Snow Day

Doh Day



No, not completely. It was a snow day and we did break out the Play-Doh, but it really wasn't played with for very long.

I think the big boys finally hit a point of having a bit much of each other and their LEGOS by mid morning. They needed a short break, as was evident by some sulking on one child's part. After some family group time silliness, Andrew decided to play with the Play-Doh while Josh stayed in their room to play. I thought, "good, this will give them a little break from each other." Of course it didn't last long. Soon, Josh had joined him and they were making all sorts of creations.

It wasn't much longer until the accumulating snow drew them from their work. They decided to go outside and the next time I checked, they were building a snowman. This is the most fabulous snow for packing. Such a rarity for our area!

Soon, Andrew scooted back in and requested hot chocolate. :) In the meantime, Josh and Craig were building an igloo. They used an old "Igloo" lunch ice chest to make bricks. It looks pretty good, except they weren't able to slope it enough to make a roof on it. So....it's really more like a fort, I guess...

It's looking like the snow may be around for awhile, so maybe they will get to play some more. I know Nathan would love to get out and play in it, but he doesn't really have the right kind of footwear for it. Plus, it's pretty deep! I think we got about 6 inches or so.

I'm going to try to enjoy the beauty of it while it lasts.....because I know the mud is coming! Now there's an analogy waiting to happen! I'll just let you use your imagination on this one. :)

Bringing Up Boys

A Few Good Men

Be Devoted in Brotherly Love

It's hard to decide just what to name this post....keep reading and you'll see why.

While the boys were climbing the tree (see post below), Nathan was enjoying the mud below them. The poor little guy hasn't really had much opportunity to play outside, especially recently with our beyond cold snap. He is showing signs of following, quite literally, in his brothers footsteps.

Here he is sitting in the hole they dug in our front yard years ago. Boys!!



Speaking of boys. I've been invited to be a part of a Bible study that I'm really looking forward to and need desperately. We'll be doing the Bringing Up Boys study by Dr. James Dobson. I have listened to the book on tape, but can always use a refresher. I think it will be neat to study in a group setting and I look forward to making some new friends.

I have probably mentioned here before the immense responsibility, yet privileged honor, it is to have boys. Not that it isn't a responsibility or honor to raise daughters, but it's just different.

Boys grow into men. And men are crucial to the health of our churches, families, workplaces and world. They are called by God to be the head of their households. They are created by God to be the stronger vessel. If we (parents) don't do our job to the best of the ability that God gives us, then where does that leave future generations? I really can see that a great deal of the problems in our society today stem from boys not being brought up in loving, Christian homes.

It's crucial that boys be loved to manhood. Our world needs more than a "few good men," but my hope and prayer is that Craig and I are able to produce a "few great men" here in our home, with the help of our amazing Father God.

I had to laugh to myself as I read over the previous paragraph. Maybe I should rename this blog "A Few Good Men." It's fitting for boys with a Marine Daddy. But, I think Romans 12:10 sums up our goal and shall remain our theme......or better yet, how about all of that passage...

Romans 12:

⁹Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹²Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

¹⁴Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^a]">[a] Do not be conceited.

¹⁷Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. ¹⁸If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"^b]">[b]says the Lord. ²⁰On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."^c]">[c] ²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

That's some convicting stuff!!

I Spy...

...with my little eye...



...something...

i

CUTE!



Are these two not the cutest?

At 8 years old and 6 years old, these two are the best of friends. I am reminded nearly daily of how blessed we are that they are so close. And even though (I'll admit) their constant chatter about "crystal sweepers" and "rock monsters" (LEGOs) drives me batty at times, I am grateful.

This series of photos was taken yesterday when I drug them away from their LEGOs momentarily, to enjoy some of the nice, fresh air we've been having. As you can see, they found something to do... :) It wasn't long before they were cooking up some old junk they found on the grill. A few days earlier, they had made a sign for the grill that read "Red Rock Canyon Grill." Boy do I wish they were old enough to grill us up some supper! Some day....

In the meantime, I pray their relationship continues to grow; that they will truly live out the title of this blog and Be Devoted...in Brotherly Love for a lifetime.

Work in Progress

My camera and I are S-L-O-W-L-Y getting to know one another.

While the picture in this post is nothing amazing...



...I thought it was somewhat cool.

You can check out the pics in the sidebar for some of my better photography, so far. I still need to get one of Craig. His looks a little out of place now without the "spotlight" effect. It will be coming soon.

I thought about making a really great analogy between me and my camera, and me and God, and me being a work in progress. (No I'm not saying my camera is God or even a god.) But then, it seemed kind of, not so great of an analogy....

I am indeed a work in progress though. Both in my photography skills and my life.

I am thankful for the One whose progress is at work.

More Practice

Okay, so a new camera hasn't, yet, made me blog more. I'm still trying to get to know my camera better. So far, I've gotten a few good shots, but still need more practice.

Today is looking to be a beautiful day and my plan is to get school finished and then head out to practice "shooting" some more.

So without further ado..... school is calling.....

Happy 2010!

Whew....can you believe it is 2010?

And to think, when I was a kid, we thought for sure we'd be flying around in Jetson's style hovercrafts by now!

Yes, it's true things have changed drastically as time moves on, but in reality, it's not all that different in a lot of ways.

One thing that has changed a lot are cameras! Gone are the days of film and developing. Certainly gone, are the days of......oh crud, I can't think of what they are called. You know, the way they took pictures before film. On plates or whatever it was...those days are gone for sure!

Who doesn't love the age of digital cameras?

I do!

With that said....YES, I finally did get my broken camera replaced. And I couldn't help but go with a little upgrade.

Meet my new friend!

I haven't had a chance to really play with it the way I'd like yet. It's my understanding and belief that to get the best shots you must look for the natural light. There are few places inside our home with good natural light and I've been too big of a wimp to get us out in the cold just to take pictures.

With that said...here are a few debuts. No they aren't the best pictures, or the best edited, but it takes time to get to know a new camera and I do look forward to getting to know my friend well. Hopefully, we'll make a good team someday soon.

This handsome boy just keeps growing and growing. {Does he remind you of anyone?}


This cutie patootie is loving the toothless feel. {Yes, I know he needs a haircut.}


This wide-eyed beautiful baby is always on the move. {I really must learn more about the focusing feature for movers and shakers.}


Hopefully this is the start of a beautiful relationship. I love pictures!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all!! No, I don't have my camera replaced yet, but I was able to borrow my Mom's for Christmas. So here is just a snippet of our recent activities.

While some were doing this....





Andrew was getting his very first tooth pulled!



Praying you are able to celebrate our Savior on this day with the ones you love the most!

A Partial Update

You all know how much it pains me to not have pictures to go with my posts, but well...most of you already know, my camera is broken. Along with my memory card, which I haven't had time to check into seeing if the pictures on it can be restored.

The good news is that the camera was still under extended warranty and I am getting a gift card from Office Depot to replace it! I'm thinking a little upgrade is called for...don't you? So I have picked out what I would really like to get. The only problem is....it costs twice as much as the one I had, which means, I don't have enough to get it. BUT, I'm hoping I can be patient and they will put them on sale. Sure would be nice to have it for Christmas....but patience is a virtue right?

So what was it I was going to say?

I have no idea. I just thought I would check in and say I AM still alive, although still MIA.

Am I really MIA, if I'm checking in?

Maybe not...

But, I am still busy with life, and quite honestly, this has been a week of the Twilight Zone for me. Just nuttiness, one thing after another. It's been a good week none the less. Busy, but good.

A quick update on the boys:

Joshua is getting so tall and smart. He is obsessed with LEGOS, has the memory of an elephant when it comes to dates, still is head over heels in love with his baby brother and adores his best buddy of a brother too. He is keeping up with his school work despite my busy schedule and is officially on Christmas Break, although, we have a few projects we need to work on.

Andrew is suddenly such a big boy and smart as a whip too. He, too, is obsessed with LEGOS, which he plays with and dreams about endlessly with his best friend of a brother. He fills his role as being a big brother well too. He is able to do his school work effortlessly and spends much of his time drawing.

Nathan...oh Nathan. Where do I begin? My baby is becoming less and less of a baby. He is rightly classified as a toddler at just a week shy of 15 months. He's discovered the thrill of climbing on the dining room table, toilet splashing and mess making in general. He keeps us on our toes and must be watched constantly. He looks up to his big brothers and loves when he gets to feel "big" like them. Like when he eats the same thing they eat, or walks out the front door with them, instead of being carried. He understands much language and babbles a lot, but says very few actual clear words. Mostly just "Mama" and "Dada" still. I did hear a clear and distinct "Josh" yesterday though. "Mama" can mean several things. It can mean Mama, or it can mean he wants a bite of what you are eating, or he just wants what you have. He can also say "ni-ni" for night-night. There are probably more that I'm either forgetting or haven't picked up on yet.

Wow! Okay, it is super late and I must rise early again in the morning. I wish I could ramble on more with updates. My life is certainly eventful enough lately to fill many pages, but I will stop here. Maybe I can pick up again sometime.

Ni-Ni for now...

Missing In Action

Wow! Life has happened lately, and this blog is totally taking a backseat. I hope Andrew can forgive me someday when he reads this and sees that nearly a month after his birthday, he still has no birthday post. Poor kid! :)

But, it is certainly a hectic time here, and not for the same reasons that many are finding their lives hectic at this time of year. Although, all those added "things" that make December a hectic time, are still present, so the craziness is only compounded.

Amidst the chaos, I want to remember the Reason for CHRISTmas. I'd love to take the time to blog about the thoughts that have been swirling in my head regarding this very thing, but it too must wait.

I pray Joy for each of you this Christmas Season and if you don't hear from me for awhile, just consider me MIA and lift up a prayer if you don't mind. I'll be back again someday.

Love and Peace to you and yours!

Happy Belated Birthday Andrew!

This sweet boy turned 6 years old on Saturday, November 21st and I feel absolutely terrible that I haven't done his birthday post yet! I must get it done...it's just been a crazy few days. I have well over 100 pictures still on my camera, dating back to before Halloween. Be patient...I'll get there. :)

Staying Close to Home

This post is specifically for my dear, sweet cousins Jodie Lynn and Angie. Girls, I hope you will read the link I am providing and ponder it in your hearts, seeking God's will for your futures. I pray you will be at peace with where God wants you to be for this leg of your journey in life.

I've written about Heather at Sit a Spell in Hendrickville before. I learn a lot from this Godly woman. She makes me laugh, challenges me, and encourages me. Recently, she wrote a post that was an encouragement to me. It was all about questioning the way we "do" things in America when it comes to our families/lives/living situations.

I've often wondered what people think of me staying close to "home" and not moving off to live my 'own life,' like seems to be so 'normal' today in our culture. But, if you think about it...other cultures don't do that, and not so many years ago, people in this country didn't do that. People stayed in "clans." They could manage to have bigger families because they weren't doing it alone. They had grandmothers, mothers, sisters, aunts, and cousins to help with small children. The men in the family were close to home and could help with the older children and teach and train them the work of their trade. Much wisdom could be had by keeping the older generation and the younger generation close.

And then.....think of that younger generation helping to care for the older as they age. What great life lessons. And there are unspeakable amounts of spiritual wisdom and guidance to be had along the way.

I'm sure I could write much more...unfortunately I am pressed for time. But if you will, take a moment to read what Heather has to say right here, particularly starting from about the middle (where she starts asking questions), down. Also, at the bottom of her post there is a link she leaves called, Why Modern Motherhood is So Much Harder than it Ought to Be, that is a very good read too and really goes along with what I'm trying to say a bit better actually... :)

Let me know your thoughts on the subject in the comments section of this post.

The P Word

All those pictures are still waiting on my camera to be uploaded to the computer. I will get to it one day. It isn't that it's hard to do, I don't know why I wait. Maybe because that's what I do?

I'd say the dreaded P word (procrastination) is my biggest downfall. It impacts everything. Everything right down to this blog. I do try to work on it (getting better at not procrastinating that is), yet at the same time giving myself grace. Not easy to do on either front...

So what's been going on lately?

Really just the usual. Craig working; Josh, Andrew and I doing school; Nathan being his cute baby self. I've been trying to cook up and freeze a few meals to have on hand in the coming weeks.

I'll be helping my Dad here on the dairy, primarily with the baby calves. I'm hoping that the big boys will be lots of help this time around. In the past, it has always seemed like more work to have them help, which I know is what I must endure if I ever expect them to be able to help and do for themselves, but that's not always easy. If I can keep them interested and focused, and keep my patience about me a few days while training them....maybe it will pay off... I hope.

Back to the meals... I've had several inquire about the meals I'm making. I should say that the ones I've made so far are all new to us, so I'm not real sure whether to "endorse" them yet or not. We did try one of them, Ranch Bean Chili, which was delicious! It was really better than I expected. I will try to plan for a post soon about my freezer cooking adventure. It is definitely something I'd like to keep up.

What else has been on my mind?

Well, I've been quite involved in keeping up with Stellan, who I mentioned here. And would you believe? As of this morning.....that sweet little babe is doing amazing and may even go home healthy and normal, after flat lining and nearly dying right before his mother's very eyes on Monday morning. Simply an incredible miracle it has been to watch.

And no...I do not know this family personally, and I know people like my husband and my dad think my mom and I are crazy for getting so emotionally involved with people we don't know. But they are people. Real people. It's not a tv show....although I would say it has certainly felt like watching the most amazing movie ever, and it even appears to have the happy ending we all hoped for. But it's real and it reminds me how blessed I am. Thank you Jesus!

I better be off now to get some things done.....no more p-r-o-c-r-a-s-t-i-n-a-t-i-o-n!

Brotherly Love

So... I do still need to unload my camera with all the Halloween pics. And Jodie, I DO take a lot of pictures, but although it may seem like it, I do not have it permanently attached to me at all times. There are so many moments in our lives that are not captured on film, unfortunately.

One special moment was captured recently, however, and has already been shared here. You may remember this picture...



Isn't it sweet?

Well, hop on over to my mom's blog, Seasoned with Salt and read a beautifully written guest post by, none other than, my Daddy. You won't regret it. :)

Costume pics, coming soon...

New pictures will be forthcoming soon. I've got lots of Halloween fun to share! In the meantime.....we're lovin' this weather. This is what Fall is meant to be!

To be honest...I'm having a hard time getting motivated to blog with all the trouble that seems to be going on with Blogspot right now. I'm hoping it will get straightened out soon.

Blogger Blunder

Something weird is going on with Blogspot/Blogger.  For some reason those who follow my blog (few of you as there are) are not getting my most recent updates added to your list.  My cousin Jodie seems to be having the same problem.  I haven't noticed it happening with anyone else.  I kind of wondered when my few regular commenters hadn't commented on my last several posts.  I mentioned to Jodie that she was falling behind on updating her own blog.  She thought the same about me.  When we then went to each other's blogs, we discovered we were very behind on our reading.  So really this whole post is a test in and of itself.  Let me know if it shows up as my most recent post on your blog reading list.  Thanks! 

Updated: Sick Little Boys

Update: I learned tonight that Drake has passed away. Please pray for the Hall Family.

There are two little boys who could use your prayers today. One I know personally, one I do not. Their names are Drake and Stellan.

Drake is the 2 year old son of one of my high school classmates. He was born prematurely (at 25 weeks) and spent his entire first year of life in the hospital. The past year has been spent in and out of the hospital with various illnesses. Most recently, he was hospitalized with pneumonia and then contracted the flu while there. He is a very sick little boy and could really use your prayers. You can read more about him and leave a note of prayer and encouragement for his family here.

Stellan is one year old today, and I know him only through his mother's popular blog MckMama. He has a heart condition that makes his heart beat too fast. So today, instead of celebrating with birthday cake, sweet Stellan is lethargically lying in his mother's arms in a hospital PICU fighting for his life. I know his family covets your prayers as well.






Knowing and reading about these sweet baby boys makes me hold mine a little tighter, thank God a little more fervently for them, and long for the day when He returns!

Lovin' Leaves

On Thursday I suddenly had an overwhelming desire to head northeast, toward Fayetteville.

That is where Craig and I spent our first 4 years of marriage while I attended the University. I've always LOVED the campus in the Fall and this year was sure to be a hit!

I knew that Saturday was supposed to be gorgeous weather and so we went for it.

We enjoyed meeting up with family for a yummy lunch at AQ Chicken and then took a few pictures on campus. We struggled for a family photo, but hopefully Nana got some with her camera. Somehow, I find beauty even in this 'imperfect' one. It's so real!



The boys finally got turned loose to play in the leaves!


Pure bliss!


Soakin' it up!


Sweet brother Love

Fall Fun

The past two days have been absolutely gorgeous! What I wouldn't give to have the weather stay this nice indefinitely...

On Monday we took a field trip to the pumpkin patch. I didn't get to participate in all of the festivities since Nathan was napping.



We started out with ducky races and "milking the cow," then moved on to feed the goats and "race the pigs." After that Nathan and I stayed behind while the big boys went ahead with our friends for a hay ride, pony petting and a corn maze. We ended it with "punkin chunkin" and choosing a small pumpkin to take home. All in all...it was a fun day.




Then yesterday it was again beautiful and I couldn't pass up the chance for a few outdoor pictures...

We found this kitten at Grandma's house, so guess what we have now? Yes, Rogie has been replaced by Garfield. And no, we haven't checked to see if Garfield is a girl or boy. Craig named it and he said he didn't care what it was....it's name is GARFIELD!



Come back kitty!


It is becoming more apparent that Nathan is a lover of ball! He likes playing every chance he gets and has quite a good arm, if I do say so myself. Josh and Andrew had fun playing with him. Can't you just feel the warmth and breeze of the day when you look at these pictures? Love it!

Save This

This is...

...my story of saving by 'couponing.'

I'm hoping to have many more to come, and that they become more successful. The truth is...I'm going to have to get a lot better and more efficient at it, in order to keep doing it. But for now, I feel pretty pumped about my recent experience. Pumped enough, in fact, to break it down for you.

I've been reading a blog by the name of Sit a Spell in Hendrickville for quite some time. Heather (whom I do not know personally, but wish that I did) is the author. She writes about many things. Some are deeply spiritual, some funny, and some practical. Recently she's inspired me to, once again, try my hand at 'couponing.' The problem is...she's got Kroger and CVS. I don't have either. I've got Homeland and Walgreen's. I've not been too successful at Walgreen's yet, but I'm going to take it one store at a time.

And then....I was pointed to the 918 Coupon Queen by my wonderful Mother. I watched every online university class she has and, again, was inspired. The 918 Coupon Queen, Sarah Roe, has an amazing testimony and uses the scripture of Joel 2:26 to speak positively into her life and circumstances. It says "You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you."

So...I'm giving it a go...and here are the steals deals I got Saturday at Homeland.

Okay now wait.

Before I show you...

You should know, this is not all that I bought. Nor is it all of the items I purchased with coupons.

These are ONLY the items I got that a.) I had a coupon for, and b.) were ALSO on sale. {Minus one item I forgot to place in the picture.} I do actually buy things other than processed foods...every once in a while anyway.

Okay, here it is..



And here's the break down..in no particular order. My favorite finds are highlighted.

The first is the original non-sale price and the second price is final. Remember this is a combo of sale price and doubled coupons. (Sidenote: Homeland doubled ALL of my coupons, even the ones that said not for doubling!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(2) Oscar Mayer Deli Creations $3.29 each / $1.49 each

Hiland Orange Juice (gallon) $4.19 / $1.89

Hiland Ice Cream square $4.39 / $1.79

(2) Tony's Pizza $1.59 each / $0.25 each

Freshetta PizzAmore' $7.69 / $2.99

(2) Kraft Natural Cheese (8 oz. block) $3.19 each / $0.99 each

Eggland's Best Eggs (1 dozen) $2.35 / $1.29

(2) Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta $1.69 each / $0.25 each

(3) Knorr Sides $1.55 each / $032 each

(2) Kraft Deluxe Dinner $2.79 each / $1.00 each

(2) Kellogg's Special K Bars (6 count) $3.10 each / $1.50 each

(2) Nabisco Variety Pack Cookies $5.99 each / $2.99 each

General Foods International Coffee $4.19 / $1.00

(2) Lipton Tea bags (24 count) $2.89 each / $0.50 each

Lysol Disinfectant Spray $5.49 / $1.99

Playtex Living Gloves $3.45 / $1.29

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So...you ask... How much did I save?

Total before sales/coupons = $85.64 + tax

Total after sales/coupons = $31.14 + tax

Total saved = $54.50

I've had a couple of people inquire about learning to do this too. I would highly recommend checking out the tutorials here. When you get inspired too, come back and tell me about it. We can learn together!

Come Back Sunshine!

Where did you go?

Could you please come back and stay for awhile?

We miss you...

....a lot!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do you ever debate on getting a new hair style or cut and then once you make up your mind, you want it RIGHT THEN? That's how I'm feeling today. I'm thinking I'd like to get a bodywave perm so that I won't have to work so hard to get my curls. I know I like to wear my hair straightened a lot, but I think I'd enjoy the everyday curls for awhile. Plus, it'd be SO much easier and quicker. What do you think?? It's been awhile...

In other news....I'm still working on the couponing thing. I've discovered that the Proctor and Gamble coupons are in fact NOT being stolen out of my Momma's paper. That particular paper doesn't carry them anymore!! What?

I'm trying to remember if our local store down here in 'no man's land' doubles coupons everyday. If so, I'm thinking maybe I could manage a 'coupon-only' trip to the store. If I do...and it's successful.....I'll post about it. I'm waiting for the day when I can say I've cut my bill literally in half. If I've done my calculations correctly...it just might happen soon.

Stay tuned....