Happy Birthday to My Daddy

Thanking God on Friday!

**  I am thankful for salt...not the kind you eat, but the kind that goes on the ground.  The salt is hopefully keeping the roads safe as we are getting more snow.

**  I am thankful for the lesson from BSF this week.  We read about Hezekiah and all about how, when struck with a crisis, he turned directly to God.  My favorite part is in Isaiah 37:14 where it says "...; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD."  He laid it out...all of it, before God and let it go.  There are so many things that I pray about, but I don't release them completely and this is an example of how to fully give it to God...whatever it is.

**  I am thankful for my Granita.  Wednesday marked the three year anniversary of her going to be with Jesus.  While I miss her tremendously, I am SO grateful that she was in my life...for all of the things that she taught me, all the times she listened to me, and just her overall gentle heart (and she made some mean biscuits!).  The other day while folding sheets, I got a whiff and they smelled just like her sheets did...maybe she too used Tide.  I was able to just sit and sort of feel her presence...it was lovely.

**  I am thankful to be able to have a date with my Jamison.  We are going to see Disney Princess on Ice with her Girl Scout troop and she is so excited.  It will be nice to have some mother/daughter time together. 

Cleaning Out My Closet

Sorry for the boring title.  Over the weekend I tackled our front closet.  I have to do this at least twice a year because it always gets out of control.  It's wasn't as bad as it has been in the past...the top shelf was still pretty clean, but the shoes were out of control and I knew that there were some jackets that the kids had outgrown.

 Excuse the blurry picture...but here's what the floor looked like before.  Shoes galore...flip flops, shoes that are too small, and a few mittens here and there.

 Here's the top of the closet...not too bad.  There's is an old jacket of Caleb's that had to come down and go into the donation pile.

I pulled out all shoes that were too small and put them in this box to be donated...much better.

Here's a glimpse all cleaned out, but before I vacuumed.  In the spring I think I'll pull everything out again and paint the inside to get rid of all of the scuffs.

Nicely vacuumed!

Shoes back in and in a more organized fashion.

Here's something that has been really helpful...my gloves, scarf, hat basket.  It's a nice way to keep all of the pieces together.  I decided to put it on the floor of the closet so that the kids can put their stuff away.  It really works for our family.

Wordless Wednesday - Snuggle Buddies

You know the sleep is good when the mouths are open :)

In Our Family

I saw this idea here on Rachel's blog and had to do the same.  Go over and check out Rachel's blog...it's inspiring (and pray for her little Samuel who is not feeling well and had to be taken to the hospital).

 In our Family...

...we eat together as often as possible

...we have train tracks set up in the living room

 ...we love to color (but only on paper...only on paper)

...we are trying to read our Bibles more...even my Jamison

...we love bacon

...we love birthdays

...we almost always have a campout in the living room on Friday nights

...we are never caught up on laundry (though there was that one time last year...go Rondell!)

...we look forward to breakfast with Gramma Lee on Christmas morning

...we are all looking forward to our next trip to Destin, Florida

...we get excited to pop popcorn (except Rondell...he hates when it gets in his teeth)

...we all love our blankets

...we enjoy car rides

What happens in your Family?

miscellany monday

 

1.  Memorization...I've decided to join Beth Moore's Scripture Memory Team.  You can find more information about it here.  Basically, every two weeks you pick a verse of your choice to memorize.  You can either pick a single verse or a passage (Paige has chosen a beautiful passage...this post really inspired me).  I was really encouraged during the time that Jamison and I memorized the verses about Jesus' birth (here's the video) and I can't wait to dive into more memorization.  Here's the verse I've chosen for the next two weeks:

 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.  Psalm 51:12 (ESV)

2.  The Big Day...is almost here.  One of my favorite days of the year is Valentine's Day.  I enjoy sharing a little love with people and I usually try and buy little thoughtful gifts for people.  I'm working on my list of things I either want to make or buy people.  I also need to look into some fun crafts to do with the kids.  My blog friend Kelli featured some cool cupcakes that I really think we'd enjoy making.  Do you love Valentine's Day?

3.  Speaking of Love...I've been really challenged this week by a challenge from our pastor.  We're going through 1 Corinthians and we're on chapter 13...the love chapter.  Because of this, he's come up with a Love Dare for us to participate in...something to do each day to show love the way Christ shows love.  Most of them are easy for me to do...write someone a note, do something nice for someone unexpectedly.  The part where I hit a wall is when I'm supposed to show love to a person that I have a hard time loving...praying for an enemy or turning the other cheek when you feel wronged.  These are hard.  My friend Tonya had some good encouraging words...see them as Christ sees them, not how we see them.  I need Jesus glasses!  I appreciate this dare and how it's opened my eyes to what's in my heart.

4.  Big Boy...my Caleb.  In two weeks he's going to be 4...FOUR.  Where did the time go?

5.  Cookie Time...Jamison is working her first Girl Scout cookie sale.  She is doing so well...going door to door and keeping track of the number of boxes that she sells.  I think this is a great activity for her...not just because we get to order those yummy Thin Mints, but because it's allowing her to come out of her shell a little and learn responsibility.  I can't wait to see how she grows from this experience.  Oh, and if you're local and need a box just send me an email :) 

Thanking God on Friday!

*  I am thankful for His grace.
  *  I am thankful for Vicks vapor rub.

 *  I am thankful for my fuzzy blanket.

 *  I am thankful for the peach pie that my friend Katie made (with pie crust made the PW way and peaches she canned herself!)

 *  I am thankful for old friends.

 *  I am thankful that Rondell didn't have to go to work at Best Buy on Wednesday.

 *  I am thankful for long weekends.

 *  I am thankful for Scripture that comes at just the right time.

Say to those who have an anxious heart, "Be strong, fear not!  Behold, your God will come with vengeance with the recompense of God.  He will come and save you."  Isaiah 35:4 (ESV)

Tuesday...Sigh

No, today's not Tuesday...let me explain.  Do you have a day of the week that you dread?  For some people it's Monday because they don't want the weekend to end and there's the dread of getting back to the grind.  For some, it's Wednesday that they feel they have to get through...you know, hump day.  For me, the dread day...you guessed it, Tuesday.

Why Tuesday?  See, I go to BSF on Monday nights and when I get home it's late and I'm usually tired.  Typically, I come home, go straight upstairs and get in bed.  Because of this I don't get anything ready for the next day.  Every other evening I prepare for the next day...I pick out clothes for me and the kids, I make sure Jamison's book bag is packed, I check to see if she's buying or packing and if she's packing I pack her lunch, I put shoes in a place where I can grab them easily the next day, and I make sure coats and hats/gloves are where they are supposed to be.  But, I don't do that on Mondays and that makes Tuesday mornings more difficult and a little stressful.

Please excuse the bad picture.

The one thing that does help me from not completely losing it is my kids' bin.  This has been a lifesaver...I've actually had this "container" since Jamison was a baby.  I keep almost everything I need in here to get the kids ready in the morning (and in the evening).  I keep lotion, hand sanitizer, pull ups (because Caleb still wears one at night), hair items for Jamison (I showed you how I organize her hair pieces here), vapor cream (for those ongoing colds), wipes, and extra underwear.  It just really helps me to have all of these things in one place so that I'm not running all around the house.  This is something that really works for us.  Do you have a kids' station?


**  While coming up with this post I did realize that I need to double up on my Sunday prep and prep as much as I can for Tuesday...I'll keep you posted on that.

Kelli's Krafts - Animal Party!

The other day Jamison and I made a card for a friend of mine (it's Jamison's best friend's mom) who recently had a birthday.  We decided to use my Fox & Friends stamp set since Tasha's LOVES animals.  We used the colors Marina Mist, Garden Green, Daffodil Delight, and Pumpkin Pie.  I cut out the paper (oh, how I love layers) and Jamison actually stamped all of the images and the sentiment (it's from a retired set).  Did she do a great job?

And layers are so easy and really add to a card.  All I did was take the measurements of the card (5 1/2 x 4 1/4) and decrease each layer by 1/4.  Simple :)

Happy Stamping!

miscellany monday

1.  Genuine Support...I know I've said this before but I love the blog world.  I have met some amazing people who I have come to truly consider friends.  Recently, I read about Edie and how she and her family lost everything in a house fire.  A few days later I saw around blogland that people were posting encouraging posts on her blog...look at it here.  How awesome is that...that people around the country (and maybe world) all came together to give her love and encouragement during a very difficult time in her life.  I think about all of the people, me included, who are lifting her up in prayer.  Bloggers...what a blessing.

2.  Chore Chart...One of my goals this year is to be better about keeping order in my home.  Not that I think things have to be spotless all of the time because that's not realistic, but I do feel that my home should be welcoming to my family and ready for company most of the time.  My friend Katie (who really does have a great blog...I'm so excited for her) talked about a chore chart and I'm going to try it.  She talked about it here and she says that it's really working for her.  Check it out and if you try it let me know how you do.

3.  New Look...Over the next few weeks I'm going to work on redesigning my blog.  Katie walked me through making a new header using Picasa (you can find the tutorial here) and it was a lot easier than I thought.  So, I need your help and all of the tips that you have up your sleeves.  I have the information on the header and now I'm trying to figure out how to design the actual page.  I'd like the main page to be white with a yellow (of course) background...but that's that part I don't know how to do.  Tips?

4.  Special Delivery x2...Two great things came in the mail last week...both equally exciting.

First:

 My 2011 planner arrived!  I can't even tell you how giddy this makes me.  This is what keeps me in order, where I can keep all of things that I need to remember.  I talked about it before here and my blog friend Genn talked about hers here.

Much of the planner is the same as it was last year but one addition that I like is this little folder.  Now when I have receipts that I need to hang onto or my stamps I have a great place for them.  If you haven't checked out this planner you must...it's not too late.  Just go to Erin Condren's site.

Second:

My new Bible arrived.  I decided to use the ESV to read through the entire Bible this year because I truly love this translation.  I love that it's a word-for-word translation and challenges me to read deeper into His Word.  Since it is a challenge I decided that it might be wise to use a Study Bible and I came across this one in my search.

It has a ton of charts, maps and detailed descriptions.  That helps me since I'm very visual.

 

Almost every verse is accompanied by study notes.

I am that person who loves to write in my Bible and I can't wait to fill up these pages with thoughts and points that I come across.  I do however need to make sure that I'm spending my best time while reading His Word, giving Him my best time.  Not reading while the TV is on and the kids are running around but at a time when I can give Him my full attention because I don't want to miss anything He has to say to me.

Thanking God on Friday!

~  I am thankful for the big belly laugh I had today...with tears.  It was just what I needed.

~  I am thankful that BSF starts back up on Monday.  We have been off for three weeks and it will be nice to get back into that routine.  The study really does keep me in the Word and I need that right now.  Even though Isaiah has been really difficult this year, I know that I will learn and grow from this year and I truly enjoy the fellowship.

~  I'm thankful that they sent Rondell home early from Best Buy yesterday.  It was nice to have him home an extra night.

~  I am thankful that the laundry is folded and put away :)

I Did It...I Did It

I froze a meal!  One of my goals is to cook more often and find a balance regarding working and caring for my home.  I thought I'd try freezing meals so that when there are times that I don't have time to cook a wholesome meal I'll have some on hand.

Last night I made lasagna...x2.  I used the ingredients for an entire pan but split it into two containers.  I assembled the lasagnas but just did not cook them...just covered them with aluminum foil.  I will just put one in the oven tonight when I get home from work (it's waiting for me in the fridge) and I froze the other one.

I am so excited about this and can't wait to see how it all turns out.  I think next I'll try this when I make potato soup this weekend.

Do you freeze your meals?

Wordless Wednesday - Concentration @ Its Best!

miscellany monday - Goal and My Word Edition

1.  Where does the time go?  It's 2011...can you believe it?  While on one hand I think that 2010 dragged along, but as I sit here I can't believe that we are starting yet another year.  2010 wasn't a bad year, just kind of a blah year for us and I am looking forward to a fresh start for 2011.

2.  Goals.  I do have a few goals this year that I want to accomplish.  This time of year always makes me reflect (probably has something to do with the fact that I'm trapped in the house because it's so cold outside...smile)...reflect on the previous year, things that need to be changed, where I am in life vs. where I'd like to be, things like that.  Here's what I'd like to focus and move on (my words from 2010 and 2009): 

a.  Reading God's Word is top on my list...as in reading it all.  My plan is to read through the entire Bible this year.  After reading Paige's post and being encouraged I realized the it is something that I need to make a priority...make Him a priority.  It's a goal that has been on my heart for a while and I even tried to do it in 90 days once this year...but I need to take my time...savor each Word.  Currently I'm reading it through using an NIV (thought for thought) so that it's a smoother read, but I might end up using my ESV (word for word) because well, I love my ESV and the challenge of it makes me look at His Word closer.

b.  Work on my List...I am always coming back to this and while I may not do the 101 things in the 1001 days it is still a list I'd like to tackle over time and reflect on as goals for myself.

c.  Reflecting on finding the balance regarding working and being the wife/mom/and homemaker that I desire to be.  There may not be a clear answer for this but it's something that I want to take the time to pray about...think about...try different things.  This is where my desire to organize my home comes into play and finding things and a routine that work for our family.  This is going to take a lot of cleaning out and simplifying.

d.  Exercise.  Period, end of discussion.  I just need to DO IT!!!  There I said it.

e.  Take more pictures. While I don't have big photography goals, I would like to learn more about my camera, do some basic editing, and capture more moments.  This includes taking more pictures of me, because honestly, I don't like pictures of myself (that's where the exercise goal comes in), but my kids need to see that I was around :)

3.  My Word.  Embrace...Him, the changes that I need to make, my family & who they are right now, the little things...the simple things.  I need to embrace the highs and the lows because there are valuable lessons in both.

Happy New Year Friends!

My Montage 1/1/11 at OneTrueMedia.com

Here's the video I've been wanting to share.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com