Our Place by Grace

44/365

2012-02-13T21:43:00.002-06:00

One of Scott's love languages. Ironed shirts. ;)

43/365

2012-02-13T21:39:00.003-06:00

None of our toys are used in a conventional manner.

42/365

2012-02-13T14:07:00.001-06:00

Watching the action.

41/365

2012-02-10T11:40:00.003-06:00

Moo.

40/365

2012-02-09T21:41:00.001-06:00

Helping momma pick collards.

39/365

2012-02-09T10:34:00.002-06:00

Dont'cha just love dem boots?

38/365

2012-02-09T10:32:00.002-06:00

I almost forgot to take a pic. Whew.

37/365

2012-02-09T10:28:00.003-06:00

Love these girls...

(by the way... the golf cart was found a few miles down the road. The "theif" on the other hand, was no where to be found.)

36/365

2012-02-06T21:52:00.002-06:00

She's got big dreams...

35/365

2012-02-06T21:36:00.002-06:00

Sweet love.

34/365

2012-02-04T13:10:00.002-06:00

Eating bunnies.

33/365

2012-02-04T13:07:00.001-06:00

Somebody's cheating...

32/365

2012-02-04T13:04:00.001-06:00

Strep. Round 2.

31/365

2012-02-04T12:59:00.002-06:00

NINE

30/365

2012-02-04T12:56:00.002-06:00

Watching for Spring.

29/365

2012-02-04T12:45:00.002-06:00

Celebrate good times, c'mon!

28/265

2012-02-04T12:42:00.002-06:00

Learning to drive.

27/365

2012-02-04T12:40:00.001-06:00

Afternoon snack?

26/365

2012-02-04T12:37:00.002-06:00

Playing in the rain...

25/365

2012-02-04T12:16:00.004-06:00

Lots going on this day...

24/365

2012-02-04T12:10:00.003-06:00

Laughing at her own password.

23/365

2012-02-04T12:05:00.004-06:00

Caught.

22/365

2012-02-04T11:59:00.004-06:00

Cruisin'...

21/365

2012-02-04T11:56:00.001-06:00

Strep throat. Yuck.

20/365

2012-01-20T12:14:00.001-06:00

Bless him.

19/365

2012-01-20T12:13:00.001-06:00

"I wear Thomas"

18/365

2012-01-20T12:11:00.001-06:00

Got milk?

17/365

2012-01-17T20:33:00.001-06:00

Golden locks.

16/365

2012-01-17T20:31:00.001-06:00

Future barrel racer.

15/365

2012-01-17T20:26:00.001-06:00

14/365

2012-01-17T20:17:00.001-06:00

Lovin' the self timer.

13/365

2012-01-17T20:16:00.001-06:00

She gives that rocking horse pure heck!

12/365

2012-01-17T20:14:00.001-06:00

He has no idea what's around the corner...

11/365

2012-01-17T20:13:00.001-06:00

10/365

2012-01-17T20:11:00.001-06:00

Dontcha just love brown eyes?

Happy birthday Shep!

2012-01-14T22:52:00.001-06:00

We officially have a 2 year old. It's amazing to think how much has gone on in our lives the past few years. We have experienced more pain and joy than we thought imaginable but we praise God for the blessing of Shepherd. He is loud, stinky, a complete clown, smart, dirty, outdoors-y... You guessed it. He is B-O-Y.

Luke 2

2012-01-10T18:27:00.001-06:00

I wanted to put this on at Christmas time but I couldn't figure out how to upload vids from my phone to YouTube. I finally figured it out and thought this was worth sharing. It doesn't have to be Christmas to enjoy the Word. Ella had to learn part of Luke 2 at school and this clip is her reciting what she had memorized. It's incredible to hear the entire class recite this passage from memory. I sing praises knowing that she is part of a school that truly teaches the children to hide scripture in their hearts.

9/365

2012-01-10T18:21:00.001-06:00

Roll Tide Roll.

I could have at least washed Shep's face before I took this picture. Fun times.

8/365

2012-01-08T22:12:00.001-06:00

Nothing runs like a Deere. ;)

Pinterest fail

2012-01-08T14:32:00.001-06:00

Note to self... Just because you see it on Pinterest and it looks yummy delicious in a picture, does NOT mean it will be. I have tried two recipes so far and they've both been disgusting. But, boy oh boy, "everyone" on Pinterest raved about them. The first one was the oven baked fajitas. Blech. Scott liked them. But I can't use him as a barometer. Bless his soul, he will eat anything I put in front of him. Love. That. Man. The second one was the "make your own tortilla chips". Now, I will say that perhaps if I used corn tortillas, the end result would be different. But I only had flour torts on hand. And several people even commented that they were just as good. Lie! ;). They even looked good as I was preparing them...

I will probably try again with corn torts. Anyone one of my handful of readers ever tried them? I would love to know. I love love restaurant chips and salsa.

So, now I need to go check on my husband, whom I've sent outside to spray paint a picture frame... Just like one on Pinterest. ;)

7/365

2012-01-07T22:57:00.001-06:00

Yay for Saturdays. When Daddo is home.

Day 6/365

2012-01-07T21:16:00.001-06:00

Not the best picture, but cute, nonetheless. These are build a bear glasses.

365 day challenge

2012-01-05T22:03:00.001-06:00

I had a whole blog post explaining my 365 day photo challenge. This "blogsy" app is crap though and my post was deleted. So here it is... But without the story, because I refuse to waste anymore time tonight on this project. I'm going to bed. I want to throw this "time saving", "easy to use", "you'll never want a computer again" iPad across the bedroom.

Kids trees

2011-12-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

Both Ella and Shep have trees in their rooms. Small ones. With colored lights. Each tree displays their personality so well. Ella's is a Charlie Brown looking tree. It is scraggly and messy and colorful just like her. TO's has tractors on his. We all know tractors are his life passion right now. I found a four pack of tractor party favors at Walmart for $2 and hung them on his tree. Score!

Christmas tree

2011-12-13T12:00:00.001-06:00

Since the tornado damaged our trees beyond repair, we opted for a real tree this year. It's been up a few weeks and we we've enjoyed it so so much. We headed over to Wadsworth Christmas Tree Farm hoping to chop down a tree. Little did we know that the type tree we wanted is grown up North and shipped down South. With all of the ornaments we have, we weren't going to be able to use a cedar or pine so we settled for a precut tree. At the Christmas tree farm. Go figure.

So, we get home with the tree. Check. In the stand. Check. Lights on. Check. Ornaments. ~~Check~~. Ornaments are in the attic, right? Umm, no. They are NO WHERE TO BE FOUND. Now, these aren't just any ornaments. They are the ornaments that mean nothing to anyone but us. Our sentimental ornaments. Scott and I have had a yearly Christmas ornament since 1992. Heartbroken was an understatement in describing my feelings. We aren't sure what happened to them other than knowing it has something to do with the tornado. It seems the tornado still affects us. So, the ornaments you see on the tree are just ones we've had (with the exception of a few) but have no sentimental value. It's a beautiful tree but when I look at it, it just looks store bought. So, with this tree, we are starting over...

Christmas cards

2011-12-12T11:17:00.001-06:00

I love receiving Christmas cards each year. So much fun watching kids we know grow. I scrapbook so usually after the Christmas season is gone, I put them in our scrapbook so we can look back year after year at the cards. One idea I recently ran across that I think is worth mentioning... After you take the cards down, put them in a basket near the dinner table. Each night, pick out a card and pray for that family. We may do that this year. Ella enjoys anything like that.
Here is a pic of our cards on display. This is only the beginning of a slew of cards!

Test

2011-12-12T11:05:00.001-06:00

Just testing my iPad.

ZuZu!

2011-12-01T13:45:00.006-06:00

Ella received her Christmas piano books a few weeks ago and it's been nonstop piano playing around here. While I love hearing her play, I can't help but think about the movie "It's a Wonderful Life". You know, the part when the Dad comes home distraught and little ZuZu is pecking away at the piano? Yeah. This is how we sometimes feel when things get busy and have a lot going on... Here it is... If you haven't seen this movie, it's a must see!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQmOz0RO3qU

Looks like I linked the wrong vid. Sorry!

loaded potato recipe

2011-11-09T10:28:00.008-06:00

I thought I would share a picture and a recipe of the potatoes we had this past weekend. I always cook my potatoes in the oven... Super easy. Just rinse the potatoes, sprinkle kosher salt on them and bake at 400 degrees for an hour (give or take depending on the size. Pierce with a fork to check for tenderness.) Tips - I put them directly on the rack. I don't wrap them in anything. Just straight to the oven. And your time may vary depending on whether you keep your potatoes refrigerated or room temperature.

The fixin's on the potato are:

Butter
Sour cream
Cheese dip (from our local restaurant)
Lettuce
Tomato
Chives
Salsa (also from restaurant)
Strips of grilled steak

Delcious is a total understatement, my friend...

Dont'cha see Shep trying to dig in? One second later and that sweet little hand had a piece of steak in his hand... :)

Thankful

2011-11-08T17:26:00.004-06:00

In Sunday School, we are going through the book of James verse by verse. Scott and T (my brother in law) have started teaching through this book and they rotate chapters. Scott does a chapter, T does a chapter... so, we are in chapter 4 now and it's Scott's chapter. We just started the chapter on Sunday and at the beginning of last week, Scott told me we should make it through verse 10. Ha! Anyone knowing my husband... well, that just isn't gonna happen. Guess how far we made it? Verse ONE. James opens chapter four saying, "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?" We spent the Sunday School hour talking about how we must make war with our sins... we must make war with the things of this world. We have two choices. We can either make war for the lusts of this world or we can make war against the lusts of this world.
Now, what in the world does that have to do with my title "Thankful"? Well, Scott used a simple illustration (simple, I said) on selfishness and our desires about what happened at our house on Saturday night. We ALL know what went on Saturday night, right? It was the b-i-g-g-e-s-t football game of the season. Alabama vs. LSU. And we ALL know how much we like football around this place, ay? So, we made steak potatoes (of which I promise to post a recipe) and planned on watching the game. Without going into a lot of detail, we have been struggling lately with the amount of time that we aren't spending as a family. We seem to all be going in four different directions. And Scott knew that spending 4 hours watching a football game (THE one to see, mind you) wasn't the best idea and that he needed to "make war" with his internal desires. With that said, the past few weeks, we've been playing Monopoly as a family and Ella absolutely *loves* it. She wanted to play this weekend but there just wasn't enough "time". So, making war against those desires, Scott decided we would as a family, play Monopoly. Saying that Ella was thrilled was an understatement. We sat down, while THE biggest gave EVER was on and played Monopoly. Now, what's going to stand out in Ella's memory when she gets older? Will it be watching a football game or playing a game? Exactly. So, as Scott told that story in Sunday School, he couldn't help but choke up. And that is brokenness. That's how God works. But what made me so thankful was the fact that I got the sweetest compliment after class. I had someone tell me that I have a precious husband and they are thankful for his transparency. Wow. One year or so ago, all I would have gotten was "you know, we love Scott, but he comes across arrogant, like he knows everything and very provocative". I'm not saying that he wasn't some of these things. (Truth be told, I think he was provoked more than he provoked, but whatever). But I praise God where he has us in our life. I am thankful for Gracepoint Community Church and I'm thankful for my precious, transparent husband.
I tried to keep that as simple as possible so your eyes won't glass over and you won't fall asleep. So, if it's choppy or seems to be stream of consciousness then I apologize. I don't claim to be the best writer but hopefully the point was made. And I'm gonna give this clip of John Piper from a sermon as he is pleading us to "Make War" on ourselves...

http://youtu.be/wrY0h33coR4

Ultimatum

2011-11-04T10:39:00.002-05:00

My husband gave me an ultimatum the other day... he said either post something on my blog or delete my blog. I said, well, I guess I'll delete it. Then he says, no... I don't want you to do that. I enjoy reading it. So really he was saying -- *Get to it*. Write something. Truth be told, I haven't been writing, not because I don't have time but because my computer has turned into a dinosaur. It literally took all of Shep's nap time back in er-- August-- when I wrote the last post. Something's going all wonky with my pictures when I try to upload them and I can't figure it out. My computer had (up until yesterday) 125gb of 150gb of storage space used. I *finally* got everything moved to our little external hard drive (I think that's what it's called) and so hopefully things will speed up now. So, it's not b/c I've been too busy that I haven't blogged... it's because I've been too impatient with this computer. I'd rather spend Shep's nap times doing more important things... like, you know, knitting, taking a bubble bath or enjoying a book on the porch. Pfff. Yeah right.

On a side note, our church is hosting Secret Church simulcast tonight. Should you be one of the 3 daily readers that read this (that's according to my Google Analytics ;)) please pray I stay awake... I'm SO not a night owl anymore. 6pm to 12pm tonight. Nothing but bible study!

Who dat?

2011-08-11T15:29:00.004-05:00

Who dat is? I been missing you fo sho! ;)

School is starting back, my house is back in order after this, (so you will be seeing more of me):

Santuck and Ella's reward

2011-04-04T09:38:00.013-05:00

Last week, we had to help Ella with a project for school. No, I didn't take any pictures. Yes, I'm ashamed. I'm over it, ok? ;) The project was about John Adams. Not John Quincy Adams, but his dad... the second president of the United States. The project was to be on half a sheet of poster board and would be graded and judged at school. The winners would go on to Montgomery for a little regional contest. We took one evening brainstorming ideas on what we would do. She is a bit over ambitious when it comes to crafting (hmmmm...) so I had to reel that little imagination back in several times. But in the end, we decided to do the background in the Star Spangled flag and then glue a picture of John Adams, a small paragraph of his accomplishments, a picture of the White House (he was the first pres. to live there, by the way)and a picture of his home state, Massachusetts. I was proud of how hard she worked on the project. She gets distracted very easily so we had to make sure she stayed on task. She measured and cut out the stripes for the flag and helped glue them on. We used a little bit of hot glue so she wasn't able to do that. She did 85% of the work. She was so proud to take it to school. We had to have it to school on Wednesday at 8am sharp because the "professional" judges, as she called them, would be there to judge. First place, $10, Second place, $7.50 and third place, $5.00. When I picked her up that afternoon, she had this sly look on her face. She gets into the car and says "aren't you gonna ask how I did on my project?" And I said, "well, yes... but you could get completely in the car first!". She was so excited that she got 2nd place! She was thrilled most of all about the $7.50 she was to get the next day. So excited, in fact that when Scott woke her up, she jumped out of bed (as she NEVER does) and quickly got ready. So, her poster is somewhere in Montgomery awaiting another competition. Once it's finished, I'll be sure to post a picture. So, what did she do with her money? She saved it for Santuck! Do huh?? Oh, yeah. If you've been around here (Wetumpka, that is) very long, you've heard about it. It's Santuck Flea Market, but if you are from around here, we just call it Santuck. That's how we roll, ;). Once a month (except January and February), the little community of Santuck hosts a flea market. Now, when I was a kid, it was really a flea market. I've been "going to Santuck" since I can remember and I have very fond memories of the actual flea market. But, of course, things change over the years. Now, you'll find things like knock off Louis Vuiton bags, contraband cd's, machetes, turtles, dogs, candles, plants, unfinished wood, Amish cheese (it's good!), antiques, and the list goes on. I go periodically for a few reasons. Number one... I live a mile down the road from it and why not? Two... the candles (JJ's candle in birthday cake is my fave) and the rugs. Rugs? Really? Um, yeah. 3 rugs for $10? Who can beat that? Oh, back to Ella. What did she get with her money? She had $7.50 to spend remember? Are you ready for this?? Yes, a gun. My baby girl is packin' heat, ha ha ha! And since this picture was taken, Scott has painted the orange cap to make it more realistic... God love that man, ;) The "BB" gun was $5 and $2 for 1000 extra bb's. Scott bought "us" a pair too so we could all shoot. And I tell ya, that has been the most fun money we've spent in so long. Those little suckers shoot a long way too! She'll be wanting a REAL gun next, just watch. So, I'm anxious to hear what she tells the kids and teachers at school when they ask her what she did with her money... she wanted to take it to show and tell but I didn't think that'd go over too well, ;) And here are other images from the day on Saturday at Santuck. One last thing, I do believe this was the most crowded I've seen Santuck in all my years of going. It was crazy packed.

Oreo blizzards

2011-03-28T09:49:00.009-05:00

There is no doubt that having two children changes the dynamic in the family. We have to "spread the love" between both of them and be aware of each of their affectionate needs. Because there is such a big difference in their ages, they both have completely different needs. While it seems we pay much more attention to Shep, it's simply because we have to meet so many of his needs whereas Ella is much more independant and can do things on her own... such as making her own drink, brushing her own teeth, taking a shower, etc. But to her little mind, she sees us with Shep all the time and she can get quite jealous. So, we make sure that we spend extra time with her when he isn't around... and being that his bed time is 7:00, this works out perfectly for us. We usually put him down and then have an hour or so with her, put her down and then it's quiet time for us. All of this is on a perfect day, of course... it usually happens on Fridays! So, this past Saturday night, we decided to have Oreo milkshakes and game night after T.O. went down. The cast of characters:

Pour 1 cup of milk into blender.

Next,gently drop ice cream in blender...

Blend, pour and top with oreos and enjoy!

The Benchmark

2011-03-08T10:43:00.002-06:00

Scott and I have figured out the benchmark on how I'm feeling from day to day. I get tired of him asking me "how are you feeling" "you ok" "you sure you're ok" and on and on. I KNOW he does this out of love and compassion. I KNOW how much he deeply cares about me. And if anybody is close enough to us, it's obvious that he loves some Da... ;) Always has. And I pray always will. He's quite protective of me. So, if things are not quite right with me, he constantly asks me. He just wants to make it right. How blessed to be loved. Well, I SO appreciate him and thankful that he does care about me but if I'm asked over and over again how I feel... well, it makes me think about how I feel when I wasn't otherwise thinking about it. If out of the blue he asks me, I may just say ok. I do say that 90% of the time. But after he asks, I may start thinking... well, my back does ache a little. What could that be? Or ooh... I have a bump on my forehead, what is that a sign of? Just silly, crazy things I know. Sooo... we've figured out that the best way for him to know how I'm feeling is to be observant before asking. How am I carrying myself? What am I engaging in? Mainly, what HAVE I been doing? We've both discovered that if I'm feeling good, then here are some things that I might be doing.

I may be making a honey do list
I may be planning a trip
I may be spring cleaning
I may be blogging

So, ya wanna know what I did yesterday and today?

-Called Scott with a gazillion ideas for our house (on a shoestring budget, mind ya)
-Looked up ideas for a trip for our 15 year anniversary (which is next year, sheesh!!)
-Cleaned the house yesterday (sans upstairs... ugh. That one's a doozey)
-Purging books, books and books.
-And I'm writing a blog post.

Now... do you need to know how I'm feeling today? ;)

Whew

2011-02-25T09:22:00.004-06:00

To say that it's been a crazy week would be an understatement. It's literally been a horrible week and I'm just going to be honest. I seriously thought I was going crazy. Oh, how gracious God is to me... I know I say it over and over but His mercies really are new every morning and I'm really feeling that blessing today. You can get a quick history lesson here on my bout with Graves disease. I started meds in January and was feeling better really soon after that. Almost back to my old self. Then came last week. Last Wednesday night, really. I even remember telling Genea at church that I was not feeling well that maybe I should NOT have had any caffeine. (Sweet tea is such a weakness). I couldn't put my finger on it, but I just didn't feel quite right. I go into Thursday feeling the same way and each day seems to get worse. I should be feeling better but I feel like I'm getting to that "fog" again. Though this time, it's different. I describe it as this... I went from a fog, to clear skies, to a funk. And boy oh boy, a bad funk. I went through the weekend feeling this way and just being "here in body" but that's about it. It's that going through the motions kind of feeling. I knew I would be labbing (that's what others call bloodwork) on Tuesday and I'd just talk to the tech guy then. So, Tuesday comes (I'm leaving out a lot of details for your sake... ;)). I drop E off at school and head to take my labs. I told the guy all about how I was feeling... I even wrote this down since I'm keeping a journal of the ups and downs:

-- For a few weeks, great energy and an almost normal feeling. More tired in the pm. Expected though. Heart rate began in the 90s (on Atenolol and no ATDs) but now is in 50s sitting and standing resting is in 60s.
--Since Thurs. Feb. 17
--tired, melancholy, very near panic attack, a bit more cool than others
--Tuesday - neck pain that went down to shoulder blade. Pinched nerve feeling.
--Wednesday - pinched nerve feeling on shoulder blade.

I got a call from the DOCTOR (yes, how about that. I leave a msg for the phone nurse and the doctor calls back. Nice.) and he says he has some of my labs back. Most importantly, my T4. It is now in midrange and I can lower my Meth dosage. (No, not that kinda meth, lol). And wean myself off of the beta blocker, Atenolol. More than likely, since my levels adjusted so nicely so quickly, I was swinging the other way... towards hypothyroidism. No big deal, right? Wrong. Medically induced hypothyroidism can wreak havoc on you and this is what was happening. I was overmedicated basically and my levels swung the other way very quickly and just kept getting lower and lower. Well, naturally lowering my dosage is something that would not be felt right away so some symptoms would and will continue until my levels get back to where they need to be. With that said, even though I changed my meds on Wednesday, I had my worst day EVER yesterday. Scott took E to school and I was already having a bout with anxiety. What if this really isn't my thyroid? What if the doctors don't know what they are talking about? You think of a negative thought, and I had it. Up until yesterday, I had been able to control it. I say I. I give God complete glory for carrying me through all of this. Really. He is my strength. So, I remember thinking these negative thoughts and then I see Shep pick up what I believe to be a cheerio crumb and put it to his mouth. That's all it took for me to absolutely lose it. I went into hysterics. Over a cheerio crumb. I called Scott crying and carrying on and he immediately came back home. I called my aunt who has Graves and she tried to calm me down as well. By this time, Scott gets back home and I'm not better. Keep in mind, I called him when he was on Dozier Rd. close to the school... a good 25 minutes away from home. I'm no better when he gets back home. I couldn't be still. He grabs my shoulders to calm me down and has this serious look on his face and says, "Da, why is your nose bleeding?" Oh my goodness. Could it get any worse? If I remember correctly, I try to run but am in such a panic that I just jump around like a crazy person. I'll spare all the rest of the details but I finally calm down after I don't know how long. It was by far the most hysterical (not in a funny way) that I have ever been. All because of my THYROID!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously, I never ever ever would have known I would be like this. I am SO thankful though that I listened to my body and I urged the doctor to look at my labs right away b/c I knew that something wasn't right but I just couldn't figure it out. I knew I didn't feel like I once did when I was hypER but I certainly didn't know overmedicated me would push me to hyPO hell either. After the panic attack, I felt a great bit better, honestly. Scott stayed with me the rest of the day to monitor me and I really can't complain right now. I still have the pinched nerve feelings but that should go away in a week or so. Says the doctor, anyway.

I say all of this not because I want anybody to feel sorry for me but I do want people to understand what's going on inside of little ole me, ;). And I want to offer hope for anyone going through anxiety or anything close. Prayer with my husband during this yesterday was more calming than any anxiety medicine that I could have given myself. The Great Physician is who we should run to in times like these. I pray you will as you face storms of life. He will give you peace that passes all understanding. I promise. Cling to Him.

Philippians 4:6 (English Standard Version)
6(A) do not be anxious about anything,(B) but in everything by prayer and supplication(C) with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

So....
with that, I've been a bad blogger. But here are some super cute vids of the kids...

Shep was too cute that I had to catch this on video.

This one is little Beethoven, ;). And you can hear T.O. (that would be ONE of Shep's nicknames) in the background.

Theology Thursday

2011-02-17T09:05:00.006-06:00

It's been awhile since I've had a Theology Thursday post. More than likely, I will post a TT entry periodically. When something strikes me or crosses my mind. I thought since it's kinda still the beginning of the year that I would share my 2011 reading list. Some of these books I've read already but they may have been read when I was sleepwalking... or whatever I should call how I felt for a year and a half, ;). So some I'm re-reading.

Safe in the Arms of God by John MacArthur. This was a gift from a friend. I don't think that it's one that I would have bought to read otherwise but God has a way of knowing what we need. Just the last week, a childhood friend of mine became a proud father again. To make a long story short, the baby had many complications and she passed away just the other day. So, I think I will send this book to them. I can only imagine what they are going through. If you would like to read their story and cover them in prayer, please visit them here.

Radical by David Platt. I posted this one TT last year. I posted it because Scott's two brothers were reading this book and they had me all kinda interested in it! And as it turns out, our church began the Radical bible study three weeks ago. Since we just got started, it's impact hasn't been felt quite as strongly in the study yet. I think as each week goes on, we will be challenged more and more to give up the American dream and realize that it is totally antithetical to Scripture. (I'm re-reading this one and I listen to it on audio cd as I take Ella to school, so she gets a dose of it too)

A Sweet and Bitter Providence by John Piper. This is a book about the book of Ruth. I've struggled with this book for about a year now. I'm not sure what it is but it's a great book but John Piper is just hard for me to read. Love to listen to his sermoms but his books are just so "over my head".

Tactics by Gregory Koukl. Again, a gift from a friend. I've heard a lot about this guy recently so I'm anxious to clear the shelf with my other books and dig into this one.

Portrait of Calvin by THL Parker. I have read this book and I can't remember much about it. So, I'm gonna re-read it as well.

Adopted for Life by Russell D. Moore. I have read over half of this book and stopped. I stopped because I started really going downhill with how I was feeling. I couldn't concentrate AT ALL so I just pushed this one aside. I am *supposed* to be reading this with a friend and I'm afraid I've let her down. I'm sure she's finished this one and move on to better things. I'll get there, I promise. :)

Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges. Another that I've started on. This one was, *clears throat* "in our bathroom" for awhile so I've basically read all of it but just don't remember certain parts. Gonna re-read it as well.

So there you have it. I've got a lot to read... better get started!

We start 'em young around here...

2011-02-16T08:56:00.003-06:00

Here is a video of Shep helping Ella unload the dishwasher. Have I ever mentioned that I don't unload the dishwasher? Nope. I taught Ella how to do that when she was 5 so that's her chore... ahhhh. Nice. Now, if I could figure out how to magically get the dishes into the dishwasher... Ella says I need a bippity boppity boo stick. I agree.

Could it be?

2011-02-14T09:59:00.004-06:00

Could Spring really be around the corner? Sunday afternoon provided lots of sunshine and this family took full advantage of it. This winter has been blah, blah blah. I can't wait for Spring. And I know 2 kiddos that are right there with me. The outdoors keep calling their name...

Artisan Bread recipe

2011-02-14T09:20:00.008-06:00

Ok ladies... here goes. I bought this book at the recommendation of who knows who and after being intimidated for so long about these recipes, I finally overcame my fear and went for it. More on that here. I highly recommend this book if you want to make all types of fresh bread. This is the "master" recipe upon which you can alter it in many different ways. The book shows you how to make white bread, wheat bread, pumpernickel and pastries. The master recipe is the best place to start...

Master recipe
Note... this recipe MUST be prepared in advance.

-3 cups lukewarm water
-1 1/2 tbsp yeast (about 1 1/2 packets)
-1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
-6 1/2 cups unbleached flour plus a little extra for dusting
-cornmeal for the peel (so it doesn't stick)

In a large plastic resealable container, mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm (about 100 degrees) water. Using a large wooden spoon, stir in flour, mixing until mixture is uniformly moist with no dry patches. No need to knead, ;) Cover, but not with an airtight lid. (I mix mine in a bowl and then put in a rubbermaid bin). Most likely, I will figure out another technique next time. It took up too much room in the fridge. See?

Let dough rise at room temperature, until dough begins to flatten on top or collapse, at least 2 hours and up to 5 hours. (I did 2 hours) Now, dough can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks; refrigerated dough is easier to work with than room-temperature dough, so the authors recommend that first-time bakers refrigerate dough overnight or at least 3 hours, which is what I did... and the reason I said it should be prepared in advance.

When ready to bake, sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza peel. I don't have a pizza peel. So, as the authors recommend, I used the bottom of a cookie sheet. Just turn the cookie sheet upside down and use that. Place a broiler pan on bottom rack of oven. Place baking stone on middle rack and preheat oven to 450 degrees, preheating baking stone for at least 20 minutes.

Sprinkle a little flour on dough and on your hands. Pull dough up and, using a serrated knife, cut off a grapefruit-size piece. Working for no more than 30 to 60 seconds turn dough in hands (dust flour on hands as needed), gently stretching surface of dough, rotating ball a quarter-turn as you go, creating a rounded top and a bunched bottom.

Place shaped dough on prepared cookie sheet (or pizza peel) and let rest, uncovered, for 40 minutes.

Dust dough. Using a serrated knife, slash top of dough in three parallel, ¼-inch deep cuts or any pattern you've seen in a bakery, ;). Slide dough onto preheated baking stone. Pour 1 cup hot tap water into broiler pan and quickly close oven door to trap steam. Bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven to a wire rack and cool completely. (I choose to eat mine warm and not let it cool completely. Go ahead. Try it. Yumm!)

Now, I know that sounds like a lot but really, it's not. Maybe you can see why I was intimidated for so long. Please don't be like me. Try it. Now that I have the technique down, I'll make it more and more. This recipe makes 4 one pound loaves. I've made 3 already. I made a loaf for Scott's family on Saturday night and it was gone shortly after it came out of the oven. They wanted more.

So, here is the finished loaf again... I am not exaggerating, this bread is SO good. I regret not making it a lot sooner.

Edited note: I forgot to mention that I use my Pampered Chef baking stone for this. I'm sure you could bake it on something else but more than likely the top would not crust up as much!

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T08:56:00.004-06:00

Today is Valentine's Day and I have a confession. We don't "get into" Valentine's Day. It feels like such a huge marketing ploy... so we've never really participated. But now that we have kiddos, well... we fake it. So, Scott usually gets me a little something like candy in a heart shaped box and maybe a little something else and we make sure we have something for the Punkster. Let me say here that I have NO NO NO problem with the day itself. I don't mind others participating. To each his own. I'm merely saying that it's never been a big deal to us. But like I said, with kids things change. So, each year Scott gets the girls something. (um... that would be Ella and myself) That's how we play. The boy gets the girl a gift. When Shep gets older, he and Scott will most likely do that together. Boys buy the girls candy and a little something extra. This year, Scott gave Punk Reese's in a heart shaped box and Anne of Green Gables, the book. She's such an old soul about certain things (like wanting to dress up as Mickey Rooney for Halloween). She loved the book and has read about 25 pages so far.

And what did he get yours truly?

uh huh. Waffle Weave dish cloths... and do you notice the color? Red. For Valentine's Day. Yep, he's good. ;) A few years ago, he gave me some from Williams Sonoma in my stocking and while I really like them, I'm hesitant to use them. They are a little "too" nice. Crazy, I'm sure but I'd rather have the cheap ones that I don't mind messing up and I can toss with no love lost.

And of course I sent my Punk off to school with her special Valentine's...

Look for another post today... one for that delicious bread recipe... ;)

A quick praise

2011-02-11T14:06:00.002-06:00

I haven't forgotten about the bread recipe. I promise! I know you are on the edge of your seats. But as I sit here in carpool waiting on Ella, I have a quick praise. I had an appointment with the opthamologist this morning to determine if my eyes have bern affected by my thyroid. Praise God, they haven't. He said they look great! I have to follow up on six months. I've been singing praises about this. I needed a little sunshine. And He delivered.

Psalm 18:28 ESV

For it is you who light my lamp;

the Lord my God lightens my darkness.

Artisan Bread

2011-02-09T12:33:00.002-06:00

I've had this book for over a year now. I bought it with such high hopes but after reading it, I felt so intimidated by making fresh bread. It wasn't until recently that I've changed that. I'm trying really hard to eat better... for myself and for my family. The nutrition in the house rests mainly on me. I buy the groceries and I prepare 99% of the meals. But as I read more and more about my condition, it's amazing how much food plays a part in our lifestyle. (Note, I did not become hyperthyroid b/c of my diet... it's a heriditary, autoimmune disease that I had no control over. Blame chromosomes 6, 11 and my momma). So, since I've been diagnosed, I've been researching what to eat and what not to eat. And what I keep reading over and over is NO PROCESSED FOODS. Whoa, momma. That's a doozie for me. I love, love some junk food, now. Always have. But ya know the funny thing is, since I've been sick, I've really not craved or wanted junk food as I once did. I want food. REAL food.

Now, this isn't a big deal since I know how to cook. And have been cooking for about 23 years now. Yep. I remember being 10 years old when I would fry pork chops, bake cornbread and a vegetable and have it ready when my momma got home from work. (with the help of my 12 year old brother sometimes) The problem with cooking though, is that it's easy to cook a meal or two a week and then have fillers, ya know? Frozen pizza, frozen chicken tenders, frozen chicken nuggets. Wait. Stop right there. I interrupt this blog post to bring you this: If you have never seen how chicken nuggets are made I suggest you Google it NOW and you will forever change your mind about eating that mess again. My Punky is traumatized and I love it. ;)

Carrying on! So, I've decided to be more "made from scratch" in the kitchen. I'm just going to make sure that everything we eat is something that I make and cut out things like chips, cookies, nuggets (definitely), pop tarts, etc.

Enter in now, my fresh Artisan bread. So yummy... that I'm gonna show you how to make it... from scratch. And I have the pictures to prove it, ;)

Stay tuned!

Bye bye football

2011-02-08T09:39:00.003-06:00

We said goodbye to football until September this past Sunday. Boohoo. In celebration of the Super Bowl, we made brownies and sausage dip. I didn't take a picture of the sausage dip. Who knows why. Oh, wait. I know. Because I decided to make it last minute. And because I didn't have any sausage. And because I went to the 4way (the store close to our house... like, within walking distance... or golf cart riding distance) and they were out. And because I called my mother in law, who didn't have any. And because I called my sister in law who didn't have any either. And because I wanted to call my other sister in law but she wasn't home and she didn't have any anyway. And because of all of that, I sent Scott and Ella racing out the door at 5:40 to Ingram's (they close at 6 on Sundays), the country grocery store in Eclectic. (By the way... I love living in the country. I know I'm a redneck at heart). So, they come back with the sausage, at a whopping cost of $4.02 for sausage. Yowzas! Anyway, I mixed the brownies while they were gone and when they came back I began the sausage dip. During all of this, my little rugrat is opening drawers, pulling out rubbermaid bowls, um, excuse me... throwing rubbermaid bowls and the like. So, anything I do takes twice as long with that little sucker toddling around. I get the sausage going and in walks Scott's brother for coffee. He plays with Shep while Scott makes the coffee and I work on the dip. I finish the dip only to discover it's time for Shep's bath. So, I take him to the bath tub and throw him and Ella in there together. Nothing like killing two birds with one stone. I get them all clean, ready for bed and put Shep down soon thereafter. I go back to the kitchen to FINALLY eat the sausage dip. I sit down at the kitchen table with it and am ready to watch the game. And it's halftime. Yep, I missed 2 quarters of the game! All because of the sausage dip that I DIDN'T EVEN TAKE A PICTURE OF!!!!!!!!!!!

But. Here is a picture of the brownies while preparing. My sous chef took this one. She said, "momma, this one is so good I'll bet you can put it on your blog." So, this one's for Punky. :) This is a great tip, by the way. I make my brownies like this all the time. In muffin pans. I either use regular muffin pans or the little muffin pan. Either way is fine. So much easier. I just HATE cutting brownies for some reason. This technique elminates all of that. And with kids, you don't have to worry about who gets the biggest piece. They are all the same.

Should you want the recipe for the sausage dip... here goes:

Sausage Dip

1 can of Rotel (I use Mild but any would be fine)
1 block of cream cheese
1/2-3/4 roll of sausage

Drain Rotel. Mix with cream cheese and melt over low heat while cooking the sausage. Drain sausage and mix in with cheese and Rotel. I say 1/2-3/4 because it totally depends on your preference. Serve warm with tortillas or Fritos. Eat at halftime. Oh, wait. Nevermind. ;)

Ain't too proud

2011-02-07T09:25:00.008-06:00

I remember when I was in high school, my friends and I would make the trip to Montgomery to Thrift World. It was on the Southern Boulevard close to Baptist Hospital. Not sure if it's still there or not. Maybe that's where my love for thrift started. Nah. Maybe not. I think it started before that. I remember yard saling with my mom and aunt when I was a wee little girl. So, maybe I've pretty much always enjoyed thrifting. One man's junk is another man's treasure, right? Now, I do know people that think it's crazy, gross, etc. Whatver. To each his own. All I know is that half of the clothes you see on this momma came from the thrift store. I just ain't too proud... ;) And I kid you not, no less than once a week does somebody say... "ooh, those shoes are too cute" (Which by the way, have to look quite new for me to step into them, so I'll give you that one...) or "oh, Da where did you get that top" and the list goes on. Just at church yesterday, I was asked about my shoes. Got 'em at Faith Rescue Mission... for $1.99. Never been worn.

So on Saturday, as Scott, Shep and Ella went to see Willie (that would be our horse, ;)), they dropped me off at Faith Rescue Mission. My. Favorite. Store. In. Town. No joke. Now, I don't always find something in there and sometimes I leave with nothing, but I still like it. Saturday, no exception. Keep in mind people... it is a THRIFT store. It is second hand er, stuff. I hesitate calling it junk. Just cause it's not all junk. But like I was saying, keep in mind!!! It will NOT be the nicest, cleanest, friendliest, quitest, (in fact, the cashier burped SO incredilby loud when I was in there Saturday) shopping experience. Just remember all that and you'll be ok... ;) I will say this about them. They are relatively organized. Even color coated. Be still my heart. My closests are color coated too! They have short sleeves organized by size and color. Wow, huh?! See?

Jeans too...

So what did I walk away with? I bought some pants (from Old Navy) and a jacket for church... all for a whopping $1.98. Sweet!

Happy Grandparents Day

2011-02-04T13:32:00.003-06:00

Today, we went to EMCS for Grandparents Day. We had a luncheon with food catered from Firehouse Subs and an hour or so of the children singing hymns for their grandparents. We had all of the grandparents there and it was such a blessing for Ella... it's times like these that make Scott and I miss our mommas even more. We are so blessed, though, to have Ella in a school that bleeds a biblical world view and where she will learn the love and hope of Christ.

First Baptist of Ivy Gap

2011-02-01T08:58:00.003-06:00

Ahem, ahem... guess who is the official photographer for the Wetumpka Depot. Yes, yes... yours truly... ;) I sat in on the final dress rehearsal for First Baptist of Ivy Gap for some candid shots and a cast photo. This warm and delightful play is their season opener for 2011. The story chronicles the lives of six women who have seen the best and worst of life has. Their journey spans over 25 years as they discover themselves and the meaning of community, family, love and loss. Show dates are February 3-5, 10-12, and 17-19 at 7:30 p.m., and February 6 and 13 at 2:00 p.m. Be there!

Happy birthday

2011-01-31T10:12:00.003-06:00

to my 8 year old Punk! I tried several times to upload an old video of her singing but it never did work... oh well...

a picture will do... from 2007

January

2011-01-30T13:03:00.003-06:00

is Shep and Ella's birthday month. We celebrated Shep's birthday with a low key family party. I thought he would devour the cake but he actually had nothing to do with it. The look on his face here says it all...

Tomorrow is Ella's birthday and she is taking cupcakes to class for the first time ever! She is so thrilled.

This fog...

2011-01-28T13:18:00.003-06:00

seems to be lifting from me. Here is the jist of it...

It took a long time to even realize I was in it. Looking back, I know that it started when I was pregnant with Shep. I just didn't seem myself. Tired... very tired. But I passed it off as being pregnant. And that pregnancy seemed to last forever. I enjoyed it, yes. But it was so tiring. Then after Shep was born, I noticed that I was a little less joyous than I should be. I cried a lot. I missed my mom terribly. I looked around at everyone that had their moms helping them with their little ones and it made me angry. So, I was happy to have my sweet new baby, but was sad, mad and angry on the inside. I passed this off too. I must be having a little post partum. And soon, I got over most of those feelings. But the tiredness would not leave me. It took all I had some days just to get through my normal routine. I lived for the moments when Shep was asleep so that I could rest as well. Any homeschooling I was doing would be workbooks and Ella reading out loud or silently. This too I passed off as me having so much going on or maybe it was just that I was getting older. So, I trudged on. Fall comes and then Christmas season. Scott gets sick and I have to take care of him. No big deal, right? Well... it was such a big deal. I think this is what catapulted it all. He had been struggling with chronic sinus infections and after getting an antibiotic from his ENT, he develops an allergic reaction about a week into the prescription. Now, I'm not talking about a little allergic reaction. This one had joint pains, flu like symptoms, 104 degree fever (umm... yeah), rash... you name it. I was so stressed out b/c we weren't sure what was causing the reaction. The doctor told us to continue the medicine and he did continue for one more day and that was it. It was such a scary time. I have never seen my husband so sick. Immediately after him getting better, I get sick. I almost fainted in church so I thought maybe my blood pressure was the culprit. I had it checked at Urgent Care and it was normal but my heart rate was 122. The wait was forever, so I decided to go home and rest. I didn't get better so 2 days later, I went back to Urgent Care and was diagnosed with a virus. Heart rate was 125 that day. They did bloodwork, and EKG, chest xray, and urinalysis. Was told to drink Gatorade and my heart rate should come down. The following day, they called and said my TSH was low. Do huh? What is TSH? Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. Ah. Now we are getting somewhere. That Thursday, I had an ultrasound and then followed up with my primary care physician. They were sure that I had some form of hyperthyroidism and order yet more testing. Keep in mind... I got sick at church on Sunday, had a RESTING heart rate in the 120s and this was Thursday... let's just say your heart rate is in the 120s while jogging. So, inside, I had been jogging for days!!!!

My PCP gave me beta blockers right away to lower my heart rate and I could tell a difference within a few hours. I was so relieved. My other symptoms, however, were still there. Hand tremors, hot flashes, nervousness, forgetfulness. I will spare you some of the details of dealing with some of those symptoms.

I had an appointment with the endocrinologist and also a nuclear uptake scan (sounds scary, huh) done last week and went this week to have all of the pieces of the puzzle put together and figure out what is going on. After dealing with this for almost 2 years, and most dangerously this past month, I finally have a diagnosis. Graves disease. It's a hereditary condition in my family. Because I don't have my mom here to advise me, I probably went longer with all of this going on that I should have. But that's ok... I'm so thankful to have a diagnosis and to know that I'm not losing my mind. Seriously. Just ask my family. They have had to deal with this more than you realize. And I do have to praise God for giving me such a compassionate and caring husband. He has truly been supportive in all of this. I love him! Oh... I am on medicine and hope to have everything regulated within 4-6 weeks!

So... with all of that said, I now know why I've been feeling like I've been in a fog for so long. I really WAS in a fog! My prayer is that God will restore my day to day joy that is so often taken for granted and that I will each day rest in His mercies. Because His mercies truly are new every morning.

Thanksgiving

2010-11-27T21:25:00.003-06:00

From Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary (which has more biblical definitions than any other dictionary)

THANKSGIV'ING, n. The act of rendering thanks or expressing gratitude for favors or mercies.

Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if received with thanksgiving. 1 Tim.4.

1. A public celebration of divine goodness; also, a day set apart for religious services, specially to acknowledge the goodness of God, either in any remarkable deliverance from calamities or danger, or in the ordinary dispensation of his bounties. The practice of appointing an annual thanksgiving originated in New England.

I hope you all paused for Thanksgiving to celebrate His goodness.

As we celebrated, I tried out a new recipe. Apple pie. Yummmm. Can you get any more American than apple pie? Nope. I found the recipe here. To say it turned out good would be an understatement. It was delicious to everyone that ate it. A few tips to take note of in case you decide to make it... DO double the crust recipe as it suggests. Also, I didn't have cider vinegar on hand so I used white vinegar but only used 2 tsp instead of 1 tbsp.

Now... here it is... along with my sous chef...

It's Fall Y'all

2010-11-08T09:16:00.005-06:00

We've been busy around here with tons of Fall festivities. We've been to festivals, to the zoo with friends, trick or treating, and just hanging out here at the house.

Here are some of my favorite pictures of the kids over the past few weeks.

Theology Thursday

2010-10-28T16:47:00.004-05:00

What an exciting week for us so far! While everyone is scurrying around with Halloween festivities, we've been enjoying Reformation Week. I don't know how many people have asked me "Ooh, what is that? That sounds like fun." Well... yeah... it is fun. And it's exciting. And it's sad that so many people don't know what I mean when I refer to Reformation Day.

From Monergism: Reformation Day is a religious holiday celebrated on October 31st or the last weekend in October in remembrance of the Reformation. Martin Luther posted a proposal at the doors of a church in Wittenberg, Germany to debate the doctrine and practice of indulgences. This proposal is popularly known as the 95 Theses, which he nailed to the Castle Church doors. This was not an act of defiance or provocation as is sometimes thought. Since the Castle Church faced Wittenberg's main thoroughfare, the church door functioned as a public bulletin board and was therefore the logical place for posting important notices. Also, the theses were written in Latin, the language of the church, and not in the vernacular. Nonetheless, the event created a controversy between Luther and those allied with the Pope over a variety of doctrines and practices. While it had profound and lasting impacts on the political, economic, social, literary, and artistic aspects of modern society, the Reformation was at its heart a religious movement. The Reformation was the great rediscovery of the good news of salvation by grace through faith for Christ's sake. For centuries, the Roman Catholic Church had been plagued by false doctrines, superstition, ignorance, and corruption. Since most ordinary Christians were illiterate and had little knowledge of the Bible, they relied on their clergy for religious instruction and guidance. Tragically however, monks, priests, bishops, and even the popes in Rome taught unbiblical doctrines like purgatory and salvation through good works. Spiritually earnest people tried to justify themselves by charitable works, pilgrimages, and all kinds of religious performances and devotions, but they were left wondering if they had done enough to escape God's anger and punishment. The truth of the gospel -- the good news that God is loving and merciful, that He offers each and every one of us forgiveness and salvation not because of what we do, but because of what Christ has already done for us -- was largely forgotten by both clergy and laity. The Holy Spirit used an Augustinian monk and university professor named Martin Luther to restore the gospel to its rightful place as the cornerstone doctrine of Christianity. Martin Luther and his colleagues came to understand that if we sinners had to earn salvation by our own merits and good works, we would be lost and completely without hope. But through the working of the Holy Spirit, the reformers rediscovered the gospel -- the wonderful news that Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose again to redeem and justify us. As Luther wrote in his explanation of the Second Article of the Apostles' Creed: I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, even as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true. On Reformation Day, we glorify God for what he accomplished in 16th century Germany through His servant, Dr. Martin Luther -- the recovery of the gospel of salvation by grace through faith for Christ's sake. We also earnestly pray that God would keep all of us faithful to the true gospel and help us to joyfully declare it to the world. This lovely hymn verse encapsulates the theme of our Reformation celebration: By grace God's Son, our only Savior, Came down to earth to bear our sin. Was it because of your own merit That Jesus died your soul to win? No, it was grace, and grace alone, It brought Him from His heav'nly throne.

---------------------

Luther was ordered to appear before the Diet of Worms. Here is Ella reciting part of Luther's answer to Johann Eck when asked about his writings and if he stood by the contents.

Theology Thursday

2010-09-16T20:36:00.005-05:00

So, this week we've been reviewing the Apostle's Creed. We learned this last year and recite it quite often. We've been reviewing it more often this week because Ella is going to audition for the Wetumpka Depot's Red Headed Robbie's Christmas Story. This play is the children's cast and shouldn't be nearly as time consuming as Big River was... wink, wink. In the email for auditions, it says all children auditioning should prepare a short story or poem to recite. So, we decided on The Apostle's Creed. Here is a video that we took last year of her learning it. Bad quality because it's on my phone. But her voice is sooo sweet. I cherish this video.

And what does that little ole Shep do while we are doing school work? Oh... it's stuff like this... umm, yeah.

Roll Tide Roll!

2010-09-09T21:15:00.002-05:00

Football has invaded our house... and will be here until January. And I couldn't be happier. Well, I suppose I could. But, nonetheless, I am terribly excited about football season... especially Bama football. Why? Who knows. Southern Roots, maybe? I suppose. I remember my parents listening (YES, I said listening, not watching) to "the game" when I was a kid. That's just what they did. Rarely watching, always listening. In fact, I remember watching Bear Bryant's funeral IN SCHOOL. My mom worked in the lunchroom and she brought a tv to school and plugged it in for us to watch. Or maybe I'm a fan because I was in the band... maybe. Or maybe because at the age of 15, I met my future husband... and he and his 3 brothers are some crazy, serious Alabama fans. Maybe that's it too. Whatever the reason, I'm just a football junkie. I don't care who's playing, I'll watch it. It's just fun. Now, don't get me wrong... as much as I like it, I don't plan my life around it. If I miss a Bama game, I'm okay with that. But if I'm at home during this time of the year, I try to have it on football... I'm just that kinda girl. No complaints from my husband, I tell ya.

So, with that being said... to celebrate the beginning of football season, what better way to get things going than a crafty craft made by yours truly?! There is no better way, you say! So, using my trusty Cricut, and this ever so famous tutorial, I whipped up these for the sweet youngins. Aren't they just the cutest? The kids, of course. Roll Tide Roll!

And as a sidenote... Year before last, Ella's favorite number was 8 (Julio Jones' number, of course. :) Then, for a while, she wanted us to take her to a game so that she could ride on his shoulders. Ummm... yeah. And now she asked me tonight if it would be okay to be Julio Jones for Halloween. She has it all planned. She's gonna use her floaties as pads and get a football jersey with his number on it and have me paint her brown...... I think she may have me beat on this football fever.... ya think?

Theology Thursday

2010-09-09T12:51:00.002-05:00

FINALLY, another Theology Thursday. Been awhile, right?
I'd like to summarize the doctrine of perseverance of the saints. This doctrine is held strongly by Southern Baptists and quite often you will hear them say "once saved, always saved." Why yes, this is true. I could go on a rabbit trail here and talk about taking this quote out of context... but I'll save that for a soap box day.
What I do believe perseverance of the saints means is this...
God's elect cannot be lost.

If God enables us and draws us to Him... He will enable us to endure to the end. Of all that He has called, none will be lost.

Joh 6:39-40 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
Joh 10:27-29 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
Rom 8:28-31 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Heb 7:25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
Heb 10:14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Romans 8:28-30, "We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his propose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified." What is evident from this passage is that those who are effectually called into the hope of salvation will indeed persevere to the end and be glorified.

Seriously?

2010-07-26T12:39:00.002-05:00

Has it been over a month since I've blogged? Totally not intentional I tell ya. We've been going full speed this summer with the Are We There Yet? play, Big River rehearsals, horse riding lessons, piano... and that's only for Ella. Add normal day to day life and there you have it. Time got away. But, while I haven't been blogging, I have been reading other blogs. I'm such a blog hog. I love reading other women's blogs. I gain such insight and inspiration to every day life and it makes me think... wow, I'm not the only one that feels like this. I totally related to this blog entry over at Resolved to Worship. It's a must read... actually, I think all of her posts are a must read. And check out her family... are those not some gorgeous kiddos?!

Also, I've been checking out Girl Talk's 52 Home photography project. Girl Talk is a blog consisting of a group of moms and daughters that talk about biblical womanhood and lots of other fun stuff too like recipes, babies and photography. They have a 52Home project that I just adore. Each week a photo is documented of their life. Ordinary life. You may find a picture of over ripened bananas... or car keys. But don't you think ordinary life is where we are most of the time? Reality is not kicked back on vacation with our feet in the sand. Reality isn't bumming around window shopping or antique browsing every day. Reality isn't pedicures and manicures. Reality is the Shep is crying. Reality is Ella spilled juice. Reality is I can't find my car keys. Reality is ordinary, every day life. But in these moments, they should be done “…so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior” (Titus 2:10) God's glory is revealed all around us. Yes! Even in our ordinary life! We don't have to be at the beach to enjoy the wonders of God. We don't have to see the wondrous mountain landscape to enjoy the wonders of God. We ARE a wonder of God. Our lives are wonders. We must glorify Him daily! “So teach us to number our days that we will get a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

And... to my dear friend Tammy... isn't this a project that would be perfect for us to do together? :) Just sayin'... :)

Theology Thursday

2010-06-24T19:57:00.003-05:00

I apologize for not posting last weeks Theology Thursday. I've been busy with carting Ella here there and everywhere the past few weeks. We've had a blast with the rodeo, only one day of VBS (boo hoo... she was bummed about it) the Wetumpka Depot Summer program, horse riding (although it's been too hot this week), piano, and now Big River practice. So, to say summer is in full swing is an understatement. We hope to call down next week... ha. Funny.

So, in thinking about irresistible grace, I thought back on a blog entry that I remember John Piper posting. I remembered the title of it because I thought it was so fitting for the doctrine. I had to go back in the Desiring God archives and look for it, but, AHA! I found it!

It said that Grace is resistible... until it's not. Isn't that so true? We can and we do resist grace. But when God chooses you... there is no win in the resisting.

"The point of irresistible grace is not that we can’t resist. We can and we do. The point is that when God chooses, he overcomes our resistance and restores a submissive spirit. He creates. He says, “Let there be light!” He heals. He leads. He restores. He comforts." John Piper.

My front porch

2010-06-21T21:02:00.002-05:00

Well, I think I'm 99% finished with the porch. It's been hot and we haven't done much outside because of the heat. The heat index has been above 100 for multiple days... yowzas! I still have some throw pillows and cushions that I need to work on but that can be done inside... when Shep is napping... which he seems to be having trouble doing lately. Why must he wake up 45 minutes into a perfectly good nap? Would I? No way.

I'm gonna make these images big so you can tell more about the pictures.

Do you see that floor? Ahhh... yes. My husband stained it for me. 8 hours total in 95+ weather. But it was so worth it. I'm so thankful for him!

I bought an end table at a yard sale that I plan on using as a hideaway for my hose. I ---er, Scott--- need to spray paint it.

And I did make a monogram pillow like the one I saw on Traci's blog. I think it turned out ok. Just a little big maybe?

I stuck some greenery in this wreath along with the "G" monogram that I've had a few years. I think I got it at Hobby Lobby a few years ago. Half off of course. And the ribbon? Well, it's Christmas ribbon... but you can't tell unless you get REALLY close. Things like that don't bother me...

I used my cricut machine to put the number 3 on my well bucket. Because numbers are a trend right now, right? Scott is still trying to figure this one out... but I think it looks great! And do you see that white planter? Isn't it yummy? I just put it there a few days ago. 50 cents at a yard sale. I adore it. I'm just not sure where it's going yet.

Cardboard creations

2010-06-11T21:20:00.002-05:00

Ella loves cardboard. She can visualize so many things and make the craftiest little gadgets out of plain old cardboard. So, when I see nothing but this

She sees this

A cell phone... like mom's. How cool. I just adore her imagination.

Theology Thursday

2010-06-10T13:49:00.003-05:00

When I was reading about what I should write about Limited Atonement, I ran across this from Desiring God. I really like the way it is put so I'm simply using it for my Theology Thursday.

The atonement of Christ is sufficient for all humans and effective for those who trust him. The full, saving effectiveness of the atonement that Jesus accomplished is limited to those for whom that saving effect was prepared. The availability of the total sufficiency of the atonement is for all people. Whosoever will—whoever believes—will be covered by the blood of Christ. And there is a divine design in the death of Christ to accomplish the promises of the new covenant for the chosen bride of Christ. Thus Christ died for all, but not for all in the same way.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16; cf. Revelation 22:17).
This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. (Luke 22:20)
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. (Ephesians 5:25)
I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:15)
I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. . . . And for their sake I consecrate myself [that is, prepare to die], that they also may be sanctified in truth. (John 17:9, 19)
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

Theology Thursday

2010-06-03T08:01:00.004-05:00

Our next "step" in Theology Thursday is Unconditional Election... remember last week we looked at Total Depravity? So, what is unconditional election? Are we saying that God's decision in salvation has no bearing on our decision? Even though God makes his choice in us before we are born, he still knows everything about us and our lives before we live them. Right? Does he take that prior knowledge of us into account when he makes his decision regarding election? Certainly not. For Paul says,
"29For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." Romans 8:29-30 ESV

We see here the order of salvation... God foreknows, He predestines, He calls, He justifies and He glorifies. The Westminster Confession so clearly spells out what is meant by Unconditional Election:

III. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestined unto everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death.

IV. These angels and men, thus predestined, and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.

V. Those of mankind that are predestined unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, has chosen, in Christ, unto everlasting glory out of His mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith, or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving Him thereunto;[10] and all to the praise of His glorious grace.

So, we see that His sovereign election is nothing based on anything foreseen by God (see also Romans 9:10-16) but rather the good pleasure of his sovereign will. How wonderful to know that all power and glory rests in Him and not in any decision on my part. What security that brings.

Barn Door Tutorial

2010-06-02T09:25:00.003-05:00

We made our barn door a few months ago but I'm just now getting to the tutorial. Not because I haven't had time... but because, well yeah. Maybe that is a reason. But more than time, I just haven't figured out how to put the instructions to paper. So, bear with me... I hope this makes some sort of sense. I'll tell you this, though... it made enough sense for us to be able to build it!! It's still hanging!

There are two main parts to the barn door. The assembly of the door and the assembly of the rail. We'll do the door first.

Measure your door opening first to determine how many 1x6s to use. Our door is standard height and we used 12 1x6s going across.

The 1x6s are not glued together... we squared them on the garage floor using boards on each end to level them *real high tech here*. To keep them tight we used a clamp to pull the boards as tight as possible. We then screwed the boards together using the board across the top and bottom of the door. See picture below. There are six screws in each board. Two on top board, two on middle and two on bottom.

Now, I know that photo doesn't tell you very well about what's going on. And I apologize. But it's the best I could do. It's because while they were in the garage working on the barn door, I was doing a little work of my own.

I was working on baby announcements. See? Justified.

Moving on... we stained the door after it was all assembled. You may want to stain boards prior to assembly. Whatever floats your boat. Oh, before we stained the door, we used wood putty to cover the screws, which you actually saw in the picture above. So, that's that to the door assembly. Now, the rail assembly.

The rail was purchased from Tractor Supply and it's simply galvanized rail used for barn doors. Ours is the 10ft. rail. When we were looking at Tractor Supply for what we needed, we were able to find it all in the hardware section. They even had an instruction sheet on how to assemble the rail and exactly what to buy right down to what bolts to buy. We used their instruction guide for that. We did spray paint the rail with Rustoleum Metallic Bronze from Lowe's. I think that made all the difference in the world!

We used 1x6s for the header. Maybe we should have used 2x6s instead, which is recommeneded, but our door isn't heavy and it isn't opened regularly. The 1x6s screw into the studs with 3 inch screws.

Here is the opening before.

And here is the after.

Another view (from the stairs):

So, that's it. I say that's it as if you can do it in 30 minutes. Not the case. No, it didn't take days to do, but it was time consuming considering the screwing, feeding baby, puttying, feeding baby, staining, feeding baby, spray painting... so, yes it took us 2 weekends to do because Shep was a newborn at the time. But all in all, it turned out great and we are very pleased with it. I know the tutorial could be a little bit better, obviously, but if you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer!
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Block of Faith

2010-05-30T20:27:00.003-05:00

I needed something to put on my flower cart on the porch that would elevate my lantern... so I came up with this idea. Using a 6x6 block of wood (that I took from my brother in law's scrap after building a deck), I created this:

I was able to use my Cricut and vinyl to cut the word "faith" mulitple times. I then applied it to the block of wood so that it looked like this:

I suppose you could go all the way around the block but, nah... that was too much trouble.

Using black spray paint, I spray painted over the letters and covered the block of wood. And it was at this point that I discovered that I stink at spray painting. But luckily, it didn't matter with this project. And I have my wonderful husband to do all the "serious" spray painting for me... whew. So, after it's spray painted, it looks like this: (this wasn't the final coat, but close to it... it didn't matter too much with this block b/c I was gonna distress it anyway.)

Pull off the letters, sand a bit to distress it and that's it!

I wish that I had stained the block first before applying the vinyl... I think that would have given it a more distressed look. Maybe I'll do that next time. I promise to show pictures of my porch soon. We've changed our mind and are going to stain the floor now. We have SO many gallons of stain that my daddy gave us and so we finally decided to go with it and stain it. So... you'll have to wait a bit longer. I know, I know. The suspense is killing you... :)

Head on over to Beneath My Heart for other great Do it Yourself projects!

Graduation gifts

2010-05-28T08:44:00.002-05:00

It's that time of year again when I try to figure out what to get all the graduates. There are always so many and my budget is limited. So, this year I did something a little bit different. I got them a cup and a book. A book? Really? Say it ain't so! The last thing they need is a book seeing as how they will be going to college (hopefully) and they will be overwhelmed with books. But I think this is a perfect opportunity to arm them with great Christian classics like Pilgrim's Progress, Fox's Book of Martyrs and maybe even a commentary. I like to scoop up books when they are on clearance or if I find a really good deal on them.

I bought this cup at Target for $6.49. It's usually around $8 so pair this with a book and what a great gift! Hey... Father's Day is coming up and it can easily be made into a "manly" cup. I gave my hubby one of these. It's Camo on the inside. Quite manly indeed.

I then took the paper out and used it as a template and put my own scrapping paper in it.

To add a little "extraness" to it, I added a vinyl initial using my Cricut.

So, that's it... I hope they enjoy it! Oh, and Desiring God has a graduation sale going on that includes John Piper's book Don't Waste Your Life. That would make for a great gift set as well.

Theology Thursday

2010-05-27T21:43:00.002-05:00

Well, it is late but it is still Thursday. I am going to begin a five part series for the Theology Thursday post with a brief discussion on total depravity. In order to understand why we need a Savior, we must first understand our condition. When I say our condition, I mean the state we are in as sinners apart from God's grace. We are a fallen race. One thing that seems to be a forgotten truth in most churches today is this - as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. (Roman 3:10-11) You see we must understand that since the fall we have no desire to seek God or understand God, and that is because we now are naturally opposed to Him - The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14) The natural (or man in his fallen state) does not seek, love or want to know the one true God of the bible... we are actually opposed to Him - For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Roman 8:7-8) This is *briefly* total depravity. We are sinners by nature and we will not seek God apart from His grace imparted to us to transform us. Of course, it is not total in the sense that we are as bad as we could be, rather it is total in the sense that we are unable to submit to God and do good in our natural state. We are totally lost apart from the supernatural work of God in our life to change our nature and cause us to seek Him.

However, the glorious truth of the gospel is that Christ came to save sinners, and He will not lose any for whom he died - And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. (John 6:39)

Sidetracked...

2010-05-24T08:22:00.003-05:00

I was going to work on my porch this weekend. But I got sidetracked. By this little girl...

and this little boy...

And their wonderful daddy. And the detour was sooo worth it. I'll get to the porch. Tomorrow.

His mercies are new every morning

2010-05-21T09:06:00.002-05:00

When I pulled the curtains back on my front door and windows this morning, this is the image I got. How marvelous is our God to show us through His creation that His mercies are new every morning. The green in the trees, the dew on the ground and the suns rays peeking through the woods. Wow. Thank you Lord for refreshment.

I plan to work on my porch this weekend so watch for more before and after pictures!

Theology Thursday

2010-05-20T07:48:00.002-05:00

I had all intentions of talking about total depravity this week for Theology Thursday. But it's not gonna happen. Because I didn't start preparing early enough, time got away from me. Add in a couple of bad days with Shep and there you have it. But, all is not lost! My brother in law has been talking for quite some time about the church he attends while he is working at the fire station. It's The Church at Brook Hills and David Platt is the pastor. Check out this video that details his new book Radical. It contrasts the American dream that we've been taught to pursue versus what the Bible says about what we should pursue.

Just a swingin...

2010-05-19T11:58:00.002-05:00

We got a little crazy when we decided to redo our front porch. Our budget is $zero dollars$ so we are being quite creative! We went a little wild with the swing but I like the way it's turning out. I've always wanted to do something to my swings but staining them has been the extent of my ideas for them. That is... until we found this in the garage:

Here is the before... it's really bad. I didn't realize how bad it looked until I saw this picture.

We even painted the chains bronze... don't they look yummy?

I'm not quite finished with it. Why not? Well... a momma's life is go, stop, go, stop. The go's are usually doing things like laundry, dinner, school etc. And the stops? The stops are feeding Shep becuause I have no choice but to sit down. I think that's God's way of slowing us down sometimes, ya think? So, during some of my go's, I've been working on finishing the swing. I want to distress it and not make it look so... so... bzzzt. No, that's not a word but if you try to sound it out, you'll get the sound effect I'm going for!

Here is a sneak peek:

I'm working on an idea in my head for some cushions for the swing... and they involve burlap!! So fun! I SO appreciate my husband for braving the hot Alabama weather on Saturday to paint this for me. He knows I prefer not to sweat, being the southern gal I am.

Front Porch redo

2010-05-17T16:36:00.005-05:00

This weekend, we worked a little bit on revamping the front porch. We really want to make the redo with things that we already have. We are trying very hard to be resourceful with the things that we have and not buy anything new. And honestly... that's very hard to do! I'll admit, I'm very frugal and thrifty. But it's hard to be resourceful with things I have when I'd love to be finding a good bargain somewhere. But as great as the bargains may be, I'm making myself use the blessings the Lord has given us and not buy STUFF just to be buying. I read a blog post on Life in Grace that calls this "redecoranging"... :)

Here are before pictures of the porch:

I had pretty much cleared everything off when I took these pictures.

I can't wait to show the after pictures to you! We are still working on it... maybe we will be finished by the weekend and I'll reveal it!!

Theology Thursday

2010-05-12T13:46:00.011-05:00

While looking through some archived folders on my computer, I came across this that Ella wrote a few years ago. She was five at the time. Only five, but speaking volumes. She's written several things about God but for whatever reason, this one has always been our favorite.

It says:
(added punctuation, etc. for accurate reading)
Thank you. In the heart God you are good. It's nice to be with you Lord. In the heart of you, you are glory. Bless yourself. You are good God. You can save people. You make people die when you want to.

Wow! Bless you all.
For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in truth. 3 John 3,4 ESV)

Burp cloths

2010-05-11T09:29:00.010-05:00

Oh, thank goodness for burp cloths! I can probably count on one hand the number of burp cloths I used with Ella. With Shep... well let's just say that I have about a dozen and we wash them quite regularly. He spits up like nobody's business! At least he's a happy spitter and it doesn't bother him at all. It's just annoying to always have that smell on him and us.
Luckily, before he was born, I found a great tutorial online about making burp cloths. For the life of me, I can't remember the site but if I find it or you know it please let me know. I'll link to it because this was something that I saw as inspiratation and I don't want anyone to think I stole it and made it my idea!!

I simply bought a pack of diapers. I bought Gerber prefold birdseye weave. They don't look the best (in that boutiquey kind of way) but they are ultra absorbent and I'm glad *now* that I bought these. I had no idea then how useful they would be! I also bought some cute ribbon, ric rac and double fold bias quilt binding. NOTE: I did NOT pre-wash mine and they have been just fine.

First, get the diaper. Choose your ribbon and cut 2 strips the length of the burp cloth. Starting at the top of the diaper, sew the ribbon onto the burp cloth. I try to keep the sewing machine in the center of the ribbon. Do this for both strips of ribbon.

Next, measure your quilt binding to the diaper and cut. Do this for the top and the bottom. Fold it over the diaper and sew. Do this for both ends. Zig Zag the stitch for that "extraness"! That's it!

I will definitely be giving these to new mommies in the future. I just hope they don't have a spitter-upper like I have!!

Head on over to Today's Creative Blog for more DIY ideas!

Deal of the week

2010-05-07T13:15:00.004-05:00

I actually got this last week but I forgot about it because I took a picture of it on my phone and not my camera. But here is the deal:

loofah sponge
2 Oral B toothbrushes
1 box Fig Newtons
Glade plug ins (2pk)
softsoap
After coupons... I spent a whopping $.96 out of pocket! I love CVS!

Theology Thursday

2010-05-06T08:15:00.008-05:00

As I was contemplating what to write about today, the nursery rhyme "Mary Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow?" kept going through my mind. It could be because we recently planted a small, *tiny* garden in our backyard for Ella. It has tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and blackberries in it. Oh, and some flowers for decoration! So, as I go out to look at the garden each morning, "How does your garden grow?" runs through my mind. Of course we have to maintain the garden. We have to water, feed, weed, and nurture the tiny little box garden. If we don't commit to maintaining it, it simply will die!
Now, what does that have to do with Theology Thursday? Well, I think we can all ask ourselves, "How does our garden grow?" Can our lives as God's children grow, as gardens do, without nurture? Without water? Without food? Without commitment? NO! Therefore, I urge you...and most certainly myself... to nurture ourselves on the word of God. He is our source of life.

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. (John 6:35)
Here are some images from our garden planting... we had a great time and can't wait to harvest the fresh veggies!

Being crafty is in her DNA...

2010-05-05T12:46:00.005-05:00

Even Ella likes to be crafty. With a 1x6 piece of wood and some nails, she made this, um... er... craft. She thought it would be perfect for her Papa's workshop. She says he can use it to hang his tools on. Ahhh... through the eyes of a child. I love it.

Place mat pillow

2010-05-03T11:57:00.024-05:00

I found this great place mat at the Dollar Tree and decided it would make a great pillow. It's perfect for Shep's room. The great thing about this place mat is that it already had a backing so all I needed to do was unstitch a section, fill with stuffing and re-stitch the place mat. I went one step further and added Shep's name to it.

Materials
Cricut
place mat
fabric paint
freezer paper
sponge paint brush
iron

Using your cricut machine, choose your design. In this case, I wanted to personalize the pillow, so I did "Shep" using my SCAL software and the CAC One Seventy font. Place freezer paper shiny side down in your cricut machine. Set the cricut (pressure 4, blade 3 and speed3) and cut the design.
Place place mat on ironing board and place the cut out design onto the place mat shiny side down. It must be shiny side down so that the freezer paper will adhere to the fabric. Iron over the place mat for approximately 10 seconds to ensure all parts are adhered.
Take another piece of freezer paper and place on the inside of the place mat before painting. This will keep the paint from bleeding through.

Once that paper is in place, you are ready to paint. Using a sponge paintbrush, sponge the paint onto the place mat where it is cut out. I use a sort of pouncing method and NOT a stroking method. Once it is dry... that's it!! Fill with stuffing and restitch.

A beautiful end to a not so beautiful week

2010-04-30T08:47:00.006-05:00

This week brings back memories and a flood of emotions all relating to my mom. My mom was diagnosed with lung cancer in August 2007 and after a short battle with it, she passed away on April 26, 2008. My world completely changed when she was diagnosed with cancer. I began taking her to her doctor's appointments (which were many!) and I ended up having to put Ella in daycare so that I could be with mom while she was in and out of the hospital. Even though that season in my life was incredibly rough, I will always appreciate the many hours that I spent with her in those last months. The chemotherapy treatments and Chappy's Deli afterwards... the determination of her to go Christmas shopping even though she was having severe chemo side effects... Ella spending the night with her... seeing her drive up my driveway in that Honda Pilot with her little toboggan on... her not wanting to leave the house because we had been chit chatting and just enjoying ourselves... her watching me turn 30... her watching me scurry to prepare Thanksgiving at my house... her watching me decorate my house for Christmas... taking her to rehab to work on her shoulder... visiting her in CVICU, holding her hand and singing to her... listening to her about her visit to Australia overnight while she was in CVICU... taking her home from the hospital... telling her it's ok to let go... and finally, watching her let go.

I love you mom. Always.

His mercies are new every morning! I woke up this morning to a smiling baby boy's face, my husband getting ready for work and the glorious sun shining outdoors. I hear the pitter patter of Ella's footsteps downstairs and it's moments like these that let me know that seasons come and go. And no matter what, we must praise Him during the stormy weather and the sunny weather. So, what started off as a week reflecting on the storm of mom's final months is ending in a beautiful way. I am truly blessed and I praise God for my undeserved blessings.

Theology Thursday

2010-04-29T15:29:00.004-05:00

thanks to my dear husband for today's Theology Thursday. love you babe!

Belief is not enough
Jas 2:19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder! (James 2:19)

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test! (2 Corinthians 13:5)

The demons know and understand God better than you do and they are afraid. They know what will become of them. They will not and cannot be in the Kingdom of God. Just a mere belief in Christ is not enough. You must be born again (John 3:3), through repentance and faith (Mark 1:15), unto a living hope (1 Peter 1:3) that manifests itself through works (James 2:17). Test yourself in light of scripture and be sure (2 Corinthians 13:5). You are not saved by your works, but by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8), and your faith will produce goods works. (Eph 2:10)

Barn Door

2010-04-27T09:37:00.010-05:00

After finishing the nursery, Scott and I decided we wanted to move Ella's room downstairs so that we would have both kids close together. But where would we move her to? We only have 2 bedrooms downstairs and hers was upstairs (and HUGE too!). What we decided on finally (after going through virtually every scenario) was to move her into the study. Doing this posed a few problems though. One was closet space... the study has a built in book shelf instead of a closet. We are still working on that problem too! But the biggest problem was there would be no door to close for privacy. Option one would have been to close in the opening with sheet rock, paint, etc. I was a bit hesitant about doing this... I really wanted the kids to be able to have another exit option... In case of an emergency. No, I'm not paranoid. Just crazy like that.

Our solution? This COOL, incredible, sliding BARN door!!! We made it ourselves and are totally pleased with it... and it fits our style perfectly. It looks great from both sides... Ella's room is a "cowgirl" room so it worked out great!

Stay tuned for a tutorial on how you can make your own barn door!

Head on over to Beneath My Heart for more DIY projects... her blog is great!!

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