Simplify

So I have been working on different ways to organize and think that I am starting to get a handle on it- maybe:) I have just finished the playroom, well almost I still have some of the manipulative toys that I am not quite sure what to do with because the kids are constantly dumping them out. I got rid of a ton of toys, it was sad to see some go but things need to go. With four kids there just is such an accumulation of toys and junk and the paper.....oh the paper! I don't know what to do about the paper but there is constantly paper everyway. They cut it, they color it, they glue it, and they leave it all over the floor! It drives me crazy! If anyone has any suggestions about how to elliminate the paper mess besides taking the paper away all together(which i have thought about:) jk) I finally weeded through the kids books and got rid of a bunch. I am feeling a little bit more organized but I am still having issues planning meals and getting the other household chores as organized. I am trying to stick to my list but always feel like I'm in a whirlwind and never know where to start. I don't know if the kids constant interuptions or the long list but things never seem to get completely done:) Anyways if anyone has any suggestions on meal planning or organization that would be awesome:):) I just want to declutter and simplify and meals that I can plan ahead(like crockpot meals) Thanks for reading!

Summertime:)

Summer has flown by and school starts in a week:) I am excited and ready. We have already started a few days a week. We remodeled our bathroom and I love the new one. Things have been busy as always. We have been making our own juice, freezing sweet corn, making butter & cheese. We haven't finished our sewing projects but I guess we will eventually. I just finished painting the school room and rearranging it. I love the new look and so far the set up to:) It is always exciting to start a new school year- new books, new concepts and just an over all fresh start.
We were able to see a couple of new movies this summer and get together with a few friends. The kids had a blast at the splash pad with Melissa, Ashley, Amanda & Clarrisa and we also had a great time with Jamie at the pool. Thein's lake was great with the Molitor's. We wish we had been able to make it to Brenda's more:( Overall it was great:)
I started taking classes for homeopathy. They are wonderful and we have seen some amazing results within our family. I am very excited about all the wonderful people that I have met and all the wonderful things that God has given us to make our families and friends healthier!!!
Well I have a lot more that I want to blog about since it has been so long but I guess it will have to wait for another day- time to have dinner with the in-laws:)

Marriage on the Rocks

I have two friends that are having marriage problems and at this point I'm not sure what to tell her anymore. The first couple have been married for 2 yrs and their problem is the mother-in-law. She is crazy and I know her outside of their marriage and I can attest that this lady needs some serious help, medication or something. Like I said B & L have been married for 2 yrs but L's mom is the one with the issues. L's entire family live in fear of his mom and the problem is that he is not standing up to her. He is allowing her to control his marriage and I don't understand why? I know Nick would never do that, so giving her advice is hard because I just can't imagine being in the situation. I have told her to tell L her needs to grow up and relize he has his own family and his mom can't control him but the guy lives in udder fear of his mom. What do you tell someone and seriously how can a person go about having someone with these types of issues commited because the lady won't go in on her own. I have no idea what to tell her but she doesn't what to see her marriage fall apart, they have been trying to get pregnant for over 1 1/2 yrs(they lost their first one when she was 10 wks and have been trying since) and this whole situation has just brought another level of fear, stress and distance between them. I feel horrible and I have been talking to B alot lately about the situation because she has no one else to talk to. I talked to Nick about it and asked him what to do when a person tells you that they are not afraid of death because they currently feel like they are living in hell on earth. He did know either :( So I am up for any words of wisdom that I can share with her and any prayers that you can give her.
Prayers are needed!

Busy days!

Things are busy already and spring has only just begun. We are working on finishing our school year by the end of May! I can't wait to be done this year. I think that winter has been way to long and I am ready for spring. I can't wait to work on my flowers and finish planting the grass. I am ready for summer camping trips and visiting with family and friends. Nick's softball season offically began last night and our volleyball season should be starting in a couple of weeks as well. The girls have been begging to have a bonfire so hopefully that will be just around the corner as well.

We have been grilling alot and the kids are on the trampoline all the time.

Rebecca started speech a couple of months ago and she has been doing great. We have notice lots of improvements but I know that it will still be a while before we are done with that:)

Not only does Charlotte have glasses but now Anne and Rebecca do as well! We thought that since Charlotte's eyes were so bad that we had better just check the others and sure enough they need them as well. They are all far-sighted and hopefully Anne and Rebecca's will be corrective but only time will tell.

It is offically spring at the farm. Nick is working lots and lots of hours lately. I know that last week was only 4 1/2 days and he still had like 62 hours in. Thankfully he is still home everyday for lunch and usually he comes home for supper if its going to be really late. It is a blessing to have him so close and even thought the hours are long sometimes the kids still see Daddy everyday(which was not the case with previous jobs).

I have been on a sewing kick! I have made library bags for all the girls and matching dresses as well. I have about 15 more yards to cut and sew. The kids love them and I have lots of fun making them. My living room in turn has turned into a sewing room but thats ok.

Charlotte makes her First Communion on Sunday! She is so excited and she's my first so I am so excited for her. Her wonderful and talented Aunt Angela made her dress and it is beautiful! I will be posting pictures soon!

The girls are also excited that we are going to see High School Musical the play at the Paramount on Friday night with their cousins. I am excited to, a little long over due girls night out! It will just be me, Charlotte and Anne!

There is so much more but I will be saving it for next time!
God bless,
Amanda

Frustrated

So this past weekend a friend of mine had her bridal/bachelorette party. I am a personal attendant and she has been a good friend for a long time, though we have grown apart a bit because I have kids and different priorities in life. So I knew that this was not going to be my scene but I felt I should go and not be 'to good for everyone else.' So I went and for starters I was the only one not informed of the baseball theme, so I was not wearing a jersey or baseball shirt like the rest. I was ok with this. Then throughout the night I was the photographer but was only asked to be in the one group picture that the bus driver took. Feeling a little left out but ok with it. I wasn't really into it. Drinking to get drunk, seeing married women all over men they didn't know just because they are drunk, and a soon to be bride/wife, doing thing that are just not appropriate(to put it nicely). I just don't understand what is so great about these bachelorette/last night single parties. The things that they do I wouldn't do even if I weren't married. I just don't understand why anyone would want to go out like this if they truly had found the man/woman of their dreams that God intended them to be with. It really just doesn't make any sense.
But on another note, the topper of my night was that after the fact I now have friends and certain relatives that think that I'm depressed because I didn't partake in the nights events! It was bad enough that I felt left out at times but the fact that I decided to sit back and have conversations with people that I ran into that night made me depressed! I was and needless to say still am a little upset over it but I guess whatever. It's not my scene, never has been and never will be. So thanks for letting me vent because it has really been bothering me:) Hope you have a blessed holy week!

'In the Motherhood' not so much..

So I have been meaning to blog about this for over a week but haven't sat down to do it yet so here I go:)

So there is this new show that's called 'In the Motherhood', my friend told me about it and said it looked funny so I dvr'd it and was able to watch it last week. Well let's just say it was horrible. All it did was talk about the inconvienence of motherhood and I'm not sure what happened to the husband but all that she talked about was dating and sleeping with the guy because it was date number 3. I couldn't even finish it. It was definitely nothing to do about motherhood. It was horrible and I would not recomend it:(

Snow, snow, snow!

The snow, so beautiful snow....it is so pretty outside, even though I would love green grass and flowers, I have to say that as I shoveled off the trampoline it was really beautiful with the snow everywhere sticking to the trees. Our dog Jack loves running in the snow and he had a blast. I think the kids are going to head out and make snowmen today which will be nice because they are dying to get outside. So just a note even though the weather kinda sucks, it sure is beautiful:)