We just got the phone call from the doctor about the ultrasound Katie had done yesterday on her kidneys. It came back fine! PRAISE GOD!
The doctor will continue to monitor her at the upcoming appointments for added measure but he thinks she is fine. We are just so thankful that our God is a God who listens to our prayers and answers them! Thank you everyone who stood united with us in prayer!
Have a Wonderful New Year's Holiday!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
December and Christmas Update
December for the Salinas Family was very eventful!
We took a trip to Gatlinburg (Smoky Mountains)at the beginning of the month. We stayed at the Westgate Resort and had a wonderful time. We did some shopping, went to the Wonderworks Museum, and did some major relaxing.
Logan was in his first ever Christmas play at our church. He was a wise man. He was so cute and did a great job. He did not have any lines but did have to sing with the entire cast two songs! He did wonderful!
We celebrated Christmas with lots of traditions. Unfortunately, we were not able to do some of our traditions as three of the four kids were sick on Christmas Eve. Katie started running a high fever the week before Christmas and we took her to the doctor where tests were performed. The results showed a kidney infection. To make a long story very short...after four trips to the doctor and four different medicines she is feeling better and doing great. We will be going Monday the 29th to Vanderbilt for a kidney ultrasound/mri for Katie. They want to determine the cause of the kidney infection since she is so young. Please stand united in prayer with our family for Katie's healing. Luke and Tanner took turns being sick on Christmas Eve. We spent the morning at a Walk in Clinic only to find out that they both had a stomach bug. Even though our Christmas started out rocky, it turned out to be a really GREAT Christmas. We spent time with our family and enjoy as many traditions as we could fit in with the kids being sick. We did a lot of simplifying this year (which has been a message that the Lord has been giving to me all throughout the year) especially with Christmas and to be completely honest, this Christmas was one of the best. I emphasized with the kids this year about what Christmas means and why we celebrate Christmas. I tried to have a religious/Christian meaning for each of our traditions and because of that I think this Christmas was the best since we were more focused on the true meaning and in the true spirit of Christmas! The best gift I received was on Christmas morning when Katie said "momma" for the first time!
As of today, Katie, Luke, and Tanner are feeling much better and enjoying their new toys! However, Logan started getting sick today. I think he has caught the bug that Luke and Tanner had so the next round has began!
During the busyness of the season, Luke became potty trained! YEAH!!!!!
Tanner has had a couple of successes but dont really care one way or the other when it comes to pottying.
Katie can now say momma, dadda, bubba, that, and nana. She also has started taking steps with out any assistance and received her first baby doll for Christmas. She also likes music and will dance when she hears music playing. Her new tricks are blowing kisses and playing peek-a-boo!
Mace and I both had several days off for the holidays and it was very nice. This is one time that I can honestly say that I feel like I have had a couple of days off. It has been great to have some down time.
I guess that sums up our December.
Make sure that you pay close attention to the pictures in the slide shows at the top and the very bottom as they are all NEW and UPDATED pictures. I have been working hard on getting the website updated.
Take care and I will post again soon.
We hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas and we pray for blessings for your family in the NEW YEAR.
We took a trip to Gatlinburg (Smoky Mountains)at the beginning of the month. We stayed at the Westgate Resort and had a wonderful time. We did some shopping, went to the Wonderworks Museum, and did some major relaxing.
Logan was in his first ever Christmas play at our church. He was a wise man. He was so cute and did a great job. He did not have any lines but did have to sing with the entire cast two songs! He did wonderful!
We celebrated Christmas with lots of traditions. Unfortunately, we were not able to do some of our traditions as three of the four kids were sick on Christmas Eve. Katie started running a high fever the week before Christmas and we took her to the doctor where tests were performed. The results showed a kidney infection. To make a long story very short...after four trips to the doctor and four different medicines she is feeling better and doing great. We will be going Monday the 29th to Vanderbilt for a kidney ultrasound/mri for Katie. They want to determine the cause of the kidney infection since she is so young. Please stand united in prayer with our family for Katie's healing. Luke and Tanner took turns being sick on Christmas Eve. We spent the morning at a Walk in Clinic only to find out that they both had a stomach bug. Even though our Christmas started out rocky, it turned out to be a really GREAT Christmas. We spent time with our family and enjoy as many traditions as we could fit in with the kids being sick. We did a lot of simplifying this year (which has been a message that the Lord has been giving to me all throughout the year) especially with Christmas and to be completely honest, this Christmas was one of the best. I emphasized with the kids this year about what Christmas means and why we celebrate Christmas. I tried to have a religious/Christian meaning for each of our traditions and because of that I think this Christmas was the best since we were more focused on the true meaning and in the true spirit of Christmas! The best gift I received was on Christmas morning when Katie said "momma" for the first time!
As of today, Katie, Luke, and Tanner are feeling much better and enjoying their new toys! However, Logan started getting sick today. I think he has caught the bug that Luke and Tanner had so the next round has began!
During the busyness of the season, Luke became potty trained! YEAH!!!!!
Tanner has had a couple of successes but dont really care one way or the other when it comes to pottying.
Katie can now say momma, dadda, bubba, that, and nana. She also has started taking steps with out any assistance and received her first baby doll for Christmas. She also likes music and will dance when she hears music playing. Her new tricks are blowing kisses and playing peek-a-boo!
Mace and I both had several days off for the holidays and it was very nice. This is one time that I can honestly say that I feel like I have had a couple of days off. It has been great to have some down time.
I guess that sums up our December.
Make sure that you pay close attention to the pictures in the slide shows at the top and the very bottom as they are all NEW and UPDATED pictures. I have been working hard on getting the website updated.
Take care and I will post again soon.
We hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas and we pray for blessings for your family in the NEW YEAR.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
My Frugal Tips
Because several people have asked me to share my money saving tips on grocery shopping, I thought I would post what I do in hopes that it helps someone else save money. My logic is if I save money at the grocery store then it frees up money that can be spent on other things so this serves as my motivation every week.
Frugal living does not mean complicated. If fact it is quite the opposite. Frugal living is getting back to the basics of household management.
The following are my tips and schedule that I have implemented in my home in regards to saving money at the grocery store:
Sundays – I collect my newspaper and take out the coupon inserts. I also make meal plans on this day since I can look at the sale papers and make out my meals based on sale items
Tuesdays – I go to couponmom.com and print off the weekly list of deals for Kroger. I choose to only shop at Kroger. There are many sites that will teach you how to save at other stores all you have to do is research it. The couponmom.com site does have other stores other than Kroger but I choose the Kroger deals. The reason I choose Kroger is because I get an added benefit by shopping there since they give a 10 cents off gas for every time you spend $100 in groceries. I review the list published on couponmom.com list and circle the items I need.
Wednesdays – I make me a grocery list based on my weekly menu and the list from the site. I go through my coupon stash and collect any and all coupons that might apply to my list and make a note of the coupons on my list so that I can accurately comparison shop.
Thursdays – Shopping Day
Some detailed tips that I do that is very helpful is:
-I made a master Kroger grocery list on my computer in Excel. This list is a layout of the Kroger store by aisle. (I know I am a little OCD on this). This provides me with an organized grocery list which helps me to stay focused which helps to be save time which saves money. The longer you stay in the store the more money you will spend because you will get distracted.
-I also keep a price guideline so that I can estimate the prices of ALL items and be able to stay within my budget even before I go to the store.
-On the master list, I have set up my page to calculate my totals based on department and grand total. This allows me to see where I am spending the most money at so that I can make appropriate changes if need be.
-I plan my meals one month in advance. This allows me flexibility in case I see a certain type of meat on sale, I might opt to change it up a bit or not depending on my stockpile in the freezer and pantry. I also know when I am eating certain types of meats so this helps me when certain meats are on sale as well.
-I keep an inventory of my freezer and pantry. I was hesitate to do this at first but have found that I save time and money because I am buying things I truly need and buying things that I already had and did not know because the item got shoved to the back of the cabinet. While doing my inventory the first time, I organized everything. This did take some time but I don’t have to do it again because I maintain it weekly.
-I organize my coupons by aisle
-I use my Kroger plus card
-I starting making things from scratch like French toast. It is cheaper, healthier, and only take a few extra minutes.
-I stock pile my freezer and pantry.
-I also cook ahead my meat and preseason it so that all I have to do is pull a labeled bag out of the freezer, thaw it in the microwave, and put in my casserole or meal starter.
I have been researching frugal living for several months now and these are things that I have found to work for me. These tips are practical well they have to be in order for me to be able to implement and make them work considering that being a mom of four time is a luxury. I hope that I have helped someone with these ideas, tips, and suggestions.
Frugal living does not mean complicated. If fact it is quite the opposite. Frugal living is getting back to the basics of household management.
The following are my tips and schedule that I have implemented in my home in regards to saving money at the grocery store:
Sundays – I collect my newspaper and take out the coupon inserts. I also make meal plans on this day since I can look at the sale papers and make out my meals based on sale items
Tuesdays – I go to couponmom.com and print off the weekly list of deals for Kroger. I choose to only shop at Kroger. There are many sites that will teach you how to save at other stores all you have to do is research it. The couponmom.com site does have other stores other than Kroger but I choose the Kroger deals. The reason I choose Kroger is because I get an added benefit by shopping there since they give a 10 cents off gas for every time you spend $100 in groceries. I review the list published on couponmom.com list and circle the items I need.
Wednesdays – I make me a grocery list based on my weekly menu and the list from the site. I go through my coupon stash and collect any and all coupons that might apply to my list and make a note of the coupons on my list so that I can accurately comparison shop.
Thursdays – Shopping Day
Some detailed tips that I do that is very helpful is:
-I made a master Kroger grocery list on my computer in Excel. This list is a layout of the Kroger store by aisle. (I know I am a little OCD on this). This provides me with an organized grocery list which helps me to stay focused which helps to be save time which saves money. The longer you stay in the store the more money you will spend because you will get distracted.
-I also keep a price guideline so that I can estimate the prices of ALL items and be able to stay within my budget even before I go to the store.
-On the master list, I have set up my page to calculate my totals based on department and grand total. This allows me to see where I am spending the most money at so that I can make appropriate changes if need be.
-I plan my meals one month in advance. This allows me flexibility in case I see a certain type of meat on sale, I might opt to change it up a bit or not depending on my stockpile in the freezer and pantry. I also know when I am eating certain types of meats so this helps me when certain meats are on sale as well.
-I keep an inventory of my freezer and pantry. I was hesitate to do this at first but have found that I save time and money because I am buying things I truly need and buying things that I already had and did not know because the item got shoved to the back of the cabinet. While doing my inventory the first time, I organized everything. This did take some time but I don’t have to do it again because I maintain it weekly.
-I organize my coupons by aisle
-I use my Kroger plus card
-I starting making things from scratch like French toast. It is cheaper, healthier, and only take a few extra minutes.
-I stock pile my freezer and pantry.
-I also cook ahead my meat and preseason it so that all I have to do is pull a labeled bag out of the freezer, thaw it in the microwave, and put in my casserole or meal starter.
I have been researching frugal living for several months now and these are things that I have found to work for me. These tips are practical well they have to be in order for me to be able to implement and make them work considering that being a mom of four time is a luxury. I hope that I have helped someone with these ideas, tips, and suggestions.
Friday, November 21, 2008
November Events
I just can not believe it is time for the holidays. Boy this year has flown by. We have been keeping busy. We have not done a whole lot of anything really but life has a funny way of keeping us busy. I know I need to add some more pictures and I will do that soon. I have been trying to work on a couple of things for the site and hope to introduce those later on. Several of my friends want me to write and post my frugal tips and I have been trying to get all of those wrote down and posted to the site. this is coming soon as well.
I have managed to get all of my Christmas shopping done! YEAH for me! I have cut back alot this year. It is all apart of my "new" frugal living passion. This will be the best Christmas every because I am not stressing over the money I have spent or will be spending. I am very proud of myself and what I have learned in regards to frugal living. I promise I will be sharing these ideas with you on my site in the upcoming week.
I start tomorrow baking for the Thanksgiving Holiday. I have 15 desserts on my list. I am so excited for tomorrow to be here so that I can get in that Holiday spirit! There is just something about baking that gets you in the best mood and relieves stress (at least for me it does, I am quirky that way).
Well I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and remembers to get Thanks to the Lord for all of the blessings in your life!
I will post again soon!
I have managed to get all of my Christmas shopping done! YEAH for me! I have cut back alot this year. It is all apart of my "new" frugal living passion. This will be the best Christmas every because I am not stressing over the money I have spent or will be spending. I am very proud of myself and what I have learned in regards to frugal living. I promise I will be sharing these ideas with you on my site in the upcoming week.
I start tomorrow baking for the Thanksgiving Holiday. I have 15 desserts on my list. I am so excited for tomorrow to be here so that I can get in that Holiday spirit! There is just something about baking that gets you in the best mood and relieves stress (at least for me it does, I am quirky that way).
Well I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and remembers to get Thanks to the Lord for all of the blessings in your life!
I will post again soon!
Katie is Standing Pretty!
Katie stood alone today for the first time. She did not take any steps but I know it will not be long until she does. I can tell that she definitely wants to be in the action..just like a girl! (haha)
Monday, November 3, 2008
Day of Prayer
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and
seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from
heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
2 Chronicles 7:14
I am asking every believer in Jesus Christ to set aside Monday,
November 3 as a day of fasting and prayer . I would urge you to review the prayer of Daniel on behalf of his people in Dan . 9:3-19, and to pray that way
for our nation. And finally, I would ask you to distribute this call to prayer as widely as possible so that the greatest number of people would lay hold of the throne of grace all at once. It may be that God will show mercy to America , that He will shed His grace on her once again. Thank you for joining with me in this effort.
seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from
heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
2 Chronicles 7:14
I am asking every believer in Jesus Christ to set aside Monday,
November 3 as a day of fasting and prayer . I would urge you to review the prayer of Daniel on behalf of his people in Dan . 9:3-19, and to pray that way
for our nation. And finally, I would ask you to distribute this call to prayer as widely as possible so that the greatest number of people would lay hold of the throne of grace all at once. It may be that God will show mercy to America , that He will shed His grace on her once again. Thank you for joining with me in this effort.
Friday, October 31, 2008
How we add Jesus to Halloween
If you are like me than you are always searching for an avenue to teach your children about Jesus. I wanted to share with all moms the best resources I have found to add Jesus to your Halloween/Fall Traditions. The following websites have some really great ways to use a pumpkin to illustrate, tell a story, and share a special devotion with young children and older children. I hope these websites will help you teach your children.
http://www.dltk-bible.com/how_a_christian_is_like_a_pumpki.htm
http://www.beau.org/~vickir/halloween/
http://www.christiancrafters.com/craft_pumpkin.html
My favorite book for fall to teach children is
The Pumpkin Patch Parable By Liz Curtis Higgs
I purchased mine from Amazon.com but several local bookstores either carry during the fall season or can order it for you. Retail Price for the Book is $6.99 but I found mine on sale!
Enjoy the opportunity to teach and share Jesus with your children on this fun night!
http://www.dltk-bible.com/how_a_christian_is_like_a_pumpki.htm
http://www.beau.org/~vickir/halloween/
http://www.christiancrafters.com/craft_pumpkin.html
My favorite book for fall to teach children is
The Pumpkin Patch Parable By Liz Curtis Higgs
I purchased mine from Amazon.com but several local bookstores either carry during the fall season or can order it for you. Retail Price for the Book is $6.99 but I found mine on sale!
Enjoy the opportunity to teach and share Jesus with your children on this fun night!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Katie's 9 Month Check up
Katie went to the doctor last Wednesday for a check up. She is growing and developing right on track. She is about 20 pounds and measures 29 inches. She is the 70th percentile for weight and the 90th percentile for height.
She can sit, stand without holding on, walk around furniture, crawl, clap, wave bye bye, says dada and sometimes will say bubba. I have started giving her little bits of table food like pinched off pieces of bread, gerber cereal puffs, and a little banana. She is still on homemade baby food primarily.
She did cut her first tooth on Friday and on Sunday she cut her second tooth. Teething for her has not been that bad. She has only cried once or twice in what I consider to be the painful cry so I guess we are pretty lucky with this with Katie.
I will be taking her in the next week or two for her nine month portraits and will update the pictures on the site soon.
Check back soon for more pictures!
She can sit, stand without holding on, walk around furniture, crawl, clap, wave bye bye, says dada and sometimes will say bubba. I have started giving her little bits of table food like pinched off pieces of bread, gerber cereal puffs, and a little banana. She is still on homemade baby food primarily.
She did cut her first tooth on Friday and on Sunday she cut her second tooth. Teething for her has not been that bad. She has only cried once or twice in what I consider to be the painful cry so I guess we are pretty lucky with this with Katie.
I will be taking her in the next week or two for her nine month portraits and will update the pictures on the site soon.
Check back soon for more pictures!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
October Rambling...
Can you believe it is October already?
We are quite busy this month. We are going to be attending a Pumpkin patch with the Potato group this weekend and letting the kids pick out their pumpkins. I know that they will be very excited. We are going to Bottomview Farms in Portland, TN. We went last year and really enjoyed it.
The kids all have their Halloween costumes. It was such a hard decision this year for Logan. He really could not decide what to be but finally decided on Spiderman. The twins are going to be Superman and Katie will be a Dalmatian puppy (how cute is that?) We will be attending our church's light up the night event followed with trick or treating in mom's neighborhood.
I have been working really hard on trying to find ways to live frugally, frugal Christmas ideas, working on what recipes I will be trying for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and finishing up my Fall To Do List. I have decided to make 16-18 different desserts for our family Thanksgiving celebration. I did have thirty but thought I would spare everyone gaining 10 pounds at Thanksgiving. So just go ahead and give me a Betty Crocker crown (and the money that goes along with that name would be fine as well!)
Mace and I are finishing up the new plans for the house addition which will hopefully get started in the late spring of next year bearing that we do not have any other set backs or changes in our household!
The kids are doing just fine and growing like little weeds. Katie has her nine month check up at the end of the month. Can you believe it...nine months????
Mace is loving his new job at the VA Department.
I have been busy busy with daycare, house work, chores, and the many extra projects that I have going on right now. We have been paying close attention to all the presidential debates and presidential election coverage. I urge everyone to please pray about this upcoming election and the "new" president whomever that may be. This country needs a strong leader, a Christian leader, and a wise leader.
It had been a while since my last post and I wanted to update everyone on the happenings in the Salinas Home. I will update the blog again soon with pictures from Logan's 5th birthday and the Pumpkin Patch event. Take care and enjoy the nice Fall weather!
We are quite busy this month. We are going to be attending a Pumpkin patch with the Potato group this weekend and letting the kids pick out their pumpkins. I know that they will be very excited. We are going to Bottomview Farms in Portland, TN. We went last year and really enjoyed it.
The kids all have their Halloween costumes. It was such a hard decision this year for Logan. He really could not decide what to be but finally decided on Spiderman. The twins are going to be Superman and Katie will be a Dalmatian puppy (how cute is that?) We will be attending our church's light up the night event followed with trick or treating in mom's neighborhood.
I have been working really hard on trying to find ways to live frugally, frugal Christmas ideas, working on what recipes I will be trying for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and finishing up my Fall To Do List. I have decided to make 16-18 different desserts for our family Thanksgiving celebration. I did have thirty but thought I would spare everyone gaining 10 pounds at Thanksgiving. So just go ahead and give me a Betty Crocker crown (and the money that goes along with that name would be fine as well!)
Mace and I are finishing up the new plans for the house addition which will hopefully get started in the late spring of next year bearing that we do not have any other set backs or changes in our household!
The kids are doing just fine and growing like little weeds. Katie has her nine month check up at the end of the month. Can you believe it...nine months????
Mace is loving his new job at the VA Department.
I have been busy busy with daycare, house work, chores, and the many extra projects that I have going on right now. We have been paying close attention to all the presidential debates and presidential election coverage. I urge everyone to please pray about this upcoming election and the "new" president whomever that may be. This country needs a strong leader, a Christian leader, and a wise leader.
It had been a while since my last post and I wanted to update everyone on the happenings in the Salinas Home. I will update the blog again soon with pictures from Logan's 5th birthday and the Pumpkin Patch event. Take care and enjoy the nice Fall weather!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Painting
Here are pictures of Luke and Tanner using water color painting for the first time. They LOVED it and thought that they were soooo BIG.
Standing Pretty
Katie has now begun pulling herself up and is standing pretty! This picture was taken just this week. I can not believe she is already pulling herself up.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Sharpie Markers
One night a couple of weeks ago, I left a sharpie marker in the reach of Luke and Tanner. Well, the pictures will tell the rest of my story....
Luke
Tanner
Luke
Tanner
Luke and Tanner's 2nd Birthday Pictures
I know I am a little late getting these posted but at least I did i
t, right?
t, right?
Monday, August 25, 2008
Katie's Crawling...
I just had to add this new milestone for our little Katie. She started crawling over the weekend. She turned seven months on Saturday. Once she figured it out, she was gone. She has been crawling all over the house and trying to keep up with brothers!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Where has the Summer Gone????
Does anyone else feel like summer flew by?
Did I even blink once during summer?
We have been so busy this summer. I think that the busyness will only increase as the children get older. I have got a ton of pictures that I need to upload to the site. I promise I will before the month's end.
Luke and Tanner are now officially two! We celebrated their birthdays on Aug 8 at Kids Kingdom Park in Hendersonville with family. It was a wonderful time and they enjoyed their "Cars" themed birthday. I promise pictures to the site are in the near future.
Katie is now approaching seven months (8/23). Can you believe it?
Mace and I will be celebrating 11, thats right I said 11, years of marriage on the 30th of the month!!! It seems like only yesterday we begun our lives together. So much has happened in 11 years! WHEW!!! It blows my mind to think about where all we have been, what we have gotten accomplished and we have just begun. I am excited to see what the next 11 years holds for us and our family.
Logan has also started Preschool. He goes two days a week and is loving it. I have pictures of this event too which I promise to upload to the site. He did so well and really gets excited about going which is a huge comfort to me since he has only been with me since he was born. I have been the teacher and the mom and basically everything to him so I really think that him gaining some independence and becoming "de-mommified" is very important before he starts school in the fall. I do a preschool curriculum with my daycare so I know that he is prepared educationally for school but I just needed to make sure that he has mature and developed socially the way he needs to for school. Sometimes being a parent is so hard. We are always wanting the best, trying to give the best, and make the best decisions for our children. I will admit is a difficult job to make sure that you as a parent are always focused on what the "best" is for our your children! Despite the stress and the challenges, I love being a MOM and would not change my role.
Mace has started his new VA job and is currently going through orientation. So far so good!
We have also changed the layout and design of our "future addition" so we are back to the square one with that as we are having to start all over again with new drawings and new designs so we are now going to be further behind in the process. We are hoping to get started within the next several months but it will just depend on how fast we can get the new plans, how fast we can get the estimates, how long the bank process takes, and how many bumps we come across in the road. So I guess that about sums up our last couple of weeks. I promise to upload some new pictures soon! Hope everyone is doing good and enjoying the end of summer and the beginning of school!!!
Did I even blink once during summer?
We have been so busy this summer. I think that the busyness will only increase as the children get older. I have got a ton of pictures that I need to upload to the site. I promise I will before the month's end.
Luke and Tanner are now officially two! We celebrated their birthdays on Aug 8 at Kids Kingdom Park in Hendersonville with family. It was a wonderful time and they enjoyed their "Cars" themed birthday. I promise pictures to the site are in the near future.
Katie is now approaching seven months (8/23). Can you believe it?
Mace and I will be celebrating 11, thats right I said 11, years of marriage on the 30th of the month!!! It seems like only yesterday we begun our lives together. So much has happened in 11 years! WHEW!!! It blows my mind to think about where all we have been, what we have gotten accomplished and we have just begun. I am excited to see what the next 11 years holds for us and our family.
Logan has also started Preschool. He goes two days a week and is loving it. I have pictures of this event too which I promise to upload to the site. He did so well and really gets excited about going which is a huge comfort to me since he has only been with me since he was born. I have been the teacher and the mom and basically everything to him so I really think that him gaining some independence and becoming "de-mommified" is very important before he starts school in the fall. I do a preschool curriculum with my daycare so I know that he is prepared educationally for school but I just needed to make sure that he has mature and developed socially the way he needs to for school. Sometimes being a parent is so hard. We are always wanting the best, trying to give the best, and make the best decisions for our children. I will admit is a difficult job to make sure that you as a parent are always focused on what the "best" is for our your children! Despite the stress and the challenges, I love being a MOM and would not change my role.
Mace has started his new VA job and is currently going through orientation. So far so good!
We have also changed the layout and design of our "future addition" so we are back to the square one with that as we are having to start all over again with new drawings and new designs so we are now going to be further behind in the process. We are hoping to get started within the next several months but it will just depend on how fast we can get the new plans, how fast we can get the estimates, how long the bank process takes, and how many bumps we come across in the road. So I guess that about sums up our last couple of weeks. I promise to upload some new pictures soon! Hope everyone is doing good and enjoying the end of summer and the beginning of school!!!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
L.I.F.E and Rambling
So much has been going on with our little (well not really little) family. Our weeks have been jammed pack with activities, outings, events, and normal happenings. Over the last several weeks we have finalized house plans, received estimates for our house plans (in case you are wondering we are adding on two bedrooms and a den to our current house as we dont have enough space to accommodate our "big" family), had V.B.S, celebrated my birthday (7/25), getting ready to celebrate Mace's birthday (8/4), planning Luke and Tanner's second birthday (8/9), Mace is preparing to switch jobs (he will be starting with the Veteran Affairs Federal Office in downtown Nashville on 8/14), getting Logan ready to start Preschool on 8/12, working as a POTATO officer (parents of twins and triplets organization), running my daycare, and all of our normal activities. Life just kinda takes over sometimes. I have been working really hard on simplifying things in our household. I have cleaned out closets, toyboxes, cabinets, drawers, and every other place you can think of getting rid of the "junk" we have collected. It really is amazing how much you collect. I have been spoken to by the Holy Spirit to let go of the complicated and let the simple take over. This is very hard for me. I tend to make things more complicated because of all my schedules and organization of things. I thought that if I cleaned things out and got rid of things then there would not be so much to organize and maintain therefore that should equal simple..right????? Well, this is what I am hoping to accomplish. I have also become a frugal freak, in a good way. I have started researching all kinds of ways to save money. I am loving the research that I am finding. I have come across a great grocery saving program called..the grocery game. Check it out online. I save tons of money each week at the store. I have also began to research healthy frugal meals for dinners and finding a wealth of information on that as well. I think that with the way things are going we are all eventually going to have to find ways to save money. Frugal does not have to be a bad thing. It actually can be quite fun when you are researching ways to find money. I love going to the grocery store just to see how much money I can save, how cheap I can make meals, and how many coupons I can gather. It is fun to me...ok that is crazy I know...clipping coupons fun...I know you are thinking man she really does not have a life but it does not take that long and it is sooooo worth it and the proof is on my receipt each week!
I guess the biggest time consumer this month has been working on the details of our house add-on and remodel. I never realized how much time this would take. I thought we would just give the guys our ideas and they would way their magic wands and be done...let's just say this was a fantasy! We were suppose to start on the project in September but I am not sure when in September would be realistic at this point because we have had some stumbling blocks along the way. So just pray for us and that the decisions on the house will be the right ones and that Mace and I do what is best for our family. Also, remember Mace is your prayers as he begins a new journey in his career. Have a great weekend and I will try to be more on top of my website!!!!
I guess the biggest time consumer this month has been working on the details of our house add-on and remodel. I never realized how much time this would take. I thought we would just give the guys our ideas and they would way their magic wands and be done...let's just say this was a fantasy! We were suppose to start on the project in September but I am not sure when in September would be realistic at this point because we have had some stumbling blocks along the way. So just pray for us and that the decisions on the house will be the right ones and that Mace and I do what is best for our family. Also, remember Mace is your prayers as he begins a new journey in his career. Have a great weekend and I will try to be more on top of my website!!!!
Katie is 6 months
Katie is growing so fast. It seems like she was just born but she has quickly approached six months. She can now sit up by herself for about two to four minutes. She is also starting to push herself to all fours and rock. I think crawling is in her NEAR future! She also has become a drool bucket...literally! Tonight was Katie's first taste of "real" baby food. She did quite well with her sweet potatoes. I have decided to make homemade baby food for her like I did with the twins. I really enjoyed making it and it is a healthier alternative. There has been alot going with our little princess this month. I took her to the doctor last week and she weighed 18 pounds! I guess her new name will be little chunky princess! (just kidding by the way)
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Life's a Zoo
On Saturday July 5, Mace and I took the kids to the Nashville Zoo. The kids LOVED it. They were well behaved and really like seeing all of the animals. I pushed Katie in the stroller and Mace pulled the twins in the wagon and Logan walked. He actually liked being the "leader". We even sat through a twenty minute animal/bird show at the zoo. The kids did great. I was surprised. I don't know very many kids who would actually sit through a presentation/show about birds and animals but they did. Sometimes kids will amaze you. We had a great time. I definitely can say that our investment of a family membership to the zoo was WELL WORTH THE MONEY. It is a great outing for each of us and as a family.
Here are some of my favorite pictures that I took while we were at the zoo.
Celebrating the Fourth of July
On Thursday July 3, we went with my parents to the Hendersonville Freedom Festival at Drakes Creek Park. We had a wonderful time and all of the kids really enjoyed the fireworks. Luke was the only one that was a little frightened by the noise. He did finally enjoy them after the first few minutes. Here are some wonderful pictures from our night!
Tanner
Mace and Amber
Papa and Logan
Luke's Angry Face (not really, he just had a mouth of full of snacks)
Tanner
Mace and Amber
Papa and Logan
Luke's Angry Face (not really, he just had a mouth of full of snacks)
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Plum Worn Out
We picked plums off the tree and played outside until lunch. Well as you can see Luke and Tanner did not make it through lunch!
Luke (above) and Tanner (below)
Luke (above) and Tanner (below)
How we spend our Saturday Mornings
Most Saturday Mornings start out the same...Wake the kids up, Give them a cup of milk, Give them a book to read, Turn on their favorite PBS cartoon (Arthur), and then I am off to cook breakfast.
Well this Saturday morning was a little different. I guess they wanted to have just one party in one bed!
Well this Saturday morning was a little different. I guess they wanted to have just one party in one bed!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Frugal Living Mission
Over the course of the last month or two, I have been on a mission to find more frugal ways of living. I am researching all kinds of ways to save money in the various aspects of the home especially since the price of everything seems to be skyrocketing these days. I have found a wonderful website called the grocerygame.com. It is a website that you receive a weekly grocery list that has the sale price items along with which coupon to use so that you save the most money! It is wonderful. I have saved so much money in the last two months. I have also found other websites that teaches you how to save money at the store as well as at home. I have to admit I 
have become a little obsessed with the "game" of saving of money. I actually look forward to going to the store to see how much money I can save. It is fun for me. In my attempt to save as much money as I possibly can while not wasting anything that comes into this house I have learned a timeless skill...how to make homemade jam! I am addicted now! I never knew that I could actually create and make jam that tastes as wonderful as this (not to be bragging but it really turned out good!). After you have homemade jam, you will not go back to store bought jam/jellies. Mace and I have two fruit trees in the back yard...one peach and one plum. All of the jam I have made so far as been plum since we seem to be having an abundance of plums! I have attached a picture of my homemade jam because I am so proud of it and so proud of myself for learning this skill.
have become a little obsessed with the "game" of saving of money. I actually look forward to going to the store to see how much money I can save. It is fun for me. In my attempt to save as much money as I possibly can while not wasting anything that comes into this house I have learned a timeless skill...how to make homemade jam! I am addicted now! I never knew that I could actually create and make jam that tastes as wonderful as this (not to be bragging but it really turned out good!). After you have homemade jam, you will not go back to store bought jam/jellies. Mace and I have two fruit trees in the back yard...one peach and one plum. All of the jam I have made so far as been plum since we seem to be having an abundance of plums! I have attached a picture of my homemade jam because I am so proud of it and so proud of myself for learning this skill.
Katie's First Cereal
We started feeding Katie her first cereal this week. Surprisingly it was not as messy as I thought it was going to be. She really likes it and usually cries for more. I just can not believe she is five months old already!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
So Much Going On...
It has been a two weeks since my last post. It is not because I am lazy just a busy mom of four! Let's see...to get everyone caught up on the never boring life of the Salinas Crew this is what has been going on with us...
1. My sister had her birthday
2. My mom had her first chemo treatment
3. Have been nominated to be an officer/chairperson for POTATO (parents of twins and triplet organization)
4. Had family outtings
5. Celebrated Father's Day
6. Hired a contractor and architect for our addition to our home (to hopefully begin in August or September)
7. Had Birthday Parties and Showers to attend for friends
So as you can see I have had a good excuse as to the reason why my blog is not as up to date as it should be.
Mom is doing quite well with chemo. I have created her a website in order for family and friends to stay up to date on her progress. The address is www.caringbridge.org/visit/sandraglasgow
Katie is growing so fast. She has really enjoyed learning how to move in her walker. She loves being able to sit up and see what is going on around her. It is amazing to watch her curosity. I also brought in her highchair to the kitchen so that she can sit with us at meal times. Tonight was the first time she sat in it. She played while the family at dinner. She played so hard that she fell asleep! It was just so cute.
I promise to do better at keeping the blog up to date. I can not promise I will as I never know what my life will entail from one day to the next but that is the beauty of being a wife of almost 11 years and a mom to four kids!
1. My sister had her birthday
2. My mom had her first chemo treatment
3. Have been nominated to be an officer/chairperson for POTATO (parents of twins and triplet organization)
4. Had family outtings
5. Celebrated Father's Day
6. Hired a contractor and architect for our addition to our home (to hopefully begin in August or September)
7. Had Birthday Parties and Showers to attend for friends
So as you can see I have had a good excuse as to the reason why my blog is not as up to date as it should be.
Mom is doing quite well with chemo. I have created her a website in order for family and friends to stay up to date on her progress. The address is www.caringbridge.org/visit/sandraglasgow
Katie is growing so fast. She has really enjoyed learning how to move in her walker. She loves being able to sit up and see what is going on around her. It is amazing to watch her curosity. I also brought in her highchair to the kitchen so that she can sit with us at meal times. Tonight was the first time she sat in it. She played while the family at dinner. She played so hard that she fell asleep! It was just so cute.
I promise to do better at keeping the blog up to date. I can not promise I will as I never know what my life will entail from one day to the next but that is the beauty of being a wife of almost 11 years and a mom to four kids!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Lisa and Adam Finally Tied the Knot
Lisa and Adam's wedding went off great with only one minor glitch...Amber (Matron of Honor) forgot the wedding band for Adam upstairs in the dressing room of the church! DUH!!!!! I can not believe I did something so stupid. I am suppose to be the organized ONE. I guess we all have "DUH" moments. Lisa and Adam went to Gatlinburg for a few days on their honeymoon and came back with that "newlywed glow". I can not believe my sister is finally married. This is such a great new chapter in her life...next chapter ...babies! I am so excited about being an aunt in the future but for now I will just wait patiently until that chapter begins.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Katie's Four Month Check-Up
Katie went to the doctor today for her four month check-up. She will be officially four months on Friday. She did receive a good bill of health and is growing fast. She weighs almost fourteen pounds and measures 25 and 1/2 inches long! I went and got pictures made this past weekend and thought I would share a recent picture of our Little Princess, Katie.
Spiderman Luke
I just had to share this with everyone....
I put Luke down for his nap today at the normal time and in our normal routine. Well five minutes later, Luke had managed to climb out of his crib, open the door to his room, and greet me in the kitchen where I was cleaning up lunch! He did it not once but twice in a matter of five minutes.
I have a Spiderman for a son and his name is Luke!
I put Luke down for his nap today at the normal time and in our normal routine. Well five minutes later, Luke had managed to climb out of his crib, open the door to his room, and greet me in the kitchen where I was cleaning up lunch! He did it not once but twice in a matter of five minutes.
I have a Spiderman for a son and his name is Luke!
Update on My Mom, Sandra
Some of you may know and some may not so I thought I would post an update on my mom, Sandra Glasgow. A couple of weeks ago, my mom went in to the OBGYN doctor as she noticed her breast changes shapes. The doctor sent her to get a mammogram. To make a long story short, the mammogram lead to an ultrasound and the ultrasound lead to a biopsy. The biopsy lead to an MRI and CT scan. Yesterday she went back to the doctor to get the final results from all her tests and scan. As of yesterday, the doctors has diagnosed her with invasive lobular carcinoma a form of breast cancer. Currently, the doctors are saying that is contained to one breast; however, the scans did show another lump in her other breast that is taking the same shape and form as the "diagnosed breast cancer lump". She will be meeting with an oncologist tomorrow to discuss treatments. The thought course of treatment at this time is chemo followed up with surgery to remove the diagnosed cancer. Please keep her in your prayers during this difficult time.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Busy, Busy, Busy
I know that it has been awhile since my last entry on the site. Our lives have been very HECTIC. My sister's wedding is less than a week away and this event has keep me hopping (literally)! I just wanted to just let everyone know that we are still here and doing well. I will put some new pictures up later on next week after the wedding when life will go back to somewhat of a normal pace for us. Have a great week. Love and Hugs to All.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Katie's Dedication Ceremony
Today, Mace and I had our little daughter, Katie, dedicated to the Lord. During the ceremony, our pastor, Brother Roy Copeland, gave us scriptures on parenting and raising our children according to God's word as well as prayed over our family. There was also a special song performed for the baby dedication ceremony. Katie was presented with a certificate of dedication along with a children's bible. Our family stood united with Mace and I today as we dedicated our lives and our children to the Lord. It was a great day and we enjoyed the ceremony and the blessings we received!
Friday, April 18, 2008
DUCK TAPE and POTTY TRAINING
Yesterday (April 17th) started out to be a normal day for the Salinas household. Every morning the kids and I have a routine (who would have thought it? LOL). In the midst of our routine, Tanner decides to take off his clothes and diaper then he precedes to pee pee all over his bed, floor, and clothes. I thought no big deal, he was just to wet and wanted to be changed. So I put him in Luke's crib and thought to myself "oh this will be fun for them to play in the same crib since it never happens." Well as I was cleaning up the first mess, Tanner decides he wants to repeat his actions only this time he manages to pee pee on Luke as well! So I thought "OH GREAT!" Well by this time I have a house full of children and it is time to start breakfast. So I manage to get everything all cleaned up and thought ok this will be better today. After breakfast and the other morning chores, I precede to take the children outside for playtime. During the course of being outside, Katie gets hungry and I come in the house to get a bottle ready. I go back outside only to find that both Luke and Tanner have pooped in their diapers, taken off their clothes and diapers as well, threw the diapers down on the ground, and are playing on the riding toys/bikes while smearing poo-poo all over the bikes. Well now for the sprinkles of the story...As if that was not bad enough they had managed to get mulch chips and pine needles suck to their bottoms that looked like sprinkles on their bottoms. So after much debate..well not really...I duck taped their diapers since they kept getting their diapers off and making messes everywhere!
Later on in the afternoon, Tanner pulled down his pants and started taking off his diaper, pointed to the bathroom and said "pee pee" ! I WAS SHOCKED. I took him and sat him on the toilet; however, he screamed because he thought he was going to fall in and then of course, Luke wanted to try so I am thinking we may be needing some potty chairs to start thinking about potty training! YIKES! Are they really ready???? I am not sure but I will be watching them more closely to see in they are showing true signs of potty training or if this is just one of those stages that they will go through!!
AHHH... A day in the life of a mother of four children! ha ha ha
Later on in the afternoon, Tanner pulled down his pants and started taking off his diaper, pointed to the bathroom and said "pee pee" ! I WAS SHOCKED. I took him and sat him on the toilet; however, he screamed because he thought he was going to fall in and then of course, Luke wanted to try so I am thinking we may be needing some potty chairs to start thinking about potty training! YIKES! Are they really ready???? I am not sure but I will be watching them more closely to see in they are showing true signs of potty training or if this is just one of those stages that they will go through!!
AHHH... A day in the life of a mother of four children! ha ha ha
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Mother Daughter Day
Today was the first mother-daughter day that Katie and I have shared together. We meet our friends, Stephanie, Alexia, and Sophia Lawson for lunch at September's Resturant and then went to the mall for a little shopping. We finished the day at the salon so that mommy could get her hair done. Katie loved being at the salon and watching all the people. She did great today and seemed to really enjoy our day. This is the first of many mother-daughter days that we will be sharing together!
She's Going to the Chapel and She's Going to Get Married...
My sister, Lisa, is getting married next month. I can not believe that my little sister is getting married! YIKES...Am I getting old?
I gave her a bridal shower last month to help her get household items that they are going to need for their new home. Her wedding has consumed me. I had loved helping with the planning and organizing of this blessed event. I actually really do miss wedding planning but maybe someday there will be enough time in my days to add this to my list! Well, maybe in about 18 years when the kids are grown and I have a little more spare time.. ha ha!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Katie's First Ponytail
I have been trying so hard to get a hair bow in Ms. Katie's hair and today I succeeded! I just had to share this picture. It is a cute milestone for her and for me!
Sunday, March 9, 2008
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