My Top 10

Jen, over at Talking Hairdryer, tagged me for this meme. My top ten reasons I haven't blogged in a while (in no particular order). I could have said SweetTate (age 2), SweetDoll (age 5), SweetBoy (age 8), SweetHeart, new dog--Daisy, laundry, dishes, company, projects, life...but that would not be very interesting. True, but not interesting. So here is some of what we have been up to lately.

1. I tend to be a one project at a time kind of girl. (I have visions of completed projects that rarely actually happen!) So when I get on a project, I get a little obsessed. My project lately is the kids' scrapbooks. When I started scrapbooking, SweetBoy was about 18 months old. I thought the book I started would be his. A few pages into it I decided it was too much work for that and it would be our family album. Then I saved pictures for the kids, and have now decided to make them each a book too. Well, a few weeks ago, Mom took my little ones home for a few days, and I had all day while SweetBoy was at school to myself! I got the house all clean and scrapped the rest of the time! It was S-W-E-E-T! I got SweetTate's caught up to the point I have pictures developed...um, last May... but it is close! Now I've started on SweetDoll's. I have her home from the hospital. Yep, I have a long way to go, but I am enjoying seeing their baby pictures and watching them grow up. It really does fly by! I can't believe she will start school next year!

2. We have had the sinus junk with this crazy weather but thankfully have not had the really yuck bug that has been going around.

3. My birthday was a few weeks ago. I've reached the point of life when no one mentions your age. They will tell you happy birthday, but no one says which one it is! A few years ago my mom told me, "It is bad when you stop lying about your own age, and start lying about your kid's age!" Yep, I'm that age!

4. I mentioned The Truth Project a few posts ago. I have also been watching the Wising Up video series by Beth Moore. SO GOOD! She started it by saying, "We are not here to just learn about wisdom. We are here to get some!" And let me tell you, she opened up the Word and there was wisdom for the taking in every area of life! I love it!

5. In my personal Bible study I'm doing the John: 90 Days with the Beloved Disciple by Beth Moore. I have really enjoyed her studies in this format when I'm not involved in a group Bible study. Anyway, this study has really hit home. I never really stopped and thought about the person of John and his life. I can really relate to him.

6. On another spiritual note...I've been memorizing Scripture. Seriously, taking it to heart and applying it to life. That has been a neat thing. And good to keep my mind from wandering to negative things.

7. We are in the blessed "between" season--between football and baseball! SweetHeart is not all that into basketball or hockey. He will watch it now and then, especially March Madness, but it is not an obsession in the house quite like football or baseball. But...baseball will be here before you know it. SweetBoy AND SweetDoll are signed up to play this spring. It will be our first time to juggle two in sports and any words of wisdom are welcome! SweetDoll is so excited to move from cheerleader on the sidelines for big brother, to player on the field.

8. My dishwasher is out, so I'm probably doing dishes instead of blogging!

9. We do the Blockbuster movie in the mail thing. We have watched the recent ones and have started digging into the oldies. Last night the kids and I watched "Bye Bye Birdie." In high school we did that musical when I was a sophomore. I got out the photo album and showed them the pictures of me in the musical. What a riot! That movie was so corny! I don't remember the play being like that! The kids asked which part I played. I told them I was one of the girls that fainted! Nothing like a trip down memory lane! In the dancing scenes they asked what they were doing. "Dancing, you know, like they did the basketball dance in High School Musical." They didn't quite get the 60's dance. Thankfully I can say that was before my time!

10. This one is a teaser...we have had a very long week for many reasons. One being the day that I called my blessing day. It is a post of its own, so you will have to come back later for that one! ;)

So, now it is your turn. What have you been up to?

Beautiful Winter

I know with a title like that on this blog you would expect a picture. Sorry to disappoint, but you will just have to use your imagination. Like a large section of the country, this week we have had ice. School was even canceled one day. So by yesterday, it was time to run errands--we hadn't been out of the house for days! I never thought I would be thankful for a Wal-Mart trip! The roads were clear, but the trees were covered with the most beautiful ice. The day before it was mostly clear ice, but this day was white. As we drove SweetDoll, SweetTate and I were in awe of the beauty of the winter! God really out-did Himself today! I was glad the roads were clear because I was watching the scenery more than watching for ice patches on the road.

Anyway, there is not much exciting going on here, just the normal stuff. SweetHeart and I have been going to a Bible study with some friends called The Truth Project. It has been so good and very thought provoking. It has really hightened my awareness of God's truth and what lies I have fallen for from the world's point of view. One of the theme questions is "Do you really believe, that what you believe is really real?" Think on that one for a while! All of that to say, if there is one happening in your area, it is worth the effort to go! On a kids note...Baseball sign-ups were this week. This spring we will be juggling 2 teams. SweetDoll is so excited to play! Speaking of her...as I watched her play, I realized that I have to get her new pants! Her other ones are getting so short. Anytime we are out, people ask if the two little ones are twins, but she has grown and the gap between them is a bit bigger. Not much though, it will not be long before SweetTate passes her! Which will rock their world, because you know the tallest is the oldest! One day the kids asked if I was as O-L-D as Uncle Justin! He just loved that! I guess I better go get the laundry done, again. Hope you are having a beautiful winter day too!

Scripture Memory Team

Beth Moore is having a Scripture Memory Team Challenge for 2009 to memorize 24 Scriptures in 12 months. I have never been good to memorize Scripture, so I am really looking forward to this. For the past two weeks I've been memorizing this verse:

Psalm 86:11-13
Teach me Your way, Lord, and I will live by Your truth. Give me an
undivided mind to fear Your name. I will praise You with all my heart,
Lord my God, and will honor Your name forever. For Your faithful love for
me is great, and You deliver my life from the depths of Sheol.
(HCSB)

This verse has fit right in with other things I'm studying. It has been so neat! Here is what I have learned by meditating on this verse.

* undivided mind and with all my heart--complete devotion. This is going in the theme of having a transformed mind and focusing on things above.

* honor Your name forever--do what will be honoring to God forever, don't be short-sighted

* live by Your truth--"Do I really believe that what I believe is really real?" (Truth Project) My actions will reveal what I believe. Am I living by His truth?

* This way of living is cross culture and not human nature. It will be tough. But God is with me, a mighty woman of valor! Be courageous! (Wising Up by Beth Moore, videos 7,9)

So here is the next verse I'm working on.

Colossians 3:1-2

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (NIV)

Introducing Daisy!

I'd like you to meet the new addition to the family. This is Daisy!

This is SweetBoy beside her so you can see she isn't very big. She is so soft and sweet! We chose her at the animal shelter yesterday, and she has fit right into the family. There is just something about having a dog around. Yes, it is more responsibility, but she also adds an element of relaxing that I have missed. I'm sure you will be hearing more dog stories in the future, so you had to meet our new dog. (Hopefully nothing like Beth's post today--I'm still laughing!)

Happy New Year!

I just love clean slates, and that is what the New Year feels like. A chance to start again. I have finally realized that I don't have to feel like the past year failed if it wasn't "perfect." There was some growth and that was good. I won't arrive until I'm in heaven, so do my best and be happy with that. Now it is time to refocus toward the goal and go again. Last year the theme was giving God my best. This year the theme is focusing on Him through it all. I'm watching the video Bible study by Beth Moore called Wising Up. One of the points she made was about Proverbs 3:5-6:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own
understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path
straight.

Acknowledge means to know Him. In everything I face I need to know Him there. Money trouble--know Him there. Parenting struggles--know Him there. Success--know Him there. Failure--know Him there. Relationship problems--know Him there. Get the picture? And I have to set my heart, mind, and soul on Him.

Colossians 3:1-2
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things
above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mnds on
things above, not on earthly things.

So this is my main goal for the new year: to know Him and keep my heart set on things above.

Here is my top 9 list for 2009 that I want to work on.

1. Meet with God everyday in prayer and Bible study and use my journal.
2. Pray for SweetHeart and the kids more.
3. Memorize Scripture (Beth Moore has a challenge going if you want to join me. Here is the info and here is the sign up.)
4. Exercize more.
5. Read the Bible with my kids more.
6. Teach my kids to help around the house more.
7. Take time to play and enjoy my kids more.
8. Go to bed earlier.
9. Be on time to church. (Hubby will love that!)

These are not very qualitative, but any progress is good. I'm sharing it here so you can help keep me accountable, and I'm interested in any tips you may have that work at your house.

Christmas Questionaire

Here is a glimpse of our Christmas blog style...

1. real or fake Christmas tree
Fake...I have enough trouble keeping us healthy without envoking the help of alergies!

2. favorite ornament
I don't have a specific favorite. But I enjoy unwrapping the ones of our first Christmas, the kids' first ornaments, the picture ones, the ones of places we have been (that is our souveneer that we shop for on trips).

3. favorite Christmas song
I love this time of year on the radio! Not so much for SweetHeart--I'll be singing along with harmony, and he says, "Let me guess, you sang that in show choir." Yep! I guess one of my favorites right now is Sandi Patti's Come Let Us Worship the King. I have been practicing signing it for church and it just sets my heart ready to worship! Travis Cotrell's new Christmas CD is high on the list too!

4. favorite tradition
Being with family, whether it is just the five of us or with 25-50 of our closest relatives (yes, seriously). I am thankful for a husband whose family cherishes family too and all are willing to share us with the other side when it is their turn. Other traditions come and go or modify, but this one is constant. If it is the five of us at home, we wear pj's all day, play with new toys, and watch movies.

5. favorite gift ever received
I have thought and thought about this one. I have received many wonderful gifts over the years, but not in particular is jumping to mind (except a razor!). My favorite is watching everyone else open the gift that we got them. The smile on their face or that "this is something I wanted but wouldn't get for myself" look. The kids are great at that "I wanted this my whole life" surprise look. (And they know I love it, so now if I miss it initially they just pose until the flash of the camera!) That is my favorite!

6. favorite Christmas meal
If we are with my side, we usually have the traditional dressing and all the fixings. (Mom makes the best cornbread dressing!) With hubby's side, we might have Mexican pile on because we have traditional meal at Mamaw's the day before. If it is just us, we have pizza! At this point in life, that is my favorite--easy prep, easy clean up, and no complaints!

7. favorite Christmas cookie
Mom, brother and I used to make "Judy's cut cookies" that are the best! I like them before they are iced. My kids like to make "painted cookies." Same cookies, just a different name! YUM! I also look forward to Muddy Buddies (aka Puppy Chow), and chocolate covered pretzels!

8. favorite place to be
With family. We have gone to grandparents', great-grandparents', skiing in another state, or home and we have a good time together.

9. favorite memory
Singing carols with my cousins. SweetBoy telling the Christmas story with the VeggieTales nativity scene, complete with lights off for the scene changes!

One of the funniest memories was going to cut our own Christmas tree with Sweetheart, one of my cousins and her husband. I'm not sure exactly how many rules we broke, but we had a tree that, well, looked better in the forest at dusk! And then there was the year that Sadie, our dog, got sprayed by a skunk on a bitter cold night, so she couldn't stay outside. This year we can add our journey to and from to the "yea! memories" list--tummy troubles and flat tires! It is odd that I try so hard for everything to be perfect and smooth, but the ones that stick in my memory are the ones that weren't so perfect.

10. favorite Christmas movie
White Christmas... and Court Jester. I know, that isn't a Christmas movie, but that is one of the first things I did with the whole last name family when we were dating and it was Christmas time. So it is one that I enjoy seeing this time of year!

OK. I'll have to quit there or I'll get out the picture albums and stir too many memories to tell! It is a very hectic season, but the best part is sharing it with family, and refocusing on what is really important. Jesus, God with us, came to this earth for a purpose. Now what am I going to do with His gift? That should be my focus. More on that tomorrow!

Now where were we

Ah yes, a season of thanks. The last thing I wanted to put on my list, at least for now, is my family. And it is still relavant because in the last month we have seen more of our aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, great-grandparents, and friends than we have had the opportunity to in several years. We've met new little cousins too! We had a good time visiting, playing games, and catching up with extended family. It is such a priviledge to be part of a wonderful family--on all sides. We are so blessed, and I'm so thankful.

Between holidays, SweetHeart and I made a trip to the coast for a conference. It was nice to get away, but it was as cold there as it was at home! We have literally been from one end of the state to the other!

It has been such a busy time with mile-long to-do lists, as I'm sure you know. Now I'm thankful for a few days of rest before it is back to the routine of school and stuff.

I do love Christmas and didn't mean to skip over it here, I'll share a little more but right now my hubby wants to watch a movie. I'll get the popcorn!