I've got my 8!

My kiddos are all here (except the 3 who went home with their parents). Our three who are staying with their uncle across state are here for 3 nights! :) It's been WONDERFUL! I would be so happy if we could somehow keep this lovely, large, hectic group of kiddos. My oldest girl is downstairs singing with my niece on the American Idol PlayStation game we got for Christmas. My 7 year old and 6 year old boys are watching them. The other group is up here playing with Transformers. I love the sound of them laughing together. Ahhhhhhhh..... Music to my ears. It will be sad tomorrow when the three leave.
Happy Monday everyone!

Catchin' Up...

Good morning, happy Thursday! My 5 year old was sick yesterday... still a little today but much, much better. My Almost-8-year old has been pushing the limits for the past couple weeks. Probably Christmas coming... he also found out recently that he wouldn't be seeing his biological dad until after the holidays, like WAY after the holidays. Poor kiddo.
We have an anual Christmas party with all the extended relatives. We're doing it at our house this year. I thought I was just volunteering the place, but ended up having to be the time/date coordinator as well. I guess that makes sense. But we finally, just this morning, found a day/time that seems like it will work for everyone. That took a week.
Christmas shopping, Christmas parties, not much Bible Study. There was a Proverbs 31 Ministry e-mail devotional recently that asked the question, "Are you ready for Christmas?" And how most of us respond with our lists of what we have left to do for the festivities. But am I ready, READY, for Christmas? Have I been preparing my heart? Have I been feasting on His Word? Have I quieted my heart to listen to His voice instead of all the hustle and bustle? Have I been teaching my children about Christmas and all that it means?
Today is a house-cleaning day... Physically clean the kitchen... and spend some time with my Saviour to "clean" my heart.
I may even turn off my computer. :)

"Whenever I feel like cleaning, I lie down until the Feeling Goes Away!"

I'm in a slump! Must get out of it! Do it, Just do it!

Menu Plan Monday

Here goes... My first ever Weekly Menu Plan Monday post. Woo-Hoo! My hubby will be so pleased! So will the kids. No more conversations like the common ones below:
7 year old "What are we gonna eat for dinner?"
Mom - "I don't know yet."
"Can we go out to eat?"
"Why?"
"That way you don't have to cook."
Isn't he sooooo sweet to be so concerned about me!
Another conversation goes like this:
Kid - "What are we gonna eat?"
Mom - "I don't know yet."
Kid - "Can we get something at a drive up?"
Or if I'm lacking inspiration (which is always) I'll sometimes ask the kids what they want to eat. My 5 year old invariably responds with, "Chicken nuggets, french fries, and a toy!"
Then again, perhaps the kids won't be all that pleased to have mommy know before 5pm what we'll be having for dinner. I have a feeling our pizza nights and drive-through dinners will be decreased drastically!

Monday - Sloppy Joes & Mac n Cheese & Pork n Beans
Tuesday - Chic-Fil-A (family night - cheap & fun)
Wednesday - Crockpot lasagna, salad, canned fruit
Thursday - Meatloaf with baked potatoes (maybe even twice-baked) salad, peas
Friday - Dinner out with hubby so pizza or hot dogs for kids & babysitter
Saturday - Tomato soup & grilled cheese sandwiches
Sunday - Spaghetti, corn, canned fruit

Nothing fancy. Just trying to get in the habit of writing it down.
Have a super week!

So Proud

I just got back from the grocery store and ONLY bought the items on my list. I am so proud of myself! Not even one tiny impulse buy! I did make one switch... The bananas were all green so I bought apples instead. Do you realize how much money I'll save if I keep sticking to my list? What? You do realize how much a person could save? Huh, guess it's just me. Seriously, I am so far behind on all things home-maker-ish. When we were first married, okay, even up to five years ago, I would ponder and search and ask people... How do I clean my kitchen? Mom, if you're reading this, it's not your fault! I learned so many life lessons from my parents (even see my list and the comments on Saturday's post). Anyway, I guess I just never really wanted to learn how to be a home-maker. Now I'm seeing the importance of having a menu plan (see tomorrow's post! Wahoo! Now I have to do one.), a budget, an inkling of how much money pictures are going to actually cost before I have my children do 4 poses at the studio (another story), having routines that include decluttering and picking up dinner dishes,... I could go on, but I think I've embarrassed myself enough! I just am so tickled pink that I actually STUCK TO MY LIST!!!!!!!!!! Go me! :) Happy Sunday evening/Monday morning. I will have my meal plan up by noon. Okay, by afternoon, by evening at the latest... Okay, by noon-ish. :)

Have you Ever?

Have you Ever?
This is going around and thought it would be a easy blog post.
You BOLD the ones you HAVE done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang/played a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child - In the process now!
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant - Taco Bell - the next person in the drive-up
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance - not as a patient but as a ride-along
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud - just two years ago we were redoing our lawn and hubby purposefully made a big mud pit for the kids (and me) to play in
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie - It was a local fire department training one :)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
89. Saved someone’s life...yes - over the phone as a 911 dispatcher and by leading them to the Lord, and therefore having eternal life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Made a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

I got this from Dawn's site - It was fun!
Let me know if you do one!

http://theproverbs31journey.blogspot.com/2008/12/this-is-going-around-and-thought-it.html

Friday Fill-Ins on Saturday

From http://www.fridayfillins.blogspot.com

1. Snow makes everything extra beautiful and peaceful.
2. I'm looking forward to adopting our 2 boys.
3. Flannel is the best material ever!
4. One of my favorite old tv shows is Little House on the Prairie.
5. I'm done with feeling guilty.
6. The most enjoyable thing around the holidays is talking about Jesus.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to my hubby coming home after being out of town since Tuesday, tomorrow my plans include meeting my sisters at a photography studio to get pictures of all the grandkids (9 of them) for our parents, (it'll be at 2:30, you might say a prayer around that time!) and Sunday, I want to go to church!

By the time anyone reads my Friday Fill-Ins, it will be Saturday, but since I'm posting at 11:07pm, I'm gonna do it anyway!

Confessions of a Recovering Feminist

I read the study for Week #4 in Sunny's Biblical Submission Bible Study. I prayed, especially Ephesians 4:29... "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths (my mouth), but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."
I picked up my Bible and my Beth Moore Believing God study book... I was just getting ready to sit down to read and study when I was flooded with memories of my old feminist life.

• I used to refuse to allow boys/men to open doors for me.
• When I was a senior in High School I wrote a paper on the feminist movement relishing all the research that prooved women's superiority.
• I read a book "proving" that it was a goddess who formed our world... and believed it.
• Would refuse to attend church because of Ephesians 5 - "Wives submit..."
• Coughed loudly during a wedding ceremony when the "obey your husband" vow was read
• Told "Stupid Men" jokes... in front of my dad
• Had quite a collection of buttons/pins that said horrible things about men
• Proudly displayed a bumper sticker on the back of my car (from my father) that read, "Men are Idiots and I Married Their King!" (My head is bowed in shame just thinking about that one... my poor hubby.)

The other day I said something to my dad about how I've changed a little bit and he thought I was underestimating the "little bit" part by quite a lot. I also e-mailed an old friend who would be shocked at how I've changed... I give all glory to God. Only He can change a heart the way He's changed mine. Funny because I thank Him for "opening my eyes" but every few weeks or so He opens them more to where I am embarrased for thinking they were "open" before. God is good!

As an afterthought... I've been struggling a lot with low self esteem. Could it be that I was so proud that God has been actually teaching me humility lately?

International Standard Version (©2008)

"But may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world!"