Almost 2013

I'm so happy that 2013 is almost year. I've decided that it WILL be a better year! 2012 was a really rough year, but I just know that 2013 is going to be better.

My husband's shift is changing and even though it's going to actually cost us more money in the next two years than normal (due to him using more gas) he will get to spend more time at home with us. We thought it would really hurt him on his part time job as well, but January is not showing that. Granted we will now only get to see him at dinner time until bedtime time for the next 2 years, but at least he has not only 1 job but 2. I'm very thankful for this!

Things are turning around for me as well. I started a 90 day challenge December 1st and lost 6 pounds and 7 inches in just 2 weeks. I stopped the challenge due to getting sick and the holidays. I'm getting ready to start back up tomorrow!

My daycare is going well. I have a total of 5 families that I'm baby sitting for. While it has it's ups and downs (just like any job) it's going well. I had to put my foot down two weeks ago and change my policy some. The new policies start this week so I'm praying things go a little better. As long as I keep watching these families children and the schedule doesn't change then I should be able to make enough money to put money in savings and be able to shop weekly sales to stock our bare pantry! Time for some more amazing grocery shopping trip pictures!

So here's to 2012 ending and better things going on in 2013!

Jess

90 day challenge

December 1st I signed up for a 90 day challenge. I'm going to get this fat off my body. I'm sick on looking like I'm expecting baby #7 and I'm NOT! I'm doing this challenge with my friend Doug and about 20 other people. We are doing a meal replacement shake, that is totally AWESOME! It taste great and has melted off 10 million pounds in the past 2 years! It's heart smart, glueten free, and lactose free. At first I was thinking "This shake is going to be nasty and I can't do this". The shakes are great! There are over 300 recipes! I'm on day 4 and so far haven't had a shake I don't like. Best part they have a ton of vitamins and protein so you aren't hungry! I have to remind myself to eat a healthy snack every day.

If you would like more info email me at jessicastrack@yahoo.com or leave me a message on here.

Jess

Do you every feel...

Do you ever feel like you just don't belong? You wonder "What is wrong with me"? "What did I do"? (or not do). I'm very much having one of those moments (or day/days/weeks).

I've lived in Virginia now for 12 years (I believe). I have made some friends, but I just don't feel like I belong. When I lived in Kentucky I had friends. We got together, we went out together, met for coffee, went to movies, or just hung out with each other at each other's place. Granted I only had one child then, but still I did things.

I have made friends since moving here. I'm not saying that I have no friends. I have friends, I just don't ever do anything with them.

When I moved to my current city I had no friends, I knew no one other than people at work. I had no friends at all. I hated living in Virginia, but I'd met a man who I loved from the moment I meet him (my hubby). Now I'm not working outside the home and my work friends are still working. I love staying home with my kids and keeping other people's kids (don't get me wrong), but there are some days I still wish I got out of the house and got to go to work and tell with all the work crap! Lord knows I dealt with a lot of crap at work.

I joined MOM's Club when I was pregnant with my fourth child. I made some great friends through MOM's Club, but it's no longer going. A lot of mom's have moved, or we've lost touch. Then I joined MOPS. The women there are great, but I still feel like I don't belong or that I don't fit in. I've been in the club for 2 years now and still feel that way.

I feel like I'm not included in a lot of things because of the size of my family. Like my kids will destory their house or what not. I've been invited to playdates (usually last minute, sort of a pity invite). We have gone to picnic's and what not. The last picnic I went to my family sat alone (just me and the kids), and two mom's (at the same time) got onto one of my kids for throwing pebbles (not at anyone just throwing them) while I was fustrated and dealing with a child who was actually having an issue. That just rubbed me the wrong way. Really what is the harm of a child that wasn't even 2 yet throwing pebbles at the ground?

The events I have been invited to are events in which they want you to buy something. I'm a family of 8 our money is tight pretty much all the time! I would much rather get together for coffee or just to sit around and chit chat.

I remember when I was a teenager telling my mom she needed to make some friends. Now I completely understand. As during the summers we were also a family of 8 and during the rest of the year a family of 6. I'm guessing she was in the same place I am not except she worked full time outside of the house.

I don't want to go out every night, but shoot once a week would be nice. To even be asked to something (that doesn't want me to buy something) would be awesome. I just want friends that I can text, call, hang out with sometimes. I can honestly say that I have 1 true friend that texts me, and wants to hang out.

I'm totally jealous of those mom's when I see that they went to the movies with a friend, went to someone's house with a friend, or even just hung out with a friend. I totally miss that. I'm so lonely. I don't think it helps that my hubby works nights were as most of my friends husbands work during the day.

Ok pitty party over, and I'll get back to my knitting or reading. Thanks for reading my complaining!

*sigh*
Jess

Ramblings

I really don't have just one subject to talk about. I hope everyone had a great holiday yesterday! It has really thrown me off. That and the fact that I had to get up at 6am today to have my oldest to school for a field trip. Now I'm sitting here drinking coffee and trying my best to keep my eyes open.

Over the weekend we had my Mom, Aunt, and Grandparents here for one day. It was great! I loved seeing them and so did the kids. We hung out and ate lunch and dinner together. It was great seeing them and I'm so happy they stopped by on their way to PA.

Over the weekend I also decided to join a co-op. My kids (the 4 at home) are super excited about it. They are looking forward to next school year already! I'm going to teach Arts & Crafts to the 2 & 3 year olds. That should be fun!

Chicken salad sandwiches....oh man! My Mom made the best chicken salad sandwiches for lunch when she was here. She used 2 large cans of chicken (drained), 1 small can crushed pineapple (drained), mayo, sweet relish and cranraisens. It was awesome! I made more last night, but I'm thinking next time I might even add some pecans. It was really good!

Well the kids are into something they should be, so I must run!

Jess

May

I know May isn't over yet, but I thought I would just write a little post anyway. It's just been crazy around my house. No way, not with 6 kids and a daycare you say!

The kids are completely and totally excited about summer time. They say this is going to be the best summer EVER! We found out at the beginning of the month that Grandpa & Grandma (hubby's Dad & Stepmom) were going to visit. They have never been to our house. Then we find out they aren't going to visit. So the kids were pretty sad about this. However, I planned a trip to Georgia to visit my family. My mom, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. They are totally excited! Not only are we visiting family, but my cousin is getting married so that means they are going to see all sorts of family, and my mom's church does a big 4th of July party. So we will be there for the 4th. Great Grandma & Grandpa live out in the country and have a pond for fishing, and their neighbors have horses. Oh the excitement coming from my kids. The only bad part is Daddy can't go with us because he can't get off work:(

Oh but the week that my inlaws were coming hubby is already off work so we've got exciting things planned then. We are going to the lake one day for swimming, and cooking out fun! Then hubby is building my raised garden beds and I'm planting veggies. My tomatoes are already growing. So excited! I'm planning a huge garden this year. Please God give us some food off of it this year. I had no luck at all the last garden I planted.

Oh and I broke down and put the kids a trampoline in layaway awhile back and we will be getting that out in June. Totally excited about that! Of course we are going to set up the pool Grandpa got them last year also.

I'm hoping to plan a family weekend trip also. Not sure where we will be heading though.

Right now I'm fighting a really bad sinus infection. It's been awful. I'm on day 2 of meds though. I was hoping to fix it on my own at home so my not wanting to go to the DR has causes me a lot of pain. Thankfully, I feel a lot better than I did.

May I also got back into my couponing again. I had gotten so far behind and we were living off our stockpile. Now it's time to stock it back up. Hit Harris Teeter's triple coupons last week though and got $351 worth of groceries for $82. Rocked that sale! I've got to figure my budget out a little better for next month. With all the kids being out of school I'll have them all home for 3 meals and 2 snacks. Plus 2 extra kids for a little while. Gotta get stocked up on some things. I've got a nice stockpile on drinks for the summer. I'm good there. I've just found myself completely wiped out of somethings and we are hurting these past 2 weeks.

I'm thinking until I'm back at being pretty much fully stocked up that I need to do a big once a month shopping trip and then weekly "sales" shopping. Since hubby gets paid monthly and I get paid weekly (daily).

My "baby" girl is going to be done with middle school next week and then will officially be in high school. I'm freaking out! How is she old enough to be in high school? Wasn't I just bringing her home from the hospital? I've also got another "baby" going to be in Kindergarten. Not sure how that happen either. My kids need to slow down on growing up just a little.

I'm hoping that June is a better month than May was. It wasn't a horrible month just a rough month. I'm hoping June is more fun!!

Jess

Shopping trip

I haven't posted a coupon shopping trip in a long time. I went to 3 different stores last night and got $411.07 worth of groceries for $188.03. I saved $223.04 or 54%.  Now keep in mind that these trips are not my weekly "shopping" trips. We are not going to be eating or using this stuff just this week! Yes, we will be using some of these things right away and other's I'm stocking up on. That being said here is what I got!

3 packs of Skinny Cow candy
2 Pepperidge Farm cookies
8 cans of Pringles chips
8 bottles of Dawn
3 boxes of tissues
2 things of toothpaste (FREE)
1 box of 84 diapers
8 count paper towel pack (FREE)
2 heads of lettuce
1 pack of paper towels
5 boxes tampons
11 packs of pads
1 pack of Perdue short cuts chicken
1 pack tortillas (FREE)
1 bag shredded cheese (FREE)
1 thing of sour cream (FREE)
6 packs of bacon (normally $5.89 each. pd $1.70 each)
6 packs of Jello Temptations
2 travel coffee mugs
5 boxes hot tea
5 Country time lemonade
4 Maruchan Yakisoba
5 McCormick Recipe Inspirations
4 BBQ sauces
5 boxes of Snuggle
4 packs of baby wipes
15 cans of Grands biscuits

I think that's about it. I know you are thinking "that's a lot of pads"....well there are 6 females in this house:) I've started stocking up on those summer drinks also. I'm looking forward to cutting, sorting, and shopping again next week with my coupons!

Jess

Bending and breaking

I heard a song the other day and a line in the song said "He will let you bend but won't let you break" (or close to that). Talking about how God will let you bend but he won't let you break. I've always heard that God will not give you more than you can handle. Not that I'm questioning God, but I really don't know how much more bending or how much more I can take.

I know everyone is having a hard time right now. Well not everyone, but most of America. I'm just having a really hard time lately.

My husband works two jobs. I stay home with my kids. I homeschool 2 of them and I have 2 little ones at home. My oldest who is 14 and my 4th daughter who is 5 go to public school. I let my kids choose which they want to do, based on the child and what fits them best. This is my first full year of homeschooling. I baby sit in order to make ends meet and to feed the family.

At the moment I'm looking for more children to watch as I only have one full time child and two after school (that I keep about an hour). I have the full time childs mom pay me only for the days she comes instead of by the week. She's a single mom and I feel for her. She gave me a schedule and I was expecting the child to be here 5 days this week. She's come once! Therefore I'm out money this week because she only brought her one time. She's gotten her boyfriend to watch her daughter. I understand this because she's tight on money also, but it still makes me angry because now I'm out grocery money for the week. Same thing happen last week.

I'm so tired of being "in the hole" money wise, and struggling. I just don't know what else to do. I feel like I'm bent over backwards and can't bend anymore. I feel like I'm about to snap in half.

To top it all off, my children who know they aren't suppose to touch any cleaners opened a 2000 flushes and flushed the big blue bar because the water wasn't blue anymore. They aren't saying who did it. The potty won't flush now and that's something else that is going to need to be fixed, but how do we fix it?

I'm just not happy with my life at all right now. I'm happy for my family, I love them, but I just am not happy with living here in this house, living in this state, not being able to find more daycare kids. Even though I've tried so hard. I've got ad's everywhere, and I'm just not having luck. The city we live in just doesn't seem to have anyone needing childcare.

Off to steam about this all. There's more, but I don't feel like going into it right now.

Jess

Torn

This week is the week to register kids for preK and Kindergarten. At the moment 2 of my children go to public school. My oldest who will start high school next year, and my 5 year old who is in PreK this year. Why is the title of my blog post torn? I can't decide if I want to register my 5yr old for Kindergarten or not.

She decided in Setp/Oct that she wanted to be homeschooled and lasted a week. She cried and said she missed her teacher and friends so I took her back to preK. The Kindergarten teachers are WONDERFUL at the school she would be going to. We've had all but one of the Kindergarten teachers. I know she'd be in good hands!

I homeschool 2 out of 6 of my children (2 public schools, 2 babies). I enjoy doing homeschool with them. Even though nothing ever goes as planned and I feel totally lost some days. My 2nd grader goes back and forth on if she wants to go back to public school next year or not. My 1st grader has already said she's staying home with me again next year.

I have this HUGE guilt trip going on at the moment. I feel like my kids aren't around other kids enough. The best thing that I can't seem to get over (which might seem pety) my girls don't get invited to kids parties anymore. They got invited to one party since we started homeschooling. I know doesn't seem like a big deal, but I just feel sorry for them.

I baby sit a girl my 2nd graders age and a few weeks ago she was invited to spend the night with a friend. My girls don't get invited to spend the night at friends houses. This upset my girls because they don't get invited to spend the night at friends houses.

We aren't in a co-op or activity day this year. When I started homeschooling it was too late to sign up for anything other than the activity day. Because I couldn't bring the kids I baby sit I decided against it. At the time I would have been losing $80 for taking off that day. My baby sitting is what buys our groceries, so I couldn't afford to give that money up (no matter how good I am with coupons).

My 1st & 2nd graders are in Girl Scouts. We were going to church every weekend but have cut back on that after I had my son. It's really hard for me to get 6 kids up (sometimes 7 when I baby sit), going, ready and at church at 8:45am. I don't like our 11am service that much.

Another factor (this is going to make me sound totally lazy and I really don't care)is that my husband works nights now, in January he is going to days and will be working M-F. Right now he works 2 nights one week and 5 the next, but he can help get the kids ready for school. In January that will all change, I'll be the only one to be getting kids ready for school. I'm totally not digging that. I don't like being rushed in the morning.

What to do? What to do?

Jess

Bedtime

Bedtime around my house is killing me. I finally got both babies to bed last night and thought the other kids were laying down to sleep. My oldest left the light on in the living room along with the TV. How hard is it to turn these things off when you are done? I turn the TV off and hear 3 of the girls downstairs playing. I go to the top of the stairs and tell them to turn off the light it's bedtime. The response I get "We didn't get to play enough today so we are playing". WHAT??? I tell them "No, playtime is over go to sleep".

A friend of mine told me last week that he hates bedtime that the hours 5-9 are the worst in his house. I completely agree! We both talked about how hard it is to do dinner, baths and bed alone. We are both married, but his wife doesn't do much in the way of helping him. The kids are basically his responsiblity. My husband works nights and isn't home most of the time. He is home about 7 nights a month. (He works two jobs).

I dread once it hits about 5pm. I don't like having to cook dinner while entertaining the kids, clean up the little ones after dinner, and do all the things that must be done at night before going to bed.

I've got some night owl kids who love to give us a hard time about going to bed. It's slowly breaking me down over time. I didn't really notice how bad it was until my mom came to help out when I had my surgery. My 6 year old is staying up sometimes as late as 1am. This is killing me and I don't know how to end it.

It doesn't matter if we get the kids up early they seem to have endless energy and can still stay up late. I'm at a loss! I can't handle late nights and early mornings!

Jess

Losing

I feel like I'm in a losing battle all the time!

I feel like I'm losing myself. I know that when you grow up and have kids you and your "life" are put on the back burner. At least that's how it seems or should be in my eyes. When you have kids the party is over. The going out with friends and not worrying about getting up early the next morning-gone! The sleeping in-gone! Watching a movie or TV in peace-gone! Sitting on the couch or laying in bed all day reading-gone! That's all gone!

What you get though is such a wonderful love! Hugs & Kisses all the time. I love my kids and I still do all of the above except the going on with friends and worrying about coming home early enough. I just do everything different. I get to sleep in sometimes (thanks to my husband). I get to watch TV, I just fall a sleep during the shows most of the time. I get to read, but once again usually fall a sleep.

I just feel like I'm losing myself. I feel like I'm losing control over my house. I feel like I'm losing something from my marriage.

Every night it's a losing battle at bedtime. I lose every night when it's 11pm and I'm still telling my kids to go to freaking bed. I lose everytime I clean something and someone messes it up 2 minutes later. I lose whenever I can't get around to doing something I wanted to do. I lose when I go to bed mad, or get mad at my husband at any point and time during the day. I lose when I end up in the bathroom crying my eyes out for no reason!

I just feel so lost and sick of losing all the time. I don't know where to turn things around.

Jess

Surgery

Getting back on my feet after having surgery. Last week I had my gallbladder removed. I had to be at the hospital at 7:30am and didn't get home until almost 7pm that night. I got really sick after the surgery and wasn't waking up fully and couldn't stop throwing up until some meds were given to me. Awful!
Thankfully my mom came down two days before my surgery and stayed a week. She was such a huge help. She cleaned the girls room, took care of the kids, laundry, dishes etc. Awesome! My husband told her he would love for her to move in...haha.
The hardest part of this surgery (for me) is not being able to lift my babies for 4-6 weeks. Who knew! I'm catching myself over and over having to remind myself not to pick them up. Thankfully I haven't picked them up, but I've reached down a few times to pick them up. Thankfully they can climb on the couch and cuddle with me.
Out of the 4 cuts I got the only one that still hurts is my belly button. It feels like I was stabbed with a knife in my belly button...oh wait I was. It's sore and has black, purple, and green buises around it..yuck! It's the biggest of the 4 cuts also. No fun at all!
I'm feeling very blessed though. I'm so blessed that my mom could come and help with the house and kids for a week. I'm so blessed that my husband could take 4 weeks off to help with the kids. I'm so blessed that 3 of my friends brought us dinner. So blessed to have gotten all the prayer cards and get well soon cards from people at my church...some I don't even know. So blessed that a member of the church brought us dinner last night when my hubby had to work his second job. I could cook, but really don't have the energy to do it right now. So blessed to have people come to the house to help me when my hubby has to work his second job (which he couldn't take off from). God is wonderful! I thank him every day for my blessings!

Jess

10 Things Tuesday

A friend got me into this:)http://ourhappynuthouse.com/2012/01/10/10-things-tuesday-10/ I decided to 10 Things Tuesday. Listing 10 of anything. 10 books I want to read, 10 things I want to do this year, this week, today. 10 things I'm thankful for...etc..

For my first 10 Things Tuesday I'm going to list 10 things I want to get done with week!

1) I want to finish reading the book "Plain Promise" by Beth Wiseman.

2) I want to get my room at least 1/2 way clean.

3) I want to finish at least one of my kids fleece blankets.

4) I want to get at least 1/2 finished with my mom's scarf.

5) I want to finish one of the Christmas presents for my inlaws. (yes, I know it's January).

6) I want to get the kids going on their reading challenge.

7) Really try to be nicer to my husband. It's not his fault I'm in pain.

8) Enjoy my birthday. I'm just not in the mood for celebrating.

9) Get back on track with my picture taking. Even though I'm in pain.

10) Try to NOT worry about what my results will be on my ultrasound Thursday!

Jess

Wow

I've been having a really hard time with something personal lately. I've prayed and prayed about it. I've prayed for answers with the issue that I'm having.
Today I'm been really sick. I've had nausea for the past 2 1/2 days. Last night my kidney's, lower back area and my ovaries began to hurt. I went to the DR. today and she did a urine test even though I knew it wasn't a UTI and she didn't think so either but wanted to rule it out. She also drew blood to do labs with. I got a call that there's no sign of infection, my kidney's look good and my liver looks good. That she thinks this might be viral:(

Anyway, that's not the thing I've been praying about, but I missed a day of reading my Devotions. I went back just now to read my devotion from yesterday and it just amazes me how these devotions sometimes completely fit with what is going on with my life.

This is taken from "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young

I am able to do far beyond all that you ask or imagine. Come to Me with positive expectations, knowing that there is no limit to what I can accomplish. Ask My Spirit to control your mind, so that you can think great thoughts of Me. Do not be discouraged by the fact that many of your prayers are yet unanswered. Time is a trainer, teaching you to wait upon Me, to trust Me in the dark. The more extreme your circumstances, the more likely you are to see My Power and Glory at work in the situation. Instead of letting difficulties draw you into worrying, try to view them as setting the scene for My glorious intervention. Keep your eyes and your mind wide open to all that I'm doing in your life

I always seem to forget that just because I don't have an answer right away from God that it doesn't mean he isn't listening. I will keep praying on the issue that is bothering me and know that he is listening and will answer that prayer in the way he sees fit!

Jess

Kids

Wow! Today I'm getting in the "Blog more". I was talking to my kids about resolutions and things to work on this year. I love their responses and thought I would share.

Bella~14 and said she hasn't made her list yet.

Kaelyn~7yrs old. Wants to finish the Little House series, Keep her room clean, and make bed everyday.

Natalie~ 6yrs old. Wants to work on her hand writing (she doesn't like to space words), and read more.

Addison~ 5yrs old. Wants to make her bed everyday, and learn to read

Avery~2ys old. Potty training

Michael~1yr old. Wants to sleep through the night for his mommy:)

Ok so the last two I picked for my kids! What bliss it would be to have one potty trained and both sleeping through the night!

I also thought of more to add to my list. I want to take 365 pictures this year (a picture a day), read the Bible, read more, and read to the kids more.

Jess

2012

I haven't written on my blog in a long time! Sorry!

I can not believe how quickly 2011 went by. We had a lot of ups and downs in 2011. It was the first year without my Dad. Which was rough. Not a day went by that I didn't think about him or miss him.

It was also the first year of my baby boy's life. Amazing! I can't get over that my little guy is a year old. He amazes me daily. He is walking, climbing, into everything and actually saying a lot of things. Even colored me a picture the other day. Having a boy is very different than having a girl. He keeps me on my toes every day!

My girls are doing great as well. My oldest is back in public school and doing great! My 7 year old and 6 year old are being homeschooled. My 5 year old is in preK. My 2 year old is amazing me every day as well. She's talking up a storm and loves coloring and doing "school". Trying to potty train her this year. Potty training is one of my least favorite things about being a parent.

As for me I started a knitting/crochet business. I haven't done a lot of business, but hoping that 2012 things go well. I started out by doing an Open house at one of the schools with a friend. I didn't have a lot made up and only sold one thing, but it was good to get out there. I'm hoping to do more business this Fall. I'm hoping to learn how to make more than just hats and scarves this year also. I'm working on legwarmers right now.
I have a Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Strack-Knitting-Shack/128442207259033 and a blog http://strackknittingshack.blogspot.com/

2012 I decided not to do resolutions. Instead I'm setting goals or things I want to learn. Here are the things I want to do this year.

1) Learn to sew. I've got a sewing machine, I just need to use it.

2) Learn to quilt.

3) Do better staying on budget. Planning on doing this Dave Ramsey style.

4) Learn to knit/crochet new projects.

5) Plant a HUGE garden this year. Get it started early enough that we get food from it.

6) Learn to can/freeze veggies!

7) Get in better shape, and help my oldest with this also.

8) Keeping the house cleaner. (this is going to be the hardest one for me)

9) Blog more

I think just setting goals and saying "I want to learn" these things is a lot better than resolutions. At least to me it seems better. These are things I want to do, not things I feel like I have to do.

Here's to 2012 which I hope is a great year for everyone!

Jess