Admitting Defeat

I had two goals for today, get the Christmas cards in the mail and bake some biscotti to give as Christmas gifts. Those were the main goals but I also have to get the house clean and ready for company that's arriving tomorrow and plan and prepare for a company breakfast. After multitasking last night by holding baby and addressing envelopes at the same time I had most of the cards ready to go so I dived into the baking only to discover that a key ingredient had been mistakenly sent over to my mothers to hide with the gifts. Now I had to make an emergency run to the grocery store before I could proceed with this goal, and since the grocery store is across the street from the post office I decided to go ahead and get the cards in the mail so that I could mark off that goal.
What I didn't take into account was:
a. the crowds
b. the unpredictability of a newborn
c. how long it takes to do everything with a newborn

I hit the store first armed with my list from couponmom of sale items(if I'm at the store I need to make it count since I'll not try this again this week). I did have a victory at the store as baby slept and I saved $53.00 just on sale items, with no coupons. We hit the post office next...baby was crying but I put him in my wrap and headed in to weigh cards and address an envelope. I stepped up to the automated station to weigh the cards and baby started screaming and I mean screaming at the top of his lungs. The post office was packed and everyone was wishing that baby would hush. I realized that my cards weighed too much for normal postage and that I was going to have to weigh them all and print out additional postage, UGH!!! So I stepped aside and let the nice lady with a single envelope proceed. I attempted to address a couple of envelopes(no pen in the car, had to use the one in the post office)but as baby's cry escalated and it was now lunch hour and the line at the post office was increasing by the second I did what was best for us all, I admitted defeat, headed to the car, called my husband to express my frustration and drove the 2 miles back to the house where I am now sitting, comfortably nursing my babe. At least now I can proceed with my baking this afternoon...who knows when the cards will get out.

Scripture and A Snapshot 1

 

Part of the following challenges:

Scripture & Snapshot
Giving God Glory Through our Photographs
and
Straight out of the Camera Sunday

Time

 

With my oldest son well into his teenage years and my youngest a month old this week, the song "Time In A Bottle" by Jim Croce keeps running through my head; as I savor each moment of nurturing my newborn...nursing, colic, long nights, spit up, a zillion diaper changes, cuddling, first smile...if only I could save time in a bottle, but before I know it this young one will be big just like his oldest brother. Time passes so quickly, remember to savor every moment of every day because before you know it, you will be looking back over your photos and wondering how they got so big and where the time went.

Thankful Thursday

In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
I Thes 5:18

The gal who writes thisBlog does a Thursday listing of ten things she's thankful for. I think this is a wonderful opportunity to stop and count our blessings and proclaim the goodness of our Father. I've been meaning to join in the last few weeks but finding time to sit and blog and upload photos has been challenging to say the least. Instead of procrastinating until I have a chance to upload photos I'm going to dive in and post without photos.

1. I'm thankful that after 24(4)+8 hours of surviving the single parent of many life, my traveling salesman of a hubby is home :)
(can you tell I've been teaching pre-algebra?)

2. I'm thankful that last night I got twice as much sleep(4 hours) than I did the night before.

3. I'm thankful for a king size bed that I tucked 3 of the kids in with me last night because I was too exhausted to deal with the popcorn episodes.

4. I'm thankful for the sweet prayer of my two year old as she lay in bed with me fighting sleep, "Hey! It's me! I pray...I pray Mommy...I pray Daddy..."

5. I'm thankful that I was able to stay home this entire, cold, dreary week.

6. I'm thankful for 14 hands that make messes.

7. I'm thankful that 12 of these hands help clean up the messes, some of the time:)

8. I'm thankful that God's peace ruled in our home the majority of the week and strife has been minimal.

9. I'm thankful that the fact that the laundry is behind is proof of God providing us abundant raiment.

10. I'm thankful that tonight I can snuggle up next to my hubby and sleep, letting him get up with any kids that need attention :-D

Meet My Friends

God has blessed me with some amazing friends who continually exhort me to be all He created me to be. I love these ladies, but they are not who I want to introduce you to today, instead I want you to meet some "friends" who assist me in meeting the needs and caring for my family of 9.

The first friend or actually friends, they are twins, are Bali Baby Stretch and Ergo. I discovered the Ergo when my 5th child was a few months old. Really, I wonder how I survived four babies and toddlers without it. I suddenly felt like a supermom as I tended to the needs of not only my baby but also my other children and husband, carrying baby as I cooked, cleaned, instructed and ran errands. Then baby 6 arrived and I discovered the Ergo didn't work especially well for newborns and as she got older she didn't particularly like to be carried, she preferred the stroller so she could greet and smile at everyone she met. This summer when I was pregnant with baby 7 I read a post by a mom of many about her wrap and I knew that I must have one of these for baby 7. After much research I decided on the Bali Baby Stretch and I LOVE it! I can carry my sweet newborn around as I delegate chores and lend a hand to my other children. I can go shopping and keep my baby secure against me with no one touching or breathing all over him. I can eat with both hands, put the toddler on the potty, fold the laundry and type this post while baby JL sleeps securely and snuggly against me. I haven't tried it yet but I should be able to carry JL in the wrap and busy Miss M on my back in the Ergo should I be out with them both and need them secured and my hands free. Again I wonder how I survived so many babies with out these wonderful friends.

Another trusty friend of mine is the 7 quart crockpot. This lady is such a sanity saver. I love to start breakfast in the evening and awaken to find it ready. I can start potatoes in it first thing in the morning and have piping hot baked potatoes ready by noon for lunch and I can begin dinner early in the day before baby is fussy and I'm tired making for a much calmer dinner hour. Another advantage is the prep mess is cleaned up earlier in the day making for less work after dinner as well. Black Beans is a staple I make in my crock-pot. Mine will hold 3 lbs which will feed us for several meals of beans and rice, burritos and chili.

Online shopping is also a great friend for this very busy mom of 7! My oldest daughter was in need of some clothes, so I hopped online and searched several stores, found things that she and I both liked, called the local store and had them pull her size and then sent her and Daddy shopping. Much easier than running from store to store. I can search for things and either order or send someone out to pick it up for me.

The last friend I would like to introduce you to is what I call the "crock pot of homeschool" - Audio Books. I always have some in the car and around the house, they are great for bed time, quiet time or when mom just has too much to do to sit and read for hours. When I get a chance I'll compile a list of some of our favorites!

There you have a few of my favorite friends.

End of a VERY BUSY Week...

This was a busy week around our place with errands to do every day but Monday so I enjoyed staying in bed a little longer this chilly morning even if I did have 6 wiggly kids join me.

Although I'm worn out from the week it was a productive week.

On Wednesday my Mom was taking the girls for hair cuts and I decided to use the opportunity, since I'd have only 4 kids, to start my Christmas shopping. By God's grace I was able to get over half of it done in only 3 stops and despite the fact that I had 4 of the 7 kids with me. Unfortunately a few things will not be a surprise, but I have managed to keep at least one good surprise per child.

Thursday morning at approximately 10 am I decided that I could not stand going another day with out a hair cut. I had procrastinated long enough! I called a salon and was able to get in that afternoon. After I made the appointment I realized that I had no one to watch the kids and with a new born I did not feel comfortable leaving them home with big brother. I proceeded to coordinate a grand production in order to accomplish the much needed hour of cut and pampering of my hair. Two children had writing class that afternoon, so I needed to find someone to watch the others and someone to meet me at the salon to hold our newborn. After a few calls all was arranged. I left the house at 12:45 and dropped off the two for writing class. I swung by my husbands office and left one there and then headed to my cousins where I left 3 others. I arrived at the salon 15 minutes before my appointment and nursed little JL while I waited in my bro and sil to arrive. They had agreed to come and tend to him while I got my hair cut. When I sat down in the chair to have my hair shampooed, while enjoying a complimentary hand massage, I relaxed and realized the energy expended to work out the details had been worth the hour of relaxation and pampering. I left refreshed and looking better than when I arrived, ready to reverse my rounds to collect everyone and return home to find dinner ready thanks to my crockpot(one of my best friends!).

Friday I got a day out with my hubby, my oldest daughter and JL. We had fun shopping and dining. Marked a few more items off the Christmas list, got home very late buy enjoyed having time to connect with them.

Today I'm catching up on the laundry and snuggling up JL and letting him nurse as much as he wants, after three crazy days of car seats and outings.

Tomorrow another crazy week begins where I need to fit in some baking and hopefully begin working on our Christmas cards. Getting a photo of the SEVEN had proved to be challenging.

Why I ate cold spaghetti for breakfast???

A: The kids ate all the breakfast not only leaving me no toast but not even any bread to make toast.

B: I'm a famished mom nursing a newborn and I must eat immediately before I have to nurse said newborn again.

C: There wasn't enough spaghetti left to feed all six kids for lunch and not wanting a squabble I decided to finish it off.

D: All of the above.