Anyone Seen My Ruby Slippers?

     I spent most of the day today getting ready for the new school year. Chris took three kids to music lessons, and he took Lizzy with him because she already had her shoes on waiting by the door, smiling. They were gone for about 5 hours and I had a tiny bit more quiet time than usual. I fried up some hot peppers for Chris and Michael and made chicken parmesan for dinner with chopped up tomatoes from the market.
     I spent much of the day online fiddling through all of my last minute curriculum options for the new school year. Surfing for curriculum online is exhausting, just ask anyone. My oldest, Lea, is 16 and I've always taught her and the rest of my children at home. (Although now I have help from tutors for the big-ins') I remember when Lea was five years old. I just couldn't imagine anyone else teaching her, so I just kept her home. That year, in 2002, I had great plans to have an awesome year and this year is no exception. I am very optimistic, although with the schedule that I'm facing, I fear burn out by January.
     Sometimes people will ask "How do you do it?" I never know what to say to that. Sometimes I will reply "Well, when I wake up in the morning, I open my eyes and realize that I'm just not in Kansas anymore." We usually both laugh and sigh. Sometimes I wonder though, if I close my eyes and click my heels together three times, if I would wake up in a place where there were always clean forks at dinnertime and the mountain of laundry turned into mole hills. Anyone seen my bedroom ruby slippers??
     I ate way too much sugar today. I'm being honest when I say that I'm not a dessert person. I don't want desserts before dinner or after dinner and I don't crave chocolate. Maria made some no bake chocolate oatmeal cookies and I think I had 7. Chris brought home some coffee with sugar and I had a few sips of that. (I hate coffee) I have a stomach ache now and am horribly regretting not showing restraint for something that I don't even like. Not even guzzling water will help me now.
     Tonite, the kids and I peeled and cut the last of the garlic that we grew. Garlic is definitely our thing. (That's why we're so excited to be playing at the Cuba Garlic Festival this year!) It totaled 260 heads, but altogether, we had over 1200 this year. It was wet and muddy from sitting outside and it was a cold, rainy day. When we finished, it was after dark and we were soaked.

                                                           Still Standing~
                                                               Stacey
 

 

Good Day :)

     In the cabin today, I killed three blood filled mosquitoes. I wondered who they chewed last night. It brought to mind this daydream that I used to have that if I had one wish like they do in fairy tales, I would wish that all the bugs in the world would perish. Unfortunately I never got that wish but realized that all the bee's would die too, so I couldn't possibly do that.
     I took the kids to the orthodontist this morning for their monthly appointment. Maria's mouthpiece was broken and they had to order a new one. Luckily, they aren't going to charge us. After that, I stopped home and wrote out a few bills, took a walk with my hubby and little kids and picked blueberries before going back to the lake. We also had a family meeting.
      Lindsay and Brian came over with the baby, Lucia and we took a ride on their boat. Later on at night, we went up to the main dining room where they had live music. Roger, from the camp ground told us to bring our guitars and fiddles so that we could join them. They called us up to play and we did six songs, all gospel. Someone bought the kids popcorn and they sat nicely while they ate it. I really could get used to this kind of living. It's 100% christian here...no smoking, drinking or skimpy attire on the grounds. The kids are begging to stay over night again on Saturday, but it's time to go home.
   The mailman brought me a big stack of new books today. I love to learn and read about things that apply to my life at the time. The books are mostly about time management, running a business, homeschooling, whole foods, stuff like that. It's the college education that I never got or really wanted, I guess. When I start a book, I read it from the back to the front. Does anyone else do that? I wonder. My friend from the Key's sent me a package with a new devotional in it, too! We will read it together and compare notes. Love that lady!     
     It's almost 3 AM and it's the third night I've been up this late because the older kids have friends over and they've all been over here. I've been having fun though sitting by the fire and talking to the kids, don't get me wrong, but his 3 AM stuff has to stop!
                                                            Up, up and away!
                                                                        Stacey

 

Who says teens don't want to work? I wonder what they are making for breakfast!

Many Friends A Day Keeps The Doctor Away!

     Today it rained most of the day here and I was a little disappointed because I was hoping Chris could take the little boys out in a rental boat. In the morning, I took the kids for a short walk and we fed the ducks and watched them fight over the bread that we were throwing. I was feeling rather tired because I had stayed up so late the night before writing and talking to a friend. I made myself some carrot, apple, cuke and tomato juice for the day. I don't like coffee, so I juice instead.
     Lea and Michael had a friend come to join them around noon and together they sang and played songs on the guitar. Chris left for home around 4 PM and took Nicholas with him so that they could have a little one on one time together. Nick was so excited! I whipped up a huge meal because I knew that extra kids would come to join us from the neighborhood, and I wanted to be sure that there would be enough. Mom and dad ended up coming up around dinnertime and they brought goulash, spare ribs and bread.
     Aunt Patty and Uncle Scotty came too, and they stayed until after 11 PM. They brought up pizza and wings for everyone. They also treated the kids to ice cream and I split a sundae with Dominic. I rarely eat desserts because I just don't want the sugar, but I've been having many moment's of weakness lately when it comes to eating processed, junky foods. I'll start making healthier meals again when we get home, I guess.
     Uncle Scotty and I wrote a song tonite on a whim that took about an hour. It's called "Tell Me." We sang it over and over and laughed at how cool we thought we were. We are going to practice it a few more times and then record it while it still has momentum. I'm encouraging him to make a CD of all originals. One down, nine more to go! It has encouraged me to start writing again, too.
                                                 The End~
                                                     Stacey

       

   
   

Come On, Let Your Little Light Shine!

     I am so easily inspired, it hurts. I absolutely love inspirational quotes, inspirational people and of course, inspirational songs. I get teary-eyed over what most people would consider absolutely nothing and I've got the chills on my arms to prove it. It's not uncommon for the mailman to come up and hear me giving a speech to the kids about "living your childhood dreams" from Randy Pausch's book "The Last Lecture" or after listening to a TED talk on how to find and do work you love. I was super inspired by David's courage and strength after reading "David and Goliath" to the boys at bedtime yesterday and I never hide that from them, sharing it openly with dramatic enthusiasm  hoping to inspire them to be great men of  courage and strength. 
     In fact I want them to have hope and look forward to great things happening in their lives. If you believe that you actually can do great things, you're half way there, right? Right. The other half is through lots of prayer and hard work. And speaking of hard work, look at all the little fishies that my little ones caught today while on the lake. Way to go kids!
                                                                                Shine on~
                                                                                     Stacey

                                                  

Lake Life

     Well, it's day two at Lime Lake, where we've been since 11 PM Sunday night and things are going quite well. We were hired to perform here in February at a Valentine's Day Dance and we traded for a week on the lake. We are on the grounds of Odosagih Bible and Retreat Center and it's just a nice little place to be hangin'.
     My sister came up yesterday with her crew and between the two of us, we had 13 kids. Their ages are as follows: 16, 14, 12, 10, 9, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 3, 2 and 1. They all ran and played and swam all day and at 8 PM, I lined them all up, scrubbed the faces and crusty feet and Melissa put them to bed. Teamwork.
     I stayed up until about 1:30 working on updates on our website, adding shows and writing in my journal. Melissa's kids were sick off and on during the night and most of my kids started coming down with sore throats, runny noses and coughs too by the morning. Lea had been sick since Friday and slept most of the last few days. She did, however muster up the strength to have a camp fire with four other teenie-boppers laughing and talking until 1 AM. Hmmm...
    We picked blueberries at Pepper's in Franklinville for about 2 hours yesterday morning. The kids and I picked about 10 quarts at .75 cents per lb. I want to go again because Chris will be here to help. Pickin' is a little slim, but it's still OK. We saw an Amish family there and they unhooked their horse from the carriage and were walking through the patch. Someday, I want to spend some time with the Amish and learn from them.
     Melissa made lunch and I cleaned up while the kids swam and played on the playground. Chris came today around 5 PM because that was the earliest that he could get up here. I was so glad to see him! I needed a b.r.e.a.k. After he got here, I made him dinner and then he took the three little ones and Michael to the bait shop back in Arcade, about 15 minutes away.
   I spent most of the day counting heads, doctoring up cuts and cleaning the kitchen, because just about the time the kitchen was cleaned, they all were hungry again.
    I never did get to pick blueberries again.
    Later in the night, I sat with the neighbor, Amy, by the fire and we talked about traveling. Apparently, she travels all over the place and clued me in on how to go about staying on different resorts with time shares. In February, we are planning a long trip to Florida to tour the state singing and playing. The great thing about having a band is that you get paid to go on vacation. Yes, it's work, but if you love what you do, it's fun.
     I was thinking of a new song for the band to learn and this one comes to mind. I'll never forget listening to the oldies and thinking this song was just the coolest thing on a Saturday night in the mid 80's. Whatcha think? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrGaoSB0Eus 
                                           Nighty Night~
                                              Stacey
 

It's A New Day

     As I sat down reflecting on my day yesterday, I realized that I had to start getting my life on paper so that I could remember it all later. Although my long lost friend and I have been corresponding through letters and emails daily, I wanted to share with the rest of the world, my soulful life.

    "My Soulful Life" is the name of my new blog, and in it you'll get a sneak peek into the life of a mother, a better half, teacher, musician and a woman who's got it all..and this is how I deal with it "all."

                                                   Your's Truly~
                                                       Stacey