Off to NEVERLAND!!

And we are off!!

It has been a rough week. Sawyer and I have had the flu. I have major neck and shoulder pain. And its raining... lol.

Nothing Disney can't fix, right?! ;)

I am using the app so pictures of the past week, as well as vacation shots, will need to wait. Ttfn!!!

Exciting stuff!

Exciting stuff has been happening around here!

Earlier this week I got my first doTERRA essential oil kit! I am completely brand new to the role of essential oils. And being someone without a sense of smell its going to be a very interesting learning experience.

I long to help my family in any way I can. Particularly though I would like to be able to help my son. I feel like it is so much worse than terrible 3, or whatever. He can be so sweet at times, but he is very defiant at times, and can act much like a monster . I just don't know what to do. I homeschool, so I am with him all the time. I have been putting Balance and Serenity on his soles, what else should I try? I have the physician's kit, as well as wild orange, vetiver, balance, serenity, and slim and sassy. I tried to take him to a playgroup and he was so awful, not only was it embarassing, he can't make friends. I am so sad and aching for him, and honestly, me, too. Our whole house suffers a bit from his behavior. We are going on vacation end of next week and I really want to be able to enjoy myself.  so please say a little prayer for us and feel free to offer up any essential oil advice for a newbie!

So I have been messing around with oils and trying to figure out what works. The good news is I found something that works very well for me yesterday with my stress and what not from what's going on.

In other exciting news my stove is supposed to be taken in to be repaired today! Which means I should be able to have my oven back very soon!!

So Red it is!!!!

Yep! We settled on the red Excursion!

Moving things around. There is the wonderful Lewis family!

Pee Pie through the new windows!

Last good byes...

We traded the jeep and now have a shiny Excursion in the driveway. :)

I cannot say enough good things about Lewis Motors! Shannon and Rachel REALLY know their stuff! I learned so much by chatting with Rachel about Diesels that I had NO clue about! And I know she loved playing with the baby! :) And their boys are so well mannered. We really felt like old friends by the time we left yesterday.

We left and headed to my mom's to pick up Gabriel and Isabelle.

How cool is it that all THREE of my children fit in one row!? In my van, poor Gabriel sat in the back row by himself.

It was a late night, we didn't get home until about 10PM.

Today, I finally got to put in the new Mickey Mouse clubhouse DVD I got for the boys last week. Sawyer is REALLY into MM right now!!! It is so cute how he points to every Mickey he sees. He especially loves dancing to the MMCH theme. Well, I just couldn't resist snapping these of Sawyer watching today! :)

Been awhile since I posted a meal picture! Tonight I made what was supposed to be a Delicata Squash Sautee, but turned out to be more of a Stew! It was DELISH! Served over a bed of lentils, full of bright colors, loaded with nutrition!! It's one for my book!!

That's all folks! Tomorrow I will have a special post about something new and exciting I am trying in my home! I have been antsy for days! Well tomorrow Fedex will deliver my new doTERRA oils! I. Can't. WAIT!

Night and God Bless!!

Can't life be uncomplicated for awhile??? Please?

Since Matt usually works nights and since he hit a deer a couple of months ago and shattered a headlight, he has grown accustomed to taking my car to work. At first he would worry about leaving me home without it (it is the only vehicle EVERYONE will fit in, though we have 5, including my husbands "toys", 2 antique Kaisers), but I would reassure him all would be ok. It has worked out well. And while we have been car shopping on and off for a couple of months, he has planned to keep the van to drive to work (likely trading the Jeep that is dangerous). It's a win- win!

Right?!

Well it was, anyway.... Until yesterday morning.

While pulling out of the parking lot yesterday, with a dew covered (brand new) windshield and a glaring rising sun, refracting on the mist and windows, Matt "bumped" a Dodge pick up in the rear at about 10 MPH. While no one was hurt, and the guy had a minor bit of bumper damage, my car, which slid under the truck, had to be towed home!

Look!!!! My windshield is ok!!!!!

:(

And with us leaving for vacation in 2 weeks.

Now, we had been car auto shopping on and off for awhile. Even to past couple years, keeping our eyes out for a 7.3 diesel Excursion. See, after loosing Levi, we won't "DO" little vehicles. The mini van was pushing it to begin with. Even more so now, seeing how it holds up in a minor fender bender!!! Over the past month we have also tested out the 4 door F250 and recently considered the LARGE conversion van, E250. The only downside of the E250 is rear wheel drive... :( There is an Excursion near Chicago we were making plans for (if you don't already know, Matt avoids IL like a plague, so this was something to find!)

First things first! We had to clean up the jeep and get a tire aired, the battery charged, renew the registration, add it to insurance, etc.... All while being thankful that my mom took the the older kids Thursday, because we have NOTHING all 5 of us fit in.

Playing while at the carwash

Turns out we had to be a new battery.

Finally, about 2PM, Matt and I went to lunch, starved, jeep as clean as it was getting, much more comfortable to ride in! While there we looked through car ads and talked about where to go first. By chance, Matt remembered his cousin mentioning a little, tiny, lot in Daylight having an F250. I pulled up their website, Lewis Motors, and found they had 2, TWO!, Diesel 7.3 Excursions!!! They are almost impossible to find!!

By the time we FINALLY got there, the husband and wife team at Lewis Motors showed us both fantastic vehicles!! The green one, I liked better (we aren't a big red- loving family), it had about 60k less miles, seat warmers (ohhh!! that was nice on my sciatica!), and installed DVD. It also had a few blemishes, though (to be fair, the Lewis' just got it and it was in the garage still for clean up), and, frankly, didn't drive as nice. So right now we are leaning more toward the burgundy. We have plans to meet the Lewis' at the lot at 9, this morning.

Me driving the Green one!

Could this be my new car?! Do you see a trip to FL in the future??

A little note, Lewis Motors opened in 1954, started by Shannon Lewis' father. This husband and wife duo make this small lot and off-road conversion business a family affair and are wonderful to work with and pleasant to be around! We enjoyed their company for a couple of hours last night! :) And Rachel certainly seemed to enjoy the baby time!!


Meanwhile, I think Matt and my step Dad are going to fix the van so we can continue to drive it (Matt to work and keep some miles off the new vehicle).

I will let you know what happens today later on!!! God bless!

Fall has been beautiful!!

So far Fall has been beautiful here in Southern Indiana. A bit of storms, but mostly sunny and cool!

Early last week marked the 6 year anniversary of loosing our son, Levi. He was not quite 17 mo (only a week after an amazingly memorable 10 day Disney World trip, which is a good reason we go back so often...To remember the magic...)  when a careless driver ran a red light and smashed into our car, taking him from us. Our lives are forever changed and we miss him daily.

Mommy Loves You Little Man!!! <3 <3 <3

I have been trying very hard to add more "movement" to my days (exercise :) ). The weather has been perfect for it and I REALLY need to loose some weight! Matt and I have been doing some weight lifting, too, and I hope to start c25k again, soon! I just need to be a bit more diligent. I am adding more paleo meals to our menu plans, in effort to cut some bad carbs. Gotta a favorite recipe???

On a recent leisure stroll Gabriel picked some lovely wildflowers. He was so proud!

Over last weekend, we headed to Kentucky. It was youth season for deer, so Matt took Isabelle hunting. We weren't blessed with a harvest, though, this time, anyway. But instead of driving back and forth (1.5 hrs+ each way), Matt rented a small (very small) cabin, and we all went!! It was fun in some aspects, but the cabin was pretty small. Wish there had been outdoor space for the kids to play, but we did have a porch!

The Ohio river as viewed during a drive with the boys about 8 am Sat. They were both asleep.

Yep, Sawyer was passed out, too! That's what happens when Daddy's alarm wakes everyone up at 5:30! :P

Sawyer being adorable in our cabin!

Trying to figure out how to get down. He understood the feet first concept, but those extra inches scared him!! He "dangled" like that a good 5 min!!!

And in recent preschool activities, we have learned "F" is for FALL!!!

 

Which included some play time in this beautiful weather today with our PEACE friends! Sawyer was movin and groovin.His hair is getting quite shaggy. He doesn't have the natural curl Levi did. Only 17 more days until his first haircut!

Isn't this sweet!? :)

Night all and God bless!