when it rains it pours!! blessings that is

It pays to exercise!!  No kidding...Saturday on my way into the gym I found a quarter and a penny on the ground. lol

I went over to the library after my workout and they were cleaning out their lost and found...I walked out with a ladies wallet and a zipper pouch of school supplies.

I dropped my hubby off at work and went to Kroger to pick up a few things.  I don't like to shop on an empty stomach and I had not eaten breakfast so I stopped by Taco Bell to buy something.  I had such a loooooonnnngg wait for ONE item that they GAVE me a drink and two of those cinnabon cheesecake balls (wow - worth the wait!).

When I got home I discovered that our neighbors had give us a bouncy toy for the baby.  Since I already had a girl one and this one was neutral I passed that blessing on to a friend who has a boy.

I wasn't home very long and another friend stopped by with a gallon of homemade root beer.  He was making sure of his recipe because his mom had asked him to make if for their church festival on Sunday and that was left over.  The kids loved it.  I'm not a root beer fan, but they all love it so that was nice.

Yesterday on the way home from church I stopped by yet another friend's house and she gave us lots of bread...nice expensive healthy bread.  Someone gave them about 20 trays - like the ones you see the bread trucks stacking bread on - full of bread.

So I guess you could say I had a pretty good weekend. :)


Until next time...

JenT

update

 Time has a way of getting away from you.  I post so seldom these days.  I vaguely remember some years ago when I posted every day, sometimes more than once a day.  Aww...those days are long gone.  A few years, and kiddos, later and my days are pretty full.

Aww...life.  It ebbs and flows like a river...sometimes calmly, peacefully flowing withing its pristine banks...sometimes raging and roaring tearing the banks away.  But - such is life.

 Now just a couple of pictures to update you.

Our family back in the winter.

And our latest addition, born Feb 23, 2016.

Hopefully we will take another family picture soon and I'll update again.

So we now have 7 boys and 6 girls.

God has truly blessed us.


Until next time...

JenT

cycles

 Remember my post on getting back into karate?

Well yeah...I'm still doing it. :)

I started at the beginning (white belt), and next Tuesday I will be testing for the next belt up (orange).

Interestingly enough 3 of my kiddos will be advancing before me.  I'm actually proud of them.  They work hard and deserve to get the next level.

I don't have any pics of me in my gi this time around.  But here's a pic for y'all to enjoy from 20 years ago.  My girlfriends and I with our trophies at the Big D tournament in Dallas, TX.  (I was a white belt then too).  Then later posing around in our gis (I'm the one on the right in the bottom pic).

Until next time...


JenT

Don't Blame the Kids!!!

"Hey Mama, just stopping in to encourage you to rest today in the Lord. Your house is not going to be perfectly clean; embrace it. Your dinner might not be ready on time; embrace it. Your shoes don't match your shirt; embrace that, too. You forgot to brush your teeth and you look a bit like Sweetums from the Muppets; embrace the madness.

But you are with your children and you put them first, day after day. You keep them fed and loved on. They're dressed and they're happy (even if they're in jammies). Their hair's not brushed, and the 2 year old is wearing unmatched socks, but who cares?? Look at their faces.
That should say it all. Their faces don't lie.

YOU ARE A GOOD MOTHER. Your kids are loved and YOU are a big reason for their health and happiness. Embrace the day.

Embrace those Sweetum babies, too. Walk, Mama. You done good."

Now my view:

Don't get me wrong, I understand the sentiment behind these words.  I see these posts a lot; on Facebook, on blogs, in articles online and in magazines.  And I understand the message that they are trying to send; don't spend your days missing out on your children's lives.  Enjoy them while they are young and don't sweat the small stuff.
But...BUT...I get a little irritated at how they are presented.  Don't use your children as an excuse to have a messy house.  Don't use having more than "normal" children as an excuse to not fix your little girl's hair.  Don't use those little blessings as an excuse to let yourself go.  Please, please, moms, don't use them as an excuse to be lazy, to have a dirty house, to not teach them valuable lessons such as neatness and good hygiene. 
Now, granted, I'm sure most people understand that the message behind the above words isn't saying that.  But I've seen and heard too many people over the years doing that very thing.  I've seen little ones in large families with their hair not brushed, I've seen parents being too relaxed in teaching their children basic things like picking up after themselves, I've heard and read the excuses of having a messy house because of all the children.
Don't get me wrong - I'm NOT perfect.  I am still working on teaching my own children to clean up after themself, to brush their teeth.  I make myself take the time in the morning to make sure my little girls' hair is brushed and fixed.  I try very hard to keep them in well maintained clothing (hard with 6 boys :) ).  I try to teach them basic manners of life.  BUT at the same time we are picking flowers, reading books, watching movies, making cookies.  We are enjoying life and we are learning too.
I understand that we don't all have older ones that help.  I remember what it was like with 5 little children and no big helpers day after day.  But when you teach those little lessons while they are young, the later years are easier. 
I guess what I'm trying to say is to make teaching just as fun as playing.  Taking the time to keep yourself neat in appearance and attitude, keeping your house clean while teaching your children how to do that, and using those teachable moments is what it's all about.


Until next time...

JenT

disappointments in life

First of all, we are not having a baby in Oct.  Disappointing news, I know.
I have what is called a blighted ovum.  No baby ever developed, so there while there is no baby, at least it wasn't a baby that died.  Does that make sense?
Anyway,


Until next time...


 JenT

rain, rain go away...

 ...come again another day...

my children want to play!!

The field in front of our house.

 The neighbors' field.

 The stop sign at the end of our road.

How far it went up the road from the stop sign.

 

 It also went on across the road that leads to our road.  (Ours is off to the right where the road sign is).

Just a little sample of what we are looking at today.  :)  We obviously can't go anywhere, but that's ok.  We are healthy, warm, dry, and have plenty of food and water.

Until next time...

JenT

I'm still here...

It's pathetic, I know.  My blog that is.

I'm not hiding away, I promise.  :)  My priorities have adjusted, I guess you could say.  More time with the children, less time on the computer.

And if you have tried to contact me through my blog using the email address, that too has changed.  I cannot even access my old email account.  So I have changed my email on this blog and if you want to email me, try again.  Please.

One thing that has kept us busy is a couple of local fairs we entered.  My oldest is quite the photographer and she won several ribbons this year.  About 95% of the photos you see on here lately are from her.

So hopefully even though school is back in, I can update more often.  Just stay tuned...

Until next time...

JenT

citrus vinegar cleaner - the natural way

It worked!

To understand what I'm talking about read this post.

I've determined that it doesn't do away with the vinegar smell, but it subdues it a little and after it dries the vinegar smell is gone and a subtle citrus scent is left behind.

This is a nice natural way to clean, plus it didn't cost much.  I already had the fruit, vinegar, and jars and the spray bottles were only $1 each at Wal-Mart.

This experiment gets 5 stars. :)


Until next time...


JenT

run your own race

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses... let us run with patience the race that is set before us." Hebrews 12:1

We are here to run our own race, not anyone else's race. And no one is to run our race. Don't spend your time or energy trying to get someone to live the way you think they should. Be busy about your own life.

And who do we follow?

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith..." Hebrews 12:2

Our purpose on this earth is to glorify Him. How can we do that if we are running in our neighbor's lane? Our eyes are on them and not the One they should be on.

Just some thoughts that came up after listening to today's sermon.


Until next time...


JenT