Our Small World: A Mom's View

Stocking Stuffers and Christmas Gifts

2011-10-30T17:59:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let you in on a great place to get some inexpensive handmade lovelies for your friends and family! Oh, and let's not forget teachers!

I've been busy filling orders and stocking my etsy shop and it's been a lot of fun! Looking forward to adding some new items soon!

Please stop by and take a look! Click on the shop name above or check out some of my items in the right sidebar!

Thank You, God, for Blessing Me: a book review

2011-09-22T09:47:00.000-07:00

In this adorable book, by Max Lucado, Hermie the Caterpillar shows little kids how they can be thankful for everything. I love how he thanks God for his bed, his food, his friends, and everything. My three year old loved this book. I've already had to read it several times and we just got it today.

Max Lucado never disappoints with his wonderfully illustrated children's books. I really appreciate his recurring emphasis on God and how he reminds us that even little children can have a significant understanding of who God is and how He is present in their everyday lives.

Highly recommend this book. It would be a great baby gift or birthday gift for a toddler.

Story Engineering: A Book Review

2011-07-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

I recently read 'Story Engineering' by Larry Brooks for a book review for Thomas Nelson Publishers and it was really informative and full of helpful information. I like how he laid out the points in 6 steps. It made a lot of sense and reminded me of being in English class way back when. While I haven't attempted to write (to be published), I believe this method that Larry spells out for us in the book would be helpful and a good structure to follow. According to him, following his method for writing would leave out the need for drafting your story over and over, and would take you straight to the finish line. While that would be ideal, I am not sure everyone could do that. I did appreciate the six core concepts and liked the way he brought out each point. The explanations were sufficient, although I got a little overwhelmed with how it went on and on. I felt that with fewer words the same points could have been made.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and if I do ever try to write for publishing, I will definitely go back to this book for the help in getting there.

Vacation

2011-06-27T10:51:00.000-07:00

We were on vacation last week and it was great! We spent hours on the beach and swimming in the pools. That was our goal and we accomplished it. The girls loved every minute of it and they were totally worn out every night. We did other stuff, too.

Visited St. Augustine
Ate frozen custard

Played mini-golf

Went to see Cars 2 (we are big Mater fans!)

and rode a ferry
to tour this fort.

I'd say it was a pretty full week, but we feel rested and relaxed. Another great vacation and already looking forward to our next adventure...whatever that may be!

Good Ol' Summertime

2011-06-01T11:26:00.001-07:00

Where I live it has already felt like summer for over a month. HOT, humid, really hot are just a few adjectives I could use to describe what is making my hydrangeas droop out on the back patio. The girls and I have been having a big time already and school isn't even officially out until tomorrow at noon. But, we've had fun. Like today, for instance, we got up bright and early and got the big sister off to school. Then, C & A and I loaded up and took a little trip to the Dub-Ya (Wal-mart, Walmarts, Wally World, whatever you want to call it). I enjoyed walking around in the A/C while pushing the girls in the brand new kiddy cart...
We interrupt this blog post for an important, unpaid advertisement....the new kiddy carts at my Wal-mart are awe.some. They are not the normal 'race car' looking cart that are nearly impossible to steer. They are not the 2-seaters that leave the child practically hanging on for dear life. No, they are like a bench seat for 2. Plenty of room for them to sit comfortably without a big partition in the middle of them. And the best thing about them is that they are super easy to steer and push through crowded aisles. And you get a bonus workout just by pushing all that weight. Now, back to the regularly scheduled blog post.
Anyway, as I was saying, it's been an eventful day. After we got home and unloaded the groceries, I did some laundry and then it was time to go back out and pick up big sister from her 1/2 day of school. I might just shout hallelujah when I pick her up tomorrow from her last day of school. We have a lot of fun things planned for the summer, but we are looking forward to being able to relax a little bit, too. Big sister will be doing a math club and a reading club over the summer, middle sister will be doing a reading club and some unofficial math stuff and little sister will be along for the ride. We are all looking forward to a nice, relaxing family vacation, too. I think that may be the highlight of our summer.

2011-05-16T16:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a great day. It started out like a normal Monday with the ever-so-unwelcome-and-rude-awakening by the alarm clock. You know how I hate alarm clocks. Yesterday was no different. Actually I had woken up at 5:30am thanks to motherly instinct. I just knew something was up and it turned out that our 3 year old's bedroom light was on. So I did what any normal mother would do and I woke Hubs up and said, "She has her light on!" as though it was an emergency. {Because everything is an emergency in the middle of the night. And yes, the middle of the night is anytime between the time I go to bed at night and the time I'm suppose to wake up.} And because he's not exactly coherent after being awakened from a deep sleep, he didn't think twice about it, and jumped out of bed to see what was going on. Turns out she couldn't find her little plastic Woody (Toy Story) ring. He found it for her and she went back to sleep after she blew him a big, loud kiss that sounds like "Mmwhaaaa!" An hour later we got up and went through the morning rush to get ready, make breakfast, dress kids, pack lunches, etc.
Once Hubs had left and the younger kids were fed, I got a very unusual burst of energy and did about a week's worth of chores in about 4 hours. It was awesome. Whatever it was, I need more of it. I did 4 complete loads (wash, dry, fold/put away) of laundry. Completely gutted and re-organized the laundry room (Hubs is making me a craft station in there!), decluttered the linen closet (major undertaking), reorganized the pantry (another major task), cleaned #1's pig sty, er, I mean room and then shampooed the whole upstairs carpet. (#1 would have had to clean her own room, but I needed to throw away and get rid of a lot of stuff in there while she was gone to school - and get everything off her floor so the carpet could be cleaned...she was completely shocked when she got home!) It was a very productive morning. My #2 & #3 girls played all day together...nicely...and that helped me get so much done. They are two peas in a silly pod, let me tell you. When they are together they are all about having fun and belly laughing. It is so fun to hear them play. Later we had a routine visit to the dentist for the big girls and #3 wore her fairy dress to the dentist. That brightened up everyone's day in the office. I didn't let her wear her plastic high heels for safety's sake, but I just love hearing the pitter patter of plastic high heels clanking along on my kitchen floor. It makes me smile and think of the days that me and my sister would dress up in my mom's old clothes (from the 70's). It was so much fun.

Today while I was shampooing the downstairs carpet, my youngest was following me along with her pretend vacuum. She loves helping me clean and I'm not about to discourage it...even if she is walking on the wet parts that shouldn't be walked on. That's not important and I'm trying to focus on what is really important. Quality time with my youngest who won't be this young for long is important. The carpet won't last nearly as long as the memories we share together and I want our memories to be fun and happy ones, not memories of me being frustrated over wet carpet. These days with my kids are very precious and I wouldn't trade them for anything. (Remind me of this in a few weeks when summer is in session and the kids are bored and fighting.)

Lastly, we have been so encouraged and challenged by the great truths and principles we're being taught at our church. These last several weeks have been great times of spiritual growth for us and I so appreciate being a part of a church that unashamedly preaches and teaches the truth of God's Word the way it is meant to be preached. We are so blessed to be in the church God has placed us in. We shared last night with our kids something we discussed in Sunday School on Sunday about making the right choices every day. It was so very practical and easy for even the children to understand and we have already seen them apply what they learned last night. It's very encouraging to us as parents when we see our kids learn to apply the truth of God's Word to their lives. That's what it's all about!

A Weekend Full of World History

2011-05-02T10:39:00.000-07:00

Friday morning began a weekend of world history that unfolded right before our eyes. I hope you didn't miss it! I certainly didn't get up at 4 am Friday to watch the Royal Wedding, but I most certainly DID DVR it. I wouldn't have missed it for anything! I remember Princess Diana getting married and how the world witnessed the whole event. It was beautiful and a major event in the history that I can actually remember. I'm no history buff, {that's my husband} but there are certain historical events that really interest me. The royal family is one. Even though I don't understand their entire role, etc. I am intrigued by them. Visiting London several years ago only heightened my interest in them. So, there was no way I or my family was going to miss this wedding of Prince William and Princess Catherine. Hubs and I watched a 6-part documentary on it during last week and then the wedding just topped it off. I thought the whole thing was beautiful and it was great to witness. Some on Facebook were appalled at those of us who were actually watching it, but it is an event that I will always remember. I hope you didn't miss it!

Then, last night before Hubs and I were headed to bed, I saw on FB that Osama Bin Laden was dead. In a matter of minutes, tons of posts about it were up. So, we turned the TV back on and waited for Obama to address the nation. What a huge victory for the USA! I am so proud of our military men and women who work so hard every day to protect our great country. That is no small sacrifice. {Warning: Soap Box Speech ahead!} I read post after post on FB about this great justice that has been served to someone so violent and full of hate toward the free world. Some were humorous, but then came the 'self-righteous' posts from fellow Americans that started accusing those of us that were happy about this victory of not being Christlike for being glad Osama is in Hell. I think I only read one person on my FB say anything about Osama being in Hell, which I am quite sure that's where he is. Let me state, for the record, that the leader of the enemy has been conquered! He had the opportunity to choose how he would live his life and he chose not to accept the grace that God so freely offers to ALL people in ALL nations. John 3:16 'For God so loved the WORLD that He gave His only begotten son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him should not parish, but have everlasting life.' It was his choice and he chose a life of complete rejection of Jesus Christ and chose eternal damnation instead. Am I glad about that? No. But it is okay and right to rejoice when the enemy has been defeated! You can bet your bottom dollar that God will not be telling us to stop rejoicing at Armageddon when His enemy is forever defeated. He will be leading the Saints in the ultimate celebration over the enemy's defeat. It is a very sad reality that millions of people will choose to live the same way Osama did. They may not be terrorists, they may not hate America, in fact, they might sit next to you in church or live next to you or reside in your home. Maybe it's you. I fear that lots of people are living under the name of Christianity {or any other religion}, but there is no evidence of Christ living in them. They come to church, act right, dress right, speak right, but they have never trusted in Jesus Christ alone to save them from sin. Just because you don't act like Osama Bin Laden, it doesn't mean you've chosen by grace to live through faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 2:8-9 says 'For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works {either!} lest any man should boast.' Osama chose damnation. What will you choose? You still have time, but you don't know how long you have. Think about where you will spend eternity. Because there will be an eternity to face when this mortal body dies. I hope you'll be with my Saviour in Heaven.

LimeRicki Swimwear

2011-05-01T12:54:00.001-07:00

*photo from LimeRicki.com

This won't surprise you {because I've said it multiple times on here} but I LOVE winning giveaways! I have won gift cards, housewares, jewelry, clothes and now a swimsuit! I won a LimeRicki girls one-piece this past week and got it in the mail yesterday! LimeRicki sells fashionable and MODEST swimwear for girls, women, maternity and men. The quality is excellent and I love how this sailor swimsuit fits my girl perfectly. No riding up, a high and modest neckline, the legs are cut very well and the style is cute as can be. They are having a sale right now {HERE} where you can get women's tankini tops starting at $10!! That is a steal, in my opinion. So, go check them out and see for yourself! You won't be disappointed!

Easter

2011-04-26T08:26:00.000-07:00

I celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus Christ with all of these wonderful people. My family.

I'm Dreaming...

2011-04-19T18:31:00.001-07:00

of a week-long beach vacation. Better get busy planning!

Spring Break!

2011-04-19T17:47:00.000-07:00

It's Spring Break for both of my girls {who are at two different schools} and we are having a ball so far. I can't tell you how much difference 20 more minutes of sleep in the morning makes for me because 1) I've never been a morning person {just ask my parents about my school days} 2) I would love to be a morning person, but again - it just ain't happenin', and 3) not setting the alarm clock and having to hit the snooze 3 times is just simply wonderful. I am not a fan of alarm clocks. Never have been. Never will be.
Anyway, Monday we got up at leisure, had a lazy, non-rushed breakfast. Then, we had a great little outing to our local library. The girls had so much fun and it we went early enough so that it wasn't busy. My oldest daughter is an avid reader {I'm so happy about that!} and she is now old enough to get books from the older kids' section. She was like a kid in a candy store and ended up getting 6 books to read. She already finished one today and has started 2 others. My middle child checked out some EZ Readers since she is just learning to read and so far she is enjoying those. And my youngest just had fun playing on the computers and socializing with some other young children that were there.
Today was lots of fun, too, just going to the zoo with a bunch of friends. There were 19 kids/6 moms and it was a blast. Apparently, most of our city was there, too. I got there a few minutes before the zoo opened and immediately saw bus after bus of daycares and daycamp kids coming in. It was crazy! I've never seen our little zoo so packed. We ended up playing on the playground first and the kids loved it. So, by the time we got into the zoo, the crowd had already gone ahead of us. Afterward, we had a picnic and more playtime on the playground. The girls were exhausted when we got home, but it sure was fun to get out and play with friends.
Lots more excitement is planned for the rest of the week/weekend with Easter coming up, so it looks like this Spring Break is going to be a success.

It's my birthday and I'll celebrate all weekend if I want to.

2011-04-16T12:06:00.001-07:00

So, Thursday, I turned another year older. I'm not ashamed to say I'm now 35. I think it's incredible that I've survived 35 years without any major mishaps. {Except when I was 10 and the neighbor boy ran over my arm with his bike and I was in a cast for weeks with my arm bent at 90 degrees and itching. Oh, the itching.} I love birthdays and this one was no exception. My children and husband all greeted me with the expected 'Happy Birthday!' that morning and it only got better from there. I wasn't feeling the greatest because of a head cold, but that didn't stop me from living it up! On my way to take my middle girl to school, my parents called on speakerphone to wish me a Happy Birthday. That is something I look forward to every year. I love for my family to call and wish me birthday greetings. My granddaddy used to do this every.single.year. while he was alive and I still miss that 4 years later. I always will. But my parents made me feel loved and especially young when they reminded me that my older sister was in 8th grade when they were 35. My oldest is in 2nd grade. I'm old. I'm an old fogie. But what am I to do about it? Wrinkle cream and hair dye will soon be my friends. {Okay, wrinkle cream has been my friend for a long time already.} Oh well. I just told them I was going to live it up all day long. And my dad told me to live everyday like it's my birthday and just live it up. I think that's great, practical advice. Words to live by. After I dropped my girl off at school my 'baby' and I took a little drive to the Chick-fil-A for free breakfast {I love our Chick-fil-A's here. They are always doing things for the community and giving away free food.}. Then, we headed to Wal-Mart to look around. My sweet, precious Mamaw had sent me a gift card to Wal-Mart for my bday and it was burning a hole in my pocketbook. Not long after I got home, one of my sweetest friends called me and told me she'd left a 'little something' on my doorstep. You know I promptly went to the door and there was a large Dunkin Donuts Mocha Iced Coffee with a gift. She is a bosom friend. Anyone that drives 25 minutes to your house at that time of day with 3 little girls in tow just to make you feel special on your birthday is a bosom friend. {Let me just take a second to say right here and right now, there is practically no better way to start your day!} My sister called me and my brother texted me birthday greetings. Funny thing was my brother had texted me 2 days earlier. He was confused on the date. Who's the old one here? Huh? Another one of my dear friends brought me a gift later in carline. {She sacrificed some precious sleep time and got up early to text me 'Happy Birthday'. What a GREAT friend!} She's funny, crazy and loves the Lord. She's also an instigator and a daredevil, but we won't talk about that. That's for another time. {hee hee} We've been friends only since our daughters were born on the same day 5 1/2 years ago, but I feel like I've known her forever. She is a servant and is always willing to help me out and pretends like she's happy to watch my kids for the hundredth time this year every time I ask. Later, Hubs came home with an ice cream cake. It was Y to the U to the M-M-Y. I made an allergy-free ice cream cake for my girl who is allergic to milk and it was also delicious. And genius, if you ask me. Oh, you didn't ask me? Sorry. If you want the recipe you can get it here. The Hubster and the three little girls that have him wrapped around their little fingers, surprised me with a pretty dress {and it was the right size!} that I didn't know I was getting. I had already picked out my gifts with Hubs a few nights before so I didn't know I would get another one. He loves me. What can I say? He assured me the surprise gift had nothing to do with him having to buy some new camping supplies for his backpacking excursion next weekend. =) Then, to finish off the night, another of my favorite friends left a gift for me on my doorstep. She's been my friend for nearly 12 years. We have been through some d-r-a-m-a together, letmetellyou. It has been an interesting 12 years, but so full of fun and spontaneity. That's the kind of friend she is. Spontaneous and fun. And loyal. Very loyal. God crossed our paths at just the right time in our single days and we had so much fun together. We don't get together as often these days {even though we only live 1/4 mile away from each other}, but when we do we pick right up where we left off. She's that kind of friend. I'm so lucky. But really, luck has nothing to do with it. It's all been orchestrated by God. He loved me enough to put me in the greatest, funnest (just go with it), most loving family ever. He also directed my path so that I would meet the kindest, most genuine friends a person could ever have. And He lead me to a wonderful church where I would later meet my husband. Now He has blessed us with our 3 cute little girls. Life is crazy, but it is very good. God has been so good to me. And this isn't even the rest of the story. For now, I'm outta here to continue celebrating. {And blowing my nose, and coughing my head off.}

Sewing Machine Woes - Part two

2011-04-12T08:47:00.000-07:00

So, Hubs came home last night and after dinner decided to check out my sewing machine. He is awesome at trouble-shooting and can fix anything, but this had him stumped. Frustrated, even. We had out the manual (that I bought last time this happened since I couldn't find my real one) on the computer, the machine was opened up and taken apart. Let's just say I'd rather not relive last night. Even if that means buying a new sewing machine. It was ugly. A couple hours worth of hating the sewing machine. Somehow, it righted itself and began to work. Was it worth it? Read on. So, today I reluctantly went back to the sewing machine to see if I could finish my project and lo, and behold, it worked. I was able to finish the entire project and as soon as I finished my last stitch, the bobbin ran out again. If you read yesterday's post, you know what that means. Here we go again. So, I promptly put my stuff away and walked away. I will not look at it again today. I might even pack it up and completely put it all away again to sit for months and months. I'm not sure. But anyway, this is what I was working on:

I have altered the sleeves since this pic was taken. The shoulders are thinner now and it fits her much better! (See pic below)

I love it! It turned out better than I expected. It even fits my girl pretty well. I surprised myself. But this is where I got the idea and instructions. You should check out her website. Very cute, creative tutorials. If you're into sewing or crafting. This dress caught my eye and I already had the fabric to use so I did it. Really it should only take about an hour start to finish, unless you have sewing machine issues.

Cheers!

Stifled Creativity

2011-04-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I finally {after months and months of feeling absolutely no creativity whatsoever} I decided today to dust off the old sewing machine. I pulled it out from under the desk where it's been sitting for a very long time, and took it to the dining room after I had rummaged through the linen closet for the fabric I was looking for. I got it all set up and cut out my fabric. I mean I was ready to sew, people. I turned on the machine, threaded it and {while holding my breath} began to stitch. You see, this machine has the ability to frustrate me half.to.death. Sometimes is works great and then as soon as I run out of bobbin thread, it is completely and utterly useless. The thread gets all jammed up under the presser foot and for hours it {and I} acts ridiculous trying to get the thing to work right again....right in the middle of my project {that should only take half an hour to complete}. The last time it did this, I spent hours trying to figure it out. I was angry. And then, Hubs convinced me to let him look at it {he is a mechanic afterall...not on sewing machines - but planes}. He fixed it in 5 minutes. I was grateful and mad at the same time. So, this time I decided it was not going to get the best of me. I would not get angry no matter what. Well, I can say that now 3 hours later, it is still broken. I'm about ready to drop-kick it over the fence out back. So, I texted Hubs and told him so. He texted back that he will look at it when he gets home. Meanwhile, I am browsing craigslist for a new machine. I'm sick of being treated this way by my old machine. It's only 10 years old, what's it's problem?? Stay tuned...

My Week

2011-04-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

It rained for days. And it was cold. So, I baked things like this and made this. And ate them.

I vacuumed and swept the kitchen floor countless times. Come to think of it, I need to do it again.

I read a great book by Karen Kingsbury. It was wonderful. I plan to hunt down the rest of this series tomorrow in our county libraries. I must finish this series or I will not be able to rest.

I spent umpteen million hours (okay, really only 8 1/2 hours) in car lines this week. Next year, I'm thankful my girls will be at the same school. (Woot Woot!! Raise the Roof!) Cuts my time down to 2 hours per week! Yippee!!

Our pastor has been preaching an excellent series on Wednesday nights about Renewing Biblical Christianity. Ever wonder why Christians do what they do? Why do YOU do/think the way you do? Unfortunately, it's not on sermon audio, but my dad is preaching a similar series at his church called 'Rediscovering the Articles of the Faith' and you can find those lessons here. Excellent series that every Believer ought to think about.

Tonight we are watching this movie! The girls don't know it, yet, but they will be so excited. We haven't seen it yet, but have heard good things. We love Family Movie Night at our house. When I was growing up, this was one of my favorite nights with my family. I loved hearing everyone laugh and enjoy movies together. (Because now we can still laugh together when my brother randomly quotes movie lines.)

Lastly, I've (along with my whole family) been living in the midst of God's faithfulness each day and thanking Him for His goodness to me. I can praise Him that He is all-knowing, His timing is always perfect and His love is everlasting.

Please pray for my dad as he is going through some rough days with his cancer. We are asking God to strengthen his body. Thank you for your prayers.

Yummy Goodness

2011-03-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

I just made these for the kids after-school snack. They're in the fridge chilling. Can't wait to get home and eat one (or two or three) of these. YUM!

This takes all of 10 minutes to prepare. Try it!

*photo courtesy of Eat, Live Run blog*

Book Review: "Read and Share Stories About Jesus"

2011-03-21T13:26:00.000-07:00

Written by: Gwen Ellis and Illustrated by: Steve Smallman

This is a board book with a collection of 13 stories about Jesus's life with cute illustrations that tell the story very well.

Pros:

I loved that this book is sturdy and perfect for my 2 year old to hold on her own. My 5 year old also likes this book. I like the questions at the bottom of each page that provoke the child to think about what they just heard in the story.

Cons:

One of the first questions is about baptism and it wasn't completely clear in the book (with a child in mind) that baptism is NOT what gets you to Heaven. I haven't read the other Read and Share books, so I do not know if this is covered in a previous book. I wish the book was clear on salvation before it talked about baptism. Although, it could have been covered in a previous book in this series.

Other than that, I would recommend this to a friend.

Intercession in Progress

2011-03-21T08:43:00.000-07:00

I think I have always been intrigued by intercessory prayer. I think of it most often as what the Holy Spirit does on my behalf when I am so burdened by something that I don't even know what or how to pray. He does it for me. He intercedes for me. But I also love the aspect of intercessory prayer as related to praying for others. I used to think of it only in those terms...merely praying for someone else. And I would marvel at the fact that God actually hears and answers prayers for us when someone else prays. It is amazing to me the power of prayer. But I have come to realize that intercession is way more than just praying for someone. Although I had thought often of this action, I couldn't quite put into words what I understood of it. Recently, I was able to attend a ladies' retreat at my church and our speaker talked about 'The Ministry of Silence'. She used Job as a classic example and how his friends (trying to be helpful) pointed blame at him and were just sure that he had done something to provoke God's wrath. Surely there was a reason for all the devastation that he was going through. And indeed, there was a reason, but it wasn't because he had sinned against God. Sometimes, we need to be silent for those who are enduring extreme pain, trials, etc. But we are to intercede for them. Our silence should mean 'intercession in progress'. Hebrews 13:3 says 'Remember them that are in bonds (jail), as bound with them (as though you were there with them) and them which suffer adversity (sickness, hardships, persecutions), as being yourselves also in the body.' I am to put myself in their shoes. People I love are going through some rough trials right now and I know if I were in their shoes, I might not be able to pray as I should. Whether because of extreme pain or sheer grief, people need others to pray for them while they cannot pray themselves. This is my responsibility as a Christian. Christians are the body of Christ and if one member suffers, the whole body should bear the burden. I can think of a few people in my own life right now that I am interceding for because I know the state they are in physically and emotionally. It is my privilege and my responsibility to intercede for them as the Lord brings them to my mind. I haven't been able to forget this lesson on intercession and I doubt that I ever will. It has made such an impact on me personally and I am so thankful that God loves to hear and answer intercessory prayer.

Loaded Potato Soup

2011-03-20T10:50:00.000-07:00

I made this Friday night for supper and it was delicious! Even better as leftovers today! Go HERE for the recipe.

Budget-Friendly Graduation Announcements

2011-03-18T12:28:00.000-07:00

Classy Correspondence offers a wide range of graduation announcements and accessories for every budget. With graduations fast approaching, now is the time to order! We offer a fast turn-around of 3 days. You can also request a sample announcement to see what yours will look like. Just click on the picture of the announcement you are interested in and click the link 'Request a Sample'. Our site is secure {look for the lock symbol} and we offer 24 hour customer service.

Go take a look!

www.classycorrespondence.cceasy.com

Special Events

2011-03-15T13:33:00.000-07:00

If you or someone you know is looking for Save the Date stationery, engagement announcements, wedding invitations and accessories, birthday stationery, baby shower invites, etc. Click on the picture in the righthand column. You will be taken to Classy Correspondence where you can choose from a wide variety of social stationery - from classic to contemporary! It's all at your fingertips.

Classy Correspondence also offers you a hard copy of the stationery you are interested in, as well as, an emailed version. So quick, easy and affordable!

Tell all of your friends!

True Love

2011-03-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

This face makes me smile. Those cheeks beckon me to kiss them a hundred or more times a day. When she winks at her daddy, he beams. And then is promptly wrapped around her cute, little, chubby finger. Her sisters adore her as she does them. This child brings abundant joy to our family on a daily basis. And she will be (3) T-H-R-E-E next month. Where has the time gone??

Official Ottoman Review

2011-02-25T08:47:00.000-08:00

It's here!! I got it on the 23rd. (My sister got hers on the 22nd, but I'll try not to be bitter.) It arrived in a big ol' box and as soon as I saw it I was so thankful to have gotten free shipping!! The setup was so easy. Open box. Take it out of box. Take wrapping off. Screw the cute, stylish bun feet on and voila! It is ready.

My children were chomping at the bit to be able to break it in. They immediately piled on top of it (I'm so very thankful it's sturdy!! I don't have to worry about it getting messed up.) and now they race to claim it first to lay on it and watch TV. When the kids go to bed, it's all mine. I love being able to sit anywhere on the big sectional and still have a soft, comfy (yet sturdy) place to put my feet up comfortably. It's the perfect height for our couch. I can even sit a glass on it and it won't tip over (unless, of course, children are present). But I plan to use a serving tray to sit my sweet tea on from time to time instead of sitting it directly on the ottoman.

The storage! What can I say about the storage except that it's so nice and deep enough to hold all of our blankets that were sprawled all over the living room at any given time of day. They are neatly tucked in and hidden now and I LOVE that.

This ottoman was the perfect addition to our living room. I'm so happy that Hubs found this on CSNstores.com!! We've been searching for ottomans for over a year and this one is perfect. I recommend this product to everyone!!

THE Ottoman

2011-02-17T09:58:00.000-08:00

I've posted more than once about how Hubs and I were looking for an ottoman for our living room. But not just any ottoman. It has to be perfect for our living room needs (think little girls rough-housing with their daddy) and it has to meet the propping-up-of-the-feet-at-the-right-height requirement (because we all know that it's all about being able to sprawl out comfortably) and lastly, it has to be firm enough on top to support a tray so I can finally have my sweet tea within reach. Well, we finally decided on THE one. It meets all the requirements and even has storage!! I'm so excited. It should be here by the 22nd and I cannot wait to see if it is everything it claims to be. We picked it out awhile ago, but it just became available again a couple days ago. Apparently, we aren't the only ones with great expectations about this ottoman. I blogged about it on my last post and when my sister saw it, she decided she needed one, too. Stay tuned for the official review on the new ottoman!

Finding Your Style

2011-01-20T18:33:00.000-08:00

I love looking through magazines and blogs. They give me some great ideas for decorating, organizing and even cleaning my home. There are certain styles I love more than others, but the problem I have is that I love several different styles which all have great ideas. I just don't know how to make them work for me. I have in my living room, furniture pieces that I love, but adding decorative pieces and art and making it all flow is proving to be difficult for me. I'm very practical, as well, so that doesn't help me! I don't like to spend money on something that I'm just going to look at. I want it to be functional. So, how do you bring your style together?

Do you start with your big pieces like couches, tv stands, side tables and then move to the small things or do you begin with paint color and accessories? The living room seems to be the hardest for me. I can handle bedrooms and bathrooms, the dining room, etc. It's this living room I have a hard time with. We have a sectional in a neutral color and a dark brown leather chair. We are shopping around for a storage ottoman to go in front of our sectional and think we have found the one! We just have to make our final decision and order it.

One day I'll finally decide on my style. And when I do, I'll be blogging about it!

How to Reach Your Full Potential for God by Charles Stanley

2011-01-12T15:58:00.000-08:00

A few months ago, I received this book for a book review and am just now getting around to writing the review. I like Charles Stanley's way of preaching and his writing turned out to be much the same.
This book is not a typical 'self-help' book, although the title might make you think that. It is a Bible-based challenge to you to live your life to your fullest potential...for God. Not for self-satisfaction or success in life. Dr. Stanley starts by telling you ways your life might be hindered by things that are keeping you from living life to it's fullest in Christ. It's a good reminder to Christians to check their own lives and remove those stumbling blocks that might be there stunting the Christian growth.
Dr. Stanley goes on to give you Bible-based ways to keep pressing forward in your walk with Christ with the goal of reaching your fullest potential in Him.
For someone who may be wondering how to live for God or who is not satisfied with how their life is headed, this will be a good challenge to them. For the Believer, this serves as a good reminder to not let those stumbling blocks get in the way of reaching your full potential in Christ.

Reading

2011-01-12T14:37:00.000-08:00

I would call myself an avid reader. I absolutely LOVE to read. I used to read every chance I got, and loved every minute of it. These days, I don't get to read all that often. I'm busy with the four fabulous people God blessed me with. Hubs and the girls get to have most of my time right now and that is A-Okay with me. Actually, now that I think about it, I could read at bedtime, but I have this problem. I'm borderline narcoleptic (according to myself, not a professional diagnosis) and everytime I sit down {except for the small window of time in the early afternoon that I might have a bit of energy} I fall fast asleep. I do the same thing with movies. And last night, I even fell asleep watching one of my favorite shows. But anyway, back to reading. I have decided that this year I am going to read more, no matter what.
My current reading involves LOTS of children's books. Middle Girl is learning to read and we are hitting it hard here at home. She has been wanting to read for a long time now because her big sister has been reading for over 2 years now. So, she has the desire. We are just working on understanding it. She's doing great so far. I'm proud of my little girl!
My next big read this year is to read through the Bible chronologically. My good friend is going to help keep me on track so that I can keep it up all year. So far, I am really enjoying it. I've always had a hard time getting the timeline down for different events in the Bible and this is really going to help me understand that. And hiding God's Word in your heart is always a good thing. I'm in Job right now and looking forward to reading more tonight!
Next week, I'm going to be attending a Ladies' Morning Break session at my church. We're studying "Don't Make Me Count to Three!" by Ginger Plowman. I've done this one before, but I really need a refresher course. Really looking forward to it!
I started another book last night that I really like so far. I'll tell you about it soon enough. I'm doing a review for Moody Publishers and this is by an author I've never read before. It's about going through trials. So far, so good. We'll see how the rest of it goes. I'm not a big fan of 'Self-help' kind of books, but this one is full of Scripture and although it is written to help you, it's not based on self-reliance, but rather God's promises. So, I'll let you know how it goes once it's done.
I'd also like to re-read some books I read years ago, but haven't found the time yet. Maybe I can fit those in the schedule somewhere!
What are your favorite books? Fiction and non-fiction? I'm always looking for a good book.

Got Bread?

2011-01-10T06:52:00.001-08:00

The Winter Storm of 2011 has hit here in South Carolina. I have to admit I was a little skeptical at first. The skepticism might have something to do with the fact that 'continuous live coverage of the Winter Storm' began 2 days before any sign of the storm. Hubs went to the Walmarts on Saturday (I don't go there on Saturdays - that's my rule) to get some groceries and stuff {just in case} and he said the bread aisle was EMPTY. I wonder what prompts people to buy mass amounts of bread when a storm approaches? Do they live on PB&J? Are they just eating the bread and drinking milk? I mean, there are other food items that can be prepared - even if there was a power outage! This bread thing is a mystery to me. Thankfully, I had bought bread earlier in the week and am all set in case we find out we can only eat PB&J until the snow melts. But I am here to tell you, that when I woke up at 7am and saw the snow, it was exciting! We woke up to 3 or so inches and now (10am) we have 7 inches! The forecast is for 9-12 inches here in the Upstate and I am sure that will have to be some kind of record for this southern state! The little one woke up not long after me and Hubs told her to look out the window and she was SO funny and cute! She just couldn't believe her eyes. She was jumping up and down and telling me to 'come here!' I love seeing the snow through her eyes. It makes me forget about the fact that the town has shut down, the kids will most likely be out of school most of the week and cabin fever will set in. But today, I am going to love seeing my children play in the most snow they've ever seen, make hot chocolate for my frozen children who won't be able to feel their toes after playing in the snow, and take pictures for us to remember how fun it was 'that year we had all that snow!' And I am ever so grateful that Hubs got to stay home today with us to enjoy the snow with us! It's going to be a great day!

I resolve...

2010-12-31T12:46:00.000-08:00

to set one goal per month in 2011.

{maybe more often, if I am feeling ambitious -which isn't likely}

And I will accomplish that goal.

I will spend more quality time with my kids. Training them how to do domestic things like cleaning this house they live in, washing and drying dishes the right way, cleaning out the car, etc.

I {might} even do a few crafty things with them.

We will go places. Explore. Have picnics. And laugh a lot.

I will try new recipes. And my family will be the guinea pigs. The children will gag and Hubs will examine each new dish with a magnifying glass, but I will find some new dishes the whole fam can love. Oh yes I will.

I will {try to} be more organized. I type this while thinking of all the new toys {with tiny pieces} that the girls got for Christmas. We will be organized. We will be organized. We will be organized. Repeat.

There will be things I will go through this year that I cannot plan for. Trials, disappointment, heartache always get mixed in somehow. But I will trust in the Lord. His mercy will be new every morning. I will remember His faithfulness. I will recognize His unfailing love. I will not forget His goodness to me and my family. His grace will be sufficient. And He will carry me through. He always does.

I'm looking forward to this new year! A fresh start! A clean slate! It's going to be GREAT!

My Future's So Bright....I Gotta Wear Shades

2010-12-17T13:09:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking a lot about how prayer affects our lives. I know firsthand that it is powerful. I know from experience that praying as a group of Believers for a specific request is pleasing to God and He hears those prayers and delights in answering them. I know that sometimes I don't even know what to pray because I'm overwhelmed by a circumstance and the Holy Spirit Himself intercedes on my behalf and prays to God the Father my heart's inaudible cry. And He hears. And answers. I know that God answers every prayer according to His will and I try to always pray 'according to His will' knowing that He can already see what my blinded eyes cannot. He has my very best interest at heart.{My parents have taught me this my whole life.} And I believe that. There isn't a need in my life that He cannot meet. There is no battle He cannot win. No enemy that He cannot defeat. No trial He cannot see me through...and make me stronger as a result.
Recently, the transmission went out in my van and we were down to one vehicle {which isn't necessarily a bad thing} but the timing seemed terrible. Just two days before Thanksgiving and we were suppose to drive that van out of town. Hubs and I were a little bit discouraged, but decided to just pray and ask God to meet our need. We planned to keep it to ourselves and not tell people about it unless it became necessary, but just wanted to see God provide - as He has promised. It took nearly two weeks to get the van done because of the holiday and some minor details, but the day after the transmission went out {the day before Thanksgiving}, Hubs was going to have to work late and get his vehicle road-ready for our trip. The Lord laid it on someone's heart to have the work done for him on his van and he did not have to stay late or pay for the work. What a blessing that was! And something we had not even asked Him to do for us!! We were content to handle it on our own, but God decided to bless us unexpectedly. Later, when our van was finally going to be done, we had decided how we were going to pay for the transmission and AGAIN! the Lord met our need exceeding abundantly above what we expected Him to do. What a tremendous blessing to be a recipient of the pouring out of God's love and faithful provision! That was a huge burden lifted off of our shoulders even though we were purposefully trying not to fret over it. I cannot even express the joy and thankfulness I have over all that God has done for me and my family. He is so good to me.
Without trials, I would not recognize His grace. Without heartache and grief, I could not experience His comfort. Were it not for needs {financial, physical, emotional}, I would not know The Provider. Because of my weakness, I know His strength. Because of my sin, I have met the Saviour. Because of His Word, I have knowledge, my eyes are enlightened and my path is lit. My future is bright and full of hope!

PS - the Lord keeps providing by way of giveaways! Since my last post about giveaways, I have won 2 more!!! (worth over $100)

Christmas Art

2010-12-03T07:20:00.001-08:00

This year I was inspired to make some Christmas art for my home. I love Red Letter Words and all the great prints she does, but I am not in a position to spend that much on art at this point in my budget. {Especially when I can copy it for a fraction of the cost.} So, I decided to make a fun one for my black and white half-bath downstairs in my home and what better color is there than RED for Christmas stuff?

The inspiration

I bought a 20x20 canvas from the Hobby Lobby. Painted it with a glossy red acrylic paint using a cheap bristle paint brush from the Walmarts. Let it dry. Then, measured and taped off the guidelines for each row. Finally, I took a smaller brush {actually it's my Hubs' brush that he uses for wood glue - Shhh...don't tell him. I cleaned it off really good} and painted the names of the reindeer. {Don't you think the reindeer get overshadowed by the big, jolly guy?} Freehand. That explains the not-so-crisp look of the letters. I like it, though. And now it hangs above the porcelain throne in the half-bath.

The amateur result

I have plans for another canvas for my mantle reminding us of the REAL reason we celebrate this joyful holiday! You'll see that later.

Year-Round Wreath

2010-12-01T08:08:00.001-08:00

First try at the monogrammed wreath

I have been using the same wreath for over a year now on my front door. It's the BEST wreath ever. {In my opinion.} I first found it on The Nester's Blog which you can find in the righthand margin and adapted it to my liking. I love it because it is monogrammed and I just happened to have had a big 'M' laying around here that I had bought at TJ Maxx years ago because I knew it would come in handy....and it did. Here is my first post about the wreath sometime last year.

Wreath from this Fall {cell phone pic = way too bright}

You just take a large grapevine wreath and one the next size smaller, wire the smaller one to the front of the larger one and then add your stuff! I put my big 'M' right in the middle {after I spray painted it silver} and attached it with clear fishing wire. That baby is tied on there pretty tight and you can't even tell. Next, you add the greenery that you love and then flower or whathaveyou and hang it on your door. I hung mine from a wide wire-rimmed ribbon that I nailed into the top of my door. I'm not crazy about metal wreath hangers because they tend to scratch the paint off the door. This ribbon has been hanging there over a year and is still going strong. {Keep in mind that my door is covered by the roof of my porch, so you may need to use waterproof stuff if yours is out in the open.} I have changed out the floral stuff on my wreath for each season and just left the rest of it. It's like a 1-minute makeover for the front door.

Christmas Wreath 2010
{Walmart has these GREAT clip-on poinsettas for $1 each!!!}

I plan on keeping this wreath up forever....or until I find something else I love, but this does it for me....for now.

$5 Makeover

2010-11-23T13:09:00.000-08:00

I've been looking awhile for a nice, big, decorative frame to make a chalkboard out of for my kitchen. Multiple trips to Goodwill produced no good results, so a couple weeks ago I hit a couple of other thrift stores in search of frames. I almost missed out on the best frame ever because of a hideous string art that it housed, but thankfully I was able to look past that and notice the 75% off pink tag. When I saw that it was $5 I took a pic and texted my sister to see if she thought it would be a good chalkboard frame - even though my mind was pretty much made up. She agreed. I didn't even have to paint the frame. I like it just the way it is...for now.

Here's the BEFORE:

And AFTER:

I love it. I can't decide if I love the chalkboard or the bistro chalk markers more. I'm addicted. Be on the lookout for more chalkboard projects. I love that stuff.

Another GREAT Giveaway

2010-11-22T12:37:00.000-08:00

You MUST go here to sign up for one of the best giveaways ever! I'm not wasting your time writing about this so just go and read for yourself! Go! Good luck! May the luckiest girl win.

The year we broke our own rule.

2010-11-20T19:11:00.000-08:00

Hubs and I {by only a tad bit of persuasion on my part} broke our cardinal Holiday rule. We put up our Christmas tree tonight. BEFORE Thanksgiving! Yes, I know Thanksgiving is the next holiday and one should not skip the holiday due to unbridled excitement about the following holiday that involves lots of red, the fresh scent of pine, wrapping paper galore and my treasured Fontanini nativity set. But I am here to tell you we are downright excited about both holidays around this house. I really don't know what has come over me - the fact that stores began putting out Christmas decor before they could even get the last candy corns off the shelves or the fact that our local radio station has been playing Christmas music for a good week (or longer) now or that my children, especially my 2 and half year old, are beyond excited this year and their excitement has rubbed off on me. But for whatever reason, we are excited with a capital E!! I'm ready. This is my favorite time of year (minus cold weather and naked trees) and by golly we are going to enjoy every minute of it this year...even before Thanksgiving. I've been working on Christmas projects today and love what I've gotten done so far. Still have more to do, but I'm in no hurry. I don't have all of my decorations out yet. In fact, I haven't put up the dining room tree which happens to be in the front of the house. I wouldn't want the neighbors to talk, you know. Our family tree is in the back of the house and we have no neighbors behind us. The front tree will go up before Thanksgiving, but I may not turn on the lights til after. The mantel still needs to be done, several other things put up, the front door wreath needs to be changed for Christmas and this year we are even doing outside lights. The kids will love it. So, we aren't entirely crazy, just a little bit. I'll post a few pics of my fun projects once I get them done. So, when do you put your tree up?

Reason #327 Why I Do Not Want a Dog...

2010-11-15T18:14:00.000-08:00

We (my siblings and I) had two dogs growing up. Our first one was a copper colored dog, I don't even know what kind it was, but her name was Penny. She lived in our backyard in a chain-link fence that was there when my parents bought the house. The fence was not even around our whole backyard, just a portion of it. Weird, now that I think about it, but it was perfect for Penny. She was a pretty dog. But she was a loud dog and apparently, the grouchy old man that lived behind us didn't appreciate that quality in a dog. Especially in the wee hours of the night. That man complained a lot {at least it seemed like a lot to me} about her. And one day when I got home from school, I found that Penny was not in her fence. She was gone. I thought she had gotten out and would just come back eventually. I remember my Mamaw sitting on the front porch with me as I was waiting. Penny never came back. It was a sad day. I can't remember when we figured out that my parents had taken her to the pound. They finally admitted that after years of us speculating about what had REALLY happened to her. I think we got over it pretty quickly, though. Then, in my high school years (I think) we had another dog. Her name was Samantha. She was a peekapoo. Little white dog and so cute. I can't remember how we got her, but we loved her. And we were so shocked when Mother actually let her come in the house! She didn't stay in the house, she just visited us in the house. She lived in our garage. But when we would open the garage door, Sam would bolt in the door and run up the stairs as fast as her little legs would go and she'd circle the living room a few times then run downstairs into the den, circle the den and then jump up in the recliner next to Dad. And she would relax. It's like she had to get it out of her system. She was a cute dog. We loved her. And then the time came when we decided to give her to my grandparents and they loved her, too. Overall, I think I can say that I had good experiences having had dogs while growing up. But, I will be the first to admit that I HATED, yes, hated cleaning up after the dog and bathing the dog. It was not my thing. This is something I'm trying to explain to my children. They have been begging us for a dog. Hubs had a dog growing up, too, and it lived indoors. I do not like animals indoors. Just my personal preference, no offense to anyone who has a pet indoors - I will still come visit you if you invite me. I just feel that I spend 90% of my time trying to keep my indoors clean and pick up after the five messy people that live here. I don't need that other 10% taken up by cleaning up after an animal. I've told my children {and Hubs, for that matter} that when said children are old enough to responsibly take care of their own things, I will think about letting them get a dog. BUT doggy must live outside and they must be 100% responsible for Dog. Momma ain't doing doggy duty, folks. So, I've tried to convince Children that they will have to clean up doggy poop and all other manner of doggy stuff in order to help them not want a doggy. {Hey, I'll do whatever I have to do to prolong this doggy business.} So, last night Middle Girl was telling me in a very dramatic way that she really wants a husky. Mommy, can I PLEASE get a husky???? PLEASE???!!!!! Then, she proceeded to tell me, 'Huskies don't poop.' And then I laughed out loud. Poor Husky. I don't want to be around when it decides to finally poop as normal doggies tend to do. Now, I must go make up another reason why we don't need a dog - since she completely blew that one out of the water.

I'm almost done Christmas shopping....

2010-11-12T17:55:00.000-08:00

and I didn't even have to leave my house....or my couch. Or get dressed and put on makeup. Or worry about dragging 3 kids along. I just opened my laptop and browsed my favorite shops and got it done. The best part? I got paid to do it!! I'm a member of ebates since 2008. My first quarter in ebates I made $48.51 just from shopping online. If you are not a member, yet, you are missing out! Go here to sign up and start earning back some of that moo-lah. It's easy and so nice to see that cash back total adding up!

Happy shopping!!

A Week Full of Art....by my children

2010-11-11T11:04:00.000-08:00

I decided to show you pictures of my week. A picture is worth a thousand words, you know, and I'm still trying to find words to describe some of my children's art this week. So, here you go.

On Monday, I was helping #2 clean up her room and found this lovely piece of art drawn solely by my little budding artist. I'll never be able to forget about this piece of work ~ it's drawn on her bookshelf ~ in ink. Where she found a pen, I will never know.

#1 brought this cute cat home on Tuesday! She drew it all by herself! I think she did a great job. Hers was picked to be on display somewhere at school. Very cute. The only cat I will ever allow in my house.

Ever seen a One-Eyed, One-Horned, Flying Purple People Eater? Well, you have now! #1 made this in her art class at school and brought it home on Tuesday. I thought it was very clever. And cute. But I am having trouble getting that song out of my head! These were taken just hours after we found cooked spaghetti noodles in #2's bedroom, strung all over the place. I didn't have the mental capacity or the humor to take a picture of that at the time.

#2 & #3 decided to display their mad art skills Wednesday night just before we left for church....It would have been lovely ~ had it not been on #1's bed sheets. I'm still trying to process this one.

I'm a real winner...

2010-11-10T13:03:00.000-08:00

Really. I am. I enter lots of blog giveaways (whenever I am thinking about it and have the time) and I've won lots of stuff. In the past 2-3 weeks, I have won around $150 in gift cards. And I have spent half of them on Christmas gifts. The other half, I either haven't gotten in the mail yet or haven't decided what to buy on my Christmas list. Today I've entered several giveaways. One is posted on the previous post on my blog today. The other is for a new laptop. You can enter that one, too! It's at the top right of this blog. Just click the button and follow the instructions.

Giveaways are fun! And so worth it!! Don't expect to win right off the bat, but you never know! In the past year, I've won gift cards, an outfit from Ralph Lauren for my daughter, Gourmet food products, clothing, a gorgeous red pitcher, etc. I think I've forgotten something else, but it's been fun! People are giving great stuff away....they might as well give it to me!

Have fun!

Runway Rundown's 'Spread the Word' Contest

2010-11-10T12:42:00.000-08:00

Runway Rundown's 'Spread the Word' Contest

Click the link to enter a drawing to win a $200 handbag PLUS $200 worth of gift cards/goodies!!! And the best part of entering this is that your name will be in every drawing going forward until you actually win something!! I love it!

Thanks for entering!

It's so hard to get out of bed in the morning...

2010-11-05T13:10:00.000-07:00

when it's cold outside. And when you have new 600 thread count sheets! I got some new sheets (long overdue) last week from CSNstores.com. I had been looking for a set of nice sheets for a good price and I was so happy to find some at CSNstores where I had a gift card. The sheets came in the mail this week and let's just say, I've had an even worse time getting out of bed in the morning. I am not a morning person. Never have been. I wish I was, but I am not. That is something that cannot be forced or faked. And now that the colder weather is getting here and the mornings are just a bit darker, it is getting harder. Oh well, at least my sheets are soft. {And not falling off the mattress.} Thanks, CSN!

The Day I Nearly Voted for a Democrat

2010-11-02T18:16:00.000-07:00

I love exercising my right to vote! It is one small way to make a big difference in the world that I live in. It's my right. It's my privilege. I don't take this for granted. I hope you don't, either. It's so exciting to me to voice my opinion by checking off my ballot and pressing that 'VOTE' button! So, this morning when I got up and realized Hubs had forgotten his cell phone, I decided I would go vote on my way to Hubs' workplace. I was happy to see that the lines were not so busy at the time I arrived - only because I had all three girls with me. They are a bit unpredictable when it comes to outings like this one. I'm never sure if they will behave themselves and show some self-control or if they will be giddy with each other, which always - ALWAYS - turns into an ordeal. I was feeling pretty good about it while I signed my name on the line confirming that I am, indeed, who I say I am and that I do have the right to vote. I thought I saw a hint of anxiety on the faces of the volunteers when I walked in with all three littles, but hoped things would go fine. Anyway, as I was going through my ballot and making sure I was checking off the people I had previously decided to vote for, #1 and #2 decided to fight about who got to stand beside me and see the screen. If you vote, you know how flimsy those voting booths are. However, we managed not to knock my little booth down. #2 decided she was bored standing there, so she began to walk circles around me...and my booth. The booths are all plugged into one another so if you unplug one, let's just say, you've got a major problem on your hands. I told #2 to stand still. Then, #3 wiggled out of my arms and wanted to stand. So, I let her stand beside me....until she began circling the booth and very nearly gave the volunteer a nervous breakdown over the idea of unplugging a machine. Finally, I got to the end of my ballot and reviewed my decisions - because Heaven knows I wasn't 100% sure I voted the way I had wanted to. Thankfully, I did get them all right and I cast my ballot while holding back a few tears. Tears of complete thanksgiving that I am so blessed to be an American, tears of excitement that I have this great privilege to bring change to the mess our leaders have gotten us into, and tears of relief that we did NOT unplug the machines...or knock one down....or give the lady a nervous breakdown. We left without harming anything or anyone and my day only got better from there.

Coffee Table vs. Ottoman

2010-10-27T09:53:00.001-07:00

Which do you like better? Coffee tables or ottomans? Hubs and I have had our sectional for a year now and we still haven't gotten anything to put our feet on. It's been fine, so far. It leaves more floor space for the kids to play and eliminates the dilemma of stubbing unsuspecting toes, but alas, there is no place to put your glass of sweet tea. So, we are trying to decide what the best option for us would be. Coffee tables are classic, serve their purpose and look nice. Ottomans can be more versatile. Hidden storage, more comfy for putting the feet up on, extra seating, etc. If you are in the market for a new coffee table or ideas, visit csnstores.com for lots of options!

1st Haircut

2010-10-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

I finally bit the bullet and let my baby get her first haircut....at age 2 1/2. I had a hard time trying to part ways with 'piggy tails' because she looks so cute in them and loves them even more than I do, but the new cut will help her hair look like it's actually been brushed instead of wild and stringy. She loved the whole experience! I knew she would. She is my girly girl out of the three. And she cannot stop talking about getting her hair cut. I just love her to death.

Set Free

2010-10-12T08:11:00.000-07:00

I've neglected the blog long enough. So, I thought I'd write something today that I've been thinking about a lot over the past few weeks. (I was going to write about my dad because today is his birthday, but my sister did that already.) Hubs and I have been praying since our girls were born that one day they would recognize their sinful nature and their need for a Savior...the Savior, Jesus Christ. A few years ago, we were thrilled when our oldest daughter saw her need and on her own asked Jesus to forgive her of her sins and come into her heart. Since then, we have seen God at work in her life. It is exciting to see definite spiritual growth in your child (or anyone for that matter!) and we have been seeing that, especially recently. And since then, she has gotten a burden for her sisters. Our middle child began asking lots of questions a few months ago, but just wasn't quite realizing her need. So, we prayed even harder and just let the Holy Spirit do the convicting. We felt that it was very important for her to come to this decision on her own, not by any cohersing from us. She began talking about this matter of salvation nearly everyday for about 2 weeks back in September and we would put her off a little bit to see if she was really serious about it. Then, in Sunday School the lesson for two weeks straight was on the sacrificing of the lambs back in the Old Testament and how the people had to sacrifice spotless lambs and the shed blood of the lambs would cover their sins and they would be forgiven. Of course, since Jesus died on the Cross, he paid the price for every sin of every person and the sacrificing of the lambs is no longer necessary. He paid that price for us. The lesson really struck her and the second week of the lesson, she told us in the car on our way home that she wanted to ask Jesus into her heart. I told her I would love for her to do that and once we got home we would talk to her about it. Sure enough, we got home and talked with her and on her own, she invited Jesus into her heart and accepted His free gift of salvation! Praise the Lord! There was an immediate change in her heart. And at that moment, though we could not see it with our eyes, her soul was set free from the bondage of sin and the death sentence that brings and she began living a new life that will be eternally free from the penalty of sin. She has a personal relationship with my Savior! I cannot tell you how much joy that brings to my heart. That very morning in church, our pastor talked about how when we accept Christ as Savior we don't even understand all that that means to us at that time, but how exciting that we can learn and grow in our relationship with Christ each and every day. As I grow in my walk with Christ, I am overwhelmed by His love and His mercy and His grace toward me in every aspect of my life. I've been set free!! Have you?

My friends are like the cherry in my Cherry Limeade.

2010-09-28T12:18:00.000-07:00

'Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, the other gold.'

{Ok, so the title of this blog is silly. On purpose.}

I am convinced that Hubs and I have the best friends one could ever have. Friends from childhood all the way to the present are included in that statement. Thanks to Facebook, I am in contact with tons of friends from different stages of my life, but honestly, I wouldn't need FB to keep in contact with them. There are friends who I only have the privilege of talking to every once in awhile and then those that I hear from more often, as well as, those I talk to almost daily. But throughout my life I've always had friends. God has made my life sweeter because of them. Hubs and I went to a memorial service for his best friend over the weekend and it was refreshing and just plain sweet to remember all the good times they experienced together. He was definitely a good friend. During the service there was a testimony time, of sorts, where those in the congregation could say a brief word about our friend. It was very heart-warming and we laughed later because several people that spoke said that Matt was their best friend. And he was. He was everyone's best friend and made you feel that way. While there, we were reunited with some of our other good friends {Matt's other best friends =)} from far and near and it was great to see them! We hadn't seen them in a few years, at least, and were able to just pick up right where we left off. I love friends like that! Time cannot dull true friendship. It is just one of life's greatest blessings. I love being with Hubs and his friends. I didn't have the privilege of going to college with them...I met them all later. But I sure love hearing all the stories and reminiscing with them. I've mentioned it before, but I think of them as 'a band of brothers' because that's how they act. They know each other very well and God knitted their friendships together so tight during their college years. We had the best time laughing with them after the service and remembering the good ol' days. They surprised us Sunday night by coming up to our city {not just for our sake} and called us when we got out of church to meet us then later came over to our house when the restaurant closed. We laughed and talked and laughed some more til midnight and then decided reluctantly that the fun had to come to an end....until next time. Who knows when that will be, but we look forward to it.

I have a few very good friends, as well, from all different stages of my life. They encourage me, make me laugh {and laugh at me}, take care of my kids when I need them to, trust me with theirs, cry with me, pray for me {and I for them} and encourage me to be more like Christ. It's a joy to be around them. Life would be a bit dull without them. I'm so thankful for friends!

Happy Fall Y'all!

2010-09-22T10:15:00.000-07:00

It is officially FALL!

Even though the weather is not cooperating. {It's 91 as I type.}

But FALL is in the air...and all of your local stores.

Today I decided to make my first batch of Pumpkin Bread....{dairy-/egg-free} so I can't wait to see how it turned out. The house sure smells good!

Later, I will be making Pumpkin Doughnuts {dairy-/egg-free, as well} which will be a first for me. I would not be making doughnuts if it weren't for my sweet middle child. Her class is having doughnuts as a treat on Friday and so I want her to be able to participate and have her own kind. She deals with food allergies, so she cannot have just any ol' doughnut. Hers are created very special just for her! I hope she likes them!And if you're looking for a yummy Fall-type meal to make, try out my bro-in-law's yummy Italian soup {that my sister named, 'Yes, I'll fly with you to Italy for the weekend' soup}. It's delish. I made it Sunday and it hit the spot! Pair it with Pioneer Woman's 'THE Bread' and you'll have yourself a full belly.

Happy Fall Y'all!

Winner Announced!

2010-09-17T13:34:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Amanda who won our $35 CSN Stores gift card!

The code for your $35 has been emailed to you, Amanda!

Happy Shopping!

You can visit Amanda @ Life on County Road 39!

Dining Table

2010-09-10T17:24:00.000-07:00

We have two dining tables in our house. One in the kitchen. One in the dining room. I like having a kitchen table because our kids are young and very messy and the kitchen is easier to clean up. The dining table is used most often when we have guests. I would much rather use the dining table regularly, but am still trying to convince Hubs that it's a great idea. I would like to get a smaller kitchen table, possibly round with just 4 chairs, and then use our dining room for family meals....regularly. I'll let you know when Hubs finally gives in to my reasoning.

And speaking of dining tables, CSN stores has a great selection of dining tables here. Go check them out and then come back here and tell me your favorite. Or just leave me a comment about whatever. And you'll be entered to win a $35 gift card to CSN stores online!!!! Be sure I have a way of contacting you if you are the winner. Contest starts today and ends Wednesday, September 15 at midnight. I'll announce the winner Thursday, Sept 16. Winner will be chosen by a random number generator.

Thanks for stopping by!

Your Legacy

2010-09-09T19:20:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it's because I'm so addicted to researching the family tree or what, but I've been thinking a lot about the effect other people have on our lives and vice versa. Last Sunday, we were visiting my parents and went to their church on Sunday. My dad preached about Joseph being a foster father to Jesus and how he was a great influence. We always put the focus on Mary when thinking of Jesus's parents, but in reality God also chose Joseph to be Jesus's earthly father for a reason. While my dad was preaching, he mentioned how nice it would be to be the parent of a perfect child. And Mom leaned over and said, 'Yeah, but can you imagine being a parent with a sinful nature to a perfect child?' I haven't been able to stop thinking about that. I act ridiculous at times when things aren't going my way. When my pride gets hurt, the real me comes out. What a huge responsibility Joseph and Mary had to keep their own actions and reactions in check. As parents, our influence over our children affects them the most. And I have been challenged to walk in the Spirit so that I do not give in to my flesh. My children are watching closely.
Then, today I was reading in 2 Chronicles 26 about King Uzziah. He was pretty amazing - becoming king at age 16 and completely rebuilding the Southern Kingdom of Israel (which his father had let fall to pieces) and building up quite a large army to protect it. He was amazing only because he lived according to God's will for his life. Things went great, he was prosperous. He reigned for 52 years and became a strong man....and then, he became proud. Pride is so sneaky. We start out with nothing because that's really what we are without God. We're so dependent upon God because without Him we can do nothing. Things just seem to flow, and everything goes fine and then, somewhere along the way, we forget where we came from. We get a distorted view of ourselves and forget Who brought us to where we are. And then, we wonder why things seem to be falling apart. Uzziah did that. After so much success, he forgot God. He became self-sufficient. He even went so far as to break the 'law' and went into the holy place where only the priests were allowed to go. This shocked the priests (all 81 of them) and they confronted him, but he was too big for his britches and would not listen. He got angry. And God immediately struck him with leprosy...on his forehead. (I love how the Bible is so specific.) This man who had been a hero to the kingdom, and had done great things because of his dependence on God ended up alone with a disease that ultimately killed him. And do you know how he was remembered? They said 'He was a leper.' 52 great years of dependence upon God and because of pride and self-sufficiency, he died alone from leprosy. This is a challenge to me to live in total dependence on God and to teach my children to do the same. I really believe that is the greatest legacy I could leave them.

5 Years Ago...

2010-09-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

God gave us this precious gift.

Her smile is sweet.

Her heart is BIG.

This girl knows how to have fun!

We can't imagine our lives without her.

Thank you, Lord, for giving us this sweet girl.

PS - She looks adorable with cupcake on her face.

The Family Tree

2010-09-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

Hubs and I have really gotten into the show 'Who Do You Think You Are?' about celebrities finding out their genealogy and tracing it way back to reveal some very interesting and historical things. Starting Sunday, Hubs and I both began researching our families historys and have gotten quite a lot of information about where we came from. It's been so much fun. Almost too much fun. Every night since then, we have put the kids to bed and resumed our spots in the living room with our laptops and found more information. I can't even wait til after church when we get the girls to bed and we can research some more. Thanks to one of my dad's cousins, I was able to find a ton of information on his mother's side of the family dating back to 1755 in Ireland, which would be all the way back to my Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather. On my dad's father's (Papaw's) side of the family, I can only get back to my Great Grandfather (born in 1884), so far. I am going to find more info on that side of the family. It's my mission. Then, my mom's side of the family had some more information that I could use to put the puzzle together. So, on my mom's father's side of the family I have traced back to my Great-Great-Great Grandfather (still trying to figure out dates on that). And on my mom's paternal grandmother's side of the family, I've gotten back to my Great-Great-Great Grandfather. Then, there's a gap of about 160 years and we found out these people descended from a couple born in Ireland around 1690 who then, travelled to NC about 1700 and settled there. I have to figure out this gap. It's going to drive me crazy until I do.

I've found some very interesting info that I think relates to this gap I just mentioned. If it's true, then, my Great-Great-Great Grandfather was fighting in the Civil War which started April 12, 1861. He was on the 1860 Census and was 30 years old at that time and in the same household with two other men who were not relatives of his. I found one of those names on a military list, as well as, what I believe might be my GGG Grandfather. According to the document, they were in the 2nd Regiment NC Infantry AKA 2nd Infantry Regiment State Troops. My GGG Grandfather's wife is listed on the 1860 Census as being 32 yrs old at the time and living with a man who was 26 (either a husband or brother) and a little girl, age 2. She and my GGG lived in the same city and I have more research to do to find out if these are indeed the people I'm looking for. And if so, when did they get married? It is very interesting getting all this info. I can't wait to find more.

Stay tuned. This is going to be a journey.

Side Table Before & After

2010-08-30T13:04:00.000-07:00

BEFORE:

My mom gave us this cute little side table a few months ago. It has magazine holders on each end and an open space in the middle. I love it because it is petite and works perfect beside our recliner. We have a lot of dark brown in our living room and that was the color of this table, so I decided (after putting it off for so long) to sand it and repaint it. Thanks to some new curtains I bought at World Market, I was inspired to paint the table turquoise and then distress it. Last Friday, I decided on a whim to just do it. And that's what I did. Here's the Before & After....

AFTER:

Close-up

2 weeks down....

2010-08-27T16:51:00.000-07:00

My two big girls have been in school now for 2 weeks. It's been full of new experiences, excitement, long car lines, after-school snacks, homework and evenings full of complete exhaustion. I must admit I am enjoying being on a schedule again and I love my time with our youngest girl.

Middle Girl started Kindergarten this year....finally. It seemed to take forever in her little mind, so when the day finally came she was thrilled! Her favorite things about K5 (so far) are playing on the playground and seeing her BFF, Isabelle. For at least the past year, we've been telling her she'll learn how to read in Kindergarten. So, last week, nearly everyday she came home upset that 'They didn't teach me how to read!' I was cracking up. She is learning - she just doesn't know it. And then there's the daily BFF saga. I don't think a day has passed by that she hasn't asked or begged to go to Isabelle's house after school. She and Isabelle are in the same class and they have been buddies forever. They were born on the same day, in the same hospital room, just hours apart. The beginning of their lives was very opposite, but it has been a lot of fun seeing their friendship develop. I hope they are friends forever. Of course, Kindergarten is tiring for our girl who is used to having a nap or rest time everyday. She'll get used to it eventually.

Firstborn is going to a new school this year for 2nd grade. She LOVES it. Everyday she has been so excited about her day and looks forward to the next day. The first day she came home and said, 'My teacher is nice and kind and not bossy.' So, that was a good start to the year. She tells us about the kids in her class and all that goes on during the day. It's quite interesting. She is my studious child (let's hope it lasts!) and takes after her daddy. Schoolwork is fun to her and she learns very quickly. The fundraisers have already begun, if you can even believe it. She was gung-ho about it until she realized she doesn't get to keep the money....the school gets it. HA She is always looking for ways to make an easy dollar.

I've never been so happy for a weekend than I am right now. I love the schedule, but I am so tired. Homework is already killing me. I cannot believe how much homework my 2nd grader has. I guess it only gets worse from here. At least right now, it's pretty easy homework - just takes a long time. I'm glad she doesn't mind doing it, though.

And that is what we've been doing now for two solid weeks. Not much else. It's gonna be a great school year!

Calypso...

2010-08-27T16:42:00.000-07:00

......that's the color of a little side table I am painting right now. Before/After pics soon to come!

The Best Man

2010-08-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

Hubs & his best man, Matt

Hubs has a friend whom he has considered his best friend since college. They were in aviation together in college and developed a great friendship. Actually, they had a group of friends. I met Hubs' friend, Matt, before I started dating Hubs. He was the kindest, most sincere friend to everyone he met. He was a southern boy. My first impression of him never changed. He loved to have a good time. And that's the way all the guys in the group were. When I started dating Hubs, I got to know Matt a little better. Although we didn't see him much due to living in different cities and then states, Hubs and he kept in touch every few months or so. You know guys. And 'the guys' (whom I kind of think of as a 'band of brothers') still keep in touch....not quite as often now that everyone has their own families, but the friendship is still strong. When Hubs and I got married, there was no question who would be Hubs' best man. All the guys were in each other's weddings and I just think that speaks volumes of the friendships they forged during those college years. A little over a year ago, Matt was diagnosed with cancer. Nothing helped to get rid of the cancer and today he passed away. I can't imagine the grief his wife and three little boys are experiencing, as well as, their families. But I know that he has never been better!! The Bible says that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. And I can just imagine Matt entering the gates of Heaven, being welcomed into the very presence of Jesus Christ, his Savior. And being surrounded by loved ones and friends he knew here on Earth. He is no longer suffering, but celebrating and worshipping at the feet of Jesus. I wish I could get a glimpse of that right now. My mind cannot comprehend the awesome moment of passing from this human life into the glorious realization that you've entered eternal life in Heaven. That's forever! I just cannot imagine it, but I know it will be the greatest moment one who knows Jesus Christ as their Savior could ever experience. That's where Matt is right now. He's only been there about 3 hours, but to him it probably seems so different. I wonder who he is talking to right now. Which hero of the Bible he's joking around with and talking to. I wonder if he's still bowing at the feet of Jesus and praising Him for His salvation. I wonder how many people he's told about his cute little boys and sweet wife and wishing they could know how happy he is. I would love to be there when he tells the story of his and Hubs' long roadtrip to Canada for their friend's wedding years ago. How hilarious that will be. He is probably in no hurry. He has all of eternity, afterall. I'm so thankful Hubs got to talk to him last week on the phone and tell him 'goodbye for now'. This story has a happy ending, though. We'll see him again. We have that hope of eternal life. And Heaven was made much sweeter today now that our dear friend is there waiting for us.

Matt being his jovial self!

Please keep his wife and boys and their families in your prayers. These are difficult days for them and my heart breaks for them. I know they appreciate your prayers.

Milestones...

2010-08-12T17:51:00.000-07:00

We are hitting lots of milestones in our home lately and I have been hit with the reality that time is flying by. My kids are growing up. Which must mean I'm getting older, but we won't go there. Our most recent milestones:
~ My baby is officially potty trained (at least by daytime!) and it was way too easy. It took approximately 4 days, and she's 27 months. My older two were a good 3 1/2 before they were potty trained. And it was no picnic....believe you me. This time, I was dreading it. Really, really dreading it. And we just started cold-turkey one afternoon. I am still shocked everytime she tells me she has to 'go'. I love it!
~ My baby is sleeping in her big-girl bed tonight! We've been talking about it for awhile, but had to wait on some bunk beds for Middle Girl's room (which came today). So, tonight's the first night with her being free to wander (in a technical sense). I'll probably have to get up way earlier than I want to in the morning, but I'll survive. It won't be the first time...or the last.
~ Middle Girl is starting Kindergarten Tuesday!!!! I have been looking forward to this for months because she gets so bored being at home all the time, but now that it's fast approaching, I think I'm going to need a Kleenex. Make that a whole box of Kleenex. She's my little, thumb-sucking sweetheart and a cuddlebug. I just don't think I am ready to let her grow up. But it's time. Time to let her go. To let her begin the painful process of learning NOT to suck her thumb. To let her take her own lunch box to school and eat without me there making sure she's really eating and not still hungry. Time to let her learn and mature and make friends that I don't know. It's time. Whether I like it or not.
~ Firstborn is starting 2nd grade at a new school on Monday. We took her today to meet her teacher. I had butterflies in my stomach all morning, as though I was back in the 3rd grade when my family moved to a new city and I had to start a new school after the official school year had started. And I was wearing baby blue corduroy culottes when everyone else was wearing pants. And they all stared at me as if I were from a foreign country. Yes, I felt like I was back there as I walked into the elementary school this afternoon. Only it was much easier this time knowing from experience that everything will be okay. We met her new teacher who seems very nice and explored the classroom, found her desk, got her school spirit t-shirt. It was a good experience. She is excited about starting school Monday. Visiting her classroom and meeting her teacher was enough to settle her fears. I'm thankful she's excited. But I'll be needing a Kleenex on Monday, too.
Even though I'm not starting school, (and oh how thankful I am to be past schooling years!!) I will be very busy with my girls' schools. I have signed up for everything I can possibly sign up for, I may be subbing at Middle Girl's school, I am heading up a Moms in Touch prayer group for Firstborn's school each Monday, I'll be a member of the PTA at Firstborn's school, etc. I am exhausted just filling out my calendar for the school year. It is going to require a lot of my time, but I will only have this opportunity for a few short years. I want to really take advantage of every opportunity I can with my girls' schools. I'm going to be very involved. This is my ministry right now. It's very exciting! I'm praying for opportunities to develop new friendships with other moms in the girls' schools and will be looking for ways to be a blessing....ultimately pointing them to Christ.
Hope your school year is shaping up to be a good one for you and your children, as well!

Choices...

2010-08-08T17:48:00.000-07:00

Life is full of them. We make choices everyday. Some are no-brainers (like 'are we going to have dessert?? Uh, Yeah!), others are more serious (Chocolate or Sugar-free?), but all of them affect us one way or another. Hubs and I have had some big choices to make this summer...the biggest one being schooling for our children. We have two in school this year (can I get an Amen?) and we thought long and hard (as well as, prayed often) about where to send them to school. Firstborn has been in school since K2. Middle Girl is just starting K5 without having gone to any preschool. Firstborn has been in Christian school the whole time and we had no thought of ever changing that...until summer began. I won't go into detail, but we began to wonder if the cost of sending our two girls to Christian school was really necessary AND right for our family. While we loved the school Firstborn attended, the cost was really causing us to question continuing her in that school. I began to pray about what to do. I was kind of torn - we loved the school, she was excelling, etc. but we had some uncertainty about if this was right for us. My experience is that God uses circumstances to guide me and direct my steps and obviously He wanted us to rethink this. I had talked to my mom about this and one day she told me that my dad thought it wise for us to consider public school. I grew up in public school and am very thankful for that opportunity. God allowed me to really grow and mature in my Christian walk during high school and some of that was due to the challenges I faced with some of my peers/teachers regarding my moral beliefs. I can honestly say it was good for me. I know public school is not for everyone. But don't knock it til you've tried it is a saying that comes to mind. Hubs grew up in Christian school because of the ministry his family was in while growing up. So, I knew that his opinion of public school would be very different than my own. But when we began praying about this option, it was amazing to me how God united our hearts and our thinking and gave us peace to make the decision that was right for us at this present time. We believe God's will for us at this time is for our daughter to go to public school. And I cannot tell you how excited I am about this. Of course, there is a little hesitancy, but only because I am not familiar with the public school system here firsthand. But we have peace and fully believe God has directed us in this decision. I don't write all this to get your approval because frankly, I don't want it or need it. I just want to share with you why I am so excited about this and maybe challenge you to think deeper about your own life's choices.
Because I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and my desire is to glorify Him in my words, actions, etc. I surround myself with other's who know Christ as their personal Saviour. I love being around my brothers and sisters in Christ and am encouraged and rejuvenated after spending time with them. We are active members in our church and spend a lot of time there. I do not work outside the home so most of the people I speak with/hang around are Christians - in the real, true meaning of the word. When my girl was attending Christian school that took up even more time being around other Believers and less time around people who do not know Christ. God's Word commands me to be the salt and light of the World, building relationships and friendships with those who have no hope of eternal life without Christ as their Saviour. Now that my girl will be in public school, we will have the opportunity to be around people who need Christ. I plan to be very involved in her school and will be looking for opportunities to befriend people that do not live the way I live. I want to be able to relate to my neighbors and others whose lives are very different than ours. I don't want to ignore their need for Christ just because we do things differently.
Another reason for my excitement is that my girl will be able to see for herself that she is very blessed. My prayer is that God would enable her to see that not everyone lives the way we do. Christ is not the center of their homes and that makes a huge impact on the choices they make. I don't want her to continue living in a 'bubble' where everyone she knows and talks to lives their lives almost exactly like we do. That's not reality. The truth is there are people all around us - everywhere - that have no idea what a privilege it is to know Jesus Christ. They don't know what it's like to have peace in their homes, to know they are loved with an everlasting love. They have no hope. But we do! And I want her to understand that and be able to share that hope with her friends and others that she will come in contact with.
I want to guard my children against the mindset that if people don't live the way we do, then we shouldn't associate with them. If we don't associate with them, how will we ever win people to Christ? As Christians, we shouldn't live like the world does, but that absolutely does not mean we should shelter ourselves and our children from the world. They need to know how to function in reality. Not be homely and unsociable or scared to talk to people who are different than them. Even in 1st grade, I heard a comment or two from my girl about public school and I could tell by her tone that she thought that was not a good thing. It was eye-opening to me, to say the very least. I am not sure where she got that attitude from, but I was not pleased. That attitude is directly opposite of Christ's attitude toward people. He was criticized for associating with people who were not 'up to par' according to the Pharisees, but that didn't stop Him. The fact is that is doesn't make a hill of beans worth of difference what elementary school someone goes to. The school doesn't define who you are. School is just a means to an end, it's temporary, but God has you there for a specific purpose (whether you realize it or not). A purpose bigger than just education. But isn't that life? Every place God allows us to be (school, work, church, neighborhood, etc.) is authorized by God, yet we forfeit many opportunities to share Christ with others because we aren't prepared or actively looking for those opportunities.
We are purposefully teaching our girls that God doesn't classify people according to our standards. We are all sinners, unworthy of the mercy God so freely pours out on us. So, who are we to look down our noses at someone because of where they go to school, etc.? There's a word for that...pride. And the Bible doesn't have any good thing to say about that kind of pride.
And let me just add here that I am not declaring that everyone in the Christian school is automatically a Christian. That definitely is not the case. A Christian is one who recognizes their sinful nature and confesses their sin to Jesus Christ Who paid the debt for their sins by dying on the Cross. A Christian places his/her trust in Christ alone, believing that He is the ONLY ONE that can save from sin. We cannot trust in works/deeds because they just aren't good enough. Salvation is bought only by the shed blood of Christ and is FREELY given to those Who believe that. We can't buy it or even pretend to have it. Our best just isn't good enough. And that's the beauty of salvation. It's something I could never merit on my own, but God loves me so much that He freely gives that to me when I recognize my need. He'll do the same for you.
No matter what school your children attend, the most vital element of that is parental involvement. The biggest influence in your child's life is your home. Not the school or their peers. And if you're looking for ways to keep communication with your children open, I recommend "Parent Talk" - totally forgot who the author is, but you can google it.
So, that's our decision in a nutshell. Very exciting days ahead for us! And I am making myself available to the opportunities God will be placing in front of me and my family.

Butterflies and Zinnias

2010-08-03T18:40:00.001-07:00

So, I grew zinnias from the ground up this year. I was expecting them to be the short, cute, fat ones when I planted the seeds, but they kept growing and growing and growing. They are about 4 feet tall now. And that doesn't include the pots they are in. It's quite funny. But I love them. My zinnias. They have about 25-30 blooms at all times and at least 5 butterflies and a few bees, as well. I love cutting my zinnias to put in my bud vases in my kitchen window. Zinnias are a happy flower. I even saw a gorgeous yellow finch enjoying my zinnias the other day. And for a split second, a hummingbird came to visit. He left too quickly for me to get a picture, but I did take one of a beautiful butterfly....

Meat Loaf Muffins

2010-07-30T08:08:00.000-07:00

I am continuing my quest for healthy meals for our family and here is one that I tried last night. I had a lb of ground beef in my fridge that needed to be used last night and because my family is absolutely sick to death of spaghetti and meatballs, I had to brainstorm. I thought that maybe I could do a meatloaf or something so I googled 'sugar free meatloaf' (we are trying to limit the sugar intake and most meatloaf has ketchup in in). Didn't find anything appealing so I decided to google egg-free/dairy-free meatloaf. That's when I came up with Meat Loaf Muffins. You can get the recipe HERE. I used less ketchup to lower the sugar grams (Hunts has a 'No High Fructose Corn Syrup ketchup) and I just left the egg completely out of the recipe and it held together just fine. I, also, substituted bread crumbs for the crackers. I like the taste much better. Bread crumbs normally have milk in them, but I buy Panko brand and the one I have has no dairy. They turned out great and take less time to bake than a whole meatloaf. Putting them in muffin tins also provides a great portion size for children and makes them easier to store for later. I served them with steamed broccoli and sweet corn. YUM. The fam loved it. And if you really want to be sneaky, add in some extra finely chopped veggies. Hubs and the children had no idea it had onions and carrots in it. {I love it when a plan comes together!}

I {heart} America!

2010-07-06T11:16:00.000-07:00

We had a fabulous Fourth of July! Long weekends are always nice, but when you celebrate America's birthday over a long weekend it is just that much more fabulous. Our weekend started with a short trip to see my fam. It was a nice day to drive through the mountains and we just had a lovely time. The girls were so happy to get to see 'the cousins' again and only asked, "Are we there yet?" about 90 times and "What state are we in?" approximately 107 times. But we made it with our nerves in tact. Soon as we got there, we woofed down our lunch and got right back in the car (it's really a van, but I call it a car all the time....I don't know why. Does it really matter?) and headed for the lake. Sister and Bro-in-Law have a boat and we hadn't been on it since B-I-L gashed his foot open on the propeller a few years ago, so we were happy to take a little boat ride Saturday. The girls loved it. Firstborn even surrendered her fear of open water and jumped onto the Tube with her cousins and went for a ride behind the boat. I was so proud of her! She is not our fearless, adventurous one so this surprised me. After the boatride, she even got into the lake with The Cousins with her life jacket on and did so well until the fear returned and she nearly drowned her favorite cousin, causing Hubs to have to jump into the lake before he was ready to jump into the lake and rescue her. Evidently he wasn't getting her back to the boat fast enough because she declared {very adamantly} "GET ME ASHORE!" I totally thought about videoing this whole episode because it was hilarious, but I didn't want her to know we were laughing when she was having such a hard time 5 feet away from the boat....with her life jacket on...and her daddy holding her. That, and the fact that I couldn't hold the camera still from trying so hard to hold back the laughter. Bless her heart. She was brave, though, and I was proud of her. I told her so. We spent a couple hours out on the lake and then headed back to the house and had BBQ with my parents. It was so good to see them. We played a mean game of Scrabble and called it a night. Sunday we celebrated our freedom to worship and went to church with Sister and fam in the morning and then to my parents' church to hear Daddy preach Sunday night. It was a great day. After church, we drove Downtown and watched the fireworks from the top of a parking garage. Best seats in town! Monday we were able to go and swim with all the cousins and Grammy and Papa at their friend's house. It was a fun time. I was surprised at how much more brave my girls were this year in the pool than they were last year. The Baby (who is not really a baby anymore) makes me nervous because she's fearless and it's a fight to keep her water wings on. Much to our surprise, though, the girls did not sleep all the way home. Maybe just a few minutes each. But we did put them to bed while it was still bright as day outside and they slept 12 hours last night. It was a fun weekend! So great to be with family! Now it's back to the grind before we finally go on vacation!! I can't wait!

Thinking outside the {macaroni & cheese} box

2010-06-24T09:42:00.000-07:00

I've turned over a new leaf. I'm blazing a new trail! I'm changing our family's menu.... This is very exciting to me, but scary to Hubs. This type of change will be good for us and so far, I am absolutely loving it! I came to this decision because my metabolism found out how old this body is and decided to take a vacation. Or so it seems to my summer wardrobe. But that was just the motivation I needed to make some serious change around here. I love me some Chick-fil-a and apparently I was loving it just a little too much. Well, that along with soda and the occasional {okay, more than occasional} dessert. Not to mention, Hubs' love of ice cream and B1G1 Sonic shakes. I can't let him act alone on such things! So, I am determined to make some changes! So far, so good! Granted, this is only Day 4, but I am pretty motivated to stick with these major changes. Hubs and I are just sick of junk food. Although, I do crave Chick-fil-a in a big way, but that just reminds me that I'm normal.

So, to change, I've personally started a 14 day jumpstart with no sugar. That means no carbs, too, and hardly any dairy. I am feeling good and haven't had many cravings until today when I made my daughter a PB&J and I was tempted beyond belief to lick that yummy, sugary peanut butter off the knife. But I didn't. And I am proud of myself! But the changes won't stop after these 14 days. I'm determined to continue cooking yummy, healthy meals for dinner each night, choosing healthy lunch options and forcing this non-breakfast eater to eat a healthy breakfast every morning.

Just thought I'd share with you a couple of delicious and healthy recipes that I've made this week. Super easy (I won't cook it if it's not easy.) and so yummy that I am envious of my husband who took the leftovers to work today. Never thought I'd be selfish about healthy food!

Last night, I made Jenny's Grilled Chicken Breast and it was the best chicken I've eaten in a long while. I even grilled it and usually that means it's blackened (aka. burned to death) because I have an insane dislike of raw chicken, but I did pretty good on this one!

I also made Roasted Garlic Lemon Broccoli and HELLO?! It was awesome!!! Yes, I used awesome to describe broccoli. Who knew?? Broccoli never tasted so good! You must try this. The family liked it, but Hubs still prefers steamed broccoli. I'm just glad he eats broccoli, so I will continue to make it the way he likes it and then make mine this way from now til forevermore. It is THAT good. I am thinking very seriously of making it again tonight with our dinner. Shhh....

I also made homemade Mac N Cheese for the fam who still loves their carbs, but I did not partake. I was too full from broccoli to even care that I was missing out on that cheesy goodness.

Today, I made a variation of homemade salsa to eat on top of my spring mix salad and black beans. Sorry I have no picture to share, but trust me, it was good. Here's how I made it...

1 Tomato, diced

1/2 c Red Onion, chopped

Fresh Cilantro, chopped

Chili Pepper, Salt and Pepper to taste

1 T Olive Oil

1/4 c Fresh Lemon Juice (Lime would be good here, but I didn't have one on hand.)

Mix it all up and EAT!

On an interesting note, did you know {according to The Ultimate Weight Solution}...

* Eating a second helping {200 calories} three times a week can add 9 pounds to your body in a year?

* Eating one glazed donut every day on your coffee break can add 22 pounds to your body in a year?

* Drinking a cup of whole milk twice a day instead of Skim Milk can add 13 pounds in a year??

* Drinking one regular soda a day versus diet soda can add 15 pounds in a year? (Not to mention, that raises your chance of Pancreatic Cancer by 75% or is it 87%, one of those??!!)

These are shocking to me! But even more than that. I have been really paying attention to sodium levels in foods and just today I realized that 1/4 teaspoon of table salt has 590 mg sodium in it! We should have a maximum of 1 tsp of salt per day. That really puts things in perspective for me. I am a salt lover, but for crying out loud...I will be seriously watching my salt intake from now on. I don't really know anyone that only uses 1/4 tsp of salt at a time. My Papaw used to make the holes in his salt shaker bigger because he loved salt and it just wasn't coming out fast enough for him. I'm with him on the salt - much prefer a salty snack to a sweet snack, but my salty days are dwindling down. Can you say water retention?

*photos courtesy of AllRecipes.com

GIVEAWAY WINNER ANNOUNCED!!

2010-06-12T09:24:00.001-07:00

Congratulations!!

Emily {entry #42 - chosen by random.org} is our winner!!!!

She liked the Hillsdale Milwaukee headboard.

Emily, I have emailed you instructions! Please contact me within 48 hours to receive your prize or I will need to pick a new winner. Congratulations!!!

thanks to all who entered! more giveaways coming soon!!

Fresh Air & Exercise

2010-06-11T16:53:00.000-07:00

Hubs loves to hike. He loved it so much when he was a bachelor that he collected all the hiking/backpacking gear. Then, he met me. I enjoy being outdoors and a nice jaunt in the woods, but I am by no means a backpacker. And I don't camp. It's not my thing. I just do not enjoy the thought of sleeping in the wild where there are animals. And bugs. I remember camping out in the backyard in my brother's tent when we were younger and I have no desire to ever sleep in another tent. We would wake up and the whole tent stunk, not to mention the slightest move would make the tent 'roof' move and it would 'rain' on us from all the dew. Nope. I love my bed. And the fact that it doesn't matter if it rains or not while I sleep. I know I'll wake up dry and comfortable. Oh - and I'll get to have a warm shower the next morning. Not a cold one in a cement shower stall. That's too much like youth camp and I'm too old for that now. That said, we love going for day hikes. I'm all for that. It's getting easier now that our youngest is 2. We've been doing it quite a bit these last few weeks and it has been very much fun! The Biltmore House and Gardens is a great place for being outdoors and there is much to do and see. The girls love it there and we always take a picnic lunch. Last weekend, though, we went to the Carl Sandburg Home for the first time and walked around then had a picnic. It was fun and nice to be outside. We didn't tour the home, though - didn't seem like much and we really wanted to be outside. Here are a few pics from our day...
Maybe one day {when the girls are older - MUCH older} I might try camping in the wild. Part of me wonders if I could survive it....at least the way Hubs likes to camp....in the Wild. Where you have to hike half a day to find a good spot, {while carrying all your stuff} then set up camp and rough it all night just to pack it all up and carry it all back to wherever it is you came from...and that's without a shower anywhere in sight. Ahhh me. Tell me.....where is the fun in that?? I didn't even mention three girlies tagging along begging to be carried, reminding us they're hungry every 10 minutes, and wondering when we are going to find a potty out there in the wild. I think I'll stick to day trips for now.

Giveaway Time!

2010-06-08T11:12:00.000-07:00

GIVEAWAY CLOSED! Stay tuned for more future giveaways!!

I don't know about you, but I love a good giveaway! I sign up for blog giveaways often and have been the lucky recipient of a few things recently. The first giveaway I won was last Fall when I won a fabulous red pitcher! I use it all the time and just love it! High quality, stylish and dishwasher-safe. What more can you ask for?

Then, I hosted a giveaway to CSN stores online (which happened to be the same place my pitcher came from) where I gave the option of winning some nice Paula Deen or Rachael Ray kitchen things. That was a big hit and the winner chose the Paula Deen knife set.

CSN stores have over 200 online stores full of quality items from headboards to wall art to espresso machines to pressure washers, sheds, and porch swings. Don't forget the multitude of kids items and clothing and everything else you can imagine. It's all at csnstores.com.

And now, for the exciting part - I'm giving away a $40 one-time-use gift certificate to be used at any of the CSN stores online!! There are many items I found that I would love to buy for $40 and I'm sure you won't be disappointed!

If I had a guest room, I would have this headboard in it. I love the pattern and the color and this headboard begs me to come in and relax.

TO ENTER:

Mandatory Entry: Go to THIS LINK and tell me which headboard you like the best! Then, come back here and leave me a comment with your favorite one. *Be sure to include your email if you do not have a blog I can contact you at, in case you are the winner!*

Open to US or Canadian Residents.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

* Blog about this giveaway, then leave me a comment telling me you did.

* Check out CSN stores online and tell me which store sells your favorite things! (not specific items, just general)

* Post about this giveaway on Facebook!

ONE winner will be chosen at random (using a random number generator) on Saturday, June 12! Good Luck!!

Chubby Baby Toes

2010-06-04T12:33:00.000-07:00

I {heart} baby feet. But I REALLY {heart} chubby baby feet with painted toenails. It is adorable to me.

This is the best pic of her chubby feet I could get. She couldn't stay still long enough! I love how she has been running around the house today staring at her toes. And how she is holding out her fingers and looking at her painted fingernails like such a big girl. She didn't even want me to wash her hands after lunch because she thought the polish would come off. How cute is that?? (Of course, I did wash her hands anyway.)

And this is her cute, chubby face that I kiss all day long. And the very last pacifier in our possession that she has already bit a hole into. Won't be long before this paci is in the trash can and we go through paci withdrawal. Until then, I keep encouraging her not to bite it. I want it to last a little longer....please!!

Stay tuned for an upcoming GIVEAWAY!!!! You won't want to miss it!!!

Memorial Day Weekend ~ Part Two

2010-06-02T11:20:00.000-07:00

The girls with their cousins Lily & Lola! (We missed Grant & Abby! They were at their Granny & Pappy's house.)

Unfortunately, I didn't get pictures of all the adults, but it's not as fun taking pictures of people sitting around eating/talking when you can take pics of cute little kids. Maybe next time!

Hope you all had a memorable Memorial Day!

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-06-02T10:07:00.000-07:00

Livi ~ cutie pie with an adorable laugh!

Townsend ~ so cute and sweet!

Watermelon!

Lots of fun with the younger cousins!
Fun with cousins from Hubs' side of the family. The girls just had a great time with their cousins, Townsend & Livi, who they only get to see a couple times a year. They were all sad when we had to leave. =(

Then, we went to see the cousins on my side of the family (except the oldest two who are visiting their grandparents out of town.) Part Two to follow....

Summer Lovin'

2010-05-24T11:02:00.000-07:00

I love flowers in containers. On porches, patios, decks, playhouses, etc. etc. etc. I love them here, I love them there, yes! I love them everywhere. A few years ago, my husband built a window box and then we moved to a new house and never used it....until this past weekend. We decided it would be perfect for hanging underneath our kitchen window that faces the backyard. Turns out, it looks lovely. (at least, in my opinion) Here it is in all it's glory. Freshly painted and freshly planted.

Summer Days

2010-05-17T13:56:00.000-07:00

My little strawberry pickers.

We've been on official Summer Break now since last Thursday afternoon. It's exciting for the girls to have their big sister home now. I enjoy not having to iron school clothes, make school lunch for Miss Picky Pants, try to remember everything I'm suppose to send to school with her each day, sign up for things for her classroom, etc. etc. It's been lovely. And now Monday came and the girls are tired of each other already and bored and sick of PB&J. Time to pull out 'The LIST'. My list. I've been working on this list for a few weeks and waiting for the appropriate time to pull it out. I knew the boredom would ensue just a few days into Summer Break and I needed to be ready. Our first day of S.B. we went strawberry picking. Thanks to our friend, Kylee, I went to the only strawberry patch I had ever heard of around here. It was fun and the girls LOVED it. Absolutely LOVED it. {Did I mention how much they LOVED it?} It took me longer to drive there than it did to pick 2 gallons of berries, but it was so fun....and now I have yummy strawberries ready for me to use whenever I feel the need.

Then, my parents and brother came that night to spend the night with us on their way to the beach for some R&R. It was good to see them and the girls LOVED seeing them. I am glad I live on the way to the beach.

Saturday we spent the whole day outside working in the yard and such. It was hot and humid, but we managed to get enough done and the kids enjoyed playing outside on their slip n slide.

Sunday we were at church most of the day except a few hours in the afternoon in which we declared naptime for all. And we let the girls watch The Chronicles of Narnia for the first time. Our oldest loved it and understood most of what was going on. Our middle girl loved it and was entertained the whole time, even though she doesn't quite get what's happening. But I'm glad the girls liked it, it's a good movie for family night every once in awhile.

Today we stayed home all day and tried to get some things done, but it being Monday means grouchy kids at some point throughout the day and it was a challenge to get much done. Hoping tomorrow will be better for them.

Tomorrow we plan to go to a local baseball game in the afternoon which my girls haven't been to, yet. So, I think they will love it and they will be surprised because we won't tell them until we need to.

It's been a busy summer so far and we've only just begun. My list for the rest of the summer includes:

Giving the girls a responsibility chart - {Did this today!} so they can have specific duties to perform daily/weekly and contribute to the household to-do list.
Frequent library trips to cultivate a love for reading and to grab a few movies here and there for those rainy afternoons that happen. {We've been twice already and Firstborn is currently reading the Little House on the Prairie series and is on Book 2.}
Teaching the girls etiquette and practicing these manners in real-life situations. There are some things we need to work on and this summer will be perfect for that.
Food Preparation 101 - teaching the two oldest how to measure, mix and prepare food so that they can start helping out with dinner. This will help them to have something constructive to do while I am getting meals ready instead of complaining and whining about starving to death. And it will teach them very practical things that they will use the rest of their lives.
Table Setting - they will learn how to properly set the table in a variety of situations. And then, they will be responsible for this chore daily. {They are excited about this!}
Grocery Shopping Tips - how to find items in the grocery store - kind of like a mini scavenger hunt to keep them entertained and being helpful in the store instead of fighting with each other and being a hindrance.
Picnics, visits with friends, scavenger hunts in the park/downtown, etc.
At some point in the summer, the girls will host a tea party for their friends and they will use the manners & skills they've learned and make the food, set the table, serve their guests, etc. It will be the magnum opus of all they learn in the next several weeks. It gives them something to work toward and look forward to, but will also bring great satisfaction {hopefully} to know that they are capable of doing something so fun for their friends.
And let's not forget vacation!!!!! {My personal favorite thing on the list.}

So, that will be our summer in a nutshell. I have been brainstorming for a few weeks about all the things we can do this summer for free or very cheap and these were some of the things I came up with. There are others, but I'm too tired to go find my list right now. This morning the girls made a fort under my dining room table and this afternoon when I walked in the dining room I noticed a paper on one of the chairs. It was their 'to-do' list for today and I thought I'd share it with you:

Oh, to be a kid again. And by the way, only the baby slept today, so I don't know why sleep is on the list 3 times!! And 'crat' is suppose to be 'craft'. I thought this was cute and so typical of summer in a child's mind.

Craft Therapy

2010-05-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a company {that will remain nameless} not keeping up with their aircraft maintenance, my husband has been having to work many extra hours. This might not be a big deal to a normal family, but to three little girls that absolutely love their daddy {and REALLY miss him when he's not here}, 14 hour days & weekends are not fun. The emotional rollercoaster was really wild around here and I haven't even mentioned my own feelings about it. Let's not go there. So, to make time pass a little faster and to channel the emotional energy that three little girls generate, I had to get creative. I'm not a crafty person. I can sew. I enjoy it. But I only enjoy it when I'm in the mood to sew. I can't just sew on demand. My children, on the other hand, love crafts. My sister got all the crafty genes, so I only craft in desperate situations.....like being alone with all three girls for numerous hours/days. Forseeing that it would be a very long, tiring weekend I made a trip to the Hobby Lobby. Really, the purpose was to get a couple things for a project the girls and I were making for their daddy's birthday which was this past Friday. But when I got there, I found a few other things that looked like fun things to do over the weekend. We found the stuff we were looking for for Hubs' gift and then began browsing the aisles {which can be very dangerous - too many great ideas and clearance deals!!}. I came across some clearanced canvas tote bags and thought they would be perfect for our many trips I have planned to the library this summer. Then, I realized canvases were on sale and I've been eyeing some canvas art for awhile now, but knew I would never pay the price asked when I could most likely do it myself. So, I put the canvas in my cart along with some paint and some other supplies I thought I'd need and we headed to the fabric department. Found the trim I needed to finish off an apron-dress I had made with some leftover fabric. Then, we decided to head home. These are the finished products....

Here are the girls' tote bags {not quite done, but they loved squirting paint all over them}

This is the apron-dress I made for my Middle Girl. I still need to add some big round buttons below the straps in front, but she likes it.

cowgirl apron flap - hence the name of the dress.

And here is my latest and greatest. This was my inspiration. I have been wanting to add more Scripture to our home in the form of art, and I am very pleased with the results {especially the way the letters are all different shapes/shades}.

I used:

18"x24" canvas

Barn Red acrylic paint (watered down just a little for the streak effect)

Chipboard lettering

Stencil Adhesive

I plan to do more of these in different sizes around the house. So easy and very affordable!

Two Years of Complete Bliss

2010-04-24T11:39:00.000-07:00

This sweet thing turned two this past Thursday! She is an absolute joy to have in our family. I cannot imagine our lives without her. She is our third and youngest child (and last, I might add). When we found out we were adding a third child to our family of four, we were happy and a bit nervous. Hubs and I would be officially outnumbered. (yikes!) However, we have completely enjoyed it. It is much easier than I had imagined, and we are busier than I thought I could possibly be. But I love every minute of it.

These are some of the things I LOVE about my sweet little girl...

Her blonde hair. It really stands out next to the brown hair of everyone else in the family.
Her dimple. I love this dimple. She's our only girl with a dimple and it makes my heart melt to see it when she smiles.
She loves her sisters. Even when they drive her crazy. She loves to see them when she wakes up in the morning. (After naptime is a different story!)

She loves her daddy and likes for him to put her to bed at night.
She loves her sleep. When it's time for bed, she is happy to go. She sleeps with her bunny and a piggy and blankie and paci. Two pacifiers, actually. One in her mouth and one in her hand. And she's very partial to the 'pink' one. They are both pink, but one is light and the other is dark pink. Only she calls the light one 'pink'. She has no idea that we're getting ready to say good-bye to the paci. Poor girl.

She is constantly on the go. She loves to play. Loves being outside. And even loves a good movie. She laughs in all the right places and that makes us laugh. Her favorite movie is 'Cars'. Go figure - in a house of all girls, she loves what her sisters call 'a boy movie'.

She is very animated and has recently become territorial. It is quite funny to watch her. Yesterday, I had her window open while we were playing in her room and the breeze was blowing the curtain. She was not happy about the curtain touching her arm so she looked at the curtain and said, "Don't!". This is just par for the course for this 2 year old.

Guarding the tricycle!

We love our sweet girl and are so thankful God gave her to our family!

At a loss for words...

2010-04-20T07:12:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know. It's hard to believe, isn't it? Just last night, I was at dinner with a friend and afterward had fellowship with several other sisters in Christ and I talked my head off. That is the normal 'me'. Later last night, during the night and still this morning I don't even have words to express the state my heart is in. Have you ever witnessed or experienced pain to the point of it being not only visible, but audible? I'm not talking about temporary pain or pain that can be subdued by medicine. This type of pain is untouched with the strongest medicine and leaves one desperate for help. There is nothing anyone else can do to help. I've birthed three big babies and I know pain. (Yes, I do.) But I don't know uncontrollable pain. My daughter just this morning had 4 teeth pulled and she's experiencing pain right now, but popsicles help that pain. My dad had a liver embolization done yesterday and although it was a very necessary thing for him, recovery has been extremely painful and discouraging for him. I talked to my mom around 9 last night and to say that my dad was in agony is a gross understatement. It is never easy to witness a loved one experience pain and suffering to a much higher degree than I can even imagine, but to know my dad (who I love immensely and who is a pillar of strength in our family) is desperate for help is a terrible thing to experience. My mom is helpless. Medicine wasn't working. People who are qualified to help, couldn't help. Only the Great Physician has the power to help and yet through His sovereignty, He allowed (is allowing) my dad to suffer. I don't question His love for my dad or His will. I know from personal experience and from the surety of God's Word that His love is greater than any love I could ever have for anyone here on Earth. I also know that my parents are not questioning God's love for them. They know His will for them is perfect and He makes no mistakes. And as I was weighed down with sadness for my parents last night, I prayed. I didn't even know what to pray around 3:30 when I woke up again, but I was reminded that it didn't matter what I said. God already knows my heart and the Holy Spirit (also named The Comforter) goes to God for me when I am at a loss for words and expresses to God what my heart is feeling and God acts...immediately. Whether he comforts, heals, gives peace....He answers in the way that is best for us at that time. It didn't matter that it was 3:30am, God was still up....Psalm 121:3-4 (He does not sleep, nor slumber.) I was worried and He gave me peace of mind. I was sad and He comforted me. I cried out to Him and He heard my cry. I really hate not being with my parents at times like these. The distance is hard. But I know that my God who is with me, is also with them at the very same time, doing the very same thing for them in the way that only He can. That is AWESOME! I am praising the Lord for Who He is today.

I'm also praising Him for His protection. Around 4:30pm yesterday, a man came to the hospital where my parents are and shot three people and then, himself. One woman died and she happened to be the floor manager on the floor that my parents are on. The other two women are going to be okay. My mom was outside walking a few minutes before the shooting happened and we thank God that she is safe. Mom told me this morning that she saw the floor manager just minutes before she was shot. Things weren't going so great with my dad and she noticed (as she was walking down the hall to go outside to walk) the office of the floor manager and thought to herself that she was glad to know where that office was in case she needed to speak to her. The lady was telling someone good-bye. Little did she know that was her last good-bye. Today, everyone working around my parents is very sad. Please pray for them. What a tragedy. Pray that my parents will be able to minister to those who are hurting as they try to help my dad feel better.

If you don't know my Comforter. Let me introduce you. Your life will never be the same.

Thank you for praying for my dad and my mom. And, please pray for my cousin, Krista, (and her family) who is going through Chemo/Radiation for the next several weeks in Florida.

The Neighbors

2010-04-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

When I was growing up, I loved to play with the kids in my neighborhood. It was just the way it was back then. It was no big deal to be outside all day long playing somewhere in the neighborhood with whoever was out playing at the time. It was fun. Some of my neighbors from the past I am still in contact with even though none of us live in the same state now (or country for that matter - right, Mandi?). For some reason, getting to know the neighbors now isn't quite as easy as it used to be. Maybe we've been inside too much? I don't think we're unfriendly, but who knows? When we first moved into this house we loved that there were no houses directly behind us - we can actually live in the backyard without someone's window peeking down over us and I love it. But our children were very young, too, so we saved up and as soon as #3 was born, we put in a fence in the backyard. Mostly to contain the little ones and help them to know their boundaries without us yelling all the time to 'get back over here'! We also did it because the neighbor children would cut through our backyard to get to another street, but they wouldn't just cut through the back of the yard - they would go out of their way to walk across the patio and pretty much right at the back door of the kitchen. Not exactly good manners. So, the fence turned out to be a great investment. (I forgot to mention it keeps the Great Dane, the pot bellied pig, two goats and some roosters out of our backyard, as well.) But now that the girls are getting older, they really want to play with 'friends' in the neighborhood and at this point, they are only allowed to play in our backyard because of a few factors. So, anytime they hear a kid outside they start peeking through the fence to see who's out. Normally, it's their friend, Allison, from 2 doors down. I don't think Allison is ever inside her house except to sleep. I've seen her all over this neighborhood. She knows everybody and everybody knows her. And now thanks to a rental house beside us, there are 2 more kids their age that come over often. But yesterday, I left my two oldest outside to play while #3 and I stepped inside for a moment to get a drink and I heard lots of voices. Through the window I saw numerous kids and all were trying to get inside the playhouse. We ended up having 10 kids before it was overwith and they were anywhere between the ages of 2 and 11. Because I didn't know them and because my baby has to be right in on all the action, I had to come out and supervise the situation. Only 2 flowerpots got knocked over in the process of all those kids trying to get inside the playhouse and I think that was a major accomplishment. I really enjoyed seeing my girls interact with these big kids. It was really good for them to be around strangers and experience real life interactions. (I say 'real life' because #1 goes to a Christian school and we are at church 3 times a week and she really doesn't have an opportunity to mix with kids who come from homes that aren't quite like ours.) Before they came, though, we had noticed some of them outside and I had told the girls that if the kids wanted to come play, they know where to find us. So, Firstborn prayed and asked God to please have her friends come over and just moments later 7 kids come walking through the gate. She was ecstatic! Immediately she told me that she had prayed and that God answered her prayer. I was so happy for her. A little later, she came in and got some of these tracts to give to her 'friends' and told them this would help them know how to go to Heaven when they die. One boy seemed very interested in it and took it home with him. (He's the one in the pic below.) Not too long after that, the kids started leaving. (They travel in a herd.) So, when the last one had left, I saw Firstborn sit down on the adirondack bench, hands folded, looking at the gate and she began praying, "Dear Jesus, Please let my friends come back! I want to play just a little longer." And before she could even say 'Amen', here they came.....one at a time, until all of them were back. Her eyes lit up and she jumped up and down and ran to me and said, "I just prayed and God answered my prayer!! It's a miracle!!" I nearly burst into tears over what she had just experienced. God hears her prayers and cares about her desires. That's something I've known for a long time, but she had to learn it for herself. We may have to make a few rules about how many kids can be in the playhouse at one time from now on, but we want to try to always be friendly to our neighbors. Nothing ever happens by chance. We live here in this house, in this neighborhood, for a reason that is bigger than anything I can imagine. And because of that, we need to be friendly to our neighbors and taking advantage of any opportunity we have to befriend, encourage, point them to Christ. Firstborn told Allison yesterday that she is trying to be a missionary where she lives. I am convicted that I need to do all that I can to enable her to do that and to make sure I'm not discouraging her from doing that whether it's with my attitude or my words. My backyard is a nice place to hang out, but really it's just a tool that God has allowed us to have where we can entertain friends and strangers alike with the hope that we will be able to have an eternal impact on their lives.

Fabulous

2010-04-14T18:49:00.000-07:00

I love the word fabulous. It's an adjective. I always liked diagramming sentences in Grammar class in high school and the adjectives were my favorite words. But that's beside the point. Today my day was fabulous. It's my birthday!!! It started by hearing my children downstairs planning who was going to give me my card and who was going to give me my gift. They were unusally quiet, too (which was kinda nice at 7 am). So, when I came downstairs I pretended I had no idea what was going on. They immediately commenced singing "Happy Birthday to you, you live in a zoo (to which I whole-heartedly agree), you smell like a monkey (thanks a lot!) and you look like one, too."(Kids are so blunt.) Then, Firstborn gave me my card and Middle Girl gave me a hydrangea bush. I love hydrangeas, so it was perfect! My card yelled 'Hurray! Hurray!' at me and lit up with tiny lights all over the inside. The girls were so proud of it and I thought it was cute. Firstborn had to let me know that it was an expensive card. She's all about discerning what is cheap and what is expensive...cracks me up. Then, my great brother-in-law texted me Happy Birthday followed by my brother a little later. My daddy called me on his way to the church and that made my day. It was so good to talk to him first thing this morning. My mom called next and then my sister. So, by 10am I had spoken to my whole fam. It was a great start to the day. Moments later, my sweet, always-encouraging friend texted me that she was bringing lunch over and I was so excited! It was such a nice surprise and good to have fellowship with her. I wish I had taken her pic for this blog, but I forgot. (Sorry, Dayna. Guess you're off the hook this time.) Just minutes after she left, another very dear friend called me to tell me her baby had just been born....on my birthday!!! Tell me what friend would ever do that for you? She's awesome. A true friend....not just because she birthed her third child on my day...she's true everyday. She wanted to make sure my day was going well and wanted to talk about me when this day is really her BIG day! I was able to go visit her tonight and meet this tiny little bundle of absolute sweetness. I really wanted to bring her home with me. Here she is...

After talking with my friend, I baked my birthday cake with my Middle Girl. She helped. It is free of peanuts, milk and eggs because of MG's allergies, but it tastes delicious! MG had fun helping me and licking the beaters. YUM. Shortly after said cake was done, we left and went to pick up Firstborn from school and checked the mail on the way - there was a sweet birthday card from my grandmother and a gift for my baby whose 2nd birthday is next week. That was a nice surprise. We got home from picking up FB and decided to take a stroll around the neighborhood because God made this day absolutely gorgeous just for my birthday and we just HAD to go for a walk. It was lovely. Afterward, we played outside and the baby got filthy dirty so I had to bathe her before we could eat dinner (which was leftovers because it's church night and we didn't want to be late). Things went well all day for me. It was a FABULOUS day!!

Oh, and yesterday, I got this fabulous gift in the mail from my fabulous sister. Isn't if fabulous? I have worn it two days in a row now and might just wear it everyday for the rest of my life. That's how fabulous it is to me.

And now I am going to go have some fabulous sleep. Now that I'm older, I really need my sleep. Good night.

The Loose Tooth

2010-04-12T17:24:00.000-07:00

My firstborn has a loose tooth. A very loose tooth. But the pain it causes her when she wiggles it makes her scared for anyone to pull it. I am surprised it hasn't just fallen out all by itself - that's how loose it is. Tonight I was trying to explain to her that it will just hurt for a second and then the pain will be gone and it will all be overwith. But the fear of pain was more powerful than the excitement of the end result. As I was sitting there trying to comfort her (tears streaming down her face), I realized that I act the same way sometimes. A trial (or two, or three, or ten) comes and although I know God has promised to take care of me - to provide (Phil, 4:19), to be with me always (Heb 13:5), comfort me (John 14:16) and He has proved Himself faithful to me over and over and over again, I sometimes let the fear of what I'm going to face, the hurt or suffering that I may have to endure, overshadow the end result which ALWAYS turns out to be for my good. (Romans 8:28) Trials that I have faced in the past that caused me to fear, cry my eyes out, and worry myself to death seemed so minute compared to the joy that came when God allowed the trial to pass. The lessons learned of Who my God really is and what He means to me make trials seem so small when they are overwith. I'm so thankful for that.

Fun Giveaway!

2010-04-09T10:09:00.000-07:00

Go HERE to read about and enter a very fun giveaway! My sister is having a neat giveaway on her blog today - think Mother's Day..........

Who doesn't love jewelry??

Adirondack Before & After

2010-04-05T17:21:00.000-07:00

Have I told you lately that I love {RED}? My mom gave me a child's adirondack bench that has been sitting on her porch for years now. It was weathered and worn and some spiders had taken up residence in it so I brought it home - finally - and wiped off all the spider webs, sanded it and painted it my favorite color. It is now in its new home - my backyard - next to the girls' playhouse. They love it and all three of their skinny little hineys can fit on it comfortably - when they are in a sharing mood. So, take a look....

BEFORE:

AFTER:
Just don't look too close. {wink} I don't claim to be a professional painter, but it's good enough for the backyard!

I linked to:

When He Was On the Cross...

2010-04-01T19:44:00.000-07:00

I was on His mind. Tomorrow we remember the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross. I was going to write some thoughts on it, but just read my brother's blog and couldn't have said it any better myself. You can read it here.
I'm humbled, indescribably thankful and even somewhat emotional as I think about the debt Christ paid for me on the Cross. He willingly gave His life for a wretch like me. No one took His life - He gave it willingly so that I might have life and have a more abundant life! Undeserving as I am, I cannot even fully process that. I just know that I love Him for it. And I have a renewed passion to tell everyone I know about His love for them.
Thinking of my Saviour's death on the Cross and the blame that was placed upon Him makes me imagine just how sad that day was for those who loved Him. But, the excitement and anticipation of what was to come on that 3rd day - what Mary experienced when she ran to the tomb and saw it was empty and she knew He was ALIVE - was undoubtedly the best day history ever recorded!

Death, where is thy sting? Grave, where is thy victory? Hell has been defeated! The grave could not hold The King!

What Would Dad Do?

2010-03-22T18:39:00.000-07:00

Children often look to their parents for a reaction or to find out how to act about certain situations. They take cues from us and usually follow suit. Everyone knows the well-used saying, 'If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy'. It's true. I remember watching my parents as I was growing up and taking note of their reactions to certain things and I found great security in the fact that they were very consistent. Anytime something happened that I thought couldn't be good, they had peace. There was no uproar or hopeless wailing going on, their first reaction was going to God in prayer. There is only one time that I can even remember feeling insecure because of a reaction - but I won't mention it here because my mother would not appreciate it. She will laugh, though, when she reads this and will know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. And then, Dad will promptly try to hold back his laughter, too. Well, he may just laugh out loud because it is that funny. But you had to be there. Sorry. Anyway, I found great security and stability in my parents because they trusted the Lord to handle everything. I know that they had to learn to trust Him at some point in their lives (no one is born doing that - it is an action that comes through trials and dependence upon God that allows one to truly see Him as trustworthy), but I benefited greatly from that. When things would happen that I just didn't quite understand, I would ask Dad what he thought about it and he would explain to me what was going on and the conversation always led to how the Lord is in control. He had peace when others seemed hopeless and worried. My mom is the same way. So, today as I was thinking about this whole socialized medicine thing and wondering what to make of it all (as everyone else was talking and writing about it), I found myself thinking of Dad and how he is most assuredly not losing any sleep over it or worrying about what is to come with all of that. I can guarantee that he got up this morning, read his Bible, had his coffee, drove down to the mailbox to get the paper, and continued on with his daily Monday routine with Mom and they lived their lives just like they do every Monday not threatened by or worried about the future because the same God who has provided for them, answered prayers and shown Himself faithful to them their whole lives, is still doing the same today. It doesn't matter what Congress does. They can't vote Him off of His throne. They will never be able to strip Him of His many titles. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. I find great security in that. I have no reason to worry about my future or my children's future or my grandchildren's future. God will still be God. I will do my part to vote the Dems out of office, but I won't despair. I want to teach my kids through my own response to 'bad things' that they can trust God in EVERY situation.

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

The Painted Urn

2010-03-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

Last Fall, I hosted (with much help) a first-hopefully-annual Swap Meet with my Sunday School Class ladies and it was so much fun. The idea came from this site and it was a lot of fun. I cannot wait to have another one! But anyway, I swapped my junk for someone else's junk and one of the items I took home with me was an urn. There are endless purposes for an urn and I was excited to get it! I brought it home and put a Fall plant in it and sat it on my mantle until the Christmas decorations came out. Then, it went on top of my fridge where it sat empty until yesterday. Thanks to the inspiration I posted about yesterday, I found great potential in that cute little urn. It was begging for a topiary. So, I ran to The Walmarts (nevermind that it was my second trip there of the day) and bought some glossy white spray paint for .96 cents. Got home and started spraying stuff left and right. There might be one squirt left in the can, but I'm not sure. Anyway, I wish I had a before pic, but I was so excited to spray paint, I didn't take time to snap a photo. Here is my new, used urn....

And this is what it looks like now with its freshly made, yet still-needing-a-haircut topiary. I put it in my kitchen because the kitchen is begging for some brighter accents. This makes me happy.
And here are my little Easter topiaries sitting on my mantle.

Ok, so I need to smooth that first one down a bit, but you get the idea.

These were fun to make. And cheap!

Copy Cat

2010-03-18T17:26:00.000-07:00

I like to read blogs. It's no secret. I really enjoy seeing what other people do with their homes and how they decorate. I was really into a few blogs (that will remain nameless for now) there for awhile, but I just got tired of reading about things that I wasn't interested in doing at my house. Not to mention, they just weren't in my budget or energy-level. And then my sister got into the blogging. She found her niche in this blog world and is quickly becoming the blog to read. She posts almost everyday (by the way, I was disappointed not to see a new post yesterday, but two today make up for it, I guess.) and it's always interesting. Of course, half the time, I already know about what I'm going to read on her blog, but I still want to read it. She has a way with words....and topiaries. Which brings me to why I'm writing this post in the first place. The other day she wrote about a bunny topiary. Oh.My.Goodness. It was so cute! I decided I needed to make one. So, I did.

Poor little bunny looks like its tail got chopped off, but my girls were able to tell that it was a bunny so that's all that matters.

It's not quite as cute as hers, but I still love it. And then the next day, she wrote about topiaries again and it just so happened that I had an empty urn sitting around so I am in the process of making myself a year-round topiary and I just can't wait to finish it. I'm a follower. I am compelled to copy everything that she's doing. This has been a life-long issue for me, though, so it's nothing new. I have no originality and I'm fine with that. Her ideas are good enough for the both of us. I'm lucky to have someone so creative to copy. Now, if I can just find the deals she is finding and work up 1/3 of the energy she has I could do great things to this house. I was inspired by something she spray painted glossy white and so today I made a special trip back to The Walmarts with all three of the girls (so you know it had to be important!) just to get white glossy spray paint to paint my aforementioned urn and I've already nearly used the whole can. I love spray paint. I'll post about that obsession/outlet/stress reliever another time.

Way more important than silly home decor projects, would you please pray for my cousin, Krista? She has cancer and is just beginning her battle. Please pray for her, her husband, Joe and her two cute kids. We all know people with cancer, but when it hits family it becomes very sobering and ultimately changes the way we view our lives. Pray for them. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

$2.88 Worth of Motivation...

2010-03-15T13:27:00.001-07:00

I've been pondering Spring Cleaning now for a few weeks and was almost ready to start it when the sickness hit. So, since then all I could do besides sanitize every imaginable surface and wash load after load of laundry was think about easy ways to spring clean. Then, I remembered my favorite, most informational and not-to-overwhelming website Real Simple. I became very familiar with this website last year and made this wonderfully organized notebook for myself that I actually used for several months (until it got lost in my unorganized mess of a cabinet). I bought a pink notebook because pink is such a happy color. Then, I used some dividers that I already had in another notebook (not quite as cute) from when I had attempted to be organized before - but that was pre-Real Simple, mind you. So, then, I printed off many organizational sheets from Real Simple for cleaning, laundering, filing paperwork, meal planning, etc. and I just love it. It works for me. So, I was super happy to find my notebook and start again my journey to re-organize my house and life now that the sun is shining.

The front/back of my notebook has The Elements of Clean cleaning schedule that shows what to clean weekly/monthly/3-6 months/6-12 months/once a year. Lovely.

And I just like looking at my notebook. Don't get me wrong. I love a clean house. But I loathe cleaning toilets and getting down to the knitty gritty. However, I realize the necessity, especially after all this sickness. It just seemed that I needed an extra ounce of motivation and today in Walmart (aka The Walmarts) I found it. Well, Middle Girl found it.
I'm up to my elbows in dirt and muck now and I am enjoying it. Bubble gum pink with flowers makes cleaning so much more fun.

Spring Forward?

2010-03-13T19:08:00.000-08:00

I don't about you, but I have never been a fan of 'Springing Forward'. I am a 'Fall Back' kind of person. Always have been. Just ask my family. It's no secret. I love sleep. Sleep is precious to me. Always has been. This was always chalked up to laziness in my younger years, but recently I found out that there is a medical reason that makes me need sleep more than the average person. I'm not lazy afterall. It is totally legit. Unfortunately, as a mom of the three cutest girls I ever laid eyes on, sleep isn't at the top of their priority list. The Baby (who isn't really a baby anymore, but I will continue to call her the baby because it's my prerogative) is a great sleeper. I love that. She asks to go to bed often. She's my kind of gal. Middle Girl is a pretty good sleeper, but is an early riser...very early riser. Lately, she's been rising before 6am. I'm not sure I knew what 'before 6am' looked like until I had my firstborn. I'm not a fan of 'before 6am'. She's been trained, though, to stay in her room until the sun comes up. First Born is now a good sleeper and also an early riser, but she never understood the concept of sleep until after her 2nd birthday. That was tough. Very tough. I lost a lot of sleep those two years. In fact, I think I am still trying to regain those hours I lost. But anyway, this whole 'Spring Forward' idea is the pits. I understand why it has to happen, but it doesn't make it any easier. I do wish that it was on a Friday night instead of a Saturday night, though. It is hard enough to get up early on a Sunday morning and be at church on time without robbing me of an hour the night before. That hour is crucial on a church night. But, I guess whoever made this rule didn't go to church on Sunday mornings...with children....and all their stuff that has to be taken with them. Oh well. I will get through it. And I'll be saying 'It's really only (insert previous hour) right now' for the next 6 months. But one positive thing about this is that the clock in my van will be accurate in the morning! I don't know how to change the clock so since last Fall Back, my clock has been one hour off. It will be nice to look at the clock and know it is finally the right time again...at least for 6 months. And now, I must get to bed. I've stayed up too late already and I am already regretting this. Happy Spring Forward everyone.

Homemade Laundry Detergent

2010-03-12T10:54:00.000-08:00

So, awhile back I learned about making your own laundry detergent from my friend, Dayna. She had posted on her facebook status about making detergent and people came out of the woodwork saying they'd been making theirs for awhile, too! First, I wondered why someone would do that - economical, eco-friendly, etc? - and then I googled it and realized how incredibly cheap it is. I have to admit I love the smell of certain detergents and I used to by a certain brand when it was on sale just because of the great smell. And then, I just became amazed at how expensive detergent is and started to get outraged. So, I decided to give the homemade kind a try. It is very cheap. And I have to say that it really works. There are a few variations of the recipe online, but the main ingredients are Borax, Arm & Hammer Washing Soda and Fels Naptha bar soap. I made enough to fill up a 2 gallon bucket, but some recipes show a 5 gallon bucket. This is the one I followed...
1/3 bar Fels Naptha soap, grated
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup Borax
Mix Fels Naptha soap in sauce pan with 3 pints of water, heat on low til dissolved. Stir in washing soda and Borax. Stir until thickened and remove from heat. Add 1 Quart HOT water to 2 gallon bucket. Add soap mixture and mix well. Fill bucket with hot water and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours or until it gels. Use a 1/2 cup of the mixture per load of wash.
This literally cost me around $7.00 for all of the ingredients and three batches will do 192 loads of wash. So, about .03 cents per load. And you'll still have tons of washing soda and borax left over.
I made this at the beginning of our two weeks of sickness and it was perfect timing because in about a week's time, I used a whole bottle of detergent (32 loads) because of having to wash sheets and towels and clothing over and over and over.
I love that I don't have to spend mega bucks on laundry detergent anymore!

A Sick Day....or 12

2010-03-06T17:18:00.000-08:00

It all started 13 days ago. My baby woke up with 'it' in her bed. She was crying when she woke up which is very unusual. And she woke up at 6:30am, which {thankfully} is also very unusual. So, when I went to get her up, I saw 'it' all down the side of her crib. Thus, began the start of a very long two weeks. We knew the sickness was going around, but thanks to Hubs, we are super careful about making sure we all wash our hands and sanitize immediately after leaving church or getting in the car from the grocery store, etc. But somehow, the bug got her. It was not a welcome sight! My parents were coming that day and I was so excited! They rarely come here - we always go see them, so for them to be coming for the sole purpose of spending time with us at our house, I was thrilled. I called my mom and she said they'd still come since the bug isn't airborne. The baby seemed fine and I thought, 'Whew! We dodged a bullet!'. And then Tuesday came. My middle girl was acting funny Tuesday morning, but it isn't unusual for her to say her tummy hurts. I kept asking if she felt sick and she repeatedly said no. She's an optimist. I think she thought if she didn't admit it, she wouldn't get sick. So, we went out with my parents and decided to have brunch at IHOP. It was going to be good. Long story short, Middle Girl got sick all the way to the bathroom at IHOP. It was bad. Later that day, she 'got sick' again. Both times, my mom was with her when 'it' happened. She was weak the rest of the day and laid around. I thought it was overwith, but was scared someone else might get it. Then, Wednesday came and went - my parents went home and as the day progressed, I wasn't feeling so great. The bug nailed me - full force. And much to my regret, it got my mom, too. It was a LONG night for me. Thursday was spent on the couch while I tried to take care of the Baby and Middle Girl. Firstborn was at school and Hubs went to work mid morning so it was not an easy day. Thinking we were okay since no one threw up Thursday, I was disappointed when I went to get the Baby Friday morning and she had done 'it' in the crib again. Saturday, Middle Girl did 'it' again. Sunday night, Firstborn really had it bad. I slept in her room all night with a mask on my face so I wouldn't breathe in any particals (gag me) while 'it' was going on. Monday, Firstborn rested all day and was very weak. Tuesday morning around 1am, Middle Child was at 'it' again. I could NOT believe it. Wednesday we were all feeling more normal and I was so very thankful. Then, Thursday morning came and the Baby and I were BOTH sick again. Hubs had to stay home from work for a few hours until I could get over the worst. All day the Baby was sick and by evening I was at my wit's end. By the grace of God {and a big pep talk from Hubs} I was able to overcome my drained emotions and lack of stamina and put on my big girl tiara and dealt with it head on. I was reminded that God's grace IS sufficient for me. And I needed it because Friday morning Hubs woke up very nauseated. He was in bed ALL DAY. Today, he is feeling better, but has no appetite. It took me 8 days to regain my appetite so needless to say, tomorrow will be the first day in 2 weeks that I've actually cooked something....that is - if we are all well.
We're pretty doggone sure we had/have the Norovirus. It is highly contagious and stays in the small intestine for approx 2 weeks (which is what we've experienced). I miss church. I miss normalcy. I spent an hour and a half at the Goodwill this afternoon - BY MYSELF - it was awesome. {And YES, I washed my hands with a Wet Ones wipey as soon as I got in the car and you-would-not-believe-how-dirty-it-was-when-I-got-through!!!!} I even broke my own cardinal rule and went to the Walmarts on a Saturday, thankyouverymuch. I was free for about two hours or so! It was lovely. So, hopefully, our turn with the sickness is over. I've quite frankly had enough of it for one lifetime. And I am greatly looking forward to getting back to church. Tomorrow we'll be attending church via internet with my sister and her fam. Their church is online LIVE every service so when I can't be at my church, I like to tune in to her church service where we usually catch a glimpse of her and her fam during the shaking hands part of the service....and my bro-in-law promptly sanitizes his hands after. Can't be too careful!
Some lessons I've learned about the Norovirus - and plan to always do from now on...

Sanitizer doesn't kill this virus. Only soap and water will wash it off your hands (won't kill it).
Wet Ones wipes WILL kill this virus and numerous other viruses. I vow to ALWAYS carry Wet Ones with me everywhere I go for wiping down surfaces, grocery cart handles, washing my hands in public, etc. etc.
Never touch your face. EVER. Merely wiping your eye or nose or mouth can throw you into the pit of this nasty virus. I will never touch my face with my hand again unless my hands have just been wiped. (And by the way - you wouldn't believe how itchy your face will be when you decide not to touch it.)
Clorox bleach will kill this virus and it is now a mandatory item under my kitchen counter - not just my laundry room. I've been wiping down every surface with bleach water for days. I know what harm bleach can do, but it's worth it to me not to have this virus again.

I've turned into Bob Wiley from 'What About Bob?' and I don't even care. Maybe I'll start a blog about the life of a germaphobe. Okay, maybe not.

Modesty

2010-02-17T09:52:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I am so excited about a new shop I've found!!! It is called Diviine ModesTee and you will love it, too. In these days of immodest clothing (even on young girls and teenagers, I might add) this is a breath of fresh air! You can be stylish AND modest at the same time. The best part - THEY HAVE SWIMSUITS!!! And even better - you can win one here. Go now! Check them out!!

And I love...

2010-02-11T17:55:00.000-08:00

.... getting mail. Real mail. Unexpected mail. Not-a-bill kind of mail. I don't know when I started loving mail, but it probably began in elementary school when I got my first pen pal. I think I was in 4th grade when we got assigned pen pals with military personnel. I had one pen pal named Rocky. She was a girl. I don't remember her real first name (maybe Michelle), but she was a kind lady. She was married and in the military. I don't remember a lot about her now except that at one point she lived in Kentucky. We lost touch after she had moved a couple of times. I also had another pen pal in the military named Steven. I don't remember a lot about him, either, and I think we exchanged letters only a few times and lost touch. Then, at some point (I can't remember the grade I was in) I had a pen pal named Sym Hyon-Jeong. She was from South Korea. My English class was assigned to her class (I think because they were learning to communicate in English) and we kept in touch for a long time. We exchanged pictures of each other and wrote about the things we were interested in, etc. She sent me some Hello Kitty stuff and a bulletin from her church. It was in Korean and, of course, I had no idea what it said or even what religion she was, but I mailed her a bulletin from my church and some gospel tracts for her and her friends in the picture. After that, I never heard from her again. I have wondered what happened to her and why she quit writing. Then, I had a pen pal from Nevada who lived on an Indian reservation. My grandmother had traveled out West with my grandaddy and came back with the name/address of my newest pen pal. I wrote her once or twice and couldn't believe I was conversing with a 'real' indian! It was cool! Oh, and then when I was in Jr. High, I had another pen pal of sorts. We met at the Winter Forward (a winter youth camp thing) and began writing letters back and forth for a few years. He lived in Ohio and we got to see each other at youth camp for a few years in a row, but that was it. We wrote letters faithfully and I loved checking the mail back in those days! ha After that, the letter writing kind of waned and I didn't really have a reason to check the mail again....until college. Oh, how I loved checking mailbox number 699 and getting letters from home and letters with 'cracker money' from my grandmother! Seems like I was always getting letters during college. What happened, people? Oh, I know what happened. Email happened.

These days I seldom receive real mail, but today.....oh yes, today....I did! I opened the box and saw the likes of this....

And when I saw my name on it I couldn't wait to open it! And when I did, it revealed this little piece of goodness....

But, of course, I read the note first (common mail-opening courtesy) and this is what it said...

I have the best sister in the world! She's creative - something I would like to be, but am not. She's fancy. I'm very plain. She's beautiful. I have an upturned nose and wild curly hair. She's witty. I try to be. She's neat and organized. I pretend to be neat and organized. (The neatness fairies are laughing their little wings off at that understatement!) She has a good blog and you should go read it...here. And she'll show you how to make yourself one of these cute flower pins for yourself.

I love...

2010-02-08T18:21:00.000-08:00

... my DVR. Whatever that stands for. I just know that it records shows/movies for me that I don't have time to watch while they are on TV. And I love that. What a great invention...if you're into watching shows/movies. I can record every Dr. Oz show and then go through them later and decide which segments to watch or delete. (Can I get an Amen?) I don't know what I did before DVR came into my life. Oh wait - I do remember....we would race home from church on Sunday nights, get the kids in bed in record time and throw the pizza in the oven just in time to watch The Amazing Race. Yes, we did. And sometimes, if we were lucky, afternoon football would throw the entire CBS lineup off and the Race wouldn't start til our own little race (getting home, throwing kids in bed, pizza in oven....etc.) was over. Yes, I love my DVR. Only I have to admit that I am spoiled now. It is hard to watch anything without being able to fast forward through commercials. I think everyone should have a DVR. It has changed my TV viewing habits for the better.

What's on my DVR right now, you ask? Oh, you don't want to know. But I'll tell you anyway...

Dr. Oz (of course)

Pixar Short Films (I love Pixar films)

Chicken Little (We've only watched it a few hundred times)

Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure (Super Cute)

Tinkerbell

The Princess Bride

The Incredibles - (there seems to be a pattern here. Who is the DVR for anyway??)

Oh yes, and Little Women. There is always a chick flick DVR'd, especially for nights when Hubs has to work late or is at a meeting or those rare days that all three chickadees are napping and I actually have time to watch 'my' movies.

What's on your DVR?

My Feet...

2010-02-02T10:06:00.000-08:00

..... want these ....

Your feet could have these, too, if you go enter the giveaway here. I really wouldn't be telling you about this giveaway except that I'm getting an extra 5 entries by blogging about it. I realize that by doing this I am lessening my chances of winning if you do decide to enter. But, oh well. I'm throwing caution to the wind. Go enter! Maybe one of us will get lucky!!

And you thought I was going to show you a picture of my ugly feet. NEVER!

I Found Jesus Under My Kitchen Table

2010-01-28T14:03:00.000-08:00

As I was walking out the door to head to the grocery store, I noticed something unsual under my kitchen table. It wasn't the usual mess of crumbs I noticed (although that was certainly there) or one of the random toys that gets thrown or kicked under the table. It was Jesus. My very giving mother (who happens to be my dear friend and mentor) gave my girls some flannel graph Bible stories awhile back. They are really cool and a great tool for teaching kids about certain people/events in the Bible in an interactive way. I love them. I think my favorite Bible stories are the ones I learned by flannel graph when I was very young in Sunday School. So, anyway, when my kids play with them, it is great. They love to tell the stories and put the right people with the right scenes and it's wonderful, but it never fails that someone or something is always left out of the container that I keep them in. Thankfully, I rescued Jesus before the crumbs multiplied which they are wont to do. I sweep several times a day, but those pesky crumbs - they multiply. Hubs doesn't believe that I sweep that often because by the time he gets home from making a living everyday, it certainly doesn't look like its been swept....several times. Anyway, as I was saying, I got Jesus out from under the table and put Him back in His rightful place. Then, I finished hauling the two children and myself to the car so we could go buy groceries. As I sat in the car and was thinking about finding Jesus under my table, I laughed. It just sounded so funny. But then, I started thinking about how this week has gone for me. I definitely wouldn't classify it as one of my best weeks. I feel like I've been bombarded with one thing after another, like something is trying to rob me of my joy by throwing one thing after another at me. It has been tiring and discouraging and expensive. But I have been reminded more than once by that Still, Small Voice inside me that I need to find Jesus in all of these things that are happening. I need to bask in the joy of knowing He isn't surprised by any of these surprises. He saw it coming. He has been preparing me for these trials and has equipped me to handle them the way He wants me to....the way that will give Him glory. He has been faithful to me my entire life through great trials, joyful times, etc. He has never let me down and I know from experience that He doesn't plan on ever letting me down. Whatever trials bombard me, I know that they will not overcome me. I can always find Jesus in any trial or joy, I just have to be looking for Him. Today I found Him under my kitchen table, but I also found Him in His Word, in the encouraging voices of my family and friends, in the beautiful music exalting Who He is and in the sweet fellowship with my girls and husband. He is real. If you are looking for Jesus, you don't have to look far. He's waiting for you to call out to Him and He will show Himself real to you.

Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

The Blessings of an Ordinary Day

2010-01-27T05:20:00.000-08:00

Today I choose to be thankful for ordinary days. You know, the days that all I have to do is conquer a mountain of laundry, clean bathrooms, wipe up spills, change diapers, feed 'starving' children, plan the week's worth of meals, get groceries with at least 2 kids in tow, etc. Days that my kids want me to stop what I'm doing and read to them or play games with them when I have a to-do list a mile long. Days that I seem to be wearing my referee shirt all day and my sanity is at a record low. I'll remember to be thankful that 'no news' is good news! And I'll thank the Lord for getting us through the day with few boo boos (I hope!). I will remember to thank Him for my health and do what I can to take care of myself and my family's health. Ordinary days are a real blessing. Sometimes I forget that. But not today.

I'm thankful that I get to take care of this cute thing everyday...

And cuddle with this sweet thing...

And have a sweet conversation with this ever-changing thing...

And welcome this great man home every night...

I am very blessed. Way more than I deserve.

Update on Medical Mission in Haiti

2010-01-26T08:53:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are praying for the Medical Mission Outreach team in Haiti, here is an update they posted on Facebook this morning. You can became a fan on Facebook if you'd like to keep up with them...

Monday - Jan 25th - Several hundred patients had been seen as of that update. Lots of broken legs, arms, hips, etc. A lot of surgical candidates and general medical needs.

Tuesday - Jan 26th AM - While preparing to open the clinic today, they noticed a mother and a very malnourished 3 yr old boy - he is in the end stages of AIDS. Tough start to the day. The clinic is crowded today. Second wave of problems is evident - many severely infected wounds due to the unsterile operating environments in the city. Keep praying!!

I know the team appreciates your prayers as it has been very emotional for them and for the patients and their family members.

DRUMROLL, PLEASE.....

2010-01-25T09:02:00.001-08:00

The winner of the Paula Deen/Rachael Ray Giveaway is....

#86 Sandy @ Sandy's Space is the big winner of this fun giveaway!!! Sandy, you have 24 hours to contact me (I sent you a note through your blog). Otherwise, a new winner will be chosen.

If you love the Paula Deen and Rachael Ray items too much to let them go, you can purchase them for a great deal at CSN stores online. Go here. Go there anyway to check out their thousands and thousands of awesome name-brand products!!!

Thanks to all who commented and entered this giveaway! Come back often. You never know when you'll find another terrific giveaway!!!

Medically Necessary

2010-01-23T18:33:00.000-08:00

I have some very tender-hearted and compassionate friends. I do. And right now I'd like to ask you to stop and pray specifically for three of them. Bradley, Kelleigh and Jeanie left today with a group of 25 people on a Medical Mission Outreach trip to Haiti. They are spending a week in Haiti as a surgical and medical team helping those who desperately need medical help. They will be working in 12 hour shifts, around the clock. So, please pray for strength and safety for all of these people. They will be at a secure mission compound and patients will be shuttled in. This team is not sacrificing their time/money just because it is medically necessary for these desperate Haitians. They are there for a greater cause...to share Christ with every person that comes in for their help. The temporary sacrifice they are making will make a difference in eternity. Please pray for them.

Ahhhh....Saturdays

2010-01-22T11:17:00.000-08:00

I love Saturdays.

My three chickadees let us sleep in on Saturdays - usually til 8:30 or so. And now that I've said that, it won't happen tomorrow.

Hubs likes to make breakfast on Saturdays. Although, by the time it's done it's usually brunch and it takes til lunchtime to clean it all up. But, it's the one day of the week that we usually don't have to be somewhere.

Hubs lets me go out by myself on Saturdays....with no kids. All by my lonesome. It's refreshing. I can do whatever I want to do and take my time. It's such a luxury. I love it. The solitude. Nothing prohibits me from going wherever I want to go. I mainly window shop or go where I really need to go and get what I really need to get, but it's okay. I'm alone. And it is the only time during the entire week I get to be alone. It usually only lasts a couple of hours, though, and then I wonder what my fam is doing without me. So, I come back home to find everyone still in their jammies, but the kitchen will be sparkling clean. I love that.

I'm very much looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow. So happy about that.

What do you on Saturdays?

You Can Thank Me Later.

2010-01-21T17:35:00.000-08:00

My giveaway is still going on until Monday! Go here to enter if you haven't already.

And if that isn't enough, my sister (who never fails to amaze) has another - YES, ANOTHER - awesome-you-cannot-live-without giveaway. WARNING: You may covet after you see it. I seriously think you are going to love it. I have one of my own. (Bet you can't guess where I got it?!?) I need.....er...want more. Top notch giveaway. High quality product. You just won't believe it. Get on over there and enter. Go.

Okay, since you haven't gone yet, here's a little somethin' somethin' for you to think about while you click the link.....

Blog Referrals

2010-01-20T10:20:00.000-08:00

I enjoy reading blogs and normally I read the ones that I am familiar with, but every once in awhile I come across a new one that I find I really like. And when I remember to subscribe to their posts or 'become a follower' then I start reading them more frequently. My blog list is growing and I look forward to reading new posts when they're up. So, I thought I'd share with you a few of my favorites that aren't visible on my blog...
(Except for this one....)
1. Less-Than-Perfect Life of Bliss - is great! Not just because it's my sister's blog, but because it is a good read. You'll find How-To's, Great Ideas, and sometimes a personal note on there. Go check it out. You won't be sorry. Did you sign up for her GIVEAWAY that ends tomorrow night????

2. Blog Giveaways!! - Self-explanatory. How could you NOT love that blog??? Possibly a little time-consuming, but quite possibly a money-saver, too.

3. My Sweet Savings - If you are into saving money, this is great! I appreciate that Heather does all the work for me and I just do what she says and it saves me money and time. If you're not into saving money - shame on you! Get with the program. It's addicting.

4. Lauren Elise Designs - a friend of mine from years gone by. You should check out her great jewelry!! You'll love it. She's creative and super stylish! And affordable, I might add. PS - There's a giveaway over there right now!

So, go check out these great blogs! I'm totally a fan of promoting other people's blogs/businesses/giveaways when I have the time to do it.

Stay tuned for more....

We Go Way Back

2010-01-18T17:55:00.000-08:00

Just thought I would share this pic from old times seeing how this friend of mine quite possibly will be in the Super Bowl this month....We were friends when he was made famous at my favorite SEC school - University of Tennessee. This pic was taken just days after he signed his contract to go Pro with Indianapolis Colts. GO COLTS, btw!

Yeah, Peyton and I go way back. I have this picture and his signature to prove it. Don't be hatin'. You know you love my '90s bangs, too. What can I say? I had to look my best on that 'date'. (Actually, it was more like my friend, Jules, and I stalking him and waiting in quite a line at the then-new Jared Jewelers in West Knoxville just so we could get his signature. Who knew we'd get to have our pics taken with him??) That's the closest I've ever been to a multi-millionaire.

THIS COULD BE YOURS!!!

2010-01-18T13:02:00.001-08:00

TIME'S UP! SORRY YOU MISSED THIS GIVEAWAY, MAYBE THERE WILL BE ANOTHER SOMETIME SOON!!

Ok, so way back in November '09, I did a giveaway for My3Chickadees (my etsy shop that is still closed for the holidays...or until my motivation returns). Well, a reader signed up for my blog and invited me to enter her giveaway on her blog. Then, I ended up winning!! It was this cute, red pitcher. I love it! It's dishwasher friendly. I love that.
(Did I mention it's dishwasher friendly?)

I've used this cute pitcher several times already.

Anyway, the website that I won this great pitcher from sells all kinds of things from stools to diaper bags to the kitchen sink....literally. Thousands of items on their website will wow you. I had a blast looking through all the many, many types of products they offer. Go take a look at their website.

I really think you'll love their selection of Paula Deen and Rachael Ray things....two of my most favorite Food Network people! When I get to watch cooking shows those are the two that I really like the best. I picked out three items that I would love to have from these two peeps.

Paula Deen's 3-piece Chef's Knife Set:
Paula Deen's 13" x 18" Aluminized Steel Half-Sheet Pan with RED Silicone Insert Pad:Rachael Ray's 2-piece Tong Set in Orange:

These are three of my favorite things and I just wanted to show them to you...

and tell you....

THEY CAN BE YOURS!!!

To enter this giveaway:

Leave a comment on this blog entry and tell me which one you'd choose if you won!! (You can only pick one...sorry. But you are more than welcome to buy the other two that you don't win.) If you don't have a blog, remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you are the winner!

This giveaway ends next Monday, January 25th at noon!!! Don't waste time...Enter now! Tell all your BFF's!

Also, don't forget to check out my sister's blog for another GREAT giveaway!! (Hint: Le Creuset)

Our Small World: A Mom's View

Stocking Stuffers and Christmas Gifts

Thank You, God, for Blessing Me: a book review

Story Engineering: A Book Review

Vacation

Good Ol' Summertime

A Weekend Full of World History

LimeRicki Swimwear

Easter

I'm Dreaming...

Spring Break!

It's my birthday and I'll celebrate all weekend if I want to.

Sewing Machine Woes - Part two

Stifled Creativity

My Week

Yummy Goodness

Book Review: "Read and Share Stories About Jesus"

Intercession in Progress

Loaded Potato Soup

Budget-Friendly Graduation Announcements

Special Events

True Love

Official Ottoman Review

THE Ottoman

Finding Your Style

How to Reach Your Full Potential for God by Charles Stanley

Reading

Got Bread?

I resolve...

My Future's So Bright....I Gotta Wear Shades

Christmas Art

Year-Round Wreath

$5 Makeover

Another GREAT Giveaway

The year we broke our own rule.

Reason #327 Why I Do Not Want a Dog...

I'm almost done Christmas shopping....

A Week Full of Art....by my children

I'm a real winner...

Runway Rundown's 'Spread the Word' Contest

It's so hard to get out of bed in the morning...

The Day I Nearly Voted for a Democrat

Coffee Table vs. Ottoman

1st Haircut

Set Free

My friends are like the cherry in my Cherry Limeade.

Happy Fall Y'all!

Winner Announced!

Dining Table

Your Legacy

5 Years Ago...

The Family Tree

Side Table Before & After

2 weeks down....

Calypso...

The Best Man

Milestones...

Choices...

Butterflies and Zinnias

Meat Loaf Muffins

I {heart} America!

Thinking outside the {macaroni & cheese} box

GIVEAWAY WINNER ANNOUNCED!!

Fresh Air & Exercise

Giveaway Time!

Chubby Baby Toes

Memorial Day Weekend ~ Part Two

Memorial Day Weekend

Summer Lovin'

Summer Days

Craft Therapy

Two Years of Complete Bliss

At a loss for words...

The Neighbors

Fab*u*lous

The Loose Tooth

Fun Giveaway!

Adirondack Before & After

When He Was On the Cross...

What Would Dad Do?

Fabulous