Cassie's Cuddles

Jared and I went and saw a movie yesterday “Confessions of a Shopoholic”. I actually thought that it was a good movie despite some obvious bits that most movies have in now..The first scene I could relate to, buying the “practical” black school shoes that will last a few years instead of the pretty pink ones! Jared and I laughed when no one else did, what’s with that? I also cried! Remember girls, there is no such thing as a “magic card”.
Today we went to Church, I was on tea duty. I was hoping that I wasn’t pulling out the “sacred” Lord’s table table cloth when setting up, as I didn’t know what things I was suppose to use. Some Churches can make such a fuss over things like that, but thankfully this one doesn’t. Now we have heaps of pamphlets to deliver in preparation for our Easter service in the park.While you are on line, you have to check this out to believe it. This picture is not a photo of a real baby, but a doll! Women are buying them for about $1000, the site is called babyreborn. Scary, but yet intriging…Steph think that I will become a bit of a nutter, and collect these dolls and call them my real babies. How can a doll melt your heart? Me thinks, my eyes are decieved! Remember, don’t use that credit card to buy one!

Ok, I admit, I’m bad! Now you have it in writing. My in-laws always gives us all our birthday presents to put away into a cupboard at Christmas time. Well now my secret is out (although, I think that they might know me well enough not to be suprised), I have opened mine already, and my birthday is still a month away! Steph opened hers for her birthday on Monday…well, actually Sat., and I joined in the festivities and opened mine too! Thanks George and Julie for the lovely basket of bathroom smelly stuff, I really like the basket that it came in! Oh, and Steph gave Cassandra and I a lovely foot massage with the goodies that you gave to her…I know, I should have given her one, but she insisted…Just for interest, Jared’s present is still in the cupboard. He hasn’t opened his because, well, I haven’t handed it to him, and he doesn’t know where it is! Wow, there are a lot of exclamation points in this post eh?
Today Steph and I have been attempting Geometery, ugh! What a time waster! I’m sure that the engineer or the whoever else uses the stuff wouldn’t say that, but….Steph has pages of theorems that she is suppose to recite, all the words sound like blah, blah blah…Despite the little voice in my head saying the “blah…” we have persevered, because working things out, and perservering has proven to be a very important character trait, especially as christians. Do you believe that this whole year is just Geometery? Perhaps she will become an engineer…gag!
The highlight of the week has been that I have defrosted my freezer..nice!

Everyone can take their marriage for granted at some point, expecting to be loved despite how they might treat their spouse. Let me recomend a new DVD called Fireproof to you. I bought this recently from Koorong for $30 (actually I paid $20 with a voucher). I tried to get Jared to watch it, but he automatically thought  that I had bought some “freaky” DVD. At last He watched it, in fact he even said that it was well done! So here is a recommendation that Jared likes too (it must be good then!). I have the DVD, so if you know me, you are welcomed to borrow it, or better still, buy it yourself, and share it around too! I hope that you all have strong marriages united by the love of Christ. I hope that we can raise godly children who will live to glorify God, and serve their neighbour.
On another note, I have a confession to make…I will tell you about it later…

Yay, my email is back on! I don’t know how, but I used all my upload/download space too early…oh man, I miss my internet. Jared later confessed that he may have downloaded something….ugh! Let me just say that my house is probably a little tidier..what a shocking confession that is! What else have we been up to?

Cassandra made some lanternsThis is what she normally looks like..Lachlan made slime..Alycia spent the days after school listening to Anne of Green Gables on tape, over and over again…she drew pictures of all the scenes..this is Anne receiving the dress with puffed sleeves from Matthew.We all know this one, it’s Anne breaking the slate on Gilbert’s head! I’m sure that she has used a whole realm of paper doing all these drawings..We have also gone through the children’s cupboards matching and purging unused clothes, do these breed?

We found a dead frog in our pool yesterday…”Jared, we need chlorine!”

We recently swapped bedrooms for the children..now Alycia and Cassandra share a bunk, and the boys share the “pink” room. Camden was disqusted, so….One day we will paint it another colour.

Tommorow we will be having a lunch for my father and for Stephanie who will be celebrating their birthdays this week. I can’t believe that Steph will be 14!

Being out of action on Monday, mean’t that we all missed out on our homeschooling group. I was especially disappointed in missing out on Lian’s lesson on bread making. She sent me a yummy photo of how the girl’s bread turned out.perhaps Lian will give us a private lesson?
Here is a cartoon that has given me some good ideas..

Friday was a day dedicated to pulling in the reins. This is a day where I slow down, and watch, and let nothing go unnoticed. Perhaps I have been a bit lazy with the discipline lately? Cassandra was distracted with tracing some words, and cooking with Stephanie.I also taught Steph to make some scones.The trick to making scones is to mix lightly. When you rub in the butter, use your finger tips! When you mix in the milk, do so with a flat knife. They are very yummy. Jared likes them with dates in them, the children like them plain with jam and cream.

Here is the simple recipe if you want to whip up a batch. Jared’s Grandma use to make these in a jiffy when unexpected visitors popped in.

2 cups of Self Raising Flour

1 teaspoon of sugar

15g butter chopped

1 cup of milk

Sift flour, add sugar, rub in butter with your finger tips, then add in the milk quickly and mix with a knife.  Tip out onto floured surface and cut out circles. Place on greased pie dish, close together, and cook on hot for 10-15 min.

On Sat. we enjoyed staying indoors while it rained. We were suppose to have Camden’s Boy’s Brigade sports day, but alas, it was too wet. We had a couple of neighbourhood children around doing experiments with my kitchen ingredients…now I have a stained bread board, ugh!Cassandra made a mess with the left over baked beans…have I said “ugh” yet? I did a lot of cooking on friday, and finally popped in to visit a friend who just had her 5th baby. She looked so well, and the baby looked so beautiful. The children then had youth group ( I don’t normally like youth groups, but this one actually studies the Bible). I finally finished my applique for Sylvia’s 18th, and she isn’t even 21 yet!The Bible verse that I chose for her was Phil. 4:7 about the Peace of God.

Today?  A peaceful day, with Church, and then home to an open fire, some cooking and some family time. Lachlan went to a birthday party, which he really enjoyed. Oh, and Camden insisted on going for a swim on this dark and rainy day, and being one not to deter a courageous soul, I let him. I was cold just watching….and I got wet!

Have a great week everyone.

After having an afternoon of naughty children yesterday, and a bit of a struggle this morning, it is fair to say that I am slightly confused. It is very rare to discipline all five children at a time, but this is where I am right now. Five children, five different personalities, five different ways to discipline. What have I been feeding them, have they had red cordial? Do they not get enough attention? Why am I confused? because I have to remember whose punishement is what. Perhaps I am facing every parents struggle, I must stay calm, love them, and hope in God who can change hearts, including mine. Thank you God for my children, please call them to be yours. Help Jared and I do be faithful parents in leading them to you.Ok, so this isn’t a picture of MY Children..I really don’t take photos of everything that happens in this household! I would much rather…Ok, so this isn’t a picture of my family either…but you get the picture…

Today I would say that it was a good day, except….the children in the afternoon….Just when you think they are on the right path, something they do shocks you. Should parents be shocked?, after all, it is our sinful nature that we all struggle with. I will not give up, I will continue to pray, continue to rely on God for wisdom.

How quickly does the time fly, I can’t even remember what I did on Sat! Sunday we went to Belgrave Chruch, I managed to take a couple of pictures of my youngest children before they got messy…After church we went to Lunch with the Minister and his wife, it was a lovely meal with some good fellowship although….we didn’t have too much time, because I was suppose to go to a wedding with my girls (just to watch). We went to the wedding at Camelot Castle.We then brought four extra children home with me, so that their parents could stay for the reception. We had a BBQ, played a few games…I even had them run a few running races. I had three neighbourhood children join us, it was a real blast. They left about 10.30. Steph went home with the family, to spend the day with them and some other friends. While she enjoyed herself, I worked like crazy to tidy up our back section..sorting, sweeping etc. The children were very helpful (when they weren’t trying to go back inside). I also went to the tip with Lachlan. Afterward we washed the car inside and out. We just arrived home from picking up Steph, everyone is tired, and all are asleep.  Perhaps our little trip to the park had something to do with that too!

I have heard this arvo that my sister arrived safely in Thailand, for which I am very thankful. While my sister looked after my children yesterday, what did I do? I spoke on the phone to a friend…sang down the hall way….tried on some stuff that she had dropped off for me such as these sunnies and necklace…tried to look cool.ok, so it’s not cool to wear sun glasses over your regular glasses…my secret is out, I’m not cool! I also found a great web site that can turn your photos into colouring pages. Here is Cassandra cooking.check out dumpr.net…

An experiment for you. Mix an equal part of citric acid powder, and bi carb, and take a big mouth full….you will froth from the mouth. I have a picture but it’s pretty gross…I have my standards. So hear is Cassandra

Check out these cute things..Light switch covers from Etsy…Hair ties for washing day…mmm, I could make some of those..you can buy them from Etsy..Yep, Esty again!I came across this photo on a blog a few months ago, it is of a place where battered women go to  for safety. Some women got together  and used their creative gifts, and changed  it into a beautiful blessing.Remember that everyone has special talents that God has given to them, don’t forget to use them ladies!