What are We up to?

I haven't really posted much on where we all are these days. Thought I would write things down to remember. As you all know, we are home schooling the kids. I really hate that term "home school" because it makes it sound like I have a little classroom set up with chalkboard and alphabet letters on the wall, equipped with little desks and me, dressed up like a teacher with a ruler in hand. Not really. It is definitely not that formal. We spend about 2 to 3 hours in the morning learning about other countries (for instance, we studied Albania today), doing math exercises and reading a lot together. This past week and a 1/2 we have been studying light. Today we talked about the moon and how it helps govern the earth and make it work. If our moon was any bigger or smaller earth could not sustain life. Isn't God good? How could any one subscribe to our universe resulting from a bang? That is just nonsense. I was literally fascinated by what we learned today. I didn't know that the tides actually are what sustain life in the ocean. They swallow oxygen to give life to everything in it. The tides "inhale" for the ocean. And the moon makes it happen. Good stuff. I also loved learning how eventhough the moon is not a smooth surface, it still reflects light. That is good news for someone, like me, who is rough around the edges. I can still reflect the Light of the World--afterall I have no light of my own, it comes completely from Him.

Anyway, Alexis has just learned to tie her shoes. She was so eager to learn how to do it, and it has payed off for her. She ties her shoes constantly. She also learned how to patch holes in her jeans? Well, kind of. She forgot to turn them inside out. Her sweet friend Kadie helped with this project. You can see that they got a bit creative.

By the way, there are not this many holes in her jeans.

Aaron is feeling much better. He got a bad virus and fought it for 2 days. This was the first time it did not go into pneumonia. He had us pretty nervous there. He is ready for it to be warm. He asks me everyday if it is springtime yet. He will be excited to go to Houston next week and play outside. WE all will.

Still a little pale, but Houston will take care of that.

Eli is finally over this cold thing, as well. When he gets sick, his skin has a harder time. I guess his immune system is a little compromised. He has regressed some on sleeping, too. He used to go down with little to no fuss. Well, lately he cries something awful when we put him down. Yesterday I just had to let him cry it out. With Kevin at work, and 2 other kids to manage, I can not rock him for an hour, besides he needs good rest. Well, he finally gave it up and slept for 3 hours at naptime. Naps really help with the whole eczema repair. He gets better and better every week. He has become fascinated with this trash can. It never has anything in it. It was for recyclables, but we use something else right now. Eveyday I find it in a new place. Sometimes it even has stuff in it. Who knows?

KEvin and I are trying to sell the house. Times are not good for that, obviously. But we aren't in a hurry. When and if we sell we will start the building process. I am learning to play the piano, along with Alexis. I am so excited to learn. I am using this program called Simply Music, you can order it on CD. It is a different concept in learning to play. I like it alot. Besides, we don't have to pay for lessons.

Bad Parenting 101 & If I were a 2009 College Grad

I had to put Eli in front of a video for a moment today while I finished something on the computer--I know, bad mom. I put the video on and hurried to finish an editing project. Kevin came down, in the mean time, and asked me what he was watching. I looked around and heard Barney, but saw nothing but squiggly lines. He was so quiet though? We walked around the recliner, and he was just a snoozin'. That is a first for any of my kids. I am leaving him there for fear of him waking up and not going back down. He's snoring as I type.






And on another note, I have been thinking alot about all those unfortunate souls who are about to graduate from college to venture out into the work force. That must look a little discouraging right now. I have a couple siblings who are headed out into the real world. I was thinking that if I were graduating in these times and I had little to no debt at all, I would take the opportunity to, first of all, stay debt free. I would not even consider that brand new (or slightly used) car that I thought I needed right after college. I would run the one I had into the ground as I drove to Colorado, Utah, or wherever, and worked at a delightful little coffee house or summer camp. I would learn how to live off of very little and enjoy every moment of it. With any spare money, after bills of course (and when I say bills, I mean rent and utilities, not credit cards and cable) I would learn how to snowboard or play piano--something I have always wanted to learn. I would get really involved in a wonderful, small church who served their community in meaningful ways. I might even fly to the other end of the world and serve the people in Bangalao (sp?), Phillipines or Uganda, Africa. I might even write a book, while I waited on tables, and try to get published. Who knows? But what matters is that if I had to do it all over again, I would be careful not to believe what the world whispers in my ear--that I have to find the perfect job, make lots of money, and start accumulating stuff that just weighs life down. Keeping up with the Joneses only leads to a large national debt that the next president will leave to our children. Live different.
Oh, And Dave Ramsey's "Financial Peace" would be the first book I would buy, when I saved enough money, of course.

Not there yet

I just read an article on Yahoo news about how fruits and vegetables have such little value these days in the vitamin and mineral department. I guess in order to keep up with demand they have to grow things bigger and in more quantity which means that have to modify things--taking out the nutritional value. I was so discouraged when I read that article. As a mom who tries to feed her kids healthy and economically, this is not good news. Especially for my little Tyke. HE doesn't get to eat much these days--fruits, veggies and potatoes. I tried to give him an ounce of milk today, I prayed as he drank it. He loved it. But his body did not. His lips broke out in welts, his cheeks began to itch--well, you know how it goes. Tomorrow we will probably see it all over his body. He's just not there yet. But I so badly want him to be. I want him to get proteins and grow stronger and gain a little weight. So, today hearing that info from the good 'ol, gloom and doom news was hard for me. I at least want what he does eat to benefit him. And have you priced organic lately? We allready spend about $70 a week in fruit--just fruit. Organic would take us past $100. And who really knows if it is any better? so many conflicting reports. I have another sweet boy upstairs with chest congestion, and as his body fights it off, he struggles to breath. It all makes me a little sad. I know in the grand scheme of things it is better than life threatening diseases, but I don't want there life to be labeled by afflictions. I have worked very hard on finding alternatives to giving them medications, and for the most part they have worked. I just have to accept that we do, afterall, live in a broken world and the good Lord never promised we would have perfect health in this life. I am thankful for what He has shown us. I just wish for better for my kids and I pray that God will show us all how to take care of these bodies He gave us in a world that is so deprived. I know He is big enough to handle it.

Don't you love my feeble attempt at putting a face to our delimma?

The Ryan blog

just thought I would let the rest of the family know that Ryan has a blog. Yes, It's true. I had a good chuckle at it yesterday. Here is the sight.
http://www.finkleferrell41.blogspot.com/ I think he started it to join another blog--you know how it works--and then it just kind of took on a life. Maybe we will get more ideas of what goes on in that head of his. ;)

Prayers, potatoes, and praises

I know it has been awhile. I have been, in good ways, busy. Just a different, rewarding sort of busy. I will start with exciting news. After a year of praying for help for Eli, we believe we have received it. A month ago, when we grew frustrated after we had cut out just about everything from his diet--gluten, eggs, dairy, sugar--and he still had rough episodes of itching, a sweet lady from church directed me to a guy who specializes in enzyme therapy. I went to his free Thursday night "question and answer" group with Lexi and Eli in tow. Kevin was out of town and Aaron was at his Papa and Granny's house. He asked about Eli, and I showed him his legs, neck and arms. He looked right at me and told me rather assuredly that he would not only get completely better on enzymes, but his allergies would go away in a matter of time as well. I cried. And I actually believed him. It always made sense that food triggered his flare-ups, but I never understood why he had allergies in the first place. He said that Eli's little body could not digest the foods he was eating and so they became toxic in his system(that's the reason he had such awful bowel movements, too). His body was basically toxic and it came out through his skin. We started him on the digestive enzymes the next day. We also added minerals. Within 2 days his bowel movements were normal for the first time since he started solid foods. He is on a restrictive diet right now until he is "out of the woods." So, he eats potatos in all forms, cooked in coconut oil, and lots of freshfruit. We will be adding in animal proteins-like yogurt, milk-- pretty soon. The first few weeks we had some ups and downs--but mostly ups. He would go days without itching and then have one episode of some itching. The guy said it could take some time depending upon how much toxins are stored up in his blood, but he has been so pleased at his progress. So have we. He is such a sight for sore eyes. I know in the grand scheme of things it is only eczema, but to see a baby itch like that everyday and feel helpless was hard on all of us. He has only a couple spots now, but they hardly ever bother him. He just keeps getting better. Praise God!
We are homeschooling all of the kids now. And it is going great. Our life has changed drastically, but we feel like it has been for the better for us. I will spare you any more talk, and post some pics.

I have to do before and "during" pics:

These are of Eli's legs the first day we started. Focus is a little bad, sorry.

back of his legs before

do you see the blisters?

Eli today. The are so much softer, too. Like real baby skin.

SO much better!

The back of his legs today. The right one has been the last to heal. And this pic actually makes them redder than they are in person.

Happy Eli. The circles around his eyes are gone. And he even has a twinkle in his eye.

His typical meal these days. Sometimes I mash the potatos or make hashbrowns. These are wedges, but we do all kinds of shapes. I never knew how good potatos are for you. Apparently, they don't get the credit they deserve.

This is me and my siblings with my dad. HE turned 60 last month. We celebrated in Tennessee and had a great time. It was so good to be together.

Kevin. I love this pic. He is such a teddy bear, ya know? Don't you just want to cuddle with him?

Our freind's baby Wyatt. He stayed with us after church one day. The kids loved him. So did I.

I didn't get to hold him that much.

Our house last week. The snow was beautiful. I wanted it to last another week. But it is gone now.