Letters to Santa

(I was going to take pics of all the letters, but #1, ran out of batteries, and #2, the spelling was attrocious atrocious! I only left a few words spelled wrong so you get the hint! One of the gifts I've already purchased is a spelling kit from Hooked on Phonics. Shhhh, don't tell on that one, I'm they would be very disappointed to find that little secret out!)

Dear Santa, I would like a lot of art stuff, and more things to put my stuff in, baby dolls, and and webkins I don't have much I would like a different project runway, mony, a micerphone, a gutar, a world map, a cabage patch kid. Roller stakes and jwerly

This is all so far that I'm to going to do so far.

Love Evelyn

To: Santa Clause (picture of Santa)

Love: Amber Vogel (picture of Amber)

All I want for Christmas is..................

Dear Santa Clause,

All I want for Christmas is my teeth to grow in good, but that is not what I want most. The thing I want for Christmas is Precious Moment stuffed animal and cake decorating stuff. I would also like a DSI and Carier and Games. Please give me money too. I would also like more books. I want a kitten for Christmas to but my mom is alrgeak (allergic) to kittens. I want a cudly animal pillow. A cell phone so I won't have to use the school phone for DI. A labtop (laptop!) so I can do reasch on it and asiments (assignments). I want a pair of Tvs that can play Blueray and Tv shows.

Love, Amber Vogel

Dear Santa,

What I want for christmas is a bike and money to get stuff for my dsi. I want lego kits and a guitar hero guitar. I want dsi games and jewlery from james avery. I want a cell phone and a laptop. I want for it to snow in Tennesse, and a dsi starter kit (blue). I want for me not to have to ride the bus. I want wii games.

Love, Emily

Yes, they are shooting high this year. This year, the national news, or better yet, the White House, needs to do a news special on how the economy is even impacting Santa and that gifts will be smaller this year, however, that does not mean kids have been even better behaved than in years past.

I wonder if Santa knows which pig pillow Angela has in mind... and where to get it. The elves are probably scrambling right now! Evelyn needs some punctuation! Santa, dental concerns top my list too, I hope you can pull that one off! I'm sure a laptop would help Amber's spelling! And Santa, this mom would SURE like to have someone pick Emily up from school everyday so she wouldn't have to ride the bus! That jab hits the heart!

What are YOU asking Santa for this year?

Yes, it's been awhile

Life gets crazy busy at times... and this is one of those times. I haven't forgotten about this blog, just taking a little break. After the holidays, I will be up and running with it again. And yes, we've also taken a little break from the HEP. We will be up and running with it in Jan. See you then! Have a safe and happy Holidays!

HEP (Healthy Eating Plan)

Quick update...
Week one started off awesome! I did great ALL week... until we went out of town. I decided not to pack my own food, but to go with the flow of it and when I could to eat on-plan. When I had decisions to make, I made good ones. For the first time, I ate two consecutive meals at fast food places and got healthy salads! (grimace) Pretty soon I'll figure out what places to go to and what to avoid. Now it's a new week! This week will have it's own challenges, with two Birthdays to celebrate! I'm also running low on our green drink mix, so I'm looking for what to do about that. Get a new one? Stick with the old? hmmmmm.... One thing about this HEP, it is time consuming. I feel like I spend so much longer in the kitchen! Hopefully that will balance out! That's it for now... I'm off to go grocery shopping!

Changes. Sometimes you just have to!

You know when you know you need to do something, but you don’t want to, but you know it’s important, but that still doesn’t make it easier? That’s me! That’s me with our food. I know what’s right. I know what to do. I know how to do it. I just don’t want to.

Well… It’s time. God has given me many “red flags” over the last three weeks. It’s time. So here we go… on yet another adventure! There are specific things I want to accomplish with this Healthy Eating Plan (HEP). (Details to follow) My wonderful readers, this is where you come in… If you have any advice, I would be oh-so-happy to listen read it. If you need any advice, I will offer what limited knowledge I have and research with you to find the best response!

“Kimberly, WHAT are the specifics?!” you ask.
Since you asked so bluntly… Here is the short version:
1. We need to regain our health!
2. I need healing of my scar tissue and rebuilding of healthy tissue. (see post)
3. Attention issues for (some of our) kids.
4. We did it before, and it worked!
5. To reduce the amount of medications our family takes.
6. I feel like God is calling me to do this out of obedience. (Gulp!)

“Kimberly, WHAT is the PLAN?”
Great question! I’m still trying to figure that one out! But here is what it is at this point:
1. Reduce the sugar intake. ALL sugar! That includes anything WHITE (flour, sugar, pasta, bread…).
2. Incorporate more TRUE grains.
3. Replace junk with fruits and veggies.
4. Go organic on as much as our budget will allow.
5. Start each morning with a green drink for the whole family.
6. Supplements and vitamins!
7. All of us are now packing a healthy lunch! (NO MORE CAFETERIA!)
8. I (just me) am cutting out yeast for a few weeks. (sigh)
9. Oh yeah…. I even cut out my coupla times a week glass of wine… (double sigh)

***So as to not be called out for torturing my kids… I am allowing them to have ONE piece (Ok… sometimes two) of Halloween candy AFTER ALL homework is completed and rooms are picked up! Man, you should see how quickly the rooms get done!

-------UPDATE--------
I had hoped to get this out BEFORE we actually started the HEP, but was too busy looking up articles and cutting fruit.
We are now on DAY 2!

Kids have responded very well. They all came home from school yesterday SO HUNGRY! Only because they didn’t like the fruit choices… or couldn’t open the containers… or didn’t eat because kids were teasing (WHAT?!) But they LOVED the sandwiches! Even on the ww (stone ground) bread! So… I let them pick out a few more things for their lunches today. They had a switch-a-roo on the fruits I had packed and got out some cheese and Peanut butter to dip the carrots and apples in. GO KIDS! I am also going to add nuts to the lunches. What really makes me smile: They LOVE the smoothies! Even though they are green! This morning they asked if I would PLEASE make one EVERY morning! And when I passed out the lunches and supplements, I almost cried! I got hugs and “I love you, mom!” THE DEAL IS SEALED! This IS worth it!

As for me… I had a great day one! Only had one bout of grouchies… but that was probably due to the fact that some of the kids were messing around when I was driving. Ok, I was still in the parking lot, but I had a rough driving day. Earlier that day… I hit a dog. With my car. In front of the owner’s mom. Dog’s ok! (I really don’t see how! It was a big bump for a little bitty dog.) That right there qualifies it as a chocolate or wine kind of day! Then later that night, there was the moment when Kevin was looking at the HUGE mound of candy and really wanting to eat some, they all begin to discuss chocolate. In front of me. I ordered everyone OUT of the kitchen with the words “NO one should stand in the way of a woman and her chocolate!” Kevin did his famous laugh and promised to not talk about candy in front of me. What an understanding husband! And no… I did not have ANY! So day one closes as a success!

Win a Cuddlebug!

This is what I want for Christmas!

http://svgcuts.com/blog/?p=3672

Cleaning out the pantry is for the birds!

Bird Suet

2 cups lard/shortening/bacon grease

1 cup crunchy peanut butter

2 cups oatmeal

2 cups corn meal

1 cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup raisins

1 cup wild birdseed

Melt lard and peanut butter.

Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into molds. Store in freezer.

That's the recipe... here's the lowdown:

When we made these with Granna, (remember, Granna's Gardens?) she literally cleaned out the pantry. Almost rancid nuts, oatmeal that wasn't ohsofresh (does uncooked oatmeal go bad? really?), a little on the old and hard side dried fruit, cooked oatmeal that wasn't finished for breakfast, and stale chips might have even made it's way into the mix. We also crunched up egg shells and used that as a source of calcium (calcium? really?)

The kids had a blast, but I think the birds enjoyed it the most! (not to mention the sneaky squirrel...)

The MOST Beautiful Picture

The picture of Baptism is one of the most beautiful pictures around. The symbolism... showing what Jesus did to save us... his death and Resurrection... being buried with Christ... being raised again... new life... it is breathtaking. The only thing that makes the picture of baptism more beautiful is when it is your child being baptized. Three of my children showed the world they have made a decision to be followers of Christ. Another added blessing is that they shared this joy with Papa. Their Grandfather had the honor of (as one of them pronounces it) bathmetizing them! It was the most beautiful picture. We were all blessed that so many of our family and friends showed up on a rainy (with a patch of dry skies just long enough to hold the baptisms) Sunday to celebrate this new life with us!