I will be leaving tomorrow for the Land of Enchantment and my birthplace consequently.

Stay tuned.

Earning their Keep...

Just being cute

Doug and I made these Chocolate Cream filled Cupcakes for Ana's playgroup last night. Today as I was eating lunch, I read in the USA today about the cupcake craze sweeping the country.

And over at Danielle Bean's blog today she has cupcakes too.

We even have a cupcake only bakery here in Delray Beach.

Cupcakes are perfection in a paper cup.

Church Community Redeemed

Remember my angry post about the guy in Church who told me to stop having kids???
Well I met his antithesis tonight while waiting for my kids as they were attending catechism class.
I planned on going to adoration while the kids were in class but as unpredictable as babies are changed my mind when Monica screamed with gas pains and realized I was better off waiting in the cafeteria. Well, no sooner had I started the baby bounce that you do to soothe a screaming baby when a sling wearing mama came up to me and offered some advice. She was very nice and truly very sweet about the way she offered the advice. She was a calm reassuring mother who clearly was a pro. "How many kids do you have?" I asked. Six counting this one. Yes she was a pro and she home schooled. She was such a delight to talk to then she spotted someone she knew and was gone. Then walked up another charming woman who remarked how beautiful Monica was. She told me, "Enjoy it, it goes so fast". She is a mama of eight and she had that same calm patient spirit to her. Like the other woman, her approach was so warm so natural that it was effortless and comforting just to talk to them. They were truly mamas and I mean that by the fact that I would love to go home with them and eat a meal at their table then have a cup of coffee with them and pick their brain. There are few women like this and when you spot them you know, they carry no pretense, they are warm friendly, completely approachable and have it all together when it comes to appreciating their roles as mothers in fact heartily embrace it.

I stole a magazine from my pediatrician's office because I thought it was a parenting magazine. It was depressing because this magazine had an article that included the statement, "I try to compensate by doing things with him that he enjoys and that don't make me collapse with boredom" sandwiched between an article entitled "how to unspoil your kids" and a revealing look at what your trendy car really says about you, and ads glamorizing diaper bags.....I just about lost hope until I met these two women. I realized tonite why you don't see alot of them, it's because their just arn't enough of them. But if you ever do see one go and talk to her you will be so surprised how real they are.

UPDATE**

The fundraiser will go on until the 25th of September.

Stats as of today

Monica 2 months 12.4lbs
Ana 2 years (almost) 25.2lbs.
Camryn 7 years 48lbs.
Cade 9 years 65lbs.
Carrie 32 years Yeah right, are you nuts did you really think I would put my weight here on my blog???!!

King's Academy 23, American Heritage 20

It had all the detail of a nail biter, we came back in the third and fourth quarter after being down most of the game, injuries and a really ridiculous amount of penalties on us, all the way down to the 1 yard line and we ran.out.of time. "Poor clock management" the coach said when it was all over. But tell me how can you practice clock management?! I told coach not to be so hard on himself.

Know what this means?

Optometrist number is now in my speed dial.

Just yesterday evening I rushed from Tae Kwon Do with my four children to make the 6:00pm "Parents only" meeting at our church about the kids catechism class. I have to be honest I could've left most of the children with Doug instead of bringing them with me but I wanted to make a point. I believe you shouldn't have "parent only" meetings at Church especially when it is about catechism class! What is wrong with these people? But what was so much worse was the man who came up to me after the meeting and asked me how many children I had and when I said, "Four" very proudly, he replied, "you're going to stop now right?"

My eyes probably grew to double their size as I just looked at him. Why do some men and women in our society feel it is their responsibility to tell a mother how many kids they think she should have? Or how about this, they will ask Doug and then reply to him "you're doing a lot more than coaching these days" usually followed my an elbow to his side or a wink toward me.

What is the matter with these people? I am absolutely appalled that strangers think it is totally fine to tell us how many babies we should have or make comments about our sex life. Why is the issue of family size an open issue for strangers giving them the liberty to get involved? No one in their right mind would ask us how much money we made, or tell us how to spend that money, yet it seems strangers and casual friends feel it is totally their place to ask us if we know about contraception?! Does anyone else see a problem in that? And why does it bother people so much when they see a bunch of kids? They seem to truly believe we can't possibly be happy or anything because we have four kids. I am so tired of the assumptions people make about us. But I wasn't expecting it yesterday in my own Church. I know what we believe goes against the culture we live in. But it shouldn't go against members of my own Church!

I will be honest it was a lot easier when I took pills or we used condoms or what have you. It was easier yes, but I didn't like how I felt. I felt like this part of our relationship was on my shoulders and that it was actually a burden. Can you imagine? I used to feel the gift God gave me, to be able to bring life into this world was a burden? Well it is true, and I felt that way largely because I listened to people like the man the other day in Church and I believed him over my God. When I finally learned about NFP because no one dares talk about it or tell you unless you are searching, I realized my thinking was backward. Instead of working against my fertility and treating it like a disease, I learned about it and worked with it.

I had to learn all about myself to listen to my body and truly understand it, and the best part Doug had to learn too. For the first time in our marriage we were closer than ever because we had to really communicate about our lives together, my health, and if this was a good time to try and get pregnant or not. Every month we had to have that talk. And that kind of talking and mutual agreement gives back all that society takes out of sex. The respect, the complete self gift of yourself to another, and the openness to life. NFP is harder yes, but it is harder because it requires two people to recommit to their marriage vows every single time they are together. Is it easier to take a pill? Yeah in the short run it is but for us that's not why we are married, we're in it for the long run.

Get a jump start on your holiday shopping here!!

The kids school's Annual Fundraiser has begun! The wrapping paper is of very nice quality and is reversible which is good because the rolls are huge and that way you can have variety. The prices are very competitive and the best part? They will deliver right to your home. There are also other items for sale such as accessories, delicious gourmet foods, Chocolates, magazine subscriptions, and unique gift items. So look around but don't procratinate, the fundraiser ends September 18th.

For every item that is purchased, Innisbrook will donate up to 50% of
the purchase price to their school. Go here to look around and if you want to order use the information below. Thanks for your help!

Seller: CADE
Seller ID# R39570C
School: AMERICAN HERITAGE SCHOOL
School Number: 103000

Seller: CAMRYN
Seller ID# R39575C
School: AMERICAN HERITAGE SCHOOL
School Number: 103000

The Good, the bad and the ugly

The good was that Monica slept through the night on Saturday. The bad? I got engorged from her skipped feedings. The ugly? The engorgement resulted in clogged milk ducts which resulted in Mastitis. Fever, chills, aches and sore red breast the whole enchilada. Four kids come in handy when you need medication because my doctor overrode the nurse who told me I had to come in for him to verify I indeed had Mastitis before he would prescribe me any antibiotics. But my God-loving Doctor said "give the girl her medicine she has 4 children and she would know if she has this". Thank you Doctor!!

We are on a BYE Week

This is what you call a week where you don't play a game, but little changes regardless of that fact.

I don't know about anyone else but we watch football ALL day on Saturdays. So needless to say not much else is on my mind except food. This recipe I saw on the Rachael Ray show last year I never wrote it down but I think it is the same. It is a pleaser with these fans and the best part? It is so easy, it can literally be made during a commercial break!

2007 College football season week 2 Roast beef Melts

1 lb. deli sliced roast beef
1 lb. sliced provolone cheese
1 can beef broth
1 loaf french bread
1 whole clove of garlic
1/2 onion sliced into rings
various spices

In a large skillet combine the beef broth, onion and spices (I use Oregano, Adobo and garlic salt) over medium high heat until a light boil. Add sliced roast beef to the broth mixture turn the heat to low.
Cut french bread loaf in half and place under broiler until lightly toasted. Rub clove of garlic over the toasted bread and pile roast beef onto one half of the bread. Top with the provolone cheese and place back under the broiler until cheese melts. Take out of oven and top with other half of bread. Put onions from the broth on sandwich cut and serve with left over broth in a bowl for dipping.

Doug likes horseradish and pepper rings on his, I like the extra onions...top with whatever you like and enjoy! Great with chips.

Yield 2-4 servings

I remember in the early stages of labor with Monica and it was just Doug and I in the hospital room I looked over to him and I said, "I can't remember the last time we spent a whole afternoon by ourselves". I know we were about to have a baby in a few hours but for that moment it was just us and I relished it.
So, Doug and I have decided to "schedule" a date night once a week. This really is necessary now because our children and our lives literally pull us in different directions. He seems to be pulled by the older two and the outside world while the younger two and the household keep me in that corner. Our first "date" seemed awkward to me. It is almost like we don't know where to begin when we are suddenly alone. It reminds me of the beginning stages of being together. We didn't have all of this that we call our lives, that we do now to talk about. We were awkward with each other because we had so much finding out to do. And now when we decide to spend time just together and leave all the mommy/daddy/football/house/family out, what or rather who do we find there? Personally, I think these date nights are going to remind me of who I am or rather what I am like in addition to being a mom. I can already tell you I had forgotten what it was like to look forward to a date all day long.

I want to be a Big Loser

Coming off a pregnancy and then breastfeeding gives me this false sense of reality. I start to really believe that I can eat whatever I want, as much as I want, whenever I want.

And believe me I have been: chips, candy bars, ice cream, sonic burgers, milkshakes, sugary drinks, chocolate the list goes on and on. Well, I am now frustrated because I have a 7 week old baby and I really, really don't want to wear any more maternity clothes. I really want to wear some of my regular clothes and to do that I am going to have to start practicing prudence. I have to abandon my indulgences if I ever expect to get back into my regular clothes. I am estimating (since I don't own a scale) I need to lose 10 pounds. So, today I stopped the candy and other unnecessary snacking and I am only drinking water. Let's see if in 2 weeks it makes a difference. I actually was wearing a pedometer on Friday to see how many steps I take a day and I was up to 3900 when the pedometer fell off my waist band and crashed to the floor causing the batteries to fall out and lose my 3900 steps. This wasn't even a particularly busy day just normal activity. So, if 2500 steps is a mile I suppose I am pretty active. So it should be no problem to lose that 10 pounds. RIGHT? Well that's what I am telling myself anyway. I have a pair of pants that are size ...never mind.... and these are going to be my benchmark. Sounds simple right?!

It's not!!

Cade is now an advanced red belt...Bad picture I know but you try taking a picture while bouncing a fussy baby in your arms so not to disrupt the concentration of this board break. Fussy baby as mentioned above...
Ana and "Da"
mama bird with baby bird 4 (walkie talkie names)

labor day

Friday Night

54-8 we won

But these kinds of wins are not fun. In fact they can be down right boring to watch. After a game like this a certain wife can be frustrated because she can start to have thoughts that it was quite unnecessary that a certain coach had to go back to the office after dinner during the week to "prepare more".