Happy 7th Birthday Austin

It's kind of challenging having his birthday 4 days after Christmas.

I offered to make his favorite meal, or take him out to the restaurant of his choice.

What does a 7 year old kid choose? Golden Corral. He LOVES the dessert buffet. Last time we ate there, he had a brownie, covered in ice cream, and sprinkles, and gummy bears. Yuck. Boys. :)

This is something I found at Adventures In Baby Wearing, if you have never researched the vaccine issue for yourself, PLEASE do yourself, and your children a favor..take 5 minutes and read this:

Stirring The Pot: What I Want Every Parent To Know

If possible, I'd love to avoid a debate. If anything, I just want this post to make you think and ignite a desire inside you to know more. I highly recommend you read this entire article without skimming. If you don’t read this article, then please at least read what I’ve copied from the article : Robert Kennedy Jr. Autism, mercury, and politics .Mounting evidence suggests that Thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative in children's vaccines, may be responsible for the exponential growth of autism, attention deficit disorder, speech delays, and other childhood neurological disorders now epidemic in the United States.Prior to 1989, American infants generally received three vaccinations (polio, measles-mumps-rubella, and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis). In the early 1990s, public health officials dramatically increased the number of Thimerosal-containing vaccinations without considering the cumulative impact of the mercury load on developing brains.In a 1991 memo, Dr. Maurice Hilleman, one of the fathers of Merck's vaccination programs, warned his bosses that 6-month-old children administered the shots on schedule would suffer mercury exposures 87 times the government safety standards. He recommended that Thimerosal be discontinued and complained that the US Food and Drug Administration, which has a notoriously close relationship with the pharmaceutical industry, could not be counted on to take appropriate action as its European counterparts had. Merck ignored Hilleman's warning, and for eight years government officials added seven more shots for children containing Thimerosal.Mercury is a known brain poison, and autism rates began rising dramatically in children who were administered the new vaccine regimens. A decade ago the American Academy of Pediatrics estimated the autism rate among American children to be 1 in 2,500. Today, the CDC places the rate at 1 in 166, or 1 in 80 boys. Additionally, one in six children is now diagnosed with a related neurological disorder.These are the facts: In 1985, children were vaccinated for seven diseases. Now, that number is 16. That means children now endure about 37 separate vaccination encounters.Why it’s personal with me: Carter had known reactions within 24 hours of vaccinations at age 6 and 12 months. One time ending up in the ER. I have no idea why back then I did not look into this further, but I was still in the “I’ll trust my doctor and not my own instincts” mode. Noah was always sick as a baby so I can’t even track if his chronic illnesses and gut issues were vaccine reactions specifically. He has dealt with a neurological disorder for almost 3 years now, though, that still remains “unexplained.” We have since met other kids like Noah whose neurological disorders started the day of or close after a vaccination.
What's all the fuss if they've practically (not completely!) removed thimerosol from all vaccines? Well, if they had it in there before and knew it was bad, what else will they put in there? If they've been so secret about the mercury, what else are they keeping secrets about?I obviously can not stress enough how important it is for parents to at least be aware of this information. Do not feel condemned by me or defensive if you go about things differently than I do. It will not make me think any differently of you. I credit our personal experience with why I feel so strongly on this issue. I will be happy if every parent is informed, and if I ask You or your doctor “what’s in this shot?” I hope I do not hear “I’m not sure.” I would hope if someone offered your baby a drink out of a bottle of mystery-juice that you would ask what was in it before you let your baby drink it. I am sure most parents would. Why is it any different with something you actually inject into a child’s body? When we all are informed, aware, and concerned, then good changes can start happening- like possibly safer vaccines without harmful ingredients. Until then, why shouldn’t they just continue giving babies shots with the formaldehyde, aluminum, and thimerosol if no one’s complaining? If all vaccines are for your child’s well-being and not meant for any profit, then why would there be a need to have an advertisement for vaccines in Baby Talk, Parents, American Baby, & Parenting magazines? Doctors are human. They can be helpful. They are not God. They do not know everything and it is definitely possible for them to make mistakes regarding your child. In the end, only you as the parent are the one held accountable.Before you jump to judge me or comment, “what if my child gets the measles, chicken pox, and how do they go to school without their shots?” I recommend you visit the National Vaccine Information Center website. Go to your local library & check out some helpful books like The Vaccine Guide: Risks and Benefits for Children and Adults by Randall Neustaedter. Or Neil Miller’s Vaccines: Are They Really Safe & Effective? Or Evidence of Harm by David Kirby. Or What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Vaccinations by Stephanie Cave.
I have done my research. I know the statistics about all the diseases. I know about the recent chicken pox outbreaks and mumps outbreak... and I also know that the majority of people affected were vaccinated.
Read the news. This topic’s all the rage lately- on the news, on the web, in your paper. Stay informed and up-to-date on this important information. Do not choose this controversial topic to be the one you to which you say, “Ignorance is bliss.”

Thank you Stephanie, this was so well done. I couldn't have done it better myself :)

From Our Home to Yours...Merry Christmas!!

Are mothers supposed to love breastfeeding 24 hours a day?

by Glenda Dickerson, IBCLC. Reprinted with permission from the author.

If there is a day or week where you no longer feel like you are loving or even enjoying breastfeeding, does it mean that this is the right time to stop?

I have felt for years that many mothers wean because they thought they were supposed to love and/or enjoy breastfeeding 24 hours a day. Some of the mothers I have admired the most are mothers that breastfed in spite of not being in love with the act of breastfeeding. They breastfed because they knew it was the right choice for their babies.

Our culture has become so addicted to the concept that we are supposed to only do what makes us happy or brings us immediate joy, that we lose a lot of the good stuff along the way--pride in accomplishment, joy in fulfilling a commitment, feeling of achievement through meeting a goal. I don't think this means people are more selfish today than they were in the past, I just think they have been taught to have different expectations about what they are supposed to feel and how they should respond to those feelings.

Breastfeeding is the ultimate gift a woman gives her baby--because she chooses everyday whether to continue or to stop. Don't look at breastfeeding as something you will enjoy or even like all the time, but as a commitment to your child's health--similar to the commitment of staying married even when you don't particularly like your husband for a few days, or staying in college when it is really rough for a while. There are peaks and valleys with breastfeeding and sometimes you will thoroughly enjoy it, and sometimes you will resent it--but in the end you will not regret one day that you stuck with it, even though you were not feeling that joy 100% of the time.
When you are in a valley, rest assured that the joy you have felt with feeding in the past will reappear and you will be glad you waited it out.

Breastfeeding -- it's too important not to.

God's Simple Plan of Salvation

By Ford Porter

My friend: I am asking you the most important question of your life.

Your joy or your sorrow for all eternity depends upon your answer. The question is:

Are you saved? It is not a question of how good you are, nor if you are a church member, but are you saved? Are you sure you will go to Heaven when you die?

In the Bible, God gives us the plan of how to be born again which means to be saved. His plan is simple! You can be saved today. How?

First, my friend, you must realise you are a sinner. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
Because you are a sinner, you are condemned to die. "For the wages [payment] of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). This includes eternal separation from God in Hell.
"... it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).

But God loved you so much he gave his only begotten Son, Jesus, to bear your sin and die in your place. "For he hath made him [Jesus, who knew no sin] to be sin for us ... that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
Although we cannot understand how, God said my sins and your sins were laid upon Jesus and he died in our place. He became our substitute. It is true. God cannot lie.

My friend, "God ... now commandeth all men every where to repent" (Acts 17:30).
This repentance is a change of mind that agrees with God that one is a sinner, and also agrees with what Jesus did for us on the cross.
In Acts 16:30-31, the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas: "... Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved... ."

Simply believe on him as the one who bore your sin, died in your place, was buried, and whom God resurrected.
His resurrection powerfully assures that the believer can claim everlasting life when Jesus is received as Saviour.
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).
Whosoever includes you. Shall be saved means not maybe, nor can, but shall be saved.
Surely, you realise you are a sinner. Right now, wherever you are, repenting, lift your heart to God in prayer.

Just pray:
"Oh, God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus was my substitute when he died on the cross. I believe his shed blood, death, burial, and resurrection were for me. I now receive him as my Saviour. I thank you for the forgiveness of my sins, the gift of salvation and everlasting life, because of your merciful grace. Amen."

Just take God at his word and claim his salvation by faith. Believe, and you will be saved. No church, no lodge, no good works can save you. Remember, God does the saving. All of it!

God's simple plan of salvation is: You are a sinner. Therefore, unless you believe on Jesus who died in your place, you will spend eternity in Hell. If you believe on him as your crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, you receive forgiveness for all of your sins and his gift of eternal salvation by faith.

You say, "Surely, it cannot be that simple." Yes, that simple! It is scriptural. It is God's plan. My friend, believe on Jesus and receive him as Saviour today

If his plan is not perfectly clear, read this tract over and over, without laying it down until you understand it. Your soul is worth more than all the world.

"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36).
Be sure you are saved. If you lose your soul, you miss Heaven and lose all. Please! Let God save you this very moment.
God's power will save you, keep you saved and enable you to live a victorious Christian life.

Do not trust your feelings. They change. Stand on God's promises. They never change.

Where am I??

I just posted my first Thursday Thirteen....and it's Friday. It was up like 20 minutes before I realized what day it is :)

I guess I am just in a holiday daze..Christmas shopping is not done. The kids school books should be half way done..they are not. I'm panicking. MUST. FINISH.BOOKS. I don't know why I worry about the little things, I guess that's just who I am. The kids are doing so well with their school work this year...

Let me take a moment to brag on my oldest. Jackson, barely 9 years old has FINALLY decided he loves to read. He reads at least one novel a week. So far this school year he has read: Moby Dick, Treasure Island, Swiss Family Robinson, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, Black Beauty, The Call of the Wild, Great Expectations, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and many more.. he is like a little sponge. He amazes me more and more everyday.

And can this kid memorize? He has a new Sunday School teacher. A young man..that teaches the young boys sunday school. He plays games and has contests for prizes. Jackson recited ALL of Psalm 1, and ALL of Psalm 8...for this weeks class. This just amazes me because I can barely memorize 1 verse let alone an entire chapter. WOW.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen States I have lived in

1. Colorado

2. Florida

3. Tennessee

4. Louisiana

5. Back to Florida

6. Back to Colorado

7. Virginia

8. North Carolina

9. Indiana

okay so there were only 7, feels like 13

I will finish up with states I would like to live in

10. Hawaii

12. Florida (again)

13. Texas ...I love Texas

if you didn't notice the trend...I love warm weather!!!

Head over to Karla's blog, for her Thursday Thirteen

I always enjoy the sunrise. This is the sunrise last week from my living room window. What was I doing up at dawn? Savannah's teething, enough said?

My ABC's

I've been tagged....Thanks Robin. You know the deal...if I tag you, copy and paste this to your blog, change all answers, and tag someone else. It's fun...play along.

A - Available or Single? Very married.
B - Best Friend? My husband of course. Then my sister Kelli.
C - Cake or Pie? Pie....or maybe cake....anything CHOCOLATE!!
D - Drink of Choice? Coffee, preferably Starbucks coconut latte.
E - Essential Item you use every day? again, coffee.
F - Favorite Color(s)? changes from day to day...today? chocolate.
G - Gummy Bears or Worms? neither. I don't care for candy...unless it's CHOCOLATE
H - Hometown? Broomfield Colorado
I - Indulgence? Coca-cola cake from Cracker Barrell
J - January or February? February..the closer to spring the better.
K - Kids and Names? 4 kids, all named after cities..Jackson, Austin, Adrian, and Savannah
L - Life is Incomplete Without? My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
M - Marriage Date? August 19,1995
N - Number of Siblings? 5 total. 3 older brothers (1 deceased), 1 younger brother and sister (twins)
O - Oranges or Apples? Oranges.
P - Phobias or Fears? Fear of something horrible happening to my kids (i.e. kidnapping, etc..) which makes me really paranoid about my kids going anywhere without an adult, public restrooms, babysitters that aren't family, etc...)
Q - Fave Quote? I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13
R - Reason to Smile? All the blessing in my life
S - Favorite Season? Summer!
T - Tag Three people... Michelle at Busy Busy Momma, Amber at Crazy Bloggin Canuk, and last but not least Ashlee at New Mama's Nest
U - Unknown fact about me? I have a scorpion tattoo on my left hip. (I add this to the looooong list of stupid things I did when I was 18)
V - Vegetable you don't like? Tomato's. Or is that a fruit?
W - Worst Habit? Giving unsolicited advice. A really annoying habit.
X - Xtremely BIG Husker Fan? No way. I'm from COLORADO, not Nebraska.
Y - Your fave food? MEXICAN
Z - Zodiac Sign? Scorpio, hence the scorpion tattoo. But, I do not follow zodiac signs, or horoscopes, etc..

I'm 6 months old!!!!!