Potty Training

I've been potty training for about a month now. I've never potty trained before. I tried for a day when Owen turned two and decided it wasn't for me. So my four oldest have all potty trained themselves, all at different times (Owen at age 3; Eli at age 28 months; Scout at age 26 months; Riley at 34 months). I intend to write a book someday called "How to Not Potty Train Your Child and Be a Happy, Care-Free Mama," or I could do "How to Potty Train Your Child in Four Weeks." I'm sure that will be a big seller.

Anyway, yesterday I put away the twins' little portable plastic toilets so I wouldn't have to dump their "stuff" anymore. Now they have to go in the regular toilet. Well, this morning Scout informed me that Carson went pee-pee in her doll's toilet. This toilet is four inches across and the hole is about one and a half inches across. I don't know how she managed to sit on it, but she definitely missed.

Have YOU Been Educated?

HAVE I BEEN EDUCATED?
by Carolyn Caines

If I learn my ABCs, can read 600 words per minute, and can write with perfect penmanship, but have not been shown how to communicate with the Designer of all language .... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can deliver an eloquent speech and persuade you with my stunning logic, but have not been instructed in God's wisdom.... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I read Shakespeare and John Locke and can discuss their writings with keen insight, but have not read the greatest of all books -- the Bible -- and have no knowledge of its personal importance... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I have memorized addition facts, multiplication tables, and chemical formulas, but have never been disciplined to hide God's Word in my heart .... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can explain the law of gravity and Einstein's theory of relativity, but have never been instructed in the unchangeable laws of the One Who orders our universe .... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can classify animals by their family, genus and species, and can write a lengthy scientific paper that wins an award, but have not been introduced to the Maker's purpose for all creation, .... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can recite the Gettyburg Address and the Preamble to the Constitution, but have not been informed of the hand of God in the history of our country .... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can play the piano, the violin, six other instruments, and can write music that moves men to tears, but have not been taught to listen to the Director of the universe and worship Him, ... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can run cross-country races, star in basketball and do 100 push-ups without stopping, but have never been shown how to bend my spirit to do God's will, .... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I can identify a Picasso, describe the style of da Vinci, and even paint a portrait that earns an A+, but have not learned that all harmony and beauty comes from a relationship with God, .... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I were to graduate with a perfect 4.0 and am accepted at the best university with a full scholarship, but have not been guided into a career of God's choosing for me, .... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

If I become a good citizen, voting at each election and fighting for what is moral and right, but have not been told of (or believe) the sinfulness of man and his hopelessness without Christ,... I HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED.

However, if one day I see the world as God sees it, and come to know Him, Whom to know is life eternal, and glorify God by fulfilling His purpose for me, THEN I HAVE BEEN EDUCATED!

Homemade Stuff

I've started making homemade soap, and I love it! This morning I took some older spearmint soap I made a few months ago and shredded it, and then I melted it in boiling distilled water to make liquid hand soap for our family. I hate all the junk they put in liquid soaps these days. Scout and I then made whipped body butter, with raw unrefined shea butter, jojobo oil, avocado oil, and orange essential oil. Our skin gets so dry up here, and it's much cheaper to buy in bulk and make it yourself. Next up on my list is a shampoo bar.

Happy 6th Birthday, Scouter!

I can't believe Scout is already six years old! It's amazing how fast the children are growing. Scout has been such a joy to our family. She is kind, sweet, and generous, and her greatest quality is how much of a nurturer she is. It warms my heart to see how well she takes care of Luke and Carson. She's a huge help to me in taking care of our family.

We made gluten-free ice cream cupcakes and a regular gluten-free cake. The kids couldn't tell the difference from regular cake.

Riley likes to take big bites!

We bought Scout a Baby Alive that poops and pees. I had one when I was little that went pee-pee. She loved it. She's been doing most of the potty-training with the twins, so she's already a pro at it. This Baby Alive (she named her Ruby) will be trained by one of the best!

Hah-hah....

I was trying to take some pictures of the kids today for our homestudy, and I was jumping around trying to get the twins to look at me and I fell. Eli found it quite amusing...

The Lukester

On Friday we found out that Luke has celiac disease. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, Celiac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley.

I brought him into the doctor because he just didn't look as healthy as Carson. She has little fat rolls, and he is really skinny - you can see his ribs and sternum - but yet he has a distended belly. He only weighed in at 22 pounds and he's 25 months old. I wasn't too concerned with his actual weight since Jimmy and I were thin children, but it was the way he looked.

Anyway, that explains why he's been extremely irritable for over a year now. It was so draining on me that every morning before I got out of bed I would beg God to give me the grace and patience to get through the day with him. The five other children combined are easier than he is. Poor guy - the whole time I thought he was just a big ol' grump, he was actually not feeling well.

The doctor said we should have a new boy in three weeks, when all the gluten is out of his diet. Big changes around here, where we eat a lot of homemade bread, rolls, and tortillas. Apparently if I make homemade oatmeal/millet bread, I can't even grind the oat groats and millet into flour in the grinder I have because it will have gluten residue. It's kind of like the peanut allergy - the tiniest bit whacks their system out.

It's genetic, so all of us will get tested this week. Here's a picture of Luke that I took the day after diagnosis, hopefully to chronicle how he gains weight after I change his diet!