Otis Sidekicks

Some things are very similar, the way I cook, the days I clean and how I respond to stress. When things get overwhelming I clean, I cook and I pray. I would like to work on reversing that order:) Some things have changed. We have a lot more laundry, it is just a fact with eleven people I need to wash clothes and rags daily. One trick we have for health is we have a drawer of washcloths next to the sink and small towels in baskets in our bathrooms. Those are washed daily so any germs do not have a chance to live on with sponges or towels used by so many hands. This trick has worked for years but requires being on top of the laundry. I also have found I have had to cut back on any commitments that require me to be solo. If mom is gone for a few hours it's hard on everyone. Dad is 100% capable but needed specifically for patching drywall (this has been a skill used far to often lately, little boys who love sports get bigger! Our basement should be a full on gym) math help and one ...

Communicating with teens can be frustrating because their own ideas and needs are so paramount. Having six from 10 to 15 in the house right now, we are loving the new personalities forming and finding new struggles. The glasses of self, filter out others more often then we would like. What I have seen lately with our teens is they often WANT to do better but do not have the tools. The first response might be frustration, but if we meet them with patience the outcome is so much better.  If the teen is feeling like something is not fair, figuring out why he feels that way is step one rather than telling him our totally reasonable request. Logic, does not calm a teen down. Listening often does. We like the below re phrasing, found from a foster care resource "Teach Love" gives specific ideas. Times we try to think outside the box and look for new ways to communicate we are usually met with MORE respect and understanding from our teens.  Lastly, humor is the best diffuse...

Having adopted three of our children, given birth to five and now fostering a baby girl, I love the quote from Judy landers above. I have found motherhood has pain and sweetness in each day. The ability to be a "good mother" has much more to do with doing my best than striving for perfection. I have made mistakes but the best connection with my children seems to be when we heal together after something hard. Expectations for a test that is failed bring out stories of my own failures, the kids open up about why something is difficult. We grow so much more on those days than on the A+ celebrations (those are fun too:) Foster care is a privilege and a journey that is bringing our kids together in laughter and service. Cleaning up the floor in seconds as she crawls along, running a blanket up to mom, being quiet after baby is in bed and making silly faces at each other. It has been sweet and kind, the energy that joined us. There have been hard days, too much laundry, all 9 ...

Thankful Poem Thankful for noise, because it means children are in the house. Thankful for needing to budget, it makes the treats more meaningful. Thankful for cold to remind me of the beauty of all the seasons and the warmth of a roaring fire.  Thankful for too much to eat, when I know how many go without. Thankful for family fights, with out the fights we would not have the humor of our token ice breakers.  Thankful for mess, I de stress cleaning.  Thankful for mess, it means creativity, good food and make believe. Thankful for scratched floors, it means chairs were dragged to make a fort. Thankful for my husband's cracked hands, it means he has been working hard to support us. Thankful for my softer hands in means hours of hands coated in vaseline inside kitchen gloves scrubbing off the nourishment from the night before. Thankful for hours of laundry, I always wanted a big family. Thankful for crazed S...

The highlight was Grandma Boo's skeleton made entirely of vegetables, it rocked! We carved pumpkins because wonderful neighbors gave us 9 from their garden. We roasted the seeds and had fun creating shapes, mom and dad can't help anyone so it was time intensive but they were so proud of their cats, minions and monsters.  Banana created a "stick" man with neon glow sticks, J-L was a prison breakout, Big M was captain America and even went to a party with Miss Captain America! Great was a zombie skeleton, don't take his candy! Little M was "Michael Jordan Zombie" and Miss D was a fancy skeleton! Little Lu was brave and had a blast using her costume over the last month.  Annual 8 Captain America x2 The other fun tradition that we made up when the oldest was a toddler is that the Great Pumpkin comes and eats all the candy and leaves a gift for each child. I had never actually seen the Charlie Brown special and totally messed up the idea ...

https://shop.keysforkids.org Today Lu, Grandma Boo and I, went on a treasure hunt for a used piano. I have wanted for a long time to have music lessons, but with life and sports we have not been able to make it happen. One of my prized memories of the holidays is that my mother could always get us started with "Joy to The World" on the piano. Now with budding singers, and kids who want to learn, it was time to find a piano. In true Otis fashion we decided to find something used but fabulous. We found Keys4Kids on Grand Ave in Saint Paul, thanks to Grandma Boo. The sales person was lovely, so kind and even added on a stool because I was worried not enough kids could sit side by side on the piano bench. There are also pieces of pianos and wonderful wood for sale and they will barter if you buy other items. I found a great piece of wood I am hoping to have Sheff add hooks to, you could also create a headboard with box springs. Now to find a teacher to come to our home!...

  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Galatians 5:22 September is a month that is well loved. The images of apples, football cheers, leaves, rosy cheeks and new school supplies. As excited as every parent is to see their children hop on the bus, there is also the anxiety that comes with the new school year.  This week we have tryouts for a new season of sports mixed in with orientations for 7 of the 8, football games and the start of skating lessons! It is a week of juggling and re booting homework systems in the midst of frantic schedules. We are happy, we are full and we are moving...quickly. The pace of September concerns me. I want to grab it by its jersey and tackle the month down to the ground, stop the play! Let us savor this gift of season change and new starts. Along with the happy excitement comes the nagging anxiety. The kids have new friends...