The New Year ahead

we have been so busy around here I had to catch my own head and reattach it. Crazy I know.From traveling to Indiana every other week with the kids and then moving and schooling and oh yes that thing called life, im ready to hunker down for the winter and enjoy my new house with my family.Im so blessed for all i have and blessed to have a husband who every morning puts layer upon layer on to head to work out in blow freezing weather.This man has never once complained about a thing to me!!! Not once has he said he hates the cold weather or hates having to get up and go to work. This man is beyond my dreams and so much more.He will never know how much I look up to him and adore him. My husband is the greatest in every way.i tear up just thinking about wonderful our God is. when I was a single mother of 2 i always sat around wondering if I would ever be a mom of many or have a husband who at least loved me alittle.I prayed for a man like Jeff and I prayed hard.Its it something when the Lord speaks and shows us he is listening,he knows my heart my desires but the question lays in you.are you listening? You better believe I am!
we a had great Christmas with family and the kids had the first Christmas ever where we stayed home on Christmas day to enjoy each other and play with the goodies they got. we had a huge snow fall here in Missouri and in Indiana.A white Christmas was something my Hannah wanted and that wish was granted! Id post pictures but my computer has a nasty virus on it so until thats fixed im on my daughters notebook.Ill see if she'll let me download pics. I have alot to post and will when the time is right.I have 2 pounds of frozen hamburger in the pan,im trying to make tacos for six 6 kids who i think truly have hollow legs!

Hanukkah fun

Hannah being cute as always!!

The littles waiting for crafts at Lisa's house

Donuts for our Hanukkah fun

3 of my blessing lighting the candles.Check out Chases mouth....thats loads of donuts

Ethan lighting the 6th candle

The time just flies by when we are busy and then I try to catch up and go" I cant believe its been that long". This week I'm so proud of us as homeschoolers.Why you ask? well I have buckled down and we have been cranking out the work like crazy. learning a ton and looking forward to the next study. we have been doing The Jesse tree Journey and the kids find it totally awesome. On Monday we went over to a fellow homeschoolers house and learned about Hanukkah.She had all the bells and whistles out for us.we were so blessed to be invited to this.She had so many crafts,games and yummy Hanukkah treats.She sent the kids home with a game called Dreidel.If you haven't played before look it up and enjoy. Hanukkah is something we will start doing every year at our house.After we had our fellowship I came home and researched this and I cant believe what we have been missing out on.A huge part of God right there and I was unaware of it.I have alot more research to do for it but next year ill be ready.Ill go ahead and give Lisa a plug on my blog for her new book!!! Check your book stores or online for Lisa Stough's new book Healing Letters. She is truly amazing.Here's the blog for her book healinglettersthebook.blogspot.com I'm so proud of her!!!

Anyways we have been busy around here.So much to write about but I'm not because theres a new Amish book I'm reading and I think I love it more than the Lewis series.ohhhh my, such a nerd I know.

Indiana

Im sitting here in the kitchen of our Indiana home we rent. Its very cute and the neighborhood is great.LOT of history here and im looking forward to day so we can find the museum and explore a bit. The ride up was nice and the kids giggled alot. we made it here in a little over 4 hours so that was great timing.Jolene is the only one still sick.Chase and her are on day 6 of the antibiotics. Chase is almost 100% better but Jolene has alot of chest congestion and a nasty cough that im watching for close. I made lasagna last night for dinner and Ithink everybody liked it :) Its my moms recipe.When the littles eat it you know its good. I bought up our school work.well its A Jesus Advent Celebration and its an amazing booklet for the study of Jesus.I cant wait to get into today.i have had so many thoughts and listening to God.My heart has been so heavy and tired. When I started over as the new me I think I also lost part of me while doing it.I love the loud very loud me I always have been.But I let go of what was really important to me and to my family.i allowed not so nice language in our house, shows that even my husband was like I think not. In my head I knew that was wrong but I wanted to do it anyway.So as im still on this new journey Im also grabbing along the way the things that mean a lot to me. Our number one reason we are here is Jesus.Jesus should be front and center in all we do.I have let that backslide on my children here lately. Yes we do bible study and learn His teachings but not really.we lost the meaning and the joy that really comes from His teachings. we got lost in the world of me me me.So asI try to get back on track and balance out the world and us it will be a challenge. I have great friends and family and not ever going let that change.Im just saying we need to focus on the reason we are here.I think alot of people are lost and need to know the story of Jesus and we are here to help.we have so much to be thankful for this year. My husband job which allows us to have everything we need and more.The beautiful home my husband built for us and enough land for the kids to go crazy and be kids.We are blessed for the house in St.Clair that housed us for the birth of Jolene and laughs and crys we had there.Im thankful for this house in Indiana that is big enough for all of us and then some.Im thankful for the health of my kids and family.Im really thankful we went and did our 9 week classes so we can be foster parents to kids who need a little love and support.these are just a few things im thankful this year. Really look at your life and give thanks.even if you look back and say you dont have much.Really you do...Look harder and you'll see all the great you have.Just look and sit and pray.
Im thinking....theres so much on my mind these days.Im ready to go to my friends home and hold the baby I have waited to hold for a long time.
I am wishing... Jolene's URI would go away already..
In the school room... Advent time!! Christmas crafts and cookies
Im creating.....Godly children
I am hearing...Jolene taking daddys brush up and down the wall next me. The sound of big trucks getting trash on the streets and the girls snoring in the living.
I am wearing... yoga pants,turtleneck, sweater and Christmas socks.

Im done

So this post is pretty much just for me. Im tired of being so fat and uncomfortable and cant move like I sue to.working out used to be Huge in my life.Right before and even the first few months after meeting Jeff I was running on the treadmill every second I could.I would never let a day ago by unless I ran 3 miles.I miss my legs and I miss my back and arms. I use to have arms that had definition in them.I loved feeling like I could all day and not blink an eye.Im tired of looking in the mirror and going "oh my goodness what have I done". It sucks ass bad.Im so over stopping at the dam Mcds and really my family one bite at a time. Im tired of thinking that piece of food wont hurt me. Bull shit. In done. I want to be healthy and happy.I dont like being smaller than 12 but that's just me. I'm FAR from that and HATE it.When I would wear long skirts it hid alot of fat but man trying on blue jeans is just something Id will not do until I lose about 30 pounds.I would like to lose about 75 lbs and maybe more.Im done. I cant do this anymore.Im very much into natural healing and natural everything but why is it so dam hard to stay away from the one thing that is slowly killing alot of us? I have to be stronger than that.I use to be why not now. I really lost myself over the last few years and I feel like finally Ill be able to get me back.Im ready for me.Its very important that the kids get up and start moving as well. They need to workout and shed the weight. why? Because what ever I was eating they were eating and it just needs to stop.theres no point of being here on earth if we are just slowly dieing.

1 year ago today

This is half my kitchen

Hannah at the bon fire birthday party for nephew Mason

This is our My Fathers World Co op. This class we were doing Brazil

My sweet Cody and Jolene with baby Rhett

Our Birthday girl this morning!!!

Happy 1st Birthday to my sweet and giggly daughter Jolene Denise.I cant believe its been a year already. I hate blinking really I do.She is an amazing child. Super laid back and laughs all the time. Loves her huggs and kisses and loves chasing her brothers around the house.Jolene has 8 teeth and started walking about a month ago. She loves her Daddy like crazy and misses him greatly while he is away. we headed up to Indiana over the weekend only to leave Tuesday because I had sick children and needed to be home so they could be comfy.It was so pretty up there and totally easy to drive too.Farm land after farm land and really great people.Love the house Jeff got up there.Its in a really cute and OLD neighborhood. Theres this church that looks like a castle out of a book. Totally beautiful and amazing. I fell in love the first day we were there. We did get to eat a Mennonite restaurant and love it too. The women were in he whole outfit. They didnt have the prayer cap on so that bothered me but all was good.There is also an Amish restaurant but we left before I could go there. Next trip for sure! we will probably go there every other week for a few days. I found a homeschool group in that area im excited to join.they do alot of farm field trips and things that I love to do. Exciting!!! the new house is moving really so because Jeff is away 6 days now. We did hire out the rest of the house but its just one guy and he moves slower than my 93 year old grandma. we only have little left to do but man oh man its taking forever. I have been slowly taking boxes over there but how we manged to squeeze so much in here. Really looking forward to my new kitchen.Can you say Christmas cookies anyone?!

We have had a few MFW co ops since my last post. The kids really look forward to those. we have to miss tomorrows because we are sick but we will be wishing we were there with them.We are in Kenya and really loven it.Lots of books to read and the culture is awesome!!! The kids love looking and watching about the people there.We have watching alot of National Geo dvds on Africa.Love every bit of it! I have noticed we need to spend time on reading with Cody. He needs to pick a book and read it. Thats that! Im sure I could write forever but I want to put up Christmas lights today so we have the Holiday feel in here. I know I know we are moving but honestly with out my husband here its kinda sad. Os lights will work wonders one me!!

WOO HOO its November

Our 6 blessings for Halloween.We had spiderman,Ladybug,Rock star,bumble bee,Soldier and Wolverine.

Jolene and Mommy

we had a field trip to The National Guard Armory last Thursday. Won Codys heart once he got in the hummers and big rigs.

This is what we wear when we change diapers in this house! Just kidding

The littles in the hummer. I think they tested 6 different hummers to find the one they really wanted.

well I'm so excited its November.We have almost a dozen birthdays this month with family. Jolene turns 1 ( yes I'm crying) and Ethan turns 4. I just cant believe it.Where one earth does the time go. Really? I cant even wrap my mind around the thought of Jolene 1.nope its to hard to do.This month we also move into our new house.The floor looks great and they are putting in the cabinets as we speak.Ill head over there tonight and take pics after they are done.This weekend was a blur to us. Jeff came home late Friday night and of course was like Santa to the kids.They love when daddy comes home!Saturday the older kids went to Six Flags with their friends and then we ran around like a fish out of water all day.Yesterday we ran again like crazy and it was Halloween.Jeff had to leave at 5pm and that was Right at the same time I got the kids out the door to go trick or treating. So they didn't really know he was leaving which made it easier for that part. But this morning they were aware of him not being here.Next weekend Jeff and his friend move into a house in Indiana they found for rent. Which its a really nice house and its bigger than the current house we are in now.....how I manage to squeeze 6 kids in here I have no idea. I guess it will be Nice for them to have all that space.Thats why I'm waiting to move to our new home. SPACE!We took the day off school today so we could relax and regroup.Im beat and the kids are beat. SO much running and having extra kids all the time is exhausting.This week no extra kids or extra running. I finished my last Foster parenting class Thursday and have to take my 6 hour class this Saturday and we are done.This class is not for the faint of heart but I would suggest that any parent with a heart take this class. It makes you love your kids that much more.Its been a blessing to hear the stories we hear there because now we know why God called us to do this. Those kids need some one.I'm like a hoarder,really.Hoard those kids so I can hug them and love them and make sure they are ok.Man oh man they go through alot....

Anyways lets talk school....uhhh we didn't make it to Kenya in My Father's World.... although today I did order the book basket books from the library today. Like 25 of them this time. Thats less than Germany and Norway we borrowed.Germany is freaking cool to learn about. we still have a lapbook to make for that country. I'm so ready to do Kenya though.Lots of lapbooks and the littles can do one for this too.School is going really slow right now and Im not sure what the heck is my deal. I really wish some one would hide my keys and then give them back on the weekends.Ohh and my dear friend is having her baby tomorrow. I cant wait to meet the little bundle of joy. This is her 5th blessing.I cant wait to hold and snuggle him.SO much fun. Can we say BABY FEVER??Lets see what God has planned because as soon as I decide something he places something else on my heart.I'm listening!!!Thats for sure. I love this time of year. Yes I even broke out the Christmas sweaters and bought new Christmas socks. Hubby bought me the new Allen Jackson cd over the weekend and I'm listening to Christmas music online right now!!! The kids love it and it totally sets the tone in the house. We start our 30 days of blessings tree today.SO much to be thankful for this year.Lots.Chase is over here dancing to Jingle Bells SO cute.Tomorrow he will wear his reindeer sweater with NOEL socks with mommy :) hehehehe.

Just got done folding a mountain of laundry.I love the way fresh laundry smells.I'm so ready for double washers and dryers its not even funny. So today we had a way better day than we did yesterday.Way better. Although we didn't get alot done.I ran over Hannahs glasses over the weekend so we went today and had them order a new pair. They were under warranty.We went to the library to grab our Germany books and a few Halloween DVD's for the kids. I have done about 5 loads of laundry and we made homemade pizzas. the kids each rolled their dough out and put what they wanted on them. They had lots of fun and lots of giggles.Last night a really big storm came though and lets make this short~ God works wonders.He had us all up and each had a baby in our arms in a matter of seconds and down stairs.Amazing how fast my older kids jumped out of bed and grab a baby. I was so proud of them.Hannah almost got sucked out of the house the wind pressure was that strong. Scared her to death but we made and all is ok.Sadly our pumpkins that we had so much fun carving didn't make it :( So we must get news ones before the weekend.Ethan and Cody had a really hard day yesterday and I wont post all that happened but Ill say that the day after Jeff leaves it very hard for them.Change is something thats is hard for kids who cant handle the emotions with it. One is ADD and ADHD. One I'm not sure what is going on my if he is out of his element the world will stop and needs to get back on track.Yes I get comments like" oh they have pills for that" or they need help" Well first save it for some one who believes your crap and I'm not pumping my children with something you dont even what is in it!we do jusy fine with prayer and family. After we sat and relaxed we were ok.I also adjusted the school work that would make it flow a little better for Cody.we are only doing English 2x"s a week. Looks like that will work out better for him. He is flying through his math and really getting it. I wasnt going to move him up a grade in math until he got the basics down and he is showing me everyday he is ready. Amazing that :) We are taking out time in MFW and doing alot of book basket reading.Really studying the country we are doing and I'm thinking unit studies will be good for the next few ahead.Next in MFW we travel Kenya.I'm pretty excited about it.Over the weekend Jeff was home and we had a busy crazy day. The floors are being laid this week and I'm very happy for that. we had to hire a friend to finish up the house as Jeff cant do it and it needs to be done like a month ago.Its so close but yet so far from being done.I'm waiting and packing. Every time we go over there I drop a load in the school.My big bath tub with like 10 jets is calling my name.we had the well put in last week and I was able to water my yard.I have grass growing but will need to redo it again in spring. Im sure we did alot over the last week but Im really having a hard time tonight as my mind is going in a million different directions. Oh I almost forgot. we got 2 little puppies for the kids!! they are so stinking cute. I think we got them like a week ago.They named them Buzz lightyear and Batman. They are 2 little black fur balls.They are lab and shepherd mix. we love them so much. One is really laid back and the other is like a wild man.