Kandice Stewart Photo: Lots of Lovin' GIVEAWAY!!!

Kandice Stewart Photo: Lots of Lovin' GIVEAWAY!!!: Soo... I was thinking today... I need to do a giveaway !  Yes, you heard me!   Being that this month is all about L. O .V.E. and gets me ...

Love day is approaching

I am excited for St. Valentines Day this year. Why you ask?? That is a good question! I guess lately I have been having so much fun with my kids growing up. Their different personalities shining through is so fun to behold. Madison is getting so excited to start drivers ed. She is starting to see the struggles teenagers are having. Thomas bless is soul is such a sweet boy. He is getting taller and now can rest his head on my shoulder instead of my armpit. Cali is getting more personality and again, getting taller. Bryan is getting taller too. He has come so far and it's neat to see the journey he is embarking on with his disability. We are embracing and getting used to explaining his delays. I have started the whole process for applying for the Katie Beckett grant. This is lengthy and lots of test are involved. We had the pshyc test, the home visit, now next week SIBAR here we come. I hate this freakin test. Anyway, keep your fingers crossed becuase we really need him to qualify so he can get services. If Bryan doesn't qualify then there is no program that can help with the costs of therapy. We have applied for medicaid numerous times. Because we have qualifiable insurance, he doesn't get it. Blah, Blah, Blah. Maybe I should speak a different language, get fired, start smokin crank and then he will qualify?? Nawww, I have integrity in myself, my children, and my family. I should not get on this soap box. I graciously am stepping off and will look to the day I get to buy heart pizza from papa murphys. Plan a heart attack for the family, make a heart cheesecake, red punch, and a comfortable dinner. I can't wait!!

New Years is approching

Whew! I don't know about you, but I am sooo glad that Christmas is over. I do enjoy this time of year, but for some reason the stress of not being able to get my kids what they want has weighed on me this year. Normally, it doesn't, but this year......I have been very heavy hearted. I look forward to their faces and smiles on Christmas day, but I just didn' feel that this year I would get them. I tried to find things they would enjoy within our budget. I finally just gave up and accepted the disappointment I thought I would feel. Christmas morning came and all I got was smiles, words of appreciation, surprise, and tons of love from our kids. I truly have the best kids in the world. Bryan and Thomas apparently had been awake for awhile, but just sat at the fireplace reading books waiting for us to come down. Since I had to work on Christmas day, we got up and downstairs at about 7:30. I saw the two boys sitting there and my heart just filled with joy because they were so pleased to just fill the spirit of home instead of the mayhem that seems to come with "Christmas day". We got the girls down and all 4 kids just waited by their trees patiently. I have the best kids. Did I mention...not any presents were wrapped, so it was all out there to see and no one touched a thing!! How blessed I was on Christmas morning to have 4 children who were so awesome and grateful for what they received. Now, the day after, they are still great!! I feel so blessed, truly. I have great family, great husband, great job, great home, great church members, great extended family....BLESSED I TELL YOU, BLESSED!

Christmas is here!!

My sweet children can't wait to set up Christmas. Last night 3 of them got their trees out. From the time we had each kid we bought a 3 or 4 ft lodge pole tree for them to decorate. It is soooo nice when the trees go up. The living room is literally a forest of different designs. Since I'm charge of the Christmas party this year, my tree goes to the back of the priority line. I am however a little jealous of the kids and the happiness they get everyday when they come home from school to "redecorate" their tree!! I told them last night that tonight, yes I committed to tonight, I would go into the garage, climb up the ladder and get Christmas down!! I am a little giddy about this. There was a huge snow storm that happened this afternoon, so the spirit to throw up the tinsel is here!! May your Christmas decorating come quickly and may you feel the sparkle of Christ today.

Monday thru Friday

Have you ever wanted something so bad, and then you get it. You wonder what you were thinking? I have a bitter sweet moment. I will now officially be working Monday - Friday. I wanted this so bad, thinking that it would be so nice to have the weekends with the kids, always able to go to church. Well....now I realized that it was nice having a day off during the week to have the peace and quiet that comes with 4 kids being in school. It was so nice to have John and I with no kids. NOW, we won't have that. Now, we will be home with the kids without the peace and quiet. Now, I can't surprise the kids with cookies when they come home from school. Now, I can't sleep in because it's so quiet. Now, when I need some intimate time alone with the hubs, it's not there!! Now, I will be able to do the "saturday" chores along with the rest of the family. Now, I will be able to know what is going on in the ward. Now, I won't be asked if I'm the new lady at church. I will be able to be there for every sunday! I will now be able to not request weekends off. I will now be able to have the consistency of a weekday job. I guess it's not so bad. Hey, at least I have a job!! I am in a unbalanced state right now. Happy vs not happy because of my work schedule.

Winter is coming.....

I find myself mourning the loss of summer. Fall just seemed to jump right in with the snow, so I want a big bag, comforting leather, nice straps, lots of pockets, and something I didn't buy at Kohls or Ross. Soooo....I found the PERFECT BAG!!

Now, I know that the economy sucks right now. I am fully aware that all my kids need snow boots, gloves, coats, and Christmas. If I just bought this bag, I wonder if it would be like Mary Poppins. Heck, if I'm going to spend...(insert drum roll) $450.00 on a bag it should, shouldn't it?? I wonder if John would notice my paycheck missing from the bank account. Since that is about how much it would take, a whole paycheck!!! I want this bag sooooo bad. It's me, screams Melissa Dunn I need you!! I'll just paste a picture of it here so I can look at it all the time :)

Canning, canning, and more canning

I know in my mind that I look forward to this time of year. We plant the garden wondering if those seeds will sprout. Then we weed around those delicate roots giving the plants the best possible conditions to grow. We water and weed, water and weed. Then we start to see the blossoms on the plants (this is where I get all giddy inside). We can't wait to see the fruit of our labors! Then the fruit comes on, and comes again, and then there is more production!! I have picked, peeled, pickled, squeezed, cut, chopped, sliced, diced, shreeded, freezed, canned, steamed, presured and done it all again and again! I am so worn out!!

My newest thing is going to be peach honey! I helped a lady in the ward canning her peaches, 2 bushels :) I took all the peels and will make peach honey on Monday. I have more beans, cucumbers, zucchini, and onions to deal with. The beets for this year are done!! The peas, done! Peaches, we will be getting in a couple weeks. Tomatoes I want to try this year too. I love filling up my storage room with the harvest. Next year we will be doing this all again!! I really can't wait to get out there in the garden and talk to all my plants today. I am so excited that they have provided for my family. I hope that God lets these living things know of our appreciation, even though I do voice it, I'm not for sure they hear me. I know it's a little weird to be out talking to the cucumber plants. The beets aren't so talkative. The tomatoes are a little stuck up. The carrots are sick, not feeling so well. The green beans are tired but they are willing to keep going. The onions are happy. The peas are done, so they don't talk anymore, they were happy plants. The zucchini are rebellious, but are still doing what they were meant to. The cantaloupe are shy, but coming out a little at a time. My cucumbers are the best communicators. Silly I know, but I do know my plants. There is this one cucumber plant it hasn't branched out so much, but talk about pretty cucs!! I love seeing what blossoms and buds are under it's leaves. The leaves are a deeper green than the rest of the plants. Then there is another cuc plant that is just loves to branch out and stretch all over the place, but doesn't invade the other plants. THANK YOU SWEET GARDEN!!

** this is not my garden **