Treasures

True. I won't stand for that in my life, how about you?

2012-01-07T02:07:00.001-05:00

True. I won't stand for that in my life, how about you?

Peace Out!

This Christmas Give Your Child the Gift of Praise and Unconditional Love

2011-12-31T03:52:00.001-05:00

If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.
If a child learns to feel shame, he learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement he learns confidence
If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.
He a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.
If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns to find love in the world.

What is your parenting style? Do you hover like a vulture, jutting out your talons at every wrong move?

Do you offer praise when you see your child do a kind act he thought nobody noticed? -Like share a small toy, try a new food without complaining, hold a door for his sister, wrestle with his little brother playfully while you made a casserole....

Pay attention as much to the positive as the negative.... Catch your children doing good. It's something I have to work on every. single. day.
:-)

Give yourself a report card every day. How did you do? If you're not sure, as your children and apologize when needed. Even adults need to admit their shortcomings. Children are forgiving souls and love with open arms. So should we....

Moral of my story? Hug more, yell less!

Thanksgiving Highlights

2011-11-25T16:55:00.001-05:00

The Menu

My little Helpers:
My peeler extraordinaire!

My little stuffing makers

Aunt Donna's pumpkins for pie:

Olive fingers!

A turkey for me a turkey for you. My turkey looks like a big brown shoe.

Stuffing- my favorite part!

Brothers <3 I am thankful to god for my five, smart, strong, handsome boys. Boys ROCK!!!!

Ready to eat!

Tired, but hungry!

Food... We want food.

I want rolls... This many!

Daddy was up late... Can you tell?

Hi, Mom!

Hi, Daddy!

That turkey was goooood! MmmppphhhrrrrzzzzzzZzzzzzz.

I'm 10 months!!!!!

Peace Out!

Help Me Win a Photo Shoot

2011-11-24T14:08:00.001-05:00

If I have any faithful readers.... Who also happen to use Facebook.... Can you do me a favor, please?

I ONLY need 37 more votes to TIE the LEADER!!! That's amazing! Can anyone else please vote for my pic? I am attempting to win a free photo shoot. I'd love to get some fam photos- anyhow- There's a contest- Go to Tiffany Wolfe Photography's page and "like" it. Then "like" or comment on my pic to vote for it. It's one of my kids entitled "Tower of Babies" It will take you 30-60 seconds! THANKS BUNCHES!! Voting ends **TODAY** after turkey dinner!!

Have a happy turkey day!!

Thanks you, thank you!!!!!!
This is the pic:

Peace Out!

Grandma

2011-11-07T21:51:00.001-05:00

Rocks! It's BINGO TIME!!!

Peace Out!

If I Had a Theme Song

2011-11-03T21:45:00.001-04:00

I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me
And I enjoy an accolade like the rest
You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best
At such'n'such ... it wouldn't matter much

I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights
We all need an 'Atta boy' or 'Atta girl'
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
The temporary trappings of this world

I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

I don't have to look too far or too long awhile
To make a lengthly list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile
Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon enough destroy

Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred
Just want to hear instead, "Well Done" good and faithful one...

"Legacy" -Nichole Nordemon

Pretty much how I've felt my entire life put into a song

Why I Love Children

2011-11-02T18:34:00.001-04:00

They are easily entertained.

Such as, let's have races!

Now let's have tae kwon do races!

Peace Out!

Nine Month Olds

2011-10-31T13:31:00.001-04:00

Are so much fun!!

And cute...

And cuddly...

Did I mention cute?

Why I love children

2011-10-30T20:47:00.001-04:00

They sleep on you.

They are easy to carry.

They like to chat all day long!

They fit on dashboards.

They are adorable all the time!

They stack well.

Well, Baby, You're Well.

2011-10-28T14:41:00.001-04:00

I just took Daniel in for his "well-baby" check-up AKA, pay us money so we can tell you, yes, your baby is healthy, as you already knew. And the nurse came in and lightly scolded me for missing his 6 month visit with a "Well, we will just do his 6-month-shots today, then." To which I said, "Um, we don't vaccinate."
*Blink*
*Blink*
Let it slowly seep in.
Embarrassed, "Oh."
*Blink* *blink.*
Does anyone actually read the records?

This is the second time I have had this happen. Last time, a lady looking to put him in a study came in and started her presentation, i.e. propaganda, without taking a breath about the advantages..... to my wallet..... if I put my baby into it. Finally, I got a word in, and explained that we don't vaccinate. To which she looked sheepish and replied, oh so you're probably not interested....

Bingo!

I say all that to say this, the Dr and I got to talking about a separate issue involving speech with my 2-year-old and he started to say that was why well-baby visits were so vitally important so they could "keep on top" of such things. To which I told him I had mentioned my worry to his dr partner months ago and she had said "not to worry about it." He stopped short and was speechless.... Kinda funny actually. I decided all by myself to call the speech people. Why? Bc I'm the mom. I don't need a professional to tell me what my instincts already do. To which he finally recovered and started to proclaim what a great program they have etc etc etc. Yep. Why I called.

So, a well-baby visit over, apparently, I need to go back at a year. Wonder if I'll get told we need to catch up those poisons, er, shots again? Look for that post later! ;)

Celebrate Children Week

2011-10-24T14:20:00.001-04:00

Why I love children---- I shall post a different reason every day this week:

JAMES (age 4) was listening to a Bible story. His dad read: 'The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city but his wife looked back and was turned to salt.'

Concerned, James asked: 'What happened to the
flea?'

Peace Out!

Nine

2011-10-23T14:47:00.001-04:00

Where does the time go? Hard to believe that my sweet little baby boy is now NINE months old!!!

Sissa and Deedle

Daddy!

Pensive

Yay!

Momma

Love him!

So thankful for each child! Every day is a blessing from God.

Peace Out!

Jesus Loves the little children

2011-10-19T10:59:00.001-04:00

Do

YOU

UNDERSTAND

HOW

TO

TREAT

CHILDREN

PROPERLY?

Jesus LOVES children. We are to be like Jesus. So we are to LOVE children.

Since Jesus Loves the little children..... So should we.

Pretty obvious.

Any questions?

I'm Sorry, but I'm Still Right!

2011-10-19T00:30:00.001-04:00

I can't say I'd use all the words here but the sentiment's the same. Very true.

Pet Peeve #7: I’m Sorry You Feel That Way
May 23rd, 2007.
Source

I cannot stand the phrase ‘I’m sorry you feel that way.’ Mostly because the people uttering that tripe are very rarely trying to sincerely apologize. Instead, they are subtly implying that you are wrong to feel a particular way.
A good example of this is the conversation I had with an acquaintance last week. In it, I confronted him for the poor way he treated me the day before. I explained to him that while his original intent may have been to help me (And I really doubt that), his method was mean spirited and completely ineffective.
His response?
“I’m sorry you feel that way.”
In other words, I’m wrong. However, if I press the issue, he can always smugly claim he already apologized!
‘I’m sorry you feel that way’ is nothing more than a sleazy way to get credit for apologizing while simultaneously refusing to actually take ownership of your actions. Instead of making amends, you throw out some flippant comment in which you blame the inferiority of the other person for the altercation. I’ve found the main perpetrators of this bullshit technique are those socially inept, egotistical assholes who sincerely believe their shit doesn’t stink. They’re always right and you’re always wrong and if you happen to disagree with that ideology, they’re sorry you feel that way.
Now I am not saying that one should apologize when one does not feel they did something wrong. I simply saying rather than employ an insincere apology, you should have the guts to just come right out and tell the other person why you think they’re incorrect. At least attempt to defend your position! When all else fails you can always fall back on the old tried and true end of modern debates: ‘Let’s agree to disagree.’
Also, I’d just like to point out that apologizing for the outcome of an altercation is not the same as admitting intent. A lot of people seem be under the mistaken impression that apologizing is akin to admitting you were trying to cause someone else distress. This is simply not true.
For example, if a little boy accidentally knocks over a vase and it breaks, it is completely appropriate for him to apologize. Nowhere is he admitting that he purposely intended to smash the vase to pieces, he is merely apologizing for the outcome of his clumsiness.
It is the same thing with adult interactions. If a man accidentally says something mean and hurtful, it is completely appropriate for him to apologize. This does not mean he intended to be mean and hurtful. It simply implies that his words were clumsy and he regrets the outcome of using them.
In closing, I’d just like to say that this is all common sense to most people. Not everyone is a social moron and I apologize to the people reading who aren’t and had to sit through my painfully obvious analogies.
However, there are people out there who completely lack the ability to find fault in themselves or admit any wrongdoing whatsoever. Because of this, they will gleefully pervert conversations in thinly veiled attempts to escape culpability for their actions. I submit that a society that allows people to deny responsibility is a society that inadvertently encourages the assholes of the world to mistreat us.
But hey! At least the assholes of the world will be very sorry we feel that way.

Love this song

2011-10-19T00:00:00.001-04:00

"In Better Hands"

It's hard to stand
On shifting sand
It's hard to shine
In the shadows of the night
You can't be free
If you don't reach for help
And you can't love
If you don't love yourself
But there is hope when my faith runs out...
Cuz I'm in better hands now

[Chorus:]
It's like the sun is shining
When the rain is pourin' down
It's like my soul is flying
Though my feet are on the ground
So take this heart of mine
There's no doubt
I'm in better hands now

I am strong
All because of you
I stand in awe of
Every mountain that you move
I am changed
Yesterday is gone
I am safe
From this moment on...
And there's no fear when the night comes 'round
I'm in better hands now

[Chorus]

It's like the sun is shining
When the rain is pourin' down
It's like my soul is flying
Though my feet are on the ground
It's like the world is silent
Though I know it isn't true
It's like the breath of Jesus
Is right here in this room
So take this heart of mine
There's no doubt

You can't be saved
If you're not reaching out for help

Punkins

2011-10-18T20:21:00.001-04:00

Sorta looks like a Veggie Tale character. Lol.

Field Trip

2011-10-18T15:13:00.001-04:00

I didn't get the best photos his field trip. But we had a good time anyway. We went to a glass blowing place called Flame Worked Creations. The owner is self-taught through books and movies. He had to learn "old-school" bc there was no Internet when he decided that he wanted to do this for a living.

My favorite part of the day was when I asked each child to tell me one thing they learned and the thing that stuck out to them was "You can learn to do anything you want. You have a good brain in your head and you can have anything... You can't have everything, but you can have anything, if you focus on one thing and want it badly enough."

A good lesson to learn early on!!

During our demo, he made a shark and a flower. It was pretty neat!!

Tours and demonstrations are free and the gift shop is jam-packed.

Peace Out!

I Did THAT!

2011-10-13T11:40:00.001-04:00

Why is the way a woman gives birth important? The other day I had a task to accomplish and the thought crossed my mind as I recalled my natural childbirths, "If I did THAT, I can do anything!!!" I even told my husband, "If the way I give birth is any indication, you know I will kick butt on this, too." It was a real confidence booster. So birth matters. Yes, a healthy baby IS important! But so is the process by which he or she enters the world. It's important to the Mother's confidence as a mother, wife, heck, as a human! No other moment in life resides solely on her shoulders as with the moment her baby is born. (I'm not saying a mom can't need and accept help! I am a huge doula advocate!) But a doula, a husband --- can't push out the baby. Only the mother can do that. I suppose that's why I feel women who opt for elective c-sections are so cheated from the get-go. They miss an amazing, once-in-lifetime opportunity to gain confidence and strength. On the flip-side, I think a mom who truly tried everything to have her baby and then needed a c-section can also draw strength from the experience bc she tried and did everything in her power.... And in the end, made a choice. I think that's the key--- making a choice. An informed choice. Because if you choose to be dumb when it comes to birth and remain in the proverbial dark and refuse to read anything... then saying is true- "Stupid is as stupid does."

Hope you have an "I did THAT! So I can accomplish ANYTHING!" kind of birth!

Peace Out!

Happy Apple

2011-10-13T11:34:00.001-04:00

Baby loves apples!

Peace Out!

Happy Birthday!

2011-09-12T22:15:00.001-04:00

Somebody is 5!!!! Seems like only yesterday I was welcoming you into the world!

Verbal, precocious, loud, boisterous, energetic, persistent, creative, fun.....

Love you, Caeden, the one and only!

Our New Bundle of Fur

2011-08-31T23:13:00.001-04:00

Butterscotch Toffee joined our family. He is a sweetheart and we love him!!! He is a 12-week-old mini-dachshund practically given to us by a gracious friend.

Peace Out!

The Sacred Cow

2011-08-19T00:05:00.001-04:00

When we, as parents, open our mouths and come out against the sacred cow of vaccinations, it inevitably leads to argument. It sometimes leads to name-calling and accusations that we are neglecting our own children and putting other peoples' children at risk. This note was written some time ago. I'm reposting now because I think it's important and I hope it will help increase understanding about why we do what we do. For me, it's not just about my child or about our family's experience. This is a civil rights issue, and that is important to me on all levels; not just as a parent.

There is a multitude of issues regarding vaccines. Probably the biggest issue, as it relates to autism and other neurodevelopmental, immunological, gastrointestinal disorders is the overwhelming number and concentration in the ever-growing childhood schedule.

In 1983, this was the childhood vaccine schedule: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/images/schedule1983s.jpg

In 1989, this was the childhood vaccine schedule: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/images/schedule1989s.jpg

In 1994, this was the childhood vaccine schedule: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/images/schedule1994s.jpg

The explosion of sick kids began in the early 1990s. Looking at the difference in the vaccine schedules, we can see that this time frame coincides with the addition of the Hepatitis B vaccine. Recent studies have shown that any immunity conferred by the hep B vaccine series is gone within 2-5 years. Another recent study found that boys who were vaccinated against Hepatitis B were three times more likely to develop autism than boys who were not vaccinated against Hepatitis B. Hep B is a sexually transmitted disease. Infants and toddlers usually aren't out running around having sex, so there is no justification in giving this vaccine.

The childhood vaccine schedule has continued to increase in size and complexity over the last 16 years. For parents who follow the schedule, which now includes yearly flu shots beginning at six months of age, their children receive 36 separate injections, which contain 50 vaccinations by the time they enter kindergarten.

Here is the 2010 childhood vaccination schedule: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/downloads/child/0-6yrs-schedule-pr.pdf

The second issue, albeit related to the first, is that current vaccination laws force parents into an "all-or-nothing" stance. In order to claim a religious exemption you have to refuse ALL vaccinations. You can't pick and choose which make sense for your child. Many physicians will not work with parents who want to exercise caution and spread out vaccinations. Some physicians "fire" parents from the practice if they even bring up the subject. So, if you ARE concerned about measles, diptheria, polio, etc. (the "childhood diseases" everyone cites when discussing their fears about death from going unvaccinated), you ALSO have to accept having your child injected with a whole bunch of stuff he or she does not need and which may cause adverse effects. This is a very important concept. We, as concerned parents who love our children and want what's best for them, are FORCED to give them MEDICATION (vaccines are medication - you can't get them without a prescription and they contain chemicals and things designed to alter the way your body functions) they DO NOT NEED and which carry significant risk of side-effects. We do not FORCE adults to take medication even when they HAVE an illness. There are laws to protect adults from government-mandated medication. You cannot legally force a person with schizophrenia to take anti-psychotic medication, even when that person has already displayed violent aggression to others. You can't legally force a cancer patient to take chemotherapy or radiation. If the government cannot force people to take medication when they HAVE an illness, how is it the government can force parents to consent for our infants and children to be injected with medications for illnesses they do not even have, and for which they have an extremely low risk (in many cases zero) of contracting?

Some will argue that nobody is "forcing" us to vaccinate. Thankfully, we do have some options, but we also give up a lot of our rights in the process. Many of us have to leave the workforce because our children are not allowed to attend daycare. Many of us lose our jobs because our children are so sick from vaccine-injury that we are FORCED to stay home full-time, whether that was our initial intent or not. Many of us are FORCED to become dependent on the government for financial assistance, especially if our marriages fail because the constant stress of caring for a sick child is overwhelming; financially, emotionally, and physically.

Many of us are lumped together in a big group and labeled "Anti-Vaxxers." Some of us ARE Anti-Vaxxers. Some of us have been forced into being "Anti-Vaxxers" because we have no other choice. This is not a position we have chosen for ourselves and for many of us it is not an easy stance to take. We are simply doing our own research and weighing the costs-vs-benefits for our own children. At least that's how it starts out. What happens in the process though, is we start to learn the truth about vaccines. We learn that they have not been studied for safety. We learn that they are implemented very quickly into the schedule without regard for their effects on "vulnerable populations." As we research, we start to see patterns and we realize more and more how our children are not so rare, and how more children are being harmed every day by mass vaccination. That's when we become increasingly vocal. That's when it becomes not just about protecting our children but about trying to protect your children, too. We realize that in many cases our concern for your children is not something you welcome. We realize that you wish we would just shut-up and go away. Many of us realize these things because we used to be you.

The reason we keep doing what we do is because we wish, beyond anything you can possibly comprehend, that someone would have done for us what we are trying to do for you.

You don't have to agree with us. You don't have to think we are right. You don't have to be our friends. We will never force you to stop vaccinating your children. If that's what you believe is best, it's your right as a parent. All we are asking is for the same right - to make our own decisions for our own children. We really do hope that you never know what it is like to be one of us. However, we also know that unless things change, our club is going to keep growing. If you become one of us, we will accept you unconditionally, and we will do everything we can to help you.

That's just what we do.

If you like this note, please also read "Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism."

Link: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150090404928533 And as always, please share.

JOIN THE CANARY PARTY! http://www.canaryparty.org/

So Long, See You Again Soon

2011-08-16T11:13:00.001-04:00

Solomon Gilbert 1999- August 16, 2011

Gone but never forgotten.

Our baby before we had babies.

Thank you for your heart, of which you gave all.

We sang him "Jesus Loves Me," and said a prayer.

Public Service Announcement for some Dads-- Not All! :-)

2011-06-19T00:00:00.001-04:00

A father's day wish: Dads, wake the hell up!
By Jeff Pearlman, Special to CNN
June 17, 2011 10:18 a.m. EDT

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Jeff Pearlman says a mom acquaintance is bereft that her husband shirked child care
Pearlman says he's a stay-at-home-dad fully involved in care of his two young children
He says dads need to get involved, childhood is short, tiredness from work no excuse
Pearlman: Here are 10 rules for righteous dadhood
Editor's note: Jeff Pearlman is a columnist for SI.com. He blogs at jeffpearlman.com.
(CNN) --

The woman started crying.
I didn't expect this, because, well, why would I? We were two adults, standing in a preschool auditorium, waiting for the year-end musical gala to begin, talking summer plans and Twitter and junk fiction and all things mindless parents talk at mindless events. Then -- tears.
"My husband," she said, "doesn't care."
"Uh, about what?" I asked.
The floodgates now open, she told me her husband works from home. But he never drops their daughter off at preschool. He never picks their daughter up at preschool. He never wakes up with their daughter, never puts her to bed, never takes her to a movie or a carnival or a ball game; never comes up with fun daddy-daughter activities. "All he worries about is golf," the mother said. "Sometimes he'll take her to the driving range for an hour. But that's it. ..."
Two days later, by mere coincidence, a different mother cornered me. I was sitting in a pizzeria with my son, Emmett, and daughter, Casey, gnawing on a calzone. The woman, another preschool regular who always seems to be dragging around her kids with the worn look of a chain gang inmate, glanced my way and muttered, "My husband would never do that."
"Do what?" I asked.
"Be out alone with both of the kids at once," she said. "Never."
In case you are wondering, I am that dad. The one who works out of the house. The one who drives his kids to school, packs lunches and pushes swings and arranges play dates and attends teacher conferences and -- generally speaking -- frequently finds himself alone in brightly colored rooms filled with women and tykes.

Along with my wife (who, until recently, also worked from home), I wipe snot, clean poop, order time outs and say no -- Really, no! I'm being serious, no! -- to the damned ice cream man and his Satanic siren call. I know all of my kids' friends, and most of their tendencies (Ashley and Emily love dolls, Lucas only wants to talk about Derek Jeter, Tyler digs applesauce).
Hence, I have been sent here today, on behalf of the stay-at-home mothers of the world, to convey to my fellow pops a message of love and hope in this lead-up to Father's Day: Wake the hell up.

Really, wake the hell up. Now. I understand that most of you have 9-to-5 jobs, that you leave tired and come home tired and just wanna chill in front of SportsCenter with a bowl of chips. But, seriously, you have no remote idea: Being a stay-at-home parent is exhausting. At the office, you can hide. You can take lunch. You can pretend you're working while scrolling the Internet for Yankees-Blue Jays and, ahem, Lindsay Lohan news. You have genuine social interactions with folks over the age of, oh, 12. People ask questions about your day -- and listen to the answers.
I envy you, but I sort of pity you. Kids grow. Age 1 turns to age 3, which turns to age 7, which turns to 15 and 18 and 21, all in the blink of an eye. If you're there, as I am, it flies. If you're not there -- if you're almost never there -- it barely exists at all. Which is why I just can't stomach those millions of dads who view their days at home as recovery from work, who'd rather rest than engage, who have no problem with passing the tykes off for more alone time with mom and who, literally, moan to their wives, "You have no idea how hard I work."
For you, I offer these 10 commandments of righteous fatherhood. Pay close attention, because, behind your back, people are pitying your wife:

1. No golf on weekends: Seriously, it's ludicrous. Your spouse is home with the kids all the time, and you think it's OK to take five hours on a weekend day to pursue your own pastime? Selfishness, thy name is Father.

2. Wake up: Literally, wake up. With your kids. On at least one of the two weekend days -- and perhaps both. I know: you wake up early for work. Not even remotely the same thing. Rising alongside the kiddies is hard. And crazy. And (gasp!) sorta fun, if you'd just stop moping.

3. Change diapers: If you have little kids, and you don't know how to change diapers (or, even worse, refuse to change diapers), you're pathetic. That's no exaggeration -- p-a-t-h-e-t-i-c. It's not all that hard, and though the poop sometimes winds up on the fingers, well, uh, yeah. It just does. Wash your hands.

4. Play with dolls and paint your toenails: How many fathers do I know who refuse to get girlish with their girls? Dozens. Dude, put aside the machismo, break out Barbie and slather on some pink polish. You'll make a friend for life -- and nobody else is watching.

5. Do things you don't want to do: It's easy to take the kids to the driving range -- because you want to be there. Now try spending the day having a tea party at American Girl. Or crawling through one of those wormholes at the nearby kiddie gym. Fun? Often, no. But this isn't about you.

6. Order the wife to bug off: I recently met a mother who told me her husband hadn't been alone with their 9-year-old daughter for more than two hours ... ever. Inexcusable. Let your wife do her own thing: relax, take a run, whatever. Entertain your children solo. They don't bite (Note: CNN.com is not liable if your children do, in fact, bite).

7. Surprise! Just once, on a random day without meaning or purpose, show up early at your kid's school/camp/wherever, say "Get in the car!" and take him/her somewhere special. Just the two of you, alone. A movie. A park. A hike. The memory lasts -- I promise.

8. Dishes Don't Clean Themselves (Nor Do Toys): It's amazing how this one works. You pick up a dish, run it under hot water with some soap, rub it down with a towel and place it back on the shelf. Then repeat.

9. Wake up your kid: Not often. But if you want to score big points and create a killer memory moment, walk in Junior's room at, oh, midnight, wake him/her up and go outside for 10 minutes to watch the stars.

10. For God's sake, tell your kids you love them: They never see you, and they'd probably like to know.

Bud, as you read this, your wife is expecting little -- and your kids are expecting even less. Pull one out of the blue. Make Father's Day less about you, and all about them.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jeff Pearlman.

It's Their Job

2011-05-25T08:49:00.001-04:00

“When kids are acting like kids, don't be surprised. It's their job. Kids are kids and that's how it should be. We shouldn't try to stamp the infectious joy and curiosity out of them because we want them to be mature. That will come if and only if we show them what maturity looks like no matter what "childish" things they do.” - Hal Runkel

Peace Out!

This Sums It Up

2011-05-16T15:25:00.001-04:00

Being a former teacher, and now mom to 6, this sums up my child-rearing philosophy:

"When kids are acting like kids, don't be surprised. It's their job. Kids are kids and that's how it should be. We shouldn't try to stamp the infectious joy and curiosity out of them because we want them to be mature. That will come if and only if we show them what maturity looks like no matter what "childish" things they do.” - Hal Runkel

Chew on that, peeps.

Peace Out!

Why Being a Mom Rocks

2011-05-06T00:50:00.001-04:00

That.... Right there.

Peace Out!

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T13:11:00.001-04:00

Happy Easter, everybody! Bok bok!

Our signs of spring shirts:
A duck, a baby snake, a baby cheetah, an eagle, a bird and a chick....

Peace Out!

The Last Thing a Parent Needs

2011-04-21T12:31:00.001-04:00

The Last Thing a Parent Needs

The last thing a parent needs.... You may be wondering what that is. Well let me tell you....

Criticism. That, and comparison to another parent whom you deem, in your overactive, imaginative little mind, is better at their job. Why is that?

Perception. That's why. You can't see how a person acts 100% of the time. You are not the all-seeing God of creation, and therefore are in no place to judge another parent. So let's repeat it together:

"No matter what I may think I know, let's get something straight. I don't."

Let's try that again:

"No matter what I may think I know, let's get something straight. I don't."

Parents, especially ones with young children, are just struggling to get by. -Making it through each day, by the skin of their teeth with a little prayer and a lot of grace. And that's what you need to extend to moms and dads.... Not critiques, not advise, not sour expressions, not judgement or condemnation of their parenting-style or children's behavior.

Because guess what you will get in return? No respect and ignored. Yes, that's right, you will get ignored. Your opinion will go from important, to less worth than a penny caked with dog poo on the sidewalk.

So the next time you feel the urge to criticize a mom or dad, stop, and go get a nice hot cup of "mind your own business," take a chill pill and go crochet a doily or something.

This has been a public service announcement for all the busy bodies of the world.

Peace Out!

How to Train a Dragon- Yell at it?

2011-04-15T22:43:00.001-04:00

Maybe,” [Old Wrinkly] said, “you can train a dragon better by talking to it than by yelling at it.”

“That’s sweet,” said Hiccup, “and a very touching thought. However…from what I know about dragons…I should say that yelling was a pretty good method.”

“But it has its limitations, doesn’t it?” Old Wrinkly pointed out.

–An excerpt from How to Train Your Dragon, by Cressida Cowell

It does. Yelling is effective at pretty much two things: intimidating someone into doing what you say, and making them feel bad. No one, children or adults, likes to be yelled at.

Yelling, while an instinctual stress-reliever, doesn’t do anything to actually educate a person about the point you’re trying to make. I had a teacher once who yelled a lot, and what I remember most about her class is the crummy feeling I had when I was in her room. I remember feeling uncomfortable and sad when she yelled at other students, and I became so afraid to ask questions or talk to her about anything, for fear of her then yelling at me. One time, I thought my book report was late, and oh, the fear I felt then! Just imagining what she would say to (yell at) me turned my stomach into knots. Thinking back on it now, I can’t remember anything about that book report, not even the title of the book, nor any other academic lessons I learned in her class. I actually can’t even remember this teacher’s name; it’s like a traumatic memory, suppressed. (By the way, my book report did not end up being late, so crisis averted. I do remember the joy of that moment of realization.)

As a parent, it’s easy to have my buttons pushed by my kids, yet difficult to remember that yelling doesn’t actually do anything to help them meet their behavioral goals.

“We can’t teach kids to behave better by making them feel worse.” –Pam Leo, Connected Parenting

“Children do better when they feel better.” –Jane Nelsen, Positive Discipline

I am nowhere near perfect at this…the yelling thing. It takes a lot of practice to recondition the way we respond to anger, and I am in the midst of working on this. It’s a many-years-long journey. What I’m working on first and foremost is reconfiguring my “buttons”; trying to take the triggers that usually make me angry and change them so that they, well…don’t. This is a matter of understanding and perspective. The more I understand about my children’s behavior–how their brains develop and why they do the things they do–the less they trigger my anger reflex. And the more perspective I have over “the big picture”–the foundational aspects of raising children that are truly important–the more I realize that in-the-moment yelling doesn’t work toward meeting the long-term goals I have for myself, my children, and our family as a whole.

Yelling at kids doesn’t help them learn a lesson. Just like my book report experience, what kids remember most is the feeling brought on by the yelling; the fear. That’s the piece of information that our brains hold onto and shape our future interactions and behaviors. Even the joy I felt when I realized my report was not late and I was not going ot be yelled at was a positive feeling, but still brought on by fear. Was I then motivated to make extra sure that I was never late on an assignment in this teacher’s class again? Of course. I do think fear is a very effective motivator…no argument from me there. But that’s not the motivation on which I want my parenting, thus my relationship with my children, to be based.

Our most prominent memories stem from feelings around events: succeeding, failing, solving a problem, making mistakes, having fun, going through a difficult time, being held, getting yelled at. After many years, the details of events are likely to become foggy, but the feelings remain. What do I want my kids to remember when they think back on their childhoods? Less yelling and feeling afraid, more understanding and feeling supported. Teaching by yelling does have its limitations. Teaching through connection is limitless.

Kelly Bartlett is an assistant editor of The Attached Family magazine, an API Leader, a Certified Positive Discipline Educator, and a mother of two in Portland, Oregon. Follow her blog about positive discipline and unconditional parenting at Parenting From Scratch.

What Triggers Your Anger?

2011-04-05T06:13:00.001-04:00

What Triggers Your Anger?
By Elizabeth Pantley, author of The No-Cry Discipline Solution

Family life is complicated and unpredictable. Day-to-day expectations and responsibilities can create angry emotions in both parents and children. No matter how skilled you are at parenting, no matter how wonderful your children are, you cannot eliminate or avoid the unpleasant situations that occur in all families. However, once you understand where the anger comes from you can modify the situation and learn ways to control your reactions, so that anger can occupy a smaller place in your home.

Our children bring us incredible joy. Yet, there are times that they can bring out the anger in us. It is helpful to identify the things that provoke your anger so you can make positive changes in your household.

What sets you off?
Most parents get angry over issues that are insignificant in the grand scheme of life, yet happen on such a regular basis that they become blown out of proportion. Some of the most common parenting issues that trigger anger are whining, temper tantrums, sibling bickering, and non-cooperation. Determine which behaviors most bother you and set about making a plan to correct each problem that sets off your anger.

Notice your hot spots
In addition to triggers, there are “hot spots” in the day when anger more easily rises to the surface. These are typically times when family members are tired, hungry or stressed. These emotions leave us more vulnerable to anger. This can happen in the early morning, before naptime, before meals, or at bedtime. You may also encounter situations when misbehavior increases, and so does your anger: grocery shopping, playdates, or family visits, for example.

Set a plan
Determine if there are things you can do differently to ward off some of the issues that spark your anger. For example, if the morning rush brings stress, you can prepare things the night before: set out clothing, pack lunches, collect shoes. Then create a “morning poster” that outlines the daily routine step-by-step.

If you find that tempers are shorter in the hour before dinner, set out healthy appetizers, enlist the kids’ help in preparing dinner, get the kids involved in a craft activity, or plan an earlier meal time.

Doing things the way you’ve always done them and expecting different results only leaves you frustrated and angry. Instead, identify your anger triggers and take action to change things for the better.

Learn something new
Once you’ve identified a problem, consider several options for solving it. Jot down possible alternatives on paper, or talk it over with another adult. Read through a few parenting books and check the indexes for your topic. Visit an online parenting chat group or posting board. There’s no reason for you to make decisions in a vacuum – I guarantee that the problems you are dealing with are common and there are lots of sources for solutions.

Be flexible
Anger is not something that can be dealt with once and then will go away. Your children grow and change, and new issues appear. From time to time take a fresh look at the issues that create negative emotions in your family and take action to change things for the better.

Let love help
And, finally, at times of anger, hold on to the feeling of love that is the foundation of your relationship with your child. Take time every day to bask in the joy of being a parent. Take time to play, talk and listen. Hug, kiss and cuddle your child often. When you build up this foundation of positive love and emotions you will find yourself less likely to experience intense anger.

Excerpted with permission by McGraw-Hill Publishing from The No-Cry Discipline Solution (McGraw-Hill 2007) http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth

What Do You Believe About Children

2011-04-04T13:31:00.001-04:00

We alllllll have a belief about children whether we realize it or not. Let's explore our beliefs, shall we?

What is your core belief about children?

Do you perceive them as “little devils,” “little rascals,” “a handful,” “up to no good,” “entitled,” “giving you a run for your money”?

Are you afraid that your baby, toddler, pre-schooler or older will drain you, run you ragged, off the road, rock your boat, turn your world upside down if you “let them”?

Do you worry that children will become “wild” unless you “tighten the reins?”

Do you find yourself feeling depleted, resentful, even intimidated by your children’s behavior, reactions, emotions and needs?

If you secretly (or not so secretly) think that children are inherently chaotic, mischievous, manipulative, demanding, exhausting little people who require adults to keep them under control, then you will unconsciously parent with fear.

You will be on guard.

You will be primed for conflict.

You will unconsciously invite a fight. A gesture, a look, a clipped tone, arousing defense in our child.

You will parent defensively—ready to ward off threats to your ego, your balance, your sense of power and control, your finances, your marriage, your health, and more.

Your sense of competence will feel tested, and as a result, you will be quick to react, parenting with a short fuse and a long memory. In your defended state, you might easily perceive your children as undeserving of unconditional love, but rather in need of ultimatums, nagging, punishments, bribes, control tactics to manage them into compliance. All in the name of teaching responsibility, respect, cooperation, morality, to abide by a law and rule conscious "real world."

On the other hand, if your deep-seated belief is that children are inherently good, honest, innocent, forthright, wise, deep thinkers...here to teach you about yourself and them, guiding you to become the parent they need, deserving of your love, guidance, understanding, forgiveness, then you will practice parenting with heart instead of hurt, with compassion instead of control, with humility instead of humiliation, empathy instead of ego, with an awareness of their motivations and your own.

Why does this matter?

Because our unconscious and conscious perceptions of children will determine our role in their lives.

Because our perceptions will affect how we see our children. Lazy or laid-back. Aggressive or assertive. Wild or exuberant. Difficult or discerning. We will see our child through a pinhole or through a panoramic lens of humanity, one that allows us to constantly shift our stance to get a better view of this wonder-full child.

Because our fears dictate our choices, our reactions, and our approach.

Because our fears will determine how much control we feel we need to exert over the situation and over our kids. If we make it a practice to see manipulation and difficulty in our child, we unwittingly reject our child on that level.

Our child feels it.

We criticize more, we huff, we shake our head, we fight more about certain themes, we say NO without hearing the whole story. We yell more. We don't touch as much. We invest in our distractions. We allow ALL of our other burdens to become the Gibraltar rock in the road that we assume is our child's doing, the result of the "way they are." Our kids get the message that we are resistant to who they are. They begin to shut down in ways we can't see. To hide parts of themselves. Just as we did in at their age.

In defense, our child's brain literally becoming "self-protective" and "stress-reactive."

We are then ready to resist...his resistance.

When we find ourselves in this parenting state on mind, our natural tendency is to reach for controls. We want change. We want relief. We think it comes from demanding it from the other person. Fear is fueling our negative perceptions and reactions: fear of losing control, fear of our children being out of control, fear of subsequent problems at school, fear of delinquency, fear of our choices backfiring, fear of blame, fear of ridicule, fear of criticism, fear of feeling incompetent, fear of inadequacy, fear of powerlessness in our own home, fear of chaos, fear of being consumed, fear of guilt, fear of helplessness to change things, fear of our children disliking us, fear of rebellion, fear of loss, fear of them.

The pervasive fear that underlies all that we do has the effect of eroding our self-confidence, our faith, our hope, our belief in the inherent goodness of our children and ourselves. Fear can drain us on many levels. It can fray our spirits, create deep fissures in our relationships, dilute our strength, and literally changes our brain. These changes can become the "way" we simply are, after enough practice. States become traits, as trauma specialist Dr. Bruce Perry wrote in his paper on the brain as a "use-dependent" organ. Whatever we practice grows. Our brains don't like to live in fear, but if fear is what we keep giving it, it will organize itself accordingly.

A stress-reactive parent brain raises a stress-reactive child brain. Both are focused on self-protection. "It's not my fault!" "Stop it!" "I didn't do it!" "Don't look at me like that!" "You always..." "You never..." "Why do you have to be so scattered/unfocused/mean/selfish..." "Give me a break for once!" "I can't take this anymore."

When we are driven by fear, we live in defense. Every action is a potential assault to our senses. People get under our skin more easily. We perceive injustice more quickly, and can’t shake off perceived offenses. We are quick to judge. To snap. To retaliate. We react negatively to our child, which then makes us feel bad about ourselves as parents and people. Our guilt and shame are then projected back onto our kids like hot potatoes...or we overcompensate by making it up to the children such that they trust and allow us in again.

Deep breath.

On the other hand...when we practice parenting from a place that isn’t driven by fear, we cultivate a paradigm shift (a parent-digm shift) in our way of relating, living, loving, giving and receiving, in the way we use words, silence, body language, the way we see others as both separate from and connected to us.

With coercive fear out of the equation, we are free to see the truth. We can see beyond the obvious questions of right and wrong, and can focus on growth. We can discover a child’s needs and true motivations, because we are looking for them. We see each other as imperfect, fantastic works-in-progress, not products that have a lifetime guarantee.

Seeing our child for who he or she is is only possible if we know ourselves.

If we see us, we see them.

If we like ourselves, embrace our flaws and old stories and shortcomings, we like the same in them. Our kids need to know we like them, like how they think, like their unique selves, not as extensions of us, but expansions from us.

We discover what drives us as we understand what drives our child. This can pave a path for profound change and connection in our relationship. We can see a situation for what it is instead of what it might say about us. We can see our children in a truer light, because we aren’t burdened by our own need to protect ourselves from their actions and reactions--and needs.

Nurturing a child's authentic self is a natural outcome of practicing authenticity in our own lives within ourselves. Our kids want real, not perfect. And they absolutely flourish as human beings who feel good in their own skin when we allow them to unfold without judgment and pressure to "be" someone else.

From early on, don't dry tears. Emotions are who we are. No, I don't mean road rage is who we are. I mean, emotions are our barometer, our internal gauge, our compass, our heartmap telling us where we've been, what we need. Without emotion, we flatline our relationships, put a ceiling on our lives, stop growing as human beings. There's a neurobiological reason that our limbic system in the midbrain holds 5 functions in the same area: emotion, motivation, attachment, memory and appraisal.

To remember it, I call it E-MAMA.

Think of the grouping of these 5 powerhouses! Emotion connected with motivation, attachment, with how we remember, what we process and what we can't that becomes trauma, and how we appraise a situation as threatening or inviting, comforting, safe. Incredible!

Those old suppression beliefs, our perceptions of teaching kids to be quiet and hold in their emotions are not only biologically NOT in keeping with their and our humanity, it's now potentially dangerous to teach our kids to "just go along with what people tell you to do." Cultivating our child's true self is as much a honor as it is the most powerful "preparation" we can offer them for life.

This is our shared freedom. To tell our story, know our story, understand and make sense of how our experiences have shaped us...so that we don't relive and re-enact our story with our kids, making it theirs, giving them our cliffhangers and dramas and twisted plots, but instead, giving them the room and the clarity of mind to write their own and be--and love--who they are.

--Lu Hanessian, 2011

People Drive Me Insane

2011-03-30T20:30:00.001-04:00

I've only birthed six babies.... What do I know?

Just go. Have your failed induction, because your doctor wants to make his planned vacation or Super Bowl party or wedding or lunch date, or has a vendetta against heavy-set women....But tells you, your baby is too BIG, or you're post-dates, or your pelvis is just too small, or it's your due date, or your body must be broken if it doesn't go into labor exactly on time.... Use their "Vitamin P" (something you don't even know the ingredients of or the risks because they downplay them or don't tell you at all.)

and have a subsequent "emergency" c-section for failure to progress (big shocker) or fetal distress (again, here's my surprise face) to "save your baby" because males, who don't have a uterus know more than a woman does about her own body and how to birth her baby!!!

Have fun!!!!

And if this post makes you mad? Tough. Don't read it then. Because I. Don't. Care.

Vent over.

Peace Out!

Updated Family Photo-Time!

2011-03-22T13:05:00.001-04:00

I'm very glad we had the opportunity to get an updated family photo done by our good family friend. She is moving away, and if you see this page, please say a prayer for her for everything to come together for her move and for God to lead an honorable, God-fearing, really amazing and kind man into her life!

Peace Out!

More Fun!!!

2011-03-21T14:04:00.001-04:00

Lately, the big question I am asked is, "So how is it with SIX kids?" -Usually with wide-eyed, truly curious looks. People aren't being rude, (I hope) they honestly want to know. Mostly because to them, it is a foreign concept- to have more than a few children....

I must admit, I thought I was in the minority... until God started showing me that I was wrong. There are plenty of families with more than 2.4 children! And I have been running into them regularly.

It got me wondering if that's just what Satan wanted me to think- that I'm weird and alone. Well, I'm not. And that makes me happy to know when I'm faced with questions (and stares wherever we go as a family) that occasionally make us feel like a circus side-show. Which makes me laugh pretty hard, I must admit!

Well to answer that question....

There is nothing sweeter...

Nothing that better teaches...

Patience...

Responsibility....

Joy....

Fun....

Loyalty....

Sharing....

Love and God's grace more than a baby can. And coming from a family as an only child, I can assure you that big families are MORE FUN!

Peace Out!

Baby Strong

2011-03-17T22:02:00.001-04:00

Hi! I'm less than two months old and I have strong neck muscles! That's because I come from awesome parents and I'm multi-talented.

Peace Out!

Daniel

2011-02-25T11:33:00.001-05:00

How most men feel about Valentine's Day.

Squinchy-face grin!

Peaceful slumber

Who's your daddy? Isn't it obvious?

Starting to smile more.

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Our Baby is a Month Old!

2011-02-22T23:07:00.001-05:00

Click here for a video of our baby boy. He's a keeper!

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Separation Anxiety Solutions

2011-02-19T00:25:00.002-05:00

Believe it or not, I have been criticized for having babies that are so attached to me. (Crazy, I know.) But, having a super glue baby is a very good thing! It shows they are well-bonded and trust Mommy and Daddy, as God intended it to be.

I love these ideas given in this video! But I also say, if you have a super glue baby, bravo! It means you are doing your job, and doing it well!

Yay for Babies!

2011-02-16T02:20:00.001-05:00

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Daniel's Birth Story

2011-01-31T20:05:00.001-05:00

My due date came an went as usual. The 19th of January. Never have I had a baby anywhere near the ETA. I have been on average 2 weeks past this date for 5 pregnancies in a row. So, on Jan 21st, while perusing our local Wal-Mart with my daughter, I was certain that when my sister-in-law, a nurse where I was planning to birth, told me how busy the hospital had been with births, I just knew I wouldn't be in labor anytime soon.

On the way home, I glanced at the full moon and chuckled because I had never been effected by the "pull of the moon" before either.

Around 9:00, I started cutting fabric for a baby blanket my daughter wanted to make. Around 10:30, I noticed contractions that actually hurt enough to make me squirm and feel irritated. I mentioned this to my mother and texted my husband, who was at a sleepover with our boys at his parent's house, and then decided to take a bath. The bath was short-lived because my contractions got worse and at one point I thought I felt my water break. It didn't, but there was bloody show.

So I grabbed my phone and called my doula, who did not answer. So, I called MeriBeth, who listened to me through some contractions and decided to call my doula and get her on the road. She asked me if I did anything different today. The only thing was my chiropractor appointment. "He may have pushed the eject button." (Tge same thing he had said at my appointment!

I called my sister-in-law, who was planning to come to the birth, and she reminded me to call my CNM, Megan. I did and she sounded like she had been awake for 40 days straight! Her response was, "I dunno if we have a labor room free." So I said, "Well I'll just birth on the nurse's desk."

My doula called back and we talked a little. She was on the way and had no idea why she didn't hear her phone.

I should mention that all this time I was in denial. Big time! I kept saying, "Really?! I'm not in labor."

I called my husband, woke him up, and informed him that he needed to come home ASAP.

From that moment on I just kept walking around the house. I asked my mom to call my husband and ask where he was. He was a few miles away. He has an injured knee, so he had to get dressed and get to the vehicle, no small feat!

He arrived and told me to get some pants on (instead of shorts) since it was -7 out and that we would be leaving ASAP! He called my doula and said we were en route and that we would meet at the hospital. I was still in shock! Two days after my due date?! Really?!

We arrived at 1:00am. From then on I walked. I was very irritated and cracked smart-Alec remarks and expressed my hatred of labor freely. Just when I was beginning to wonder if I was making progress, my water broke in the hallway. Meconium. Yay. Next I got into the birth pool and waited. I decided to try to push a little. Just to see if anything happened. (I didn't have any internal exams during my labor per my request) Eventually I changed to hands and knees and after praying er, begging to God, the baby began to descend. -Which I thought took hours but apparently was only 15 minutes total until he was born. So back to pushing. I felt him descending and let out these bear/lion roars. I pushed during and in between contractions. I wanted him out. I felt like I had to really push hard. I felt his head out or nearly out and I heard my midwife say, "I'm just gonna guide his head out here," and in the next push his body came out too. Relief! (2:42am) Soon I realized I had to reach down and draw him from the water myself as the midwife said she couldn't reach him. So I did. He had the cord across his chest like Miss America and around his left leg. We unwound it, sort of, and I saw him take a breath. He was pretty floppy after a minute, so the midwife decided to cut his cord and get him out of the pool which was super warm. As soon as he was lifted, he had total muscle tone and cried loudly. They returned Daniel to me in the pool and I looked him over and talked to him. Then I looked around the cess pool of yuck and decided I wanted to get out. I was curious about his weight, so I handed him to my sister-in-law to weigh. I got into bed and once the placenta came out, I tried to nurse our sweet baby but he wasn't super interested, so I put him on my shoulder to cuddle him and talk to him. Within 15 minutes he was nursing well.

He was 7 lbs 15.5 oz 21 inches. His hands an feet were dry and wrinkly and the midwife said he was post-dated and that the placenta looked post-dated as well. But Daniel is healthy and happy little baby. We are so blessed by him already.

Musical Blessings

2011-01-12T19:46:00.001-05:00

When Annie was five, she asked if she could learn to play the piano. I looked into lessons, but soon discovered a piano at home seemed to be required. Her hand-span wasn't quite large enough yet according to a piano teacher, so we put it on hold. In the meantime, I asked a few people to keep an eye out for one.

Soon Austin asked to learn as well. We decided we needed to stop asking people and start asking the only One with the power to provide, God. So we prayed that He would allow us to find a reasonably-priced piano.
Our prayers were answered last week!!!!

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Highway to Heaven

2011-01-10T04:04:00.001-05:00

To some, this may appear like a pointless post. But to others, it merely illustrates what people think of who have too much time on their hands. I saw this App for iPhone called "Angelizer." It not only works (easily) but it is also fun. :) Need a laugh? Get it bc it's actually entertaining. :-) -And who hasn't imagined how fun it would be to fly?

And hey, we need a car for that highway, right?

My Poor Sweetie

2010-12-29T17:47:00.001-05:00

Well, we have never been great at timing here in our family. In fact, we used to joke that chaos seemed to come in spurts. We would have calm seas for months then whammo- insanity would ensue. Let that pattern continue with the latest news. My high school sweetheart husby just snapped his patellar tendon.

He has had surgery and will be rejoining our family today for a long recovery.

-Approximately 2 months recovery. Baby is due during this time as well. This should be a very interesting time. C'est la vie.

Full-Term

2010-12-29T17:30:00.001-05:00

Well, it's here! I'm finally considered full-term!

Hard to fathom. This has been a looooooong pregnancy for me. Not a bad one. Just long. Maybe early pregnancy tests aren't such a great idea. ;)

And as with every other pregnancy, I still can't believe a baby actually fits in there! It's still amazing to me. I haven't started to panic mentally about labor yet so this is a good thing. :-). I hate mentally panicking. It's exhausting. Well, that's all I have to say right now. Just glad baby is doing well and that we are on the home-stretch!!! Hallelujah!

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Candy Cane Milkshakes

2010-12-24T14:37:00.001-05:00

Easy peasy recipe even a monkey could make. :-)

Grind up candy canes or mints.

Until it is a fine powder.

Use a blender or mixer and scoop in vanilla ice cream milk and candy cane powder.

Blend it, add a candy cane for garnish, and sprinkle some powder on top for color. Instant tasty holiday treat!

O Holy Night

2010-12-24T12:52:00.001-05:00

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our friend!

Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!

Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

My Year

2010-12-22T17:11:00.006-05:00

Facebook has some neat apps. Recently I tried "My Year in Statuses" Above is what I got the first time. Ah, memories.

Also there was one that told you most used words. Not sure how accurate it was, but here are the results:
My most used words
Love:Used 31 times
Time:Used 30 times
Baby:Used 26 times
Why:Used 26 times
Really:Used 25 times
Children:Used 24 times
Jeff:Used 24 times
Say:Used 24 times
People:Used 23 times
Kids:Used 23 times
Think:Used 22 times
Anyone:Used 22 times

Cytotec is Bad not Good

2010-12-17T03:24:00.001-05:00

I am posting a link to help get the word out that CYTOTEC is evil. Do not believe ACOG. Do not believe your doctor. Do not believe your midwife. Do not believe your nurse. If ANYONE tells you it is SAFE, they are lying. The END. I experienced this drug first-hand. -The VIOLENT contractions with very little breaks. Only by God's grace was my baby spared death or brain injury. Please read this true story and say NO NO NO to Cytotec. Because Cytotec is BAD not Good and it needs to be destroyed.
Click here for true Cytotec tragedy and BEWARE!!!

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Dreaming of a White Christmas... Wait

2010-12-16T22:45:00.001-05:00

Unlike in recent years, where we have rain for Christmas, we are actually getting SNOW! -And before the official first day of winter!

Naturally decorated tree.... God does a better job than I do.

We are either tough, crazy, or in denial to wear shorts this time of year. :)

Here's hoping you have a wonderful holiday season wherever you hang your hat!

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Fatty McMatty

2010-12-10T10:12:00.001-05:00

As I look at this belly, I just have to say, "REALLY?! I am so Gigantic that I defy physics. How am I able to walk without tipping over like a Weeble?!" I can't WAIT to meet this sweet baby boy!!!!! So excited!!!

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Are you DONE yet?

2010-12-07T00:09:00.009-05:00

ARE YOU DONE YET?!

This is a question I have been hearing lately as my belly swells to enormous proportions.

I must admit, it does not ruffle my tail-feathers as much as it used to. Thankfully. :) But it HAS prompted me to speak about my husband's and my beliefs several times in the last few weeks. I try to speak matter-of-factly and in a noncondemning manner. But let's face it, this is a TOUCHY subject! If we don't go with the flow of culture, which is pro-pill, pro-birth control, pro-limiting family-size, we are bound to stick out and be noticed. And noticed we ARE. And if we express our ideas, we step on toes of anyone who believes differently. Which is most people.

But I know to the depths of my soul that we would not have the blessings we do, if we had succumbed to the peer pressure to "take out the bridge" to fertility. How do I personally know for certain we are called to this life of freedom in Christ concerning our family-size?

1. I/we prayed like lunatics for answers.
2. God answered clearly and concisely for both of us in different ways.
3. We now see things very differently in this particular area.
4. We have researched this, read many books, and I personally have thought way too much about this subject.
5. When I look at the children we are blessed to care for, I need no further convincing... THEY WOULD NOT BE ALIVE HAD WE DENIED THE PATH GOD CHOSE FOR US.
6. Vascectomies are unhealthy for us as are tubal ligations.
7. There is science, evidence, etc. to back up what we believe to be true.
8. God created me. He knows what is best. I believe that includes my womb.
9. I believe God will provide for our children. He has so far in many ways and I am thankful for that!
10. If I do nothing else with this life but raise children and love them into adulthood, I believe I have fulfilled my life-calling.

11. When my husband and I are out with the children, we are CONSTANTLY inundated with compliments on how well-behaved our children are. Recently, at a restaurant, three different couples came up to us to tell us how sweet and well-behaved our children were! Not that they are perfect angels, but this DOES in fact happen to us all the time and I am glad that our children are a blessing to complete strangers.

Some places I searched for answers:
The Bible
Randy Alcorn's book "Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions?
Friends
Family
Pastors
A Full Quiver by Rick and Jan Hess
Children: Blessing or Burden? by Max Heine
Margaret Sanger
websites:
Like this
and This
Quotes: "How can there be too many children? That is like saying there are too many flowers." Mother Teresa
I've noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born. ~Ronald Reagan, quoted in New York Times, 22 September 1980

I must add that when seeking answers from pastors and friends, I did not always receive encouragement to let go and let God in this area. In fact, I mostly heard that I was insane! That God could not possibly care for "all these children." That I was irresposible. That I was stupid even. I ask you is anything too hard for GOD? AND How long has birth control as we know it today in pill form been around? Do you even know? What does the Bible say about such things? Look into it.

Feel free to comment. But before you do, ask yourself, am I thinking for myself? Or am I thinking what I've been conditioned to think?

How to Help Orphans

2010-11-29T09:45:00.001-05:00

This Christmas, do something that will matter to an orphan. If you can't adopt, you can help someone else be able to! There is an organization helping families raise money to off-set the huge expense of adoption. Reeces Rainbow

Make a difference for this little one or choose from the many children listed who need to be adopted.

Sit down as a family and browse the photos. Choose a baby or toddler or older child to support. If you spend $35, by Dec 15, you'll receive an ornament for your tree with the child's photo. Keep in mind, even if you miss the date, you could copy the child's photo, print it and make your own ornament with foam. :-)

For more information on why This orphan ministry is so important, READ HERE

Merry Christmas!

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'Tis the Season

2010-11-28T14:41:00.001-05:00

For....

Hot chocolate!!

Homemade ornaments!

Warm hats and coats.

Christmas Trees.

Elf Ears!

Family meals!

And of course, anticipation for toys!

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Question and Answer Session

2010-11-24T01:41:00.001-05:00

Quite a few questions have been unanswered as of late here at Treasures. So here's your big chance to ask me a question and actually get an answer!

I still have a ways to go with this pregnancy, so I figured a question/answer post might be just the ticket for a diversion....

So-if anyone has been dying to ask me what my favorite dinner dish is or how much I weigh (um-don't you DARE) or anything at all (except that) and actually WANT an answer, do so before Dec 20th 2010, and you will get your ANSWER! (Except about the weight thing.)

If you don't have any questions, pretend like you do and humor me! Because I will be needing all the diversions I can get to help me get through this super long pregnancy. ;-)

You can post your question or email it to FriendsofTreasures@hotmail.com

Happy Birthday, Baby

2010-11-24T00:29:00.001-05:00

Justus celebrated his 2nd birthday and to commemorate the occasion, here are some pictures! I know you are all so surprised!

I'm biased, but he is model material ;)

Walking tomato.

Shy guy.

Playing with my third identical truck. Tee hee.

I am a ham.

Sweet sleeper.

Wah!

At a restaraunt.

Chillin'

I love yogurt!

Newly discovered Nerf guns.

Don't ask.

Caped QT

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Breastfeeding Basics - Tips on Scheduling

2010-11-09T16:45:00.004-05:00

For a first-time mom, breastfeeding can be a dauntingly confusing subject. I can still remember feeling totally inept to fulfill the task before me with my precious, sweet baby girl nine years ago. But there is excellent help out there for you if you're struggling or simply preparing for your baby's arrival! Whew! Thank goodness, right? But where to go? The only book I had was The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, which I still recommend today. However, I learn by seeing and doing. So videos would have helped me tremendously back then.

To start to answer some important questions about breastfeeding is a friend who has produced DVD's, a YouTube channel, http://www.youtube.com/user/4breastfeeding and a website http://www.breastfeedingbasics.info/ .

Please take the time to educate yourself and learn about the true nature of your milk supply in this video. Some sources would have us believe it is important to schedule the baby's feedings, such as Babywise. This is simply untrue. Please enjoy the video and visit the blog for more information.

http://www.breastfeedingbasics.info/

Open Letter to US Postal People

2010-11-08T15:00:00.001-05:00

Dear USPS,

It should not take you 10 days+ to change an address. Especially when paperwork is submitted a week and a half prior to start date! What sort of amusement park, golf course, pick-up-ducks business are you running anyhow? Our mail is in limbo, some of it, very important mail we needed oh, a week ago. Please step it up, quit playing online Solitaire and do. your. job.

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thirty

2010-11-07T22:48:00.001-05:00

Thirty weeks may not sound like a lot of time to most people but to a pregnant woman, it's an eternity. When I hear the words, "Wow, time sure flies! You're that far along already?" I grit my teeth and laugh because it's hilarious yet so untrue, at least from my perspective. Growing another human is a task not to be taunted. It's exhausting and hard. It's rewarding in so many ways but "going fast" is not how I would describe it.

I've noticed the last few days that I feel swept away by neediness and weepiness- my pretty even emotions (at least for a pregnant woman, that is) have been up as high as a kite and down as low as a worm. I get hurt by the silliest things to the point of tears and then I feel dumb. My head and my heart are entangled in a battle over who is in charge. Honestly, I can't tell you who's winning.

But, hey, thirty weeks is a triumph! That means only ten more for normal people! More like 12 for abnormal people like me. But somehow I shall persevere. Thank goodness for holidays to distract me and a sweet husband and children to keep me sane and loved. I'll leave you with this shot Jeff took of me and baby "much wanted."

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Most People Don't Even Know...

2010-11-03T07:57:00.000-04:00

Today I am linking a friend's blog on a sobering subject. After reading the article, be sure to watch the video. Don't dismiss this as well, it doesn't happen HERE because mark my words, it's coming. All the signs are there. All you people happy with your false sense of security, LISTEN UP!!! Educate yourself about birth control i.e. Voluntary population control. Ever notice that your OB doesn't ask IF you want birth control? Notice their wording next time you have a baby or an appointment. It is presented as "Which kind do you want." Go ahead, test this out- ruffle some feathers: Say "None." Most likely they will start the manipulation mind control process right there. Belittling your "stupidity," making you feel naive. Good luck getting out of their dungeon, er, I mean office without a sample or two packets of pills "to try." Once, after my first baby, my OB scoffed at the idea of no longer using OrthoTricyclen, then literally forced me to take NINE packages of the mini pill "just to try." Me, an obedient sheeple at the time took it for a week. I got so sick! I had headaches and threw so I stopped taking them. -The audacity to think for myself! Haven't taken the crap since! Just a thought, did you know that the side-effect list is a mile long and they don't disclose it to you, you have to ask for the information. Even then, OBs try to downplay it. Oh yea, if I die, it's rare so it's ok. Anyhow, check out this link and quit hiding your head in the sand concerning this topic.
Are you a sheeple? Or a people?

http://birthingaquiverfull.wordpress.com/2010/11/02/i-wonder-as-i-wonder/

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What happens when you have an older sister

2010-10-29T17:31:00.001-04:00

Baby Garfield.

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"Literacy Day" Parades

2010-10-29T15:03:00.003-04:00

Annie, as Garfield.

"I love lasagna."

Waiting for the indoor parade to begin.

Our Anakin looking for us... :) Notice one poor kid in a Scooby-doo get-up! LOL!

Our little Anakin Skywalker, happy to see us so he could tell us to use the force.

I love this season!

2010-10-26T00:48:00.002-04:00

Just sharing some pretty photos of my favorite season. :)

A Mother's Act

2010-10-18T20:48:00.001-04:00

Courageous mom Amy Philo speaks out on how psych drugs nearly caused her to murder hew newborn baby (and how psych doctors imprisoned her in a mental ward).

Happy Birthday, Annie

2010-10-15T13:14:00.001-04:00

Hey, better late than never! Happy birthday, sweet girl!

Wilderness Woman with a Womb

2010-10-13T12:23:00.007-04:00

A good friend of mine also happens to be an amazingly talented photographer and she offered to capture this pregnancy. Aaaaaand since I've never really done that before, I decided to give it a go. Here are a few of my favorites although I actually love all of the pics!

Special thanks to Lacey, for being so generous with her talents, her little one for sleeping while we hiked around, and Mary, for the use of her awesome, cool barn!

Biggest Blessing

2010-10-12T15:26:00.001-04:00

It's true, ya know. The biggest blessings really do come in the tiniest packages.

My littlest bunkin....

For now....

Soon to be big brother bunkin.

We think he'll be ready. :)

Happy Birthday, Caeden!

2010-10-12T00:22:00.003-04:00

Arriving at the super fun spot, as the kids called it.

Guess what Dad is doing here....

Kids being kids!

Blowing out the candle.

Picking out what he wanted to eat.

Singing Happy Birthday again.

Cuteness Defined

2010-10-10T18:42:00.001-04:00

Cuteness Defined-

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What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?

2010-10-10T11:31:00.001-04:00

Annie- "An Artist."
Caeden- "A racer and a builder."
Austin- "A champion soccer player."
Samuel- "A duelist. Someone who plays games."
Justus- Covered his eyes.

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My Edits

2010-10-10T11:20:00.001-04:00

It amazes me what you can do on a phone to edit photos. Fun stuff!

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Peeker

2010-10-09T20:29:00.001-04:00

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Pet Parade

2010-10-09T20:27:00.001-04:00

Much to her delight, Annie got to enter Oreo into a pet show today. Her doggy won "Most Active." I was betting he would win "Most Hyper," so I was close!

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Producers that Pump the Profanity Into Our Children

2010-10-08T11:58:00.002-04:00

When you hear your child swear, don't you just want to punch a tree?
Like seriously. Punch a tall, barky, rock hard tree!  And it makes
it even better when they heard it on a stupid children's movie. 
Why do producers feel the need to include swearing in children's-
targeted media?! ????!!!!  So if you are a producer of the movie
"Stuart Little" reading this, "What were you thinking?!?!?!" The
alley cat could have said "What the heck!" I seriously hate movies
sometimes!!!! I guess I need to pre-view movies, but I seriously
thought I could trust a movie about a mouse!

On a positive note, in preparation of the new Nanny McFee movie,
we rented the first one to review the story and nothing compares
to good children's movies with no profanity!!!  Next on tap, we
have The Sound of Music and The Parent Trap I (Hayley Mills) and II!

Austin Recognized for Good Behavior!

2010-09-29T12:15:00.004-04:00

Today I checked my voice mail to find this message from the school regarding our son:

"Hello, This is the principal calling from the school with some good news today! I often ask the teachers to recognize students who go above and beyond our Eagle eyes expectations and Mrs S. brought to me Austin's name. She wrote that 'he is a good friend. He also is a good helper... he keeps us safe by pushing in chairs when we forget. Austin is a wonderful little boy in many ways. But I am so glad he is in our room taking care of us. :)' I just wanted to pass that good news onto you and to thank you and Jeff because we know that that modeling comes from home and we appreciate that. Let Austin know that I called and I will see him today and also let him know that he is being recognized."

In a world where often people only choose to see the negative, it is so refreshing to hear good news like this. :)

Literary Day

2010-09-28T22:12:00.004-04:00

If I had to choose a character for Literary Day, it would be to team up with a friend and go as the Sweet Valley Twins, Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield.... or Nancy Drew.... or Anne of Green Gables....

But alas, my children are different from me. They chose Garfield and Anakin Skywalker. Alas, my grand ideas will have to remain in my mind. How I would LOVE to dress dear daughter up as Anne!!! Alas, she has yet to read my favorite book series.... How fun would that be? And Austin? He could be Gilbert Blythe!!! Oh, the glory!!!!! But no. Not to be. I must allow my children to be creative on their own and to flourish independently from my wonderful ideas.

Fall Fun

2010-09-26T19:24:00.001-04:00

I still can't believe I didn't know about this place!

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One More Reason

2010-09-25T09:07:00.001-04:00

One more reason to love my hubby. He sacrifices his sensitive digestive tract for mine. :)

Perception

2010-09-23T01:11:00.001-04:00

Time may be going at a snail's-pace for me, but I'm certain I won't feel that way once this baby gets here! Then, all of a sudden, time will speed up to warp-speed! Such is life, I'm afraid. Waiting is agonizing. But clinging to a spot that's joyful is impossible. So here's to slow, agonizing waiting for our sweet baby. -And may I lovingly embrace how rapidly the tiny infant becomes the robust toddler. It's all about perception, I am told. But I'm not so sure that's right, because I've seen the fast-forward buttons on my 1980's tape recorder and I wonder if I unwittingly press it in my life from time to time.

GRACE

2010-08-15T01:23:00.006-04:00

Ever wonder why some women "cut off" their fertility? I can tell you why. It's because pregnancy makes you go insane. At least it does me. So far, this time I have totally misjudged a dear friend and practically run her over with a mack truck with my words and have blown up at my children simply due to extreme fatigue and morning (all day) sickness. I have realized that I suffered post-traumatic stress disorder from my first two births and am attempting to deal with this, as well as other long-standing unmentionable family issues I am working through.

I know logically that I am acting like a jerk, but emotionally, I feel justified. Anyhow, even if you do not know me, I'd appreciate prayers as I sort this all out.

Other than that, this pregnancy is going great! I am truly excited about another baby and feel especially blessed because I am completely undeserving of such a blessing. I guess that's what grace is all about.

Thank you heavenly Father for seeing me for who I really am, who I want to be, and making me see I am nothing without YOU. Amen!

Caeden's Waterbirth 2006

2010-08-09T22:30:00.011-04:00

I thought I would share some photos from Caeden's birth and if I'm lucky, someday, I'll come across some photos from my other births too. But since I found these, I thought I'd share them since I've been talking about my birth experiences so much!

Yes, I am carrying a watermelon!

Me, in labor... I look thrilled with the cameraman.
I post this to show you don't have to be laying on a bed...
You can indeed do splits also.

My hubby making sure the birth pool is ready.

Caeden, 8 lbs, 8 oz, minutes after birth. This is the most he cried for a while.

Birth bliss. It's real, folks.

My daughter checking out the baby after whispering to me that the doctor, in all his illustrious wisdom and bad bedside manner, and in fact, no manners in front of small children, was wrong when told me (in front of my three children) that I would die if I tried a homebirth. Take that, Dr. McFadden!!

Notice my midwife's wet skirt. Thanks for getting wet on my account, Cassi! :)

My doula, MeriBeth Glenn, taking official measurements.

So happy to hold the little one!

Daddy and his older sister Karin holding the cutest baby of 2006!

Too cute!

Holly, my friend comes over to check out the little man, too!

No, I didn't pose him... He was just that comfortable apparently. :)

Sissa love.

Sam peeking in on the sleepy one.

Daddy, smitten... again. :)

Yay!

Thumbs are better than binks, mom!

He was my first baby to say "No way, Jose," to pacifiers.

I was born at home! Thanks for the hat, Cassi!

Look, Ma, he has feet!

LOVE

Thanks for reading! Hope you liked the pictures. They are very special to me.

First Pre-natal

2010-08-03T20:24:00.005-04:00

Well, today I had my first pre-natal appointment with a CNM. It went really well! Unexpectedly so! I have no complaints... Only praises. This is by no means a small feat! If anyone knows me well, these words are perhaps miraculous. :)

The first thing that struck me was the nurse asking me about many herbs. I have never heard a nurse even talk knowledgeably about herbs! The second was their approach to birth in general. -Very much aligned with my views at every turn. I really enjoyed talking with the nurse as well as the midwife. I was pleasantly surprised to get an impromptu ultrasound to "take a peek" at the baby. I was super excited! I can't help it! I love seeing the baby!

I am looking forward to seeing where this latest journey takes me. I continue to feel at peace with this decision. Stay tuned for more details later!

The Plan

2010-07-29T20:27:00.002-04:00

My plan... Another homebirth. But so far, I haven't been able to find a CPM within reasonable range of my residence. As my friend C would say, "Crap on a cracker!"
But sometimes I think God leads us by circumstances. So as of now, we are planning a hospital birth. -Something, I admit, I'm quite fearful of. But every time I start to feel worried or scared, God uses an article or person or simply a verse to remind me to not be afraid and that He will equip me to do whatever His will is.

This story inspired me and helped me to remember that I am a consumer when I go to a hospital.

http://hypnobabies.wordpress.com/2010/06/01/mom-fires-ob-during-birth-when-threatened-with-a-cesarean/

I am gazing down a path I honestly thought I'd not travel down again. But here I am.... Standing at this fork in the road once again. Hospital birth, not my plan, but His.

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My Birth Stories

2010-07-21T00:38:00.006-04:00

I have had many requests for my birth stories. So here they are.

After my first, unfortunately traumatic birth, in 2001, in Charlottesville, VA, where I was induced with a drug I had never heard of called Cytotec, for post dates, and because Dr. Klas predicted she'd be 9-10 lbs, "way too big!" I began my path to freedom in Christ in the area of birth. At the time I had thought I had done all I could do to ensure a natural birth. My husband and I had taken a 12-week Bradley course and I had read some books.... What could go wrong, right? WRONG. My only proud moment was that I didn't give in and get the favored, pushed epidural, but to this day I know that only by God's grace and mercy was I sustained my HIS mighty hand through the vicious contractions and not kill or hurt my precious daughter in the process. My contractions were 4 minutes long with multiple peaks, no more than a minute apart. I knew something was wrong as soon as this started happening. I was terrified. But since it's a pill insterted near the cervix, you can't remove it.... My water was broken manually and I thought I was going to die. I can't believe how much pain I was in. It was torture. When I was ready to push, I was supported in the c-sitting position and remember my OB and husband counting in my face. 25 mintues of pushing and she was born. I tore and had to be repaired. Annie Mackenzie was 6 lbs 13 oz and covered in vernix. She was placed on my belly and I was instantly in love! I remember feeling a rush of natural oxitocin and painkillers. I was high as a kite!

When we moved to PA, I decided that I needed to see a midwife and found a CNM in Greenville. Unfortunately, my birth was again, a traumatic one. I went over due again by 10 days... I was in labor on my own (with the aid of prosteglandin gel). But after a stint of walking in a nearby park, the midwife decided to break my water when I stalled at 6 cm, and start pitocin... what I refer to as "liquid EVIL." I ended up with severe back labor and screamed in pain, absolutely terrified. These contractions felt different from before... I really had no idea what was going on. No one told me a thing and I thought I was dying. During this experience, I was given Sta-dol and this made things worse. I would fall asleep between contractions and wake up at the peak screaming in pain. A nurse even screamed in my face to 'shut up because my screaming wasn't helping anything!' I was put flat on my back and pushed my baby out so forcefully, that I broke blood vessels all over my body and face and in my eyes. My baby's heart rate dropped to 70's while I pushed and I had a real sense of urgency to get him out so I pushed even when I wasn't contracting. Not to mention that my poor hubby was terrified as well and said he thought I was dying too. He was worried beyond belief for his unborn son. Our midwife offered no explanation, but had a very intense, worried expression on her face. Austin James-Gregory, 7 lbs 12 oz, was born shortly after midnight. After his birth, I literally passed out. Someone handed him to me after they got him to turn a shade of pink from the blue he had been, and somehow, I hooked him up to my breast and I was out. The photos of us after birth honestly look like a baby with a mommy corpse. I don't remember getting to my room. But at 3:00 am, I awoke with a start and wanted my baby! I rang the nurse's station and they made me ring twice more and took 45 minutes to bring him to me! (He was maybe 10 feet from my room) Only after his birth the next day, was I told that he was posterior and what back labor was. I didn't bond with my baby for at least two weeks. I felt strange. Like I hadn't given birth at all. Who was this baby? Was he mine? Praise God that healed after a while in my heart. But it was a painful process. I often hear from women, hey, as long as the baby is healthy, then the birth part doesn't matter. That is most often from c-section patients. I have to strongly and whole-heartedly disagree with this idea. A woman's birth most certainly matters. It shapes how she feels about herself for the rest of her life. I will even go as far as to say that birth can be a situation in which a woman is abused by her caregivers and then told they were "saving her baby." This is not to say that medical intervention can be helpful when needed.... But that's just it, if you go to a surgeon, to birth your baby, a normal process 98% of the time, you are going to be messed with most of the time because obstetricians are trained to see problems whether they are real or imagined. I can attest that birth does not need a single wire or tube or machine attached to you to happen properly. And that these so-called "helpful technologies" are more of a hinderance than a true help. This is based on my experience, a LOT of reading and education and talking to many mothers. You may disagree, and that's ok. But, I truly believe that in birth LESS IS MORE. :)

When I discovered I was pregnant a third time I immediately put myself on the prayer chain at my church... My pastor joked that it was a bit early to be worrying about my birth.... But he didn't know what I'd been through... I hired a doula, MeriBeth Glenn, at the urging of a friend, Megan Reeher. It was a wonderful decision! I went to an OB in Greenville and was insistent that I not be induced. Toward the end Dr. McFadden was pretty compliant until I was going to be 13 days overdue as of that Monday. So at my check-up, he announced that I had to come be induced on Monday at 8 am. I was horrified. Please GOD, NO! I remember thinking. So my doula suggested castor oil. I choked down some of the bottle on Saturday in OJ. That evening I was crampy. But I didn't think much about it. So I sat on a birth ball at the table and ate dinner and played cards. Sunday night at 1:30 am, however, I woke up with a burning sensation... I got up to use the bathroom and my water broke! Argh? What the? Really?! My body CAN go into labor?!?! Realllly?!?! I was scared because what was going on? I'd never gone into labor before! So I called my trusty doula and she timed my contractions... and decided to come right away. I stayed at home a while and finally decided it was time to go. When we arrived, my sister-in-law, Karin, was the the nurse on duty! I was soooo relieved to see her! I was 5 cm and 80% effaced. I mostly laid on my side on the bed or got on all fours. My doula helped my husband help me and he supported me whan I was on all-fours. My doula directed my vocalization to deeper tones instead of whiney ones and helped me deeply breathe. I felt very pushy but I was 7-8cm and the nurse did not like that, so she had me change positions from all fours to sitting. I tried a squat bar, but it wasn't comfortable. Dr. Segal arrived literally 10 minutes before my son was born. 13 minutes or so of pushing and Samuel Isaiah was born, 9lbs 2.5oz. At one point I tried to reach down to feel his little head and my doctor told me "NO! Don't! Just push!" After he was born I felt shaky and shook a lot. So I handed off my baby to my sister-in-law to be examined. After my birth, when I tried to get out of bed, I found I could not move my legs. I had severe pain in my hips. I was told due to the position of birth (sitting, semi-reclined) I had nerve damage. My lower back was also messed up for quite a while as well. After the birth, I was sitting, holding my baby when Dr. McFadden poked his head in the door and said, "Oh, good! You had that baby! No need for that induction then!" Overall, this birth was much better, but I still felt like there could be more to this birth experience that I was missing.

I don't remember exactly how I first got introduced to the concept of homebirth. But I started off my fourth pregnancy at my OB's office. At some point though, my husband and I decided to hire a CPM. We read a few books my doula lent us on homebirth myths and prayed over the decision. It was no easy task making the switch from medicalized, cold, frenzied hospital, to natural, warm, peaceful home. My mother-in-law and sister-in-law are both OB nurses. At an OB visit, I expressed my desire for a homebirth to my OB. I was going to ask him to be back-up if anything went wrong. His response was "That's fine but you'll die!" Um, excuse me? I said, wishing I could have covered my three children's ears.... "I said you'll probably hemorrhage and die." I left and never returned.

As I planned for my birth, we bought the necessary birth kit and birth pool as I knew water was a great comfort to me my whole life. Dana Rudloff actually visited me for an appointment when Cassi was away and she predicted an eight and a half pound baby from palping. True to form, at 11 days after my due date, I went into early labor that evening. My husband and I watched a movie, ate chicken salad galore (recipe by Verna Prentice) and finally, around 10:30, my midwife, Cassi Toy, came to check on us. She left and around 2:30 we called her back. I remember with this labor being amazed that it hurt, but not in the same way as previous births. I spent my time laying on my side, leaning on our big chair on all fours, and walking around the dining room table. At some point, my doula suggested I do some supported squats with one leg up on the couch. I was told later that my baby was posterior and this is when he turned. (I had NO back labor) After that, I was checked and told I was 7 cm.... My reaction was quite funny. I hooted, "WHAT?!?!?! NOOO WAY!" I had always felt the urge to push at 7-8cm... Not this time. They told me to go ahead and get into the birth pool. I did so and very soon my water broke and soon after that, I was pushing. They rolled me onto my right side and I pushed out Caeden Isreal, 8 lbs 8 oz, very quickly! For the first time, I didn't tear more than a superficial tear that I treated with comfry leaf compress and comfry tea in my peribottle. After he was born, Annie came over to inspect him while I was still in the birth pool and whispered in my ear, "Mommy, the doctor was wrong, you didn't die!" When I review this birth in my mind, I am filled with JOY! I held my baby as long as I wanted and this was my first baby that didn't use a pacifier. He was very well-bonded to me. It was a blessing of a birth, to say the least.

Justus Alexander Corbett was born at 8:52 am Nov. 6th. He was born at home into his Daddy's hands and he was born in water. He weighed 7 lbs 13 oz and was 21 inches long.Justus is a family name on Jeff's side of the family and Alexander was my great-grandfather's name and my grandfather's middle name. Justus means 'upright and just' and Alexander means 'man's defender, warrior." Together we thought of defender of justice.Labor was 11pm-4 am on Tues night then it stopped. Then, I had contractions sporadically Wed night from 1-6am which I mostly slept through. At 7 Jeff called the midwife as they were getting stronger. He was born at 8:52am.So the hard part was from 7-8:52.

I walked almost the entire time from 7:30- 8:40 ish when I got into the birth pool. I had a few pushy contractions I attempted to breathe through and then pop! My water broke.Next contraction I told Jeff "He's coming!" And his head was already out!! I remember instructing my husband NOT to touch him! I have learned that it is a bad idea to manipulate the baby in any way. Funny, but later, he told me he was going to pull on the baby's head in the excitement of the moment and was glad I told him hands off! I tore with the first three hospital births and did not tear for both my home/water births.I paused and then pushed again - trying to give him time to rotate and his body came out in one push as well! (I have never had a baby just SLIDE out before!) Jeff lifted him out of the water and I noticed the cord around his neck and said, “Hold up, there’s the cord around his neck!” I unwrapped it really fast and we started to stimulate him on my shoulder. Jeff said excitedly, “How do we get him to breathe?!” I said, “Just stimulate him.” So I patted his bottom and sort of jostled him around a bit and Jeff scooped water on his head and rubbed it gently. He started to squeak a little and move around. I started to suction his nose with my mouth as I didn’t know Jeff had the bulb syringe out. Then Jeff said, “Wait, I have this.” and Jeff suctioned his mouth out quickly. There was some meconium staining in the water Jeff had noticed when it broke as well which he didn’t mention until after he was born. But we are very blessed to have been in the water so the meconium could be washed away from Justus as he was born, so he didn't breathe it in the way most babies do for a dry birth!! God is so GOOD! Later I discovered he had been a compound presentation (hand by face) and believe it or not, I had NO tearing or skid marks AT ALL! Annie had requested and was able to cut the cord. Annie, Austin and Samuel were awake in the other room drawing and raced in when the baby was born. They were all chanting how cute he was!
The assistant got there five minutes after and my midwife did five minutes after her! LOL. I was amazed by Jeff's presence of mind! He got string out and scissors and boiled them and had the bulb syringe all ready! It was quite an experience!! We weren't planning an unassisted birth, but we were blessed that God was with us!

Throughout the pregnancy God had been impressing it upon my heart to trust in Him. He specifically told me not to trust in midwives, my husband, myself, but only in HIM. This was repeated frequently and I had wondered why. Well, I now know why! Also, while in labor scriptures that came to mind were:

Do not fear for I am with you do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

I was also instructed from the very beginning of the pregnancy to pray for Justus. ‘Pray for this baby,’ God told me. I can honestly tell you that from the moment I discovered I was pregnant, I was OVERJOYED that God saw fit to bless us again. With all our flaws and shortcomings and sinfulness, He still has mercy and wants to bless us anyway!!
So I was overdue by 11 days, which is normal for me, and I had NO internal exams for the whole pregnancy and labor! NONE. This was by far my easiest labor and since my husband was my support with no midwife or doula, I felt so in tune with my body. I knew what to do when. So we can honestly say that we are glad it happened the way it did. What a privilege for Jeff to help Justus come into the world! I can say that I look at Jeff through different eyes. Something changed in my heart when this happened. I can’t explain it exactly but I would say there is a new level of trust and love between us that wasn’t there before. I have a new confidence in him and his abilities as a father and husband and don’t feel the need to question him or worry when I hand the baby over to him. So on top of the gift of our baby, God has given us this unexpected blessing in our marriage. (Photos for this birth are on my blog if you want to look: http://thecorbettsclan.blogspot.com/search/label/home%20birth At the bottom :)

Great Googly Moogly, a FREE-BEE!

2010-05-02T18:16:00.001-04:00

I am giving away a free onesie on this site:

http://womanuncensored.blogspot.com/2010/04/freebie-friday-6-my-mommy-makes-milk.html

Drawing at random on Wed. Good luck!!!

Oh Where, Oh Where, has this Blogger Gone?

2010-03-19T00:15:00.003-04:00

I suppose I am MIA because I broke my habit of blogging... Or perhaps Facebook has ruined me because of the simplicity of updating the world. No effort at all there. Just click and upload photos easily! No need for long drawn-out explanations. Just a status. Just a sentence. One measly little teeny tiny quote. Minimal proof-reading... Only people I know can read what I post. No one I don't know! So less worries there. Well then why am I blogging today? Well, I was just rereading my birth story for Justus and tearing up at the memory and thought, I really need to try to blog a little more often because it is so nice to go back and read about certain events. Like that special home birth! So I will attempt to blog more. I'm not promising anything because I am pretty busy! But I am gonna give it the ol' college try, whatever the heck that means. :)

Maybe I would feel more motivated if people actually posted comments. (hint-hint)

Any why the pic? Because tonight, I wrestled with a 3-year-old who did not want a hair cut. He screamed the entire time but I triumphed! Then he screamed as I trimmed his 3-inch finger nails... Again, point for ME!

Wendell August Forge Fire

2010-03-06T18:51:00.004-05:00

For 27 years, my mother has worked for a wonderful company in Grove City, PA:
Wendell August Forge.
Today, the building burned to the ground, but not the hearts of the people who work there.

As we view the photos of this tragic loss I am reminded of this scripture:

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. Isaiah 61:2-4

We are thankful that No one was hurt, PRAISE THE LORD!
The owner is a Godly man who led his staff in prayer.
That God is truly in control even in the midst of confusion.

2010-02-17T10:53:00.001-05:00

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At this rate, we'll soon need one of these!

2010-02-01T12:12:00.003-05:00

Jeff sent me a picture of our "next family transporter!"
I LIKE it!

"WHY would she DO that to herself?"

2010-01-28T17:05:00.002-05:00

"WHY would she DO that to herself?" "Why do THEY do that to themselves!?!?"

If I could answer that question for you.........

I will go through nine months of morning sickness, back aches, and heartburn; I will endure hours of the most intense physical pain in delivery and I will mourn the loss of my high school figure for a cause far greater than sometimes even I imagine.

I bring babies into this world not just for me. But for YOU. I bring babies into this world for this NATION.

I set aside my own hobbies, free time, opportunities for travel, a fatter wallet and my own personal preferences and instead devote every waking moment of every day (and plenty of sleepy moments too) to the committed, consistent training of our children.

I do this because I know that those children will one day be men and women.

I do this, knowing...

We are raising men and women to be freethinkers- questioning information given to them from authority against the true authority of scripture.

We are raising men and women who devote their minds, arms and sweat to beautifying this earth instead of wasting their time and gifts behind a videogame or a television set.

We are raising men and women to cherish old people on their deathbeds and babys in the womb and who will fight to protect the lives of both.

We are raising men and women who will know the rights and freedoms that are ours and who will protect those rights at all costs.

We are raising men and women to respect this earth as the gift that it is and to treat it as such at a time when people don't think twice about tossing soda cans out of car windows or styrofoam burger containers in parks.

We are raising men and women who will value the sanctity of marriage and will lead generations in positive examples.

We are raising men and women to put aside their own selfishnesses and to seek out how to help OTHERS, even at the expense of themselves.

We are raising men and women who will love to learn and will continue to do so, every single day of their lives, and in doing so, never cease to better themselves or those around them.

We are raising men and women to be financially wise, who will save a nation from the wreckage of bankruptcy that is our legacy and their inheritance.

We are raising men and women to be humble enough to know where their goodness comes from and to be thankful to the Only one who gave it to them.

We are raising men and women to be honest and good, in a world that is rampant with lies.

And if we do it right...
and with the promises of God to bless us in our obedience....
we will see our children grow into these men and women, who will have many children of their own...and then their children too will have children and soon.... SOON...

a nation will be renewed and strengthened and a kingdom will be made stronger with the great attributes of the great children that we bore.

The name Newman will not be lost, but will be multiplied greatly, anchored firmly with respect and honor from the daily sacrifices of a man and woman who COULD have traveled the world.

Source: http://zeahrenaissance.blogspot.com/2010/01/if-i-could-answer-that-for-you.html

Learning to Dribble

2010-01-19T22:36:00.000-05:00

Handmade Help for Haiti

2010-01-19T11:30:00.005-05:00

(This is my cousin Stacie's daughter) Emily, age 10, is designing earrings to sell to raise money for disaster relief in Haiti. :)

They're asking for a minimum $5 donation. All proceeds will be split between the Red Cross and the Bresma Orphanage in Port Au Prince, run by two Pittsburgh women. (More info. here: http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Pittsburgh-Magazine/January-2009/Love-and-Haiti/ .

Let them know if you are interested! Questions can be directed to handmadehelpforhaiti@gmail.com, which is the family's e-mail for this fundraiser.

Thanks!

(Since they are handmade, the earrings you receive may differ slightly from photos.)

2, 3

handmadehelpforhaiti@gmail.com
for ordering information. Please refer to this blog upon ordering.

Austin's 1st Goal of the game

2010-01-18T11:08:00.002-05:00

Samuel!

2010-01-17T23:20:00.004-05:00

Caeden our Littlest Soccer Man

2010-01-17T21:51:00.003-05:00

Here is a brief clip of Caeden actually on the field. Actually participating! Woohoo! Milestone!!!

Indoor Soccer 2010

2010-01-17T20:09:00.008-05:00

We have played two weeks for soccer so far. And so far, they have all done really well! Caeden had a rough start the first week, but the 2nd week, he ran all over creation after the ball and had a blast! We were so proud!

Austin and Samuel continue to demonstrate skills beyond their years. Austin has an ability to read the play and make smart passes and Samuel has energy and enthusiasm to spare!

Pretty Guitar Music

2010-01-17T07:04:00.000-05:00

I thought this was pretty.

Cool Kid Art by my 7-year-old daughter

2010-01-15T05:09:00.001-05:00

the mountain slide

JESUS born

Fish

Fred the shurk

Famuly

The Quen

the box

The king and the quen

The Man

ranbo

plagrawnd

Sak the Shark

Mene baby

I found these on our computer and thought I'd share. I listed the titles my daughter (7 at the time she drew these) used to save them under.

I think they are quite creative and fun to look at.....

Today It's All About ME!!!!!

2010-01-14T19:12:00.000-05:00

Kidz Pictures - I told you I was playing catch-up

2010-01-13T12:32:00.004-05:00

I wanted to post these since I never got a chance to do so. Enjoy!

These guys are too adorable!

I just love these pictures!!!!