Back to work

Well tomorrow is the start of a new work week in a new year . We had a great Christmas and New Years Eve party . We had some family and friends over and played games and ate . We loudly greeted the new year and we had four friends spend the night . 

Steven then took the boys deer hunting in South Georgia for a few days . They didn't get anything, but they bonded and had fun . The girls and I had fun too . We went out for Japanese food one night and then met my sister and her family for frozen yogurt one night . We don't normally go out much because it expensive to take everybody.

Tomorrow it is back to work and school . I sure have enjoyed staying home the last few weeks . I miss staying home, even though I love my job . I feel like I am doing God.s work with my special ed kids . I love them all . For me the more difficult the better . 

I have heard people say that it takes at least 6 months for older foster kids to feel like family and I can say this is true . After 6 months I feel like we are making strives with the boy . Taking in an older foster kids is harder than you think .  They come with baggage that you may not be able to help with . Well we are making progress and that makes me happy . 

Well, I have to go get ready for tomorrow . 5:30 comes early!

Merry Christmas

Well, we have certainly enjoyed Christmas this year.  We first had our Christmas service at church and the kids sang.

Then on Christmas Eve we went out to the Rock Ranch and looked at Christmas lights.  I gave the kids each new PJs and they wore  them out in the van on the ride.

Then we came home and made cinnamon rolls, drank hot chocolate and watched the Grinch.



I think the kids got great gifts.  I know I did.  My mom got me a Kindle Fire and with how much I love to read I will put it to good use.  We also got the kids a new TV for the playroom.

Today I cleaned for a while and then we went out shopping.  We took Brianna back to the Methodist Home and then went to Game Stop, Wal-Mart and Kohls.  It was crowded and I hate crowds, but the kids wanted to spend some of their Christmas money.  Now we are at home and they are singing a partridge in a pear tree.  Ashley has stolen my Kindle to watch a movie.  I ordered a cord so that we can stream them in from the kindle to the TV.  Aren't we advanced!

They are going to get hungry soon and I want a fire, so I am off to build a fire and heat up leftovers.  I also have a few loads of laundry to work on. 



Some great kids

Tonight I took Natalie and her friend Emily out to dinner because Natalie got all A's on her report card. We went to Cracker Barrel and then they asked to go to Lifeway Christian store. I was so pleased!  What pre-teen asks to go to a Christian book store?  I am so proud of the young ladies they are becoming!  Then they went with me to Sams and didn't complain!  I got them ice cream for the ride home.

Here they are outside the store. What a couple of sweeties.

Thankful

I am thankful tonight. I am thankful for a loving husband, thankful for my family, and thankful that we have our health and everything we need. I know so many that don't have all of these and it really breaks my heart when it is kids that don't have what they need. I know kids from school that don't get enough to eat, don't have decent clothes, and don't have anyone that pays attention to them or really loves them. Too many adults are into themselves and the children get overlooked. I also think about all of the poor people that don't have enough, and I think that we don't have alot of money, but we know how to take care of ourselves. We don't have lots of new clothes, but we have lots of great decent clothes from thrift stores and what people have given us. We don't have alot of money to spend on groceries, but we eat simple meals from scratch that are healthy and taste good. Most people if you gave them and bag of dried beans and a bag of rice they wouldn't know what to do with it. I am just saying that some people could be more resourceful than waiting on someone else or the government to help them. I am also thankful for these people:

These are my children and my niece and nephews.  My youngest nephew lives with us and the older two don't, but we think of them as ours.  They really don't have anyone else.  Even when it is crazy around here I love them to pieces.  

Busy Friday night

Out high school football team made it pretty far in the playoffs so they had to go four hours away to play. Ashley is in the band and i said that I would chaparone the girls on the trip. We didn't get back until 3 a.m. and I think I just recovered. Oh, by the way we lost the game. Most of the kids we good. One got on trouble and they didn't let her play. I hears some language I didn't like but these are public high kids. We did our second Christmas parade of the season so i guess it is officially the holidays. It is so warm today that it is hard to think about christmas. Well, we are going to church. Have a happy Sunday.

Happy Thanksgiving

It is Thanksgiving morning and all is still quiet.  I have homemade cinnamon rolls in the oven, but we are just going to eat them when we feel like it.  Getting teens up for family breakfast is hard on vacation.  In addition to my five kids that are normally here we have my niece here from the children's home and her brother who is 19.  He lives on his own, but considers us his family.  I feel like I have some college kids home for break.  My niece used to live with my in-laws and then with us and nothing really worked out so she chose to live at the children's home.  She is spending holidays and some weekends with us though, so it is OK now.

We are going to my mom's for Thanksgiving.  She is doing the meat and stuffing and I am bringing all of the sides.  My sister is bringing dessert.  I thought that was fair sense I am bringing nine people.  I am making sweet potato casserole, broccoli casserole, squash casserole, and some sweet potato biscuits.  We should have plenty.  We always do.

I love having everyone home on break.  They fight and act crazy, but I love not having to get out the door in the morning and not having homework.  We did some crafts yesterday and tomorrow we are going to start getting my Christmas stuff out.  Saturday we will get a tree.

Well, I guess I better check on the cinnamon rolls.  I was going to go to CVS early this morning, but Steven is hunting and I am enjoying my coffee and quiet morning too much.

Try try again

Well, it is the end of the month and I really didn't stick to my $400.00.  I spent around $550.  I don't think that is too bad considering that I have teens and that there are 7 of us, but I really want to cut it more. I am doing some more baking and trying to find one meal a week that I can incorporate dried beans in.  Steven did kill a deer a couple of weeks ago, so that helps with the meat.  Well, we will try again this month.

Tomorrow is Halloween.  We don't trick or treat or any of that stuff.  We are having a fall festival at church and the little kids are dressing up for school.  I don't buy them any costumes,  we just put stuff together with what we have at home.  Emma is going to be a coygirl and Evan is going to be a hunter.

We are winding down soccer this week and I am glad.  The schedule has gotten a bit out of hand.  I hope we can slow down during the holidays. Ha ha.