SLOW DOWN!!!!!!

I hope that everyone had a great weekend. Did you eat way more than you intended? Did you brave the shopping madness on Friday?

We had a house that was buzzing all weekend. It was great. There were the usual moments of drama but that's to be expected.

I did eat more than I should have, I did go shopping and I did have a great time. I'm tired but it was great.

Now......

I have to get in gear for the weeks to come. I really wanted to have a relaxing few weeks leading up to Christmas. I wanted to do fun, relaxed advent things with the kids but man my calendar is slammed. The kids are so busy with things for Church and school and Steve's busy with church and work and Casey has dance and me? I get to lug them to all of their events.

I'm working on the plans to slow down things in this house. I don't want to be so busy that we loose sight of what is really important.

I want things to be memorable for our family. So that's what we are going to do. Make things memorable and fun!!!

Today, I am thankful for....

so very many things.

I am thankful:

for a country where I can worship God without fear

for Steve's job

that Steve works for Pete--a great boss who cares about his employees

for 4 beautiful and healthy children

that I can stay home with my kids

that we have the opportunity to homeschool

that my husband loves me

for parents and grandparents

for my friends--who sometimes get an earful and are still my friend

for the opportunity I had to visit historical places with my family and see the excitement on Drew, Shelby and Casey's faces when they see a place we've been in real life on TV

for our camper and the trips we've taken this summer

that Drew and Shelby still enjoy listening to me read to them

I am thankful for

Internet

phone service

cell phones

indoor plumbing

spell check and calculators

washing machines and clothes dryers

Curious George and Blue's Clues

Creme Brulee creamer and coffee

playing cards

Such a short list.....it could go on forever......

So what are you thankful for? Anything outside of the norm (like flavored coffee creamer)? Let's hear about it.....

A new Christmas song

Sung to the tune of Away In A Manger/Silent Night

By Casey

When Baby Jesus was a tiny baby he was born.

When Baby Jesus was in a barn

Was in a barn today

And everyone would see him

Baby Jesus was born in Mary and Joseph

Baby Jesus was in a manger

And you know

And you know everyone liked that baby

Baby Jesus was born when he was a tiny baby.

Gotta love it. So happy I was listening to the playing in the other room while doing the dishes this morning. It's one of those--never be able to sing it the same way again--songs.

This girl...

This girl is beautiful on the outside as well as on the inside.

She has been working so hard to learn her verses for AWANA.

She started in TNT in September of this year after we got back from our trip.

Since that time, she has memorized no less than 34 passages of scripture (and some of them were pretty long) plus answered tons of questions. She has stepped outside of her comfort zone to call one of our friends who is a missionary and ask her some questions (ha on that one, she tried to just email them but didn't get her answer in--I told her to call to start with but she was to "nervous"--thanks Missy, it was great talking with you tonight!!)

I love that she was "sick" because of all the adults clapping and cheering. There were twice the number of people in the hall tonight and I'm not even sure why. She didn't want all the attention on her like that. Now some of you know her and are shocked I'm sure!!

We are so proud of you Shelby!!! You are doing a great job at putting God's word in your heart and mind!!!

Would you like...

a chance to win some custome greeting cards? Well, here's your chance. All you have to do is go to this site

http://raisingolives.com/2009/11/custom-greeting-card-giveaway-2/
and leave a comment.

Wordless Wednesday..well almost...

Just for fun (and since I am rarely speechless) which child is on the beach?

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

It's that time again folks....

Time to let all of us in on all of the things you really are not doing!!!

I did not go to a 3 day scrapbook crop on the other side of town this week.

If I had done this I surely would not have used our hotel points to stay in a hotel since the crop was just on the other side of town.

And I most certainly did not spend a good bit of time getting ready for a crop that I didn't go to.

If I had spent time getting ready for a crop then I wouldn't have taken way to much stuff with me!!

I most certainly did not tell my neighbor (who didn't go with me to this crop) that I NEVER win any thing and then proceed to win 4 mid level prizes, one of the grand prizes and a ton of small items--you know since I didn't got to this crop.

I also did not complete 114 pages during this crop--making it so that my friend at the crop almost didn't speak to me except to say that I couldn't come next time.

I also did not miss my family. And since I didn't miss them, I didn't think about just coming home instead of staying the entire time.

So what haven't you been doing? Leave me a comment and let me know.

OH MY...

the things that little kids say.

Landon just gave me the strangest look and finally said that he had burped. I knew that he had not burped so I asked him if that is what he had just said and he answered yes. So I asked him where he burped and he pointed to.........his diaper!!

Gotta love it!!

Strange things....

It's strange sometimes how you can get "attached" to a family that you don't know. For almost a year, we have been following Stellan's blog. He has been one sick little boy that has an amazing testimony to tell--well when he's older he'll be able to tell you but since he's only 1, his version will have to wait. Our entire family has prayed for this little boy. When he got so sick this weekend, my heart ached for his mom and his family. Have I ever met this family? Nope! Will I? Probably not but that's okay. God is using them.

His mom has shared on the blog all about their life, Stellan's heart condition, their faith, about her marriage and life in general.

Well today, she shared both HUGE prayer request (when Stellan's heart stopped beating) and an AMAZING praise.

Today, GOD allowed doctors in Boston to "fix" Stellan's heart!!! He still has a way to go but this was even more than they had allowed themselves to hope for!!

We will continue to pray for Stellan and his family but I know that for tonight they are praising God and celebrating!!

So how is God using this family? Well people all over the world read this blog and as I said Jennifer shares her faith on the blog. But how else? My kids have had the opprotunity to pray with me for this little boy. They have listened as I have prayed. Today, they got to "HEAR" God answer some of our prayers, in a way that they will remember!!! They have also experienced God's timing? How often do we say that we will pray and then only do it a few times and then if things don't change and life continues to be busy and days go by and you realize that you haven't prayed about something specific in a few days--weeks? Do we sometimes feel like God might not answer that prayer request--since He hasn't done it in the amount of time we think is appropriate!! GOD has THE plan and it unfolds in His TIME!!!

IF you haven't read Stellan's story, just click on his picture on the left side of the blog.

And just for the record, I'm glad that our family "met" Stellan and his family--even if it is just in cyber space!

We serve a big God!! Nothing is to hard for him!!!

November Quote For The Day

"Politicians will always say or do whatever will get them their next vote in an upcoming election, but there was a time in our history when journalists reported everything and were not concerned with ‘political correctness.’"

The above quote is from Dave Gaubatz, the first U.S. civilian (1811) Federal Agent deployed to Iraq in 2003. I found it in an interview he did with Frontpagemag.com.

As I have been watching the news this morning, this has been shown as true over and over.

Trick or Treat

Here are a few pictures from our recent outing for candy.

Drew--who decided not to dress up but was still hoping to rake in some loot. He said at 3:30 that he thought he might dress up. The only problem was that he didn't like any of his mom's ideas. So he went as is.

So what did I recommend? Well, painting around his eye black and putting a big letter P on his shirt and turning him into a BLACKED PEA!!! Taping Smarties to his pants so he could be a SMARTIE PANTS! How about printing out a huge quarter and taping it to his back so that he could be a QUARTER BACK!! Wearing Steve's football jersey and being a FOOTBALL PLAYER or FOOTBALL FAN!! But alas nothing struck his fancy so went as he was.

Next we have the cutest fish ever!! Thanks Jen for the costume.

Let me just say he was hard to carry.

We had a very happy Ariel also.

Notice that she is carrying 2 treat buckets. She was on a mission for candy. This is the first year she really understood what they were doing.

Shelby did a great job coming up with her Indian costume. Jen, do you remember making these?

The kids had a great time on Saturday night and we got back before the rain. Yea!!

Here are Landon and Ava Joy getting ready to go. Landon wanted to ride in the wagon until he realized that the kids at the door were getting candy in their pumpkins. No more wagon for him. That was the only reason he got in the costume--a neighbor brought candy and he put it on to get it from her.

Casey, who figured out how this trick or treating thing worked. Gave us a run for our money. We finally had to tell her that if she didn't stay with Ella Rose and Landon that we were not going to let her get any more candy. She was looking out for number one. Ella Rose was looking out for Landon......

Trick or Treat, Please......

After going to just the houses that we knew on our street, we headed over to the Becker's church for a festival. We went to this last year and the kids had a blast. This year, Drew and Shelby had a blast. Landon and Casey went down hill fast. Like we were there about 15 minutes!!

Here is Landon playing a game.

Shortly after this picture, like when he was done with this game, Casey found the putt putt game and we went to play that. You could say it went south from there. If you know Landon, you know he LOVES golf. Well he didn't want any help and his little fish face was getting in his way and he couldn't hit the ball. There was a line of kids who wanted a try and so when I finally made him let me help, he got mad. But not near as mad as when I MADE (and I mean pried the club and ball from his hands) him give the ball and putter back so someone else could have a turn.

Casey didn't want to play any games--especially not the fishing game--why? Well the guy working the game was wearing a costume that made it look like he was riding a horse. Casey saw that and didn't want to ride anything. There was no convincing her that the guy was wearing a costume and that she was not going to have to "ride" that thing. She wouldn't even go near the area!!

So it all started rolling down hill like a snowball!! Steve and I quickly decided that with a 3 year old wanting to be held and not play anything and a 2 year old who only wanted to have the golf club and ball (which wasn't going to happen) that we should make a quick exit while the going was good. Oh if only it had stayed that way.

Steve went outside to round up the older two (who by the way were having a blast) and I went to tell our friends goodbye. Landon refused to walk so I told him goodbye. That did it and he followed me. Rebecca totally understood why we were leaving but was trying to introduce me to her friend who also homeschools. As I was trying to be polite all the while knowing the bomb was ticking...Landon was trying to get OUT of his costume. He was mad and didn't want anyone to help him or touch him--including his costume or himself.

Just in the middle of all of this a photographer say "You have got to have the cutest costume can I take your picture?" Just let me say I was saying no thank you it's not a good time in a MUCH nicer way than Landon was. Casey smiled for a picture though.

We got everyone home and started putting them to bed, only to have the rain start. Yep got 3 out of 4 down in the bed and then all of a sudden had all 4 back up!! Why are they scared of RAIN--no munner or whitening--just RAIN!!!

Then there was the football game!!!

We just wont even go there except to say it fit right in with the fall festival!!