Today

I am not sure what it is about being pregnant that makes me a lazy cow. Is it the extra weight? Is it the hormone overload? Do I need more sleep? Is it that my body is working overtime to construct a living, breathing human? Maybe it's the fact that when I'm pregnant I stop exercising, start eating junk food, neglect a good portion of my daily responsibilities, and naptoo much.
Whatever it is, it's bad.

So here's my plan. I am going to try to do these six things everyday. Help me. Help me! Ask me if I did all six things before I took a nap or treated myself to a cornucopia of gas station delicacies!

I know it seems silly that I have to write these things down to get them done. They are small tasks that shouldn't take any motivation, but they do. Everything does. My day is taken up by piddly, meaningless, time-consuming tasks that crowd out my responsibilities; which is why I need this little list. Even if it doesn't accomplish much in the grand scheme of things, it will be an accomplishment nonetheless.

Happy weekend, my sweet friends!

Lvb

Tuesday's our Friday

In a normal week, Friday is our Monday, which is Dale's first day of the work week. So, Tuesday is our Friday, and Wednesday and Thursday are our weekend. But with the recent shift in our church routine we got up early to go to chuch and had a relaxing a Sunday evening afterwhich my friends came over for a visit on Monday making me think it was Thursday all day! Twice I was reminded that it was Monday!! Ahhh! I'm as crazy as I think I am!!

At any rate, today is our Friday, but Dale has to work this evening because of Ramadan, and then has a meeting and a pick up from the airport. This means that our weekend doesn't officially commence until nearly midnight. Boo...

I'll take it without bemoaning the shortness of our weekend since we got a three-day weekend last week and a night in a hotel, to boot.

On a new subject entirely, I have been reading about aluminum in deodorant being a contributor to breast cancer. With a genetic history of breast cancer on both sides of the tree and the most recent scare with my little bro, I think it necessary to take precaution as I learn.

I found a couple of recipes for safe deodorant and did a ton of reading in the comments sections and found a suitable experiment: one part baking soda, one part cornstarch. It's so simple, it seems too good to be true, but it works. It really does! I put the mixture into a thin sock, tied a knot in it, and use it like a powder puff. It's not as smooth and silky as my traditional Sure Original Solid, but it keeps me fresh and dry!

Besides the obvious benefit of heading cancer off at the pass and saving my girls for my lifetime, it is cheap and made with ingredients that I have in my pantry all the time!

Just a little something I thought you'd like to know!

Lvb

Redhead Roaster

I got this coupon out of the Sunday paper awhile ago for a free coffee from Wendy's, so I stuck it in my purse and forgot about it. Well at my last ob checkup I pulled it out to look at the details. Lo and behold, it is a reusable coupon for free coffee for this entire month!!

Not only that, you can get coffee, or flavored fancy coffee, or flavored iced coffee. And what's more, the coffee is awesome! It is soooo good.

Like a good and generous mother I have allowed some of my children to redeem the daily coffee for themselves, but mostly I've hoarded it like a miser!

You need to go in and try a caramel roaster. It is divine goodness in a cup, my friends. I love it so...

United on the Homefront

I am so, so happy to have all of my children home!!

I know it's difficult to imagine, but my life is more simple, more quiet, more organized, more laid back when even one of my seven children are gone. But it's just not right. I miss them so much. Usually I use the time to clean out the missng link's room. It's always a relief to unload the countless trashbags and vacuum the carpet. Once tha's done, I am ready for them to come home.

This past week Leila and Deisha were at my mom's for Little Girls' Camp. They had the time of their lives. Leila even cried a little on the way home because she already missed her sweet Nana. I can't blame her. I miss her too.

I wish I could take you all to Nanaland. My mother is one of the most selfless and most hospitable people I know. She is a shining symbol of godliness to our children without fail!

I know I will tire of the rat race at some point, with a houseful of children, but right now I am really loving my life. The Lord has blessed us and I am grateful!!

Lvb

So Excited!

My sista is scheduled to be induced tomorrow morning, and I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve! I can't help but thank God that He brought us home so that I don't have to experience this via text updates a million miles away!

She is considerably calm, regardless of the chaotic circumstances with the gestational diabetes and doctor ordered induction. And she is looking soo cute!

We are all thrilled to snuggle sweet Piper Jayne! Pray that all goes well and that the Lord's blessing is evident on this precious family!

Emporia

My sister is days away from having her baby, so we are here in Emporia, eagerly awaiting sweet Piper's arrival!

I have never been on this side of anticipation. Usually I am the one begging God to make it all end and scouring the internet for a remedy to induce myself.

If you have seen us together, you know the similarities between me and my sister. This is one place we part ways. She is patiently enduring every false alarm. Her hope is to wait as long as possible. I have never experienced this inside the final month. It's amazing!

On another note she steadily continues to lose weight as her pregnancy draws to a close. The doctor prescribed diet has helped that I'm sure, but in all of my eight pregnancies, I have yet to come out at the end looking any less than the size of a small vehicle.

I am so excited to watch her function in her role as a mother. With these monumental differences in her attitude toward pregnancy, who knows how she will tow the line in the great parenting journey. She has been with me through almost every stage of my parenting journey and watched me fall to pieces countless times. It will be interesting to see how she handles the ups and downs and carosel of chaos that a new baby brings to your world.

In the meantime, I am enjoying a quiet couple of weeks with nowhere to go and nothing much to do! Loooove it!!

Lvb

Birthday Fun

Deisha's birthday is Saturday, but with all the craziness of Michael's graduation, we gave her a Chuck E. Cheese birthday party early to curb the loss of the actual day. Dana took her to Build-a-Bear immediately following, and then to Yogurtini. It was a day of Kansas City revelry and mayhem. She loved it.

I am tired, but it was a good day. Dale took the big kids for a bike ride, Leila, Deisha and Jasmine are doing yoga, and Tre is practicing his guitar. Hello, summer; I love you.

I hope things are going well on your end!
Lvb