the Homeless

On one of my first few trips to New York City we went through Grand Central Station to get downtown to see Rockefeller Center and Times Square. It was New Years day and freezing cold like I've never known in my life. That is a whole story in itself that I'm not trying to tell right now. On our way back to New Jersey (where Will's family lives) we had to sit in Grand Central Station for awhile to wait for our train. It was there that I saw a man ask a lady for money because he was hungry. She gave him a $5 bill and a lecture about how she wanted to see him spend it on food. He walked to the McDonald's (in the station) and bought food. He came back and sat near her and she commended him for buying food with the money. At the fresh age of 20 I remember thinking, "what else would a hungry homeless person buy?" Surely food would rank above all else! Now I always wonder if I were to give a hungry homeless person money, what would they really spend it on? Not that I haven't done it despite not being able to know.
When the weather gets colder (or maybe it's because with the holidays approaching people are likely to be more giving) hungry homeless people stand on busy intersections in our city holding signs asking for food and help. It always feels awkward as the kids and I ponder what to do. Then, last night while I was reorganizing the food pantry (where I stock my rockin deals) it dawned on me! Why not make emergency food kits for the homeless? More to come on these and how we will package, arrange, and give them out.
But for now here are some pictures from our October Fall fun:

23 Days of Christmas

I feel like I just really need to post this. I have made a commitment for the month of December, but I feel myself talking myself out of it, due to the craziness of the approaching holidays. Not that anything has gotten crazy YET, I just feel it coming on. But I don't want it just to be like that...it should be about giving. Which is what I decided a month ago, when I felt God lay it on my heart to bless my neighbors this holiday season. Therefore, I have decided to give each of my neighbors a baked good each day in December. I have 23 neighbors, so I am starting the 1st and going through the 23. The 24th I will be busy cooking for my family. I'll let you all know how it goes, but I truly encourage you to do something similar. Maybe baking for just a few neighbors? Or, maybe God will call you to something entirely different, but just remember it's about the JOY of giving (or so I am reminding myself) not being overwhelmed by it!

New Commitment

I am making two new commitments to myself. I am sharing them with you because I feel if I share them, then I should probably *DO* them.
#1 update my blog weekly. facebook is really using up my free internet time, so I am going to switch over to blogging during that time. hopefully, it works out. i will continue to answer on FB, as it is sent to my email, but don't plan on reading everyone else's posts, at least not regularly.

the first three pictures were taken at Norfork Lake, Mtn Home, AR - Labor Day weekend

Teaching her to operate the vehicle:

commitment #2: no fighting. apparently we do this more than we realize, so hopefully we can cease fire.

Montgomery Bell State Park

We had been there once before, but this time drove to another area where SURPRISE! there was more to the park than we had thought! I would love to spend more time hiking this area and there are GREAT TRAILS to be hiked!

http://www.stateparks.com/montgomery_bell.html

keeping me on my toes

No one wants to be lukewarm in their faith, even though it may disguise itself as being a much safer, calmer place to be. When that happens though, there are generally three subsequent events: 1) staying lukewarm for indefinite period of time 2) self-motivating oneself to find the lost passion 3) a good boost into passionate faith by another source, be it a frustration, something through another person, or a challenge.
I guess any of these three can happen to me, but I usually get a boost from somewhere.
Of my kids, Tyler is the one who challenges me. He questions everything and I am amazed at his logical trepidation. Josh has always just accepted and trusted what is told him (this can be a negative thing at times), but Tyler really keeps me on my toes. I think he truly believes in God, as I sense his wonder and amazement of Him. But, there are times that he openly challenges the "what if?" or the "but how?"
Most recently he said, "I don't get it. If we can't see God, how can we believe in Him? How do we know He is there? And, if He is able to be everywhere at once, then why can't He just appear to each of us so that we are no longer confused?"
Wow. Okay.
My response (totally winging it- such as what happens with these sorts of things): "Those are great questions Tyler. I've wondered them too. Right now I'm being reminded of when Jesus appeared to His Followers after the resurrection. He told Thomas, 'you see me and you believe. how blessed are those who believe in me without seeing me.'" I probably jumbled it up, but I think it made sense. How much faith kids have! And yet for some, they question faith altogether. Just like adults, if I can't see it how do I know it's there. That challenges me to wonder all over again, who is this God I serve? And I definitely begin to feel passionate, which totally ROCKS.

September and October

Well, we all got wet that game, but no one was as muddy as Tyler!

On the day of Football Jamboree:

Asleep on the 2 minute ride from our house to the grocery store:

Cheese smile:

She literally put her glasses on TO fall asleep (which happened right after I snapped this picture with my phone:

The rainbow over Lana's house after our gathering:

Trying to shoo the cat out of our truck before we leave!

The best temperatured day EVER:

At Joshua's football game:

My new friends' blogs

I have all of these "ideas" that I want to implement and do and never actually get around to. But lately I've been reading two blogs that inspire me. These ladies actually DO the things they blog about! They motivate me! I hope to one day be able to do some of these great things, but for now I love gleaning their ideas!
The first is my friend Kim, from MOPS. She does CRAZY stuff, like sewing and quilting. She is quite energetic and always has a "project" going on. Not only that, she is HILARIOUS to read. I may not be able to do all of the cool things she does (and yes, she has two preschoolers and a home-based business) but I am sure amused when I read about her adventures in life doing them. http://trippfamilyonline.blogspot.com/

The second blog I received a link to from the House2House email newsletter (designed for simple/house churches). It is written by a lady named April, who I have been communicating with off and on through email as well as reading her blog. She has super GREAT ideas for children's involvement in home church activities and worship. The best part is that these ideas can involve both adults and children and the adults benefit from them just as much as the kiddos do, naturally ;) Check her blog out at: http://withthekids.wordpress.com/

Over the summer and through our lives

These are photos that tell stories of what we did and what happened over the summer here in our neck of the woods.

For my birthday Will brought me flowers and we LOVED to smell them:

My favorite summer dress for Brielle:

Creative back porch art:

Say cheese:


Well, Shadee lived downstairs and out back for the past 1 1/2 years (she's 9 now) and then I watched Marley & Me http://www.marleyandmemovie.com/ and that was it for me. We gave her two baths and some time getting used to us, but the kids LOVE her being back upstairs.

Brielle and her cousin Archer on Grandma & PopPop's door step:

Say cheese again, Joshua's helping put her shoes on:

More to come! I just have to gather my thoughts!

reflecting on the art of enjoying unscripted parenting

I can see many reasons why life has been designed to be shared with other people. The most recent: conversations. Without a recent conversation that I had with a fellow mom of three, I might not have pondered the following: How to enjoy unscripted spontaneous moments of fun with your children! I use the word unscripted because most of a moms busy day to day verbal instructions are pretty predictable.
“Let’s brush your teeth.”
“Okay, c’mon let’s go.”
“Where is _________?”
“Ugh, we’re running late.”
“Time for _________”
“Clean up your toys first.”
“One more bite!”
I could go on and on………and on. But these short phrases repeat themselves all day long, generally speaking. But “unscripted” is where we moms just don’t really know what is going to happen. We have to let our guard down. We have to be adventurous. We have to boldly go where we’ve not gone before. That scares a lot of moms, including me. Why? I’m not sure but I think we may think that our kids are going to become w i l d if we let them think we aren’t in “charge” and we must keep our serious faces on all times. Oh sure, it’s okay to smile, even laugh, but to just jump off of a cliff blindfolded? Wait. Is that what I’m talking about?
So, in reflecting on how and when these moments occur (which happened the next day after our conversation), I resolved to be more aware of them. Then what? Well, that is of course the tricky part, because it is UNPREDICTABLE. I’m sure that most of the time I totally miss these moments and blow their opportunities for fun with my kids. But I’m praying and trying to be more aware.
Take this morning for instance. I was attempting to make my bed. Now, sometime last week I had a crazy fun idea. We used to play this game with the boys when they were little and they loved it. I threw Brielle on our bed and fluffed the sheets up and down and “made it” with her in it. It WAS fun. Then. Now every time I try to make the bed and Brielle is nearby (where else would she be?) she tries to pull the covers up over her head from the sideline and proceeds to yank them off of the bed that I’m trying to make. It was getting SO frustrating! (these kinds of things happen quite often during my day which is why I’m certain that I “miss” out on a ton of golden opportunities).
I’m saying “No. Leave it alone.” She’s laughing, tugging, messing it up.
“Ughhhhhhhh.” I say.
“Hahahahaha,” she goes.
I stop. I stare at her. I remember. Conversation. Reflection. Here’s my moment.
I pick her up and toss her onto the bed. Covers fly. She squeals with delight! I “make the bed.” Her blanket covered figure squirms with laughter as I ask, “what happened to Brielle?” and proceed to find her. I lay down and giggle with her. She wants to do it again. We play this way for awhile, and I think she’ll never want to stop. Laughter music. Fun sounds. Eventually we will get tired.
“Okay, last time,” I announce. (ugh oh!)
Last time.
“Want juice?” I ask.
“Juice?” she answers.
“Okay, lets make the bed then.” I show her how to “pat, pat” it down.
“Juice?”
And we’re off. Filled with the fun we had, and I couldn’t believe she didn’t demand a single thing of me for at least the next hour!
I also couldn’t believe I almost missed that moment with her.
Sometimes I feel so pulled in many different directions - all of them with seem to be worthy of my attention: as a wife, mommy, homemaker, or whatever God calls me to be for Him at the moment, and even for myself (whether with selfish motives or not). But today I realized that while my children’s antics seem to be something that I either get stressed out by, or feel like I need to be the “Mom in Charge” of - it is not always so. They are actually calling me out of my scripted roll, not for their neediness of my fun with them, but to bless ME. These unpredictable moments are for my blessing. Mine! I never usually think of it like that. And they are random gifts from God. I cannot destine them to happen. I can plan the best, most fun, most exciting venture for my kids, but nothing will feel like the joy God can give us rolling around on an unmade bed laughing, tickling, and hugging or whatever it is. It’s like a surprise when we least expect it. Only we have to remember to open it, or we’ll not get to enjoy it.
So, it turns out that what feels like jumping off of a cliff blindfolded is actually more like soaring on wings like eagles. Who knew this? Um………..God.

Refrigerator Pickles

7 C. unpeeled sliced cucumbers
1 C. diced green peppers
1 C. sliced onions

Make a brine with:
1 C. vinegar

2 C. sugar
2 t. salt

1 T. celery seed

Mix vinegar and sugar. Do not heat. (do this before slicing the cucumbers as it takes a while to dissolve). When sugar is dissolved, add celery seed and salt and pour over sliced cucumbers. Store in refrigerator in covered container. Let stand 24 hours before using. There doesn’t seem to be enough brine, but the liquid rises over the next 24 hours, so just watch it do its thing in the fridge. Also, I halved this recipe since my cucumber vines are only producing 3-4 usable cucumbers at a time. I also didn’t have a jar large enough (even for half of the recipe), so I split it into 2 containers. I also used a red onion, not sure if that makes a difference in the overall taste or not.