Almost Wordless Wednesday...

(she didn' like when I said it was naptime..)

And Caitlyn's Curiosity.........

All the joys of Christmas! (lots of pics)

So our Christmas has been good. We enjoyed moments with our family that we enjoy every year!
First, we let the kids open one of their gifts on Christmas Eve.
Then Christmas day we woke at 7 minutes to 7:30-thanks to my wonderful child, Jake-who LOVES to wake at the crack of dawn!
Then, we went to Chris' Uncle and Aunts house with his father and Vanessa (lovingly known as Granny) for a wonderful Christmas breakfast. Aunt Helen always makes the best chipped beef gravy, ham, fresh pineapple-the spread is always wonderful!
We then headed home to share Christmas with Chris' dad and Granny! And of course she blessed the kiddos with lots of clothes and some wonderful suprises!
We took a quick nap (and I mean quick!), then it was off to Chris' Grandmothers house where the rest of his family gathers! We stuffed ourselves with the best stuff-homemade cranberry sauce (which I'll share in a post to come!), homemade potatoe salad...the list is almost endless!
But enough of food (I'm makin' myself hungry!!)...we exchanged gifts-but before that Grandmama made sure that the kids really knew what Christmas is about JESUS!!
It was a delightful day full of love and celebration!! All of us....ignore the fact that I look HORRIBLE!! (It was 7:30am-need I say anymore?)
By the way...check out his face...Ya think he's excited??

Here is Granny with Jordan and her new raincoat!

At Grandmama's....here's Gabby, Preston and Jordan..
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Saturday at the spur of the moment, we decided to trapes down to Williamsburg with our good friends, Carmen and Manuel (you'll love her blog and her online mag-Check her out!).

We had a great time, we walked around and totally forgot our cameras(hubby had his phone-but it didn't turn out so well-it was dark)-but we browsed the shops. I got Caitlyn's first ornament with Carmen's help! And a wonderful cup of "Williamsburg White" at our favorite coffee shop down there. The owner is a friend of ours and we actually got to see him too, which was nice.

I'll try to download hubbies pic if it works..

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Last night, we enjoyed time with two of our other FAVS!! Susan and Sydney! Sydney is in town from Dallas and we just had to have our "girl time". They bought a kit for the kids to do and it turned out so cute! (even though the two older boys found it boring after the stacking was down-oh well, the girls had fun!)

Silly Girls!

And the final outcome is..............................................................

I'll post my adventures in Homemade Cranberry Sauce!! So stay tuned!

PS> Please pray for baby Stellan-he's Healed in Jesus' name!!

Merry Christmas!!

Just wanted to take a minute to say to you...
Have a VERY, Merry Christmas!
(this is a wreath I painted a couple weeks ago...I thought it was cute!)

Am I really....the MAID???

I have found that answer to be yes. I am the maid. I am the one who changes the countless diapers and hears the overwhelming whines for juice...so I guess I am....the MAID.

Don't we Mom's ever hate this kind of stuff or is it just me? I mean why do I constantly do dishes and laundry (too many clothes to count with the 7 of us) for them all to be done again on another day? Ugh....I hate it.

Off to be there Maid to Order.......was this the life I signed up for????

Everything's coming up....Teeth?!

Yep! That's right. She's getting all four of the ones on top! And I'm kinda sad. She's getting too big too quick! It took me several times to get just the right pics so you could actually see them. Isn't she just the cutie pie?? I know. I think my children are the cutiest......HANDS DOWN!!! (ya know..that's just my personal opinion and that's the only one's that counts here, right?? LOL!)

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On another note..Today's been crazy ALREADY! The kids Christmas Party/Last Day of school until Jan. 5th is today. So I have to run! I'll post pics soon!

P.s....Happy Anniversary Carmen and Manuel!!!

Change is Coming.....

Where do I begin, I am not sure. Here goes.
The Lord has been speaking to Chris and I about change. Change (to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone) is often thought of something little-maybe with your lifestyle, diet, or other simple things. But I knew from the moment God said it-it wasn't going to be small. It was going to be BIG.
Bigger than me, bigger than my family, just big. I can't really say much about what is coming, because the Lord doesn't want me to do that. I do feel like He wants me to share this:
All of us, whether we choose to believe it or not-have to change our thinking. We are here for GOD's will to come to pass, not our own. Yes, God wants to see us blessed and all the good things that go along with His plan. I think sometimes we go along with our own plans and NEVER involve God in our day to day goings on. I am certainly guilty of this.
I wake up and rush everyone to school, clean the house, talk on the phone, run errands and I may pray (in thought) while doing. But I'm not spending time with Him. Listening for what He might want me to do that day-what I SHOULD be doing. God sees that I have a billion things that are somewhat important to do, but HE is waiting...waiting for me to come to HIM. To sit at His feet and hear what He would have to say. For all the worries to be washed away before they even start.
Where are you? Are you sitting at the computer just waiting for God to answer? Trust me, I do it. I think..oh..maybe so and so will have some real great thing to say. But am I waiting for HIM to talk to me? Yes, I believe that God will use others and their blogs to be a blessing. For me, I am being convicted that in these coming days, my heart is to hear from HIM!
My family and I have big things to do for God and while I want so desperately to elaborate, I cannot.
For my family, this will be life changing for us. Bigger than we could have thought. And it keeps ringing......"Robin, I have something big, don't be afraid, I am right here. It's gonna be a hard road, but in the end...you will see me move in such a big way that this will look little afterward. Are you ready? I am..take my hand...it's coming! Get Ready!".
I don't know all the details of what God is doing. I just know that for the first time in our marriage, we both heard from God-loud and clear-and it was amazing. We both knew something was coming. Change is coming. And I am a little fearful, to be honest, but I have to give that to God too. Along with all the things I worry about daily. Worry (Matt. 6:34, Matt. 6:27, Psalm 39:5-7) is not of Him. So, I am not in Him when I worry.
Right now I am listening to "We cry Out". I believe if you will listen, God will speak to you, right where you are. I humble myself and give all of me to HIM-will you?
This January, our church Faith Landmarks, is fasting for 21 days. I know this is our starting point. I hope you will pray about joining us. It's not only a corporate journey, but a personal one. Fasting always brings about change, not only physically, but personally. You can read more about it Here. I am starting my year out anticipating to hear specific things from God. I will post more, when I am able. In the meantime, allow God to flood your day with HIS presence!
Psalm 39:5-7 Amplified
Behold, You have made my days as [short as] handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing in Your sight. Truly every man at his best is merely a breath! Selah [pause, and think calmly of that]!
Surely every man walks to and fro--like a shadow in a pantomime; surely for futility and emptiness he is in turmoil; each one heaps up riches, not knowing who will gather them.
And now, Lord, what do I wait for and expect?
My hope and expectation are in You!
Please stop by this website and listen to Beautiful....oh....this sums it up for me!!!

Almost...Wordless Wednesday

I try everytime not to write anything, but I think it's almost impossible for me! So I'm gonna post twice...so I can talk..


My New Do...

More Christmas Goodness...

Earlier in this post I talked about more Christmas goodness.....well....here it is!!

COOKIE DAY!!!!

Thanks to my sweet friend, Carmen, we had a stressfree day that was filled with wonderful smells and tastes! While all cookies that we tried this year weren't as wonderful as we would have expected (we used a couple from Betty Crocker-maybe not so good of an idea), all in all it was a wonderful day!!

Here is the proof of our labor of love..

*UPDATE* Pics from my Grandmother's Birthday

I thought I would post a quick update about my Grandmother's birthday party, which originated here and here! Thank you to everyone who prayed for me during this stressful time!


The Napkins, my beautiful friend, Susan made... The Cake I made along with one of the flower arrangements....

My Family eating....(*gotta notice the barbie and the stuffed animal...we tried keeping them occupied)

My very lovely 90 year old Grandmother...

I love you, Meme...with all my heart!

It's feeling like Christmas here...finally!

I Love Christmas! It started out Friday with going to the James Center for the lighting...Chris' cousin, Kimberly is the one who pulls it all together, so we always get the "back door tour". We had a good time. The weather was frigid and the crowds were large, but it was a great family time!

Oh..and I made a cake Friday for my friend, Linda's baby shower...here it is...

All from scratch..no less..it was her gift! I think it came out cute, espescially since it took 4 stores to find a train.(AT CHRISTMAS..what is wrong with stores without trains-isn't that a tradition with Christmas??)

Saturday, we cleaned early morning, then went to Home Depot for our REAL tree!! Chris demands we get a real tree every year...it's our family tradition..although, I have tried to talk him out of it! I don't think that's gonna happen though!! Here it is...waiting for lights and ornaments (that's THIS Saturday)

Then we went to the kids Christmas Play Monday-that was cute! Our kids did good and had a great time! Here are those pics...

Here they are with Nichole..she's like my Sister..I love her dearly

And on to Yesterday....ugh...I'll save that for tomorrows post...I'm blogged out for now...Can't wait for you to enjoy more Christmas goodness!!!! Stay tuned!!

I'm a good mom...I'm A GOOD MOM.

That's what I am confessing. No matter what it feels like. My loving husband looked at me the other day and told me the sweetest words. Oh, Thank you-Lord for giving me this WONDERFUL Man! Uh....huh!!

ok...ok...a little mushy there-oh well. If it ain't mushy in marriage-where should it be?

Anywoo...After feeling all dramatic after our parent/principal conference, I am so proud. Proud that I have a husband who is really trying to get involved and show support.

I never had that as a kid from my father, so it is so cool to see God move in my husband.

My hubby stood and talked to me for 10 minutes with tears streaming down my face and told me how wonderful a mother I was. "It doesn't matter what other people say and think-your a good mom! Say it with me, Honey! Your a good mom." My response-"Well, it certainly doesn't feel that way or sometimes look that way. I make mistakes. I yell at them. I fuss at them. I am really trying." His- "Say it with me again-I am a good mom. go ahead." Me-"Ok...Ok...i'm a good mom." Him-"No....I said YOUR A GOOD MOM" Me-"I'M A GOOD MOM...but I don't feel like I am."

This conversation was pursued until He was fully persuaded that I knew it.

He also talked about how we are supposed to provoke our brother's in the Lord-and he was certainly provoking me!

I'm sooo loving this man!!

Feeling like a really bad parent...

Today was rough. We had a parent/principal meeting that went ok-I guess.
Our oldest is not doing so well. He is refusing to do homework, classwork...work in general.
I thought he was starting to do better, but it seems I am wrong. I sat and listened as they were trying to explain that they think that we are not as involved as we should be.
I don't know. I felt like someone ripped part of my heart out. I am trying really hard to be a good parent. No one said it be easy-trust me, I am realizing that. But atleast make me think I am atleast TRYING. So they told me that he needs to be up to a 80 in the next 6 weeks on the 3 classes he is failing or he will be asked to leave.
I keep thinking in my head "I can do this. I can do this. I CAN DO THIS." but what makes me think that I can? I feel like a failure. Like I am standing on a bridge and someone is just waiting to push me off. I mean how do you tell a STAHmom she's a failure anymore than just saying "Your kid is screwing up!"-I dunno!!
I just don't get it. On his SAT scores he reads, writes, and communicates an 8th grader-uh...hello...did u just say 8th grader???? Yes, he's smart-he's just not motivated-YET.
Today I just sat crying talking to my girlfriends and just feeling like a total screw up. And here the headline reads "Mom screws up kid for rest of life-all by the age of 12". Ok. Ok...a little dramatic-but that's what it feels like.
Hopefully tomorrow will be better!

Thankgiving News

Yesterday was good. We cleaned for a while, then I made corn pudding for the family (after a minor catastrophe, which I WILL NOT discuss!).
We arrived at Chris' aunt Mary's house for a late dinner! We love going there because his whole family can cook like nobodies business!
We had a good time-we played the game "spoons" with cards, sat and chatted and ate til our hearts content!
We came home and looked over all the sale ads and I got quite giddy-they had a couple really good deals on some things the kids asked for. So I thought, I'll get up early before the kids rise and go shopping-well-that didn't happen. Hubby's paycheck didn't go in-we figured it might considering that Monday is the first-that didn't happen. So was I completely bummed when I had dressed and gotten up so early to find I couldn't even go!! Oh well...I'll just have to believe that next week they will have just as good of deals. But I have to say I am completely disappointed!!! :(
Thanks to my friend, Carmen's blog for giving me props for the Sweet Potato casserole that she fixed yesterday! That brightened up my non shopping day!!!
Now I am stuck with the kids arguing over what particular show to watch....while I must admit I'd rather be shopping at ToysRUs, Target and other just as wonderful stores....oh...well....(here is where i am trying to hold back the tears of not being able to shop)!
I pray you guys had a great day yesterday and please try not to rub it in too much about being able to shop today-I don't think I'd be able to handle it!!!

Here is the recipe Carmen used:

Sweet Potato Casserole
#1
1 Large Can Bruce's Yams
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup milk
#2
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
Additional 1/3 cup butter
1 cup chopped pecans (or other nut)

Mix #1 ingredients together completely, then mix in #2 ingredients as well.
Bake 25 minutes @ 350.
*optional-add marshmallows on top during last 5 minutes of cooking.
Best if cooked in a round bowl or pan.

Healing comes..

I posted a while back about Caitlyn having some serious issues in her britches (which you can find here:)
">well, we got a call from the dermatologist that the culture came back a staph infection!!! OMG!! I freaked for a second there-it has almost completely cleared up, so I wasn't too worried-but still-a staph infection!
Her skin is getting clearer day by day-which is a blessing after we have been to 3 different doctors (pediatrician, dermatologist, and allergist). The dermatologist says she has excema and the allergist determined she is just allergic to milk, eggs and peanut! Which pretty much makes you watch every stinkin' label.
I was going to feed her the other morning (which is a new thing considering they took her off all solid food for two months until the allergist appt) and it just looked like oatmeal and peaches-low and behold, I read the label-milk, egg yolk!!! Go figure! We'll have to read the labels of everything from now on-that's fine with me as long as she's benefiting!

On another note, I plan to add to my Thankful list.....here goes:
1. My Grandmother-for her countless times of courage, strength and love!! Happy 90th Birthday!!!
2. My Brother, Chris and his family!!
3. I am thankful for my parents-whoo..that's rough to say..but I am.
4. For My beautiful family....all of them!
5. Great friends who love me inspite of my faults....I love you more than you know!! (My list is too long to name all of you!!) (((FRIENDS)))
Don't forget to add on to yours!!

Wordless Wednesday....

All the love...none of the drama..

So, the party went great-with a few little glitches, none that I could not handle-of course with the help of some really great friends!(you know who you are)

My mother seemed to have "chickened out" of coming, by calling at the last minute and saying she was sick. But I wouldn't put it past her that she actually was. I was ready to call just because she always complains to my Grandmother why she can't see us-here was her chance. Oh well, it must not have been important to her.

I was a little disappointed-I must say. A part of me really wanted to see her and the other part was scared to death! I never got to my letter-so I will have to do that and mail it to her. I know...I know...I should have, but with all the goings on...I kinda forgot.

My Grandmother was truly surprised and she enjoyed seeing all the family and friends that she hadn't seen in a while (some in years). She loved the slide show that we put together and was very touched by every one's blessings!

The caterer did a great job-which I didn't know how it was going to turn out considering they never did a tasting. The flowers were OK. I ended up getting a partial refund considering the fact that when we got the roses to the place Saturday night to put in vases-THEY STARTED FALLING APART!! Oh well. Some still seem to be okay until we went to get them out the fridge yesterday and they were...well.....FROZEN!!!! The fridge was set on the coldest level-so the whole arrangement was frozen in place! They still seemed to survive the 2 hour gathering and it was a success.

Of course, you get a little embarrassed when everyone is telling stories of you from childhood-some good-some I don't remember. All in all......A Wonderful Event!!!

Thanks for your prayers, love and support for this...it means so much!

In the process of forgiving...going deeeeeep!

I have been reading "The Shack". It has been a truly life-changing book. I can't tell you how incredible it is! You have to read it!

So, why do I say I am in the process of forgiving? After reading this book, it opened my eyes about how God truly thinks-I mean-reading the word does this also-so really both this book AND the word..have brought me to a place where I really have to GIVE IT TO GOD.
I am talking about my relationship with my parents...As a child, I lived in a very abusive home. My father found every reason to beat the tar out of us. He beat my mother more than my brother and I-so we witnessed bruises and black eyes practically every week.
Thank God that my Grandmother rescued us. But it's not that simple. My mother was supposed to leave my father and take us and live in a house my Grandmother was providing. We left him, packed up everything and moved. TWO days later, she left a note on my Grandmothers bed..."I am going back. I love him. You will stay with Meme.". My brother and I weren't shocked, per say...just really, really hurt.(We ended up staying with my Grandmother until I became hard-headed...and that's a story for another post)
This has been an open wound for a really long time.Well, I bring this up because this Sunday will be my Grandmothers Surprise 90th Birthday Party. I was asked to do the decorations and flowers and I gladly obliged. I was quite excited-until I realized that I just knew my mother would be there.I wasn't mad...or angry...just worried.
You see, my mother (and father) has only seen 3 of my children maybe twice in their lives, she's never seen the girls except at my Grandmother's in pictures. I have tried to make amends, but each time, I have been hurt beyond words. I cry over this. I pray over this. I morn over this.
Especially now.
I want so badly to have my mother in my life. But it is not possible...YET. And I say this IN FAITH and trusting God that with HIS help it is possible.
This brings me back to "The Shack". I can't give away the details (it would ruin the book for you), but I needed what it said. I needed to know that God heard my cries in this area of my life.
One sentence is all I can give to explain how I feel.."Forgiveness is not about forgetting it is about letting go of another person's throat"...Wow! Yes, I had forgiven them a long time ago..but I still carried it. I still carried the hurt, the pain, the rejection, the loss. Oh..but God is sooo good! He's supposed to carry those things! That's what He died to give me!!! So redeeming!! It gave me hope! Hope that I haven't had in so long in this area.
As I look to Sunday...I am almost nervous, yet excited.The Lord told me to give my mother this book and to write a note with it (That He would help me with the words). I believe that this will be a bridge to our healing. We may not open all the doors, but some would be nice. But it IS going to take the God of this universe to do that. We have too much healing to do. And they have much to be redeemed from.
I am asking you, not only to read this book for yourself, because it will open your eyes to our REAL God, but also to pray for me for this weekend. That it will go smoothly and that the Holy Spirit will flood that place-whether people realize it or not!!
Thank you in advance for your prayers!

Whirlwind again...where am i?

I am sitting here pondering whether I want to dive into a pile of laundry that I know will quite literally take me about a week-pushing it. Amid the craziness of the last week and the fact that NOBODY can come to my son's birthday party (oh well...I must be bad mother of year...).
The last week has been a blur and I mean it. Between work taking over quite a few days and then my daughter waking up yesterday with serious going ons in her britches! And I mean serious-like praying literally for an hour waiting for the doctor to call. We ended up getting a 12:00 appt yesterday and went in to see him. (We've been there 6 times for the same thing and each time a different script-nothing worked), He tells us he doesn't know what it is and he is referring us to a dermatologist and an allergist.
I could've told you that considering I have 2 other children that dealt with the same thing except not as bad. Caitlyn seems to be the worst of all about it. She's scratched areas of her body so bad they bled! Ugh..poor baby. I cried yesterday just changing her poor bottom!
The dermatologist prescribed a cream that 10 minutes after applying made my baby scream for 45 minutes!!!! :( I called the doctor who so lovingly gave me her cell number and she prescribed something different-Thank you Jesus it will work.
By both the doctors recommendation and the dermatologists, she has to be in CLOTH diapers!! OMG...I have NEVER cloth diapered-EVER!! If any has any suggestions, please do so!! I do have a friend who is giving me a deal on a bunch of them, so that helps(and my MIL is buying them!!! Talk about a God thing!!)
Soooo...my poor T will have to wait until Monday to celebrate the big 12! He's so sweet, he said he just wanted his sister to feel better-what a great kid!
I did do 3 loads of laundry, but I think the rest of the laundry will have to wait until tomorrow..I am pooped and I really don't care to be honest if someone see's my real life..yes, laundry sits for days if I am too busy taking care of my babies, and yes, I will have a week to just buckle down and do it-but I find praying WHILE doing gets ALOT accomplished.
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On top of all that caous...I have my Grandmothers 90th Suprise birthday to finish the decorations and flowers for....Lord...give me more time!

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I just got through putting the NEW cream on the baby and it seems to be doing better..so Praise Report already! Please lift Caitlyn up that she will be completely healed in Jesus name! Jesus bore stripes on His back so that we wouldn't have to suffer!
Anywooo....on to spending time with the kiddos-we are gonna watch Kung Foo Panda..and I hope it's good!

Thankful Friday...

Why am I most thankful today? Because 12 years ago today, I was in a hospital delivering one of the most beautiful baby boys in this whole wide world.
I was scared and excited. I was teary eyed as I watched my best friend, the love of my life hold our lovely boy. The crinkly face...how little he was.
6lbs. 12oz to be exact. We were young, unexperienced, but I loved that child like there was no tomorrow!
I remember sitting on my bed-17 and pregnant-praying. I just sat praying that he would be healthy and have every body part and that I would be a good Mom.

Everyone said we wouldn't make it, to give him up, to move on...we decided that we would have to grow up-and FAST! And we did. We grew and He grew-and He is growing into an awesome Jesus-loving teen. I can't believe I just typed those words! My baby is a teenager.
So...to Tevin....Happy Birthday my sweet baby boy! You are growing into a mighty man of God! You are a joy and I pray you know how much you are loved!

Don't forget to post what you are thankful for in the comment box!
http://adayinthelifeofamommyof5andwife.blogspot.com/2008/11/my-thankful-listwhat-about-yours.html

Almost Wordless Wednesday...

Some important events happened in our life this week....



I can't believe it!! She pulled and stood up on our coffee table!! (and yes, that is a Christmas pillow-not because I decorated for Christmas, but because we like the pillow-k!)

Thank you, Lord for bringing Nichole home safe!!

We love this woman...I don't think she knows quite how much we certainly do!!!

Don't forget about the Thankful List!! Add yours on today!!

http://adayinthelifeofamommyof5andwife.blogspot.com/2008/11/my-thankful-listwhat-about-yours.html