Tip of the Day

Before you mow your lawn,
make sure your ipod is charged.
If it's not,
you might use your pre-teen daughter's instead.
You will hear pre-teen songs.
You will not want to listen to these pre-teen songs.
But you cant stop mowing every 5 seconds to change the song.
(She has A LOT of songs on there I didn't know.
Daddy is in charge of ipod music.
And is very picky, I might add.)
So you listen to the pre-teen music.
Then you might even start to sing.
A little.
Then you might start to get a little spring in your step.
Then you might look around.
To make sure the neighbors aren't watching.

Then you might hear the songs in your head.
For the rest of the day.
And then some.

Baby, baby, baby ohh.
Like baby, baby, baby no.

Thank you, Justin Bieber.
You were very helpful.
But I think I prefer a little Jack Johnson.
Or Bon Jovi.
(Especially when I'm in the part of the yard
that I affectionately call "the wasteland".)
Or 90's Power Ballads.
Or praise music.
Or Ronnie Milsap.
Or Brad Paisley.
Or nearly anything else, really.
Just trying to be honest here.
But it was fun.
While it lasted.

Double Digits

Hard to believe
this boy was born with a head of black hair.
Harder still to believe that was 10 years ago.

Happy birthday, Jakie!
We love your smile.
We love your obsessions (most of the time).
WE LOVE YOU!

Fingerprint Friday

This is the boy that I thought would be my baby.
The child we thought we may not be able to have.
The precious baby that came nearly two years after a miscarriage.The boy that filled my arms with sweetness.Psalm 127:3
Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.

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.

New Finds

I went to some garage sales last Friday.
Here's some of my more exciting finds.
Been looking for a round table for a couple of years.
Oh, I've found some.
For way too much money.
This one was marked $10.
I got it for $8.
It's a little scratched up.
And I would like it to be a little darker.
Not sure I want to paint it though.
And to strip it and refinish sounds like too much work.
Any other ideas?

A new toy box for the boys?
Or maybe something else.
Who knows.
It's on wheels.
And an old 7-Up crate.
Perfect for carrying condiments and silverware out to our fire pit.

The big oval tin is going to be a planter.
Gotta buy more flowers.
You don't see that, honey.
And the tall container is an old ballot box.
The slot at the top is where voters would drop their ballots.
Cool, huh?
Don't know what we're going to do with it.
But couldn't pass it up.
It was only $2.
Last year I told you about the chalk art festival.
Local artists create chalk art.
Donate them to a silent auction.
Which benefits Youthville.
We went again this year.
One of Ryan's friends did this piece.
Ryan's been looking for art for his office at work.
So he bid on it.
Then asked me to check on it throughout the week.
To make sure we weren't outbid.
I told him I forgot all about it.
Then surprised him with it for his Father's Day gift.
He had an idea that was what I was doing.
Apparently I'm not a good liar.
That's a good thing, I suppose.

Ryan's Father's Day Card

From...well...you can see.
The pink thing is a heart.
The brown face is daddy.
There is an arrow pointing from the heart to daddy.
"Love da-da."
That's how Ezzie described it.
He acted all sweet and shy about it.

This is the inside of the card.
Him and daddy holding hands.
And now my heart is in a puddle.

Happy Father's Day...

Ryan.
Jobe isn't the only one that adores you.
We all do.

Even though we're bad at showing it sometimes,
there's never a moment that we don't love you.

Fingerprint Friday

Psalm 46:10
Be still and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.

This is the verse that came to mind as soon as I saw this picture.
It's a verse that I need to be reminded of.
Especially lately.
I get too busy doing, doing, doing.
Be still.

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.

Our News

Well...
we are adding to our family.
But not in the way some of you were thinking.

I have a friend that is dangerous to know.
You know those kind.
The kind that talk you into being PTO president.
When you just got done being youth sponsors at your church.
And thought you might have a little more time on your hands.
And you have a nine month old.
And then end up having another baby while you are president.
That was a few years ago.
And I've recovered.
And forgiven her.
Haha!

But now she's struck again.
We got a message from her on facebook recently.
The subject was: Room at the Inn??
Oh, boy.
I knew what was coming.

Wanna know what she does?
She places exchange students.

Apparently we can't say no to her.
Or, more importantly, to God.
The Sunday after we were asked to host.
While we were still deciding and praying.
Our pastor had a message about loving others.
Reaching out.
Opening your home.
Ok, ok.
I get it.

So...
We are going to be a host family.
To a teenager.
From Germany.
For ten months.
Her name is Lara.

The kids are excited.
Brookelynn especially.
She is going to have a "sister."

I've tried to tell her it will not all be roses.
She will be sharing her room.
She likes her space sometimes.
She will have to sit in the back of the van.
With her brothers.
She hates sitting back there.
But she thinks the good out weighs the bad.
Ryan and I agree.

Oh, and I'm going to count this as my
"learn something new to me" goal
that I made in January.
I have a feeling I will be learning plenty.
About Germany.
About parenting a teenager.
About myself.
(that's the scariest one of all)

We sent her this most recent picture of our family.
Think it will scare her off?
Our adventure begins in August.

New Headwear

They are their father's sons.
That's all I'm sayin'.

Blackberry Muffins

With the kids home for the summer,
there has been a huge amount of baking
going on at our house.

1) Easy Cheesy Fudge Brownies.
Not really that easy.
Not difficult either really.
Just time consuming.
Now I remember why I rarely make them.
But they are soo good.

2) Butterscotch Snack Cake (twice).
3) Turtle Bars.
Both super easy.

4) Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Who doesn't like these?
Oh, that's right.
My father-in-law.
Is there anyone else in this world who doesn't like them?
I think not.

5) Mulberry Pie.
We have a mulberry tree.
So now this picture is self-explanatory.
Don't worry.
They didn't waste all of them.
My hubby had been asking for mulberry pie.
I had never made it.
He and Brookie went out last Saturday evening
and picked a big bowl full.

I felt obligated to make a pie.
I mean I made one because I love them so much.

I'm not crazy about fresh mulberries.
So the pie was much better than I thought it would be.
One of the best parts was it was super cheap.
Free fruit.
Just ingredients for the crust.
And a little sugar and flour for the filling.

6) Blackberry Muffins (twice).
Lately our local grocery store
has had blackberries on sale for $1.
Couldn't resist that.
I decided blackberry muffins were a must.
Muffins are better dipped in melted butter and sugar.
That was something I added to the recipe I found.
I had 3 extra kids at my house the morning I first made these.
They were all playing downstairs.
Instead of letting them know the muffins were ready,
I sat down with my coffee and muffin.
All. By. Myself.
Blackberry Muffins
2 c. all purpose flour
1T baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. milk
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
11 oz. fresh blackberries, cut in half

Whisk together flour, baking pwd., and salt.
In a separate bowl whisk together eggs, sour cream, milk, sugar, butter and vanilla.
Add wet mixture to dry mixture and mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.
Add the berries. Do not overmix. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
Bake @ 400 degrees in greased muffin tins 17-20 minutes.
Let cool 2-3 minutes. Remove from tins and dip tops in melted butter and sugar.
Makes 15-18 muffins.
Yumminess.
Go make some.
And eat one.
By yourself.
Just like me.
That's your dream, right?
To be like me.
I thought so.
Thanks for saying so.
You really are too kind.

Fingerprint Friday

The return of Jesus is nearer every day.
Every minute.Every second.Mark 1:15
"The time has come,"
He said.
"The kingdom of God is near.
Repent and believe the good news!"

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.

Oh, Yes

You can bet this little beauty is going on the fridge.
So grateful to the little girl in my VBS class
who made this for me.
Wow!
It's astonishing how well she knows me.
After only 5 days.

Now anytime any of my kids complain or whine
about something I tell them.
I will point to this card.
And remind them.

Good things about me:
Everything!
Bad things about me:
Nothing!

Wonder if I can convince Ryan of this too.
Things would run so much smoother in our house
if we would all cooperate...
And agree with this.

Hey, a girl can dream...

First Sunday

We had our first Sunday in our new church May 30th.
It was so nice to be in a building of our own again.
It has been nearly 2 1/2 years since our church burned.The kids were excited to go to Sunday school.
Actual classrooms.
No more meeting in hallways.Before church we had talked about
how they would have new classrooms.
Ezra apparently misunderstood.
After Sunday school he told me:
Mommy, my class wasn't new.
Everybody was the same.Jake's small, but very ornery class.
One boy is missing.
And that poor lonely girl.
Someday she probably won't mind though.Brookelynn's class.
I get to teach them every other month.
They are a fun group of kids.Ryan's Aunt Janice.
She is so thankful to have an organ to play again.
I love how the sound fills the sanctuary.The man on the right is the chair of the building committee.
Truly a man of God.
Please pray for him and his wife (in the green).
She is battling a very difficult cancer.
We love and respect their family greatly.There's our family.
Minus Ryan.
Since he was on the building committee
and taking pictures
we didn't see him a lot that morning.
Also minus Ezra.
He went to the bathroom 4 times during the service.
Still don't know if he really had to go.
Or was just excited to look around the new church.
Unsupervised.It was a beautiful day.
A wonderful service.God is good.

Just Letting You Know...

I'm still here.

I thought there would be more time to blog this summer.
Oh, silly, silly me.
We have been going like mad.
I haven't taken pictures in days.
This is only the fourth time I've been on the computer.
Not today.
In nearly a week.
That's just crazy.

We have VBS this week.
It starts at 8:30.
In a town 20 minutes away.
I'm teaching.
Also picking up two of the kids' friends.
And dropping off Jobe at Grandma's.
Which means we are leaving the house before 7:30.
In the morning.
Insane.
Isn't summer supposed to be for sleeping in?

We had a soccer tourney last weekend.
One this weekend.
Then we are done with soccer.
Until August.
Not counting soccer clinics.

I still don't have a garden in.
******************************
Ok.
All that above the line was written on Thursday.
I got interrupted.
Haven't been on the computer since.

The second soccer tourney is over.
It was HOT.
No shade.
Close to 100 degrees.
But still fun.
A trip to DQ at the end helped cool us off.
A little.

A soccer clinic begins today.
At our house.
Which means I should be cleaning right now.
Twelve 10 and 11 year old girls in our backyard.
Pretty sure someone will need to use the restroom.
That means they will need to come inside.
Wish we had a port-a-potty.
Or they were boys.
We have plenty of trees.
I'm thinking the girls won't go for that.

Still haven't taken any pictures.
Except a few with my phone.
Still don't have a garden in.
Beginning to wonder if that will happen.
I will really miss it if I don't.
Still don't have all my flowers planted.
Some of them have died.
I can't seem to keep up with the house.
Or the laundry.
I did a couple loads Friday.
They are still waiting to be folded.

I have never experienced a summer like this.

We have so much to do.
We also have some exciting news.
But I'm waiting to share that.
I will soon hopefully.

Take a guess.
Bet you won't get it.
Family and a couple of and friends already know.
Shhh.
You guys can't say anything.