The Kids' Rooms

Here are the pics of how their rooms look now that Aila has the crib for Ariah in her room and Levi is sleeping on the bottom bunk in the boys' room:

Art Night at School

The kids' school hosted an art night where all the parents were able to come and have dinner and see their child's art work. Logan and Aila were so proud to show off their work : )

Aila made an "S" snake:

Logan made a dinosaur:

Logan decorated the table cloth at our table. He drew his class (the stick figure version of course):

Logan's best bud at school:

Awesome Curriculum Giveaway

I just entered to win some free curriculum to use for our homeschool lessons next year. Keep your fingers crossed! You can check out the giveaway here:

http://www.roomag.com/social-media-blitz-giveaway-prizes/

More than Enough

Sometimes life just gets a little overwhelming. There are so many things that I want to be able to do and sometimes I am doing 20 things at once. All the craziness makes me feel like a solo act in a 3 ring circus.

I have this dream...
My kids are all impeccably dressed, sitting at the table, working diligently on their homeschool lessons. My house is immaculately clean, to the point where the floors are sparkling like diamonds. I am of course cooking a 5 course gourmet meal full of nutritious and delicious items. My hair is done, I am dressed like a runway model and I have make up on. My husband comes home from work and we sit down to a meal where the children are quiet, sit still, and they eat all of their food neatly.

Then I have my reality...
There are dishes that need washing in the sink. Clothes that need folding and putting away just thrown into laundry baskets. The kids picked out their own clothes, which either don't match or are not appropriate for the weather. We do our homeschool lessons but we are loud and we make a mess. I am still in my pajamas. Did I brush my teeth this morning? I can't remember. We finish our lessons and I realize I didn't take any chicken out to defrost for dinner so I pull out some hot dogs and instant mac n cheese. Maybe I will throw on a can of green beans. Maybe. My husband will come home and we will sit down to dinner, well maybe not til an hour after he gets here. Aila can't sit still and she falls out of her chair. Levi is crying because he wants a drink. Logan is complaining that he doesn't like mac n cheese, even though on any other day he loves it. Today he doesn't. Did I mention that it is dinner time and I am still in my pajamas?


When I compare my reality to my dream, I feel like a failure. Why didn't I get everything done today? Why is my hair such a mess? I can't do this. I am drowning. I am overwhelmed. I am stressed out.

I hear Satan's lies:
I am not cut out for motherhood.
I am a horrible wife.
I am ugly.
I can't do anything right.
I am screwing my kids up.

But if I am walking with the Lord then I know how to fight back. I can call Satan out on his lies. I can recall the truth. That I am CHOSEN. I am made BLAMELESS. I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME!

If you are at all like me, I encourage you to hold onto this truth.

Levi's First Official Hair Cut

I have trimmed Levi's hair to keep it out of his eyes and off of his neck but yesterday Doug used his clippers and gave Levi a big boy haircut. Someone said Levi was a, "Pretty little girl!" and that was when I made the decision that it was time...especially since this is the 2nd time someone thought he was a girl. So here he is before and after:

Happy Valentine's Day!

Aila's Vday Party

Aila's class had a Valentine's party at school and Doud and I got to go. The kids made their own icecream sundaes, exchanged valentines, played with toys and sang their ABCs. It was really cute to watch Doug play dollhouse with the little girls in Aila's class : )

Valentine's Are Made!

I finished the kiddos Valentine's!

Aila's School Work

Logan's School Work

Togetherness

One of the best parts of being a mom to kiddos so close in age is seeing the relationships develop between them. They really love eachother so much!

Humidity

This is what my hair pretty much looks like in TX:

Valentine's Play Date

I had a little Valentine's play date and the kids made cards for some of the elderly and handicapped that Doug works with:

Logan is Growing Up

It seems like only yesterday Logan was this small:

Now he is 4 1/2! Sometimes he still acts 2 and sometimes he acts 20! This week he has been acting very grown up. I have been pretty sick with a double kidney infection. Logan really stepped up and helped take care of Levi and Aila. He filled their cups with milk (without spilling), served them lunchables for lunch, put them to bed at nap time (complete with telling them a story and singing them a lullaby) and he put movies on for them. This week I got a little glimpse into the future man that he will become. Pretty neat!

I rewarded him for being so mature this week by letting him get his own library card today. He is so proud of it and was showing everybody at the library his card. When it was time to check out our books he carried them himself to the counter and handed the librarian his card. He was so proud of himself when we left that library.

Cherish the little moments because before long, your children will be all grown up!

I am different...

I have come to realize that as a mom, I am very different. I believe in baby wearing. I follow an alternative vaccination schedule. I try natural remedies before turning to traditional medicine. I believe in breastfeeding and doing so until my baby is ready to wean, not just because they turned a year...in fact Aila was almost 2 when she decided to wean. I am about to have 4 kids (2 more than the average american) and I can't say that I am DONE having kids. I start potty training my kids really early amongst mothers who say to wait until they are 3. I am ok with letting my kids eat things that fell on the floor. I will be homeschooling in a society that looks at homeschool kids as sheltered and antisocial. I believe in disciplining according to the bible.

But all of these things are right for me. I am not saying they are right for everyone. I hate that people, especially other moms, feel like they have to defend their choices because mine are different. "Well I bottle fed because I couldn't make enough milk." "I could never homeschool. I don't have the patience." It is almost as if that by being different they feel I am telling them their choices are wrong and that mine are better.

Sometimes I wish people would realize that God made us all differently. We are not all made from the same cookie cutter. Instead, we are more like unique pieces of a very beautiful puzzle. Not only is it OK to be different...it is good to be different!

Ephesians 4:11 says "So Christ himself called some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and some teachers"

God has given us all unique gifts. All of our gifts compliment eachother. Our strengths cover others' weaknesses and their strengths make up for ours.

You see it is all part of God's plan:
Ephesians 4:16 "From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

So today I am accepting the fact that I am different. That is, afterall, how God made me : )

Our Family Mission Statement ; )

"You Have Your Hands Full!"

Everywhere I go I am constantly hearing the phrase, "Wow! You have your hands full!" Sometimes people say it like they are impressed. Sometimes it sounds like they are concerned for my well being.

The truth is, my hands ARE indeed full. They are full of GOOD things! I love that my kids know my response when people tell me I have my hands full. Sometimes they even respond before I can..."We are very blessed!" And now they like to throw in, "And we have another baby on the way!"

Is it EASY? Of course not! But in my experience, anything that is worth something is going to be somewhat challenging. I am not superwoman! I pretty much always have a pile mountain of laundry waiting for me. Someone always needs something; a lost shoe, a wiped nose, a diaper changed, a drink of water. There will always be something on my to do list that gets moved on to the next day's list, maybe even for several days.

But I am OK with that. I am not going to ever be the "Perfect Mom" because there is no such thing. But in my weakness there is One who gives me strength.

“It is a kindness when God strips us of self-reliance, because it is there, in our emptiness and brokenness, that we experience the privilege of his sustaining grace. It is only when we arrive at the dreaded place of weakness that we discover the surpassing power of Christ."

I may not be perfect but He is.