Terrific Tuesday!!

There is so much I have to say...

First I pray each one of you had a splendid Thanksgiving..

I know I ate way more than my stomach could hold, but when you have such great food it is really hard to not say YES!!!!

For this Thanksgiving I was able to go to Fernandina to see some of my mother's side of the family.. I don't however, get so see them as much as I wish I could. So, the kids and I stayed over night with my Aunt Vicki..( I just love her so). Also, got to spend sometime with my Cousin Shev and his wife Wendee and their precious little boy Lockland.. He is such  a cutie pie..

There are many things I have to be thankful for and I got to show most of them this week.. And, I pray that you did too.

I have much to talk about.. but, I wont do it all today or some of you will not read all that I post..

But, one thing I wanted to mention is that CHRISTMAS is coming really soon.

And of course we all want to know what to get each and everyone something they want....

I got each of the kids one thing that they had requested.. WE are not doing much this year, only because I don't want them to lose sight of what is really important.. Our Lord, Jesus Christ..

The true reason for Christmas...

But, Mark asked me what I wanted and you know we usually go through the routine you don't have to get my anything.. Knowing really he had better or I would be disappointed.... So at first I wanted and need some good bread pans...(not bed pans which is what I have been saying).

And then it hit me like a ton of bricks I remember for years I have been wanting a treadmill..
So, I went online to look up some good/cheap treadmills.

Mark was like I will go to the pawn shops and see if I can find a used one. At first I didn't want a used one I WANTED a brand spanking new one.

But, while I was in Fernandina with my family she took me to a flea market and you will never believe what I found for just a measly 175.00...

That's right a used treadmill...

I am super stoked to be on this every day now   (no sarcasm) ..... I will lose all the weight I have gained from Thanksgiving and then I will be able to maintain through Christmas...

Yay me.!!!!

Thankful Thursday!!!

I want to wish all my blog readers a very blessed Thanksgiving...

One thing I am thankful for today is... being able to gather with my family and enjoy the time God has given us this day...

God bless you all...

Word filled Wednesday!!!

Posting has been the least of my concern right now because my dear husband has been off and we have been enjoying being with him.
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Just to keep you informed about the bathroom... The color "Lady in Red" is beautiful....

However, the bathroom is too DARK......

So guess what we are doing????

We are repainting it again.

No not a lighter red but...we have decided after much deliberation to go

BLUE..... the actual color is "Gulf stream Breeze"  

as soon as i start painting I will show pictures of the color...

Don't get me wrong I loved the Lady in Red and will be painting it in my bedroom soon after I recover from all this "PAINTING"

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we also had Thanksgiving with my husband family Saturday..Which was exciting to see some of the family we don't see often....

Plus there were two babies.. and I did get my fill in holding those precious thangs..

Just a side note we had a blast.. Me and my husband and my brother-in-law got out there with 7 other young ins and played kickball..."playground" style...

The playground style has more rules than cooking...

I don't have family on the field.. if  i get the ball just watch out cause I am taking you down.. I can't help it I just like to win.. No matter who is my opposing team..

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I have also mentioned several times about God working on me for more kids...

I talked with my darling last night.. and he has confirmed for me that we will

NOT be adopting any children at this present time...

i must continue to pray that God will change his heart...

and you must do the same.....

SPONTANEITY!!!!

as you may have noticed through the years that I am a spontaneous person.. Especially with my hair. If i feel the desire to get it whacked off I will.

I don't ponder over it.. I just do it.!!!!

There are a few other things i life that I just like to get it and go....

A book

A restaurant

An outfit

A pair of Shoes

A hair cut

A nail polish color

So as you can see there are many things I just do on a whim....

Oh but there is one I would like to add to the mix and that is PAINTING....

Painting what?

My bathroom... My hubby and I went to the hardware store and I walked over the the paint selection cards and pick up two different types of RED... I asked him what color he liked best and that is the one I went with....

"Lady in Red...

at first i was just going to get a sample of the color, but of course they didn't have a small sample can i could take home and try..

So we bought a gallon and went to town on the bathroom.. yippy I love painting..

I figured we had been in the house for a year now and it was time for some change...

So here ya go ... The change has begun..

A funny little antedocte on the paint though.... I really was unsure about the whole gallon so my hubby and I were just going to wait....we climbed in truck and started out the drive when I told him that I really wanted the color.. so what we did was turn around before we even left the parking lot and bought the gallon.... We were cracking up as we walked back inside to get the paint. 

BEFORE THE "LADY IN RED"

ALMOST THROUGH WITH THE "LADY IN RED"

Awaiting the finishing product.... COMING SOON

Blabber on Monday

I almost don't know where to begin...I feel like these past few days have been a blur.

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Thursday is usually our Library story/craft time.. Which two of my kids love. I am sure that you can guess my 13 year old does not...!!!!

But we missed it this week... because my babies wanted to see their Nana B... What could be better?

Good, fun time at The Dair* Q*een!!!

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Monday I had a Parent Teacher Conference at Ty school... He is struggling in some areas...

Sitting there listening to these teachers tell me what a terrible job my son was doing  I began to think how much I really dislike public school... They have pushed so hard on the kids The "test" that they must pass with flying colors.  The bad thing for Ty is that they push some new lesson on him before he has had time to learn the old.

I really hate to see my babies struggle at anything..

The homework is CRAZY he and I spent 5 hours on homework...DID YOU HEAR 5 HOURS... like 8 hours in school is not good enough. They have hours and hours of homework... I had to go and talk to the teacher about that.. Do you know what he told me.???

They get and hour to finish in class... WOW a whole hour... WELL what was I doing wrong..? That is took the both of us 5 hours....

I try very hard not to say in front of Ty and Syd how much I really despise public school... But I do.!!!

(my Opinion)
But they teachers don't have time to really teach any more... The state has ruined our school systems... When did it to the point that the test results were the only thing that determined a child's learning.??

I pray one day I can  homeshool them all.... Until then I PRAY!!! WILL YOU??

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Kids

When I was growing up I promised myself that I was never going to have any and I mean any children...

But, now after 3 I am longing for more..

Sunday we went to a friend of mine's Church.. They hosted a Love the Least conference..

There are no words to describe it....I was moved....I cried, I laughed, and I cried some more..

For the past few months God has been working in my life with adoption. I can't explain why. At first I thought He must be crazy. I tried to block it out. I really tried to put it in perspective. Look, Lord I already have 3, two of who don't live here full time. I just don't think You could be right about this. I mean I really pulled out the Moses attitude. I wanted Him to understand that He has it backwards..I really though He has got to have me confused with another Arica Griner.. Really life is hard enough with these 3. Why would God want me to have more.????

I didn't know why and still don't but, what I can tell you is that I have never had God put a desire in me like this one that I have..  I have tried to tell myself that we can't afford it. I have tried to tell myself that one more kid would kill me.. Literally. I mean I felt like on the inside that if I had one more I would die...

However, after much time with the Lord and trying to convince Him that I could do it.. He has won..
While, my heart is being prepared for more kids my husband heart is not. I have spoke to him a few times on adoption and natural birth.. He has said that 3 is enough...

But, I don't feel that way...So now that we have seen This Love the Least Conference about adoption and seeing those children's faces. I am praying that God will now work His way my husbands heart...

More to the story

Rhonda and the girls are now living on Alice st. which is not a great place to be living. Not with these rowdy boys trying there best to destroy someones home. Arica and Andrea had, had enough. their lives were full of anguish, anger, pain, bitterness. They didn't need any more grief from the neighborhood "bad boys'".

Even though the girls were having to deal with this Rhonda had not taken a break from the party life. Yes, that is right after Tim she hit the clubs again. this time with full force. Arica guesses she was ready to find another husband. Although Arica did have to mention that now Rhonda just brought the dates by for a quick lookys at the girls and off they went.

She began spending the night off quite frequently. This made it hard for the girls because there was not place that arica could work to make money for her and andrea could eat. Rhonda seemed to do the best she could to supply the house with food. Well what see wasn't spending on beer and cigarettes. Arica was at the point in her life that is was beginning to hate her life and her mothers.

Arica struggles with the pain of hatred. She knew it was wrong, but how much was she to keep taking and pertend that her life was great. It was not.

School had started back and this years was really hard. She was in 7th grade and at a new school. And luckily for her the boys in her neighborhood also went to the same school. they told everyone about the way the girls lived. A mom who was barely there and how easy it was to break in their home.

So it began for Arica and Andrea bullying. It was what you would call simple bullying.. Just some name calling definitely talking behind your back. But, what was a girl to do. she was a new girl at this snotty school. It was hard to make friends and everyone just seemed like they were better than everyone else. Arica hated it. Just one more thing that Arica could put on her hate list and the list seemed to be growing with each and passing day.

The same was for andrea although some of her bullying was little worse then Arica's. She hated seeing her sister come and cry her eyes out. And, do you think Rhonda ever did anything about it. NO!! Just ignore them andrea she would say. They are only trying to get you to cry. Well Rhonda it was working. Did she care? Maybe but, you couldn't tell it.

This torture went on for months and months, but during those months of being made fun of Rhonda fell in "love" again. This time guess what the girl did? They all moved in with this guy. He name was David. Oh how at first Arica really liked David. She even thought that if Rhonda and he got married that by the ridicule at school would stop. They would be like a real family and well real families don't get picked on.

They would be considered "NORMAL".......

GUESS WHAT I GOT!!!!!!

It's here!!! It's here...!!!!

I have been waiting patiently for it's arrival!!!

What is here do you ask?????

My NUTRIMILL!!!!!

Isn't it cute???!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

I am super excited about it ......

It was like Christmas for me.... I kept checking the UP* website to seen when it was going to be delivered..ten or eleven times a day....And each day it was the same thing...ON TRUCK FOR DELIVERY.....

until, the last time I checked.. it said left on garage.. I am thinking I don't have a garage... AAhhh it is at my ma-in-laws...

So I rushed down to get it.....

YAY!!!   I can't wait to start milling my own wheat.

Which, BTW, I have already bought some of that tooo!!!!  (just trying to stay ahead of the game)

I have so many plans for this thang......

continuation continues

The last time i left off was when Arica was spending the night off and Rhonda and Andrea are heading to tim's house.

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When Arica got home that weekend she saw Rhonda with a black eye. She asked her what had happened and she told her that Tim had gotten upset about something he had heard. So he decided to take it out on Rhonda. Arica asked Andrea what did she do? But, all Andrea could say was that she was scared.
Arica swore to herself that there would never be another man hit her mother again. So, the next time Rhonda let Tim come over she told him just that..

"if you ever lay another hand on my mom i will kill you!"

Of course Tim just laugh at her thinking how sweet she wants to protect her mom. And, then one night it happened he and Rhonda were auguring about something and they just got louder and louder until Arica came out of her room and sat quietly. she was just waiting and listening to every word. She was trying to figure out where they were in the living room or the kitchen. Arica had gotten an idea. Because,  when she told tim he better never hit her again she meant it. Arica walked quietly down the hall. She was trying to sneak into the kitchen. She made it without being detected. She reached into the cabinet very quietly and pull out the cast iron frying pan. (I know this seem a little humorous, but it is not) She tiptoed to where they were fighting and tim lifted his hand and balled up his fist. He took a swing and she went down. And, Arica lost all fear. she swung that frying pan as hard as she could and down Tim went also. now Rhonda was not out cold but tim was. Rhonda jumped up off the floor and wanted to know why Arica had hit him. She said because he hit you. Arica was confused she thought she had done something great she protected her mom. but, her mom didn't seem to be happy at all. She actually seemed upset. She could not believe that arica had hit him.

Rhonda kept going on about how he is never going to call her again or even want to see her. Arica was fine with that. Arica couldn't believe that Rhonda was acting this way.  Finally, arica just had to tell her maybe it was for the best that she and tim didn't see each other anymore.

Of course that would never happen. She just couldn't seem to stay away from him. But, thankfully he ended up moving back to Atlanta to be near his family and luckily after the hit he took with the frying pan he didn't ask Rhonda to go with him.

After, a while Rhonda moved her and the girls over to Lisbon Dr. into a small, cute house built just for 3. and that was the way Arica wanted it to stay. But, you know Rhonda she could never give up her party life. This was the summer of Arica's 7 grade year. the summer seemed to be the best for Arica and Andrea. rhonda had gotten of food stamps and so getting groceries were much easier for them. And, Rhonda didn't change her party habit either. all Arica knew was it is a lot easier to party during the summer than when school is in.

A few months after we moved into Lisbon. Rhonda got evicted and She and the girls moved to a house just down the road. Same neighborhood just a new street. Alice st. this house was awful. It was large but it had no heat or air conditioning in it. Plus, they lived closer to some rowdy boys just down the road.

They would beak in the house and move stuff around and tear up the girls things. Once they tried to set the house on fire.

Trying to be frugal!!!! "Trying"

I want to be one of those moms that say "oh I do that".... but I am not completely...

but, I can add one more to my list of I dos !!!!!

I now make my own laundry detergent....Yep that's right another way I can be frugal in my own house...

I got the recipe from my Tipnut.com a great website, but I got the idea from my sis-in-law Danielle...

And this is what I had to do...

First you need a 5 gallon bucket...

you can get one from anywhere

Next, you will need your supplies.....

the wrinkled paper is laundry soap (but really you can use any cheap soap just not heavy perfumed soaps)

Grate the soap

looks like cheese IT'S NOT DO NOT EAT!!!!! this was not fun or easy..

After that you will want to boil you somewater.......I used about a gallon....

The pot looks bad but it worked great. plus I hated to use a good pot to boil soap in..once it comes to a slow boil you will add your shaved soap..

This part makes your whole house smell fresh and clean....stir regularly to ensure the soap is mixed well and that it is melting...
Let it cool some (not all the way because it will need to melt the other powders) and pour into your 5 gallon bucket with the other ingredients.. 1 cup of borax and 1 cup of washing soda...and 2 gallons of water...

Mix well   Once you have it all completed and it is now at room temperature you can add what ever scent you like... Essential oils

And voila you have fresh scented, homemade laundry detergent...

This made about 3 gallons all for less the $0.75 a cup......Directions say only use a 1/4 of a cup for each load...Even better....

HE'S HERE

i AM SO happy to announce that my new baby nephew is here Jedidiah Griner

November the 1st, 2011 at 6:50 am.... Praise the Lord

how percious!!!!!