Easter Celebrations 2011

So, our Easter celebrations have been going on for quite a while now... about twenty four days before Easter we started talking about Jesus dying on the cross and why we celebrate the Easter Holiday.

How do I know it was twenty four days before Easter?

Because we made a paper chain to help the kids count down! :)

The both had paper chains in their rooms hanging on their walls and they were serious about counting down for the day Jesus rose from the dead! It was a fun little way for them to keep track of days and keep them reminded of why we celebrate Easter.
On the night before Easter Sunday Sophia asked me to read her the Bible about how Jesus was crucified on the cross and how he rose again. I thought it would be way over her head but she really enjoyed me reading her the story. We read about how the Jews lied to the Romans about Jesus' sentence so that he would be crucified, she said, "They lied!" We read about Jesus being wiped, it was hard to read, hard to think about and while I didn't want to read this to her she wanted to know, she didn't want me to stop reading... I read it to her she said, "Wow, mommy, Jesus really loves us. I really want to go to heaven to meet Him"

Oh sweet one!

The celebrations began last weekend; our church had a lunch and Easter Egg Hunt it was a great celebration. The kids loved seeing Josh Wilson lead worship service and they loved having lunch with their cousins at church.

This is Sophia with her cousins (my brother's girls) Gracie and Ella.



Here is Troy waiting for the Egg Hunt for "Preschoolers"



Then a week went by...

Saturday (before Easter) we spent the day with my family. We had a late lunch/early dinner, egg hunt, and swimming. My brother took the kids on a hay ride and I think I even saw Sophia in her swim suit riding a horse... the day was a busy, fun, blur... I got one picture of Troy wearing the Easter shirt I made him. Sophia wore her shirt and got dye on it while coloring Easter eggs at the barn. Like I said, a busy, fun, blur of a day...



We got home and put the kids right to bed because the next morning was Easter... this was the night Sophia insisted I read her the story of Christ's death and resurrection.

After the kids got to bed, the left overs got put away, a very tired Easter Bunny left Sophia and Troy a basket of goodies by their bedroom doors.



Those little smiling faces were over joyed to find their baskets the next morning.



Troy does not like pictures in the morning... Happy Easter Troy! Stinker!



Then we got ready for church... all dressed up to celebrate Resurrection Sunday!!



And one of the parents...



After a wonderfully uplifting church service we headed home to get ready for lunch. Tony's parents and his brother came to celebrate and eat some Baked Ziti with us in the afternoon. They stayed for about two hours and when they left Tony, the kids, and I headed to the pool to enjoy some family time.

It was a wonderful Easter Sunday.

We watched the 'Case for Faith' which is a great movie I totally recommend. Then my parents came by with more left overs and a treat for the kids before bedtime. Then just as we thought the day was over... my sister came by and we did homework together... the kids were in bed, Tony was watching the commentary on 'Case for Faith' and Lana and I did homework until after midnight... stinkin' school!!

I actually just finished my final, new class starts tomorrow... I am "officially" in the masters program now so school keeps moving on and on and on... things are going well though, just very time consuming sometimes. :)

Hope everyone had a Happy Easter

Happy Easter

What a blessing it was to wake up this morning and know this is the day we celebrate life after death!

Sophia woke me up around 3am and as I carried her back to her bed and laid with her for a few moments while she feel back to sleep I thought, what a day this was going to be for the people who would witness Christ alive, after a horrific death on the cross.

I thought about how blessed we are, as Christians, this hope of eternal life.

How great is our God!?

I hope everyone had a very Happy Easter!

*It has been an incredibly long weekend, and while I would love to share photos of the kids in their Easter attire I am way too sleepy... I will be sure to update the blog again in a few days with photos of friends and family from this wonderful Easter Weekend.

tied up with a lot of projects...

I have been so busy lately...

Funny how life has a way of 'dumping' on you from time to time.

I have always wanted to try my luck and upholester a wingback type of loveseat. I have had my eye out for some time. I don't know how good I'd be at this venture so I've never wanted to spend money on the love seat. But I always said if one 'falls into my lap' I'll jump on the oppurtunity. Well, today my friend called me and let me know she saw a horrid looking love seat, just what I was looking for, free at a local thrift shop. Luckily, my Grand Daddy was able to take his truck and pick it up for me.



So I'm adding that on my to do list.

Then, the day before I found an old TV, the kind in the wooden consoles. I've been eye-balling some ideas from different blogs and said if I ever see one in someone's trash I'm going to give it a shot. Wouldn't you know... another one of my friends was at the park with her kids and saw one in someone's trash.

I love how my friends think of me when they see trash on the side of the road.. but, it works.

So I drove over, dug it out of someone's trash, and added that to my to do list.



Two, things I had never seen before, both of them, free within a few days of one another.

Love how that happens... so now I have plenty to keep me busy over the next few weeks.

I also have been painting some 'murals' on the walls of a local bakery. More to come but here is a photo of some of the work I did last night.



Also, today during naptime I realized I was totally slacking on the Easter Shirts for the kids and I decided I wouldn't neglect my children's need for Easter shirts because of some junk in the garage calling my name... so...
Here is Troy's shirt..



Here is Sophia's shirt...



And the back of Sophia's shirt..



The shirts could have come out better.. but with so much to do and so little time... I need to remember 'haste makes waste' and slllllooooooowwwww dooooowwwwwwnnnnnn.

Like Troy says, "Momma, go slowly-."

So, lots going on.. but I wouldn't have it any other way. We are having a good week. Keeping close to home and taking it easy. I have a final due on Monday so I've been preparing for that. We are going to my mom's house for an Easter celebration on Saturday, then Sunday church and celebrating with Tony's family... they are coming here so lots of housework to be done ;)

Hope everyone is having a good week.

Josh Wilson came to our church!!

How cool is that!!!

This Sunday Josh Wilson blessed our church by leading worship and sharing his musical talent with us.

Music always reaches me... I'm sure it does that to many people. It gives me goosebumps, makes my heart ache, it connects the spiritual, the emotional, and the physical... it makes me feel the unseen.

A good worship service makes me cry and leaves me wanting to know more, learn more, be better.

Josh sang a few songs but there was one 'Before the Morning'.

He spoke about his friends and their son. They were told their child wouldn't live, that he would not survive a terrible heart condition. This "baby" is nine years old now.

I let Sophia and Troy sit in on worship service this Sunday and I held tight onto my little girl during this song.

The little girl who neurologists said may not learn to walk or talk because of the lack of oxygen to her developing brain because her seizures were so severe, the little girl who still baffles doctors with her abilities.

The five year old who walked through church that morning sporting her "grown up dress".

The one who says, "In heaven I won't have to take medicine that hurts my tummy and I won't have seizures."

Last week was a hard week for her... how I hate to see her struggle.. yet God uses her, and she continues, even in her struggle, to teach me, led me, being a reminder of what is really important and that in Christ we have hope.

My sweet girl who dares to believe, that we still have a reason to sing, because the pain can't compare to the joy that's coming...

Oh how you have blessed my life Sophia Ann, I thank God everyday for letting me be your Momma.

Everyday we have with you,
may not be easy,
we'll take the good and the bad....

I refuse to let your life, your hurt and your sucess be in vain. Your life is a testimony, you will do great things in this life sweet girl. You an inspiration to me, God is using you...

Life is not a snap shot, it may take a little time but you'll see the bigger picture, would you dare, would you dare to believe, that you've still got a reason to sing, 'cause the pain that you've been feeling, can't compare to the joy that's coming, so hold on you gotta wait for the light, press on and just fight the good fight, cause the pain that you've been feeling, it's just the dark before the morning...

Here's the music video so you can watch the song I'm raving about...
may it be an inspiration to you as well, may you find joy in knowing it's just the dark before the morning...

my baby sister

I already mentioned that we had a busy weekend, that my sissy was in town.

I am blessed with a wonderful family.

And one of my favorite person was home this weekend.

My sister.



We surely have our differences, but there is no one I'd rather be around that my baby sister.

Lana moved to North Florida to go to school in Jacksonville about two years ago.

She is a great Auntie, Sophia and Troy adore her.



She will be graduating soon and she'll be moving back home.

We had a great weekend together.

I love her carefree nature.

She is single doing the college thing, we don't really have much in common at this point in our lives. I am concerned with being a wife, a mother, real life stresses, and Lana is concerned with what toe nail polish matches her swim suits.

She makes me laugh.

She is like a break, I think so hard sometimes, focus, worry, but with Lana I just laugh.

She makes me smile.

Sophia looks up to her and wants to be just like her.



She has been through a lot in the last few years.

She is growing.

Becoming a really beautiful woman.

I hope she sees what I see.

I know she questions herself.

She is stronger than she knows.

My sweet baby sister, I love you.

still need my momma, always need her.

Snuck away from the 'blog world' for a few days.

We have been keeping busy visiting with family. My sister was in town for the weekend. My mom took a few days off work. We went to some community events and took a day trip to a lake with a local playgroup. I have lots of pictures I want to share but that will have to wait until later.

I wasn't planning on a blog tonight, but I'm laying in Sophia's room keeping a close eye on her tonight and the only thing that I can do that is quiet and won't wake her is to blog. ;)

I snooped around Facebook for about thirty minutes and then decided to write a blog. I wasn't going to because I hate thinking of and remembering the stressful moments in life, but they are moments that we all face in one way or another.

Today was a very fun, productive day. The kids and I slept in and I really thought we weren't going to get much done but we
cleaned the garage,
I painted an old rocking chair that I'm going to 'upcycle',
I upcycled some busted up picture frames,
then we went to the fabric shop,
we had Chick Fil A for lunch,
I was going to attempt a trip to Walmart but decided we should go home for a nap... a nap that they didn't take.
So we ended up going to a friend's house to play for a hour,
then we went to the farm to help my mom with the horses,
the kids rode...
and what we thought would be a low key day, ended up being SUPER BUSY and lots of fun!
I came home bathed the kids, fed them a quick dinner, grilled cheese, veggie chips, and apple slices, put them to bed and my awesome hubby offered to treat me and my mom to Outback while he stayed home while the monsters slept. So we took off about 8:30 for a late dinner.

We had a nice time. My mom and I haven't been to dinner just the two of us in a really long time. I enjoy this bonding time, just the two of us. Twenty-six and I still need my momma, I'll always need her`. I like spending time with my mom, more now that ever, I get why she did the things she did and I really respect her as a mother and a woman. We have our differences but I can say I enjoy her in a different way now that I am an adult. Our fun night out got brought to a halt when I sent Tony a text message to see how things were going. He said that Sophia had been up in a panic, disoriented, and he was doing his best but he didn't know what to do with her that it was just getting worse.

I rushed home, told him to try and get her to calm down because she would end up having a seizure if she doesn't relax. She starts hyperventilating and that rapid breathing can provoke a seizure.

So much to worry about with this child.

She only recently started listening to music at bedtime and she told me that she "freaked out when the music turned off" and she thought she was going to throw up. I can't even pretend to understand but I do know that it has to do with the sensory dysfunction and while I don't understand how she thinks and feels I do know what I can do to help her get through it.

I scooped her up off of the bathroom floor and carried her into her bed. I turned all the lights off and grabbed a cold washcloth and rubbed it on her red, hot face. She was crying "I needed you." She needed her momma, like I needed mine.

I'm here sweet girl. I don't understand, but I'm here. That's all she really needs, a calm voice to tell her she is not alone.

I reminded her to breath deeply, taking all the air in through her nose and blowing it out of her mouth. While we breathed together I prayed, prayed that God would take this away. Prayed that God would give her peace. She said, "Mommy you are falling alseep."

No, baby, I'm praying.

"I like it when you pray for me."

I always pray for you.

It breaks my heart to see her struggle. Struggle with noise, light, textures, emotions... I don't understand it, but I know how to make it better, or at least more bearable. Thank God for that.

Once she was resting, the chaos was over, I called my momma. I needed her, I'll always need her.

I thought about how this type of thing used to happen. How frustrated I used to get. Why was she acting like this? Why was she freaking out, making herself have seizures? What is wrong with her?

Now that we know there is something wrong it makes it so much easier to be compassionate, easier to be understanding, easier to help her cope with it.

So thankful God gave us good doctors, a good occupational therapist, she is surrounded by people who can help her, people who love her and want to see her succeed, even if she has to do it in her own way.

So thankful...

GF Fried Green Tomatoes

Saturday my Grand Daddy picked up some green tomatoes from the produce man. He always buys tomatoes, red or green, and gives them to me. Troy loves red tomatoes, he eats them like an apple (gross) and Tony cuts them and puts them on sandwiches, salads, or eats them as a side dish. I do not like red tomatoes... squishy and yick! and Sophia... she doesn't like anything that isn't a chicken nugget. Sophia may turn into a chicken nugget if she's not careful.
Anyway, Grand Daddy picked up some green tomatoes and suggested I make Fried Green Tomatoes. I have never made them before, much less tried to make them gluten free... which has been no easy task. But I looked up a recipe and figured out how I could make it with GF ingredients... so here's what I came up with. And it ended up tasting REALLY good.

Ingredients

4 large green tomatoes sliced (remove the tops and bottom)

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk (I used Lactaid)

1 cup GF flour (any kind will work)

1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used Udi bread and just took the ends off of the loaf and gave them a spin in the blender- on the grate setting)



2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

vegetable oil (1/2 in deep in skillet)

You are going to make 3 different mixes-

Mix 1- Flour

Mix 2- Eggs and Milk

Mix 3- Bread Crumbs, Salt and Pepper

Heat skillet on Medium with vegetable Oil

Coat sliced tomato in flour, dip in mix 2, then coat in mix 3, and toss 'em in the pan....

Cook till brown then flip... only takes a few minutes.



I served these over brown rice and it made for a yummy gluten free dinner. ;)

And fresh pineapple, from the garden, for dessert. Of course, everyone loved it, except Sophia.. she had brown rice, pineapple and apple slices, and a cheese stick... not sure what I am going to do with that girl...

Roadkill Remake

I went to Jungle Zone with a friend last week. We were chatting about crafting, she said "I saw an old coffee table in someone's trash on the way here and I thought of you."

Where!? I have to have it!

She laughed, like she thought I was kidding?? I was so for real!

She told me where she saw it and when we left I hoped that the trash truck hadn't made it to my possible treasure.

And a treasure it was!!!

Look what we found...



I know it doesn't look like much. The top was wet from all the rain we've been getting. I took the top off and painted it "Vanilla Brady" just like the kitchen hutch.



I was really excited about this piece I have been wanting an over-sized ottoman for the living room. We have a small living room space and I wanted to use the ottoman for extra seating and this was going to be perfect! I covered it with an orange/ivory fabric and I love how it turned out...



I added a few pillows to our boring couch and it really brightened up the living room and go things ready for summer...







I am going to keep looking for some creative things to do with the wall behind the couch but for now I am very satisfied with my cozy and cool living room.

our "school time" schedule

Lots of people ask me, what do you do everyday? How do you fit in "school time"? It has taken me a year to figure it out... and when I say "figure it out" I use that term loosely. I am prepared that "what works" is going to be an ever changing thing. As the kids interests change, there needs change, curriculum changes, we to will change. But for now our schedule looks like this. This year I did not buy a curriculum, next year I am considering purchasing one, but I'm not sure what.

Mondays-
Welcome Time
Bible
Reading
Math
Art

Tuesdays-
Co-op
Reading

Wednesdays-
Welcome Time
Reading/Poetry (which I think is their favorite lesson)
Math
Critical Thinking (which usually involves some type of game we play together)

Thursdays-
Welcome Time
Math
Current Events
Reading (based from our Bible lesson from Monday)

Friday- Review Day.
Welcome Time
Bible
Reading
Math
Art

This schedule has seemed to work, on a good day, when we are all having fun, paying attention and enjoying the lesson we can school for three or four hours. On a day when they just don't seem to want to focus we will get through the key points and it usually takes about an hour and a half. We break up the subjects with songs, games, and snack time.

This has seemed to work well for us. I like that we have a "school time", it is specific, the kids know what to do, they know what is expected and they have no questions about what we are doing next. There is comfort in the security of that and it makes it easier for them to pay attention. I know a few homeschooling families and they don't have a set time, they just school throughout the day... and we do that too, every moment is a learning moment, but I know that we do better by having time set to do our schoolwork, then freedom to play and explore the rest of the day. We tried schooling two or three days a week and doing all "subjects" during that time, but it just seemed that there wasn't enough playing and fun in our learning time so I decided to break it up throughout the week and this has seemed to work great.

Welcome Time? Every day except Tuesday we open our day with "Welcome Time" this is a bundle of activities that help us get ready for "school time". It gets them focused and offers me a few moments to get organized before we begin that days lesson.

Welcome Time usually looks like this....
Prayer Journal (this is a spiral note book with today's date, they can color or write something they want to pray for that day. It is also a keepsake for momma).

Here is a picture of Sophia's prayer journal from last week- she was thankful for horses.



Then, prayer, they both love to pray before we begin our day. Sophia prays for animals, people less fortunate, herself, her family. Troy plays for Super Hero Squad and Jesus.



Pledge (which has to be the funniest part of our school time, Troy holds the flag and Sophia leads us in the pledge, then she breaks into "My Country Tis Of Thee...." It is so funny.





Then they both get a chance to sing the alphabet song (this is mostly for Troy, but Sophia likes to help him).
Then we sing the Books of the Bible, which at this point is me signig the Books of the Bible because the kids just laugh at all the "funny names".
Then we take turns singing the address and phone number song. (A catchy little song that helps them learn their address/phone number).
We do some counting activities (mostly for Troy).
Identifying shapes
And review our Bible Verse for the week
Then it's on to whatever subject we are going to start with.

The kids seem to really enjoy this "Welcome Time", like I said, it gets them focused and serves as a review for what we are studying that week.

So for now this is our schedule and it seems to work. Some weeks we add in a unit study, which we do at night before bedtime... we call it "pajama learning" and they think it is really special.

sharing...

I love how good my children share.. they share so good they even shared a lovely stomach virus with each other. Troy woke up about 9:30pm and had puked all over his bed. Just as I got him cleaned up and laying back down... Sophia woke up crying that her tummy hurt and not too much longer the Martinez Home was the House of Puke!
Gross I know.. but it's the reality of having children.
Troy and Sophia are total opposites when it comes to throwing up.
Troy lays quietly in his bed, throws up, lays back down... he doesn't even let us know. At one point I went to check on him and I said, "If you need to throw up and can't make it to the bathroom just use that bowl (old tupperware)" and he said, "I already did." Poor little guy, I didn't even know.
Sophia on the other hand, screams, cries, and hyperventilates before she even throws up. The whole house, and probably the neighbors can hear her screaming "I don't want to throw up." She won't let you leave her side and gags and coughs until it finally happens. Then she lays in bed terrified that it will happen again so the whole thing repeats itself over again.
I think I finally went to bed around 3am... went to bed, at the foot of Sophia's bed, while Tony slept on the floor in Troy's room ready and waiting for any further "action".
It's 11:30, Sunday morning and we are watching Alvin and the Chipmunks and the kids are eating waffles, saying the feel "all better".
Troy was so cute this morning, we all woke up at the same time. Tony and Troy came out of one room, Sophia and I came out of the other... Troy hugged Sophia and said, "Sissy, we both threw up all night!"
I'm glad they feel better... I just hope Tony and I don't end up with it.

my prayer for you

While you are sleeping, I pray for you.

I pray that you'll seek Him.

I pray that you will see all of the great things He has done in your life.

The things He wants to do.

I pray for patience,
That I won't push to hard,
or too little.

I pray that God gives me the right words.

That He guides my footsteps.

While I pray for you,
I see a new me.

A me that tries harder,
prays more,
thinks more,
speaks less.

I want to be an example.

I feel overwhelmed sometimes,
I'm not perfect,
I won't pretend to be.

Yet, I know in my heart that this is right.

This is His will for us,
for you.

I pray that I encourage you,
show you grace when I am frustrated,
and acknowledge your triumphs.

I want your eyes to see Him.

In Him you will find peace,
answers to your questions,
and peace.

I pray that you find,
not your way,
but His way.

This is my prayer for you.