Another week has flown by … and we are back here on a Friday!

1. We had a family birthday this week! Now our kids are ages 16, 14, 13, 12, 8, 6, and 4. Whoa.
2. I feel in my element during this season of my life. Things are often hard and exhausting, but we are exactly where God wants us. It feels good.
3. Tomorrow night, Papa and I are going to go see a play! My big Christmas gift to him this past year was for tickets to 3 different shows (in 2017) at our local theater. We thoroughly enjoy a good play/musical! I love date night with Papa. It’s the best!
4. All of our major appliances are white. They are so easy to clean, which is of utmost importance to me!
5. We have rented our house for almost 8 years. It’s the longest we have lived in any single home.
6. Though the idea of owning a home again sounds fun and exciting, we are quite content and thoroughly enjoying where we are right now as renters.
7. This house is a 3-bedroom house, but we have put up various temporary walls using bookshelves, PVC pipes and curtains. It is now a 6 “bedroom” house, hahahaha!
8. When I wear headphones or earbuds, I like to keep one ear uncovered/open so I can hear what’s going on around me. It feels too isolating if I have both ears blocked. The only time I really like having both ears covered is when I am on an airplane. It’s so nice to block out all of the plane and people noise. haha!
9. I prefer bolder, stronger colors over soft pastels.
10. Our kids earn their screen time by getting ready for the day and doing their chores by 9am every morning. If they don’t finish them by 9am, no screen time minutes are earned and they still have to do their chores. (Trying to teach time management with their daily responsibilities.) In addition, unless it’s for school, our kids only have screen time over the weekend, not during the school week. I love not having the TV, gaming devices or tablets on throughout the week (unless it’s school related)! They are a huge distraction for my kids, so we simply set them aside for the 5 weekdays.
11. One of my very favorite flowers is a hydrangea. It’s not that it’s the most beautiful or fragrant of flowers, but because it reminds me of my mom and my grandma. It’s more of a nostalgic-type flower than one that captivates me with its beauty.

Speaking of flowers, I hope and pray you can enjoy a nice walk where you live and behold the beauty of God’s creation all around you! He is quite the artist.

Have a wonderful weekend!!

To God be the Glory!

It’s Fun Fact Friday!

1. Eight years ago, today, our family made a quick and major move to a new state. It’s amazing how fast time flies.
2. I still catch myself mentally or verbally saying, “7, we have 7 kids right now!” We ARE crazy (in the most fun, exciting, never-a-dull-moment kind of way)!
3. When we have a bunch of left-over taco meat from “Taco Tuesday” dinner, I often use it as the base for a batch of chili the next day. The taco seasoning on the meat adds a nice kick and flavor to the chili. If there is any leftover chili, we can then use it for another meal as a topper for a baked potato bar (which is something we rarely do because the chili is typically gone).
4. Growing up, I recall having 3 dinners we regularly ate together as a family: spaghetti, mac n cheese (with peas and apple sauce), and chicken & noodles (with green beans). Oh, and pizza. We like pizza (take ‘n’ bake).
5. I did not like onions, garlic, or cashews as a kid. Now, I really enjoy them!
6. I love the rain.
7. This is the first week I have ever had a child in the public school system. Drop-offs, pick-ups, lunches, homework, teachers, field trips, etc. This is due to the fact that our new foster placement is enrolled in the local elementary school. It’s a whole new world.
8. I love homeschooling.
9. When I am deep in thought (often when I’m emailing, researching or writing), I often stare directly at people. Not to truly see or watch them, but it’s just something I unknowingly do as I think. The kids now recognize “the look” and know that if they start talking to me, I likely won’t be able to truly hear them, even though I am looking right at them. haha!
10. I wrote these “fun facts” while the kids were not around, so I resorted to staring at a sign above Papa and my bedroom door. It didn’t inspire me in any way, but it did help me to have something to focus on while I processed my thoughts.

Sorry to miss Fun Fact Friday last week … but I’m back again! Here are a few fun facts about me, Momma. 🙂

1. The longer we serve in the foster care system, the deeper my passion grows for all of the people involved in it: children, birth families, caseworkers, GALs (Guardian Ad Litems), Judges, Attorneys, aides, licensing workers, fellow foster families, etc.
2. I have had more people in the last few months talk, share, and ask questions about foster care than I have had in a long while. I absolutely love it. If you want to connect with me, please feel free to click the “contact me” tab at the top of the page!
3. I miss drinking coffee on a daily basis.
4. I do not particularly enjoy eating grass-fed beef (unless it’s ground beef). It truly smells and tastes like I’m eating a cow. Yes, yes, I know that’s exactly what I’m doing … but the gamey taste is a bit much for me.
5. I do not wear only gold or only silver jewelry. I prefer to wear a combination of the two, if at all possible.
6. When I was a little girl, I watched 3 movies over and over and over again: Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast. My sister and I sang the songs frequently, similar to how it is today with each new Disney movie that is released (Frozen, Tangled, Moana).
7. Ice skating intimidates me. I always picture myself falling on my booty, on my skate, landing on the back tip of the ice blade. Ouch!!!
8. I am not coordinated enough in my fingers to play video games these days. I get all confused with the plethora of button options. Now, give me an old school, simple, few buttons, rectangular-shaped gray Nintendo controller and I’m good-to-go.

Fun Fact Friday!

1. “Moleskine” notebooks are my favorite! Thick paper, sturdy cover, elastic band to hold it closed, variety of color options for the cover, paper can have lines or grids or be completely blank … so good!
2. We use Moleskine notebooks for our shared journals with the kids. We write something to the kids in their own notebook, place it under or on their pillow, they respond, then place it under or on our pillow, and so it goes back and forth. Perhaps I’ll do a post about them, some day?
3. Papa and I just bought a new bed (yay for Costco sales)!! Our old mattress, a very low end “sleep number” bed, was well over 10 years old. Needless to say, it had seen better days. The air chambers were wonky and making various areas bulge and stick out, making for an interesting night of sleep. The new bed is so big and fluffy it almost feels like we are climbing up a mountain just to get onto it! hahhaha!
4. As a kid, when I would color a picture, I would try to get every color of the rainbow onto the paper, somehow. It felt more balanced and full of life with all of the colors.
5. After taking off my shoes and socks the other day, Taz exclaimed in wonder, “I’ve never seen your bare feet before!” Even though I know that statement is untrue, it does speak volumes to how often I wear socks and shoes.
6. It is not uncommon to have someone share something vulnerable with me and follow it up with, “I’m not even sure why I told you all of that!” I guess I naturally invite people to share their heart with me. I am always so honored when someone does so.
7. When I was about 19 years old, I broke a small bone or two in my hand when I went running full speed into the side of a car when trying to race across the middle capture-the-flag territory line. I only had eyes to get to safety, the parked car was not even in my line of sight until it was too late. Ouch!
8. It is hard for me to sit still. I am a mover … even if it’s subtle movement (like playing with a pen or holding a beverage or shifting my leg positions). I like having something to DO.

Fun Fact Friday is here, once again!

1. Even though it’s “Spring Break” this week for our local public schools, we are not taking any breaks from our daily homeschooling subjects.
2. Next week, Papa’s parents and sister come to town for a visit! The kids won’t be doing very much schooling that week. That’s the beauty of homeschooling. We get to switch around our weeks off of school to accommodate what is best for our family.
3. I am a fan of “Melissa and Doug” toys. They are educational and solid in design.
4. I am quite behind on my emails, texts and blog posts this week. Not sure why I’m so delayed in them, but I better hop to it and get things moving soon!
5. I had a homeschool co-op teacher (during my high school years) that would put the initials “K.I.S.S.” on my papers/reports: “Keep It Simple Sister.” He recognized, even back then, my tendency to want to use a lot of words when I write. I still can’t help it. It’s how I’m wired. Details, details, details.
6. I have all of our family wall calendars dating back every year to 1999. It’s fun to look back and see what all was happening, who we were hanging out with, and how busy (or not) we were during various seasons of our family.
7. I prefer sleeping with heavy blankets as opposed to light and airy ones. The weight helps me feel safe, secure, and cozy.
8. I learned a trick (an obvious one!) this month for saving money in our grocery bills: shop every other week instead of every week. When I shop every week, I simply buy more than is needed. Shopping every other week pushes us to use up what we have before we invest in more. Less waste. I buy less, overall, when I’m not at the grocery store as often!
9. I think I’d enjoy visiting Colorado at some point. It seems like a beautiful place to stay for a nice vacation.
10. I love mountains. They are so majestic, massive, and beautiful. Maybe that’s why Colorado has a certain appeal to me?

Fun Fact Friday time! This is the day of the week where you get a little better glimpse into my life in learning various “fun facts” about ME!

1. I sleep with the ceiling fan on every night.
2. I am not one to beautify things with decorations, creativity and flowers. Instead, I love to organize. That’s its own kind of beauty, right?!
3. I use an old school wall calendar to keep track of all of our appointments, commitments and activities. I prefer to see the big picture in writing instead of typed out on a screen.
4. I love Papa’s big and strong hands. They help me feel safe and secure.
5. I have had knee surgery twice on my right knee. Once when I was in high school and once during my early years of marriage.
6. When my fingernails start tearing, getting nicked, bending backwards, or naturally shortening themselves in other various ways, that’s my cue to pull out the clippers. Otherwise, I completely forget about caring for them.
7. Horses intimidate me. They are so massive, I don’t know what to do when I am around them.
8. I dissected a frog and an owl pellet when I was in high school. I loved it! It’s incredibly fascinating to take things apart and look at their inner workings … even if it is a dead creature or piece of poop. ha!
9. When I was in upper grade school, my best friend and I created a time capsule that was to be opened in 1995. I remember thinking it was going to take forever (though it was literally 5 years) to get to open it! The year to open it was 22 years ago. My, how time flies!
10. I consistently sleep about 6-7 hours every night.

Fun Fact Friday! Today, I will be sharing with you 15 things I have NEVER done or experienced. It will be similar to the game, “Never have I ever …”

1. Never have I ever been outside of the Americas.
2. Never have I ever owned a passport.
3. Never have I ever smoked anything (cigarette, pipe, cigar … anything!).
4. Never have I ever ran any kind of marathon.
5. Never have I ever eaten liver (as far as I know!).
6. Never have I ever gone to Prom.
7. Never have I ever cooked a lobster.
8. Never have I ever had an epidural.
9. Never have I ever been on a snowmobile.
10. Never have I ever flown or been in a helicopter.
11. Never have I ever milked a cow.
12. Never have I ever driven over 100 mph (that I recall).
13. Never have I ever learned a spoken foreign language (I learned Latin and Sign Language … both are not speaking languages).
14. Never have I ever been in a car accident when I was driving.
15. Never have I ever been on TV.

Do you have any things you have never done or experienced that you’d like to share?

It’s that time again! Time to get to know a little more about me here on Fun Fact Friday!

1. I enjoy wearing an apron when I am cooking or baking. It reminds me of my grandma when she was in the kitchen making yummy food to eat.
2. My first job was an all day (roughly 5am-4pm) babysitting job when I was 13 years old. I earned $3/hour, which was a high wage in those days.
3. One of the beauties of homeschooling as a kid was that I had the freedom to work during the day. I did my schooling before or after work (or during work, when I was babysitting and kids were napping). I earned a lot of money in my junior high and high school years.
4. I worked at Subway when I was 15 years old and loved it. I was a true “sandwich artist.”
5. After college, I was a nanny for a family with six children. It’s interesting to see how that experience was paving the way and preparing me for having six kids in my own home!
6. Quantom Leap was a fun show to watch when I was younger. I always loved the point in the show when the main character looked in the mirror to see what person he was for that episode. It was hilarious when he had to pretend to be a female, haha.
7. Growing up, I washed the dishes almost every night (when I was actually home), while my sister dried and put them away in the cupboards.
8. Apparently, I’m feeling a bit nostalgic as I think back on various aspects of my childhood. I had a great childhood!!

Fun Fact Friday is here! Aren’t you so excited? haha!

1. I have played around with my new podcasting microphone this week. It’s a fun little piece of entertainment!
2. I have no idea what I would talk about on a podcast, yet part of me just wants to jump right in anyway. Usually I wait for everything to be perfect and ready, but maybe I won’t this time? Time will tell.
3. I get up every night around 2am to help our foster daughter with some medical needs. It truly is a labor of love as I love her dearly.
4. We purchased 1/4 of a cow a few months back … and we’re still trying to finish it. We flew through the ground beef portions, but everything else is taking foreeeever to use.
5. One of our go-to family meals is homemade chicken pot pie. It’s truly comfort food to us (well, except for Sparkle, she loathes peas).
6. We have 3 different types of chairs around our dining room table. We’ve had quite a few break along the way, so now it’s just a hodge-podge of what is still left and usable.
7. I do not like the scent of lavender. A few of my kids love lavender oil, so after rubbing it on their chests, I wash my hands thoroughly to get rid of the smell.
8. I watch football throughout the football season, but I still don’t understand what a “holding” penalty is since everything looks like holding to me! (shrug)
9. Papa purchased a HUGE Dove Milk Chocolate Bar for me for Valentine’s Day. Ohmygoodness, it’s so yummy. I think I’ll go have a bite right now. 🙂

Have a great weekend!!

I hope you enjoy reading these random “fun facts” about me on this fine Friday …

1. I absolutely loved writing (the beginning of) our foster care journey. It’s humbling to look back and see how the Lord does amazing things in and through our lives.
2. We have had 7 foster children in our home in the 5 1/2 years we’ve been doing foster care. We could have easily had more, but we took about a two year break in the middle of that time.
3. I usually do 1-2 loads of laundry every day. It’s not a good idea to miss a day or it piles up rather quickly.
4. I have sensitive feet. Walking on rocks is not a wise decision.
5. I own two 6-quart Instant Pot pressure cookers. I use them both.
6. If I want some yummy (and sweet) comfort food, I’ll whip up a batch of chocolate cookie dough and eat a spoonful … or three.
7. I love the rain.
8. This month of February, I am trying to only buy perishable foods (dairy, fruits, veggies, etc). We already have so many snacks, canned foods, and frozen meats we need to use up first. I also need to defrost our garage freezer. It’s a big ice ball in there with all of the frost build-up. Once it’s cleared of its contents a bit, the defrosting process will be so much easier.
9. I don’t enjoy change (in general), but I am learning to embrace it more and more these days. It’s OK to shake things up a bit from time-to-time. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.