hide-n-(sensory)-seeking

Four and a half years is a long time. There is no such thing as picking up where one left off after that long. I certainly never anticipated such a sabbatical, and that's putting a positive spin on it.  In my efforts to start writing again, I have debated and become paralyzed (which in turn made me put off any blogging for an additional year or so) about whether to restart blogging here or start up entirely new. Truth is I can't decide, so I'm going to try both. All three actually, since I also desperately want to continue my book blog as well.  Three blogs for three passions. This one for family happenings. The book blog for book reviews. And a new one for my other writing projects. I'm working hard at getting some things ready for submission for publication so I'd like to have a site to build that platform on.  It's somewhat overly ambitious, I know. Am I well enough to manage it? Let's just say there are going to be bumps along the way. I'...

A brief post about how well Kitty Bitty is doing.  Since Winston the Servicedoodle joined our family, we have seen some miraculous changes from our sweet girl! The biggest have happened in the last three weeks. One, she is now sleeping on the bottom bunk!! Not in our room!! I cannot even begin to explain how huge this is. Number two has to do with number two, and number one, as in she is out of diapers during the day!!! It took us until four and three-quarters, but hip hip hooray! She is a potty master! Mostly, she still has the occasional accident. I don't care, I'm so proud of her!! She is learning to use Winston for many things, and her desire to socially interact has exploded! She regularly talks to and plays with the other kids at the Kingdom Hall before and after our weekly bible meetings. When we have had company over, or been to events or other's homes, she engages so much sooner and her conversations are so much more natural, instead of short, gru...

Welcome to Fresh Brewed! Each week, if I can, I will write about a topic that relates to families. Then, at the bottom of the post is a Linky Tool so that you can link up your posts related to the topic for the week. It doesn't have to be a new post from the past week, if you have written about it in a previous post, link it! The topics will be broad enough to encompass many avenues of thought, but do please only post related posts. Opinion posts are welcome, but not bashing ones please. Please keep it respectful. There may be posts with vastly different viewpoints, or addressing points on vastly different areas of the topic. That's fantastic as every family is different and struggles with different circumstances. If you are not a blogger, but you have an interesting article to share, or read something another blogger posted, please feel free to leave a link in the comments section of the weekly post and a short description of how it relates to the topic.  Fresh Brewed W...

Here is another treasure from the backfiles. This started as an act of desperation on my part, I just needed her to be occupied so I could finish something, but it quickly became one of her favorite activities. If you have a chalkboard (we made ours on a half wall with chalkboard paint), all you need is a paintbrush, sponge, or washcloth, and a cup of water. Dip the brush in the water and have at it! Kit LOVES how the water turns the board black. So often, she will be at this so long that by the time she gets across the board, the first area she painted will be dry and a fresh pallet once again. You can get creative with the things you use as paintbrushes, but she has been completely happy with our basic art brushes from Walmart. I love watching her do this.

So I was going through old drafts, "cleaning house" so to speak, and I found this precious gem that got left behind. It was just the pictures, I hadn't written anything with it yet, don't even remember what if anything I was going to. Several things I love about these pictures.  One, she has baby hands and toes in them, her hands and feet are growing and looking like big girl feet lately, and usually have several colors of fingernail polish on alternating nails.  Two, the dress in these pics doesn't fit her anymore, but, we have the exact same dress in a size 5, which heartbreakingly, does not look as gigantic on her as it feels like it should.  Three, she still runs barefoot everywhere...at least some things haven't changed.

I know, I know...It's about time!! Well, here you go. A very picture heavy, explanation light catch-up post. Our handsome boy at five months old! He's a year now, can't believe it! Kit loves her matching necklace! Helping Kitty Bitty through a thunderstorm. He whizzed through Puppy Two class at only 7 months old! Story time and snuggles. Just dozing at IHOP. Snuggling on Mama's feet watching Kit jump at a bouncy house park. Winston's "You gonna give me french fries?" face. The blue strap across his nose is something many people ask about. It is called a "Gentle Lead". It is exactly like the bridle on a horse's face, but without any kind of mouth bit. The lead goes around his muzzle and be hind his ears where it clips securely, but he can still eat, drink, yawn, and bark if necessary. The leash clips on u...

"It's not the fall that kills you." We've all heard this line. (Especially us Sherlock fans!!) I completely agree. It's not the fall that kills me. It's the summer. The unyieldingly hot, suffocatingly humid, seemingly endless Deep South summers. This past one, I experienced the worst mental emotional collapse I have ever had. I lost almost all function as a person. I was on the brink of a very ugly precipice. With the last possible energy I could muster, I asked for help. And help came. Well, I went to it really. I was referred to a psychiatrist, after a couple visits and some medicine trial and error, she is helping me get back on track. Away from the precipice, and up and moving like a person again. A very slow person, but a person again nonetheless. My battles with depression over the years were even less under my control than I had ever realized. It wasn't something I could fix on my own. I didn't know the ...