motherof9

sometimes i just wish it would slow down enough for me to enjoy it!!! Hubby has been home this week — his only REAL break all year.  He has the week off AND no homework! so, that means…… LOTS of around the house work!   {{{{sigh}}}}

it’s all good, just means i haven’t had the time on the computer (and this site) that i normally have….. almost can’t wait till next week when he is back full time!!!  the bummer is….. he will be GONE for an entire month!! they have sent him 4hrs away for this next clinical stint…. with gas prices, he probably won’t come home until he is done……  {{{{{ waaaa waaaaaaa}}}}}   it will be sooooo hard without my partner!  but luckily God never leaves us!  NEVER!!!! He doesn’t ever take a break!!! He doesn’t need time away, and He never gets too busy to be holding on to us!!!! isn’t that the neatest thing!  No, Jesus is NOT my crutch…… if i just ‘leaned” on Him, it wouldn’t be enough…… He totally carries me!!!   so, don’t ever think He is ‘Just a crutch!”

anyway, exercising, again, is not going so well —- did i mention that hubby has been home for the last few weeks???  yard work, splitting wood, stacking wood, gathering wood — that has been my exercise — gonna have to be enough…. i walked a lot while camping — didnt get a chance to actually “hike” but had to walk back and forth more than normal in a house…..

the best news of all!!!!! my 8 yo son accepted Jesus Christ as the only way to Heaven and as his personal savior while at the camp meetings!!! it was so exciting — i was really praying for him, he is one of the last of my kids to make this important decision, God is SO good! and faithful and gracious.  Some people don’t like to mention “Jesus” He is controversial…… BUT, He is THE ONLY way to the Father!  Do you know Him?  I know a lot of good people, but unless they accept Jesus, those “good” people have turned their backs on the only way to get to heaven — scary!!  we need to reach them….. “religion” is not the ticket, church-going is not the ticket, being good and doing good is not the ticket, just a relationship with Jesus Christ …… sorry, my soap box…..   But, please, if you don’t know Jesus, let me know, i would love to introduce you!  that way, even if we never meet here, i will see you in heaven!

k, off to do good….. mostly yard work, the baby is finally asleep…..  love you all and praying for you!

Next year, you ALL have to come!!!!!

It will be July 22 (Wed) through July 26 (??  Sunday)

You will have your socks blessed off!!!!!!  (that is just a figure of speech, i am weird, but not THAT weird!!!)

I am so excited about all the teachings that i have just received.  and i can’t wait to blog about some of them — but not tonight, tonight i am just relaxing, and letting it all soak in deep.

So, next year!!! put it on your calendar!  bring your camping gear — but no food, we all eat together…. and expect to be blessed!

see you tomorrow. 

well, not REALLY camping…. we are taking our huge 5th wheel camper, so it is more like pulling hotel rooms behind you — comfy!!!

anyway, we plan on getting out of here at 5pm but i wanted to tell you so you wouldn’t wonder why i don’t care enough to write you!!

i am driving the truck with the kids — hubby has to stay and finish the week of school then he’ll meet up with us — pray that we are safe driving — this is the first time i have been “allowed” to drive with the camper.  :0  

we are going to a “cowboy camp” it is an annual thing where all the cowboys in the area get together to worship and hear the Word 3 times a day, meals are provided and lots of fellowship — it is a blast for the kids and a time of growth for the adults.  Can’t wait to get out of here!!! 

I am thinking of you and praying for each one as God brings you to my memory.  I love you all and appreciate you, you have given me so much that i hope i am able to share outside this site.

have a great weekend, i hope to be back on Monday to catch up with all of you.  Lots of LOVE!!!!   <333    ( supposed to look like a bouquet of roses, my daughter informed me ;)  )

….. in other words, i have nothing to say!!! again!!! what is the deal with that???

I KNOW that blogging is the key for me to stay on track…… sooooooo….. I am blogging, kinda.

Look up, praise Him, rely on His strength and have a great day!

This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be GLAD in it!!!

so, i don’t know if it “works” b/c i think my scale is broken —- which reminds me, i need to do my measurements ’cause my pants are fitting differently, the scale is just going crazy….. i’ll get on and it will give me a reading of 122.5, shocked, i step back on 117, WHA?????  so, i get back on again…. 120   ??????   i don’t know how much i weigh….. so i need to do the measurements.

wow, my mind really drifts…….

SOOOOOOO, the new exercise…… CLEAN your car.   Not just kinda swiping a vacuum over the carpet kind of cleaning, i mean, take out the seats, vacuum them then shampoo them (spray on shampoo, get scubber and SCRUB briskly to loosen any dirt and stains), then scrub vacuum them so the upholstery is soft again.  Then work the same magic on all areas of the carpet including the ceiling.  don’t forget to scrub every inch of the dashboard and cup holders.

This amazing weekend activity works arms (all that scrubbing) and legs (try saying “bend over and scrub bracing your body”) your back gets a little of a workout and depending on how you scrunch yourself around to reach every nook, you could get a full body workout!

so, next weekend, try this new invigorating activity and call it your weekend exercise!!

I did — it took Friday afternoon (started around 4pm) most of the day Saturday and then Sunday afternoon (around 2pm- 6pm).   i’m a little tired  —— BUT, it is my day to do the “drop a jean size” 30-60-90 interval workout — and i am motivated!!!!   my list, but mostly Chrisie’s list has done it for me!!!!!

have a great workout/eat right day!!!!!

=====up===========down===========up=============down=======

that is life!!!! 

then maybe a few twists are thrown in

maybe a few loops=====

 a few more ===== ups ======= a few more=====downs

then,  just when you think the ride is almost over, it takes you over the whole thing again but this time backwards!!   

this is great FUN for me —- when it is only a ride…… life, now, that’s a whole ‘nother matter!!!  i would rather LIFE be more like the roads in New Mexico — flat, you can see miles and miles of it, you know exactly where you are going and you can even estimate how long it will take you to get there — no suprises, no sudden turns, safe at high speeds.

but, instead, life is like those rollercoasters —– you can look at them while in line and try to study where its gonna take you, but there are always suprises, always dips, always turns, and definitely always ups and downs…..

on the top of the world, lost weight, feel great ===== man, am i depressed, bad things happened, need a hug

started a new exercise program, feel great ====== now i am sick and can’t work out

The Bible has opened up for me!!!! ======= wow, the attack is fierce, i don’t know whether i am coming or going!!

God feels sooooo close!!!! ======= “God, are you there????”

Life is like that ——- enjoy the ride, learn the lessons that must be learned along the way, study the Word and find out about some of the pitfalls to be avoided at all costs.  most of all don’t fret…… enjoy the ride!!!!

life is exciting, not boring, never the same, you can’t see where you are going, but there is One you can trust that sees the ride from above, He sees all the turns, all the bumps.  He sees where you are headed and how this turn will get you to a better place of trust in Him. He sees how this ride will benefit you in the long run, He sees glory in it for Himself if you put your total trust in Him!!!! 

Watch out!!!! Here comes the ride!!!!!!

there are a LOT of great blogs out there today….. the blogs ran the normal gamut of “starting” “starting over” “i’m down” “here is info” “here is encouragement to start your day”    so what can i say to add, help, encourage, or anything?  not much!!  soooooo, i’m not gonna try!  just wanted to check in, let you all know i love you!!! and encourage you to read the other blogs!! esp. poet and justjane47, and great info on YH0906 and mothergoose’s blogs as well…..

on the “good” front, i did a wonderfully hard workout yesterday (Fitness magazine’s “lose a pant size”) and am looking forward to pumping iron today for strong, sexy biceps .  i am reminding myself of my motivators — my mom was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when she was just a little older than i am right now….. she is doing well, but….. i would rather not walk down that particular road if i can do anything to help it.

do well, eat well, think well, and help someone else along the way!

shocking, i know…..

it has also been WONDERFUL weather and i have been able to get a LOT done around the house — i  love rainy/cloudy weather, it cools the house and me right down and i feel like i get so much more done!!!  (it’s also good sleeping weather, but i have actually not used it for that purpose!!! honest!!!)   when it is hot, all i want to do is sit around and watch tv or read a book in front of a fan….. now that the last few days have been cool — well, watch out messy house…..!!!!

soooooo, i have kept busy, but still haven’t actually done any REAL workouts…. today we move my son back into his room and i will have easier access to the gym stuff…. so i am writing my motivational factors to remind myself why i need to put aside time every day to work out….

1.   cellulite — need i say more?? who wants/needs it and exercise evicts those buggers

2.  osteoporosis — don’t want it…. exercise, esp. lifting weights helps fend off this monster

3.  age — well, it is happening whether i want it to or not, might as well try to age “gracefully” instead of like old milk…. (ever watch Jeff Dunham on youtube?????)

4.  9 children — need to be healthy to keep up with them…. the youngest is only 9 months so that puts me at 63 when she is 20!!! yuck!  poor thing, i want her to be proud to call me her momma, not embarrased that she has a grandma instead of a mom….   OHHHHHH, a side note — my son just got engaged!!!!!  whoooo hooooo!!!!!!  i’m so excited for both of them, his girl is the sweetest thing and they are a great match.  so, that leads me to the increasing possibility of grandmotherhood….. MUST stay healthy!

5.  Hubby — i want him to always be proud to show me off — and i want all the young girls that think they can look at him, to be very afraid — “she is HOT!!. no point in messing with him!”  ha ha — he doesn’t look, but i have seen the looks his way…..  Watch out you young things, you may have youth, but i have muscles!!!!  (ok, soon, i’ll be able to say that…)

6.   Me — i want to be able to serve my Lord for a very long time in any capacity — if He wants me to go to Fiji, i need to be able to climb the mountains and ford the rivers.  If He wants me to stay in NM, i need to be able to climb the mountains and get through the sand!!  I don’t want to be unhealthy and unable to do His perfect will for me.

K, off to do good — remember your ultimate reason for being on this earth — what more motivation do we really need?

1.   My son just got his driver’s licence — had to take his driving test. We always seem to have to visit the MVD twice for everything we need to get done there. Yesterday we went to get his driver’s test, and the tester walked back in, “We cannot do his test until you get your windshield fixed.”  i don’t understand it, you can still see through the darn cracks…..  anyway, we got it fixed this morning and he successfully passed his test and came away a new driver…..  a good one, ’cause i trained him…… ;)    but, oh so much time spent to get all that done!!!

2.   I weight myself every day — i know some people are horrified at that ( i do read the blogs even if i don’t comment…..)  i have to weigh every day, my weight fluctuates as much as 3lbs up or down.   so, i need to see a trend before i believe an amazing weight loss — if after a week and the weight is down and starting a new flux’ ‘ then, i can feel like that weight is really gone.  if i just weigh once a week, i don’t know if it was a fluke or a true representation of my weight…. then it drives me crazier than if i just step on the scale every morning…… weird, but who ever said i was normal??

3.    i have felt like giving up…… some people would look at me and say that i looked “good enough”  (i usually cover my flaws well with clothing, but now during swimsuit season, they all can see the truth)  “good enough” is really not good enough.  yeah, i have lost some weight, but FITNESS, that is not so good.  it just gets tiring always trying to find time and energy to exercise to get better, to reach the goals i had set for myself.  soooooooo, i have to get back in gear and kick it up a notch — i can’t wait until i can say with Angie that i love to exercise!!!  in the past, when i worked out with a friend, exercising got to be addicting!  i need to get back to that place.  in my defense, right now, my exercise room is taken up with my son’s stuff — he got moved back out of his room so hubby can complete the closet and fix the floor — kinda hard to exercise when you can’t GET to the tools!!  (we won’t mention that i could go for runs in the early morning……) here is to renewed motivation and desire!

4.   My baby is 9 months old — i always thought when i was younger and just had a baby, that i could give myself 9 months to lose what it took 9 months to gain….. my thinking is changing as i get old….. ;D  

5.   thanks for the blogs — i have been reading back ones, and it is fun to read up on what every one has been doing — lots of things to think about……   i can see that little by little, my perception about myself is changing in a good way since i have been on buddyslim.  thank you all for your insights and the courage to write difficult things – from a woman that reads a lot — your blogging helps!

6.  Now, on with my day….. MUST clean out my closet…… yech!  Then, MUST work  on  a  plan — house cleaning, caring for/schooling kids, paperwork, side jobs, exercising….. i need to get my life better organized to get the most out of every day.

wowsers!! what a wild couple of weeks!! 

k, not really WILD, maybe just a little crazy, but we had a lot of fun…… 

we took 3 days to drive to Ohio, stopped in OK City and visited friends the first night, then met up with a convoy of my dad, 2 sisters and 1 brother to travel to Missouri.  (We all had walkie talkies [does anyone use that term anymore???]  we gabbed back and forth and made stupid comments that we could giggle at and then got to a hotel after about 5 hrs of driving.  The next day was my daughter’s 15th b-day. So, my sisters are inventive at how to best embarrass someone — we gathered at the room where she was and started singing — i think she had thought we had all forgotten……silly girl…..   we then went to the St. Louis Arch and after purchasing tickets and in a group talking, they started into song again, quite loudly….. everyone in the place turned and looked — most were smiling (some people are so grumpy!!)  anyway, poor Jarael turned all sorts of red.  After taking our ride to the top, my older sister started asking LOUDLY, “Is there someone here with a birthday??  anyone??? i think there is someone here with a birthday!!”  as we all point to Jarael…. she looked horrified and pleaded with us to not sing again, so we let it go.  It was a great day.   That was our longest driving day — 8 hours — less than one hour outside of Cincinnatti, we got a phone call that my great aunt had died.  Her sister had died in March.  We had all hoped that we could see them this one last time, so it was such a bummer that they both passed before we could get back to see them.  The family decided that Aunt Maggie wouldn’t have wanted the family reunion messed up so they planned the funeral for Monday and left the weekend alone.

When we were little, we always went to visit Aunt Fanny and Aunt Maggie — they always bought us White Castle hamburgers while we were there — it has turned into a tradition that when we are in Ohio, we HAVE to eat White Castle — we all kept that tradition alive.  We also informed our kids that they HAVE to do the same thing…… poor things…..

So, we arrived Thursday night to Ohio but actually stayed at my cousin’s house in Kentucky….. Friday,  KING’S ISLAND!!!!!    whooo hooooo!!! that place gave me a back ache!!! i am getting too old for those wooden rollercoasters!  i think my favorite had to be Invertigo — any of you who have gone there…… HOLY COW!!!!!!!!  that ride is hilariously frightening!

Saturday was the reunion….. all my dad’s siblings were there and all his children (he has 5 brothers and 2 sisters, and I have 3 brothers and 2 sisters)  One cousin i hadn’t seen since i was about 7-8, and i couldn’t remember her name when we talked about her, but when she walked up, i said, “WOW, that has GOT to be Karen!” 

My baby loved  a few of my uncles — one started calling her, “My baby”  it was cute.  So, all my kids got to play with their cousins (some of them, they don’t get to see very often, one brother lives in Oregon)  and they got to meet and play with some new 2nd and possibly 3rd cousins — does anyone know how all that works?  what is my cousin to my kids? what is my cousin’s kids to my kids?  we all just gave up and called each other cousin, regardless.  There was probably over a hundred people there, it was awesome.

My sisters left after the party to get back home. and i took my kids to another cousin’s house to stay — my Oregon brother was also staying so it made for a FUN few days.

{{{{{ DRAT!!!!! and Sasafras Tea!!! my electricity just went off (and obviously came back on……)  glad i saved this draft to this far!!!}}}}}

Sunday was a relaxing day, we swam and exercised then went to the mall for funeral clothes — yay for Express sale!!!

Monday, my dad and 3 brothers sang for the funeral acappella — they invited me to sing too, but it was a great quartet and i wanted to listen.  After the service finally got underway, it was short…. i was just glad to be there.

we left and decided to go visit the Creation Museum in Kentucky — that place is incredible!!!!! if any of you are ever close to that area, you should go see it!!  The facility is beautiful and all the displays are really — breathtaking!! 

We decided to start back home on Tuesday, we went to see the Hauck House in Cincy — my great plus grandfather’s home — he came over from Germany and made beer, his house has been made into a museum — it was closed!!! i should have planned that better!  Then off to see the Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.  Tennesee is beautiful!  we don’t usually get to see that much green around here.  i only wish we had had more time to stop in at some of the National parks. 

Our last planned stop was in Tucumcari, NM — they have a dinosaur museum there that we have never had time to go see — for being a small town — that museum was impressive!! It is based out of the community college there and we were told that just last week, they found 3 more dinosaurs — they average 2 a week!!!!!!   We believe in Creation and don’t believe in evolution (honestly, mine is an easier belief system!!!  we found it difficult to follow some of the reasoning of the evolutionist’s theories, they were pretty far fetched.  for me, if God said it, then I believe it and that settles it for me! anyone wanna sing along??)   anyhow, God is an amazing Creator, we still can’t figure it all out!!!

home on the 4th — we were glad to see dad/hubby — hope next time he can go enjoy the fun with us!!!

It will take a bit to get caught up — you know how you have 142,453,890 things to do when you get back from vacation??? well, i think i have finished 3 of them…….

its good to be back, but i have missed all my friends!!!  what have you been doing?  any new revelations? any new news?    little, by little, i hope to catch up with all of you…..

luv ya all!!!!!!