Potty Training...Day 1

I always tell people that you can do anything in 3 days, when it comes to common parenting milestones. Like taking a soother away or bottle, getting your child to sleep through the night, changing a bad behaviour, or potty training. Now I know some of you are thinking I've fallen off my rocker, but I believe that with a lot of consistancy and patience you can do many things in three days.

Today I started training my youngest (and last) child. It is bittersweet to not have a "baby" in the house, to be rid of diapers, and "onsies", but every stage in a family brings new joys, and as good as these last stages have been, I know that the joy ain't goin' anywhere! :)

Isabella is the 6th or 7th child that I have trained. Having an in-home daycare in the past sure adds up the amount of times you experience potty training! I have learned several things when it comes to potty training that I thought I would share. Take 'em or leave 'em.

1. Set small goals. Very small. This leaves very little room for disappointment.
2. Flood train. A good friend of mine works with autistic children and they use the "flooding" method to train. She told me about it when I trained Savannah. This way there is no guessing game. You know they are going to pee, and likely a lot which hopefully allows opportunity for some success. (Thanks great friend....you know who you are ;) )
3. Be patient. Don't get frustrated with little puddles, and the 10 changes of clothes on the first day.
4. Be the ultimate encourager. I find that kids don't really need treats or bribbery. It may help you both, and that's ok, but what they need most is a LOT of encouragement. For instance, tell them how great they are doing just sitting on the potty. Every time. No matter how little or how long they sit there for.
5. Get excited! There is nothing that I love to do more then get excited after a little tinkle ;) I mean, I shout and holler and jump up and down and dance and sing and laugh and hug and kiss... which makes little ones giggle and smile and shout and holler and jump up and down and dance and sing and giggle and smile more and more!!!!! They beam with pride!!!

Isabella isn't trained...yet. But I just set a small goal today (see #1) I hoped that she would know when she was wet. That was it. And guess what....she did!! I guess that's what happens when you give them lots to drink (#2) By being patient with her (see #3) I didn't get frustrated with the puddles (or when she peed right on me, or in my chair....twice...little monkey), she wasn't nervous or unsure of anything. She was free to learn, even learnign to help clean up the puddles :). That goes right into encouraging her. (#4) Every time she had an accident I would get her to sit on the potty. And I would say, "this is where your pee goes" which she would reply, "oh" LOL. I know that she just needed some time, and finally I caught her at the right time, and she made it to the potty in time!! (See #5) WOOT WOOT!! Once a child sees that excitement and recieves all that love and encouragement, I know that it just helps the process along :) Now remember, it wasn't my goal to have her pee in the potty today (Although I was sure hoping for it) In my eyes as far as I was concerned, if it had ended there, and she just kept having accidents, I would have considered the day a great success. But it just kept getting better! All together Isabella had 10 accidents and 6 successes :) The very last time she went, she went all by herself to the potty, before having any accidents. And everytime she did have an accident this afternoon, she went to the potty right after without me even having to ask her!

Potty Training Day 1..... huge success!!! I'll keep ya posted on how things go tomorrow.

Laundry. A never ending cycle...

Being a mom of three girls, and working on a farm means lots and lots and lots and lots of laundry. Lots. I have stated in other posts that laundry "ain't" my thing. I hated it!

Well I am pleased to say, after over 7 years of doing (or mostly ignoring) laundry. I don't hate it. Not even a little. In fact, I kind of like it. All stages... Let me tell ya why!

This summer, because it was so very hectic, my mom graciously offered to help out with my laundry. So we made an agreement that she would wash the girls laundry. Which then just left mine and J's, towels and barn clothes. Now I realize that not everyone has a mom like mine, who has this weird love for laundry (love ya Ma ;) ) But for me, it was a step in helping me realizing that I could actually maintain the other laundry. The laundry was always done....for like, the first time ever!

After a short time, I did a little bit of research about laundry... sounds a little bizarre I know, but clearly I wasn't born with any common sense regarding the issue. :) On the website Circle of Moms (which is basically a website where moms from all around can ask questions, offer tips and advice) It gave several suggestions. Here are the ones that helped me.

1. Do at least one load of laundry everyday.
                        Simple right?
2. Have a separate laundry hamper for every child.
                        This is the one that has made the BIGGEST difference for me, so I will explain a little bit here. Isabella, has her own laundry hamper, but Savannah and Lily used to share one. Which once things got to the folding process, I was left with a lot of sorting. Now, I know that doesn't seem like a big deal, but Lily and Savannah are close to the same size, and even though I am their mom,  there are too many pink girlie clothes to be able to always know what belongs to who. Therefore, I was always looking at tags, which made the whole process longer. Since getting their own hampers, I can put everything in the washer, and when it comes out, I already know exactly where it needs to be put away!
3. Fold as you take it out of the dryer.
                       Anyone else out there guilty of piling laundry cause you just wanna get it done and washed?!?! My room was often floor-less because I would wash all the laundry, saying I'll fold that later....but then I was left with even more sorting...big piles of sorting...
4. Keep drawers cleaned out.
                       There is nothing more frustrating then trying to shove clothes into a drawer. So I cleaned out dressers. If it wasn't the kids favorite things then we took them out, or if things were stained we now use them as barn clothes. The biggest thing here is rotating the clothes so that their drawers weren't full of clothes that didn't fit. Keeping things better organized in the drawers makes putting away easy and less frustrating.
5. Put clothes away after folding.
                       Now that the girls stuff is all separated, it makes it easy to put the laundry away promptly.
6. See laundry as a blessing.
                      If I have laundry, and a lot of it, it clearly means that God has blessed us with being able to have lots of clothes, and there are many people in the world that are not as fortunate. I am also blessed with a working washer and dryer. I don't have to take my laundry to a laundry mat, or wash things by hand.

I hope this helps anyone who battles and struggles with laundry. And to those of you who already know what your doing...keep up the great work!

I'm back....I think... LOL

Wow, has it really been June since I posted last? That really wasn't my intent on leaving the blogging world for so long... Oh Well!

Let me give you a sneak peak at what summer has looked like for me.

July was a busy, "growing" month. Helping out with VBS at our church was so much fun. There is just something about turning a sanctuary into an adventurous place for kids that makes everyone excited! This year we did SonSurf beach bash. It was a huge success in my opinion :)

About a week after that, myself along with other volunteers and the Youth participated in a mission tour called Tidal Impact. This event was definitely the highlight of my summer. The way that God stretched me, and opened my eyes to see our youth on a whole new level, was life changing. Along with serving people within our church and community, meeting people's needs through lots of hard work really shows why it is God calls us to serve. There were blessings all around!

Aside from church activities, life on the farm has been of course busy. Putting up silage and hay, and working away at the other normal chores have kept me busy. Most recently we trained calves for the the local exhibition. Leading the calves, washing and clipping them. It was so fun! And we learned some ways that we can improve some of the mistakes that were made this time, so that the calves do better another year, or in another show. Doing these things has really given the girls some first hand experiences, and taught the some responsibility. They enjoyed it all. The good the bad and the ugly :)

Now, things are are starting to settle into a good fall routine. Lily is back to school. Grade two...hard to believe really. But she is enjoying it and looks forward to going each day. Now, I realize this is only week two, but I am hoping that it sticks. It's been nice to not always be counting down to the weekend.

I guess that the summer in a nutshell :)

Stay tuned for info about some of the things I learned this summer to keep me better organized!

My little old treasures....

Some of you may not know that I love old stuff! The house that we live in used to be J's Grandfather's house. (I believe that we are the 4th or 5th generation to live in this house, cool or what!) Anyway, when the attic was being cleaned out, lots of little treasures were found that I fell in love with!! I thought I would share a couple with you. Hope you enjoy!

When the cupboards were gone through, this plate was found! Blue and yellow have always been my favorite colors, and pink is right up there since having three girls...the color just grows on ya! This plate was love at first sight, and I am so happy to have it!

And it works great with fresh chocolate-chip cookies!

These shelves were given to us as a Christmas present from my parents. They were put up in our living room before I even knew what was going to go on them. So up to the attic I went, and I found the box of things that were set aside for me. On the left are old cream bottles, and a tin that held yeast. In the middle is an old lantern, and a not-so-old vase. I love the pop of red! On the right is another cream bottle filled with old wooden spools of thread, and then there are old hymnals (And a painted rock that Lily gave J for fathers day!)

When we renovated our house 2 years ago, and we looked at designs for our kitchen cupboards, these little shelves were actually drawn up as wine storage. Not being wine drinkers, we asked if we could just have little shelves instead. Again, I had no idea what I could put on them. At first I thought plants, but I am not much of a green-thumb... so up to the attic I went again!

Here is a closer pic of what is on the shelf. The top shelf has an old post card, which is rather ridiculous! Ha!, and an old memorandum book. The second shelf has an old cigarette can, a not-so-old baking powder container, and an old tin that held OXO cubes. The third shelf has a Frozen Food Saw on it. The box is so vintage and the saw is still in the box!! I don't think it was ever uesed! The other two items on the shelf aren't old at all, but fit in well, adding some color!

The bottem shelf has 2 old cans that held yeast. And they still sell that same yeast today (there is a modern style jar of the yeast there too.) And those bottles are old food coloring bottles, and an old mint flavoring botttle.

This is some of my bathroom decor :) An old bandaids tin, and two tins of after shave "talc"...whatever that is! There is still "talc" in them, which Savannah has tried to use on several occasions as toilet bowl cleaner...

This clock was given to us as a wedding gift from my great aunt and uncle!

This is an old chest that was up in the attic too. It is one of my favorite things. I have little file folder boxes inside it for our files, and our cds are in there too! Cool filing cabnit and Cd storage case, eh?!

These are up in my laundry "room" (it's more of a hall then a room, but whatever :) ) It is an old clothes "dryer" and "washer" and "iron"! I also have some vintage laundry soap boxes, but don't have any shelves over the washer and dryer...yet :)

I just love the old with the new. It is amazing to see how far things have come over the years and how things have improved.

I am gonna link up with playingwithmycamera.blogspot.com! This fab lady is actually my neighbour, and has terrific blogs filled with stunning photos, and she has a liking to vintage stuff as well! Check it out!!

Big "Muskles"(muscles)...

Most nights when putting the kids to bed, Savannah always wants me to tell her a story. Not from a book, but from the top of my head. Well, I am not overly creative to just tell a story and the "princess/prince" stories just get old so fast. So usually I will tell her a bible story.

One particular night, I told her the story of Noah and the Arc. A common story. She listened so very intently, helped me list off so many different animals, we flapped our arms as if we were the dove going for the olive branch. And of course at the end, I told her that God sent a rainbow as a promise that He would never flood the whole earth as He did then. I am not really sure how that triggered the next part of our conversation....

Savannah (with BIG eyes): "Mummy, you know what?"
Me: "What?" (thinking that the story just went over her head....)
Savannah: "Did you know that God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to die on the cross?"
Me: (WHOA...not didn't expect that....) "Yes, do you believe that Jesus came and died on the cross to save us from our sins, from all the things that we do wrong?"
Savannah: "Mmhm, I do"
Me: "Do you believe that after Jesus died, that He rose again and left His spirit, part of Himself, to live in our hearts?"
Savannah: "Yeah Mummy."
Then I said: "If you believe those things, we can pray, and ask Jesus to come and live in your heart, and then you can go to heaven."
Savannah (with REALLY big eyes this time): "But Mummy, if I were there, when Jesus was on the cross, I would have climbed up there and taken Him down.
Me: "Yeah?" (with little tears in my eyes!)
Savannah: "Yeah, 'cause I got big muskles! (As she flexes and feels her"muscles")

Then we prayed, and she asked Jesus to come into her heart.

Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14

Party Animals....

The past few weeks have been crazy both with work and birthday parties. Savannah and Isabella's birthday's are only 15 days apart, which leaves us partying for a couple of weeks :)

In year's past, Alana, (my Sis-in-law who used to work in a bakery) would decorate the girls cakes. She always did such a great job, and even though they were store bought cakes, they were still special because she would decorate them. When she left there, I still bought the girls cakes, but was always a little disappointed in how they looked. I even purchased a couple where you could hardly read what the name was...it was awful. And as a mom, I want things to look good, especially on their birthdays. So, this year, I decided to make their cakes. I made their cakes from scratch, but bought the icing as I haven't really played around with icing a lot or found any that I really like. (I am not much of a sweet tooth to be honest)

For Isabella's, I made a cow cake. She is OBSESSED with cows. Cats are cows, dogs are cows, even birds are cows. When we drive around in keswick, she knows where the cows are! (Farmer already ;) ) So after a couple of google image searches, I found a couple of cow cakes, and sort of created it into one of my own, and I must say, it didn't turn out too bad for my first ever "themed" cake! Here are some pics of her party...

I told her to say cheese....and this is how she responded...LOL

The Cow Cake...the spots are brown...they look darker in this pic, but I just thought that I should clarify, ha!
(Sorry that it is sideways...not sure how to fix that, fixed it in my pictures folder, but it wouldn't add it on here right....)

1st and 4th generation!

For Savannah's, I noticed rainbow Cupcakes on a blog that I follow found here. I used my own homemade cake recipe, but the results of the colors turned out great! Savannah was thrilled!  Here are some pics from her party...

RAINBOW CUPCAKES!

Present time! (I don't have many pics of present, as her back was to the camera. Well that, and Savannah didn't waste anytime :)

4!!! (Hard for this Mumma to believe!)

Mmmm, mmm, good!

Miss Lily enjoying her's!

When Isabella see's a camera, her automatic response is to say "Cheese"...even if her mouth is full!

It was so fun making the girls cakes for their birthday's, and wish I had started it sooner. They too were very excited which made it that much more special! I wonder what I will be able to create next...

I am gonna link up with

Enjoy!

Farmer Girl...

It really is hard to believe that I have been working on the farm for four months now. Everyday when I think that I have some things down pat, Frank or Joel throw something else at me to learn!! My summer duties are different then the winter ones. But I will start with what I did at first (because that is what I actually have pictures for)

On a typical "winter" week, I would work 4ish hours a day 4 days a week (Tues. - Fri.) Wednesday's was the day we always gave the cattle new bedding, which I was so very slow at, but I improved pretty quick (Which I am sure brought great relief to J! Ha!)

 The girls absolutely love the barn! Especially the calves. They like to go right in the pens with them and everything! And as you can see, the calves like them just as much!

Savannah will often go right in the calf suites....or shut Isabella in there. Now Isabella knows how to open the gates all by herself. And we have found her in there visiting!

Tali is our cow dog. She is an English shepherd and is doing much better with the cows. I train her any chance I get!

This is the young cattle barn. They are enjoying silage. In the summer they all get moved up to the home barn. I love it when they get moved up here. It's nice to look out the window and see cows!

I am glad that spring is over...and the barnyard doesn't look like this anymore. It means for a little cleaner fun for the girls :) Not that they mind the muck!

You know, they even trust me to drive the tractors around the farm. These next pics are of me getting silage for the cows. It is quite a procedure. Now that silage season is here, I am driving and handling silage much more so by winter I am sure handling theese bales will be easy breezy then....thank goodness!

I can honestly say, for probably one of the first times in my life that I love my job. I love the diversity of it, and the challenge and being able to learn all the time. I love being able to help out my family in a bigger way by working on the farm. I love my kids being outside a lot more (I am even tanned...for those of you who know me, know that I am white....always) I love working alongside of my husband!! There are still lots of things that I don't even know how to do, and I am far from being an expert at the things that I have learned. But the things that I am doing now, I can see my progress and that I am getting better. Just think...one day, when a piece of machinery breaks, I may know how to fix it!!!

Hopefully I will have some pictures soon of "summer" farming. These winter ones don't even show half the stuff that gets done, but they show you a glimpse of life on our farm. Farming in the summer is very busy though, as I am sure some of you have noticed by how often I am posting! My 4ish hours a day increase quite a lot some days :)

Blogs on the way...

Hi everyone!

I hope you haven't completly given up on me! I just wanted to let you know that I do have some blogs coming! They will include "Life on the Farm....", "My little singer..." and "My old little treasures..."

So stay tuned!

Tech Dependent...

Last Wednesday, in the whirlwind of getting home from the farm by noon, bathing 3 kids and heading to the Doctor to get Lily checked out (she had strep throat) I washed my cell phone. It went through the soak, rinse and spin cycle and although it came out nice and clean and shiny... it doesn't work....

This is the smart phone I had. Now if only it had a smart owner :)

So today I took it in, and it is being sent away to see if it can be fixed, they gave me a "loaner" phone which they put my "washed" battery in it so it isn't charging either.... grrrrr.

I didn't really realize how much I used it and how much I depended on my phone. I put my grocery list on there, all the numbers of people that I need to contact were in it, my calander is in there. My music and alarms and some pictures were all on there and it was how I kept track of time when I was out and about. I think the thing that is upseting me the most is how much I depend on that little tiny piece of technology. I mean, 20 years ago smart phones didn't even exist and people survived. So I guess I will too.

These are a great tool, but I always get a little nervous
when I hear the word "Recalculating"

I am realizing that in this day in age most everyone is dependent on technology in some way whether it is cell phones or TV or internet or GPS....whatever it may be, and I am not sure how I feel about all that yet. Technology is great and we can do great things because of it, but the little saying "less is more" keeps popping in my head. I mean, how much is need  and how much is want? I am having a little bit of a learning experience through just that question. Do I really need my phone? Or internet? Or a GPS...which lately they seem to have a mind of their own according to the news... I can't say that I have an answer. And I am sure that it is different for everyone. I do know that I feel ridiculus for feeling "sad" about a ruined phone. Life could be so much worse.

I am learing that I can survive just fine without one. Well that, and to check pockets on laundry day...

So are you Tech Dependent or is it just me?

"Blacewets"....

I am sitting here on this Easter Monday, (sitting when I should be baking...Monday is bake day) and the girls are having a great time cutting paper and decorating Bracelets or "Blacewets" as Savannah calls them. They are laughing at each others creations. I love how they cut the bracelet and then they measure to see if it fits. It is no surprise that after cutting so much paper that the floor is now scattered with little bits of it...no worries. Savannah just hauls in the garbage can from the kitchen. "There we go, Lily" she says. Lily is encouraging Savannah the whole time, telling her to keep trying, asking her opinion on what she is doing. Oh....wait now...lights are being created.....and hats....and mini-hats....oh and skates. Of course all of these things are just little cut-ups of paper. They don't look anything like the real thing. I love their imaginations. I love holidays where the girls can play and have fun. I love how well they get along. I just love 'em!!!

Well I better get to my baking. Bread, chocolate chip cookies and molassas cookies are on the agenda today, with shepherds pie for lunch :) Have a blessed day everyone, and take time to enjoy the little things in life...like paper "Blacewets" :)

The Saddest Day...

Life is often so busy and so complicated and usually all brought on by ourselves. Sometimes it seems that the more kids you have the more complicated it is. The higher up the "ladder" in your career the more complicated it is. The more things you are involved in the more complicated it is. 

God sent Jesus to us, and he walked amoung people not a whole lot different then we are. After all, they were sinners....and I am pretty sure we all are too. He was tempted and challanged and He taught through it all. Today we are still learning about His journey here on earth, as short as it was.

Today in church the pastor talked about the Words of Jesus, particularily the Words he spoke on the cross. Jesus taught many things, forgiveness being one of them. And interestingly enough how in the last moments of Jesus' life, the thing that he taught about forgiveness he modelled even more beautifully. After many hours of pure torture; from brutal beatings, to His crown of thorns, to carrying His cross.... one of the last things He says is "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34) He could have been there, hanging by nails, bleeding, and so exhausted and turn on the people, He was a perfect man dying a criminals death, yet he asked for the Father to forgive the sins of the people. He died, and took away our sins. My sins.

Life is complicated. If you are seeking for it to be a little clearer, or want to know more of your purpose in life, the answer isn't all that complicated. Believe. Believe that God sent his Son Jesus. He lived and taught us the way we should live. He died on the cross out of love for all the people that were, are, and yet to be. I am so glad that the story doesn't end there. As I saw on a facebook status today, "The saddest day is almost over, the greatest day is yet to come." ~J.H. :)

No such thing...

I always have this desire to do things perfectly. I like this about me most of the time, challenging myself to give it my all, to stay focused and do it (whatever it may be) well. But, as shocking as this may sound, I am not perfect. The way I parent isn't always perfect, the things that I say aren't always perfect, they way I act isn't always perfect, the way I lead isn't always perfect. I'm not always the perfect wife, or daughter or sister or friend. I am definately NOT a perfect housekeeper.

There has only ever been 1...ONE person before me that lived a perfect life. Jesus. And as a follower of Him, I live, and breath, and serve and strive to be more like Him. I choose to keep a positive attitude (Which I am not always perfect at) I choose to be optimistic (Which I am not always perfect at) I choose to see the best in people (Which I am not always perfect at)

I thank God that he is perfect, and that He sent His son so that we could see how we should live our life. I will never be perfect, but I can serve, worship and love a perfect God. And God directs, supports, helps, forgives and loves me perfectly, Inspite of my imperfections. There is no such thing as perfect people!!

Never let 'em see you when you're breaking

Never let 'em see you when you fall

That's how we live and that's how we try

Tell the world you've got it all together

Never let them see what's underneath

Cover it up with a crooked smile

But it only lasts for a little while

[CHORUS:]

There's no such thing as perfect people

There's no such thing as a perfect life

So come as you are, broken and scarred

Lift up your heart and be amazed
And be changed by a perfect God

 

Suddenly it's like a weight is lifted

When you hear the words that you are loved

He knows where you are and where you've been

And you never have to go there again

[CHORUS]

 

Who lived and died to give new life

To heal our imperfections

So look up and see love. Let grace be enough

[CHORUS]

 

By a perfect God [5x]

 

Be changed by a perfect God

Be changed

Pray for Opal and her friend....

The craziness continued right through to my trip to Halifax, it was a quick trip there and back filled with lots of chatting with my bro and bestest friend and kisses to my 9month old nephew. It was also filled with lots of learning at my course Saturday which has "filled" me up. I still have some assignements to do, but I am feeling better about them knowing that I am more ontrack then I previously had thought.

This in one of my favorite verses, Jerimiah 29:11-13:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “Plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray I will listen. When you search wholeheartedly, you will find me.”

People closest to me know that when I travel I only like to stop when necessary. For example when the gas tank is empty. Not for multiple bathroom breaks or even drive-thru. When I go some where I like to get there, and I often forget that God didn't bless everyone with a gigantic bladder like me. With that being said, when I approached Moncton Friday on my way to Halifax I realized that I didn't have any cash for the $4.00 toll in Halifax. I had to stop at the big stop and get some cash...sigh...I was a little mad at myself because I know J always has lots of change on his dresser and I should have remembered this toll. But I didn't, so I was going to loose 5-10min of travel time.

The whole time up to this point I was thinking about this particular verse a lot and how I have used it many times in the past, how it has been an encouragment to me and how I have held on to it as a promise. The weather had been pretty good, sunny sometimes and overcast and at times with a trace of flurries. As I approached Sackville NB, it went from that to a blizzard. I am pretty sure you could have drawn a line on the road where the snow stopped and started. Within minutes I saw several cars ahead of me slow down. The first thought I had was that there must be an animal on the road, or that it was just the all-of-a-sudden conditions. I, too, slowed right down, amost to a stop, when the van ahead of me pulled over and the man driving got out. Richard. He looked past my van and naturally I looked to see what he was looking at. What I saw was a half ton truck on it's side, and the wheels were still turning. I got out and Richard and I were running towards it to find two girls in there. The truck was resting on the the passenger side and the girl in the passenger side, Opal, had her leg out the passenger side window. She was stuck there. Well, they both were.  

Richard was on the phone, getting the professionals on their way which I was very glad for because I am not sure if I would have been able to tell them very good directions other then between moncton and sackville.... There wasn't much I could do other then sit/lay on the ground, in the snow with lots more snow coming down by the minute and hold Opal's hand and talk to her and her friend. (Forgive me for not remembering Opal's Friends name...) Her Friend was on the phone calling people she knew, she was shaken up, naturally. But for the most part ok. Opal was crying, scared, cold, and hurt. She wasn't moving much, not that she had much option. but she could wiggle her toes and wipe her tears. I kept talking. Learning about them, where they lived where they had been, how the accident happened. and finding out that they were around my age. All the while reassuring them help was on the way, that everything was going to be ok, and praying for the words to say. It took about 30-40 minutes for help to arrive. When they got there, they sprung into action. (We are so blessed to live in a place that help is just a phone call away, and they are fast and efficient once they get there!) I prayed for the firefighters and paremdics and police and still for Opal and her Friend. I waited awhile, and was getting wetter and colder by the second. Richard and I talked small talk about where we were headed and where we were from. I asked him if he had ever experienced something like this before. He was a volunteer firefighter for 12 years. (Coincidence? I think not...) He then asked me the same question, and I said no but that I had taken the First Aid Course a few times. He looked at me, shook my hand and said, thank you for stopping. You handled it like a pro. Not everyone can stop (As I clearly witnessed). He then said that he was going to go, and I agreed. There was nothing more that we could do other then just be in the way.

If I hadn't needed money for the toll, I wouldn't have been there. God knew the plan. He gave me eyes to be very aware of the weather and the traffic in front of me, and he gave me the courage to stop, run, and stay with strangers. He had a plan for me that day. And for everyday. He has a plan for Opal and her friend. I hope that through this they find Him. And I hope you will take just a second to pray for them too.

" 'For I know the plans I have for you', declares the Lord." Thank God for that!!

CrAzYness...

I thought I would just let all of you know that I haven't fallen off the face of the planet. I am still here. It has been insanely busy! i am going to let you in on just today:

I had Lily all ready and on her way to school by 7:15am
Savannah and Isabella were all ready and finishing up their breakfast when Lily got on the bus and we headed down to the barn at 7:30am.
From 7:30-11:30 I fed cows grain and silage, shook up their bedding (so they would be comfy cozy, this is what I tell Savannah when she asks me Why) sterilized calf pens, cleaned out the gutter, and of course catered to two little girl when they wanted a drink or whatever, and when one had a little accident and stripped down half naked.... in the barn... no joke. Never a dull moment.
Then I came home had a quick bite to eat and switched over some laundry and headed down to the church to clean. J stayed home with the girls and took a longer break then usual. It was nice to have some time with just me, even if it was spent cleaning. Cleaning my church is hardly work, I love my church, and I am glad that it is used enough to need to be cleaned :)
Then home again to vacuum, do dishes and starighten up some things, do some more laundry.
Then off to Lily's Student Led Conference at 3-4. She is doing very well in school and is always very excited to show us the things she has been working on. And Isabella and Savannah are very happy to go and explore her classroom. Savannah can't wait to go to school.
Back home to drop J off, and I headed into town with my girlies, went to the bank and then off to the petro to vacuum and scrub my van. I guess it is safe to say that most everywhere is clean now!
Back home...again, and am waiting for the kids to tidy up some of their toys that they played with today, then I will be doing more laundry... I head to Halifax in the morning for a youth leadership training program. And the girls are staying at moms, so I guess packing is still an item to do before bed. And I still have reading to do for papers to write that are due in a couple weeks.... and I have to make a pot of chili....and send off a couple e-mails.... told ya it was crazyness. That was just today.

I promise I will get back to my regular more purposeful posts......one day. But that day ain't today!

First week done...

I have finished my first week on the farm! Yay! And what a great week. :) It was like it was saturday everyday. The kids and I would get up an get ready (which always took longer then I would allow, I'll be glad when we don't need to layer up as much) and then we would head down to the barn. The girls all looked pretty spiffy in there coveralls. They have had so much fun. And again, J and I are realizing how great it is that I started on the farm now, while the kids are young instead of waiting until they are older and they don't want to come. I realize that there will be a day when they won't want to come, but we are enjoying these days, where they jump up and down with excitement, they like to help feed and sweep, but mostly they just play around. Isabella likes to play with a door that she can open and close all by herslef because it is a handle instead of a nob. Savannah wanders about, like she owns the place, alway observing. And Lily pretty much tries to stay clean, and makes sure the younger two aren't getting into any trouble, lol!

I am enjoying working along side of Joel. (And pa-in-law :) ) Some days I haven't felt like I have "helped" that much at all and am often reminding myself that I will get better and faster and it all just takes time. My biggest struggle is getting things at home done. Truth be told though, without 2-4 extra kids wandering about, it doesn't get nearly as messy. I think I am used to cleaning all the time, that is why is weird if I don't have to do it now. I am sure this is also a struggle where I am back to paper writing again. The other struggle I have and fear the most is that my house (and van) will start to smell like the barn. So I have a huge tote at our entry way where all or most of our clothes go in as soon as we step in the door. I think it is working, but I tend to ask almost everyone who comes in if my house smells like the barn, lol! When I am not going to be at the barn for a day or more then everything gets washed ASAP. (My washer and dryer aren't gonna know what hit 'em...I HATE laundry! But I hate my house smelling like the barn more)

We are still trying to figure out a good schedule of my tasks as I still haven't done some of the things we decided I could do, like lead cows and clean them. Hopefully time the classifier comes again we'll have some cleaner cows....who knows...

Anyway, sorry for a more rambling post...I just thought I would update you on my new life as a farmer :) Have a great weekend everyone!

Make a difference...

Do you ever wonder if what you do in a child/youths life makes a difference? I have a huge passion for Youth ministry and I can tell that my interest for childrens ministry is also growing and how they all work together. And one question that keeps coming to mind is, "Am I really making a difference?" Am I the only one who thinks this....um...probably not.

When thinking of an answer, it made me reflect on my own experience raising my own kids. Sure we laugh and play and read and run and sing and dance and eat and snuggle (the list could go on and on) But am I making a real difference in their life? Am I teaching them things that will stick with them through the day, week, year...until they are adults? Am I teaching them things that will last all eternity? It seems that just when I feel like I am not doing enough I am reminded by my dear children, that I, Me, Amy, am indeed making a difference. For example, when it is Easter Lily reminds ME what it is all about, Jesus coming. Jesus Living. Jesus Dying. Jesus RISING. Same as when it is Chirstmas, the info that both her and Savannah have taken in they reteach me what Christmas is all about and the ultimate gift that was given. (however, sometimes, when they are talking about their "wishlist" with their friends, they say often with a big sigh that "Christmas isn't all about presents anyway, it's about Jesus' Birthday. I guess they are kids afterall... :) ) They remind me when the radio is on and they sing along or dance freely to the worship songs that they are familiar with from church and at home. My favorite is when the song comes on "Oh no you never let go, through the calm or through the storm....oh you never let go of me..." and Lily says, "Mommy, that song means the Jesus and God never let go of us." Oh how right she is. Most often then not, they remind me when I need it the most.

So let me encourage you. Whether you work with kids, are in children/youth ministry, have kids of your own, what you are doing IS making a difference. What you are teaching them IS going to stick with them.You just never know when God is going to refresh their memory on the things they have been taught. But a good question to ask yourself is, am I fully helping them prepare for their day, week, life.....eternity?

"Our chiildren will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord. His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born. They will hear about everything he has done." Psalm 22:30-31

Last Day....

It's my last day. Really. I can hardly believe that after today I won't have any other kids on a daily basis other then my own. Seems weird and I don't think that it will fully kick in for a few weeks. So for this post, I am gonna reminisce on some of the greatness of the past 4 years.

1. dancing with the kiddies (mostly like I fool)
2. hearing them giggle at my sillyness (we heard LOTS of giggling)
3. comforting them in their time of sorrow (like when they can't find the last piece to their puzzle)
4. serving them (like a mom, friend, and Christ follower)
5. teaching them how to share and participate in all things together (even cleaning!)
6. listening to them play together (and fight together....and hear them solve the problem themselves in non-violent ways)
7. seeing their face light up when I make their favorite snack/lunch (kids love when you make food just for them)
8. being showered with hugs and cuddles (enough said)
9. their endless questions about everything great or small (from why are you making that to why did Jesus die on the cross)
10. the thing I will miss the most is just knowing them. These kids come in my house and I am a stranger. It takes time for them to get comfortable to bring their sorrows to me, laugh and dance like no one is watching, some don't talk, and then they don't stop, they tell me stories and color me pictures, they run with open arms into mine and tell me they love me, I'll miss watching them overcome fears and seeing them grow up even more then they have in the short time that they have been here.

In my experience in doing this I have gained even more patience, I have learned to love even more, I have become a better parent and wife, I have learned that all you do and go through is all apart of God's plan and to just go with it. And I'll admit, sometimes I wore sweat pants, had no make-up on and had messy hair (Ok 98% of the time this is how it is) but the kids didn't care they accepted me as I was and we had a blast! These kids will hold a special part of my heart forever!

A great thing is that I still get to do all these things with my own kids! And cherish them even more!

Aren't kids such a great blessing?

Money Savers....

Since deciding that I was going to leave the daycare buisness and start working on the farm, J and I discussed some ways that we could save money.

One way of saving is by baking everything! So with a great purchase off Ebay for a Kitchenaid mixer, why wait until I am working on the farm to save money?!? I bake on Mondays (this will be my third week) cookies, cakes, bread, rolls and muffins are usually on the agenda. Bread I must say will save us the most money and it was a good time to switch before the kids decide that store-bought bread is their favorite. A new thing that I am going to try this week is butter, I'll let you know how that goes :)

Another way is by doing weekly meal plans. This is already saving us lots of money by getting only the groceries that we need and by using what we already have. It makes the desire to go out less tempting too when there is plan in place, expecially on Sundays after church. Also, it forces me to try some new recipes(which is great) and to eat healthier (also great) AND the kids LOVE this too. Lily espcially where she can read the menu, I don't hear as many groans when it's meal time becuase she already knows a head of time what she is going to be having. I saw this idea on my friend Gina's blog (Sorry Gina I don't know how to add a link to you) Anyway her blog is called A Mommy Montage, (hopefully that link works...) Check her out, she has lots of fab stuff to say, she is very inspirational to me as a mom, and I have learned so much!

What are some ways that you save money? What are your favorite recipes (I am always looking for new recipes)

They say another snow day is on the way... I'll admit, I LOVE snow days! And a snow day filled with baking would be wonderful! So my fingers are crossed for one. Drive safe to any of you who are driving tomorrow!

To be a princess....

Around the same time last year, every Sunday morning on our way to church Savannah would ask if we were going to the "Castle". Joel and I would often look at each other, shrug our shoulders and say, "No we are going to church". It wasn't until the summer, after multiple trips to the church in a week to help my cousin prepare for her wedding did I realize what Savannah was talking about. We pulled in, like I said after spending LOTS of time there, and Savannah got very upset and said, "Oh Mommy I don't wanna go to the castle again!" Well after not having a clue what she was talking about before, I started to laugh. (Which only made her more upset) She got over it, and endured yet another trip. Now when she asks if we are going to the "Castle" I say yes. I can't tell you why she thinks that is what it is called, or where she got the idea from, but I can tell you that I love it!

Can you imagine, if on Sunday mornings, as you were getting ready for church that you were preparing to go to a Castle? Do you think your attitude would be different? Would you be more excited? Would you be less tempted to miss a week? Would you tell more people about it?

Can you imagine being royal yourself? To be a princess? Well, you're in luck! 1 Peter 2:9-10 says "For you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 'Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God's people. Once ou recieved no mercy; now you have received God's Mercy.'"

This week, are you gonna go to the "Castle"? After all, that is the place we go to meet our King!

Princess Savannah