Spring

Spring is trying to break through here in Reno. We have been getting two or three days of rain, sleet, wind, and snow, which turns into sunny 70s for the rest of the week. I love it. The cold weather makes grading papers and endless hours of homework more bearable. Our flowers and trees are doing so well with the rain water, which goes to show how gross tap water is. I think my kids are even growing because of the sunshine!





Aren't these pictures perfect likenesses of the kids? Artistic geniuses I tell you!


Sam added his nose. He said he wanted to be like Pinocchio.

I traced Addison and she added her details including her hair. Awesome.

My front yard flowers. So pretty.

A Quick Catsup

Please don't get me started on the ketchup/Catsup fiasco. I have no answers.)

Here is a quick look at the life in the Brewer household over the past few months to make up for the lack of blog posts. Please forgive me my slacking. As soon as student teaching is through, I will be back to writing. For now, please accept these pictures as a token of my love.

Eli and Layla Grace were baptized at our church. Obviously I cried.

Addison became a hair dresser and decorated Ms. Jessica up real real nice.

We took the kids ice skating for our family day. In addition to Eli's hair being amazing, ice skating with five children is hilarious.

Eli got a haircut and was given some recreation clothes. Thanks again Harrisons.

We got a new jungle gym. These are the best sort of hand-me-downs.


Eli turned 9 and decided if Jeffro Harrison can wear pink, so can he.

Layla Grace turned 8. Sigh.

Mike is now 34 and still a fire fighter :)

And Eli allowed his sisters to convince him that he would look great as a girl. Double sigh.

And I picked up my cap and gown. CAN YOU STAND IT!! The excitement is killing me!

I realized my kids are all very weird. Again, I did not pose them. This is just who they are.
We took the kids bowling for family day. And I thought ice skating was entertaining!
And Miss Addison lost her first tooth. There are 6 more wiggling their way out at any second. No kidding. Someone pass me an apple!

Thank you for hanging with us through these crazy times. I miss being here. See you soon. Five weeks and counting!

God is So Good

My Husband was shown the real deal of God's grace this week. A memo went out showing a list of names of people up for lay off with the fire department, in order by random drawing. Out of the 18 people on the list, My Husband was slated as number 9. Mr. In the Middle. If they laid off any number less than 9, he would be safe. The memo stated that 9 were to be laid off. Then you prayed. Then we prayed. There was much prayer. So many of you encouraged us, hugged us, and reminded us to keep our chins right where they should be. God reminded me that I fully trusted him when we got this job, so I should fully trust him this day as well.

We made precautions where possible, did the snuggling and healthy denial we discussed earlier, and then a new memo was sent out. This new memo said 8 firefighters were to be laid off. Eight. Just eight. Just one shy of My Husband. Just one shy so God is able to show how close he is holding us. Right there, see us? We are right there in his hands.

God is so good. Thank you all for your prayers again.

Pray

Lay off letters are scheduled for delivery tomorrow. There has been some discrepancy on whether or not Mike is on the list. We are snuggling, praying, and believing in God today the same as we did when Mike got this job. Pray.

Snuggling

This weekend, my husband and I spent time together in healthy denial.
We shipped the kids off, pulled our mattress into our living room, and snuggled.
He is due to get his official lay off notice this week, but we have already seen the list, and he is on it. Instantly, I got a belly ache, and then I prayed.

I have felt a strong desire to snuggle lately. I have snuggled with my husband plenty, but my desire is to snuggle up with God so he can serve as a protective bubble. I cannot mentally take more right now. The devil thinks he has us licked (iykwim), but he doesn't. I am choosing to snuggle with God. Right there, in his hands.
Michael is an unbelievable husband, a hardworking firefighter,
and an even more amazing father. God doesn't forget people like that,
and we are choosing to believe God is going to work miracles through our situation.
God is bigger than the lay off lists...also, the boogey man. So, suck it satan.

What I Would Look Like if I Were a Drinker

This picture pretty much sums up how I feel about life right now.
An "amazing" "song writer" once put my feelings into words, with 83
stanzas of "I am soo tired." I would like to declare her my spokes
person for the next 7 weeks. Seven weeks and I am done student
teaching forever.

When Student Teaching is All Finished

I think I need a list of things to look forward to
and a place to keep all the ideas I have to pass on
during this crazy time. Here goes:

Blow bubbles with Sam and Addie

Play with kids at the park

Go out of town for a night with The Man

Sleep in

Sleep in

Sleep in

Sleep late

Shower for longer than 10 minutes for the heck of it

Re-organize my school closet; it's getting cluttery

Make a delicious and not at all convenient

Re-read my Twilight series--yah, I said it

Find a movie a month to go to with a friend

Date my husband weekly

paint my toes (although, this is something one of you
who love me could do now while I am working on homework, js)

yard work

paint my house-just on the inside

run nonsense errands with my husband and two littlest children

Spend more time with Rosalie

get a new tattoo-something involving my husband whom
I have now been married to for 14 years

there will be more-count on it. I am sick of being a
working mom. Highly overrated.

Take a Second and Give a Book

Nothing frustrates me more than running into nearly grown
children who cannot read. Really?
No teacher/parent/neighbor/friend/SOMEone came
along at some point and decided it really IS important
for this person to know how to read? Really?
Give free books

Just click and they give. So simple.
Won't you be a part of bringing a book to a child?
DO IT. I am going to count 5..4..3..2..1!
Do it or I will have you arrested.

Yawn.

Oh, how I wish this was the truth. I am going to sleep. Then, tomorrow, I will finish week five of student teaching. YAAAAAAAAWN with a really big mouth.

Inspiration from Africa

Follow this story of adoption, family, and what God is capable of from the view of a very talented photographer.

http://www.speckledbirdart.com/blog/

*photo by Reverb

Amazingly, at the same time, another blogger is also in Africa doing life changing work with Compassion International. Both of these people are inspirations to me.

http://www.thisisreverb.com/

Ode to The Reeds

Friends from the past

are always a blast

They give me flack

and show a crack.

Dan-O

I Like

Reno weather. A typical February week:

Monday- Sunny with a light breeze

Tuesday- Snow storm with 6 inches in higher elevations.

Wednesday- Sunny with a light breeze (snow melts)

Thursday- high of 47. Cold, just cold.

Friday- Partly cloudy with a chance of snow.

Saturday- Sunny and 65 in the morning,

6 inches of snow expected on the valley floor

Sunday- Sunny and slightly breezy.

It makes me happy. If the weather is ew,

I can always know that tomorrow will be different.

That is the only dependable part. (twss).

Week 2

Student teaching is going. I didn't bomb my first evaluation, so that is a plus. I am required to keep a reflection log, but my mind is in its pre-geriatric stage, so often I forget what I did if it happened more than one hour ago. Why is this something?

I love my lead teacher. Possibly more than butter, but it's a little early in our relationship to say that. Loving someone more than butter is definitely a weighty statement.

Today, she led a lesson in garden club that taught the kids how nearly every food has plants involved in its existence. She used the example of grilled cheese sandwiches. (Cheese-cows-cows eat grass, butter-cows-cows eat grass, bread-grain, you get the picture.) Let me just say, that when you are a little bit hungry and your lead teacher starts talking about grilled cheese sandwiches, you might start picturing yourself eating one, or cooking one, or laying inside of one. MMMM. We are having grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. And not because she brought them up. Those suckers have been on my menu since I wrote it weeks ago. Her bringing them up today was just happy coincidence and my final assurance that I want to eat them.

Week One Student Teaching

This. Is. Me.
I am too tired to say anything else. Anyone wishing to help me survive in any way
is welcome to do so. Dishes, wrangling children, dropping by with food or chocolate:
these are excellent ways to help. Two days this week, I was so prepared with dinner,
I had dinner on the table in 15 minutes from when I arrived home. WELL worth the
short time invested to cook extra food and freeze it. The other days, I was not a complete
wreck, but could have done better. Nothing, I repeat, nothing in my house was
cleaned this week.
If you know the song, sing along- I AAAAM SOOO TIIIIRED!

Things I Heart (As stolen from PW)

My husband and his ability to love me through the me that gets in his way.

Chocolate covered berries.

Writing.

Singing.

Anything retro minus the 80s. weird.

Hippies.

All things Woodstock.

Fried chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn, all piled high on my plate.

Zumba. Good stuff.

The good ole days of SNL.

Hanging out with my kids.

Quoting movies.

Watching movies.

Randomness. Like my cartoon here.

Music. Instruments. Music.

Candy bars. Cookies. delish.

Caramel.

Coffee.

Snuggling on the couch with whoever feels like joining me even if
it's just my book.

Reading.

My new book club with Ms. Marie.

My Reno friends.

My Vegas friends.

My friends everywhere else (like Florida and Japan).

Reconnecting with old friends, especially when it feels like we never parted.

That my kids are freaking hilarious.

Putting all the letters on ghetto slang words like freaking and hanging.

Dinner guests.

When dinner guests feel at home enough to help themselves-cause I forget.

Taco night. I miss taco night.

My large hair.

Retro glasses.

Orange juice.

Learning and going to school.

Teaching anything.

Exercising.

Dates at home.

Daytime dates while the kids are in school.

That my husband is a firefighter. And delicious at it.

The number 23.

My cell phone. Texting.

Lucky jeans.

Wild flowers. Growing and getting them.

Cows. I want to be PW when I grow up.

Mountain lakes.

Cabin life.

Dirt roads that lead to somewhere unknown.

Photography.

My husband in a teeshirt and jeans.

My husband in a cowboy hat and boots, but he won't try them on so I can make sure.

My preschooler's choice of clothes when she dresses herself. inventive.

My iPod.

Pilates.

Butterflies.

Lists. Can you tell?

Mamma Didn't Raise No Quitter

My mother and I were discussing a part of our make up that is good at and enjoys
fixing things, people, and ministries that are broken or need a boost.
Once we do our part, we move on. We aren't good at the long haul.
This got me thinking about some personal feelings I have had lately-namely fear.
A friend prayed for me a few months ago, and he told me he feels
God told him all my issues come down to fear. Being someone who feels
tough and not overly emotional on most occasions, I had to think on this one a bit.
He was right of course. Being fake tough does not equate to standing firm in God.

So, when the short Italian* (my mom) and I were talking,
I wondered if what we do would be considered quitting.
She pointed out persons we both know who show real endurance and
really stick to a cause for the long journey. I wondered if I should be
trying to be more like those people. She said no, because God has
gifted us differently. We aren't quitting, we are finished.
That is the positive side of this gift.

The flip side is- QUITTING.





After feeling really overwhelmed with everything
I need to accomplish with school, I have noticed the enemy's sly voice trying
to show me that flip side. He is subtle. Stupid, but subtle so I almost
can't hear him lying. It seems more like ideas milling around in my head.
Only, they aren't my ideas, and they certainly aren't God's ideas.
He says things like, "This is too much for me to handle, and if
I just finish my classes, I can do my student teaching at some
other time, when it's not so crazy." OR "I am nervous to do my
internship; maybe I should put it off." The funny thing about the
enemy is his ability to hide his deception right smack dab in the
middle of the good stuff. He is right: this is too much for me to handle,
I am nervous about student teaching.


Where he is wrong is when he thinks it's me who is going to change any
of that. When God helps me see how silly and stupid the devil is, I want to
give that serpent a demeaning little head pat. pat.pat.pat. Silly serpent.
Your fear has no room here.





SO I start student teaching on Tuesday. I am so excited, nervous,
anxious, and ready! Ready to not be a quitter, to depend on God to
get me through, and leaning on the knowledge that God has fully
equipped me to be the teacher I will be so soon. Nice try little guy....

*my mom really is the shortest Italian...ever.

Perspective

Isaiah 43: 2-3

Sometimes I have a difficult time keeping the proper perspective I need in order to make it through the week, day, hour, or even minute. This is one of my favorite bible passages. I have it written on the back of my name plaque I have to display every week in class.

The list of distractions the devil is trying to throw at me is lengthy, and I will save you the time of reading it. I will say that we can still very much use your prayers for peace, wisdom over decisions to come in the next few months, and whatever it takes for us to fully trust God.
When people go through tough times, many times God makes them wait and endure. Sometimes God is teaching them patience.
Other times, like for me right now,
God is asking that I put my mind on my money,
and my money on my mind...nope, scratch that.
He is asking me to put my complete trust in him. I SAY it. I THINK it.
Now he is asking me to show it.
He has called my bluff, and I have been found wanting. sigh. What do I
do to fix it? What now?

Ask for forgiveness.

Read my bible so I can get the direction I need and focus on the right things, not the craziness swirling around me.

Outsource my issues. I read an article recently that compared outsourcing jobs
to India with turning our issues over to God. I like it. I am outsourcing my issues.

Listen and obey.

Relax. This one is a tricker for me. I just can't seem to do it. Grrr.

And, finally, I am working on taking one day at a time. I should go; I feel
a song coming on.....

You Know What I Will Eat Hand Over Fist?

Healthy foods. Why don't I eat them more regularly you ask? Because I am American, and if it isn't convenient I am willing to pay more, eat worse, and skip it all together for something that is. Yes, I blame society for my chubby, junk-food, toddler belly.

OK, I don't really, but, in addition to being American, I am human, so I like to find people or things to blame for my lameness.

So, my goal for the next month is to make healthy living more convenient. Already I have made a healthy trail mix with dried blueberries, dried cranberries, Cheerios, and corn chex. I have washed and diced strawberries, washed and put into containers fresh blueberries, and cut up celery and carrots. I have chopped cauliflower and broccoli in order to easily add them to

a meal, day or night. I have made my menu list for the month, and it is

full of healthy, cheap, simple meals.

Last night's dinner was a perfect example of ease. I made cheese tortellini drizzled

with a smidgen of olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning.

I quickly steamed the already chopped broccoli for a side dish. Dinner took

15 minutes from fridge to table.

My kids ate like there may not be food at a later date.

My entire meal (not including olive oil and seasoning)

cost a mere $6 for six people. We put two servings of tortellini and broccoli into lunch

containers for the kids to take to school. They fought over who would take them.

In an effort to reduce my 4 month pregnant belly look, I am going to work

at this healthy food and Zumba at the gym as much as possible this month. I am

also doing situps and working at doing more than 4 boy pushups in a row.

Four is my limit, and then I die.

When It's Time to Pick Up the Kids

Many of you may be parents, and many of you may have weird children, and ALL of you have to run errands at some point in your lives, BUT none of you get to be parents of my weird children or run errands with my children. Sigh. What a sad life you must lead.

This is what it's like when I have to pick up my three older children from school nearly every day. First, I come prepared. Wipes for any occasion, sunglasses, tissues, trash (though I don't why I need that, I just always seem to have it!), a pen, and a notebook. I can't draw arrows, but it's there up on the right. And, no, that isn't my girl scout badge. Though, it could be; I am amazing.

I load up the babes. A minute before I took this next picture, Sam was throwing a fake fit. I say "fake" because if it were real, he wouldn't have been able to make THIS face so quickly. It doesn't last...
Because Sam thinks Addison is simply amazing, he copies her when she acts like this..
and refuses to get buckled. She also refuses to have her picture made. He mimics her naughty behavior then he falls asleep.
Once I finally get the kids, they are eager to pose for a picture. Apparently Addison is ready now as well.

Our Local WereWolf (shape shifters) Pack

Did you know that sometimes Jacob Black and his rebel rousing werewolf pack sometimes run in my neighborhood? What else are they going to do between filming?

Yes, well, they do. They run circles right around our cul-de-sac.

I have tried to get them to slow down so they can perhaps send a little message from me to EC, but they are just so fast! Not so fast that I couldn't capture how oddly red their nipples were. That must be from the dare the pack threw down to hold large pieces of ice upon said nipples until someone counted to 100. Weird, but true.

I was even able to catch this little cub hiding under the table.

See, this is what happens in Reno when the sun finally peeks its head out for a couple hours one Sunday. People go crazy and turn into werewolves.

Speaking of Frugal

I have been researching. A LOT! In addition to being cheap and easy (twss) I need to be prepped. The student teaching train is just about to leave the station, and I am feeling the pressure of suddenly being a full time working wife and mother. Yikes. Kudos to those of you who have this mastered. Please feel free to pass along your wisdom. By that I mean, since you have it all together, come over and help; don't be like some people who like to simply point out areas of my family or home that are not up to code. I don't need that sort of advice. In fact, I don't need ADVICE at all. Who doesn't know they are doing it wrong? honestly, that is hardly the issue.
Anyway, my challenge to all of you FlyLady fans, organizing nerds, and want to get aheaders:
What can you prep in your freezer for later this month? You may need to back up and make your menu first. Personally, I have been planning mine through May. This will get me through the school year, my student teaching, and almost the rest of my university classes. Once this is complete, I challenge you to take a day and prep. I have chosen tomorrow as my husband will be home, I am going to the grocery, and my kids will be around to help out a little if they want to. Here is what I will be doing:

• dice and saute 1 large pack of chicken breasts, separate, label, and freeze
• brown 2 packs of ground turkey for stroganoff and chili
• cook and shred one whole chicken, separate, label and freeze for soups and enchiladas
• brown 2 packs ground beef for tacos

That's it. That is all the meat I will need for a month because, going along with our frugal living, is many a night of meatless meals. I have scheduled meat 3 times a week. Tis all.

Let's Get it On...

No, I don't mean U&I. I mean it's time for me to get my frugal on. By that, I mean we have been Dave Ramsey followers for a few months now, starting with our own level of baby steps, then jumping in to follow Dave's baby steps. Our friend Mo is the biggest Dave nerd we have met, but his testimony is just as big. We want to be like Mo, only not dorky-or hairy-or with such supple hind parts. Those of you who know our Mo know what I mean. Supple. Anyhoo, Mo and Jo, our favorite friends, have patiently walked us through some of Dave's plan, and since, we have been able to watch God bless us unbelievably, stop using credit cards completely!! when we never thought we could, and we have enough money each month to make our bills. Or rather, we have enough faith to live like we are supposed to and watch God do the whole fishes and loaves thing miraculously each month with our oh so limited funds.
We are falling into a better routine, and though we haven't perfected our budget or even got the budget totally right yet, we have made progress each month. Each month, we have challenged ourselves to cut a little further out of our spending. Last month, we had $100 left in each of our gas fund and grocery fund. Unfortunately for our emergency fund, some unexpected bills showed up, but we can choose to look at this a couple different ways. A) we had money left over. awesome! 2) that sucks, we had money left over and had to spend it on another bill. or D) we had money leftover, and while it sucks that we had to put it toward a bill, we HAD it to put toward a bill! awesome. We are choosing door number three. Or is that D? I don't know, but one day, we are totally going to have the amazing stories to tell about our finances that our friends do. We want to be them when we grow up. For now, we will continue along our path of baby steps.
This month, I am challenging myself to lower my grocery bill. Currently, I am amazed when I get out of the store for less than $180 each week. That includes toiletries, stray school supplies, dog food, extra randomness (none of which I actually purchase at a grocery store). My new goal is to bring it down to $150 each week. That will cut our monthly bill down by $120. That's pretty decent for a family of seven and a dog and a family who rarely eats a meal elsewhere!

Why I Like Mike #26

I asked him out on a breakfast date and he said yes. He likes me...He really likes me!

This picture was taken the last time we went out of town together- just the two of us. Sadly, that was 3 years ago. Before that, 8 years had passed since we went out of town together-with a kid. Not at ALL the same. I love my children so much.

I truly love hanging out with my

children for many hours each day.

BUT I seriously need to go places with my husband, and as much as

I am looking forward to eating

at the local Squeeze In for the first time, I want to go someplace outside

of our usual 20 mile radius. Jayehs.

Homework. Sigh. Schmomework. Yawn.

I have been doing homework since 10am. It is now almost 4pm. I want this shirt. My eyes are closing.
Also my crockpot is cooking teriyaki chicken. Yum. I am going to do some more homework. Thanks for taking a break with me.

Prejudiced After All

Elbert Hubbard:
Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped.

Bill Cosby:
A word to the wise ain't necessary, it's the stupid ones who need the advice.

Muslih-ud-Din Saadi:
A stupid person should keep silent. But if he knew this, he would not be a stupid person.

Mark Twain:
First, God created idiots. That was just for practice. Then He created school boards.

In a recent discussion with family members, I realized I am prejudice after all.

It is a little uncomfortable to say it, but there are just some people that I don't

ever want to be around.

I call them stupid people.

I really cannot handle stupidity.

And for all of you who would say I am someone else's stupid person, they are

welcome not to want to be around me either.

There aren't many of them, but they are out there. The scary part is they have

no idea they are this way. How do I work with that? Sometimes I think God puts

them near me to challenge me. Which is why I say to God, "you knew I was going

to act this way when you made them get near me. Why do you keep doing this?"

sigh. Okay, I know why, but it doesn't make me any happier.

Right now the stupid people God is putting around me to toy with me are a little

group called the city council. Dorks, the lot of them, but I am working on my

rotten attitude. I trust that God is in charge of whether or not my husband gets

laid off, but is it necessary for me to have to hear them speak about it and be

disrespectful about a job my husband has literally risked his life for? Stupids.

This.Is.Me.

Does everyone feel like this at the end of college?
Is it really necessary for the devil to rear his ugliness
right now? Can anyone else see the evil trying to get through
my angels? Suck this satan. You can't get me down.
Though, apparently, you can help me keep
my priorities all sorts of wrong. DARN YOU. ratpoo.
Tomorrow is a new day. And God is forgiving




and patient

I came across a question today that startled me and got me thinking. Here it is:

If we are too busy to intentionally teach our children that absolute truths exist,
what might the consequences be?

Yikes. Then I began thinking, what happens when I look back and I forgot to
intentionally teach them about God in real, practical ways? I have done so
much with Izzy, Eli, and Layla Grace, but I know lately I have not been as frank
about things. Like beans. And what it means to love your neighbor. And what
God has planned for them...

Which one of these faces am I willing not to see in heaven? Stupid question,

I know, but that is basically what I am saying when I let day after day go by

without being in their face about how much God loves them. Tick-Tock. Time

is flying by.

Made Up Words

This morning, Layla Grace came into the kitchen and announced she had a pencil behind her ear. We all stopped what we were doing (insert cricket chirps) to turn to look at her.

Me: What? (while thinking, that's a strange thing to announce)

Layla Grace: That means I am a school-atician.

Me: lol. What's that?

Layla Grace: You know, like a mathematician, but for all of school.

The family: giggle.

I love made up words. Especially when they are used as correctly as a

made up word can possibly be used, AND when they come from my

seven-year-old. I also love that my kids are as weird as I am.

"It's just nice to find someone who shares my affinity for elf-culture."

Resolutions

So, I read a friend's blog today, and he mentioned he doesn't like to set New Year's resolutions. I am the opposite of that guy. This year, I set 14 of them. Dave Ramsey suggested we set and track goals; he also suggested that we add balance to our goals. There are seven areas, hence the 14 goals. It isn't the best system, what he has set up, but because I am smart, I am able to work it to fit my needs.

Normally, I set small, medium, and long term goals, but this time, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't think past this year. Next December, to be exact, was as far as my little brain would carry me. Probably due to the insane amount of things I am attempting even as we speak, but my goals are all significantly short term. Here is a glimpse:

I want to read to my kids at least three times each week,

I want to work out three times each week,

I want to finish my student teaching notebook,

I want to volunteer at least 4 hours each month,

I want to find a new bible study and learn something from it everyday,

I want to eat way less sugar,

I want to sell at least one thing on Craig's List at each month...

They pretty much continue like this, only they are all measurable,

realistic, and in balance with who I am called to be as a wife, mother,

teacher. Good stuff. What are your goals? I will keep you updated

on my goals.