This Beautiful Mess

Day 1 of the Bible in 90 Days

2012-01-02T22:08:00.002-06:00

I'm really going to do it this time! The last time I attempted to read the Bible through in 90 days I failed. Miserably. Not this time. This mama has a newfound determination. Also, this opportunity has come at a perfect time. My wonderful husband is currently up north for Officer Development School and will be gone for 88 days. What better way to spend this time apart than reading through God's word?!?!?!? We know that His word never returns void and so I am looking forward to learning and being stretched and challenged as God reveals new and exciting things to me! If you would like to join a group and read through the Bible in 90 days you can get more info HERE. I will be using the SOAP method for reading through the Bible. To learn more, click HERE. It's sure to be a life changing experience! So here we go!

Scripture: Genesis 15:6

Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness."

Observation: Abraham didn't just believe IN God - he BELIEVED God. There is a big difference really. You can say you believe in God but unless you trust Him and believe him, you're going to miss out on so much.

Application: God has been teaching me this very thing in the past few months. It's easy to say I believe IN God, but am I BELIEVING Him? Do I believe that He is who He says He is and that He is going to do what He says He's going to do? Do I fully trust Him to follow through with all of His promises made throughout scripture. I can honestly say that even with the challenges of the past few months, I have never felt more at peace and more confident in the provision and love of my Heavenly Father. What a great place to be!

Prayer: Dear Lord, Thank you so much for your promises to us. Thank you for being trustworthy and loving. You have taught me so much about your love and provision and have shown me that you are ALWAYS faithful. You are incredible and I love you! Please forgive me for not being consistently in your word and for letting the important things fall by the wayside. I pray that during these days of reading, you will make yourself known in tangible ways. Guide me and my fellow sisters and brothers as we take this journey and learn new and exciting things as you reveal more of yourself through the Word. I pray that my heart will be open and that I will be still and rest and listen to you. Thank you so much for loving me enough to send your only Son to die on the cross for my sins. It is a humbling place to be in to not be able to repay you for such a sacrifice. What a gift that I often take for granted! Please help not forget your love for me! I love you Lord - You're amazing! Amen

Nine Years

2011-12-21T22:08:00.004-06:00

Nine years ago today I said, "I do," to my best friend and partner in crime. Granted, nine years is not a long time in the grand scheme of, say, 50 years, but folks, a lot has happened in nine years! We have ministered in two different churches in two VERY different states, given life (with God's help) to four beautiful children, and now we find ourselves on this new journey toward military life. It's been a wild ride with many ups and downs but I can honestly say that there is no one else I would rather go through this life with than my husband.

I am thankful for my wonderful man for so many reasons. Here are a few:

He loves the Lord.

He loves God's word.

He loves people.

He is genuine.

He messes up and isn't afraid to admit it.

He says, "I'm sorry." And means it.

He loves me for who I am, even the messy parts!

He plays tea party with our daughters.

His sense of humor keeps our marriage very entertaining. I can't help but laugh at him even when I am annoyed to no end :)

I can hear him talking to our children about Jesus and God and answering their sweet questions. It makes my heart just soar that they have a daddy who is sharing His love for the Lord with them.

He is genuine.

He is humble.

He is an amazing counselor.

He appreciates my cooking :)

I love how my head fits right in the indentation in his chest and I can hear his heart beat.

I love how he rests his chin on my head when he hugs me.

He can sing - and I LOVE singing with my hubby!

He is honest.

He works hard for our family and for me to be able to stay home.

He is the most handsome man I've ever known.

He has given countless "horsey" rides to our children even when his knees were hurting.

He likes to clean :)

He is a wonderful preacher/teacher.

He is resilient. Even in his failures, I've watched him rise above and learn from them - and come out better.

He watches chick flicks unashamedly.

I make him laugh.

We often know what the other is going to say before they say it.

He is my best friend and we have fun together. I love him more than I ever thought was possible. Happy Anniversay, honey - Love you!

Daybook 9/19

2011-12-19T21:21:00.002-06:00

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...a crisp cool night that makes me thankful for heat, thick blankets, and a hubby to snuggle up to.

I am thinking...about the fact that my husband leaves for ODS in just 11 days.

I am thankful...to be around family and friends during this new journey.

From the learning rooms...the kids are doing well. Apart from the normal subjects we are doing lots of reading aloud and I am working on incorporating some fun crafty goodness into our day. Especially for Drama Mama who LOVES crafty things.

In the kitchen...hopefully baking some cookies tomorrow!

I am wearing...a t-shirt and sweatpants.

I am creating...snowflake ornaments out of macaroni.

I am going...to the doctor soon to see if I have fibromyalgia.

I am wondering...what on earth the Lord has planned for my family...and I am really excited about the future :)

I am reading...the one year Bible and Educating the Wholehearted Child

I am hoping...for God's strength to make it through the next three months.

I am looking forward to...moving to California in April.

I am hearing...sweet little coos from my nearly three month old baby boy :)

Around the house...MUCH needs to be done but I am determined not to stress.

I am pondering...how Mary must have felt knowing she was carrying the Savior of the world in her belly. What an amazing gift!

One of my favorite things...Target...I have an addiction!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Hopefully a Polar Express Night with some sweet friends and then, of course, Christmas festivities!

Here is picture or thought I am sharing...

Love this shot of my three bigger kiddos!

A Much Needed Update

2011-12-15T09:15:00.005-06:00

Ok, I have been horrible about keeping this blog. There's something about having four kids and a husband and a life that keeps one, well, busy! Ha! So, without further ado, I give you...an update :) I make no apologies for the "realness" you will read in this post.

Little Bubs was born on September 30 at 5:17am. He was 8lbs. exactly and was 20.5 inches long with brown hair and blue eyes. I am guessing the eyes wont stay blue as every other child as well as their daddy and I all have brown eyes. Anyway, I was able to have a natural birth with no intervention for the first time ever and it was awesome! PAINFUL. I'm not even gonna lie. But awesome and worth it :) For those of you who enjoy the (not too graphic) details, this is for you. If not, skip ahead by all means!

The Birth Story:

I am pleased to tell you it went exactly as I prayed it would! It was fast and unmedicated and resulted in a precious gift! At about 1am Friday morning I took a bath because I couldn't sleep and I had been having terrible hemorrhoid (sorry, but it's true) issues for the past couple month so baths were very helpful for relieving pain. I must have been contracting all day and not noticed now that I think about it. My back had ben achy but it wasn't any more than usual. I was back in bed around 1:45am and just couldn't sleep so I started browsing the internet. At 2:20 or so I began to have contractions about 7 minutes apart. I was not concerned because I had been having braxton hicks and I figured since they were so far apart they would stop and I would go to sleep. After a few contractions, around 2:57am I felt a small gush and when I stood up I confirmed that my water had definitely broken. Travis sprung to life and I was really calm, thinking I had a while to go and so I was packing some last minute items and assuring him that there was no reason to hurry. I know, I know, this is my fourth baby so I should have expected it to go faster but I didn't think that part of my prayer would be answered (oh me of little faith!) haha! Still, T kinda rushed me along and it was a good thing! We got to the hospital around 4am and by then the contractions had gone from 7, to 4, to 2 mins apart in less than 45 minutes. The nurse asked if I had to use the restroom and I said yes. When I came out I told her that I couldn't get anything to come out but I felt pressure and needed to push a little. She said, "THAT'S not what I expected to hear! Come lay down and let's see what's going on!" I remember them asking me if I wanted an epidural and I said, "If I am only dilated to like a 2 or 3 and it's already hurting this much, then, um, YEAH." So they checked me and the nurse said to me, "You are at an 8, almost 9! You are ready to have this baby!" So I was wheeled into a delivery room and the doctor was called and I pushed my sweet baby boy into the world at 5:17 am after 32 minutes. I do remember asking for an epidural and then, at one point, a C-section HAHA! But I had assured Travis that when I started asking for pain medication that I was close to delivering the baby so just to be encouraging and assure me I can do it. It was painful but so worth it! I felt like a mighty mommy warrior after I had him :) I remember when they finally pulled him out the relief and the joy I felt. I am so glad I was able to go all natural although I recognize some may think I am a lunatic. I may be :P And yes, I'd go that route again. I loved being able to get up immediately and not have an IV and all that jazz. I also feel like my recovery was easier and quicker than the other three. I am so very thankful for our sweet baby boy! The End. Now all those who get the heebie jeebies when anyone says words like, "dilated," "gush," or "natural childbirth," you can breathe easy!

More updating:

I am officially the wife of a US Navy Chaplain! A big congrats to my Lieutenant JG - I am SO proud of him! We have been in this process of seeking and praying for God's will as T pursued this new ministry and I have to admit that I thought him a little crazy when he brought up Military ministry. Me. A military wife. Ummmm.... Yes. I. She who wrote a journal entry stating that she could never, I mean EVER be a military wife! And God chuckled yet again at my attempt to determine what I was or was not capable of. This has been quite a road we've walked down. At first I wondered if this was just an "easy fix" because it would be a good way for T to provide for our family. As we've pursued this we have also been working on developing a closer relationship to each other and the Lord. We have been healing from pain caused by communication issues and things that can be neglected in the business of family and ministry. Let me tell you guys - Satan prowls like a roaring lion. He devours. He does. Just when you think things are good to go and you can coast a little. There he is. And he thrives on seeing godly marriages suffer and break apart. I've watched it happen over and over again to many friends. If you are having marriage issues - even tiny ones - seek help, cry out to the Lord, and get it taken care of. Those tiny things all add up and can create a mountain before you know it. Chisel away at the small things to prevent a mountain from forming. Ok? Now, I will step off of my soapbox...but it's not the last you've seen of me on this topic :)

Many of our loved ones have expressed concern about going this route in our lives and have questioned if it is God's will. I mentioned my own skepticism above. Yes, this will be difficult. Yes, there will be times of separation, starting with T leaving in January for ODS (Officer Develpment School). Yes, we know there will be stress and hard times, but, let me tell you - oh how we have prayed! Together and separately, we have prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed some more. My heart's cry was that if this was not the right thing that God would shut the door so tight that we couldn't walk through it no matter how hard we tried. Well, friends, God continued to throw doors wide open. As T and I have had heart-to-heart conversations about this journey, I have come to complete peace that this is indeed God's plan for our family. I believe with all my heart that this is a calling placed on T's heart. He has always enjoyed volunteer chaplain ministry in the past but never imagined he could be in the military because of the reconstructive knee surgery he had several years ago. Looking back and recalling some conversations and things that T said, I believe God was working on him for several months before we left the youth ministry. My heart was already being gently tugged away and I was wondering why. It wasn't easy. Especially with a husband so very convinced that we would be in Arkansas for several more years. But God, in His sovereignty, has VERY graciously given us the opportunity to serve the armed forces and we cannot begin to express our gratitude to Him. I can also tell you that the past six months have provided much healing and problem solving in our marriage. I feel like I have my best friend back and T feels the same. We both feel that we are in a better place than we have ever been before. To clarify, we were never on the brink of divorce. That option never was an option or a thought for us. We simply needed to take time to communicate in a healthy way to get to know each other again. Our identities had become whittled down to being minister and ministers wife, mommy, and daddy, provider and homemaker, but friends, we are so much more than our roles - we are children of THE living God. We are coheirs with Christ and we are LOVED. We are called to live life abundantly and we so often settle for much much less. Remembering who we are in Christ helps to put everything else into perspective. When you lose that perspective, things fall apart. I am thankful that when things fall apart they CAN be put together again, contrary to the story of Humpty Dumpty :)

Anyway, I am proud of my Chaplain and am looking forward to supporting him as we begin this new journey. After ODS and Chaplain school we will be heading to serve the Marines in Twentynine Palms, CA and we are very excited! My dad lives about an hour and a half from where we will be and I have other family members about 2.5 hours away. Super happy that I will be close to some family when T and I have times apart. I don't think that was a coincidence ;)

Thanks for enduring this long post! Much love to all of you and God bless!

My Daybook 11/17/2011

2011-11-16T22:56:00.002-06:00

Outside my window

it's a cool, crisp, dark night.

I am thinking

about how to coordinate six people for family photos on Saturday without looking generic and boring and without spending tons of money on new clothes just for pictures.

I am thankful

for a marriage that is held together by the Creator of the universe and for His continued blessing and faithfulness. I am thankful for the time I have had to reconnect to my husband - my soul mate and best friend.

From the learning rooms

we are finally getting into a groove. It's been rocky and we will probably be schooling a bit through summer but that's ok. I have finally settled on some resources to use: Handwriting Without Tears for handwriting, Math Mammoth and Life of Fred for Math, Teach Your Child to Read in 100 easy lessons for Reading, and Five in A Row for reading aloud and exploring History, Science, Art, and Music. We also have Bible time and some fun morning time with the calendar and charting the weather, etc.

In the kitchen

I am hoping to come up with a yummy way to cook the country style ribs I just purchased :)

I am wearing

pajama pants and a gray t-shirt.

I am creating

(hopefully tomorrow) a "Thanksgiving Tree" for us to hang leaves on with things that we are each thankful for. I had hoped to do this earlier but we will have the whole week to add things and then on Thanksgiving we will have our guest join in all the thankful fun. I am also excited to print out some fun thanksgiving decorations and such from This Site :)

I am going

to bed shortly!

I am wondering

when my hubby will find out if he is accepted as a Navy Chaplain. His interview was in Washington, D.C. at the Pentagon yesterday morning and they said we would know within 72 hours...so I guess we are being impatient :)

I am reading

Educating the Wholehearted Child and The One Year Bible.

I am hoping

to be able to make a trip to Ohio to see some beloved friends - SOON!

I am looking forward to

making Thanksgiving dinner and watching people enjoy the food and each other.

I am hearing

the sound of my six-week old baby boy grunt and giggle in his sleep - so precious!

Around the house

we caught the field mouse that came in out of the cold.

I am pondering

what being a Christian really means and what that looks like put into action in everyday life.

One of my favorite things

is caramel salted mochas from Starbucks. I am SO very addicted.

A few plans for the rest of the week

Dinner with a lovely friend Thursday night, much needed family fun time on Friday, some ministry at a pregnancy resource center Saturday morning, our family photoshoot Saturday afternoon, possibly attending family date night at church Saturday evening depending on how we all are doing, Church on Sunday then a fellowship and meal after the morning service, then later we will go to the church I grew up in for their Thanksgiving meal in the evening.

Here is picture or thought I am sharing:

Me with our fourth little blessing born September 30 :)

Fabulous FALL!!!!

2011-09-27T15:05:00.000-05:00

We have officially entered the Fall season and the weather is already turning breezy and beautiful. This is my favorite time of year with the leaves changing color (hopefully soon - c'mon fall!), pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin and apple scented candles, sweaters and jackets, hot chocolate, and football games. For the record, I am not a huge football fan but I love the atmosphere of football games so I go for the ambiance I guess you could say, haha!

The best thing about this particular fall is that we are expecting our fourth little miracle on October 3! That leaves me with just 6 days to go! I cannot wait to meet this tiny little baby boy inside me, see his tiny features and hold him close, breathe in his baby goodness :) Although this is our fourth child, the thing that never ceases to amaze me is that this little person who was moving around inside my belly just moments before is now breathing and moving in my arms - coolest thing ever! God is just amazing!

Schooling is going well but has not been nearly as consistent as I'd like it to be. However I have found support in other homeschooling mamas that assure me I am not scarring my children for life and they wont be living in a van down by the river sometime in their adult future :) I have figured out that we can still meet our goal of 180 days by the middle of June even with taking off some days when baby comes if need be (and it will probably be).

God is using this season in our lives to teach me more about who He is as provider, healer, Father, and His Spirit as Counselor.

I am learning patience. Pretty sure that lesson is going to take a lifetime ;) Isaiah 40:31 says, "yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and grow weary." Psalm 46:10 tells us to, "cease striving (Be STILL), and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

I am learning to truly cherish the role of mother even in the monotony and mundane things. Isaiah 40:11 says, "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. What a sweet truth for moms to hold in their hearts. He is leading us.

God is showing me that He is truly in control and I am not. He is reminding me that He has always taken care of our needs and He is not going to drop the ball now. Trust. Him. Always. ALWAYS. We are told to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and he will make your paths straight. Even crooked paths. Even paths littered with hurt and mistakes and all our human messiness.

I am learning not to live in fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of the power others possess. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind," 2 Timothy 1:7.

Those are just a few not to mention that I am learning more about grace, forgiveness, love, perseverance, and God is teaching me how to be a better wife and helper. It is one thing to read the Bible and acquire biblical knowledge but it's an entirely different ballgame when we seek to actually trust, believe, and live out what the scriptures say. There is so much freedom and peace when we step out and start following the Jesus we claim to love so much. There is much to learn and it would be easy to be overwhelmed but I am doing my best to "cease striving" and let God take the driver's seat. Things turn out so much better when we let him do the navigating don't they?

Standing on the Promises - An Update

2011-07-13T14:23:00.000-05:00

Well, a lot of things have changed in the past couple of months. God has moved us away from youth ministry and the state of Arkansas and back home to Kentucky for a season. We are focusing on our marriage and family and I am enjoying rediscovering my best friend. The picture above is of our kiddos playing in the yard at my husband's parents house where we will be staying for a time. They are so enjoying having the big space to run and play and are enjoying seeing the neighbor's cows and horses :)

While the decision to move was not an easy one, we are at peace that this is indeed the right thing. God has been so very faithful and gracious to us from the love and encouragement we have felt from our church body in Arkansas to the quick sell and closing of our home, travel mercies, and the love and support we have experienced among friends and family here in our home town. We are getting settled and hopefully we will have some sort of a routine in the coming days and weeks. Hopefully!

I am now 28 weeks pregnant and I have my first appointment with my "new" doctor in a couple weeks. He's not really new because he was my doctor when we lived here before. It's a blessing to be able to get into the group he is associated with so there is some sort of familiarity. I am having fun reconnecting with old friends and am looking forward to church this Sunday. Keeping fingers crossed that no one is sick this week! It has been a month since I've been in a church service. SO ready to break that streak and get back into worshiping with a local body of believers! This week I am working on homeschooling planning and am hoping to get into a school routine next Monday. My goal is to school through the rest of the summer and September and then take October off to focus on taking care of my family as we adjust to the new little one. That's my goal as long as the little guy comes around his due date and not early. I'm due on October 3! 12 more weeks!

The kiddos are adjusting as well as could be expected.We got a membership to the zoo which also has a splash park so that has been a lot of fun. They absolutely love it. Especially the part with snakes and spiders and frogs oh my! There is also a splash park by some boat docks not terribly far away from our house and some other neat things we plan on checking out in the future. We are also going to join a homeschool group and will be signing Drama Mama and Tater Tot up for Soccer through the church in the fall which will be fun.

Big Daddy T is currently going to be doing some website sales for a friend's design company and will be driving a couple truck routes for a family member's freight company when they come available for a while. We have also been blessed to receive a transition package from our Arkansas church family that includes health benefits and half of his regular pay which is a tremendous gift that we never asked for or expected to get. God's love has been poured out on us and it is such a humbling and heart-warming thing to experience. Another thing we are praying about T becoming a Navy Chaplain. He is currently pursuing this avenue with much prayer involved. There are actually two processes he has to go through: one with the Navy and the other one with the North American Mission Board (NAMB) which is our Southern Baptist organization that will (hopefully) grant him what is called "Ecclesiastical Endorsement" which is required for military chaplains to have. He will be considered a NAMB missionary but will be employed by the Navy if this works out and is God's will for us. The biggest concern of ours was/is deployment, especially knowing how the responsibilities of church ministry took a toll on our marriage and family. This is why we are praying and seeking the Lord even in the midst of the process. I believe if this is not God's will He will shut the door and that He will reveal an even better plan. As wife to my husband, it is my job and my privilege to stand beside him and support him and to trust him and ultimately trust the Lord in this decision. I have been open and honest about my thoughts and feelings and am at complete peace with whatever the Lord may have in store. Plus, I know my hubby will be held accountable if it is the wrong decision because he is the head of the household :) Takes the pressure off of me haha!

The bottom line is that God has proven over and over again that HE is faithful and will never leave us or forsake us. He loves us no matter what and He knows us inside out. It is a very comforting place to be - in His arms and wrapped in peace - even when we have no clue what the future looks like. I am looking forward to seeing what he does in the lives of our children, in our marriage, and in whatever other ministry He leads us to be it the military or something else entirely different. With God all things are possible and the possibilities are endless. It's exciting to know that a whole world of possibilities is at our fingertips and comforting to know that God is in control of the next step. We are never alone. Thank you, Jesus!

I leave you with a pregnancy pic:

28 weeks pregnant

He's Always Been Faithful

2011-05-15T15:43:00.001-05:00

It is an absolutely GORGEOUS day in the Lord! It is 73 degrees and sunny with a refreshing breeze. I just thought I'd take time to elaborate on what God is doing in the life of our family. As I wrote about yesterday, I am about 20 weeks pregnant with our fourth child and am having an amazing pregnancy compared to the others. I have not had to have a blood transfusion or IV fluids in the hospital or be on bed rest or be on home IV therapy or a zofran pump for hyperemisis (which is severe nausea and vomiting to the point of being dangerously ill). Praise be to God for this miracle! I have had a bad infection which caused some worry at first but antibiotics took care of that. In the same day I went to the hospital for some spotting and cramping, I was dealing with some difficult issues with friends, and we found out that our air conditioner completely went kaput. But God always has a plan doesn't He? The cramping and bleeding was because of a bad infection and so I was put on antibiotics. The baby's heartbeat was perfect and I was told to just take it easy the next few days and to keep pushing fluids. Praise be to God! The issues with friends were worked out and God whispered to my heart that HE is Healer and Savior, and Sustainer and I am NOT. Thank goodness! The world would look vastly different if I were in charge. Praise God that I am not, right? :) God used the hard stuff to show me exactly who was in control and that I am not that person. Those lessons are hard but so necessary. Praise be to God! As for the air conditioner, we learned that depending on what had to be replaced it could cost up to $5,000 dollars. Thankfully our homeowner's insurance will cover all but the $750.00 deductible AND we can get on a payment plan! Praise be to God! He is good good good! All the time! And what is even more profound is that through all of that, my heart understood that even if something was wrong with the baby, had I lost a friendship, and had we been in a situation where we had to pay the full amount for a new air conditioner out of our own pocket - He STILL would be good. ALL the time.

I am learning to not only treasure the times where God answers my prayers, but rejoicing even in the times where He does not. Because He is God and I am not. He doesn't owe me an explanation and in my humanity I am not deserving of anything but death. But God, in His love for the wretched people of this world, gave his only Son that we - that I - might have eternal life. Abundant life. Praise God that I am covered by the blood of Christ and that He has washed me white as snow! God gave absolutely everything He had so who am I to expect anything from Him?

There is a beautiful song I'd like to share with you that talks about being drawn closer to the Lord in the storms of life and laying those treasures which are formed by the trials down at His throne. I hope you love it as much as I do! Blessings friends!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2011-05-14T23:33:00.005-05:00

Outside My Window...

Crickets chirping, a light breeze is blowing, and the sky is a deep blue.

I am thinking...

how amazingly blessed I am. God has been so good to us. HE is AWESOME!

I am thankful for...

my husband who sees the real me and loves me with the love of Christ.

From the learning rooms...

gearing up for a summer of learning fun! Researching ideas, planning, and we have started bird watching and nature journaling. Fun!

From the kitchen...

Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana, fresh homemade salsa, and hopefully trying a recipe for Sopapilla Cheesecake - YUM!

I am wearing...

gray sweatpants, blue-gray maternity shirt and bare feet.

I am creating...

a new look in my kiddos rooms with new paint and wall decorations. Pics soon to come!

I am going...

to head to bed for some much needed R&R in just a few moments!

I am reading...

my One Year Bible, and The Mission of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson

On my mind...

Wondering what this new little one is going to look like and be like. Feeling the tiny kicks of my fourth child in my swelling belly. Such a gift!

Around the house...

painting, decorating, cleaning, and loving my family and God in each mundane task I endeavor to complete each day.

One of my favorite things...

Those moments in the morning when our children make their way into our room and snuggle in our bed and we laugh and giggle and tell stories. Such sweet moments!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:

Ultrasound to find out who this little one is! SO EXCITED! I can't wait until Friday!

A Picture or Thought I am Sharing:

Next Sunday we will say goodbye to some sweet friends. This is a picture of one of our last days with them. From Left to right in the back is our friend JW and his daughter LW, My husband, Big Daddy holding our Drama Mama and our friend's little boy CW. From Left to Right in the front: Our son, Tater Tot, our friend HW holding her son, MW, then me holding our little Wiggle Worm and carrying our fourth little one in my belly which is hidden lol!

I'm Back!

2011-05-14T22:57:00.000-05:00

I apologize for the crazy break I took from blogging but it was much needed. I am happy to announce that I am 20 weeks pregnant with our fourth child and we are VERY excited! My pregnancies have all gotten more difficult with each one until now! I had the normal morning sickness and nausea for the first three months (but I only vomited 3 times the whole time - I know TMI but it's a miracle for me!) and now I am doing great besides being exhausted. Between growing a human and running after three little people every day, topped with caring for my husband and our home and the ministry life, blogging had to take a back seat for a while. I will not promise consistency because that promise will not be kept, but I will do my best, to update more often. It sure does feel good to be back :)

1000 Gifts and Thankful on a Thursday...on a Monday...

2011-02-07T23:13:00.002-06:00

It has been a while since I posted on Thankful on a Thursday. I got "busy" and even in my good intentions of keeping a record of all the thankfulness - I faltered. Then I came across Ann Voskamp's blog at A Holy Experience and began reading her book and have decided to continue posting my thankful thoughts - aiming towards 1,000 and hopefully thousands upon thousands more!

Many are the moments of true joy, beauty, communion, and sacred love that I allow to just pass me by as though I am entitled to another,

and another...

and yet another.

But another day we are never guaranteed. For the time I am here on this earth I want to catch the moments.

Taste them.

Feel them.

Smell them.

Search for, savor, and hold them, each one.

So here I really begin my dare of living fully -

Right where I am!

Thankful for EVERY DAY!

1. The smell of a freshly bathed little one

2. The sound of laughter bouncing off the walls

3. Hugs

4. Snow. And more than a dusting!

5. Shadows dancing on the walls, cast by a warm fire

6. Hot Chocolate with marshmallows

7. Strong arms to hold me

8. That love is unconditional

9. An unexpected card

10. That His ways are not my ways and His thoughts are not my thoughts. Thank you Abba father!

Chiseled

2011-02-06T23:01:00.001-06:00

Here are the videos of Chiseled by the Skit Guys and the song, "The Hammer Holds" by Bebo Norman I mentioned in the previous post. I hope they speak to your hearts and they do mine every time I see/hear them. Blessings!

One Thousand Gifts Book Club

2011-02-06T21:41:00.002-06:00

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon this amazing haven of rest, encouragement, peace, and hope. Ann Voskamp at A Holy Experience has created a space of raging beauty. She writes with a rawness that is scary yet refreshing. I feel like she is a friend I have shared thoughts with over a hot cup of tea. She is real and transparent. She has also authored a wonderful treasure of a book.

This led me to purchase it in the form of an e-book and join a book club over at {In}Courage. As I read what others are sharing about themselves on the various posts I was moved to tears last night. Each woman so unique.

Stories different. Tears cried from all.

Joy.

Hope.

Pain.

Searching.

Reaching.

Each one a child of God.

Precious.

LOVED by the ONE.

The CREATOR!

HE is GOOD!

I am so excited to be a part of this group of ladies, each one with a special part in God's plan.

Through Ann's writing I am learning more about Eucharisteo - this thanksgiving - Thanks-living and the depth of that beautiful arrangement of letters has completely shaken me to the core of my being. God has used the words on Ann’s blog and the words of this amazing book to begin stripping away anything that is not of God.

Michael Angelo was once asked of his Angel sculpture how he was able to create such magnificent masterpiece and he replied, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” Isn’t that what God does with us?

He sees us in our raw form, with all of the mess, the sin, the ugliness, and he chisels and carves and shaves and hammers until everything that is not of Him is gone, setting us FREE!

It is with unconditional, unexplainable, yes, CRAZY LOVE that he loves us just as we are but loves us too much to simply leave us that way. There is pain and hurt involved at times but He can make anything beautiful. He is CREATOR! There is a great illustration of this by the Skit Guys called, “Chiseled” if you want to watch it. Amazing. Listen to Bebo Norman’s song, “The Hammer Holds,” as well. It is my prayer that as we all read this book and share our stories that God will use it to set us free and allow us to become His original masterpieces, letting go of everything that does not sing, dance, speak, shout, and wreak of HIM! God bless! Wont you join us? We are on Chapter One and there is time! Dive into the beautiful love story between a woman and her God. It is going to be amazing!

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2011-02-01T22:11:00.005-06:00

Outside my window...kinda drizzly and icky.

I am thinking...bedtime sounds really good!

I am thankful for...so much!

From the learning rooms...we have battled lots of sickness and then we had some conferences to go to and so "formal" learning (I use that term very loosely) has been a little sparse but we have had a lot of fun playing outside, building lego structures, building letters and numbers out of playdough, lots of reading aloud, and working in some workbooks. This week we have started back to our regular routine and it's nice.

From the kitchen...been trying several new recipes from various cooking blogs which my computer will not let me link to right now for whatever reason...and I am too tired and impatient to figure it out right now :)

I am wearing...jeans, a long-sleeved Jedidiah t-shirt, and fuzzy socks.

I am creating...nothing at the moment but it's ok. At least that is what I am telling myself!

I am going...to finish my household planner this week!

I am reading...The One Year Bible and The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns

I am hoping...to be taught much in the year ahead - no matter the cost. However scary that is, Lord bring it!

I am hearing...the sound of children laughing even though they are supposed to be in bed. Drama Mama "snuck" into Tater Tot's room and they

are laying in the bed giggling and shining flashlights

on the ceiling. So cute!

Pondering these words...Eucharisteo.

Around the house...I am actually doing well in keeping up with housework and am excited about that!

One of my favorite things...Creation. It is truly a testimony to the artistic ability of our Creator and puts me in awe of Him.

A few plans for the rest of the week...clean the garage. Again. I am not sure how things pile up in there. Must be some garage demon or something trying to make my life harder ;)

Pictures: Enjoy Creation! (some of these still have the date stamp

and for that I am truly sorry. Didn't know how to remove it
on that old camera - oops!)

You too can take part in the Simple Womans Day book by going over to The Simple Womans Day Book and linking up!

I'm Coming Back - I Promise!

2011-01-12T14:54:00.000-06:00

I promise I have not gone MIA! Life has been crazy and I have been putting my family before blogging (gasp!) - terrible I know ;) But I have been keeping a journal of thoughts from my OneThing Challenge daily Bible readings and I will update as soon as possible and get caught up so that you can read what God is doing in my life. I also have my very FIRST review ever for an educational toy company that you can look forward to so keep checking back to see if it is something you would like to buy for your own kids. Eventually maybe I will get to do giveaways too! Praying you are having the most awesome day in the Lord! God bless!

The OneThing Challenge ~ Day 3 ~ Get Out of Here Satan!

2011-01-08T23:47:00.000-06:00

"Get out of here, Satan," Jesus told him. "For the Scriptures say,

'You must worship the LORD

your God and

serve only him'"

Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.

Matthew 4:10-11

In Genesis in day 2 we saw Eve fall in sinful covetousness as she succumbed to self. Face to face with the enemy, away from the presence of her loving Creator, she simply could not resist the seduction of things unknown. Aren't we like that a lot? We are so mesmerized by sin that we end up right in the midst of it's vice grip, and there is no turning back - or so we think. Yet we have a glorious example of how to handle temptation. Jesus. Yes he was the Son of Man and he was perfect, but He was not beyond being tempted, he was prepared. Jesus walked closely with the Father and he knew the Scriptures. He had a vibrant relationship with God and truth hidden in His heart so that when he was tempted, he had a response. Jesus finally says, "Get out of here, Satan!," quotes scripture, and the devil departs.

   A close walk with the Lord and God's word hidden in our hearts are the only way to defeat the enemy. Sometimes when we are tempted or afraid we may even have to speak out loud and tell the enemy, "Get out of here Satan!" and quote scripture aloud.
   A funny note: I remember my son being afraid of his closet last year. He would come running into our room in tears, fearing the formidable unseen "bad guys" that were going to get him. One night we handed him a flashlight and told him that when he felt afraid, to shine his light on the scary place and say, "Get out of here Satan! In the name of Jesus! Get away!" He stopped coming to our room in tears and ceased talking about the bad guys and so we considered our suggestion a success. Then, on Easter Sunday, my husband had already gone to church for prayer and I was getting the kids ready to go. Out of nowhere I hear, "Get out of here SATAN! In the name of Jesus, get out of MY room!" Then a SLAM! Seconds later my oldest daughter was in my arms sobbing. And through the tears and choked words she says, "I'm not Satan, I'm Eden!" I guess we should have clarified to our son that our "technique" was not to be practiced on sisters :)
   It is my prayer that I will be able to stand up to temptation and have the strength to tell Satan to take a hike. It is my prayer that I will stand boldly against him and rely on the truth of word of God to get me through. That is my prayer for you as well friends. Blessings to you all!

The OneThing Challenge ~ Day 2 ~ January 2

2011-01-05T16:21:00.000-06:00

The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” ² “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. ³“It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”
⁴ “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. ⁵ “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”
⁶ The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. ⁷ At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. Genesis 3:1-7 (NLT)

I wonder how Eve found herself in the position of being in temptation's pathway. Why was she so close to the enemy? Had she just wandered from the safety of her creator, exploring the garden? Why was she so easily convinced and swayed to sin?

Oh how often I have been convinced of something the enemy has so craftily whispered into my ear. He catches me in a weak moment and wraps himself around me, speaking half truths which are really lies, but I don't catch it. This happens when I am not walking next to my Creator and Father. When I am not reading the word, meditating and praying, memorizing scripture, and spending time in fellowship with other believers who encourage and keep me accountable, I begin to tune in to what the enemy has to say. Slowly the words of truth, of my Redeemer, my Savior and Lord, are drowned out by the lies and this leads to sin. Listening to the enemy always will.

It is my prayer that I will walk closely beside my Daddy God and drink deeply from His love, grace and mercy. I pray for a hedge of protection to keep the enemy at bay and for wisdom in how to defeat the enemy should that hedge be compromised somehow. May He speak the words of life truth into my life and may I not be deceived by the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy. That is my prayer for you as well my friends.

My OneThing: Walk close my God so I wont become convinced by the enemy.

OneThing Challenge ~ Day 1 ~ January 1

2011-01-04T23:53:00.003-06:00

"Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him'." Genesis 2:18 (NLT)

God said that it wasn't good for Adam to be alone and even though He had formed many different creatures, a suitable mate was nowhere to be found. Thus, God created Eve, who was just right for Adam - a custom order bride, if you will. Many, many times I have read this passage and yet today, it struck me anew that God created me and He knew that I would be just right for my husband. He has called me to be a helper and oh how often I fail and can so easily become a hinderance. It is easy to lose focus on this special role God has called women to. We live in a world that preaches many things in opposition to God's truth and when we start listening to the world and take our eyes and hearts off of our creator, havoc is wreaked upon our lives. This year it is my prayer that I will respect, help, show grace to, and love my husband more than ever before as I embrace the role God has blessed me with.

My OneThing: Be a helper, not a hinderer.

The OneThing Challenge Begins

2011-01-04T23:12:00.000-06:00

I am very, Very, Very excited about a challenge Pastor Mike has given our congregation. We are reading through the Bible as a congregation and he has challenged us to find one thing in our daily reading that stands out to us and that we can apply to our daily lives. This is something we should be doing anyway, but so many Christians are not. I know I, myself have been inconsistent in my Bible reading and so I am excited about this challenge. What a beautiful thing it is to walk with fellow brothers and sisters through the pages of God's holy Word! My heart pounds with anticipation and my soul is tingling with excitement as we wait for what God is going to do in the hearts and lives of His people through the reading of his Love Letter to us! Usually I don't like waiting (who does), but this kind of waiting is one of expectation and it's a glorious feeling! Will you join me and my fellow church family as we take the OneThing challenge?

The Simple Woman's Daybook

2010-12-14T01:09:00.000-06:00

For Today, December 14

Outside my window...dark yet aglow with Christmas lights.

I am thinking...that I am tired and should go to bed but am so enjoying the quiet right now.

I am thankful for...so many things/people. God used November to get my attention about all the blessings He has given me.

From the learning room...a lot of learning about Jesus' birth and why he came. We are taking it pretty easy since we are leaving to go visit family on Monday and we have A LOT to do before a 13 hour drive (that includes potty breaks with three kiddos).

From the kitchen...cookie baking time has begun!

I am wearing...a pink t-shirt my hubby designed for a Disciple Now a couple years ago, and fleece leopard print pajama pants a friend made me for Christmas a few years ago. What a combo right?

I am creating...family traditions that will hopefully be enjoyed years and years from now.

I am going...to bed soon! LOL!

I am reading...Choosing Joy by Nancy DeMoss, and the One Year Bible by God (haha)

I am hoping...for SNOW while we are on vacation in places that have snow :)

I am hearing...silence. Yay!

Around the house...lots of packing, baking, playing, cooking, and trying not to forget about the real reason for the season.

One of my favorite things...my church family - they have blessed me and my family so much and I will never be able to repay or thank them enough. God is good!

A few plans for the rest of the week: pack, bake, pack, clean, bake, clean, pack, pack, pack, bake, clean, clean, clean, bake, pack, pack, pack...

Here is picture I am sharing...

From last year - the one time it snowed! Wish we had a little of this now :)

When You Just Don't Make the Cut

2010-12-11T21:14:00.002-06:00

I give praise to God that He uses the least likely to accomplish the impossible. This fact is such an intricate and important part of scripture and such a huge part of who God is and how He works. Often, in our humanity, we get so down on ourselves. We see our brokeness, our weaknesses, our sin, all of our short-comings big and small, and we wonder, "How in the world can God possibly take THIS and use it for good?" It's easy to look in the mirror and say, "I am just one person, far from perfect, so how can I really make a difference in this world? Is it worth even trying?" My answer (and God's too!): YES.

Jesus' disciples didn't even make the cut by their culture's standards. The ones who did were already studying under a rabbi, not learning the family trade as they were. Still Jesus chose to use them to do His work. He loved them and had a great confidence in them, even when they didn't quite "get it" - which was a bit often :) Think for moment about the people God uses throughout His mighty word. David was a scrawny sheperd boy, the run of the litter if you will, and yet with a rock and a sling, defeated a giant! Moses was not the most eloquent speaker and yet God chose to use him to lead His people out of Egypt. Paul persecuted Christians for a long time, hated them, and yet God used Him to spread the gospel to many people and used Him to write a good portion of the New Testament. Paul became the very thing he had once despised! Talk about the power of a changed life!!! The stories are numerous: Noah, Esther, The Disciples, Rahab, Mary Magdalene, and the list goes on and on and on! God used the ones that everyone else looked over and dismissed as normal, nothing really too special. And let me tell you, He is still doing the same thing today. All we need is to be available, willing, and obedient.

Satan wants nothing more than to break us down and make us think that living for Christ isn't worth it. He wants to convince us that God can't use us. Sadly, there are many Christians, I having been one myself, sitting defeated on the sidelines, merely warming pews because they are convinced that trying to make a difference isn't even worth the time and effort. Yet we have a lost and dying world crying out in desperation for something more, something deeper, while many of us are stuck staring out into the distance like a bunch of deer in headlights wondering what to do next. We have THE one and only true message of hope, of truth, and the ultimate source of power in Christ Jesus our Lord, so why are we sitting around wondering why the world is the way it is? Stop worrying about not making the cut. God wants to use YOU. How long will we continue to underestimate the power of God? How long will we refuse to let Him truly transform our lives and use us to impact His kingdom for His glory? MOVE! Get out of the way and let God in! Let Him use you in ways you could never imagine even in your wildest dreams! It IS possible and we can't deny it anymore. God wants to use YOU and ME. So what are we going to do about it?

The Unforced Rhythm of Grace

2010-12-07T08:55:00.005-06:00

So, if you've read my previous blogs you know that our patient and loving Father in Heaven has been giving me a spiritual third degree for the past couple of months. I thought that I would ramble on the sheer awesomeness of grace and what God has been speaking to me on the subject.

God's grace is a gift that He lavishes on us freely and extravagantly. There is nothing we can do to earn it and, even though He has the right to withhold this gift, He doesn't. His Grace is not something that is bartered for or begged for. Grace is not something that we, His children, have to force our way in to get. Our Father in Heaven, who loved us enough to condemn His own flesh and blood to die on a cruel rugged cross, gives grace every day that we are alive - every hour, every minute, and every second we breath. To think that God has the power to throw His hands up in the air with disgust, wipe the entire earth clean and start completely over - and chooses not to - well, it blows my mind! He extends grace because He wants to. Not because He's forced to or talked into it. When I think of Grace I think of the rain falling softly to the ground, saturating the dry earth, the trees and plants drinking it all in and growing tall and green where they used to be brown and brittle. He does that for us in our lives too, refreshes us, replenishes the dead parts within us. I think of the ocean lapping gently against the shore, the tide going in and out. What a peaceful scene. Yet, with a single swoop he could engulf the entire earth with one giant tsunami and still He doesn't. Not yet anyway...

I find it interesting that many consider God in the Old Testament to be a wrathful or vengeful God and God in the new testament a loving and merciful God. Hopefully you understand that the God in the Old and New testaments are one and the same and the only. God's love and mercy are displayed from Genesis to Revelation and to this very day! Think about Adam and Eve, how they bought a lie from Satan and went against God's commandment not to eat from a specific tree. Their eyes opened, naked and ashamed, Adam and Eve clumsily clothed themselves with foliage and made a sorry attempt to hide from their very own creator, something, I dare to say, that we all do at times. The hiding part I mean :) So here we have two people, created in God's image, given the most amazingly beautiful home, The Garden of Eden, and free reign over it. Yet, ONE tree was off limits. One. You know the saying, "People always want what they can't have" right? I believe the phrase was inspired by Adam and Eve. To top it off, they hid, made excuses, and pointed the blame elsewhere instead of straight up confessing. Still, God, in His neverending mercy and grace, tailored them adequate clothing and spared their lives. Yes he punished them as sin does have consequences, but He took care of them. He supplied their needs. God could have ended it all and just returned them to the earth from which Adam was formed, but instead He extended grace and let them live. If that doesn't show that God was loving and gracious in the Old Testament, I don't know what will.

From the beginning of time, God set forth in motion this intricate design, a glorious plan, for the redemption of mankind. He knew that it would take more than a long lecture or getting angry. No, instead a spotless lamb would have to take on the sin of the entire world and die in their place. Our place. Wow.. The beauty of His mercy and grace, the profoundness of it all leaves me simply speechless - with a huge smile on my face, a song in my heart, and a bounce in my step. He's untouchable and unchangeable. So awesome! I've become more and more in awe of just how powerful and mighty a God (THE God) we really do serve.

Are you as awestruck as I am at how such an infinite, mighty God could love and care about someone as finite as you or me? Psalm 139 says He knit us in our mother's wombs. Knitting is such an art, such a skill, and my Heavenly Father took time to knit me together...wow! We have much to praise Him for! Let us not forget what we have and may the power of grace truly transform us from the inside out so that we may extend that same grace to others.

Lord, we love you! Amen!

The Great Pruning Process That is my Life

2010-12-06T10:30:00.002-06:00

I logged into an old blog this morning for the first time in at least two years. My intention was to delete my account but as I began reading my old posts, one stuck out to me and glared at me straight between the eyes...and penetrated my heart. This has been a season of painful but necessary refinement for me. I want to share this post because even though it was written a long time ago, God used it to remind me what He is doing in me NOW.

November 9, 2007:

Things have been really crazy lately. My heart is heavy and my head feels as though it will explode any minute now. It would not be a suprise if I were to sponaneously combust in the next few days or weeks. There are so many things in my heart that God has been dealing with me on for the past few weeks: surrendering, conviction, reconciliation, forgiving, releasing, healing, grace, mercy, love, faith, believing, hope, trusting...just to name a few, HA!

Some things I have learned from my conversations with the Heavenly Father:

True forgiveness is forgiving someone even if they don't deserve it...and even if they fail to ask.

True forgiveness does not worry about what the other person will do with it but rests in peace that the right thing was done.

I recently got to thinking about the things going on in my life and some of the feelings towards others I've held inside. It is so easy to hold something against someone else but the person it hurts the most is me. By harboring unforgiveness I am hurting myself in the process, allowing another person to have control over me that they don't deserve...and most of the time they have no clue!

Christ walked the hill to calvary and in his final moments on earth his grace and mercy was absolutely astonishing. Looking down at the very people who yelled, "Crucify Him!, the people who spit at him, mocked him, beat him, shoved the crown of thorns upon his head, pierced his side, and nailed him to a cross...the same people who stripped him of his clothes and earthly dignity...he still pleaded to his father, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!" How amazing it that?!?!? So I was thinking in light of all that Christ has done for me, who am I to not forgive someone?

If I am not willing to stand up and admit that I have made mistakes and am not perfect, and ask for forgiveness from others, how can I expect those I lead to follow me?

There are many many many other things floating through the raging sea that is my brain but they will have to wait for another day.

Lord,
Thank you for another day in which to praise you. Thank you for my husband, my children, for meeting our needs, the crunchy autumn leaves, a blue sky, the sun, and your Son who died for the sins of man. You are mighty, you are awesome and I am believing you for a miracle in my life and the life of the church in general! May there be a great awakening in your bride all accross the world. May we each open our eyes to the things in us that need to change and may we be willing to take the necessary steps towards that change. There needs to be a change, Lord. Let it begin in me. Amen!

I think that post says it all. I hope it speaks to your heart as it did mine. Have a wonderful day and God bless!

A Wee Bit of me Wednesday

2010-12-01T13:58:00.002-06:00

{one} what kind of camera do you have?

Two broken Canons! One was dropped and one just died :(

{two} you just won $1000 and you have to spend it on yourself on one item. what do you buy?

I have no idea...I don't buy a lot of things for myself. One item? Gotta get back to you...

{three} if you had to choose, would you rather live with your parents in the same house forever or 5000 miles away?

Far away. NO offense to my parents, I love them, but living together is not a good idea lol!

{four} is your christmas tree up yet?

Yep! Put it up a few days ago!

{five} do you bring reusable bags to the grocery store?

When I remember.

{six} which would be worse: listening to the same song on replay for the rest of your life or having to eat the same meal everyday for the rest of your life?

Listening to the same song. I love music and variety. As long as the meal included steak it would be all good :)

{seven} name 3 things you are thankful for this season.

My salvation, my family, my friends

{eight} do you dye/highlight your hair? if so, do you do it yourself or have it done at the salon?

Not anymore. Too expensive to keep up!

{nine} would you rather watch a movie at home or at the theater?

Home for certain movies and theater for other movies. Depends on the graphics.

{ten} would you rather win $1000/week for life or $5 million all at once?

$1000 a week. I think I'd be able to budget it better in smaller amounts and be able to give more of it away to those who need it!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

2010-12-01T13:43:00.001-06:00

Thought I'd share a few pics of our tree decorating fun! I loved watching my kids pick our ornaments and look for the perfect spot on the tree. They were so excited and proud of themselves!

Drama Mama decorating the tree

Can I get away with touching the tree?

Maybe mommy doesn't see me...

I also had an adorable picture of Wiggle Worm crying when I told her no but for some reason it will not
post correctly. Boo :( Our Christmas season is getting of to a great start! Check back for more
updates on what's going on in our lives! God bless!

Our Thanksgiving

2010-12-01T13:31:00.002-06:00

I am sorry it's taking me so long to put up new posts these days. Been busy! And family comes before blogging so, just trying to keep a right perspective and right priorities ;) We had a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving! We were blessed to host some wonderful Korean students from the local University for dinner. It was a wonderful time of fun, food, and sweet fellowship with some new friends. Here is a look at our Thanksgiving:

My first homemade pumpkin pie ever!

My first homemade apple pie ever!

Our Plump and Perky Turkey

Getting roasted to perfection

Our simple table

Perfection! Big Daddy T said this was the best turkey he has ever eaten!

Carving the turkey

We had some guests from Korea join us. Tater Tot enjoyed playing the Wii with our
new friend. You pronounce his name "Day-Sohn"

Gloria and Drama Mama had a tea party

Enjoying yummy food!

Tater Tot hiding

Gloria and Me

Eden enjoyed being read to by Gloria

The only thing that is missing is the picture of everyone together which is on
my hubby's iPhone. I will post it as soon as I can! God bless!

Turkey Handprint Painting

2010-11-28T19:51:00.001-06:00

We painted tons of handprint turkeys to send to family members...too bad they didn't get sent out but we will give them to everyone this Christmas when we go visit :)

SO ready to paint!

Getting ready to wash the paint off Tater Tot's hand

Silly!

The Turkey Paintings

A little bit of free painting :)

The kiddos absolutely LOVE painting and we had a great time! Looking forward to more crafty stuff for Christmas!

It's Christmas Time!

2010-11-28T11:06:00.001-06:00

I know we are not even done with November yet, but I couldn't help but redecorate my blog and put on some beautiful Christmas tunes. This is the first time in a long time I have really looked forward to Christmastime. It has been easy for me to get caught up in all the hustle and bustle of Christmas and to allow the commercialism and stress of finances to suck the joy out of the season. As I listened to our choir practice CD for the first time a couple weeks ago and really took in the words from the songs our music minister was led to choose, my heart melted, tears stung my eyes, and I realized I been getting it all wrong. The knowledge of what Christmas is truly about resided in my heart, but the world had swept away any remnant of joy and peace that came along with that knowledge. It's not decorations, or presents, or even family that is most important at Christmastime. It's Christ. When we take Christ out of Christmas there is no reason to celebrate. When we allow all of the secondary things to take first place in our hearts, we miss out on so much. It is my prayer that each of you will allow Christ and the reason for His birth to reign in your heart this Christmas season - and throughout the year. May we celebrate the things that really matter and leave everything else at the foot of the throne of Him who loved us enough to step down from Heaven and into our lives. Amen.

Nutrimil Giveaway at Happily Domestic - Check it out!

2010-11-24T11:12:00.001-06:00

So my husband laughed at me when I expressed my desire to grind our own flour. I think he had this vision of me working with large rocks and grinding them across wheat berries or something funny like that, ha ha! No folks, because of wonderful inventions like the Nutrimil, grinding your own flour is easy, convenient, and only takes a couple minutes. It is a much healthier and fresher option than buying store bought breads. I am certainly going to enter this giveaway for this wonderful mill which is a $240 value! For more information on this wonderful product, visit Kitchen Specialties and Granary and stop by Happily Domestic to read her review and enter this awesome giveaway. If you follow all the rules you will be able to enter over 50 times! So have fun and good luck!

The Simple Woman's Daybook - 2

2010-11-19T15:29:00.004-06:00

FOR TODAY: November 19, 2010

Outside my window...the sun is shining and the leaves are falling to the ground. I love fall!

I am thinking...that I should probably take a nap but if I do I probably wont be able to get back up!

I am thankful for...my husband. He is so patient with me and loves me even though I can be a fireball sometimes :)

From the learning rooms...we are making Mayflowers out of milk cartons, reading lots of fun books, making turkey handprints with poems to send to family, and learning a lot about thankfulness and what the first Thanksgiving was like! See my "what's in the box" posts below for more stuff we are doing.

From the kitchen...just a few things we have had or will have this week: homemade spaghetti sauce and meatballs, homemade vegetable beef soup, white chicken chili made from scratch, One Dish Chicken and Stuffing, Jambalaya and No Bake cookies again!

I am wearing...a gray and black long-sleeved Jedidiah t-shirt and black sweat pants.

I am creating...or hoping to create giant snowflakes out of popsicles, inspired by Monica at Crafty Nest.

I am going...to get to go visit family for Christmas! Yay!

I am reading...Adopted for Life by Russell Moore, and Creative Correction by Lisa Whelchel

I am hoping...that my college basketball team keeps winning! Go Cards!

I am hearing...my son talk about what an amazing creation he is making out of legos on the computer desk by me as I am typing :)

Around the house...I am anticipating decorating for Christmas and for the first time in a long time I am actually looking forward to it!

One of my favorite things...hot chocolate!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch with Drama Mama and Tater Tot and the youth tomorrow, Church and a bonus choir rehearsal on Sunday, and lots of Thanksgiving goodness the next week!

Here is picture or two I am sharing...

The secret dungeon in the structure

It's getting close to completion!

The Simple Woman's Daybook is hosted here so link up and join the fun!!!

What's in the Box - PreK

2010-11-19T12:36:00.001-06:00

Now here is a look at Drama Mama's preschool boxes! Most of these activities are from our Letter of the Week Curriculm unless indicated otherwise. We also do our circle time, arts and crafts, and play time with Tater Tot.

Letter P poke page with a toothpick. We also use jumbo sized push pins for this.

Pumpkin cutting practice

Pumpkin tracing and coloring page

P letter hunt worksheet

Pumpkin magnet page

Letter P scavenger hunt. Drama Mama has to go fill the drawer
with items that begin with the letter P.

Letter P writing practice

Pattern block scarecrow and pumpkin sheets that I found.

Pumpkin size sort

Pumpkin graphing

There is lots more to come from our world of PreK and Kindergarten so stay tuned! Blessing to you all as you prepare for the holidays! Be Thankful!

Mama J

What's in the Box - Kindergarten

2010-11-19T12:18:00.001-06:00

We have switched up some things since the beginning of the year because what we were doing was not "clicking" with Tater Tot, so here is a look at what we are up to these days. These are some things I put in his boxes and we also do our morning circle time together and usually some arts and crafts and playtime outside.

Hooked on Learning Maze and Puzzle Book

Hooked on Phonics review of letter sounds and review of beginning words

Thanksgiving themed memory game found at kidssoup

Hooked on Phonics CD Rom for some computer games to review what he has learned

Letter sounds matching game for review

Some pattern block worksheets that are a little more difficult

Spelling with letter tiles and Thanksgiving sight words

A Reason for Handwriting K - we just switched to this curriculum and love it!
These sheets are more of a review for Tater Tot but I am making him do it so that he can really
get correct letter formation down pat. He's doing GREAT!

Math with dinosaur counters. I found a counting bear book on sale at a Mardel
Christian supply and am just using dinos that a friend loaned us instead of bears.

Some reading to go with our learning about Thanksgiving. We all will
read these books together. We enjoy our reading time a lot!

Thankful on a Thursday

2010-11-18T19:29:00.001-06:00

I am thankful...

16. that we are HEALTHY again! Yay!

17. for laughter. It's therapeutic and musical and sweet!

18. that fall is finally here!

19. for the people in my life that have mentored me,

encouraged me, and loved me.

20. the gift of freedom and those who have fought for it, those who are

fighting for it, and the ones who will be fighting in the

future. We live in a blessed country and it's

easy to take it for granted. May God

have mercy on us!

An Award

2010-11-15T21:08:00.003-06:00

Well, we are all FREE of the tummy bug! It's a good life :) I just got an award from a beautiful friend at Butterfly Chic. Thank you Sarah - you rock!

Terms of recieving:

*Thank the person who gave you the award ... Thanks again Sarah! Hugs to ya!

*Tell 7 facts about me...

*Give the award to 7 bloggers that I adore

*Leave a comment and tell the bloggers about the award...

The Facts of My Life:

1. I am hopelessly devoted to Cherry Cokes from Sonic

2. My newest food addiction are potstickers in the frozen food section -

they are surprisingly ahhhmazing!

3. I told God I never wanted to be a stay-at-home mom or a pastor's wife...

Look where I am now :)

4. Whenever someone scratches material like sheets or something it

makes my teeth hurt. Weird I know!

5. I HATE to be tickled!

6. I love to sing.

7. I'd love to open a coffee shop one day.

Now to share the love by giving the award to a few friends:

Confessions of a Tired Super Girl

The Unworking Mom

South Breeze Farm

Blessings of a Stay-at-home mom

Kecia's Journey

In His Grip

Faith on Fire

Enjoy it friends and show some love to others!

Thankful on a Thursday

2010-11-11T20:43:00.001-06:00

Well, last week I missed Thankful on a Thursday because we tagged along on a trip with Big Daddy T and today I almost missed it because we have all been bitten by the stomach bug. Uck. Wiggle Worm was sick several times on Monday but was bringing up blue stuff and so I freaked out thinking she must have ingested some sort of household product. After much worrying and texting the Dr. (yes, texting the Dr. I know, right? It's a small town thing and something I wouldn't have dreamed of doing when we lived in a bigger city!) who said it was probably a virus, Tater Tot informed me that Wiggle Worm ate Playdough. It was homemade playdough and so I knew nothing was in it that would have hurt her and so I figured it was the bug. Next day she was fine. All day. Wednesday afternoon around noon or so I felt weird and finally called my husband around 12:30 to come home. I was sick. Very sick. I will spare you the details, but it was bad. By 6 that evening both Tater Tot and Drama Mama were very sick. We sent Wiggle Worm to a friend's house to keep her from catching it again if that was possible. The hubby was a great nurse and took such good care of us and then this morning around 7:00 he was sick. It's been a rough couple days but we have been blessed with some sweet people who have taken care of us. So since I am behind in my thankful posts, here we go:

I am thankful for...

6. The sweet friend who went to the store for extra Gatorade, Lysol, and Hand Sanitizer last night and then again this morning for soup and crackers.

7. The sweet friend who brought us a big container of homemade chicken noodle soup (which was fabulous) and some essential oils to help ease the aches and pains and ickiness of sickness.

8. Another sweet friend who dropped off more chicken noodle and some vegetable soup (which were both wonderful - I tried a bit of both since I was feeling better!) and cornbread.

9. The many prayers that have been sent up on our behalf. We so needed them!

10. My husband who took such good care of us and was so loving and patient even through all the nastiness. I'm so sorry he caught it!

11. Our doctor and friend who puts up with our phone calls and text messages and still smiles at us and talks to us on Sundays at church - haha!

12. The fact that this is just the flu and one of us isn't sick with something else that is worse. It's just a passing thing and so many are sick with deadly illnesses - we are blessed!

13. My Uncle Ford and Aunt Bonnie and their love for me growing up. They have been so good to me. I received a call from my cousin letting me know that Uncle Ford has stage four cancer and hospice is at their house. Please pray.

14. Books. I LOVE to read! It's an insatiable hunger and since I have been sick I've gotten a few moments to feed the hunger in between bouts of nausea and vomiting and...oh I said I was going to spare you. Anyway... There's a silver lining to everything y'all! I'm just sayin' :)

15. Blogging. I have met some really neat people via the blog world and have gotten to share prayer requests, funny and not-so-funny stories, and encouragement. It's been fun so far! If you ever need prayer or anything please let me know. I keep a journal and will write you down so I will remember to pray :)

Well, that's all for now folks! Remember, there is always something to give thanks for!

The Simple Woman's Daybook - 1

2010-11-10T07:54:00.007-06:00

I have joined in the fun at The Simple Woman's Daybook. This is a place where we get to gain a glimpse into the lives of others who are focusing on the simplicity and beauty in everyday moments. You should check it out and come along!

FOR TODAY, Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Outside my window...the sun is coming up, squirrels are running about, and two cardinals are playing in the holly bush. The cardinals remind me of where I grew up and makes me smile.

I am thinking...about how amazing it is that I've been able to read my Bible, respond to some e-mails, and play on my blog and still no children are awake! Thank you Jesus!

I am thankful for...a clean house...for now!

From the learning rooms...handprint turkeys with poems attached, making no-bakes as part of "cooking", Letter of the Week , Hooked on Phonics, sight word practice, lots of fun books to read, cookie sheet math, maze and puzzle book, pattern blocks, Blend Ladders and playing outside!

From the kitchen...one dish chicken and stuffing and broccoli with shredded parmesan and butter..and making no-bakes with my kiddies - yum!

I am wearing...a Seabird t-shirt and pajama pants.

I am creating...a place of comfort and peace for my family.

I am going...to the park with my kids today to feed the ducks if they are there.

I am reading...The Shofar Blew by Francine Rivers and Adopted for Life by Russell Moore

I am hoping...to be able to get the kids everything we would like to get them for Christmas.

I am remembering...that Christmas is not about the gifts we give but about the ultimate Gift that God gave us in His Son Jesus Christ. And that my kids will survive if they don't get everything they'd like or that we'd like to give them. We are blessed beyond measure already!

I am hearing...the sound of the dryer whirring and the fan in the hallway buzzing.

Around the house...Ive been focusing on one area at a time. So far we have a clean, organized garage and laundry room. Today...who knows? Maybe the junk drawer(s)....

One of my favorite things...pot stickers in the frozen section at Wal-Mart...I'm slightly addicted...

A few plans for the rest of the week...church tonight - hanging with teenagers then off to choir practice, tomorrow - my hubby's off day! We have a banquet for a local pregnancy center where my husband is on the board, Friday - playdate with our homeschool group, Saturday family time and possibly lunch with a friend, Sunday church :)

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Tater Tot was one 3.5 here...seems so long ago...and just like yesterday at the same time....

30 Day Blog Challenge ~ Day 30

2010-11-09T18:59:00.002-06:00

Well, it has been a great 30 days! I can't believe the challenge is over! It's been great getting to know other bloggers and learning more about myself. Hopefully we will all take the things we learned and put them into use.

A Picture

I stumbled upon this picture and wished I could be there. How beautiful!

Pinnacle Mountain State Park Trip

2010-11-09T15:35:00.001-06:00

This past week we got the privilege of accompanying Big Daddy T on a trip to Little Rock, and one of the fun things we did was visit Pinnacle Mountain State Park. We were not able to explore the trails we really wanted to as mommy and daddy since we had the crew with us but it was still tons of fun and beautiful! The pics were taken on my hubby's phone and turned out really well. Here's a look at what we did:

A pretty view

Drama Mama - So cute!

The view from the balcony at the visitor's center.

Looking through the telescope.

Cheese! What a great smile!

Another smile while riding this bouncy-teeter-totter-ish thingy :)

There were some awesome cypress trees with neat formations and cool hiding places!

It's a silly tree boy!

Some of the trees had funny "growths" on them. Drama Mama thought this one looked like a Rhino!

Big Daddy T in the hollowed out part of a tree :)

Ha ha! Another funny tree...and a funny man inside hee hee!

There's that tree boy again!

And a tree girl!

Wiggle Worm

Daddy with Wiggle Worm

Wiggle Worm wanted to walk with Mama.

All in all it was a wonderful day! We hope to be able to go back sometime. I highly recommend

a visit if you ever are in the Little Rock area!

New Blog Hops!

2010-11-09T08:52:00.003-06:00

Hey! I am joining some new blog hops and thought y'all might wanna check it out! Here ya go:

New Great Blog Hops:

Follow Me Back Tuesday

Follow Me Back Tuesday is another day of the week that you can gain more followers and find other great blogs to follow on a weekly basis. Follow Me Back Tuesday is hosted bySurvey Junkie, Little Yaya's, and Boobies, Babies & A Blog.

Hop over, link up, and join in the fun!

To-The-TOP Tuesdays
Another great way to meet friends and welcome
new followers to your blog!

Hosted by One Little Mister, Frugal Plus, and Traci66

Hop on over and check it out!

And yet another fabulous blog hop you really need to join! Lots of linky fun happening today people! Check it out!

Our Monday

2010-11-08T17:24:00.002-06:00

I have to tell you that I am really really enjoying homeschooling my children. It's challenging at times but so fun and rewarding too! Here is a little peek at what we did today since I had my husbands little Kodak camcorder that takes still shots:

These are some new fun items we added to our school this past week! So exciting!
These Unifix Cubes and Geo Boards can be purchased here.

Tater Tot and Drama Mama making shapes on their boards. They had a lot of fun with this.

Wiggle Worm decided to join them. This happens a lot during our day. Especially
during school time, but we just roll with it :)

We made Pilgrims out of spoons! Check out this great activity here. I
modified it a bit to my liking (and because it was easier for me).

The finished product! Aren't they cute?!?! The pilgrims I mean...chuckle....

We will be reading the following books this month:

Amazon.com Widgets

I am anticipating a wonderful month of learning about The Mayflower, Pilgrims and Indians, Turkeys, trying new recipes, and making lots of fun crafty-ish things. Keep checking back to see what we're up to!

miscellany monday {2}

2010-11-08T16:45:00.001-06:00

1. My Little Hippie

2. My Little Climber

Plans foiled!

3. So Happy!

4. Backyard Fun!

30 Day Blog Challenge ~ Day 29

2010-11-08T16:21:00.000-06:00

Three Wishes

1. That my family and friends who do not know the Lord would realize their need for Him and enter into a relationship with Him.

2. For my sister to be able to talk and jump and do all the things she has never gotten to do.

3. To leave a legacy of faith and a close knit family behind me when I am gone.

30 Day Blog Challenge ~ Day 28

2010-11-08T16:18:00.001-06:00

Something That Stresses Me Out

I wish I could say that I don't get stressed out, that I never worry, and I always lean on God and trust Him in absolutely every single aspect of my life. While this is something I strive for...it's not reality for me many days. So right now here are the two big things that stress me:

1. Not having enough time to spend with all the people I really care about.

and

2. Trying to make sure we are good stewards of our finances and our time.

30 Day Blog Challenge ~ Day 26

2010-11-08T16:10:00.001-06:00

A Picture of My Little Family

Me and the Hubby

The kiddos posing for a shot to go in a thank you card :)

We have many many other family members but it would be an extremely long post if I attached pictures of everyone! So I stuck with my little immediate family :)

30 Day Blog Challenge ~ Day 27

2010-11-06T22:47:00.004-05:00

Pets

We only have Flash Tomato, our lovely fish I posted about previously. Meet him again and give thanks for this opportunity because he has almost met his death in several ways via a certain Drama Mama :)

Flash in his freshly cleaned water pitcher after Drama Mama
dumped an entire container of food into it. She then
tried to get him out so she could clean his "home"
and nearly gave him a heart attack.

30 Day Blog Challenge ~ Day 25

2010-11-06T22:36:00.001-05:00

iPod Shuffle

How ironic since my iPod is somewhere in a strip mall parking lot either crushed, or it was picked up by some fortunate shopper. Long, sad story but I am over it. Life should not fall apart because one loses an expensive technological device. Anyway. I listen to rhapsody a lot and here are ten songs that I listen to lots:

1. Love Rule Today by Revive

2. Hero by Abandon

3. Let Your Light Shine by Bethany Dillon (acoustic sessions)

4. I am Persuaded by Travis Cottrell

5. The Kingdom by Bethany Dillon

6. Starry Night by Chris August

7. Monster by Skillet

8. Son of God by Starfield

9. We Crown You by Fee

10. Manipulation by Group 1 Crew

30 Day Blog Challenge ~ Day 24

2010-11-06T22:15:00.001-05:00

Something I've Learned

We could be here forever....but since I know none of you have anything better to do.... ;) Just kidding!

1. I am selfish. There is nothing like marriage and motherhood that sheds light on just how self-centered one truly is. Both are a privilege and a 24-hour job at the same time. It is self-sacrificing and tough at times, but the rewards far outweigh anything I could have ever imagine. God has used the roles of help-meet for my husband and mother to my children to mold me more and more into His likeness. Oh, He is truly not done with me yet (those who really know me just shouted a hearty AMEN! to that) but I am a work in progress. A masterpiece of the creator. And for that, I am grateful!

2. Prayer is our lifeline as Christians. This is our line of communication with our first love. We need to pray at all times. Without ceasing. In sadness and in joy, in weakness and in times of strength, in sickness and in health, we should always be in communication with our Father for He loves us and hears us when we pray. Even when we don't feel or see it.

3. Christianity isn't about religion, it's about a relationship with Christ. The temptation is to make life about a set of do's and don't when in reality it is about learning more about who Christ is and allowing ourselves to be made more and more into His likeness. As an outpouring of what He did for us, His sacrifice on the cross, our lives will bring Him glory and honor and praise.

4. I am rich. I have been blessed beyond measure. As I have read the word and other books by great Christian men and women, I've come to the realization that life is about more than accumulating possessions. It's more than being safe and living a good life. It's about taking risks, making sacrifices, and loving others. There is a world out there racked with pain and sorrow. We are to be light into that dark world. Be Jesus to the world. This is what life is about!

30 Day Blog Challenge ~ Day 23

2010-11-06T21:56:00.001-05:00

Argh. Alas I have fallen behind again but here I am, ready to play catch up :)

Day 23 ~ Favorite Vacay

From the time I was seven years old until I was twenty, I flew out every year to California to visit my Grandma and Pop-Pop and my Dad. Those trips hold some of the best memories ever! Disney Land, the beach, yummy food from all kinds of ethnic restaurants, the sunshine, Grandma's BBQ sauce and her famous cucumbers with sour cream, Pop-Pop's secret candy drawer, driving down PCH with my cousin in her convertible, Park Hill with all the crazy animals, etc. Trips to see my dad in Oregon, having a Rescue 911 moment on the Rogue River, Garlic Stuffed Olives....and the list goes on. I have been back a few times with my husband for some great vacations and I never get tired of all the things to do and see in California. It's wonderful because you have the ocean, desert, mountains, and snow all within hours. Amazing!

Giving Thanks ~ Days 1 & 2

2010-11-02T13:32:00.002-05:00

Well, I know I have joined the Thankful on a Thursday blog hop, but I also came across a wonderful Blog Challenge hosted by a lovely lady named Leah. The challenge is to post something you are thankful for in your side bar each day in November. I will be posting my list in my sidebar and then elaborating on my thankfulness in a post if God stirs my heart so. I am excited about this because I feel that Christians especially have become far to complacent towards our Creator. Our Savior. Our Father. We treat God like a vending machine but we give him so little praise for all he has done, is doing, and will do in the future. So hop over to South Breeze Farm and link up and share what YOU are thankful for!I look forward to reading the posts and rejoicing with others!

Since I am starting on Day 2 I thought I would go ahead and post about my husband and my son. I have two daughters as well that I will be posting about. I thought this would be a good time to tell you a little about my family.

(Day 1}

My husband. He is amazing! I could look the whole world over and not find a man who even compares to who he is. God has placed him in my life and I am eternally grateful for this blessing of marriage! Big Daddy T is 6'5 - hence the "Big" in his name lol! He is funny, intelligent, and godly. He is the youth and recreation pastor at our church and really has a heart for families. He is patient, kind, passionate, compassionate, and caring. I love him, can you tell? :) He is also a wonderful daddy. My children adore him and look forward to seeing him every evening when he gets home and they scramble for snuggle time in the mornings when they are awake. What a joy it is to be "help meet" to this man!

{Day 2}

My Tater Tot. He is such a wonderful little boy. He is already asking so many questions about God and Jesus and Heaven and Hell. He is funny like his daddy - who is his hero by the way. He loves superheros, spiderman especially :) The kid can has been able to do puzzles since he was 18 months old and can build really cool things out of legos. He is sensitive to peoples feelings and wants to make them happy and he is my little snuggle bug. It feels like I just brought him home yesterday....where have the past five years gone?

Things we do - Homeschool Stuff

2010-11-01T22:07:00.000-05:00

I have had many people ask me questions and so I thought I would share some older pictures of some things we have done. I really need some newer pics but our cameras are broken so I am stuck snapping shots with our Kodak pocket recorder which does not do well in low light. Oh well. Here are some things I thought you'd like to see:

These are our pattern blocks, and you can get them HERE - they are tons of fun and my kiddos LOVE them!You can get the cool patterns by visiting this website - and they are FREE! Can't beat that!

We also love http://starfall.com

Our white board is not magnetic but we like it - and it was free!

These are our workboxes and we purchased them here but they were a little cheaper when I got them. If you like them, you can search around for deals - you will find one! The number squares on the workboxes can be found at Confessions of a Homeschooler along with tons of other wonderful resources. You need to visit this website!

This is our workbox chart. It can be found at Confessions of a Homeschooler as well. The way it works is that after the kids finish the first workbox, they take the number square off of the box and place it on the chart. They repeat this with each box and once they get to a square with an activity like snack time or computer time, they get to eat a snack or get on the computer for an educational game or whatnot. The HELP squares are convenient if they have a trouble. They place the square on the box they need help with and then I know to go and assist them. I am loving this system!

This is our morning board. Obviously I took this picture a while ago. Most of the printables you see here can also be found at Confessions of a Homeschooler such as the "what's the weather today" chart and the "today, tomorrow, yesterday" chart. I cannot remember off the top of my head where I got some of the items but I will be sure to post if I come across the sites I found them on.

Tater Tot! works on number order using some of our curriculum from Hands on Homeschooling.

He is getting good at it!

Drama Mama working on her Letter of the Week curriculum from Confessions of a Homeschooler.

I cannot remember where I got these. I had thought I found them at Confessions of a Homeschooler but I could not find them on her site. Anyway, these are number
matching cards and we love them!

Drama Mama working on the A-Z Letter Matching Cards from Confessions of a Homeschooler.

We also love being outside and doing nature walks:

Wiggle Worm in the Moby Wrap.

Daddy's Turn!

We found big sticks!

And little ones too!

Sometimes the bigger little people leave things in reach of the littlest person...

And this happens :)

We love play time!

Sisterly love!

Spider Girl complete with a cape and heels! This made me laugh so hard!

Well, I think this post is long enough - hope you saw something you liked! Blessings to you all!

Mama J

30 Day Blog Challenge ~ Day 22

2010-11-01T20:56:00.001-05:00

Favorite City

I'd have to say that I have two cities that I love as far as

sightseeing goes and lots of things to do:

The Big Apple

I actually got to visit in high school when it still looked like this.

And Washington D.C.

I love this city!

I also love these cities:

1. San Francisco, California

2. Delafield, Wisconsin

4. Huron, Michigan

5. Milwaukee, Wisconsin

6. Chicago, Illinois

7. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

8. St. Louis, Missouri

And many others! I love traveling :)

miscellany monday {1}

2010-11-01T11:05:00.003-05:00

1. Fall Festivities - we have had a blast!

Spiderman (Tater Tot) riding the bull at a fall festival hosted by the
agricultural department at the local University.

My ballerina, super girl, princess (Drama Mama) riding the bull.

Wiggle worm dressed as a flower. She climbed up to the kitchen
table and snagged an abandoned lollipop. Had to snap a picture before I took it away :)

2. Pumpkin Carving Fun!

Wiggle Worm's job: Play with the "guts"

Big Daddy T's job: Carving duty

Drama Mama and Tater Tot supervise

Wiggle Worm dumps the "guts" on her head :)

I think she looks like one of those tree people on Discovery Health
or something ha ha!

Finished product...not bad for carving with a kitchen knife :)

3. A Fish Named Flashed Tomato.

Yes, that's right. Drama Mama wanted to name him (if it really is a him?) Tomato and Tater Tot wanted him to be called Flash. So in a moment of compromise, Tater said, "We will just call him Flash Tomato! It's perfect!"

Drama Mama looks in on the fish to make sure
he isn't "sick" hee hee! So cute!

A student in our youth ministry used Flash Tomato as a science
experiment and no longer needed him. Note the water
pitcher he is living in - it was all I had on hand :)

4. I have two extra kids today. My house is a wreck. I am a mess. I need a shower. I don't even care. I sure hope no one shows up unexpectedly. They might assume that I didn't realize Halloween was over....it's that bad.

5. My good camera and my point and click are both broken. Hence the not as

good pics. I'm lost without my

camera :( Need money to fix it. Soon!

6. Discovered mere seconds ago that dry erase marker comes off of human skin pretty easily. Thank you, Drama Mama for drawing on your baby sister so that I could come to this conclusion :)

That's all for now, folks!

30 Day Blog Challenge ~ Day 21

2010-10-31T15:21:00.001-05:00

A Picture of Me

It's a little dated but it's one of my favorites!

30 Day Blog Challenge ~ Day 20

2010-10-30T13:12:00.001-05:00

Nicknames:

Mickey

Mist

Mistifer

Pixie

Niece M

Misty Misty

Misty High Fiven' Jewell

Show Some Love Saturday Blog Hop

2010-10-30T13:10:00.014-05:00

Hey! I joined a great Saturday Blog Hop hosted by ace and friends co. and am having a blast getting to know other bloggy friends out there. Hop over and join in the fun! Also, check out my sidebar for some other great hops!

30 Day Blog Challenge ~ Day 19

2010-10-29T10:23:00.001-05:00

Something you Miss

Narrowing this down to just one thing is not gonna happen. So I will make another list. I like lists :)

My Memah

My Grandma and Pop-Pop

My Tara in Virginia

Ohio and Kentucky Friends and Family

Being near a zoo and/or a museum

Granite City's Cheddar and Ale Soup

Ducky and Family in Canada

The Flying Joe

Tart N Tiny Candy

The Beach

My Cali Family

Sleeping in :P

Thankful on a Thursday

2010-10-28T10:28:00.004-05:00

This is my first official Thankful on a Thursday post! I am thankful for the work of my Heavenly Father in my life. God has been up to so much in me that I have no idea where to start. I will begin my sharing that in recent months God has really revealed some ugliness in my heart. He has convicted me of reading the Bible and believing the Bible but not really living the word out loud with my life. One day, in Walmart - yes, Walmart, God convicted me so deeply. Please don't judge me as I tell tell this story. I am human and this is exactly why I need a loving Savior. So I was in Walmart and there was a very large man that walked by. I am sad to say that my first thought was, "Wow. He's so fat." Here is my dialougue with God after that thought:

God: I made Him.

Me: (broken hearted, ashamed) I know, God.

God: He's my creation. Do you even know his story?

Me: No, God.

God: Love people, Misty. Let me love them through you.

Me: I want to Lord. I'm so sorry. (In tears at this point)

Breaking the silence that followed, my son hugs me and says, "Mom, don't cry! It's just grocery shopping! I promise I wont ask for candy!" Kids and their comic relief right? I smiled through the tears as the words of a popular song by Brandon Heath echoed in my heart. For the first time, I really "got" those lyrics and felt them in a genuine and authentic way. They became my prayer. Let me share a video of this song with you (you can scroll to the bottom of this page and pause the music player so that it doesn't interfere with the video sound):

God used a moment in my ordinary life to completely rattle me and pierce my heart with His love for people. Isn't that just like Him? We as Christians should be so thankful for God's mercy , grace, and patience with us. We are such a fallen people and yet He, the creator of the entire universe, has chosen to use us to glorify Himself and reach people for Christ. It's humbling and beautiful and my heart rejoices!

Things I am thankful for:

1. Fall - it's finally under 75 degrees! Love it! It has been a never-ending summer but there is some relief in sight!

2. Rain - We have had some rain in recent days and it was much needed. Maybe now the laves will start changing instead of just dying a horribly crispy death!

3. My husband. He's patient, loving, godly, funny, a great daddy, an amazing husband, and a wonderful pastor. He is my best friend and soul mate and I adore him!

4. Rhapsody music subscription service. I love having whatever music I want (almost) right at my fingertips. It gives way to much joy and worship in my life and lots of silly dancing with the kiddos! Good times!

5. Friends. I am blessed with some wonderful people in my life, some close by and some far away, who encourage me, challenge me, hold me accountable, and love me even though I am messy. What a gift!

30 Day Blog Challenge ~ Day 18

2010-10-28T00:07:00.001-05:00

Something You Regret

I regret not being more serious about my relationship with the Lord when I was younger. If I had focused on growing closer to Christ and set my mind on eternal things versus worldly and earthly things, I would have been saved from a lot of heartache and pain. For those of you who are reading this, no matter how young you are - fall in love with Jesus FIRST. Read your Bible, pray, sing songs of worship to Him, talk to Him, wrap your life around the ONE who should be your first love and serve Him with reckless abandon. You will not regret it!

Thankful Thursday - starting 10/28

2010-10-27T15:45:00.004-05:00

Well, I had decided to start making Thursdays my day to post something or things I am thankful for and while browsing the internet, I found this really neat blog hop called Thankful on a Thursday. I am really excited about the opportunity to pause during each week and reflect on the things for which I am grateful - then share it with my bloggy friends :)

I am the Jr. High Sunday School Director at our church and last month the lessons were on the different types of prayer. My personal opinion is that we neglect prayers of thanksgiving the most. It's easy to ask God for things, to pray for forgiveness when we messed up (which is again asking God for something), and it's easy to fall on our knees on behalf of ourselves or others in times of adversity. However, we are commanded to give thanks. These are a few verses I found - and there are many more!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ~ Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 107:1 ~ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Psalm 7:17 ~ I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

Psalm 28:7 ~ The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

Psalm 100:4 ~ Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

Psalm 105:1 ~ Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.

In Romans 1:21 we are warned about the outcome of a thankless life:
"For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles."

2 Timothy 3:1-2 says, "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them."

It is made clear in the Bible that the lives of thankless people are godless , unfaithful, and unfruitful. In fact, we are told to have nothing to do with those who are living so selfishly. Now, I do not believe that we are to just forget about such people and not witness to them and love them, but as far as keeping them as our closest friends, this would not be good. If we surround ourselves constantly with only people who are ungrateful and ungodly, we will become like them because the world's influence is so great. We need to be witnessing to the world in full force but also surrounding ourselves with people who lift us up in encouragement and hold us accountable. We need to be reminded how fortunate we are and how many opportunities for thanksgiving present themselves throughout the course of the day. We are a people who have been richly blessed and we tend to focus on the most futile and fruitless things don't we? It is my goal to live a life of gratitude and to give thanks to my Creator for the abundant blessings He has showered on me and my family. I hope you will come along with me on this journey! God is GOOD! ALL the Time!

Are You Normal?

2010-10-27T11:29:00.002-05:00

Since we made the decision to homeschool, we have fielded many questions. Of course there is always the most popular one: "What about socialization?" I could go on for a long time about that one, however, another question that I have been asked a few times recently is, "Are you going to be normal or are you going to be like those weird homeschool people? The first response out of my mouth each time was, "Oh, we are normal!" Well, yesterday I was thinking about my response to the question and how quickly I jumped to say that we are a "normal" family. Whatever that means right? When I, a supposedly "normal" homeschool mom, compared my beliefs, morals, values, convictions, standards, etc. with those of some supposedly "weird" homeschoolers....I discovered that we are indeed weird! And that's good! We live in a world where is it so easy to conform. Many Christians look exactly like the world and then we wonder why people are tuned off by the Jesus we try to sell them. It's because many look nothing like the Jesus they claim to have a relationship with. I am learning that being a follower of Christ means you WILL be persecuted. You will face criticism, skepticism, and even hostility at times. In the short amount of time we have been homeschooling, we have come up against some pretty nasty comments. However, the most important thing I try to remember is that I am not held accountable to my critics. I am held accountable to my Lord and to do what he has called me to do. And for me, that is homeschooling my children. If others don't like it, I can't worry about that. Galatians 1:10 is a great reminder for me: "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ." I cannot please God and man at the same time. It's impossible because God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9) Another scripture that gives me encouragement is Deut. 6:5-7 which says "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." How can I do this if my children are spending the majority of their day with someone else? Simple. I can't. Luke 6:40 states "A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher." I had to ask myself: Which teacher do I want them to be like? There are many many other reasons that led us to homeschool but those are some of the major ones. Maybe I will find time to devote a whole post to our reasons for homeschooling. We are happy being weird and I believe God is pleased with our decision. And folks, His opinion is the only one that matters :)