One Day at a Time

Struggling with perfectionism...

2009-06-23T10:24:00.004-04:00

(Scroll down and turn off music before playing the video.)

Never let 'em see you when you're breaking
Never let 'em see you when you fall
That's how we live and that's how we try
Tell the world you've got it all together
Never let them see what's underneath
Cover it up with a crooked smile
But it only lasts for a little while

[CHORUS:]
There's no such thing as perfect people
There's no such thing as a perfect life
So come as you are, broken and scarred
Lift up your heart and be amazed
And be changed by a perfect God

Suddenly it's like a weight is lifted
When you hear the words that you are loved
He knows where you are and where you've been
And you never have to go there again

[CHORUS]

Who lived and died to give new life
To heal our imperfections
So look up and see love. Let grace be enough

[CHORUS]

By a perfect God [5x]

Be changed by a perfect God
Be changed

Train up a child...

2009-05-18T14:06:00.007-04:00

We're all familiar with the verse in Proverbs....

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

-Proverbs 22:6

Usually we take this verse to mean that if we raise our chilren in a godly home according to the will of our Father in heaven, the will remain so as they grow older. While I do hold to that interpretation, I also think it can apply to trades and occupations, or even hobbies. When we find that our children have a love for something or are skilled in an certain area, it is our job to nurture that love and help improve those skills to carry them through adulthood.

My daughter, Erin, is has recently expressed a love for photography. She is drawn to the camera and has a natural ability to take see the beauty in objects and take wonderful photographs. Being only 9, turning 10 this month, I was apprehensive in giving her my only good camera to experiment with. But after seeing the products of a photography unit she participated in, I see now that this is definitely an area that I should "train her up". Judging by her photos, however, she might be the one training me.

Here are some examples of her work.

While my hearts desire and the intention in our parenting is to raise her to be a keeper of the home, I can see how photography would be such a blessing to her family someday. Think of all of the money that could be saved if she were able to take her own family photographs, or the added income she could provide while doing free-lance work. Photography is going to be area in her life that I will encourage and do my best to foster growth. Now I'm on the prowl for her very own camera. What do I get a budding photographer??

We're Home

2009-05-17T16:33:00.005-04:00

A huge thanks to all who were praying for our family this past week. And for those of you who didn't know why I was absent, here's an update.

Ty was admitted to the hospital Sunday afternoon for "bowel prep" to get ready for surgery on Monday. We knew he needed this surgery, but due to scheduling, it was kind of sprung on us at the last minute. Anyway, Ty endured his bowel prep all day Sunday and well into early Monday morning. My Mother's Day gift was cleaning up lots and lots of pooey diapers. :)

Around 2pm. Monday afternoon, Ty was wheeled into surgery. His urologist did extensive work on his bowels and bladder. He had a bladder sling using cadaver tissue and an ACE procedure. Four hours later, the surgeon had finished and was confident the procedures went well. I wasn't able to see him until almost 8pm, and by then we was still sleeping.

The next four nights reminded me of having a newborn again. Because of the work done on his bladder, he constantly had bladder spasms which caused a lot of pain in addition to the soreness from the incisions. He also had a suprapubic catheter placed in his abdomen to drain the urine until his bladder healed, which again, caused great discomfort. To ease his pain, he was on low doses of Morphine and valium to control the bladder spasms. He would sleep for about 45min., then awake with pain. This cycle went on all night long.

By Thursday afternoon he was able to sit in a wheelchair, and we were able to visit the patient playroom for a short time. His sleeping improved and by Friday morning all of his IV's were removed and we were able to go home late Friday afternoon.

It has been good to be home, but he is still struggling with pain. It's so hard seeing your child go through such difficult situations, but I know it's for the best. Both of these procedures will ultimately bring about social continence and move him one step closer to wearing big boy pants.

God is mighty, and I know He holds Ty in His hands and will see him through this.....but it's still hard.

Thrifty Thursday

2009-05-07T14:33:00.004-04:00

Lots of freebies out there this week. Check out these two.....

free meal @ KFC....

Follow the link here for a coupon good for a free 2 piece meal at KFC. ***Disclaimer*** The link will take you to Oprah's website. Although I am not a huge Oprah fan, I'm all for free food!!

Find more Thrifty Thursday deals @ Generation Cedar.

Enjoy, and Happy Mother's Day!!

This world is not my home...

2009-05-05T09:59:00.004-04:00

In the wee hours of the morning, before I wake the kids for the day, I have a habit that I really must stop....I watch the local news. I began watching it a few years ago to get the latest weather report and to have something mindless help pass the time during my first cup of joe. The more I watch, the more I am aware that I'm an alien in this world of mine. I don't want to claim my heritage here, I long for a better place. Here's an example of this morning's headlines:

1. "Arrest made in death of baby thrown from car."

2. "Lakeland father kills wife, 2 children, and himself. Teenage son narrowly escapes."

3. "Area schools closed with confirmed cases of Swine Flu outbreak."

...and that's just my LOCAL news, this doesn't even scrape the surface of what's going on world wide.

God has given us warnings that this would happen.

Matthew 24:7

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.

He reminds us who/what we are at war against.

Ephesians 6:12

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Yet, praise be to God, He gives us a hope in Jesus:

Phillipians 3:20

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Maranatha, Lord Jesus, come!

Thrifty Thursday

2009-04-30T09:46:00.004-04:00

One sure way I've learned to be frugal is in the kitchen. While I love my boneless, skinless chicken breasts for ease and convenience, they don't score high on the frugal scale. If you're willing to put in a little work, buy using a whole chicken, you can get three good meals from one bird. I once heard it called "stretchy chicken" because it stretches out over days of cooking.

3 Day Chicken
(using a whole roaster... currently $.69/lb at local discount store)

Day 1: Roasted chicken
1. Roast chicken in oven with olive oil and seasonings. Serve breasts and legs with salad and fresh bread.
2. Pick all meat off the bones and separate into two containers.
3. Keep carcass for tomorrow.

Day 2: Chicken Soup
1. Boil carcass with garlic, onion, carrots, and celery to make your own stock. You could also put all ingredients in crock pot and cover with water the evening of day one and cook on low all night. When you wake up, the stock would be ready.
2. Remove bones and drain stock. Discard vegetables.
3. In bottom of dutch oven, add chopped carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to olive oil and saute.
4. Add leftover chicken and stock. Simmer for 1 hr.
5. Add cooked noodles before serving.

Day 3: Chicken and rice
1. Prepare yellow rice as directed, bring to a boil.
2. Add remaining leftover chicken and small package of frozen peas.
3. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is fluffy.

The possibilities are really endless depending upon what you're family enjoys at mealtime. You could a chicken spaghetti, tetrazzini, chicken and dumplings, etc. The main goal is to make good use of what you have!

Find more Thrifty Thursday ideas at Generation Cedar.

Trying to figure it out...

2009-04-24T19:23:00.002-04:00

I realized that there is no way you can even read the kids course study spreadsheet in the previous post. Until I figure out how to make it larger, you can click on the picture itself to enlarge. Bear with me, please!!!

Homeschool Planning

2009-04-24T15:20:00.005-04:00

I'm really excited for the upcoming school year....My children are coming home! I've been planning their course study lately and this is what I've come up with.

I'm still looking for something to do for Bible time. I'll start by reading...the Bible. :) I would, however, like to get them something to guide their individual devotional times and work on character training as a group. Any suggestions?

I haven't homeschooled in 2 years, so I feel a bit rusty. I really like the way this looks so far, the tough part will be the schedule. To be continued......

Thrifty Thursday

2009-04-23T15:40:00.002-04:00

Kelly, at Generation Cedar , has challenged her readers to share our thrifty ideas. Not only does this help those of us who choose to live on one income, but in this economy, many people are being forced into situations where they have no choice but to pinch pennies. Here is a very frugal, but yummy lunch that our family really enjoys.

Egg salad Sandwiches (1/2 dozen eggs, 1 loaf bread, 1/4 c. mayo) - $1.00
Carrot Sticks - $.25 (that's a rough estimation, I can get a bag for $1 at Save-a-Lot)
Orange Slices - free (I live in FL, which is an unfair advantage, I realize)

Total lunch cost - $1.25. This will feed our family of 6 just fine. I keep my prices low by making my bread or buying day old bread and freezing it. Eggs right now are $.99/doz., which is as low as I've seen them for a long time. If you aren't fortunate enough to own a fruit tree, buy in season which will help keep the cost down. Just to give you a comparison, school lunches are currently $2.10/person. Yep, this is one cheap lunch!

Easter Recap...

2009-04-20T16:57:00.011-04:00

Yeah, yeah....Easter's been over for weeks...I know! For those of you just getting to know me, you'll find out something pretty quickly...I procrastinate. It's a horrible affliction, and I'm trying very hard to overcome it...maybe I'll start tomorrow. Anyhow...here are some pics from Easter I thought you might enjoy.

Almost my entire, crazy family came to visit...minus my brother and his family in Oklahoma. This shot includes my brother and his family, my parents, my mother in law, my family (minus hubby behind the camera), and my aunt.

Posing before church.

Erin's creative photography!

Dinner at the Quinn's house.

Easter egg hunting at a friend's church...

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday, hope you all had the same!

Update

2009-04-01T13:02:00.004-04:00

Yeah, I know...it's been forever. Things have really been busy around here. The kids are home for Spring Break this week, which has been wonderful. You would think that it would make things crazier, but I really enjoy having them home. When the kids are home, our house is happier. No, really...stop laughing! I mean it...I'm not shuffling kids to and fro every activity under the sun. Not to mention no trips into town twice a day for school. It has been lovely. I'm even getting more accomplished than when their in school. To tell you the truth, it's a little depressing when they're gone all day, I can't wait for summer!

My husband is in his second week of radiation treatments. He is receiving high dose radiation 5 days a week for 4 weeks. The radiation clinic is in Bartow, which is about a 1 hour drive....everyday. He's a trooper though, he hasn't complained a bit. But he is sick. Oh, is he ever sick. We were really thankful when we found out they were going with radiation instead of chemo because we had heard several people who had radiation say that they tolerated it just fine. Well, for whatever reason, he is sick within an hour of treatments every day. It drains the energy right out him, and he winds up sleeping most of the afternoon. This should all be over, Lord willing, the last week of April.

Everything else has been pretty good, too. Aside from a few ER visits and sick kids (nothing out of the norm) we're good. I've been looking at homeschool curriculum. I think I'm pretty set on what I'm going with. There are a few choices that I still have to make. I'm seriously thinking of using Switched on Schoolhouse for Language Arts, just for ease of planning and to give me some time with Ty. They are having a 20% off sale this month at AOP, so I need to decide quickly. I will be using Mystery of History and Apologia Science for everyone to work through together. For math, I'm going with Horizons for my 3rd grader, and I haven't decided for my 5th & 6th graders. I gave them the Saxon placement test and they both were recommended to start in Saxon 8/7. I'd hate to buy two textbooks, but I doubt they'll share! For reading, everyone will read their choice of books from the 1000 Good Book List. Then there's my little guy. He's turning 5 this August, and I know he's ready to start some formal work. I'm definitely going to use Horizons for math, and probably 100 EZ Lessons and the kindergarten workbooks from Rod & Staff...that'll be it for him, not too much pressure there!

I'm starting a new sewing project soon. I haven't sewn in forever, so something simple is perfect. Over at momys.com we're doing an apron swap. You send in a handmade apron, and the coordinator of the swap will send you someone else's handmade apron. That should be fun....I'll post pics of the pattern and material later.

Well, that's about it for an update. I really hope to post more soon. Thank you all for your prayers for our family. The Lord is good, and He continues to be our refuge!

A Little More Waiting...

2009-01-27T16:44:00.004-05:00

The doctor's office called yesterday evening. It seems the doctor is still out of town and wouldn't get in until late this evening. They asked if my husband could come in Wednesday at 4:30 to discuss the results of the pathology report, blood work, and the CT scans. The waiting is really beginning to get to me. I know that the results will be what they will be, and one more day isn't going to change anything....but still.

Tomorrow is also my husband's 37th birthday. What a way to spend your birthday. Most people contemplate where they'll dine, or what type of cake they want to have, or maybe even whether or not they should put all of the candles on the cake this year...because last year it looked like we needed a fire extinguisher to blow it out. Not this year, it all seems trivial. He wants to celebrate, I want to celebrate. But it feels like there is this black cloud following our family.

I've decided, in the very depths of my being, that we are going to receive good news for his birthday and God is just trying to teach me patience. Through prayer and time with the Lord, I also feel confident that the Lord will see us through whatever His plan for my husband may be. Any strength I have is directly from the Lord,delivered to me through the prayers and comfort from friends. I wholly put my trust in Him, just please, please Lord, let the hard part be behind us.

Worry

2009-01-15T15:47:00.004-05:00

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:6

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."

Psalm 46

Confession Time....

2009-01-07T17:26:00.004-05:00

It's been 6 years since our last family portrait. Not that this even constitutes as a family portrait. I had to have my dad come over and take a quick picture for my grandmother's memorial this coming Monday. My aunt is making a pictorial family tree and needed pictures of all of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Talk about feeling guilty. The worst part is that I've had a child since our last picture....and he's now 4 1/2. Not to mention the fact that a dear friend, who is trying to jump start a little photography gig on the side, offered to photograph the family for free. All I had to do was name a day and round up my crew. I'm a bad mom.

Recipe gets an A-

2009-01-07T14:49:00.003-05:00

I told you I would fill you in on how the Sausage and Broccoli Fettuccine Parmesan went...ahem, 3 days ago. Sorry, I'm really bad at keeping up with things.

The recipe was good. Not great, nothing to write home about, but good. Definitely something I would make again with modifications. I think it was the cream sauce that turned me off of this dish. It was way to complicated for the end process. White sauces are way easier, and better tasting in my opinion, than the one they wrote. I'll write out the recipe as written in the book, then give you my take on a white sauce.

From the Southern Living Christmas Cookbook

Pasta with Broccoli and Sausage
(I named it Sausage and Broccoli Fettuccine Parmesan....has a better ring to it!)

1 pound fresh broccoli, cut into florets
1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated fettuccine
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (I omitted these)
1 garlic clove, minced
3 large eggs
3/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook broccoli and fettuccine in boiling water to cover in a Dutch oven 4 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain. Place in a large bowl.

Melt butter in a large heavy skillet; add mushrooms and garlic, and saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add to fettuccine mixture.

Cook sausage in skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until done; drain and add to fettuccine mixture. Wipe skillet clean with a paper towel.

*Stir together eggs, whipping cream, and pepper in skillet until blended. Add fettuccine mixture; toss well. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and toss. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

My cream sauce:
Melt 2 tbsp. butter in sauce pan on med-high heat. Add 2 tbsp. flour, and whisk together briskly for 1-2 minutes cooking the flour. Add 2 cups milk while whisking continuously. When all the flour has smoothed out and the sauce starts to thicken, add pepper and Parmesan cheese. Done.

*Their sauce becomes tricky with the addition of the eggs and heavy cream. If not cooked at just he right temperature with the right amount of whisking, you'll end up with scrambled egg cream. Yuck! It can be done, but for the average cook, my sauce is much easier and just as good. (It's really not "my" sauce, I realize that....but it's my blog, and I can own it if I want to!!) Anyway, if you want to make the sauce a little more rich, do 1 cup of milk and 1/2 cup cream.

The kids really liked this recipe. The creamy cheese sauce was enough to get my daughter to eat the broccoli which is always a plus. I hope the new parents enjoyed, I sure enjoyed holding their new baby girl. What a sweetie!

A Busy Day Cooking

2009-01-04T14:50:00.005-05:00

Starting around 6am this morning, I've spent most of day in the kitchen. Our Sunday School class has set up a rotation schedule for regular attenders to provide breakfast. Some mornings, it's all I can do to get myself out the door, much less worry about eating, so I really appreciate the breakfast waiting for me at Sunday School. It varies each week from donuts to a wide variety of casseroles.

This morning was our scheduled Sunday for breakfast (actually just mine...let's face it my husband can't boil water) and I've brought donuts the last few times, so I thought I'd better cook today. Now, don't get me wrong...I don't think anyone has taken offense to my store bought, rather than home-cooked, breakfast. I'm the one with the hang-up. It would really bother me to buy something month after month instead of cooking it myself....I am a stay-at-home mom, after all. People might start to wonder what I do all day!

In addition to our morning fare, I also agreed to bring dinner to a couple in our class who was recently blessed with a new baby girl. This arrangement was made complete with ulterior motives, however. I get to hold a baby! I can't wait for them to meet me at the door, take the food out of my hands, and hand over the baby. That is, of course, unless she's one of those new moms who doesn't let anyone hold the baby for the first month or something crazy like that. I have 4 kids for Pete's sake...that should grant me holding rights on newborns. Right??

Anyway...here are the recipes of what I've been cooking up today. Hope you like them!

(Both of the following recipes are variations of recipes found on allrecipes.com.)
Breakfast:

Cream Cheese Danish Squares

2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls
2 (8oz) pkgs. cream cheese - softened
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch pan. Press one can of the crescent rolls into the bottom of the prepared pan. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Spread over the crescent rolls in pan. Unroll the second can of crescent rolls and lay them on top of the cream cheese layer. Do not press down. Pour the melted butter over the entire pan. (It looks like too much, just trust me!) Combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and all butter is absorbed. Top will be crispy.

Variation - Before adding the final layer of crescent rolls, spoon on a layer of your favorite fruit preserves. Also, you could skip the butter and cinnamon/sugar mixture all together. Instead bake without, and make a glaze using powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle on glaze after they have slightly cooled.

(These things are sooo delicious, you need to go to church because the guilt will be more than you can handle.)

I also served the following:

Grits and Sausage Casserole

1 lb bulk sausage (I used turkey)
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1 cup quick cooking grits
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ( I used a blend of cheddar and M. Jack)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup half & half
1/4 cup butter

Crumble sausage into a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In a saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Slowly stir in grits. Reduce heat and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste to adjust salt. Remove from heat when grits are tender. Stir a small amount of hot grits into the eggs to temper them; return to saucepan, stirring constantly. Add the sausage, cheese, milk and butter, stirring until all is well blended. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle top with additional cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until the top begins to turn brown.

Dinner for the new parents:
Mixed Green Salad
Sausage and Broccoli Fettuccine Parmesan
Garlic Bread
Banana Pudding

The Sausage and Broccoli Fettuccine Parmesan is a new recipe from a cookbook I got for Christmas. If it's a hit, I'll post that tomorrow. I've already prepared the salad, and banana pudding; now I need to make the bread and pasta. Oh yeah, and clean the royal mess I've made in the kitchen.

Wish me luck!

2009-01-01T13:17:00.004-05:00

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year. I pray that you all have a prosperous and blessed 2009. I'm really not sure about the direction this blog is going to take...if I continue it at all. I'm thinking of just posting weekly meal plans and recipes that our family is eating with the occasional random peeks into our lives. I don't know...we'll see what tomorrow holds.

As for now, sorry I haven't been writing as much as usual. Christmas time is usually very busy in our home and this year was no different. The Christmas season ushers in my birthday as well, and this year, unfortunately, the death of my grandmother. She was well loved and will be very missed by her friends and family. She lived a long, happy, 89 years, and has gone on to be with the Lord. I was very sad that she didn't get to have one last Christmas, but the truth is, she probably had the best Christmas ever. What could be better than celebrating Christmas at the feet of Jesus?

I love you Gramma!!

Hmmmm???

2008-12-03T15:02:00.002-05:00

Well, I wouldn't want to leave anyone out. I keep it simple on purpose, really!

Creamy Carrot and Potato Soup

2008-11-19T18:02:00.004-05:00

The weather we've been having lately is perfect for soup. Unfortunately, I feel like death warmed over. I'd post a picture to prove it, but I wouldn't want to discourage you from returning to my blog in the future. I did, however, muster up enough energy to prepare a nice soup for supper tonight. It's one that I don't really have a recipe for, I just add stuff and taste...but I'll do my best to walk you through it.

Warning....this makes ALOT of soup!!!

Ingredients

5lbs russet potatoes
3 stalks of celery
1 medium onion
4 large carrots
2 garlic cloves
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
10 cups water
3 chicken bouillion cubes (I use Knorr)
2 cups milk, half & half, or heavy cream....whatever you like
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions....Okay, here we go. First, rough chop the carrots, onion, and celery and put them in the food processor. Using the pulse button, chop the vegetables to very small pieces. Don't over chop, you don't want juice. In a hot soup pot, add the olive oil and butter (yes, both)..then add your veggies you just chopped. Stir that around and add a pinch of salt to sweat the veggies a bit. While that is going, peel and chop the potatoes into bite size pieces. When the veggies have begun to cook down, add the chopped garlic and stir. Your house should smell heavenly by this point!! Add the chopped potatoes, water, and bouillon cubes, another heavy pinch of salt and some pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Just when you can't stand it any longer, test the potatoes. They should be really mushy before we proceed. When they are nice and mushy, drain off some of the liquid. Ladle out big chunks of the potatoes and return them to your food processor. (You could blend them in your pot if you had one of those fancy hand held thingies...I don't.) Blend the potatoes until creamy and return them to the pot. Add the milk or cream and adjust seasonings to your taste. Heat the soup through and enjoy. Sometimes I like to add crushed red pepper flakes and hot sauce (after I take some out for the kids.) Also sour cream, bacon bits, and cheese are really good toppings.

I hope you can decipher through my babbling and attempt this soup...it's really good and hearty on a cold night. Some crusty bread and a salad make it a perfect meal. Or....skip the bread and salad and have it with grilled cheese sandwiches....that's what I did!

I'm still here!!!

2008-11-17T21:41:00.013-05:00

Don't hit the panic button, yet...I'm still here!! It's been a very busy month for us in the Bonini house, and unfortunately the holidays won't give us a chance to slow down anytime soon, either. Josh has started basketball and the girls are going full force with cheerleading. They have their first competition this Saturday in Sarasota. Ty is doing well, too. He's having a great time in preschool. They recently brought horses to the school as part of their farm unit. Ever since, Ty has been reminding me daily that we don't have a horse.

My brain has been so foggy lately, I don't really have anything to write about....so how about some recent pictures??

Ty as Thomas the Train......he's so cute!

Katelyne as Sharpay (High School Musical)....what a stretch that was!!

Erin as a cat.....quiet and playful!!

Joshua as Indiana Jones....whew, is he handsome or what??

Erin at Cypress Gardens....she was the only one who wanted to pet the goat.

The big kids and I took an afternoon and went to Cypress Gardens, we had a great time.

This is what happens when you let your daughters do your hair.....scary isn't it???

And this is just too cute for words!!!!

Tasty, Healthy Pancakes

2008-10-13T07:50:00.005-04:00

(This is not a picture of my pancakes. 4:30am is way too early to take pictures! Picture courtesy of flickr.)

We love pancakes at our house. They're fast, cheap, and the kids love them. Unfortunately, if we're not careful, they can pack on quite a bit of sugar and loads of empty calories. My favorite, basic pancake recipe comes from Hillbilly Housewife. It's delicious on it's own, but I've altered it over the years to make it both kid and mom approved. The final product is light, fluffy, and a bit sweet, with loads of texture and flavor.

Healthy Whole Wheat Pancakes

2 eggs

2 c. milk

2 Tbsp. oil

4 Tbsp. sugar

2 c. whole wheat flour

1 c. white flour

1/4 c. milled flax seed

1 tsp. salt

3 tsp. baking powder

Whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, and sugar. In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining dry ingredients. Add to the egg, milk mixture and stir until well blended. Don't over mix. You may need to add a bit of milk at this point. Here in the South, it all depends on the weather. I like my pancake batter thick, but not too thick! Using a 1/4 cup, I can fit 6 pancakes on a well oiled griddle. Cook until the top is bubbly and the sides are no longer shiny. Flip the pancakes, and cook the other side until browned. This recipe makes 18 pancakes.

*******

You can do just about anything you want with this recipe. I've omitted the flax seed and used only white flour before. They taste great, but you lose all of the heath benefits. I've also used only whole wheat flour. Again, they taste great, but are a little less moist. My kid's favorite is when I grate granny smith apples right into the batter. Delicious!! Around Thanksgiving, when it's actually cool here, I'll add mashed sweet potatoes or pumpkin puree and cinnamon. Tastes like pie....YUM! For a fun weekend treat, add chocolate chips to the top after you've spooned them onto the griddle. They are so packed full of whole grains, omega 3's, and fiber, you won't feel guilty at all, and you're children will think you're the coolest!

Now if I could just find a tasty, healthy syrup that the kids will like!

I've got my eye on you!!

2008-10-08T11:09:00.005-04:00

Fall is fast upon us, and I love it. Fall in Florida isn't your typical leaves turning, harvest event. Stuff just dies. Do you live in Florida?? Can I get a witness? So, one must pretend to be surrounded by such lovely picturesque fall "thingys". Here are some fall aprons on eBay that I've got my eye on.

I love this one, because it's everything beautiful about fall that you just can't find in central Florida. It reminds me of raking leaves into a pile only to jump into them...and do it all over again.

This one is great because not only is it fall colors, but they've incorporated roses which aren't your typical fall fare. Very feminine!

Isn't this one adorable? I liked this one because of the apple and pumpkin harvest theme. Plus, black is slimming. Yes, even on an apron...trust me!

A Typical Day

2008-10-08T05:22:00.004-04:00

I thought it would be fun if we shared what our day looked like. Here's a typical week day for me:

Morning Routine:

4:30-4:45 Wake Up (That takes awhile some mornings!)

4:45-5:15 Shower, Get Dressed, Fix Make-up and Hair

5:15 Sort main basket of clothes and start 1st load of laundry

5:30 Start Breakfast, and put away clean dishes

5:45-6:00 Wake up older kids (It takes them a few minutes, too!)

6:00 Eat Breakfast

6:00-6:30 Big kids brush teeth, fix hair, put on socks, shoes, and glasses

6:30-6:50 Wake up Ty, get him dressed, fix hair, and give him a cup of milk

6:50-7:00 Brush Ty's teeth, big kids round up book bags, and get in van

7:00 Take kids to school

Mid Morning Routine:
(I don't have specific times for these routines)

Devotions

Daily Chores

Focus Task of the Day (Kitchen, Bathroom, Bedroom, etc.)

Finish/Fold Laundry

Lunch

Computer Time

Make snack for kids

Afternoon Routine

(Begins around 2:30, when the kids come home from school)

Supervise homework

Clean up snack dishes

Put away laundry

Supervise kids chores

Begin supper preparations

Evening Routine:

5:30 Supper

6:00 Clean up supper dishes, kids help with clean up

6:00-7:00 Family time (play outside, board game, or watch TV)

7:00 Begin showers (Basically 15 min. per child, as one comes out, another goes in!)

7:45 Ty's prayers and bedtime

8:00 Girls' prayers and bedtime

8:30 Joshua's prayers and bedtime

8:30-9:00 Finish tidying up the house

9:00 Collapse on couch with a cup of coffee and watch something mindless

10:00 My scheduled bedtime :)

My days do vary at times, especially when I have to run an errand, or the girls have cheer practice during the week. This is a pretty typical glimpse of my day, though. I would love for some feed back from everyone. What does your day look like?

Sometimes you have to say "sorry"

2008-10-02T23:52:00.005-04:00

Parenting is hard. I won't sugar coat it. I'm a fleshly, vile, sinner. Saved by the grace of God, but a sinner none the less. I'm not always sweet. I don't always smile and respond in a gentle and kind manner. I lose it sometimes. I won't shift the responsibility of my actions to a horrid childhood, or some other lame excuse. There are some days when I'm not proud of my actions.

Today was one of those days.

My daughter was being especially challenging this morning. She didn't get up when she was told, she didn't want to eat what I had prepared for her, and then threw a fit while I was doing her hair.

I didn't respond to her very well. Instead of letting natural consequences take their toll, my voice rose, I was stern. I could have allowed her to sleep too long and miss the bus, thus ruining her perfect attendance. I could have allowed her to not eat, thus going to school hungry. I could have allowed her to not have her hair done, thus going to school looking scraggly. (Okay, that's my issue, it probably wouldn't have bothered her one bit to have unkempt hair.)

But instead I lectured to deaf ears. When that approach didn't work, I increased the volume and toughened the tone. When that didn't work, I threw my own little hissy about being unappreciated and sent her out the door very upset with me and crying. (I'm really laying it all out here, ladies.)

I was heartbroken all day. I couldn't believe I had been so harsh. I replayed every detail, every word over in my mind. Wishing, praying I could take it back. A good part of me wanted to go to her school and take her out of class to apologize, but I knew that wasn't feasible.

I decided there are battles in the morning that I'm not willing to fight. Yes, she needs to get out of bed when asked, but I could be more accommodating about breakfast. What's the big deal if she eats a piece of toast with peanut butter instead of an egg, anyway? She's in the fourth grade. If she wants to do her own hair, I should let her. Even if it doesn't look the way I think it should. She can handle it.

2:30pm arrived and the kids were home from school. I just knew she would still be holding a grudge from this morning. Instead, do you know what she did? She brought me the brush and asked me to put her hair up for cheer leading.

My heart was pierced by her forgiving spirit.

I happily took the brush, and with tears streaming down my face, apologized for this morning's fight. She apologized, too. Both of us crying at this point, we hugged, and hugged. I held on for so long, I just didn't want to let her go.

I know we're the parents, and what we say has to "go" for the most part. But our children have the potential to really teach us some of life's lessons, if we allow them the opportunity.

Sometimes you just have to say you're sorry.

Slow Cooker Cube Steak with Gravy

2008-09-30T11:27:00.003-04:00

A dear friend blessed me with a couple packages of cube steaks, and I knew just what to do with them. Tuesday's are very busy for us ever since our girls started cheerleading. I'll be out of the house from 3:30pm to 6:15pm. Let me tell you, there is nothing worse than coming home at 6:15pm with hungry cranky kids in tow and having no clue what you're going to fix for dinner.

Here is my take on a traditional cube steak with gravy dinner.

Ingredients:

Beef cube steak (thawed)
1 cup flour
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
1 onion chopped
4 beef bouillon cubes
2 cups water
2 tbsp. oil
2 small cans cream of mushroom soup

Directions:

Place 2 cups water in a small saucepan with bouillon cubes, chopped onion, and a dash of garlic powder. Bring to a boil and simmer.
Place flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a pie plate. Mix with fork. (I don't give exact amounts, because I don't know! I would guess about 1 tsp. of each.)
In a large frying pan, heat the oil.
Dredge the steaks in the flour mixture and place in hot pan.
Brown the steaks on both sides. You're not cooking the steaks, just browning them. They will cook in the crock pot...you don't want them to be dry.
Remove from pan and place in bottom of slow cooker.
Don't skip the flour. It's important for two parts of this recipe...it will help form the thick gravy in the slow cooker and it's vital to this next step.
Remember the bouillon mixture you've got going? Add that to the hot pan of crusty, brown, flavorful goodness you just took the steaks out of. It will be very bubbly, very fast...but don't panic, just whisk it all together. Whisk, whisk, until everything comes up off the bottom of the pan.
Now, dump the two cans of cream of mushroom soup over the steaks and spread evenly.
Pour the onion soup mixture into the slow cooker...right on top of everything!
Cook on low for 6-8 hours and enjoy the smell permeating through your house.

Now, I'll also go ahead and cook some mashed potatoes at this point. When they're done, I'll put them in the fridge to warm up when I get home. The cube steaks make a perfect gravy to top the potatoes, add a side of corn and I'm in heaven. If I were really ambitious, I would make some biscuits...but I'm just not feeling it today!!

***Helpful Hint: Did you catch on to what the beef bouillon and onions essentially made? French onion soup!! I never have that in the house, and a jar of bouillon is so much cheaper that I'd just as soon make my own. If you don't have a particular ingredient, search the web for an easy alternative. Many times you can make a substitute that's just as good or better.

It's Monday, but Sunday's A Comin'..

2008-09-29T10:52:00.005-04:00

We had a wonderful service at church yesterday. The singing was beautiful, the preaching was powerful, and God was definitely present.

It got me thinking. What do I do daily, to prepare myself for Sunday? Other than church, how did we make Sunday any different than the rest of the week. The answer....I didn't.

I am already in the habit of making sure the kids have their church clothes picked out on Saturday so I can iron anything that may be wrinkled. This also prevents the last minute, "You are not wearing that to church", conversation. But other than that, we really don't do anything special.

Sunday should be special. Sunday is the day we corporately meet our Lord and unashamedly worship Him together. Sunday is the day we see our church family that we might not otherwise see during the week. Sunday is a day to learn more of God and what we need to do to walk daily in His will. The Lord's Day should be our day of rest. Sunday should be special.

Too often, in our family, we find ourselves scrambling out the door at 9:15am Sunday morning. Most of the time someone's temper is flaring, the kids are arguing over who sits where, we get half way to church and someone remembers they've forgotten something. I get everyone to their Sunday School classes, only to get to mine and feel the urgent need to collapse.

I was reading about the Jewish culture, and how their entire week is planned to prepare for Shabbat. They clean all week in preparation for their special day. Special meals are prepared and ready so Shabbat can be a time of rest. Worshiping God is so important, their daily activities are scheduled as such to make the coming Shabbat holy and set apart as it should be, an anticipated event. Our Lord's Day should be an anticipated event.

So this week, I'm going to try something new. I would like to do something each day to prepare our home in anticipation for The Lord's Day. I'll try to post a schedule (or something) as it comes to me. In the mean time, I'd love to hear from you. What do you do to make Sunday a special and anticipated event?

Acts 2:37-38

2008-09-28T13:57:00.002-04:00

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Read about baptism here.

Teach them to be Chaste

2008-09-27T14:11:00.004-04:00

Titus 2:5

"To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed."

Titus 2:4 begins by teaching us how we should, as godly women, treat others. In verse 5, we are given instructions on how we should act.

Here is a very challenging, and well written post by Kelly at Generation Cedar on teaching young women to be chaste. Her blog is full of thought provoking truths. Enjoy.

A few of my favorite things....

2008-09-23T09:15:00.008-04:00

A centerpiece of fresh fruit in my favorite ceramic bowl. There's nothing special about this bowl. It's one of three that were bought at a garage sale by a friend of mine. She knew I needed some mixing bowls and thought these would be perfect. They are. They're cracked, chipped, and worn. Every time I use them, I have visions of a grandmother somewhere, lovingly mixing up something wonderful for her family. I love this bowl.

My favorite cup. Again, another hand-me-down from who knows where. I love that it's dainty, feminine, and worn. I can be caught drinking coffee from it as well as tea. It makes me feel pampered.

Fresh, homemade, peach pie. With coffee, please. Do I need to explain?

A finished project. This one is bound for Nebraska.

A new project. I'm not sure where this one headed, or what it will be. I need some new dishcloths, maybe I'll be keeping these.

And the occasional, random shot found on my camera. Put there by someone under the age of 10, just waiting to be discovered by yours truly. I love their goofy personalities.

Today's To-Do

2008-09-22T10:14:00.007-04:00

Here's my to-do list for today. I've been a real slacker, so I'm hoping to accomplish this before the big kids come home from school. I'll fill you in tonight as to how well I did.

~~Shower, dress, fix hair~~

~~Start laundry (wash all today to catch up)~~

~~Unload dishwasher~~

~~Load dishwasher~~

~~Straighten kitchen~~

~~409 kitchen counters and doors~~

~~Straighten dining room area~~

~~Wipe down dining room table and chairs, sweep~~

~~Straighten living room area, sweep~~

~~Clean bathroom: mirror, counter, sink, toilet, tub, empty trash, sweep~~

~~Make bed~~

~~Fold and put away clothes~~

~~Cut fabric for Erin's nightgowns~~ (sew later)

Cut fabric for napkins (sew later)

~~Cut table cloth and add elastic to fit~~ (cut scraps for napkins to be sewn later)

That should keep me busy until the big kids get home, then my night looks something like this:

________________________

~~Help with homework~~

~~Supervise chores~~

~~Start supper (kids usually go out and play at this point)~~

~~Eat~~

~~Clean up (clear table, dishes, wipe down table, sweep)~~

~~Supervise baths~~

~~Give Ty nightly med routine~~

~~Prayers and goodnight to kiddos~~

~~Collapse on couch hoping to watch something mindless~~

Fall asleep on couch and begrudgingly make it to the bedroom

I actually made it to bed before I fell asleep

:) What's your schedule look like?

So, how do we love them?

2008-09-18T11:14:00.007-04:00

The question now, is "How do we really love our children?" I think first and foremost we need to go before the throne of God Almighty and beg forgiveness for how we view HIS children. Not only for ourselves, but for the horrendous murder of the unborn that this nation is practicing. Pray the Lord will guide our hearts and our actions as He changes us and our thinking. Then, turn our hearts toward our children.

Moms, you have your very own mission field right in your home. Christians travel thousands of miles to spread the gospel to the unreached people of the world, and you only have to take a few steps. Even if your children have accepted the saving grace of Jesus Christ, they still need to see a godly, christian life, lived out before them. There is no higher calling than to care for our children.

So how do we love them?

Proverbs 22:6

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Ephesians 6:4

"And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

I Corinthians 11:1

"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."

2 Timothy 3:16-17

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

Matthew 25:40

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

James 1:19

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:"

Moms, there are so many more scriptures that will pierce your heart, search the word and allow God to speak through them.

I have to be honest, this post took 3 days to write. Not because it is so eloquently worded or a deep theological discussion, but because mothering is hard. I don't have all the answers, I fail each day. I struggle with remembering to have a soft answer and a patient attitude. Praise God for His mercy, grace, and forgiveness that is new each morning.

Really loving our children

2008-09-17T12:40:00.003-04:00

A good friend of mine wrote a post on loving our children over at The Frazzled Mama . She dives deep into the meaning of "love" in reference to our little ones. Go, visit her site, and open your hearts to the challenge of really loving our children.

To Love Their Children

2008-09-16T09:46:00.003-04:00

Do we really love children? Oh, sure, we think they're cute...most of the time. We take care of them, clothe them, feed them, give them shelter. But do we really love children? Do we look at them and see them the way God sees us? Helpless, learning, growing, wonderfully made. Sinful, prideful, selfish people in need of the saving grace of Jesus.

Do we really think children are a blessing from the Lord? I challenge you to think about this for a minute. Think of all the blessings the Lord could bestow on you right now. Money, friendship, stuff, etc. Do children even come to mind? Yet the God's word in Psalm 127:3 says, "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward." Children are a reward from God. Could you imagine doing something worthy of recognition and being handed a baby! I have a feeling many people would settle for a parting gift instead.

We live in a society that views children as a liability. When thinking of having more children we often consider our lifestyles and how they would change. Questions start popping into our minds...can we afford them, can we love them all, can we handle them???? The Lord promises to give us everything we NEED. Do all of our children NEED designer clothes? Do they really NEED their own rooms? Do they NEED a toy every time you go to the grocery store? NO! That is a lifestyle. God does not promise a certain lifestyle to his children, only the promise of basic needs being met. Food, clothing, shelter. Are we willing to give up a lifestyle to accept a blessing of God? More than likely, we're willing to cut off the blessings and accept the curse of becoming slaves to a lifestyle. A mom of lots once said, "Children aren't expensive, lifestyles are."

I cut off that blessing. After we found out Ty was going to be born with special needs, we panicked. We listened to all of the wrong, but well meaning, advice that told us we were being responsible. Who could blame us, right? The genetic counselors told us there was an increased risk of having more children "like Ty". Hindsight can kill you. I'd give anything to have a housefull of children just like Ty. But here lies the problem with choice, you can be sorry, but you can't go back.

Do we really love children?

Prayer Request

2008-09-05T12:07:00.002-04:00

Please pray for our family. I have been in the hospital with Ty since Monday. He had to have emergency surgery Tuesday morning. After a rough several days, he is finally doing better and they are looking to send us home. Within minutes, my husband called to let me know he has been deployed to assist with hurricane preparations at prisons in South Florida. He is expected to be gone for 4-7 days. It remains a very trying and stressful time for our family. Your prayers are appreciated.

Labor free morning

2008-09-01T11:45:00.026-04:00

Happy Labor Day everyone. I'm taking a break from my Titus 2 entries to post about my breakfast! I tried this recipe from Pioneer Woman called Sleepin' In Omelete. This woman is about the best cook slash photographer slash hilarious blogger I've ever seen. She lives on a ranch, home schools her 4 children, and bottle feeds helpless bovines....ah, the life. Anyway...here is the attempt at her yummy brekky in pictures. I should point out that this is also the frugal/modified version. There where a couple of ingredients that I didn't have, so I made due. PS - My photos are no where near as good as hers, I just don't have the equipment or the eye, so back off.

First, you start by ripping apart 6 onion rolls and placing them in a greased 9x13 pan. Use your slave labor..ahem, helping hands, to sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese over the top.

Have that slave laborer, I mean helper, begin cracking 10 eggs. Yes, 10! I look at it this way, that's actually less than if we were eating eggs by themselves. So for me, 10 is good. Besides, it's good practice for the help. :)

Add 1/2 tsp. of salt.

Add 1/2 tsp. dry mustard.

This is where changes were made. The original recipe called for cayenne pepper. I didn't have any, so I used a couple shots of hot sauce. Yum! Also, it called for chopped chives. Didn't have any, so I skipped that part. Besides, if #2 were to have seen something green, she wouldn't have touched it with a ten foot pole.

Whisk everything together with 2 cups milk. While whisking, try to take a picture and figure out why everything is so bright. Turning off the flash didn't help. I told you I wasn't much of a photographer.

Before you pour it on, this is where it gets good. Crumble an entire 8oz package of cream cheese over the top. Also, slice 1 1/2 sticks of butter and place over the top. That's where the other modification came in. I don't usually have sticks of butter, so I used about 1/2 cup margarine and dolloped it over the top.

Then pour the creamy milk/egg mixture over the entire thing. Again, too bright..I know!

Next, cover it with foil and let it rest in the fridge over night. Forget about and play on the computer, watch a movie, or love your husband. Oh, wait...it's a family blog.

In the morning before you can even function, pop it in the oven at 325 for 45min. covered. Uncover and up the temp. to 350 and bake for 10-15 min. more. This is what you get...

A flaky top, gooey cheesy middle, sinfully good breakfast. Disclaimer...don't write in telling me how fattening this is. You shouldn't make this for Uncle Phil who's already had triple bypass..it's a disaster waiting to happen. It really is this good....the original recipe says, "Eat, faint, repeat"...you can't improve on that. Except I'm thinking ham, bacon, or sausage crumbles would be heavenly!!

Spoon it up with your favorite cup of joe....or chocolate milk for the slave labor.

And before the crust can leave their sleepy eyes, they will be singing your praise.

The pop tarts? Oh, those. Well, he doesn't really sing praise in the morning unless he has his pop tarts. What???? He'll grow out of it!

Finished!

2008-09-01T11:38:00.004-04:00

Ah, the accomplished feeling of the first finished Christmas gift. There is none like it. The power, the pleasure, the realization that you only have about 22 more to go. What?? Oh well, it felt good for awhile.

The recipient of this "lap-ghan" (small afghan) is a devout Dallas Cowboys fan...one of many faults! She's also from Texas, so the star is very appropiate (one point looks shaped funny, but that's just the curve of my bed...promise).

Gee, I hope my aunt doesn't read my blog!!

Serving my Husband

2008-08-29T13:54:00.004-04:00

I had a unique opportunity to show love to my husband by serving him this week. He had a supervisor at work that was being promoted and moved to a different shift. My husband really liked this guy, they got along great. So, all the fellas on the shift decided to give a "promotion, going to a new shift" lunch. The day before said lunch, my husband asks me to make a broccoli braid for them. My broccoli braid is just about my husband's favorite meal that I fix for him. It's an old Pampered Chef recipe that I've tweaked over the years. We don't have it often, because it contains ingredients that we don't usually have on hand and it's a bit more than our budget allows for everyday dinner.

***Insert honesty***

At first I was a little peeved at the last minute request, knowing this meant a trip into town, spending money we really didn't have, lots of chopping veggies, and did a mention the trip into town. I'm a home body at heart, what can I say. :) Then I remembered our little challenge...you know, loving our husbands! Remember, love meant also meant preeminent kindness. Ouch!! I couldn't really ask you all to love your men if I wasn't doing this with a right attitude. Luckily my face wasn't visible to him when he asked, he has no idea of the inner turmoil!

So, off I went to the store. The new Wal-Mart! Yep, that's right folks, I went to the brand spankin' new Wally World at night, by myself. It was nice. Very quiet, clean, and peaceful. Okay, the trip into town wasn't bad after all. ;) When I got home, the kids were already tucked into bed and the house was pleasantly peaceful as well...not so bad, I tell ya', not so bad.

The next day, I get the kids off to school and begin my chopping. I had Ty at the table coloring, and again...it wasn't so bad. I decided to make two braids and go ahead and knock dinner out of the way, too. Around 11:30, in walks a very hungry man ready for his broccoli braid...I know, it doesn't sound like a very manly meal...but man, oh man, it's good! Fresh out of the oven, off went my labor to his "manly" luncheon. He was happy, I was happy I was able to help (and take care dinner), and all the guys on the shift had happy, full bellies. (With my girly broccoli braid!)

Now, if I had continued my initial reaction, this would have turned out completely different. I really need to work hard on being kind. It doesn't come naturally, I'm not really a sympathetic person. The Lord has a big job with me, I'm tellin' you. I won't even get into the wet socks on my computer room floor right now, not gonna go there!!!

Loving our Husbands

2008-08-28T12:47:00.000-04:00

Loving our Husbands Through Prayer

2008-08-27T21:53:00.000-04:00

Along with our list of 31 ways to show love to our husbands, I found this list of 31 prayers for them as well. I challenge you to join me and commit to praying daily for your husband. You could print this list out and place it in your home binder as a reminder. (During months with 30 days, double bless your husband on the last day!)

1st: That he would become a holy man, a man of prayer, mature in the Lord, growing in his knowledge of the Lord. I Thes 5:23, Col 4:12, Eph 1:18-19, 3:16-19, 6:18.

2nd: That he would grow into a man of integrity, who works righteousness, speaks truth in his heart, does not slander, does no evil, does not take up reproach against friends, honors those who fear the Lord, swears to his own hurt, is unchanging in these things, does not charge interest on loans, and does not take bribes. Ps 15

3rd: That he would be a man of contentment. Prov 15:16, Phil 4:11, I Tim 6:6-8, and Heb 13:5.

4th: That he would learn to take every thought captive, to not be conformed to the world's thinking, and to think scripturally. Rom 12:2, II Cor 10:5.

5th: That he would daily seek God with all his heart, walking in the Spirit moment by moment, growing in his dependence on Him. Psalm 119:1-2, Prov 3:5-6.

6th: That he would ever be captivated by my love. Prov 5:18-19.

7th: That he would be a man of courage. Deut 31:6, II Chron 19:11.

8th: That the Lord would give him wisdom to lead his family physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Eph 1:17-19

9th: That he would always look at the plank in his own eye before seeing others' sawdust. Matt 7:3

10th: That he would become a called man, not driven, with well thought through and prayed through goals in life. I Cor 9:24-27

11th: That he would be a man of prayer, guarding his heart and mind, puting into practice what he has heard, seen, and learned. Phil 4:4-9

12th: That he would stand firm against the schemes of the devil and resist Satan in all circumstances. Eph 6:10-18, James 4:7

13th: That he would grow in spiritual maturity by putting away childish things, cultivating, understanding, striving after the Christ ideal, partaking of the deeper truths of the gospel and overcoming temptation. I Cor 13:11, 14:20, Eph 4:13, Heb 5:14, I John 2:14

14th: That he would be cleansed by the word. Eph 5:26

15th: That he would learn to not depend on his circumstances for happiness but on God alone. Heb 3:17-19

16th: That he would be a man prepared for spiritual warfare. Eph 6:11-12, I Thes 5:8

17th: That he would have new strength in the midst of his busy schedule, and that the Lord might infuse him with His strength. Is 40:31, Eph 3:14-19

18th: That he would have a burden to see lost people come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Matt 28:12-20

19th: That he would be kept from strange women and evil men, and that his friends would be men and women who walk with God. Prov 13:20

20th: That his self-image would be a reflection of the Lord's thoughts toward him. Eph 1:17-19, Rom 12:3, Psalm 139

21st: That he would be a man responsible for family spiritual growth. Prov 4:1-14

22nd: That he would not be deceived into unbelief, sin, or bitterness. Matt 13:8-10

23rd: That he would learn to love as God has commanded. I Cor 13:4-7, Rom 12:8-10, Eph 5:25

24th: That the fruit of the Spirit would be exhibited more and more in his life. Gal 5:22-23, John 15:8

25th: That he would grow in humility and in being a shepherd. I Pet 5:2-6

26th: That he might grow daily in character. II Pet 1:5-8

27th: That he might keep a clear conscience. I Pet 3:16-18

28th: That the Lord would protect him, guarding his course. Prov 2:8

29th: That he would manage his time well. Eph 5:15

30th: That the Lord would put a song in his heart. Psalm 33:3, 40:3, Job 35:10

31st: That he would have a holy fear of God. Psalm 34:11, 111:10, Prov 9:10

Loving our Husbands

2008-08-27T05:17:00.000-04:00

So, how did you do, ladies? Did you love your husband yesterday? My husband and I have been married for 11 1/2 years and we dated for 4 years prior. We're heading towards 16 years with each other and sometimes I feel like we get in a rut, know what I mean? Even in the little things, it seems there are times where I'm missing blessings I could be giving my husband. Therefore, I'm making it a priority this week to do some little acts of kindness to show my affection for that man of mine! Here is a list I've got going:

1. Fill his water bottles for work, so he doesn't have to.
2. Sneak some snack money in his uniform pocket.
3. Leave a note on his computer or send him a cute email.
4. Take up an interest of his and spend time doing something he loves.
5. Make his favorite supper.
6. Scratch his back without being asked.
7. Tell him to go take a nap! (That will knock his socks off!!)
8. Put a love letter in his car.
9. Remember to touch him, lovingly, as he walks by. (I had to include lovingly, 'cause sometimes I end up smacking him on the arm...it's love tap!) :)
10. Lay out his uniform before he gets up.
11. Go for a walk together after dinner.
12. Have a date night in after the kids go to bed.
13. Remember to pray for him daily.

That's what I've got so far, but I'm still thinking. :) How about you? What little things can you do for your man that show him your love for him? Could you imagine what would be going on in our husbands minds if we did something intentional each day to remind him how great we think they are. Here's my challenge. Sit down and make a list of 31 things that you can do for your husband that cost nothing or very little. Begin blessing him as soon as you can. Even if you only come up with a few, start right away.

Before blessing our husbands, let's check our motives. We're blessing them because we love them and we want to express that to them. We are not blessing them to get something in return or manipulate them in any way. This is a complete selfless act of love for the men in our lives. So, go now....bless.....love....make happy husbands!!!! (What did you think I was going to tell you to make....wink, wink!)

"...To love their husbands..."

2008-08-25T21:12:00.000-04:00

The next section I want to focus on from Titus 2:4-5 is this, "...to love their husbands." Reading that upon first glance, I'm probably quick to give it a big 'ole "DUH", but I think there is so much more to this little phrase than the credit we give.

The word "love" in this passage is translated from the Greek word "philandros" which means "to be husband loving." Again, because I want to know the real meaning of words not our distorted conception, let's go to the Websters 1828 dictionary to find a deeper meaning of the word "love".

Love

1. A feeling of strong attachment induced by that which delights or commands admiration; preëminent kindness or devotion to another; affection; tenderness.

2. Especially, devoted attachment to, or tender or passionate affection for, one of the opposite sex.

(There were other entries, but none that pertained to the union between husband and wife.)

Do you love your husband? Do I really love my husband? Is it such a strong attachment that induces feelings of admiration from others? Do I show kindness and devotion to him? Do I have a tender and passionate affection for him? These are hard questions to answer sometimes. Like when he's left his dirty socks in the bathroom for the trillionth time, or when he goes to a softball game and leaves me home with 4 sick kids, am I addressing him with kindness and devotion? (These situations never happen, they're hypothetical events...really they are.)

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the majority of us weren't taught how to really love our husbands. We weren't taught how to be completely devoted to them. In fact, I would venture to say that most of us even had a "back up" plan at one point. "Well, if this doesn't work out at least I could always _______." Look around you, how are our men being portrayed in the media? Show me one instance where a man is the head of the home, he's successful, and he has a devoted, loving wife with obedient children. It doesn't happen. Instead, we're filling our minds with dopey men and overbearing, controlling wives, with kids who are out of control. What message are we sending our daughters? What hope of a biblical marriage will they ever have with examples such as these?

Well, we can't control the media; but we can control our hearts and our actions. This is going to call for a total mind overhaul. To truly love our husbands, we must put his needs above our own. Yep, there it is, did you put your steel-toed boots back on? I said it....We've got to put our husbands needs before our own. Ouch!! Lord, help me here...this won't be easy! Seriously, this week let's explore ways to really love our husbands...don't blush, I won't be going there...this is a family blog! ;)

Sober-minded in the Home

2008-08-24T18:08:00.000-04:00

Well, I intended to post much more on being sober-minded, but life got the best of me this week. Between the first day of school and a hurricane scare, I wasn't on the computer much at all. I'm going to wrap up being sober-minded and move right into loving our children and husbands tomorrow.

Remember, we are referring to being "sober" as "sober-minded", having a plan, not addressing things wildly but calmly with efficiency. One item in my home that has helped me is my binder. This is a very common item among stay at home moms. Some call it a home management binder, or a household binder. Whatever one calls it, it has the potential of becoming a very essential tool for organizing a home.

The contents:

My binder includes menu plans, emergency low cost grocery shopping lists, daily schedules, children's routines, recipes, cleaning plans, scripture reminders pertaining to being a keeper at home, emergency contacts, budgets, and birthday and Christmas lists. Whew! Now, it's not much to look at...I always had the intention of making it really pretty and super organized. In fact, at one time I had a relatively nice binder, but then I went to work and forgot all about how useful it was. I ended up redoing it recently and just haven't found the time to fancy it up. (I don't know why???)

Instead of showing you my ugly, plain jane binder, I'll give you some links that might spark your interest so you may begin your own.

Susan Godfrey at Simply Susan
Catherine at Making It Home
Flylady
Keeping the Home

Maybe during my copious free time this week, I'll make my binder look pretty and show you pictures. Yeah, right! ;)

Sober-minded in the Kitchen

2008-08-19T22:36:00.000-04:00

So this week we're looking at being sober-minded. I was going to title this entry "Sobriety in the Kitchen", but I thought that kind of sounded like an AA meeting. Hehe!

Planning is going to be the key to "sobriety in the kitchen"...couldn't resist. This can range from an elaborate detailed monthly menu to simply doubling a recipe for a freezer meal. Here are some tips that I've learned along the way.

1. Menu planning - I like to plan my meals out in a 2 week cycle. I'm a very simple cook. I cook what my family likes and they like what I cook. I rarely try new recipes, I like the tried and true. (I realize that may bore some people to death, but it works for me.) With that in mind, I can sit down and plan out 2 different weeks of meals and rotate them. This also alows me to have a standard shopping list that I keep. I don't usually shop sale items unless I find something I know I'll use and stock up. Having a menu plan (and sticking to it) completely solves the 5 o'clock "what's for dinner" stares.

2. Freezer meals - I recently wrote a post about a more extensive freezer meal preparation, but you can easily build up a stock of your favs by doubling a recipe and freezing the extras.

3. Prepare ahead - Alot of the breakfasts I like to make can be started the night before, like baked oatmeal or baked french toast. Sometimes I will fill my bread machine with ingredients for a cinnamon bread and set it to start a couple of hours before we wake up. Then we get to enjoy waking up to fresh baked bread. Yum!! I get to look like a star to my family and sleep in..it's a win - win for everyone. :) Preparing ahead can be as easy as throwing in a couple of extra eggs to boil in the morning to use at lunch time for tuna salad.

4. Crock pot meals - My crock pot is probably the one small appliance that I couldn't live without. I love my crock pot. I use it for any meal of the day. I've used it for oatmeal for breakfast, pork roast for Sunday lunch, or beans for dinner. It's very versatile and the best part is that it doesn't heat up my kitchen during a hot Florida summer.

5. Wear an apron - Okay, this one might surprise you. I wear aprons. Yes, there it is...bring on the snickers!! I love wearing an apron. I put one on as soon as I can, which is usually first thing in the morning after I get ready. I can remember my first apron. A dear friend of mine gave me her recipe for chicken pot pie and crust. I had been using the recipe for awhile and mentioned that I got flour all over me whenever I made the crust...she was like "duh...put on an apron!". I'm sure she about fell over when I told her I didn't own one. Days later, she brought me a gift...my very first apron with my name embroidered at the top. I still have it, and wear it often...Thanks, Margaret!!! Anyway, I've been hooked on them since. I love the way I feel when I wear an apron, the way all of my kids have played hide and seek under it...I feel ready for the job at hand, sober if you will!

So there you have it, just a few of the ways we can have a plan and be ready and "sober" in the kitchen. Now, don't go thinking I've got it all together and it's like this all the time. My back up plan is Pizza Hut on speed dial. Just keeping it real, ya'll!

To Be Sober

2008-08-18T08:38:00.000-04:00

"That they may teach the young women to be sober...."

Titus 2:4-5 is an instruction to older women on what they are to teach the younger women. The first of that is "to be sober." Knowing words can have many meanings, let's look up the word "sober".

The 1828 Webster's Dictionary defines "sober" as the following:

1. Temperate in the use of spirituous liquors; habitually temperate

2. Not intoxicated or excited by spirituous liquors

3. Not mad or insane; not wild, visionary, or heated with passion; exercising cool, dispassionate reason; self-controlled; self-possessed

Further, let's define "temperate":

1. Moderate; not excessive

2. Not marked with passion; not violent; cool; calm

So, the first thing we are to be, as godly women, is sober. We are to be temperate in all things, not mad or wild, but cool and calm. Regardless of one's view on alcohol, we are instructed by scripture to be sober, not intoxicated by spirituous liquors.

Another view of "sober" is being habitually temperate. If being temperate means that one is not mad, wild, or insane, than to be sober means we are to be self-controlled and thoughtful of our decisions and judgement.

Debi Pearl states in her book, Created to Be His Helpmeet, that "a sober wife is one who faces the fact that she is no longer a freewheeling individual, with time to do as she pleases. She knows that marriage is a joyous, but also a grave responsibility. She cannot be flighty or frivolous. She makes a commitment to be the best wife, mother, and manager of the home that anyone could be." She further states that, "Her most basic responsibility is to make her husband's home run smoothly. She assumes the role of coordinator of all affairs.....When a woman soberly considers the needs, time schedule, and resources of her home, then she will be a more efficient helpmeet."

Wow, I like that...."a more efficient helpmeet". I remember when I was newly married with small children, how I ran my house...if you could call it that. I was more like a babysitter. I would plop my rear in front of my soaps, in between feeding children and changing diapers, giving no thought to dinner, laundry, or just about anything other than passing the time. I would hardly call that sober. Being sober requires thought. Let me say that again....Being sober requires thought. Thinking about supper before it's 5 o'clock and the children are starving....thinking about the laundry before your husband has no clean clothes for work....thinking about cleaning the house before an unexpected guest shows up at your door....(Been there, done all of them!)

If I'm to be sober, I must have a plan. A recovering alcoholic can't just haphazardly walk into a bar. He's got to know where he's going, what his plan is. I might not be a recovering alcoholic...more like a recovering slacker-mom. I know where I've been, and it ain't pretty!! In order to not return to the chaos, I must have a plan. If I walked into a paid job and frivolously went about my day, I'd be out of there in a heartbeat. Doesn't my family deserve better than a frivolous mom?

So, sober up ladies! This week we are going to talk about how to be sober women. What does that look like in our homes and how can we apply that to our lives. No more "slacker-moms", we're on the road to recovery. And don't worry, if you fall of the wagon I'll probably be down there too...we can use each other as a boost to get back up again. See you in the wagon!!

Background on Titus

2008-08-18T08:18:00.000-04:00

The book of Titus was written by Paul, as stated in Ch. 1:1, to Titus whom he calls his "true son in our common faith". Titus had worked with Paul during his third missionary journey at Ephesus and from there was sent to Corinth to help that church with its work. After Paul's imprisonment in Rome, he and Titus worked in Crete. Titus remained in Crete to complete needed work. This is where he was when he received this letter from Paul.

Paul sent the letter with Zenas and Apollos, who were on a journey that took them through Crete. The letter was intended to give Titus authorization and guidance in meeting personal opposition, instructions about faith and conduct, and warnings about false teachers.

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

Warning....personal opinion is to follow....

When reading scripture, I think it is very important to know who and to whom the scripture was written. With that knowledge, the reader is allowed a certain insight as to what is the meaning behind the text. A big fat HOWEVER,I also think that all to often we forget that the very word of God is living and transcends all time. Though this letter was written to a man, by a man, around 60 AD; I don't think that gives us the liberty to pick and choose whether or not it's "culturally relevant". Scripture is God breathed, which I take to mean that God used the writers as a tool to put His words on paper. I believe God's word to be wholly applicable today as it was 2000 years ago. Okay, Lesley...step down from soapbox and resume normal funtions.....

Titus 2:4-5 Study

2008-08-15T15:41:00.000-04:00

Titus 2:4-5

4: That they may teach the young women to be sober,

to love their husbands,

to love their children,

5: To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home,

good, obedient to their own husbands,

that the word of God be not blasphemed.

I'm going to spend a few weeks studying Titus 2:4-5. Disclaimer...I am not a bible scholar. I will be studying, citing references, and for the most part, giving my personal opinions of how to apply God's Word to my life today. I'll begin tomorrow with a background on Titus, then a study on the first section of verse 4, teaching younger women to be sober. Your comments are welcome and appreciated, I would love this to become an interactive study.

Our Little Fighter

2008-08-09T22:09:00.000-04:00

A Special Visit

2008-08-06T15:15:00.000-04:00

Today Ty had a very special visitor. The one, the only....Elmo!! I know moms of toddlers everywhere are screeching with joy and hearing the tune of Elmo's world in their heads already! I was even more surprised that Ty wasn't scared. This is a kid who thinks Winnie the Pooh at Disney was the equivalent of Satan in a bear costume!! He was thrilled, however, to get a visit from the big red tickle master himself. (Sorry Pooh-bear, no offense intended, really.) He even got a hug and kiss on the hand. Elmo tried to mess with Ty's computer, but he wasn't having that. You see, we Bonini's are very touchy about people messing with our computers....just ask the head Bonini himself.

He gave Ty his very own Elmo to remember him by. Wasn't that sweet!!

The nurses also gave Ty a surprise birthday party yesterday. They gave him a huge sign, a piece of chocolate cake, and lots of wonderful presents.

He has been enjoying playing with the magnadoodle and reading the books they gave him.

I guess having a birthday in the hospital isn't so bad afterall!

The Cat's away, but the Mice can still eat right!

2008-08-05T14:15:00.000-04:00

In a previous post I mentioned that I was making some freezer meals to help hubby with the daunting task of supper. I hadn't made freezer meals in a long time, so I consulted the experts, i.e. anyone who has as many or more kids than I do!! The experts gave me a few suggestions and I took notes. I weeded out the ones that I knew my family would never go for, or those that hubby would have to force feed a certain daughter of mine, hey Erin, because they contained too many vegetables. Here's what I came up with:

Beef
2 Baked Ziti
2 Lasagna
2 Tator Tot Casserole
2 Sloppy Joe

Chicken
2 Enchiladas
2 Salsa, Chicken & Rice Casserole
1 Chicken Hotdish w/stuffing topping
1 Chicken Alfredo

I cooked the beef meals first. I began by browning 8lbs of hamburger meat. I divided two 1lb sections and placed them in a ziplock freezer bag and added the sloppy joe sauce. I always add a little extra ketchup & brown sugar the way my family likes it. Then I boiled the ziti and lasagna noodles. While they were boiling I made the tator tot casserole and placed them in a 9x13 aluminum pans and cover them with a double layer of foil. Once the noodles were finished, I assembled the ziti first, then the lasagnas. Again, I covered the dishes with a double layer of foil. Before I put them in the freezer, I label them with the contents and cooking directions. Most everything can go straight from the freezer to the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until bubbly.

On a separate day, I prepared the chicken meals. I began by boiling 2 bags of frozen, skinless, chicken breasts. While they are boiling, I add a little garlic salt to the water to season. In addition to the chicken, I cooked 4 packages of yellow rice, and one box of rotini noodles. After the chicken was cooked, I chopped it up into a little smaller than bit size pieces. First, I assembled the chicken alfredo. Just mix noodles, chicken, and alfredo sauce and top with with parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Then, I put together the chicken hotdish. Basically it's a chicken pot pie filling with veggies, cream of chicken soup, and sour cream topped with a box of stuffing mix. Next, I worked on the chicken and rice. I put enough chicken into two 9x13 pans to cover the bottom. Then I top that with rice and cover with 1/2 jar of salsa and shredded cheese. Last, I made the chicken enchiladas. I put the remaining chicken in the with the remaining rice and added a packet of taco seasoning and some shredded cheese. Then, I scooped some of the mixture into a taco size tortilla shell. After rolling the shell, I placed them seam down into 9x13 dish. I was able to fit 5 across for a total of 10 per pan. Then I topped it with salsa and cheese.

It wasn't as much work as I thought, and it's comforting knowing they'll have something to eat while I'm gone. Now, if I come home to 14 meals still in the freezer and they ate pizza everyday....at least I tried!! Here's a picture of the fruits of my labor! :)

A Successful Surgery

2008-08-04T17:33:00.000-04:00

I am very pleased to announce that Ty's surgery today was a huge success!! He did a great job and the neurosurgeon was able to release his spinal cord and remove a cyst. They are sending the cyst out to get a biopsy, but they are fairly certain it is spinal cord tissue. We anticipated this surgergy to take 6-8hrs, but it was completed in less than 3!! Ty is resting now and we are doing our best to manage his pain. He has to stay flat for a few days...that's tough! His birthday is tomorrow, and I think he'll be having a few visitors to wish him a very happy birthday. To everyone who prayed for Ty and our family, thank you so much! We believe whole heartedly in the power of prayer, and God has answered!!

The Only Way is Jesus.

2008-08-03T14:53:00.000-04:00

Today we had a very powerful sermon from a visiting pastor. The sermon was based on John 14:6 where Jesus answered the questions of a very confused Thomas. Thomas just couldn't grasp what Jesus was talking about when he said he was going to "prepare a room for you." Thomas wondered how they were going to get there, how would they know where to go. Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me," John 14:6. Jesus confirmed for all mankind that there is no other way to God but by Him, and Him alone. No good work will get you there, no good deed will secure your way. Only Jesus, He alone can save you.

This brings me to my next thought. Cheap grace. "But grace is free," you say. Yes, grace is free, we have made it cheap. There is nothing I could ever do to earn the free gift of grace that God offers through his son, Jesus Christ. But why do we as Christians stop there. Satan believes in Jesus. He shudders at the very name of Christ. Yet, we all know Satan is not saved. So how do you know you're saved? The Bible says that many will cry out "Lord, Lord" but few will be saved. How can we know we are staying the narrow course, walking the narrow path. John 15:10 says, "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love."

I remember back in highschool taking Geometry with Mrs. Chancey. I like Mrs. Chancey! She was originally from Wauchula and had this very comforting way about her. But like I said, she taught geometry. I can almost hear the groans as you read this. You remember geometry...proofs and theorems. Is it all coming back to you? No! How about "if, then" statements. Remember those? If something is true then the opposite of said something must also be true. Let's apply a little geometry to scripture. If obeying God's commands = remaining in His love, then NOT obeying God's commands = NOT remaining in His love. Wow, how are your toes feeling? Mine are a little sore right now, that's for sure. So the Bible says if I'm obeying the commands of Christ, I'm in His love, I'm on the narrow path, my eye is fixed on the prize. If I'm not obeying, then I'm not "in His love."

Now, before you cast your "works" stones at me, really grasp what I'm saying. Salvation comes from God's free gift, I accept it, I believe on the name of Jesus, I obey His commands, I remain in Him. My good works won't get me to heaven, but they are a product of my love for Jesus. Jesus is the only way to heaven. There is an old hymn that I love to sing called "Trust and Obey". It goes like this...

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Never fear, only trust and obey!!

Bedtime Prayers...

2008-08-02T20:02:00.001-04:00

I'm off to say prayers with the kids before bedtime....and it reminded me of this video. Hope you get a good laugh!!

New camera, painting, and procrastinating....

2008-07-29T11:15:00.000-04:00

I finally replaced my camera this week. My "not so old" camera was a Sony cheapy from wally-world and hasn't worked worth anything since the day I got it. I'm not a die hard photographer and didn't have the money to spend on something really flashy, so after a little research, this is the one hubby picked. It has some cool features that are probably too advanced for me to use, I'm a point and click kinda gal. One neat thing is the face recognition capabilities. Who knows what that does, it just sounds cool!!

I've been busy painting the boys' room these last two days. Biting off a little more than I could chew, I wanted to get their room in tip top shape before Ty's surgery. A while back we switched the boys' and girls' rooms. The boys ended up with a pink room with fairy border. Hmmm, not very boy friendly. I intended on painting it right away, but that just didn't happen. This week turned out to be the opportune time. We bought the boys new bunk beds, which should be delivered today, and gave my mom the old full size bed. With everything out of the room, I knew my chance to paint was now. Josh chose "Blue Splash"...it's quite a shocking blue, but after the Spider-Man 3 border, it toned down a bit. ;)

Procrastinating....why do I do it??? I have 6 chicken meals to assemble and freeze, 4 days worth of laundry to wash, dry, fold, and put away, and floors that haven't been mopped since I don't know when. I'm sure I could take some scrapings and donate them to research or something!! Oh yeah, I also have to schedule Ty's pre-op blood work, that's another trip to Orlando. Procrastination, you will not prevail! But first, I must try out my new camera.........

The Surgery is Scheduled

2008-07-25T14:22:00.000-04:00

We just received word that Ty's surgery is scheduled for Aug. 4th. His birthday is Aug. 5th. :( What a pitiful way to celebrate his birthday. That's my flesh talking, I know deep down he needs this surgery, but who wants to be in a hospital when you're turning 4??? I'm feverishly trying to get the house ready for me to be gone 7-10 days. I made 8 beef freezer meals last night, and have 6 chicken meals to prepare and freeze. I'll save that for another post. ;) I want the boys room organized so Ty can come home to a neat and tidy space. Also, if Ty is in for the full 10 days, that will give me 4 days until school starts. So....I need to make sure the kids have everything they need to start school. I've already ordered and received their new uniforms, PTL for online shopping, now all I need is their school supplies. I'm sure my husband will do just fine without me, but you know, I'm the MOM!!! Please keep us in your prayers as this such a stressful time on more than one level.

My new brother in Christ!

2008-07-24T23:19:00.000-04:00

My oldest son, Joshua, was baptized this past Sunday. It was a very special, and memorable service. He was very nervous and excited all the same, he couldn't stop smiling. He is so short, his head was barely above the water. At the end of the service, our family placed our membership with the church. What a wonderful day.

I want to fold like this!!

2008-07-21T17:49:00.000-04:00

I found this video at Home Living Blogspot and it's amazing!! All right, I can't understand a word this woman is saying, as she's speaking Japanese, but I want to fold like her!! Watch the video and see if you can do it too.

Meet my children...

2008-07-19T00:03:00.000-04:00

I thought you might like to meet the four people in this world who have my heart wrapped around their fingers..........

This is my beloved oldest, Joshua. No, he's not a tree hugger...but he's liable to give his 'ole mom a heart attack with as high as he likes to go in one. This kid is a boy with a capital "B". He lives each day like a roaring tornado and sleeps each night like a hibernating bear, just to wake up and be a tornado again. I had no idea what people meant when they would talk about how tiring boys were....whew, I get tired just thinking about him. Josh is awesome!! He's the silliest, funniest kid ever. He's always ready to make someone laugh. But the best thing about him is his sensitive side, he's a very compassionate person. He loves his little brother and prays for him often. Oh, yeah...he likes his sisters too....well, maybe!!

Up next is Erin, or Sissy, as we lovingly refer to her around here. Now Erin is not your typical middle child. She's got the personality more of a first born. (Read Type "A") I think Josh just lives his life so fast he's not even in the birth order....back to Erin. Where do I even begin. Erin is my right hand gal for just about everything that goes on around here. She's smart, level headed, logical, and very literal. As my dad used to say, "she means what she says and says what she means". My hubby thinks she's a carbon copy of me. Hmmm, maybe that's why I think so highly of her. :) Do you know what I love best about her??? Her sarcasm. I know, I know, that's not exactly a desirable trait in a young lady...but man is she quick. In time, she'll learn the art of controlling it....but until then, she'll say exactly what I'm thinking.

Third in the line-up is Katelyne. Katelyne takes the prize for the most nicknames in our house. She's Katelyne, Kate, Kit-Kat, Kay-Kay, Loopy, Loop, and Little Loop. We reserve "Little Loop" for when we talk about how mistreated and deprived she is. Oh, don't let that killer smile fool you, this child is dealing with some serious middle child anguish. Can't you see the despair and feelings of deep neglect? No? Yeah, me neither...but she's certain it's there and she'll be happy to tell you about it. Kate is something, let me tell you. She's got the best imagination. She's the one child who will actually play with toys. Don't get me started on toys, I don't know why I buy them.....oh yeah, back to Kate. Kate is a princess. She's my diva of divas. She's the first to strike a pose, make up a dance, or just about anything to get you to watch a performance. It all goes back to the deprivation and neglect, I'm sure. The best part....she wants to be a mommy when she grows up!! Pitter-patter goes my heart....love it!!!

Last, but not least, is Ty. Be still my heart, where do I start with this boy. Just look at those cheeks. They're so delicious, I could serve them up with a scoop of ice-cream. This is my cuddler. I probably kiss those cheeks 1,000 times a day and he still comes back for more. Mama's boy?? Yer' darn right!!! Ty is our miracle from God, that's a story that deserves a post on it's own. He brightens everyone's day that he comes in contact with and has the most infectious smile. I couldn't image how different my life would be without this little guy. He's taught me so much about overcoming life's obstacles. Nothing will ever stop this fellow, God has big things planned for Ty.

So there you have it, the Bonini children. They certainly are my bundles of joy. They keep my house loud, my cupboards empty, and my heart full. I wouldn't trade it for anything, I've got the best job in the world!!

Another Surgery To Come...

2008-07-18T14:23:00.000-04:00

Ty had a visit to his neurosurgeon yesterday. Some findings on his MRI were cause for concern. Ty has been experiencing back pain and headaches on and off for several months, and they determined it was caused by a tethered chord and syrinxes on his back. We are waiting for the office to call back for the surgery date. I wish I could say this is a routine procedure, but it just feels different. He has the best doctor, thanks Dr. Pattisapu, and I know the Lord will cover him through it all. Lord I believe, help my unbelief.