Oatmeal-Butterscotch Cookies

I had a couple of requests for this recipe and I fully intended to send this out before Christmas but well...better late than never?!

In a large bowl, beat 3/4 cup unsalted (softened) butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup brown sugar together. Add 2 eggs and 1 tsp vanilla.

In medium bowl, stir together 1 1/4 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp salt. Gradually add flour mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in 3 cups rolled oats and 1 2/3 cups butterscotch chips.

Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.

I also fully intended to take pictures and add here but as you can see my intentions are always very good. It is the follow through that gets me. And no following through on my good intentions is not my New Year's Resolution. I think we both know how that would turn out!

Christmas Shopping

I was doing my semimonthly grocery shopping yesterday and found myself pulled in to the commericalism of Christmas.

This kind of thing bothers me!

We all know what the true meaning of Christmas is and yet we...maybe I should say I...find ourselves...er, myself...getting caught up in the music, the lights, the beautiful displays, the smells, the sales, and the excitement.

I struggled yesterday with wanting to do more for my children, to be able to reach out to those who don't have as much, to give more to those in my life. But the truth of the matter is I can't financially do all that my little heart wanted. I couldn't buy the cute stocking stuffers. I couldn't give more to a needy family. I couldn't buy that adorable gift set that a friend would have loved.

I had to find contentment in what we were able to do and find joy in knowing it was enough. Christmas isn't about how much you can do for others. It is about the one perfect gift sent to us by a gracious, merciful God.

I also had to think long and hard about my children. I don't want them to miss what Christmas is really about. How can I teach contentment, how to handle their money or about the birth of Christ if I buy everything on their wish list (and believe me those lists are long and hardly anything within my price range!)? Seems to me all lessons are lost if they are now the proud owners of everything their heart desires, Mom and Dad are in debt and Jesus is missing from the picture.

The giving and receiving, the parties, the baking, the decorating are all wonderfully fun and enjoyable. I believe God wants us to enjoy the celebration this day brings. I don't; however, believe God wants us to overextend, overindulge or more than anything miss His gift to us!

So while it was hard to walk away from some great deals yesterday, I was content to walk away and know it was enough and that this will be a very Merry Christmas indeed.

I wanted to post on my day's events but realized in order to do that, I really needed to give a little background.

During my long lull in posting, my 5 year old daughter started showing signs of what we assumed was a stomach bug. She complained about her stomach hurting (this was a Thursday night) but went on to bed and I never heard from her throughout the evening. The next morning she got up and ate breakfast and then proceeded to lay down on the couch. Now this did not seem odd to me as she always lays on the couch in the mornings while she struggles to wake up. But later that morning I was in the kitchen and had asked the children to come see me. She did not come. We went searching for her and found her back in bed asleep. An hour went by and I checked again and it was this time that I noticed something on the floor. She had gotten sick during the night and none of us knew it.

The vomiting continued that Friday afternoon and all day Saturday. I assumed by Sunday she would start holding food down a little better and would soon be on her way to being well again. And I was waiting to see who would fall victim to this bug. Well Sunday morning came and she was not any better...if anything by this point she was getting worse. Her output was entirely too low. She could no longer keep liquids down. So I took her to the ER.

They said she was just dehydrated. So after an IV and a Popsicle, we were on our way home. However, Monday arrived and she wasn't much better. Her output was still minimal (and I am having to carry her to the bathroom to get her to try.) So back to the ER we go. This time they ran xrays, gave her more food to try and keep down and took her for a walk to be sure all was "ok." She got halfway around and vomited.

It was sometime the next day that I was told she was constipated.

Constipated?! How?

This is a child who goes with regularity. I won't go into the gory details but it took awhile to find something to help her body do its job. We were sent home (Wednesday morning) with a prescription for Miralax and the knowledge that this would take 6 months (give or take) before we could get her off the medicine or we would be back in the hospital.

So brings today...

Emma had a well visit. I was glad this visit had been previously planned and looked forward to talking to our doctor about what all this meant. She asked me if the hospital took an xray before sending us home again...just to be sure it was all taken care of. I told her no. She said we needed to start there. So Emma got another xray today and by the day's end, we learned that she is still constipated and we are being referred to a GI specialist.

I am sure this is nothing out of the ordinary but I am stumped by this. And it hurts to watch her go through more doctor visits. This is the same girl who was born 4 weeks early, was in NICU for the first 13 days of life, has a heart condition, and had a heart cath over a year ago. She hates going to the doctor. I haven't even told her we have to go to another one. It will break her heart (and mine).

And on another note...

My youngest has been fighting a runny nose and coughing for a few weeks. I have already taken 2 of mine in for sinus infections in the past 2 weeks. So today I asked our doctor to look at her. She has an ear infection. This is simply funny to me (not haha funny). She has been a little whiny but I haven't noticed her playing with her ear. And she hasn't complained about it at all. Nor has she run a fever!

One just never knows when it comes to kids. But I wouldn't trade any of this for anything in the world. The same God that blessed us with them, will see us through everyday we have with them!

Nutrimill Giveaway

I am a huge fan of Heavenly Homemakers sight and just today she mentioned a giveaway for a Nutrimill (which I would love to have) over at http://happilydomestic.blogspot.com/2010/11/nutrimill-grain-mill-review-and.html. There are several ways in which to enter and gain extra entries. Go! Register! And hopefully win! Although I would really like to win too but should it be you, I won't hold a grudge! Really.

And check out Heavenly Homemakers sight as well. Laura is full of advice and helpful hints for eating healthy...and she makes it all so easy to follow and do. We have tried several of her recipes and love them (like the Butterscotch Bars--yum--and graham crackers--wonderful!). It was also through her website that I was encouraged to quit my Dr Peppers. You have no idea how hard it was not to grab a DP when I was feeling low on energy. But I have been "free" of DP's for several months and feel soooo much better. I say free in quotes because I do have one when eating out with a hamburger (water and hamburgers just don't go with one another, you know?!). But I am no longer drinking them once or twice a day. Yay me!

So go to Happily Domestic (http://happilydomestic.blogspot.com/) for a chance to win a Nutrimill (and look around her sight for more than just a prize...lots of good stuff). And check out Heavenly Homemakers (http://www.heavenlyhomemaker.com/) for healthy eating tips and oh so much more.

You just never know...

Okay. So for days, weeks (dare I say months?) it has seemed like anything I have been teaching my children has gone in one ear and out the other. Seriously you wouldn't believe how frustrating it has been to get them pick up after themselves. Well, who am I kidding? If you are a mom, then you know. But it has been so hard lately. I told my husband just last week that if he wanted to see them to disappear (and fast...like mice running from the sound of a human), then just say, "pick up [this or that]" and well they would be gone from sight. And just to clarify, they would NOT be headed in the direction of [this or that]! There has also been a whole lot of complaining and whining going on in our house as of late. I would say it is driving me crazy but then it might appear as though I were complaining.


Imagine my surprise; however, as I woke up from a nap today to discover my 5 year old folding laundry...with a smile (and not the kind of smile that signifies she is up to something). And this same 5 year old, after being told to clean up a mess she made earlier, picked up her mess without complaint. And my 2 year old woke up from her nap and hasn't been whiny.

I am not all together sure I woke up on the same planet I fell asleep to but I am not going to complain mind you! I will chalk this little sweet afternoon up as a small reprieve from the past few days, weeks, etc. and know in my heart that progress can happen. It will happen. I just need a little more patience and a continual resolve to see this to the bitter end.

Still Here

I guess it is time for my semi-annual post! I don't know why I find it so difficult to write each day but I am hoping (once again) that I can work at this on a more consistent rate. Maybe I will make this my New Year's Resolution...yeah, we all know how long that will last.

It has been a busy school year for us. Daniel has tried his hand at horses and loves it. He is not only learning to ride but is getting practical hands-on skills on how to care for a horse. This will be great one day should we ever build on "The Farm."

Megan took piano this semester. I find that Megan picks up on things very quickly but keeping her interested or focused on it is another thing completely. She decided early on that piano was not something she wanted to do right now. We made her finish this semester as we had already committed to it and she was more than delighted that Monday was her last day. It made me sad as I was hoping for a little pianist but there are still 2 behind her.

Awanas is going well. The girls are thoroughly enjoying it. Our new church has been such a blessing. It is nice being a part of a church family and really feeling accepted as opposed to being a number in a crowd (isn't that a sad statement for a church?).

And I cannot leave out our HS Co-op. I survived teaching K/1st. :) I was very pleased with what my children came away with during those 8 weeks. And joy of joys, my son is finding a friend. This has been a long time in coming and many a prayers have been lifted, that this little guy might find someone to call friend. It is really quite funny how much these 2 are alike. I am loving it!

As for the other 2:

Emma is enjoying Kindergarten this year though I am having trouble getting her to focus for more than a few minutes at a time. I used My Father's World with Megan last year and she did beautifully but Emma was struggling. I am not sure why this comes as a surprise considering they are polar opposites in every other area of life too. So I have decided to continue her with Exploring the Code. I started Emma on that last year and she did great. Why I jumped ship is beyond me but we have safely gotten back on the boat and are navigating our way through The Code.

And little Addie is doing better at potty training than her big sisters but still not as well as Mama would like! She is quite the little ham and keeps us all in stitches. Some days I wonder why her name isn't Joy!

In other news: a) Daniel killed his first deer this year and less than a month later, killed a buck! His daddy can't wipe the grin off his face, his grandfather has an 8x10 picture to show anyone who wishes to see and I am a proud, happy Mama. b) Our dear sweet Megan is born anew. This happened the night before Thanksgiving...what a thankful day we had. It has been wonderful walking beside her through the past few months, answering questions and generally showing her The Way. For all my worries, for all my doubts and fears, the Lord reached down that night and touched her little heart (and mine) and made her His own. It was a beautiful sight.

So any bets as to when the next post will be?!

Birthday Surprises

Today my husband turned 40. He is handling it a lot better than I expect to in a few years. :) I have spent over a week planning a surprise party for him. Why does party planning wear a person out so badly?! Anyway, the party went well. He wasn't completely taken back I don't think but he was surprised by who did come...as some had completely thrown him for a loop over the last week. That is what he gets for trying to pry!!

I also had a nice surprise tonight. One of our friends asked me a lot about homeschooling. She has asked before but has never taken the plunge. I have always wondered if I let my excitement over the whole homeschooling idea scare her away. I tend to talk too much about subjects that excite me. And homeschooling excites me...some times more than others! :) Tonight was different. She sounds more sure this time around. I am excited to be able to help someone get started, to answer the millions of questions that flood any person about to dive into this world of home education and to just be a friend. I have tried to think who helped me along the way and no one comes to mind. I have been sinking or swimming from the get go with my only lifeline being God--not a bad lifeline but no where in the Bible does it tell me which curriculum is best or the best place for discounted books or the laws within my state. A trusted friend to laugh with, cry with, pose questions and on occasion answer questions would be nice.