Homemakers Day 1 Challenge

    

It seems like this is the month for challenges for me.  There are several  things going on in my life right now and God is working in my life in several areas that I will blog about soon. 

However for now let me tell you about a challenge that I am  doing.   This is a 31 days to clean challenge.  I found any book that helps me be better organized intriguing and if it is going to help me keep my house clean, I'm game.

Chapter one said that "The heart of out homes is not the ability to keep it perfect at all costs; the heart of a home is love.  we live in a thing, a non eternal structure that needs to be maintained.  the thing is worthless with the life we bring to it and through it."  My goal has always been to have a home where people feel relaxed and loved on.  I want my home to be a place where my husband can come home from work and just be. I want my home to be a safe place for my family.  A place where my family can come and just be.  

House work is that one thing that can make me feel good when its done and yucky when it's not.  Its hard to feel good about doing something that you know will be dirty a few hours later.  Why do I want a clean house??  How do I keep motivated to do the mundane when it never seems to stay done.  

That is day the challenge for day 1.  To know why?  In order to keep going I must be able to remind myself why to give doing dishes for the 4th time in the day purpose.  

So why do I want a clean house??

*  Because organization makes me happy

*  Because it helps my husband feel like our home is his castle

*  Because it allows my kids to be able to bring their friends home knowing things will be in order

* Because Proverbs 31 in Gods word tells me that a noble women takes care of her family & her house     

Zoe's 2nd Birthday

Before my sister moved to South Dakota we got to spend Zoe's 2nd birthday with her.  She turned 2 on August 1st.  We went to Fargo's and the kids had a blast.  The only tears that were shed was from Zoe when we being to sing to her.  We must have sounded terrible because when we all started to sing she begin to cry. It was really kind of funny to all us watching.

C's birthday party came after Zoe's so C watched with wide eyes.  We were able to see exactly what we would buy C for her birthday.

I am going to miss Jeanette and Zoe a ton.  That little girl is super cute.

Jeanette made sure to get Zoe a cute cake!

 

Birthday girl

Stan and Ruth showed up with Jessica and Luke.  They were celebrating their  anniversary.  I love both of them tons.

Really did we sound that bad :((

Jam

I finally got the Jam made.  This is a good thing because I did not want to lose the berries, which we were close to doing.  I forget every year just how easy it is to make Jam.  There really is nothing like it.  I wonder sometimes   if it is worth the effort and then one taste and I know it is.  We generally preserve enough to get us through the winter but this year we did not get any raspberries because they were not ready when we went down.  Maybe we will pick some up before the end of summer.  

Here is picture of my blackberry jam.  I tasted it already and it is wonderful.  Can't wait, nothing beats a cup of hot tea with toast and a heap of jam for breakfast.  Now I need to work up the case of peaches.  That;s definitely for another day.  

It was a busy day but I'm glad I got it done.

Ice Cream

The other day we went to Baskin Robins for a little girls birthday who is dear and near to my heart.  They have $1 scoop Tuesday's which we love.  Ice Cream is one of those items that a little kid needs to master.  I find it very funny to watch them do this.  On many occasions they end up wearing much more than they eat, either way its hilarious!  

 

Birthday Cake Ice Cream for my Girl

This Boy Loves his chocolate Ice Cream

Counting my gifts-one thousand gifts by Ann Voskamp

I recently read the book "one thousand gifts, A dare to LIVE FULLY" by Ann Voskamp.  I had the opportunity, this summer, to read this in a book study with 2 other women who I appreciate dearly.  I could not believe how excited I was about a book.  I could not believe how much a book was changing the way I looked at my day and moments in my life.  I began my list and although it was not a discipline that caught on quickly it was one that I began to enjoy.

Over 3 months ago we finished our book and I'm still thinking about things I read in this book,  I still think about the gifts God gives me on a daily bases.  The bad news is I have stopped writing them down in my book.  This was something I did not want to stop doing.  I wanted to slow my life down and look at things from a different perspective....His prospective.  

My goal is to begin my list again, or better yet continue my list of things I thankful for.  

#1 A life changing book

#2 young boy who is active and loves to play

#3 a boy who loves his friends 

#4 A little girls wild hair

#5 time away(Pagosa Springs)

#6 friendships that make me laugh

#7 that D went to the doctor and did not have a sinus infection

#8 cuddling with my little girl early in the morning

#9 fresh banana bread

#10 princess kitchens and friends who bought it for my little girl

# 11 pirate ships and the adventures they bring

I have a great life and God has blessed me abundantly.  I want to remember daily to stop and thank Him for those things.  

Have you read Ann's book?  Have you ever counted gifts.?  Start or restart count with me today.  I would love to hear about things you're writing down and how you're seeing God in your life.

Banana Bread

Normally when I purchase banana's they don't last long around our house.  Between the kids and me they are generally gone quickly.  I have always had a love affair with bananas since I was young.  I love them.  However, I'm very picky about what they look like when I eat them and if they miss my window I don't eat them.  Weird....I know.

Well, 10 banana's did not get eaten at my house this last week and I knew that if something did not happen quickly with them I was going to end up throwing them away. I went to work on Tuesday and had someone bring in some banana bread that was really good.  So I asked her for the recipe.  She told me she had gotten the recipe online and told me where to find it. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/08/just-a-recipe-banana-bread/.  

.  

In the end I ended up with: 

5 loaves of banana without nuts(hubby's favorite)

1 loaf with chocolate chips

1 loaf with peanut butter chips

1 loaf with white chocolate

1 loaf with walnuts 

with a total of 9 loaves of bread 

Do you have a favorite banana bread recipe?

Patience

Colossians 3:12

 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

This was the verse that I was working on Tuesday.  I was praying when I woke up that I would have patience with my kids.  

Patience...is the one thing I had the least of on Tuesday.  I spent a ton of time praying and thinking about ways that I could deal with my kids.  

I want to be known as a patience mom.  I want not to react to the things they do but think about ways I can teach them based on their behavior.  

Patience is what God tells me to clothe myself in and its the one virtue that I have the hardest time with.  

So what virtue do you struggle with?  Do you find yourself praying to do one thing and that is exactly what you end up doing?

The thing I do not want to do is the exact thing I have ended up doing.  i will wake up tomorrow and start over again.  I will pray to be more Christ like, and I will pray for God's help to be the mom I want and need to be to my kids.

  

The Flood

 I came to work this morning and found this actually this picture was taken after we moved a ton of stuff->>

It is really ironic that Barry's sermon last week was on worry and this weeks title is "when God does not do things the way we think it should go?"(or something like that).  

It was not fun moving stuff in 2 plus inches of water but I know God is in control.  

The restore people are down stairs ripping out baseboards, parts of walls and cleaning up water still.  I believe it will take a while to get all that water out of here.  

We estimate the water was pouring out of the line at full blast for at least an hour before we got in this morning.  (Not Good)

Schedule

Its that time again.  

FALL

I love the Fall but I'm not always ready for it.  Fall brings with it the start of many things: Wednesday night programs, Harvest Fest, Upward Basketball, Homeschooling and much much more.  I could not function if I did not make a schedule and even with a schedule I sometimes feel like my cup over flowith. 

The biggest thing that has to happen on my schedule is proper bed time for my kiddos.  When Fall comes I have to make sure that my kids are fed, bathed, had reading time and are in bed by 7pm.  We try hard to keep this schedule every night except Wednesday night.  We are not morning people, repeat we are not morning people, but we are up by 7am dressed, eating and getting ready for our day.  

Without my schedule I would be pulling out my hair.

Do you have a schedule that keeps you sane?

Or are you more of a go by the flow type of person? 

Do you plan some things or do you plan everything?

Will post about meal planing later, do you plan your meals??? 

Good idea, Bad timing

I had surgery on Monday, details on that later, and have been stuck in the house recovering.  I have had the pleasure of having my hubby home with me everyday which has been heavenly :)
Anyway, on Friday I had cabin fever like no other.  So I decided that it would be a great idea to head down to the happy apple farm and get our berries for jam.

Every year we go down there to get berries for jam, apples for apple butter, and apple sauce.  I did not want to miss the window to go and pick our stuff due to a little surgery.

Well to make a short story shorter it was not a good idea.   Being my first outing since surgery I over did it within 20 minutes and needed to lay down, which I did.  I did however get a ton of big, juicy,blueberries before making my way back to my van.  We got enough berries for jam and now I need to get to making it.

I could not have made our annual trip without taking a few pictures.

We must have a picture on the tracker :)

So Cute

Eating a lot of what we picked

Huge berry bushes!!

My boy, guarding the berries or waiting for me to turn my back

My baby and me

Every year we go back, every year we have fun, every year the kids  ride the tracker, and every year we get excited about going back the next year.  

Nothing like Family Traditions!!!

Forgive us

I know sometimes it seems like life is just filled with sugar plums and fairies right?  Wrong.  This life we live is hard work and sometime we have to make touch choices and wrong choices.

As adults we know this is fact but as we watch our kids grow up helping them see past themselves can be hard.  Being a parent is not easy that is for sure.  Watching your kids make wrong choices, choosing to go left when you definitely told them to go right is hard to do.  

I can tell D and C to do something and know when I turn around that they are going to choose, just by the look in their eyes, to do exactly what I told them not to do.

I can talk to my older girls trying to explain to them why they should do A instead of B and still know that in the end they will make their own choice and that pain and discomfort will come because of it.  

Oh, how many times do I do the exact thing to my God.  He tells me exactly what to do and I choose another path.  He tells me to go left and I turn right.  He tells me Monica do A and I do B.  

Lord how sorry I am that at times I don't say out loud I know better than you, but instead by my action say it. How sorry I am that I don't listen closer and obey quicker.  

Growing up is hard.  Watching your kids grown up is hard.  Remembering that when they make bad choices so do you.  Praying Lord, that when I see my wrongs and how  I've hurt and offended you I turn and repent quickly and that my kids will do the same.  

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
Acts 3:18-20

Family

  I have so many things I want to blog about but I simply have not had the time.  I begin to realize at the beginning of July that I had not done anything worth talking about with my kids.  I have since made it my mission to be out and about with them at least 3 if not more times a week.  We have been in the water tons, picnics in the park, bowling, movies in the back yard, and much more.  Pictures to come I promise.

With all this adoption stress I have been reminded whether you are fighting for your kids or not tomorrow is not promised and we need to take advantage of every moment we have with those we love because that is all we have right now.  

So no matter if the dishes are done, laundry piling up, books to read, phone calls to return, or emails to respond to stop and hug, love, embrace those around you.  He has given each of us today don't waste it.  

So what have you been doing this summer with your kids?   

4th of July

This 4th of July was the best.  I had all my kids and the best friends ever to share it with.  The Batchelder's brought Kristie home with them and stayed at the house for the 4th.  The Morris' found the best place ever to watch both Monument and the Air Force Academy fireworks.  We all had an amazing time letting the kids play at the park, walking around the lake, just sitting around talking, and telling our kids about the great country we live in.  It could not have been better.
Kids, Friends and the love of my life...Life is Good!!!

A game of tag is a must!!!

There was a small water fall and a lake by the park.

Good friends that I have come to love like family!

Loving on my baby.  Yes my hair needed a ton of help.

Curtis played on the play ground with the kids for a long time.   He had a ton of fun swinging.  

One cute boy!

Funny Little Girl

C is a funny girl.  We have gone to a water park 2 days in a row and she cracks me up when she talks to people.  On Wednesday she walk right up to a couple who were hugging and touched the guy and asked him to stop choking the lady.  In C's defense the girl was much shorter than the guy so his arms were around her neck.  As I walked up to them I could hear the guy telling her that he was not choking her.  I explained to C that he liked the lady and he was hugging her :)



Today while at a spray park C was very interested in a boy approximately 12 years old who was autistic.  The boy was making tons of very loud noises and at first C thought he was a dinosaur.  She followed him all over the water park asking him if he was a dinosaur.  The boys mom explained to C that he was making those noises because he was happy.  C then followed him around the park saying over and over he's happy! When the boy was leaving his mother brought him over to say goodbye to C.  She waved bye and then looked up at him and said "I love you".  He then pet her on her head as gently as he knew how and waved bye.  I enjoyed the interaction between my baby and this young boy.  She was gentle, sweet, and loving just the way I want her to be with anyone different than her.  

 

Camp Teams

Kristie has been home for almost a week now and is leaving Saturday morning at 4am.
She got on Camp Teams this year for Ozark Christian and is having a blast.  She called me 2 weeks into her summer to talk to me about something that happened at camp.
Being her mom I could not be prouder of the women of God she is becoming.  When she called to tell me her story it made me smile and thank God for all He is doing in her life.

The Story:  While at one of the christian camps Kristie was approached by an adult leader after lunch.  She had noticed that he had been talking to one of the high schoolers since the worship set that her and one of her teams lead in the morning and wondered if the boy was ok.  As the leader begin to speak, Kristie begin feeling incredible guilty and wonder if a choice she made when she woke up had lead someone down a wrong path.
You see Kristie is very modest in her dress and always thinks about what she wears.  It had been incredibly hot and Kristie had decided, even though it was against her first  judgement, to wear shorts that day.
The adult approached her and begin asking her questions.  One of the questions was "has she ever been in a situation where she had lead someone without even using words."
Kristie remembered this leader talking to this High Schooler and immediately thought of the shorts.  Her mind went straight to what she was wearing.  She was upset that she thought she had lead a boy's thinking down the wrong path because of what she wore to worship that day, shorts.

Well, to make a long story short.  The adult let Kristie know that this boy was being baptized because as he told the leader.....when he watched Kristie worship he saw something in her that he wanted.  Kristie loves Jesus more than anything else and that boy could see it, and he wanted what she had, Jesus.
How Awesome Is That!!!!
Love that Story
Kristie was so excited to tell me that this boy was being baptized.  She was not bragging or puffing herself up but was telling me because she was so excited that this boy had excepted Christ.

I'm so proud of my baby girl.  Kristie Lynn you rock.
Below is a pic of the boy getting baptized.  He wore a Ozark shirt to do it in :)