Happy Sunday

We had a wonderful week sightseeing last week with Nique's parents. I saw and learned even more wonderful American history. Unfortunately all good things come to an end. The visit ended with the newly adopted grandparents getting on an airplane back to California last night. Bekah especially was so upset. Leaving the airport she was whimpering, "Papa, papa papa" She loves Grandpa type guys, which is both good and bad. This week one set of my parents will be coming to visit. Hopefully later this summer my other set of parents will be coming to visit too.

Today I am out the door for a Women's Ministry Brunch. Have a blessed Sunday. I will be editing and posting pictures from the week's activities later.


on a very sad note...

Please add a family from my mom's church family to your prayer list. A young man, Devante was hit and killed this week. Devante was 14 years old. Pray for encouragement and loving arms to be around his family and friends as they grieve. Pray for the woman that was stoned out of her mind. Thanks for the prayers.

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Quiet Rainy Day

Today we stayed home and mostly just hung out at home. Reuben's skin is doing so much better. He is handling the "no soy, no milk" okay. He has his moments of frustration but then we have found alternatives and he is okay with life again. Hopefully in a few more weeks, his face will be clear and scab free.

Tomorrow I think we might take a ride up to New Hampshire but will see how we feel in the morning.

Tonight we are going to curl up and watch some TV.

Company Girl

Check out these amazing pictures of friendship. Feel free to upload your favorite picture as well Company Girl

Memorial Day Sunday

Today we took a ride into Boston to see some of the monuments. We walked along the Freedom trail (a favorite of ours). This time we walked over to the USS Constitution and Charlestown Naval Yard. Brian and the boys toured USS Cassin Young DD 793 a WW II ship. We didn't tour Old Ironsides but did walk through the museum. What a walk through history and a history lesson for the kids. The museum goes over the War of 1812 Barbary Wars as well as life aboard ships in the early 1800's.

From there we walked to Bunker Hill as we passed one park there was a Memorial to Americans who had died June 17 1775 at the Battle of Bunker Hill. I thought what a fitting weekend to come to these sights; a time to remember those who died to give us our FREEDOM. Brian and the boys walked 294 steps to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument.

One the way back to the van we stopped into Mike's Pastry shop and got some amazing cannoli's and lemon cookies for the kids.

We had a wonderful day. The weather was forecasting a 30-40% chance of rain. As we got to Charlestown there was a Severe Storm Warning that lasted about 10 minutes with about 30 minutes of thunder but never did rain all that hard. Then just as we got back to the van the skies opened up for about 20 minutes.

I love living in the land of living history. My kids can see and touch American history.

I love the Sunshine:)

I love spring weather. BUT I do not like being under a Fire Weather Advisory. We are expecting near 90 temps today with hot gusty winds this afternoon. One of the many things I love about living in New England is that ok yesterday was 81, today will be near 90 tomorrow will be around 85. By Saturday our temp will be around 70. I really love that the really warm days don't stay really warm for long usually. I love it being late May and having the ability to open the windows and get fresh air in the house instead of having to run an A/C because it's hot and humid. Trust me I have been there done that more summers than not. So anyway today it's supposed to be warm so this morning the windows are all open then this afternoon I will close the windows and run the fans and a/c (we have window units instead of central a/c) for a little bit.

Now back to my cleaning and laundry:)

ETA -- Forecast high for Friday is now 93. For those who live in the south and west the RECORD high for MAY is 95. So for here we hot tomorrow BUT we are going back to normal 70 temps on Saturday.

Natural Healing

Reuben has had eczema since he was about four months old. Sometimes its been worse than others. He's been through the gambit with allergy testing. We know there are certain triggers others we aren't so sure of. At one point his IgE level (the immune response for allergies) was over 31,000, the doctor told us most kids with allergies are around 800 max. Anyway he's been treated for several things to help his immune system the level did drop in 1/2. He was allergic to everything he was tested for that time through blood testing. The doctor said with the IgE level so high the other test were suspect but to eliminate foods that have a noticeable effect on his skin. So we have eliminated soy, ALL nuts, and most milk products, and RED DYE 40 and treated prophalactly. The time has come to do something different. We are looking into other ointments, creams, oils to help heal him topically than what has been prescribed by the doctors. We are also looking into nutrition and supplements to heal him internally. It's hard, eczema has no cure but as a parent it is devastating to hear my 6 year old son cry, "I hate my skin, I wish I didn't have eczema" I was very encouraged the other day by another blogger Keeper of the Home Eczema: What is it and what causes it? She gave me some good information and some ideas on where to start looking.

I will be blogging at times about this journey. There are several people who have been there for me and really helped me and encouraged me over the last few years. I remember sitting in a friends kitchen crying because the "perfect" waffles weren't perfect. They had an ingredient that Reuben couldn't have without potential reaction. So if you see a "crazy lady" reading labels in the grocery aisle it might just be me.

Birth Verse

For Christmas, my mom gave each of us a key ring with a scripture verse on them. She got them from Birth Verse. You put in the day and month you were born then gets a scripture verse. Mine is 1 Peter 5:10. I really like what it says. God will heal me from my sufferings and restore me and make me strong. He has promised that. How amazing to hold that promise close!


1 Peter 5:10 NIV
And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

things that just don't go well together

A coffee cup (although nearly empty), a surge protector and a little girl.

Yesterday I sat down at my computer and it was off I go to turn it back on and wouldn't turn on. So I look down and I see an upside down coffee mug. Under the mug is a piece of paper that is damp, not wet but damp. Under that was the switch to my power switch turned off. The cup landed just right to turn the strip off but also had just enough coffee to ruin the surge protector. So today I will be going to buy a new protector. In the mean time I don't have use of my desktop.

Newest gadget and grocery savings.

I was introduced this week to Google Calendar. Ok so I may be behind in the times BUT I love it. I really like this calendar. I have put Nique and Brian's work schedule's on it, our dinner menu on it, other misc activities and birthdays. I also have placed vacation plans for both us and those that are visiting us. One thing that I like is that I can "invite" people to my calendar and also download it to my phone. This way, I can keep Brian informed of plans that I have made, he can put things onto the calendar and I can hopefully stay informed without getting schedules crossed. I know I have high hopes but it's a start right.

Today we went to the grocery store for some shopping. We saved 32.75 in reward cards and 23.37 in coupons. We purchased 49 items and our total bill after savings was 68.85 and earned gas rewards of 10 cents per gallon up to 20 gal. Overall I am happy with the grocery savings.

Work in Progress

You know how refreshing it is to know that God meets me just where I am. This year really began for me as a journey towards stepping back and focusing on myself and family. I have truly felt God pulling me toward the house through my prayer and searching. Just the other day I was looking for some home organization ideas and found one called JOY -- Just Organize Yourself -- JOY I felt like that goes back to the pull at the beginning of the year that keeping my home isn't supposed to be a chore but to be a JOYful Giver. Then I found the site about having a mission statement. Home Sanctuary

My goal/mission

I would like our home to be clutter-free, inviting and peaceful. My goal is to decide which tasks I need to do or delegate each day so we can maintain a better, more organized lifestyle. My goals also include providing an environment where my children can learn to be productive and Godly people. I want my family and others to know that this house is one where they can be free to live simply, love deeply and laugh abundantly. I want to be able to invite friends over without having to clean up for three days beforehand.

With a mission/goal in mind now I make strides/baby steps to do this. It will not happen over night. But I know I am tired of having to do the panic detail clean to have family or friends over to visit.

Over the past few years I have made huge strides in maintaining a daily clean but want that deeper every day organization. I also say until one has walked a mile in another person's shoes don't judge or cast the first stone. One never knows why things are they way they are. There may always be an underlying reason. God is good and sees me through my darkest and brightest days.

May is

National Asthma and Allergy Allergy Awareness Month

Asthma and Allergy

As the the website says there is no place to fully escape allergies and asthma.

Next week is Food Allergy Awareness Week.
May 10 – 16, 2009
Food Allergy Awareness Week
http://www.foodallergy.org/FAAW/index.html

As a mother of two children with food allergies this effects my every day life not just one week out of the year. We have to read labels on foods, shampoos, soaps, medicines, and even cleaners to see if things can come into our house for our kids sake. Don't ever take for granted that it's safe. Sometimes we read and even re-read to make sure something is safe. Medicines have to be checked for certain dyes to be okay for one of my children. Allergies are real. Fortunately we haven't had any near misses but some aren't so lucky. We can't go to some restaurants because of how their food is fried or because they serve peanuts at the tables. Are these things really sacrifices? NO because it means I have children who are less likely to react in a negative manner. Can I stop every reaction? No but I can try to limit reactions.

God bless and try to educate yourself on allergies and asthma Off my soap box now.

Mission Statement

Today while I was looking around the web, I came across a blog that hit me upside the head. "why do I keep my home?" Every successful business has a mission statement what is mine? What do I want to accomplish with my children? With myself? Am I going through life with intention or just to get from the bed to the bed again? So today I am going to begin to answer some of these questions. I have heard them all before but for some reason today was one of those proverbial LIGHTBULB moments. I love those moments when God just reaches out and gets me and says "see this is what I have been t trying to teach you, Desiree. It just takes you a little while to get it through your thick skull." I certainly do have a thick skull and can be pretty dense.

May 1st

WOW The start of one of the busiest months of the year of us as a family. I love May. It brings flower blossoms lots of sunshine (usually). This next week, Caleb turns 8, Brian turns 40 and I turn 36. My brother-in-law, dad, aunt and several cousins all have birthdays this month as well. Brian has a few short trips planned with the military.

One of the things I like about May is the ability to sit outside in the fresh air and enjoy God's beautiful creation while studying His word. I am learning to take one day at a time and that each step is one step closer to Him and He has a purpose for my life. I have to trust Him to lead me in all things. So taking time to stop and worship Him and have FAITH that He's there has been huge this past year.

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him Hebrews 11:6