Brownie Monster

Joseph Loves, LOVES, LOVES brownies. I know this because whenever he sees brownies or smells brownies he screams and SCREAMS and SCREAMS until he gets one. He does not do that for candy or cookies or ice cream or cake-- JUST BROWNIES. I think that definitely qualifies Joseph as a BROWNIE MONSTER!!!!!

Rachel's Sweet Comments and My Thoughts

This morning while I was nursing the baby, Rachel came over and tenderly placed a blanket on the baby. Then she looked at me and said, "You are beautiful mom. You are such a good milk maker." I said, "a good milk maker, huh?" Then Rachel replied, "Well, you are a good cookie maker too."

I am glad that she thinks I am beautiful because she looks exactly like me. I have always felt sorry in a rather apologetic way for that. I never wanted my kids to look like me. Regardless of what John and I look like, I have always hoped that my daughters would all look like Nicole Kidman and that my boys would all look like Matt Damon. Of course that is a silly hope. I don't think I am pretty at all, and I know that John does not think he is handsome at all, but our children are awfully cute. It is too bad they have to grow up to look like us. Oh, but I do think I am a good cookie maker, although this is too bad too because I need quit eating my delicious chocolate chip cookies.

Cats

PART I -- A Good Meower

I had this funny conversation with my almost 13 year old.

Ruth: Mom are you good at meowing?
Me (while sweeping the kitchen floor and laughing): I don't know.
Ruth: Well, do you think you are?
Me: I couldn't say. No one has ever come up to me and said, "Diane , you are a great meower."
Ruth: Well, I am good at meowing... Meow, meow ,meow ... Don't you think so, Mom?
Me: Sure Ruth, you sound just like a real cat.
Ruth (walking away): meow, meow, meow, meow, meow....
Me (a minute later): Okay, that is enough cat noises guys.

PART II -- Cat in the Snow

PART III --  Cat Avoiding the Snow

The United Families International Myth Buster Monday

Myth Buster Monday: Is homosexuality genetic, immutable and unchangeable?

No scientist or researcher has ever proven that homosexuality is genetic, immutable or unchangeable.  In fact many of the so-called gay gene studies, such as the Bailey/Pillard “twin studies,” prove the exact opposite – homosexual behavior is not genetic.  Homosexual advocates and the media have pushed the “there is a gay gene” myth for over a decade and a large share of the public has bought into this misinformation.
Even the American Psychological Association (APA) now acknowledges that there is not a gay gene.  In their “Answers to Your Questions for a Better Understanding of Sexual Orientation & Homosexuality,” they state the following:
“There is no consensus among scientists about the exact reasons that an individual develops a heterosexual, bisexual, gay or lesbian orientation. Although much research has examined the possible genetic, hormonal, developmental, social, and cultural influences on sexual orientation, no findings have emerged that permit scientists to conclude that sexual orientation is determined by any particular factor or factors. Many think that nature and nurture both play complex roles….”

It is necessary for homosexual advocates to equate homosexual behavior to an immutable and unchangeable trait (like race or sex) in order to claim the “gay rights” movement is a Civil Rights issue.  But can those who deal with homosexual tendencies and behavior change?  Yes, thousands of former-homosexuals are testimony to the fact that change is possible.  Gay advocates and psychological associations are particularly eager and aggressive in their efforts to discredit reparative/reorientation therapy groups who work to aid individuals who wish to escape homosexual behavior and lifestyle.
The success of the gay movement seems to hinge upon their ability to convince the public that change is impossible.  That National Association of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) has an informative white paper explaining the success and challenges of reorientation therapy.  See it here.  Again, homosexual behavior is neither immutable nor unchangeable and thus not a Civil Rights issue.  Some famous African American Civil rights figures have made that point as well:
“The comparison with slavery is a stretch in that some slave masters were gay, in that gays were never called three-fifths human in the Constitution and in that they did not require the Voting Rights Act to have the right to vote.” (Rev. Jesse Jackson, address at Harvard Law School)
The recent refusal of the Obama administration to defend the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) included a perpetuation of the myth that homosexual behavior is immutable and changeable when the Justice Department’s claimed that “sexual orientation should be subject to a more heightened standard of scrutiny” in the courts – a classification reserved for cases involving discrimination on the basis of  such things as race or sex.
This particular myth is pretty deeply entrenched and requires each one of us to become educated on the topic and not allow the misinformation and misconceptions to continue.  Spread the word.
For a list of studies related to this topic, go to UFI’s Guide to Family Issues:  Sexual Orientation (pg. 26-28)

How I Do It: Organization in a Big Family Part II

The Laundry

This has been the hardest chore for me. I have done this many different ways since I got married. The first few years I did between 2 and 4 loads of laundry all on one day once a week.  I kept our dirty laundry in a hamper in my bedroom or the bathroom. When our family grew to 5 people and before we moved to a big city with no washer ans dryer, I did 6 loads on one day. I would take our dirty laundry out of our bathroom hamper every couple of days and separate it into 3 baskets (white, lights, and darks) that I kept near the washer. After the big city move, I went to the laundry mat once a week. Our dirty laundry spilled over 2 hampers in the kids bedroom. It was quite a yucky sight by the end of the week.

When we left the big city, and had 4 children, I washed 1 or 2 loads a days an folded and put everything away twice a week. This meant that we rummaged through baskets of unfolded laundry if there was some item we needed. With the dirty laundry, I kept a hamper in each bathroom and separated the laundry into my 3 dirty laundry baskets near the washing machine. I haven't changed our dirty laundry method. It works well.

Once we hit 6 kids, big folding parties twice a week did not work. My mother said she always folded right out of the dryer. So I set up our old kitchen table next to our washer and folded our clothes in piles onto the table. This worked okay because I was able to keep up with the laundry by washing and folding 2 to 3 loads of laundry a day.  Since I now only emptied the dryer by folding right out of it, this eliminated baskets of clean wrinkling laundry. This method also took out the time to put the laundry away because I could just do it as I needed or have the kids grab their own pile of clothes to put away. But, a table takes up a lot of room, the piles of clothes would fall onto each other and mix up, and occasionally a toddler would dump clean clothes into the dirty clothes. 

When baby number 8 was on his way, I knew I needed to change things around in the laundry room and use my space more wisely. Plus, I did not have room on the table for another pile of clothes. I knew I needed something thinner than a table that used the space vertically.  I also wanted to do something about the separate piles of laundry crashing into each other. I spent about an hour in the shelving/organizing isles in Lowes and came up with this (see above picture). I bought a plastic shelf for $25, and 8 milk crates for $4 each.

This actually works really well. The shelves don't take up much room and they give me more room. The milk crates hold the clothes really well. I can even just toss in socks and underwear. The kids can carry their laundry to their bedrooms easily. Also, we can just leave the little kids clothes in their crates and grab them as needed right out of the laundry room. I still  put their clothes away in their drawers, but only when I have spare time.

So, I fold our clothes into the milk crates when the dryer is finished. I fold towels onto the top of the dryer, and I put blankets and sheets away immediately. I wash and fold about 3 to 4 loads of laundry a day just in between other chores and activities. Sunday, is my rest from the laundry day :).

What works well for you with the laundry?

Sweet Little Joseph

My little Joseph is not so much my little angel of destruction anymore. He is still getting into plenty of things, and we have quit getting library books for a while because of him, but it is not as bad as it has been since he started walking. In fact, Joseph has become quite a fun, cute little boy. Joseph goes around singing, "Happy Birthday" a lot. When he sits and looks at books, he sings, "Baa, Baa Black Sheep". Joseph is our most concerned child when Joshua cries. When Joshua starts crying, Joseph is the first to give him a pacifier or a little hug. On Sunday, John heard Joshua cry and then John saw Joseph running down the stairs saying, "My baby, my baby."

Our 3 Day Weekend

On Saturday we had one sick kid, and on Sunday we had two other sick kids, but by Monday everyone was better, so we actually got to do something during our long weekend. Well, while we had sick kids we did watch a lot of movies and play a lot of games and that is John's idea of a nice vacation. But I like to go out. So it is nice that we got to do a little of both.

We took the kids up to This is the Place State Park which we have a family pass for. Since it is winter, they are only running the train and giving a tour of one home. So that is what we did. It was actually a lot of fun. We had  to wait a half hour for the train ride, so while Ruth and Kate browsed the gift shop the rest of us played in the snow.

I have been on that little train ride with all of our kids a few times. John never has and they surely frightened him with all their wiggling around. Of course, Joseph trying to jump off the train the whole time didn't help. When the train ride ended, we let Joseph jump off and he headed directly for the front of the train to check it out. I guess the front part is more interesting than the passenger seats.

I love this picture!

The Boys had a lot of fun throwing

Johnny got John pretty good

It truly was a beautiful winter day

Letting Joseph hold Joshua on the train ride kept him still for a few minutes.

On the way home, we stopped at a small art store in Sugarhouse. John took Ruth and Kate in while I stayed with the little kids in the car, feeding the baby and taking a few more pictures. That was nice because going to that store is the one thing John wanted to do for the day. After wards, we were all hungry to we went home and made cookies for snack.