Living Life One Cheerio at a Time

This week I had a reminder of how sweet God's grace is! I offered to watch a neighbor's baby for a few hours. This baby and my baby are 1 year apart. It wasn't so long ago I had a 4 yr old, a 1 yr old and a newborn. I don't remember much of those days. I wander how I got anything done? Did anyone wear clean clothes? Did anyone eat? How did we survived? God's grace! As I was holding the crying baby and my 1 yr old was toddling between trying to help and destroying my house, I remembered those days. Today I got a shower and I am sure on those days I did not. I am dressed. Those were the days I wore a lot of sweat pants. God's grace was perfect for those moments of absolute pandemonium. God's grace is perfect for today in the moments when I don't know what to do next as a parent of an 8 yr old, 5 yr old, 4 yr old and a 1 yr old. Most of the morning was spent with #4 waving HI at him and #4 trying to feed him with a play ...

Sometimes post get written in my head long before they are posted here. Sometimes its like lightening bolt and I know that's what I want to write.Today's post came from a conversation my husband and I had last night. I have lived in this house 6 years. When we moved in I prayed that our house would be one that kids would flock to. That there would be something that made this a safe haven a place that all my kids would bring their friends to. Last night I got a glimpse of what that would look like. There were 7 kids in our yard and 3 of them were mine. Neighbor kids enjoying the beautiful night and company of our family. We also had a guest for dinner. She's someone who lives in our neighborhood. She's 11 and in middle school, but still enjoys hanging out here with my kids. I've known her since she was 2. So its been neat to watch her grow up. Yesterday, when she got off the bus at 2:45 she came to hang out on the playground with my preschoolers. And then sh...

This is her praying over her meal....how cute is little girl! Recently, or the last 3 weeks, little girl has been sick. I've taken her to the doctor and urgent care and nothing was "wrong" except a  stomach virus. For the first  week she was puking and having the nastiest of diapers. But now for the last 2 she's been just dirtying the diapers. And when I mean dirtying I mean I had to change sheets. Sometimes multiple times a day and night. I mean I have done more 3 am laundry loads than I care to count. She didn't feel good. She really wasn't eating. And when she was eating it wasn't much. So when she started eating and wanting to eat I was excited. Her diet mostly consisted of  waffles, goldfish and graham crackers. Every day, every meal. I know its not the best breakfast but people she was eating. As a first time mom I wouldn't have stood for this but as she's number 4....oh well. So today I share with you a picture of little girl eat...

So we've failed as parents. I mean big time. We got the big girls bikes for their birthday. We had a tiny 2 wheeler and a trike, but they were really out grown them. Little man has a trike but still wan't using the pedals so we got him other things. Didn't think he was quite ready. Since the little 2 wheeler wasn't being used little man wanted on it. Its purple/pink girly. He took off. He suddenly can peddle. And fast. And its a girls bike.  Who would have thought? Guess little man will be getting a bike next year... Parent fail..... Hopefully he will find it humorous in the future! Linking up with Hill this week!

Matthew 6:25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not  worry  about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by  worry ing add a single hour to your life? ... One month until 2 of my kids start school. ONE MONTH people! So last week we spent the fortune on school supplies. It also crossed my mind that the shorts and sun dresses would not suffice in the cold Midwest winters that would be coming oh too soon. I went down to the basement of no return to look at the buckets/bins/bags of clothes given to us by friends and family. Having 4 kids to clothe and feed this go to spot of clothing has been such a blessing. I have been so blessed as to never purchased a winter coat for my kids.  But this time the...

So I have no words today. This is the picture of my dining room...all the time. It has been taken over by the Cheerio gang as ART central.  This summer they have gone through 4 water color containers. FOUR! Linking up with Hill this week!

Let's be honest, I am in no hurry for the baby to grow up. People ask me is she walking? No, she's 14 months and not walking. She just started to crawl, but has been doing this boot scooting thing that's quite hilarious. She gets around. She' got her own time frame and I am okay with that. Child #1 and #2 walked at 8-9 months. Little man walked around 12-13 months. They were all 5-10 days early according to their due date, she was late. That's just how its going to be with her. But I know the future for walking is very near. This is how I found her. In the middle of the room. Nothing to grab onto...just balancing. Knowing that this could well be our last (just ask my hubs) I am in no hurry to see this one meet those milestones to quickly. I am okay with the fact that she's taking her time. Thanks baby girl! Linking up with Capturing Motherhood today!

Okay here's my mom dilema do I let #2 still take a nap or do we try to cut it out. I send her to her room for quiet time and she falls asleep. BUT she then isn't a great at night fall asleeper. She sings and talks and BUGS her sister. And to boot she has 2 volume settings: ON HIGH and OFF. If I let her skip her nap or she just plain refuses the evening and even the next day are a bit like every scary-someone's-head-is-spinning-around scene. She's more of the sleep in type of girl. Which is all kinds of interesting since her sister is an extreme morning person (6:30 at the latest) and she's more of a night person (still sleeping and its almost 8 but stayed up until 9) OH the dilema! SIGH! I know she'll be going to K soon and will naturally reduce the need.  Although its morning K so our quiet afternoons may just lull her into a nap or two. I just don't know what to do in the mean time. Kill the nap and deal with the girl from a Stephen King novel or g...

We are usually pretty busy with 4 kids. Evenings are just CR.AZ.Y! Its feed everyone, bathe, put some kids to bed and then the hubs and I  crash. But this weekend we had a moment of nothing going on. We were pretty busy up until dinner then the hubs has a wonderful idea to go get some ice cream. It worked out I had a gift card to this place and this place also serves sorbet. Which is UBER important because of the dairy allergy of child #2 and the dairy and nut allergy of little man. What a sweet gift from God to give us this time as a family. Just a little bit of time to smile, laugh and enjoy each other. mango sorbet she didn't want any sorbet or ice cream...who's child is she? raspberry sorbet daddy and #1...LOVE mommy and little man....JOY #4 and #2....PRECIOUS Psalm 136:4  "To Him alone Who does great wonders, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever." Linking up with Capturing Motherhood this week!

Its been a few years but God moved our family from point A to point B. We are still at B and are quite happy. Recently we visited point A. My husband assured me we were not going  back there just visiting. Just reminding our hearts that point B is where God wants us. It was obvious. It wasn't an uncomfortable or an anxiety ridden visit. It was peaceful. Knowing it was God who pulled us away and moved us to a different place in our journey. This was a great reminder for me to listen to God and then to trust in HIM. Sometimes I want to take back or doubt or argue...but I need to trust. Simple as that. TRUST! We didn't make up the reasons for leaving point A. It was God growing us. It was God wanting to give us more. It was God wanting to keep us from becoming stagnant  It was God wanting us to dig deeper. And we have. We have accepted that gift God wanted to give us. We have accepted the blessings. We have trusted in what HE has for us. We are thank...