update & a clean heart...

Well, as of this evening, all of the kids are better except Claire. Drew was the one who was the sickest but thank God, he is much better!! I am praying that Claire's will clear up, as well!! She has been sick so many times this year. Please just pray that she gets well, soon!!

Right now, I feel like I am drowning in clutter!! Homeschooling has gotten everything way off schedule but that's okay. I am just a little down right now because my house is such a cluttered mess and we are about to start some more remodeling. We have been in a constant state of remodeling since we moved in and probably will be from now on! It's just a fact with the house we live in and my husband's need to constantly redo something!! lol :)

So, this week, I am going to start this challenge!! This woman inspires me!! I really don't think we will ever have 9 children but other than that, I can relate to her on a lot of levels....and definitely with the cluttered house and spirit! (amazing fact: if you EVER think your house is too small, think about this, they live in a 900 sq. ft. house with 9 children!!!!) wow.

So, all of that rambling to say, if you are willing to join me, please do so!! I am going to start it today but you can jump in whenever! Just let me know if you are doing it so I can be sure to encourage you along the way...not nag, encourage! :)

Well, I have to go and get some more stuff done. I am starting in the kitchen because I am following flylady as well and that's where she was yesterday. (I am always behind somehow)

updates with veggie princesses :-)

NO throwing up since 7 AM!!! Praying that IT is GONE!!!!! :)

just updating the family. we have some people who are worrying. :)

oh, also, anyone have any ideas on how to put together a Veggietales/Princess birthday party?! lol. Miss Claire has decided that is what she wants! Okay, yeah, I'll get right on that one! ;) Seriously, any ideas are welcome, Anyone?????

happenings...

still cleaning up puke. lily has it SO much worse than claire. poor baby is still throwing up and she is crying a lot. :( she has been asleep for about an hour now so i am checking up on my email and doing laundry and making cookies for charlie's lunch this week. they say that mom's are multitaskers extraordinarre and i believe it! :)

Hey, feeling bad about the economy? check this out!

please continue to send prayers our way!

love,
Julie

updates!!!

Jase (my nephew) does not have RSV!!! Thank you for your prayers!! :)

And, on the bible through a year note, I know that it is January 7th but I am only on day 2!!! Sorry, life has just happened and I believe that God knows that better than anyone! :) So, here's where I am picking up today:

Day 2
the line of Seth: Genesis 4:25; 5:3-5; 4:17-18, 26; 5:6-20
the line of Cain: Genesis 4:19-24
from Enoch to Noah: Genesis 5:21-30; 6:1-8; 5:32; 6:9-10; 1 Chronicles 1:1-4
Noah's flood: Genesis 6:11-22; 5:31; 5:27; 7:1-8:12

Thanks to those of you who are trying to read along with me! The accountability helps and evidently I am needing that as a push to pick up and read!

So, please read with me and continue to let me know how you are doing. If you emailed me in the past couple of days, I will try to get back to you sometime in the next couple of days. Today is going to be super busy and very stressful. Please pray for me. Maybe I can share details at a later date. We will see. Lots of things happening and right now I am just trying to sit still and wait on God.

Love to all,
Julie

Some resolutions...

I don't usually make New Year's Resolutions because I am not very good at keeping them. However, this year, I see MANY things I need to change and focus on desperately, so I am giving this another try. One of my resolutions is to read the Bible all the way through. I have not decided in which order to do this yet. If you want to find a schedule of different ways that you can achieve this goal, click here. They also have some great tips on reading and understanding the Bible.

Another major thing that I am working on this year is my ability to just "love" someone in any circumstance. I believe that this is VERY important as a follower of Christ. I learning about myself that I am not as good at forgiving as I thought I was. I am also not very good at reaching out to those whom I do love. I also need to work on loving myself. I am very hard, very critical, very demanding of myself. I need to spend my time just really trying harder to see the good in everyone and that has to start with me. Hopefully, reading the Bible through (again) will carry me along in this goal. I believe that it will.

I have many more resolutions that I want to share with you and some ways that I plan to go about these goals. I will share them throughout the month as I have time. My computer time is up for today so I must go....

update on kids:

everyone is some better although Claire is still coughing (hacking) and Drew is still stuffed up with snot. I will be glad when the dr. can rule out anything. I worry about ear infections and RSV. Although, I do have a cousin who is a RN who can tell me if they do. She says it's not RSV so I know that I shouldn't worry. :) But, I do. Being a mommy, I guess.

Keep us in your prayers, please.

Love you all,
Julie

update, update....

LONG night. Drew slept on my chest most of it when he wasn't crying because he was so mad at the snot! He screams when I give him the nose drops. It's hard on Drew-B and Mama, too! Still no fever, though! Thank God! :)

Claire was also up and down, up and down and Lily was having a hard time sleeping. They don't sleep very well when they can't breathe because of the mucus. Poor kids and Mama doesn't have much patience when I am half awake & sleep deprived!

Doctor's appointment isn't until Friday. Crazy huh? If it gets any worse, I will have to take them to the walk in clinic. Hopefully, it won't. Please keep praying, we really do appreciate your prayers.

Love,
Julie

update on kiddos...

Claire & Lily still runny noses & all around yuck. Good thing is that the slight fever has disappeared, Yay!!

Drew is still clogged up with snot. Suctioning it out and shooting saline drops down his nose every time he eats. He is eating great, though and sleeping a lot better, so I think he is going to be fine. Still going to the dr., though, just to make sure.

*Will keep you updated, thanks for praying!

Love,
Julie

Hello!.....

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! :) Thank you so much for the sweet cards and emails! Your Christmas/New Year cards should be arriving soon in your mailbox, if they haven't already. I am really sorry that I was so late getting them sent out. I tried.

We have had a wonderful Christmas! First of all, Charlie got a week off from work, unexpectedly. It wasn't great because it was a week without pay or unemployment (long story) but it was great because we got to spend a lot of time and have a fantastic Christmas week instead of a rushed week. Thank you, Lord, for that. See, there is good in everything, even financial difficulty. :)

So, our Christmas spending was cut back even more, but that's okay, because we just focused more on important things and the true meaning of the Christmas season. Charlie bought us the book, "The Love Dare", as one of our Christmas presents. We have just started doing this and already Satan has attacked us in almost every area of our marriage. It has been rough but it's funny, too, because we just fight back that much harder and WE are winning! If you haven't started this book, I cannot recommend anything any more than I can recommend this book! It's great!

The girls have had a fun filled time with their Daddy and with cousins and visiting family. It's been a wild week and we are looking forward to settling down this week and just getting back into our groove. :)

Charlie's dad is doing pretty good, considering. He has a really great attitude about everything. He's good like that. :) They did not find any cancer in his bones and it is a really early stage so, those are all great things. Hopefully, they can take care of it with radiation. Please continue to pray. We sure do appreciate all of your prayers. :)

We are looking at a rough year again. HOPEfully, things will improve finanacially and otherwise. We are praying and prayerfully considering some options available to us. Please pray for Charlie as he makes a lot of decisions for the future of our family. He really is trying so hard to seek God's will and direction in his life. I am SO proud of him and in all of almost 11 years (next week) of marriage, I have never seen him walk as closely to the Lord as I see him walking now. It gives me goosebumps just talking about it! :)

*Well, I have to go lay clothes out for church tomorrow and read my love dare for tomorrow and get some sleep. I will try to post pictures of our crazy kids and their wild antics at Christmas if I can get the computer to cooperate! (Because of the week off of work, I will have to wait a little while longer on our computer, that's okay, the Lord is sure teaching me how to wait patiently!) :)

Happy New Year!

Julie

Papaw....

Please pray for my father-in-law, Ralph. He just got the news that he has cancer. I will try and update more later. Please pray for Dad and Mom and the family.

Thank you.

Love,
Julie

update (again)...

We are all better, FINALLY!! Praise GOD!!! :) Hopefully, it continues! I thought I was going to die and I am not joking. The girls were (especially poor little Lily) SO very sick and needing their mama. Drew was a little sick (so far) which was such a HUGE blessing because he is such a wee little babe and most definitely DID NOT need to be sick and I needed all of the energy I could get for the other sickies and myself. Charlie was sick for 3 days off and on (mostly on) and he worked through it all (only stopping to throw up or you know..) I love my husband so much! :)

Then he came home for a relaxing weekend and ending up cleaning up vomit and taking care of kids while I took my sick turn. FUN times. Poor man, he really deserves many kudos!!! :)

Anyway, thank you so much for your prayers ,comments ,sweet emails and calls! LOVE you all !!

On another note, I had some unexpected and very unusual time by myself this morning while the kids slept (even after my quiet time) so I did some Christmas crafts and I wrote some posts and set them to publish throughout the week as I will be busy getting final things done for Christmas eve/Christmas day. So, I won't be on the computer much but you will still be getting my cookie recipes and other things. I know, aren't you so lucky? haha. :) Seriously, just some things that some people have asked me to post, so I am doing it this week. Hope you can use them, as well.

Merry Christmas ,everyone!!!

Julie & family

update on the sickies....

Please continue to pray for us. We have started round 2 of the stomach virus! Lily threw up about 7 times last night and I am feeling queasy and just waiting for it to start again with me. Please pray that it stays away from baby Drew and if he does get it that it is very mild.

Well, I am off to scrub the house with bleach and lysol and start on a gigantic pile of laundry. It is going to be a LONG weekend. :(

Please pray for my father-in-law who had a biopsy on his prostate yesterday. Pray for good results and if not, the strength for Dad to deal with what will come for him. Strength for the family.

Pray for the sweet little boy, Noah, and his family, that I have on my sidebar. Click on little Noah's adorable picture for more information about his terrible disease and what is going on with his treatment.

Okay, I have to go now and disinfect this house. Hopefully, the virus will be gone soon and I can get on with Christmas preperations. I have gotten so very little done with all of this sickness.

Love,
Julie

please pray....

STOMACH VIRUS...................................................................................................

'nuff said!

prayer update...

Just an update to let you know, those of you who have been praying, my sister and her husband have reconciled! Please, please, continue to pray that they make it work! :) God is SO good !!!!!

Much Love to you all,

Julie

Just to let you know...

Just a quick note to let all of you know that I am not having the surgery today. I really appreciate all of your prayers and well wishes.

I am still on a little blogging break but hopefully, I will be back to blogging soon! :)

And, I hope you don't mind the early Christmas blog design and music! It drives most people I know crazy but I listen to Christmas music all year long and I can't wait until after Thanksgiving to start dreaming of Christmas! :)

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, everyone!!

God Bless.

Love,
Julie

*I have some Thanksgiving recipes posted here & hope to get a couple more posted sometime this week!

I thank God for you...

First of all, Thank you so much to everyone who commented, sent emails, cards and/or called me!!! I am SO truly blessed to have ALL of you as family and friends!! I love you all SO much!!! :)

You definitely know how to give a girl courage to stay the course and the knowledge that she is loved. As silly as this may sound to some, I thank God for blogging! It has truly changed my life for the better. :)

And in some ways, it can be a bad distraction. This week is going to be a hard week with the surgery and recovery. Next week is Thanksgiving, which needs to be all about our little family. So, I am going to be on amini- break this week and after that we will see. I am having some computer problems, as well, so that will figure into how long I am gone. I have not been on the computer since Friday evening (not even touched it) and I have noticed a remarkable change in how I feel and what I have accomplished without the distractions of even just checking my email! (Hard to admit but sometimes admitting is necessary for cleansing the soul!) :)

So, I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving! I may post some Thanksgiving recipes here as I get the time to do so (maybe after everyone's tucked in bed which is remarkably earlier lately!) so be sure to check for those recipes! :)

I will see you when I return! Everyone have a very Happy Thanksgiving and I will try to keep in touch with you via email, when I can.

Love and many thanks to all of you for your encouragement and prayers,
Julie

*please pray for my sister, Tammy, and her husband, George, and their children, Jesse, Michael, Sarah & Rose. They are going through a divorce and have decided after trying to reconcile that it will not work. Pray that hearts are changed and God does a mighty work in their marriage. I will not give up on them!!

update and please continue to pray...

Charlie has a pretty bad infection. He also has an extremely bad hernia. Actually, more than one. He has some things going on with his kidneys, as well. So, he is on some pain medication and antibiotics and some anti-inflamatory medication. He has to take all of that, don't lift anything and go back in two weeks. If he is not better at a satisfactory level, they will send him to a specialist. We really need your prayers as this is very bad news. Charlie's work is VERY physical. Not only that, but to keep up with our place and 3 kids is very physical work, as well. We also do not have insurance at this time, (long story). So, we cannot really afford a specialist.

I am asking you to pray and pray hard for us. I know there are people that have problems a lot worse than ours. But, I know that our circumstances require prayer, as well. I know when we need prayer and we need it now. I also believe that my God can fix this. So, would you please join me in prayer for our family? Pray that Charlie is healed, 100%?
'
I thank God every day for the special friends I have who comment and email and phone me to let me know that I am loved. I so appreciate each and every one of you! May God bless you all.

*Also, of the upmost importance today, DON"T FORGET TO VOTE!!!!
VOTE FOR JESUS, VOTE FOR VALUES, VOTE FOR OUR COUNTRY
AND MAY
GOD HELP US ALL.

update on me:

. my bilirubin (sp?) levels are a little elevated (pancreatitis is acting up again)

. I have an infection in my body, hence, the abcess tooth. I have to take these high powered antibiotics to clear up the infection.

. My potassium level is low and it is making me feel even worse. Have to take potassium and eat a high potassium diet.

. tonight I am in my comfy pajamas, drinking hot chocolate and going to read books to Claire. Lily is tucked in tight and Drew is sleeping away until time for his next bottle, around 9:30. Then it's off to sleep for everyone.

Thank you so much for your prayers. I had planned on taking a blogging break and I still am going to be doing that. So, I will see you hopefully by the end of this week after I get some things straightened and worked out.

Ya'll have a great week!

Love,
Julie

real update (for you, sis)

everybody up from naps. feeding drew. i took a nap too. still have headache. still have cramps. much better mood.my sweet little sister emailed me. luv you sissy. =) claire & lily "reading" books to each other. claire wearing tinkerbell costume. thanks, meme for fixing the tear. =) supposed to make treat bags tonight for our church to hand out to local kids. will not make it. also will not be able to go to town and buy groceries tonight. oh well, scaling back. had too much on my plate, anyway. sick headaches are what happens when i do that. maybe i will sleep more than 6 hrs. tonight. i need it. i did accomplish one thing today, supper is in the crockpot. love my crockpot. well, that's it for the update. going to read with the girls now. we are reading "Farmer Will" and the little house for kids series. try it. i even love to read them. =)

and the best of all: CHARLIE IS ON HIS WAY HOME; YAY!!!!!!!! =)

Tidbits from life around here...

Things that have happened around here lately:

*Drew slept 4 & 1/2 hrs. last night and is on a eat, waketime, sleep routine of every 3 hrs. all by himself!!! =)

* Lily has 2 new teeth!!! She is also now wearing pull-ups!! We are not going in the potty (nor am I pushing her to) but she was outgrowing the diapers so we had to do something! She is such a chunky monkey! =)

* Claire is riding her tricycle and today has been watching Martha Stewart and instructing me on how to make cookies. We've also started watching, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" in preparation for all the upcoming fun!! She wants to be a (surprise!) Princess for all the Fall activities! How did I know that was coming? lol.

* Lily is "reading" to Drew and Claire sings to him every night. It's so precious & Drew loves the Veggie Tales themesong (Claire & Lily's fave)

* Made Halloween cookies 2 days this week; Charlie took some to work for the crew. Used this recipe; try it, they're yummy! =) (I have pictures, will try to get them posted tonight or tomorrow)

* Claire cut a hunk out of Lily's hair with her safety scissors! Yes, they were put up but Miss Claire knows how to climb on kitchen chairs extremely well. It's not too bad, I caught her before the damage was irreversible!

* Charlie has helped me with the baby a few nights this week. He is such a wonderful husband. He has to get up at 4:30 am so for him to help and not complain is so sweet. With three kids, it's pretty much a given that neither one of us is going to sleep all night long, undisturbed! Dream on! So, it's great that he is willing to help so much. I love you, baby!!!! There is no one else like you. I am so blessed that you are mine!

* Making this for supper tonight! I don't like to use bouillon, though, so I substituted 3/4 cup margarine (butter would be better but I am watching calories) and 1 cup water. I also added a little more soy sauce. We will see how it turns out! It smells so delicious cooking in my crock-pot! =)

* Claire was playing outside, "cooking" and she told me she was making me peanut butter soup in her crockpot! I thought that was so cute & funny! =)

* So ready to make pumpkin bread!! I have the pumpkin bought so I think tomorrow is the day! Try this recipe; it's SO good! =)

* Listen to this song over at my sister's blog! We love this song, too, it's great when you are just in the dumps! It's uplifting! =)

* Loving on sweet baby Drew is going great! We are spoiling him rotten and loving every minute of it!! He is such a good, laid back, easy baby. He is a precious blessing and such a sweetheart! Mama & Daddy sure love our baby boy! And so do his sisters! =)

Well, that is just a little update on everything around here. I promise to try and get pictures posted in the next couple of days! My computer has issues (we need a new one, so bad!) and my Mom's is having issues, as well. It takes a lot of time to load them and I just haven't had the time! I so want to share more pictures of our family with you so just be patient with me! And I will try to be patient, as well! Have a great weekend, everyone!

Love,
Julie

Some GREAT things to mention

I still can not get my picture to scan so I may have to take another one with my old junky digital and pray that it loads! =)

Check out my new blog design! I got tired of the boring ones that blogger offered so I decided to use this, FREE, site!!! I LOVE IT!!!! =)

Anyway, I have LOTS to do today so, I have to get off of the computer! Happy Wednesday, everyone!!!

*Congratulations to my cousin, James Treat on his baptism last Sunday!! I am so proud of you, Jim-bo!!!!!

*And GREAT job, Mike on your first lesson Sunday, it was hard to do, I am sure but you handled it like a pro!

God is doing so many great things right now I am just truly overwhelmed with gladness!! HE is so good!!!!

Have a great wednesday!