Spilled Coffee and Wildflowers

This is my version of motherhood right now.
Precious gifts of wildflowers, sweet talks, and yes, my coffee being spilled in the process by the giver of the wildflowers. I wish I could say that I did not get upset, but guess what? Mommas are human, too. Go figure.

Mommas need raising just as much as children do.

Laughter between brothers and sisters

I love the love between my kids.

 My prayer for them is that nothing comes between them to destroy it.

 It is a special bond.

 

They're going to be a fun bunch!

 



 

Does a Momma every get tired of staring at the faces of her children?

Cousins!

Is there any more fun than time with cousins?

Praise!!!!

       When God leads you down a path to the answers you have been begging for...well, He deserves a praise! Some of you know the journey we have been walking down this past year and a half. Between Little Man being born, and his complications, Daddy moving in and getting settled, me taking classes while homeschooling and running a household of six...it has been alot. Poor Princess has just floated through the house.
       With all that, my heart and prayers have been focused on one main spot, Hotrod. I have been constantly praying for wisdom and guidance on how to teach him, knowing that something wasn't right, that we shouldn't have to struggle this much. I finally had him evaluated by a private education service to confirm what I had suspected. He is very much ADD or ADHD, which ever one you say, they seem to be interchangeable these days.
       After a lifetime of  watching my father and my sister struggle with this...I admit to being heartbroken. It was recommended that I medicate with the typical ADD drugs. I know that medication has its place, and is needed at times, but I was not ready to put my 7 yr old on mind altering drugs. I have yet to come across anyone that has told of their wonderful experience on the medication. I also know, that their are people that can't get by without it. Wisdom!!!!!
       A friend of mine gave me a book to read on the diet of children with Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies. It was eye opening. On the suggestion of the book, the week before Easter, I took Hotrod off wheat. In two weeks his eczema cleared up.
       The last three days, amazing things have happened in his school work. On Monday, I gave him his usual list of new words for the next sound. 32 words to write and sound out. This normally takes up to an hour for him to finish, with much prodding from me.  That is not normal. It should take no more than 10min. I left him downstairs, went upstairs to change for exercising. I had no more turned around and he was coming up the stairs because he was done.....what? He exclaimed, "That was easy, momma!" what?
        Normally, 20 math problems can take anywhere up to 2 hrs. I am not kidding. Today, he accomplished it in 20min, on his own, while I was getting dressed. And he was still smiling when he was done. Yes, they were all right.
        He read out of his Bible, for the first time, on his own, yesterday. John 1:1-3. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest.
       I will be honest, I always dismissed ADD, did not understand it, my mind does not work that way. I had very little compassion in the classroom...God has a way of making us humble people.
       Am I saying, that we will not struggle from now on? No, of course not. But there is light starting to dawn on this struggle. I don't know if he will have to medicate at some point in time. I do know that my God is good. I have prayed for wisdom, and it has been given. He is faithful and will always be faithful, and is walking this journey before me and next to me. He has provided a way for me to teach him, not to be shoved through and fail in the system.
       Now, mind you, as I am typing this, Hotrod is drumming his pencil, playing with his toes, while staring out the window...day to day, Momma...moment to moment...much prayer, much self control. Did I mention much prayer?
       

My heart...right there...walking around...

Because....

Because the window was open....

 

...the light was right...

...we needed a break...

...and the wind was blowing...

...a moment to step back...

...and appreciate what God has blessed us with...

 

...sigh...

 

...breathe...

....because sometimes we struggle, and life is frustrating...

...but we still love, and try again.

How to make homemade peanut butter

Grandpa stopped by this week for a quick ten minute visit on his way to a job. He left behind many fun things, one being a big bag of fresh, raw peanuts. Can we say, "yummy Science lesson???"

 

Why Yes!!

We learned a great many things about the peanut plant, how it grows and how it is harvested.

Here are the links to two sites we studied.

 

http://www.gardeningblog.net/how-to-grow/peanuts/

 

http://www.peanut-institute.org/peanut-facts/

 

 

Then we made PEANUT BUTTER!!!!

 

YUMMY!!!





First, spread your raw peanuts, in shell, on a cookie sheet.

Place in the oven for 20 mins at 350 deg.

Stir them around once or twice for even roasting.

When they are done, they will have a nice tan color.

 

Let them cool for a few minutes.

 



Now the fun begins! If you are concerned about a mess...this is not for you! Forewarning....wow! Shelling peanuts makes a tremendous mess!

 



 

The shells at this point in time are brittle. They are easily crushed...

 

Pulled apart...

 

and the seed pulled out.

The peanuts must also be skinned. This is easily done by rubbing them between your fingers or hands.

 



 

Well, Hi, Little Man! Do you need to be rescued? :)

Put a bowl full of peanuts in the food processor, along with 1/2 tsp. of salt, and 2tlbs of sugar to start. You will have to taste your peanut butter to determine how sweet you want it to be. We ended up with four or five, but I think 3 or so would be just right.

 



 

Let it run!!

As it is grinding, slowly pour a thin stream of olive oil through the top of the food processor. After a minute or two, it will become very creamy. Do not expect it to have the texture of store bought. It is going to be more grainy.

 



 

Just keeping it real!

 

Time to taste!!!!

Yummy!!!!! We have a happy customer!

 



 

I will admit, this was our second attempt. Our first attempt was with molasses as the sole sugar....besides the fact that it looked like chunky chocolate, no one liked it.

Enjoy!!!

Little Man's first snow!

Well, look what we woke up to this morning! In about an hour we had roughly an inch of snow! It was the heavy, packing snow, just right for snowballs and snowmen!

Woohoo! Let's go play!!

Ok, fine...we had to find the snowboots, find the gloves and hats...yeah, we live in the south.



:) He's mine....both of them. :)

Yo! I look like my Daddy. Got a problem with that? Huh?

Son, can you handle that?

More proof of where we live...the tag is still on the snowboots!

 

In a chair, guys?

 

Lick for air stability...

 

Find your target...

Hey Now!!!!

Ta da! Our robo-snow-bot!

Watch out for the laser beam gun!

Dad had to go to work after this, so Pappy watched Little Man for a  while so Mommy could have a snowball fight!!!

She won. :)