This Stinks.....

It has been such a busy day. Got the house all decorated ... finally. Have had the tree up since the beginning of December but the house just wasn't finished. So I finally got my to-do list whittled down to a nub today. Most of the laundry is done. Yummy meatloaf and mashed potatoes for dinner. Fire dimming in the fireplace.
All my boys decided to play some Wii games before bed. Clay and Dad were duking it out in a home run derby when Clay cries out: "How many foul bowels are there going to be?!" Mallory was propped up beside me while we were trying to figure something out on the laptop. Needless to say she and I both fell apart into a heap of laughter. Ahhhhh good times. Good times.

Fa La La La La La La La La

Overheard this song being sung by Clay.... "Deck the halls with bounds of folly! Fa la la la la la la....."  FOLLY: A lack of good sense, understanding, or foresight.
Whoever uses good sense at Christmas time?? We spend too much on gifts, we make too many goodies, we EAT way too many goodies, we overschedule ourselves for too many activities... isn't it all folly?

"The folly of one man is the fortune of another."-Francis Bacon

The world says that those who follow Christ have no sense, can't think for themselves, have no understanding of high thoughts and scientific authentication. To me, the folly of following Christ is more desirable than the ideas of the wisest of human leaders. Just as the Magi came from the east seeking to worship Him, this Christmas may the folly of my walk with God extend to those less fortunate than me... to those hurting far more than me... to those seeking the love of a Savior... it must be said that wise men still seek Him.

Jumping off a bridge....

Early this morning before the chaos of the day began, Nolan snuggled up with Daddy and told us about his day yesterday.
"Mom, I jumped out of my swing yesterday."
"While it was in the air?"
"Yep!" he said with a grin.
"That's dangerous, son. You need to be careful doing that." Daddy replied.
"How high were you?" I asked.
Nolan held his hand about a foot off the bed, "That high."
"Who taught you how to do that?" I asked him.
"Isaiah," a boy in his kindergarten class.
"Well, if Isaiah jumped off a bridge, would you jump off one too?" I asked him and then immediately thought of my mother asking me the same thing....
He shook his head no. "We don't have a bridge at school."
Let's hope better judgment kicks in soon!!

ThanksLIVING

More than anything I want to live out a life of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is more than a day. It's an attitude of the heart! This picture is from our very 1st family vacation. Chicago - 2009.  Scott and I have been married 20 years. We were so thankful and grateful for this vacation. I want the attitude of my heart to be the same... the same anticipation for the great times ahead, a go-with-the-flow spirit when things don't work out exactly as I want them to, cherishing each moment because it is brand new.... God gives me lots of brand new moments. Even in the "everyday" of my life. I just have to choose to see them that way. So as Thanksgiving quickly approaches - my prayer for you and me is that we will see in our everyday lives those moments that we need to cherish. Those people that God has placed in our lives - to be thankful for - even if they drive us nutty on occasion! That cracked and faded Bible - God's personal love letter and guide to living - is always available in our country of freedoms. An attitude of thanksliving is my goal... and I'm starting right now. Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever. Psalm 106:1

Funnies

Proud to say that my alma mater and my daughter's current high school football team is in the semi-finals for the state championship. Pretty cool! Thursday night Clay comes running into the living room, "Mom! We've got to get to pepper alley! It starts at 7:00!" He meant the pep rally. It was too funny to correct!

After the game last night Clay wanted to be a game show host so Scott and I were the "components". :D
"Questions 1 - Who was the president of the united states during the civil war?

C)George Washington

C)Thomas Jefferson or

B)Barrack Obama?

Scott answered George Washington and got 100 points. Every answer I got right I was given 99 points. There's something wrong with this scoring to say the least!!

This morning Scott talked to his parents. He and his brother are going to shoot skeet and wanted their dad to go. He doesn't have a shotgun but does have a .22 pistol. Scott said "Dad, if you can hit a skeet with a .22 - that's a pretty amazing shot." His mom piped up and said "He can't hit the driveway with a car. That would be amazing." My funny bone has been tickled since then!

That old baggage

Lord, that old baggage keeps showing up. Every time I think I have given you that trunk full of anger, disappointment and insecurity - I turn around and I am trying to carry it again. It's too heavy for me. I can't be who You want me to be AND carry that around. So, once again Lord, I am leaving that albatross at Your feet. Remind me when I glance back at it that You have it. That I don't need to carry it. Remind me that these things that I struggle with have been nailed to the cross along with those situations that hurt me or my family beyond words... help me to remember that You are working all things for our good and to trust You... "Oh praise the One who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead." It's the anthem of my heart God. In the name of Jesus. AMEN

Crawl

How long will this take?

How much can I go through?

My heart, my soul aches

I don't know what to do

I bend but don't break

And somehow I'll get through

'cause I have You

And if I have to crawl

Will You crawl too

I stumble and I fall

Carry me through

The wonder of it all

Is You

See me through

Oh Lord, where are You?

Do not forget me here

I cry in silence

Can You not see my tears?

When all have left me

And hope has disappeared

You find me here

And when I have to crawl

Will You crawl too

I stumble and I fall

Carry me through

The wonder of it all

Is You

See me through

When everything I was is lost

I have forgot where You have not

When I am lost You have not lost me

You have not lost me

And if I have to crawl

Will You crawl too

I stumble and I fall

Carry me through

The wonder of it all

Is You

See me through

CRAWL (Carry me through) by Superchick

For my daughter who is going through those life lessons that no one likes, for my sister Shannon who struggles daily with complications from MS, for anyone who is just dealing with the things God is allowing us to go through - He'll never leave us nor forsake us. Hang in there. <3

Bad Momma

Yes - I'm one of those moms. I just dropped Mallory off to go spend the night in a barn with some friends.

A barn. In the country. In the dark.

A barn which I cannot tell you how to get to. Every bit of my fears say "Nope. You don't need to go. Let some other mom send their daughter to a dark and creepy barn to sleep in for the night with all the barn bugs, barn mice, barn snakes, and other barn-type critters. Not you."
But my heart says - "Let her go. It's just a barn."
"I don't want her to go. What if she gets hurt? Or scared? She doesn't even like to walk to her car in the dark from our front door with the porch light on!!"
"She needs this - she needs you to trust her and trust her choice of friends. She needs to go and experience that independence and to learn to make smart choices."
If you are wondering - yes - this is the script that went on in my head when Mal asked me if she could go a few days ago. So, I have just dropped her off. And what did I drop her off to? A bunch of dancing, giggly, laughing, hyper teenage girls with sleeping bags and energy to burn. I did ask all the important questions:
"Will there be boys there?"
"No." Kayla says with a smile.
Mallory is giving me that look like, I told you so mom.
"Will there be any drugs?"
"No ma'am."
"Will there be any alcohol?"
"No. But there will be pop?"
Okay - do I really sound that strict that I don't allow my daughter to drink pop??
So I said, "Well, if there is going to be pop - she can't go."
Kayla stopped and looked at me, trying to figure out if I was serious.
I started to laugh. "I'm just kidding."
She began to laugh too. They are taking a CD player and all the CD's of the Jonas Brothers. After I found that out I knew for sure there wouldn't be any boys there! What self-respecting boy would say out loud that he is a JoBro fan??
So, if asking a bunch of nosey questions makes me a bad momma - then I'm a bad one. But I'm a momma who loves her kids... I gave Mal the drill if there was something that she was even remotely uncomfortable with - to call me - and I will come get her. And I will... it's actually finding that barn that will be the problem.

Do They Get Those From The Graveyard??

This morning Nolan woke up with Rib Crib on his mind. No telling what he was dreaming. He went and crawled in bed next to Dad to snuggle for just a minute. Then he asked Scott "Dad, do you like RibCrib?"
Of course he does - is it meat?? "Yep. Why?"
"Do they get those from the graveyard?"
"What - the ribs?"
"Uh-huh."
"What??! No! We don't eat human ribs son! It's ribs from cows or pigs. Not people."
"Oh, okay." At this point Scott hollered at me and told me he had a post for my blog! LOL Poor baby - thought they were serving human ribs at RibCrib - and not even fresh ones at that ... blech. :-/

I am thankful today for modern medicine. Since turning the big 4-0 this year I had my first mammogram. Got the results in today - it's all good. Thank you Lord. Zoie's paws are on the mend - another round of antibiotics and she will be even better. (Merry Christmas Zo - that's all you get!) Third annual cookie swap is tomorrow. Ordered a few Christmas presents today. Even when it doesn't seem like it - God still provides. Love to you all. :-)

With A Heart Of Thanksgiving...

"The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission." --John F. Kennedy

With a heart of thanksgiving, today I gratefully submit my gratitude to our veterans and the personnel currently serving in our armed forces. Along with them - I thankfully remember their loved ones who continue holding down the fort at home while they serve. Some in terrible conditions. So let us always remember that our freedom is not free - it is paid with the blood, sweat, and tears of our fathers, brothers, mothers, sisters, daughters, sons, friends, neighbors...

How much I love America! When we honor our armed forces at church and the little old men in the back of the sanctuary stand and salute our flag... when people are brought to their feet at the sound of our beloved nation's national anthem... those patriotic songs that leave a lump in your throat and pride in your heart... fireworks on our Independence Day!! I love this nation because I am still able to worship the One True God - the Living God - Jesus Christ!!