This was way too easy, but I am still proud of my score!

Your Language Arts Grade: 100%

Way to go! You know not to trust the MS Grammar Check and you know "no" from "know." Now, go forth and spread the good word (or at least, the proper use of apostrophes).

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Whew wee, a gulley-washer!!

That is southern for alot of rain. Cold November rain. That always makes me think of Axl Rose, I don't like to think of him. So anyway, lots of cold rain here.

Erik and I have finished the trim in the Living room. One room down and two left to trim. I am not counting the dining room because it is so much more than trim. I also got half of the bathroom done today as well. All of my days should start out with chick time at the cracker barrel featuring breakfast and then some shopping. I feel certain I would be more productive. I am going to do some more shopping tonight. Hopefully this will do me in, I mean, finish me up.

Thanks to the ladies who were with me at the Cracker Barrel, it was a great way to finish a Bible study and I had so much fun!

My goal is no longer to declutter by Dec 1 (cause at this point I cannot achieve it), but to have all my shopping finished and wrapped. Join me in getting all of the hard stuff about Christmas done so we can glide through the holidays with a smile, not a grimace!

Random and Odd...

When I was 20 1/2 I was a bartender in a bar attached to a very upscale restaurant. I made at least one old fashioned a day, martinis (I know how to do shaken, not stirred), pink squirrels. I know what "neat" means but I will tell you like I tell my kids, "If I tell you, you will forget and ask again. If you look it up, you will always remember." Then Kayla says "Moooooo-oooM" in her whiney voice.

I loved tending bar, I made minimum wage plus tips. Good money and in an upscale bar, no problem children. Part of the reason my husband thought I was a keeper was my ability to cook really good food and make him blue margaritas.

Snow?


It is sooo warm and lovely and I keep hearing on the radio about the cold snap and snow coming tomorrow. It is hard to imagine that it could stick to anything because it has been so warm. We shall see. The kids are totally excited. They are sledding down the hill in their imaginations. Erik is rudging through the snow packing a heavy mailbag in his imagination. It makes me wonder how God can find a way to answer prayers that are opposite. Give the kids some snow or make the mailmen happy? We all want our mailmen happy, right?? Sorry honey, I know you hate postal jokes. They were only the first to have publicized disgruntled workers, certainly not the only...ooh, way off topic there.

I have accomplished nothing today inside my home but have dropped off Pchef orders, catalogs, made business calls, made deposits, washed dishes from a show. My house still looks scrambled. I don't wanna go to church. Get behind me Satan. I do wanna go to church. I have family there I haven't seen since Sunday!

Go to church people!! We need to refuel and fellowship with our families.

Reprioritize...

I have really struggled this week to keep my priorities straight! I have been on a whirlwind roller coaster ride. I will find a way to maintain a balance, but that means letting some things fall away. As a homeschooler, I am beginning to realize that other things MUST and SHOULD take a backseat. It is a great thing to homeschool, but so hard to juggle it all!! The whole reason I set out on this journey was to teach my kids, enjoy them and really know them which would allow me to help them to choose the paths for their lives. If I am busy, stressed out and screaming-that doesn't exactly accomplish my goals.

God is in the little details and I am trying to realize that! Share your biggest homeschool struggle and what you do to tame the beast when he attacks your life. If you don't homeschool, the question remains the same, just leave out the homeschool!

My biggest struggle is the calendar. With five of us, there is much to keep track of. We only have one and try to keep all things on there. Some things are optional and those are often allowed to pass without our involvement. When we have a day without commitments, we very often will break away for spontaneous family outings. I am thankful for a hubby who feels that is so important. A whole lot of those outings are my kids favorite memories. The day to day scheduling is hardest. What time and what order to do things. It is kind of like a budget in that things always have to be readjusted to suit our needs better. My goal is for scheduling to be a gift, not something we are slaves to. When I find that "magic" schedule, I
promise to share. (And the budget and menu too for that matter!)

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

PMS, anyone?

I just got my hair cut on a whim and then went to the store for hair color and a candy bar.

Cliche', isn't it?

Resistance is futile...

I am resisting the urge to deal with today-MONDAY-the way Garfield does, going back to bed. I have actually had a very productive weekend. 80% of my Christmas shopping is done and wrapped. I went shopping alone Saturday night and it was glorious. I love to shop alone. I like shopping with friends but if I actually need to accomplish something, I prefer to go it alone.

Our friends who moved to England have settled down and found the funniest address in the world. It is Butt house. How funny, my girls are laughing their heads off and telling all their friends. Knowing Ken and Debbie, this is deliberate. I have also heard from my friend Stephanie in Texas and actually had a phone conversation with my friend Heather in Colorado. God is teaching me something here, I'm not sure what. Lean on him? The world is big? Long distance bill restraint? My girl's letter writing skills? Probably the first one.

Happy Monday!!

Unseasonably warm!

Today was so unseasonably warm, we decided to go boating. Actually Erik decided. Erika, Kayla, and I were selling candy and nuts when he called to tell us he & Lilly were waiting at a certain dock if we wanted to drive up and join them. He was teaching Lilly how to cast. She was havng a ball. We joined them, of course, despite the ten thousand other things we should have been doing. I am glad we did. No fish were harmed or even tempted. Someday we are gonna land a huge fish and I will post a pic!! Hope you had a spontaneous and wonderful Sunday!!

Saturday, Saturday!

We are leaving the house today for a day of activity. The library is having a scholastic book sale and the girls are excited to go and browse. Then we will be a traveling "booth" sale for candy and nuts. Yeah!! I love it. It is my own fault, I odered extras. What a CRAZY FOOL I am. Our troop won't even make $200 when it is all said and done.

Other than that, not much to blog about. We are enjoying our time off from school and visits with family. I am still a bundle of nerves though. It is great fun. I freak out a little and then talk myself out of it. I feel certain it is too much sugar. I am debating quitting again. It isn't hard once you get in the groove, but getting that week of "sobriety" is tough.

Enjoy you weekend!

Much Ado About Nothing...

We had a marvelous Thanksgiving with good behavior all around. Proving that stressing out over nothing is my strongest talent.

I am trying so hard to shop online specials at Walmart and just can't seem to make it happen. Oh well. That's what happens when you don't go shopping at 5AM.

Have a great BLACK FRIDAY!!

Thank you!

Sounds great guys, we will bring our "barney bag". Some things to do together and be invisible. Thanks Dana and Susie, of course you are right. My kids should be priority. If I could manage to get my feelings of of my sleeve, I would be much better off. (Today and every day!)

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone! I am thankful for Jesus who paid the price for me. Three of the sweetest girls in the world and a hubby that loves us all! I am thankful that my faith has been tested and built stronger because of it. I am thankful for wonderful blogger friends that encourage me.

If we all counted our blessings and named them one by one, I think we would be busy all day long.

Thanksgiving

I am tempted to celebrate at home this year. I am sooo sensitive. I get my feelings hurt easily. I sense when my children get on someone's nerves and it hurts my feelings. On my side of the family, there are ten million kids and what's three more. It is just one big playfest. On Erik's side of the family though, this year, we will be the only little kids. There are so many things that must be supervised, volume, activity level, talkitiveness. I hope to be able to enjoy myself and not spend Thanksgiving yelling at my kids for normal kid behaviour.

Anyone have any tips for sanity keeping?

I knew in my heart...

that Deborah would counter-comment. She is sweet that way. ( : Sharing the love, sharing the love.

Just to Clarify!!

This is in response to a comment I had. Children are NOT always a product of their environment. I have known kids who came from Godly homes that did not reflect their upbringing and I have also known people who came from horrendous backgrounds who rose above it. You just cannot generalize people. God has a plan for each of us. If we start judging kids by their "environment", we will dismiss alot of potential leaders. Character is a learned thing fashioned largely by our environment, but it does not begin and end with parents. There are lots of opportunities for us to instill positive traits and qualities in kids who aren't seing that at home.

Climb off soapbox, wait one more thing. I did not come from an ideal home. I would not even call it Godly. Churchly, yes. Godly, no. The devil uses that as a weapon on me daily. I know I am not as Godly or loving as my children have the opportunity to be, yet God still allows me to be a part of his will. I was not taught modesty. We wore our clothes as revealing as we could-all four of us. We showed our butts before we had anything to show. We all four grew up to be modest women. Life is a great teacher and God is good.

I have to remind myself of all of this often, or I will disregard a soul and think I am better than they are. I am not.

Stepping off soapbox. I hope that did not come across as "holier than thou". I did not mean it that way. I just probably took an innocent comment a little too personal because for me it was. When we are born, we don't get to pick our "homelife". One of my questions for God when I get to Heaven. That and why several of my very patient and loving friends did not have kids despite planning and praying for them and he "surprised" me with three at a time when I wasn't quite "fit" for it.

Gratitude is an attitude…

"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he's been robbed. The fact is that most putts don't drop, most beef is tough, and most children grow up to be just people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration; most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey...delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.

The trick is to [be thankful you are able to] have the ride."
~ Gordon B. Hinckley

Dress it up!!

I am a no-frills, comfort first personality. Pretty versus comfortable? Comfort is king. I don't think I was always this way as I seem to recall spending hours primping before going out making sure everything was hanging out just so and looking good while doing it. Something about youth makes you think that if more is on display, more is looking good. I no longer feel that way. I also think the young girls who dress modestly are so much better looking than the ones letting it all hang out. When I look back to what I attracted with my tight jeans and boobs on display, I shudder a little. What would my life have been like if only I had been taught modesty and inner beauty? To live as Christ? I just want to throw a big shawl over the girls I see and tell them to slow it down and look around for a boy living life in the slow lane as well. God give me the words to teach my girls.

Wow, I even sidetracked myself!! Not where I was going with this post at all. It does kind of factor in though. The pendulum is swinging wildly-all about looks in my teens and twenties, now swung back completely the other way not caring about looks at all in my late 20's and early 30's. As I near 35(Feb), I wonder if I am not beginning to fall somewhere in the middle. I like to look my best. I like to wear nice clothes. Sometimes I even fix my hair. It does not come from the same place as it used to. It is more a desire to look nice for my husband and to set an example of looking your best to my daughters. I hate to be noticed by other people. I just don't like to think of anyone looking at me. I wish I could be invisible. To be so plain that I am not noticeable. I am sure my past plays a huge role here.

This is where I went all into my past. I am not going there. It was good to write it all down though. I had a very grateful day yesterday. Grateful for where we(Erik, God and I) have been and the turn-arounds we have made.

Lilly danced beautifully. She loves it soooooo much. She was so serious and attentive. AND well behaved. Nice for a change. She is mini-me. Minus the dancing, singing, and musical talent, of course!! But her wide open, super-sensitive, loud boisterouness-that's all me baby!! Can't wait to see what fun that brings us. Enjoy your Monday!!

Whew!! I started a post that ended up being my life story. I am not sure it is ready to tell yet. I need some time to tweak that and make sure it is fit for print. Thank you God for giving me that discretion!!

I've much to do and not much time to do it so you get this chintzy post instead. Love you all!! Have a blessed Sunday. Lilly dances tonight for an audience. She is on cloud nine.

BOOK REVIEW!

Jettybetty gave me the book "A Red State of Mind" By Nancy French and I loved it. She tells the story of living in blue states as a conservative republican. I could totally relate as I seem to have a few "blue state" friends that shock me a little. It is written very well and is not insulting to either color. Thanks Betty! I totally did not have time to read it but I did anyway, and LOVED IT!

I don't reply to my comments...

at least not as a comment. Welcome to any new readers. I love getting comments and readers. It makes this feel like more than just a journal. It makes it more like a conversation...with grownups. I love it.

To all questioning about the Daniel Beth Moore Bible study, YES! I would totally recommend it. The first part was most relevant to me and the second part is a learning roller-coaster. I just don't like talking about end times. I think there is too much opinion and supposition. I know my God will make it fabulous. He's just that way.

I finally got my day yesterday. We did not leave the house and I got it straightened and some laundry done. BY the way, vinegar and baking soda totally rocks on our gross bathroom too. We have an old shower that is really impossible to clean, we need to replace it. It has gunk on the doors that was there when we bought the house and despite every possible cleaner, I cannot budge it. We settle for just getting the shower part clean. I normally use comet to accomplish that and the vinegar and baking soda did the same job. OH VINEGAR, you are my new best friend. Anyway, we now have clothing and a semi-neat home. I cannot believe it is Thanksgiving this Thursday. It is like the whole year has been stuck on fast-forward. I would prefer the pause button! We are off to go and deliver candy and nuts today as well as do a little traveling booth selling. Great jolly fun!

Enjoy your Saturday!

I'm a little nuts

At least my living room is full of nuts and candy from our fall product sale with girl scouts. I guess we will be delivering and selling, selling and delivering this weekend. I'm so excited. REALLY! I am so happy that my chldren will work hard to earn these prizes we will give to the salvation army later. Fundraisers, gotta love them!

It's getting colder...

This is both a song my husband's band sings and also a weather forecast for our neck of the woods. It is quite chilly and I would not be shocked if snow started. One of my favorite things about KY is that we get it all-moderately. Our winters are very cold but also, unseasonably warm many days as well. We usually get a really good snowman building snow once or twice. That really good snow shuts our towns down. Northerners would laugh at what we close down over. All of our other seasons are very distinct as well. I have visited many other states, but I have not ever liked another one better than home.

Although, I do have alot of friends in Texas!! Let me warn you, we are heading that way in the spring so you better look out!! Hubby hasn't agreed to it yet, but if I compromise with a stop in Austin, somehow we should be able to make a compromise.

Today was the last day of my Beth Moore Bible study, "Daniel". I have to say I really liked the first part of this study-AWESOME!!! The second half though, I just could not internalize it. The lessons and broadcasts still resonated with me, but not on the same level. Perhaps because this was meant to be a "learning" Bible study not a personal Bible study. Revelations has always made my eyes glaze over and my head ache-so it isn't any wonder this study kind of did the same. I still highly recommend it though, especially if you have lots of questions about the end times. She does a very thorough account that is all backed in scripture. The first half will knock your socks off. I will never again hear the story of Daniel the same way ever again!!

Babies...

I only miss them a little. I think I can wait until grandkids as long as we have some at church I can hold. Tonight I held Davin and it wasn't long until Lilly wanted to hold him too. So I let her.

"Let me know when your arm gets tired." I said.

In her most serious voice, "My arm will never get tired."

PAJAMA DAY!

Well 1 errand and then pajama day. Probably not though, I am in hyperdrive mode so we will have to do some things(LAUNDRY). Maybe we will call it fun day and make some playdough or something.

Here is a funsie!! I tag Susie and all the rest of my tens of readers. LOL. Let me know if you played!

Subject: Holiday Edition


1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Egg nog (boiled custard is best)

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Unwrapped pile thoughtfully spaced near the tree.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? YES!and we kiss under it : )

5. When do you put your decorations up? 1st week or so in December

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Dressing

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Seeing what Santa brought

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? What do you mean? That he is really skinny and wears a pillow?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? YES! New pajamas to wear to bed for good christmas pictures!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Hallmark, homemade and gift ornaments.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? LOVE IT!!

12. Can you ice skate? never even seen a rink aside from TV.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? My engagement ring.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Family. I would pefer to skip all of the gift and shopping nonsense. It means nothing to me any more.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Pumpkin pie with whipped cream and chocolate squares that Erik's grandma makes

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Putting Baby Jesus in the manger on Christmas day.

17. What tops your tree? An angel (paperplate angel specifically)

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? Definitely giving!

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Nat King Cole’s “Christmas Song”

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yummy: How about pretty?

21. Do you have music playing while decorating your tree and house? YES!

Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow.

We don't have anywhere to be and for that I am thankful. We may go somewhere with a friend but she is calling me early in the day to let me know for sure. If we don't do that with her, it is totally PAJAMA DAY. I am glad too because I am tired. We have gone too much too many days in a row. Mount washmore has developed into it own mountain range. If we do go with her, that will totally be fine too, because it will be for fun, not obigation or commitment.

Social studies fair was tonight and it was fun. It may be my favorite homeschool function. Some of the kids are total hams and others are funny. Some are funny on purpose, others not so much. It is a great time and the kids always learn alot. Eve, if you are reading this, Hats off to you for another successful year. I'm glad we skipped the whole refreshment thing. It is more fun, less stress without it.

If it's not one hurdle, it's two...

Okay, yesterday I barely cleared the "past" hurdle. In fact I think I bumped my hip as I went over. No sooner did my feet hit the floor and I am facing another. My parenting skills. They are not equipping me very well for the job I have to do. Satan is on the prowl. I feel like such an ineffective mother. There are moments when I feel good, but something quickly comes along and snuffs that moment out so fast, I think it must have been a mirage. I know this is all his plan; make me doubt myself and my life so much that I just throw up my hands and quit. I know I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Join me as I say that one hundred times tonight.

A checkered past...

I ran into my past again early this morning. I used to be a rebel against God and everything I knew I should be doing with my life. I got into every form of trouble that I was able to get into. I was "awakened" at an early age to alot of "stuff" I had no business being involved with. This compounded with a rebellious spirit and a flirty, aggressive personality kept me involved with constant sin. So early this morning when I came face to face with my past in the form of an ex-boyriend, I had those same feelings of unworthiness and guilt over my lack of faithfulness to my awesome savior. Ordinarily, I hang my head in shame and spend many days in the trenches where I fight the devil to prove I am different now. He argues that I am not fit and I question my life and all the decisions I've made.

This morning, I had three darling reminders that my life is different. I was able to speak and be polite and not feel like I was betraying my husband or family. I was empowered to know I am different now. My regret as I look back on my 2 minute conversation is that I did not witness. I wish I could have not only held my head high with pride, but shared with him that I am different and he could be too. This is probably not my place to witness to a former boyfriend, but if it is, I will. I AM different, I may be tempted sometimes, but I am equipped. I have believed the lies of the devil before and it is emblazoned on my soul forever what an empty life it was. I am blessed beyond words with a husband and three darlings that love me-flaws and all.

My checkered past is covered with the blood and remains forever forgiven. Praise YOU Father for mercy and forgiveness. AND a clean sparkling white slate to begin again forever replacing the checkered one!

I just had a successful booth at a Holiday Mart. I am very happy because it is a big investment and sometimes they don't work out. Now we are off to a hotel to enjoy the local telethon!! Non-stop fun this wekend. Woohoo!

I am a recovering sleep addict...

and yet my children dislike going to sleep and can't wait to get up in the morning. First light rouses them right up and attem'. I love to sleep. I don't like to go to bed, I have to make myself go to bed. I love the midnight hour. The aloneness of it. I am very excited to be alone, it is so rare. The next morning though, I want to sleep till noon. This is not an option and I begin each day a little resentful. I just need to cave in and go to bed at 10 and get up at 5 which would put me up before my kids for once.

I accomplished alot last night. I went through and threw out a lot of paper clutter. It is alarming how much unnecessary paper stuff is floating around here. Homeschooling creates such a dileman-I want to have "proof" of work, but I don't want to keep all of the work either. What do you fellow homeschoolers do about ALL OF THIS PAPER??

I am getting ready for a whole weekend of work (Pampered Chef) and I am both euphoric and also dreading it. I love the flexibility of my business, but I am also positive that most days I would fire me if I had other staff that could fill my slot! I need to set some firm office hours and stick to them. Instead of waiting until I have work and then taking three days to sort through and get ready!!

Okay, I am off to start some breakfast. I believe scrambled eggs and toast for this morning!! Have an awesome Friday, y'all.

The winds of change are blowing

I am beginning to see what an un cluttered life will be like. Some rooms are very successful (kitchen/baths) as far as being uncluttered. The kitchen is there too if you don't count the dining room which is covered every surface. I am making progress but it is soooooo slow!!

My energy level has been shot. I think it is because when we re-introduced sugar, I went a little crazy with carbs. Carbs are like that. They always want to play and do fun stuff. Hang out with you and watch TV. The complex carbs I am hanging with now say, "Come on Janice, you're not hungry. Drink some more water and go to bed." Today is the first day I woke up and did not swear I was wearing lead pajamas.

I am also trying to be more environmentally correct (but mostly it is for my hands and nose) and clean with vinegar and baking soda. Cheap is a nice plus. That cleaning aisle at Walmart will kill the budget! I have been doing this in the kitchen for months now. I waited to use up all my other bathroom stuff to make the switch in there. I was also very doubtful that it could clean tub scum. I ran a bit of hot water, made a baking soda paste and rubbed it on the sides of the tub. Then I sprayed the vinegar all around on that paste and let it sit a minute or so. My tub just sparkles. I am amazed. My hands are so happy. Vinegar is also a natural deodorizer so my house is starting to smell like nothing. I love it to smell like nothing...or the candle I choose to burn.

This is my last year for scouts and I let everyone know it at the beginning of the year. I have my first casualty now. If they start dropping like flies, I don't think I can last the year out. This particular one is at odds with her cousin who is also in my troop-but still, her mom is awesome, a big help and it will be really hard to see them go. Please let everyone else stick it out to the end!! It is always hard to lose a girl. I second guess myself to death. I should just let it go, let it flow, its OK. Now cleansing breath...

I can't wait to get snowed in and not be able to leave the house. I would like to be home long enough to develop cabin fever, anybody with me?????

Carnival of Homeschooling

I made a carnival!! My blog was mentioned in the carnival of homeschooling over at Spunky's blog. For those of you bopping over from there, please scroll on down to Nov 4th.

Peaks and Valleys

As I crawled into bed last night after a girl's night out, I had such a feeling of love and afection for my dear hubby. He was glad for me to get away and spend time with my friend. He enjoys his time with the girls-eating frozen pizza and watching TV. Sometimes they clean the garage or wash cars. Not too long ago, they "helped" him plug a tire that had a nail in it. Despite all of our quarrels-and there are many-we are truly blessed to have one another. Our girls are blessed to have a cool dad-a drummer and a mailman and he knows alot about cars too.

I drove the "hot" car last night and you are right Susie, it is very lightweight and goes fast quickly. I made sure to set the cruise on the interstate! It has some new-fangled security things that I will have to get used to, but I like the car.

So far, KY did not elect the criminal to office but he was defeated so narrowly-81 votes-that Carroll Hubbard felt "he owes it to his supporters to ask for a re-canvass". I can't believe a former felon can even run, much less be almost elected. The union brotherhood is all that keeps the democrats in power. If the republicans could just support unions a little, that liberal freak-a-zoid party would ride off into the sunset never to be heard from again. Is anyone really FOR higher taxes, bigger government and redistribution of wealth? I don't think so.

OKAY, I know you don't read MY blog for politics so I will shut up-unless that recanv-ass changes anything and then I will have one more rant. Bob Leeper is a good man who does the right thing no matter what. I am glad he won and he had my vote. For the record, he denounced republicans as well as democraps and votes to do the right thing not the "party" thing. What more could you want from an elected official?

Please KY-don't elect a criminal!!

I will be so embarrassed if our end of the state sends Carroll Hubbard back into office. He is a convicted felon who committed his crimes WHILE IN OFFICE. Most people around here are such die-hard democrats, you just never know.

Had a girl night tonight and it was fabulosa. My friend Steph and I spent time together. She moves to Abilene in one week. I am sad. My kids are sad. I hope God really blesses her family with this move. IN A BIG WAY, cause it is breaking my heart.

Ted Haggard

Please go to Mike Cope's blog first and read his blog first. He publishes the apology letter Ted wrote to his congregation and some commentary.

The heartache of this circumstance is so evident no matter where you look. There are so many hidden sins around in the church. We are all so shocked when they are revealed. I believe each one of us has a vice that cuts us to the quick, our "hidden" sin. Most people are not quick to reveal these. Christians are in bondage of sin and we pretend we are perfect. We put on our church face and tsk tsk at the sins of others.(I prefer to tsk tsk over a slice of chocolate cake!) It is easier to see the speck in someone else's eye and ignore the plank in our own.

If we can appreciate the great leaders of our world and realize they are under attack daily by Satan, we might strengthen our cause not weaken it. Prayers lifted up on their behalf, not expectations. I expect all of my christian family will be called to a life that is set apart from the lives of the world. I learned a long time ago from a friend how hard it is to live in a fishbowl way up on a pedestal. The expectations of others are impossible to live with, in fact, it becomes a stronghold like no other.

We must remember that satan is on the prowl seeking to devour and defile believers. If we put on our perfect face and act like we have it all together all the time, we do a diservice to our family of believers. In the last days of the church, if we don't get on our knees and fight the battles of spiritual warfare united together, we not only lose the world, we lose ourselves.

Please don't join the scorn of Ted Haggard, pray that God will restore him and build his testimony to reach others with similar strongholds.

Also, we must remember, only Christ was perfect. As much as I love Beth Moore, she is only human. I want to believe she is perfect. Sometimes I even think-"I wish I could ask Beth about this". This borders on worshipping an idol. She is not God, she speaks truth that I believe is of God but that does not make her God. Like Paul, she is a messenger to our time. As Christians we are called to serve GOD, not people. If we get all caught up in serving and worshipping our leaders, we missed the real deal of Christ.

Leaders come and go, rise and fall, but God is forever.

SOS-Communication advice, anyone?

My husband and I, like many other couples, speak two different languages. We communicate so infrequently that most of the time this is not a problem. This pretty much means we only miscommunicate about the big stuff. This is a problem. I have a headache from trying to communicate why I am upset about the car purchase. Which leads right into all our other unresolved fights. Which puts us exactly right back to square one.

I am re-reading "The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands" again so I can again feel convicted of being a bad wife. Because, right now I feel like a doormat, with a hint of new car smell. I guess I need to pray some more about that attitude adjustment.

Delusions of grandeur...

Overheard, while my daughters play barbies.

"I am the queen and I need this apron as a disguise so people won't know who I am." (Erika)

"Maybe you can tell them you are a homemaker." (Kayla)

"What is that?" (Erika)

I am totally tuned in to hear this. I can't wait to hear them describe this part of my job. Will they zone in on the cooking, cleaning, teaching? Hospitality? Running the business aspect of the home? Moments like this make your heart sing.

"You know, a woman that stays home all day waiting for her husband to come back from work." (Kayla)

Proud moments...and humbling ones.

Buddy still hangin' at our house. I don't blame him, we are pretty cool and there are lots of other critters to keep him company. He is an awesome watchdog, he only loves family. He even kept Jehovah's witnesses in their car.

This is their "playhouse". They truly love it. They have a few dishes that we picked up at yard sales, wooden and stainless steel. They are also stocked up on dried corn, regular and indian. They have good times playing pioneer days. Note the washboard and plastic laundry basket. From time to time we string a new clotheslines and rip up old towels so they can do laundry. The Prairie Primer was the best curriculum we have ever used. It is truly a collision of "olden" times and now. Still learning "hands on" how hard things were in pioneer times!

OK, Attitude has been adjusted.

I was not very happy to get a new car but hubby is ecstatic. I have decided to join him. He did his homework and got a very excellent deal on a 2004 Chevy Impala, Red. He has wanted one of these cars since they first came out patially because there are 3 lap belts in the backseat and we have need of 3 lapbelts in the backseat. He is quite a safety guy. I love that about him but I also know he loves Impalas. With extra XXXXOOOOXXXXX's. His first car was an Impala and he loved it when it was still his Mom and Dad's. So yippeee, we have a new car. Yes, red is my favorite color.

Today was my homemaker's bazaar. We stayed up late last night after we got home from my mom's birthday party molding chocolate. It did not sell like I thought it would. The plaster of paris crafts we molded did not sell well either. Oh well, I donated the cost. The pumpkin rolls the club made sold like crazy. They are delicious. We did not stay until the end, I hope the club did well.

Happy Birthday, Mom. Of course, she can't read this as she has no computer. I still will pay her a tribute in the blogosphere. She is a good christian woman from a complicated childhood that managed to raise four girls with very little help from my father. She divorced my father when I was 3 or 4 and married my stepfather when I was 6. Those in-between years were tumultuous and I don't know how she was able to make it. My sisters were teenagers and a little on the wild side. We were laughing a bit about the troubles we got into back then-strolling down memory lane last night. Probably not so funny to my Mom. They were tough years no doubt, but fear not Mom, we turned out okay. We all still live close to home. 3 out of 4 are church attending Christians. I hope my oldest sis is a christian, but she does not attend church. The rest of us pray for her. She thinks we are hypocrites. We are, but covered with the blood. I hope she joins us!

I hope to do as well with my own set of girls. They are thoroughly enjoying this beautiful fall day with Buddy the wonder dog and thunder.

I am hoping to post pics of them. We'll see how that goes.

A NEW CAR!

We are getting a new car. Nuff said.

I can make links without spaces!!

With help from my friend Sandy (see her on my links list!). Thank you, Sandy. I never would have caught it. I had stared and stared at that list and they all looked the same. What a difference a / makes. Let me know if you ever want to know how to put spaces between your links!!

Going to bed now. Kiddos will be up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 6:30. Grrrrr. Pray for me, I skipped Bible study entirely today. Too much to catch up on in the day and huby worked seriosly overtime. I really needed it, but a night at home was kind of nice too.

I think I have fixed my links, but I don't know why there are spaces between some of them. The templae page doesn't show spaces-it looks lovely. In fact, it looked lovely when it was all messed up to. A beautiful list that did not at all lok like it was supposed to. Oh well.

My kids get up at 6:30 now. With the sun. They come to my bed for "snuggling" which becomes "wrestling" and I am still wanting more sleep less movement. I am so jealous of those of you who have kids that sleep in. Everyone has assured me it will happen when they are teens, but I don't think so, they are their father's children and he akes up with the sun too. According to his mom, he always has. I suppose I just need to give up staying up until midnight!! I used to get alot accomplished from 8-midnight, now I wander around and try to remember what it is I am supposed to do and then I sit down and read blogs. Not very productive. I don't seem to be missing TV though.

I am going to go take on the day. YAWN!

Can Flylady help somone like me?

I don't think so!! Well, maybe. Let me know what you think.




This is my bar in my kitchen, ain't that a sight!! The other pic is my table, the schoolroom. My goal is to be decluttered by December 1. I am goign to be really busy that last week in Nov...heehee!!

Posting every day in November! NABLOPOMO!

Because it said to here!


I am soooooo not computer savvy!! As you may or may not have noticed, I have links. Some of the links I typed in though, are not showing up. Jacinda and Julia are just empty spaces. Like the one in my head. I will add more of you later, It takes me a while to grasp things and then a bit longer to actually do something with it!!

I am also doing this blog every day in November thing so I am not sure how to get that pic thingy in the sidebar either. I wish I had learned to be a nerd. It sure would be handy!

Today is a total blah day. I have very little accomplished and the only upside to my day is church. Hubby wants a new car real bad and I don't think I can disuade him. It happens every time we get close to having no payment. Then once we get one, we have no extra money. Today he had me go and test drive a car and then said "Whatever you want to do!" I took it back said "Probably not, we really can't afford it right now." I hate passive aggressive. He is going to try to make it seem like it was my idea or I wanted it too. I don't. I want paid for cars. Car trouble is a pain, but better than car payments any day of the week. He will win though, I am not a breadwinner, so my vote gets a little bullied sometimes! Just the thought of more debt makes my stomach knot up and I feel a little nausea settling in. I hope he does not drive a new car home. I should be delighted my husband wants us to drive new cars. He wants a new vehicle so Lilly will be safer in a shoulder strap when she rides with him. His argument is valid, but I would prefer another route. My head hurts. My back hurts and I feel sick to my stomach.

The funniest thing about today-I started out my day at a lesson for my homemakers class which I will teach next week on...get this guys...it is so funny...stress management!!HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Please forward all of my mail to the loony bin. No address needed, they know me well.