Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The stuff memories are made of

This last weekend we had our annual camping trip with my mom, brother and sister in love. As usual it was a wonderful time! I figured I would just give a few highlights of our trip.

We had quite a bit of rain on Saturday and huddled in our tent until our ingenious men rigged us up a canopy made from tarps. The smell of rain mixed with campfire smoke was amazing! I’ll always remember that smell!

We passed some time by playing charades. The little ones trying to come up with ideas were very cute! It’s very funny watching them imitate animals or trying to pretend they are one of us!

We heard from other campers that the fish were really biting and people were catching their limit each time they went down. I guess the fish just wouldn’t play with us because only Shannen and Shadd caught one.

Lynette made a wonderful breakfast for us Sunday morning and we are all craving it again. It was an egg scramble with peppers, onions, potatoes, and turkey sausage. It was so yummy!

With typical Ney fashion there is no road trip that is complete without someone throwing up. Ugh! Shylie ended up getting sick on the way home. I really need to find something to help with car sickness because it really gets old having to come home and clean out her car seat!

Our camping season has come to an end and we are already looking forward to next year. Next year we are hoping to all coordinate vacations so we can actually have more time. I’m so blessed to have the family I have and to be making memories together that I will ponder and think about years down the road!


Just click the play button to restart

Monday, September 26, 2011

Multitude Monday

Picture 245 591. Annual family camping trip
(so blessed to call all these people mine!)

592. Charades in the rain

593. Creative men building us a cover from the rain

594. Clouds floating above the trees

Picture 116 595. Tree climbers

596. Mountain air

597. God’s majesty displayed in His creation

598. The smell of rain mixed with campfire

Picture 165 599. Daddy and his girls

600. Making memories

Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion
on his afflicted ones.
Isaiah 49:13

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Homemade Marshmallows

Picture 215

In my fascination with label reading I discovered that marshmallow's have blue food dye in them and some marshmallows even contain pork. Yucko, yucko, yucko! So what did I do…make our own! Off to the internet I went and found this easy recipe. Once you taste these you will never be content with an ordinary marshmallow again! These are gourmet! I can’t wait to use these to make homemade Caramello’s this holiday season!

Homemade Marshmallows

3 envelopes of gelatin
3/4 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar (we used organic cane sugar)
2/3 cups light corn syrup (we used homemade…yeah that’s for another post Happy)
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract (optional for the holiday’s)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 T cornstarch

Lightly grease a 9 x 9-inch baking pan. If you have a flexible silicon pan, use it! If not, you can use any metal or glass pan. It’s just easier to remove the marshmallows from the silicon pan.

In a large mixing bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer if you have one), sprinkle the gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water and allow it to dissolve for about 5-10 minutes,

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a very hard boil and cook for one minute (no need for a candy thermometer). Make sure you stir it frequently, and be careful – this mixture is very hot! Make sure you cover for a few minutes until the sugar dissolves.

Pour the boiling syrup on top of the gelatin and begin whisking on high. A stand mixer will make this job much easier though you can use a hand mixer. Just be aware it’s possible that you could burn up your mixer using it on high for this long!

Add the salt and whisk on high for about 10 minutes. At about 8 minutes in, begin dipping your finger into the mixture and dropping a small dollop on the counter to test how close it is to “done”. If you drop a dollop on the counter and within 30-60 seconds, it starts to firm up like you would imagine a marshmallow would, you can probably stop whipping. Ten minutes is usually enough; you can go as long as 12 if you’re unsure.

Picture 212

Allow the marshmallows to set until firm – usually about 4-5 hours. Once firm, combine 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 2 T cornstarch in a bowl. Use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the marshmallows into cubes. It helps prevent sticking if you dip your scissors in the powdered sugar mixture between each cut.

Toss each marshmallow in the powdered sugar mixture and that’s it – you’re done! Store in a semi-airtight container.

Picture 214 Wow! I guess that crazed look in his eye means he likes them!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Smart Meters: Are they really smart?

meter For the last two weeks I have had a headache daily, had trouble focusing, concentrating and remembering things, had unexplained pain in my arms, one of my kids has been complaining of headaches, another one complaining of heart palpitations, and my mom (who lives with us) has been saying she’s having trouble remembering things. I’ve been going to my chiropractor twice a week trying to get help with the headaches, thinking maybe I was dealing with misalignment, but it hasn’t helped at all.

Saturday my aunt called after she and my uncle had attended a seminar where they discussed the new “smart” meters and their safety. It reminded me that we had received a notice from our electric company that they were going to be installing the new Smart Meters in our neighborhood soon. I quickly got online and googled on these meters. Wow! Let me just say I am shocked at how unsafe these are. I decided to go out this morning and put a sign on our meter stating that we did not want a Smart Meter installed, but when I got out there I discovered they had already put it in. I had no idea they did it or when they did it. I asked my mom if she knew and she said that had done it about 2 weeks ago. Well, that explains the issues I’ve been dealing with.

I have what is called EMF Sensitivity. We don’t use a microwave, wifi, cordless phones, or anything else that emits electromagnetic frequencies and gives me headaches. It doesn’t surprise me that I am having problems since this new meter has been put in, but I am really upset over my children having issues with it.

For those who don’t know what a Dumb, err…Smart (?) Meter is, here is some background for you.

Smart Meters are electric and gas meter reading devices being installed all over the US as a first step in creating a national smart grid. Designed to enhance energy efficiency and make widespread adoption of renewable energy easier, Smart Meters are radio transmitters that communicate data from homes and businesses to the gas and electric company through a matrix of radio signals. They allow people to measure and monitor their own energy consumption in order to reduce it.

These meters transmit in two bandwidths – 900 and 915 megahertz. And it is transmitted from the meter omni directionally, meaning that our homes are constantly being bombarded with these Electro Magnetic Frequencies (EMF’s) 24 hours a day. And it gets worse. These particular EMF’s are known to be extremely harmful to health. It is the equivalent range of a cell phone tower in your home. Always on. You can Google these effects for yourself. (type in ‘900 megahertz dangers’). The health consequences are very real.

The following is taken from: http://www.teensturninggreen.org/get-involved/say-no-to-smart-meters.html

“But by far the most dangerous aspect is the way these wireless meters put our health at risk! This kind of microwave pulsing works differently than more-continuous cell phone radiation, and it’s much more dangerous. Many scientific studies have verified that this type particularly affects the brain, nervous system and hormones, disrupting the functioning of many body systems and causing very serious leakage of our blood-brain barrier, and that low-power broadcasts (such as from these meters) are even more damaging than higher-power ones. Typical acute symptoms include migraine headaches, insomnia, exhaustion, forgetfulness and confusion, tinnitus, tingling, nausea and vomiting, constant thirst, heart palpitations and increased blood pressure, limbic system disturbances such as severe depression or anxiety or crying jags, etc.--and a general reduction from prior levels of functionality. For some, the nervous and endocrine systems go into hyper-arousal (as with severe stress), ultimately leading to the collapse known as "burnout". Careful scientific research has proven that cumulative exposure to this type of radiation also causes more and more DNA breaks, which—if experienced frequently enough—have the potential to be a factor in ultimately causing cancer. Our risk of developing serious symptoms (often referred to as "electrical sensitivity") increases the longer our chronic exposure to this radiation continues—and, with the smart meter system fully in place, there will be no place to escape it night or day. Children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health problems are particularly vulnerable.”

Go to the above link for some great info on what to do if you haven’t had a Smart Meter installed or what you can do if you’ve already had one of these health altering meters put on your home. One voice can’t be heard all by itself, but if everyone raises a cry against this then they can’t help but hear us.

We live in an era where there have been so many scientific advances, but yet we are at an all time high when it comes to people with cancer, autoimmune diseases, heart problems, and so many other health issues. Yeah, sure we can pop an assortment of pills to prolong life but what kind of quality of life will we have? We think that all the “advances” we are making with science will make our lives easier such as cell phones, microwaves, and so many other handy little gadgets we use daily, but I really wonder if we are really just killing ourselves slowly, and doing the same with our children and grandchildren. Are we trading modern convenience for health? I’m wondering…

Here is another link on these “smart” meters so you can be informed. http://stopsmartmeters.org/how-you-can-stop-smart-meters/

Monday, September 19, 2011

Multitude Monday

Picture 105 580. Soft squishy baby chunk!

581. An evening alone with my 5 little ones

582. Homemade granola

disk 43 278 583. A lunch date with my Shaylah
(one of my favorite pictures of Shaylah and her faithful little sidekick that she prayed and prayed for!)

584. Talking to my Aunt and Uncle

585. Weddings

586. Matching socks

Picture 082 587. My “baby” boys

588. A blanket on the grass with my little ones…and big ones Smile

589. A visit with my sister

590. An upcoming camping trip!!

Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God
that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:39

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Love Languages

I’m sure many of you have read the book “The 5 Love Languages” by Dr. Gary Chapman.  It’s a wonderful book that I think every one should read.  If you click here you can take the assessment test to help you determine what your love language is.

I took it and had Duane and all my older children take it as well.  It was very insightful to see what everyone’s love language was.  With some of us we knew and it was just confirmed what their language was, but with others I was really surprised.

Now that I know what each child’s language is I’m going to really make it an attempt to love on each one in a way that will help them to really feel loved.  I can already see that it’s going to be a challenge with some.  My primary language is physical touch.  I love to hug people, to pat them on the back, touch their arm.  If I meet you then you better count on a hug the second time I see you! I have one child that didn’t score 1 point in that area…not 1!!! Yikes! I have totally not been speaking that child’s language.  I’ve got my work cut out for some of my kiddos and for others it will be easy. 

Go take the assessment and have your family do it as well.  It only takes a few minutes but will give you some great insight  into what you need to do to show your family that they are really loved…in their own language!

Friday, September 16, 2011

Things that make me smile

Picture 149 My little bed buddies this morning!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Living in the moment

It’s the battle plan of the enemy of the soul — to keep us blind to this current moment, the one we can’t control, to keep us blind to Him, the One who controls everything.
Ann Voskamp

It’s so easy to live our lives in the past, dwelling on regrets and failures, or to live in fear of what the future holds, trying to plan and control it. What can be hard, or at least for me it is, is to live in the now, this present moment. To truly be here, right now, in this moment, fully aware and apart of it.

This moment is fleeting and only lasts but a minute. Life changes and moves at lightening speeds. There is the tyranny of the urgent, things calling…yelling, for our time and attention. We have full plates that wobble and tip and threaten to spill. What gets pushed off? Time playing with our children? Time just sitting, holding hands with our spouses? Time with our Lord?

I battle this daily and have to be honest and say I have not won the battle…yet. I will persevere and press on. I will ask myself what is more important, what truly matters in the moment. By doing only those things that truly matter I will then not have all the regrets lingering in the past. To live each moment as if it were the last. To practice His presence moment by moment. To live in this moment, here and fully apart of it, soaking in each minute…I can choose to not let this moment rush by. If I watch the moments then the hours and days will watch themselves!

You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
Psalm 139:16

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

V is for Vaccines

Shyloh has a link to a wonderful blog post on vaccines over at her blog. It really sums up everything we believe concerning vaccines. We were the typical vaccinating family until our sweet Shadd had a horrible reaction to his 15 month old shots. It rocked my whole world and way of thinking concerning vaccinations and their safety. I had always just trusted whatever my doctor said. After Shadd’s reaction I was determined to learn all I could about vaccines. It consumed me for several months. I had so many questions for our doctor.

We made an appointment just to sit and go over our questions with him. Being the wonderful, humble man he is he openly admitted that at that point I actually knew more than he did. He said they really aren’t taught a lot on them in school and the information that he received on them and their safety came straight from the pharmaceutical rep. Wow! Really?

After that I made the decision to never EVER just trust something that is going into my child’s body without doing the research myself. Our doctor isn’t going to stand and give account for each of our children, we are! We are going to give an account for every area of their little lives, even their health so we take the topic of vaccines' very serious.

Please go check out V is for Vaccines.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Multitude Monday

Picture 136571. My first baby and my first grandbaby

572. Poppet: “When is Shelbie going to move out so I can have her bed"?”

573.  Crockpot oatmeal…it’s pure comfort food

Picture 147574. Science with Daddy

575. Boys wrestling and no one getting hurt! That’s always a good thing!

576. The scent of baby breath

Picture 142577. Little helpers

578. A cloudy morning. What a nice change! Is fall in the air?

579.     A wonderful sermon at church

580. Being read to by my Poppet

I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.
Psalm 7:17

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Activity sheets for our binders

With two little schooler’s this year that aren’t fully reading yet I needed to come up with something to help them know what extra activities they needed to do.  I load their binders every weekend with their book work but I can’t fit in a binder extra things like lace kits, puzzles, playdough, or even books they do with Mama. They don’t read yet so a lesson plan sheet does no good.

In come my laminator! Have I ever mentioned how much I love my laminator? It’s kind of silly, but I do! This was just another excuse to use it!

I took pictures of all the extra school activities I wanted Poppet and Lolly to do. I then glued them to a piece of cardstock and laminated them. Now when I load binders on the weekend I just slip in their activity sheets and they know exactly what order they are to do their work in.

Picture 133 Lace kits

Picture 134 Draw Write Now book

Picture 132

The girls know now if it’s puzzle time, time to do language lessons with Mama, or even if they get computer time! Makes my life easier!

Friday, September 9, 2011

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Supermom does NOT live here

We were sitting at our table, enjoying the wedding reception, when I noticed that everyone standing by the food tables were turned staring towards the back of the yard where the reception was being held.  As I slowly turned to my total and complete embarrassment I see my son carrying over his shoulders a six foot long palm branch across the lawn.  He looked like a warrior who had just killed a lion with his bare hands! He strutted his little stuff so very proudly!  Every eye was on him, probably wondering who this little warrior belonged to. 

People tend to think that just because someone has many children that somehow we have everything all together.  Let me just set that silly notion straight….Um, no.  My children are not perfect, my house is not spotless and I’m not ultra organized, and I’m not perfectly patient.  I’m not saying that there aren’t moms of many out there who are these things, but I am saying that just because someone has many kids doesn’t mean they have “arrived” at conquering these things. 

With every child the Lord has blessed us with He has definitely worked more of these things into our lives.  The Lord uses parenting to weed many things out of a persons life….selfishness, disorganization, pride, (note above story!) anger, lack of self control, and the list goes on and on.  Just because I have ten children doesn’t mean I have conquered any of these things, it means I really must have a lot of these things in my life and God in His sovereignty knows I need lots of practice laying these things down at his feet.

I was talking with a good friend the other day who has 7 children and we were laughing about some of these very misconceptions that other moms have of us moms of many. (Of course this friend really is super mom! Really!!) We have many more opportunities than a mom of two or three to be humbled, (again note above story) to practice patience, to clean the same mess again, to practice organization in our home, (it really is a necessity with a houseful!) and many more chances to cling to the hem of His garment and be covered by His grace! It’s really all about His grace!

I am blessed beyond measure that the Lord keeps me on a very short leash.  Having a full quiver helps do that. It keeps me on my knees and relying not on myself but on my Lord. I don’t have a spotless home but I have lots of laughter and small (and large!) faces to kiss on.  I am daily presented with chances to practice patience, self control, to die to myself, and to lean on the Lord.  It’s a daily refining and I love it!

Back to my little warrior story….With all eyes on the Warrior, his very humbled parents called him over to explain why he couldn’t carry his conquered palm branch thru the reception and that he must put it back from where he found it.  The Lord gave us another chance to practice parenting not based on what others think but rather parent on what was going on in the Warrior’s heart, which was only childish innocence. I really wish I would catch on to this soon so the Lord would quit giving me opportunities to practice!

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

I try to be pretty health conscience about what I put in my family’s body.  I check labels on most everything.   I avoid all hydrogenated oils, food coloring, and high fructose corn syrup.  I realized last month that our chocolate syrup had ~shock~horror~ high fructose corn syrup in it!  I checked all the labels and they all had it!  Ugh! So I bought some organic chocolate syrup from Raleys. I won’t even tell how much that cost! ConfusedLet me tell you that just one evening of ice cream sundae’s and a couple of Shaylah’s wonderful coffee’s and that bottle of chocolate syrup goes pretty quick!

My frugal mindedness and health consciousness collided at full force.  What to do, what to do??? Oh, yeah! Make my own!  Off to cyberland I went and found a recipe.  How easy is this?! Yay!  The best of both worlds…health and penny pinching! 

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

  • 1 1/4 C organic sugar
  • 1 C unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 C water
  • 1/4 t salt
  • 2 t vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar and cocoa powder until most of the lumps are gone. Add water and salt and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently. Bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes, until thickened, continuing to stir frequently. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes, then add vanilla extract. Store in air tight container in the fridge.

To make chocolate milk, add 1 tablespoon of chocolate sauce to a cup of milk and stir until combined.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Multitude Monday

Picture 071 561. Piggy tails and little girlies

562. Watching chic flicks with my honey

563. Evening shadows on the wall

Picture 086534. Two year olds

565. Chocolate dipped in peanut butter

566. A stepped on tube of toothpaste on my bathroom floor

Picture 122 567. My newest 11 year old

568. Sunflower seeds, toothpicks, beetle bugs, tiny toy fishies
(amazing what you find in the washing machine !)

569. Coffee with my sister Happy

Picture 123 570. Two of my favorite fishermen…er, fisherpeople

Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those
who seek the LORD rejoice.
1 Chronicles 16:10

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Quote of the day


Wisdom is knowing what to do next; virtue is doing it.
--David Starr Jordan