Decluttering success

I am pleased with how much I've passed on to the rummage sale so far. It was so easy to just get rid of stuff. I think since I've already lost a most treasured possession all the earthly material stuff fades in comparison.

Some of the items which are no longer in my house are a futon mattress, waffle cushion, a dresser mirror, along with a few larger baby items.

I also got rid of some books and clothes, but not as much as I'd like. In time I'll get to all of them.
I don't know how much I'll get to pack up tomorrow since I have appts. It's all good---there is a visual difference in my storage area. I was able to compact what I saved into a smaller area, so that helps make me feel like I accomplished something

A nomadic lifestyle is very attractive to me right now. When I look around the house there is nothing that I can see that holds my heart----the only things that matter are my children, my husband, and my memories of Dekar.

Decluttering

The school that some of my kids go to are having a rummage sale. They sell everything for $5.00 a brown bag, unless otherwise marked. The last day they have a free day and anything left gets tossed or sent to a homeless shelter.

The first year we moved here I went to the rummage sale on the last day, not realizing it was all free. Nothing was marked, so I asked one of the ladies what the prices were. When she told me everything was free I probably looked like a deer in the headlights. Huh? Who gives away stuff for free? If I remember correctly I did give a donation since the funds helped the school.

Anywho, for the next couple days I'm going to declutter and bless them with my abundance of treasures. heh. I took a couple boxes over yesterday and brought home about ten empty boxes to fill up. At first it's hard to give up some things that we've had forever, but once I get started I feel so much better about downsizing. If it's been packed away and I haven't needed it for six months to a year, what are the chances I'll need it any time soon? I can only think of one thing that I've gotten rid of in the past that I regret.

I am praying about whether I should give up my baby stuff. There are certain things I will keep, but I don't think it's totally necessary to keep things like the baby bath or bouncer. If I do end up pregnant again both of those things are easily replaced inexpensively. But boxes up baby and little boy/girl clothes will be bittersweet. I love(d) my babies.

Since it's a dreary, rainy day it is the perfect time to stay inside and get my treasures boxed up. And I am NOT going to bring boxes of treasure home with me when the sales start!!

A mother of..........

A mother of none said to a mother of one
"How do you manage to get things done?"

A mother of one said to a mother of two
"One is hard on me, I wouldn't want to be you!"

A mother of two said to a mother of three
"I've got two how hard can another one be."

A mother of three said to a mother of four
"I'll bet there is a traffic jam at your bathroom door."

A mother of four said to a mother of five
"I know you are busy like bees in a hive."

A mother of five said to a mother of six
"Three boys three girls, wow what a mix!"

A mother of six said to a mother of seven
"You were blessed with angels sent straight down from heaven."

A mother of seven said to a mother of eight
"When you ring the dinner bell, I bet not one is late."

A mother of eight said to a mother of nine
"From tallest to shortest your own chorus line."

A mother of nine said to a mother of ten
"Aren't we so blessed, I would do it all again."

A mother of ten said to God above
"Thank you for my family and your unselfish love!"

Milled Flax Seed Subsitution Information

(I'm posting this more for my benefit---I'll know where to find this information when I am looking for it.)

From the Hodgson Mill Milled Flax Seed box:

Milled Flax Seed may be used as a Fat Subsitute in most recipes. Generally, 3 Tbsp. Milled Flax Seed can replace 1 Tbsp. fat or oil.
Likewise, 1 Tbsp. Milled Flax Seed plus 3 Tbsp of water can replace 1 egg.
Don't give up if your results aren't perfect the first time.

Hodgson Mill has a good site for nutritional information and eating healthy, so it is worth visiting.

Clean Up Day

We live in such a beautiful area and we haven't shared enough pictures of what we get to see almost every day. We are a hop, skip, and jump away from Lake Michigan. Isn't it pretty?

Today we spent our fourth year cleaning up part of the shoreline. Originally, I was invited to help by my family doctor. In turn, I invited the homeschool group to join in as a community service. This year the weather was perfect. It was windy, but not too cold and not too hot. We picked up over 80 lbs. of garbage in a one mile area of shoreline. (What a bunch of pigs we all are, eh?) To be honest, about half of the weight was some sort of trap thing that nobody recognized. Whatever it was, it was very well built and heavy. We also found a rimmed tire and large boat seat cushion.

We pick up along an area that isn't open to public access, so the items we find are what comes in from the lake itself.

The trash items we found the most of were food wrappers and balloons with ribbons. The first year we found a ton of cigarette butts, but this year we only found about 5.

Madge's Zuke Bread

Apparently the bread was enjoyed so much that some asked for the recipe.
Is there any greater compliment?

3/4 c. mixture of multigrain and millet (more multigrain than millet)
3/4 c. unbleached white flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt, if desired
1 1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon, ground cloves, and nutmeg)
1 egg white
1 whole egg
2 T. oil
12 T. milled flax
1 1/4 c. packed, finely grated unpeeled zucchini (about 1 medium zuke)
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. finely chopped nuts (optional)
1/3 c. raisins (optional)

Combine all main ingredients really well. Stir in optional nuts and raisins at end.Pour batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake the bread in a preheated 350 oven for 50-60 minutes or until a pick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
Let cool in pan, serve with butter.

Anxiety

Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.

-- Charles H. Spurgeon

Dekar's slideshow, courtesy of NILMDTS/Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

To see the beautiful rememberance work that NILMDTS does, go to my blog which is dedicated to Dekar: Remembering the Life
I am working on getting a file that I can upload directly, but until then you can view it through the link and password posted at Dekar's blog.

50 Random Things About Me

So I read my friend's post: Life in the Turner Household: 50 Random Things About Me and thought I should give this a try.

But fifty things? Not sure I'll make it that far....

1. I hate the color peach.
2. I used to play the flute. (Still can play it, but not well.)
3. Tomato and cheese is my favorite sandwich--one bread buttered, and the other with mayo.
4. I once had a pickle from a hamburger come out of my nose because I was laughing so hard.
5. I have always wanted to be a photographer.
6. I am the youngest of 8 kids.
7. I met dh on a blind date and told my friend that I would do it just to shut her up, but I wouldn't like him!
8. I have been married to dh for almost 19 years. :)
9. I know how to say "underwear" in Polish.
10. I love canning.
11. Washing dishes is my least favorite chore.
12. I have a lot of freckles.
13. I believe I am claustrophobic.
14. I like pork and beans covered with cottage cheese and onions. (Try it sometime.)
15. I would like to jump out of an airplane--with a parachute, of course.
16. I have a 15 yo son who survived cancer.
17. I have never doubted the existence of God.
18. I have never believed in Santa Clause.
19. My favorite movie is "A Christmas Carol"
20. I love the old Twilight Zones.
21. I am lousy with history.
22. I used to swear like a drunken sailor.
23. I quit smoking, but I really LIKE smoking.
24. I am a night owl, but forced to live in an early bird world.
25. Chicken, corn, and mashed potatoes is my favorite meal.
26. If I was stranded on a desert island and had to pick one cereal, it would be Cheerios.
27. Lemon Fanta, which I drank in Germany, has been the best soda I have ever tasted.
28. I drink coffee with either cream and sugar or a flavored creamer.
29. I like Cheetos--puffed or crunchy
30. Valerian makes me fart. (I just had to add that one for Carrie.)
31. I swam naked with my husband at a nudist beach on our honeymoon.
32. I don't like cologne on men..
33. I like playing Scrabble.
34. Spaghetti is my least favorite meal
35. I plan on making a quilt for every one of my children and I'm only on #3. :(
36. I don't understand women who are chocolate freaks.
37. I don't say "pop", I say "soda".
38. Scratching nails on a chalkboard does not bother me.
39. I prefer sour over sweet.
40. I enjoy balancing our checkbook.
41. I think the smell of a newborn baby is how the beginning of creation must have smelled.
42. I don't have a book problem, I have a shelf problem. (Those who like books understand that one!)
43. I used to be hooked on the soap opera "Guiding Light"
44. I broke my arm in fourth grade.
45. Blue Moon is my favorite ice cream.
46. My favorite book is The Bible.
47. I sell Usborne Books.
48. I'm a pretty decent in the English area.
49. I'm not so decent in the math area.
50. I like James Taylor music.

Baby Dekar's blog

I have had a busy morning, but haven't gotten off of my chair much. I have been trying to update my Dekar blog, and that takes a lot of emotional energy. It has been healing though. Even if I don't post something after working on it, I have been spending time healing and remembering him, which is the main purpose I'm setting up the blog. Plus, he was such a beautiful little boy, and I'm proud to be able to share him with everybody.

Happy Birthday!

Today is Eli's 11th birthday. I took brownies to his class to celebrate. Since I went through the pain of labor, I decided to buy myself a cinnamon roll this a.m. too. Heck, most of the kids in his class just met him this year! If they get a treat to celebrate his life, than so do I!!

He requested stir fry for his b-day meal. Yum!

Gotta love the teacher....

Jadon's first grade teacher sent home a letter that covered many things about how she runs the classroom, what they are learning, her expectations, etc....So, I'm reading it and decided I love this woman. This is what she included at the end of her letter:

"A note of advice--please keep in mind that your child is 4, 5, 6 or 7 years old, and that everything that they come home and tell you about school or Mrs. B may not be totally true. And I promise to do the same for you, because I do hear some pretty tremendous stories. If, at any time, yo would like to talk about these stories, please call me and I will be happy to discuss the story with you. Many problems can arise from miscommunication."

Thank goodness! Now if Jadon tells Mrs. B. that Mom hit him in the head with a wooden spoon last night I will be able to tell her the whole story: I grabbed a wooden spoon from the drawer to mix brownie batter, but on the way to the counter I slipped on a puddle of water that was left there after Jadon dropped his bowl of icky paintbrush water. While falling, Jadon had come running into the room and I clunk him on the head with the wooden spoon as I'm swinging my arm trying to keep balance, but still end up falling on my butt. So, yes, Mrs. B., I DID hit him with a wooden spoon, but it certainly wasn't on purpose! **

If she wouldn't have put in that little paragraph I would forever be worried that my children would make it sound like I ruthlessly abuse them.

**Just for clarification, I never hit Jadon on the head with a wooden spoon, by accident or on purpose. The story related above is purely fictional.

Blackberry picking

Hali took this picture with her camera phone.

Dad is walking with two of the boys.

First Day of School

I set my alarm for 6 a.m. I told the kids I'd start waking them at 7, which would give us plenty of time to get out the door by 7:40.

I had programmed the coffeemaker last night to brew at 6 a.m., so I woke up to the wonderful aroma of coffee. Mmmmmm.... I grabbed my Bible and journal, anticipating that I will be able to do some reading after I get pancakes going. Well, that didn't happen.

As soon as I got the blackberries out of the fridge, Rachel showed up by the stove. "I woke up at 5:30 and couldn't fall back asleep, so I figured, 'What's the use!'" She shrugs her shoulders and has a huge grin on her face. She is tickled pink that she is going to school--"going" being the key word. She understands "going"---to her that means, "not here, at home where it is SOOOO boring." She understands "school"---that would be defined as "work". But I don't believe she understands "going TO school" means that she will be doing SCHOOL AT SCHOOL. She'll fathom that concept soon enough.

Jadon was equally exuberant--he just woke up a bit later. Eli and Solomon did what they had to do to get ready. I looked everybody over to make sure they would give adequate first impressions to the teachers and other kids. I don't care for any of my kids to be slaves to fashion, but I don't want them to look like they got dressed from the dirty laundry basket either. I had them take a Vitamin C and brush their teeth. After they passed inspection I told them we'd be leaving in about ten minutes.

That was all it took for some of them to run out to the vehicle. Here they are, waiting for me.

Solomon waited for me---Cortney took this picture:

After dropping them off and getting them settled into their areas, I took another couple pictures of Jadon. (I spared the other kids the embarrassment.)

Isn't he just adorable?