The mice will play

I leave Dad at home with some little kids and popsicles. What did I think would happen?

Etta experimenting with food

I found this awesome combination of flavors for Etta to try. She isn't into baby food yet. I like to offer homemade baby food or just feed off my plate but I couldn't pass up this choice. She tried it. Not a fan yet. I like it though. It would go great in yogurt or pancakes.....

To the library again

With 7+ 1 kids in tow we headed to the library and then on to Whole Foods. I left dad at home to have some quiet time. Lyn brought a friend along and after we picked up Annika we ran around town. I love driving my air-conditioned passenger van and not having to pack a diaper bag. I grabbed a few diapers a baby sling and nursed my baby as needed. After a long nap Lyn, her friend, Annika, and Eliot and I headed to the creek to play but it was really crowded so we didn't stay long. 

Roadside beauty

I see these all over especially on roadsides. I need to look up the exact species but I am sure they are a thistle. I uprooted and transplanted two smaller ones. Hopefully they will take in my yard. I know most people consider them a weed but I see them as an important herb.

In need of reflection

I love my children and husband.  I know I need to work and help take care of my household. There are so many things around the house that need to be taken care of. Little cosmetic things like new flooring and big things like a new toilet and water heater. I would also love to convert the garage into a bedroom or possibly two.

But I so want to take a weekend and reflect on life and it's meaning in general.  A nice retreat into the woods or to the beach would be awesome.  Connecting to the life force driving the universe would be nice.....

Teaching 2 year olds rock (sometimes)

Finger painting octopuses in class today. Or, are they octopi?

First foods

Etta tried a little oatmeal with bananas tonigjt. She had a few bites. She may be getting ready.

Antibiotic Essential Oils

I am a firm believer in using nutrition,  herbs, rest, sunshine,  and essential oils to maintain my health and sometimes to cure or treat a health problem. I am not a medical professional and am not saying this is for everyone but it worked for me.

I teach toddlers and 4 of them came down with strep this past week. I got a sore throat, fever, swollen tonsils with pustules.  I also had the makings of mastitis on top of it all. I do not have health insurance and could not afford a trip to the doctor.  I assumed I had strep throat because of my symptoms and exposure.  I broke down and treated the pain with ibuprofen even though I didn't want to. I took detox baths diffused lemon EO. I then ingested a capsule of each of the oils pictured twice a day for two and a half days. All of my symptoms disappeared from my throat and my breast.

A lot of people are afraid to ingest EOs. I don't blame them. They can be harmful if misused or of poor quality.  But so can drugs.  More people die or are harmed from prescription drug and OTC drug use than from EO use everyday. I never take my health lightly. I am well. It may have totally been a coincidence or the oils could have been the perfect treatment.  All I know is I am thankful I am well.

Pre Summer Fun

The kids played in the sprinkler a little this Memorial Day.

Juniper and more....

I finally got to pick some juniper berries. Now I am happier. They represent fertility and health. I needed some positivity in my life with the challenges we have been facing lately. Some of the other herbs growing in the yard are doing well also.

Eliot's tooth

And there goes another tooth. Now, that is a big "window" in her mouth. That is what Lyn says anyway.

Etta is 6 months old today!!!

Mama is sick with strep throat and possible mastitis but Etta is a happy yet petite half a year old. Wow, it feels like I just pushed her into this world almost in her caul. My sweet Etta....

Etta almost 6 months old

In two more days Etta will be 6 months old. That went real slow and then really fast!

I was looking back at pictures of Elaina at the same age. They are so different.  Not good or bad.... just an observation.

All you need is Hope

Etta helped me show off my order of Young Living EOs that I received free using my ER points.  Hope has to be my favorite. ..

I got you Etta

Ben wanted to hold tiny baby..... Etta is getting so big!!

Candle time

A little flame to bring balance tonight....

Picking wild strawberries with a spider on top

The little kids had a blast collecting wild strawberries in the yard today. I love that my kids are learning how to identify wild edibles.  Ben even found a spider that in his opinion was "sooooo cute".

Mother's Day

So bittersweet.....

I have birthed 9 children .I have been pregnant 12 times. Being a mother is the largest part of my identity.  My children  are the parts of me that will go on. I may never be remembered by my actions or what I do to support humanity but my children will go on and their children and so forth. 3 of my children or at least two more than likely wish they had another mother or no mother at all. Connor, Danny, and  Annika live with their father and the boys really have to be made to spend any time at my home. Annika went to live with her father last July so she is OK to spend the night in her old room sometimes.  Connor hasn't been over since Christmas season. He called this morning to say he didn't want to come for the day. I validated his feelings but told him this was a special day and he had to come see me and his grandmother.  I am so afraid my sensitive 13 year old Connor is drawing more and more into himself. I let him go when he was 5 years old. I suppose at least half of his challenges are my fault. I don't feel that his father meets all his needs but do we ever have all our needs met? But he is a child.....

Everything ended up going well. We all  went to church and everyone behaved themselves and enjoyed the last RE class of the year before the summer curriculum begins. Latter in the day we collected flowers for Granny and her mother in law for Mother's Day. I feel picking flowers grown in my own yard and those wildflowers collected in common areas mean more than store bought ones.

Happy Mother's Day!

Buck Creek Festival

Eliot, Evan, Annika, and Lyn had fun today....

Today....

I had an early shift at work today so I got home in time to do something outdoors with the kids. I almost called it all off though. I tried to take something out of the oven and burned my finger. I really need to leave all of the cooking up to my husband.  After I sulked for a while we headed to the playground at the waterfall.  After all the flooding they were replacing the mulch around the playground equipment that got all moved around.  The kids still had fun. Lyn brought her sketch book. Eliot found a dead fish that I was convinced was a fake until I cut it open at home. I thought it was a fishing lure. Short outing but worth getting out of the house.