A Yummy Treat

I guess I could be talking about the pie I made but nope. I am actually referring to the week I just spent with my Sisters Naomi and Kayla. It wasn't a planned visit but one I enjoyed immensely. I love having younger Sisters, they totally rock!

Uniquely You

I must admit I don't like a whole lot of things about myself but as I grow older I am learning to appreciate them and accept them. God has created me in a unique way and I am uniquely me just as you are uniquely you. I really need to repeat that sentence over and over again.

I have struggled with weight issues all my life due to hormonal issues like PCOS and have gone up and down in weight over the years. It has been hard. It's hard not to compare myself to others. I often find myself caught up in the comparison trap and thinking "oh I wish I were like her". When I was a teenager I also struggled with my shy and introverted personality. I envied those who could ease themselves into conversations and fit right in. I often found I stood out like a sore thumb and still feel that way at times. Once in a while my shy and reserved self would offend someone and they would often label me 'rude' and then try to set out to change me. Of course they would fail. Changing me was like taking a Tomato and trying to make it a Rose. It doesn't work. God has created each individual with a unique set of qualities to glorify him in some shape or form. My shape may be a little more rounder than others but it is still the shape God made me. Even at my ideal weight I was still a lot rounder than those 'other' girls. Growing up in a family with Parents that were in a ministry I often felt pressured to change my personality, body type etc. but must say God provided the best remedy for my feelings in giving me a husband who has never once tried to make me into something I am not. Yes I am the heaviest I have ever been thanks to 5 kids in 7 years and I look around me and often feel ugly. Let's face no matter where you go there is always someone or something reminding you of your flaws. The faster we stop comparing ourselves to others and accept the way God made us the better. The faster I learn to see me through the eyes of the creator the better. For he made me curvy and introverted. Shy and Passionate. Flawed yet Perfect in his eyes. I may never be a rose with it's fragrant beauty but a tomato has it's own set of beautiful qualities and you can eat them ;)

lets face it guys

I have had a lot of people refer to me as supermom lately. I really don't know why. I am NOT supermom. I have five darling children who every day teach me some spiritual lesson. The usual form is through some form of frustration, whining or crying but a lesson none the less. I love how God whispers to my spirit or holds up a small mirror and convicts me of an attitude. Lately those convictions have come from dealing with my challenge of a daughter who is 2 going on 25.  I am still learning and praise Jesus his work isn't done yet. Other areas of my failings come in the form of house. My house is a wreck 99.9% of the time, I am lucky to get dishes done and I have a working dishwasher, my laundry pile is the size of our Geo but thankfully it has gotten smaller. All thanks to my Pastor's wife who so graciously offered to help. Some days Motherhood is overwhelming, so overwhelming. Some days I find myself envying my husband who gets to go away to work for 8 hours, like when I have changed the 6th poopy diaper in the last thirty minutes. Contrary to popular belief I do lose my patience with my kids, and I even yell at them at times. *SHOCK* I am just a Mom with five kids and like every mom whether they have one or ten kids we all have our struggles. I am no different. All of the stress and chaos in my life and yet I wouldn't trade it for the world. Sure I have had more frustrations and attitude adjustments in the last 5 years to deal with but I also have had the most laughter, the most fun, and an excuse to shake my booty to music :D So nope you won't find supermom here. You'll have to go some place else to find her. Try June Cleaver's house done the road.

A Discovery...myrecipes.com

So I have discovered myrecipes.com 1 list 5 meals. All the work of meal planning in 60 ingredients or less! It features recipes from magazines like Cooking Light, All You, Health, and more. My family has thoroughly enjoyed the food. It is a little more work that usual as far as prep but we are eating a lot better and a lot less processed food. We had Fish Tacos for the first time this week and EVERYONE loved them. Fish is never an issue with Eric or I but for the kids it gets iffy. I am staying on budget with the list as well which is awesome because groceries for a family of 7 is a huge deal. So if you are having meal planning issues check it out. It has helped me immensely.

What a Pain!

I literally have a pain in my butt. We found out last week that carrying the twins and Titus have led me to have a rotated hip and pelvis in addition to my herniated disc. OUCH!!! I've been in a lot of pain lately but thankfully most of it comes when I am lying flat like sleeping so it hasn't affected much with the kids except the lack of sleep. So yeah it's been a painful time. Hopefully with a little Chiropractor TLC the rehab will have me doing well in a few weeks just in time to garden! Here is the most recent snow and snowman the kids built with Dad.

In case you follow my crafting

I created a new blog to have everything in one place so I won't be hopping all over the place anymore.
Giveaway central this month too so make sure you follow along if you want to win some great prizes :D
Head on over to Carissa's Cottage.

Confession Thursday: Kerith

There is a little girl screaming right now at my kitchen table her name is Kerith. Her Dad and I are sure the brook in the Bible she was named after was more like a raging river. She is a firecracker, there is no calm and steadiness about her. I must say most days I feel ill equipped to deal with her. She has made every little thing a HUGE deal since birth and I do mean everything. Now that she is two she has more things to make a scene with and she certainly does. She has moved from the table to the stairs. Did I mention I am in the basement? You are probably wondering why she is crying, maybe even feeling a little sorry for her. Why such a fuss? I'd like to know as well. She was eating breakfast at the table like a sweet girl and then something happened. Maybe her Brother looked at her wrong, maybe I gave her spoon to her in the wrong direction, or maybe it was because I wouldn't pick up her blanket off the floor for her. She has made her way to me face in her hands whimpering. I am sure the Lord has great things in store for her. I know in her short life span God has used her to teach me many lessons. So they usually come in the form of "man is this how I sound to Jesus? whine whine whine" but they are lessons none the less.