What's the Proper Use?

I feel nauseous.

I feel nauseated.

I know there's a right and wrong way to use it in a sentence, but I sure don't know which is which.

But that's not the point.

Actually, the point isn't even that I feel yucky. This past week was sort of odd because Daddy had to be up and at 'em very early a couple days. Because our van isn't running, I got up early to drive him so I would have a car to get to work. So he's been sleepy. I've been sleepy.

I figured the odd hours had a lot to do with feeling under the weather, but Friday night was rough. The baby was cranky and threw a pool toss ring that knocked me square in the forehead. Jacob began to feel a little stuffy and runny. Daddy's back was killing him from sitting in an odd position at work. Thomas (the one who had RSV when he was a baby and I was told would have the poor immune system for his kid years, if not his whole life) was the only one who didn't feel sick at all. I began to feel nauseous and a little light headed around 8:15pm. I was laying down by 8:45 and asleep by maybe 9:15! That almost never happens!!

Saturday morning was a little better, although I had a small headache. Add in some coffee and a few late errands, and the day was half over! I hate when that happens! Then all of a sudden, I laid down on the couch while Bean was napping, and I was dozing off. A short nap later, and the nausea kicks in again.

By that time, I had almost a completely wasted day, nothing planned for dinner, and I didn't feel any better! I also hadn't started laundry, so today I'm bringing my A Game!

When you're The Mama, what do you do when you're under the weather? Do you have a support system to completely take over? Do you just do the bare essentials until you feel better, then play catch up? Do you rely on take-out? Tell I'm not the only one!!

Today I'm linking up with Blissful & Domestic:

Am I Raising a Homemaker?

I do not have a Type A personality, per se. I'm a little on the control freak side of the spectrum (ahem...depending on who you're asking), but I'm definitely not Type A. There are certain things, however, that I feel the need to control...it's something I'm working on, because I'm never in control - God is (not to mention that it makes tasks really difficult to give to someone else to handle!).

For example, I have a certain places for every dish in the kitchen. If something isn't where it's supposed to be, if it isn't where I can go straight to it and grab it when needed, it irks me.

When cooking, I want to get things done. Period. I like being in the kitchen, but I almost always have a house full of starving kids, and adults as well. Get in, get cookin', and get it on the table, STAT.

And laundry? I wash certain things together or separate. I fold things a certain way. I put things away in certain places.

So when my 4 year old Bean asks to help me fold laundry, it takes AN ARMY to get my not-quite-type-A self to say, "Sure, come on up and help!" (she stands on a dining room chair to reach the basket on the table). When she asks to help put her clothes away, I cringe as she piles things randomly on the shelves. She often wants to help me stir, anything from chocolate milk to cookie dough to the beef mixture to stuff into canneloni roma.

This

takes

so

long.

But I want her to not only learn these skills for her future, but also to understand that while they feel mundane and repetative, they are vital to the smooth running of a household. I want her to understand that although she will most definitely go through seasons in her life, God designed her to be a keeper of the home. I want her to realize that while everyone in the home adds to the feel of the home, it is the wife, the mom who ultimately sets the tone. Not necessarily "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy", but that she lends her quiet, gentle spirit to the home and creates a welcoming, relaxing place...a haven for her husband and children to come home to every day and be content in the peacefulness of home.

I'm still learning, myself. Some days I'm completely unsuccessful. Some days I wonder why anyone would want to come home to this place. But the Lord extends me grace time after time, and teaches me something new every day. He gives me renewed strength every day to handle whatever trials I might face.

So I stop. I let Bean fold clothes. I let her help me clean the bathroom. I let her wipe down the walls, and stir the pancake batter, and sweep the piles, and vacuum (okay, she doesn't vacuum yet...she's actually scared to death of it). And I really really try to let her see me doing these things with contented joy. I'm doing this not for man's happiness, but for God. I want her to know that her worth lies not in man's opinion of her, but God.

Today I'm linking up with Raising Homemakers and A Wise Woman Builds Her Home:

Happy Monday!

Are those two words supposed to be used together? Happy Monday? Are we sure?

Well yes, I figure any day I wake up is a good day...a happy day.

Plus, during my morning perusing of Facebook, email, and my daily/semi-daily blogs, I came across this deal from Child Training Bible.

I will be honest with you: paying the $9 for the CTB is a stretch in our budget. But I've wanted one for awhile now, not only to have something to reference for my children, but also for myself! I'm not a new child of God, but I'm still a learning child of God (aren't we all?). There are some many times I've needed to dive into the Word for some problem I'm experiencing...a feeling I'm having trouble with...and I just don't know where exactly to turn.

Now I'll be able to reference His instruction for us any time I need it. And boy, do I need it!

So...this weekend was filled with laundry, football GO WILDCATS!, and gorgeous fall weather. That's actually about it (isn't that enough??). Thus starts another week. Our older son is having just a few problems at school and is home for today and tomorrow, so I'm home with him today. Have I told you recently how *badly* I want to homeschool??

Blessings to you this Monday morning, and this week as a whole.

Today I'm linking up with The Better Mom:

9/11 - We Remember

{sigh} What to say on this day? As I sit, watching one of the (sadly) few specials on tv, tears bubbling over, that's the only thing that can come to my mind: what on earth does one say on this day??

Carry on, USA. CARRY ON.

source

And never forget.

Source

Despicable Me

Good day to y'all! How has your week gone? Hopefully fast, and TGIF to ya!

It's not too far through the day, and already, I've been a struggling mama. I'm not sure what's wrong - did I sleep well? Did I wake up on the wrong side of the bed?

Actually, my side of the bed sits against the wall - so I have to crawl over to my husband's side to get out...so I never get up on the wrong side :)

My mood makes me think of the theme song to one of our kids' favorite movies: Despicable Me. You know, "I'm having a bad, bad day. If you take it personal, that's okay". Yeah, that's me today.

Enough of the comedic breaks. My heart's been hurting. For little reasons:

* My daughter (yes, the recently four year old daughter) has had a back-talkin' mouth on her lately.
*I haven't been able to keep up on the dining room table after only a few days.
*A friend helped me make a family budget that we just haven't been able to stick to.

This makes me think about wanting to quit my job and stay home with my babies, which will never happen if we can't get control over this monster.

The Lord calls us to be keepers at home. So why can't I? The bitterness sometimes gets to be too much and just overflows. Typically this leads to more bitterness (at myself this time) because the Lord also says that if we are wise with a little, He will know we can be trusted with much (Luke 16:10). I'm not being wise with what little we have! Our little bank account is often overdrawn, our little house is often a shambles, I am sometimes more disgusted that I have to go to work instead of being grateful to have the job (so many people are still out of work!). How selfish am I?

(sigh) I know sulking and self-pity isn't going to help me at all. I need to make something to eat for The Bean, get her down for a nap, and utilize that time to dig into God's words of encouragement. When I am full of self-doubt, time with my Creator is the only thing that satisfies. It's all this thirsty heart needs.

Today I'm linking up with Our Simple Country Life (even though it's Friday)

"Hot Spots"?

Happy Wednesday, y'all! Today is actually my Thursday, simply because tomorrow is my Friday. And because of the holiday, I didn't work Monday, which makes today my Tuesday as well...have you gone cross-eyed yet? Either way, I know my work-outside-the-home week is almost over, and that makes me almost giddy with excitement! Post-holiday weeks are always the worst at work, so I'm always happy to say I lived through another one.

On to the topic de jour: hot spots. We all have them...every single home. I don't care if you're cluttered and unkempt or a minimalist with next to nothing. Every home has a hot spot (just because it's under control doesn't mean it's not still there...it just means it's, well, under control). My hot spot (ahem, or my main one) is the dining room table.

This is not at all a picture of my table, sadly.

We have a few problems with our table. One, it's large. It's a round table with two leafs in. Two, our dining room is not large. It's not really even its own room, as it's joined with the living room. It's also long and narrow, so the table has to be pushed up against one wall so people can walk through the room. So half of the seating for the large table isn't being used. Third (and most important)? Clutter.

Oh how there's clutter.

Our kitchen is also small (did I mention this is a house meant for one, maybe two people? And we're five people...do the math and it's not pretty). I use my bread machine enough that it's out all the time. And let me interject your thoughts for a moment: Yes, I cheat and use my bread machine for the dough mixing and rising parts of bread/rolls/pizza crust/etc. I may dislike much of the technology available these days because it's so addictive and easily obsolete, but some of it really does make life easier. And I *can* make bread without it...unlike some kids doing math without a calculator. {rant over} So the machine stays on the corner of the kitchen table at all times.

The remainder of the clutter? It's just that...clutter. I fold laundry there, I put my purse and notebook down there when I walk in the door from work, kids papers from school get set there, mail gets put there, you get the idea. I have made it my goal to keep on top of this area by making it habit to just deal with stuff as it comes. There is no other way about it. Very little of this is trash. It's just stuff that needs a place other than the table.

Here's the thing about so many people living in such small quarters: you get to realizing how much stuff you really have. And truly, much of our stuff (furniture, knick knacks, books, etc.) is out in the garage. The furniture is all mom's. Since this was supposed to be more temporary than it's turned out, we didn't even bring most of our stuff inside. That means that this is stuff we've accumulated since we've been here.

Not. Good.

So I'm hoping that much of this will find its place in a "giveaway" box, which will then find its place in the back of the van to get taken to goodwill. This is the only solution I see. Once it's gone, staying on top of this "hot spot" will be the only solution.

Do you have your own hot spot? Or two? What area in your house gets the most abuse, and what's your method of dealing with it?

Today I'm linking up with Raising Homemakers

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Happy Labor Day, y'all!! What are your plans for the day? Do you save your barbecuing for the holiday, or just over the holiday weekend?

Today is my youngest daughter's birthday - the BIG 4!! I can't believe that 4 years ago was our first day with this little piece of magical babyness:

GinaGina!

This sweet little bean, when asked what she wanted for her birthday, simply requested "a crabby patty and fries" (code for McDonald's, thank you Spongebob) and "a cake with candles to blow like this {insert candle-blowy face here}". We don't have the extra funds for a trip for the whole fam to Mickey D's, so we're making our own "crabby patties" here at home, and a strawberry birthday cake, complete with candles (cooling on the counter now!).

I can't begin to describe how much joy this little one has brought into our home. Even on her crabby days, she's such a little spark plug!

She woke up this morning to birthday balloons, which she hasn't stopped playing with yet!

Happy birthday, GinaGina! I thank God every day for allowing me the privilege of being your mama.

In other news, today marks the beginning of some changes. I will be "playing" with the layout of the blog, so if you come here and things are a bit, uhhhh, messy, please forgive me (and don't let it keep you from coming back in a little while!). And aside from having a 4 year old in da house, there are some changes taking place at home as well, which I will blog about in the future. I am also, for the first time ever, participating in a link-up with The Better Mom!