Manic Monday

 Whew. What.A.Weekend. My parents got here early on Friday and we just dawdled around. We did hit a great yard sale. I got a 17 piece Nativity Scene and a Bumbo seat for $1.75.

Saturday dawned really early. Johnny told us we had to be at the event at 8am. Too bad he got it wrong and we didn't have to be there until 10am. Oh well. Our event was Flags For Vets. Someone got lists of all the veterans buried in the county. Over 200 volunteers put out over 1300 flags on every veteran in the county. It was hot, but rewarding work. Someone had already hit a lot of the graves in our chosen cemetery, but we found a few old hidden ones to place flags on.

After lunch we took my parents home. They left. We left. We drove for an hour to our friends house. Their family gets together and camps out on their grandfathers property. It's a small house on the river. They all set up tents and it's awesome! We splashed and played. I was out of the water in a hot minute when a snake was spotted. IN THE WATER. Once it swam away, it was deemed clear, the kids got back in, but no way. This mama was on the shore.

This morning was church. After church I surprised the kids with a new kitten! I've wanted one for a long time, but there wasn't a good time. The group helping us with the cemetery mentioned she had some kitties! I went over today and picked out a Tortoise Tabby. I really wanted the orange one, but it just mewed. She said they called her 'cry baby'. I said, I have enough cry babies in my house. The tortoise baby played and jumped around. Perfect for us. We had all agreed on Susie, but at the last minute Jackson said "Lucy" and we all liked it better. It's from Narnia. She's tiny. We love her. The dog isn't sure. I think she likes Lucy, she's wagging. She just seems confused at to what it is. Yoda (the cat) sniffed, hissed, and walked away.

Well after the excitement of Lucy, we set her up in the bathroom and headed for the church picnic. We arrived late on purpose, I was hoping to avoid the pool, it was still in use for about 15 minutes, just enough to make the kids jealous. We all hung out. Played volleyball, horseshoes, throw ourselves in the sand. I talked. Sam and Jackson ate clams. My super picky Jackson put away some clams. He said "they come with free seashells." Oh I love that kids mind.

Loves for tiny man.

So now we're home. Johnny is off tomorrow and I think we'll check out our campground and let the kids go swimming. So all in all it was a crazy beautiful weekend!

Photo Friday

I usually don't like "talking" shirts on kids, but this cracked me up!

My insanely cute ball player!

Thankful Thursday

I didn't get around to thankfulness yesterday. Well that's not true, I just didn't get around to blogging about it. So let's go!

I got to talk to my brother on his birthday. He is mending. He had 1.5 collapsed lungs. Tall and thin is a factor. He's 6'3 and all of 130. Chest tube is coming out today and he has to wait 24 hours to make sure his lungs do their thing. But he should be fine. Scary bit of time there waiting for news though.

Mom and dad are coming today!!!

Brandy is finding out what the baby is today. I had a dream about it just a few minutes ago, but it was scary and weird. I hope her real life experience is better. I'm calling it a boy!

Johnny got off at 11am yesterday and is off until Tuesday. We need some family time, we've been running like fools lately. Lots planned for this weekend!

For being able to grocery shop in the morning with NO kids, see above for reason why!

Salsas for dinner with the whole family!!!!!

Also, while googling 'thankful' I found this Project. that I will be putting into effect asap!

Wacky Wednesday

Oh this day keeps getting wackier and wackier. It started with a trip to Norfolk for an appointment for tiny man. I went with my social worker, who is way cool. I mentioned going to Forks, WA and she flipped. She said she hadn't met an adult that like Twilight or Harry Potter. His appointment went well, it was really short about 15 minutes. However, Norfolk is 1.5 hours away. So 3 hours later!

My mom got a text from my sister-in-law that my brother is in the hospital. Apparently he has 1 fully collapsed lung and one partial. I'm not sure what is going on, but that sure is wacky. Not the fun kind of wacky though. His birthday is tomorrow, he'll only be 28! If you pray, that would be wonderful!

Right now we are watching Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Shane has read these books, so he's so excited to be watching the movie. Maybe he'll understand why I enjoy my movies now!

Let's play 10 things

I saw this on another blog. Let's play!

10 Things You Might Not Know About Me:

1. I was only 20 when I got married. I had my kids at 20, 22, 24. My husband was only 19 and was 19, 21, 23 when our kids were born. For some reason that makes me happy. Even and Odd working together! And I love him beyond words, but you already know that.

2. Before the invention of myspace and facebook, I had one friend from high school. We were really only friends for 2 years before she moved right before our senior year. She's one of my favorite people and I'm so lucky to have her in my life. Also she would be mad if I didn't link you to her blog. Emergency Breakthrough, go check her out. Also, we are pretty much polar opposites that either meet in the middle or give each other space about what we're passionate about even if it's not our thing.

3. I never thought I would homeschool. It wasn't even on my radar. My friend suggested it, I look into it, and the rest is history.

4. I never went to church before 2 years ago. It wasn't even on my radar. Shane joined Cub Scouts and 6 months later they had "Scout Sunday" where the scouts go to the church that sponsors them. Johnny liked it, after 3 weeks I joined them. The rest is history.

5. I hate bananas but love banana flavored food. (ice cream, taffy, candy) and I love strawberries, but hate strawberry flavored things.

6. I went to four middle schools in the three years!

7. I will never stop loving Country Apple from Bath and Body Works. It's so 8th grade, but I love love love that scent.

8. My wedding dress costs $20!

9. I can't play video games. Mario 3 (old school) is the only one that I can play. I just can't do it, my brain won't work that way.

10. I make my bed every day. Even if I know I'll be back in it for a nap.

Teaching Tuesday

Well today's Teaching Tuesday is for you. Yes, you. Right there. Yes, the one reading this! This is the last full week of Foster Care Awareness Month. Foster Care is needed all year long, every day, every hour, every minute. Every second that passes there is a child in the United States of America without a home. Without a family. Without love. There are scary facts for children who grow up without a family.
*40% of foster children will be on welfare or in prison
*only 17% of foster care graduates will be completely self-supporting
*only 54% will graduate high school.
*only 49% will will be employed as an adult
*1/6th of children in foster care will be placed in a group home (that's about 84,000 kids) with no hope of ever having a family.
* there are about a HALF MILLION children in foster care in the United States at any given time.
*there are about 145,000 children that are legally free for adoption (also known as waiting children) at any given time. Children that will not be returned to a family member, that will age out without a family.

There are lots of opinions and rumors about foster children. Very few of these kids are foster children because of troubles they have caused. These children have been taken from their homes because of mistakes of their parents. Drugs, abuse, neglect. These children have done nothing wrong. Sure, some kids have issues. They have seen horrors you can't imagine. Sure, there are emotional issues. Of course there would be. Love can heal so much. Without a family, these kids have a very small chance of a normal life. Children need love, children need a family.

Isn't it hard to say goodbye? OF COURSE. It sucks, it's heartbreaking, sad, crushing. It's horrible to say goodbye. But when you are saying goodbye, you did your job. You did your best. You loved with all your heart. It's all you can do."You should never avoid hellos just because they might lead to goodbye." You'd be missing out on so much.

These are children, damaged yes, but children. Innocent souls who deserved to be loved, deserved to be given a chance. A chance that was denied to them by their birth parents. Won't you consider getting involved, committing to a child?

Call you local Department of Social Services for more information. There is a huge online support group. Please, just call.

Manic Monday

Our weekend was pretty calm, again. Johnny had to work all weekend (yucky). My friend took Shane Friday night and most of the day Saturday. By about noon the boys were whining for him. Glad to know they like each other sometimes. I managed to get my whole crew to church on my own, on time. Thank God for my late running Sunday School class. By the time I got there, got the baby through the crowds of adoring fans, it was 5 after 9. Class starts at 9. The room was dark, no one there. So after all that rushing, we were the first to get there. :) Everyone had a pretty low key weekend. Next Manic Monday will be more interesting, I promise. My parents are coming, Flags for Vets, our dear friends from Colorado are visiting, church picnic. It'll be good. Stick around! I'll leave you with a new favorite song. It has nothing to do with Manic Monday, but I love it.

The Abstract Bedouin Collection (in my home)

My friend is an incredible artist. I wanted to share the art I have in my home from her works! You can find her work on her ETSY page or her FACEBOOK page! Her prices are wonderful, her art is beautiful, and most of it can be personalized or custom made!

Little Fish, he needs a new frame.

I love this one. She threw bulbs in some rocks, and they bloomed!

All you need is a little love.

Personalized for Shane's 9th birthday.

Custom made for our foster-to-adopt family. Also, this is pretty much my motto.

Ohh...Forks. I personally think this is one of her best ones. Look at the light through the moss. This was custom from a photo in Forks,WA

Blossoming. Matches my newly painted bedroom.

I won this one in a raffle!

Strong Little Mermaid.

My personalized family tree. Being updated at no cost (a perk of buying from her)

The new block collection. The bottom three are hers. 

 

The next few are the ones I've given as gifts. 

Gifts for my parents at Christmas!

Steph's graduation gift. "I am not a teacher, I am an awakener."

Some people were born to roam.

There you have it. Another small business to support. Go. Look. Buy.

My New Habit

I am in love with copper jewelry. It started in Forks, WA when we went to the craft fair. There was a booth and she was selling upcycled jewelry made from the copper pipes of the original Forks High School. I bought two pieces for myself and gave two pieces as gifts. Since then, I just can't stop myself. I love that it changes patina, but with a light scrub, it's back to shiny. Depending on my mood, I can change my jewelry. Awesome. So here are some of my pieces that I'm in love with. Also, I've been asked where I've gotten them from, so I'm including the shop links!

The first shop is Noah's Ark Creations

Love

Our anniversary date.

This is my newest piece. A birds nest with the "eggs" in the birthstone colors of my 6 kiddos.

 The next shop is the shop in Forks called The Forks Forest. I love these pieces, they tie in my love of Twilight, my love of Forks, memories of that amazing vacation.

Made from the copper pipe of Forks High School.

LOVE!

The next piece is actually from a bead shop in Port Angeles, WA. I don't remember the name of the shop, but it was great. I put this piece together myself. The cross is from a necklace my mom got me for Christmas.

These next pieces are from a shop called Suzy and Leo. They are in the UK, so it takes some patience to get these bracelets, but they are worth it. They are beautiful and on the less expensive side.

Waiting on our forever child.

My three boys and our two foster initials. M isn't on here, I ordered this 2 days before her got here.

I've ordered this one, I just don't have it yet.

Well that's it. For now. Click on these links, support small businesses making a great product. Thanks for looking. Do you have any links to share?