Ebeth's 4 and no more

I am blessed with 4 kids, 3 of whom could talk your ears and then some off. #4 is steadily catching up making sure to get the last word in, correct you when you try to summarize and one up her gabby brothers. Tonight while attempting to have family prayer time the conversation seemed endless. I will admit my goal driven day (finish the downstairs living room reorganize) let the day fly by with hardly any togetherness. Here are the highights: #1 begins the open forum with a real concern on his mind, foxes. Of course exploring the idea of a predator leads him down the old road of grizzly bears and wolves/coyotes. "If there were 3 foxes near the chicken coop you wouldn't have me put them up. You and daddy would do it, right?!" Typically these questions end in right expecting that I would agree more like a rhetorical question. A bit of backstory in that there was one, then two and now 3 foxes wandering in the pasture and the front of the property near the road. We have been l...

Last Sunday my Pastor spoke on this topic. Since I tend to be a reflective person, and enjoy analyzing etc it spurred many thoughts. One of his statements was regarding premarital sex. Of course his stance was to avoid but he had legitimate reasons about the bond between man and woman that God created with Adam and Eve. I wholeheartedly believe that likewise there is something that connects those who share that level of intimacy in a small or big way. But this point was brought to the surface even more so when my kids and I headed to hang out with hubby at the Fire Station. Hubby was working 3 days in a row, 2 of his regular days and the day in between as a trade day payback on another shift. It also just happens to be that my ex fiance works on that shift and was there too. It probably is no stretch of the imagination that as he and I resided together for several years and what that entailed. He is now married with 2 kids and I 4 kids later and nearly 12 years married as well am far ...

I should have taken a picture. Today in the spirit of working days ahead I dressed in a knee length skirt and perfectly matching shirt (not tacky matchy matchy). Accessories made the whole deal tasteful and stylish lending several compliments and a regret that I did not save such for my interview tomorrow. Needless to say I was quite comfortable hanging at the fire station with hubby on day 2 of his 3 day in a row shift. Upon arriving home I recalled all that I forgot to dread.... fresh vegetables screaming CAN ME..COOK ME. Taking a deep sigh aware that my day would not be as relaxing and bonding as planned I dug in. Before I could get terribly far in the process my daughter (elder one) decided she is going to remove "baby" from her room. Prompted by the changes in her little bro's room she is ready for her turn. Downstairs she heads to weed out the little kids books and basically "anything not 8 year old girl like" her words not mine, must go. Losing my only p...

My kids are getting so big. That doesn't even seem like the correct phrase because it implies they are no longer babies. My kids are big, well all but one who waivers between either side of the fence depending upon the circumstance. Tonight while saying goodnight to #3 he explained to me about the man cave. Yep the man cave as if I knew of it already. I do not know who put this idea in his head but it is not daddy, G or his big brother. His knew bed is grown up like and symbolizes the man pushing its way out of his young body. He explained to me that when we move he will be a teenager (I hope this is in fact true) and he will need to buy a truck to move his bed. He will take it with him because what enters the man cave stays in the man cave. He will also buy a mower because he needs wants to mow grass. He cracks me up about the grass. Who would have guessed that selling the riding lawn mower a couple years ago would scar him for life. He was thrilled that he could drive it and now...

Last summer our blue van then not paid off revealed a problem. Sadly it was on our way home from vacation but then again it could have been at the beginning. Since that time we have steadily babied it to make it last till it was paid off, and then some. That time amounted to 5 months, exactly one year almost to the day that the trouble began. God is good in the right people were with us (ie my parents), the right person was available to rescue us (my BIL Wes) and the location was on an off ramp with a gas station/Wendy's directly off that ramp. Same BIL is allowing us to borrow his vehicle while my Dad completes the other van which is 90% done. The only thing missing was my ear to hear when my mother added towing to her car insurance last week and I didn't make the call to check mine. Again, God covered my missing it with a local person who cut us a pretty good deal 65.00. All in all if it had to happen it was covered. The shame part well picture 95 degree heat on a busy summ...

After my long weekend working 18 hours in a 30 hour time period (6pm to 6am, 6pm to midnight) I rose bright and early with hubby. He was headed to his part time job that fills his off weekdays and I to complete the grass mowing. The weather forecasted this week is excess of 100 degrees so I cannot imagine he will work outside all day and then come home to do it too. Wife of the year award safely in the bag I yawn, stretch and hop onto the walk behind. Irony of things is that you do not walk behind this commercial size mower but instead stand on a small platform that swivels. Hubby always look sexy to me watching his hips sway in the natural action of the entire process. I don't know if I look the same myself but the fact remains I am helping him out like he does for me. Like too many things on the property the mower needs a new battery so it has to be jump started with the battery box. Praise God we are slowly but steadily checking off the needs repair items. Due to the extra step...

WOAH, it seems things have gone out of control here. In my home their really are more electronic devices than should be. 2 children own ipod touches, I with my EVO shift and 3 working computers, one being fixed. That does not count the ipod shuffles that preceded the ipod touches. Oh and don't forget the travel dvd players (3), the wii, the xbox 360, 2 DSi's and one 1 DS. Then we have a old handheld that I cannot remember the name of for Eva to mess around with and pretend to play. Next there are 4 tv's with which to watch and DVD players/VCR's too. I could go on but I think you are getting my point. My father seems to think that because they never allowed me to have anything but a tv, VCR (well cause DVD didn't exist) and a computer BEFORE internet that I have allowed my kids to own so much. On the other hand they had to raise their money to pay for DSi's and IPOD touches so I hardly get all the blame. There is something to be said about working to save for a ...

Joey, Joey, Joey, Joey. There are no words descriptive enough to explain this kid. He is complicated, creative and unique. In all things I can safely say he is far from mainstream and many times a real challenge for this not always similiar momma! This past Wednesday was his official birthday and marked a 3 day stretch of favor and love. First my favorite farawy friend and bestie send the number one present on his list. It taunted him sitting unopened in the brown box it was shipped in for over a week. Patience my friends is def a virtue for learning, hehe. (Later I will post a pic as I have to get it off the below explained broken camera). Also, on that day he recieved the less interactive envelopes barring checks from PaPa and Uncle G. Oh and sweet Aunt Rosalie did send him a card with a dollar in it, meaning a lot because it came from her heart. He readily spent that money too, lol. That night while little brother wrapped up his t-ball season #1 stayed with G-ma and G who took hi...

Joy #1: Hidden treasure in my backyard Many of you know we have 10 acres. On that land there are 2 homes, a barn, large building, pasture, lake and a bit of trees. As hubby, the girls and I were feeding the fish in the pond we noticed blackberry's. A little investigation later we found that growing wild ALL over the wooded area are tons of them. The sad part is that there also is more than any one's fair share of poison ivy/oak. But with some chance happenings I was wearing pants, socks and wrapped around me for the cooler indoors was a long sleeved zip up hoodie. I donned them all being careful to tuck everything in then went at it. 15 min later I had half a bucket full and plenty more left to pick tomorrow. We have lived here for 6 years and who knew it was probably here the whole time. The girls and I look forward to making some awesome stuff with our find soon! Joy #2: A borrowed 4 wheeler Thanks to my Dad and his many friends we have borrowed a 4 wheeler in the hopes...

The obvious truth is that I dislike cooking. The not so obvious truth is I force myself to do it because it is necessary and even at times include my kids. Gosh, that is the key to getting me in the kitchen (making it a relationship builder with my kids). The problem with that concept is that kids are well...kids. They make mistakes, messes and do not follow directions readily. They need to be taught what each piece and part looks like and require MASSIVE amounts of patience. Yet, through all that the joy on their faces for taking part in the final product seems worthwhile, tomorrow. 4th of July has always been a kind of special holiday for my family. It was the last holiday hubby and I shared without kids (by 2 days). Hubby is home for this American holiday so we will hopefully celebrate as one big thankful crew. In honor of that a surprise for there morning was needed to prepare. #1 has requested french toast for many days now. As luck would have it in my binder of food ideas tha...

Today was the beginning of what is looking to be a "perfect" weekend. Ya know the kind where you work getting much accomplished as a family, and then rest together tempered with some alone time for hubby and I. Today was the rare day that happens maybe 1 time every 9 weeks in which hubby could stay home during the week. It is once a month we get an entire weekend with him home, otherwise he is gone at least one day at the Fire Station. Sunday is his only day on leaving us with 3 days out of 4 together. We first got up early, packed the cars (yes 2 because there were 8 bikes to load and  8 people to transport). This was a first for this many people so it required effort. I am relieved to report that it went without a hitch (minus hubby dropping my bike before I came to help and bent the back tire). If you know anything about my parents this speaks volumes as in my home and even to this day my mother and father cannot work together without a fight, EVER! I am eternally grateful...