the sink and laundry ALWAYS piled up somewhere. I have a system in place for our chores, but I have to say "chore time" and stand there making sure the kids are working for them to happen. I have just been forgetting lately. Then, I am upset that we are so behind. I have these new tennis shoes that are supposed to lead me toward a healthier life style and weight. I have been around the block (slowly) once. woohoooo. Then, all this thinking about losing weight just makes me want to eat. There is candy, cookies, soda, ice cream, etc. always available to me. Sometimes I hide it if I don't want anyone to know it is there. I am always staying up way too late and then having a hard time getting out of bed. My kids basically fin for themselves in the morning. I can't tell you the last time I made breakfast. (Thank God for cereal!) My kids are fighting with each other constantly, whining constantly, and soooooo unmotivated. I am unmotivated! I don't have it in me to motivate them too! It is hard enough to just get myself dressed right now. Everything is harder right now because we can't do anything without first having to search for the things we need. Nothing is in its place! Everything is lost! I hate looking for lost items!!! ugh!!! I keep messing up our finances. I hardly give my husband any attention at all. I feel horrible for wanting my husbands team to just lose already so this season can be over. I am a constant nurse to a DOG! Yes, I said dog. My baby is crawling now, so I am very aware of how dirty my floors are and how un-childproof my house is.

Okay, enough. Basically, I feel like I am failing in every area of my life. Yuck, right?

Don't worry. I will probably (hopefully) wake up tomorrow snapped out of this funk. I know in my head that that is all it is. It is just a perspective. It is so annoying that something so abstract could rock my world so badly. Perspective! My circumstances won't have change, but you will see, soon I will just snap out of this and all won't seem so bad. I will catch up in all areas and feel good again.

The part that bugs me, is that this cycle sure doesn't seem very Spirit led. It isn't. It is me led. I am not content in my circumstance. I am not living in the hope I have in Christ. I am living defeated right now. The sad thing is, is that I don't have to. I can have victory because I have Christ. Oops, there I go again finding something else I am not doing right. Aha! There lies the problem, though. My relationship with Jesus has NOTHING to do with me and what I am doing or not doing. It is ALL about what He did for me!! If only I could get my life to live out what my mind knows....

Okay, I am sick of this too. No more random train of thought venting. I think I should head to bed.