but you're just a boy

i have discovered that q is an avid beyonce fan. no really its kind of creepy. his favorite is "all the single ladies". he can be in the worst grump and all i have to do is put that video on and he gets this hilarious grin on his face and starts to coo. he's getting so big so fast. monkey starts piano lessons tonight, and i think she's excited about it. last week was rough. the hubby was in Orlando for training, and all the kids got sick. the night he gets back, i get sick, where is the justice? I've been working hard on the baby blanket, although it's going to be more of a coverlet than a blanket. i still need to get some buttons, so i can finish my owl. q is napping, so time is short. on to the thankfuls. I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. the diaper genie- seriously q is eating a lot of solids, and the smell is horrible. the genie keeps all the gross locked away.

2. the capacity for kindness: some people have such an overflowing of love and kindness that it catches on to you and won't let go.

3. real friends- while driving to town i heard the country song "you find out who you're friends are". it is easy to be a friend when the road is smooth and the sun is shining brightly. i am truly grateful to have several friends that have been and will be there when i need them.

4. good coffee- i love a good cup of coffee, and lately i have been enjoying more than usual.

5. the internet- what an amazing thing it allow us to communicate with family far away without spending a fortune.

6. good food- yeah i didn't get looking like this because i don't like food.

7. my kids- weeks without the hubby are always difficult, but the kids are so helpful and loving.

8. hot tea- it was the only thing that helped my cough this past week.

9. free crochet patterns- so many awesome cute things i want to make.

10. nap time- ah peace and quiet for a little while anyway.

i want to thank those of you who held my friend up in prayer last week. she has found a way to make a new start, and the sun is shining in her world again. i ask for you to keep my mil in your prayers, her older sister passed away this week. please keep the family in your prayers. i hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. i hope to update on my other blogs this weekend so check in and see.

calling all angels

i have a friend who needs help desperately. she is in norfolk, va. she needs some luggage to borrow and a ride to the bus station. please i beg for your help.

it could've been love

i hope this blog finds you in good spirits. we here at the finch house are doing well.

maybe a bit crazy, but not too bad. her heiness loves to snuggle with her brother. she actually just loves to snuggle and he does it so well, that he is her person of choice for now.

my models for the cookbook picture for my cooking blog. can you believe how big the kids are getting.

cvc1 thought it would be fun to snuggle with q, so she climbed into his ride. he thought this was great and began to hug and kiss her, yeah already.

when she tried to get down he didn't want her to go, so he held on as tight as he could. she did escape from his clutches no fear.

cvc2 flashed a big grin and squealed cheese because i had the camera out. isn't she cute. i can't believe how big the twins are getting. we had a great time over at the house of pattylicous. another yummy pizza night. i realize i have missed several thankful Thursdays this past year, so i will do my best this year to do a better job. I AM THANKFUL FOR:

1. the snow- we don't get a lot, but man do the kids love what we get.

2. my salvation- i know it isn't the popular thing to do, but when have i ever done what was popular

3. the people who love me- i don't know how you do it, but I'm sure glad you do

4. the people who don't- you have taught me that no matter how hard i try, there will always be those that live to bring others down

5. adult time- i don't get much of it, so i cherish what i do get. i know there will come a time when i miss all the business, so i am doing my best to enjoy it as much as i can

6. my husband- last year was a very...growing experience for us. a new child, a new job, and a few setbacks. we have come out stronger, tighter and more in love.

7. God- without whom i would not be here. i can honestly say "but by the grace of God go i"

8. my family- you have taught me that no matter how right i think my choices are, you will always "know better" even if you don't, and i don't have to listen

9. prayer- i don't know where i would be without it. thanks for all of you who have helped get me where i am

10. the ability to let go- of hurt and anger, love that is poison, friends who are bad for you, and sometimes those you are bad for.

thanks to those of you who still stop by here. i have amazing things planned for the coming years. God is working. there are discussions of a new house, a new town, a new child, and a new job. we will see what the decade ahead will hold. this last one brought so many changes that have helped strengthen me and my faith. it's late and i have a busy week ahead so have a good one, thanks for reading and God bless.

help me believe in anything, cause i wanna be someone who believes

as promised some pics. thank you to those who have already taken a peek at my new blogs. things around here are busy as usual. school has started back, the hubby is going to be in Orlando next week for national sales training. last year was a bit trying for us as a family, but anytime you add a new member things change a bit. i took a crochet class from September through December and i really enjoyed it. i would like to say that they taught me how to do amazing things, but it was a self paced and by default self taught class. most of the other students had been crocheting for years, so if i needed help i could ask. this spring will bring a new nephew and a new niece to the family. my mom has retired and i wonder what changes for her and us that will bring.

monkey is getting so tall. she is really beginning to look more mature everyday. her heiness is still pooping in her panties, argh. she loves preschool and is learning all kinds of fun things. q is getting big. he is officially scooting and nearly crawling. he has two teeth on the bottom, and has tons of teeth bumps on top.

Christmas was wonderful. we have a spending cap on gifts, so the gift giving is never extravagant at our house. we try to keep the focus on Christ and family. the tamales were unbelievably good as usual. we made up three different salsas this year because we have discovered my eczema is aggravated by tomatoes. my father is highly allergic to them, so i guess i should be grateful. we have had more snow so far than we did all of last year. nothing like the east coast is getting, but we don't have the same moisture they do. below is q with her heiness in his first snow. he was very curious about the cold stuff on the ground.





this is our tree. the girls decorated it this year. the gold ornaments are the same age as monkey. we got them for our tree her first Christmas.


the family picture that i always take at Christmas. aren't they the sweetest things ever. her heiness is at the age where making faces for the camera is tons of fun. if you check out the food blog you will notice she is modeling in most of the pics. she is my picture lover.


i hope that this year brings tons of joy, love and happiness to everyone. did i mention we went to see my dad? we had a great time and the kids were completely enamored with him. i hope to be able to blog every evening, but we'll see what next week brings as a solo parent.

o bring us some figgy pudding

i wanted to let anyone who still reads this know that i am doin an exlporation of my vast cookbooks on another blog. i plan to blog on my personal, cooking and craft blogs daily. the only way i will be able to do this is to do it in the evening when the wee finches are sleeping. i hope everyone had an amazing christmas. we had a semi-white christmas. i will blog about it and post pics this evening.

I'll be home for Christmas

sorry for the lack of blogs, who knew having 3 kids would make things so busy around the house. things here are....good. her heiness has decided that being potty trained is highly overrated, so after 6 months of being so awesome she has decided to poop her pants again. this is worse than irritating. she doesn't pee in her pants, just poops, and i should mention not when she is at school either. as soon as she gets home she runs to find a place to poop in private. argh. monkey has decided that she thinks it is fun to lie to us. yeah, it isn't going very well for her. i keep trying to let her know that we know when she's lying, but alas she doesn't believe me until after i have given her a chance to come clean and she doesn't. well that's enough complaining for one day.



on to happier things like...oh q is trying desperately to crawl it's quite humorous. her heiness is learning the pledge, nothing is as cute as listening to her try to say it. monkey turned 10 and has her Christmas program in about an hour. we went and saw my dad in the land of chili, peppers not the country. things are starting to stir. the hubby is sleeping with the q this morning, and her heiness is still out. just a small moment of peace in the house.



i wanted to ask all of you to take a moment this holiday to think about the kids who are going without. I'm not gonna bust into a rendition of "do they know it's Christmas" no fear. most of you know that i spent a chunk of my childhood in a children's home. Christmas was always a interesting time. we always got to spend it back home with the family, but that just helped you realize that you weren't there the rest of the time. in fact the only Christmas i spent alone was when i was in college, but that's a story for another time. take a moment this holiday season and say a prayer for the forgotten kids. you probably have a few in your church or neighborhood. you never know how you will impact a child's life for the better. a big thank you to all the "adopted" parents i have had over the years, and to my friends who shared their families with me. okay enough mileage on memory lane today. forward keep moving forward.



after monkey was born we decided that the holiday would be celebrated at our house. we always do a huge tamale feast. we make homemade tamales, refrieds, tortillas, salsa, and sangria. we invite anyone who doesn't have plans. so here is your invite. if you find that you will be celebrating solo, or just want some great chow, make your way to the town without a frown and we would be delighted to spend our holiday with you.



i hope everyone has a blessed holiday, and i will post pictures. take some time to tell the people you love what they mean to you. thanks for reading and MERRY CHRISTMAS.

when troubles like sea billows blow

what a month this has been so far. one of my dear bloggy friends is having...a very difficult time and needs your prayers. it isn't my place to share her troubles and pains, but she needs prayers for peace, strength, and love. some of our dear friends who were getting ready to go into the missionary field have hit a bump in the road. the husband has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. the doctors think that it is treatable and he will begin treatment on monday. we are going to be traveling to the austin area for thanksgiving. sorry this is so short i have christmas gifts to finish by next week.