Homework

After an entire day of being cooped up in a classroom at school, having to do homework is made a whole lot better when done up in your favorite cherry tree........................

Magic

Magic in the Middles.  That is what these cookies are called.  Last night it was Levi's night to make dessert for family home evening.  What is family home evening?  Don't get ahead of yourself.  I'll answer that in a minute.  Right now we're talking about cookies.  Dessert.  Chocolate.  Don't get side tracked.

Levi wanted to make the standard chocolate chip cookies.  I showed him this recipe.  No.  He wanted chocolate chip cookies.  I over ruled him.  I knew when he had these he'd have wished he'd made these.  That's my theory and I'm sticking to it.

The truth is he got mad at me and left me to making the cookies myself.  Lesson to all other moms out there. Make what your kids want, life is short, spend time with your kids, if they want chocolate chip cookies make them with your kids.  Note I did not follow my own advice.  I'm the expert and know what is best for The Native's.  Mom getting her chocolate fix in the way she wants/likes it.  Not that I have anything against chocolate chip cookies mind you, it's just I wanted something different.  So I won cuz I'm the mum!  Case dismissed.

P.S.  Magic in the middles is a deceiving name for these cookies.  They imply that there is magic in the middle of the cookies.......  there is........ but there is also magic in your middle when you eat one.... or two...... or......... aint gonna admit how many.  You watch your middle grow right before your eyes.  True story!

Family Home Evening.  Monday night.  Don't mess with it.  This is the night where our family spends the evening together.  I'm serious!  Don't mess with my Monday night.  You call, I aint gonna answer.  Native's try to plan something on that night and they know I'll rip their faces off.  My night to have us all under one roof as a family.  Anyone tries to mess with that and they find themselves in my back yard cleaning up dog bombs.............

Chocolate surprise cookies anyone?  They're magical!

Not A Joke

Okay, so last week I posted a distorted photo of myself and we laughed and joked about it but here's the deal.  As Kristen said in her comment, this is a real thing and it isn't a joke and ummmm yeah.  There's only one difference between how I really see myself and that photo.  If I were to post what I really think I look like, the photo would be the same minus the bust.  The bust would be flatish.

I posted the photo because this is something I fight everyday.  I hate seeing myself in the mirror or in photos because that is what I see.  Logically I tell myself that it is distorted but I can't make myself believe it!

My bathroom scale broke.  I haven't bought a new one.  I've always had a bathroom scale and have stepped on it religiously every morning and several times through out the day keeping an eye on my weight.  Me not running out and buying a new scale and going without for several months makes it sound like I am taking a healthy step when in fact I've not bought one because I am terrified to step on the scale because I know that since my scale broke I'm sure I've gained ten pounds or more.

One can argue that that is not true but that is where my distorted thoughts are and I don't want to see it confirmed.  The fact that my pants that I had bought which were fat pants are now tight tells me.  I don't need a scale to confirm that which I can see and know.

Real fears.  If I become obese will people still like me and want to be my friend?  Shallow.  I know.  But real.

I've been working on my distorted image and thoughts about myself.  Believe it or not.........  It's a process though and like all processes, some days I'm better at it than others.  I need to be healthy not just physically, but mentally also.   As in how I view myself.  And so it goes.........

Dieting

The SM says I have a skewed image of myself.  He says what I see in the mirror isn't what others see at all.  I don't know what he is talking about.  I know exactly what I look like!

TWELVE!

How in the world does time fly by so fast?  I swear it was yesterday when I had an ultra sound that blew my socks off.  The SM had come to the four previous ultra sounds with me.  Boy.  Boy.  Boy.  Oh BOY!  I was thrilled with having boys.  I loved having little boys but this time........ I kinda sorta wanted to try a different flavor.  After four boys did we think it was possible to change the water?

I can't remember why but for some reason The SM couldn't come to this ultra sound appointment.  Don't worry schweetie!  I'll get it all on video.  It's not like you can tell what those photos are anyway.  Well, you can now a days but back in the 'olden' days........  when it was one black and white smear of "I'll take your word for it".  I have scrap books full of these really cool black and white photos of my supposed soon to be baby.  For all I can tell, they may just be photos of the moon and those craters, they are saying are my babies heart and lungs!

Tangent.  Oops.  Anyways.........  I went to my ultra sound and WHAT???  Could you repeat what you just said?  A WHAT???  Impossible!  Are you sure?  Double check.  Make sure those photos aren't from the last lady that was in here where you pulled up the south side of the moon and told her she was having a girl.  Uh huh.  Not buying it.  This machine only knows how to make boys apparently.

Well, it would appear that there was a glitch in the machine, don't worry, it's fixed....... it went back to making boys but for one blip of a moment there was a crossed circuit or something and would you believe that ultra sound tech made a lucky guess when he showed me crater of the moon number five!

And boy howdy are we ever glad because this little Henny Penny has been nothing but a delight and a largish bit of sunshine and peppermint candy in our household.  Not to mention her mum doesn't mind having another team member on her duly out numbered lack of testosterone team.

Henny Penny is artistic, sweet, smart, compassionate, girly with enough tom boy to make her right up there with Mary Poppins.  Practically perfect in every way.

Did I mention it was her birthday?  Sigh............ 12.............  Happy Birthday Henny Penny!!!

First Day of School

Today is the first day of school.  Well.  Sort of.  Where are the photos of your adorable Natives you ask?

Ummm.  Well, last week Mr. C and T started school on Monday.  Mr. M started on Wednesday, today Henny Penny, Levi, and Mr. J started, and on the 29th Mr. B is going to start.

In other words, I'm lame and lazy.  Gone are the days when they all started on the same day, were lined up with their cute little backpacks that were bigger than they were, pish posh in their new shoes and duds, hair done and faces washed.

I keep seeing the cutest photos of my neighbors kids being posted today.  After we've all left for school,  that is when I remember.  Oh.  I kinda shoulda took pictures of The Native's on their first day of school.

So, you know me!  I'm going to have to make up for it.  Better hold onto your shorts........  it's gonna be a great back to school photo!

Seventeen!

Seventeen years ago this little Native entered our lives and hearts.  Actually, he'd already entered my heart before he was born if we must be technical.  Our little miracle baby topping in at a whopping 5 pounds.   He was lucky to be 5 pounds when we found out some of the complications that were going on  while I was carrying him.  

No surprise.  Mr. T is a fighter.  He's strong and tough not just physically but mentally and spiritually as well.

Mr. T. has been a source of delight from the very first.  His older brother thought I'd brought him his very own toy from the hospital and set to work making sure he wasn't hungry by shoving crayons in his ears, up his nose, and in his mouth.  When he wasn't trying to feed Mr. T he was putting him in his little Tonka dump truck and wheeling him around or snuggling up and reading a book to Mr. T.

As Mr. T has gotten older his infectious laugh and humor has delighted all.  Mr. T has a great sense of humor.  A few years ago The Native's were out selling cherries.  They were hot and tired.  Mr. T had been on a camping trip with the school.  I told The Native's not to worry.  Mr. T would be home soon and he'd get us all laughing and pick up the pace.  Sure enough, Mr. T came home, made some signs, and started to dance up and down the street.  The sale of the cherries immediately picked up as did his siblings spirits.

Mr. T is a hard worker.  If a task needs to be done he jumps in and looks for things that need to be accomplished without being asked.  I know I can count on Mr. T to see a job finished and he won't stop until everything is done and all have finished.

Happy Birthday Mr. T!  Thank you for choosing our family to come to here on this earth.  We love your twinkly eyes, cheesy grin, and six pack guts so much!  

In Loving Memory

He came into our lives.  A school teacher.  Mr. M followed him around like a puppy.  Worshiped him.  Acted like him.  Wanted to be him.

He became a member of our family.  The Native's uncle.  A weekly jam session with Mr. M on guitar.

He came to The Native's birthdays, baptisms, ordinations.  He came to our family parties.  He was a part of our family.

The list goes on but my heart hurts to much to type more.  I'm sorry I can't type more of a tribute to this dear friend of ours who has left this life at such a young age.  A man who has left a gaping hole in not only our household's hearts but in hundreds.  I think of all of the kids he's taught and who all love him......

We told The Native's that their adopted uncle is no longer with us.  He is with Heavenly Father.  Levi with tears running down his face:  I thought he was my friend!

Levi says what we're all thinking.  He's our friend.  Why did he have to leave us?

We are holding each other and telling each other, "I love you".  Mortality is a fragile thing......

How Did That Happen?

Yesterday.  It all hit me right between the eyes.  Well, if we must be technical it happened a few days before when my Mr. M told me he did NOT want to go to the local Junior High again this year.  Would I please home school him, anything but go back there.

I can remember asking my mom the same thing.  Please home school me.  I don't want to go back to the public school.  I talked to Mr. M and his reasons were valid.  He's sick of being in an environment where the language and conversations are a daily beating of his spirit and soul.  Last year I let him use my MP3 player so he could block it all out and listen to wholesome music.  But you can't listen to MP3 players during school hours so that only worked during the bus rides to and from school.

There is a local charter school here that I've heard great things about.  I asked Mr. M if he would like to go to that school.  Try it out.  I went yesterday and applied.  It's a lottery system for getting the students into the school.  I was told there is a waiting list and it is a first come first serve type thing.

A few hours later............ I get a call, another 8th grade student had dropped out, would Mr. M like his place.  YES!!!  We're thrilled.  And then.......... I realized.  School starts next week.  NEXT WEEK!

Mr. C and Mr. T start on Monday at their high school and Mr. M starts on Wednesday.

I THOUGHT I HAD ANOTHER WEEK!  I was going to load up The Native's next week and go home to Montana for a week.  I had a week before school started and somehow....... I lost it.  I didn't realize that Mr. T and Mr. C start on Monday and...........  argh!

I've not school shopped, I've not gone and paid fees or handed in paper work for these schools, our family hasn't gone on a vacation this summer (just our little family) and............ NOW SUMMER IS OVER!

How did THAT happen???

Thank You Nancy!

A package arrives in the mail.  Who is it for?

Ahhh.  Henny Penny of course!

Henny Penny sets the package down in the grass and slowly, almost reverently starts to undo the raffia ribbon.

As she undoes the tape trying not to harm what is inside, she begins guessing.  What is it?

Not knowing if it is fragile or breakable she takes great care.  Her Mum knows....... but doesn't say a word as she watches what unfolds.

A small intake of breath, "I know what this is"!  And then, a smile.

"It's a purse"!  I explain to Henny Penny where the purse came from.  Nancy in Montana sent it to Henny Penny after I'd commented on her blog and said that Henny Penny would go 'gaga' over the purse she'd made.  The blog world is full of wonderful people.

This purse is exquisite.  The felt flowers all hand sewn.  Each stitch perfection.  A certain little girl, when I checked on her sleeping last night.........had her new pink purse in bed with her.........

Thank you Nancy.  I pray you have sunshine and smiles in your heart for that is the gift you gave Henny Penny and me.

P.S.  Here is a link to Nancy's blog.  Be prepared to see all sorts of warm yumminess when you see what this talented lady does with applique and felt and quilts and........ a whole ton of wildlife right in her backyard.  Amazing.  Breathtakingly amazing.  All of it.  Almost as amazing as this ladies huge heart.  Again, thank you Nancy!!