Dear Jesus, help me to be loving to those around me, like you are loving to me. You love me when I am un-deserving, Help me to love with that same kind of unconditional Love.

That truly was/is my prayer today, Lord knows I'm struggling, I just think how abundant His Love is to us and how much patience he has with us, and then "we" are often so stingy with our Love and forgiveness! What right do we have? NONE!!!

Have a wonderful Monday!  All prayers appriciated    ~Jill~

Outside my window.....a sunny 57 degrees

I am wearing... a blue jean skirt, a yellow t-shirt and purple and blue fuzzy socks  and my hair is not brushed but put up in a high messy bun, feels good!

My morning....

started off with a wonderful steamy sweet tasting cup of coffee brought to me in bed by sweet DH!

Then baby girl woke up, took her bottle, played in her crib, plopped down on her back and let me know she had a special package for me.....

yes it was all up her back and down her legs, uggghhhh!!!  but something good came of it...

yes baby girl got her an early morning bath!

Her bath ALWAYS knocks her out, so she is napping now, thanks to DD Rach who loves rocking her to sleep

Yesterday... DH and I took DD Leah to Endocrinoligist (thyroid) doctor in Tallahassee. She has to get her thyroid regulated before she can get her tonsils out. She was a very smart Dr., gave us alot of info. So hopefully this will be the road to recovery! Leah has to get more blood work done, and another scan of her thyroid, then we go back to see her again. When everything is right, she can get the surgery.

While we were in Tally, we ate at

and then went to Barns N Noble to look around. Don't you just LOVE to go in a book store?!!! I do, it is the most relaxing, yet inspiring feeling to me! I looked at some sewing books, some self improvement books, I looked at the Christain book section a little bit, but its selection is so much better at a Christain book store.What I love the most there is the CHILDRENS section! I could really spend some time there! I told Leah that the next (older) girls day out should be to the book store, and we'll just stay about 4 hours and visit the cafe' and all that!  Sounds like a good time to me, what do YOU think???

NOW for my SCHOOL ROOM...

We worked on it over the weekend getting posters put up, but I was so pleased to see what Rach had done yesteday while we were gone, she decorated the bullitin board for Valentines Day!

Here are some other pics of around the room

the desk up against the Wall is my third grader's place

 

 

Plans for today.... go to the post office to mail package to my MOM who is recovering from neck and back surgery, get the laundry done up, pull out things as I see them for my up coming yard sale, take care of sick Leah, do school, fix meals, and be all that comes with being a homemaker and mommy

 

  The last 3 weeks have been filled with sickness around here , but thankfully it has been 5 days with no one ill! What a better week it has been!  I was the last one along with DD#2 to get sick, so I am behind on my 21 days to establish my new habbit!   I have restarted this week with only one day of falling off the wagon!  

We had a field trip kind of day yesterday

the girls' little friend (who's also homeschooled) spent the night, and we got up and went to the Library for story hour and craft. Then to the PARK!

baby girl enjoyed her swing!

It felt so good to get out in the fresh air!

there were lots of giggles....

and then not so much, when I realized how the gray in my hair shines so in the sunlight!  

I've been wearing bangs lately while I wait for the new hair to come in there in the front, I had lost it a few months back (something that happens with every pregnancy of mine)

It doesn't show up so bad in the house! LOL

Hannah and Alana are wearing the same dresses in different colors, don't you love that kind of little girls stuff?! Does it bring back memories?

baby girl turned 8 months, still no crawling, just jumping and kicking her legs! Who needs to crawl when you have 4 sisters who will get anything you want for you?! SPOILED!!!

Back to thinking about this unusual January....I haven't even got to play with my new Christmas toy yet...

Well maybeeee.... this weekend I will try it out, I took step one, got it out of the box, and step two, looked over the book!

WE have a Birthday party this Sat at the Bowling alley for our 9 year old, who turned 9 on Dec 26th, and has had to have her party put off due to SICKNESS!   But she is now even more excited!

Now for my latest and greatest product I've tried.... I decided that due to the fact that I have two teenage girls and myself that needs to have it done about every week and a half, that I should just invest in one of these instead of making appts. all the time and spending so much money! So I bought this....

You can't see it so well, but its a wax warmer kit, for eyebrows and upper lip and whatever else, but trust me it will be used on my face ONLY!!! LOL

 

Strongholds, we all have them at one time or another and hopefully we've all broke some!   This is Day 2 for me and I'm loving it! Day 1 went really well, and that leaves me 20 more days to establish the new habbit! See most people that know me well, know that I AM NOT a morning person!  

So I'm not usually as bright eyed as this pic!  I'd more be like this next one!

Anyway, when something gets on your nerves that bad and makes you that unhappy, its time for a change! I'm in that process of making a positive change!

I decided with the help of my sweet husband that I'm going to get up earlier, and get my day started ahead of the game! I'm trying to get rid of that old mind-set of dread of getting up. I really think it stems back from school days (which I DID NOT have a happy school days most years, I had alot of issues with it!)  I have a hard time waking, so i'm planning morning wake up time to be a happy experience of me-time, drinking coffee, watching the weather channel or the Duggars. LOL  Yesterday I did have all ME time, including gettting dressed, but today I had baby to wake up, then 5 year old, but thats ok, I still enjoyed it and got my day started.

I'm headed to be a happier, more efficient with my time, pleased with myself, Mommy!  Please, Please cheer me on! I know there will be TOUGH days!

Phil 4 :13  I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME!

Now and update on the sickies.... BABY is getting over her Ear infection, taking her meds good  The 9 year old and I sat in the Dr's office yesterday for about 3 hrs to find out she has an ear infection and a red throat causing her fever. She has meds now and is on the way to feeling better! Thankful for that, because I was getting to be a very weary nurse!

update on the teenagers...they have resumed thier studies here at "Smith all girls accademy" We are hopefull for a very productive semester!  They've also started the year out for good health habits such as walking, jogging, and some healthier eating choices. Yeah girls!

this was the last sunset of 2011!

baby is ready for morning nap, so its rock a bye time!  Have a great Day! ~Jill~

I hate, really HATE being so busy!  I have missed blogging, missed talking on the phone to long distance friends and relatives, missed sitting in the quiet (when did that ever happen) ???

The Chirstmas season went by like a blur, like I was "watching" the movie I was in! LOL  So now we're settling back into normal, starting projects which in the middle of...most of the family has come down sick! Faith (baby) has an ear infection, her first one.   Hannah has fever, headache, tummy ache and has layed down most of the day. Rach has sore throat, sinus stuff and just plain feels bad, and mommy doesn't know if she is exausted or is coming down with something and has slept and had no energy most of the day.   Pray for us to come out of this SOON!!!

Projects, Projects!!! The little girls closet again! i'm trying to thin out and match up outfits so it is not a crisis every morning to get dressed!  Especially for the 5 year old! I started that on Tues. but haven't had much strength or time to go work on it, but it does make me feel a little better to blog about it! LOL so I have to get back to it soon that way right?! Which brings me to the next QUESTION...How many outfits do you or your children have? If you do laundry everyday anyway...Does having more clothes make laundry any different? I would love to hear from you!!!!

School HAS to start back on MONDAY! IT IS TIME! Time for the schedule (I've started re-writing)to be put in place! School room is messy, but a good messy, because it means it is being used and not just for school! The little girls come in here alot to color and craft now that their stuff is easy to get to.

What Else? We did have a fun Christmas and New Years! We didn't go out of state, we stayed home and some of our family members came to us!  My niece and her parents came a few days after Christmas and we went and toured Pensecola Christian College. She is trying to decide where she will go next year. That was fun and interesting, I had always wanted to see it, and see where all that Abeka Curriculum came from that we have used for years!

The rest of our company "cousins" family of 5 came on the weekend of New Years! My home was bursting with excitement! Our 5 year old Hope is bossom buddies with her cousin Cora and they had a delightful time together! It was neat to see them play, Hope doesn't have a playmate her own age here. We all enjoyed a day of Beach, a day of Sea food and beach, and just being together.  Very thankful the weather was so nice for thier visit to Sunny Florida!

Sorry this isn't loaded with Pics this time, I'm so frustrated because I can't find my camera batery charger which is the camera I use to load my pics! Hopefully it will turn up soon! Have a wonderful weekend and i would love to hear from you!

Welp, Mama is on the way to prison and Daddy's already there! So this is DD#1 (Leah) blogging for Mom today. Oh..I should probably mention that Mom is on the way to prison because today is the first day of the Gospel Express Prison Crusade here in North Florida...and Dad is a volunteer chaplain that works in the prison so that is why he is already there! lol! Anyways I asked Mom if I could do her blogging for her today and she said yes! *excitment!* 

Here goes the Thursday post....

Outside our window...The crisp December air has set in! The kind where you can see your breath! Last night was FREEZING! Our old house was nice and warm except for one room..my room.  I woke up at 6:30 this morning and I was soooo cold! I got out of bed and went and slept the rest of the morning in my little sisters room lol!

From the Schoolroom...DD#1 and DD#2 have the honor of teaching DD#3 and DD#4( the little girls) today.  So Rachel (DD#2) is planning on some Christmas crafts later!

From the kitchen...Frozen pizza for lunch and a bit of snacky stuff for later this afternoon. (Pretty awesome babysitters if I do say so myself )

Plans for the rest of the week.....The Crusade, Christmas on the square, the parade, and pionner settlement on Saturday, and church on Sunday.

Reading....Rachel and I have both recently finished reading "The Last Sin Eater" I have never cried so much in a book! We are going to make mom read it lol. Mom has been thrilled ever since I told her that I like to read.  It's actually pretty funny..her words were "My homeschool mom dreams are coming true! " lol

Around the house...Since mom and dad are gone today Rachel is going to watch the girls, and the baby. I am going to get this house cleaned up lol! We got our Christmas tree put up! *success!* But..now there is other stuff to be put away. I also might try to get some presents wrapped today too!

News from the Tonsil girls...Hannah Grace has healed quite nicely lol. She is so happy about being able to have some pop now lol! Her exact words were "I have never been so thankful for Coke!" as she poured herself her first glass after ten days! Still don't have a surgery date for me yet, but I did find a thyroid doc who will take minors! Havn't seen her yet, but hopefully I will before the month is over. It's a long complicated process but I am sure everything is going to work out.

Prayer requests.....Please pray for the crusade this weekend. Also, pray for Mom since it is her first time going in. I am very excited for her! I can't wait until I can go to prison! The year after next I will be able to go!

Well, I am going to go now. I gotta get back to babysitting, cleaning, and schooling.   It was really fun typing out this weblog! I used to have one but I deleted it lol.

Have a great Thursday, and a fantastic weekend! Love Leah

I have to say I've been there more times than I'd like to have been, with one of them being recently. Why oh why do some things have to be so hard? Then I do the look around comparing thing (which the Bible says NOT to) at other people (MOMS) and wonder how they seem to have it all together!  

So Why do we doubt so? We look at out situation and scheme all the ways we could work it out , (or couldn't) when the whole time our Loving Father has it under control, has the answer, has it worked out in a way that we couldn't have possibly DREAMED, because HE is so amazing!  Romans 8:28 is the verse about all things working together for Good to them...MY DAD must have quoted that verse to me 100's of times growing up! NOW I quote it back to him!

So now for whats been recent in my Life, I've been talking to DH alot lately telling him of all that is wrong till I'm sure he's about Blue in the face listening, and on top of all that I got news Sat evening of my nephew Nate being in a nasty motorcycle wreck (racing and ramping). I'm normally shy about asking for prayer at church, but this time I really felt the Lord prompting me to go. Pastor prayed with me, and I can't really explain it but I'm sure there are those of you that has had a similiar experience, I in the middle of that prayer had the PEACE and ASSURANCE that God was working in my situation, and that it was going to work out!  God is so GOOD!

Now to back up a little bit, I met with a friend over the weekend also, to TALK. Once again, there had been some ideas floating around in my mind, that I hadn't shared with anyone, and thru our talking, God gave me some confirmations about them. Isn't that WILD?! Isn't our Lord so exciting!

I had to share all that with you and how I'm feeling that (sloppy wet kiss) from God feeling right now, as in that song HE loves me oh how he loves me, sorry can't recall who it is by right now, but it is a fairly new Worship song.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, spent with our best family like friends. My girls and I and our friend, braved the black Friday shopping at Walmart thanksgiving Night!   Then on Sat we took a family day trip over to Destin where we visited Santa at Bass Pro Shop! We got a good start on C-shopping and once again DH's closet is full of hiding presents!   I am not a take your time all thru Dec. kind of shopper, I want to get it done and wrapped under the tree! Then I like to spend the the rest of the month doing fun little crafts with the girls, some baking, some going to Christmas events  and focusing on the Birth of Christ . That last line there may sound like I'm trying to be a goody goody, but truly speaking, it is hard with all the STUFF of the season to keep my focus straight, so I'm TRYING!!!

Pics to come next when I can put my hands on the camera again!  it just seemed to wander around the house sometimes! LOL   Have a Great Day!   ~Jill~

I haven't posted much on the baby lately "have I?"  I have just been reminiscing alot the last few weeks about this time last year, and how THANKFUL I am that it is this Year now!   What I was thinking of today was how that this time last year I was SICK as a dog everyday and not knowing at the time I was going to be facing surgery to remove my gall bladder in a few short weeks after Thanksgiving!  

I "must" have been having a good day cause I looked pretty happy there!  And looking back, despite the sickness, I loved being pregnant every time! It's just so special to be carrying your child.

Anyway...its also special to have those expectant pics and then look at what a sweet blessing was in there!

such a beautiful baby girl, (if I do say so myself)!!!

enough already MOM!

thankful for days like these in the sweet outdoors for baby to explore

can't get enough cuddle time!

Notice she has a dimple! she has another one on the other side but a little higher up.

shes my little sweet pea when she wears this outfit

how about these socks?!! I got them at an Amish store in Indiana!

Sweet sugars to mama! God has given us many Blessings this year, right now I'm thanking him in paticular for this little blessing that came on May 24 th of this year!  Thank you Lord for Faith Adylynn Smith!

So I challenge you if you have time today.....Post on one of your wonderful blessings you recieved this year!

Happy Thanksgiving!    ~Jill~

It's Sunday afternoon and I'm taking a breather here after it has been one week packed full!   and I just had to take this pic a few minutes ago of someone else taking a break....   It was thru the screen window so its thats why its not so clear!

he! he!   He may get me for this!

Hannah Grace is on day 5 of the tonsils, and is doing good, but still having some fever and throat sore, and this morning her ears were hurting real bad. All of that is what they told me was normal. So we continue to nurse her back to health.

This was the the morning of...at about 4 a.m!!!

a little prize from mommy. I had been waiting for the right opportunity to give it to her (I got it from a yard sale brand new) shhhh! she doesn't have to know that and wouldn't care anyway!

the turtle is a icepack for her throat

in the waiting room with sissy Leah (who is soon to get hers out)

styling a new gown here! lol

ready for "Leroy" the reindeer to go in surgery with her

one last look before they are gone!

and AFTERWARD in recovery and LEROY got to help with the surgery!

First popsicle

And ready to go HOME and get some TLC from all her sissys!

Sweet Daddy carrying her in

small comforts

gifts from her Childrens Church and SS directer

visit from her adopted Grandparents

sorry i didn't get this one turned....shes showing her hosp bracelet before cutting it off

Hugs from sissy Hope

Please keep praying for her to heal fast. She has been able to eat sweet potatos and mashed potatos, eggs ground up and mac and cheese ground up, but it all has to be cool. Then she has had the regular cold stuff..ice cream and applesauce and jello.  We are hoping she'll be much better by Thanksgiving!

Well time is getting away, so I will go, but if I'm not back on her before....Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving! We have so much to Thank HIM for!!!!   ~Jill~