Catching Up

My baby is now 2 years old. How is that possible? Wasn't it just a few months ago I was in the hospital for 5 weeks trying to keep him growing safely inside me? What a blessing it is that he is healthy and growing up. All those fears and tears seem so long ago at times. Many thanks to all of you who prayed for this child during his pregnancy!

Catching up... Wow, it has been so long since I have blogged on a regular basis. Not that I am not writing blog posts in my head all the time! I wish I could just think them and they would appear! My life has radically changed in the last two years. Not just having another baby and all that this entails, but my overall health has declined. So many doctors appointments, specialists, tests, blood work, a surgical muscle biopsy, medication trials, MRI's, EKG's and ECHO's. Add to that an overnight at the hospital about a month ago when I couldn't stand up without my heart rate going from normal to 145 bpm and then I would faint.

What is wrong with me? That, dear readers, is the million dollar question. I was blessed with two great specialist this summer: a cardiologist and a neurologist. We think we have finally figured out, with medication, how to keep my current heart problems under control. Diagnosis is POTS. But the neurological stuff is still a work in progress. What we know is that I have a neuromuscular disease. What we don't know is which one. The "episode's" I get seem a lot like MS, but my brain MRI was normal. I have a lot of the symptoms of an adult onset Muscular Dystrophy. But, my neurologist doesn't have enough information yet to be able to truly assign that as my "root" disease either. While we continue to search for a diagnosis, we are also pursing the right combination of medications and supplements to improve quality of life.

"You look fine!" (Please watch this short video) This is something I hear a lot. Of course, on the really bad days no one sees me... I'm in bed for days at a time. Most days I am in a lot of pain. Lately, it is my arms, hands, left hip and back. My hands are weak and I can't do much with them anymore (like cutting up things for meals or opening jars). Typing can cause pain if I don't already have some pain meds in me. Some days I have extreme fatigue along with the pain. And some days my brain doesn't work right: I can't think of the words I need to speak, or things are really foggy, etc. I don't sleep well as pain wakes me up a lot.

This is certainly a new journey for me, my husband and our family. Each day can be so different for me. It is hard to make plans because I don't know how I will feel. I fight discouragement and during really bad days, despair. And yet, my hope is in the Lord! He is my Strong Tower! He is my Help in this troubled time!

I never like to talk about my health or what is going on. I have tried to keep it kind of under the radar, hoping we would find some answers, some treatments and be done with this journey sooner than later. I can't deny any longer what our current reality is. My journey of motherhood, homeschooling and even being a wife has changed. I am having to find new ways to make things "work" for us. I am having to "let go" of many things I used to do and still want to do. I am learning a new level of contentment where God has me right now.

No pity party here, friends! Let us all encourage one another to love and good works whatever our circumstances are! I hope to be able to post more about how I/we are finding new ways to do things, large family and all, in sickness and in health. Maybe this will also encourage others in their daily struggles.

My baby is 15 months old today!

Here is my cutie boy, Liam, taken in Dec. at 14 months of age. Sorry so long since an update. Life it full and busy and good!

Manna and Grace

Life goes on. Baby Liam is doing better and is gaining weight (up to 8 lbs 3 oz), has finally passed his "due date" and is learning to nurse, though not great at it yet. My wonderful hubby went back to work today. Yikes! Which means, I am trying to figure out how to do all that we have been doing together, on my own. Like the middle of the night feedings: try to nurse him, give him a supplemental bottle and then pump. And, yesterday I woke up with a plugged milk duct. (yes I know what to do about these, have been doing it all, and started some lecithin last night, which seems to be helping the most) I tend to get more plugged ducts when I am doing "too much". This is hard on a mom with 13 kids, because there is so much to do... or could be getting done.

Advice to myself today:

1. Manna and grace- there is enough for today, stop looking at tomorrow, the more I look at tomorrow and get uptight, discouraged and overwhelmed by all the tomorrows, the more of what I have today turns wormy, just like the manna did when the Israelites tried to keep some manna for the next day. Yuck. God gives us enough manna/grace for what we need TODAY.

2. To-do list - I love lists. List help me feel like I have my thoughts organized and I can keep "score" of all I have accomplished. I was feeling discouraged about the lack of being able to even write a to-do list, let alone get "anything" done. God spoke to me this morning about re-thinking this. So, I am going to focus on what I have done today, instead of what I have not done. I got a shower today! Woo hoo! I am keeping the baby fed! Go team! I have a plan for dinner and got the chicken out to defrost. Yippee! Yes, there are so many things I want to also get done, but just can't. Doesn't mean I ( or anyone else out there going through a rough time) am not accomplishing anything. Because I am, and so are you. Just maybe not up to our expectations. Remember #1.

3. Drink more water and rest - These have to go on what I am accomplishing today, cause a sick momma not only feels crummy and in pain (plugged milk duct) but she really can't get even the basics done if she is sick in bed. My hubby keeps reminding me that my main job right now is to make milk for Liam and feed him... which requires drinking lots of water and resting. I can WISH it were easier, but that won't make it so.

Hang in there with me ladies!

Life as we know it right now

We just got home from 24 hours at Emmanuel Children's Hospital with Liam. He had gone downhill fast with sleeping and not eating. It was scary. They ran a bunch of tests and nothing was found to be "wrong", so he isn't sick, just being a preemie. He seems to be perking up a bit, but still is going to want to sleep over eat, which can be pretty typical for preemies they say. We are going to have to work pretty hard around the clock to keep him eating every 3 hours even if he won't wake up. It is all bottles with an easy flow nipple for now, just to get food into him so he will get the calories he needs without having to work and spend his little bit of energy on nursing, etc. The doctors are saying that things may not really turn around till Liam gets past his due date (11/17) and gets to gaining past his birth weight. We are supplementing with high calorie formula or adding formula to pumped milk to make it higher calorie, which should also help Liam.

Please pray for us. Hubby and I are wiped out (hubs stayed at the hospital till about 11 pm last night and I spent the night with Liam in the hospital). My milk supply went down with Liam not nursing (I'm pumping again, trying to get in 8 pumpings a day) and I had/have a stomach bug that is not helping how I am feeling. I am so ready for life to be just slightly "normal". My emotions are being hit pretty hard.

And, please pray for Liam, that he will be more wakeful at the times he needs to eat, will gain weight and generally improve so that we can work back to nursing again (and that my milk supply will build up again).

Thank you for your faithful prayer support!


These pics were taken by our friend Paul last week, I think when Liam was 5 or 6 days old. Our little guy is sure cute!

30 weeks

You probably all noticed how I didn't post last week, week 29. To say it was not a great week is, well, somewhere in the ball park of being accurate. I'll try to briefly recap:

* Last Monday night my 13 y.o. son fainted in the kitchen and on his way DOWN hit his head very solidly on the edge of the kitchen island. Off to the ER with my hubby. Son had a concussion and needed 5 staples to close the hole in the back of his head. A tad stressful for all of us.

* Last Tuesday I went for my ultrasound and OB appt. Ultrasound was good, baby is good, if not great: He measured 2 weeks "ahead" on skeletal measurements and estimated at weighing 3 lbs. 6 oz. Yeah! Only a little bit of cervical change... another big yeah! BUT, my urine showed I was dehydrated again/still. So, hubby had to take me to the hospital for another round of 2000 ml's of hydration.

In the meantime, I asked my OB if I could PLEASE have in-home health care and so have my hydration done at home, so I wouldn't have to be away from my family every week for a day (my dehydration issue isn't going to go away before the baby is born it would appear - my stomach is in so much pain and I have such severe nausea if I eat AND try to drink , even with a whole slew of meds they have me on to try to combat it, that giving my stomach a break so I can be somewhat comfortable would be best, and daily hydration at home the best option of all). Home health care was set up, only in order to have daily infusion therapy the patient has to have a PICC Line put in.

* Last Friday I went in to have the PICC Line put in. It went pretty well, with only one wrong turn (in my vein that is) and only one serious bought of feeling like I was going to pass out or throw up while it was being put in. Don't want to do this again anytime soon, but if this line will last, I won't have to be poked again, even for my c-section. This line serves it all, even blood draws and IV mediation needs. Yippee! (if you could see my arm from last weeks "regular" IV, the huge bruises and the pain I had from it, you'd understand why a PICC Line is such a blessing for me)

* Last Saturday the home health care nurse came out and taught me how to start and stop and clean and everything my own infusion therapy. Yup. I have a frig full of IV bags, a little battery operated pump and tons of sterile packs of tubing and such. My infusion takes 4 hours to run, but it is totally protable, so I can go anywhere (technically speaking of course... I am still on bed rest) with it.

* Today, Tuesday the 9th, I had my weekly OB appt and FINALLY I wasn't dehydrated. Woo hoo! So, the infusion therapy is working! Yeah! I am also now in the 30th week, which means I am heading into the most dangerous time for the placenta previa. We discussed with my OB about starting steriod shots in the next could of weeks, as a preventitive measure. I asked my OB what his "gut" feeling was about my previa? He said, of course, previa's are impossible to guess at what they will do, but his "gut" feeling was that I would do okay for another couple of weeks. I'll take that, doc! So, my new goal is reaching 32 weeks without any problems...not that I have ANY control over any of this. It is just a goal.

Notice my belly bump picture? Do you see how far out my stomach is sticking? This baby is doing some serious growing lately, don't you think? I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around the fact that it is almost 10 weeks till my actual due date (though the c-section will be in about 8 weeks), with as large as I am feeling already! Yikes! God is so good though, because in the beginning of this whole previa thing one of the OB's concerns was the baby possibly not growing well. Praise God, we can scratch that concern off the list!

Thank you Jesus for your mercies each day!

Anniversary

Today is hubby and my wedding anniversary. Not just any anniversary either, mind you, but out 25th anniversary! God is good!

What do we have to show for 25 years together? Not many earthly possessions; retirement accounts, vacation homes, new cars, etc. But we have been blessed with CHILDREN! Twelve and one on the way. Many would say we are "poor", but some understand the richness that children are in a marriage. We consider ourselves very rich indeed!

Yesterday our oldest son and daughter-in-law moved away.... up to northern British Columbia, where dear DIL hails from. We knew this day would come. It is bittersweet. We were so blessed to have them living so close for most of their first year of marriage.

This picture is probably one of the last times the whole family will be together for quite a while. You wouldn't believe how the moon, stars and tides had to line up just to get this picture taken (with a timer too)! **WARNING: for those of you with all younger children still, read ahead at your own risk... it is what happens when children become adults and are all going in different directions at the same time... but ignorance is bliss, so if you want to skip to the next paragraph, I don't blame you!** Second oldest son was flying home from being on staff at the YWAM base in San Francisco, CA all summer the day we took this picture. He was supposed to land at 2 pm. He missed his flight. He got home instead about 7 pm. We ate a hurried dinner together and took this picture. You see, this was the ONLY day we could because my husband would be at work the rest of the week, third son was moving out the next day (to an apartment around the corner from us - so nice!) and four days later fourth and fifth sons were leaving for a week at the YWAM Gleanings For The Hungry base in CA. They won't be back till after oldest son is gone. Did that all make sense? I could make a power point presentation of it...would that help?

So, we took the few minutes we were all together and with a borrowed flash unit (thanks Paul!) and some great editing from my sister (thanks Julie!) we have a picture of all of us together.

25 years... wow! We have so much to "show" for it, praise be to God!

My bookends....

Oldest and youngest...get, ready, get set....


















GO! Look Ma, no hands! (many years ago when his father did this with him, it would make my heart stop, but not anymore, I'm used to it now.... I think...)


















Add a mid-air twist for more points.













Oldest with his lovely wife, their new puppy (dare I say our "grandpuppy"? **shudder** ) and the youngest.


















This pic really captures our "current" youngest child's mischievous personality - she is a lot like her oldest big brother was at this age.

Now, don't even start asking who took these pics. I could lie and say it wasn't me, but I have twelve witnesses who would tell you otherwise. Yes, I escaped my room and recliner and went outside to be part of the fun (the big attraction was the puppy) and capture some of it with the camera. Being on bed rest means no one is taking any pics around here. Time is escaping us, to get some of these memories saved as pictures. You see, oldest and his wife are moving next week to her native British Columbia, Canada. So, I want/need to cherish these last few times we are together, for who knows when we will be together again?

For the record, I sat the whole time I was taking pictures outside and cherishing those moments.... just saying....

Pack your bags...your movin'!

Don't panic. Just my way of telling the children that room arrangements were a changin'. Yep, a change was in the air! Don't, I repeat, don't cross a pregnant woman with a plan that involves moving furniture.

(Or, is that just me? I move more furniture, rearrange more furniture/rooms and do more painting when I am pregnant that any other time. It's almost like an obsession. But not. You know, I'm totally okay with this. If I didn't do these things when I was pregnant ~ which has been roughly 133 months of my life so far ~ I would never get them done. I seem to be more productive while pregnant, in spite of the fatigue and nausea, than when I am not pregnant. Course, when I am not pregnant that means I am breastfeeding... I won't inflict on you how many months that has been.)

Because our second oldest is spending more, most, a lot of time in CA, it didn't seem like a wise use of our bedroom space to keep "holding" a bed/bunk and closet space for him. He is gone 3,4,5, even 6 months at a time. This also has had an effect on our third oldest, thinking he "deserves/needs" his own room. Ha. Ha haha ha! Bwhahaha!

Sorry, that got away from me there. **wipes tears from eyes**

Okay, where was I? Oh yes, moving orders. In our house we have 5 bedrooms upstairs. There are 10 children and two parents and one "floater" (the one who bobs back and forth between home and CA) to live in this space. The master bedroom is just for the King and Queen. We use our massive, large, quite handy walk in closet for our nursery and for our hanging clothes. Okay, what is left of my craft items are in there too. Our youngest has been living "in the closet" for 2.5 years now and it was time for her to move on OUT. Where to put her though? How to arrange the rooms to accommodate this change?

Here is a description of "the way things were":

Bedroom 1: Oldest boys, ages 19 and 21 on a bunk, with a small desk, bookshelf, bass and an amp. This is the second smallest bedroom.

Bedroom 2: Youngest boys, ages 8 and 11 on a bunk with a chest of drawers, drawers under their bed, a table and closet full of toys and games. This is the smallest bedroom in the house and has one of those funky angled walls on the door wall that you can't do anything with.

Bedroom 3: Middle boys, ages 13 and 16 on a bunk with a chest of drawers, drawers under their bed, a bookcase and a drum set. This is the second largest bedroom.

Bedroom 4: Girls room, ages 4,6,8 and 10. Two bunkbeds, one is our junior bunkbed, one standard size bunkbed and a dresser. Also in the room are all the girls toys: a wooden table, 3 chairs, play kitchen, play washer and dryer, large box/chest of dress up clothes, various baby dolls, cradles, and two doll highchairs. In the closet are more toys. This is the largest of the children's bedrooms (in another version of this house model this is a second family room, but in our model it is a bedroom with a closet and door into the room).

Bedroom 5: Master bedroom with nursery in the "closet".

PLAN: to move 2 year old out of the closet/nursery and into a bedroom.

SOLUTION: After much thought and possible scenarios, here are the new arrangements:

Bedroom 1: 21 year old's stuff moved out and into boxes in the garage. 19 year old stays. 16 year old moves in with his drum set.

Bedroom 2: In the boldest decision that was made, I have made this into a playroom/guest room. Which means all the play kitchen, doll and sundry other toys from the girls room have been moved into this room. The games, blocks and duplo's stayed in there from the previous occupants. There is enough space to move the toys aside and put a queen size blow up mattress on the floor for #2 son to sleep on when he is home/visiting or for when any other guests come to stay, but the rest of the time, 90% of the year, it is just a playroom. Woo hoo!

Bedroom 3: 8 and 11 year old sons move into this room with 13 year old son (much to his consternation) on a bunk and a single bed. We take out the bookcase and now have drawers under both the bunkbed and the single bed for storage/Lego space. I should note that the bookcase that was in this room was only being used to house completed Lego constructions and dust. Ahem. Sorry, I'm mean. No more "just to look" at Lego's. Build it, play with it, take it apart and MOVE ON.

(side note: I don't really hate Lego's, they are a huge thing in our house and I love the creative play they encourage in ALL ages, including my husband, but my primary concern is real estate people! Room for beds and sleeping comes before having a museum of creations on display.)

Bedroom 4: After moving all the junk play things out of the room, there was now room to move a toddler bed (crib mattress size) and a small chest of drawers into the room so that the two year old could be moved in the Girls Room. **Hallelujah chorus plays in background**

Bedroom 5: King and Queen enjoy a brief respite, until November, of having their room completely to themselves. BLISS!

So far the plan has worked out well. There is still an extra bookcase to be moved downstairs, to the garage, SOMEWHERE. There was actually more things taken out of rooms then put in that was new (like the toddler bed). A lot of empty storage bins/boxes got moved to the garage (sorry honey!).

I do hope to post pictures after I get things totally arranged and #2 goes back to CA at the end of this month. Aw, I might take one of the mess it is with the queen blow up bed and extra bookcase lying on its side just to keep it real. LOL. Two of the bedrooms that had never been painted (this was a new home with white on white on white decor when we moved in 2.5 years ago) have been painted in the last week. Also the kids/hall bathroom was painted (thanks #2!). And, ta da, we have patches of paint color in the master bathroom and upstairs hallway as I decide if I like those colors or not. Painting to be completed soon!

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As a "wee" side note, I have the privilege of caring for my 7 week old nephew while my sister works for 4 weeks (well, three more weeks now). This has been an interesting time for the younger children...seems it has been too long since we last had a baby in the house and they have forgotten the little noises, that crying is okay (not a lot of crying mind you, just the waking up and letting us know he is awake type and an occasional "I have a burp" variety) and that a 7 week old doesn't make a good playmate. LOL. It has also been a good refresher course for me. I'll be good and ready for our November blessing!

All that to say that I do hope and intend to post more often, but real life is my priority and having a newborn in the house, with a tired, pregnant, older momma to care for him and the other 10-11 children in the house (not that I am complaining ~ I love this life God has given me!), leaves me wanting a nap more than I want to get a post written up. I know you all understand.

There is joy in the journey ladies!

The perfect table for a BIG family!

~Originally posted 11/2005~

Our new, big, Amish table arrived just in time for Thanksgiving! With all 13 leaves in the table will seat 24! Yeah!




We can't say enough good things about this table and highly recommend it to any growing, large family or a family that likes to entertain a large group. We love being able to fit everyone and guests at the same table! The craftsmanship is superb! They package it oh so carefully for shipping too. You will not be disappointed!

If you ever decide to order from Amish Tables, please use my email (jerri_d@comcast.net) or name as a reference please!

Spring Cleaning

Most of you have probably noticed some changes to my blog layout. Isn't it bright and cheerful looking? I need that right now. Spring just won't come and "stick" here in Oregon this year for some reason. Woke up to temps in the 30's again today. We are really ready for spring!

This blog makeover isn't done yet, still "under construction", so hang on and check back once in a while to see the changes.

We have been making some changes with how we are using our bedrooms and sleeping the children too. I'll write more about it later, hopefully soon.

If you have spring where you live, enjoy it for me!

Check this out!

One of my sisters has started a blog and is participating in the Bloggy Giveaways that are going on right now. You will so want to see what she is giving away! It is something that has to do with a long standing family tradition for celebrating and memorializing (is that a word?) birthdays. Check it out and enter to win! Mention you found her site from TOGG (Trophy of God's Grace) in your comment please. =)

Very old pic of me and my youngest on her first birthday.
She is now almost 2.5 and I don't have braces anymore, whew!

Pss...Jen, if you ever start an affiliate program, remember I am first on the list.

Fireproof Teaser Trailer: from the makers of Facing the Giants

Coming Fall 2008. Check out the website for the movie and read Kirk Cameron's bio information (click on "About Fireproof", then click on "Cast Bios"). How he got involved in this movie is an encouraging story, to me.

Is it really March already? SERIOUSLY?

Sorry I haven't posted in so long. Ongoing health issues keep me just trying to survive some days. As a bit of an update, we have a lead on a possible diagnosis for what is the root issue of my health problems. When we know more I will post about it. For now, my doctor is looking into finding the "right" doctor/specialist to send me to for this possible diagnosis.

Thanks to all of you who took time to leave comments! I so appreciate that! What I have ended up going with is Visions Glass Cookware by Corning. It is quite expensive on Ebay or to buy at the few places that still sell new pieces (they no longer produce this line), but God has blessed me greatly and I have found several pieces at my local Goodwill for very little money! I am still using my Stainless Steel large cook pot, which is so-so,(it doesn't have a flat bottom and so doesn't work well/heat evenly on my flat top stove). I also was able to find some non-aluminum deodorant on clearance at Walgreen's for like $0.70 each. So, I stocked up on several of those. Once those are gone I will look into some of the other options you wonderful readers have mentioned. =)

So, besides all that STUFF, what is going on around our household? Perhaps the biggest new thing is my goal to really work at saving money this year by lowering my grocery, household supplies and toiletries bill. I have learned a lot through many wonderful websites and blogs, especially about coupon shopping. I'll be sharing more on this in a future post. Let's just say just the thought of the Sunday paper coupon inserts set my heart a'flutter these days! LOL!

With following a stocking up while items are at their lowest prices plan I have saved some serious money! I have stayed away from Costco almost entirely, because as it turns out, most of the items I buy there, though not all, can be bought for less when those items are on sale when you have a coupon to go with them. Also, finding really good deals (and knowing what a good deal is) has allowed me, for instance, to buy 80/20 hamburger meat at Safeway on sale for $0.99 per pound (this was still from the butcher block and not those somewhat strange "tubes" of hamburger meat - I have an aversion to buying meat I can't SEE). As a comparison, I was (blindly) buying 88/12 hamburger meat at Costco for $2.59 per pound. I say blindly because I had it in my mind that Costco always has the best prices. Wrong.

I'll admit, I was skeptical at first. So, I took the time to go through Costco and make a list of all the items I usually buy there, price per pound/ounce/etc. so that I can refer to that when I look at grocery ads each week. That has really helped!

I also made a change in what I buy for chicken. To save time, ahem, I have bought the skinless/boneless chicken breasts at Costco for years, which turns out costs $2.31 per pound. Well, I am now buying whole chickens and finding them on sale, and then stocking up on them (my full size freezer is getting quite the workout now!) for $0.68 per pound! Yes, more work and with the chicken breasts there isn't any waste, but the savings is significant! It is also better for my kids to stop being so picky about white meat and thinking dark meat is unhealthy or such. LOL.

I will admit that finding enough coupons to make it worth it for a family of our size was a challenge at first. But, I swallowed what little pride I have (let's face it, people offer us their hand-me-downs pretty often, and the first time they do they are always afraid of offending,but I say who cares if they are hand-me-downs, bring them on!), lol, and starting knocking on neighbors doors (well, two of them) and now one neighbor gives me all their coupon inserts each week! Plus I asked a friend who I knew gets the paper if she used hers and so when we see each other she gives those to me. AND, my wonderful husband even asked around at work and I usually get 1-2 sets of inserts and food day grocery store ads (that gets me extra Safeway doubler coupons and coupons, which I use one set at Safeway and another at Albertson's - they take any grocery store competitor coupons) each week. Plus, if there is an especially GREAT coupon insert Sunday paper I can always buy an extra paper for $1.50. That is a small cost when coupons are saving me over $100 or more each week.

I am also learning lots about Register Rewards, Easy Saver Rebates, Single Check Rebates and Catalina's.

I also find myself with lots of coupons we won't/don't use. Two of my sisters are swapping coupons with me that we have extras of, but I'm thinking of a more organized way to do that. I just read about a coupon "train" and it sounds interesting.

Leave me a comment if you are interested in hearing more about coupon saving shopping, if you are already doing this and how you like it, and if you are interested in a coupon train (you need to already be doing coupon shopping and clipping the Sunday newspaper inserts each week).

I hope to make a post full of great links for everyone to explore; from the beginners basics, to online grocery coupon printing sites (yes, these are totally legal and the grocery stores take them), freebie sites, and MORE!

Happy March!

It has been a great year!

Our 2007 Family Photo

This year, like most, has had its ups and downs. New this year was having one of our children get married. There is no way to express the great joy we have experienced as parents and as a family, as we moved into this new "season" of life. There have been many hard times, hard years, tears, and prayers to get to this point. Some years we were sorely discouraged, not knowing and not understanding God's path for this child. Yet, God has been faithful to continue the work He has started in the child. In the book Passionate Housewives Desperate for God, page 40, the author's friend Janet is quoted as saying, "How would I have learned patience and trust in a sovereign God, were it not for wayward children?" . God has a purpose in everything.

And so, here are some of my favorite pictures of the wedding to share with you. But don't be deceived. Pictures are just a moment in time, and though they are beautiful, they do not tell the whole story. Be encouraged, as you wipe runny noses, wash the laundry, potty train and teach your children to read.... The glorious fruit of your labors is just around the corner. Keep the goal in sight, and do not grow faint of heart.

Tis the season....almost

I was perusing Meridith's blog today and came across this post of hers, which reminded me of a post I wrote last December. I got to thinking it is a good one to recycle this time of year and remind those of you who thought, "hey that is a good idea, I'll try it next year". Well, here it is ladies...next year. lol. I'd love to hear from you if you are going to try this method this year and then your results/review after Christmas as to how it went, how you liked it.
















It used to be that we would keep all the Christmas gifts for our children in our closet until Christmas Eve and then dear hubby and I would stay up late wrapping like crazy to get it all done AND still get a few hours sleep before the children woke up. That wasn't too bad of a system for our family when we had, say less than six children. Yet, as our family size grew, our closet stayed the same size. It became impossible to get into the closet to get to our clothes with all the gifts being "hidden" in there. With twelve children and even with trying to limit the amount of gifts, even 2-3 gifts times twelve is, well, too much for our closet to handle!

I think it was my smart hubby who came up with the solution we have been using for several years now: We wrap gifts as soon as we want, before or after the Christmas tree goes up, but instead of putting names on the gifts we use a number system. Wrap the first gift, slap a number "1" on it and on our master list that we keep hidden away till Christmas morning I write who number "1" goes to. And, so on till all the gifts are wrapped. This way, the gifts our out of our closet, are already wrapped (much less stress and more sleep Christmas Eve!) and the children do not know who's gift is who's so they are not tempted to try to "peek, shake or rattle" the gifts as they sit for weeks under the tree.

This year (edited to note: this was 2006), we put the tree up on December 4th and on the 6th hubby and I wrapped 26 gifts, which was the bulk of them, but a few more are still on the way from doing 90% of our Christmas shopping online this year (another life saver for the busy mom of twelve!).

This is also a good idea for families of any size who have kids who like to "peek", or compare how many gifts they each have under the tree ("sister has 5 and I only have 4 - waah!).

And no, we don't do Santa at our house, so there isn't any confusion as to why there are gifts under the tree before Christmas Eve.

Happy wrapping!

To give or not to give...and what to give, that is the question!

This post about Cheerful Fruglaity at Frugal Hacks was too good to not pass along, especially since we are already on the topic of Christmas gifts today.


Note to family members who read this blog: don't read the comment I left on the post Cheerful Frugality please. Don't want to spoil any surprises! LOL! No peeking!

Love how my older boys play with their younger siblings

Another set of priceless pics, taken 5 days before my oldest, 22 y.o., got married in September.

How many sisters can you carry on your back and still move?

Hang on! He's turning around!

All fall down.