Extra in The Ordinary

This summer would easily classify, so far as one of the BUSIEST EVER. Work is busy. VBS was busy. We've traveled. I've traveled for work. Art camp. More work. Special Project. Birthday parties. House work. But past all of the busyness, there's something happening that will matter after the busyness is gone.  When the days get shorter and the pool closes, one of my sweetest summer memories will be the week we spent with Mr. M, my 6 year old nephew. He's here to visit from Minnesota. I'm so glad he is here. We've watched movies. We've built with legos. We've gone skating. Went to church ("there's as many people in here as there are songs to sing. (sad face)") We've played outside. We've ridden a large carousel. We've shopped till we dropped. And the entire time, he's constantly surprising me by opening up and letting me get to know him a little. What a treat this has been. Past the busyness of summer, i...

Every year I take off a week in the summer to take my kids to VBS at our church. This year, I decided that going to VBS was not enough. I had to make it interesting. So I volunteered to co teach a VBS class. We asked for a class of older kids. I was thinking maybe kindergarteners or maybe 3rd grade. No, it was the 3 year olds class that needed teachers, so we accepted the "job" and started planning. Getting ready to teach VBS took 13 weeks of planning time. It took calls, emails, shopping trips, to do lists, and filling out planning worksheets. I think I started over with the planning sheet 3 times to get a clean copy. And then I didn't even use it the week of. We were too busy taking care of 3 year olds! The theme this year was "Even the Winds and the Waves Obey Him". We talked about God's power over creation, his power over the floods (Noah), the plagues, and the storms in the sea of Galilee. It was a powerful topic, and I think it spoke to the kids as...

Our oldest daughter, IPK, turned 9 this week. It hardly seems like 9 years ago we were kissing her little forehead after her long awaited arrival. I was on a 3 month bed rest before she was born. Then, I went 10 days over due before I had her. We were so ready to have her in our arms! After being induced due to high blood pressure, I finally had a c-section at about 6:50pm on a Friday night. She was a 8 pounds even, and so perfect. I cried when I saw her. My heart was beating on the outside of my body. I love my babies, and my first is of course no exception. Maybe that day my emotions were exaggerated because she was born by emergency c section, so when I heard her cry for the first time it was a relief (she was ok). Over the years, she has learned to talk, learned to walk, learned to read, ride a bike, learned to love God, and to love His commandments. She is an advanced reader, a cat lover, and like a fish in water (loves to swim). She loves her sister and her 6 cousins (and one...

Last Friday, on Memorial Day weekend, I went out to look at Honda CRVs. I had just gone to a class on negotiations, so I was eager and nervous to try out a new strategy or two. It would definitely be my first time to try this car buying thing alone, and I would need to be diligent to make sure I got a nice deal. I thought it would take several trips out car shopping to find a good deal, but I found it on the first try, and I felt pretty good about myself. The sales manager told me he should "fire these guys and hire you". The trainee that saw it all happen said he'd never forget it. I don't know if it was because I'm female, or because I'm young, and maybe they didn't see me coming and thought I'd take the deal as is. But I'm smart, and persistent, and on that day it paid off.....big. With a little planning ahead, and the willingness to walk away if I needed to, I got a total of $3,700 in concessions on a $15,000 car in a "no-haggle price zon...

I work in the dietary supplements industry, and feel quite well taking several supplements myself. I also have 2 very healthy kids and a healthy husband, thank you to good supplements and a healthy lifestyle. Well, here is the latest antics of the FDA. Sadly, they don't always work off of the best information, or have our wellbeing in mind. They often over regulate, to the demise of small businesses in the health category. Click here to read the latest Frustrating, but there are a few bits of good news. The recommendations for vitamin c, magnesium, and vitamin d are increased. It looks like the vitamins d recommendation doubled to 800iu (if I did the conversion right from mcg to iu). Others were drastically decreased, though, which I can't figure out, but I've learned the FDA isn't trying to make sense.   They are trying to make $. So, find a few good supplements today, because it may not always be as easy to get them: Physician's Preference Vitami...

Spring break has never been so fun! This year I rented a suburban, left Husband at home in Houston, and took my girls, my sister, and her 3 kids on a road trip. In case you didn't catch that....that's 5 kids. And no daddies to help. Yes, it was a brave trip, but it was SO much FUN!! It's like the thing you're really supposed to do on spring break- usually we don't travel very far, and/or we try to get too much done at home. This year the theme was definitely:"Get out of town!!" 1) Thank you to husband for letting me and the kids desert him for 6 days . The fridge had no food in it when we left. I just didn't have time to grocery shop. So he ate out of the pantry and slim pickings of the fridge for the week. Why do men prefer that to going to the store for food? Anyways, he made like 3 batches of soap while we were gone, so I think he had some fun. 2) Round trip, this was 1200 miles. I drove it, but my SWEET sister was the parental referee. Oh m...

So, here's part 2 of our 2013 Christmas timeline! December 25th , Christmas Day was Wednesday: We opened presents early. Punkin had a stomach ache, probably from the antibiotics after the ear infection diagnosis the day before. IPK made blueberry muffins for her daddy. Good morning and Merry Christmas!! Punkin was pale and not feeling well :( Punkin's loot IPK's loot. That little purple ball is a Monstaz. All I know is it makes noise. Punkin feeling better! IPK was STOKED about Monopoly Empire Pink pants! yeah! IPK making muffins for daddy 2 sisters in new outfits from Grandma= 1 good Christmas! Christmas dinner was yum! Thank you Grandma!! December 26th , the day after Christmas was full of guns and bowling: Punkin's first time to shoot. Aim fire ready! Grandma giving bowling lessons.....the others are being silly.  Cheese! We played 2 games, lots of fun, but they were tired.  Wow- that wa...