Free

Praise the LORD, Caresse is now free from the horrible knot that has been causing so much pain in her shoulder.  The doctors were very happy with yesterdays surgery.  The plate was removed from her right knee, and the bone knot was taken out of her shoulder.  
She is in pain, of course, but happy that it is all over!  Thank you for your prayers for our family. 

Number 10 and 11

My darling Caresse will have surgeries number ten and eleven tomorrow morning.  The doctors will be removing the plate in her knee and the huge bone growth in her shoulder. 
I am so grateful for the wonderful doctors that will be taking care of her tomorrow.  They are truly gifts from the LORD!!

Christmas shopping.

A shopping day with nine children can be pretty hectic, but no more then usual! Today me and Dad are getting all of our presents together for Christmas and birthday's! Thank you all for your prayers for Keshawn's arm. He is doing much better and being as much a little stinker as always =).  Here is a pictures of him with his cast. He wouldn't smile and open his eyes for me.Haha.

  

Kalyn and Mom are still going through some problems so please continue praying for them. Below are Pictures of my three latest sewing projects, a long silk dress,

                                                                      A green peasant shirt   

And a new pillowcase with a doe embroidery.

Chickening Out?

I was almost asleep late last night when I heard Caresse say “I’m chickening out” from the chair where she was sleeping.  I mumbled something about it being to late.  Then I realized she was telling me that we didn’t get the chicken out for the slow cook meal tomorrow.  Ha-ha.  We are here and waiting for the surgery to start soon.

I Know...I’m Bragging

Caresse loves to sew, like I have said in other posts...and I hate to sew, as I have also stated!!!  Being a very “smart” home school mother, I found some wonderful books to “teach” Caresse so that I wouldn’t have to.  

One of the books (that I love), starts out “Do you fall in love with fabric?” - yes...that is Caresse.  The book is Sew What! Skirts and she loves it.  It teaches her how to make her own patterns for skirts, which she just seems to be a natural at.  
Well, she got so motivated that she sewed a SHIRT for Garett.  No patterns, except what she drew.  And, I have to brag, because I am very proud of her first shirt.  And Garett is very proud of his new shirt also.  He wore it to church today!

Now I am trying to control myself as I think of all the projects I have for Caresse.  She is afraid I am going to chain her to the sewing machine.  Can I do that?  If I feed her?  O.K., O.K.  I wont, and I may not have to if I just provide beautiful fabric for her!!!  I see an evil plan evolving....

What A Great Day

 To celebrate Caresse’s 13th, we started the day with her favorite breakfast made by daddy - pancakes, whipping cream, and strawberries.  For lunch we ate at a yummy mexican restaurant and then enjoyed a Lantern Cave Tour at Cave Of The Winds.  

 We had a wonderful time and then came home for daddy’s special steak!!  

As all parents know, it is so hard to believe how fast our children grow up.  This little darlin’ was born in our bedroom (we were blessed to birth two of our children at home), after a very difficult and life threatening pregnancy.  I have never regretted giving birth to this one, even though it was hard getting her here.  Caresse is our “Beloved Victory”, as her name means and I am so thankful to the LORD for giving her to us. 

What Was Planned Today

This little sweetheart is having her leg surgery tomorrow. She will be on crutches and restricted activity for quite some time. Sooo, I threw our scheduled school day out the window, because when it IS warm enough here in Colorado during the winter to get out, well, you just must take advantage of it! And Caresse had a good argument to skip school, she wont be able to ride bikes for a while! 

 Kiana gave the boys a ride in the wagon...Keshawn's first time in it. 
I think we was a little nervous.



A perfectly beautiful, Colorado day. 
"Elohim, renew my sense of wonder and gratitude for the things that You have made."

Update-by Caresse

Mom and Corbin are in the hospital still, we are hoping that they can get out today but Corbin might have to be on oxygen for another day or so. Everybody is doing better here at home, Garett, Kiana, Landon and me all got sick yesterday and were throwing up, well all of them but me. All us are feeling better now and we are hoping it will all pass fast. Thank ya'll for all your prayers.

I'd Love to be a fairy's child- By Caresse

I'd Love To Be A Fairy's Child

By Robert Graves

Children born of fairy stock,

Never need for shirt or frock

Never want for food or fire,

Always get their hearts desire:

Jingle pockets full of gold,

Marry when they're seven years old.

Every fairy child may keep

Two strong ponies and ten sheep,

All have houses, each his own,

Built of brick or granite stone;

They live on Cherryies, they run wild-

I'd love to be a fairy's child.

New Quilt and Bad News-By Caresse

On Saturday morning I started making a new quilt. Mom had bought a quilt making kit a long time ago and I asked her if I could make it and she said yes. Now I have never made something like this before by myself but I think it turned out pretty good.





Now for the bad news. Two years ago I had surgery on my right knee and both of my ring fingers. I had to have the surgery because I have bone growths or knots all over my body, but I had to have surgery on just those ones because they were causing problems. They could not remove all of the one on my knee because it was near the artery . Now two years later I have to have surgery on the SAME KNEE. We went to the doctor on Monday and she said that as my body grew so did the part of the knot they could not get out. So we have to go in soon to get an MRA done and then hopefully we can wait tell January to have the surgery done. Really sad about that and asking you all to pray.


P.S from the mommy...thank you for letting my daughter share her world with you all! Above is the knee with the first scar, and below is one of her fingers that is still growing crocked. Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers for us.

Herbal Butter- By Caresse

Yesterday for school we watched a herb DVD called "HOMESTEAD BLESSINGS' THE ART OF HERBS". They had some of the coolest things you could make with herbs. We decided to make some herbal butter. Here is what you need: Parsley, Oregano, Thyme, Sage and Unsalted Butter. You can buy fresh herbs in the cold part of the fruit and veggie section or at a natural food store.
Your butter needs to be soft not melted soft, but soft. We just let it sit in the sun until it got soft. Chop or cut your herbs up very small! Don't use stems in this. When your butter is soft stir it up a little and add a few tablespoons of your chopped herbs.
You can use dried herbs, but fresh herbs are better for this. Stir it all together and put it in a clean glass jar. Put lid on tightly and put in fridge over night. Spread on bread the next day and enjoy!!!!!

Parsley.
You can also put some salt or garlic salt in the butter for flavor.

Randomness and a Pie Your Don't Want To Miss

I always believe in giving the best part first...why wait, eh?


Here's the best part...I have lost weight on this bean and rice diet...come'on....did I hear a Yeahhhh!!!???

However, I am going to make up for the "loss" with this delicious recipe called Apple Cake in an Iron Skillet...oh my, you must try this...

Caresse and I didn't even wait for the ice cream...and from the "crazy look" in her eyes, you can see that you want be disappointed.

THIS is why I need another baby...do you see how big he is?

Nature journaling outside...I love it when it is nice enough to do school outside!!!



As I was diligently doing school with the others and NOT neglecting the little ones, by any means...I heard, "Mom....look!"...
"Good, job Sweet Heart, could you climb down like a good little monkey now?"


And, here is a sweet moment with my daughter...I didn't say one bad word...I promise....
see, I HATE to sew...I like to cook,
however, Caresse loves to sew!

Here is her beautiful quilt that I helped with only because she has been "pestering", well, "begging", OK, she may have had a tiny tear in her eye....ANYWAY,
I did my part to help with this beautiful quilt that SHE LOVES.


Back to what I love...

Soar Throat, by Caresse

Yesterday I got a soar throat, so I have been doing some things to help with my soar throat. Here are some things I do: get boiling water and mix 100% lemon juice and honey into it and drink this when it starts hurting and it will make it feel better. Also you can do dried Echinacea with dried lemon balm, lemon grass, or lemony mint, make a tea from it and drink up!!!!!=) the best place to get the dried herbs is http://www.bulkherbstore.com

No, me and David are not grinding one of the herbs that I mentioned but it is the only herb pic I could find. We are grinding mullein. Mullein is good for respiratory problems, allergy and hay fever, asthma and loosens mucus. It is high in iron, magnesium, potassium, and sulfur. Great herb to use with children. Combines well with Chamomile for a tea.

Piercing news by Caresse

Yesterday Kiana and I went to the mall with Mom to get some clothes for our trip to TX and I said to Mom" We could pierce our ears while were here at the mall" So we went to the place were they do it and got our ears pierced!=) So now me and Kiana have our ears pierced.

Snake Fright

Garett fond a snake under the mat outside our
garage it was so funny he lifted up the mat gave a yell and screamed " A snake, theirs a snake under that. No won eles wanted to pick it up so I did. I love snakes.

Hello its me Caresse. I have been here with my cousins and now I'm with won of Jaces friends from tonight tell tomorrow afternoon when two of my friends will be helping me watch the kids. things haven't gone to bad Aiden tore up a plant in mom's bedroom when he was supposed to be napping then he had two big fits because he was missing Mom and Dad. But other then that everything is doing fine. Well I have to get the kids in bed.

Ghostly faces

Landon

Garett

Kiana

Caresse


Kalyn's camera has this setting that makes you look like a ghost and these are some pics I took.

I'm really glad Kalyn and Mom got to go on this trip together. While they are gone it will be the first time that Kalyn has not been here to help watch the kids when Mom and Dad are both gone.

Me and my cousins will be watching the kids for three days while my Dad is gone on a buisnnes trip. So I hope we can control them. = )

My Dragon- By Caresse

My name is Caresse I am 11 years old and the third oldest. I love being outside and I like medical stuff and herbs. I also really like homeschooling because I can choose what type of subject I want to learn and I don't have to do the same things everyday. I also like being in a big family. I don't think I could be in a smaller one. These pictures are of a dragon head I made out of moon sand.