Picture of Baby Girl

Leanne, this is all I have so far...BUT I will try to take more soon! She is growing like a weed!

Blessings!
Heather

Purge by 2008?...How I'm doing...

Well, so far I have bagged up about 5 large trash bags full of shoes, coats, and clothing. When I get things bagged up, I immediately take it out to the van so it is ready to take to church. We have created a room for giveaway stuff temporarily. This saves me time by allowing me to just bring it to church each week! I REALLY don't have time to go to Good Will to drop it off, so this has worked really well!

I don't know if I am going as quickly as I would like, but I am putting outgrown clothes and such into bags every day! I am slowly working through my laundry piles and with each basket I fold I put a little more in the giveaway bag.

Yesterday I went upstairs with my boys to go through their drawers for things that they aren't wearing anymore. They gave me thumbs up for things to keep and thumbs down for things to give away. They were really helpful because I have a horrible time deciding what to keep and what to give away.

I will eventually make it up to my attic which has toys scattered all over it. My children have been up there snooping and such. I can't wait till it is clean again. I am planning to go through the clothes up there as well. I have decided not to keep very many of the boys things because I have so many girls. I really don't want to move more than is necessary.

I am also going to get rid of some cheap furniture...we just don't need this much stuff in the new house! I am aiming to try to really "keep up" on the new house. I don't want it to become a wreck as this one has...even though it usually "looks" tidy, I know it is not. I know that there are things hidden all over the house. My children sometimes clean by stuffing things under couches, and dressers. UGH!!!

The holidays are going to be very busy this year...I really can't believe that Christmas is SOO close. A week from Saturday we plan to do our Christmas giving....that is, I make up TONS and TONS of homemade cookies and we pass them out to all of our friends and my hubby's customers. Last year we handed out 10 platters of cookies. I have readied my pantry by stocking up on raw sugar, chocolate chips, and margarine...I don't cook much with butter due to the fact that my daughter is allergic to dairy.

And just so you know, I LOVE to bake cookies!!! I really do! Even if I get stressed it is one of my favorite things to do. I look forward to it every year...and it kind of dulls the ache that I feel for my family that I don't get to see over the holidays. I deal with a little depression over the holiday season if I don't keep myself busy...I think it is just due to being homesick for my family.

So, how are you doing?

Blessings!
Heather

A Change...

Over the next month and a half, we are going to be preparing to MOVE!!! Yes, you heard it right! We are actually moving states again! This time we are only moving about 2 hours east of where we are now, but it will be a BIG improvement from where we are now.

I am really excited and now I have a good reason to purge! So far, I have rid our family of about 4 garbage sized bags of clothing, shoes, and coats. There is still much more to go through and get rid of, but that's a start!

I am trying to construct a plan so that our move can be as smooth as possible. I really don't want to have to go through boxes once we are planted in our new home, so I am trying to figure something out.

God has really been present these days in finding us a new place to live with better circumstances. It is amazing to see how we have been blessed!

February 1st is supposed to be the big day. I will keep you posted!

Blessings!
Heather

Menu Plan Monday!!!

WOW!!! It's been a long time since I did this!!!

Monday: Crunchy Chicken & (dairy free) pork patties (baked chicken for me), mac & cheese, corn, spring greens salad mix.
Tuesday: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans or corn, heat & serve rolls.
Wednesday: Oriental Chicken Casserole, raw veggies.
Thursday: Spaghetti & Meatballs or Meatball sandwiches,veggie.
Friday: Pizza/or Stromboli & salad.
Saturday: Steak, baked potatoes & salad.
Sunday: Crock pot Baked beans, salad or dessert.

Join us at Organized Junkie!!!

Remember Earlier this year..

...the friend that I spoke of that lost her baby girl to kidney disease? You can read the story HERE.

Well, just yesterday she gave birth to a healthy baby boy!!! He weighed 11 pounds 7 ounces!!! PTL!!! I am just thrilled for her! I can't imagine what she went through earlier this year with the loss of her first daughter and how amazingly God had already blessed her without her even knowing it! What an awesome God we serve!!!

Funny thing is...her 11 pound 7 ounce son weighs MORE than my 4-month-old daughter!!! Who, by the way, is four-months-old EXACTLY today!!! She weighed in yesterday at 10 pounds 7 ounces!!!

Not much time, as always...
TTYL!!!

Blessings!
Heather