The Saga Continues

My last post was about my daughter and her two small children living here. She's been gone two days now (she's staying with a woman who use to be her neighbor and has threatened on numerous occasions to call Social Services on my daughter). She briefly contacted her dad (my husband) yesterday to say she wouldn't be home again last night. He's a truck driver and wasn't home. She texted him. Anyway, My oldest daughter called today to ask if we were still throwing her a baby shower (she's due late January). During the course of the conversation (she was talking to one of my younger daughters), she mentioned that my daughter who was living here with her children told my oldest she had moved out. She has not told us she has moved out but I feel certain she probably does plan to. My thoughts are this. I'm tired. My house has been peaceful and clean for 3 days (since she left). I have gotten more done in three days than I usually get done in two weeks. Not once has anyone raised their voice (since she left). My two youngest are happy. Maybe I should do tough love and take all of her belongings to her storage unit. If she returns, ask for the key to our house and tell her where her belongings are. If she doesn't return, change the locks. With both of my older daughters, they tend to blame and punish my husband, myself and our two youngest, whenever things go wrong for them. We are usually an after thought until they need something, then we are "Mom and Dad". I love my daughters and I blame myself. I hovered over them trying to protect them from being hurt when they were growing up. I came to their "rescue" whenever they needed something. Now, it's our relationship. So how do I change the relationship without losing my daughters? Your thoughts and ideas are welcomed. My daughters really are nice girls, they just lack gratitude and humility. They behave as if they are entitled and we are in their way of getting what they "deserve".

Life Apparently "Sucks"

I had a tough day today. Life in general has been tough lately. In September, (I know that was only two months ago) one of my grown daughters moved back in with us bringing her two small children (ages 2 years and now 5 months). I love them. Everyday, she tells me how much her life "sucks". Her high school sweetheart (and first love) decided he didn't want to be a husband or father anymore. He left her with a car that is falling apart, no money, many late bills and no roof over their heads. My daughter was a stay at home mom (at her husband's insisting) and is having trouble finding a job now that he left. He won't get a "real" job because he knows he will then have to pay child support. The last thing she ever wanted to do was to move back home. She is an adult and wants to do as she pleases. She refuses to discipline her children for fear they might not love her anymore. So my grandchildren run wild in our new home (we bought it May 2008). If we try to tell them no, my daughter gets mad. Her life "sucks". I get it. It isn't easy to move in with Mom and Dad and suddenly not make all of the rules. Mom and Dad have rules. It isn't fun to have to check in (out of courtesy) to say whether or not you plan to be home for dinner. It isn't fun to help clean up after your children. I get it. I try to be patient when my grandson (the 2 year old) smears food all over the table and it takes my daughter all day AND someone saying, the table needs cleaning before she wipes it up. My patients are being pushed to the limit. I try not to get upset when my daughter leaves a dirty diaper laying on the floor (living room, bedroom, it doesn't matter). I try to be patient while she orders everyone (her two younger sisters who still live at home) around. She lives hear rent free, we provide food, shelter, diapers and even clothes for her children. We have rearranged everything in our lives to adjust to her and her children living hear. I love them all. Did I mention, her life "sucks"? I'm trying hard not to be bitter. I am trying hard to let her raise her children her way (and still keep my house intact). I love them. I am just so tired of being made to feel like it's my fault her marriage fell apart. I'm so tired of hearing "My life sucks". We all know she's going through a tough time and we have tried to be there for her. We love them. But how much is too much? My sister and Dad keep telling me to be tougher and let her leave with her kid's and see how much life could really "suck". I'm not sure I can do it. The stress is enormous on our family. I've always thought family came first and we make sacrifices for them but now...maybe tough love is better. I would love more thoughts on this. I love all four of my daughters. I would give my life for anyone of them. I took a class a few years ago and found out I was a "helicopter parent". Basically it means I hover over them and protect them from harm or trouble. Maybe I'm just crazy. Anyway, these are the ramblings of a frustrated and tired woman. Am I terrible for wanting my house to have my rules, my own space and less stress?

I'm back!

I've been gone for a while due to family issues. I am glad to be back. Look for new posts from me about my family and things we do!

Relaxation Weekend?

I am still recovering from this past weekend. I have three grown daughters and they are all very stressed out right now so I came up with an insane idea; I should take the three of them away for a weekend where they can just relax and forget about their problems and reduce their stress. One weekend of total pampering (on a small budget). I filled gift bags, one for each daughter, with pampering items such as lotion, pedicure and manicure items. I put chocolate, snacks, tissues, notebooks and pens in the bags. I know, it sounds sweet, right? Let me take a moment to tell you why they are stressed. My oldest is not the warm fuzzy mother type. She likes kids but she's not very patient. She has two children that she spends 24/7 with. Her boyfriend (father to one of the children) doesn't help her with the kids or house. She never has time to herself. She wants to go back to work and he won't let her. My second child is due May 29th to have her second child. She is married to a boy (and I mean boy) who wants to act as though they are royalty even though they are broke. He thinks he is the inspiration for the "Fast and the Furious" movies. He recently started behaving in a way that makes my daughter wonder if he is being faithful. He's lying to her, coming home late, they don't talk, when he's home, he's spending time with the neighbor or watching TV. My daughter is scared that he is going to leave her with two children or try to take them from her (she's a homemaker and doesn't have an income). My third daughter (usually my sane, strong, independent, responsible and laid back daughter) is preparing for her second semester exams. This week, she finishes her first year of college. She has three big papers due this week on top of studying for her exams. On top of this, her job is at the college (work study) and they don't work over the summer so she needs to find a job in this economy. So you can see why they are stressed. I pick them up on Friday and we head to our destination (we had to stay close by because of my daughter's pregnancy ~ doctor's orders). We get to the hotel and we unload the car (so far, so good). We decide the first night, we would hang by the pool and order pizza. My second daughter started opening up at the pool about her concerns and basically trying to let go of some of the stress. My oldest (who is usually the hostile, self-righteous one) got "offended" and asked the third daughter to go outside with her. So the rest of the trip was me and my second daughter trying to relax and talk about her concerns while my oldest daughter avoided my second daughter and usually pulled my third daughter along with her. My third daughter brought her three papers with her. She didn't relax much between working on her papers and tending to my oldest. I did my best to get all three to relax. I had scented candles all over the room. I brought white roses to fill the room. I had bath salts for hot baths. Herbal tea for soothing the soul. I thought I had all of the areas covered to take care of them. I used empathy and I listened to them. So why did we come home and I feel exhausted? I know the answer to this question. I am exhausted because I spent the weekend renewing them and tending to them. I took care of them but not myself. I don't regret it for a minute but I do wish I had taken advantage of the weekend and relaxed myself some. So, how about you? Do you need to relax? Do you need a break from your stress? You don't need to go away to do this. You can ask someone to watch the children for 24 to 48 hours for you. Then turn your house into your own private spa. Light some scented candles...run a hot bath...give yourself a pedicure...give yourself a manicure...Better yet, invite a friend over and trade off. Give each other the pedi and mani. My next pampered weekend away will be with my third daughter (who still lives at home), my sister and my mom.

Turn Off Your TV

Did you know that 99% of all families have at least one TV in their home? Forty-five percent of these families have three or more TVs. At first this blew my mind, then I counted the TVs in my house and was floored! We have three that are currently in use and three more that will be in use this time next year (we are doing some renovating and still moving in so three of the rooms with TVs are not currently set up). This next statistic really boggled my mind. Fifty-six percent of all 8 to 16-year-old's have a TV in their bedrooms. In our family, we never allowed our children to have a TV in their room until they were out of High School. You may want to sit down for this next Statistic. Th average person watches 40 hours of TV per year. That's a total of 960 hours a year. Children spend 1,023 hours a year watching TV. They only spend 900 hours a year in school. Want to know why children are desensitized to violence? Maybe it's because they will see 200,000 violent acts, including16,000 murders, on TV before they turn 18-years-old. Are you aware of the fact that 70% of all TV shows include sexual content, with an average of five sexual scenes per hour? What does this mean? Why should we be concerned? On the average, 38.5 minutes per week (20,020 minutes a year) is spent on meaningful conversation between a parent and their child. What an eye-opener. When I read this, I had to share this with others. It's scary that TV is being made into a BIG part of shaping our children. It scares me to think that children will see 200,000 acts of violence and then witness it for real and think it's not a big deal. Is it any wonder that our children are growing up too fast and not mature enough to handle what the world throws at them. If they are seeing actors being killed off one show and turning up on another show a week later, then how are they suppose to really get that death is final? How are they suppose to tell the difference between whats real and what is pretend? With all of the "Reality" TV they are watching how can they be expected to know that the reality is mostly exaggerated to make "good television"? Maybe it's just me. If you are as concerned as I am, there are six things you can do. First, turn off your TV. Second, decide on TV-free times of the week and stick to them. Third, remove TVs from your bedrooms and kitchen areas. The only place you should have a TV is the Family Room or Living Room. Fourth, make a list of activities to do in place of watching TV. You could read a book, ride a bike, plant a garden, get some of those household chores done, go swimming, the possibilities are endless. Fifth, Stop using TV as a reward for good behavior, good grades or other things you would reward yourself or your children for. Sixth, When you do watch TV, be more selective. Watch things with a positive message; something educational or inspirational. Lets face it head on. We complain we don't have enough time to get things done that we need or want to get done (I'm guilty of this too) but we always have time for our favorite TV shows. Are you part of the 70% that falls into this category? By just giving up TV one day a week, we can exercise the recommended amount necessary for healthy living. We can read 20 books. We could find time to complete those projects we've been putting off. We could spend that extra time with our loved ones. Instead or watching reruns of our favorite characters lives, we could be living our own lives. Let's get into the game and stop being spectators in our own lives. One day our children will be grown and we will have missed them growing up because we were busy watching TV characters grow up. Just something to think about this Monday morning...

Marbled Eggs

I know Easter is done and the baskets are put away, but this is a fun project that you can do to add some "fancy" decor to your home anytime of the year. WHAT YOU'LL NEED: 1 Tablespoon of Food Coloring; 1 Tablespoon of Vinegar; 1 Tablespoon of Cooking Oil; Blown Eggs; Craft Glue That Dries Clear (I like Aileen's Tacky Glue); Clear Glitter Paint. Marbleized eggs don't have to be just for Easter. These beautiful eggshells can be saved for Easter, displayed all year long, made to hang on your Christmas tree, or any other creative way you can think to use them. Since you are decorating them, take a moment to think of how you want to use them and where you want to display them. Wash your eggs in soapy water (I like to put a few drops of Dawn dish liquid in some water) and dry them taking special care not to break the eggs. Take the darning needle and poke a hole in one end of the egg. Twist the needle around the inside of the egg until the yolk is broken. Turn egg to other end and poke a hole in that end with your needle. Blow hard through the top of the egg, holding the egg over your bowl. Be careful not to get the raw egg in your mouth. At first it will be hard to get the yolk out but once it starts, it runs out fairly easy. Rinse out the eggshells and let them air dry completely before decorating. In a small bowl, combine food coloring, cooking oil and vinegar until blended. Add enough water to make the liquid deep enough to cover an egg. Swirl the liquid around with a spoon and quickly lower an egg into the mixture. Remove from the solution and pat the egg dry with a paper towel. Repeat the process in as many different colors as you like. When the eggs are dry, paint a thin layer of the glue over the whole egg. Once the glue is dry, paint a thin layer of clear glitter paint over the egg. Your done! You can also use hard boiled eggs instead of blown eggs. If you want, you can draw a design or picture on the egg with a white crayon before dipping it in the solution. Wherever the crayon is will remain white. Now your decorative eggs are ready to be displayed. Remember, hard boiled eggs need to be refrigerated and kept refrigerated after coloring.

Bathtub Finger Paint

Need something to make bath time more fun? Is it a fight to get the kid's in the tub for their baths? Well FRAZZLEDNANNY has an answer: Why not have fun, clean your tub and clean your child at the same time. You can now with this Bathtub Finger Paint. You will need: 1/3 cup of clear, mild liquid dish detergent (I like Dawn); 1 tablespoon of cornstarch; food coloring. Directions: Combine the dish liquid and the cornstarch in a small bowl. Once mixed well, divide into equal parts (depending on how many colors you want). You can use small bowls, ice-cube tray, baby food jars, or any other container you have available to you. I prefer the baby food jars so I can put the lids on any unused portions and save them for later. Next add your food coloring. One or two drops is all you need. Mix with a small spoon or a Popsicle stick. For easy clean-up, keep the finger painting inside the tub. Play games like tic-tac-toe, hangman, or draw pictures. You can also use the Bathtub Finger Paint as traditional finger painting. To clean-up, just wipe off. It's so easy the kid's can clean-up after themselves. What a great way to spend time with your children! Just think of the masterpieces they can make! Have fun and enjoy your children while they are still young. Listen for the music and take time to dance...

What Matters Most In Life

It's Monday, what are your going to do to make a difference in your week? Everyone has the power of greatness. Not for fame, but greatness. Because greatness is determined by service. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Have you ever made a list of what matters most to you? If you haven't, now is a great time to do so. If you read my BLOG over the weekend, you know I just turned 40 on Sunday. I decided I could continue with my life as it was, being nice and a "good" person or I could really "walk-the-walk". So I made my list of what matters most to me. My list looks like this: 1. God 2. Family 3. Friends 4. Faith 5. Health 6. Love 7. Freedom 8. Happiness 9. Career I came across some "averages" that person spends time on. I found that I am not average. For one thing, my time commuting is far lower than the 100 hour average (I work from home). Another area that was way off for me was sleep hours. The average person gets 8.6 hours a night and I get far less. This got me to thinking about time. How do I spend my time? So I made a second list; How do I spend my 168 hours each week? It looks something like this: 1. 78 hours ~ Career 2. 28 hours ~ Homeschooling 3. 28 hours ~ Family Time 4. 28 hours ~ Sleep 5. 7 hours ~ Church I am becoming more aware of how fragile time is. Once it's gone, there is no getting it back. Our children grow and no longer need us to take care of them. Our bodies age and need more care and attention. I don't like the proportioned list of how I spend my time. So what can I do about it? I think it's time to re-organize my schedule. What can I cut back on? My career. I spend half of my time on my career. I know I'm starting a "business" but I'd rather not have my own business than to wake up one day and my kid's are grown and gone. Right? All I know is that I want to be proud of each year when I look back on them. I want to know that I mattered and that I was the person God called me to be. Today can be the start of something new in each of us. Take this opportunity to make the most of your life by making a difference in you, in your life and in the lives of those you love. Be EXTRAORDINARY and live an extraordinary life!

I'm Turning 40

That's right, FRAZZLEDNANNY will be 40 years old on Sunday, April 5th. It feels strange to be turning 40. I thought I'd be emotional, but I'm not. I thought I'd be sad, but I'm not. In November 08, God revealed to me that I had been holding onto all of this pain and anger from some past hurts regarding our church. It would take too much time to go into all of the details so I'll just say that I was a new Christian (Born Again in December 87) when I started attending the church that caused the pain and anger (January 89). I was strong in my faith and I had a great relationship with Jesus. Then I met the man I later married. We decided to attend his church (he was born and raised in this church and I had only been at my church for about a year). For the next 17 years, I struggled with this church. Some of the Board Members made it difficult to Praise God my way. The church was "set in it's way" and they didn't want to "step out of the box". Every Ministry I tried to start (following God's lead), they put up "road blocks". I got the teens excited about Jesus and Praising God their way. The church put up a fight. It was a constant battle. I thought I had let go of all the bitterness and hurt, when we changed churches in June 07. I tried to get involved in our new church. I attended church as often as I could. Inside, I felt numb. I couldn't get excited about anything. Then God revealed that I was holding onto the pain and anger. When God told me that, I felt a weight lift from me. I was so happy and I felt something for the first time in a really long time. I realized I hadn't felt anything since before leaving our old church. After a week of joy, God revealed that now I had to grieve everything that had happened since I stopped feeling things. The flood gates opened. Every morning, God would ask me if I was ready. Some mornings I was and I would be on a roller coaster of emotions. Some mornings I wasn't up for it and God would simply say, "O.K. We'll do another day." He was so patient with me and I felt His love again. I felt alive again. In March 09, I felt complete again. I feel my passion returning. I feel a great peace and joy flowing over me. When things happen, I am able to grieve them or enjoy them. I believe all the things I buried for all of those years have been dealt with. I am excited about church and I love Praising God again. Our new church is accepting of everyone. They are open to letting everyone Praise their own way. They focus on God and loving others (just as they are). I wanted to be there for my children and now I can. During my time of being shut down, I gained a lot of weight. Now I understand I was eating to avoid dealing with my life. I have about 75 pounds to lose and I feel ready to finally change my habits and lose the weight. I'm telling you all of this because as I turn 40, I am blessed. I cannot begin to count the blessings God has rained down on me. Turning 40 is nothing compared to shutting down and then having years of your life bubble up and over you in a matter of months. So this year, as I turn 40, I invite all of you to celebrate with me. Let go of the things that hold you back from being the "you" God wants you to be. His plans are far better than we can imagine. Let go and have FAITH that God will catch you and soar with you. My goal as I turn 40, is to let go and soar with God. I'LL BE THE ONE LISTENING TO THE MUSIC AND TAKING TIME TO DANCE!

Celebrate Our Youth

Summer is just around the corner. Before we know what has happened our children are grown and spending less time with us and more time working or being away from us. So take time now to celebrate your teens and preteens. Showcase their special talents with a "Talent Show". Invite your neighborhood kid's over to display their talent and have your kid's showcase their talent. Maybe they play an instrument well or maybe they are an artist. Whatever they are god at, let them showcase it at a neighborhood talent show. You can also have a "Kid's Night" and let your children choose a movie, decide "what's for dinner?" and spend time with them. Maybe your child enjoys the outside more than a movie. Plan a day at the park with a picnic supper. Having a weekly "Game Night" is another great way to share time with your children. Pop some popcorn and get out the board games. The point is to enjoy and appreciate them while they still have time to spend with you. I know this BLOG post is short, but I want to spend time tonight with my girls! More time with them means less time BLOGGING. FRAZZLED Nanny out!

April Fool's Day

Happy April Fools Day! I never really saw the big deal about April Fool's Day. Maybe because it falls so close to my birthday (my birthday being April 5th). Maybe because I'm not much on getting people with practical jokes. Now I have a husband, a daughter (our third one who is a college commuter) and a son-in-law who are all consumed with "getting" each other in a practical joke. I just don't see the humor in making someone else look silly or stupid. What my youngest daughter and I will be doing today is playing silly games and drawing silly pictures and maybe even doing some silly crafts. We even have a silly song or two we can sing. Today is a day that we will embrace our silliness. I hope everyone can find their silliness that is locked inside of them. Take this one day and laugh. Be a fool. Enjoy life. Tomorrow will still be there ~ serious, demanding, draining, stressful...and I'll still be FRAZZLED.

Springtime Scavenger Hunt

Springtime is the best time to have a Scavenger Hunt or Wild Goose Chase. Now you may be asking yourself "What's the difference between a Scavenger Hunt and a Wild Goose Chase?" They both take some planning and they both are so much fun. You need chaperons for both. They can be done in one place but it is more fun if you have to travel. The difference is a Wild Goose Chase takes you all over the place looking for the next stop before ending with a big treat (party, pizza, picnic, etc.). A Scavenger Hunt is when you look for items to earn points to win a prize. So although they are very similar, they are very different too. If you are really creative, you can come up with riddles to lead your groups from clue to clue in the Wild Goose Chase. If you do a Scavenger Hunt, you can make things more challenging by putting name brands on the list. Instead of a generic "toothpaste" put "Crest Toothpaste". Instead of putting "a sports car" put "a Mustang Convertible". You can reward 1/2 points for the generic so everyone can receive something. Mix it up! Wild Goose Chases and Scavenger Hunts are more fun if it continues after the finish line so plan a fun picnic with games afterward. Be sure to invite your neighbors children (and parents) to join in the fun. Bring Spring in with a bang and host a community Wild Goose Chase or Scavenger Hunt. The items found in the Scavenger Hunt could be things they need to collect for those in need in your area (canned food, coats, blankets, etc.). Ask for food donations from local grocery stores (Safeway, Food Lion, Costco, Walmart, etc.) to feed the participants at the picnic and get some volunteers in your neighborhood to help. This is a great way for people to do a Spring Cleaning. Have a neighborhood Spring Cleaning on Saturday and plan a Community Scavenger Hunt on Sunday afternoon to collect items for your local shelter, or food pantry. Be creative and have fun. Remember, Spring is here!

The Weekend Is Over

This has been a weekend that kept going and going. My daughter had her placement test on Friday (to see if she is ready for the third grade). Then we went shopping at Walmart for her birthday "goody bags" for her friends and decorations for her party. This is not easy when shopping with a seven (almost eight) year old who wants to give each friend a new bike and a large paper bag full of goodies per child attending her birthday party. Her big gift was waiting in my car, a big girls bike. Once we got home, my daughter needed the party bags to be filled right away. By the time I fell into bed, I was drained. Saturday came (Birthday party day) and I was once again on the run. My husband and I needed to buy her birthday presents (I know it's kind-of last minute but that's the only way my husband shops). Then I had to race to wrap them (God bless gift bags and tissue paper). We grabbed a quick lunch (a snack really) and went back to get the cake, balloons and ice-cream. With cake, ice-cream, gifts, balloons, and party decorations in our hands, we raced across the parking lot to set up before our daughter arrived. We finished with about five minutes to spare. Guests arrived and for the next hour and a half I rushed around tending to everyones needs, preventing little finger from stealing icing from the cake and trying to carry on conversation with the adults who stayed (did I mention the party was at Tony's Pizza and there is no seperate room for this party?). When everyone left, it was time to pay, gather our things and go home (with a sleepover). We got home and started a movie while the girls got ready for bed. The girls started fighting. I was hanging on by a thread. My husband had abandond me (he's a truck driver and had to leave right after the party ~ it's still abandoning me). I have NEVER been so happy to go to bed before in my life. Sunday came with a bang. I had a sore throat and a house full of 7 to 8 years old to get ready for church. With the children fed and clothed and myself showered and dressed, off we went to church. After church, we took the children home and headed to my second daughter's house (I have four daughters in case you missed that). For the next four hours, I was helping my second daughter and her family move into their new house. Then I raced off to Easter program practice and Evening service at church before falling in bed around 9 PM. Is it any wonder I'm so FRAZZLED?

Stress Ball Craft

Another craft from FRAZZLED that is so quick and easy your children could make them and sell them to make some money. It's inexpensive enough that the original start-up cost is affordable. WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1. A medium sized balloon 2. A half cup of sand or salt 3. A funnel DIRECTIONS: 1. Place the balloon over the small end of a funnel. 2. Pour a half of a cup of sand or salt into the funnel and fill the balloon. Be sure to use all of the half cup of filling stuff. 3. Squeeze out any air that may be in the balloon and tie off the end. VARIATIONS: Use other fillers to give your stress ball a different feel. Try cornstarch, rice, oatmeal, flour, etc. You can use the Stress Ball as a ball for your children to toss around. You can also use some material and sew it as a covering for your Stress Ball. If you crochet or knit, you can make a "sock" for a covering. Have fun and be creative!

Tornado In A Bottle Craft

FRAZZLED NANNY here with a new craft. Two of my daughters have made Tornadoes in a bottle and they loved them. I hope your children will enjoy them as well. WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1. A clear, empty soda bottle with the lid (cap). Any size will work but these directions are for a 16 oz bottle so you may find some minor adjustments are needed for larger bottles. 2. 2 drops of clear dish liquid detergent. 3. 1 teaspoon of glitter. 4. Water. DIRECTIONS: 1. Fill the clear soda bottle with water; leaving about a half inch to an inch from the top. 2. Add the two drops of dish liquid and the glitter. 3. Put the lid (cap) on tightly. 4. Holding the bottle by the neck, rotate your wrist several times. When you stop rotating your wrist, a mini-tornado will form inside the bottle. VARIATIONS: 1. Use blue food coloring to make your tornado look more like it is in the sky. Add it the same time as the glitter. 2. If you are artistic, use a permanent marker or paint (make sure it will stick to plastic) and draw or paint a scene on the bottle ~ a landscape would really look cool! Now enjoy! Your children will love this fun craft. It's a great rainy day project or a project when your children are bored.

About my BLOG

Well, I made it to day two and I'm posting my second blog. I thought I should tell you more about myself. What better way for you to get to know me? You might even find out why I consider myself FRAZZLED... First, you should know that I have been married for 20 years (June 09). My husband is a wonderful man who has always been there for us. We were blessed with one biological daughter and triple blessed with three adopted girls. We have two precious female cats, Artimis (my temporary avatar) and Alvina (an adorable calico ball of fur). We also have two wonderful female dogs, Aurora (a black chow/shepherd mix) and Pixie (a black and white chihuahua/Jack Russel Terrier mix). All four are pampered and adored (yes I'm just being nice - they're spoiled rotten). We just bought our first home (May 08). Our two oldest daughters have given us three grandchildren (our fourth is due late May 09). We have two grandsons, a granddaughter and our grand-baby to be is a girl. Our third daughter (the biological one) is a freshman in college. She is planning on being a High School Science teacher. Our youngest is about to finish the second grade (she's also turning 8 on Saturday). I home school her and she is doing great! I love my Lord and Savior, my family, writing, art, crafts, cooking, baking, knitting, crocheting, music & dancing. I was a youth leader for 12 years and a foster mom for 13 years. I've worked as a church secretary for four years and am currently a stay at home mom. I've served on a church board, organized a ladies group, lead Bible Study for teens and one for ladies. I lead an adult Praise and Worship Team while leading a teen Praise and Worship dance team. I love to try new recipes (by throwing whatever I have on hand together). I have a strange hodge-podge of talents. I'm hoping to bring my experience and talents to my blog. If I can help, inspire or pass along some bit of knowledge than I consider myself blessed. So stop by sometime and leave me a comment.

Blogging 101

I am starting a blog today. I must be insane! I will need a lot of faith to get through this experience. Bare with me, I am after all FRAZZLED!