Tip of the Day

If left to sit for 24 hours,
the excess milk in a bowl
with soggy cereal
will smell just as awful
as any other spoiled milk.

He Really Does Love Him

Jobie's prayer at lunch today:
Jesus,
Fank you Ezwa tummy huwt (hurt).
Fank you Mommy don't huwt.
Apples, fingys (thingys).
Amen.

Fingerprint Friday

Woodpeckers.
Ezra used to call them "birdknockers."A few interesting facts about birdknockers.
From the book Evolution of a Creationist.
And a little internet research.

1)They have special cartilage between the head and beak
to absorb the shock of pecking 20 times a second.

2)Their feet are different than most birds.
Two toes in front, two in back.
Other birds have three in front, one in back.
This way they can move up, down and all around.

3)They use their tail feathers to help brace themselves.
Along with their feet, this creates a tripod effect.
This helps to stabilize them as they hammer.4)Their beak is thick and tough.
Any other bird that tried to peck at wood,
would shatter their beak.

5)Their tongue is much longer than most,
has little barbs on the end,
and is coated with a sticky, glue-like substance.
This gives them the ability to reach into
the tunnels the beak has formed
and get a lunch of bugs. Quote from the book:
The woodpecker displays the glory of his Creator
who is also our Creator.

Genesis 1:21
So God created...
every winded bird according to its kind.
And God saw that it was good.

Psalm 14:1
The fool says in his heart,
"There is no God."

Each week Beki at therustedchain hosts Fingerprint Friday and uses a song by Steven Curtis Chapman as a springboard. Join in. It's a great way to be reminded of God's presence.

Thursday Thoughts

I cleaned my wood and tile floors today.
Oh, plus the baseboards.
On my hands and knees.

Don't get all excited.
Not trying to brag.
We've lived here nearly two years.
This has never happened yet.

Sweep?
Everyday.
Swiffer?
Sometimes.
Spot clean?
Umm...I have 4 kids.

But sometimes nothing works like
scrubbing on your hands and knees.
It's sad.
But true.
Today I forced myself to do just that.

Here were my thoughts as I was scrubbing.

1)I love pandora.
Don't laugh at me.
I just joined.
Listened to it while I scrubbed.

2)This is wearing me out.
I am wimpy.
And out of shape.

3)Considering calling Super Nanny.
Really.
Kid #4 is testing, testing, testing.
On top of that,
we're working on Mission Impossible:
Potty Training.

4)Are dried ketchup and super glue
made of the same ingredients?

5)I want to quit.

6)Pretty sure my back will be killing me tomorrow.

7)Have to wear a shorter skirt to church Sunday.
My knees will look like I've been praying hard all week.
That'll impress everyone.

8)Wait a minute...
But that means I will also have to shave my legs.
Nevermind.

9)How soon will I be yelling at my kids because:
I JUST cleaned the floors!
Probably as soon as they get home from school.
And eat a snack.
And walk all around the house.
And drop crumbs everywhere.

10)Would Super Nanny frown on
the lack of structure in our snacking?

11)If the boys ask one more time:
Mommy, are you done yet?...
Does it look like I'm done?

12)Sure wish the phone would ring.

13)Am I done yet?

Deep thoughts.
By gina entz.

I Love...

Root beer floats.
Just saying...

We even get fancy an' all.
Big K.
Cheapest ice cream I can find.
Riscky's BBQ cup from Ft. Worth.
At least 7 years old.
We have a matching pair even.

Yumm-o.
Want one?

A Tutorial

Bet you never thought you would see
that title on my blog.
I don't sew.
Make jewelry.
Design cards.
Knit.
Pretty much, I do nothing crafty.

But here you go.
My first tutorial.

Step one:
Gather your little kids' old Sunday School papers.
Step two:
Look for brads, turn the paper over and remove them.

Step 3:

Save the brads for some unknown project in the future.

Yep.

I really do this.

All. The. Time.

Have never had the need for them yet.

But when I find the right project,

boy, will I be prepared.

Cooters

Last week before we left Branson to head home,
we searched for a Starbucks.
This lady needed coffee.
And, although my hubby hates to admit it,
I think he did too.

In our search, we passed this little place.We've seen it before.
But this time it was a must stop for Ryan.
Because of this.
And for the little boys, this.
A police car!
Wow!
Then he made all the kids get in the picture.
The older two did not at all appreciate
the importance of this moment.
We went inside.
Saw plenty of confederate goodies.
A little museum room with Dukes collectibles.
Still in their original packaging.
A watch,
calculator,
General Lee, after General Lee, after General Lee,
Bedding.
I could go on and on.

And plenty of Duke apparel for sale.
Even Daisy Dukes.
Which my hubby wanted to buy for me.
Funny.
That would ruin Daisy Dukes for life.
If I wore those,
I would make it here.
Most important.
We did get our coffee.
Might not have been a good thing.
I have already hit the restroom.
Six times.
This morning.
You can imagine what the ride home was like.
Me dreaming of restrooms.
Ryan dreaming of Daisy Dukes.

Fingerprint Friday

I had a different fingerprint in mind for today.
But plans change.

I have a friend who is traveling home from Colorado today.
With her two daughters.
She had been on my mind since I woke up this morning.
And I had been praying for them.
So, I texted her.
Telling her I hope she had a safe trip.
(It was snowing there already.
And I guess it's coming our way.)
I got a text back saying they had been in a rollover accident.
Her husband is heading out there to pick them up.

They are all fine.
So thankful!

Now I know why God brought them to mind this morning.

Psalm 66:20
Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld His love from me!

Each week Beki at therustedchain hosts Fingerprint Friday and uses a song by Steven Curtis Chapman as a springboard. Join in. It's a great way to be reminded of God's presence.

A Day on Spring Break

We took a little trip to the Springfield/Branson area
for the beginning of spring break.
Ryan's cousin and her family were there
for a basketball tourney.
So we got to spend some time with them.

Monday was our busy day.
According to my brother,
Bass Pro is a must when visiting Springfield.
Me?
I've been there.
More times than I remember.
Once would have been enough.
But, the kids like all the animals.
Both dead and alive.
Nine kids and Dougie.
Umm, make that ten kids.
Jobie loves Doug.
Probably because Doug calls him "Big Fella."
While I call him "Tiny Baby."

Ryan and I took dragged the kids shopping.
If there's an outlet mall, I will come.


Jobe likes to sit in the little rides.
We never put money in.
Never.
Not even on vacation.
I think Ezra knows they will actually do something.
But Jobe hasn't figured that out yet.

Ryan is all about eating good
when we are away from home.
Eating good to him means steak or seafood.
So seafood it was.
He and Brookelynn were excited for their crab legs.

I don't like crab legs.

But I did decide to avoid anything fried.

In an attempt to eat healthier.

Then...

I ate the boys extra

mozzarella sticks,

and popcorn shrimp

and even a fry or two.

I couldn't let it all just sit there.

That's wasteful.

The weather wasn't pleasant.

We found an indoor mini golf place.

And played 36 holes.

It got a little old at the end.

36 might have been a little much.

It was 10:30.

Oh, and Ryan won.

Irritates me to admit that.

Jake even beat me by a stroke.

What is this world coming to?

Fingerprint Friday

Monday I showed my family writing Scripture.
On the floor of our new church building.
I haven't been able to get the experience
out of my mind this week.
So, here's some of my church family writing Scripture.
On the floor of our new church building.
I love that Scripture speaks to people of all ages.
And all walks of life.

Our pastor.I didn't get to see this one written.

Wish I would have.

It was written by an older gentleman.

He put his and his wife's initials.

I wonder how long they have claimed that verse.

This one was written at the foot of the stage.It made me cry.

In humility.

In awe.

In excitement for the future with my Jesus.

Each week Beki at therustedchain hosts Fingerprint Friday and uses a song by Steven Curtis Chapman as a springboard. Join in. It's a great way to be reminded of God's presence.

See?

My floors really are clean enough to eat off of.

Oh...

Hahahaha!

I make myself laugh.

Sweet Victory

Look what Jake helped me find!
My hubby is so happy.

****************************************

And, also, my friend is hosting a giveaway.
Go here to see it.
It's my favorite piece of hers.
Ever.

A Recipe with Some Randomness Thrown In

Well, we're back at it.
Between the older two we have 5-6 soccer practices a week.
Lucky for me that a few of those are
same day, same place and nearly same time.

If I don't have something in the oven or crockpot
before we go to practice
the temptation to eat out would be too much.
Would not be good on our wallet or our waists.
Especially mine which seems to have expanded over the winter.
My waist, sadly, not my wallet.

What is it about cold weather that just makes me want to eat?
And eat.
And eat.
I keep telling myself summer is coming...
You will be sorry...
That swimsuit will not fit...
Talking to myself doesn't seem to be working.
I keep eating.

Back to having something in the oven:
Not that I cook the healthiest.
I somehow think cream of anything soups are
not high on nutritionists things to eat.
But they sure do make about anything taste good.
And they are nearly a major food group in our house.

These are the two I used in the recipe below.
I obviously am no respecter of brands.
I will buy whatever is cheapest.
If cream of onion soup came in the Value brand
it would be in my cupboard as a staple.
As it is, that was the first time I had bought it.
Campbell's soups were on sale.
And I had a coupon.

I had never seen cream of onion soup.
You can only imagine my excitement.
I really like onion.
Really like it.
Jake does not.
Really doesn't.
He picks through his food all the time.
Looking for chopped onion.
I'm getting irritated just thinking about it.

When I saw that soup, I thought:
Ha!
I've got him!
I'll fool him now!

I didn't know what I was going to use it in.
Couldn't recall a recipe that called for cream of onion soup.
So, I made up my own.
I really wanted to put cream of celery in too.
Instead of cream of mushroom.
But I didn't have it.

This is what I came up with.
Not sure if these are the exact amounts I used.
I just boiled two chicken breasts.
Cooked some rice.
And threw it all in a bowl.
So I tried to make it sound like I knew what I was doing.

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
2-3 cups cooked, diced chicken
3 cups cooked white rice
1 pkg. frozen chopped broccoli
2 cans cream of ____ soup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 oz. diced Velveeta cheese

Mix all ingredients together. Put in greased 9x13 pan. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
It worked!
Jake had no idea it was oniony.
In fact, all 4 of my kids liked it!
No comments about the broccoli even.
They've asked me when I'm making it again.
Hooray for me!

A Special Opportunity

Last year I wrote about our church here.
Construction continues to progress.
We should be in the new building by June.
Yesterday we had the opportunity to write verses
on the floors before they lay the carpeting.
We all picked special places to write our verses.

I will praise the Lord.

Psalm 111:1

(Obviously we need to work on w's.)

Ryan is on the building committee.

He wrote several verses.

This one is in the foyer.

Verses of dedication and praise
on the floor of God's house.
What a privilege.