Bugs and Sunshine

Fake Names & Tooth Faries

2012-01-30T09:12:00.000-06:00

1. Last night our amateur Tooth Fairy was summoned to the house due to a tooth that was pulled during the nap time that never took place yesterday. She's only done 3 gigs, so I sort of understand the mishap, but still, there's really no excuse for what happened last night.

Unfortunately, the Tooth Fairy fell sound asleep reading a book. Thankfully Santa woke her around 5:30am because he was sawing some mean logs. SANTA, did you make the drop? AW NUTS! NO, did you? No, but I'll go do it.

Luckily the lady of the house had placed the itty bitty tooth in a very large Ziplock Freezer bag. I checked her Saran Wrap drawer and all she had was Freezer size bags. I looked at her stash in the garage and I tell you if she had one box of Freezer size bags she had 5. That lady needs to learn how to make a list and lay off the BIG Ziplocks so she'll have a sandwich size bag when she needs one.

It made the drop easier though. The Tooth Fairy was able to pull the gargantu bag out from under the pillow and save the day in the last hour.

2. Saturday I was at my friend JLo's house. The kids were playing and she was introducing me to www.applevalleygirl.blogspot.com the cutest site! We were looking at bill organizers, hot chocolate bars and oatmeal stations when my 3 year old came in saying, "Carter is playing in traffic!" We went out to check and Carterbaby was nowhere to be found. JLo's husband took out on foot headed toward the park, Shane got in the bus and the neighbor Kay got in her car. After all hands on deck circled the neighborhood we finally found Carterbaby. The dog, Coco Chanel got loose and Carter was chasing him. A family the street over found him and Carter said, "I NEED HELP! My dog is running away. I don't know why she'd run away. We have a nice house and lots of bones!" After we knew he was safe we had a good laugh. A nice house with lots of bones-sweet boy.

3. Last night at community group someone called 3 year old Addison by the name of Sophie. Did they just call her Sophie, I asked Addie's Mom. Yes! That's her fake name. That got the ball rolling for the three of us womenfolk who were sitting on the couches visiting. We all had fake names. Leslie was Vanessa and she used to play Mardel with her friends. They would do price checks on King James Bibles and everything! So dang funny. Tiffny was Marie and my friend Holly and I used to be Hillary and Whitney. Oh my, the memories.

So, I just HAVE to ask.

Did YOU have a fake name growing up and if so what was it?!

iDol

2012-01-27T18:04:00.000-06:00

Thinking on the lonely in our culture has had me deep in thought. I've studied scripture, spent a lot of time praying over this and now I'm just going to cut to the chase and give you my opinions.

I think iPhones, technology, Facebook, the Internet, Twitter, all of it is being used to deceive us. I think these things can very quickly become iDols in our lives. They are making real relationship die and they are reeling us in, in unhealthy ways.

An idol is something that is adored, often blindly or excessively.

It is something visible but without substance. A pretender. An impostor.

Have you ever been deceived? It is an awful feeling. You have been tricked. No one likes being misled. I believe Satan is causing mankind, Christians included, to become way too dependant and addicted to technology.

Take a look at Genesis 3. The first sin. Satan, called a deceiver and crafty, tricks Eve. Think about the symbol of the first sin in the garden.

An apple with one bite taken out of it. One bite is all it took to destroy perfect relationship with God in the garden. Now look at the back of your phone. I don't think for one second that is a coincidence. I believe that Satan is crafty enough to have people everywhere right where he wants them. We're so blind, we don't even see it.

Some words that define the tree and the fruit that was not to be touched: When you eat it your eyes will be opened, it contains knowledge of good things and knowledge of evil things, it looked good for food and was pleasing to the eye, it was desirable for gaining wisdom. Everything about the appearance of the tree looked good. However, God has warned, "Do not eat from that tree. I have given you all the provision you need, and I've given it in abundance, but I warn you. If you eat from that tree, you will surely die."

You know the story, with one bite, an apple became the symbol of Satan deceiving mankind.
I think back to the donut shop. I remember the restaurant. I look at my own days and how FB or blogs can pull me in, wasting valuable time. This draw toward being tied to technology. I know the sinking feeling when I'm driving somewhere only to realize I don't have my phone with me. It's horrible. What if this happens? What if that happens? Fear.

Why do people want the iPhone with Internet capability 24/7? To have knowledge. What if I'm in a big city and want to find the nearest Starbucks? I'll just be able to pull it up and it will be so convenient for me. At the touch of my fingers, I have instant access to the World Wide Web.

After doing some research, I have found some interesting things in regard to Apple. I would not be one bit surprised if Apple is the company who produces the mark that Revelation calls "the mark of the beast." The first Apple computer was sold in California for $666.66. With the release of the iPhone 5 one analyst predicted that Apple stock will reach $666. You can click this link here to see the CNBC video. Between the Internet and Apple products, I believe the Christian community needs to be watchful and mindful.

From what I understand, the Greek and Hebrew alphabet does not assign separate numbers from letters. So, a letter can be the same thing as a number. The Hebrew equivalent for our letter "w" is the is the letter "Vav". The number equivalent for "Vav" is 6. WWW. "Vav Vav Vav" or "666".
A craving to have knowledge of good and evil. Does that describe our desire to have the latest and greatest?

Just last week, I saw a commercial about a little device you can purchase at Wal-Mart. For $14.99 a month, you can put a device with your child and know where he is at anytime. Now you tell me, what is more valuable to you than the safety of your child? Is technology moving us towards too much reliance on its benefits?
*************************************************************

(Below are Scripture references that talk about the number 666 and warnings that accompany it)

Scripture warns us to be watchful, mindful, alert and self-controlled. Scripture is clear that the Antichrist will come. Scripture says in Rev 13 that when the Antichrist comes, he will perform miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down to earth in full view of men. Because of his signs, he'll have the power to deceive the inhabitants of the earth. He will force everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666."

No one will be able to buy or sell without the mark. Oh my gosh, we can't even find a Starbuck's without an iPhone, it makes perfect sense that our reliant culture would flock to the device for livelihood.

Here's what Rev 14:9 says. "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he too will have to drink the cup of God's fury"

Rev 16:2 says, "The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image."

Rev 19:20 says, "But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshipped his image."
Reb 20:4 says, "I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of there testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years." Verse 6 says blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection.

Friends, we need to be always on the watch. I don't know the time he will come. All I have is Scripture to warn me and give me promise.

In Matthew 24, Jesus says, "Watch out that no one deceives you. I will give you signs that my return is near. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Do not be alarmed. Nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm till the end will be saved."

The iPhone and all modern technology is supposed to be enriching our lives, but is it? Have we been deceived? Is eating the Apple leading us toward death? Death of real relationship and reliance on God?

Lonely in families

2012-01-25T15:16:00.000-06:00

This past summer I read a verse that puzzled me.

It said God places the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

The part about prisoners being led forth with singing is a picture I could understand. If it is a picture of captives being set free then that would cause a response of joyful singing. That makes sense.

The part about the rebellious living in a sun-scorched land also made sense. Growing up in the south, I understand about hot summers. The hot sun beating down with no relief is miserable. No one wants to be outside when the sun is beating down and I sure would not want to live out in the open when the hot sun is beating down on 100+ degree days. This part paints a picture of where I'm choosing to live if I'm living in rebellion.

But God setting the lonely in families, what is that about?

These words can also read God sets the desolate in a homeland.

He sets the desolate in a homeland. He sets the lonely in families. This is a good thing, right? Is it a picture of God placing those who need the love we can offer in our path so we can be vessels of His love to them? I believe after reading the surrounding verses that the lonely being set in a family is meant to be a picture of blessing, covering and protection.

When I look around I see something that appears to be happening in families. It appears we as a culture are squandering away any real relationship.

We are making a very noticeable shift in our interactions with others. We are throwing away valuable opportunities.

Several months ago we were on a family outing at Krispy Kreme donuts and a father was there with his two sons. While the two sons sat at the table drinking there chocolate milks and eating there donuts, Dad sat on bench nearby with his face buried in his phone. God sets the lonely in families?

Another night, Shane and I were out on a date. As I looked around the restaurant, I saw many people interacting with their phone and not the people they were there to share a meal with. More disconnect. More lonely people?

God sets the lonely in families. Is this a positive statement-the verse before it talks about God being a father to the fatherless, a defender of the widow, yes, he will take you when you are lonely and set you in a family. That is supposed to be a good thing, right?

Why then when I look around does it appear lonely being sat in families are still just that-lonely?

Why is there this shift in our culture where we are so chained to technology that we cannot even put it down to share a meal together? I don't know about you but when we were growing up my mother took the phone off the hook while we ate dinner together. By doing that she taught us that the table was an important part of who we were as a family. Even today, if I call in the evening I might get a busy signal. She still takes it off the hook so that the meal she has prepared can be enjoyed with conversation.

We didn't feel lonely growing up because my Mom established a culture of relationship in our home. Every night we sat around a table and talked while we ate a great meal.

I'm still processing the meaning of this verse but as I think through it one thing is very certain. There are lonely people in families everywhere we look. I hope you'll come back tommorow as I continue to share about why I believe we are experiencing disconnect in our homes/families/relationships.

Psalm 68

11:16

2012-01-18T11:16:00.000-06:00

I love extreme makeovers. All the photos today are from Extreme Make-Over Home Edition.

Families who got the change of a lifetime. Old homes, completely demolished. Expert designers brought in to tear down and rebuild. I've been asking God for an extreme makeover of my own. Starting today, every time I see 11:16 on the clock it will serve as my reminder to ask for my own extreme makeover.

Proverbs 11:16 says, "A kind-hearted woman gains respect"

Responding with kindness is not always my natural response. Yesterday, when my 3 year old took his foot and purposely bent the page on the cover of my book, it was not kindness that emerged from my heart or worse yet, my mouth. This morning, when my 6 year old came and jumped on me while I had a full cup of coffee, kindness was not the knee-jerk reaction my heart felt.

But could it be? Could God come into my life, demolish the old and rebuild the new? There's only one way to find out. 11:16 Code: Ask God for a heart filled with kindness. Demolish entitlement mentality and rebuild with walls of kindness. Demolish sharp tongue and rebuild with kindness. Demolish anger and rebuild with kindness. Demolish critical eye and rebuild with kindness.

The law of kindness is on her tongue. The fruit that emerges from her heart is kindness. She is known by it. It defines her. A banner that waves over her days. Kindness.

Barbeque-Trifecta BBQ that is

2012-01-17T10:22:00.000-06:00

Typically BBQ chicken does not change my life. It ranks right up there with Hamburger Helper in my book. Not the life changing meals I like to serve my family. Not the ones that make you want to light the candles and sit awhile longer.

My usual BBQ Chicken recipe consists off tossing chicken in the pan, pouring a bottle of sauce on top and dusting my face with a little flour when I'm done. Dinner time rolls around and everyone's main response is Meh.

Meh.

Meh, Meh, Meh.

Not good enough for me.

Meh is for Hamburger Helper.

I don't have my own show or anything (which is a good thing because I talk to myself out loud a fair amount while I'm cooking) (and while I'm grocery shopping).

I had high expectations for this recipe. My cookbook was in need of finding the one. The one where you could toss the frozen chicken in the crock in the morning, pour the magic sauce on top, and come home at the end of the day to find this...

This recipe is where it is at. Go on ahead and buy an entire bag of boneless skinless chicken breast and toss the entire bag in your crock pot.

Here's the way I see it. Have it tonight with your salad and other sides. Heat it up again tomorrow for lunch or dinner. When you're done with it tomorrow night, shred it with two forks and freeze it.

Portion it out in Ziplock sandwich or quart size bags. In about two weeks, pull it out on one of those nights when you're going to be home late. Heat it up and put it on toasted rolls. BBQ sandwiches baby.

You're welcome.

If you get this much mileage out of the one bag of chicken, you have every right to label this dish The Trifecta. The chicken dinner that keeps on giving. The Little Chicken Dinner that could...

4-6 pieces boneless skinless chicken breasts (i threw them in frozen... even easier!)
1 bottle BBQ sauce (sweet baby ray's all the way!)
1/4 c vinegar
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder
Mix ingredients together, pour over chicken, cook in crock-pot on low 6-8 hours.

(Spray your crock-pot with Pam before you use it. Our spend fitty cents and buy a box of crock-pot liners.)

Go big or go home

2012-01-10T09:24:00.002-06:00

Several weeks ago you all shared what type of shampoo you like. The only one on the list I had not tried was Infusium 23.

Last Thursday evening I had the luxury of leisurely shopping at Wal-Mart by myself. After spending a large amount of time smelling the different formulas I can say they all smell amazing.

Trust me on this. I am a smell aficionado. This shampoo is where it's at. All your reviews were right on-it's great stuff.

I had some girls over for dinner Friday night. One thing led to another and before you know it naturally we were talking about hair care. Our conversation has left me troubled. As we ate guacamole and enchiladas, a disturbing bit of information was uncovered. Out of the four of us girls, two of them do not use conditioner. Wha? You don't condition? And I don't need to be either?

They told me if I'd quit my conditioner I'd get some more height on my hair. I come from a long line of Big Texas Hair. Take for example this picture I snapped of my mom's hair at the boys game Saturday. Her Big Sexy Hair had so much height the people on the row behind us couldn't see their kid play. That's how we roll people. Go big or go home, you know what I'm sayin?

Oh my gosh Mom, do you condition?

What? Oh heck yeah I'll end this post with a picture of my big boys from their first basketball game. No, I don't condition there hair.

So I am just perplexed. Am I the only one conditioning anymore? Are you conditioning? Should I break up with the creme rinse?

5 Minute Fluff

2012-01-09T12:03:00.001-06:00

You should be able to take a room from drab to fab in 5 minutes or less. Here are some secret weapons for you to get the job done.

Secret weapon #1: Feather duster

Secret Weapon #2: 5 minutes (set the timer)

Secret Weapon #3: Move quick! You are only making the bed and clearing surfaces and floors of clutter that needs to be taken to proper rooms and spaces.

Secret Weapon #4: Vacuum lines. I better not even get started about how much vacuum lines make my heart swoon. When I was growing up, if I had just vacuumed a room I'd ask my family to kindly walk the parameter of the room as not to mess up the lines.

A room can be fluffed and transformed in 5 minutes or less.

The only way to make this happen is if the room is decluttered to begin with. Now, what you don't see in this picture are some drawers that are a little too overstuffed. There are some odds and ends under my bed that need to be culled.

Deep cleaning and major decluttering are not the goal of a 5 minute fluff. The goal of the fluff is to make your room sparkle which adds a layer of peace and calm to the atmosphere of your home.

The end result of spending 5 minutes fluffing. The room sparkles. The blinds are open. The surfaces got a very quick feather dust. The floor got a quick vacuum. It smells good, looks good and adds motivation to be productive today.

Go ahead, try it. Pick a space, set the timer for 5 minutes and see how fast you can fluff the room.

Books Everywhere

2012-01-07T21:08:00.000-06:00

I have books everywhere.

Study books

Bathroom Books

Purse Books

Spiral Notebooks (4 to be exact)

Other books scattered here, there and everywhere

2 translations of the Bible (NASB & NIV)

I don't remember when I became such a reader. I'm very choosy on what I decide to spend time reading. It's great always having a book on hand. If you're in a season of life where you do not have the time to have discipleship type relationships (where you regularly meet with someone for spiritual growth) I highly recommend spending time reading great books. There is so much to learn from people who have already walked the road you are on.

My top picks from last year were 1000 Gifts (Voskamp), Seasons of a Mother's Heart (Clarkson) and Resolution for Women (Shirer).

How about you? What's the best book you've read lately?

Searching for the good

2012-01-05T17:31:00.000-06:00

It's been a rough week. Trying to find the good in the days has been hard. Coming off a great break can do that to a girl sometimes. We had nearly 2 weeks together as a family and it was the sweetest time. I'm more relaxed and rested than ever.

But. I have zero motivation for getting things around the house done. Pockets of clutter are here and there and everywhere. My clothes are not cooperating with me. All in all I'd say the report over here is a big case of the blah's. Why can getting back into the real world do that? The enemy has been attacking me on so many fronts. I know what I need to do to get back into the swing, but I'm not doing it.

I'm still counting those blessings though. Counting my blessings and looking to God and trusting Him.

671. worshipping as a family
672. hearing my oldest sing his heart out
673. visiting with friends after first service of the year
674. shirtless boys eating spaghetti lunch
675. a good nights sleep

Trying to live within the boundary of today, even though today wasn't all that grand.

How's that for keeping it on the reals?

Soft Plans

2012-01-03T12:35:00.002-06:00

Shane went back to work today.

I had some soft plans to be productive but they got scratched mid-morning when the boys asked me to watch America's Funniest Home Videos with them. Since I was still in my new purple fuzzy pj's it seemed like the right thing to do.

One thing led to another and we ended up at the table with shortbread cookies and hot cocoa while we waited on our DiGiornio to cook.

Now it's nearly nap time and the boys are playing while I write.

I have already had 2 Sonic Happy Hours this year and I had dessert yesterday. How do you like me now?

My 6 year old found an old bridesmaid dress hanging in my closet last night. MOM! I've found the most BEAUTIFUL DRESS for you! Do you wanna wear it to my basketball practice tonight?!

Over the holidays, I dusted off my aprons, pots and pans and started cooking again. Pinterest is the place to go for good recipe ideas. I'll be sharing my latest and greatest with you over the next weeks. Don't forget to check out the Trainwreck recipe from yesterday.

We've been on a more beans kick with our boys. One day last year, for no apparent reason and out of nowhere, as we were driving home from church one Sunday I just declared it loud and proud, "Boys, we're going to start eating more beans around our house, learn to like em', OK?"

Now only one member of the fam throws down when he sees the beanage on the plate, but he's learning.

If you like to talk housekeeping, decorating, and eating stick around the next few weeks because that's what we'll be talking about around here.

Trainwreck

2012-01-02T14:35:00.002-06:00

This is a tried and true crock pot favorite at our house. If you love Mexican, you'll love this. It's super fast, easy, affordable and packed with great flavor. Perfect for those nights when you have plans and need something yummy and quick.

Trainwreck
3 cans Pinto beans
1 can Rotel (I blend mine so there's not a tomato revolt by the boys)
16 oz tomato sauce
1 pound ground beef browned and drained
1 pkg. taco seasoning

Put all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low all day. We layer tortilla chips, meat sauce, shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar and sour cream. Yum!

A little longer...

2011-12-28T17:57:00.000-06:00

We are having a ball. Movies, games, good food.

Late nights, late mornings, late naps.

A little furniture rearranging. Just a table or two moved to breathe new life into the room.

At night, candle lit dinners followed by movies by the Christmas lit fireplace.

We will keep up the lights until after January 1st. Mainly because one of my favorite events of the year is falling asleep on the couch December 31st. Ringing in the New Year wouldn't be the same for Shane if I wasn't asleep on the couch sawing up some serious logs.

The Night Before Christmas

2011-12-24T08:37:00.000-06:00

There is a painting.

The son of a lady in my BSF group painted it.

The painting depicts The Night Before Christmas.

Jesus in heaven.

Surrounded by glory.

Angels singing Holy, Holy, Holy.

God.

Perfection.

What did he do the night before he came to earth?

Was it a struggle, knowing what he was sacrificing to leave heaven to come to earth?

Such a gift.

The first time he came as a humble baby.

The next time he comes it will be as King.

The first time was a quiet night.

The next time will be with a loud trumpet call.

Today we worship our King.

The gift of life.

Joy.

Provision.

Cooking Blues

2011-12-19T14:43:00.000-06:00

Thank you Pinterest for helping me think about coming off INeverCookAnyRealDinnersHiatus.

I feel like if we've had one grilled cheese the last two weeks we've had a million. I have been struggling with wanting to cook. Granted, we've been Christmas partying which is probably why I fell off the wagon to begin with. I've spent the morning browsing recipes trying to get some new inspiration. It all started with wanting fun appetizers for the kids who like to keep it simple. Can't wait to share my new finds with you all! I'm pretty excited about this first one-

This recipe came from Fork In It Blogspot. Click here to see recipe.

6 pieces frozen boneless skinless chicken
1 bottle BBQ sauce
1/4 c vinegar (i'll use less)
1 t red pepper flakes
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 to 1t garlic powder

Mix all ingredients, spread over chicken. Cook in crockpot on low for 6 hours.

She serves it with garlic cheddar biscuits.

Yes Please.

My Real Snowy House

2011-12-15T13:34:00.002-06:00

This is my real house at night when it snowed.

More city-ish on the outside than cottage.

But, but but but on the inside-it's a whole 'nother story. Grays, blues, yellows and greens. Florals, stripes, plaids, toiles. Yep, every man's paradise.

And, if one of the cottages in the post below was going to belong to me, it would definitely be the blue one.

Unexpected

2011-12-15T10:51:00.000-06:00

I got in the car, buckled up and started on my 30 minute drive home. It was dark and cold outside. Something was falling in sheets from the sky. Was it rain or snow? I could not tell. I kept going back and forth in my mind trying to figure it out.

Surely it was not snow.

I had not prepared for snow. I knew nothing about a possibility of snow. No, it had to be rain, if snow was coming, I would've known. For 25 minutes all I could think about was one question. What is this that is falling from the sky, unexpectedly?

When I was about 5 minutes from home the debate was settled. Crazy as it was for me to believe, there was no more question this was snow falling. I began to see the faintest trace starting to accumulate on the road. It hit the windshield and melted instantly.

An unexpected snow.

For most of my journey, unbelief kept me from fully enjoying the unexpected gift. I could see it but my unbelief kept me from really seeing it.

The last 5 minutes of my trip turned into holy ground. I turned up the song below and worshipped.

As I near home I drive over big hill. More like a road that has been carved out of a mountain. One of my favorite places in our city, especially at night. For an instant when you reach the top of the hill, you see the city lights and feel like you are in a Mary Poppin's movie dancing on rooftops. A grand flag flies in the distance lit up at night by a single spotlight.

You see ridges of rolling hills in the distant. Tonight there was a glow around the street lights and snow drifted through the air and words of truth filled my car.

Unbelief always keeps me from being able to see.

There was no getting back the lost 25 minutes but there was now.

And I celebrated.

When I got home we all celebrated.

Woke the boys up and went outside to play.

Stayed up way too late and laughed and I'm pretty sure accidentally woke up the neighbors.

Praying for eyes to see His fingerprints on my day.

Sea Extend

2011-12-09T22:00:00.000-06:00

I wanted to warn you that the beautification process is undergoing some changes.You may have noticed I've been using extra gentle sulfate free cleansing shampoo that's been infused with healing sea botanicals. The emollient rich Red Sea Kelp and Algasilk is what's been preparing my hair for the thermal styling it undergoes ~~on a daily basis~~ whenever I need to be presentable to leave the house. It's also why I've had exceptional humidity resistance.

Today I ran out. Sucked that bad boy dry. And now I'm switching to Suave. That's right, I'm using the guest bathroom shampoo. So I just wanted to warn you. If you see me and don't want to be rude, but think to yourself, "Man, her hair kind of looks a little less resistant to humidity than last week...and I'm not trying to be rude, but her hair looked a lot more emollient rich last week" I will understand.

The perks of Suave are as follows:

$ .97

Smells yummy

My kids can steal it to make bubble bath and I don't care

After my Wal-Mart run I feel the freedom to get a Large Vanilla DP Happy Hour because they practically paid me to buy their shampoo

And when the product build up gets so crazy I feel like I've been shampooing with candle wax, I'll go buy another bottle of the good stuff to stop the madness.

And the circle of shampoo will once again start over.

How about you? What's your favorite shampoo?

God's Will For You Part II

2011-12-08T10:50:00.001-06:00

It starts by finding contentment with where your feet have been planted today.

By asking God to give you wisdom to reveal his plans for your day/life.

Then you can ask yourself a question.

Is there any new information/opportunity has God presented to me today?

When God places opportunity in your path that is your chance to respond. Yesterday in my Bible Study group one lady reminded us of how God wants us to be faithful to the little He's given us before He will provide us more.

I'll share an example. Shane and I have been praying about how to approach gift giving for Christmas this year. We landed on a modest amount of money that we will spend on each family member. It's not a huge amount and I'll be honest. I've wrestled with feeling guilt over our lack of extravagance. But the bottom line is we are giving within our means. No credit cards.

Giving thanks for what we have and staying within the boundary. It is a constant dying to self and a constant act of choosing to be thankful. We are Black Friday shoppers. Not this year. We knew if we looked we'd find. Find what we thought we needed but did not really need. I could not even look at the ads. I glanced at one for a minute and had to look away. I knew I'd be tempted to want what I didn't have and I was.

We are making a choice to be strategic. To take God up on His Word when He says it is more blessed to give than receive. Sunday at church one of our Pastors showed a video. It was new information for me. Watch this.

I have known there is unclean drinking water in the world. But it was not until I saw with my own eyes that I really understood.

It was new information.

My eyes were opened.

Things were put into perspective.

Each one of my children will receive a couple gifts at Christmas and the cost of their gifts will each equal the cost of one life changing water filter for a family for life.

New information.

New responsibility.

A new choice.

"Suppose you can be trusted with very little. Then you can be trusted with a lot. But suppose you are not honest with very little. Then you will not be honest with a lot." Luke 16:10

(if you want more information about these life changing filters click here)

Snowstorm Footage

2011-12-07T16:48:00.001-06:00

We interrupt the regularly scheduled program to bring you footage from the "December 6 Snowstorm of Twenty Twelve"

The children were tucked into their beds with care. Once they went to bed the snow really started falling so we got them back up. We were up till after midnight.

It's really interesting, and you may know this, but the news was new to me. Coats and shoes are optional when you engage in nighttime snow play. You completely forget they are even necessary.

Here's some footage of the first snowball of the evening that landed right on my living room carpet. Is it just me or is this snowball picture insanely ginormous? That's what I thought.

We made 5 mugs of Hot Cocoa-we're a 3 whoop cream 2 mallow family. After that we roasted mini-mallows over the Advent candles. When I say Advent candles of course you know I'm referring to the tapers that will go in the Advent wreath once we get it down from the attic. I'm fashionably late. No, no at this point I'm tacky late.

I would sheepishly like to share that as we drank our warm drinks a little panic came over me. It was almost midnight, the snow was falling, and we had less than 1/2 a jug of milk and no bread. I know, I'm ashamed of myself for even entertaining the thought.

(Yes that is a Fall wreath still hanging on my door, and yes, as you can tell by the candy cane yard stake we went all out for Christmas this year)

God's Will For You

2011-12-06T11:21:00.001-06:00

Do you ever wander about finding God's will for your life?
Sometimes it can seem like some elusive thing just beyond your reach. You know you have been created with certain talents, passions and interests, yet you are not certain what to do with them.

There seems to be a main theme that keeps coming across my radar lately.

It has to do with five little letters we like to call today.

Sometimes finding God's will for your life has to do with finding peace in your circumstances. Looking into the window of today and seeing it through eyes of contentment. Maybe a change is on the horizon and maybe it is not. Either way there is news for you pertaining to your current situation.

There is a promise you can hang on to if you choose to. It is a promise that you can live within the boundary of today. You don't even have to worry about tomorrow. The sun will set and the sun will rise and you do not have to choose to worry.

Maybe you feel you have lacked opportunity to explore new places the Lord is leading. We'll talk more about this later this week. For now though, finding his will for your life comes wrapped neatly and beautifully in a package called today.

Have you asked Him to show you? To show you what He has in mind for your life? To reveal His plans and make them viewable with your earthly eyes? Have you taken even 5 minutes to share with God what is on your mind? To approach His throne of grace to receive the mercy you need in your time of need?

After you approach the throne of grace in prayer there will be something else for you to do. Tangible instructions for you to follow. Are you ready?

In everything, give thanks. Whatever filters into your corner of the world today, thank Him. Find a way. Thank him in the waiting.

Today will fold up quietly and before you know it you'll be curled up under your covers drifting off to sleep tonight.

The moon and the stars will hang in the sky. The sun will rise tomorrow and there it will be-another gift for you wrapped neatly and beautifully in a package called today.

I Thes 5:16-19
Phil 4:10-13
Heb 4:16

School Closed Due To Rain

2011-12-05T11:24:00.001-06:00

We shut school down today. It's raining. We just couldn't.

And we slept till 9am. The result of being out the last two nights Christmas Party-ing it up with friends.

We have a third night in a row Christmas party tonight. So I have pre-game hair. Washed. Dried. Not fixed. Because I'm taking a nap today. Pre-game nap. I got my pre-game roast on. I'm bringing a Chicken Pot Pie for my dish (if you click on the link, I'm going the Betty Crocker version tonight, it's the tastiest and please don't judge me for the horrible pictures).

I got to talk to my friend who lives a long way way for awhile today. That's always fun. The kids yell and scream while I try to carry on a conversation. I bribe them with candy to buy me a couple more minutes.

They're having a lunch of pizza and popcorn while they listen to Alvin and the Chipmunks radio on Pandora. Why did I let them talk me into creating that station again? Oh yeah, I'm nuts, that's why.

You know it's Monday and that laundry is whirling away. I almost had another Vanishing Load experience like last week, but I caught it just in the nick of time.

My Blogspot is different-is yours? I played around with my page. I wanted it to be easy to read. Is the old version easier or is this?

Happy rainy Monday to you and yours.

An Unmade Bed

2011-12-02T16:15:00.001-06:00

An unmade bed is the root of all evil.

I don't know how the bed being unmade makes the newspaper stay on the floor by the chair, I just know it does. Why are we getting free subscriptions to the paper anyway? They hate us. Who are they anyway?

Look, more unmade beds. It's virtually impossible for the little clothes to make it back on the hangers and I see why. The beds are unmade and we are still getting free papers.

Something must be done to save the day. First step of action-set the mood by lighting a candle. Second step of action-turn on some tunes.

Third step of action-set the timer. 30 minutes should do the trick to keep me focused. The beds must be made. The day must be saved. The papers must be burned.

Prepare a quick gourmet lunch if you need to buy some time with the young en's.

And for the love of Pete, go make your bed. Order will follow.

Martha Reviews

2011-12-01T10:34:00.001-06:00

Martha's Sky High Apple Cranberry Pie was a hit. It was so yummy. We went the Pate Brisee route vs. a pre-made pie crust and I think it was well worth the effort. Over 2 sticks of butter in this simple crust-yes please. It was buttery and wonderful.

I recommend serving it A la mode.

The next thing I made was Martha's 6 layer Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake. Um. It didn't turn out so spectacular. It tasted good, but lord have mercy, it really and truly took me over 3 hours to prepare. It was very involved.

The most fun part of this cake was making the caramel. Did you know to make caramel you add lots of sugar to a saucepan, a little corn syrup, a little water and you just let it hang out in the pan over high heat for about 14 minutes? You don't stir it or anything. I was excited to see if it really worked and sure enough, it starts breaking down into an amber syrup. After 14 minutes you remove it from the heat to add heavy cream, then keep cooking.

Until it reaches precisely 238 degrees. Very fun.

One of my ~~pastry chefs~~ helpers dug into ~~one~~ two of the layers while I had my back turned. I cried. Really. I was over 2 hours into the process and it was frustrating. There was no time or ingredients left for a redo, so we went with it. I'd like to say this detour in the recipe is why we aptly named my version "The Earthquake Cake", but I also had a hand in the Earthquakeness quality of the finished product.

You know that part of the recipe where it says cut off the top layer so everything will lay flat? I just couldn't do it. Wasted cake, are you kidding me? Well. Martha was right. I should've listened. That puppy split right down the middle. You know what they say though, "When life hands you lemons stick candles in them."

MARTHA

Cooking This Week

2011-11-21T11:47:00.003-06:00

Last night I settled onto the couch under my blanket. Football game on, special lighting lit (don't want to say too much in case you feel strongly about not having twinkly lights turned on before you eat the turkey), and my cookbooks in hand. The list is made for the week and I hope you can come join us because the menu is smokin' hot.

First on the list, Martha's Sky High Cranberry Apple Pie. 5 POUNDS of apples. That sounds like a fine start to me. The jury's still out on if I'm going to make my own Pate Brisee or if I'm just going to let Pillsbury make my crusts.

For Thankgiving, I'm going to see if I can sweet talk my friend Tiffny into sharing her Stuffed French Toast recipe. Man oh day is it melt in your mouth delish, and it smells amazing baking. Yes, baked Stuffed French Toast, that's what I'm talking about. I'm pretty sure this is our new Thanksgiving breakfast. Hopefully I'll get to share the recipe with you later this week. Stuffed French Toast and a parade sound like the perfect combination to me.

Rachel Ray's Broken Spaghetti and Mini Meatball Stoup will be making an appearance on our table.

And last but not least, oh, the cake that from the moment I saw it knew I'd have to tackle one day, Martha's 6 Layer Salted Caramel Cake. Shut up, I know.

Cheers to pants with elastic waists!!!

The Laundry Monster

2011-11-14T12:39:00.000-06:00

This first picture has nothing to do with The Laundry Monster, but did you see the moon this weekend? It was spectacular!

Every Monday is my day to tackle The Laundry Monster. I rebelled against the idea of having a designated day for certain chores for a really long time. The idea felt restrictive to me and my free spirit self. But then I was reminded of the definition of insanity-doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Not having a system was yielding me one result-the laundry was always out of control, unmanageable and a source of frustration.
At first, having a certain day of the week (for me, Monday) to do laundry was not easy. It did not come natural. But, by the 3rd week of tackling the main load of laundry on Monday I began to notice some things.

For starters, Monday rolls around each and every week. Like clockwork. It has become routine. I don't even have to think about it any more. At my house, when Monday morning rolls around, I unearth the hamper, sort into piles and get the hot water and good times rolling.

My laundry is always kept manageable. For me, Friday mornings are also a mini-laundry morning. For you, every day may have at least a load or two in it's horizon. Having a day or time to do the main laundry is helpful. If you try it for a few weeks, I think you'll like the change of having the mound kept at bay.

This morning I awoke to 9 loads waiting on me after a weekend of camping. By camping of course I mean I slept in a cabin while my boys slept in a bat cave, but whatever, potato, patotoe. Knowing my routine allowed me to jump in with a cheerful heart and get things going.

Do you know that this last picture means? It's our little signal that someone has already put in the fabric softener. At our house, if you put in the fabric softener, you leave the jug on top of the washing machine so we know it's been taken care of. I know, sheer genius, what can I say?

Treasure

2011-11-11T10:55:00.002-06:00

11-11-11

I've been so excited for today to get here. A rare day. The same number straight across the board. It got me excited. I've been wandering for awhile what kind of things will unfold on this unique day. This morning I've been on a treasure hunt and I wanted to share it with you.

"The Bible refers to the occupants of our hearts as "treasure."

The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil. Luke 6:45

"The word for 'treasure' in the original language is the same one used to describe what was inside the chest the wise men in Matthew 2 carried. The reason they were able to pull such fine gifts from it to present to Jesus was because those were the treasures they had placed there."

(taken from The Resolution for Women, Shirer)

Have you ever made the comparison? Until this morning I had not.

Treasure

Riches

Wealth

Anything laid up in store

Treasury

The place where treasures are kept

Storehouse of the mind where thoughts, feelings or counsels are laid up

A chest or box in which precious things are kept

Royal treasure

A special room in the women's court in the temple in which gold and silver bullion were kept

Abundance

Surplus

Storage house or room

Do you know where all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden? Do you know the place where you can find full assurance and understanding? I'm not talking about the everyday, mundane stuff that carries no value.

I'm talking about the good stuff. The fine stuff. The stuff that makes your life something refined, cultivated, exquisite. Set apart. Valuable. The thing that brings the finest beauty to your days. Do you know how to get to the good stuff so that the treasure in your heart holds the rarest, timeless, most valuable treasures?

Come to the table.

Poverty and all.

Sin covered attitudes.

It's OK.

He invites you to come and sit awhile.

Your place is set.

He is waiting for you.

(Colossians 2:3, Luke 6:45, Matthew 2:11)

^1-3 God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
you let me catch my breath
and send me in the right direction.

⁴ Even when the way goes through
Death Valley,
I'm not afraid
when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd's crook
makes me feel secure.

⁵ You serve me a six-course dinner
right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
my cup brims with blessing.

⁶ Your beauty and love chase after me
every day of my life.
I'm back home in the house of God
for the rest of my life.

Psalm 23

Still Practicing

2011-11-10T14:11:00.000-06:00

I'm like the camera nazi around here. No soup for you if you don't let me snap a shot of you. My friend Gretchen is doing a camera series on taking better photos, so I've been playing around with my camera.

Practicing

2011-11-09T14:58:00.002-06:00

My friend Gretchen at New Every Morning has been giving tips on her blog for taking pictures. She gave us homework to practice so here are some fun shots I caught today in the midst of tree climbing, leaf throwing and apple eating.

The Duggar's

2011-11-08T14:48:00.001-06:00

Two weeks ago while our family was on a little weekend getaway we spent the day at a pizza place filled with games, food and fun. 10 minutes after we got there the Duggar family showed up. We were thrilled! Jim Bob and Michelle are the nicest people. Not only are they nice, but they are godly. I told Michelle that she always encourages me, and she does. She does not yell at her children. The Word of God is the standard by which they live by. They are focused on raising up kids who love God. We got to spend 6 hours at the pizza place that day and they were there most of the time. There kiddos are so well-mannered and were so filled with joy. Joking around with our kids and everything. Josh told my boys 5th grade was the best 5 years of his life!

Jim Bob sits those kids down and points them to what The Word says about stuff. I remember when Jim Bob Sr. died and he sat the kids down and explained what happened to Grandpa. That his body was here but since he knew the Lord, his spirit was in heaven. He read scripture to them and prepared them before they ever went to the funeral home.

Here's a picture of there bus next to ours!!!

They are a good family. They have good kids. They use the call God has placed on there lives to bring glory to God, to point people to Him. One of the workers at the pizza place came up to my family and said how excited they were that TLC was filming the show that day. They had spent days cleaning up the place, making sure everything was working properly and sparkling. It was a big deal for "normal" people who worked at a pizza joint to have TV crews come in and film a show. The guy said many of them had no idea who The Duggar Family was. You know what happened as a result of a good family with a good witness? People noticed. Their children, so well-behaved, kind, well-mannered, that leaves an impression. When they left, there were post cards all around the pizza place. Jim Bob even signed one and handed it to me. You know what it says?

God is blessing them with #20. Christian people will speak against them. Speak against a family walking in God's calling on their lives and using it to bring glory to God. Haven't we all been called to walk down the path we were uniquely created and designed for? Matthew 12:36 says we will give an account for every careless word spoken. I think the enemy loves to get the church up in arms by causing their eyes to look around at what other people are or are not doing. He loves the division.

So, there ya go. My opinion. I love the Duggar family. Anytime I see someone walking in the unique path God has placed them on and giving God the glory it makes me all kinds of happy. Sometimes the road we're asked to walk down is very different from those around us.

I bet God wishes we'd stop looking around so much and fix our gaze on Him.

I'm Moving

2011-11-07T14:20:00.001-06:00

I've known for awhile that it was time to move. My current Bible has been with me the last 5 years or so. The maps fell out years ago, followed closely by the table of contents and concordances. Genesis is holding on by threads of Scotch tape.

This precious Bible has been with me over the last years and become a huge part of who I am. I have literally spent hundreds and hundreds of hours reading the pages of this sacred book. Truths as vast as the ocean. Love deeper than the ocean.

Always alive. Always speaking.

Words rising with healing in their wings.

Yesterday morning, as I spent some time reading and praying something dawned on me. I realized that in my need of a new Bible I haven't actually asked God to provide one for me. There were a couple specific things my heart was hoping for when I would think of having to move. So, I prayed. I prayed out loud, "God, you know my need for a new Bible. Lord, I could go out and buy a Bible, but it would mean so much to me if it was given to me by someone special in my life. Not just something I bought with extra cash, but something you provided. That would make it so personal knowing it came from your hand and your abundance. Thank you Lord, Amen."

Our teaching pastor had loaned me one of his Bibles. It is a new version and he let me borrow it to check it out. Yesterday when I got to church, I put his Bible back on his desk with a small note thanking him for letting me borrow it. After church he came up to me with the Bible in his hand and said, "You know, if you like this Bible you can have it. I have several more like it..." and he handed it to me. My jaw hit the floor. I couldn't believe it. It is the nicest, most fantastic Bible. It is genuine leather, I've always read out of Bonded Leather (that makes me laugh for some reason!). It has study notes coming out its ears. It is the Caddy of Bibles. He did not even know how specifically I had prayed just hours earlier.

As we were getting ready to leave, our pastor stopped by the youth room where we were closing up and said, "Now, it won't hurt my feelings if you don't want this Bible, or want it in another color or something, but you're welcome to keep it for a couple more weeks if you're not sure." Then I told Ken about my prayer hours earlier. How I asked God if he would provide a Bible for me. How I asked God if it would be a Bible with significance and meaning. I told Ken if he was sure he didn't need it it would mean the world to me to have that Bible.

It would be so meaningful because I have spent hours under Ken's teaching and the depth of understanding the Holy Spirit has used through his teaching to help me understand these pages has opened my eyes to new truths many, many times.

I cannot tell you how amazed I am at the lavish provision of God by providing me with a new Bible. As I opened it to read this morning it felt like a new house. I'm not sure where things are. It is unfamiliar territory. The language is different from what I've studied from the last 21 years. It is vivid. It is filled to the brim with newness. I cannot wait to start unpacking the truths and making them my own.

Shoe Talk

2011-11-03T10:55:00.001-05:00

Camel or Tan shoes will revolutionize your shoe wardrobe. It's a sometimes overlooked color. Usually we think in terms of black or brown (or if you are my Mom, RED). My camel colored sandals for the summer are a perfect go to. The best thing about this color is you can wear black or brown with them, and for accessories-silver or gold.

When I wear brown shoes I tend toward gold jewelry and accessories. When I wear black shoes I tend toward silver jewelry and accessories. And it goes without saying that pearls are the perfect pick for anything you're wearing.

Sometimes you just need a good neutral shoe so you can have the freedom to accessorize how you want.

One other shoe shopping tip...it is very helpful to search the web to get an idea of the style your eye is drawn to. Zappos is a fabulous shoe site to get ideas. JCPenny has really great prices on shoes. Often times if you use a department store-you can order online and if you need to exchange you don't have to fuss with shipping-you just return to the store if the size is not right or comfortable. And remember,

If the shoe fits, but it in every color.

Where is your favorite place to find shoes?

I Lied

2011-11-02T16:15:00.001-05:00

I didn't mean to lie to the lady at the deli counter yesterday.

It wasn't until last night at 10:58pm as I laid in bed drifting off to sleep that I realized my conversation with the deli counter lady was not entirely true on my part. Yesterday the boys and I were grocery shopping. As the sweet lady sliced our ham she asked about my boys being in school. I shared with her that I teach them at home. That we believe God has led us this direction so that we can build a firm biblical foundation in their hearts before we release them into the world. We want a few more years to be the primary voice in their lives.

And then. I patted one of them on the head and "jokingly" said, "But I sure hope one day they get to go to school!"

It hit me last night as I laid in bed that that is not at all what my heart feels. I think in my effort to not make people feel strange about our decision to homeschool I over compensate by making sure they know I'm not condemning their choice of schooling, whatever it may be, in any shape or form. I'm so paranoid about making sure people know that I never judge their choice of schooling that I think I haven't allowed myself to be free to express the sheer joy we've found in our lifestyle of having our boys at home.

This morning when each of my boys woke up I reminded them about Mommy talking to the lady at the deli counter and "joking" with her how I sure hoped there'd come a day when they got to go to school! I shared with them how having them at home is the joy of my days! I told them that statement was not at all true, that I love this time with them. It is such a sweet fit for our family.

The freedom.

The ability to be the primary voice in their lives.

The Word of God being the barometer by which we measure our hearts, attitudes and mouths, even at 10:30 in the morning.

The restfulness of it. They are not over-tired.

Field Trips-learning by hands on experience.

The playtime! If we want to play at the playground all afternoon on a gorgeous Fall day we can. If we want to stay up late to watch Sunday night football as a family we can.

The flexibility of schedule. We started school earlier in the summer when it was a million degrees outside and to hot to go out and play. Because of that we are taking a break from Thanksgiving to New Year's to bake cookies, enjoy the Christmas tree, sit by the fire, read good books and just have some good old fashioned fun. No lessons for over a month!

It just feels really good to have them home with me.

Me being the one to see the light bulbs go off is awesome.

I love it.

I really, really love it.

After almost 1 1/2 years of having my boys in school at home, my eyes are starting to open up the wonderful rich benefits of it.

As hard as I fought the Lord in my Spirit not to homeschool, I'm thankful He wouldn't release the still small thought in my heart and stayed with me until I finally obeyed.

The blessings of obedience are sweet and abundant.

I've been reluctant to fully express my joy about it all but last night I felt God gave me the freedom that it's OK to enjoy the road we're walking on.

And I am enjoying it more than I ever would have dreamed!

Six Days

2011-11-01T11:26:00.001-05:00

I've been offline for 6 days.

Six days of being unplugged.

You know what happens with 6 uninterrupted days from the noise?

There is a lot of joy in our home.

The boys are laughing.

Closets are shaping up.

Bags of clothing are lining the walls of the garage to be given away.

Peace is replacing the chaos as I have had time to get rid of the stuff that clutters our lives and minds.

Dinner is marinating in the fridge.

Fresh fruits and veggies are cut up ready to eat.

We're focusing on schoolwork done with excellence.

I am energized.

There is a spirit of unity among us.

When I spend time away from the computer it feels more and more like a "worthless idol" that fights to consume the better part of my time.

One thing I have been thinking about this week is this small window of opportunity I have with my boys. The window from toddler hood when they start talking to about the middle school aged years.

This small window is one where if I am available for my boys I have the huge potential to shape their minds and thoughts. I don't want to miss the window. The window to fill them with truth from God's Word. The window to be available. The window to constantly be calling forth truth in their little lives.

Me being available. Me being focused. Me being intentional. That's what I've been thinking about the last 6 days.

Energy Drainers

2011-10-24T11:37:00.000-05:00

My friend Becke' took this photo!

This weekend I got the chance to get away with the women of our church for the most amazing time of resting, reading The Word, praise and worship, smores, antiquing and enjoying being in the presence of God in nature. It was glorious!

One of our assignments from the weekend is to list 50 Energy Drainers. 50, do you and I even have that many? The question intrigued me because all weekend I could not for the life of me think of even one to get my list started.

Prayerfully this morning I asked God to help reveal to me 50 things that drain my energy. I've come up with 28 and am asking God to help reveal more so that I can understand a little more how He has wired me.

One thing is certain from my list of 28. I have a high need for order and simplicity. I mean it is wild! And it doesn't come naturally. Here is my list of 28.

messy office
things out of place
un-orderliness
starting the day too late
paperwork piled up
phone calls during the day
unmade bed
a full calender
cluttered drawers
cluttered closets
cluttered counters
cluttered floors
not planning ahead
too much stuff
when I haven't spend adequate time in The Word
a dirty car
smudged windows
chaos
too many commitments
being away from home multiple nights in a row
my purse
too many bags
broken things around the house
unfinished projects
unmowed yard
weeds in the flower beds
junk mail/email
dirty fridge

I'm so excited! God has revealed some things that drain my energy. You know how I know these are energy drainers? Because when I wake up to the chaos I immediately want to head straight back to bed. When my feet hit the floor, if I walk into a living room with clothes strewn about, piles of paper, and a kitchen counter piled high with paper and dishes I want to go back to bed. It drains my energy and it drains it fast.

What about you? What are your energy drainers?

This weekend I learned the first step towards change is not action-it is awareness.

A Must Read

2011-10-19T15:21:00.002-05:00

She said she'd be satisfied. My customer Thursday evening qualified for any item in the catalog up to a $40 retail for free. The pendant she wanted was $24. She chose the $24 pendant as her free item and said she'd be satisfied.

I looked up because the word satisfied caught me by surprise. It's not a word you hear people say often. That they will be satisfied with what they have. No. Most people these days want more.

Her blog said she was filled. That God had blessed her with a heart of contentment. Her words stayed with me and had me thinking.

Friday, as Shane and I drove home from a field trip we took the boys on we were talking. I shared with him that if there was one character quality I'd like to see the Lord develop in me this next year it would be a heart of contentment. I shared with him how the night before my customer said she'd be satisfied and how the word really had me thinking. I shared with him about Jenny's post of contentment. Satisfied and Content. Those were the two words I shared with my husband that I'd love to be developed in my heart.

Friday evening we want on a date and saw the movie Courageous. My sister had told me there is a book for women and one for men that accompany the movie and that I had to get them, so I did. After the movie, as we were sitting on the porch at Outback waiting for our table, I pulled our gifts out of my purse. Shane opened his copy and I opened mine. Can you guess what Chapter One of my book was?

Yep, you guessed it right. Surprisingly Satisfied. A resolution to be content. Not just Satisfied. Surprisingly Satisfied. If I've ever doubted if the God of the Universe is alive, active and deeply personal, I can assure you that reading the words on this page made any doubt flee away. Only He could have placed two specific words on my heart and then place a book in my hands telling me that yes, these were holy thoughts inspired by Him and He would give me the resources to turn toward Him.

Today I made a resolution. A resolution to embrace my current season of life and maximize my time in it. A resolution to resist the urge to hurry through or circumvent any portion of my journey, to live with a spirit of contentment.

I would strongly encourage you to take the time and spend the money to go see this movie in the theatre. Sherwood Pictures has been making movies the last several years with strong messages that honor God. We're not big movie people but I think if we support these types of movies they will continue to make more. You will not be disappointed with the time and money spent. And. Don't be surprised if the enemy tries to thwart your plans to go. This movie has a powerful message and the potential to change many lives and homes.

Gingerbread

2011-10-13T09:41:00.000-05:00

Two Words...Must Have

A mini version of this came in a little gift with purchase last month

and the smell is to die for~

There is a Tyler candle called Warm Vanilla Sugar Cookie that this candle really reminds me of.

When you're ready to make your house smell like Christmas in a few weeks this candle just may be the guy for the job.

We're still using Leaves because it is all things Fall.

One trick about making your house smell good is to spray "the good stuff" in the entryway area right before you're expecting your guests. It makes the entire house smell good and something about a good smelling house just makes everyone happy.

Car Tunes

2011-10-12T17:14:00.000-05:00

Here's what we're jammin' to in the car these days.

To Do List

2011-10-11T13:28:00.000-05:00

This morning I wrote out a to-do list.

It was tempting to make the list real long.

After a prayerful time I wrote down 4 things that really need to get accomplished today.

There are many other things I could put my hands to but today I'm choosing to slow down.

I'm trying to learn to slow down and spend meaningful time with my boys during the day.

Tomorrow I'm hosting a fellowship with my Bible Study. Everything in me wants to get a bucket of hot, soapy Pine Sol water and scrub my kitchen from top to bottom.

Instead, I am choosing to shut everything down for the next two hours to rest and read the Word.

Who knew that obedience would come in the form of me saying yes to letting some things around the house go. A bucket of Pine Sol water I'm having to lay at the feet of Jesus so I can choose the greater thing.

Learning how to live within the boundaries of today and not run a fast paced marathon 24/7.

Learning how to live with intention and purpose.

Choosing to rest.

Choosing to worship in the mundane.

Remembering how Mary chose the better thing when she stopped to sit at Jesus feet and God blessed her for it.

Spiced Pumpkin Muffins

2011-09-20T08:38:00.000-05:00

1 box spiced cake mix
1 (15oz) can pumpkin

Preheat oven to 325. Simply mix the pumpkin and the spice cake mix powder together and drop by heaping tablespoons into greased muffin cups. Bake18-22 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. We opened our muffins up and put a dollop of cool whip on them-Yum!

This is a quick, easy fall breakfast that smells yummy baking.

Biscuits

2011-09-15T15:22:00.001-05:00

2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup Crisco
1 T sugar
3/4 cup milk
2-3 T melted butter

Preheat oven to 450. Cut shortening into flour using a pastry blender (or criss-crossing 2 knives, or just use your hands) until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Stir in milk until dough leaves side of bowl (dough will be soft and sticky)

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead lightly 10 times. Pat to 1/2 inch thick. Using round biscuit cutter or top of glass cut biscuits. Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Top each biscuit with melted butter.

Bake 10-12 minutes. Serve hot.

*******************************************************************

All I can say is these biscuits are delish! If all you have is all-purpose flour add 3 t baking powder and 1 t salt. Stir well before adding in shortening. One time I didn't stir well and my boys said the biscuits tasted like poison...and they did. You can have these on the pan by the time the oven is done pre-heating. Such a quick breakfast or addition to dinner.

The Help

2011-09-13T12:28:00.001-05:00

I really enjoyed reading the book, The Help and watching the movie. They fry up lots of chicken in the book and movie. It looked so good. Last night we had a couple families over and learned how to fry chicken and make homemade biscuits. We had homemade strawberry jam, blackberry jam, mashed potatoes, veggies and Minnie's chocolate pie.

These are Minnie's pies-can't tell you about The Terrible Awful...you'll have to read the book.

After awhile Todd came in, his Mama is the fried chicken expert so he took over the reins for a while.

And we kicked back and sipped our sweet tea. It took us 3 1/2 hours to do all this cooking! And it was worth it-so much fun and so tasty.

Football Froo Froo Style

2011-09-12T14:00:00.000-05:00

Typically.

My Friday night football experience consists of:

Nachos with jalapenos
Watching the half time show
Socializing
Checking out the fall fashion forecast
Cheering wildly when everyone else does in an attempt to feel a part even though I have no earthly idea what is going on out there on the field
Enjoying seeing the blue and green field, it's so colorful and pretty
Watching my husband yell at the field and predict the next song the band will play

This week however:

There were 2 touchdowns in the last couple minutes and I saw them both with my own green eyes
That was so stinkin fun. So, these guys were running, running, running and they scored. I liken it to the feeling of scoring a sale at Steinmart-very memorable.
Now I feel like a football expert because I saw a play that I understood
At the end of the game, my husband picked me up, gave me a small bleacher spin in the air cheering, "We did it we did it!" He won the game while enjoying a popcorn and Dr. Pepper.

Now let's talk about hosting a football party at your house. My friend did this last week and it sounded like the greatest idea. Here's what you need to host a great football party.

Invite your friends and their family over
Get some great food together. Let people join in on the fun by bringing their favorite football food.
Play the game
Burn good candles-my current favorite is Leaves from Bath and Body Works (you must try it!)

Aaaaannnnd, yep, I think that pretty much covers it. (now shhh, just between me and you, if you want to have the ladyfolk bring decorating magazines so you can sit at the kitchen table drinking coffee and talking all things burlap, gingham and fall i would not judge you one iota.)

As for great football food, well, my friend grilled hot dogs and had homemade chili and cheese dip to go along with it. Lots of other dips as well. I love a 7 layer Mexican dip, a homemade ranch dip, ~~chips~~ and fresh veggies. That's all I've got for today but seriously, go get a Leaves candle. It is sheer joy in a jar.

Answers

2011-09-09T15:41:00.002-05:00

For the last month or so I have been praying a lot, asking God to give me a vision and direction for how to spend our time each day.

There are so many things we can put our hands to. So many choices. So many good opportunities. Starting a new school year with new commitments can tend to always be overwhelming for me.

I've been asking God to give Shane and I wisdom so that our schedules will reflect His Glory. There is that fine balance between stepping out in faith to be used by God, trusting your resources of time and money are safe in His very capable hands, and then crossing the line of being too busy.

I just had to write and share that after weeks of praying it is becoming very clear that God has given clarity to my thoughts regarding very specific things I can do to make our days run smoother. I asked for clarity and He gave it.

So specific and detailed.

About 2 weeks ago I came home late one evening from working. After I washed my face I stepped into my closet to grab my pj's. When I walked in, I looked on the floor and noticed my 3 year old had dumped a box of puzzle pieces on the floor. Even though it was very late, I felt the Holy Spirit nudging my heart to sit down and work the puzzle.

I can tell you I was like, seriously Lord? It's after midnight and I am tired. But you and I know that still small voice is something you do not argue with. So, I sat down and began to work the 100 piece Incredible Hulk puzzle and talked with God the entire time. Do you know what God told me as I sat there working that puzzle?

I will establish peace within your borders.

I am in control of all the pieces of your time and your days.

I will establish peace within your borders.

The puzzle comes together one piece at a time. After searching you begin to see the big picture unfold and it is one piece at a time.

I will establish peace within your borders.

It takes focus.

I will establish peace within your borders.

You can't quit or give up.

I will establish peace within your borders.

Ask me to give you eyes to see.

I will establish peace within your borders.

Slow down, why are you in such a hurry always?

I will establish peace within your borders.

At the end, when the puzzle was complete, there were 6 pieces missing. Even though we might not always have the entire picture...

I will establish peace within your borders.

When you are seeking God for every move you make, the things that need to be added or removed can become very obvious. There was a piece in the mix of pieces that did not belong to the puzzle I was working. It had gotten thrown in the box at some point. When the pieces were a jumbled mess on the floor I could not discern it needed to be removed. It was only when I stopped. Slowed down. Sat down. Touched each piece one by one to evaluate where it went. Only then was I able to have eyes to see what was unfolding.

I will establish peace within your borders.

How much do we miss out on because we are not asking for eyes to see? The clarity of vision I'm experiencing is a gift because I asked and He gave. Guess what?

I am living and enjoying the peace within my borders.

There is peace, joy and direction available for you. I pray this video is an encouragement to you, it is a song of prayer. A song of worship. A song of commitment to take one thing at a time, to seek God and ask for direction.

Invisible Glass Cleaner

2011-09-01T14:45:00.045-05:00

"It leaves your glass virtually invisible!"

Can I just tell you I haven't been this torn up over a cleaning product since the Shark Steamer infomercials came out.

I was at a ladies house several months ago and it was the most calming, peaceful atmosphere. She had her blinds pulled up and the sun was shining through her sparkling clean windows. Her daughter's room was painted the most gorgeous aqua color. The windows had sheer curtains on them. The window was cracked open and the breeze was blowing the curtains.

Glorious!

In her kitchen the sparkling glass was just over the top pretty.

Sparkling windows with raised blinds is such a simple thing you can do to enhance the look of your house.

Yesterday I was talking to my sister and she told me about this new product she found on QVC. Target and Walgreen's sell it (it's actually cheaper at Target, it is in the car cleaning section in both stores). The women in my family are QVC aficionados. I'm talking they're on the preferred speed dial lists and the whole nine yards. Our family shopping tendencies are another post for another day though. When Natalie told me about an amazing glass cleaner she had me at hello and I knew it would complete me. Bwahhaaa. Snort.

If you click on the links below you'll see exactly what products I bought yesterday that changed my life.

Changed. My. Life.

Do you hear what I'm telling you? No I haven't lost weight and no I'm not pregnant. That healthy glow is my new changed life.

The first tester area was my big kitchen window.

Shane was here, you can ask him. I sprayed the first pane and wiped it with my micro fiber cloth. MAN ALIVE. It was noticeably different. Wiped off so easily and left a mean sparkle! Next I went to my big bathroom mirror. As I walked in before I even turned the light on I could see streaks and a light layer of dust. I had just cleaned the day before OK. (with Windex) (OK with fake brand Windex because I couldn't find the real stuff). I sprayed the Invisible Glass on, wiped it off and voila! Perfection!

You can use it on your car windows and tinted glass too. Mirrors, glass, cars...

Here are the links you can click on to see more...
QVC (I'll wait while you run grab a Vanilla DP from Sonic Happy Hour and pop a bag of popcorn. Invite your friends over to watch. This is Date Night good. If you want to send your Redbox monies to me because I just saved you $1.08 just email me for my address)

Walgreen's (Invisible Glass Spray)

Blue Micro Fiber Cloths (The new cloths I bought that were sitting right next to the cleaner. LOVE these. You can't use fabric softener when you wash these. They are special.)

Happy Sparkling Windows to you and yours.

One Thing

2011-08-30T12:01:00.000-05:00

There are tons of things I want to talk about but we have to start with the first and most important.

We have to start with the one thing that will leave its mark on our family more than any other.

One of the main things your kids will take from you when they leave your realm of influence is their faith.

Their faith.

You have huge influence on this aspect of their lives. And it begins with the overflow of your heart.

How things played out among the laundry piles and spilled milk. Last week I was encouraged that "My kids don't need me to be on top of all my chores or even be perfect in taking care of all there needs. What they need is for me to be content and patient with life. To walk by faith that God is in control. To allow the Holy Spirit to give me peace and joy in the midst of life's inevitable ups and downs. In a sense, they are looking to me as a barometer of how our lives are faring. When I model patience in the midst of difficulty, joy in the midst of messes, contentment in the midst of lack, then I provide them a pattern for their own lives. They will learn that my joy is not circumstantial but real because I have an endless source of strength through the power of the Holy Spirit in my life."

-exerpt taken from The Mission of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson

My sweetest memories are of our morning routines. My oldest son wakes up first. Walks in all sleepy eyed and sits down. He sees his Mama reading the Word. Sits in my lap and hears me talk about it. I love to read my Bible. Love it. I didn't always love it though. I'm talking about even after I became a Christian I didn't always love it. I'd read it every now and again so I wouldn't feel guilty but there were years after I became a Christian that reading my Bible had no joy and no life. It felt confusing.

One night, about 13 years ago something changed. A simple talk by my Campus Director in the ministry I was involved with. My friend, Chris, talked from Exodus 33. Joshua and Moses would go into the tent of meeting to talk with God. Moses would leave and head back to camp, but Joshua stayed, lingering in God's presence.

He stayed. He wasn't ready to leave God's presence. That got me to thinking about my own time of reading the Word. I never wanted to stay. It was a clock watching experience so I could get it over with and be done.

The next day on Oprah (before she turned to the dark side) Olympic athletes were on. One young girl in particular caught my attention. She got up at 5am every morning to train. She went to school and left to head straight for the gym again. She had a vision. Life was centered on accomplishing her dream. She made sacrifices of time and energy.

The wheels were really starting to turn now. I wanted to want to linger in God's presence, in His Word. I commited to get up earlier. To get completly ready for school and have an entire 45 minutes to read my Bible. I started to ask for a desire to read The Word and understand it. At first it was sheer discipline that kept me going. But, something started happening. Things started making sense. God started answering my prayers to give me hunger and thirst for The Word.

I began to love reading my Bible. 45 minutes turned into hours.

In Ex. 33:18 Moses ASKS to see God's glory. Guess what. God answered his prayer and showed him His Glory!

In the next chapter God commands Moses to be ready in the morning. Guess what happened? Moses was ready and God spoke to him.

Today you might love to read your Bible or you might not pick it up ever.

Baseboards and piles of laundry can wait. Sleep can wait. Facebook can wait.

There is only one thing needed. It is worship. It is taking time to open your Bible and read. Asking God to give you understanding. To open your eyes and ears to his truths.

How is your overflow today?

Family Routine

2011-08-29T14:40:00.000-05:00

"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Pr. 16:3

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." Pr 16:9

"The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out." Pr.20:5, Lord, give me unusual insight into my children's lives.

"A prudent wife is from the LORD." Pr. 19:14-prudent means wise in practical affairs, careful in providing for the future.

"The plans of the diligent lead to profit, as surely as haste leads to poverty." Pr. 21:5

"The sluggard's craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work. All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing." Pr. 21:25-26

"By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." Pr.24:3-4

" I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgement; thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw; A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man." Pr. 24:30-34

School is back in full swing. Schedules and places to be. If you are like me, your heart is to create an atmosphere in your home that is peaceful and non-chaotic. You want a place of beauty and rest, good food, and time where you can relax and spend time quality time building relationship. Here's where the road my come to a Y-if you are like me following a routine and schedule does not come naturally. The details drain you and take lots of effort and work. If you are like you, the non-me version of you, it is a piece of cake! A schedule energizes you and is more exciting than the sound of the ice cream truck on a hot summer's day!

There's is a fascinating thing that I've seen occur in my home. Even though I stay home with my boys during the day, my head can hit the pillow at night and I will realize that we did not have one meaningful conversation during the day. Where did the time go? It flew out of my hands without me evening knowing it.

Along with that is the constant struggle managing it all. Wanting to have relationship, keep my home in order, and the list could go on quite awhile as we all fill in the blanks.......................

We are in the process of tweaking our routines.

There's a saying that says,

"If you aim for nothing you'll hit it every time".

When thinking about your days and how you spend your time you can see how those words ring so true.

Proverbs 15:22 says that plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

Over the next days I'm going to be talking about managing your home.

The heart of these talks is going to be creating spaces in our hearts, homes and schedules where we can bring God glory.

In the Old Testament, a message God was continually relaying to His people was to

Plan Ahead or Deny Yourselves.

I'll be remembering these words as I finish my last day of hiatus!

My alarm will be ringing at 6:00ish, no, shame on me! My alarm will be ringing at 6:00am in the morning to start my routine.

6:00am shower

6:10-7:15 read my Bible, drink my cream with a splash of coffee

7:15-7:30 apply smokey eye and create big Texas hair

8:00 school bell rings

8:00 my morning routines begin after the boys get going on school-I'll give you a hint...

(her name is Flylady)

Roast Beef

2011-08-18T16:01:00.001-05:00

I am in the process of cooking the quickest roast I've ever tried. My Mama always cooked them in the oven and hers always tastes better than mine. I always threw mine in the crock-pot. Now if this confession isn't the epitome of lazy, I don't know what is...but there are sometimes I don't feel like getting the roast out of the freezer, thawing it, and stepping into the garage to get the crock-pot to bring it in.

This morning I got to thinking about that frozen roast in the freezer and how it would be the perfect thing for tonight's dinner. Then I had a light bulb moment. I wander. I mean, I just wander, could I cook this in the oven frozen?

One phone call to my Mom at work confirmed it. Yes. Yes you can place a frozen roast in the oven and cook it.

No thawing.

No searing in hot oil.

No walking out into the garage to get my crock-pot.

Just a 9x13 pan, a frozen roast, and 1 packet of Lipton Onion Soup Mix.

Now you already know this, but you always want to Pam your dish, especially when it is about to spend 5 hours hanging out in your oven.

Once I sprinkled the top of the frozen roast with a packet of the Lipton Onion Soup mix, I added 1 cup of water to the bottom of the pan and covered it tightly with foil.

I placed it in a 250 degree oven for 5 hours.

Girl, you know I'm gonna serve up a huge ol' bowl of mashed potatoes and even though it's Carbapalooza we're having sweet corn with it and even though I don't have a white gravy boat we'll be having brown gravy made from the pan drippings.

I hope you have a frozen roast you can put in your oven for 5 hours to enjoy! Lipton Onion Soup Mix is the key to the most amazing flavor.

Plans

2011-08-16T14:38:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I was overwhelmed. Got myself all worked up over life. Schedules. Commitments. If you asked me if I compared myself to other people I'd say no. That is unhealthy and never leads down a path of God's choosing. Last night as I sat on the couch boo-hooing to Shane I realized my eyes were looking around at other people. Looking to how A+B looked on paper. Looking at how I could make things work out best.

And just like that I was Peter in the water and I was sinking.

Do you believe the Word of God is alive? The Living Word? Living enough to speak truth into your circumstances? I do.

Listen to what God told me through His Word this morning.

God said He will instruct me in the way chosen for me.

I did a double take when I read those words in verse 12.

He will instruct you in the way chosen for you.

That's why looking around to other people is futile. Because they are on the path of God's choosing for them and you are on the path of God's choosing for you.

Maybe you are looking around uncertain of if you are really on the path of God's choosing for you. I have really great news for you.

The LORD confides in those who fear Him. He will show you how to spend your time. He will guide you in what is right. He will show you the way He has for you.

Don't be like I was yesterday and put your hope in what does or doesn't make sense on paper. Put your hope in God. He says if you put your hope in God you will not be put to shame. You don't have to fear the fear of failure. He will show you His Ways and He will teach you His Paths.

Ask God to show you what to put your hands to. When to say yes and when to say no. At Bible Study last week someone shared that every day we can ask God to place our steps.

This morning I prayed that. As I was praying the phone rang. It was a friend inviting us to the park to play. The air was cool and it was beautiful. My list of things to do was long but it was OK. God gave me the freedom to put the lists aside and to enjoy the weather with friends.

It's surprising the way He places our steps when we ask.

Psalm 25, Psalm 90

White Sauce

2011-08-08T11:59:00.001-05:00

2 T butter
2 T flour
1 cup milk
1/4 t salt

Melt butter in saucepan; add flour, stirring until foamy, not brown. Add milk slowly until smooth. Cook on lowest heat until thickened. Season with salt. Serve over steamed broccoli.

Hint: Add 1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheese for a wonderful cheese sauce. Good with steamed vegetables or baked potatoes.

(this recipe can easily be doubled)

Tonight I'm making this cheddar sauce for dinner. I'm serving it over elbow macaroni noodles with a side salad. Quick and easy summer meal!

Lamps and Light Bulbs

2011-08-05T11:07:00.001-05:00

If you are also married to a frugal man, chances are you've come home to find the ceiling fan bulbs and every lamp in the casa outfitted with these energy saving bulbs. You don't notice it at first until one night you are getting ready for bed. You drop your earring back and have to turn on the dreaded overhead light to find it. The loud music begins to play after you flip the switch and you feel like the spot light at a car lot on a summer night has entered your bedroom. Quickly you find your sunglasses, put them on to see what has happened and that is when you realize the unthinkable has happened.

You thought the lamps in the living room had been casting insane amounts of bright light but you thought it was just you. Room by room you walk, only to find it is true. Ginormous, spiral shaped bulbs have made there way into your home-unbeknownst to you.

Friends, if you have found yourself in this situation it is time for an intervention. I don't care if you have to take on a night shift at McDonald's one night a week to pay for the extra electricity. You just have to trust me that it will be worth it to change your bulbs back.

My personal favorite bulb is the Reveal brand. How 'bout you? Do you have a personal favorite bulb? Yeah, I didn't think so. This must be why my Mama always told me I was special.

This light is very nice on these bulbs. Try a pack out, I bet you will really like the difference. Once you have a great bulb you want to think about your lamp placement in your room. Think triangle. 3 lamps (at least!) in a large room, placed in a triangle pattern around the room.

The Atmosphere

2011-08-04T10:56:00.000-05:00

The last couple weeks I've been asking God to give me a vision and wisdom on what our days need to look like.

We were ready.

Ready for schedules and summer days to be done. We started school Monday and it has filled the air with an atmosphere of joy and excitement. Bible stories, songs, and the sound of phonics is filling the air. It is a sweet sound.

Atmosphere has been the word on my heart this last week. I'm in a study with some other moms and we're reading a book together-this weeks chapter was on the atmosphere of our home. That is a subject that is near to my heart!

So many things contribute. The overflow of my own heart is the biggest thing that can make or break our home. If I find myself being impatient and having a sharp tongue I know that I am not walking in the Spirit. God's graciousness runs deep. He can turn the hardened heart around in an instant. A few minutes reading the Word along with a prayer of repentance goes a long way.

Tidiness also contributes. When surfaces are clutter-free and orderly our entire day is more peaceful.

Around the 5 o'clock hour we light a candle in the kitchen. It does something to set the mood that it is time to transition into dinner, bath, book and bedtime. My current favorite candle is from Wal-Mart. It is Cranberry Mandarin and you can get one for $3.25. This candle smells so amazing. It is very fragrant. The label peels off. You can tie a pretty ribbon around the candle to make it look pretty. There is something about the flicker of candle light and the smell that create a feeling of warmth and coziness.

On these hot summer 100 degree days we've had to keep our blinds closed. Turning the lamps on around 5 before you start cooking dinner also does wonders for creating that atmosphere of warmth and home, even when it is still light outside. As you get busy with dinner, dishes, baths, jammies and stories the sun will begin to set. Having the lamps on will make your home feel very cozy.

Good lighting, candle glow, yummy smells coming from the kitchen...these are the things I grew up on in my parents home, and this is the atmopshere I like to create in my own home.

Non-Crafty Toddler Ideas

2011-08-03T14:47:00.000-05:00

Hello Friends, I'd like you to meet our resident 3 year old.

He enjoys running, playing, long walks on the beach and peanut butter and honey sandwiches.

This year I am teaching school to my oldest two children.

I am in serious need of ideas for this little guy to keep him entertained and busy. I'm not opposed to the black marker mustaches he is fond of creating on his person while my back is turned, but I'd like a few other ideas to go along with that.

I am so not the crafty type mom-I'll just go ahead and lay it out on the table. I pretty much hate play-doh, paints, anything crafty. Sigh, I know.

I am crossing my fingers that you can help me with some non-crafty ideas for 3 year olds that don't require hands on direction from me.

I'm coming clean. I eat white bread, my kids eat sugary cereal and I'm OK to let him play on the Internet for a little while each day. With that said, do you know of any educational sites for toddlers on the Internet besides Fox News? Or do have you heard from a "friend" about Internet games their kids play?

He will color for awhile.

I can read a book during certain times of the morning.

He can come with me to fold clothes.

I try to put in a 30 minute video but they never hold his attention.

I'm hoping all you creative Mama's come through for a sista with some ideas :)!!

Accessorizing the Seasonal Sweater Vest

2011-08-02T14:15:00.004-05:00

Accessorizing the Seasonal Sweater Vest is easier than you might think.

You always want to start with a strong denim jumper base.

You may remember from last year's first day of school that my denim jumper is a little riskay.

If your Seasonal Sweater Vest has strong argyle appliques then you are really miles ahead of the game as far as achieving that pulled together look goes. If you've done a great job picking out the basics you really only need to add a great pair of earrings, bracelet, watch and possibly a broach-especially if the weather is rainy and/or cloudy outside.

I do hope this tutorial helped.

Now we're ready to let the ABC's and 123's begin!

Boy Bedroom Make-Over

2011-07-26T16:54:00.000-05:00

I am redoing my boys room. Have you tried to decorate for boys lately? I want their room to be classic, clean lined, simple, non primary colored, not too sport related, and pretty neutral. It's been a challenge! Do you think the burgandy and dark brown version of this comforter could create a similar effect? With these sheets? I am in love with these sheets! They are so cute and classic. I may have to wash them 89 times before I feel they are soft enough but for $15 a set I'm down with it!

My sister just put this taupe drum shade on a pewter lamp base in my nephew's bedroom and it is SHARP! It's more earthy linen brown than is showing up in this photo.

Do you think I could put a clip on lamp on each boys headboard? The slats are Mission Style.

Striped panels on the windows with a touch of brown and red to tie it all in.

Whatdya' think? I'd take any ideas!

White Vases and other important things

2011-07-25T14:31:00.003-05:00

I recently found the sweetest white vase at Targe'. It is very similar to the itty bitty picture above.

It is going to look so cute sitting on the dinner table filled with water.

Two weeks ago a Razorback football game was playing on Sunday afternoon. Since you can't have a Sunday afternoon ball game on with without Autumnal smells (even if it is July!), I pulled out my Apple Cinnamon smelling candles and fired them up which was...

all I needed to get me in the mood for school supplies! New boxes of paper, crayons and pencils! Fresh apple cakes! Pumpkins!

Summer is such a great time of year. Sparkling blue pools, coconut drinks, grilled burgers. I'm all on it, but I can tell ya' I'm ready to get into the swing of things with school.

I have a big project looming over me that I can't get motivated to tackle. The boys closet. It's that time of year to go through and inventory what they need. Big sales on clothes are just around the corner and I want to be prepared.

On a little different note: this is a great time of year to find sales on bedding, sheets, lamps and things for bedrooms.

OK, so back to decorating pumpkins I saw the cutest picture in my Romantic Country magazine last night. Picture it. Sically. 1912. 3 pumpkins all spray painted. One pink, one blue, one purple. Glittery tops and a huge rhinestone sticking out of the top.

Please excuse me while I go get my Mini-Cheesecakes out of the oven...

Ok I'm back. If they're good I'll post the recipe for you...

Where were we? Oh yes, I think we've been talking about where I've been all summer. We were gone a lot this summer. 5 weeks of travel between Shane and I. It feels really great to all be back home. I'm so ready for routine and normal days that look the same.

My prayer has been for God to give me vision on what He wants our days to look like. Wisdom on how to spend my time. I can't wait for Bible Study to start back up! Shane is even getting me a new Bible!

I guess I'll wrap up this Potluck type post today and go clean my office. It exploded on me. Again.

Avert the eyes

2011-07-12T17:51:00.002-05:00

So this afternoon my sister and I went for manicures and pedicures.

We both sit down in the massage chairs.

The lady hands me a blue towel and places it on my lap.

Natalie didn't get one.

Only me.

Uhhh?

I'm looking around-noone else has a blue towel-only me.

Seeing I am confused the lady comes over and points to my dress.

Oh my lands alive, I've worn a sundress to get my nails done.

They gave me a towel to put over my lap because a man was doing my nails.

Help. Me. Rhonda.

The most modest Southern Baptist girl busted up in the nail salon and the man doing my nails had to give me a blue towel.

Things were going pretty good. Until. The leg massage thing they do. I. Have. Never. Been. So. Embarrassed.

He had to avert the eyes.

Yes mam.

I was hoping that blue towel would grow a few feet so I could wrap it around my entire person like a blue terry cloth nun outfit.

One would like to think it would be obvious that you might not want to wear a sundress, even if it does come to your knees, to get a pedicure, but juuuuuuuust in case there is another diva out their as clueless as I, let me warn you, you do not want to have the nice man having to avert the eyes.

Thank you very much and have a nice day.

Caught!

2011-06-30T14:40:00.000-05:00

Today I am trying to catch my kids doing good stuff and praising them for it.

You did such a good job obeying!

You are being such a great listener!

I like how you did______________!

Sometimes it is too easy to stay in teaching/training mode...their little faces light up when they are encouraged!

Big Cedar

2011-06-27T14:34:00.000-05:00

We packed up the bus and headed to Big Cedar last week. My parents took us and boy was it a blessing! So relaxing and fun.

This just cracked me up! We were at the campfire to make smores and the smoke was burning the boys eyes so they put there goggles on. I told them smoke follows beauty and had to apologize profusely for causing a smokey scene (wink wink). I about fell over when they did this though-too funny.

In the mornings Shane fishes on vacation. Then around 10 we go to the family pool. We head back to the room for lunch around noon. Shane stays in the room with the boys after lunch. They nap and he catches up on important world news like Swamp People and American Pickers. Meanwhile, Mama goes to the "Pina Colada Pool". Yep, for a few hours it's just me, my murder mystery and a fruity drink. There are kids there but none of them are mine. These are the kind of afternoons this stay at home Mama lives for!

Thank you Nanny and Poppy for a fun filled week!

9 pennies

2011-06-17T08:20:00.000-05:00

So we've had some funny happenings. Like driving to swim lessons yesterday and seeing my 5 year old gather 9 pennies.

Whatcha' doin I asked.

Getting my money together to give my teacher.

Really? What for?

Well, I don't want to jump off the diving board today. So I'm just going to give my teacher money instead. I don't want to jump today, I just want to bless my teacher.

I've been doing a lot of writing at my new blog, Hands Open Wide, you can click here to check it out if you are interested.

My other blog

2011-06-13T09:44:00.000-05:00

Well, today's post is a step of faith for me.

I have another blog I started 3 years ago.

It is a step of faith for me to unhide it and share it with you today. No one knows about it, it has been something between God and I. There are only a couple of posts. These pasts weeks and months God keeps telling me two words.

Word and Song.

My biggest ministry these days is to my husband and babies but God is giving me little glimpses into new things. The two words He keeps whispering to me are Word and Song. Not very many pieces to the puzzle there, but there is no mistaking in my heart He has clearly revealed these two precious words to me.

I'm going to be writing on both blogs, but my other blog is where I'm going to be writing about my times with the LORD. That is where my heart is.

Even this morning as I read Psalm 71 he reaffirmed to me that this is His Desire for me. He reminded me that since my youth He has not forsaken me. He wants me to declare his power to the next generation, and declare His Might to anyone who will listen.

Sharing my heart feels very vulnerable. Sharing with whoever will read makes me scared. Two weeks ago the LORD made it very clear to me during our sermon at church that this is my next step of faith. I've sat on the command for two weeks. And today I'm stepping out in obedience and with a heart that wants to bring God's Name Glory.

www.handsopenwide.blogspot.com

Put It Away

2011-06-06T14:23:00.000-05:00

Our motto around our house is, "Don't put it down, put it away!"

This one tiny practice will make a world of difference in how your home looks.

As you go from room to room, if your eye catches something out of place put it away right then.

This little step, repeated over and over throughout the day will start to pay off big dividends in the tidiness of your home!

Don't put it down, put it away!

Chick-fil-A

2011-05-30T07:23:00.000-05:00

We've been out of town visiting our family. We left after lunch yesterday to head back home after a great time. It was nearly 6:00pm and the boys were getting hungry.

Hmmm. What to do for dinner?

DING DING DING! Let's get a nugget tray from Chick-fil-A! We're going to play in the yard anyway when we get home. We can set out nuggets, play, and have enough left over for lunch tomorrow.

"Honey, would you try to wrangle your phone from our resident 3 year old Angry Bird/Cut The Rope playin' child to look up the number and call it in?"

"Sure" he says.

As he dials, I provide the background music.

"Kids, get in the van so we can go there today. But there store is closed oh I know, cause it's Sun-day-ay-ay-ayyyyyyy....."

(husband interrupts riveting performance) "Uh, Honey?"

"Yes?"

"Today is Sunday."

(singing in mad voice)"CHICK-FIL-A, WHAT A DIRTY ROTTEN TRICK TO PLAY. NOW I HAVE TO SETTLE FOR SUBWAY...."

Would you believe yesterday was SUNDAY?

My dreams of nuggets were dashed right there on the road next to the Armadillo lyin' on the road.

I can't say which came first...my addiction to the Chick-fil-A sauce or the nugget. All I know is the quick hot dog dinner I whipped up when we got home was a little bittersweet.

Garage Sale

2011-05-24T13:45:00.000-05:00

Saturday we threw together a quick garage sale. We've been getting stuff together for months. After looking at the calender last Saturday was our best option before our summer plans kick into full swing.

We had a goal to make $350 for some house projects we are working on.

The grand total came to $367!

God is awesome to provide!

After donating 2 car loads full we can now both park in the garage again.

Aaaannd the boys can ride bikes and scooters on rainy days.

Good times.

Organized Blogs

2011-05-20T12:19:00.000-05:00

I organized my blog reading. My friends and family are still in my favorites. Specialized blogs on decorating/cooking/homeschooling are on my sidebar.

For security reasons I don't list our kids names or our family last name on my blog. When folks link to my blog I always ask them link with Bugs and Sunshine instead of my first and last name. You never can be too safe these days and since my blog is a mega blog I want to protect my babies! LOL!

I am LOVING the decorating/cleaning/cooking blogs updated on my sidebar. Great tips. You should check em' out in all your spare time!

We're enjoying a weekend at home with Shane's parents. Brisket is in the oven, it's a rainy day and we're having a ball!

Done.

2011-05-11T14:19:00.000-05:00

Today marks a big day!

We are done with our commitments for the year!

School.

Bible Study.

Is that it? It felt like a lot more stuff than that.

Our summer is in full swing.

There is nothing more rewarding than the feeling of completion.

Now I'm praying for wisdom of how our days and weeks need to look. As you may know, routine is a challenge for me and yet we will need some sort of routine for our summer days. Our curriculum for next year has arrived and is sitting neatly in boxes. We'll have a Kindergartner and a First Grader next year.

I am so excited that our Bible study in the Fall will be on Acts. I cannot wait to dig in! The Holy Spirit coming in Acts 2 just gets me all kinds of excited! I've got me some strong Southern Baptist roots but I love to see that Spirit coming with fire! LOL! Sometimes when we are sitting so prim and proper in church I wander what would happen if God just unleashed Himself on our hearts and spirits. I'd love to be a part of that service!

So, back to the summer agenda. Two things on my list are creating memories/laughing a lot and enjoying my boys and husband. Last week I shared about Jesus example of sitting down. I've been taking more intentional efforts to sit down in the course of a day. It has been something else to see what is happening. It is magnetic. Those boys flock to me when I take the time to stop and sit.

Surprised!

2011-05-07T10:15:00.002-05:00

This morning I opened up my box of Swiffer Duster refills. My bedroom ceiling fan was beyond dusty. I've been putting off cleaning it. Tonight I want to sleep on clean sheets, so I decided to dust the fan, shake the sheets outside and toss them into the wash.

When I opened my new box of Dusters bright light and a heavenly chorus began playing right there in my laundry room. It was the smell of heaven I'm sure! The dusters smells amazing. The perfect clean smell. Ahhh. What a pleasant surprise! I had no idea they smelled. Citrus and Light. What a great description of the smell. The dusting was needing to happen, it was going to happen today, and the beautiful smell was a wonderful surprise for me. It caught me completely by surprise and off guard.

Something opened to complete a mundane, dirty job revealed beauty and joy.

I want this smell everywhere in my home. Happiness, sheer happiness.

This leads me to something else I can't wait to share with you. It's a thought from the book Simple Obsession I've been reading and the concept is from a Pastor named Hal Perkins. In talking about the fruit of the Spirit and if it is evident in your life. Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Longsuffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control.

"Pastor Hal Perkins described it this way. He likened people to vessels that hold liquid. Every time someone "bumps" us, something spills out. Will it be ugliness or will it be the sweet, refreshing Spirit of Christ? The "bumping" is the test of what is truly inside.

We must examine the fruit being produced by our internal attitudes, and if we find that we see and smell little or nothing of the character of Jesus, our bridegroom, then we must return to intimate fellowship with him. There, he can begin to transform our nature and begin to produce the fruit of righteousness and holiness-that of the fruit of the Spirit."

If you are like me, you were bumped this week and maybe something ugly spilled out. If you are like me, you want beauty to spill out. Beauty and light.

Christ's greatest desire is to fill us of more of Him.

To smell like the fragrance of him, even in ugly, messy situations. That right there is evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in you. When you are opened up expecting the ordinary only to be surprised by beauty and the smell of sweetness.

Read something in the Word today. Anything. Proverbs 7. Psalm 23. 2 Corinthians 6-8. Genesis 50:2.

You can read for 2 minutes or 20.

Open your Bible and receive a Word from your Father.

This morning after I'd dusted my room, I brought the vacuum in to sweep the carpets. I had laid my Bible on the floor and there was something blue peeping out from a blanket right beside it. It was one of the boys swords.

How symbolic. Two swords on the ground, right there for the taking to fight battles with.

Spaghetti Sauce

2011-05-06T20:50:00.000-05:00

This is the most amazing, melt in your mouth sauce I have ever tasted. My mom is a great cook and growing up we'd smell the most amazing things coming from the kitchen. That is one of the best things about this sauce, it simmers for 3 HOURS and fills your house with the best aromas. You are going to love this one!

6 garlic buttons, chopped fine
1 T oil
3 (12 oz) cans tomato paste
3 cans water for each can of paste (9 cans)
1 1/2 T salt
1 t pepper
4 T sugar
2 T Parmesan cheese
1 t sweet basil
1/2 t oregano
3 pounds ground beef

Saute' chopped garlic in oil; add tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, sugar, cheese and seasonings. Bring to a light bubble and simmer approximately 1 hour. Brown hamburger meat, drain grease, and add to sauce and simmer approximately 2 more hours. Stir often. May add more or less salt and sugar according to your taste. Yields sauce for 12 servings.

************************************************************

Notes: Use fresh garlic. Not jar and not powder. This will make a world of difference in the freshness of your cooking. Sweet basil is different than basil-I got mine at Kroger for $2.99. When it says stir often, I stirred mine every 10-20 minutes as I was passing through the kitchen. This is to keep the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan. We used Barilla Whole Wheat Thin Spaghetti noodles and they were perfect for the sauce. I just can't hardly put into words how fabulous this smelled cooking all afternoon and how melt in your mouth delicious it was for dinner! We had garlic bread which was the perfect accompaniment. Cooking time is 3 hours so plan this one for an afternoon when you're at home. This is a super affordable dish that makes a ton. Invite friends over! And freeze the rest for a rainy day.

Fiesta Fajitas

2011-05-04T21:02:00.000-05:00

Fiesta Fajitas
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (2 limes)
1/4 cup water
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/3 teaspoon pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts
1-2 onion thinly sliced
1-2 bell peppers, thinly sliced

The Fixins:
Flour tortillas
Salsa
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Grated Cheddar

Great Side Options:
Black Beans (drain, rinse and heat a can!)
Chips and Salsa
Rice
Refried Beans
Cheese Dip

In a Ziplock Freezer bag, mix onion soup mix, oil, lime juice, water, garlic, lime peel, cumin, oregano, and pepper.

Add chicken, close bag, and coat the chicken with the marinade. I put my bag in a glass dish just in case it spilled.

Place in refrigerator and marinade 4 hours or overnight.

Grill chicken until done, brushing with marinade. Thinly slice chicken diagonally.

(***Note***, I placed 2 Tablespoons butter in a skillet, thinly sliced the uncooked chicken and sauteed it on high. It was done in around 10 minutes-super quick!! The key to is place the sliced chicken in the hot butter and don't mess with it too much, let it sear and get almost blackened with a nice crust before you turn it. Peak at a small piece if you need to check it)

In another skillet, saute onion and bell pepper in oil or 2 T butter and give props to Paula cause you're Southern and you like to tweak recipes. Saute until tender.

Warm tortillas. Tuck meat strips in tortillas with onions, peppers. Garnish with dollops of salsa, guacamole, sour cream and cheese.

***********************************************

This recipe is super quick. Don't let the marinade prep intimidate you! It takes under 10 minutes to prep the chicken. Then with actual cooking time this can definitely be ready in under 30 minutes.

***********************************************

Happy Cinco De Mayo to You and Yours!

(a day early I know but I just can't help myself, I've always LOVED Cinco De Mayo!!)

Sitting

2011-05-03T14:15:00.000-05:00

Today I came across a sentence in Matthew 24 that really got me thinking.

It said, "As Jesus was sitting".

He was sitting.

I don't know why that phrase has me so fascinated.

Sitting would mean that he had stopped to sit down.

In the course of the day I find it incredibly hard to just sit down. Let everything be placed on hold and sit down.

Stop. Sit. Let stuff go.

The ministry did not stop while he sat down. The ministry opportunity came to him as he sat.

In the course of any given day, I wander what would happen if I took more time to stop and sit. What conversations would take place?

With a chair, Bible and a pen.

After some thought, I bet one of the things our enemy does to us as women is to create many reasons why we should not stop and sit.

Survey Says

2011-05-02T16:23:00.000-05:00

Hey boys, what is your favorite:

Breakfast:
Fruit Oatmeal
Cereal
Pancakes
Waffles

Lunch:
Hot Dogs
Pizza
Corn Dogs
Chicken and French Fries
Wendy's

Dinner:
Lunchables
Macaroni
Ramen Noodles
Chips and Dip

Feeling a little distraught that nothing they mentioned besides the Oatmeal had any nutritional value and disturbed that they think we eat Ramen Noodles and Chips and Dip and Lunchables for dinner which we don't, I mean there Mother is an Ina wanna-be for Pete's Sake, we added a 4th category...

Fruits and Vegetables:
Apples
Pears
Blueberries
Cans of God (?)
Chicken Pot Pie
Strawberries
Carrots
Potatoes

Cuties

2011-04-30T22:08:00.001-05:00

I'm dusting this thing off to make sure it still works.

Aaaand it looks like it does.

Today I realized that I have no consistent plan in place for the detailed cleaning.

By detailed cleaning I mean: washing doors on the inside and out and scrubbing the little 6 square insert deals, washing baseboards, washing fans and dusting blinds. For awhile I told myself I could just run a dust rag over the baseboards but there is an entirely different feel when they are scrubbed and washed with hot Pine Sol water. You know what I'm sayin?

So, my clutter problem last week started with a bag of Cuties. I placed the oranges on the kitchen counter. Then I added the big California Navel Oranges. Then the box of Campari tomatoes. Then a bunch of bananas and a loaf of bread. Then the mail, keys, cell phone chargers, things I need to take to UPS, kids toys, dirty dishes, wrappers...I mean the list could go on.

It was ugly.

And it reminded me that clutter always attracts clutter..

That's why today I nipped that puppy in the bud.

You always want to clean a room/house from left to right. Remembering that will help you get going when you're overwhelmed.

Today I worked and worked and worked on this blasted house. Buckets and buckets of hot soapy water. I scrubbed and polished and shined. Now I can blog again because my little corner of the world is tidy and back in order.

A couple days ago I read in Proverbs 28 that a man of wisdom and understanding maintains order.

I so needed that reminder that order is a good and necessary thing. Cause I was buried in clutter and overwhelmed and shut down. When your house gets out of control do you shut down too? When it's clean and tidy do you shine like a fresh bottle of sparkly Windex?!!!

Hey Girl

2011-04-19T15:50:00.000-05:00

Pull up a chair and get comfy because here is the low down on what's going on around my parts.

This morning I woke up and decided not to wash my hair because it looked great. At around 10:00am it was starting to look a little more not so great. After some time letting the kids play outside in the humidity it was an official train wreck. We came in and I put it up in a pony tail, keeping the swoopy bangs free to try to redeem the 'dew. It is 3:30 and bobby pins have made there way into the 'dew looking very ghetto-ish. I have a jewelry show tonight and am currently pondering the value of refixing my hair or just embracing the bobby pin within.

Let's talk food. At around 10ish this morning we all got hungry and I was in the mood to chop and dice veggies. My mom gave us the prettiest red, orange and yellow peppers from Sam's. We sauteed finely diced onion and peppers in butter, added eggs and scrambled them and topped the entire creation with freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. We ate the Omelet Scramble (the way you can lovingly refer to this recipe if you make it) with toast and it was the best lunch.

Which leads me to the "I want to be a better Mommy and feed you more vegetables" talk. My 5 year old was NOT DOWN at all with caring about me being a better Mommy and feeding him more vegetables. Normally at the table I have an eat or don't eat mentality, but I'm not going to make a big deal about it...just don't go asking for snacks between meals.

Today, however, we played a game. If he tried 3 bites I'd let him have a snack of my choosing. He decided to play. We were hootin' and hollerin' and cheerin' him on. He earned a banana for snack. If he decided to play again, which he did, I'd add another snack choice. It was an apple. He had the chance to play for the grand finale snack of popcorn for 3 more bites which he won. Then the icing and final chance to play was for 3 more bites for popcorn and Coke. It was a fun little time.

OK, bad hair, eating more vegetables, oh yes, now let's talk about the laundry. I think you'll be excited to know that I started laundry yesterday and did not finish. So, there's still clothes sitting in the washer and dryer today.

I also have not cleaned the kitchen yet today because we played outside and went to the church this morning.

This afternoon instead of finishing my chores I got on Facebook and was having a grand old time until the loud screaming started from the bathroom. Running toward the scream I could heard a bubbling brook. Yep. The toilet was overflowing. And a 2 year old was scared silly. Talk about funny, ahem, I mean nasty and unfortunate.

So, that's my day in a nutshell. Oh that and we have crazy storms comin' our way. That will be a nice way to end a nice day I think.

Praying for the kids

2011-04-18T11:23:00.000-05:00

Our community group has began the most powerful thing. We are bringing the kids in each week, one by one to pray over them.

The first week, each of the Middle Aged Children came in, one at a time.

Last night, the Youngest kiddos had their turn.

Next time we meet we'll pray over the oldest children.

We asked them what we could pray for. Any sin areas? Things you'd like to see changed? Needs? Fears? Joys?

The adults sit in a circle and the child either sits in the middle or in their Daddy or Mommy's lap. Then, all 6 of us adults take a turn praying prayers over the child out loud.

It is the most powerful, beautiful, humbling thing to be a part of. Having our friends pray over our children and being able to do the same for theirs has been a gift. It is power-filled. Who knows how our prayers on behalf of these children is reshaping the course of their days? There lives, choices, the legacy they will leave behind on this world.

Prayer is the greatest shield we can provide for our children.

Listen to them throughout the day. Comments made to you or siblings. Underlying tone behind comments. Look for sin or obedience issues that are manifesting themselves. Then talk to your Heavenly Father about them. It is surprising how often I overlook prayer in the day to day of life. Lord, teach us to pray without ceasing. Make prayer to you be our first response before we open our mouth to teach and train. Give us wisdom to speak truth into their lives. Equip us with words of wisdom as we teach and train. Reveal hidden sin in our homes.

There is a well of faith that runs deep if we'd tap into it. Last night we had conversations on desperately relying on the Holy Spirit in the day to day of life. In the making the beds, the buttering the toast, the refilling of sippy cups, the folding of laundry, the thawing of meat for dinner, the washing of the dishes, the taking 10 minutes to listen to a friend on the phone, the reading of the books to the boys, the cleaning the base of the toilet again because of bad aim, the sweeping of the floor, the opening of the WORD to be filled, the opening of the mouth to WORSHIP.

Days fly by and today can count for Eternity. Is that really true? Absolutely yes it is. Whether you are in an office with fluorescent lights overhead, a classroom about to take an exam, a kitchen washing up more dishes, or a car running errands. It can count. It can have meaning and purpose.

Cottage Daydreaming

2011-04-13T15:36:00.000-05:00

We have an appointment tommorow to go see 2 Cottage/Bungalow style houses that are for sale. We love our current house, but I am SO EXCITED to check it out. We've been reading Radical, by David Platt and one thing he suggested is living below your means for a year and use your extra money to bless others.

Living in a suburban neighborhood is nice and we love it. There is just this huge part of me that wants a picket fence. Beadboard. White painted paneling. Charm.

Of all the Cottage Decorating Styles I'm not sure where I land. Somewhere between French, English and Swedish and Shabby Chic. Huh, apparantly I love it all. Casual, comfortable, homey, floral, stripes, silk, toile, light and simple. Ivy, well manicured flower beds and lawn, lavender, limelight hydrangea (pictured below).

If you love Cottage style you will have a blast at Cottage Home Decorating's Site.

Bedtime

2011-04-11T10:12:00.002-05:00

Our Bedtime Routine is our weakest link. It's like we hit our wall (Shane and I) and we are tired and done. The kids go to bed at 8:00pm. Somewhere between 7:30 and 8:00pm the house gets chaotic. The tone goes from fun to drill sargent mode. It is not a peaceful, orderly process. It feels hurried and the tone is not one filled with grace, joy and peace.

I got to thinking about 4 weeks ago when I sat the boys down on the couch before we went to the Post Office and Grocery Store. I laid out the expectations very clearly before we even left the house. We will park by the buggy corral. The baby will sit in the buggy with me. Each big boy will hold onto the sides of the buggy while we walk through the parking lot. No asking for extra things, running or talking loudly. Before we got out of the car I reminded them very clearly and simply of what I expected. They knew the expectation and they knew the consequence if they did not obey. It went really well. It was clear cut and they understood what was expected and what would happen if they chose not to obey.

Back to bedtime. Part of our breakdown occurs while we are in the room, actually tucking them in. Their room is not conducive to chatting and talking freely and yet we've been learning bedtime is a time of day when they open up the windows to their little hearts and let you in. With kids in bunk beds and us not having giraffe necks that can crane up to talk easily we changed things up a little.

Here's how the old way went down. 7:50. Boys, go pee-pee, brush your teeth, put your pj's on. 7:59 LET'S GO, GET IN BED!!!! It's time and we are done!!! (the underlying attitude behind our voices)

It was too rushed. Too hurried. More times than not I did not like the way our day ended. It ended with hugs and kisses but it was hurried.

We tweaked it a little. We are timing how long it takes for them to go potty, get pj's on, brush teeth and get the last ever important drink of water for the day so they don't thirst to death while they sleep (wink wink). I'm thinking 10 minutes is about what it is taking.

You have to work backwards on your timing. This is an art that once you learn it you wish you'd known about it long ago.

8:00pm Kids in Bed
7:55pm Prayers with Boys
7:45pm Meet at Couch in Living Room for Story Reading
7:35pm Get PJ's on, Brush Teeth, Go Potty, Get Drink

And this schedule clearly shows where the breakdown occurred and chaos stepped in to replace the peace. We were not allowing enough time to carry out the night time routine in a peaceful manner. We were trying to cram a 25 minute process into 5 or 10 minutes. We are also experimenting with having our story/talk time on the couch where we can all be together but it is not a cramped space. So far this small change has been very, very good.

I am very curious, do you have a well-oiled bedtime routine with your kids and what does it look like? Any helpful pointers you've discovered you'd like to share?

Living Crowded

2011-04-04T15:17:00.001-05:00

This weekend I've been reading a book by Dan Aslett called Weekend Makeover. It is about decluttering your home/life.

The million dollar question I want to ask today is:

Why do we live crowded?

(by clutter, schedules, habits, people?)

For me, this question is a reflection of a selfish, greedy mentality. I have to hold on to my stuff because if I let it go I may not have enough stuff when I need (want) it.

When you are cleaning up, and the stuff does not fit, do you ever have the feeling you are trying to fit a quart of milk into a cup?

We are tossing, tossing, tossing around here. Tossing to free up space. Tossing to uncurl our tight crip around things. Tossing to free up time for important things like relationship. Tossing to have space for everything. Simplifying so order and peace will reign in our home.

The never ending process. We bring stuff in. We bring it in. All the time we are bringing stuff from the outside world in.

The vocabulary of excess:

piles
stacks
hoards
heaps
cram
crush
overstuffed
overcrowded
bulging
overflowing
encumbered
loaded
laden
burdened
haul
excess baggage
rummage
unsettle
distract
disrupt
complicate
disorganized
chaos
jumble
upset
overwhelmed
embarrassed
worried
disarray

(List taken from Weekend Makeover, Dan Aslett)

The results of living crowded and in excess. Is it really worth it?

Wake-Up

2011-03-31T11:17:00.001-05:00

Awake! Awake!

The two words that have been on my mind.

Do you ever get the feeling that you have settled into the unholy? The routine, monotonous way of our culture? The Idon'tneedtheHolySpirit to help me today because there's nothing big happening? The I've got no plans today to live life in a way that would warrant the need for help from God or guiding from the Holy Spirit?

There are more questions I have.

I've been wandering where the fruitful labor in my life is? Not the pat I'm staying home raising my kids making them disciples answer. Important? Yes. All there is? No. Here's the deal. I am very comfortable staying home raising my kids. It is in my pulse. A huge part of what I was created to do. It is a treasure. A gift. But. That still, small voice won't leave me alone. The still small voice of The Lord God Almighty who keeps whispering I have more if you'd let me in.

So with two hands, palm up, wide open my heart says Yes. Yes please come into my days. My suburban home. The life with 3 kids and a mini-van and soccer goals in the back yard Yes. Please come in.

Several times over that last month the exact same quote has come across my path. "If your dream is not intimidating to you it is probably insulting to God."

It has been about two weeks since my prayers have turned to an almost desperation cry to The Lord. Please enter into my days. Unpry my hands from the things I hold so tightly. Change my vision. Help me see.

We had a fire going in the fire pit. It was a gorgeous Spring Day and we were enjoying the backyard. Anna! QUICK! Get the water hose! A spark had jumped into the yard and the grass was burning up and it was burning fast. We put the fire out and I was reminded about a big upcoming event. The one where fire will test how we've built and the quality of what we built. It will be shown for what it is. It will be revealed with fire. It will be tested with fire.

That has me thinking about the only things last forever. God. God's Word. People. The souls of men and women. The Quality Filter.

You want to try something that will totally freak you out and pump you up all at the same time? Ask The Lord Almighty, God of the Universe to reveal to you today what living your life as a sacrifice to him looks like. Today. Right here. Right now. Every head bowed every eye closed nobody watching. Just Kiddin. Really though. Ask Him. What needs to change. What needs added in. What needs taken out.

When that tiny thought or opportunity pops in your mind you probably will not want to do it. You may but you may not. And what if? What if God On High heard you and spoke back. Gave you something to do. An opportunity. A way to be the hands and feet of Christ in someones life today. Fruitful Labor in The Name of Jesus.

He hears.

The cry of the broken-hearted and hungry he hears.

He talks back.

Not remaining silent.

Scary.

Amazing.

Life changing.

The thing that adds color back into the bleakness of an ordinary life.

It is addictive.

Starting to see God's fingerprints all over that ordinary life you've been living.

To Swiffer Or Fly?

2011-03-30T13:37:00.001-05:00

Feather Dusters.

A very important topic of discussion.

To Swiffer or Flylady?

The beauty of a feather duster is that your surfaces can be dusted clean in seconds. You take the Flylady one and shake it outside to clear the dust out.

My Flylady feather duster is a few years old. I feel like it does a good job. The really nice thing about the Swiffer version is that you can see the dust on the duster.

Either way you go kids like getting in on the action!

Green and White

2011-03-29T14:36:00.000-05:00

This morning as I was washing lettuce for dinner tonight I got to thinking about a trip I took a few weeks ago. It was a cold, rainy day, much like today. My friends and I met at Starbucks, got our coffee and headed off to our meetings for the weekend. Everything was gray, wet and dreary. It rained and rained. We had a nice time at our meetings.

On our way home the next day the sun was out. A change was very evident. It seemed overnight the earth had transformed into a sea of green and white. White blossoms filled the trees. Green was covering the ground. Life was visible.

It is amazing how a rain can cause change. The washing can be good. The colorful, vibrance after the rain a joy.

23. wind chimes filling the air

2011-03-18T15:06:00.002-05:00

24. asking a 5 year old what floral means and him dropping to the floor to make a carpet angel
25. sunshine streaming onto carpet
26. the reflection of dancing leaves on the floor
27. flecks of dust floating through air
28. white, flower filled trees that look like snow
29. peacefulness of early morning
30. warmth of the fireplace
31. God's Word
32. lamps in early morning
33. coffee and cream
34. my oldest waking early morning to read with his Mama
35. first song of the day being sung from the trees
36. clean sheets, so soft, smell so good

I've been counting. Counting the gifts in the days. Looking around with eyes that see. Hearing sounds I was numb to. Awaking to God's goodness all around that I was blind too. Counting to 1000. 1000 blessings. 1000 gifts in the now.

166. Mamaw's Quilt on my bed
167. lazy, cooling whirl of fan
168. soft light entering through blinds turned down

Ingratitude. The sin that threatens to plague every waking moment of every day. Discontentment with it all. Home, work, marriage, wanting to be married, decorations, everything. Tainted by a heart of discontentment.

170. hot water and soap to wash with
171. bird pecking around for food
172. squirrel flying through air to new tree
173. soft lamb's ear growing in garden
174. climbing jasmine
175. first blade of green grass in sea of straw

Joy. The gift available if we put on a different pair of glasses to see with.

1000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp. The little book that found it's way into my hands last Tuesday that I cannot put down. The little book that My Heavenly Father is using to usher in a new era in this heart. The beauty of it all. A dare to live fully, right where you are.

She Laughed

2011-03-09T19:06:00.000-06:00

Today my 5 year old tossed an orange juice cup my way and it turns out the cup was half full.

The juice covered me in a shower.

I laughed.

He laughed.

We all laughed and we laughed hard.

When did I turn this corner? The corner of not stressing over cleaning up another mess and instead having eyes to see the humor of it all?

The beauty of the last 3 weeks is filtering into every area of my life. We have good food to eat. My home is not perfect, nor is it perfectly clean, but it is sparkling one area at a time. My kitchen floor has been sticky for two days, but it is waiting. It is waiting because I've been working on some other things. Productive things.

I'm not spending valuable time on the telephone or computer when I need to be working with my children and around my home. There is a direction to our days and I see it. I see it. There is purpose. I was wandering aimlessly in a land of chaos. God is setting my feet on new courses.

Saying No.

Saying no to myself. No I won't run to Bath and Body Works today because my Wall-flowers are empty. It will wait until Thursday, and then I will evaluate if that still needs to be a priority.

Saying Yes.

Saying yes to change. Tonight for example, my husband has asked me to work on taxes. I thought really long and hard about going out to eat and spending time browsing the rows of Hobby Lobby instead. The thought of a cold, dark Wednesday night spent in the warmth of a restaurant where I was not the chef nor was I the dish washer. That was a nice thought. Wednesday night is when that sounds the best. Followed by Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday after church. Oh yes, I'd eat out all the time if we could. But what about finding a little contentment in the mundane.

What about going home, whipping up some grilled cheese sandwiches made with Sharp Cheddar and going in the office when we're done with our simple dinner. What about turning on the lamps, lighting a candle, turning on Kari Jobe, inviting my boys to come in to talk with me while I work? That is the road that leads to fulfillment.

As I sit here my heart is full. It is full because I made the choice.

The choice to deny myself.

The choice to honor a request my husband asked of me.

The choice to tackle a little paper work even when that is literally the very last thing I'd naturally enjoy doing.

The choice to create beauty in the moment.

Cleaning a microwave

2011-03-08T14:37:00.001-06:00

Cleaning your microwave tutorial:

Fill a coffee mug half way with water.
Put in in the microwave for 5 minutes. It will create steam and the microwave will wipe clean very easily.
Take the glass bottom tray out and wash it. Wipe the inside out.
Shine the front.
This only takes about 8 minutes from start to finish. Now don't forget to cover your food when you heat it to prevent splatters in the first place. Or you can buy a round, plastic cover to place on top of dishes. Ours stays in the microwave at all times. Under $5 at Wal-Mart.

Today it would be a great idea to give your kitchen floor a good mopping. These pictures are from last week when I only had about 15 minutes from start to finish. I chose two things I could quickly do and it made my Kitchen shine. A clean floor and clean microwave.

You know what else I've been up to? Throwing clothes away (aka getting ready to Consign and put the rest in a yard sale). 100 things to be exact. 100 empty hangers. Do you think you could top that? My clothes and the little boys. Do you ever reach the point where you are just disgusted at the amount of clothing on the rack when you go to get dressed? Things are not easily found. Hangers and clothes are packed tightly in the space.

I love my clothing organization in my closets. It is not a color coded system. I organize by type. Here are examples in my closet of my groupings.

Camisoles and tank tops
Nice T-Shirts
Nice long sleeve shirts
Casual T-Shirts
Casual long sleeve t-shirts and sweat shirts
Dress Shirts (for work and church)
Pants/Capris/Leggings
Dresses

This is nice because take today for example, it is fuh-reezing. I need long pants and a long shirt. Tomorrow however it may be exotically hot and I may need a cute short sleeve shirt. Very easy and quick to put an outfit together.

I hope you are taking care of your home and getting things cleaned, thrown away and put away. Spring is just around the corner. Daylight savings is SUNDAY thankyoudearLORD! Work hard and enjoy the fruit of your labor-a home that can breathe!

Consistency Not Perfection

2011-03-07T10:01:00.000-06:00

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.
— Aristotle

Do you know what you want?

Do you know where you are heading?

Do you have a dream?

A Big One?

This weekend I was reminded again that if your dream is not intimidating to you it is probably insulting to God.

The road to reach your goal happens with consistency, not perfection.

Look around and think about it.

A little here and a little there every single day is the way to reach your goal.

************************************

Today is Laundry Day. Get the loads going and caught up. Go fast.

Fold and put away right away.

4:00pm is the cut-off time to be done.

There is an ending point.

While you are in the Laundry Room wipe something down right quick.

Give the floor a quick sweep.

Do something little to freshen it up each time you walk in.

***************************************************

Are you liking the house talks we've been having?

I want to make sure, because if it is uninteresting we can talk about other important things like Big Texas Hair.

Friday, Saturday & Sunday

2011-03-03T22:14:00.001-06:00

Friday is CLEANING DAY.

Saturday is GARDENING DAY.

Sunday is THE LORD'S DAY.

Friday:

wash everyone's sheets
quickly clean the house. This can be done under 1 hour using Flylady's method.
10 minutes feather dust
10 minutes sweep/mop
10 minutes, aww heck I forget, her website is http://www.flylady.net/ (heh heh heh, can you tell I am in a hurry but did not want to leave you hanging)

Saturday:

use this day for yard work if you have it
clean out your car
straighten the garage
work on projects
plan and prepare what you will eat tomorrow

Sunday:

church and rest!
take a day off from cooking, cleaning and laundry. There is blessing in taking a day off to focus more on God. If you have never practiced this I encourage you to start this Sunday. In the Old Testament God told His people over and over, plan ahead or deny yourself. This is a good discipline for you and it is a good discipline for your children. At our house, Sunday looks decidedly different than the rest of the week. No chores, no video games, no computer, no laundry, no soup for you. This is not to be legalistic but it is to put boundaries on the things that tend to crowd out fellowship with God and each other. If our Heavenly Father took 6 days to work hard and rested on the 7th we would be wise to follow his example.

See you back here on Monday and we'll chat some more. Remember, as you baby step your way to the home you love and creating a life that pleases and honors the Lord, take it one day at a time. Consistency is the key to success. Keep doing the right things each day and order will come. And with order comes peace, joy and life!

Town Day

2011-03-03T09:10:00.003-06:00

Thursday is errand day but if you are like me, Town Day sounds so much more fun. I am using the system Kim lays out in her book, Large Family Logistics. Typically I wait for a time when Shane is home so I can shop by myself. Shopping with all three little boys in tow is something I usually like to avoid. The reason I am following this new routine is so that more time can be freed up to spend as a family when Shane is home. It is a little more work on my part, but it is rewarding and in the process I am using the opportunity to teach my children.

It takes training to lay out the behavior expectations and it takes consistency to follow through on unruly behavior in the stores, when you get home. Here is the kicker though: If you want well behaved children in stores and public you have to take them out and teach them how to act.

Before we went to the Post Office and the grocery store I sat all three boys down on the couch. We talked about what was expected of them in each place.

At the post office there will be no running or talking loud. We will all get out of the bus on the same side (Mommy's side). Big boys, you will hold hands and I will hold the babies hand.
Once inside we will hold the door open for anyone coming or going.
Smile at people when you see them and say Hello.
Stay quietly by my side.
Anyone who does not obey the rules will answer to Daddy when he gets home.

We loaded up and headed to the post office. Before we got out of the bus we reviewed the rules. Hold hands, talk quietly, stay by Mommy the entire time. They did great. This may take some training. Consistency is the key to success.

We headed to the grocery store. Before we got out of the car I reviewed the store rules that we talked about on the couch before we left the house. We are parking by the buggy corral. Baby, you will sit on your bottom up front by Mommy. You may not get up or unbuckle. Big boys, you will walk beside Mommy in the parking lot, each with a hand on the buggy. In the store there will be no running, yelling or asking for things. We have a list and that is what we are buying today.

Once again, the boys did beautifully. I tell you this because I think laying out very clear expectations before leaving and reminding them before we got out of the car each time was helpful. They knew what I expected and they knew there would be a consequence when we got home for disobedience.

The reward for good behavior: Well, besides a job well done they asked if we could play Uno when we got home. Yes we can! The laundry was done, the food was purchased for the following week, I knew that tomorrow would be cleaning and sheet washing day, so with my week being laid out it freed me up to sit and enjoy my children. Even though they BOTH beat me it was really fun.

I hope this is helpful. It was very freeing to have all my errands planned for Town Day. It helped me actually get them done and not procrastinate. Thursday morning is Town Day. We'll make it a fun time in our week. The morning we get out the door and get out of the house. Hallelujer, we get to see people today!

Office Day

2011-03-02T14:39:00.001-06:00

Welcome to Wednesday which is code for Office Day. Today is a day for you to organize and plan your menu for the week. I went to a class a couple of weeks ago and this little menu planning tool is the biggest thing I took off and ran with. Such a simple little change in how I did my grocery list has made a huge impact on my planning and cooking. In the olden days, you know, about 5 weeks ago, I was making a grocery list and after the store it stayed crumpled in my purse. Then when it came time to cook I had no idea what I had meal ingredients for.

This is a very high tech system so please pay attention. Take a piece of paper, a ruler (if you are OCD) and a crayon or pencil. Draw a line down the center of the paper. Divide the left side into 6 squares. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sat/Sun. Get your calender. Look at your week. If you have plans Tuesday night write it on the bottom of Tuesdays square. Do this for each evening activity you have. Next, write in the dinner's you want for each night. Use the right side of the page to list your things you need from the store.

When you get home from the store, hang your menu on the side of your fridge. Now you know what you have the fixin's for. I have found that we mix it up. I may feel like Pizza Spaghetti Casserole and Salad on Thursday instead of Friday. That's OK. The Menu Nazi's will not show up at your door.

Keep a running Wal-Mart list on the fridge so you can quickly jot down what you need to get. Keep the next week's blank menu behind this week's so if you run out of a staple like sugar you can jot it down.

Menu planning is the biggest thing to do today as you start out. We'll talk about more things to do in Office Day next week. (a little sneak peak: Thursday is errand day, the day to go to the grocery store for the week)

Kitchen Day

2011-03-01T11:32:00.003-06:00

Hello Lovely Ladies, Welcome to Kitchen Day. This is Day 2 of me sharing with you the new routine and systems that I am trying out for the next couple of weeks. So far the hard work has paid off and we are enjoying the blessing of spending more time together as a family. We've had time for conversation. More time for rest which comes at a good time since I am under the weather right now.

So, what is Kitchen Day you ask? Kitchen Day is a day when you spend extra time in your Kitchen. The heart of your home. The place where you find yourself 21 times a week plus snacks. Or 1, 095 times a year plus snacks. Kitchen Day is a planned day where you can spend extra time baking, preparing meats for dishes later in the week/month, cleaning out a cupboard, cleaning out a drawer, getting things organized.

I spent my very first kitchen day roasting chicken. Line your pan with foil (you will thank me and feel like giving me a big old hug if this is new to you). No scrubbing. Personally I put my cookie sheet in the dishwasher versus hand washing when I am done because I firmly feel this is what the Proverbs 31 Woman would have done.

(a sidenote about a package of fresh chicken: I used to divide it up when I got home from the grocery store in packages, think foil or Ziploc bags, of 2...HOWEVER, since my roasting chicken day was so successful now I will just toss the entire package into the freezer and roast it all on Kitchen Day)

Preheat your oven to 375. Line your pan with foil. Lay chicken in a single layer, top with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Salt and Pepper generously. Bake (or say Roast because it makes you sound like the Gourmet Cook that you are) for 40 minutes. Take out of oven and let sit for about 10 minutes. This allows the chicken to cool and it lets the juices redistribute. Very Food Networky of us isn't it?

OK so we already talked about preheating the oven to 375. Always preheat your oven. I don't know why. Good cooks tell me to do it so now I'm telling you, it'll help you get in touch with The Gourmet Cook within.

Chop up the chicken and place in bags with the amount written on the bag. I added 1 1/2 cups to this bag and popped in the freezer. When we made a Chicken Pot Pie last week my chicken was cooked and ready. Look at my sweet little helper. He loved the Roast Chicken. Would you take a look at those chubby little hands, love that. You could have chicken prepared for Chicken Chili, Mexican Chicken, Quesadillas, Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken Spaghetti...just to throw a few ideas out there.

You can also use Kitchen Day to do a little extra deep cleaning in the kitchen area while you wait for things to bake. Plan your most labor intensive, time consuming recipe for the week on this day.

(another side note: do you have disposable kitchen gloves? you can buy 1,000 at Sam's Club for under $5.00. they are so nice to have on hand in the kitchen when you are preparing food)

Large Family Logistics

2011-02-28T10:47:00.000-06:00

If you live locally you can call Laura's Home Goods and have her order this for you. You don't even have to have 9 kids to read this-it would work even if you live in a college dorm room. This is the most valuable resource for managing my home that has come across my path over the last eleven years. If you have felt overwhelmed with cooking, cleaning, training your children, doing laundry, basically overwhelmed with managing your home and not having enough hours in your day, then I strongly encourage you to invest the $21.00 in this book.

Homemaking is the new topic of discussion around these parts for the next, well, however long it takes to get it talked about.

I'm going to try not to dump my entire purse out onto the table today which would leave you overwhelmed. When I get excited that is what I do and let me tell you I AM EXCITED. I feel HOPE. After one week I SEE CHANGE FOR THE BETTER. I am ENCOURAGED right now. Life has been PRODUCTIVE. Our home has been ORDERLY. There has been TIME FOR THINGS THAT MATTER, like RELATIONSHIP.

Last Monday something changed around here. Last Monday I decided it was time to try something new. A new way of how I do things. A new way that personally, is not my personality. Change can be painful at first, and I can assure you it has been a struggle for me to think outside of the box.

Last Monday when I decided to take the plunge and try out a new system I felt drained and mentally exhausted by the end of the day. By Tuesday night I fell into bed early from all the mental thinking that had taken place over the last 48 hours. A looming question of, "Is this worth it to feel so worn out?", would not leave my thoughts. "This is not coming easy to me, it is requiring hard work and planning and it is not fun." As a person who loves to have fun you can see the dilemma my thoughts and I were having.

Last Thursday as I sat down before lunch to play a game of Uno with my boys a glimmer of hope and joy filled my heart. It is Thursday, I thought, and the laundry is done, the pantry is filled with the last $43 I had in my budget for the month, dinner is planned for the rest of the week, everything is tidy, and my heart feels at peace. I never, ever feel I can stop mid-morning to sit and play a game with my children. My hard work of only 4 days is paying off and I am already enjoying the fruit of my labor.

Life was beginning to replace Tired & Overwhelmed.

Last week my husband came home to order.

He came home to peace.

If you have been living in survival mode then I am so happy you stopped by today.

As a woman your actions, heart and attitude set the pulse and atmosphere of your entire home. That is a huge responsibility and it is a huge opportunity to be a blessing.

I'm going to go ahead and share with you the basic changes I made last week. If you are eager to change it up around your house you can jump right in today. If you want to hang around a little to check it out that is great too.

LAUNDRY DAY:
Today do your laundry. 4 loads (or more) by 4:00pm. If you work full time maybe just go home and do 1 or 2 loads tonight. But do as many loads as you can today to try to get caught up.

Chores

2011-02-24T12:51:00.000-06:00

What chores do you your children do and what are there ages?

I hope you will stop back by on Monday because there are some very exciting things about keeping house that we're going to be talking about.

In the meantime, I'm very curious to hear how you handle chores at your house.

Pull Over

2011-02-21T10:25:00.001-06:00

This weekend turned out a little different than I imagined. During our down times we planned to do things that refresh us. For me that was going to include decorating magazines and thinking about my home. It turned into a weekend of unscheduled revival. Shane and I get a kick out of the 'scheduled revival'. We see it a lot on back road church billboards when we're traveling to see his folks.

So this weekend turned into a lot of Bible reading and talking to the Lord about things. I did not plan on extended time in the Word and Prayer but am thankful and changed because of it. In a nutshell, I feel like I was cruising along, getting by pretty good and this weekend we pulled the car over and stopped it. Not only did we pull over and stop, but we turned the car around to head in an entirely different direction than we were going.

There was a lot of time spent talking to God about what kind of ship I am running around here in the day to day. I found out something that was, um, humbling and disheartening. This weekend God revealed to my heart that I've been reaching a very low bar in how I am managing my home life. If you shoot for nothing you will hit it every time. This weekend I got a real, vivid picture of how with a little discipline and direction from me, our days can become more intentional and purposeful.

I am on a new mission. A mission to first and foremost make God and His Word the first and last thing on our hearts each day. To have His Word hem us in behind and before.

For starters, this morning I read the Proverbs to the boys while they ate their cereal. I simple task that took 3 minutes. We had a short prayer of blessing for God to guide our time today and make it His.

Last night at Community Group we read the story about Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding. He gave me an exciting picture that we can bring him our simple resources, something as simple and ordinary as water. And we can bring it to him and he can transform it into something exquisite, valuable and very costly.

That is the plan. Bring him our days. One simple ordinary day at a time. Take 3-5 minutes as a family to very simply speak His Word out loud together and commit it in Prayer to him.

Tonight before bed, we will very simply have a time of prayer and Thanksgiving over the provision of the day. If there are sins that need to be confessed we can do that. We will praise God and ask Him to make us to make us more like Him. To help us on our journey to more fully center our simple, daily lives around Him.

King Never CanEver

2011-02-16T15:08:00.000-06:00

This morning at Bible Study my boys learned about King Never CanEver.

He made a big gold statue and made them bow down to it. King NeverCanEver threw the three men into the fire because they would not worship the false god.

If they worshiped the statue it would be nothing more than worshipping a lifeless chair.

This morning I dropped the baby off and he walked right into his class without a tear. This is the first time this has happened in over a year. He usually has a major melt-down and I leave him kicking and screaming. Thank you God for answering our prayers.

My new hair cut has some surprisingly fun 1980ish features when I wake up. It is big and fluffy and cool looking. Not cool as in I'd walk out in public before making it sit down but cool as in I can sing some Debbie Gibson or New Kids and feel like I'm rocking out the right hair to sound great.

Last week I felt like God showed me I have been putting him in a small box. I did not think I was the kind of person who would do such a thing and I'll be darned if I was wrong. He is so big and have you ever just thought about what if you let him out of the manageable box you've put Him in what he might do?

There are Hershey Kiss with Almond wrappers on my nightstand right now. Shane thought you'd like to see a picture of that. What? Last night I read a book before bed and got my final shot of protein in for the day. I was thinking of my heart health.

When we got home from Bible Study this morning do not ask me why but, oh yeah I know why, I was looking for my waffle iron, but in my search I organized all my pots and pans and Tupperware cabinets. I know, it felt random to me too.

I really like my Tupperware cabinet. I put each lid on each bottom and stack them so I never have to go in search of the lid, it is all right there. I pulled every piece out. If it did not have a top and a bottom it went in the trash. When I say Tupperware drawer the more appropriate term should be GladWare or ZiplockWare drawer.

How do you end a King Never CanEver post that talks about 1980 hair features and Tupperware that's not really Tupperware? Oh, I know, has anyone seen my waffle iron? We are getting tired of pancakes and wanting to shake it up a little around here. Let me know if you've seen it.

A Sweet Gift

2011-02-15T15:01:00.000-06:00

Did you know that I received a gift yesterday that was more valuable than any I've received in a long time.

Have you noticed that sometimes the days do not pan out like you imagined?

Someone says something cruel to you and it hurts.

Someone gets sick or something gets spilled and things get sticky.

You want to go do something but the money is not there.

Interruptions happen when you do not want to make the time for them.

Yesterday Shane came home from work. He was sick. That never happens. That also means I was all hands on deck yesterday so he could get the rest he needed. Last night after I had cooked dinner, bathed the boys, washed the dishes and swept the floor there was a big smile on my face. I was smiling because God had blessed me with the gift of contentment. When you have a heart of contentment plans can change but they can't take away your joy. When you live in a way that you roll with the punches trusting God all along the way there is a steady, unshakable peace you are blessed with.

When you have a heart of contentment you can find something good to focus on. It is a choice you know. The things you choose to focus on.

A heart at peace gives life to the body. That is what Proverbs says. Godliness with contentment is great gain.

Last night after the boys were tucked in bed we made some good Dunkin' Donuts coffee. We pulled out the Hershey Kisses with Almonds. We watched a couple sweet movies.

Let me tell you something else. My boys are getting older. We are walking into some new territories that I have felt unsure about. I have had some fear and worry about if I am saying and doing the right things for them. Before I went to bed last night, I knelt by the boys bed to pray for them. As I prayed I was heavy hearted. Wandering if I am doing OK. Wandering if they are doing OK. Am I teaching them the things they need to be taught right now. Are we having fun and enjoying our days. Are we using all the oppurtunities we've been given.

This morning as I was reading my Bible I want you to know that God spoke right to my circumstances and questions. He does that. He is Alive and He is the greatest resourse I know of to talk to about my fears and questions. This is what I read, "He pursues them and moves on unscathed, by a path his feet have not traveled before". He told me through that verse that I can walk into new territory with confidence because I know who is right by my side. I may be walking into a territory that is new to me but it is not new to Him.

Being able to communicate with God is another sweet gift. If there is something you've been heavy hearted about you know that you can talk to God about it. He will listen. You can open up that Bible of yours and let God talk to you through His Word. How many times does pessimism and lack of faith keep us from doing that very thing?

You know what else he told me?

I have chosen you.

I have called you.

You are my servant.

I have chosen you and not rejected you.

I will strenghten you and help you.

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Is that not the greatest news you have heard all day? You have a helper. You have someone who has not rejected you and left you to chance. Don't reject that help and leave it in an unused heap on the floor, tossed aside. Pick it up, embrace it, use it, enjoy it. Walk into your new territory with faith and confidence.

Candy For Breakfast

2011-02-14T09:07:00.001-06:00

Thank you Papa & Nana for such fun Valentine's Day Bags! Today it is candy and suckers for breakfast, can I get a whoot-whoot?

This is going to be the best day ever. Every time we eat on our new plates we will know how much you love us!

2011-02-14T09:05:00.002-06:00

This little guy grabbed a sucker out of his bag and that was all he wanted. He came back to grab another sucker and some chocolates and has been in Willy Wonka Heaven ever since.

My Valentine gave me a Scentsy gift card which was such a fun surprise since we said we weren't giving gifts. Tonight we'll have my 86 year old Mamaw over because we always pick her up for dinner on Valentine's Day Night (you like that, Valentine's Day Night?) She's the one who got on to me for not bringing her to our Dinner & Dance fundraiser at church Friday night so she could cut a rug.

Our big Valentine's Day gift is a gift to ourselves this weekend. A weekend at home with a clear schedule to do anything our little heart's desire. We'll put the kids to be early Thursday, Friday & Saturday night and watch movies and have fun appetizers. We might play games or get some fun books to read, but it's our Bed & Breakfast getaway at home. This week I'm kicking it into high gear to clean and get things where they belong so we can relax together and have some fun this weekend.

We put this on the calender because it is hard to carve out time for just us. There is always an opportunity to go and do and if you are like us it is hard to say no. The nature of Shane's job causes us to be on call 24/7. Making time for each other is something we have to be intentional and proactive with.

Listen to me when I say you do not have to spend money or go somewhere out of town to take a family vacation or create a memory that will last forever. You can do it right at home. When the babies are little you have to be creative. If you don't, it will slip right by you.

This week as I work around the house I'm thinking about the fun things I want to do this weekend. Xaxby's has some new White Cheddar Cheese Sticks. Shut up doesn't that sound so good? It does not take a lot to make me happy. Throw some good food and decorating books and magazines my way and I'll be happier than any girl in the world. We also have a new hamburger place in town. They use 100% fresh products and they grind their meat fresh and in house. The fries are cut from fresh potatoes in house. The only thing they serve is burgers and fries. Whatever!

We'll I'm off to work on my Valentine's Day gift for Shane.

Big Hugs to you!

Eat something good today.

Get you a Happy Hour from Sonic.

Make it a Route 44 just because you can.

Meteorology Heaven

2011-02-10T12:58:00.005-06:00

This week I've been like a fat kid in a candy shop. We've had weather drama and that is so dang exciting to me. Tuesday afternoon I did something I never do. Never ever. I poured a bowl of BBQ chips (well, I do that part sometimes), opened a can of DP (OK, I do this part too somedays), but the next part is something that I ever do. I sat down to watch TV. In the middle of the afternoon. We do not have cable. We're in our 11th year of marriage and have never once had cable TV. In our first year of marriage we did not even have a TV in the living room. We wanted to spend our first year of marriage hanging out, playing games and having friends over. That filtered into every year after. Now we have that converter box and get about 5 channels including the important ones. When I did have cable I was a Weather Channel freak. I love the weather channel. Anytime there is weather drama I could watch for hours and hours. I even like the instrumental music when it tells your local weather.
I found a weathery channel on TV, ate my chips and drank my DP. The weather was on it's way and words like Epic Snow were being thrown around. Seriously, I was exploding with excitement. It was 5 Live Dopplar Heaven I tell ya.

Sure enough, yesterday we woke up and the show had begun. We decided to run to the church library and check out some movies, 11 to be exact. We got the Love Come Softly series. The only one we didn't have was number 5 in the series and apparantly in movie number 5 Willy died and Missie found her another man and adopted a couple cute kids. Seriously, is there anything better on a snow day than holing up, eating good food and watching movies?

Did I tell you I put the hack on my hair? It feels so good. The older I get the more I am convinced about following your instincts when they are telling you to try another make-up color, hair style, or to buy a certain shirt or outfit...even in decorating choices. The very first thing your eye is drawn to is what you need to go with. I've been wanting to go this short for a long time. Tuesday I did it and it feels so good.

OK so there is one piece out of place in the picture the wind was blowing and please pardon the sunglasses. I didn't put on make-up yesterday so I couldn't blow my cover. You'd have been saying, "Girl, are you sick?" No, I just left my mascara in the tube today.

We came in from playing in the snow and me and the baby crawled up on the couch and napped together by the fireplace. We watched sappy romances all day. Had a yummy dinner together. Put the kids to bed and made a pot of Dunkin Donuts Coffee (thanks Mom & Dad!) and watched more movies last night.

Hip Hip Hooray for Snow Days!

Menu for the week

2011-02-07T19:59:00.000-06:00

This week we are having Rachel Rays Steakhouse Shepherd's Pie. It is such a great dish. We make it in a 9x13 pan and serve it with green beans and dinner rolls.

We are having beef stew on the snow day (Wednesday we are supposed to get lots and lots of snow). It is super easy. Buy a big package of stew meat (cubed up roast). Dip each piece in flour, brown in oil and put in the crock pot with carrots, potatoes and 2 packages of Beef Stew seasoning (looks like the chili or taco seasoning packet). Add water and let it simmer all day. It makes a warm, hearty dinner.

Grilled cheese, potato chips, and pickles. The good kind of pickles you find in the refrigerator section by the lunch meats. When we were little and went on vacation and ordered grilled cheese it always came with potato chips and a good pickle. Yum.

Pancakes, Sausage & Orange Juice. We found some sausage at the store that looks like the kind McDonald's serves at breakfast. I can't wait to try it out.

Nacho Night. This consists of taco meat, tortilla chips, homemade salsa, lettuce shreds, cheddar and sour cream. I'll pay $2.49 for a bag of Shreds because they make it taste like you are at a restaurant. We'll drink Dr. Pepper with this dinner.

On Community Group night we're serving up Chili, Frito's, Cheddar Cheese and Rotel Cheese-dip. You should come.

I don't have anything house wise to talk about today. Shane and I went to a Leadership Retreat last weekend and I have been whipped ever since we got home. We're unpacked, the house is tidy and the pantry is full now. What a good feeling.

So, what are you cooking this week?

Spruced Up

2011-02-01T13:46:00.001-06:00

Last week as I was browsing decorating pictures I came across one and they had put a small table in front of a window. I immediately loved the look. It was cozy and warm. Anytime you can put a lamp against a wall so that the lamplight reflects up and down on the wall do it. The light floods the wall and adds instant warmth to your room.

Do you see my fifty cent column peeking out from behind the lamp? I painted it black and green and distressed it with paint. I also spruced up the lamp shade with ribbon and fringe. The custom look cost mere dollars to create.

The lamp below used to be a gold buffet lamp. I spray painted it white and added a scalloped edge shade that I got from my Mamaw at our yard sale last year. Also notice what the lamp is sitting on. A nightstand from our bedroom suite. Breaking up our bedroom furniture by moving it around in other rooms has really added to the look of our home. It makes your home look layered instead of like you walked into the furniture showroom and said I'll take that set and that one. The small table in front of the window is a small dining room table covered with a Waverly table cloth. One chair of the set is at the table, two of the set are on either side of the table you see below and the fourth chair is in my bathroom at my vanity.

The best way you can spruce up your house is by shopping your house first. Look around and see if you love how you've laid out your space. See if you have a piece of furniture that may be fun somewhere else.

Living Room Charm

2011-01-31T14:17:00.001-06:00

Charming. Nice. Lovely. Pleasant. Delightful. Inviting. To delight with beauty. Do you know who has the most charming living room? Shopgirl in You've Got Mail. The feel of her apartment makes me smile. This is Living Room week and I want mine to say Charming. That means time to show a little extra love to the room where we kick of our shoes to relax. Here is a little preview of some changes I made to my living room. It was time to freshen up around here. My glittery ice skate mantle got traded in for Robin's Egg Blue and White.

I know you are impressed at the pretty white flowers I grew and potted over the weekend.

Tommorow I'll show you how I took out and rearranged what I did not love in this space. I will tell you my living room is making me all kinds of happy! It is more simple and every single thing in the space makes me smile. For today, if you want to get a jump start, put everything away in your living room and give it a quick dust, windex and vacuum. Make a mental note as you work on the feel of your room. You don't have to go spend one dime to change the feel. Just look around and think about what words come to mind to describe your space.

On a Mission

2011-01-28T11:33:00.000-06:00

I've been taking a good, long, hard look at how I've been decorating. Last year I figured out that I love a Cottage feel. I took a Style Quiz on Sproost and it told me Nantucket was my style. And last year it was the style I was in love with. But this is a new year now isn't it?! The thing my house is missing is the florals, plaids and huge checks on fabrics that make me all kinds of happy.

When yard sale season gears up those big, ugly cheap lamps for sale aren't going to know what hit them when I sweep up and buy them for next to nothing. Take a look at that picture. The big lamps make a world of difference. They are like buffet lamps on steroids and I need some.

I'm ripping off this last idea. A table in front of a window with a lamp, frames and just a general feel of loveliness.

This is the kind of Friday dreams are made of. My windows are open. My washing machine is running. The bathrooms are getting cleaned. Pledge and Windex will fill the air. The music is cranked up loud. Things will be thrown away today. We are having a Spring Yard Sale and the proceeds are going to lighter, brighter fabrics.

(all the lovely photos were taken from http://www.sproost.com/ hop over today to get some style inspiration)

Martha Stewart

2011-01-27T15:36:00.000-06:00

I love me some Martha Stewart. She has a fresh, clean, uncomplicated style. This picture makes me think Martha. As I'm cleaning and decluttering this is the look I am going for. Sunny. Simple. Clean. Bright.