Just a quick pit stop to plug a site. If you coupon do not throw away your expired ones. Military families overseas can use them for 6mos past the expiration date. Got to Couponstotroops.com to donate.

Well it's been a while, hasn't it? I have actually been a little busy. I went to Baton Rouge for a practicum with Classical Conversations. Did I mention God has opened that door for us?! I will be tutoring two classes. I was very nervous but after the classes that is no longer the case. I'm excited now! I won't lie there is still some reserve nervousness but I think it's healthy.

I'm going to Lafayette next month for the practicum for the 2nd class. I will take Syd and The baby, my two shadows. We will have fun. I took V and Syd (& of course the baby) to BR and it was quite the task getting used to bring his ONLY caregiver while in conference. Picture, if you can, me trying to take notes while trying to keep an 8 month old crawling, vocal baby entertained. It was certainly a challenge. By Gods grace we made it though.

My big boy went off to camp this week and this is the first year he is alone! No Uncle or cousins like he's used to. I just want to be with him because he admitted he is sad but I know I can't. He'll be just fine. It's me I'm worried about. I did write to him per his request. He such a sweetie. Come on Friday!

Well the Fourth of July is next week. It's on a Thursday this year. It is unusually difficult to celebrate a holiday like that'll week. I don't know if I am supposed to wait till Saturday or just cook on Thursday. I don't mind it that way but we will have company this year and in sure they have to work Friday morning so I don't want to keep them too long. It will be fun.

This is a very lively stage if life. Babies all around, jobs taking us here and there, weddings etc... I can't help but wonder what the future me will miss most. I know ice said that before and I know I should be enjoying the moment but sometimes I can't help it. Speaking of jobs, I have not worked outside the home in a year!!! I have NEVER not worked that long! I am still adjusting but I know it will be an even bigger adjustment for me when I do go back... whenever that is. Part of me misses being in the workplace and conversing on topics other than who hit whom and why. Another part of me knows how long I've prayed for this and wishes that first part would shut up and sit down.

Well I'm excitedly looking forward to this new phase. I will attempt to keep you posted!

Summer Fun and Clingy baby

Well as we have attempted to shift to 'summer schooling' we've learned that its not as easy as it looked on paper. The lure of the other kids and the absence of the alarm clock seek to destroy it all! I need a sure fire way to defeat them both! Any suggestions?? Well I plan to set a loose schedule for the school/alarm part. as far as the constant barrage of neighbor kids... well we will have to work on that.

I have a little boy. Hes the cutest 8 month old in the land. He adores me... to say the least. He wants me with him most all the time and sleeping in his bed is a definite no-go for him. I don't mind co-sleeping per se but he is no longer comfortable in his, er... my bed so he fusses till I'M out! The nerve!  have tried several different methods to get him to sleep in his bed but to no avail. He will 'hang out' in the crib if I'm folding clothes or something but to go to sleep is not happening. I really don't want to use the CIO (cry it out) method but it's coming down to that. I know he is ONLY 8 months and this wont last long but t really doesn't feel that way at 2am when everyone else is sleeping peacefully and I am staring at the walls...again.

On a positive note I am getting through 'The Money Saving Mom's Budget' book by Crystal Paine. It is quite insightful. A few of the things  was already doing but she has given such awesome ideas to further reduce my grocery bill. I am working on other areas to reduce as well but this is my biggest project. I am so pleased to say that today's grocery bill was significantly less than the previous ones, about $80 less! Now I did use some coupons but I mainly tweaked my menu and shopped from the sales ads. I usually pre-plan my menu from what we want to eat (or what I want to cook). That method is fine at some point, I assume but for now the way she suggests is best (as evidenced by the $80 savings). I did plan my menu for 2 weeks and I will browse the circulars next week to see if there are any great deals but otherwise Ill leave them alone. I do shop for markdowns on meat, dairy & some produce and I typically get bread products (buns, tortillas etc) from the bread store. My largest obstacle in my menu planning is the picky eater. It seems no matter what I put on the menu for breakfast or lunch they turn their noses up. I have a few tricks up my sleeves though. I'll report back on those later.

Well school is officially out in the public schools here which of course mean the neighborhood kids are coming over more frequently now. Also the steady barrage of 'can we/they spend the night?'. In sure we will soon be visited by the 'I'm bored's' but I am determined to defeat that this summer and not in the conventional way. I have decided to continue schooling through the summer. I won't be as 'structured' as in the fall but I will keep certain subjects open. I think we will focus on math, spelling ( I plan to do a spelling bee bi-weekly), reading, bible and some kid friendly science experiments. It sounds like a lot but I won't be doing all of it daily as to make time for their summer activities & mine.

Our budget is still tight but through God all has been provided! He never ceases to amaze me. He has made a way for us to continue with Classical Conversations! I am so excited! I find myself channelling my inner frugal now though. I am currently reading 'The Money Saving Mom's Budget' by Crystal Paine. She gives awesome advice. Some I am already following (Dave Ramsey's budget system and monthly menus and such). My garden, which I have discovered may not be large enough for all of us, & my menus show the biggest improvement with regards to money saving. I enjoy the challenge of seeing how much I can save without the household knowing the difference in quality of meals. I have turned to my beloved Pinterest for tips on homemade recipes. If you don't know the wealth of info on there, as I have said before, you are missing out!

Well today's picture is me and my husband in our best cowboy dress for Cowboy Sunday event at our church. Don't judge me for not having my actual cowgirl boots on. I had to throw them away a few months back from overuse. I truly adore cowboy boots!

I may do an update soon as thee is something I just know I'm forgetting to include in my update but I can't pinpoint it. I have a cacophony of children sounds in my background and its a little hard to focus.

Such an eventful week. No one thing in particular we've just been busy. We got the garden mostly finished (pic to follow). Trying to wrap up school and set up for summer school. I will keep math, reading, & writing. I am also going to introduce spelling bee words. My goal is to actually hold a weekly spelling bee but we will see how that goes.

My oldest has mentioned a vague interest in aviation and of course I jumped on it. There is a local Civil Air Patrol unit that I may look into. If any of you have any experience with CAP feel free to advise. He can't join till next year because if age so I have time.

Due to a change in finances we have had to tighten the belt around here. I find the challenge exciting. I know God is my source and I'm protected because I am a tither so the question is not 'Will we make it?!'. It's more like 'I wonder what God has in store for us?!'. It would be great to just go back to work but this baby boy is not letting that happen. He wants nothing to do with a bottle still but at least he does drink from a sippy cup (straw type). That is good but we will have to experiment more with my milk in it. He drinks water in the cup now.

I wouldn't mind working a few days a month but I need to be sure I am not making it my source, instead of God. Some of you may think that the job is a way God brings money & I agree that it is one way but I also know my God can provide without it. With this little one having such an adjustment period and knowing how big of a deal that means to us I have to rely on Him.

Having said that I am looking forward to the future. I feel like a kid who knows their parents got a gift but just doesn't know when she'll get it! Weird, I know but it's the truth.

Well my little brother, Q, has announced they are expecting. That means our family will add 3 babies this year!! I'm so excited!!

Senior 2013

Well it's done! My little brother, the baby boy, has graduated!!! I am so happy for him! I'm more happy for me! That was exhausting. Perhaps now a little bit more normalcy can return to my daily life? Ah, we'll see...
It was very nice to see what I have to look forward to with my little ones. I can only hope I'm as held together with my J-boy as I was with him. Fortunately I have the [still] clingy baby to pull me back down to reality. A topic for another day. He's my lovey baby so I'll try not to complain.
As I sat calculating the years till mine don the beloved cap and gown I wonder just how quickly they'll feel like they've flown by. My oldest has 7 yrs, at most, left. To say that seems like a short time but to look at him in all his innocence I think 'oh, that's so far away'. I hear it will come before I realize it but we shall see.
Well again, we had an awesome night. I didn't get a pic of all of us which I regret but we will survive! Congrats to all 2013 graduates! May your future be fill with you seeking Gods will for your life and pursuing it with vigor!

  Today is wash day for my natural hair. I am always looking for a good deep conditioner. I have been completely 'natural' for about a year now, my BC was Feb 2012 last relaxer 10/2011. I am still trying to pin down a routine. If I put it in twists I expect it to stay longer than a week but its difficult to condition it without making the twists frizzy. I am thinking of two large french braids or flat twist until I pin down a routine. That enable me to take it down weekly to co-wash & DC, without crying from taking down twists. It would also help me keep my hands out of it being as its a protective style. 
  Having said all of that the next DC I plan to try is from the  Nappturalistic Beauty website. I have been following her on Facebook and I like what I see. Below is the link. Let me know if you have a routine that works for you or if you've tried this one before.

  This is the link to her recommended hair routine  http://nappturalisticbeauty.com/?page_id=2

  This is the recipe to her DC. Avocados are on sale right now and I have coconut oil from Tropicaltraditions.com so this one looks very doable;

Avocado Coconut Twist Deep Conditioner

by Nappturalistic Beauty (Notes) on Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at 5:27pm

Avocado Coconut Twist Deep Conditioner~

This is my favorite one & only deep conditioner that I use for my tresses on a weekly basis.  Depending on my schedule on my wash day, I leave it in my hair for a minimum of 2 hours.  Sometimes I have slept in it, leaving it in overnight.

My curls are very soft, silky, well-defined and very manageable once I rinse the conditioner out.  My hair is soft that I don’t have detangle…..my fingers literally slide right through my hair.  I love this conditioner so much, I highly doubt that I will ever purchase another store bought conditioner.

Ingredients:

• One ripe avocado
• One ripe banana
• ½ can of coconut milk (freeze the other half)
• 3-4 tablespoons of honey
• 3-4 tablespoons of Olive Oil
• 3-4 tablespoons of Coconut Oil

1. Combine all these ingredients in your blender and blend until very smooth.  You want to make sure that you don’t have any chunks or bit & pieces of avocado and banana.  If it isn’t blended well, you will be picking bits and pieces of avocado and banana out of your hair for days.
2. The consistency should be very creamy like yogurt or pudding.  It should not be liquidly or runny, if so, you will have constant drippies and nobody wants that.  ;)
3. Apply the conditioner to your hair from root to tips.  Any remaining conditioner can be refrigerated until the following week.  Or, it can be frozen until your next use.
4. Wrap your hair in plastic wrap and then put a plastic baggie on top.  I also use a thick headband (the one athletes use) to prevent any possible drippies.
5. Leave on a minimum of ½ hour.  Rinse with warm water.  Once all rinsed out, rinse your hair with cool water to seal and close your hairs cuticle. 
6. Style your hair as desired.

Why did I choose those ingredients?

• Avocado – Strengthens & fortifies your hair making it soft & shiny, prevents hair loss & frizz, contains nutrients that are great for hair growth; hydrates the scalp and reduces dandruff 
• Banana – Great for softening the hair & protecting the hairs natural elasticity, preventing split ends and breakage. It enhances the strength, shine and endurance of the hair strands, creating manageability and growth.
• Coconut Milk – Is a natural moisturizer that contains proteins which strengthen the hair and help minimize breakage.  Makes the hair soft & supple and also helps in controlling hair fall.  It also contains vitamin e & fats that nourishes the hair, protecting the hair and scalp from UV rays.
• Honey – Is a natural humectant that attracts moisture and water and holds it to the hair.
• Olive Oil – Contains vitamin e, controls hair fall, promotes hair growth & nourishes the hair follicle and shaft.
• Coconut Oil – Is the best natural nutrition for your hair, helps in healthy growth of hair and makes hair shiny.  It’s also a great conditioner that aids in the re-growth of damaged hair and slows the growth of gray hair.