My Highest Calling

A 7 Year old In The House!

2012-01-17T07:25:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, my little man turned seven! We celebrated with a day off from school, a trip to Party City to ride bumper cars and....angry bird cupcakes! He had a great day! He is the goofiest, quirkiest, craziest little kid and I'm so proud he is mine!

I stole an idea off Pinterest--to interview him every year on his birthday, and then look back on the answers the following year to see how his opinions and interests have evolved. So here is his 7 year-old interview:

My favorite food:pizza

My favorite sport toplay is: basketball and football

The best show:Adventures in Odyssey

The coolest person onearth is: Emory

My favorite thing tolearn about in school is: Phonics

The thing that I domost awesomely: Drawing

If I could goanywhere in the world, I would go to: The zoo

My favorite color is:black

When I grow up, I’mgoing to be a: window washer

My current favoritesong is: Father Abraham

The book I am lovingright now: Huckleberry Finn

Three words that describeme are: crazy, jumpy, grumpy

When I was little, Iused to: sneak and steal Mama’s glasses off the nightstand in the

Morning [he did]

My favorite season ofthe year is: Christmas because I get a lot of presents but sometimes I justwant to act like the Grinch

The absolute bestthing about camping is: fishing

The snack that I likebest is: popcorn

One food that Ireally dislike is: broccoli and cheese

My best friend is:Micah

If I had one wish itwould be: to have a thousand elephants I could sit on

My best memory is:when I spilled crackers on the floor and ate them, when I lived in Farmerville[he was about 1 1/2 and I have a picture of it...somewhere.]

How fun is that??

About Little Things

2012-01-09T15:23:00.000-08:00

Big brother, he has the sparliest eyes ever sparkled :)

I'm just a simple girl, really. I don't need a Coach handbag or a pedicure a week or even a Mom's night out once a month (though that last one sounds tempting) to put a smile on my face and contentment in my heart. Neither am I one of those gals who is bursting at the seams to go shopping or on a trip every weekend.....makes me tired just thinking about it.

A new nephew, arriving just in time to usher out the old year:). Who needs fireworks?

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate appreciation (can I say that?) and if anyone wants to buy me a Coach for my birthday(it's on the 17th) just knock yo lil' self out!! But, if we're not careful, we get this idea that unless the people we are important to in life make a big show, then we haven't been appropriately recognized. I've been there...wondering when am I ever going to be taken on that cruise or wake up and find someone has hired me a maid for the day. Wow that last one sounds nice. But you know what? That kind of thinking is breeding ground for discontentment. And a discontented woman is like the proverbial drip, drip, drip, to the nerves of her family.

Nieces & Daughters, playing dress-up in their great-grandmother (Nanny's) hats, purses, and gloves.

As I look back on 2011, it's not extravagant family vacations or expensive date nights that highlight my memories, but the little, rich moments of meaning that just about took my breath away. I think they are special because they were unexpected, little pops of color in the midst of ordinary days. The mason jars of "weeds" that continually decorates my kitchen sink windowsill, the "Here, sit down, you look like you need a back rub" from my husband, the email from a friend who read this little blog and found encouragement here (who woulda thunk). An overheard conversation, between big brother and littlest sister, offering comfort and love to each other in the middle of a sick, dark night. The, "You're the best cooker EVER, Mom." Oh, my. What blessings surround me!

Last year was not the year I dropped 60 pounds or earned an award for my blog or won a million dollars.But it was full of a hundred, a thousand little things that fill up more space in my heart than any one of those bigger things ever could. So, thank you, 2011 for your gifts. I sure do appreciate them :).

Teacher's Gifts {Reindeer Feed}

2011-12-11T06:44:00.001-08:00

Good morning and Happy Sunday to you! "This is the day that the Lord hath made, and I will rejoice and be GLAD in it!" Due to the unavailability of a church building (our new church building is yet to be completed), the church we attend has only evening services on Sunday evening. It has been different, but we have adjusted. Thus, I have a little time to blog this morning!

Is your season merry and busy yet? The business will pick up for us this week. We have one Christmas party tonight, after church, and two parties tomorrow. Grace's GEMS (God Expects My Service) club, and Elijah's Cub Scout parties are both tomorrow...ugh...does anyone have any extra energy to spare? I am still working on getting all the party food, teacher's gifts, and friend gifts completed. Grace's GEMS club requires for her to make a homemade gift for her Big Sister, and I wanted to be able to do something for the kids' teachers. So...where to go for inspiration, but Pinterest?

Yes, I am actually using some of those hundreds of ideas I have pinned to my boards on this amazing but addictive site. Well, maybe not hundreds, yet, but getting close to it.

Years ago, someone brought some Reindeer Feed to the clinic I worked at, and I ate so much as to about get sick! It was delicious! I have looked for the recipe, in vain, since then, and finally find it this year. {I pinned it to Pinterest, if you are interested}. So I made up a batch of it yesterday, and packaged it an original, festive way....inspired by....yep, you guessed it....a pin from Pinterest. Gracie and I stayed up last night working on it together. What a lovely time of mother/daughter fellowship it was!

Here is how they turned out:

The one on the right is for Elijah's Cub Scout master, and Elijah would not hear of putting a bow, even if it is made of twine, on a man's package!

Did you think I was going to leave you hanging without the recipe? Here you go, enough for one batch:

Reindeer Feed

2 1/4 c. Cheerios
3 1/4 c. Rice Chex
1 1/2 c. pretzels
3/4 c. M&M’s
3/4 c. peanuts

Stir gently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
In the microwave melt one bag of white chocolate chips according to package directions. Let cool slightly and then mix into bowl a couple of spoonfuls at a time. As soon as everything is well mixed, dump mix onto your cookie sheet and spread out evenly.

Watch for little (and big) hands snitching your stash, it's sooo good to much on! :)
As for the packing, well, that will have to be a different post. Little ones are up and needing Mommy's attention. Have a great day!

Christmas Art (Card) Interpretation

2011-12-01T12:13:00.001-08:00

My budding little artist, Elijah, has been creating some pretty spiffy Christmas scene art here lately, and I told him if he drew a really good one we might use it for our Christmas card this year. I found this laying around this morning, and I chuckle every time I look at it. The thing is...I'm a little puzzled...Santa Clause is riding a camel...and the Christmas lights and stockings are hanging from a cross....a mailbox??....and apparently there is a reward for Santa Clause?

So I thought it might be interesting to get your take, your interpretation, that is, on this odd, but undeniably creative, depiction of Christmas. Any guesses?

Thankful for Thanksgiving

2011-11-29T12:43:00.001-08:00

Hello Blogland! Here we are on the post side of Thanksgiving--wondering what to do with all that leftover turkey ( ~~chicken~~ turkey salad, anyone?), and why are the buttons of my clothes suddenly pulling a little bit more than before? Maybe it was that extra piece of pecan pie, or the sampling of every single dessert at the church Thanksgiving dinner? {wouldn't want anyone's feelings to get hurt because they didn't see a slice or dip of their sweet concoction on your plate, now, would we?}

Thanksgiving was a whirl, but a whirl of warmth, love, and family. We started early on Thursday morning and squeezed in visits with both sides of John's family. John's aunt and uncle on his Mom's side have the most beautiful place in the country! They purchased an old, dilapidated "dog-trot" style house several years ago and restored it to a livable condition. It is rustic, historic, and absolutely breath-taking! There is plenty of room on the rolling hillside for kids to romp and roll and rice tricycles down at break-neck speeds (I'll give you one guess at who tried that stunt). The house boasts an end-to-end front porch complete with swing and rockers. I could sit on that porch all. day. long. and gaze at the view of the pasture across the street (breath-taking), and John and I did just that for most of the day.

John has been sent to south Louisiana to assist with an audit that will last well into and maybe past January. He is gone four days a week and need I say I do not like it? I just do not SLEEP well with my other half gone, laying awake listening to every sound, and when I do drift off I start awake with every groan and creak and falling of ice in the refrigerator. But last week, they sent him home on Tuesday night and we got to have him home for five whole days. That, my friends, was the best part of my Thanksgiving.

There were so many sit-back-and-watch-in-contentment, sweet moments, that probably would just sound sappy to anyone else, but I tucked them into my heart, to keep me warm on the cold, lonely nights of the week ahead. Moments of a Daddy bonding with his little girls, and a little boy tromping around the house in his "huntin' boots", shadowing his Daddy's every move with hero-worship in his eyes.

Care for some visual aid?

This is Beamie (John's Mom), with Emma and Bear on said rustic swing.

My very own sweet man, carving up the turkey!

Tomato pies, a recipe I stole from my Mom and is always a crowd-pleaser!

Cousins playing in the countryside.

I snuck in a side shot of the Great-grandparents and all the great-grandchildren (minus two) while having a photo session. I'm sure the official photographer got a better shot.

Thank goodness for Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T05:21:00.001-08:00

Happy Almost-Thanksgiving! I love Thanksgiving. I would love it if the world skipped Halloween and put all of its energy into Thanksgiving. Because it is hastily squeezed in between Halloween and Christmas, I try to milk all I can out of it. This week I've been pondering, and encouraging my children to ponder about all that we have been given, and the One who has given it all to us. We've voiced our thankfulness for both the tangible and intangible--Legos,Cowboy boots, Polly Pockets, purses and shoes (per Emma), pillows and beds, washers and driers, family and friends--and even potato chips and Blue Bell (by a certain daughter of mine who loves to eat). But as I sit down and deeply consider, I'm most thankful to be a child of God. Looking around at the turmoil of this world, of this city I live in, and even in the lives of the family next door, I'm so thankful for the still, sweet peace found in living under the shelter of His wings. He's my storm shelter in the tornado of life. If not for Him, where would I be today? What kind of life would I have lived for the last 30 years? What kind of parents would have raised me, if He had not saved mine before my birth. What kind of man would I have married if He had not saved my husband before our marriage?

So even though I don't want to take for granted all the blessings in my life (my van is running good, the heater works, my husband has a good job), I know it's all because of Him. For Him, I'm the most grateful. To Him, I give the praise.

I don't know about you, but I'm gonna put away some turkey-lurkey and all the trimmings tomorrow!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

What's up?

2011-10-25T05:08:00.000-07:00

Pretty lame title, I know. But at 6:37 a.m. you take what you can get :). It seems like all I do lately is update, but there has not been any bee in my bonnet or particular inspiration to share with you lately. In fact, if there were, I probably wouldn't have time to share it anyway. Thus another update. Bear with me (is it "bear" or "bare"?)

Our typical homeschool day has leveled out some, and things are going a lot smoother. Thank you for letting me whine the other day, and not offering me any cheese to go with it. I will say that I'm not sure that the Abeka Academy DVD method of homeschooling will be repeated in our home next year. While I am confident that Elijah is learning everything he needs to know, I'm not thoroughly convinced that he could not learn just as well with something that is not as time-consuming or doesn't tie us down to the computer 4 - 5 hours a day. Is it even healthy for any kid to be in front of a screen for that amount of time each day?

The curriculum I chose for Gracie, Rod & Staff, has been a bit of a disappointment as well. Don't get me wrong, she loves it, but I feel it is a bit slow and she is not being challenged to reach her full potential. It's all trial and error, I guess. Maybe the good Lord knew I would be occupied by Elijah's school so He lead me to something a little bit more relaxed for Gracie. That's what I like to think.

I must confess, I thought I had this homeschool thing by the tail, but I'm realizing how much I've got to learn. I'm slowly recognizing my childrens' learning styles, strengths, and weaknesses and hope that I can find a curriculum that is a good fit for all of us next year.

On another note, our lives seem to be busier than ever. Elijah is a cub scout now and Grace joined a little girls club called GEMS (God Expects My Service). Both of these organizations are offered through our homeschool group and consist of other homeschoolers and their families. We are meeting so many new, awesome people in this city through this homeschool group. Last weekend, we took a trip to Sci-port (a children's science museum) with one of these families. Thanks to my MIL for buying season passes, we can go anytime for free!

I'm hoping things slow down for us, but I have a feeling they are just going to get busier. I'm so thankful that even though we are busy we are happy, whole, and together.

The Homeschool Hop

2011-09-27T21:24:00.000-07:00

Hello, Dear Readers! For those of you who are still hanging around here, even through a serious decline in postage activity, Thank You. I wouldn't blame you if you just gave up and moved on to better (or at least more frequent) reads. But I'm so glad that you are still reading...you are, aren't you? Hellooo?? Anybody out there?

You guys get ready for some whining, 'cause I feel like dishing it out tonight. I know, I know. Proverbs 31 women do NOT whine. They suck it up and grit their teeth and *SMILE* and use all these little frustrations as opportunities to build character. Well, I am human after all. I'll build character tomorrow. Right now I feel like whining.

When I wrote that blog a year ago, about Going Beyond Myself in the area of homeschooling, I, uh... I really didn't have any idea just how much it was going to stretch me. I mean, this homeschooling thing is a RIDE. I'm not saying that I regret it or that my husband and I made a wrong decision concerning home education. I'm just saying that as much as I thought I was prepared, I had NO IDEA. You Moms who homeschool 5 and 6 kids and keep your house clean and have supper on the table when The Man comes home every evening and never let your laundry pile up and keep your baseboard dusted and exercise an hour every morning and write an award wining blog and conduct the church Christmas Play and my goodness, PASTOR a church and never break a sweat through it all....HOW? Please tell me.

Our school days are beginning to find their flow, but for the first 2 - 3 weeks, I fell into bed exhausted every night, my husband was lucky to get a baked potato for supper (don't worry, I threw in some toppings and called it "loaded") and the laundry spilled out of the laundry room door...the part that even made it in there in the first place. I may or may not have bathed before I fell into bed.

Talk about redeeming the time, I just thought I stayed busy before but NOW I don't even sit down at the computer until 3 or so every day. I hop on and check my email and hop off. I am a hoppin' MACHINE. Chunky girls like me get wore out from hoppin'. Quick. And that's just the physical exhaustion part. I am mentally zapped by 2:00 every day. I used to get all kinds of stuff done while the kids had afternoon quiet time, but now we all collectively pass out for about an hour.

Please, someone, tell me it gets easier....although I can see that it is getting somewhat easier each week, I need to hear that this is all normal and I am not headed for impending failure as a homeschooler. Any words of encouragement?

Going Beyond Yourself, Part 2

2011-09-15T16:19:00.000-07:00

Hi! After a (mild) scolding from my Mom for not blogging often enough, I thought I'd give it a whirl. I mean, when Mom gives an order....:).

About a year ago (6 days short, to be exact), I composed a post titled Going Beyond Yourself (click title to read). In it I challenged my readers and myself to go beyond what they believe themselves capable of, in just every day life in general and also spiritually. This week, I found myself reflecting on the same concept, not realizing that it was this time last year that I published that post. Maybe there's something in the air this time of year that makes one reflect and challenge oneself?

It would be a shame to write such a thought and not act on it, would it not? This may not seem much to anyone else, but one way that I have "went beyond", for lack of a better term, is.....I am learning to play the piano. Yes! At 30 years old, I am taking piano lessons. It is something I have wanted to do for YEARS but have always reasoned within myself that it was neither possible nor practical for a stay-at-home, homeschooling Mom of 3 to find the time, money, or opportunity to take lessons, let alone practice 30 minutes a day.

I heard about the Matthew Stephens Piano By Ear DVD course via Facebook, and after doing some research and persuasion, the hubs purchased the Beginners lesson set for me last spring. Now I am not here to sell this piano course, but it has been just perfect for me. I can take the lessons as I have opportunity and also practice when I can without the pressure of knowing I have to attend a weekly lesson. So far, I am learning more about the piano than I ever knew, and enjoying it so much. It is great to have something intellectually stimulating to look forward to each day. Yes, unlike my 10 year old self who tried to throw piano books out the car window, and would not practice even with a switch staring me in the face, I LIKE to practice the piano! And if I ever get good enough to actually play in a way that is useful, it will be a great asset to my husband's ministry.

There are many other things I hope to accomplish, but one thing is for sure, if I never try, I'll never know what I can do. For myself personally or for the kingdom of God.

Is there any way in particular that you have stepped out of your comfort zone lately? If there is something that you have been putting off, I encourage you to take the plunge and see what God can do for you! Stop doubting yourself and you will see you can Go Beyond Yourself in ways you never knew.

Wrapping Up August

2011-08-31T12:42:00.000-07:00

The dearest of hubbies got some pics uploaded for me--yeah!! So here is to wrapping up the last of our summer...

At the New Orleans Aquarium

Feeding Birds!!

Petting Sting-Rays (yikes!)

Some corny pirate humor ;)

And some oldies of Emma when hers was wittle...

Oh, and a glimpse into our bounty of tomatoes before the Great Drought of 2011...

3 gallons of honey gleaned from our very own hive....

Turnip greens being cleaned, cooked and frozen, to be enjoyed all year long....

I do so love to take pictures. Maybe one day I'll have a better camera....like Christmas....(hint) :)

Emma's Interview

2011-08-28T21:31:00.000-07:00

A little late, but too cute not to share! Emma's birthday interview :).

Summer 's End & Emma's Birthday

2011-08-18T19:17:00.000-07:00

Summer is nearing its end (though you couldn't tell it by the weather around here). All in all, it's been a good summer. We've made some great memories, but mostly stayed in the air-conditioned indoors as much as possible. The heat seems to have taken control around here, making it literally dangerous to get out and "fan around" in it, as the old-timers say. We've been doing good to have a day when the temp is under 108 big ones. And rain? My front yard looks like someone has spread dry hay all around, and makes a dry crunchy sound when you walk across it. The leaves are already falling off of the trees, giving the appearance of fall without the welcoming cooler temps. Odd, I tell ya. I'd get out and perform a rain dance in the yard if I thought it would help. Well, at least it would provide the neighbors with some free entertainment :).

I have so many memories captured on digital film to share with you, BUT once again the PC isn't cooperating with uploads. We took a little vacay to Baton Rouge and New Orleans a few weeks ago, and I've wanted so badly to share those pics. Plus, our garden gave us a beautiful bounty (mostly tomatoes) despite the drought and our honeybees provided us with 3 gallons of delicious, nutritious honey. But alas you will have to use your imagination.

On the 14th of August my little one turned 3. I no longer have a baby! :(. My house is baby-LESS. But this little 3 year old is busy as a bee and keeps me hopping every minute that she is not asleep. I often joke that she is the child God gave me to bring me closer to Him, because she requires a lot of prayer! ;) If she is not right with me all the time, chances are she is up to no good or doing something that could cause herself serious bodily harm. Think tornado child. A few weeks ago when we were on vacation, we were leaving the hotel pool and I took her swimmies off, told her to sit down, and don't go near the pool. I turned around to take care of another kid and the next time I look up Emma is in the pool, bobbing right under the surface of the water. THAT fast I tell ya, she could have been a goner. So glad the Lord let us keep her to celebrate another birthday. And if you think fat girls can't move fast, you should've seen me jumping in that pool ;).

(I hope you weren't expecting a short post because I haven't blogged in about a month so this is going to be a doozy!)

Annnyway, back to Miss Emma turning 3. My mind keeps going back to 3 years and about 8 months ago, when we were living in Fort Worth and my 2 kids and I (then 2 and 3) took a trip to a nearby Hobby Lobby. Here I am, happily perusing the aisles while keeping my two toddlers from climbing out of the buggy, when I start to feel a little funny. There seems to be a pressure building up in my stomach, slowly but surely. I am starting to sweat and feel light-headed to the point that I call John on the cell phone and say, "I don't feel so good. Something is wrong with me." In a few seconds I am sitting down in the floor, in the middle of the aisle and my husband is racing to the store as fast as he can get there. Meanwhile, my two monkeys are having a wonderful time using the buggy as a jungle gym while I look on helplessly. Finally, a kind lady stops and asks me if I am OK. I tell her my husband is on the way and ask her will she please make sure my children do not bust their heads by falling out of the buggy and she is kind enough to do so. After a few minutes, I know I need to find a bathroom FAST. I ask the lady if she knows where it is and she points randomly toward the back of the store. I take off, as fast as I can in a furious search for the door with a little lady in a skirt on it. The first door I find is just blank, but I don't think I noticed. I was just thinking door. bathroom. gotta make it. So I burst into this room (which turned out to be NOT a bathroom, but a break room) and frantically search for a toilet. Since there is no one insight, I open a random door and lose the contents of my stomach in a broom closet. Then a trash can. And the floor in between the closet and the trash can. By the time it's finally over I realize where I am and high-tail it out of there before someone comes in. I look down and my clothes and shoes are no longer clean. I am the walking up-chuck girl. Gross, I know, but I had no one to sympathize with me at that moment so I'm hoping you'll make up for it now.

I walk out and find my husband has arrived and he is chatting with the woman who helped me and as I walk up she walks away with a cheerful, "Congratulations!" to my husband. He is looking puzzled and then horrified at the sight of me. Later, as I relayed the story to some friends they were all, "Are you pregnant?" And I was all, "No way, it was just those scrambled eggs I ate for breakfast." Duuuuuh. But the point of the story is, THAT was Emma. That's how she made her prequel into this world and that's how she's been ever since.

But you know what, I wouldn't have her any other way, the little stinker. She is the joy of our home and I am so blessed to be her Mommy. Since I have not recent pics to share, I will leave you with a few celebrating this precious, beautiful little 3-year-old life.

Summer Boredom Busters

2011-07-21T07:53:00.000-07:00

Let me tell ya somethin'.

It's HOT. Sweltering, dry, and HOT in Louisiana.

Thus, my kiddos spend about 8 minutes outside and run back in the house drenched in sweat and covered in "itchy" mosquito bites. Unless there's water involved, the outdoor play-time has been slim to nerne (none, in case you're wondering).

What ever am I to do with these bored, energy-bursting chilluns? (might I add that another energy-filled little boy has been dwelling at our house daily, bringing the total to 4 littles).

Welll, I was happy to discover this little ebook at the Happy Housewife. It's free, to boot! It give me some good ideas and refreshed my mind with some oldy activities that had slipped my mind.

Click and obtain!

Here's some snippets of how we've been spending our time, and enjoying these short lazy months of summer:

**Button art! An idea out of the above e-book. You need: poster board, glue, a package of multi-colored buttons, and some q-tips (for dabbing glue). Genius! I love to see their creativity displayed!

***Dune-buggy rides! p.s.--we did NOT allow Elijah to drive. He's just posing for the pic. In his pajamas. Well, it is summer after all ;).

***Summer library fun hour! I must say our library has had some awesome things for the kids this summer. Yesterday it was an Indian "pow-wow" with real, live Indians performing their traditional dances and telling the stories behind them. Neat!

On a more serious note, my bloggy friend Ashlee recently got the news that her 3 year-old little girl, Kari, has leukemia. Please join me in praying for this beautiful little girl. Visit her blog (A Day In The Life of Kari and Malachi) and receive updates about Kari's progress. You will be blessed by Ashlee's faith and strength as she is trusting in the Lord through this hard time. Things like this remind me how blessed I am to have 3 healthy children and how fast things can change. Count your blessings!

The Power of Praying Scripture

2011-06-29T05:12:00.001-07:00

The Word. Although it seems we are most often encouraged to use it in the defensive sense, it is also a powerful, dangerous offensive (as in attack or assault) weapon to use against the enemy. Jesus showed us the defensive technique in Luke chapter 4 when he had his own tempting duel with Ole Slewfoot.

I've always used Scripture in prayer, but recently I've rolled up my sleeves and sharpened the edges of the blade, and it's been very encouraging to see the results. I'm going to be very open and transparent with you here (and maybe too personal in some people's opinion) but I felt a strong leading of the Lord for me to me share this in blog form.

As a mother and housewife, I often find myself stuck in the rut of repetition. I perform the same tasks over and over and sometimes it seems that I don't accomplish much more than the basic gotta-be-done chores. The beds get made, the floor gets swept, the laundry gets done. But those needful deep-cleaning tasks remain neglected and untouched.

To apply this spiritually, each day I make sure that my daily Bible reading and prayer time is marked off the list, but there are areas of struggle where I still have not had the breakthrough that I need. And I remain frustrated when the issue springs up and reminds me it's still there, hindering me and pulling me down. Just like the black-scuffed baseboards that scream, "paint me" (that's never been painted) and the dust on the wall-vent or the clutter in the closet. The longer I avoid it, the worse it gets and eventually I am so overwhelmed that I lose the courage to deal with it. I need something extra, a little "umph" to motivate me to punch through the barrier walls of my weaknesses.

I recently read a book called "The Excellent Wife" by Martha Peace, and one thing I liked about the book was how the author listed a chart with issues of marriage and corresponding Scripture that deals with each issue. So I took this an applied it to my own struggles, in an act of desperation:

1) The tongue. What more can I say? I talk waaay too much!

* Psalm 131:3, 4-- (3)Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. (4) Incline not my heart to any evil thing.....

* Prov 21:23 "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles."

* Psalm 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in the sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer."

Proverbs 10:19 "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips [is] wise."*

2) Raising my voice at my children in frustration and anger. I pray every morning that God will give me a gentle spirit in dealing with and training my children, but sometimes, no matter how hard I try to supress it, the yeller in me comes out :). This leaves me feeling deeply ashamed and disappointed in myself. Then I realize that I cannot do this on my own; I must lean on the Lord and His Word.

* James 1:19-20 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20) For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

*Prov. 15:1 "A soft answer turneth away wrath but grievous words stir up anger."

*Eccl. 7:9 "Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools."

:::There are many more good verses on this subject, but I am including those that have been the most helpful to my situation.

3) Hasty reactions and decisions. I tend towards spur-of-the moment decisions and reactions that get me in trouble and feeling regret.

Proverbs 21:5 "The thoughts of the diligent [tend] only to plenteousness; but of every one [that is] hasty only to want."

Ecclesiasticus 4:29 "Be not hasty in thy tongue, and in thy deeds slack and remiss."

Proverbs 29:20 "Seest thou a man [that is] hasty in his words? [there is] more hope of a fool than of him."

We all have our different areas of struggle, deeds that we are striving to mortify. You may not struggle with any of these issues in particular. It may be jealousy, doubt, worry, laziness, ungratefulness, discontentment, criticism, or un-submissiveness. Whatever the issue, if you truly want help and want to change, you can't do it on your own, but you can do it with God's help. You can't give up after a failure or a slip. Proverbs says, "For a just [man] FALLeth seven times, and riseth up again:..."

Search and study the word for your particular area of struggle and ask God to lead you to verses that will give the most help. Start a notebook and write them out so you have easy access. Meditate upon them every morning and memorize them. When you find yourself in the middle of your weakness, pull out your sword and go to battle!

There is hope and we can be overcomers if we use the tools God has given us!

p.s. I have nooo idea why the above text boxes are there are how they got there. Couldn't get them to go away! Crazy--I couldn't do that on purpose if I tried! :)

Now That I'm 5....

2011-06-26T08:36:00.000-07:00

............I can "squish" the meatloaf for you, Mom!

....I'm too old to drink out of sippy cups now...

...I'm not supposed to ride in a carseat anymore....

...no more little-girl hairbows for me--just clippies! (this one is definitely NOT going to fly!)

And, terror of terrors:

...am I old enough to wear heels yet, Mom?

Just about when my Mama-heart was about to quake within me, she woke up one morning and said sleepily, "I wish you could still pick me up like when I was little, Mommy." Whew...there's still some little girl left in there, after all :).

Lazy Days {As If There Were Any Such Thing}

2011-06-22T14:33:00.000-07:00

The debilitating heat has me dragging my feet around here.....in more ways than the obvious lag in blog post production. But never fear, there's always something to do, always a closet to re-organize, Daddy-work shirts to iron, and a Lego/Polly Pocket pile to be picked up (before I step on one of those wicked little pieces--ouch!). Yes, things are always a-hoppin' in this household.

Summer sunshine and recently, a bit of precious rainfall has produced an abundant garden in our backyard this year. We have bucketfuls of tomatoes to be blanched and canned into spaghetti, pizza sauce, and salsa. Neighbors and friends have gifted us with peaches and zucchini, giving me plenty of goodies to freeze-can and loaves of bread to bake. Never had zucchini bread? Mmm....

On top of that, my 3 children are growing and changing faster than I can keep up, making their Mama very proud:

* Elijah, at 6, is is a very industrious and imaginative little boy. He truly amazes me with the things he comes up with. If he is not creating or working on something, he is absolutely miserable. He can draw or build with Legos for literal hours. When he says, "Mama, come see!" I never know what is awaiting. ;) He is reading far above his level and while we were visiting my parents last week, he found one of my Dad's Civil War history books and read several pages of it aloud to us. Then he sat down and drew pages of battlefields, complete with soldiers, canons, and horses. He loves his little sisters, but often laments that he doesn't have a brother to play with :(. He is at the stage where everything girl-related is gross (it's the funniest thing). A good punishment for a misdeed against his sisters is to make him give a kiss and a hug--pure torture! He wears me out with his non-stop energy, but his infectious grin melts my heart every day :).

*Gracie celebrated her 5th birthday on the 14th of this month!! She is still my Sunshine Girl, and resident Drama Queen. One the morning of her birthday last week, she got stung by a bee at my parents' house. She was so heartbroken that her birthday was all ruined and it took me an hour and a couple teaspoons of Children's Tylenol to get her to stop crying. She spends hours playing with Polly Pockets and her dollhouse. She is a nurturing child with a giving heart, always willing and ready to give anything she has to anyone. She gives toys away to other kids at church, and even gave away some money her Papa gave her during youth camp a couple of weeks ago. She feels and loves very deeply.

*Emma, I often joke, is the child God gave me to draw me closer to Him. She is a handful! She is all priss and sass and busy, busy, busy. She doesn't go anywhere without a baby doll under her arm and a purse on the other. My arms literally ache after wrestling with her during a church service. She is like an electric toy that runs at full blast when plugged in, but when the plug is pulled she is DONE. When she is tired she lays herself down and goes to sleep in just a couple of minutes, going from all to nothing pretty fast. I can't believe she will be 3 in just a couple of months. Where has my baby gone?

Our Daddy has successfully passed the first two sections of the CPA exam. He has worked very hard for a long time and I am so proud of his perseverance and dedication to reaching his goals. Here is a pic from almost 3 years ago, when he first started taking classes to earn his Accounting degree (he had a little help studying).

It really is amazing for someone with a family, a job, and added responsibilities of a lay minister to have tackled such a task and accomplished it so successfully.

As for me, I am most content and happy in my role as mother, wife, and homemaker. I am right where I am supposed to be, and so thankful that God has given me a Christian husband and a beautiful family to love and serve. I can't think of anything more fulfilling. There's really no place or time for laziness in my days :). Sometimes it's good to make it happen though.

It's a Skirt Give-away!

2011-05-26T06:41:00.001-07:00

If you're a wearer-only of skirts, or like to occasionally wear a skirt, or just like getting free stuff, head on over and visit Kristy @ The Little Natural Cottage. She's giving stuff away, y'all!

Particularly skirts from newCreation Women's Apparel. And if you're preggo, you're gonna get really excited when you see what they have to offer.

So what are you waiting for? Check it out!

Off To A Good Start

2011-05-24T11:26:00.000-07:00

I have nothing deep or moving or inspirational to share today, just a plethora of thoughts and ideas and ponderings. First of all summer is here! We're taking a break from homeschooling, although I plan to keep little minds in the learning mode, especially when the days get so hot out that no one can stand to play outside.

Elijah has finished his kindergarten year and is reading like a champ! We were not able to have a grad ceremony, disappointingly, but are planning a grad party soon! Gracie is reading great for a 4 year old, as well!

We'll be leaving for youth camp in Alabama in just a week and a half! Eeek! I can't believe it's this close!! Youth/kids camp is a highlight of our summer, and I'm so thankful that we are able to be a part of it. It's a great time of fun, fellowship, and renewal for both me and the children. I get to see my kids playing with the children of my childhood friends and visit and worship with dearest friends seen, too rarely, as well as meet new ones.

But, alas, the summer fun has already started around here. Someone recently asked me, "What do your kids do to amuse themselves? Since you don't have TV or a DVD player." I had to chuckle...

Oh, they find something to do, poor dears....have tea parties with their babies...

Play in rainpuddles....

And Elijah has been having fun hanging out with his Dad on the weekend, swimming in Poppy's pool and playing with his new pet turtle Scab...

But they are not the only ones having fun, for tomorrow, May 25, John & I will celebrate 9 years of marriage! We actually have babysitters (a rare occasion indeed) and plan to celebrate with dinner and a round of black-light miniature golf (should be interesting). I am sooo looking forward to a date with my man :).

Although summer is a welcome reprieve, it still brings matters of decision to the forefront. What curriculum will I use for next school year? Will we have the house ready to sell by the end of the summer, or better yet, sold by the end of the year? Will John pass the CPA exam the first go-round? Will our sanity remain intact through it all? Of course it will--cause His grace is sufficient, and His mercies are new every morning. Can't wait to see how things turn out this summer!

Long Time No Post {An Update}

2011-05-16T19:58:00.000-07:00

Boy, have I got a lot of catching up to do! Let's see....

May around our place has been a blur of activity. We enjoyed Mother's Day, although I was not able to spend it with my Mom.

Monday night we started revival at our church and it was a wonderful time of seeing God save souls and heal bodies. I'm so thankful to attend a church where God moves in a real and powerful way! The highlight of the revival for me was Bro. Douglas Meadows' Friday night message--"I Am Not An Egyptian". Even though it was directed at encouraging our young people, it encouraged me that John & are doing the right thing by raising our children in the way of Holiness. We've been criticized lately for doing so, and God used that message to encourage us to keep on keepin' on, and one day our kids will stand up to the world and say, "I Am Not An Egyptian".

Here's a little snapshot of the girls all dressed up and ready for church Thursday night.

The first week of May, the Hubster & decided to go on a juice fast, which consists of giving up solid foods and replacing them with juiced fruits and veggies. It was tough at first, but it got easier throughout the week and we both felt so much better after the juice cleansing. I lost 8 lbs (in 3 days), and plan to do it again next week. It was so much fun trying on clothes from the "too little" side of my closet and finding they fit! It's also nice when people comment and let you know the loss of weight is showing.

Breakfast, Lunch, & Supper: Fresh OJ, Carrots & Apples, Carrots & Cucumbers. Yum :)

I have been wanting to do a post on our evolving backyard "urban farm", but due to some complaints from neighbors, we had to give our chickens away and move our honey bees. We were able to keep our rabbits, however, and we are enjoying them so much! Meet Beast. Isn't he gorgeous? His mate, Beauty, appropriately named by Gracie, is a beauty as well. The children are in love!

Our garden is growing beautifully, and if the cool weather passes, our tomatoes will be ready in a couple of weeks. We picked our first mess of greens this week, and they are on the To Do List to be cooked down and frozen-canned tomorrow. I'm ready for some fresh potatoes and squash to fill the table and our tummies.

Some friends of ours own a thrift store nearby, and we stop in frequently to see what deals can be stolen :). Elijah had been eying a particular train set for some time but didn't quite have the $20 they were asking. So, the last time we stopped in, he asked the owner if he would take $5 for the set. She was happy to give him the deal and Elijah has played with it for hours on end. Way to jew 'em down, Elijah!

It's hard to believe May is almost gone, but it is so. We are looking forward to a fun-filled summer of youth camps, campmeetings, and visits "home" to Alabama. DH is halfway finished with the CPA exam, and would be one test away, but his last test has to be retaken due to the electricity going out when he was only 2 questions away from completion. I'm so proud of how hard he has worked to accomplish this goal and we are going to have a big par-tay to celebrate when it is all over!

Hope you enjoyed the little update, now to go catch up on some of my favorite blogs.

Tally-ho!

Our Easter Weekend In Pictures

2011-04-25T19:57:00.000-07:00

My Easter wreath--finally finished!

Our weekend began on Good Friday, when we enjoyed a rare visit from John's brother-in-law and niece and nephew (John's sister passed away 4 years ago at the age of 32). It was the first time the girls have played together since they were babies....

The girls watching Ainsley's pet butterfly (no, I'm not kidding).

Elijah & Kaleb having fun in the Bouncer.

Ainsley

John, my husband, just because he's so good-lookin' ;).

Sisters Forever! My but I have beautiful daughters!

Our neighbor was talking about boogers, trying to get them all to smile. It worked :).

The only decent pic of the three of them. They've grown so much since last year!

Renewing

2011-04-25T07:07:00.001-07:00

Sorry to disappoint, but I don't have Easter pics up yet! They have to be uploaded to the laptop and then emailed to me and then uploaded...you get the picture (no pun intended). But hopefully it will happen soon! For the record, my children were beautiful (they get it from their Daddy).

I'm hoping you had a wonderful Easter. Ours was a little...well dampened by prior events of the week. Well I'm gonna just say it. It was the week from Hades. No, really. It was.

I remember last Easter, how heavily his suffering weighed on my heart, the awe I felt at the realization that He did it all for me. FOR ME. For us. How unworthy we all are. Last year I meditated and praised and really felt Easter. This year I stumbled to church and pushed myself into worship mode and felt really guilty about my state of distraction. But you know what? He blessed me anyway. I barely got my heavy hands lifted in the air, and there He was, ready to bless me and renew me. He washed away all the dust and debris from the week of destruction and reminded me that his mercies are new every morning. On a day that should have been all about HIM, He reached down and helped ME. How could I not serve a God like that?

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow

Because He lives, all fear is gone

Because I know He holds the future

My life is worth the living just because He lives!

Whatever the state of events for your life, rest in the hope that He arose, and made all things new, and He can likewise renew you in the midst of your storm.

Hold On!

2011-04-19T10:49:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about you today, my bloggin' sisters. My friends--you really are, you know. We share our best moments on here, our hopes and our joys and our victories. But for the most part, we try not to let things get too personal. We try to use discretion and refrain from venting about mothers-in-law, neighbors from you-know-where, and church dissensions {did anyone else just have a flash back to Ray Stevens?}. The raw, ugly truth is, we face these things. We deal with the ugly and stickiness of LIFE.

We choose to celebrate the good on here, though, and as I read your blogs and enjoy your pictures, I wonder, what are you facing behind the blog? What giants are looming over your shoulder? Whatever it is, dear sisters, I wanna say, Hold on.

Keep the faith.

Stay true to what you believe in, for what you stand for.

Don't back down, no matter how hard the pressure builds.

And sometimes, swallow your pride and take the low road. I'm not saying it's gonna get you anywhere--maybe only eternity will reveal the reward.

But do it anyway, so you can say you did, or if you can't, let Him do it through you.

You're gonna make it.

Everything is gonna turn out right.

p.s. I could use some sister prayers today. My knuckles are white and tired from the grip.

A Monday Moment {It's Not What You Think}

2011-04-11T11:19:00.000-07:00

It's Monday again and Operation Weekend Cleanup is in full swing. Each child is sent to his/her room to do their morning pick-ups, which is a little more involved since we have the added debris of weekend mayhem.

I hear Elijah walking up behind me and turn to ask, "Is your room clean yet?" and this is what I see:

It takes a moment for it to register and then we all fall into peals of laughter at my son's shenanigans. And the fact that he knew what I was going to say before I said it. Am I really that predictable? Apparently.

With moments like these, I think we can make it through Monday.

p.s. It's 10:46 pm. I composed this post at 9:03 am. It's been a looong day :).

Catching Up

2011-04-09T20:42:00.000-07:00

Yea! I finally got some pictures uploaded to the ole 'puter. The cantankerous thing decided it doesn't read memory cards anymore sooo....we have to use Daddy's wildlife camera to upload them...which has been hanging on some tree deep in the woods of the wild for some months now...I mean gracious, what's it doing out there shooting pics of coons and hogs when I could be using it for my blog?? Silly thing.

Going back a month or so...

I spent a week at my Mom's in Alabama back in April and man did we love it! There's no place like home. My kids cry for the first 30 miles when we leave and I fight valiantly not to join them in their despair...here's some of the reasons why we love it so much:

*Big ole' cuddly Papa Bears who sit on the front porch and rock and read, in Papa Bear Fashion, while we play in the yard...

*Papa's shed/workshop, where a 6 year old boy can tinker and tanker and build marvelous imaginary inventions (and probably misplace a few tools in the process):

*Acres of green grass where two sisters can explore and play and take pretend trips to Wal-Mart in their stylin' Coupe De Ville....

*Cousins to play with and sing in Booster Band with!

*And for Mama, opportunity to steal a trip to the nearest Dirt Cheap to snag some deals:

~organic vegetable broth

~organic apple juice (in a glass jug!)

~organic lemon ginger echinacea drink

~not shown--3 bags of unbleached all purpose flour

All (except for the honey--which was extracted from my Dad's honey bee hives) at 80% off!

What's your favorite place to visit?

Got Wisdom?

2011-04-04T08:55:00.000-07:00

Do you ask the Lord for wisdom? Do you seek for it, thirst for it, hunger for it? And yet, does it seem to elude you?

Ladies (and gents), we need it. We need it to make out our grocery list. We need it in our conversations. We need it when we discipline our children. We need it to love our husbands. We need it to encourage other sisters in the Lord. We need it for home school. We need it when we minister. We need it to witness effectively.

So why does it seem so hard for some of us to obtain it? It is, after all, a gift of the spirit. Think about that. It's a gift. Here--I want you to have this, the Lord says. Be blessed.

I've prayed, for months, maybe even years it seems, for God to give me wisdom. I've dug deep in study of the Proverbs. And, finally, I feel like I'm gaining some ground. And let me tell you what made the difference.

One morning I was reading my Proverb for the day (there are 31 of them, for each day of the month) and a portion that I'd read at least 50 times before just jumped out at me. Isn't it cool when God's word does that?

Proverbs 18:1-2~

1. Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.

OK, so #1--you gotta have a desire. #2--you gotta separate yourself. #3--you gotta seek for it.

2. A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

This is the verse that really stabbed me in the heart. You may not see it, but what it said to me was, Amy, are you just trying to discover your own heart? In other words, what is your *motive* in asking for wisdom? Is it so people cay say, "Wow. That gal's really got a lot of wisdom." Ouch. Sometimes the Lord knows how to cut it down to the chase really quick! The reason He gives gifts is so that we an use them to glorify HIM. Not ourselves.

So that was the beginning of my progress. But He wasn't finished with me yet {He's still not}. I started to apply what I had learned, and to separate myself. Through a series of sermons (don't you love how God uses your pastor to speak to you?), times of prayer, and reading different materials from other wise women, I realized the reason that I was not being filled with wisdom, was because I was too full of other stuff. It was time to separate.

Stuff like:

***Facebook

***Christian fiction (romance novels)

***Myself

I'm not saying you're sitting in the lap of sin if you take part in these things, but they proved to be a huge hindrance in my life. Facebook is a huge, huge, time-waster. It leads to speculation, gossip, and carnality. If used in the right way, it's wonderful. I had deleted my account but recently re-activated it because there is no other way for me to contact some people that I need to be in contact with. I use it strictly for getting in contact with friends and family.

Please note these things are personal convictions and I'm not slamming anyone who takes part.

Christian fiction--. Y'all, I love me some Francine Rivers and Lauraine Snelling and Dee Henderson. But, really, what does it profit us spiritually? The romantic tales push our female-emotion-mush-loving buttons and we fall in love with the hero and then we put the book down and suddenly we're discontent with our own in-the-flesh husband. Not good.

But I love to read!! So I'm reading books on homemaking, spiritual growth, herbal remedies--things that interest me and that I can apply in a practical way to improve the quality of life for me and my family.

I recently read "A Woman After God's Own Heart" by Elizabeth George and let me say if you have not read it you NEED to read it. It's powerful. Elizabeth suggests that you start 5 "Fat Files", or categories of things that interest you in different areas and collect information on those things. Or in my case, find all the books you can on those things and read them.

And finally, SELF. Me, myself, and I. There is no room for selfishness in the life of a Christian, wife, or mother. True JOY: J= Jesus, O=Others, Y= Yourself. And you know what I've found? When you put God, your husband, and your children {in that order} first, you'll never feel like you're last!! My husband does things daily to let me know that I am FIRST in his heart, as do my children. You should see the bouquets of wildflowers that don my kitchen windowsill.

Since getting rid of some of this "stuff", I feel SO free, y'all! I didn't realize that they were in fact weights that were slowing me down. Did you ever play the tread water game as a kid? We would all go to the deep end of the pool and see who could tread the longest. Can you imagine doing that with weights on your hands? You'd give up a lot sooner and sink to the bottom.

I don't wanna sink. I wanna soar. I wanna fight without anything holding me back. If there was every a time to fight, it's now.

Get wisdom. Use it as a weapon. Fight the good fight.

What I'm Loving Friday!

2011-03-24T16:56:00.001-07:00

I've been waiting for an opportunity to share the good news...after hours and hours of study and toil, my husband has passed the first part of the CPA exam! Can I get a Amen? A Hallelujah? A yes, Lord? Glory! I'm sooo proud of him. Now, if we can do as well on the next three sections.

*wish I had a picture of his hunky self wearing a proud smile, but my PC has decided it doesn't read memory cards anymore.

I'm lovin' it!!

On a lighter note...

When it comes to my kids, I'm a clothes freak. And when it comes to Easter, I love the opportunity to deck them all out in matching ensembles. After perusing the in-store options this year, I didn't see anything that I just loved. Then I saw this pillowcase dress on Etsy. I'm thinking I can dress it up with a big flower headband and ruffled socks.

And then there's this coordinating bowtie, also found on Etsy. And it comes with matching suspenders! Bowtie, suspenders, and newsboy hat for Elijah? Hmm...

Check out this headboard made out of ceiling tiles. Swoon. Would love to try this. Discarded ceiling tiles anyone?

And...we've been searching and searching for some affordable puppets to use in our Children's Church. We found these cuties on ebay for $20.00. We're so excited! The kids are gonna love them!

And last, but not least, I'm lovin' my new dining room table. Again, I am disappointed that I cannot post pictures. I got a steal of a deal on a 9 ft. table with 6 chairs at a consignment salethe other day. Our table was in sad disrepair but we hadn't even considered replacing it because we didn't think we could afford it. We found this at an awesome price, and I like it even better than my old one. God knows our needs before we even ask, doesn't he?

Has anything caught your eye lately?

All In A Day....Meal Planning

2011-03-24T06:04:00.000-07:00

Oh, what would I do without my menu plan? Based on my life prior to using a plan, I would be standing in the kitchen at 4:00, scratching my head and wondering what to make for supper. I'd be calling my husband saying, "Watcha feelin' like eatin' tonight?" And he'd either say, "Oh, I don't know" (being no help at all) or "Let's have squash casserole and that chicken dish you made last month" (being no help at all again because I 'm fresh out of cream of mushroom soup and french fried onions). I'd run to the store and spend way too much money, because I wouldn't just pick up a can of cream of mushroom soup, but I'd also pick up a pair of cute sandals on sale for $5 and a pound of peaches because they look so good and a dozen Krispy Kremes because I'm starving and who doesn't want a doughnut this close to suppertime?

With my menu plan stuck to the fridge, I can call him and say, "Watcha feelin' like eatin' tonight? Here are your options." And he can choose from the 5 supper plans I have listed. What man doesn't like options?

For the sake of your sanity and your bank account, and your waistline I cannot stress enough the importance of making a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly menu plan.

See my post here on how I plan and grocery shop.

We have gotten smarter about our grocery shopping since I wrote that post, mainly due to advice given by Angela from The Grocery Shrink. If you are looking for ways to cut your spending, this lady knows her grocery stores. She's got some skills, y'all.

We are currently working on creating a spread sheet that lists the prices of items we most commonly buy, by store, so we can check an item that is advertised to be on sale, and know which store offers the best deal. Just last week, I sat down and numbered a page to 60, and brainstormed for 60 different suppertime meals (I've only come up with about 45 so far), so when it is time to plan my weekly menu, I can see those meals and try to work with what I already have on hand.

Since my chilluns are a little bit bigger, I don't feel so confined to just go to Wal-Mart. We're broadening our horizons and our money-saving potential :).

Here are a couple of my favorite quick, delicious meals:

Sour Cream Chicken (not for the faint of calorie):
4 chicken breasts (amount will vary depending on your family size)
1 can cream of mushroom
1/2 cup sour cream
butter
1 pkg french fried onions

Place chicken breasts in a casserole dish with one tsp of butter dolloped on top of breast. Put in oven and bake at 350 until chicken is done. Mix cream of mushroom and sour cream and spread on top of chicken. Put back in oven until mixture has created a bubbling gravy. Remove, spread french fried onions (about 1/2 pkg) over chicken. Serve over rice or potatoes and with your favorite veggie.

Italian Chicken
Chicken breasts (however many you need for family size)
Container of spaghetti sauce
Mozzarella cheese

Place chicken in crock pot (frozen) and pour spaghetti sauce over liberally. We use our own homemade sauce made from our own homegrown tomatoes. Cook for on low for about 3 hours, or less if chicken is thawed. When chicken is done, sprinkle with mozzarella and serve over rice or whole wheat noodles and with your favorite veggie.

This is a great dish for Sundays. You can put your chicken in before church and pour the sauce on when you get home, allowing to simmer while you prepare your veggies and rice.

Yep, we like chicken.

I would to take this moment to say:

I love blogland.

Thank you, bloggers for sharing you wisdom, insight, ideas, and inspiration. This girl would be fumbling around in the dark in so many areas if not for you wonderful women who are willing to bare your soul and share the nitty-gritty facts of your life with us all. Wow.

p.s. How do you like my colors and fonts and such? I just noticed the "Compose" tab up there in the draft section. What fun! Yeah...duh. :)

Now head on over to the other All in a Day Bloggers to see what they are making so quick!
Carrie @ http://www.ourfullhouse.com Our Full House

Christi @ http://antsonafarm.blogspot.com Where the Creek Meets the Lake

Elizabeth @ http://yes-theyre-all-ours.blogspot.com Yes They're All Ours

Kathy @ http://www.kathymomofmany.blogspot.com Kathy Mom of Many

Kristy @ http://www.homemakerscottage.org Homemaker's Cottage

Lori @ http://1happybusymama.blogspot.com Happy Busy Mama

Monica @ http://www.naturalmamax4.blogspot.com Natural Mama

Renee @ http://bakersdozen.typepad.com Bakers Dozen

Spring Cleaning, anyone?

2011-03-20T20:27:00.001-07:00

It's that time again. Wash, wash. Scrub, scrub. Clean, clean. Chunk, chunk (as in, the junk).

The first day of spring has officially come, and gone (March 20), and time is swiftly passing. With this realization, I found myself in quandary as to how I might accomplish this year's cleaning. Last year, I did not go into any serious, in-depth cleaning and this year, with the added factor of daily homeschooling, it just isn't realistic to expect to tackle the cleaning and finish it in a week.

But it must be done. We hope to put our house up for sale by mid-summer, and with God's help have it sold by fall (hopeful) or the end of the year (more realistic). With this looming deadline for motivation, combined with a deep need to have things clean and orderly, I have purposed to scour each room from floor to ceiling, wash curtains, and air out mattresses.

At first, the thought seemed impossible and left me with a throbbing headache. How in the world? I already get up between 5:30-6:30 each morning, hit the ground running, and fall into bed by 10:00, on a good night. I have deleted my Facebook account and greatly reduced my blogging (in case you haven't noticed) in order to eliminate "idle" time and make better use of my day. Each minute is precious and we cannot afford to waste any of it. And has anyone else noticed that since the time change time has flown even faster? It feels like it's 4:00 and it's 7:00. Eek!

Back to my point--I knew that if I was to get anything beyond the daily feed-the-kids-clean-the-kitchen-sweep-the-floor-now-it's-time-to-do-it-again mantra done, it must be strategically planned. So I made a plan. I scheduled my spring cleaning.

An hour a day. I don't know about you other busy homeschooling, church-working, child-rearing, husband-pleasing Moms, but that is all this one has to spare. An hour a day for 3 bedrooms, a living room, a den, a laundry room, a kitchen, a foyer, and two bathrooms (one which is still waiting to be remodeled {going on 3 years in progress} and is riddled with sheetrock dust and debris), plus cabinets, closets, and pantries (I have two) adds up to TEN WEEKS of spring cleaning. It will be two weeks into May before I get it done, but you know what, it will be done. Unless any of my super-duper, energetic, hyper-active cleaning machine aunts want to come spend a week in Louisiana and help knock it out (hint, hint).

I broke down each room into a couple of do-able tasks a day, in hopes that it will be finished in 5 days (5 hours).

Week 1: Master Bathroom (I consider this my biggest, baddest dirty job)
*Monday--Pick up debris, sweep, clean out garden tub frame (so said tub can be placed inside frame).

*Tuesday--Clean off vanity (has become a storage place for a variety of tools, nails, and male DIY paraphernalia--or where I come from, para-fer-nail-yer) :)

*Wednesday--Vanity cabinets (also full of para-fer)

*Thursday--Clean toilet and shower (YIKES). I'll check in after so you'll know I'm still alive.

*Friday--wipe down walls, window, and mop

Did I mention that my front porch also needs to be sprayed down, decluttered, and repainted? Come quickly, Lord! :)

If you were to come visit my home--please do, I love company--you would see that I am not a clean-freak, by far. I do believe in keeping things tidy, but at this point in my life, I would rather keep myself available to my too-swiftly-growing children than stressing about the windows being washed. When they are grown and gone, there will be plenty of time to scour the sink and wipe out the fridge.

Is there any certain special way that you manage your spring cleaning? I would love to hear some of your wise advice and tips :).

p.s.--If you're a reader who does not have a blogger account, you can still leave comments by choosing "anonymous" and then sign your name in the comment body. I am frequently surprised by someone telling me they read--please leave me a comment and let me know you are reading and what you think!

All In A Day....Laundry

2011-02-24T06:24:00.000-08:00

I've been enjoying reading the "All In A Day" posts by some of my favorite bloggin' Mamas, but have yet to jump on the proverbial wagon with 'em. Basically because it's getting harder and harder for me to squeeze blogging in with everything else that's demanded of me, er, all in a day :).

But then I was inspired by Natural Mama's (also my SIL), blog about laundry. Laundry, inspiring? There's an ironic statement. But let's face it, it stares me in the face every day, from just about every room in the house, daring me to keep its morphing masses under submission. Which for the most part, I have found a balance which I am contented to live with. I can definitely write about laundry with ease and confidence.

Here's what works for me and keeps my laundry manageable:

::Gather all laundry every evening after bath and every morning after PJ changes.
This is the children's responsibility--taking their dirty clothes to the laundry room after their bedtime baths and in the mornings after changing into playclothes. The Heart Chart motivates them and it's fun to see how creative they can get with the process {think doll strollers and grocery buggies}. I gather my and DH's laundry in the evening before I go to bed.

::Keep it sorted.
I {heart} laundry baskets. IMO, you can't have too many. I've found a couple of good ones dumpster diving and a 3-compartment sorter at a garage sale for $4 {I took pics but alas cannot upload them to the PC. Bummer.}. It has been a life-saver. The children know which compartment their clothes go into and this makes it easier to keep the laundry room neat{er} than just throwing them all into the floor or cramming them in one basket. It's kind of like pre-sorting. Some laundry baskets I covet:

I've seen some with good prices at TJ Maxx. It's worth the investment when you use them not only for laundry for also for cleaning, like I do.

I try to immediately sort out items of clothing that are stained, to be stain-treated. I do miss some sometimes :(. It helps to have a basket/compartment just for stained clothes.

::Do two loads each day.
This is what keeps my head above water, so to speak. I tried the do-a-different-person's-laundry-each-day method (ya know, Mom's on Monday, Dad's on Tuesday, towels on Wednesday, etc.). Did not work for me. My nerves do not like to see piles of laundry. They revolt. It is not practical to have all laundry done at all times, but I do like to keep it a safe mound instead of an out-of-control mountain. I can breathe this way. Two loads of laundry per day does it for me. It's not really that bad if you have it sorted already. I tackle the largest load first, and move on from there. I switch out a load first thing in the morning, and I like to fold it up immediately as it comes out of the drier and use my deep freezer as a folding table. Just because I "like" to do it this way, doesn't mean it always happens. Because life happens, a couple of loads can wind up sitting on the couch or chase lounge waiting to be folded.

I use Purex, in the blue bottle, and only use about a 1/3 of what is recommended per load. It works fine for us and I feel better about the toxic reduction factor. I've been saying for years I'm going to start going the homemade detergent route, but I can't seem to find any Borax at Wal-Mart or the time to run into another grocery store for just one item. One day.

A great big shout-out loud for my clothes line. Love it. Love hanging clothes, love seeing the clothes billowing in the breeze, love the smell, love the change in the electric bill. If you don't have one, I urge you to nag, I mean, beg your husband until he makes you one.

::Train Children to Put Away Their Own Laundry

Honestly, I hated to put away laundry when I was at home {Hi, Mom :)} and still do. So I love the thought of passing that chore onto my girls {insert wicked laugh}. Seriously, it takes times to invest in teaching children to do a task on their own, and constant reminders and direction, but it can be done. I'm all for teaching our children to have a servant's heart at a young age--you are doing them a favor, trust me. My children all put away their own laundry (even 2 yo), except for hang-up items.

That's it for my laundry post. Hope you enjoyed your visit! Come back soon, and if you're not a follower, there no greater time than now to become one :).

Check out the other All in a Day Bloggers...

Carrie @ Our Full House

Christi @ Where the Creek Meets the Lake

Elizabeth @ Yes They’re All Ours

Kathy @ Kathy Mom of Many

Kristy @ Homemaker's Cottage

Lori @ Happy Busy Mama

Monica @ Natural Mama

Renee @ Bakers Dozen

Please leave me a comment w/ your blog url if you want to join in :).

Taking Control of the Situation--Using Herbal Remedies

2011-02-17T11:06:00.000-08:00

OK, so switching gears a little after all that "romantical" stuff :).

You may recall, if you're a regular reader, that one of my goals for 2011 was to learn more and implement more usage of herbs and herbal remedies in my family. Herbs and their healing powers have been a subject of interest for me for a few years now. But until this year's Winter of Perpetual Sickness, I didn't really get serious about it. Passive no more! I am a Mom on the war-path for effective, natural ways to treat our family's ailments.

We took a little trip to the health food store last weekend, armed with a list of things to look for and price. We all know this stuff is not cheap, but when you think about it, neither is paying a co-pay for 3 children each time they go to the doctor. And believe me, we have been to the doctor a lot in the past four months. Too much. My husband and I decided to create a new category in our monthly budget for medical expense which will cover vitamins, probiotics, and other helpful homeopathic treatments {such as colloidal silver, garlic drops for earaches, and wild cherry bark cough syrup}.

Here's what I came home with:
1.

2. Olive leaf extract--to treat my Rosacea

3.
These probiotics replace the good bacteria in our intestines that are killed off by antibiotics.

I also have my children on Vitamin C gummies and am on the lookout for a good multivitamin (and I don't mean Flinstones).

Why not just take some antibiotics and down some Tussin to get through it? Read this article about antibiotics. They are doing us more harm than good, and after seeing my little girl go through 3 or 4 rounds this year and turning around and getting sick again one week after each round, I need no more proof.

Here are some good sources of information that have really helped me to give me direction:

::: Bulk Herb Store
This girl knows her herbs! You can order teas and smoothie mixes and tincture mixes delivered fresh and right to your front door. My friends joke to me about my "grass" teas but they are awesome ;). They are affordable, too! Go to youtube and check out some of her clips about herbal treatments. Look up "Shoshanna's Kitchen". You'll love the energetic, fun way she presents the information. And if you click on the Bulk Herb Store button on my sidebar and order something, this blog will receive a little commission from that purchase, as I am an official Bulk Herb Store affiliate.

::: Homemaker's Cottage
Krissy is a stay-at-home, home-schooling mom of four who has done her homework and regularly shares what she has learned about herbs and homeopathy. I've learned so much and been encouraged to dig deeper into the world of herbal treatments from her blog.

::: Zsuzanna's blog, Are They All Yours?
A wealth of information from a Mom who has tried and proven home remedies. Some of her opinions and beliefs are offensive to some people, and I do not necessarily agree with everything she believes in or blogs about, but as for this one area I have really got some good information from her.

Unless you've been living with your head in the sand, you realize that though we are living in rough times, even harder times are yet to come. The healthcare industry has failed us, and our terrible diets have failed us. Psalm 104:14 says, "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man." He has provided ways for us to treat ourselves in a safe, effective way. Isn't it amazing how our God thought of everything we would need and provided for it in nature? It's up to us to educate ourselves and use that information to the best of our abilities.

I hope I have encouraged someone out there to start thinking of their family's health and treatments in a new way. If so, good luck on making that transition. It's not easy changing our ways, especially when it's different from the way it's always been done, but you'll be so proud of yourself when you choose to make the better choice, and your family will thank you for it.

Our Love Story {Part 2}

2011-02-14T09:11:00.000-08:00

Where did I leave off? Oh yes...the first meeting. John & I agreed that we would meet in the Food Court of a local mall at the picture booth by the front entrance (this was way before every Tom, Dick, & Harry owned a cell phone). I managed to convince my ever so giddy and curious entourage to wait outside the door, so the poor guy would not feel overwhelmed, ya know? So in I went and...no one was there! Hmm...maybe he is late, I wondered. So I stood and waited a few minutes, scanning the food court for any sign. Then I spotted this really cute guy with sparkling, mischievous eyes and a huge grin on his face sitting at a table on the far side of the food court, watching me with amusement. The stinker made me walk all the way over there and say, "John?" He had been watching me the whole time, just in case I turned out to be a not-so-fair maiden and he could make a run for it!

Well, I'm glad I met with his approval, because we spent the rest of the evening together and two weeks later he drove all the way to Southwestern Alabama to come see me and the rest is history. That was in July 2001 and we got married on May 25, 2002. God lead us to a wonderful church that challenged us like never before and a year after we were married God called John to preach. Me, a preacher's wife! God does have a sense of humor :).

He is the perfect man for me--we have both grown so much in the Lord and I don't know if I would be where I am if I hadn't met him. No, he's not perfect. And Lord knows I definitely am not. But the meeting of our jagged edges of imperfection have served to create a beautiful, smooth unity.

I wish I could tell you it's all been "happily ever after" without a cloud in the sky since but we both know that's not reality. We've struggled through rough terrains while melding together two drastically different upbringings and domestic cultures. We've climbed steep hills of shattered expectations and bitter disappointments. There were times that the only thing between one of us and the door was a long fall-on-our-face session before God. But with God as our anchor and foundation, we made it, and will continue to make it.

John is a quiet, shy guy with a gorgeous smile and beautiful blue-green eyes that gets him compliments from strangers all the time (women of all ages). From Grandmas in wheelchairs to toddlers in hairbows, females melt when he flashes his smile in their direction. I can't blame them. After 8 1/2 years, I still do ;). He loves his children fiercely, and is the hero of their lives. With 3 babies in 4 1/2 years, I don't know how I would've made it without a man who thinks nothing of changing a poopy diaper or cleaning up spit-up out of my hair.

He bakes the most fant-a-bulous cheesecake I've ever tasted, and loves to take to the woods and bring us home fresh deer meat, that he processes himself. He's a hard worker, and if he faces a task that he's never done before, he reads and researches and asks questions until he knows the issue inside and out. I've never know him to be late for work or even miss a day unless he's flat on his back sick. The needs of his family are his first priority and he puts our needs before his own.

Our love isn't the same giddy, exciting love that it was when we first met and married, but it has taken root and grown into a mature, steady love that is even better. I'm so glad God knew what He was doing all the time, and I thank him for that "broken road" that lead me straight to my husband.

This man of mine...I think I'll keep him!

Happy Valentine's Day, Baby!

This Man of Mine...{Our Love Story}

2011-02-10T12:25:00.001-08:00

When I think about the man God has given me to share this life with, I'm amazed at the miracle of us, where we are, where we've been, and where we're going. And the most amazing part of all--how we came to be!

About 11 years ago, I was sitting in front of a computer (probably wasting time) in a college computer lab, surfing the internet, when I came across a Christian penpal site. The internet was a fairly new thing back then, at least to me, and I was intrigued at the prospect of having a penpal from another country and culture and thus I stumbled upon this site. After playing around a bit, I decided to try the keyword "Pentecostal", (since that's what I am) just to see if anyone I knew would pop up. That's the first time I saw his name, and never in my wildest dreams did I imagine how that one click of the mouse would effect my (or his) life.

We began to e-mail one another frequently, as he was newly saved and glad to have someone who was raised in church to ask questions of. He was dating someone, and I had no intention of meeting my life-mate "online" :). He was so sweet and genuine, and such a good listener. I began to look forward to his e-mails and sharing with him when I aced (or failed) a test or when one of my essays was read aloud by the Professor in English class. We shared frustrations over bad professors and he gave me a few pointers on how to get through Statistics without losing my mind.

After some time (I don't remember how long), the person he was dating broke it off with him, and he wrote me a long e-mail, pouring out his heart and hurt. Not long after, he asked if he could call me, and I gave him my phone number. The first time the crazy guy called, he did it at 5:00 on a Saturday morning on his way to work! My Mom was like "Who in the world is calling you this early in the morning?" I am not a morning person, either, so it's a wonder he ever called me again after that!

My family was a little taken a-back by the situation, and didn't really know what to think about a guy I met on the internet calling me. But soon my Mom was having conversations with him on the phone, and he won her over pretty fast ;).

About a year prior, I had made a commitment to the Lord that I was not going to date again until it was the "one" He had chosen for me to marry. I was weary of the ups and downs of dating, and just didn't have the energy to go through another break-up. So even though John & I were not even dating (nor had we even broached the subject), I began to seek God for direction about our relationship. I told Him that if this was not His will, to let me know and stop things before they progressed any further. Through it all I felt a peace.

After a few months of writing letters, e-mailing, and talking on the phone, we finally exchanged pictures. Wow! He was so cute, I wondered if maybe I was being dooped! Could a guy possibly be that great and that good-looking, and could he possibly be interested in ME? I must be crazy!!

One night during one of our phone conversations, he mentioned he had an aunt who lived close to a nearby city that we often visited to shop and go out to eat and that he was going to visit her for the weekend. After I told him how close I lived to the city, he suggested we get together and go out to eat or something. I couldn't believe that we were actually going to meet in person, and was nervous that we wouldn't have the same connection as we did over the airways. Of course my friends and family were a little worried, but also excited for me, and when the day came I was accompanied by my Mom, my sis-in-law, and another friend. Poor John got a little more than he bargained for that day, and I will tell you all about that meeting in the next post....

Stay tuned! :)

So tell me...

2011-02-10T11:45:00.001-08:00

What d'ya think about the new blog look? Too busy? Too hard to read? Does it make you want to get out of here?!?

C'mon, I can handle it!

Adventures At Drury Inn

2011-02-04T10:37:00.000-08:00

Well, friends, January is gone. It was a blur for me. It brought more sickness (more specifically, the flu) to our home, which put quite a damper on Elijah's 6th birthday. It's hard to have a party when the weather is yucky and people are stumbling around in a haze of general crud-i-ness. Every year I say I am going to have him a party next year no matter what. And every year we wind up taking him to Chucky E. Cheese or Pizza Hut and substituting the cake with cupcakes or something. He's usually pretty happy about it until one of the girls' birthday rolls around and then he's like hey I want a party! Bad. Mom.

This January was also a milestone for me. I turned 30 this year, actually the day after Elijah's birthday. I didn't bring it up, because, well, I'm still not sure how I feel about it :/.

But now we have February, and it's already been filled with exciting things for us. For starters, we spent 4 days at a high-end hotel in Baton Rouge last week. My husband had some training sessions to attend and his job put us up for it. Sweet.

The kiddos were super-excited about the indoor pool, and I was super excited about a few days with no cooking, cleaning, or laundry and time to curl up with a good book. Or two ;). The first night we were there we took them down to the pool (and hot tub). That went great until Emma & Grace tried to drown each other and DH had to get in, jeans and all, and rescue them from drowning by hair-pulling. My hero :).

On the 2nd day of our stay, Grace started to run fever and complain of a sore throat, which turned out to be strep. Again.

A huge source of fun and fascination for the kids was the huge mirror-lined elevator, complete with a female computerized voice that announced which floor we were going to and our arrival to that floor. When we arrived in the lobby one afternoon, the computer informed us, "You have arrived in the lobby." To which Elijah replied, "Thank you, Mabel." It took me a second to figure out what he was talking about--Mabel from Adventures in Odyssey! Maybe he's had a little too much of Whit's End? :)

On the 3rd day, we took a trip down to the guest media room to check our email and such and I allowed Elijah to push the "1" button on the way down. Of course Gracie wanted her turn so I told her as soon as we got back in the elevator to go back to the room she could push "6". She was very much anticipating this honor, so she and Elijah boarded the elevator and before I had a chance to get in, the doors were closing and the elevator was GONE. With my kids. I stood there in shock for a few seconds. I heard it coming back down so I hoped they were in it. The door opened and it was empty! I got in and went to the 6th floor, hoping that Grace has pushed the right button and they had went to our floor. Sure enough, there they were, standing in the hall, Grace looking like she was about to have a breakdown and Elijah looking exasperated. I was so glad to see them! I quickly comforted Grace and Elijah said, "I TOLD her to calm down, Mom!" Isn't that just like a man?

We had to cut our stay a little short because the ice/snow storm that has swept our part of the country closed down the training sessions and also the roads, so we left early in order to make it back home before the storm hit. I did take my camera with me, but can you believe I did not take a single picture?? Bad. Mom.

We enjoyed our little "get away" so much, though, and I don't think that neither the kids nor I will ever forget our adventures and the memories we made!

Chores & Character Training

2011-01-24T13:19:00.000-08:00

You've read the Michael/Debi Pearl "Train Up A Child" books (which I highly recommend). You've searched out and read all the Scriptures relating to child-training. You've read them to your children. You've prayed for wisdom. And patience. You've sighed. You've probably cried, too.

Still they huff. Still they puff. Still they fuss & fight 'till you feel like the walls are closing in all around you.

It's a day-to-day struggle. You never know what mood your children will wake up in, or which side of the proverbial bed they will get up on. But whatever their attitude, as a mother, you control the spiritual thermostat of your home--your reaction to their behavior sets the tone for the home.

One thing I've learned is that my children respond better to praise for a positive action or attitude than correction for a negative one. Now that I think about it, that principle applies to adults too :).

Children need a tangible sign that they are doing something right. A pat on the head and a hug aren't always enough to motivate positive behavior. Thus the heart chart.

I got this idea from a blog post by my friend Chrissy a month or so ago. It isn't anything special, just a white board with a little chart with their names and a place to draw hearts. It gets pretty messy with a 2, 4 1/2, and 6 yo drawing on it, but it does the trick. Whenever one of the children exhibit a positive character trait (working together, helping others, doing the right thing without being asked, etc.), they earn a heart. And they get to draw it themselves. Big plus :). Whenever the opposite, negative behavior is exhibited, they have to erase a heart. Or two, or all (depending on the severity of the behavior). Now I'm not talking about things they should do anyway--like taking their dishes to the sink after meals or cleaning their rooms before they go to bed at night. I mean going above and beyond and really putting effort towards genuinely exceptional behavior.

At the end of the week, if they have at least 5 hearts (one for each day), they are rewarded with a treat. Nothing expensive or extravagant, but things like:

* a trip to Kid City (a free open-to-the-public indoor playground at a neighborhood church)
*a Jr. Frosty from Wendy's (I have about three coupon books for free Frosties)
*a trip to Books-A-Million (our kids LUV to play in the kids' area)
*exemption from nap-time for a day (for the older two).

The amount of hearts for the week is optional--older kids could be expected to get up to 5 hearts a day, for instance.

You would not believe the difference in our home. Our children live to get a heart and are absolutely heartbroken when one is removed. They cheerfully and readily offer to help Mama with whatever I may be doing. School-time attitudes are better, and chore-time is definitely a lot smoother. DH and I have noticed that the positive behavior is getting to be a habit for them, and they are doing the right thing more and more without being prompted or reminded.

I just had to snap a picture of my two girls sweeping the floor this morning. I'm so proud of them!

Proverbs 8:5 says, "O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart."

Proverbs is full of the promise of wisdom to those who seek it--even the simple can have wisdom! My prayer is to be endowed with wisdom concerning the training of my children. What they are allowed to be now are previews of who they will be as adults.

Do you have any successful training methods?

Figuring Life Out - One Thousand Gifts

2011-01-22T17:15:00.000-08:00

Are you reaching for the Kleenex box yet?

If you've followed Ann's Blog, A Holy Experience, or participated in Multitude Monday, you've probably been excited about her book coming out. Well, it's out! I haven't got mine yet, but I can't wait.

It's only $10--wow! And #11 on Amazon's best seller list. Can't wait to get my copy. I expect to be touched, convicted, and inspired to live slower, simpler, and more aware of the little things that are the most valuable.

Elijah's Big Milestone

2011-01-21T09:17:00.000-08:00

First he turned six, and now he springs this on me.

"Mom, I've got a loose tooth."

I wiggled it. Sure 'nough. "Wiggle it around and it'll come out in a couple of days", I said.

10 minutes later: "Look, Mom! My tooth came out!"

Indeed it did. That was fast. Slow down buck-a-roo. Stop growing for just a few minutes.

We had several phone calls to make:

Daddy, (who got a little choked up because his little boy is getting big faster than he would like)and then grandparents who talked up the tooth fairy til the boy thinks he's gonna be able to go buy out Toys 'R' Us tomorrow. Maybe they'd like to contribute to the tooth fairy fund? :)

Speaking of which, "fairy" sounds a little girly for such a manly little man. How about tooth frog?

Ribbit.

Homemade Granola Bars

2011-01-19T13:08:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, DH brought home some yumm-o granola bars from the store. Packaged granola bars. The kiddos inhaled them. So, I went on a search for a just-as-tasty, but healthier alternatives.

We absolutely LOVED these:

Ingredients

* 4 1/2 cups rolled oats
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2/3 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 cup honey
* 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
* 2 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips *I used raisins and pecans instead.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease one 9x13 inch pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, baking soda, vanilla, butter or margarine, honey and brown sugar. Stir in the 2 cups assorted chocolate chips, raisins, nuts etc.
3. Lightly press mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes then cut into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing or serving.

As you can see, a third of these yummy bars were snarfed down before I ever had a chance to slice them up. After doing so, I promptly stored them in a Ziploc bag and put them on the top shelf of the pantry. Out of reach. This recipe makes a lot of squares--they lasted us a whole week, snacking on them 2-3 times a day.

I'm sure you can sub wheat flour for the all-purpose and make them even healthier. Or get creative and add dried cranberries or M & Ms. Umm...I'm hungry!

Either way, this is a yummy, healthy snack the whole family will enjoy and you will be satisfied knowing you kids are eating something good for them.

Oh, and we figured the calorie content on them--120 calories for about a 2-inch square. Not bad when paired with a banana or a cup of grapes for a snack.

0 to 6 in 3.5 seconds

2011-01-16T08:31:00.000-08:00

Six years ago, on a dreary, rainy, cold January day, we proudly welcomed into the world Elijah Cooper Acklen, weighing in a 7 lbs, 8 oz. The clouds opened up and the sun poured through. Our life has never been the same.

I remember the wonder of it all. The unbelievable heart-swelling sensation of a love I'd never experienced. That only a new Mama can know. The heart-wrenching worry when he lost more weight than allowable and we had to stay in the hospital a day extra so he could be monitored.

How he struggled to latch-on to his new source of nourishment and was fed through a syringe and a tube with mommy's milk. The feeling of accomplishment, a few weeks later when he graduated to a shield that fit perfectly into his little mouth--it was so encouraging. And then, even more weeks later, when said shield got lost and he and I both cried all night long in frustration and I almost gave up and just gave him a bottle. A bottle that would not give him the superior nourishment of mommy's milk. But by the time the night was over he was feeding on Mama au naturale, like a seasoned pro. We did it. The first obstacle; we conquered it together.

And on we trudge through life, each year bringing new obstacles to be overcome. Together we conquer, until the day comes when he slips out of the cocoon and tests his own strength, completely independent on me and, I pray, completely dependent on the One who formed him so mysteriously. Even then I will still pray over, fuss over, and probably pry into his life. But for now I am going to enjoy his quirky, adorably nerdy, but always sunny personality. I'm going to joyfully tie his shoes and cut up his pancakes and savor the specialness of each every-day moment of mothering him.

Thank you, Lord, for this gift of my son.

Happy Birthday, Elijah Cooper Acklen!!

New Is Not Allowed to Wear off

2011-01-12T14:19:00.000-08:00

Here we are, well into our second week of the new year. I don't know about you, but the new year and all in involves is good for me. I've got a new focus, new goals, and a refreshed determination. Just in time.

I didn't do a New Year's post, but I have set some unwritten goals for myself to reach for this year. I've considered pulling up last year's new year's post, just to see if I actually accomplished anything, but I'm afraid of the repercussions. No looking behind--only forward.

There are some changes, however, taking place around here that reflect these goals:

*No more processed foods. Good-bye chicken nuggets. See ya. Wouldn't wanna be ya.

*Hello in-depth Bible-reading schedule. 15-20 chapters a day. Smokin'. Go here for your own copy, if you think you can handle it :).

*Sorry, table salt. You've been replaced with sea salt.

*What's that? Is it the sound of a sewing machine?

*Yes, my children have an expression of dismay on their faces--their computer/entertainment time has been drastically reduced.

*Master bedroom, I think I love you. After 2 1/2 years of neglect, you now have a new comforter gracing your bed and some pictures on the wall. Get ready. Very soon you will be sporting a new paint color. And as soon as my thrift-store search for new night stands and a headboard is fulfilled, you will not recognize yourself.

*Speaking of recognizing oneself, who is that skinny person looking back at me in the mirror? Could it be me?? Snort.

*Sweet tea, it's over. I'm moving on. To water. He treats me with respect.

I love the new, new-year's feeling that's in the air. I refuse to treat it like a new toy that loses its appeal in a few weeks. Can't wait to share the results of these changes with you as they happen.

Happy New Year! (still).

The Best Moments

2010-12-30T19:43:00.001-08:00

This year, Christmas was a leetle different for us. For the 2nd time ever, I did not make it home for Christmas(the first being I was great with child and hypertensive and the OB said "No, you cannot travel 350 miles to spend Christmas with your family in Alabama." Worst. Christmas. Ever. Bleh). This year, my parents came here. We had a great time, but honestly, I'd rather be "home" for Christmas.

Besides that minute detail, this Christmas was the most fun I can remember (of my married life). Maybe because the kids are all getting old enough to really participate and get excited. We did not wrap any presents, or at least put them under the tree, until a couple of days before Christmas. I only had to re-wrap one gift (Miss Emma's doing), so all in all, they resisted temptation pretty well. When the gifts started piling up, the stars in their eyes begin to light. And not for the reason you would think children would light up at the sight of gifts. No, this year, they were more excited about the giving part.

We have a wonderful neighbor who has adopted our kids as surrogate grandchildren (or maybe they adopted her). She came to me about mid-November and asked me if she could take each child to town with her, one at a time, to do something special for Christmas. She explained that when her grandchildren were little, she would take them to the Dollar Tree, one at a time, and let them pick out a gift for every member of their family. With no interference or direction about what to buy, she just let them choose on their own. Oh boy. I knew right away this was going to be interesting. And it WAS.

It was the highlight of every family gathering. My husband's grandparents, his Dad & step-mom, his Mom and my parents were all recipients of some quirky, and some downright hilarious gifts:

*My Dad (who is a few hairs away from complete baldness)--a hairbrush (!!)--from Elijah

*Papaw Bobby -- a bobbing dashboard hoola girl :)--from Gracie

*Poppy--a crystal growing kit (What in the world?)--from Elijah

*Beamie--a pack of hand sanitizer and a water bottle

*John (Daddy)--an oversize Santa hat (from Grace)

I received an antebellum woman porcelain figurine from Elijah and a snow globe from Grace. How sweet is that? I was touched that they picked things of beauty and fascination (to them) for their Mom *tear*.

Miss Patsy (said neighbor) was tickled because Grace picked out this horrible dinosaur mask thing for Elijah, and when it was his turn to go shopping, what did he do but pick up that very mask and say he wished he had one! I'd say she knows her big brother pretty well.

Children have such a beautiful way of reminding us of the simple truths. I walked by my foyer table one day, and noticed my oh so precisely arranged nativity scene had been re-arranged a little.

Does this strike you as deeply as it did me? The face of every animal and every person was turned to gaze at the beautiful, brand-new baby Jesus. It looks as if they couldn't get close enough, couldn't get enough of the miracle of Him. Even the little sheep have their noses pointed to the manger where He lay. Little Miss Gracie, with her innocent child-play, stopped her Mama in her tracks that day and reminded me to forget about the list, the baking, and the decorating, and fix my eyes on Him.

Another moment of note happened on Christmas morning. Elijah, always the first to rise, had been dying to get up since 6:45, but I managed to keep him in bed until 7:15. He woke his sisters up, and they ran giggling down the hall, only to be stopped by their Dad. "Follow me", he told them, and then proceeded to lead them all over the house, single file, before finally leading them to the tree. The kids loved Daddy's "Christmas march", and I hope it's something they do until they are 20!

Mom with her re-upholstered purse I made her out of a skirt and a woven purse (more about that later).

Listening as my Dad read "Fancy Nancy" to the girls--french accent and all!

And last but certainly not least, Christmas dinner. Turkey, mashed potato, pea salad and cheesy olive bread with snickerdoodle cake and pecan pie for dessert. Our meal was simple but flavorful and filling, and I spent more time with my family and less time in the kitchen as a result :).

My centerpiece was compiled of live holly branches from our neighbors' tree, some feathers from Hobby Lobby and those twirly things I pulled off the tree. That'll do it!

As I recall these moments, I realize how blessed beyond measure I am. The words of the Psalmist ring truer every year--"He daily loadeth us with His benefits."

Christmas Pics '10

2010-12-15T19:05:00.000-08:00

We have not had out kids photoed professionally in over 3 years!! Isn't that sad? And Miss Emma-Rae has never had her pictures taken. Ever. :(

Somehow the extra $$ just isn't ever there. But I do have a pretty good little camera (although I am wanting a new one BAD) and usually do their Christmas, Easter, & Birthday pics myself. Here's this year's photo shoot.

And might I add, I do have some pretty good-looking subjects :).

An Unexpected Gift

2010-12-09T13:20:00.000-08:00

The greatest gift ever given to me is my family. My DH and our three beautiful babies. The raising of our children and making of our home is the "highest calling" of my life. But sometimes in the midst of the training, the housekeeping, the day-after-day sameness, the little nagging voice of doubt starts in. FAILURE. That word sneaks in more often than I'd like to admit. Fail, fail, fail. And some days, my craving for a little encouragement is overwhelming. It wouldn't take much...just a little bit would make such a difference.

This week was the week of the dreaded numbers game on Facebook. I watched, annoyed, for a little while, and finally joined in and sent out my number to a few people who asked. One girl, who I attended church with when DH & I were newlywed, and is now a mother of two herself, posted this comment:

"#1981....you have such a beautiful family!! Always thought that you would make a good friend : ). Love it that you're talented and self-sacrificing! You're very beautiful woman and I'm sure the Lord has more great things in store for you and your wonderful family : )"

Wow. I sat there and was stunned to find tears flowing down my cheeks. This girl & I probably haven't even had a complete conversation in over 4 years. We run in different circles and just haven't the opportunity for more than a friendly "How are you?" when we do run into one another. I never expected that she saw me in that light. I never expected to receive encouragement from her.

But God knows that the most precious moments in our lives are the unexpected,and every now and then He sends us an unanticipated gift. Isn't he the best gift-giver?

Let's pay it forward. Give the gift of encouragement to someone this weekend. A simple text, a card, or a hug and a compliment is all it takes. A little goes a long way.

javascript:void(0)

Time Jam

2010-12-03T13:31:00.000-08:00

You know how when you're trying to get somewhere and it's really important, or you've been driving for hours on a long trip and outta nowhere, you look up and all the cars in front of you are stopped. It's the dreaded. traffic. jam. You creep and you inch and you. stop. And then there's these annoying people who keep trying to nudge in front of you and hop in your lane {not sure what that has to do with anything but it always happens to me. HATE that.}

My point. Here we are, a mere 3 weeks way from Christmas. And my whole family has strep throat. For the 2nd week in a row.

*There is a Christmas tree, halfway put up.

*Christmas pictures, un-taken, un-addressed, un-mailed.{and a computer that will not import pics from memory cards}.

*Christmas gifts, un-shopped for and un-wrapped.

*Christmas baking, un-planned.

*Christmas programs for Children's Church, un-rehearsed.

*Those mouth-watering Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls, un-made.

*And my parents are coming here for Christmas this year (!!!)

And here I sit, quarantined in my house nursing a highly-contagious, potentially deadly strep throat that has attacked me and my family.

What I am experiencing, folks, is a time traffic jam. I do not recall giving my permission for this.

It's got me feeling downright Grinch-y!

Memories At Thanksgiving

2010-12-02T06:59:00.000-08:00

{Alabama road where I roamed as a child}

Farewell, Thanksgiving. After the weeks of thankful anticipation, you came and went in the blink of an eye. Every moment was savored and enjoyed; maybe that's why they slipped through my fingers like sand. Time flies when you're having fun.

We traveled across two states to my hometown in Alabama for Thanksgiving this year. Usually, we host Thanksgiving at our house for DH's side of the family, but this year we rearranged things a bit. My Dad's older brother (his only living family member) and 3 of his 4 daughters, along with their families, made the trip all the way from Georgia, and we had a family reunion Thanksgiving. None of us had seen each other since my Grandmother, "Nanny" passed away, six years ago in January. It was time for a reunion, don't you think?

{all the cousins, except for my brother, Jonathan (died 1991), and another cousin, Sandra, who had to work)

My brother, and his family of 6 (www.naturalmamax4.blogspot.com), now reside in the "homeplace", my Grandparent's house, where they raised four boys and farmed for a living. We all gathered here to give thanks, and it really was a good day. Despite John coming down with strep throat, Emma falling off the top bunk, Grace throwing up at the dinner table, and cousin Jamie falling in a hole and spraining her ankle, we still managed to have a great time. Some of us cousins haven't spent much time together as married adults, and it was fun to get to know the newer versions. Our children met some of their 2nd cousins for the first time, and I believe lasting friendships were formed.

{a hayride full of cousins. I love how my daughter, Grace, is captured in a full belly-laugh)

{gathering of great-grands. Eight were missing. My two girls were napping, and Leta's oldest was absent, as well as Sanda's four and Cynthia's daughter}

It was bittersweet for me, reflecting on days that are now by-gone. I found myself fighting a lump in my throat, thinking about the precious ones that are already in heaven, making it even sweeter. Both grandparents, two uncles, and my own sweet brother were not there in body, but certainly in spirit. I saw Papa Cooper in my Dad's soft, smiling mouth and twinkling eyes. I heard Nanny in Uncle Vernon's laugh and saw her in his gestures. I heard Uncle James Harold in my brother Bradley's voice and was reminded of Jonathan when I looked in my oldest nephew, Emory's eyes.

My Mom surprised me with a stack of pictures that I had never seen before, snapshots from childhood and before. And as I looked at faces that I will never again see in this life, I was thankful, for the time we did have with them and the memories we will never forget, that death cannot rob us of. And for the hope of heaven and the final reunion of all reunions.

{Jonathan and I, a couple of years before he died}

Now that's something to be thankful for.

*Thanks to Leta & Lisa for all the awesome photos!

What I'm Loving Friday

2010-11-12T05:13:00.000-08:00

A girl joyfully doing her chores...

A Father and his attentive apprentice...

Feathered friends who will soon be nesting cozily in their new laying-boxes....

Pigtails and favorite boots......

A Daddy who was home all day in honor of the veterans....

My family all together, working together

*Disclaimer: our back yard does not normally look this messy--we were cleaning out our work shed :).

Martha, Martha

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

Wow! Look! It's a post! What do ya know? Yes, it's been pretty quiet on the blog front, but please do not assume that reflects the condition of the rest of our life here in Acklentown. You would be grossly in error. I never stop. I hit the ground a-running and collapse into bed at night, wondering where the time went and did I accomplish anything?

Yep, I did not my daily two loads of laundry. Yep, the dishes are washed. Yep, kiddos were schooled. Yep, the floor was swept {or not}. Guess that'll have to do.

There's one lesson I seem to have to learn over and over. It is--slow down before you get into a tizzy. The more pressured I feel, the more irritable I am. The shorter my patience becomes. It's not worth it to get so pent-up that I snap at the smallest little pluck of my strings. Stop. Breathe. Let it goooooooo. Am I the only who has to tell herself that?

The Lord has His way of reminding me.

Luke, chapter 10--

38Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

40But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

41And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

42But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Aahh...Amy, Amy...you're too busy working on the temporal things. Let it go and invest in the spiritual, eternal things around you.

This blog is one of those temporal things that I have to say "no" to sometimes. As much as I love it, it can be a distraction if I let it.

On a lighter note, I am full-throttle into making my Christmas gifts for Mom and the SIL. I am SO itching to share them with you, but prying eyes are watching :). I am ready to put up the Christmas tree and crank up the Christmas music. Here come the holidays! Are you excited yet?

These Kids of Mine

2010-10-28T12:34:00.000-07:00

Anyone who says that being a stay-at-home-Mom is nothing but boring has not met my three bright, funny, crazy kids. Their quirky, innocent remarks and antics keep my days entertaining. It is anything but boring. In the last week or so, they've been especially full of nonsense :).

Emma, my spunky, busy 2-yr-old is usually ready to eat her vegetables. But Monday night, when we I served broccoli casserole for supper, she took one bite of the broccoli, spit it out and said, "Yuck. Chicken poop!" I attempted to ignore the reference, hoping the older two would not catch on and make an issue out of it. But it was stuck in her brain. When her Dad sat down at the table, she pointed to her bowl and said, again, "Chicken poop!" I sent him a message with my eyes that said, "Nuh-uh. Don't acknowledge." I mean, who wants those words to be a part of their toddlers vocabulary? I can just picture us in church and her shouting out the words at the quietest possible moment. After supper, we walked over to a neighbor's house for a visit. When asked what she had for supper, Emma replied, "Chicken poop!" Stinker, I tell ya. Rotten.

Gracie, the middle child at 4 1/2, is going through a phase of talking about what she is going to do when she grows up. She recently excitedly told me, "Guess what, Mama! When I grow up, and all my family dies, I can ride in the car all by myself!" Well, I'm glad she'll be spared the pangs of grief. Ding, dong, the family's dead! Let's go for a ride in the car!

Elijah, my eldest and most impressionable, never forgets anything. He has a photographic memory like his Father, which makes it of the utmost importance that we shelter him from viewing anything we don't want to be stuck in his brain for the next 25 years. After our last trip to the library, I will now be scanning any books prior to his viewing them. Or maybe I'll leave them all at home and pick their books out myself. Anyway, he chose a "No, Dave" book, which {I did not notice until it was too late} has an illustrated picture of the incorrigible little tot running down the street in his birthday suit, from the backside. Elijah looked at the book for approximately 1 1/2 minutes while we drove from the library to church. Upon sitting down in the service, he promptly picked up his notebook and drew the exact replica of little Dave's exposed backside, plain as day. You can imagine my shock at glancing over and being mooned from off the page! :) In church, no less!

Yes, there's always something to laugh about, which cancels out those frustrating moments when I feel like I don't have an ounce of energy or patience left. These moments are like little doses of strength giving me encouragement to keep on going. "The joy of the Lord is my strength."

{For those of you who have seen these stories already on Facebook, please forgive the redundancy. I wanted to post them on here for the sake of record-keeping :)}

Preserving Children's Art

2010-10-19T06:17:00.000-07:00

My little boy Elijah has a fervent passion for drawing. The first thing he does in the morning is grab a notebook and a pen, and at bedtime, we have to double-check in on him to make sure he has put it away. He draws for literal hours during the day, and we go through notebooks and packs of markers like toilet paper (if you have kids, you understand this analogy). I want to save his best drawings, but it gets overwhelming.

I started a binder for this purpose, but he wants to add/remove drawings as he thinks appropriate. It kinda defeats the purpose. An aunt of mine suggested I take pictures of them and keep them on a disc, and my husband recently suggested I scan them (which makes great sense).

Has anyone else had this challenge? Do you have any better ideas than the ones I've mentioned?

Sick Week

2010-10-16T14:25:00.000-07:00

{Or two}.

This is a break in the usual monotonous, post-less state of blog broadcast to inform you that the author thereof is not dead. Yet. I mean I thought I was near it last week, but my health been restored, though not completely at this state. And the week before that the kiddos took turns with near-death episodes of chronic yucky crud-y-ness. The ear-aching, throat-burning, fever-raging, bone-chilling kind of crud. Then they handed it off to me. Ungreatful whelps.

Through it all I learned one thing.

*Tylenol is my friend.

*Honey tea is a sore throat's friend.

*Pity parties are not beneficial.

Wait, that's 3 things.

It was very, very exciting to load up the ole Dashboard and see that I have two new followers! And very, very frustrating that my blogger is apparently having some cosmetic issues and cannot show me who they are. So, new followers, I welcome you! Whoever you are. Please, leave me a comment if you have a blog so I can visit and return the favor :).

Being that I am on the mend, I hope to post something read-worthy soon.

Til then, have a great rest of your weekend!

p.s. FYI, that is not me in the above pic, but a quite accurate portrayal of my state of being this week. And it makes me chuckle. :)

Wardrobe Malfunction

2010-10-04T06:21:00.000-07:00

Last week, we received an invitation to preach on Sunday night(last night) for a little country church that is currently without a pastor. We always look forward to going to this church. The congregation is made up of mostly elderly, country folks who are genuine and sincere in their experience. It is refreshing to see how they put everything they've got into the service. Some places won't get behind the singing/preaching unless the tempo of the song is fast enough or the preaching is a certain style. Not here.

So, they turn the service over to us and my husband called me to come sing. He chatted a little while the piano player picked out the tune and we adjusted the key. That's when it happened. I felt my pantyhose roll up and begin a slow, but sure, descent down my hips. What is one to do? My first reaction, however unwise, was to ignore them and hope they'd find a stopping place soon. As I gave in a little testimony and told them how glad we were for the invitation, they continued their slow retreat. What is a girl to do? I reached down and tugged one side, then the other. I glanced up from the spot on the back wall where I had fixed my gaze to see my husband looking at me with an expression of confusion and horror, as if I'd grown another head. He gave a curt shake of his head. So I chose the only other alternative: I grabbed a handful of pantyhose on the side and hung on for dear life while I sang my song.

Somehow, miraculously, I made it through the song. I don't recall feeling any special anointing. I fixated my eyes back the spot on the wall to avoid seeing the expression on people's faces. I can only imagine. What is wrong with this sister who is pulling at her underwear and singing with one hand on her hip like she's posing for a Chadwick's catalog photo shoot? As I was replacing the mic in the stand, one lady called out, "You got anymore songs?" I politely smiled, but made a beeline straight for the lady's room. Next time I'll remember to put my other, stomach-flattening unmentionable on TOP of my pantyhose!

I can only be thankful that this happened before a small congregation of mostly dim-sighted elderly saints. I'm hoping the few younger members do not completely write us off because of my strange, unladylike behavior.

And once again, the saying is proven: "The Funniest Things Happen In Church".

I hope I brought a smile to you face on Monday :).

What I'm Lovin' Friday

2010-09-30T11:24:00.000-07:00

FYI: I posted this on Thursday by mistake! Come back and read it tomorrow ;).

This could be one of my favorite 'Friday' themes. I enjoyed Feminine Friday with Natural Mama for awhile (ahem), and always love to visit Renaissance for Foto Friday (at which I drool and dream I could take pictures like her). Now, my bloggy friend Ashlee has started "What I'm Lovin' Friday" and today is my first time to participate.

Here's what I'm Lovin'!:

~~FALL, FALL, FALL! The weather, the decor, the food {ya know, chilli, pumpkin bread},the fashion, and the fact that Thanksgiving is just right around the corner! Personally, I could really care less about Halloween. I wish we could just skip it all together and celebrate Thanksgiving for an extra month.

Here's a peek at my fall foyer tablescape. A work in progress. Proof that I am not related to Martha Stewart.

~~This kids' kitchen:

I'm in love. And if you visit www.ana-white.com, you'll be amazed at what this woman can build, and even more amazing, you can build it too! Unless you're like me, and running a little short on time :).

~~These beanie hats:

Note this is not my child {mine's cuter}, but a great representation of the hat. I'm stalking several on ebay and will order one as soon as the new budget period rolls around! I'll be sure to share pics :).

~~I'm lovin' that Emma is potty-trained! Except for pull-ups at night, we are diaper-free. And, she is the only child of mine ever to wake up and ask to go potty at night. Wow!

OK, I was starting to feel a little materialistic, but that last one saved me :).

So what are you loving today?

Going Beyond Yourself

2010-09-21T13:16:00.001-07:00

If you've been a long-term reader of my blog, you may have noticed that it's been a long time since I posted one of my "sermonettes" (which isn't exactly a word). So, it's time. Get comfortable, pour a cup of tea/coffee, and get settled in. This is gonna take a while :).

We are beginning today our 4th full week of homeschool. It took the entire first week and half of the 2nd to find our groove, but we're grooving right along now. I'm certainly not doing everything perfect; just hoping not to mess my kids up for life :).

Homeschooling makes for interesting conversation. I have a close circle of homeschooling Moms for support, but there are many, many others who find the idea a little, well, foreign?
One response I seem to hear a lot of is, "I could never do that! I wouldn't even try." And behind my polite smile I'm thinking, "Nope, you sure couldn't--not with that attitude". Now I know that homeschooling is not for everyone. But a few years ago, maybe even a few months ago, I had a similar attitude. The truth is, I didn't have the desire to homeschool. I rather looked forward to the day when I could send my kids off to school and enjoy a few hours of kid-free-ness. Wow, think about how much I would get done!

But when I gave it a good, honest look and prayed about it, I realized that was not what was best for us at this time. Or maybe never? Not sure yet. Anyways, I'm doing something that I never thought I could do. And if I'd never tried, I'd never have known what I was capable of. Doesn't the verse say "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" ? (Phil 4:13).

Now, let's apply this spiritually: What's your greatest challenge, spiritually? Is it exceeding your {or establishing a} daily prayer time? Is it understanding the Scriptures? Witnessing, getting to church on time, forgiving the one who has wounded you, having love for the unlovable? You know what it is--that wall that you keep beating your head up against, that you can never conquer. Allow yourself to think, for a minute, about what life would be like if you could. If you could let go of that weight, how much faster could you run?

You've shaken your head and said, "But I don't have the energy, I don't have the time, I don't have the personality to do THAT." But what if you did? What if you went beyond yourself and did it anyway? If you will take the first step, He will equip you with whatever you need to keep going. When we stand in judgment before a holy and just God, we're going to be devastated when He shows us the great, the awesome, the mind-blowing things He wanted to do with our lives, but we drew the line and said no. I. can't.

I'm going to share something pretty personal, but I feel like it fits here: A few years ago, I was in a place where I knew I had taken some steps back in my experience with God. On my knees, I prayed, "God, please make me what I used to be." Now, I'm not a person who goes around claiming God speaks to them all the time, but at that moment he stopped me and said, "I don't want you to be what you used to be. I want you to be what you've never been before."

He is doing it. I'm seeing things unfold in my life that I've never seen before. Because I'm stepping out of the boat, making small, but consistent and faithful steps to climb higher, to go further, to TRY.

You CAN do it! Through Him. The question is, how bad do you want it? How far are you willing to go? Close your eyes and JUMP IN! The results will take your breath away.

Homemade Christmas Gifts

2010-09-17T05:53:00.001-07:00

Last year, my Mom, SIL & I agreed (challenged each other?) to make something for one other for this year's Christmas. OK, now, whose idea was it exactly? Surely it wasn't mine? Cause I'm kinda getting nervous. Christmas is right around the corner. I gotta get busy! As if I'm not already! I've come across a few things here and there that are doable (hopefully), but as my SIL reads my blog (Hi, Monica), I can't reveal everything. But I will share a few things I have come across. Please advise as to the level of potential cheese-factor or flop-risk these may have for an amateur.

Ruffled T-shirt:

Check out the tutorial here.

Rag Bag:

Tutorial from Nesting Place.

Memo Garland:

Again, from the Nester. Gotta love that Nester!

Notice these are non-sewing-machine-requiring projects;as is appropriate for the sewing machine challenged :).

I do have some other ideas up my sleeve, but I have to keep something a secret.

If you have any suggestions, please leave me a comment and share :). I LURVE comments (hint, hint). Even if you do not have a blogger account, you can still leave a comment by going to comments and choosing "anonymous". It would make my day!

Chicken Thief Caught

2010-08-31T05:34:00.000-07:00

After all that ranting about an "evil, chicken-eating cat", I must sheepishly retract. It was an evil, chicken-eating coon. After losing another chicken Monday night, it dawned on DH that he did after all own a wildlife, night-vision camera and why in the world hadn't he thought to put it out there before?

The culprit, unaware that his ugly mug was being photographed, crept up to the chicken pen and tried unsuccessfully to get his nasty paws into the fence. We figure he must have reached his hand in and snatched them as they walked past his post. That was a big coon, and I can't fathom his squeezing through the 4-inch gaps between nails.

At any rate, his chicken-eating days are over, at least from our brood. He can find another coop to traumatize and vandalize. If he comes back to ours, he will find himself trapped and disposed of. I say bring it on, you black-eyed bandit! Revenge...sweet, sweet revenge :).

Aaahhh....

2010-08-26T13:38:00.001-07:00

I know it's short-lived. I'm not getting my hopes up.

So I am not not taking it for granted. Not even for a minute.

When you live in Louisiana, and have been enduring 100+ temps for weeks, 94 feels really good. It was down to 60 Tuesday night. My, am I ready for fall!

We spent all morning outside, drinking it in. Feeling the cool breeze, hanging clothes out on the line, and watching the kiddos play contentedly. In the background, the girls clucked a comforting tune, adding to the symphony of the morning. I never knew I'd enjoy the chickens this much. I love watching them, feeding them, and listening to them bicker with one another. I'm proud to report that we have no further casualties since DH boarded up the bottom of the coop.

Neither did I know that hanging clothes on the line would be offer such a peaceful time of reflection and prayer. There's so much to pray about these days, more than I can ever remember. Lately, I'm finding it easier to walk through the day in a spirit of prayer. Somehow it seems I can feel His listening ear bending down closer to hear my petitions when I am busy with the tasks of my home, completing them with a spirit of contentment and thankfulness.

How 'bout this little house, created by little hands and big imagination? It's great to be able to return to childhood through the play of my own children. To leave behind the burdens of adulthood for just a little while, and rest in the simpleness of youth.

I hope the weather has been milder your way as well. Fall, I see you peeking around the corner! You're welcome to make your debut anytime you feel like it! Don't be shy!

We Have Livestock!

2010-08-24T05:59:00.000-07:00

Meet the newest members of our household. Well, maybe "yardhold" is better term to use. The kiddos have been super excited, and surprisingly, I have gotten attached to them already. We got them in the hopes of producing our own eggs, bringing us one small step closer to the homesteading status.

Our dreams of mass egg production have already been threatened, as four chickens have already went the way of the Last Mohican. Each night for the past three nights, some creature has made its way into our chicken yard and stolen one of our chickens. John spotted a suspicious-looking stray cat with its hide pulled off running under our house the first morning. Upon inspection of the chicken yard, we discovered wire pulled back where some creature made its escape. The jagged edges of the wire had ripped through the cat's backside, pulling the hide off. So, we know who our culprit is. Apparantly, it climbs to the top of the coop and knocks the boards off to get in, then squeezes through the chicken wire, which is nailed down every four inches. Skinny cat. Evil, wicked, baby-chicken eating cat. We wish to place a bullet in his brain. Last night, he got two more, leaving one still inside the pen, decapitated. Die you evil cat!

We spotted the cat resting in the driveway of a house one street over last weekend, and I have decided I am going to make a visit and see if the cat does indeed belong to them and if it does, inform them of his deviant behavior. I say cats who eat chickens should be treated as the horse thieves of yester-year. Instant death!!

Here's hoping we don't lose anymore chickens in the meanwhile. I'll keep you posted.

Emma's Birthday Video!

2010-08-21T20:37:00.000-07:00

In which I talk like a hick and Elijah steals the candle-blow moment!

Emma Turns 2!!

2010-08-21T20:06:00.000-07:00

Two years, one week ago...celebrating her arrival...

One year ago...celebrating 1 year!!

And now, the big 2!

Last Saturday, August 14, my baby turned TWO years old! Because we were traveling last weekend, we celebrated today with a small party of close friends.

Two is such a fun age, with each new day producing new experiences for my sweet girl. New words, new expressions, new tricks--our days are filled with "Let me do it!" and hand claps and "yea's" as each new challenge is accomplished. As proud as I am of these milestones, they are bittersweet, because each one removes a link in the chain of babyhood. Soon they will all be gone and she will be free to roam around the independent world of big-girlness.

But for now, I treasure every wet kiss and tight-neck-hug and arm reaching for me. She is truly a joy, and brings light and laughter to each member of our family, each day.

Emma-Rae, Mama loves you! Happy Birthday!

Concerning Homeschool

2010-08-10T03:22:00.000-07:00

Well, here we go. As of Sept. 6, we will officially begin our homeschooling journey. I'm a little apprehensive, to say the least. Elijah doesn't have a clue what's coming. Grace is geared up and begging to start every day. We've done school sporadically throughout the summer, keeping those little brains geared in the learning direction, so my hopes are they are in the groove already.

After much agonizing debate with my husband, researching and talking to other homeschool Moms, we have decided on a non-traditional (?) approach (please, someone, direct me as to the correct term to describe my method). I was all geared up to use Abeka, as that seems to be the most highly recommended and trusted curriculum out there. I graduated from an ACE curriculum school (Accelerated Christian Education) and knew that probably wasn't the way I wanted to go long-term, but considered using their (ACE) Kindergarten program. Both are pretty expensive.

So, after understanding that a kindergartner pretty much needs to learn how to read, and basic Math (along with shapes, colors, numbers, which we mastered at the age of 2-3), I thought why spend all that money on curriculum when there are other good resources out there? My mother-in-law found me the book, "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons", which I had already been wanting to buy for months. I've been reading it and am really impressed with the method and the reviews. I found a used Saxon Math Kindergarten book on ebay, and plan to order an art workbook from Abeka. My son is advanced in drawing, and amazes me every day. He literally draws for hours and goes through notebooks at an amazing speed. He stays up at night drawing by lamplight. We have as aspiring artist on our hands!

As for Grace's pre-k, she already knows as much as Elijah, so I am going to let her follow along with him as much as she can, but not push her too much if things get a little difficult for her. Both of them already know their alphabet, and about 80% of the sounds. Elijah prints amazingly neat, but Grace is struggling with her fine motor skills a little bit. I am considering getting her into some motor skills therapy, as she gets very frustrated with herself when she attempts to write her letters.

When first grade rolls around, we may be more inclined to go with a curriculum, but for kindergarten I felt it was unnecessary and overkill. Just my opinion. Everyone has one :).

There is a small, Church of the Nazarene, Abeka church-school down the road from us who believe in much the same standards, although doctrinally, a little different than what we believe. I was really hoping to be able to send Elijah there this year, but we just couldn't squeeze it into our budget. So I've joined a local home school group (still waiting to hear something from them) so we can get in the good "socialization" aspect of our experience. Not that my children don't get any socialization. They are social butterflies. But I am excited about the group.

Anyways, as for my opinion about homeschooling, I do believe in it (obviously). I am so thankful that we still have the choice to educate our children at home in a safe, secure, unrestricted environment. There is no way I would EVER send my children to the zoned public school here. No. Way.

But I am not necessarily of the opinion that home-school is the only acceptable method of education. I think there are good schools out there, and homeschooling may not be for everyone. If I were able to send mine to a school like the one I graduated from (sans the curriculum of choice), I would do it.

Please pray for us (particularly me) as we embark on this new journey. I'm going to need LOTS of patience and wisdom. Thanks!

Blog Award?

2010-08-07T15:07:00.000-07:00

Medical Billing

So I got this email from some award people saying I had been chosen as a top Christian SAHM blog award. I have no idea who these people are or even if they are legit. These are so many cookey things out there you just never can tell.

But in the case that there really is something to it, I graciously accept and offer my appreciation. I guess.

Here is the website where my blog is listed. The whole "medical billing and coding" thing threw me off. Especially since I used to be a medical biller and coder. Weird. What do y'all think?

http://www.medicalbillingandcoding.org/top_christian_sahm/#My_Highest_Calling

Being Frugal, Part 2

2010-08-04T12:30:00.000-07:00

So, last post we defined what it means to be frugal. Since then, my senses have been most keen to the frugality of MY life. In actuality, just about EVERYTHING I do revolves around the mantra, "How Little Money Can I Spend To Get By?" I go grocery shopping, and find myself scratching things off the list, and in my head going, "Don't really need that. Save $1.50." When I'm not thinking about how NOT to spend money, I'm thinking about how to MAKE money. I find some .25 cent in-great-condition baby clothes at a yard sale, and even though I don't have a little boy in size 0-3 months, I know they will sell for at least $5 each at the local twice-yearly consignment sale. Grab 'em!

I turn my nose up at sales racks that sport "30% OFF" signs. That does NOT impress me. Speaking of which, I've noticed that's as low as Target's sale racks go these days. What's up with that? Anyways, I loathe going to a yard sale where people are trying to turn their front yard into a Dillard's department store. If I wanted to pay $10 for one garment, I'd go to the mall. And it would be brand new. Truthfully, I rarely pay $10 for a garment at the mall. It has to be UNDAH TEN DOLLAHS to go home with me. Yep, I'm a tough customer. But people are always asking me where I buy my kids clothes and commenting on how cute they look. Savvy. That I am. I have to confess, though, I spent $25.00 on this dress at the consignment store last year:

It was still in the Strasburg garment bag, y'all. Brand new. Check out the original price on this lovely item: $134.99. Definitely worth the exception. I told myself I would resell it on ebay, where Strasburg dresses go for about $50 bucks. But after trying it on Gracie, I decided to hang on to it for a while :). Doesn't she look precious?

Which proves, no matter how frugal you are or try to be, it's OK to spend a little bit more sometimes. It feels good to unclench the fist every now and then.

How Frugal Are You?

2010-07-29T06:49:00.000-07:00

Frugal. It's the new "in" thing to be, according to a news clip I saw on MSNBC a couple of weeks ago. There are books being written, advice being given, as people are changing their lifestyles to adjust to the present sad state of our economy. There is a whole community of frugal bloggers out there, sharing how they make their pennies stretch, or should I say "pinch"?

What does it mean to be frugal?
–adjective
1.economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful: a frugal manager.
2.entailing little expense; requiring few resources; meager; scanty: a frugal meal.

I always considered myself frugal, even in my teen years. I babysat up to 7 kids at a time the summer I was 12 (probably illegal without some kind of license) and opened my first checking account. My older brother, who had a steady job, would borrow money from me. But then I met my husband, King Tight. As in bark on a tree. As in, "his shoes squeak when he walks". Tight.

John and I met and married during our sophomore years of college. We weren't just poor college students. We were poor, married college students with rent and utilities. We rented a mobile home from John's sister and both worked part-time. Our first year of marriage, we made a combined $15,000.00. The entire year. No kidding. Insert twangy country tune.."Livin' On Love"...

That's when I was brought to a higher level of frugality. We bought ONE burger at Sonic and cut it in half. We didn't buy ketchup or mustard or mayo. We stuffed our pockets full of the little packets from the university food court. I'm cracking up over here, y'all. That's really sad.

My husband's extremely frugal nature is mainly due to the way he was raised. His grandparents raised him and ingrained tightness into his being. Even they have said that maybe they did a little bit too good of a job. Yes, they created a monster of frugality!

Let me state here that I am so very grateful that my husband takes good care of us financially. I never have to worry about our bills being paid or our savings account running out. My man has got it all under control. But I wonder, does one's personality make one more prone to being frugal? Or is it all in how they were raised?

I consider our family to be pretty frugal. Here are somethings we do to keep within a budget:

1. Make a menu plan (weekly, bi-weekly) and shop for specific meals. Stick to the list. Makes a HUGE difference in our grocery bill.
2. Dry clothes on the line. Yea, our towels are rough. But it makes for good exfoliation :).
3. Shop 2nd hand, thrift stores, and yard sales for clothes. (It's FUN, too!)
4. Grow a garden.
5. Stay at home. Save gas and unnecessary spending.
6. Eat at home.

Check out these two blogs my husband and I recently discovered, for lots of great frugal tips:

*** www.groceryshrink.com
*** www.penilessparenting.com

So, how frugal are you? Not at all? Wish you were? Don't really care to be? Are you frugal because you think it's a valuable characteristic or because you don't have a choice? The video I mentioned in the first paragraph was about a book that's out named "The Ultimate Cheapskate" by Jeff Yeager. Check it out and see how you compare.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The Bluegrass Jig

2010-07-19T08:22:00.000-07:00

All In A Day's Play

2010-07-15T20:48:00.000-07:00

We've been having some internet issues around here (thus the lack of activity). My husband, ever frugal-minded, discovered we could save a few bucks a month if we switched from DSL to cable. I'm really hoping the kinks work out of the system soon because it is driving me crazy!!

It's did us some good to have some computer-down time, as my kids' imaginations have really been working overtime. Not that they spend a lot of time in front of the screen (30 mins a day each, max). But they will sit in the den and listen to Adventures in Odyssey or Hiskids.net while they draw, color, or read. Without this option, they've found other ways to amuse themselves.

Wednesday morning, we had a tea party in their newly-completed playhouse (very early, before the heat smothered us). Tea parties are a great way to teach table manners and etiquette. Such as keeping your hand in your lap, elbows off the table, and asking (and waiting) to be served.

The same day, we kicked up the volume on some Bluegrass music and had a good time of silliness and exercise. Of course, they had to deck out in their "dance" costumes! My kids are a hoot! (video of bluegrass jig to come later).

Today, I sent them to their rooms for an hour or so of quiet time. I sat down at the couch to read the Bible and...ahem...fell asleep (don't tell anyone). I awoke 45 minutes later and rushed to check on my innocent, angelic, darlings. These are the beautiful faces I saw when I opened the bedroom door:

I didn't know if I should laugh or cry!! Thankfully, it washed off with a little soap and water.

With the unbearable heating being what it is, my normally out-doors playing children are being forced to find ways to have fun INdoors. How are you and your family "beating the heat" and passing the time inside? Are you having as much fun as we are?

Salsa And Relish And Jam, Oh My!

2010-07-08T10:27:00.000-07:00

No, my computer is not broken, nor did I cut off a finger, rendering my hand unable to type. The only valid excuse I have for not blogging lately is that I have been BUSY. We did not STOP 4th of July weekend, coming home just in time to fall utterly exhausted into bed. I think the kids even went to bed without baths one night (ick). I figured the chlorine from their pool time killed any lingering filth. This is not something we do regularly, but it was a holiday after all.

Remember the little to-d-list I posted a couple weeks ago? One of those items on the list was "Keeping up with garden output". Yeah. We do not have a huge garden, but God has blessed us and given us quite a bounty this year. Mostly in tomatoes and squash. The watermelons have done nothing (pooh). My husband planted spaghetti squash, and it has been a fruitful endeavor. It grows to about the size and shape of a pineapple and is filled with noodle-like meat. Thus the name. I am at a loss with what to do with it all. One spaghetti squash goes a loong way and we have a LOT of it!

As for canning, I'm a little embarrassed to admit that my husband has done most of it. He jumps in and starts on it before I have a chance. He and I are different because I want to wait until a convenient time (kids in bed, kitchen clean, chores done), whereas he just jumps in whenever the mood strikes him. He has canned strawberry jelly and salsa. What a man!! ;)

My neighbor brought me two bags of cukes, so I am going to try my hand at some cucumber relish. We also have discovered a mulberry tree down the road from our house, so some mulberry jam will be forthcoming as well.

Sadly, the pictures we took of all these gloriously canned goodies are lost because the memory card was left in the computer and it has been snitched by some mysterious culprit. I'm guessing she is almost two years old and has blonde hair and green eyes. Here's hoping it turns up soon.

Any suggestions for storing spaghetti squash?

The Hamper Cleaning Method

2010-06-25T17:38:00.000-07:00

There are some really great home-making, house-wifey blogs out there, authored by some pretty amazing, organized women. I'm talking type-A, label-happy, energizer-bunny , catch-me-if-you-can women. They motive some of us less-energized (ahem) to step it up a little. I appreciate that. But I find it baffling, and somewhat amusing when I see women creating and selling e-books they've written on basic cleaning and cabinet organization. People actually pay $5.00 for an e-book telling them how to line up things in their pantry?

You're in luck today, ladies! You get to see a real, live, complete with demonstration photos cleaning post, absolutely FREE!

Seriously, I was at my SIL's house the other night, helping her tidy her house before our trip home (don't you wish you had a SIL like ME?? :)) and I was showing her how I clean a room in a jiffy. She actually thought it was a pretty nifty way to do it. I call it The Hamper Method.

*You line up three containers (like so--see above demonstration picture). Anywhere-on the floor, your couch, anywhere will do.

1. Hamper or box for stray toys.
2. Hamper for stray clothes/shoes/hats/gloves/need I go on?
3. Grocery bag or trash bag for trash (junk mail, long forgotten drawings, chunks of scrap wood and steel van bumpers). No, I'm not kidding. Look closely at demo photos to find the strange objects. Leave a comment and tell me where they are and you get a prize. (not).

*Next, let your three (insert number of children you have at home) children help you pick up said objects from floor and any and all surfaces or bookshelves and place them in corresponding containers.

*Have each child take toy hamper to their room and deposit their toys in appropriate places (toy box, bookshelf, etc).

*Sort through clothes in clothes box and separate dirty from clean, then have children return clean clothes to clean drawers and dirty clothes to laundry room.

When that's done, you're ready to dust and sweep/vacuum. WAIT! Maybe you have procrastinated about cleaning under your couch cushions. Do that now. There's an entire box of crayons and two containers of hair pins under there!

Here's Before:

(I think it is ADORABLE how Emma is saying "Cheese" in each picture. She thinks it's all about HER!)

Here's After:

Now, you can dust your hands together after a job well done, and move on to more enjoyable things...

Busy As A Bee

2010-06-22T05:30:00.000-07:00

Does it seem to you that life seems to get busier and busier? Sometimes it seems that each week brings greater challenges than the one before, making the months pass so swiftly it's scary.

I'm asking the good Lord for some extra help this week, for better time-management skills and stronger resolve to resist idleness when there's so much to be done!

Here's my list of To-Dos:
*As soon as the kiddos are up, fed, and dressed, it's off to Wal-Mart to buy ingredients for making homemade spaghetti sauce and pizza sauce for canning (can you still call it canning when you're actually 'bagging'?). I'm tempted to buy one of those sauce packs where you just add it to the tomatoes and you're done. Definitely not the all-natural approach, but a lot less work.

*Home to blanch and skin tomatoes, and start making batches of sauce.

*Knock out mountain of laundry we brought back from 'Bama

*Regular daily stuff (kids school worksheet time, Bible memorization, reading time, etc.)

*Fill an order for 20 hairbows (goal, by Friday)

*Clean out disgustingly disorganized laundry room (which I loathe to enter)

*Pick up check from consignment store, 20 miles away

*Attend court hearing in town two hours away on Wednesday

*Keep up with garden output

*Clean church

And all the other necessary daily stuff that has to be done!! Well, at least I won't have any trouble going to sleep at night :).

A Plethora

2010-06-20T21:11:00.000-07:00

(Just to clarify)--Plethora:

–noun
1.overabundance; excess: a plethora of advice and a paucity of assistance.

LOOK-"paucity"-a new word! It means "smallness of quantity". Therefore, paucity and plethora are antonyms! Ya learn somethin' new every day! (and if you're scratching your head at "antonym", try wikipedia, and if you're wondering what in the world is wikipedia, well....figure it out :).

Here's another interesting definition:

2.Pathology Archaic . a morbid condition due to excess of red corpuscles in the blood or increase in the quantity of blood.

Obviously totally unrelated to this post, so...moving on...

A plethora of events and sweet memories over the past few weeks...

We had a wonderful time celebrating Memorial Day with two of our church "families"-- one where we attended and served as youth pastors for 5 years, and the other our current home church.

Elijah, using his water gun to keep cool on Memorial Day at the park.

We spent two weeks in Sweet Home Alabama, also known as L.A. or Lower Alabama (not to be confused with LowEST Alabama, which would be the coast). My, I'm informative tonight. Bear with me.

We were able to spend the weekend as a family lounging around the family pool at my Mom's..aahh...

We said goodbye to Dad on Sunday (sadly) and geared up for some busy, fun times!

The first week was filled with youth camp activities, also known as "church camp" to some. This camp was started at my home church when I was 17, 13 years ago (now you know how old I am!), so it is a special yearly revisiting kind of thing for me. It was indescribably influential in my spiritual growth as an older teen. The services were phenomenal! LOVED seeing the youth of today (the future church) getting blessed and encouraged!

This year was the first year of corresponding Junior Camp, for ages 5-11, where I dedicated most of my time. My kids had a blast! Here's a peek at some happy kids with their crafts from "Super Hero Training Camp":

Monday, June 14th, we celebrated Grace's 4th birthday! I am so proud of my baby girl. She is truly a joy to have as a daughter. She is smart, sweet, and thoughtful of others--always willing to share with her siblings and friends. I'm a very proud Mommy! In celebration of her 4th year, we had a small family party on Monday and on Tuesday, I took her and my niece, Erin, to see the play "Willie Wonka, JR." at the local Ballet & Arts Theatre. It was really cute and the girls loved it!

The rest of the week was spent lounging around the pool, reading, and just enjoying being near dear friends and family. Here is Emma with her namesake, my great-Aunt Emma. Please excuse the cloudiness, as there was a smudge on the lens of my camera.

Now we are at home and back into the swing of things again! I am on the verge of beginning a Master Bedroom Makeover, which I hope will come together quickly. I will keep you updated!
It's so good to be back and catch up on everyone's blogs.

I leave you with a request: please remember our family in your prayers as we have some family issues that have escalated into a legal matter, and a court hearing will be held on Wednesday in an attempt to settle them. I am praying that everything will work out for the best for all parties involved. Love you, my blog readers!

On Hiatus

2010-06-15T09:36:00.000-07:00

We are having a blast in Alabama. Youth camp, birthdays, and poolside time are making for wonderful memories. I'm snitching someone else's internet so you'd know I'm still alive :).

There will be many pictures to share upon my return to Louisiana. Have a great week!

Top ___ Reasons To Lose Weight

2010-05-27T04:39:00.001-07:00

Reason #1. Because you DESERVE IT!! Repeat to self over and over. Slam fist on table for added emphasis.

Reason #6. You have an exceptionally good-looking husband, and he deserves an equally exceptionally attractive partner. Ever heard someone say, "They just don't match"? Yea...

Reason #13: You go to TJMaxx to shop for clothes and you get really frustrated because out of a 1387 square foot area, there's a 2 foot rack with clothes in your size. And 80% were made for Vestal Goodman. Don't know who Vestal Goodman is? I mean was. Google her. No offense Vestal. RIP.

Reason #28: It's HOT. And you have too much insulation. And when you go to the zoo and walk around in said heat you get blisters on your thighs.

Reason #65: You need a crane to lift yourself into your hubby's new truck.

Reason #82: You see cute little underwear in the store and you know if you were to put them on they would go to the Land of No Return.

Reason #103: You double chin is evolving to a triple.

Reason #141: You're tired of people asking you when your baby is due.

Reason #2736: People peer at your bridal portrait and ask, "Is that YOU?"

Reason #3041: You're starting to break furniture.

Reason #6200: You think of a new reason every day.

Did I mention I'm on a diet??

Weekend In Review (Lousiana Purchase Zoo)

2010-05-24T10:50:00.001-07:00

It seemed like forever since our family had done anything FUN. So hubby decided to use one of his vacation days and take the family on a little get-a-way on Friday. We drove about two hours East to The Louisiana Purchase Zoo in Monroe, LA.

Our entire family of 5 was admitted to the zoo for $15.00! Can't beat that with a stick!

Hubby & I had visited the zoo about 6-7 years ago, as newlyweds, and even then, it was not in the best of shape. And it's located right in the heart of the "quarters" if you kwim. So, we knew we weren't going to a huge, state of the art zoo and we were OK with that. We just wanted somewhere to take the kids for a short, enjoyable outing and they were tickled pink.

We kicked things off with a little picnic lunch:

Then posed for some silly pics:

That's a really fierce expression there, Hon. Yikes!

It didn't take us long to realize it was HOT, so when we spied the (covered)boat tour, on we hopped and away we floated to view some of the interesting and beautiful creatures our God made...

A Mom with her new baby. She was a little protective. Can't blame her for that!

I think we fit into the category of 'interesting and beautiful' :).

Next, we strolled around and looked at the many different kinds of monkeys. It's amazing how many variations God made of the same species!

This couple kept giving one another sugar. Get a room already! :)

The kids & hubby visited the Reptile house. I declined. No, thank you, little snakies.

One of my favorite things about the zoo were the peacocks and ducks that roamed freely around the zoo. We also got to touch and feed a hippo, which was probably the neatest thing about the day. Didn't get any pics of that, though. :(

We left the zoo and headed to Wal-Mart to meet with some dear old friends of ours, but on the way, we spotted a Dirt Cheap! Hubby slammed on the brakes and whipped the truck around faster than you can say "bargain" :). Dirt Cheap is a salvage type store that we love to shop at back home, but there have never been any here in Louisiana, to our knowledge. So we were SUPER excited to find it! Got some great deals!

We ended the day with supper at Cracker Barrel and a three hour visit with an older couple who have been wonderful mentors to us over the years. We don't get to see them as often as we would like, though.

This will probably be my only post for this week, as we are in revival at church and there will be no extra time available for such leisure activities. Unless I get really inspired by one of the services and feel like preaching a sermon :). Look out!

Have a good week, my dear readers!

What I've Been Doing:

2010-05-15T13:34:00.000-07:00

1. It seems I have been running behind on EVERYTHING lately, and just can't mussel together enough energy to get myself up and going. BLAH. Drag, drag, drag. OK, onto more positive content.

2. Making Homemade Bread!!! I've been wanting to try it for awhile, but you know, every day I would put other things before it. So I just broke down and DID IT. I was really surprised at how easy it was and it turned out DE-LISH-US :). I used my SIL's recipe. She's good like that :). p.s. I'll probably devote a post to that soon--be prepared :).

3. Making hairbows! And hairbows, and more hairbows! I signed up as a cosigner at a local Children's Consignment Shop and so I had to make up a good supply. I did a few every day and I am SICK of making bows! :) But I am excited about this opportunity to make a little extra $$ from home. Here's hoping it works out.

4. Remodeling our Master Bathroom. It's been sitting there for TWO years, waiting for us to make it useful. We have all the pieces of the puzzle. We have the garden/jacuzzi tub. We have the tile. We have the sheetrock. So, now is the time to put it all together. If you've ever remodeled anything, you know that no matter what room of the house it's being done, no matter if it's a room that's 3 square feet, the rest of the house suffers. Ugh. Here's hoping it gets done quickly! YEA! I'm excited! Here's a pic of the board and batten design hubby is putting up in there:

(Courtsey of the Nesting Place. She never ceases to inspire me).

5. Enjoying our backyard with my babies. We pulled last year's pool out and cleaned her up, and the kiddos have been having a blast! I've been leaving everything inside and soaking up some rays while enjoying their fun. Their joy really is contagious.
No pics of that to share, but here's a cute one of my littlest stinker:

Just wanted to say, I love you, my dear readers! I hope your summer is kicking off to a great start! :)

Sheesh

2010-05-08T18:34:00.000-07:00

I've been working on this joy thing.

After all, the joy of the Lord is my strength (Neh 8:10). I need all the strength I can get.

In Christ, we are supposed to have an abiding joy down deep no matter what our circumstances. Is that joy always visible? That's what I want. I want visible joy. Especially for my children, as the only joy they understand is the visible kind.

So today I put it into practice.

I'm singing a silly, joyful song to Emma about bath time.

Opera style. LOUDLY.

Then I realized all the windows are up and my neighbors are all on their front porches, having their evening visits.

Sheesh.

Then I get tickled, wondering what they are thinking. And Emma & I have a dose of visible joy. At the expense of a little embarrassment, but I guess it was worth it.

I'm hoping some of that joy spilled out onto my neighbors. If so, it really was worth it.

His First Crush (Tuesdays Unwrapped)

2010-05-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

Do you remember your first crush? I do. I was in kindergarten.

He was adorable.

Glossy brown hair and puppy dog brown eyes, fringed with thick lashes.

Siiighh...

Unfortunately, every other little girl in the class thought he was adorable, too. Worse than that, my best friend was the prettiest girl in the class and she was the one who caught his eye.

I slipped him the "check yes or no" letter, and opened the reply with eyes squinted shut.

He checked "no".

Gloom.

Despair.

Agony.

You'd think I would've taken that lesson into the teenage years and kept it to myself when I liked a boy. But I didn't. And that's another post.

Now, my adorable little boy is 5. He has little girl friends that he likes to play with and tease. But this one is different. Sunday, he went to church with his Beamie (paternal g'ma) at a sister church about an hour's drive from here. When he came home, he told us about Children's Church and his teacher, and then...

"There was this girl. Her name is Cassidy."

"Yea? Did she talk to you?"

"No, she just winked her eyes at me."

(trying to hide a smile).."Did you talk to her?"

"No, I was too shy." ...hhmmm...

"Well what did she look like?"

"She was like one of those blonde-headed girls."

"OOoohhh..."

He's not going back to that church. :)

p.s. Who could resist this face?

Visit www.chattingatthesky.com for more sweet stories about celebrating the small things in the midst of your ordinary days.

To Vaccine, or Not To Vaccine

2010-04-29T06:46:00.000-07:00

That is the question, people. I think about it every day. I brood over it. I pray over it. I am torn. That deep-down, mother hen instinct in me tells me, no, we're not going to do it. I've read the autism statistics and research, I've listened to tapes from doctors, I've re-read, re-researched.

Then I take my kids to the doctor and I feel the pressure, see the raised eyebrows. I fill out registration papers for potentially sending Elijah to Christian school, and there it looms: are your vaccines updated? Check beside all vaccines your child has received. And being that we started Elijah off getting his vaccinations, I wonder, should we finish them out? Grace is about a year behind, and Emma hasn't had any at all.

The reason I am torn is this: we are in a battle in this country, whether you realize it or not, for our parental rights. Our right to decide what we feel is best in the raising of our children, regarding their health, their education, and their spirituality. My brother is an advocate and spokesman of sorts for parentalrights.org. If you're not familiar with this situation, pay them a visit and read up. It's frightening.

How long will we be able to hold on to this basic, natural right of deciding what is best for our children without governmental intrusion and mandation? (if that's a word). The homeschooling movement is not well thought-of by our government, and they will seek any reason to tear it down. And it's going to get worse. My point is, when they come knocking on my door looking for a reason to take my kids away from me, do I want to give them a good one? And they could rightly use my choice not to pump my kids full of foreign substances as a reason to say I am not taking care of them (by their standards).

So, would it be better to go ahead with something I do not believe in, for the better sake of my children in the long run? Wouldn't vaccinated children safe at home be better than un-vaccinated children in foster care? Which they would then be appropriately updated on, most likely.

I'll give you a real-life scenario: a close friend of mine is the oldest of 10 siblings. They are a conservative, Christian, home-schooling family. The kind that makes liberals cringe. When my friend was still living at home (she is now married with children of her own), her 14 month old brother fell in a pond and drowned. He was gone by the time they pulled him out, completely lifeless. Someone immediately called 911. This family is a praying family and they gathered around the baby and began to pray. Within minutes, he started breathing again and vomiting water. By the time the ambulance arrived, about 45 minutes later, he was up playing normally as if nothing had happened. The paramedics took his vitals, and all was normal. The Dad did not want them to take him into the ER, because he felt like God had healed the child, while the ambulance had failed them. If they had waited on the ambulance to assist them, they would have been planning a funeral. The ambulance service called the authorities and the family was forced to take the child to the ER. While at the ER, the parents and older siblings were questioned extensively by child services. For three days their home was searched and they were questioned with threats of removing all 8 children from the home. They were terrified. Thankfully, at the end of this long ordeal, it was decided in their favor and they were allowed to keep their family together.

Up to this point, none of the children had been vaccinated, but after going through what they did, they decided to start . Having already been put under the magnifying glass, they did not want to give any reason for speculation, should anything ever come up.

I'm still not decided, I'm still torn, still praying. Our parenting methods are counter-culture, to say the least. We follow a more natural, old-fashioned approach that does not follow the societal norm of just following along, without question, with what is recommended by the medical world. I would like to hear the opinion of other like-minded Moms on this issue. Please share.

Some Shots

2010-04-26T05:42:00.000-07:00

I love to take pictures. I truly, dooly-do (can't remember where that line came from, but it popped into my head just now, and seemed appropriate). My sweet man bought me a really good camera about a year ago, BUT. I obviously need to take some photography classes because I'm at a loss on how to manage the settings on it. My pictures often come out grainy. I've put the ISO on as low as it goes, but I have no clue about aperture and what to do with it. I think it's important.

Being that I dropped out of radiology school because I could not "get" the class on how to run and repair the x-ray cameras and machinery, there may not be much hope. I would love to take a photography class, but have not the time or the mou-la right now.

So, I guess you'll just have to put up with my amateur photography skills. Here's a few I've been pleased with:

Tea, anyone?

2010-04-21T06:24:00.000-07:00

Remember the ladies' get together I mentioned last week? Well, that get-together was actually a surprise birthday party for my pastor's wife, and I was the host. We went with the tea party theme with hats and all and it turned out really well! Although I'm not sure if we actually drank any tea?

As my friend and I were decorating and bringing out our crystal serving ware, we chatted about how our grandmothers were much more well-versed in the art of hospitality than our generation. It seems people are just too busy these days to plan fancy get-togethers. Isn't it a shame? I for one think it is important that we make the effort to foster fellowship among our fellow sisters in the Lord, beyond the occasional shopping trip or phone conversation.

The food was awesome! Each of the ladies brought a dish I had designated for them to bring. I made tomato pies. Yum!

We ordered Sis. Sonya a beautiful scripture plaque from Danielson Designs by Dayspring. It was a lot of fun designing the plaque. We chose Proverbs 31:26, "She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness." It was a perfect fit and she loved it! She really is a blessing and a wonderful role model for me. We also surprised her with a few unexpected guests--her Mom, aunt, and sister, who drove all the way from Oklahoma. The look on her face was priceless!

After the gifts, we had a sit-down time where each of us shared something about Sis. Sonya that we appreciated. I had to hunt down the Kleenex box before it was over! That's what it's all about!

We have a precious older sister in our church who is full of godly wisdom and always encourages me with her testimonies, so I asked her to prepare a devotion for us. She talked about attitudes and how we can choose what attitude ship we board each day: fellow"ship", hard"ship", friend"ship", etc. Isn't that a great thought to ponder?

I would like to encourage you this week to do something to honor a fellow sister in the Lord, if it's a phone call, a card in the mail, or a hug and an encouraging word. I believe our pastor's wives especially need to hear a word of encouragement and appreciation, as they are under a great load of pressure that comes with leadership. We lay members probably do not know the half of it. Then come back to my blog and share it with me :). That would make my day.

All Things Work Together

2010-04-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

Rom 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

My little fender bender, (well maybe not so little) of a couple of weeks ago was quite unsettling. I loved my van! But God has a way of working things out, and His way is often a way we would not choose on our own. We had been looking for a truck for our family for months, and just couldn't seem to find one in our price range that suited us. We just started a new home-based party bounce house rental business, and really needed a truck to haul the bouncers in. We were getting desperate. Then I wrecked the van :(.

As it turns out, we were able to take the check from the insurance company and buy a new (to us) truck, and keep the van to either fix up or sell. We've decided to sell it 'as is'. Banged up Chrysler Town & Country anyone?? :)

God has been so faithful to our family. It makes me wonder how we could ever doubt His plan when unexpected events come our way. Sometimes He answers our prayers before we even have a chance to pray them, and sometimes He makes us wait a while. But He always comes through!

I'd like to encourage you today to hold out and keep the faith, whatever situation your are facing. If you're a child of God, He will take of it all!

Feminine Friday

2010-04-16T07:04:00.000-07:00

Today I am participating in Feminine Friday, hosted by my Sis-In-Law, at her blog NaturalMamax4.

This is a light, airy dress I found at Wal-Mart. I love dresses! The sleeves are a little shorter than what I would like, so if I am going out in public I cover them with my jean jacket (with corresponding flower, of course). Flowers are a cute way to accessorize your outfits and give them that extra punch!

Note: This pic was taken by my short 5 yo and is a most unflattering angle :(.

I am a girly-girl and have always enjoyed dressing up. Dresses and skirts make me feel feminine and lady-like. I was raised in a home and church that taught dresses-only. It's just second nature to me. I do realize that not everyone holds these convictions, so please do not take this post as judgmental. I also know you can wear a dress/skirt and still be indecent and immodest. For me, it is not about following a "do or don't" rule, but about reflecting holiness in every aspect of my life--especially my dress :).

My SIL made a great point on her FF blog last week: If you don't usually wear dresses, try one and see if you notice how men and people in general treat you differently. Have fun and celebrate your feminine side! :)

p.s. My blog friend Chrissy has dedicated her entire week of blogging to celebrating modesty. Check it out: http://mother-moments.blogspot.com.

A Frugal Fix (Using What You Already Have)

2010-04-15T10:53:00.000-07:00

Today was the last straw. I decided I've had it! Enough is enough! I drew, I aimed, and I fired....the water hose, that is. At my icky, dusty, yellow-pollen coated front porch. Aaahh...clean. A job accomplished.

Then I realized I have a problem with the also pollen-covered cushions of my wicker porch furniture. How do you clean these things? So I didn't. I dug around and found a vinyl tablecloth I bought a while back that was the wrong size and clashed with my dining room (bad shopping choice). I grabbed my trusty bottle of safety pins and recovered them babies (the cushions, not the pins)! (yes I'm weird, I reuse baby bottles for storage purposes).

The result: a clean, fresh front porch to enjoy! The only thing new on my porch this year is the flower arrangement by the door. I'm usually more selective when it comes to silk flowers, but the green hydrangeas I wanted were $10.00 EACH at Wal-Mart. I went with the $5 bunch of fake-os. But from a distance they don't look that bad.

Gracing my front door is a $8 flower wreath I found on Clearance at Target about two years ago. I really wanted a roll of that pretty mesh stuff to make a wreath with, but at $14.95 a roll, I'm gonna have to have a yard sale first and raise the money :). I just can't justify spending that kind of money on a decoration accessory.

On to another area...my foyer. This picture was in the house when we first looked at it, and I loved it! The previous owners were nice and left it here for me! It's been lonely on that wall for two years now, needing a nice little table to go under it. Well, a few weeks ago my Mom was visiting and we went yard saleing and I found this table for $10. To be honest, I probably wouldn't have bought it if I had been alone, but my Mom just wouldn't give up until I did so here it is and I guess it's OK. I'm really not a fan of this style. I'm more attracted to chunkier, more natural-looking pieces that I can distress and paint. Anyway, but I'm glad to have it! So, I found this planter thing at another yard sale for .50 and used these flowers I've had for AGES to gussy it up a bit.

I'm happy with the result, and although I'd prefer a gorgeous new flower arrangement from Hobby Lobby, new chair cushions from Target, and a mesh wreath for my front door, beggars, I mean, frugal people can't be choosers! :)

When It Rains, It Pours

2010-04-12T18:14:00.000-07:00

And right now seems to be the rainy season for the Acklen home. We've had a series of unfortunate events in the last week. One being this:

(courtesy of moi)

Which led to the cancellation of a long-anticipated, long-planned, much fund-raiser[ed] weekend trip. Bummer. In an attempt to salvage my weekend, I loaded up the kids in my hubby's car (two-door Chevy Cavalier)--talk about a tight squeeze--and we went to Alabama to spend the weekend with my family.

Guess what? We took a virus with us! Yep. Lots of nastiness filled the weekend. But now we're back home and Mom is ex.haust.ed. Let's hope this coming week is better than the last one (no lost children in public places, snakes in the backyard, or double ear infections). And that we find the right replacement vehicle at the right price. Without going into debt.

As a dear old-timer sister in the Lord used to say during prayer request time at church, "We covet cher prers." :) {translation--"we covet your prayers"}.

In the Blink Of An Eye

2010-04-04T12:41:00.000-07:00

That's how quick he went from this:

To this:

My baby boy learned how to ride his bicycle yesterday--his first time on a bike, period. *Tear* :). What a milestone!

Clothed With Scarlet

2010-03-31T10:10:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 31:21 "She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet."

I'm so thankful for God's Word. What a great blueprint God gave us to follow in Proverbs 31! In this one chapter we receive direction in so many different areas as women, wives, mothers, and even employers. Each time I read it, I get something new out of it that I didn't get before! God's word is alive and always challenging me to step it up!

There are different ways to look at this verse. It could be interpreted as completely spiritual, with snow (or winter) representing death and scarlet representing the blood of Jesus. Meaning that her children have been fed spiritually and are saved and ready to meet the Lord at the time of their death. Or, one could apply it literally, as meaning a virtuous woman plans ahead and makes sure that her children have warm clothes to protect them from the elements of winter.

For me, the key message here is that this woman thinks ahead, she manages her time and her resources in regard to the clothes her children wear, for each and every season. Now, in this day and time we live in, it is easy to get caught up in commercialism and trends. The marketing world knows that we Moms like to dress our children well. We will dress them well when we ourselves may not have anything to wear! Speaking for myself, it is hard for me to purchase things for myself when there are so many cute things that I could buy for my children. So it is easy to go the wrong way, if you find yourself thinking that your child HAS to have these clothes even if you cannot afford them or if they do not really need them. A few months ago, I was convicted of a competitive spirit regarding dressing my children for church. I wanted them to be the cutest kids there! What a stench in the nostrils of God. But thankfully, He showed me and helped me to change my ways!

That doesn't mean that I stopped dressing my kids in clean, neat, and well-fitting clothing that becomes them. I am particular about what my children wear when we are out anywhere. My husband often get frustrated with me because I want my girls to have a hairbow in their hair even if we are just going to Wal-Mart! But the truth is, we already look different to the world. I am a dresses-only woman, I do not wear makeup or jewelry, and I have very long hair. I stick out like a sore thumb! As do my children. And the world is watching. They are already critical. If I take my kids out in public looking like they just rolled on the ground and dug their clothes out of a Salvation Army bin, what kind of impression does that make?

Especially for those of us who have larger families (more than two by today's standards), we should be extra careful in how we present our children. Yesterday, I went to town with a friend of mine and we met up with her mother and eight younger siblings. Talk about people staring! They just couldn't get enough of all of us and our kids (seventeen in all). While we were eating, a couple of people approached our table and commented on how well-behaved they were, and how cute they all looked with their hairbows and dresses (there were only three boys in the whole bunch). But what if we had all went in with them mis-matched with their hair uncombed and hanging in their faces? The reaction would've probably been more of pity for those poor kids who looked like nobody took the time to take care of them.

Yes, it takes time to bathe, dress, and groom small children. Shoes get lost. Clothes get stained. This is where we have to manage our resources and time like the woman in verse 21. If you know you are going somewhere, lay clothes out the day before. Find the shoes they need to wear and put them up somewhere out of reach so you are not searching for that lost mate at the last minute. Have a certain basket designated for stained garments so you can stain-treat them before you wash. When an outfit is outgrown, put it up where you don't have to dig around it in the drawer or closet. Put bibs on messy children (I still put one on my almost 4-year-old). Take care of what you have. For your children's sake.

A few years ago, I was sitting in the waiting room of a doctor's office when in came this mother with a passel of children! I counted as they walked in, single file, and sat down in the chairs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6!! Not one of them moved when their mother walked to the desk to sign in and fill out papers. They were all dressed neatly and attractively. This mother had it together! I was in awe! To give an opposing scenario, I once knew a family of five children whom you heard before you ever saw them coming ;). They would come to church with their hair halfway combed and their clothes ill-fitting and mis-matched. I felt sorry for those kids, when other kids snickered and steered clear. It really wasn't their fault. I heard people talk about large families negatively, because of the impression this family left. Again, it was all in the Mother's abilities or inabilities to manage her children's appearances.

Now, I'm not saying it's right, but how our children look leaves the impression of how we take care of the rest of our lives. If we don't take the time to do our best for our children, which is our most precious commodity, then will we put the time into other aspects of our lives? It is a reflection. Even more so for those of us with 3-plus kids. If we are going to hold forth the standard of large families, we need to do it right!

May we strive to give our best in every aspect of mothering :).

Kids & Scripture Memorization

2010-03-29T12:30:00.001-07:00

Would you wise Moms care to share with me how you approach Scripture memorization? Do you learn a verse a week? Or a day? How do you reward your children for learning their verses? How do you keep old memorized verses fresh on their minds?

My kids get excited about it around here! I try to make it fun with corresponding hand motions to match the words of the verses. It's fun to watch their personalities come out as they express themselves through verse.

Here's a clip of Tator Tot while learning a verse this morning. She's a pretty sharp cookie!

Spiritual Spring Cleaning, Part 2

2010-03-28T20:17:00.000-07:00

Are you as happy as I that spring is finally here? We've had that "Easter snap" that reminded us that winter has not quite loosened its tight-fisted hold on the weather just yet. Groan. I don't know about you, but I'm ready for old Mr. Frosty to melt completely away. At least until July and then I'll be wishing for some cooler days. The warmer weather has given me an energy boost, despite the time change (another groan). Who ever came up with that idea and why??

Pretty soon I'll be making my weekly spring cleaning list. Believe me, it's going to be slow. Probably a room a week. I'm striving for balance here. Keep priorities in line, Amy (read Titus 2 for priority list). I'm hoping that my spiritual house spring cleaning will continue at a better rate than the one in my physical house.

So, last week we talked about some cobwebby corners that I've been dusting out. I'd like to elaborate on those a little bit.

1. Too much computer time. How much computer time is too much? Here's a good judge. You sit down to read your favorite blog and just when you get settled, you're interrupted by "Mo-om! I need you!" With a frustrated huff and puff, you trudge off to grudgingly take care of that little one's need. You rush through it, disgruntled and ready to get back to your blog reading. The poor little tike is wondering what he/she did to make Mommy so short and snappy. Or (try this one on for size) you reward yourself with little "computer breaks" when you cross a task off of your to-do list. Just to check your e-mail. But then you have ten Facebook comments from friends saying how cute your kids are (thankyouverymuch) and you have to open Facebook so you and see which pics were commented on and give a reply comment. Then you see that Aunt Suzie in Idaho posted pics of the new baby and you have to look at those too (and comment accordingly). Before you know it, you've been on for an hour, and that time is...wasted. An entire hour that you can never get back. Yikes. And how much time did you spend in Bible reading this morning? OUCH. Yes, my friends, this sad and shameful story is not unlike those on the Friday night Lifetime Movie Network lineup. It's true. Ahem.
A second point about computer time--you can read all the blogs there are (and there are some fantastic ones out there) on the subject of being a virtuous woman and a good wife and a great homeschooler, but if all you do is read about it, what good does it do? Get up and apply that great information to your home and family! Don't just read about how others are living a full life--live your own!

The remedy: Turn. The. Computer. Off. Talk about feeling freed. Just turn it off and set aside a set time each day that will be your computer time. Maybe in the early morning or late evening, or whenever it will not take away from your time with spouse and children (er...that's a tough one). If there are things that you must do online, like pay bills or order something,or email someone, make a list of those things and do them all at once. You'll spend less time doing it all at one time than if you hop on and off when the idea pops into your head.

Ephesians 5:16 tells us about "redeeming the time because the days are evil." Maybe your time-snatcher is not the computer. Maybe it's talking on the phone, or texting, or exercising, or watching T.V. Whatever it is, if it distracts us from our home and children and time with God and His Word, it's not worth it. Once you realize that, you'll feel so free and realize that when God asks you to give Him something, He will not leave you empty-handed. He will replace that cumbersome weight with a delightful reward!

I did not plan on writing so much about the first point on my Spiritual Spring Cleaning List, so it looks like I will have to continue to point 2 in Spiritual Spring Cleaning, Part 3. Remember, cobwebs of carnality create a home for the spider of sin.