thUrSdaYs arE foR beiNG a mOmMy!

   Mr. Cancan and I have been taking Love and Logic classes for the last two weeks, to appease LW's mom. I wasn't super excited about taking this class since it is 3 hours every Wednesday for 4 weeks. Uhg! I knew I would be interested once I got there, but it's just hard to want to leave the house to take a class I didn't volunteer to take. The class is pretty great, though.
   Being the sarcastic person that I am, I'm really having fun with Love and Logic. When one of the kids does something wrong, I get to say, "Uh oh. It's so sad. So and so has to go to their room until they're ready to be sweet." I don't think it's meant to be sarcastic, but it feels that way when I say it, and it makes me happy.
   I really am just having fun learning how to be firm with my kids without having to feel angry. A lot of the techniques are ones that I've already used, but it's given me the tools that I've been missing to be a better, more calm, more collected mom. It gives us more time to have fun together as a family. My favorite thing!

YoUngEviTy oN HolD

   Gosh darn it, I ran out of Youngevity before the next shipment came in. Since I will have been off of it for a little more than a week before I'll get more, I'll have to start over. I would like to share though, I really am noticing a difference.
   I've been battling a migraine since Sunday. It came on suddenly and strongly. I hadn't had one in weeks and was so happy! On Monday, I had Mr. Cancan take me to the E.R. so I could be treated. They gave me what they call a migraine cocktail. It works wonders. I felt great when I woke up the next day, but by evening, the migraine was back. I decided to take the last bit of Tangy Tangerine and Glucogen. I felt so much better within minutes. Unfortunately, since I ran out, I haven't been able to keep treating the migraine with Youngevity. The migraine isn't horrible, but it is persistent. I can't wait for my next shipment to start feeling better.

DaY 17 oN yOunGevITy!

   I feel that I am seeing great improvement in my health. While I'm still battling a sinus infection and caught a virus over the weekend, I am doing great. Normally when I catch a virus, I am miserable. This time, I have a very low grade fever and mild headache. I haven't had a Red Bull since Saturday, but I think I might this weekend. For a person not battling viruses and infections at the start of taking Youngevity, it may seem that I'm not doing so well, but for me, I know I'm doing so much better than I normally would be. Most people see dramatic results within 30 to 60 days. I'm looking forward to day 60!

FriDaYs ArE fOR bEinG A wiFe

   This is my second go 'round at being a wife, so I'm not sure I have room to speak about being a wife. I do on the other hand have things that I've learned from both times. Most of all, I know that I love being married!

   I was married the first time when I was 21, which to the world seems young, but I've always thought it was the perfect age for me. My ex just didn't feel that was the right thing for him. We had really great highs and really horrible lows in our seven year marriage. As hurt as I was that he no longer wanted me, I'm so glad he left. It's been one of the best things to ever happen to me. 

   I do not advocate divorce. I must make that clear. I think that if there is a way to work things out, you work them out. You first try counseling. You speak with clergy. You talk to parents. You talk to people that have been divorced. You talk to people that have been married for fifty years. If you can avoid it (especially when there are children involved) you avoid it. The one problem is, you can't have a marriage with one person. If one person leaves and moves on to someone else, there isn't much you can do when they don't want to come back.

   For me, divorce was freedom. I no longer had to worry about someone else's problems. I was able to progress or digress on my own. I was given the chance to learn to be alone. I didn't have to depend on someone for my happiness. When I came to terms with the fact that I could be alone, because I never really am alone with my Savior, Jesus Christ, by my side, I could do whatever He needed me to do. Then and only then was I ready to have an amazing man enter my life.

   While Mr. Cancan isn't perfect, he sure is wonderful to me. He's patient and kind. He's loving and sweet. He's a wonderful father and my very best friend. Give me the choice to be alone or to be a wife? I will choose to be a wife every time.

WeDneSdaYs aRe FoR crAfTinG!

   I am so excited to share this post today. It's the first time I will have shared a craft with anyone who may be reading this blog. The best part of this craft is the story that goes along with it.
   When I was about 16 or 17, my mom taught me how to crochet. She had tried to teach me to knit many years before, but I wasn't patient enough for knitting. I developed a love for crochet because I could make a large afghan in a virtually short period of time. Crocheting brought me my very first long term project that I was able to finish. It was such an amazing feeling to finish something that I'd worked so hard on. I made several other afghans throughout the years that I gave as gifts.
   After completing my first afghan, I remember talking with my older brother about how I'd like to try and make one that looked like an American flag. I remember him saying, "that would be pretty cool." I was so excited because I didn't think he would think anything homemade would be cool. He is 12 or 13 years older than I am and I always wanted to gain his approval. Shortly after his affirmative remark about the idea of an American flag afghan, I began trying to figure out how to make one.
   In 1996, I started making the stars for this American flag afghan. I had 50 blue and white granny squares in my crochet basket waiting to be attached. I also started college in 1996. There I met a couple of boys that told me they thought it would be so cool to have someone crochet an afghan for them. Since I really liked one of these boys, I decided I would use these granny squares to make him an afghan instead. Well, when I finished that afghan and was ready to give this boy my heart and soul pored into a blanket, he broke my poor little heart. Luckily, I hadn't given him the afghan yet, so I gave it to the other boy instead; his roommate.
   Once again, I began the stars to the American flag afghan. Over the years I would pick this afghan up and work on it. Then I would get distracted with another project and put it down. I never gave up on this afghan, but was beginning to wonder if I would ever finish this darn thing. I really wanted to give this afghan to my brother. Given that he and I are not as close as I would like to be, it meant a lot to me to give him this gift from my heart.
   In January of this year, 2012, I picked this afghan up once again, and FINALLY FINISHED IT! It may not be much, but I can't tell you how happy I was to finish this project after 15 years. Now I'm thrilled to share it with you all. :0)

FoLLoW uP to MoNdayS pOst

   Valentines Day was amazing! I think I went just a little overboard, but it was completely worth it. Not only did the kids have a great evening, but we had a blast together as well.

 Last year I found some fun heart shaped plates at Walmart and cute plastic champagne glasses from the Dollar store. This year I found some cut cups at Walmart to add to our collection. I love how the Dollar Store has mylar balloons! I think everyone enjoyed their little gifts. It was so much fin to have all 5 of our kids and 1 of our "adopted" sons.

  Mr. Cancan surprised me with a wonderful and adorable GIANT card, flowers, and some yummy chocolate. We decided it was the best Valentines  Day ever!

MoNdAyS aRe FaMiLy DaYs!

   I'm really looking forward to tomorrow being Valentines Day. Last year Mr. Cancan and I decided to start a new tradition. Since Valentines Day often falls on a week day and it can be difficult to find sitters during the week, we are going to spend actual Valentines Day with our kids. We can do something together on the weekend.

   Last year, I went to the Dollar Store and got balloons all kinds of other fun decorations. Then I went to Walmart and got heart shaped plates and little gifts for everyone. For dinner I made a family favorite, turkey tetrazzini. (That was a favorite dish of mine that my mom would make when I was a kid.) I think everyone had a good time. I know I sure did. I can't wait to go shopping tomorrow to get everything to have another family Valentines Day dinner.

   This idea came from one of my favorite childhood memories. One year my dad went out and got all of us little gifts. We had no idea! When we went to sit at the table that night for dinner, our gifts were on our plates. It wasn't the gifts that made that night, it was that my dad went out of his way to make everything special. He didn't just spend his Valentine thoughts on my mom, he took the time to show his kids he loved us. I still have one of the gifts he gave me that night. It's something I've never been able to get rid of, because it's from one of my favorite memories. I hope I can create the same wonderful feelings and memories for my children.