Linebacker's Hat

Isn't he adorable... He is now 19 weeks...

My 'Plate' A Work In Progress

I have revised and cleaned off my plate a bit... It is still a work in progress but here is what I have so far...

Schooling x 3
Schedules x 6
Laundry
Nursing Support
Clutter!/TOYS/PAPER
Household Paperwork/Finances
Effective Positive Discipline <~~~ been consistently using the time out corner with timer
Familia (mom's group) <~~~ kept just one mom's group dropped the rest
Autism Support Group (once a month)
API Group (once a month)
Meal Planning<~~~cutting back how often I go and stocking/freezing homemade ready to eat meals
Potty Training <~~~ Temporarily on hold
Speech Therapy x 2 <~~~ adjusted schedules to make it less 'plate' consuming
Quilting <~~~ only for 10 mins after everyone is in bed to relax before going to bed myself, no more late night activities... I'm in bed by 10:15 at the latest instead of midnight or later!
Doctors/Dentist Appointments for 5 People
Gardening <~~~ done with this till spring... just pickin' food once a week
Knitting <~~~ putting on hold after I finish Linebacker's new hat (already more then 1/2 done!)
Library
Mail
Family Faith Formation (CCD)

Prayers

Linebacker and I could really use your prayers... Thank you...

I'm afraid my plate is going to have to be scrapped off and I'm going to have to drop out of all my activities... I'm not sure how I'm going to deal with doing this but I know it is something I will have to do... ::sigh:: I just can't keep going this way...

Norwex, 40 Days For Life Vigil, Caroline's Shepherd's Pie

I went to a 'party' tonight for a new product line I had never heard of called Norwex... WOW!! It was really cool... I will share more later... Off to figure out what I want to order well what I can buy now and what I will have to order later... If I could I would order almost everything in the catalog... LOL!!! I saw a few good 'Christmas' presents...

Today was my first day in front of the Abortion Mill to Pray for the End of Abortion... They have "clinic" staff posted outside now... I talked with several other people from other Parishes in town... We said Luminous Mysteries together... Linebacker was a great witness... ::grin:: I was thinking back that I had just found out we were expecting our 4th around this time last year... Just amazing... What a beautiful example of life...

Among all my running today I made my version of Shepherd's Pie this morning by 11:15 AM... Not sure how but I did... Between 6:30 and 8:45 I was with the children readying them for their day and dropping them off where they needed be... I spent an hour Praying downtown and picked up Peanut since her program is only half day... Not to mention nursing Linebacker 3 times... It was a busy morning... I then went shopping... I picked up Linebacker a 'bouncy' seat because his other 'house' seat isn't working now that he can wiggle out of it... It has no 'seat belt'... I also picked him up a really cute 'triangle' floor toy that has a spin toy, rattle/teether, mirror, bead slide and crinkle toy plus other 'tactile' items to explore... I received several more questions and complements on my nursing necklace... It has been a real hit!

Nursing Necklaces / Butterflies / Pot Pies

I've decided to make instead of buying a nursing necklace to entertain Linebacker... He loves it! Here is what it looks like...

I used a random combination of the beads highlighted in the center with some 'sport ball' beads that consist of a football, baseball, basketball and soccer ball...

They are primarily used to entertain a distract able nursling... They can also be used to entertain baby/toddler while being supervised during activities such as a diaper change... It is a great learning 'tool' to teach colors, counting, matching, shapes and other things depending on the type of beads used... I used foam beads so they would be soft and baby friendly...

Sunday night I went outside to visit with my husband who was stripping 4 layers of paint (white, baby blue, baby pink, and primary colors {in that order they were added}) off an antique (made in early 1900s) dresser we own that was one of the first items manufactured in the Bassett Furniture Factory in Bassett, VA... My daddy's family is from this area... I saw this butterfly hanging out on the patio... I let the butterfly walk into a toy beach bucket and placed the butterfly over our fence into the yard for the butterfly nibble and maybe find a home for the night... The butterfly was either hurt or confused... I do believe it is a female Monarch Butterfly...

I made another 'old fashioned' pot pie... I'm not sure if I shared the recipe last time or not... Here is before and after baking... It was delicious! You don't use Bisquick and you don't use canned soup... I had extra 'pastry' so I made a little design... ::smirk::

Today was supposed to be my 'off' day for the week... I had to go to the PO and then the van wouldn't start... It took several minutes for a man from MN to jump start it... I noticed my battery was July 07 and had a Walmart 3 year FREE replacement sticker on it... So, I took it over to Walmart ASAP for fear it wouldn't start again even with jumper cables... It was replaced for FREE... I saved $80! That was the extent of my excitement for the day...

This That and The Other Thing

Not much to report since Wednesday... I went to the local quilt show hosted by the local guild it was eh... ok... I can now say I've been and don't plan to go back again for as long as I live here... Don't get me the wrong the quilts were indescribable... No words I could type here could do justice to their beauty but the hosts and other quilt goers... Talk about a room full of snobs... You think I was some thief waiting for their backs to be turned and steal something... Very un welcoming... Exactly how they behaved at the guild meeting... Only been there once and never going back there again either... It was like I was a joke for just showing up with my first row not even a finished quilt... When I showed my first paper pieced block that was entered into a drawing and won a DVD was some kind of entertainment... You would have thought I was a hired clown... It's a total mockery and inferiority if you make your quilts with non quilt shop only fabric and don't pay hundreds of dollars to have it long armed quilted or spend years hand quilting it yourself... I find that just close minded... Making a quilted item is more then how much you paid to make it or how many ribbons/awards it wins or how much is sells for... It's an emotion expressed by the Quilter with fabric for another to feel upon being wrapped up in it or viewing it... I've talked to hundreds of Quilters from all over the world and our guild is somewhat unique with it's hoity toity attitudes... So, beware! I dropped off and picked up our home school groups directory... It turned out magnificent... Better then I could ever expect... Great job Kinkos! There is an added surprise related to it's printing but I can't share till after our opening mass and pizza party for the group... ::wink:: We started our CCD classes... I'm using a new curriculum this year and haven't quite figured it out yet... It is a program called Family Faith Formation... This month's "theme" is Angels... I picked up several supplemental texts from our fabulous Catholic Bookstore in town, Holy Family... I sure will miss that place when we leave... I hope to find a new one in my new 'home'... I'm all ready for 40 days for life... I'm excited about being able for the first time to attend Walk with Christ for Life Sunday with the Bishop this year... I'm just hope I'm up for the Eucharistic procession from the Cathedral to our only abortion facility in the ENTIRE state... I was given some items to eBay... I now have to figure out how to go about listing them... I have some thoughts and will keep you updated... I'm excited about my new 'project'... Linebacker is doing well... We have successfully been able to adjust his nursing schedule... I will know better our success at his next weight in... I guess there isn't much more to write... I will write when I can...

Weeding Through Things - Wednesday

I took some time after much input from everyone after my 'plate' publishing and have almost given my life a complete overhaul... I'm still mid overhaul so the complete effects aren't evident yet but things have really improved... Reflecting on recent discussions on the Feasts: Triumph of the Cross and Our Lady of Sorrows has helped me to evaluate my life... Continued prayers and suggestions are always appreciated... Thank you!

My 'Plate'

This is a list of all the things on my 'plate':
Homeschooling x 3
Public Schools x 3
Schedules x 6
Laundry
Dishes
Child with Autism
4 Children
Nursing Issues
The Legal Thing I'm Not Disclosing
Clutter!
TOYS
PAPER
Bills/Household Paperwork/Forms
Laundry
Figuring Out Effective Positive Discipline
Familia (mom's group)
MACH I (mom's group)
CCM (mom's group)
La Leche League Support Group
Laundry
Autism Support Group
API Group
Respite Staffing
Meal Planning/Cooking/Shopping
Potty Training
Laundry
Diapers
Speech Therapy x 2
Quilting
Doctors/Dentist Appointments for 6 People
Laundry
General Cleaning (Vacuuming, Dusting, Sweeping, Mopping, Etc.)
Gardening
Finances/Budgets
Auto Condition (repair, maintenance, gas) x 2
Knitting
Sewing (clothing and for the home)
Laundry
Public Library
Recycling
General Household Shopping - Non Food
Planning Birthdays/Holidays
Mail
Family Faith Formation (CCD)
eBay
Everything else I can't think of right now... ::sigh::

Vacation

I'm going on vacation from the computer... There is just too much happening here... See you all in a week or so...

Much To Deal With Monday

I've been dealing with many things and probably haven't been the best of company... I'm sorry for that... I'm hoping things will calm down and pull themselves together... I'm really stressed out and emotional most of the day... I can't seem to think straight and feel I say the wrong thing or say it the wrong way and upset people... I am trying to do the best I can... I will try to update my blog when I can... I don't seem to have time to deal with what I have to at home or time for the computer... My life seems to be lacking time! I used to have all this time and wonder what I could do because I was bored... Now I have the opposite problem... ::sigh::

Before and After - Home Repairs/Updates

Photos coming soon...

Happy Birthday To...

ME! Details coming soon...