Rough Week

Boy this week has been rough.  My oldest has been sick since Sunday afternoon and I have been a little under the weather as well.  I have a horrible cough.  Yesterday was a better day just relaxing and resting.  I REALLY want to use my new sewing machine.  I just don't have the energy to cut anything out.  As I write this I keep looking at my lonely sewing table with my new machine.  What do I make first?  Reusable cloth baggies for lunch, coloring totes, cloth shoes or do I mend some things?  I will be making all of these this coming year and I plan on adding pictures and maybe even some tutorials.  I know I won't be inventing the wheel on all of these but if I can help someone else out there with any tips or short cuts that will make me happy.

My New Baby!

Ok so it's not a living breathing baby but it is a new sewing machine that I got for Christmas.  My in-laws were so thoughtful and bought me a limited addition Project Runway Brother sewing machine.  My father in-law was even the one who picked it out.  He made sure to buy local so that I could take classes and learn even more.  I am so excited. I had to go to the sewing center just for them to show me how to thread the needle and work the bobbin.  I am so ready to start sewing.  Now I just have to figure out what to make first.

Money Jar

Some of you might be wondering where we got our money jar.  Harvest time in Oak Glen is a wonderful time.  This year our church family had a picnic at Riley's farm at Los Rios Rancho.  They offer some really fun things to do and one of those things is pressing apple cider.  My whole family was involved in the pressing process.  We had a great time and in the end we ended up with a gallon of golden goodness apple cider.  It came in this old fashioned glass jar.  It fits perfect in my decor and reminds us of a wonderful memory!

Merry Christmas!

Here it is Christmas morning.  What a great day to celebrate the Lord's birth. Like most families last night the children sat out the cookies and milk for Santa and when they were fast asleep we put put the gifts.  But this morning I think our family is a little different then most families.  The children are excited but not about the gifts under the tree.  You see we have taught our children the reason we have Christmas at all.  They, minus the 2 year old understand the true meaning of Christmas.  They understand the gifts we give to each other can never equal the gift Jesus gave us through his birth, life, death and resurrection. 

Every Christmas morning before a present is touched my family sits around the tree and reads the story of Christmas from Luke 2.  We read about the miraculous virgin birth and the baby King that was born in a stable.  We hear about the wise men that followed the star with gifts.  Everything in this very detailed account has a purpose.  Oh how Mary must have felt holding her saviour. Augustine said "He was created of a mother whom He created. He was carried by hands that He formed. He cried in the manger in wordless infancy, He the Word, without whom all human eloquence is mute." So this Christmas BEFORE you open your gifts I hope maybe you will take the time to reflect on Jesus and what he did for you. He came to earth and lived a perfect life only to die on a cross for our sin.  Oh what LOVE!

Big Domino's Fans

When our church has a picnic you can find a hand full of people sitting around a table playing mexican train domino's.  It has become a tradition that may or may not continue since the dynamics have changed with our Pastor being called to be the director at a boy's and girl's home in another state.  Bro. Webb really enjoyed playing domino's and it go very competitive. We had to have seating arrangements and everything.  I will have many memories of all the fun we had.  I look forward to making new traditions with our new Pastor and his family.  Here is an idea I came up with to celebrate our love for mexican train.  Hope you enjoy it and take it to your next game night.

16 vanilla cake ice cream sandwiches

several colored decorating gel tubes

Family Money Jar

This is how our money jar came about.  My hubby and I went to Hawaii a few years back and when we got home we promised the kids the next time we go we would take them.  That was a big mistake because I have a family of 7.  That is a lot of cash.  Well last year while I was at AAA I picked up a brochure for the Disney Cruise Line.  They are now sailing out of Los Angeles.  Hubby and I decided to give the kids a choice.  Disney cruise or Hawaii.  There was a catch though,  If they chose Disney and there is an opportunity for hubby and I to go to Hawaii before that we were no longer obligated to take them with.  They chose Disney Cruise!  So then we talked about how we where going to afford this trip since it was going to be more then Hawaii.  I didn't want it to be just mommy and daddy paying for it so we came up with this.

We fill the jars a couple of ways.  Every time the kids speak mean to each other they have to do an extra chore to earn a quarter to put in the jar. The day before pay day the kids search everywhere for change.  I let them dig through my mess of a purse, take the money out of the ashtray in the van and don't forget the couch (best way to get the couch clean by the way).  We do everything in cash so we always have change.  It's kinda like BofA's savings thingy.  Well its working!  I was curious and dumped the whole jar and counted it. In one month we saved $70.  I couldn't believe it!  I thought to myself I'm not budgeting very well, but that is another story I will post later.

just because box

Ok so I know that I love my kids and they know I do but some times it gets really busy and I forget to be encouraging just because.  I decided to put a "kit" together to help me be more spontanous.  I know, your asking how does that make it spontanous?  You need to always be prepared.  I think this is going to help me at those times when I was not thinking ahead and want to do or more like show my love and encouragement.  So here is a list to start my box. 

• 1 pack of mini lunch box messages for their lunches (some already filled out and some blank so you can say just the right thing)
• Mini candies (each ones favorite of course)
• coupons for different things like free time, staying up late ect....
• little toys from the dollar store
• mini puzzle to sit down right then and do with them
• a new lipstick or chapstick (mostly for the older girls)
• post it notes to cover their mirror with and other places
• a bottle of bubbles

I will add pictures of my box later.  If you have any suggestions please feel feel to leave a comment.

Bible devotions

This morning I woke up with an intense desire to read my bible.  I have always struggled with my bible reading and devotions.  I am a person who needs a schedule for almost everything.  I decided that I wasn't going to struggle with this any more.  With the Lords help I am going to stay committed to reading and learning His word. 

I went online this morning to find a good, God honoring, ladies online devotional to help and I really had a hard time finding one.  Then as I was searching and find none the Lord brought to mind a devotional that I already have sent to me on my facebook page.  I don't know how I overlooked this for so long.  So I rushed over to my facebook and found it.  It took me to www.diannasdiary.com

Dianna Carroll is a wonderful lady that once upon a time was my Pastor's wife.  She is such an encouragement to my heart.  Her life is a testimony to so many.  She has had her ups and downs and has remained faithful through it all.  Thank you Mrs. Carroll

I Just Won 21 Swag Bucks on www.swagbucks.com

I Just Won 21 Swag Bucks on www.swagbucks.com

I LOVE Swag Bucks!  If you haven't signed up yet or don't no anything about it just you earn "bucks" to spend at the swag store.  It isn't a scam. All you do to earn bucks is to use their search engine which is basically google anyway.  You earn bucks on random searches. I have redeemed 11 $5 amazon gift cards that I can use on anything I want.  Head on over and sign up.  Be sure to sign up under me and happy searchin'

http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/Shereedee

Chore Charts

I have seen some wonderful handmade chore charts on some really crafty sites and blogs but I searched and searched for something that would be right for our family.  Last year my hubby and I found http://www.myrewardboard.com/. 

I love it!  I am one who tries to reinvent the wheel on things like this and I found that I didn't have to change much.  I have 5 children and I NEED a chore chart.  Guess what, it works too.  The only time it doesn't work is when I am being inconsistent and don't follow through on checking to make sure they did their chores.  We have been slacking and haven't been using it lately but today starts another week for us and I am whipping them out again.

They even have a free trial. I'm not trying to promote any one thing but when I come across things I like I will share it with you. Post a comment and let me know what kind of chore chart or system you use.

Confused but learning

Well I have learn a lot in such a short amount of time. This blog thing is still pretty confusing to me. I don't understand lots of things like what is a button used for and linking up.  I am hoping to have a bigger following with the more crafty things I am going to post.  I am excited to create and share on this blog.  I want to build this thing but I know it will take time.  I wonder if there is a blogging for dummies book.  Maybe I should find one!

Name that Bible Character

My kids had bible character day at school.  I was really excited for this day.  We had a lot of fun picking the characters.  My oldest was the most creative.

Blog design

I really thought that designing my blog would be hard but the lady over at www.leelou-blogs.com was great help. They have some really great designs.

My first post

So I have decided to jump into this whole blogging thing. I am scared to death but if 20 million other people can do this so can I. So where to start is all I have to figure out. I am looking forward to all the fun and learning!