Goodbye, Strep throat...it's kinda been oddly nice knowing you

     I know that sounds weird to say. Strep throat is NOT fun and it's extremely painful. I had it repeatedly as a child and teen, and every five years or so it comes back to haunt me as an adult. It wasn't fun missing work (or the paycheck I WOULD have had if strep had not come knocking on my door over last weekend), but it was nice to be able to stay home (sans kids) the last 3 days. I got to rest (without guilt since I had a good excuse! lol)....clean a little house when I had a burst of energy....plop back down on the couch when the energy failed....catch up on some college course work...goof off for hours on Pinterest when no one wanted to be near me and it hurt to converse anyway...you know the things moms typically don't get to do unless they are sick. It's a shame I can't be some successful blogger...or  novelist....or an uber-talented crafter who actually makes a decent living doing it, because being home this week has reminded me of just how much I L*O*V*E being home. You see, I'm a natural introvert (who also just happens to be quite OCD about order and cleanliness in my home). So being home just makes sense to me because I accomplish all these silly things on my trivial to-do list that no one else ever really notices or cares about in the first place. Check off the list....ahhh...inner-most satisfaction. Now lest you think me totally strange, you other busy women admit it: it IS nice to be home long enough to catch up on stuff, even if you could never ever stay home 24/7.

     You might not know I am introverted from my job (I'm a daycare worker in a class of sixteen little ones--but my boss and co-workers will likely tell you I am sort of quiet), or from my past (as a high-schooler with a massive list of clubs and activities in which I thrived), or from my homeschooling days (when not teaching my own children I worked with three different homeschool co-ops, 4-H, cub and boy scouting, church, etc.). But even in all this, deep inside, I just always liked being by myself. I love my "littles" at work; I really really do, and have no regrets about the decision to finish college so I can keep working with children, but I relish the quiet time I find at the end of each work day. For an introvert, having a time alone is how we recharge our batteries. Being in the public constantly is actually very emotionally draining to an introvert.

      I have found over the years, that I enjoy the "mundane" duties of a homemaker very much because they require only 1.) ME. I don't need to be out in the public to find satisfaction. Taking a trip to Walmart once a day, sadly enough, is about all I require of interaction. Learning new homemaking skills such as baking fresh bread from a starter I started, to planning a delicious dinner, to cleaning the house, to reading a good book, to getting some in-depth Bible study time, to organizing a closet or room, to learning new crafts from Pinterest, could easily keep this simple mind entertained for years to come. But since I doubt I'll ever get rich from selling glass photo jewelry or writing witty blog posts to the masses, I'll finish my education and continue on in the teaching path. The social path. The path that pays a little (at least I hope, since I'll owe the government a small fortune in college loans). But every so often, when I get worn down or a bit under the weather, I'll *secretly* slightly*enjoy the small break from "normal" society. :)

Blessings,
Lynn

pancakes.... yum yum!

My family loves to eat breakfast for supper. So last night that is what I decided to fix. In my search through the pantry I located a box of pancake quick mix, some muffin mixes, and instant oatmeal, and went crazy making an Ihop-style pancake dinner. By the time my experiment was over we had chocolate pancakes, strawberry pancakes, peanut butter ones, and of course, plain ( my husband is sometimes afraid of my kitchen experiments).

If you think pancakes have to be boring or Plain-Jane, think again. You can do much with a simple pancake batter if you just think outside the box.

*Add flavored oatmeal. That's right, just add one packet of any flavor of oatmeal to your batter. If your batter becomes too thick, add a tiny bit of water,  1-/4 of a cup at a time, until it's more of a pancake batter consistency. Adding oatmeal not only makes your batter healthier but the possibilities for flavors are amazing. We've made pancakes using blueberries and cream, banana, and strawberry flavors, as well as maple and brown sugar, apple cinnamon, and cinnamon roll flavored oats. The kids love the new flavors.

*Just add something....anything...to your batter. Even just a tsp.of extract or flavoring can turn out something new and tasty. Sprinkles stirred into the batter makes a child's morning (especially when topped with Cool Whip, more sprinkles, and a drizzle of berry syrup). We know fresh fruit works well too, but have you ever  made a "meal-in-a-pancake"? Trust me, it's good. Just toss some fried sausage, diced ham, or bacon, a handful of cheddar cheese, and a few scrambled eggs into your batter. You don't have to top these with syrup...and they are a complete meal that you can hold in your hand as you run out the door on a busy morning.

Note: adding things that are too wet or gooey can seriously alter your batter and affect cooking time. Use pureed items such as canned pumpkin sparingly. Same thing goes for peanut butter; just a few tsps. will do. I found out last night that too much peanut butter sure makes for some thick, dense, heavy cakes. :(

*Don't forget the toppings! Again, fruit is a winner. Berries, fried apples with cinnamon, anything goes. My kids like peanut butter and jelly on top. I like banana slices and chopped pecans. Another good version is to add chocolate chips or a TBS. of cocoa to the batter and then top the finished cakes with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.

*Use muffin mix instead of pancake batter. Muffin mixes make great pancake flavors. Again, there is a wide variety of delicious muffin mixes that are inexpensive and easy to make. 

*Sometimes you want pancakes but just don't have time to pour and wait and flip and pour and wait and flip...I hear that lovely pancake batter can be poured, all at once, into a baking pan and oven-baked until golden for about 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees. Then, voila! Cut the really big pancake into squares and you are done. How much easier can it get folks?

*The idea of baking pancakes so intrigued me that I did a little online digging for more ideas and came across a yummy recipe that will enable me to cook fluffy, mouth-watering pancakes faster (I am thinking this is a great idea and just in time for our church breakfast in the morning). It comes from www.BigRedKitchen.com and is called Pancake Squares. Go give their recipe a try and let me know how it turns out.

Well, that's about it for today. I am off to eat some brunch and enjoy this sunny Saturday. Bon appetit!-Lynn

Please welcome my blog guest Heather Von St. James

    Today I want to introduce you to Heather Von St. James. I recently met her online and she has an incredible testimony of pulling through when life handed her a terrible blow. I am blessed to have Heather as a guest on my blog today to share her story.  I hope you're as inspired by her as I am. Be sure and check Heather out online and help her spread the word about her website so can continue to be a blessing to others.
- Lynn

http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/heather/ 

 Being a Mother with Cancer: My Story
At some point in life, you may go through a dramatic change. It can happen naturally or be forced upon you by certain circumstances. My circumstances came about eight years ago. It was right after one of the happiest moments in my life: the birth of my first child. Lily was such an amazing baby and gift to my husband and I, so I couldn't imagine all of that joy being taken away so swiftly. However, there it went in a matter of minutes.
Just 4 weeks after Lily was born, I went back to work. I was constantly exhausted, more than I should have been. In the beginning I blamed it on being a new mother. I also began losing weight at a rate of 5 to 7 pounds a week. It wasn't natural and it didn't feel right. I had to see a doctor. I went through all of the tests and started the waiting period. I got my answer about three months later: pleural malignant mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that is caused by asbestos exposure. I was unknowingly exposed as a child. I couldn't believe this was happening to me. Even worse, I only had 15 months to live if I didn't receive treatment right away.
There weren't many programs ready to handle such an aggressive cancer. It had infiltrated my lungs, chest lining, heart lining and diaphragm. We needed to see a specialist and found one in Boston who had helped many patients beat mesothelioma. On February 2, 2006 I underwent a surgery called an extrapleural pneumonectomy, which removed my left lung, part of my chest and heart lining along with part of my diaphragm. I was in the hospital for 18 days, and then after 2 more months of recovery I began chemotherapy and radiation treatment. I didn't even know how to be a mother during all of this, but I was still trying. I had to be strong for my husband and newborn.

My family really came through and provided support at a time when I felt lost. Lily stayed with my parents in South Dakota in my childhood home while I was in the hospital and recovering. Our neighbors, co-workers, friends and extended family all wanted to support us and see me get better. They made it possible for me to get the best treatment in order to be there for Lily and my husband.

Even though cancer is such a terrible battle to be faced with, it has really shaped who I am today. It has given me the opportunity to spread awareness and hope for such an awful disease. I am forever grateful for being able to live my life and watch Lilly grow up.

Elvis has left the building....or bathroom makeover

Well, no more "Elvis" bathroom. This old bathroom was a source of many good-natured jokes since moving into our blue cottage on October of last year. The old wallpaper featured really bold, big red-centered daisies on a black background. The tub is red with a black toilet and sink, and the cabinets were a dingy white with paneling set into the doors. From day one, I knew this bath didn't mesh with my tastes. Working around the red and black color scheme seemed to yield only Asian-inspired decor ideas, until I saw a French/Parisian bath using those same colors. It was tasteful, elegant, feminine, gorgeous. I decided to copy it the best I could. The only thing we didn't do is to tea-stain the walls. One, I was afraid of messing up that technique, and two, we already had a pretty paint color left over from our kitchen that needed to be used.

Here are photos of the bath when we bought the house:

 The wallpaper is going, going, gone....

walls painted with "Tea Stained" by Better Homes and Gardens and flooring begun

new flooring done and it looks amazing!

working with the colors we can't change....

Lots of Parisian-themed finds at our local Goodwill

canvas baskets at Walmart, only $4.97

Shower curtain less than $10 at Dollar General

Lamp at Dollar General, total cost $12

Metal shelf from Goodwill, $2 and random prints found locally

Got to keep my nifty leg lamp (its fragile afterall, and hey, kind of looks like a French can-can girl)

added some memory foam accent rugs

extra metal work here and there (cause you can't have too much black metal)

even the dingy paneled cabinet got an overhaul.

I love my new bathroom. Love it, love it! This bathroom was taken over by the men in my home upon moving in, but I can see the girls taking it over real soon.....it has gone from outdated to elegant for little cash. Thanks to my creative husband who takes my ideas and runs withe them. :)

Blessings,

Lynn

This old (quirky) house

Good morning friends. Hope this post finds you well and getting a breather after the holiday rush. My household is slowly on the mend from the mixture of flu, strep throat, and the sinus infections that plagued us.

I am off work until next Wednesday and am enjoying resting at home. Since I've been ill, sleeping til 9 am (vs. 6 am) is such a blessing.

Well, this old house of ours is keeping us busy. It certainly has some quirks (which old house doesn't?). Jarred it seems, is constantly replacing the doorknobs that fall off. Or trying to stop the faucets from dripping. Or plugging up the cracks in the windows and doors to keep us warm. I spent all day yesterday in the cold garage rearranging my daycare supplies and textbooks as our garage floods....yes, floods with about 3 inches of rain in a heavy downpour. Jarred thinks its an easy fix but I was panicked wondering if all my stuff was wet or damaged. Thankfully, everything I opened and checked on yesterday was fine. I am gradually going to sort and organize my daycare items into Jarred's nice, dry, SAFE shop.

Another quirk about this old house is the doors....some of them simply won't shut. Or you shut them and they open up instantly. I had a battle with a a hall closet door on the first night we moved in. I'd shut it and turn around and it would pop open. I'd shut it and bam, it would open up the instant I turned my back. This went on for about 2 minutes when I finally gave it "a few light slams" (it tends to be stubborn and you have to show it you're the boss). Ashleigh's door also refuses to close.

Doors aside, the sink is a big gripe of mine (not that I actually use it to wash any dishes...I am dishwasher spoiled, I admit it. Besides, Jarred loves to do dishes and I love to cook, so we kind of have a 19-year deal in place). Back to the sink-it's a single sink. A really big, deep SINGLE sink. What man thought this contraption up? And why on earth did the former owner not complain, really loudly, til it was replaced? How are you to use one sink to both wash and rinse your dishes? Someone in the know please explain.

The last quirk is our lovely pantry. You know, the one with the chalkboard doors that is huge and spacious and partly organized? The one I adore? Well, it's location is in the breezeway to our garage. Which means the situation goes down something like this:

    It's 10 PM and I'm a little snacky before bed. I feel the urge for a bowl of cereal. So I go to the pantry. I   open the door from the nice, toasty kitchen into the cold, drafty, Arctic-like environment of the breezeway. Brrrr.....no way. So I gear up. House shoes, check. Fleece bathrobe, check. Now I can dash into the freezer, er, I mean, pantry, to grab my cereal.

Yes, that's about the way of it in this old house, which I still really like, by the way. Most women can find something about their home they'd like to change. The breezeway is no. 1 on my Bob Villa list.

Another idea I'd love to check  into is to build on a preschool/daycare room onto the back of the house someday. I'd also really love to finish the basement out and since the ceilings are too low for an adult, use it for a daycare gym area, with a mini trampoline, ball pit, tricycles, bowling, basketball, etc. I am set to graduate in 2014 and even though it would seem logical for me to run to the school system for a job, I'd really like to stay home and have a nice preschool. That has been in my mind for about ten years but I've just never been blessed with the right circumstances in which to make it happen.

Ok, I guess I need to scoot and get something accomplished today other than blogging.

Blessings for a safe New Year,
Lynn

Twas the Night Before Christmas

'Twas the Night Before Christmas at the Foster's new dwelling,
Everybody was coughing; "Bring the Nyquil!" Dad was yelling.
The children were nestled with tissues, pills and more pills galore.
Mom made many trips for chicken soup at the store.
Oh no, what is this...now Mom is complaining
of an itchy throat, then a tickle-- a new cough she is gaining.
Not a present was wrapped or put under the tree;
dust covered the furniture, how can this be?
The laundry was in piles and the house needed to be cleaned.
A Christmas day dinner menu was only a dream.
The oven sat empty; not a turkey nor a ham.
No hashbrown casserole
(though in the pantry there was Spam).
Mom was in tears just surveying her clan.
How to hold it together, she had not a plan.
"Dad is wheezing, I am coughing, Nick has flu;
Ash has strep throat and now it seems like pink eye, too.
But Dear Lord with Your help, we will get through it all
and thank you for the blessings You send when we call."
The clan was still aching, the coughing still bad,
but Mom had been reminded of all that she had.
From the family all around her
to the pantry packed with  food,
from the love of her neighbors and dear friends too,
Mom certainly knew she was blessed by the Lord up above.
The nativity scene on the coffee table showed her His love.
Mom knew right then it would somehow work out.
That first Christmas in Bethlehem is what it's about.

But the children were worried; Ash started to fret.
"It's Christmas Eve, and we haven't done anything yet.
How can it be that it's only one day 'til Christmas?
We're not even ready. Do you think Santa will miss us?"
"Of course not," Mom assured them with hugs and with kisses.
"Being with our family is the best of Christmas wishes.
Yes, we're under the weather, but there's no need to be blue....
take a turn with the inhaler and have some more Thera-flu.
We are thankful for a roof over our heads,
comfy pajamas, and warm, cozy beds.
We have what we need and that's more than enough.
All of this other stuff is....well.... just stuff.
The presents are here; just not under the tree.
And in a few days we'll be healthy, you just wait and see."

So everyone took their meds and drank hot tea with honey.
And all took their nasal spray  (to stop noses so runny).
And they pitched in together and got the necessities done,
then curled up under the afghan for some Christmas movie fun.
As they sat there all snuggly Mom exclaimed with a sigh,
"Merry Christmas, and get well. I love you, you guys."


Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

 It's beginning to look a lot more like Christmas in our new home.

Since I am off work with sick ones today (who are all sleeping or waiting to see the doctor), I thought it seemed like a good time to do a little blogging.

Now on to the holiday scene....

 Jarred spent a small fortune and a few hours getting the outside spritzed up while I took care of the inside.

It would be so nice if the photos were grouped a bit but sometimes Blogger's photo features and I bump heads. So the photos may jump around some.

The entryway.

Our faux fireplace in the dining room.

The living room (which required a moving of the furniture to fit the tree in).

"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...."

(on the mantel is my Christmas village collection started on our first wedding anniversary 

with a church given to me by my mother-in-law)

One of the easiest homemade ornaments to make if you keep craft sticks handy...ta da! It's the North Pole. Cut a skinny stick up with pointed flag ends and paint it to resemble the sign. Then glue the sign onto a candy-stripe-painted jumbo craft stick. Add a little pile of glitter glue "snow" and glue on a hook.

Another easy craft....cut out felt shapes and arrange them on a felt rectangle. Cut an asterick shape in the top of the felt so you can hang your decoration on a doorknob. Easy for kids if you can have felt pieces pre-cut. Hot glue works best for holding on the trims. Embellish with fabric paint or whatever your heart desires.

This candy jar was made by my friend Tracy B. using terra cotta pots, a terra cotta saucer, ribbon, and a mini fish bowl. So cute! I want one for every season. Note to self: if  planning to make these for the holidays as gifts, go to Lowes before summer is over.

Another shot of our living room.

Sorry for the blur. This is one of my all-time favorite ornaments...little elf shoes! They crack me up every year when we hang them. Makes me think of our little daycare elf on the shelf that our class named "Sneaky Charlie Snowflake".

Ash decorated her ice pastel colored tree by herself.

The entryway window at night.

The same window in early morning. It's a bit dark.

The outside of that same window. The light-up bow was a steal at Big Lots.

Got a beautiful Christmas card that you can't bare to throw out? Frame it for a holiday decoration. I love all things gingerbread and sweets and this card comes out for inspiration each holiday as I "get my bake on".

The side of the house.

Front door.

The afghan on the couch belonged to Mrs. Womack.

My sewing table relocated to the dining room when we had to move stuff to fit in the Christmas tree. Now this area is a bit empty.

Adrian turned 13 on the 13th. :)

The kids were a major help. Ashleigh especially enjoyed

decorating the tree this year.

Holiday Blessings,

Lynn