THE MAGOOS NEWS

Going down down down...

2012-01-12T05:30:00.000-06:00

Here in OK, we have been having some of the most beautiful warm sunshiny days! Yesterday was just that ~ sunny & warm UNTIL around 4:30 in the afternoon. The wind turned around to the North and my oh my did it ever blow! By the time we went to church @6:30 the temperature had dropped 15 degrees and was still going down! When we got home, guess what??? It started snowing!! HARD! Everything was covered except our streets which were still warm from the day!

It's funny how anytime something happens like that, Facebook is chock full of status' about it!lol Everyone - kids and adults alike get so excited and Joy is spread from one to another!!

I have Beans in the crock-pot, and I am getting my hair cut & colored after workout today! I CANNOT WAIT - it has been 3 months.... YES THREE... since I got it done last!! That is WAYYYYY TOOOO LONGGGGG ;0)

So on this Thursday I am a thankful girl ♥ God is sooooo Good! I pray yours is blessed!

Love to you all

So Very Proud of my Son

2012-01-11T05:30:00.000-06:00

My Son Jantzen is such a sweet and kind-hearted young man. If you spent any amount of time with him, you would experience his inquisitive nature. He LOVES to hear all about you! If you don't know where to start, trust me, he will ask you MANY Questions! Questions may be about your past, your dreams, or if you happen to have been in a War, then this will leave you talking for as long as you have time for :)

On Monday, I picked him up from school and he was hungry, as usual. (aren't they always hungry @ this age?lol) He asked if would take him to eat @ Waffle House. He absolutely LOVES Waffle House. He says they have THE BEST Waffles in America. (I choose my battles and this is not one that I will fight heehee b/c I am not in agreement with this opinion!) As we walked in, he IMMEDIATELY saw an older woman dining by herself. She was having a burger and fries. She gave us a very sweet smile as the waitress walked us to our table.

The second he sat down he said "Mom, I want to pay her ticket and I don't want her or anyone else to know!" "I will spend my Christmas money!"

I explained that he needed to get our waitress over and to let her know quickly as I noticed she was almost finished with her plate. Now, Waffle House is NOT a very big restaurant. So being able to do this could prove to be somewhat difficult!
The waitress brought her ticket to our table and shortly there after we see her stand up and ask for her ticket.
Our waitress who was also her waitress told her "Your ticket has been paid in full!" She said, "What? By Whom?" Our waitress told her it was a secret! She just kind of stood there and you could just see the smile on her face!

Not only could you see her smile but you should have seen the one on Jantzen's face!! IT. WAS. PRICELESS.

A few years ago I attended a Joyce Meyer conference. One of the things I took home with me was this...

There are times the Lord will reveal that HE wants you to pay for someone else's dinner, or maybe even their groceries! It might be that HE wants you to give them something from your closet, or possibly go out and get their favorite meal. The list is endless. BUT, Joyce shared that "at times" people will "wonder," "Was that really God asking me to do that?"
They do this over and over and before you know it, they talk themselves out of giving. So, Joyce shared that God will give us creative ways to bless others and only HE truly knows how others will receive the "gift" She also said this...
"Even if you didn't hear correctly, it is probably safe to say that the Lord is def. not going to be upset with you for giving to someone!!"

Thank you Lord, for allowing me the privilege to be Jantzen's Mom! Thank you for his precious and tender heart! Thank you that he brings glory and Honor to you !

Don't cha just hate it when....

2012-01-10T05:30:00.000-06:00

Question: When you begin a diet or maybe a weight-loss challenge @ church or work, do you find yourself the day before eating everything in sight??? LOLOL

I shared with you all that I will be starting a weight-loss challenge today. This means I will be weighed and measured!! YIKES!! Yesterday it seemed as if I ate everything I could! I spent some time planning our meals and getting some healthy snack ready so that I won't get past that point of hunger and eat more calories than I am allowed. I made sure my app was on my IPhone where I log my food intake. I really am ready to go - I've done all I can do to make this a success...

Thank the Lord for new days, for start-overs, and for GRACE! I know that I can't do this without HIS help and without the Holy Spirit prompting me to get my exercise in 4-6 times each week, and to eat the right portions sizes and only when I should!

I love the fact the not only am I doing a weight-loss challenge that will help me physically and mentally, but more importantly, I grow Spiritually. I treat this time in a sense, like a Fast. When I am hungry and it's not time to eat, I go to the Word or just pray! I remind myself over and over - when I am weak, HE is strong! HE is my strength and my shield~ Lord knows I need a shield to cover me so I can't see my Son's cookies, or that Chocolate candy from Christmas.

If you guys have any suggestions of good healthy snacks or low-fat dinners...PLEASE SHARE! or any words of wisdom for me... I would truly appreciate it :)

Have a Happy Tuesday my friends!

Confusion

2012-01-09T05:30:00.000-06:00

Happy Monday everyone ♥ How was your weekend? Got anything planned this week??

I have to take a moment and tell on myself :) Last week as I was posting.... I realized I was totally off on my days!
So, like on Thursday, I posted "Wordless Wednesday." hee hee Coming back from Christmas break is my only excuse LOL or is it that I am just getting old and more & more confused ;P

Our sweet grand babies came and spent the night with us on Saturday! Just when you think you couldn't love someone anymore than you already do, you find that your heart is just overflowing with MORE L♥VE. Rylee is just a hoot and keeps us laughing pretty much all weekend. She also LOVES to read! She will go grab a stack of her books and crawl in my lap and we read over and over :) Such a precious gift. Bentley will be 1 in just 10 more days! He has begun taking steps and no doubt he will be walking everywhere by his birthday! He is Papa's little buddy for sure! Soo sweet!

I was trying to think of something new to fix for dinner, and also make sure it was something we ALL could eat while our grandkids were here. I decided I would make Chicken and Dumplings! I haven't eaten Chicken & Dumplings since I was in junior high school. I loved them way back then! Anyway, Brian and I worked together to make them. When making a chicken soup I am one of those that will boil a whole chicken instead of doing just chicken breasts. Anyway, I did the soup part while Brian made the dumplings. Wow Wow Wow ~ it was soooo delicious! Both grandkids and our kids LOVED it and scarfed it down :)

I am so thankful because We have a four day school week this week, AND next week too! WOOHOO :) Because of Teachers meetings! I am sooo thrilled!

Last night, We said goodbye to our Jen as she headed back to college. She & I were changing out some clothes (summer to winter) and memories just flooded my mind of that August night we spent talking to her, calming her fears, and trying to convince her she needed to go the college. She was having second thoughts about going, and really not wanting to leave home AT ALL! Now, As she begins the Spring Semester, she has adjusted and doing awesome! She's happy and loves college life! Her grades were excellent and we are so proud of her!! Oh what a difference a semester makes :)

Tuesday I will begin a weight-loss challenge! It will last for 6 weeks and I would like to lose about 3 lbs. per week.
That would get me pretty much to my goal weight. I am not sure I told you guys how God orchestrated a situation with the owner of the gym... I have been going since last August and just loving it! Well, the owner Lori, approached me asking me if I would be interested in managing their Facebook page. Putting up posts, announcements, etc and in exchange I would receive a free membership for myself & my family! WOOHOO! God is sooo good :)

Don't forget to tell me how your weekend went~ I Hope your week is blessed! Love to you all ♥

2012-01-05T05:30:00.000-06:00

How many times have I said "I trust you Lord" only to pick that burden up again and try to do something about it On My Own??? I have encouraged others as well to just Trust the Lord, HE is in Control, and then I step in and completely get in Gods way! I am definitely NOT a good Holy Spirit Jr. :) nor do I want to be!!!

I have been known to spend a day saying these very words at every situation that arises!

"I TRUST YOU LORD"

I encourage you to try this! See how your burdens become less stressful and your mountains begin to shrink!

Thank you Lord that we CAN TRUST YOU IN ALL THINGS! When we cast our cares upon YOU, You is there waiting!

Today I am joining WFW here

Resolutions ... NAH!

2012-01-04T05:30:00.000-06:00

Tis the Season for New Years Resolutions! Or Maybe you have a list of goals for the year that you would like to achieve?

I have always considered myself a fly by the seat of my pants kind of person. You know, those that "go with the flow" or do better "under pressure" or a "having to meet a deadline."

UNTIL ....

Years ago, I sat across from the table from our Life Coach. She had begun teaching us the specifics of our Personalities. (Fascinating stuff!!) In sharing with her that I wasn't one who "planned" anything, or sat down and wrote out my goals, whether they were financial goals, fitness goals, etc. Heck, I didn't even Plan our family menu! LOLOLOL

She said these words to me and they hit me hard!!

"IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN, THEN YOU PLAN TO FAIL"

WOAH!!! I never ever thought of it that way! After more time was spent learning numerous things about myself, my family and how best to work together as a team, I slowly worked into "planning." A started off by just planning our family menu. We would have our family meeting each weekend and the kids would participate in planning the menu. It is AWESOME!

As the years have gone by, I am still learning different parts of our life that definitely need to be scheduled or look at in regards to "this is how we have been doing things, NOW THEN, how can we make that better?" Being open to change and accepting that we all have room for improvement is key!

Isn't that really what creating Resolutions are? Taking those areas in your life and saying "Hey, I am not doing this either AT ALL, or, not in the way that I should so I am going to have to change some things to make them happen or make them better!

If you are like me and countless others who have sat down and created a New Years Resolution over the years, only to forget them all in the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th week of making them, I have a suggestion.

Say these words to yourself - including your name in the sentence.

"Loren, If you Fail To Plan, then you are planning to fail" None of us want to fail! None of us want to disappoint ourselves or anyone else by allowing yet another year of New Years Resolutions be long forgotten by March.

Sitting down to plan has changed so many things for myself and our family ~ it has given us more time to be together, enjoying one another. It helps things from being forgotten...like, house or car maintenance! Planning can be fun especially when it is for a vacation :) Planning your budget for the year is awesome! I know we are all different and for some resolutions work great! Either way, we all need to learn what works best for us and GO FOR IT!

And Remember....

With God.... ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE and.... HE is a God of "Order" NOT "Chaos!"

You can do ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS YOU :)

MY MOTTO this year is ... NO EXCUSES! NONE! ZIP-ZILCH!!

Hello Friends ♥ It's Me, Loren :)

2012-01-03T05:30:00.000-06:00

I've been gone so long I might should introduce myself to you guys... hee hee!

I hope each and everyone of you had a very blessed Christmas and that 2012 proves to be the best EVER! We have been blessed with such precious family time. Our oldest daughter, along with her husband, and of course our grand babies spent the night with us before Christmas. Such a treat!! We had fun decorating cookies

We opened our gifts...while Bentley decided he would rather wear the packaging ;).... This is His
Bo-HoHo-Hawk LOL

We went to see my Nana (Dads Mom) She is 90 years old and just sooo cute! We took her out to eat @ one of our favorite restaurants ~ Fred&Reds Chili House....OHHHH EMMMMM GEEEE!! IT IS FABULOUS!!! Once we got back to her house, Nana allowed me to go through her recipe box. What a true gift. To have a copy of recipes that I have grown up LOVING and now I can share them with my kids and grandkids! Isn't that awesome!

We had a wonderful Christmas with my Mom and Stepdad! My Mom always pours everything into making sure everyone feels special. Her house is decorated just BEAUTIFULLY, the food is absolutely delicious, and seeing her special touch throughout her home never ceases to amaze me!!

As it all began to wind down we reluctantly began taking down all the Christmas decorations. We decided we should go through a lot of the stuff and clean out/organize things. This led to cleaning out the attic, cleaning out every Christmas box we had. Finally, After de-cluttering we then began to organize. It only took us 2 days and the last day was a STRAIGHT 16 hour day! We were EXHAUSTED but, boy oh boy, does it feel soooo good to have a nice clean and organized house!!

Then.... Our College Football team ~ The Oklahoma State Cowboys played in their Tostitos Fiesta Bowl game! We were #3 and Stanford was #4. We all knew it was going to be an amazing and very close game. Let me just tell you...we had NO IDEA how GOOD or how VERY CLOSE it would be ALL NIGHT!! I got so nervous at times in the game I had to leave the room!
We went back and forth, back and forth! At halftime we were tied. At the end of the game, we were still tied. So in Overtime we finally scored and WON THE GAME!! It was SOOOO EXCITING!! 41-38

Today my Honey will go back to work and then Jantz will return to school tomorrow. We have Jen for just a bit longer as they don't return to school until next week, so I will treasure these days for sure. It has been a WONDERFUL Christmas Break!

I wonder.... Will this next year fly by as quickly as 2011 did? I am sure it probably will... *sigh*

I am so glad to be back and to catch up with all of you!

2011-12-23T09:51:00.001-06:00

but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

Luke 2:10-15 (NLT)

From the fullness of HIS grace we have all received one Blessing after another...John 1:16

From our family to yours ~ May you all have a BLESSED and VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! XOXOXO

Workout Girls!

2011-12-21T05:20:00.000-06:00

Most of you know I have been working out since last August. So far I have lost 17lbs. so far!! WOOHOO :)

The Owner of the gym, Lori, is awesome & wonderful, and gives us amazing workouts! She is hard on us because she truly wants each person in that gym to reach their goals. Some have weight loss goals, some have toning and strengthening goals, while others just need to get active instead of sitting on their couch with the TV going non-stop!

I invited some friends to come and give it a try! They did and now are members too! It is sooo much more fun having a buddy to work out with!!

Needless to say, we all love Lori! I asked some of the girls if they would like to join me in having a Christmas luncheon and give Lori a Christmas gift or two :) in appreciation of all she does for us!! I was thrilled when everyone said it was a Fantastic idea.

We got her her favorite Morroccan Oil Shampoo/Conditioner and some Oil as well! She has been asking me to buy her some for quite awhile so I knew instantly what one of our gifts would be!! We also were able to get a gift certificate to one of her favorite shops in a town nearby. They sell MissMe Jeans, jewelry, etc. She was beyond thrilled!!

I made us some Homemade Chicken & rice soup and a salad too :)

It was so nice being with each other and just talking and laughing and not sweating at the same time ;)

Here are a few pics from our Luncheon
My cute Christmas plates my Mom got me last year!! I was sooo excited to finally use them !!! Thanks MOM- I ♥ them!!

Just a better view of the table

We went ahead and put the salad on the table JUST before everyone arrived. This salad was DELICIOUS!! The white bottles with ribbon on them are a gift from me. I made them all my homemade lotion in a purse size :) They Loved it!!

ALMOST All the girls were able to attend! We all had so much fun, laughing and getting to know one another better! It was such a treat to host these women! The owner of the gym is standing to my left. The one with the long brown hair and beautiful smile :)

2 years....

2011-12-19T05:20:00.000-06:00

Sunday was 2 years since we said good-bye to my Daddy. As soon as the first day of December arrives, so do the memories of those final days.

There are the precious ones;

My brother picking up Daddy and carrying him to his truck...because he was too weak and frail to do it himself.

The doctor telling my Daddy "There is nothing left to do...Go home Doug and spend time with your family." Not 5 minutes later, Daddy was on the phone with a friend from his home town of Carthage, discussing the possibility of renting a travel bus to take him to see his Mom before he died. As I sat there listening to his conversation, trying to control my emotions from the news that we had just received, I hear my daddy laughing and smiling that beautiful smile. Oh how I miss hearing that laugh.

When I heard the diagnosis of Lung Cancer, all I wanted to do was get to my Daddy. I was blessed to spend that final summer with him. Working in the yard, taking him to treatments @ the Mayo clinic, or just being together. Sharing those days with him and my children have been one of the greatest gifts the Lord has given me.

With the happy, so too, comes the sad.

Seeing my Daddy for that first time was such a shock. I had returned home just 7 weeks prior and he was still working, still driving, filled with Hope and an unbelievably positive outlook! He began having some pretty serious issues and this time, I knew, could very well be my last trip. Walking into his bedroom and seeing that frail man, my daddy, trying to be so strong for my brother and I, just ripped my heart to pieces. His attempt to be strong was short-lived, as his body was just too weak.

As we were leaving the hospital for the last time, the Dr. had told us that he didn't think daddy would be gone in "days" but that most likely, he had "a week" maybe even "10 days" before we would say our last goodbye. Once we got him home, by the following morning he began the process of letting go. He was gone within 3 days of leaving the Mayo Hospital.

The Gift

Losing my Daddy hit me hard. Very hard. My faith, for the first time ever, was shaken. From the moment I learned of his Lung Cancer diagnosis, Prayers began. Not just my prayers, but prayers from all over the world! Through my blog, and through Facebook, we were amazed at just how many people were praying, where they were praying from or offering up my Daddy's name for healing to take place. Not a day went by that we didn't receive a prayer, a note in the mail, or an encouraging word. It was so humbling. I KNEW God was at work through HIS People and in the heart of my Daddy.

Why did it take so long to find this cancer? How could there be sooooo many praying, yet at every turn, hope was diminished? Two years later, I still don't have these answers, nor do I think I ever will, this side of Heaven. My prayers for healing weren't answered in the way I asked, but my Daddy WAS healed. He was healed the minute he was in Eternity with HIS Heavenly Father.

I see him in my Son, his work ethic, his love and amazing knowledge for technology. I feel him with me when I want to pick up the phone and talk to him ~ To share something about my kids, or ask him a question, or maybe just to hear his voice. When I am outside working in my flowerbeds, the memories flood my mind as I think of all the times we worked side by side planting, mowing, picking weeds, or just talking about gardening. I am thankful for all of these and countless others that God allows me.

Gods Word tells us there is a season for everything. A season of grief is not one anyone would choose to go through.
But God has given us the Holy Spirit and when our hurt is so deep that we cannot even pray ~ He prays for us. HE comforts us in our pain and our sorrow. He gives us Peace. A Peace that truly passes all understanding.

I miss my daddy every single day. But knowing he is Home, with Jesus, seeing more than we could ever imagine! One day.. I Will see him again.

Thought I had seen everything!

2011-12-16T05:20:00.000-06:00

Chances are you have someone in your house that play some form of video games...but could you imagine have a bearded dragon that plays video games???? If asked about it, I would say "You're crazy!" Guess what...It's True!!

You gotta see this :)

Happy Friday Friends! May you all have a blessed weekend!

♥Word filled Wednesday♥

2011-12-14T10:05:00.000-06:00

It NEVER fails to AMAZE me when I really take some quiet time and consider all that happened before Jesus was born. Can you even imagine what Mary was thinking? How she might be feeling? On top of all that...Her obedience!! WOW! Truly,it is by far, ONE of the most amazing examples for me.

Then there is Joseph... how was HE feeling? I mean really, Here he was ready to break up, and an Angel appears to him telling him "don't be afraid, and that he was to take Mary as his wife, oh ya... she is pregnant by the Holy Spirit." Can you just see his face? Of course, that is, if he was even able to hear. I don't know about you, but if an Angel appeared to me in a dream, I am thinking, everything else might just be put on the back burner!! I would be sooo in awe that I am not certain I would be able to focus. LOL

You know, I cannot wait until we are all in Eternity and I can just sit and listen to their stories...face to face or maybe spirit to spirit. To ask all the questions I have....To hear their thoughts, their emotions, and just how incredible it was to be "chosen" to parent Jesus. Seriously, I can only imagine the responsibility they must have felt.
Holding HIM in their arms,adoring HIM, all the while knowing, maybe even wondering, in the back of their minds...Something amazing was planned for this child, but what might that be exactly?? Hmmm.

Thank you Lord, for the Gift of YOUR SON. Thank you, Jesus, for YOUR Love for us. Thank you, Holy Spirit, that YOU are with us EACH & EVERY SINGLE DAY!

Praising HIM! Celebrating HIM! In Awe & Humble Adoration...♥Thank you Jesus♥

Partying with our Little "Princess"

2011-12-13T05:30:00.000-06:00

I cannot even believe I am sharing yet another birthday for Rylee!! She will be THREE YEARS OLD **sniff sniff** on the 19th! I just honestly don't know where the time has gone!

Well, she is by far our little Diva! She is all about bling, frilly, and PINK PINK PINK!! She can either crack us up hysterically or she is just the sweetest thing EVER! She told her momma last week "Mom, You are my Best Friend!" awww!
Just precious!

Rylee also LOVES to dress - up! What girl doesn't right?? :) She got a whole tub filled with Princess outfits!! I cannot wait to see her in them! She was in girly heaven with all the dresses and tiaras, and oh, we can't forget the frilly scarf! Oh my!!

Here are just a few pics from her big party!

Happy Birthday to you MY Sweet little Princess! Noni L♥VES more than words could ever say!

Blowing out that candle :)

Princess Cupcake Tower! These were sooo delicious!

Love Rylee's shirt! A Little Tiara on the tummy never hurt anyone LOLOL

Love the back...says Rylee and then the number 3! sooo cute!

Uncle Jantzen holding Bentley

Bentley having fun sharing in his brothers CAKE!!

NONI and Bentley have a quiet moment!!!

What a face she has!!! She is such a HOOT!!

She got so much stuff and we all had such a good time!

Happy Tuesday you all!

Friday Funnies ♥ Jillian Michaels can't cook?

2011-12-09T05:20:00.000-06:00

If you workout, or watch the Biggest Loser, you most likely know fitness guru, Jillian Michaels! A couple of summers ago, there was a group of us bloggers who joined together via the Internet and worked out to Jillian's 30 Day Shred. We were the Shred Sisters! MOST of us wanted to just box Jillian on some days :) When I saw this Rachel Ray show, I honestly could not even BELIEVE my eyes! Watching Jillian, I realized she has NO EARTHLY IDEA how to cook!!!! She is COMPLETELY LOST in Rachel's kitchen! You won't even believe what she does with the salt & pepper!!! it's about 3 minutes into the video....OH MY!!!!

Enjoy!! Happy Friday

I am linking up with my good friend and Friday Funny host, Kim @ HomesteadersHeart

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas

2011-12-07T05:20:00.002-06:00

Wow! I took a pretty good break didn't I?? Last week my Honey was out of town, so to say things were kinda INSANE would be a very accurate statement!! That and the fact I was DECORATING!!! Tis the Season' and I LOVE Christmas & all that it brings!!
I have had so much fun decorating this year! One night this week my Honey said to me...."Why did you just now start decorating? Now that the kids are all almost out of the house?" I explained very kindly..."Well, because when they were little, I was pouring my heart and soul into them! Also, I didn't have the desire to decorate because I knew I wasn't that good at it. However, things are changing and I am gaining more confidence in my decorating ability and am learning new things each day :) this year my neighbor came over and helped me. She can work magic with ribbon. Ribbon around my tree, my mantles, my center pieces...You name it, if it looked good with a ribbon or a bow on it, then by all means, it is there! :)

Here are some pics: Let's Start in my Kitchen

I LOVE Snowmen!! Don't you???

This is in my kitchen on my center island! I went with a candy cane theme in my kitchen and It is sooo CUTE!!

Hung some ornaments from my Windows....

Heading into my Living Room

Look @ this you guys!....MY HUSBAND MADE THIS!! A Fireplace Basket!!! Didn't He do good!!??? After sharing what all to put in it, He went to town & surpassed all my expectations for sure!!

Our Tree!

My one and only Santa, chillin on the fireplace :)

This table is in my Hall Entry

My Dining Room ~

This is my Dining Room Centerpiece!

The Three Wise Men :) on my Hutch

Ane My Momma taught me that every room needs a little whimsy :) So Why Not put the "Whimsy" in the Potty room right?? ;)

Merry Christmas

Have Missed all of you! Can't wait to catch up with all of you today!

Thankful for You

2011-11-23T21:22:00.003-06:00

As we all give Thanks for the MANY Blessings we have been given, Please know that I am so VERY Thankful for each one of you ....my friends.

Thankful for the encouragement you give in your comments
Thankful for the laughs and smiles you bring to my day
Thankful for the prayers you offer up with trust and Great Expectation
Thankful for the friendship you give
Thankful for the ♥love♥ I feel from each one of you.

May you all have a VERY Blessed and a Happy Happy Thanksgiving!

A Thanksgiving Funny

2011-11-19T05:20:00.000-06:00

I saw this on GodTube and thought it was too funny....Enjoy!

I pray you all have a very blessed Thanksgiving ~ I am so very thankful for all of you! A very Special Thanks to Charlotte for hosting Spiritual Sundays~ if you would like to join in go here

One of my Favorite Friday Funnies EVER!!

2011-11-18T05:20:00.000-06:00

Friday Funnies is hosted by my dear friend Kim @ HomesteadersHeart

Ok. Telling on myself....AGAIN. My Mom posted this on her Facebook page, specifically for my Son. The word "Noobs" is used constantly in our home,(in a loving way of course LOL) so when Mom saw this she just HAD to post it for him. She called & asked me if I had seen it yet, so when I arrived home, I pulled into my garage and pulled it up on my phone....I sat in my car laughing until I cried!! Seriously, I was CRACKING UP!! We have watched this over and over and just crack up every time!!

This is Julian Smith. He is a pretty big "YouTube Video guy" This precious lady is his 95 year old Great Grandmother. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Thanks Mom for finding this!! ♥ You da best ♥

HAPPY FRIDAY MY FRIENDS!!

♥Cutest Grandbabies ♥

2011-11-16T00:23:00.003-06:00

This past weekend we had our grand babies! We had so much fun! We read books, went outside on the porch swing, and so much more. They kept us hoppin for sure! Night time came and that could only mean BATH TIME :) Rylee loves bath time here and now Bentley is old enough to move up to the tub so we had double the fun with all the bubbles!

I honestly CANNOT believe Ry is going to be 3 years old next month and Bentley will be 1 in January!! HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN???

Here are some of the adorable pics I was able to get with my phone while they were having fun in the tub!

♥Happy Wednesday my friends♥

When God Speaks!

2011-11-14T05:20:00.000-06:00

Have you experienced a time or times in your life when the Lord gives you the same exact message in different ways? Isn't it just sooo awesome when HE does that!!

I just LOVE it! What is even more exciting, is just HOW HE chooses to 'MAKE SURE' we truly GET IT!! Cause you know, we are not a stubborn people! No way. And we certainly don't ever question...."Was that you God?" Nope. Never!! Ha!!!!

For me, HIS message was revealed in ways that not only confirmed just what HE was sharing with me, but also, because of where they were revealed, it just blew me away. There is NO DENYING HIS Grace, HIS Sovereignty, and HIS Omnipresence!!

We had our grandchildren this past Friday night and Saturday. One of my VERY FAVORITE times with Rylee is just before bed. She goes and picks out her favorite books, crawls up into my lap, and we read and read. It is such a precious time together! I don't think there has been one single time that she hasn't fallen asleep all snuggled up with me. Of course, I just continue to hold her, and rock her ~ It's just too wonderful to let end. Anyways.....

The first time the Lord shared this specific WORD with me was, through one of the books I read to Rylee. A Young children's book that I actually reviewed some time back. You know when you have read a Scripture before and then when you read it again it just JUMPS off the page at you!!?? Well, that is what happened while reading this book! It was awesome! But I will be honest, I didn't "get" that the Lord was sharing this with me right off.

The Second time was On Saturday. My DH and I took the g-kids and met our Daughter & SIL. Said our good-byes to all of them, and had a spur of the moment date. One of our favorite places to go is....BARNES & NOBLE. We just love looking at different books, getting a coffee, and just relaxing. I chose a few books and began looking at them. One happened to be a devotional. I read quite a few entries, but wouldn't you know that more than one of the days entries I just happened to find, had the very message that the book from the night before had. The Lord certainly had my attention at this point!

The Third and perhaps most powerful time I received this Specific Word was through the Sermon @ Church. I just wanted to cry!
The Lord loves me sooo much that HE gave me this message in places I had no idea I was going ~ BUT HE DID. He gave me a message in a Preschool book that I didn't know I would even be reading ~ BUT HE DID. I had a good idea I would be @ church, but in no way did I think this Specific Word would be such a part of the Series we are listening too ~ BUT HE DID!!

For me, It truly is, such a HUMBLING Experience! When you get even the slightest revelation of the LORDS Love, Grace and desire to speak to you, it just Moves me, Encourages me, and builds my Faith is ways that nothing else does!!

Thank You Lord for caring enough about me, for loving me, EVEN WHEN I question if it is even YOU at all!

What about you guys? Share HOW HE has spoken specifically to you .....

A Friday Funny of course

2011-11-11T05:20:00.000-06:00

This is what you might look like after having THREE EARTHQUAKES in one week in a state that is NOT SUPPOSE TO HAVE EARTHQUAKES!! This is NOT California!! But of course, we Okie's have all had a great time talking about it wherever we go, to whomever will listen....grocery lines, gas stations, workout rooms and of course FACEBOOK!! Here is just one of the witty signs proudly displayed for your daily chuckle!

You know those emails you get that ask you to forward it to 10 people or to input your choices on the questionnaire, and then send it on to the next person?? Well, I am ALWAYS the one who is NOT going to resend or fill out the questionairre. My bad, I know. I apologize to all who have put their faith in me when it comes to these .... I don't have an excuse. Not even one. I just don't do it. But hey, NOW YA KNOW :) Right?? Right!!

Sometimes you get those very same requests in a text message ~ Holy Smokes ....I am really not going to do this on my phone!
Guess I'm not the only one....heehee

Hope everyone has a very happy and laughter filled Friday! I get my grand babies today and they are spending the night! Best way to spend a Friday if you ask me ♥

Are you covered?

2011-11-09T05:20:00.000-06:00

Each Morning as I get ready to go to the gym, I "put on" all that I need to work out....sports bra, (or 2 or 3...a secret I learned from a friend and YES it is sooo much better!) work out clothes (of course), my Nike Free tennis shoes, (love these for working out) and a hat to keep my hair up and out of my face. When boxing I wear these AWESOME PINK GLOVES!! I definitely ♥ them! As I've shared before, boxing is definitely my favorite and HEY, every girl needs her own gloves ESPECIALLY if they are PINK!!!

Of course before I put ANY of these on, I prepare myself with the Armor given to me by my FATHER.....

Helmet of Salvation
Breastplate of Righteousness
Belt of Truth
Shoes of Peace
Shield of Faith
and the Sword of the Spirit which is the WORD of God

On my Heart ~ Tuesdays

2011-11-08T05:20:00.000-06:00

What is on my ♥heart♥ this Tuesday?.... Join in Here to share what's on your heart

I have just been sooo very thankful for "NORMAL" days... You know, the days that you wake up and go about your day, with nothing "new" or "different" than the ones prior to today. Those days that you ask your neighbor "How are you doing?" and they reply, "doing good, you know just the same ol ~ same ol'"

I have just been on my face thankful to the Lord for these "normal" days. I've shared with you all that I began working out in August. There are a great group of women that work out at the same time as I do. Two of these women have recently been widowed. Thing is, they are both younger than me. Their children are way younger than mine. Neither of their spouses had cancer or a long illness. No, these women woke up one morning went about their "Normal day" until they received a life-changing phone call. One that notified them, their husband and children's father had died.

There is also a friend of mine from jr. high who also became widowed recently. Her husband woke up as he always had and left for work on his motorcycle like he always did on any normal day. On this particular day, He was struck by a truck going the wrong way on the highway and was killed instantly.

For these women, this day and the days after were nothing NORMAL.

My Son has a friend who has recently been diagnosed with cancer. It always breaks my heart when kids are diagnosed with cancer. Our community is surrounding his family, raising funds for him and his family. I can only imagine how his Mother LONGS for those Normal days prior to his diagnosis.

I honestly could go on and on. I am certain as you are reading this, you could share similar stories as well. Sharing this wasn't intended to be depressing. It was simply to take time and thank the Lord for our Normal Days!

humbly and thankfully HIS,

2 Earthquakes in OKLAHOMA??? SERIOUSLY??

2011-11-07T05:20:00.000-06:00

Happy Monday everyone!! :) How was your weekend?? Ours was full of EXCITEMENT! WHAT you ask was exciting? Well, here ya
go :)

In 2011, Oklahoma has been a WILD WEATHER YEAR soooo far....

We have had:

the Most Snow ever recorded in a 24 hour period.

Record snow fall happened to be in my small town.... we got 21 inches on February 2, 2011.

Coldest temperature ever recorded in Oklahoma -31'F on February 10.2011.''

Changing Seasons we then had a record Hottest Summer since 1936 with July being the HOTTEST month on record since the 1930's dust bowl drought.

You might think things would calm down for the Fall Season. I know I did! LOL ~ but believe it or not, we were in for quite the surprise!! On November 5, Oklahoma experienced an 4.7 Earthquake, around 2 in the morning. I slept through this one and while my husband was still awake, he did not feel any shaking either. At almost 11 pm. that very same day/night, I was in our kitchen having a bowl of cereal and all of the sudden it sounded as if a Jet plane had landed ON MY HOUSE, and everything is shaking like CRAZY. The candles, the dishes, the door...you name it, it was shaking. Of course, I have NEVER been in an Earthquake before so I honestly did not know what in the world was going on!!! I just know it lasted for quite awhile and just as it stopped, my Son came in the kitchen and we began talking about what had just happened. He assured me it WAS an Earthquake! You know, 14 year olds KNOW EVERYTHING ;)~
Sure enough, the news stations began reporting that indeed it was an Earthquake and that this particular Earthquake had set a new record!! Of course it did!

Oh ya, This 5.6 Earthquake came just minutes after we watched my College team ~ #3 Oklahoma State University beat #14 Kansas State University. This game went back and forth and literally with 1 second left in the game, KSU had the opportunity to win the game. I don't recall EVER having my nerves shot the way they were after this game had come to an end!!! It was the most exciting, frustrating, scary, exhilarating game EVER!!! Praise the Lord we won though!!

Well, that was our weekend...How was yours??

Honestly, the game had me wayyyy more nervous than this Earthquake! I don't ever want to experience either situation again!

Friday Funnies ♥

2011-11-04T05:20:00.001-05:00

It's Friday Friday Friday.....

Time for some FUNNIES with KIM

I just love to watch the old game shows bloopers! they just crack me up!! you know like....the newlywed game, price is right, or family feud. If you ever need a laugh just pull some of those up on YouTube and you will be laughing in no time!

Enjoy some Price is Right bloopers and Have a Blessed and Laughter filled weekend!!!

XOXO

Homecoming Weekend

2011-11-01T05:20:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was OSU's Homecoming. They have one of the best Homecoming celebrations in the NATION! Not to mention that our Football team in the ONLY UNDEFEATED team in the BIG 12!!! WOO HOO GO POKES!!

We made plans to go down and see all of the decks that the Sorority/Fraternity houses created as well as participate in all the other activities a few months ago! We have been anxiously awaiting and FINALLY it arrived :) It was really cold walking around at night but hey ~ we were burning calories right? ;)

Here is the Library Lawn where they turned the water ORANGE!! Isn't it pretty!!!

The theme of Homecoming was "Where Your Story Began" so each deck told a story somehow incorporating this. I was just amazed at these decks. They begin plans within the first few weeks of school and then 24 hours before the celebration for Homecoming begins each member begins the tedious process of poking tissue paper into the chicken wire. HUNDREDS & THOUSANDS of Tissue Paper! Only young college students could do that for 24 hours straight ~ no sleep ~ don't you think??/

This picture is of a Sorority Girl who was in a car accident & died the week just before Greek Weekend. They dedicated this to her! Can you imagine how her parents must have felt seeing this? Truly, what a blessed gift they gave them!

This picture was my favorite in regards to the theme. They were all amazing and each one shared so much of the History of OSU.

They also introduced the Basketball teams (boys & girls). They also had their awesome Drum Line. Gosh, I could have listened to them for hours! Just sooo cool! Here are some great action shots my Husband took.

It was an UNBEIEVABLE GAME!! They are just ON FIRE this year! We beat the Baylor Bears 59-24!! Always good to win your game on Homecoming isn't it :)

This is Justin Blackmon jumping into the stands once the game is over! Everyone looks sooo happy!! They should be they just got to see an absolutely amazing game!!

Here we are....Enjoying the Homecoming weekend with my kids! We missed Krista & family though!!

How about you? Did you have a good weekend?

Mood Lights...Really?

2011-10-29T05:20:00.003-05:00

My Husband & I have been doing alot of organizing, deep cleaning and just purging all that stuff we don't need. It feels so good to declutter and have order back!! To say we have made a few trips to Lowes would be quite the understatement! :) While shopping one of these times, we were looking for some lightbulbs and ended up finding something that cracked me up. Mood lights!

Has anyone seen these?? They are colored light bulbs! YEP, you read that correctly. Oh, it gets better! On each package you learn just what the color represents and where the best place would be in your home for that particular color. For Instance, Red=Passion! Great for the Bedroom (duh), Kitchen, Music Room, and more. I have always wanted to get Red & Green bulbs for Christmas time but I never had ANY IDEA that they came with such meaning!!!

It got me to thinking about how we are in our Christian Walk and if we Shine for Christ. Do we omit "Happiness " and hope that others will notice the JOY in our lives? Are we "Passionate" about Jesus?
Do we" Renew" our minds each and every morning? Do we experience "Serenity" despite what we may be facing because we KNOW God is in Control? How about "creativity" Being Creative for Christ can be sooo awesome and no doubt will bless many people!

As Believers I Pray we are being a Light for Jesus and shining brightly wherever we go! What about you, Which color best describes you??

I pray that as we grow in our Faith that our light shines brighter and brighter and never dulls or goes out!!

Thank you Charlotte, you shine so beautifully for Christ! Thank you for all you do!

To join in with Spiritual Sundays, go here

Friday Funnies ♥

2011-10-28T10:39:00.003-05:00

Thank you to my oh so HILARIOUS Friend Kim from Homesteaders Heart for hosting Friday Funnies. If you need more than a Friday Laugh then she is the girl for you! She will bring a smile to your day, or maybe a giggle, and sometimes you may even snort while reading her blog!

OK, SO.....

I was walking into Hobby Lobby yesterday, and all of the sudden I hear a VERY LOUD **BURP**!! Shortly thereafter, I hear a giggle. I thought "surely that is some kid laughing" so I turned around and much to my SURPRISE I see a MUCH OLDER WOMAN!!! She looks at me and giggles even more!! I said, "OH MY, I wasn't expecting to see a LADY!!" She laughed out loud this time and said, "well, sometimes you just don't know or have control when that is going to happen!" I laughed with her and told her...."If my kids were here with me, they would surely be HIGH FIVING you right now!!"

Moral to the story: Never judge a Burp .... You just might be surprised to find a sweet little old lady can out do a teenage boy any day! :)

Word-Filled Wednesday ♥

2011-10-26T05:20:00.000-05:00

I seem to be very low on the energy level these past few days. I'll be honest ~ I am not the nicest person to be around if I am
a) hungry or b) tired! I learned many years ago that the enemy loves nothing more than to attack us when we are tired. It is in those weak moments when satan can work through us if we are not aware. Recognizing our weaknesses and then admitting we cannot handle them on our own can be one of the best gifts we can receive. It shows our Humility. It reveals our dependency on the Lord.

I was at a Joyce Meyer conference a few years back when she shared a story. It went like this.....

A husband and wife were having a somewhat loud disagreement. They were completely unaware that a car had pulled up in their drive and that just a small distance away stood the Pastor of their Church ready to knock on their door. The Pastor hearing the couple on the inside debated as to whether to knock, or just walk away quietly and leave so that there is no embarrassment on either end. His or Theirs. He decided to go ahead and knock. What happened next was a complete shock. He knocked on the door and to his surprise, the wife opened the door, put on a HUGE smile and welcomed the Pastor into their home. The Husband shook his hand and acted honestly happy to see him. Basically, the couple completely put on their masks. They made a conscious effort to put all the anger, yelling, and frustration aside. They were all smiles and acted as happy as could be.

How many times do we do this? One minute we are griping or wining and then we see a friend, or maybe we get a phone call and all of the sudden our whole voice changes, as well as our attitude. We may be sooo tired and want nothing more than to just sit and veg out, even telling our kids we can't go outside right now to play bc we are so tired. Next thing you know you receive a call from a ministry asking to help cook something for a family asap. You don't even think about it ~ You just get up, prepare the dinner, and then deliver it to the person(s) in need.

All of these situations I have shared can go one way or another way, it just depends on how we choose to respond. As I said, I learned to recognize these situations so that I would no longer respond the way I had in the past. It was very hard to see my behavior and to realize the hurt that came when I chose to make these decisions. I had to repent to the Lord and to those in which I had behaved that way. But honestly, it was a process. It wasn't like once I saw it that I could just "turn it off." I had to learn how to respond in a godly way. More importantly, I had to rely on the Holy Spirit to help me recognize, then to renew my mind, which for me meant that I had to CHOOSE to make godly choices!

I can't do any of it on my own! It is only through Christ that I can. HE gives me the Strength when I am tired. HE gives me the Strength to go to new levels and not allow my choices, or my weaknesses to carry me down. Am I perfect? Absolutley NOT! But, as the Word says "I can do ALL things through Christ, who gives me strength!"

You can find me here today!

Happy Wednesday my friends!

Some laughed. Some ate. but...EVERYBODY DANCED!

2011-10-25T05:30:00.001-05:00

Here are some of the goody's from HouseParty! bracelets, coupons, and glitter, Just to name a few

Our yummy hors d'ouevres! We also had drip beef sandwiches or pulled pork sandwiches! There wasn't a drop left!

Got that Worm down girl!!

How low can ya go?

Whippin her hair!!

We had Mothers & Daughters

and Mothers & Sons

SIBLINGS too

The best dancer of ALL~ Our Rylee ♥

We danced the night away, burned some calories too, but most of all ~ we had a wonderful time just being together! Laughing & being crazy is the best when surrounded by Family & Friends!! Thanks HouseParty!

Have you ever had a HouseParty?? What fun did you have??

Fall Break = Bloggy Break??

2011-10-24T05:20:00.001-05:00

Holy Smokes! I guess you could say I took a Blog Break huh!?!? I had no idea I was going to do that LOL but my DH took a week of vacation and my Son had his fall break. (today is the last day - he will return to classes Tuesday)

My honey's goal in taking time off was to get some things done around our house. We got sooo much accomplished! We literally worked anywhere from 12-15 hours each day. WE had two parties! One was a HouseParty with the PS3 "Everybody Dance" game and the other was for a friend of Jantzens who is moving this weekend to Colorado! Then, We completely went through & organized the Garage, our mud room, our laundry room, and then the office. In the garage we installed some shelving. This helped us to clear the floor space & remove clutter as well as have it all organized! When we built our house, we built a Salon for me to work in, in what would have been the third car garage. Sadly, I never worked out there, but now it will serve as my DH's shop! I hope he has many wonderful days just putzing (my moms term) around in there.

We totally redid our Laundry room and closet! Wow! I am amazed at the difference!! Pics will come and this time I did get before's and after's ~ WOOHOO

Aside from work work work, Jantzen asked if he could have a going away party for one of his friends. He has a group of buddies that call themselves the Wolfpac (NO, it is NOT after Twilight LOL) Some of these boys have been friends since they were 3. Anyway, I thought that was so nice of him and said of course! So he went to town sending out invites. He also made numerous attempts to contact the friend of his that was moving to Colorado...Ya know, The GUEST OF HONOR!! He began getting RSVP's from his friends, yet, after a day or so, he still hadn't heard from his friend! AT this point, my DH helped him find his Fathers Church where he is the Pastor. He also looked in the phone book. Jantzen called those #'s, and left messages too. Surely, this will work, right?

The party day had arrived! The Bon Fire was ready to be lit. The hotdogs and smores were ready to be cooked over the fire, the lawn was mowed, and it was party time! BUT..... we had NO GUEST OF HONOR!!! Can you even believe that???/ too funny. I looked outside and saw it was getting darker and some major clouds were up in the sky. Now, let me preface this by saying....It has not rained in my town for quite some time! It has gone all around us but it has been like we have this huge barrier around our town and only our town and we just haven't gotten any rain. So when my husband says, It is fixing to rain! I was like .... YA RIGHT! Well, guess what! It didn't just rain. It Poured and it was one of the BEST Thunderstorms EVER!! The lightning was just incredible! Here is just one of the awesome pics my honey took as he stood on our back porch!

Anyways, as the boys arrived they all were sad that we probably wouldn't be able to have a bonfire. (So was I) but we played the JellyBelly game which is always a HUGE HIT (especially with boys) Ya know that game, right? Two jellybeans are the same color, one is a good flavor, and the other ...well, it's just NOT!! Like a orange/white jelly bean could be either PEACH or MOLDY CHEESE. A black jelly belly could be: licorice or SKUNK! ewwwww....get this one! A yellow green one is: pear or BARF!!! A trashcan is a MUST when playing this game!

They all had a good time! We grilled the hotdogs and did some burgers too since we were doing them on the grill :) They played video games and then finally after the rain stopped they went outside and played football. For the friend of their's that is moving I made a sign for him and made the boys gather together for him and take a pic! For some odd reason they decided NO SMILING AT ALL!!! Why? I have no idea LOL

Hope you had a blessed weekend my friends! I have missed you all soo much!

Assurance of Heirs

2011-10-15T05:20:00.000-05:00

One of the wonderful things about a relationship with Jesus Christ is knowing for sure where we'll spend eternity. The Bible says we can have that certainty. It's a little like marriage. If someone asks if you married, you don't answer, "I think so." You proudly wear the evidence of your relationship -- usually a ring. You also have a license signed by a pastor or judge and two witnesses.

The same thing about your citizenship. If you were born in the United States, there's no question about whether you're a citizen. You are. And the same thing is true when it comes to your relationship with God. The Bible puts it this way, "Since we are His Children, we are his Heirs." In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. (Romans 8:17). Like marriage and citizenship, you can know for sure.

I wonder....How many people know and truly understand that when we accept Christ and are saved, that we also become heirs as well? I can tell you that I did not know this, nor did I learn it right away. For me, it took 16 years. I can however, remember the very moment when I understood this Gift...this Promise...this Unconditional Acceptance.

It is so humbling to learn of the Promises the Lord has for us, isn't it? To say thank you, just doesn't even begin to describe how I feel. To be received by God as HIS heir....Oh MY! Now that will make one do the Happy Dance don't you think!!! :)

Galatians4:6-7 tell us:
Because we are His Children, God has sen the Spirit
of His Son into our hearts, prompting us to call
our, "Abba Father." Now you are no longer a slave
but God's own child. And since you are His child,
God has made you His Heir.

This I Believe
I can claim my spiritual inheritance every day.

Please join us @ Spiritual Sundays. It is such a blessing to foo many!

♥ ♥ Have a wonderful weekend my friends ♥ ♥

(Excerpts taken from A Woman's Walk in Truth by Vonette Bright)

♥Happy Birthday to ME ♥

2011-10-12T05:20:00.000-05:00

Today is my Birthday! Yep, Today I am 45 and I must say: I have been looking forward to this particular birthday for quite some time! I am certain you probably couldn't guess why. Go ahead .... ask me ;)

When you turn 16 ~ typically you have a Sweet Sixteen party and bright and early on your birthday you are in the car driving to take your drivers test and receive your license.
When you are turning 18 ~ You can vote, order products off of TV and QVC lololol, and, you are now considered an adult
Having those milestone birthdays are always soo much FUN don't you think!?!?!
Turning 21, or 30, and then 40. Wow, it all goes sooo fast!

So why am I excited for 45? Well, because .....I LOVE those reader glasses. They come in such an array of colors, shapes, and designs! I have always heard that around 45, your eye-sight will need a little help especially when looking at something w/ small print or maybe just hard to read. So is it true? Have I noticed a change in my eyes today since you know, I am 45 now. ha! The answer: Yes, I am beginning to see a change and I will embrace it ! WoooHooo! Bring on those reading glasses!!! :) I want some in every color please LOLOLOL

Now, for my Dining Room Reveal! Let me say this: I am not, hmmm, how can I put this? Well, I am not great @ decorating. I am getting more of an eye about it but I still go to my Mother for most everything! She has beautiful taste and knows exactly how to place items Perfectly!! So when I had a vision of what I wanted, I called Mom and asked her to help me. As we sat & talked last Friday she asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I thought about it and realized what I wanted was for her to help place pictures going up the stairs. Eventually she said "Honey, I don't think we should go up the stairs but rather I think you could put these up in your dining room on that HUGE empty wall." Hmmm, that just might work!

So we got busy. We had the BEST time! Laughing til we Snort or almost wet ourselves LOL Just doing whatever we wanted, being crazy and surprising ourselves with our carpentry skills! So here ya go!

Here it is in all it's empty glory :) A big empty wall! Seriously, we have lived here almost 6 yrs!!

Here is my Halloween or Fall center piece for the table.

These pics are hanging on a very small wall. I LOVED these pictues! This was last year when all the Trainer girls and Managers came over and did a photo shoot in our kitchen! It was sooo much fun! Rylee thought so too don't ya thing ;) !!

Here is my buffet. This was not in the plan and I did this by myself. I am so sorry I forgot to take a before picture. Everything on the table is new. I LOVE these lamps and that CLOCK!! LOVE IT!!

Last but not least here is my wall. My Mom and I worked sooo hard! My DH had to go out of town so Mom even spent the night! What a treat is that!!! We got up the next day and got back at it! Worked all day again. you would think it wouldn't take that long but we had to go shop for the frames then lay it all out, clean the glass, measure the wall, etc. Mom & I got pretty good at it! Just don't ever ask me about the Level, er I mean measuring tape. loll

Thank you MOM, I LOVE my Birthday present as well as the time I was able to spend with you! I am sooo blessed to be your daughter!

Dare I say it.... "I LOVE WORKING OUT"

2011-10-11T00:34:00.004-05:00

Over the past year and maybe even as far back as 2 years I have gained quite a bit of weight. I would LOVE to say that having Rotator Cuff Surgery on BOTH Shoulders was part to blame. I could also say that it may have something to do with the Prednisone the doctor puts me on in hopes of relieving the joint pain I suffer with at times. I could go on and on, but the truth is, yes, I wasn't in a position to do much exercise while healing from the shoulder surgeries but I could have chosen a better way of eating or incorporating a walk into my day every single day! While on Prednisone, knowing that my hunger would increase (boy did it ever increase) I could have exchanged the sugar filled treats I consumed with fruits or something lower in calories and sugar.

Truth is... I was to blame. Nothing else. Just me. In late July I received a text from my Mom. She said she was wanting to lose some weight before a wedding we would be attending in August and asked if I would join her. As I read the text, I was upset and had my feelings hurt. After I had time to think about it, I KNEW my Mom wasn't intending on hurting my feelings IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM. I also knew she was right on. I needed to lose weight. I happened to notice a new gym was offering a Weight Loss Challenge and I felt like this was exactly what I needed to do.

That was a little more than 8 weeks ago. I have since lost 12 lbs. and I have gone down 7 sizes in my jeans/shorts! I didn't win the Weight Loss challenge but I won a far better prize than what was offered. One day at a time, I am winning my body back. One day at a time I am winning emotionally. Did you know that when you work out Endorphins are released into the Brain. These Endorphins can help with Anxiety, Depression, Self Esteem, Fatigue, Anger, and even help you to eat less!

The gym I joined used to be like a place for football players to come and lift weights or body builders who lift for hours on end and leave to go eat and then return yet again. LOL The Couple that purchased the gym a few months ago didn't change much but they have made it into a Family Fitness atmosphere. I guess you could say it is not your typical gym. Nope. Anyone who works out here is getting an amazing and OH SO HARD Workout. No sissy stuff whatsoever. Just one of the reasons why I have enjoyed it is that they truly care and will do whatever it takes to help you reach your goals. I kid you not....Jillian Michaels from the Biggest Loser has a twin and she lives in my town and trains us day after day. She has NO MERCY! LOL but seriously, she pushes you like crazy. Helping you to realize you can do FAR MORE than what you thought was possible!

I am so thankful that my Mom asked me that question last July! thanks Mom. My Mom joined me in the weight loss challenge and I was sooo proud of her when she would work out with me. She is one strong lady!

Speaking of Mom, you will have to come back tomorrow to see what My Mom helped me do for my Birthday. I will be posting tomorrow (my actual birthday) about the Dining Room Makeover she and I did! It is sooo AWESOME :)

♥ Have a Terrific Tuesday my Friends ♥

Friday Funnies ♥

2011-10-07T05:20:00.000-05:00

Let me Preface this by saying: Savannah's Daddy is OK now, and he sure has done an amazing job with her! While I don't think the situation is funny, it is little Savannah that will keep you laughing as she talks to the 911 Operator.

Please go over and see my dear friend Kim for more Friday Funnies

Happy Friday my Friends ♥ U All

What's On Your Heart?

2011-10-04T05:20:00.002-05:00

How do you respond when distractions come?

Let's see. One example might be.... You are doing your bible study which is due in the morning. You stop to look up something pertaining to your study. After finding it you should return to your study but instead you click over to Facebook for just one quick look. That quick look ends in a 45 minute delay and now the kids are home and your spouse is not far behind. Now it's time to fix dinner and head out for the evenings practices.

What about this one.... You are cleaning house because friends are coming in from out of town. The goal is to stay in one room until it is completely clean. done. You pick up some clothes that need to go in the laundry basket, so you head to the laundry room and then you see clothes that need to be hung up. You hang them and take them to the Master bedroom closet. You turn and see your kids left some dirty clothes on the bathroom floor. So you pick those up and see a coffee cup your husband left this morning. The day continues on and on just like this. When the evening comes you haven't succeeded in cleaning your house at all!

How about this? Have you experienced this before? You wake up before everyone else to spend your quiet time with the Lord. You grab your Bible and journal and your Coffee. On your way to sit in your comfy chair you notice the clothes need to be in the dryer so that your kids favorite shorts will be dry for school today. So you take them out of the washer and put them in the dryer. Now you need to fold those clothes that you took out so they won't get wrinkled. You fold, hang, and put away the clothes and by now your quiet time is over. The kids are in the shower and will be ready for breakfast any minute.

I think you get the idea..... Distractions can totally destroy the plans you have, can't they? While all of the above scenarios are awful, nothing compares to when we are doing Gods work and we allow the enemy an opportunity to distract us from that.
Maybe it's a financial issue - working on debt and reaching the goal of being debt free. Maybe it's that God has called you to go on a Missions trip and help others KNOW JESUS. It could be just loving on that neighbor that no one seems to talk to and your friendship shows them the love that God has for them. In befriending this person they come to accept Christ as their Savior!

We must stay focused on what it is we are doing! Yes, even when cleaning house ! I can tell you that this was one area I struggled with a lot in my young married days. I would "clean" all day long yet, It never felt like it because I went from here to there and back all day long! I am sooo much more focussed now and also plan out the day I will be staying at home to clean and do all the other chores, so that we can enjoy the rest of the week.

It's most important to stay focused especially when we are doing Gods will. The enemy wants nothing more than to pull us off track and keep us there. Not succeeding in accomplishing that work is exactly when the enemy wants.
Being focused
Be wiling to say NO! ---- to phone calls, lunch dates, computer time, etc. whatever it is that will take you on a path that leads to chaos and failure!

Recognize the distraction, so that, when they come you can snuff them out immediately. Set boundaries, in love, and stick to them!

Accomplishing what God wants us to each and everyday is sooo very important and when we seek HIM, when we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us and lead us we will be successful! Achieving the goals we set, regardless of the task, brings peace, joy, and order in our lives!

Can you recall a time that a distraction totally ruined a situation??? What did you do?

♥Young Love ♥

2011-10-03T05:20:00.001-05:00

My Son is "going with" one of the Sweetest Girls I know!! One of the many things that I ABSOLUTELY love about her is that, she is NOT one to put up with any drama. She has a terrific sense of self worth, therefore, she doesn't seek out others just to be in the "in crowd."

Sunday was 3 months since Jantzen asked her to "go with" him. When they get together, especially at her house, you will most likely find them baking together or maybe doing a chore for someone in the family! They are both such great kids!

Ahhhh, Young Love ~ It is simply "Precious"!!! Here is the card she made Jantzen for their anniversary ♥

It reads.....

To My Sweet-tart, You have been a Lifesaver since you have been in my life. I am filled with Mounds of Joy I always get the Snickers when I think about you! I hope you don't think I am an Airhead for making this. My Love for you is bigger than the
Milky Way. You were Mint for me. I see
Starburst when I think of you! Sending you lots of hugs & kisses Love you to Pieces P.S. By the way, I think your Hunky

Isn't that just too cute :) Soo creative too!!

Hope you all have a blessed Monday!!!

A ROYAL CROWN

2011-10-01T05:20:00.001-05:00

A year ago my daughter was crowned "Homecoming Queen" by her student body. We were all there to share in her big moment! It was an amazing moment in her life. One that no doubt she will remember ALWAYS.

Tonight was Homecoming and the reigning Queen was to return and crown the new Queen.

I remember vividly Jenna being crowned. My little girl ~ the sports fanatic, loyal friend, and beautiful daughter...inside and out. The bleachers were filled with people and so were the sidelines of the football field. Screams and applause erupted when they announced her name as the Homecoming Queen. A huge group of friends swarmed around her to congratulate her. It was a moment I will never forget. I will also never forget the humility in which Jenna received this crown. She never pretended to be anyone other than who God made her to be. She knew this was an honor by her peers, but more importantly, she knew where her Real crown will come from. The Eternal Crown. I have always shared with my kids..."You are a child of the KING!" Don't let anyone tell you differently! You are set apart Honey, by God!
Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity 1Tim 4: 12

Thank you Lord, for choosing us! Making us YOURS! For the gift of Salvation and Eternal Life! Thank you that even when we receive blessings here on Earth, or people are surrounding us and clapping for us, nothing compares to Your Love and Your Gift of Eternal Life!
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1Peter 2:9-10

Today I am linking up here with Charlotte!

Friday Funnies ♥

2011-09-30T05:20:00.001-05:00

It's Friday !!! WOOHOO! Hope your week has been blessed and your weekend is even better! It's Friday Funny time here @ TheMagoosNews! If you would like to join in, head on over to KIM'S

If anyone has ever messed with PHOTOBOOTH, you know it is always guaranteed for a laugh!! Here is a montage of grandparents having fun with PHOTOBOOTH! Enjoy!!

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Phil4:4

What's On Your Heart?

2011-09-27T05:20:00.001-05:00

What is on Your Heart?

I am just So thankful for technology !!

Without my computer I would not be able to write or receive a letter, a note, a discount, or a lesson plan from my son's teacher. I would not be able to see my sweet daughter's face, who is away @ college, each day via SKYPE. I would not be able to BLOG, nor would have I met any of you and be blessed by the gift of your friendship!!!

Without my IPhone I would not be able to grocery shop and find the ingredients for the dinner I am going to prepare via the AllRecipes App, or stay on budget using my calculator for the groceries I am purchasing. I would not be able to receive that text from my Son that says "I Love you Mom!" just because and make my whole day! Nor would I be able to watch the videos of my grandchildren during those times I am just missing them like crazy! I wouldn't be able to FaceTime my husband with one of the many "How do I do this?" Showing him what it is I am doing & he is able see on my phone exactly what I'm doing and viola'... then He can share the instructions! Love it! I would not be able to read God's Word or send a Scripture to a friend that will bring Hope to their day!

Without my IPad I would not be able to read more than one book at a time as well as not having to carry the actual book. They are all in my IPad. I would not be able to check my email, or play BeJeweled during that 10 or so minutes, while I am waiting to pick up my Son. I wouldn't be able to check my bank balance, or watch a GodTube video or a funny YouTube video. I would not be able to watch a movie, or better yet, catch a sermon from my Pastor ~ Pastor Craig Groeschel

In today's society I know many who say the Internet is from the enemy or it consumes us! For some, sadly those statements are true. Many marriages have been broken, due to pornography being sooo accessible or meeting someone online via Facebook or some other social network. I know as a mother and a blogger, one issue continually comes up....Are we spending too much time on the Internet ?? Balancing our time is sooo important and always remembering our priorities! Quiet time with the Lord and being with our family is first and foremost. Using the Internet to bring Glory to God or to encourage someone in HIM is what I hope to accomplish! The rest of it ~ Is just icing on the cake!

So, tell me...What's on Your Heart today? If you would like to share your heart please join in here

Spiritual Sundays ♥

2011-09-24T05:20:00.000-05:00

All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.
2 Cor 1:3-5 MSG

I have experienced this Scripture many times and in many different ways. I wonder....Would we willingly say, "Lord, I want to deal with this situation! Please allow me to go through this pain. I want to get to the very root of it so that It will be gone for good!" My guess would be that not very many would say, "Yes, let's do this Lord!" But here is the thing....Whether we willingly go through those hard times or try as long as we can to ignore, deny, and just plain fight them, they will come!

Going through trials is NEVER easy. But once you have gotten on the other side of it, there is no doubt you are stronger and better than you were. Not only that, but, more times than not, you may notice that the Lord places someone in your path that is going through something very similar. First and foremost, Listening to them is sooo very important! Sometimes sharing your story can help them feel like they are not the only one, or maybe it sheds light on a different perspective. Whatever it is, allowing God to work through you, helping others because of the pain and trials you have gone through can be such a HUGE blessing both to you and whomever you are helping!

What about you? Have you seen this in your life? Or maybe, you have gone to someone who has brought comfort to you because of their painful times.

I am joining Charlotte @ Spiritual Sundays May you all have a blessed weekend!

Friday Funnies ♥

2011-09-23T05:20:00.001-05:00

Heavens sakes ~ this week FLEW BY!!! I am sooo glad it is Friday because that just means 1 More day til my grand babies are going to come spend the night!! WOOHOO :)

Friday also means it's time for Friday Funnies!!! Join in and share a funny over @ Kim's or just watch even more Friday Funnies!

This bird is too funny! He gets after it now :) Enjoy

Happy Friday my dear friends! ♥

Word filled Wednesday

2011-09-21T05:20:00.000-05:00

This verse is a favorite for many people! My guess would be that is also one that "most" believers have heard. We hear it offered for graduates, we share it at baby showers, we sign in it a card for those who may have given up hope. But isn't that just so awesome and sooo the way God intended for HIS WORD to be. No matter where we are in life....This Scripture rings true for each and every person. God cannot lie nor can HE change HIS WORD. HE truly has a plan for us BUT it is up to us to live those plans out.

Happy Word Filled Wednesday my friends!!

Rejoice in Gods Word today!!

11 I say this because I know what I am planning for you," says the Lord. "I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future

For more WFW go here

Monday's Musings

2011-09-19T05:20:00.001-05:00

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! We certainly did! The Weather was absolutely PERFECT! It was in the 80's and sunshiny during the day. Then later the night and overnight we had some awesome Thunder Storms. When we woke up, it was sunny once again! This cooler weather brought our neighbors out of the house and many others too. Many in our neighborhood were taking a walk, or a family bike ride. We worked out in our yard. I trimmed roses, trees, and the boxwoods! OH MY! I can barely walk .... and bend over, well you can just about forget that! OYE!

We laid out 2 new flower beds and sprayed the grasskiller on everything. Hoping that all the grass dies and I can get plants on Monday! Some Mums and Pansies, along with some Hostas! I will have to take pics and share them once I get it all done!

I made a big pot of homemade chicken (&rice) soup! It Is So YUMMY! My son, Jantzen, has had that yucky sore throat, stuffed up, and just feeling YUCK since last Thursday. There is nothing like some homemade soup to help is there! I am hoping it hasn't turned into bronchitis!!!

I am so excited! I've been going to a new gym to workout. I originally joined bc they were having a weight loss challenge during the month of August. Well, I LOVED working out there so I joined. Can you guess what my favorite exercise is??? BOXING!! I LOVE IT!
This week, one of my friends will be joining me. I invited her last week and she said "WOW, this is what I have been looking for!"
We do different exercises, (ie; riding the bike, doing the rowing machine, jogging, boxing, abs, planks, and the dreaded sled)
for 3 minutes each, then we get 1 minute in between to rest. We do 10 rounds and my oh my, how the time just flies by!

So what did you all do this weekend? Hope it was wonderful!

Spiritual Sundays

2011-09-17T05:20:00.000-05:00

In Our school system, once the kids complete their 5th grade year, they enter the 6th grade center. This brings every 6th grader in our community together into one school. Then they will attend the 7th grade center and finally the 8th grade center.
So the kids experience a new school each year until they reach the 9th grade.

My Son was really excited to begin this year at the 8th grade center. He looked forward to it most of the summer! Once the day finally arrived, he was thrilled! He was happy with his schedule, loved the majority of his teachers, and found his way around without getting lost! :)

After some time had gone by and a routine had been established, I asked him "do you still love the 8th grade center?" He said, "OMG, it is sooo hard!"

As I began explaining to him "this is the year that the teachers no longer baby you. This is the year that will prepare you for MID-HIGH and HiGHSCHOOL."

I immediately thought how similar this is to our Christian walk. When we are Saved, asking the Lord for Forgiveness of our sins and accepting HIM as our Lord and Savior, we are on fire! Many experience a Peace like never before and a Joy that is truly unspeakable! Some actually want to tell EVERYONE about the gift of Salvation ~ it doesn't matter to whom, just as long as they can tell their story!

Then as time goes by and we know the Lord and HIS Word more and more, we realize that it's time to begin growing up in our Christian walk. Then we experience trials and we think "OH MY, this is SOOO HARD!" Some begin to doubt or even question this thing they call Faith.

There are sooo many Scriptures that clearly tell us...we will have troubles, we will have trials! Others encourage us to stay the course, don't grow weary, and do not lose heart!

We are also instructed to be around like minded believers, so that we can encourage one another! Having someone come along side of you when you are experiencing a hard time in your Faith is priceless.

I know personally, There have been times that I have questioned God, my Faith has wavered and I have wondered where in the world the Lord is??!! But, instead of having a fit and acting like a child, I hear the Holy Spirit remind me of 1Peter 2:2

So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk. You've had a taste of God. Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of God's pure kindness. Then you'll grow up mature and whole in God.

I am guessing that a large majority of believers have those seasons in which we wonder "Where is God?" "Why can't I hear HIM any longer?" but there are also those seasons in which we are "On Fire and sharing all the HE has done for/through us!"

No matter if you are a new believer full of JOY and ready to share Christ with anyone who will listen OR a believer who feels forgotten and far away from Christ, remember no matter what, God loves you and is with you! Just like I explained to my Son....it takes a lot of work, hard work, and perseverance too! The teachers tell you what to do and expect a lot out of you. It is up to you if you complete the work and just exactly how you do that work....with all of your heart, or maybe just good enough to get it finished. The teacher will not "force you to do the work" but if you choose not to do it, you will face the consequences!

God Provides all we need....The Holy Spirit, His Son, and HIS Word! Growing up isn't always easy but with God by your side, you can do it!!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,Heb 12:1

Thank you Charlotte for hosting Spiritual Sundays!

Friday Funnies ♥

2011-09-16T05:20:00.000-05:00

I have missed blogging so much and Friday's are always better with Friday Funnies so head on over to Homesteader's Heart for more funnies!

Have you ever been to see Chonda Pierce? She is such a hoot! or maybe I should say....She's just so "precious" ;)~ Anyway, Happy Friday my friends and I hope to be back to regular blogging by Monday, and more importantly, coming to see ♥YOU♥ and catching up with your lives ... I have missed you all so much!

Thoughts on Thankfulness

2011-09-15T05:20:00.000-05:00

Blessed are those that can give without remembering and receive without forgetting.

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say “thank you?”

Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don’t unravel.

Gratitude is the memory of the heart.

It isn’t what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful, but what you have in your heart

When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.

Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot

I am So very THANKFUL for each one of you!
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy PHIL 1:3

Our Birthday Girl

2011-09-13T05:20:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I honestly can't believe my children are as old as their birth certificate says they are ...Can you relate?? LOL

This past Sunday was our Jenna Marie's 19th birthday! Seriously? 19!?? Yep... 19. **SIGH**

♥ Decorating for her special day ♥

Got her some pretty roses!

Victoria Secret had some adorable college workout stuff and Jenna has been hitting the gym so she was really hoping for these for her birthday! These are just some cute undies they had along with the workout stuff...aren't they cute!

Sportsbra...so cute

Lovin this hoodie for sure!

She also got some Pink Boxing Gloves! Look out people!

We all celebrated her special day....cooking out, laughing, and just enjoying being together!

We Love you so much Jenna Marie! How blessed I am to be your Momma!

Giving Thanks and offering Encouragement

2011-09-08T05:20:00.001-05:00

I don't know about you but I sure have had my days messed up this week! I am ALWAYS thankful for a 3 day weekend and the short week after. It's always fun seeing who is the most confused about which day it is. This time ~ I think I win the most confused award ;)~

I am super excited to share with you all, a new series that will begin next Thursday! Lisa @ StopnSmelltheChocolates will be hosting this much needed series. You can go here and learn how the Lord has laid this on Lisa's heart and how her willingness to do it occurred! I have to say....Having someone Encourage you just because, or right at that perfect moment, or maybe when you least expected it is just so awesome! I can tell you as a Blogger, reading encouraging comments just makes my day! Doesn't it yours!?

I am so thankful to be able to participate in some really awesome and godly meme's and this one will no doubt be just as awesome as the others! I mean really, how can you go wrong when you are encouraging someone??

I hope you all will join in and bless others with your encouragement and I would be willing to guess that as we sow encouragement we will reap encouragement as well!! How exciting is that!! I love when GODS Word becomes alive and active in our blogging!! Don't you!

See you Next Thursday over @ StopnSmelltheChocolates!

Word-Filled Wednesday ♥

2011-09-07T05:20:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite days to post! I love WFW! Sharing Gods Word just fills my heart with so much joy and makes me smile! Smiling is good!

Today's Scripture spoke to me....I have been definitely taking Refuge in the Lord...Life can be sooo very difficult at times. People will hurt and disappoint you. Those you love can say and do things that break you heart right in half. What can we do when that happens? Go to the Lord and give HIM your pain...your hurt and anger...your sadness and weariness! HE is the Lifter of Your Head!
He cares and can handle every single emotion, every situation that presents itself...HE Truly is OUR REFUGE!

To read more WFW go here

Have a blessed Wednesday my friends! Love you ALL!!!

Boy am I EVER Thankful

2011-09-01T05:20:00.001-05:00

You know when you have one of those days when one thing happens that is horrible, and you think it couldn't get worse, but then sadly, it does?? Well, that was me on Monday .... I was..... on.my.knees!!!

It started out with a silly and completely trivial situation! i realized I left my dress at the Hotel in Tennessee. I had purchased that dress just for this wedding and it is sooo pretty! I also left my shoes that I wore with it. I put the shoes and my undergarments in a bag and had the bag hanging on the hanger with the dress. Walked out of the hotel and left it hanging in the closet. I called & asked if they had seen it....Was told they would look and get back with me.

Later I get a text from my daughter Jenna...I have never seen so many things try to come against one of my kids but I tell you what....the enemy is hard at work making whatever can go wrong for Jenna @ college, go wrong! I went up on Tuesday and spent the day with her and we got some things in the works to make things better. Without going into much detail, let me just say, I would sooo appreciate if you could pray for her! Thank you guys sooo much! I can't tell you how much it means!

Shortly after I get Jenna's text I hear from our oldest daughter....My grandson Bentley has had a very rough week. We all just assumed he was teething and all was normal. On Monday, he ended up breaking out in a rash all over his body, so Krista & KC took him to urgent care and see what in the world was going on. So while he is being seen, they decide to do some blood work. They come back and tell Krista and KC that Bentley's platelets are low and his white blood count is high!!! THEN they tell her....
He could either have a Virus OR Leukemia!! EXCUSE ME????? what???????? They told them to take him home and they would know more on Friday. So devastated and worried beyond words, they take Bentley and Rylee, and go home. As you can imagine, they were in tears and just sooo very upset ~ understandably so!! She shared with all of us what had happened and what they told them and of course asked for prayer and to share it with others so they would pray!

BUT THEN GOD......

my dress was found and shipped FEDEX

While Jenna's situations are going to take time and healing, God provided all she needed to see HE is with her and leading her in this season of adjustments! She was able to spend time @ the LifeChurch.tv Campus there and spent a night in WORSHIP and God touched her in such a precious way just surging HOPE into her precious little heart! She just knew afterwards that no matter what everything is going to be ok!

Krista was waiting patiently to hear from the Dr.! Not really expecting to hear anything til Friday but when she got the phone call (early) THIS is what they told her.....

Bentley's test results are all normal! His levels are all NORMAL! He doesn't have leukemia or anything close to it! He is a healthy happy baby boy! He told her that the urgent care's machine just must be way out of whack.... I'll say so!! AH YI YI!! So even though she was shocked that they had given her such upsetting news she was far happier and oh so thankful to hear such wonderful news! She then contacted all of us and let us know the AMAZING NEWS! I Just cried when I heard!! I realized at that very moment how terribly scared I was that the "C" word was going to cause more grief in our family!
To say I was Thankful, doesn't even begin to describe it! NOT.AT.ALL!!

I know the Lord doesn't give us more than we can handle but honestly....some days I just wonder!! Do you? I am just so thankful that even when I wonder, or when I am so scared or worried, or even when I am upset @ God that HE can sooo handle it! HE
loves me in spite of all of that and holds me close, fills me with HIS Hope and HIS Peace ~ one situation at a time!

In 1Peter 1:6-7 NCV it says:
This makes you very happy, even though now for a short time different kinds of troubles may make you sad. These troubles come to prove that your faith is pure. This purity of faith is worth more than gold, which can be proved to be pure by fire but will ruin. But the purity of your faith will bring you praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is shown to you.

and one of my VERY FAVORITES... Romans 8:28 MSG
Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

Yes....I am Ever So Thankful...Thankful to the Lord for hearing the cry of a mothers (and grandmothers) heart! For giving me HIS Word that always lights my path in what seems to be a dark dark valley!

What are you Thankful for today?

Tennessee ~ Love in the Air ♥

2011-08-30T05:20:00.000-05:00

This past weekend my Mom, Jenna and I drove to Nashville TN for a friends wedding. I used to babysit the bride YEARS & YEARS AGO. My Mom and Her Mom have been friends forever, it seems. With Facebook though, they have been able to really reconnect!
So when Mom received the invitation she asked if I would like to go....Go to a real Southern wedding....YA, YOU BETCHA I DO!

We left fairly early on Friday and arrived in TN around 9:30 pm. When we checked in, we were given gift boxes from the wedding party.....How awesome is that! Saturday we walked around downtown Franklin, TN. It is just the coolest downtown area!! There were some awesome shops and great restaurants as well. I wished we would have had a whole weekend just for that area. As we were leaving to go back to the hotel to get dressed for the wedding we walked by this cute little cupcake/cake shop. Of course, we had to peek inside and see what they had.... As we were talking to the lady I saw a big article on the wall sharing how they did Carrie Underwoods wedding!! Holy smokes! Really!! We absolutely had to try some of their cupcakes! Jenna and I got the BFF ~
Chocolate cupcake with cookies and cream icing and a oreo on top...... OH. MY. ~ d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s.!!! Honestly, I could have tried every single one of them! They all looked amazing and I'm pretty sure they probably would have been!

The wedding was at Cheekwood Botanical Gardens Oh my gosh you guys....This place is just Beautiful! My friends George and Betsy are always sharing the most amazing photos! They go to the Biltmore in North Carolina quite often, & I was so hoping to share some beautiful pics! Our hope was to arrive early and to be able to look around the gardens as well as take some pictures but you know how we women are when we are shopping.....We ran it so close that we were almost late for the wedding!

Since it was an Outdoor wedding, everyone was given a Fan...There's had 1Corinthians 13 on one side and their names & wedding date on the other

This is the Brides Maids and then the Maid of Honor which was her Sister....I LOVE their colors, don't you!

Just a beautiful setting for a wedding, wouldn't you agree!

Here is the Happy Couple walking down the aisle just after they were pronounced "Husband and Wife"....Look at those smiles!

Here is Jen, Mom and I at the reception

It was such a Gorgeous wedding and the Joy and Love of the couple was sooo obvious! I am so happy for them and know they will have many wonderful years together !!

It seemed like time just flew while we were in Tennessee! I absolutely love that state! It is just sooo pretty !! I would so move there if the opportunity ever presented itself!! I hated to leave but it is always good to get home! Missed my boys!

Hope you all had a great weekend! What did you do?

Friday Funnies ♥

2011-08-26T05:20:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we just have to tell on OURSELVES...ya know! Keeps us humble, right?! RIGHT!

So I was outside watering my flowerbed (thank you Lord the water rationing has been lifted!) and I walked to my mailbox to check for mail delivery. We just recently had some new neighbors move in. We have new neighbors on both sides now! Anywhoo....They are a young couple with a baby boy named "memphis" (maybe about 13-14 months old) who happens to be outside with his daddy. Now then, Memphis was buck naked! Yep, you read that right....BUCK NAKED! His daddy waves at me across the way and says, "i'm just lettin Memphis have some naked time" to which I reply, "Well, there is no better time than that is there?"...........Wait. What did I just say? Is he looking at me funny? Oh gosh, he's shaking his head and laughing....Wait, I just meant~ for a baby...Yes, for a baby there is nothing better than running around naked!! Not me, I would never....

Oh bother.

He just turned around and went inside. Probably thinking to himself....Wayyyy to much information there neighbor! :) LOLOLOL

Oh yes.....I was bright red and oh so embarrassed ...

Happy Friday my friends! I am off to Nashville today for the wedding! I am sooo excited! :) If you don't mind can you please say a prayer for safe travel!

Word-Filled Wednesday ♥

2011-08-24T05:20:00.000-05:00

I just LOVE Word Filled Wednesday! If you would like to join in click on this link here

We all have the most special gifts given to us by our Heavenly Father! I know there have been times, that I have been jealous or envious of others gifts. I know that just has to break the Lords heart. Honestly, HE has provided me with just what I NEED to accomplish HIS Will, and share the gift of who I am and what HE has placed within me to bring Glory to HIM!

Have Peace in Knowing God has blessed you with all you need! Every single thing!

Happy Wednesday my friends!! Love you ♥

Tuesday's tidbits

2011-08-23T05:20:00.001-05:00

Did everyone have a great weekend? We did! It was quite the productive weekend. I got a lot done inside the house and got Jenna's room cleaned up now that she is gone.....I am thinking I may find Jantzen taking it over LOL. I keep reminding him that she will still be coming home from time to time....At least I sure hope she does ;)

I am hoping to get the EEG results for Jantzen today! I called the Dr's office on Monday and they said one of the doctors assistants will be calling me with the results. We also go back to the Pediatric Dr. today for his arm! Woohooo! I look forward to him being able to workout with my at the gym I joined!

This weekend my Mom, Jenna and I are all going to a wedding in Tennessee! I am so looking forward to this trip! I will be driving us and any time we can take a road trip...it's always a wonderful time that I cherish! Plus, I think this is one of those "True Southern Weddings" I've never been, and I simply cannot wait!

Oh ya!! You guys need to go over to my bookblog and enter my $25 Walmart gift card giveaway! Just go here to enter the giveaway!

Would ya'll mind saying a prayer for my Jenna....she hit that first bump in the road and is struggling a bit....bless her heart! Adjusting to college life is not easy at all! She is doing such a good job at it though! I am so proud of her. Today was her first day for classes and she seemed to like them! She really liked her Comp I instructor! She has always had awesome English teachers, even here at high school! Bet that is why she is such an amazing writer!

I hope you all have a blessed Tuesday! What do you all have going on this week?

Friday Funnies ~ Ridiculist

2011-08-19T05:20:00.002-05:00

Wow ~ I SERIOUSLY cannot believe it is FRIDAY! This week has been such a BLUR!! But Blur or no blur, this is a great way to start off your Friday....with a laugh!

I saw this yesterday and I will admit...I laughed until I cried! Once he gets tickled.....oh my goodness!

Enjoy all the PUNS :) I really hope no one takes offense at this....I loved this because of how he can't stop laughing! The part where he refers to YouTube...I'm seriously rolling on the floor! It gets me EVERY.SINGLE.TIME!!

Happy Friday my friends!! Please visit KIM for more Friday Funnies

Dorm room pics and Thanks!

2011-08-18T05:20:00.000-05:00

Goodness Gracious..... I have been super busy with getting Jenna settled at College and then we had to get my Son ready to return to school Today!! Boy, will the house ever be quiet!! I took Jantzen to get a few things to wear for school and then grabbed some supplies for his classes. When the kids get older it seems the teachers don't give you a list of supplies until they have been in class a couple of day. It is not my favorite way of doing things. I am not sure why they do it this way but we really can't do anything about it LOL. I just really appreciate those teachers who do put out a supply list when we are enrolling! I feel like I am sending him to school Unprepared! HA..... Anyway, Spending a day with him is always a treat! We got to have lunch with my Mom which is always wonderful!

Mom also went up to help us move in Jenna....We all had so much fun and although we were there for a REALLY long time LOL, and NO! I didn't drag it out AT ALL....ok....Maybe just a little ;) We finally got everything unpacked and in order for her. Mom and I even found some Orange hangers 10 for $1.00!!! (we got 70) and redid all of her closet in them! It looks so cute and that is the one thing I didn't get a picture of! :(

Anyway, here is her dorm room.....

This is her side of the room. Her little desk with her New Mac and IPad 2 and OF COURSE her princess poster :) My little Priness LOL
She also took her colors and coloring book *GRIN* She is such a little girl at heart! Anyway it is so cute and cozy!

This is the door into their room....Jantzen thought it would be awesome to put the orange bandana on the door and they Loved it! Way to go Jantzen :)

This is the girls make up and hair station. They don't have a sink in their room or a bathroom. That is all just down the hall...She got some flip-flops to take showers with. I remember all to well....you must have shoes ON to shower in the dorms HAHA! We got her refrigerator and microwave up and going and their Tv and DVD Player. They are SET!!

She is doing really good! This is howdy week so there are no classes but a lot of fun activities for the college campus as well as in their own dorm and these are planned for the students each day. She LOVES the Workout facility! I got a text yesterday that read..... I burned 600 calories !!! She told me before she moved down there "I will NOT gain the Freshman 15!!" LOL I believe her! :)

Thank you all so much for the kind words on my previous post! It is certainly an adjustment for each of us! You all make it so much easier with your Love and Encouragement.... Thank you each and everyone of you!! ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Letting Go

2011-08-15T05:20:00.001-05:00

See this Sweet Girl? Today begins a new Season in her life. Our Precious girl is College Bound. I am not sure how this day arrived so quickly. Wasn't it just yesterday I was bringing her home all snuggled up in her Pink Blanket? Or singing, Barney's "I love you" song. Surely, it was just the other day I was walking you down the hall to your Kindergarten class, waving good-bye with tears in my eyes amazed at how brave you are, and so very smart too!

Time has flown by, my girl. You are your Daddy's girl. Your quick wit has always brought such laughter into our home. Your smile lights up the room and your heart is so full of Love and Compassion. Your teachers were always so quick to share how thoughtful you were of others and how very successful they knew you would be...no matter what you choose to do, they would tell me ~ She is going to be a Huge Success in every way imaginable! Of course, I knew that, after all, You are Your FATHERS' girl, and through HIM, You can do ALL Things!

You are your Momma's world, Yes Sweetheart, you are! From the moment I laid eyes on you and held you in my arms, I was a goner. Your sweet spirit is so humble, so loyal, and so kind too, but lets not forget the perfect amount of orneriness thrown in when the time is just right! ;0) Throughout the years, you have grown to be such a strong young woman, making choices that have made us so very proud. Not one to go "with" the crowd, but recognizing that you are "set apart." Learning that life may not always be easy, but knowing that in those times of difficulty is when God can and will prune you, teach you and change you to be more like HIM.

You have always had Ears to Hear what the Lord is saying, a gift given from HIS Heart to yours. Look to Him, Seek Him honey, with all of your heart, and all of your mind. Always remember, Success as the world measures it, is completely the opposite in the Kingdom.

So Kick up your heels and enjoy this new Season HE has prepared for you. Your Daddy and I are so very proud and even more excited to see what God is going to do in you and through you!

I Love you A Bushel and a Peck,
Mom
XOXOXO

Praying for Miracles?

2011-08-13T02:03:00.005-05:00

I have been away from Spiritual Sundays for a couple of weeks, and let me tell you ~ I have missed it soooo much!! Trying to fit in every single second with my girl before she leaves for college on Monday has been a HIGH PRIORITY :)

First let me share with you all this is the Miracle Makeover weekend @ Spiritual Sundays! Please go over here and leave a comment because each comment left will be worth $1.00 towards the next makeover by Design Gives Back!

When seeking the Lord about my post I got so excited to see how HE put it all together this week! We are in the middle of a series @ Church titled BOLD. Last weekend, the Bold was specifically "Bold Prayers."

Pastor Craig Groeschel shared this:

"What you Pray for Reflects what you believe about God"

ok, broken down it would mean this:

If you pray for yourself mostly, you believe God is here to serve YOU

If you pray for those around you.... family, friends, your church, your co-workers, etc. you believe God can serve only a small amount of people

OUCH!!

Why don't we pray for:

"THE" Church
Orphans
A Revival to be swept across our Nation
A Move of the Spirit in ALL Believers ~ everywhere
Widows
Miracles
Wonders
Healings
etc.......

I am so guilty....guilty of those self-centered prayers. The prayers that span maybe 50 miles around me..... Forgive me Lord!

Please Understand! These prayers are not wrong, nor are they bad. But as Pastor Craig so eloquently shared this food for thought: When we pray those repetitive prayers like maybe this one...."traveling mercies" for the 25th time this month, or maybe it's as simple as "Please be with me today" we gotta know this.....

HE IS with US, HIS Protection is over us !! Do you wonder if God might ever say:

"Give ME something BIG, something other than life's normal everyday chain of events"

Release your Faith, Stand on HIS Word, and ask Boldly for Those Miracles to happen, The Healings to go forth, A Move of the Spirit on all Believers.....

Remember God watches over HIS Word to Perform it!

And now, Lord, listen to their threats. Lord, help us, your servants, to speak your word without fear. Show us your power to heal. Give proofs and make miracles happen by the power of Jesus, your holy servant." ACTS 4:29-30

This week The Miracle Makeover is for Charlie Grady. Charlie needs a Miracle, a Healing touch by the Great Physician. Won't you join me in praying for a Miracle for this precious young man and his family too.
Here is Kelee Katillac and the Grady family sharing about the Makeover: Thank you Charlotte and Ginger for allowing all of us to be a part of something so wonderful! Please remember to go here to leave a comment!

You won't want to miss this!

Have a blessed weekend My dear Friends

Updates with Thanks

2011-08-11T05:20:00.000-05:00

Being Thursday means Thankfulness is in the Air!!

I am sooo thankful for:

Jantzen went to Orthopedic Doctor and he won't have any surgery! He is able to keep the soft cast on which means he can remove it during showers as well as taking it off 3 times a day to do exercises to gain his range of motion! The break will heal fine and we return in a couple of weeks to see how he is progressing! What a great doctor we had!

No results on his EEG yet ~ at least the test is done and he didn't have to miss the 2nd day of school like we originally thought!

With this being my daughters last week at home before leaving for college I am so thankful her wish was to spend so much time with family! She asked to have our granddaughter come spend the night....Rylee LOVES her Aunt Jenna and believe me Aunt Jenna loves loves loves her Rylee. She took her to the zoo, they colored, they glued, they took naps together. It is just precious watching the two of them! Then she wanted to have time with her Sister too so we all had a big family dinner on Tuesday night :) So thankful for nights when we are all together. Wednesday night she was treated to dinner by my Mom and Stepdad aka: Nanny & Papa!
Mom took all 4 grandkids to dinner and she asked the kids to write a note to Jenna and they read them at dinner ~ so much fun!

I am also sooo very thankful for the rain we have received!! We have had Thunderstorms and rain 2 evenings in a row and I can't tell you what a treat it has been! My husband walked in the house around 7pm and said..."Wow ~ the air conditioner isn't running AND we don't have to water our plants tonite!" PLUS, the temperatures did not reach 100 or over for the first time in months! Can I get an AMEN!!! HALLELUAH!! and a THANK YOU JESUS!!!! :)

I am so thankful for my sweet Son! He is just one of the most thoughtful young men and knows the importance of cherishing each and every day.

Last but not Least, so thankful for all of you! Thankful you come to the MagoosNews and encourage me and share the gift of your friendship! What a blessing you all are! Thank YOU!!

Word Filled Wednesday

2011-08-10T05:20:00.000-05:00

The shopping has been done. All necessary items await to be loaded and delivered to their new home. We are just days from packing up our girl and taking her to begin a new season in her life. I dare not talk, let alone type too much about it or the tears will begin again. Don't get me wrong....I am so excited for her. I know she is going to do awesome. She has God with her and For her....NOTHING is more reassuring than that my friends! I also know that HE has some amazing plans for her. So as I asked the Lord what to share today ~ I felt in my Spirit that this is what HE wanted me to share. I am so thankful knowing the Lord has plans for each and everyone of us...

May we seek HIM and in the seeking may we find HIS WIll for Our lives! His good, pleasing, and perfect will!

Armadillos, Racoons, and Foxes....OH MY

2011-08-08T05:20:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday :) How was your weekend? did it fly by? or did it drag on and on and on and on? ;) Did you get a Sunday nap? How was church?

We had one of the craziest weekends that I can remember! Friday found us in the urgent care, only to find out my son Jantzen had broken his arm. Thursday night last week, he and a friend went to play tennis. Jantzen was near the net and his friend tossed him a bottle of gatorade or water to catch and he fell over the net. As he fell he stuck out his arm to catch himself and broke his radius head. He was in a lot of pain but didn't tell us how badly it hurt him. On Friday morning when I woke him up I noticed the swelling and saw him wincing in pain. I tried to get into our dr. but he had no appts. so we just ended up @ Urgent care. They put on a soft cast, explained the X-rays to us and sent us on our way. We are hoping to get into a orthopedic dr. early this week and get a hard cast put on. Praying there is no surgery needed!

I shared with you all about his EEG appt. being changed to Saturday. Well, the rules were he had to go to sleep around midnight the night before the test and wake up @5am. and have no caffeine products and no sugar prior to the test which was @ 12.30 Saturday afternoon. So he didn't fall asleep til about 2 am. He was on some pain meds for his arm. So needless to say, waking him up and keeping him awake was quite the chore. I woke him up @ 5 and we went for a walk and then watched the sunrise together :) Then I took him to his favorite breakfast place and oh my, after we got our bellies full it was even harder to stay awake. LOL
Let's just say, his head was a bobbin on the way to the appt. Got the test done and headed home. It all went fine and we hope to get our results this week but let me tell ya, We were quite the zombies the rest of the day.

So later on, around 1 in the morning on Saturday or I guess it was really Sunday at this point huh? I woke up bc I heard my husband in our bedroom. I sat up and saw he had his gun in his hand....I was like "What are you doing??????" He said "Looking for that armadillo!" The pesky thing has been digging up our yard and our new flower beds looking for grubs. Makes me soooo not happy! So then, about 30-45 min. later, I hear our dogs start to barking. Like crazy barking! Come to find out my husband is now chasing off three raccoons! They come and eat our cats food or try to get into our trashcans. They aren't even really afraid of us anymore..... Then, after all that our daughter is getting ready to bed and takes our boxer out to potty. This time though, she went with Maggie and all of the sudden she hears something and our dog is clearly scared to death. She isn't barking nor is she moving. She is just standing there frozen and looked at jenna like she had seen a ghost or something. Jenna was hearing this sounds that was horrible and she thought...."If my dog is scared, then I should probably be really scared!!!" She yells at my husband and says "There is something in our yard and it sounds HORRIBLE!!! My husband shines the flashlight out back and sees two eyes shining back at him!! There is a FOX in our yard and it is making a HORRIBLE NOISE!! Have you ever heard a fox before??? Here ya go, when the video gets to the 30 second point is when you will hear what they heard that night....I would never have thought it was a fox!

It felt like we were in a zoo! Dogs barking, raccoons chattering, armadillos digging and foxes well, I don't know what you would call that, but I was so glad when it all stopped and the quiet peaceful sleep came LOL

I'm not sure I could even dream up something as good as that night was! Did you have a crazy night this weekend?

Friday Funnies

2011-08-05T05:20:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday Everyone!! If you want some laughs today you can visit KIM & all who have joined Friday Funnies over @ Homesteaders Heart

Have a Blessed Weekend my friends!

Word Filled Wednesday

2011-08-03T05:20:00.000-05:00

Prayer is asking for rain and faith is carrying the umbrella.
Barbara Johnson

So thankful that we can cry out, asking the Lord to bring the rain and knowing that when it comes ~ we WILL be refreshed!

For more Word-Filled Wednesday's go here

all images are from internet

Heat update ;)~

2011-08-02T05:20:00.000-05:00

Happy tuesday.....

Surely, there is a much more exciting opening line...

I could say....HOW HOT IS IT???

or "Yes, I'm still here but I seem to be melting!!"

Today friends we are only suppose to be 112 but tomorrow..... yes, tomorrow's forecast is 114! ONE HUNDRED F.O.U.R.T.E.E.N ~ how does that even happen?

Our city broke a record on Monday....we reached 110 which beat the record from all the way back to 1923. We also officially have the hottest month ever in the history of Oklahoma. ~ July 2011 will now sit in the record books!

Last night @ 10 pm it was still 102 sooo we decided to have a little fun in our living room. We broke out the golf putting green and had a little family contest. Then we played the WII. Just Dance Summer edition, it had us dancing, laughing and burning some calories too! woo hoo! I dominated for most of the songs and then Jenna came back strong!

Oh YA!! We got Jantzens EEG moved up to this Saturday! PRAISE THE LORD!!! He has to go to bed @ midnight and wake up @5 and then test that afternoon. I am sooo thankful the Lord allowed for this to change! Now he won't even have to worry about missing any classes that first week back to school. (oh how I HATE typing those words!)

I hope you all are staying cool and taking care out there in this heat! Love and Hugs to you all ♥

Mondays Musings

2011-08-01T05:20:00.000-05:00

🎶 Monday, Monday, so good to me🎶....Can't you just hear the "Mammas and the Pappa's" singing about now 😉

I hope you all had a blessed weekend. What did you do? I honestly cannot believe we are in August ALREADY! Just blows my mind how quickly June & July went!
I have asked you all to pray🙏 for rain right?? Well, this week is going to be down right unbearable! Just take a gander @ this weeks forecast! We were sooo excited this past weekend when we saw rain clouds but unfortunately they didn't produce one drop for us here in our town. 😢

Can you believe it??? It is really getting to a dangerous level because of the water rationing and consistent days over 100+. We were out and about yesterday (sunday) and saw heat/air companies business trucks out working on houses. Don't you know they are just swamped. Everyone's poor air conditioner has to be running non stop trying to keep our houses cool. Our weatherman was literally just speechless when he was giving the forecast. Bless his heart...don't you know they want to just put up a sign that says "Ditto" or "Same, just hotter than last week" Those poor guys or gals really have to let things slide right off their backs much of the time don't you think!?!?

This week I am thinking we will spend time inside, maybe have a movie marathon, stay in our jammies, and CHERISH these final 2 weeks before we are back to school .....Has anyone seen "The Kings Speech?" or maybe, "Diary of a WimpyKid?" I really want to see "Limitless" as well. I am so excited movie rentals are just $1 these days!! Thank goodness for Redbox! They have set a standard for all those corporate Movie Rental places haven't they :)

this week @ LifeChurch.tv we started a new series, titled "BOLD." It's gonna be sooo good! Here are a couple of thoughts:

**God gives ordinary people extraordinary boldness!** Peter, a doctor, and a man who denied Christ 3 times yet HE still accepted him even after he sooo messed up! Then Christ gave Peter a boldness, (Acts 4:13) baptizing him with the HOLY SPIRIT and Peter brought many to Christ, healed a lame man, preached in the Temple, and much more! Now I would say that is One Bold Man!

Thought for the day......."How AMAZED are people by my boldness for Christ?"

Happy Monday my friends! Love & Hugs to you all! ♥

Friday Funnies are BACK!!!!

2011-07-29T05:20:00.000-05:00

My dear friend Kim hosts Friday Funnies and after taking a MUCH NEEDED BREAK she is back and ready for some funnies!!

We are having our Hottest Summer Ever according to our weathermen but it wasn't too many months ago that we were going plum STIR CRAZY from being buried by the "Blizzard of 2010" or as some called it
"SNOW-KLAHOMA":) We were all trapped inside for days and days!!

I have shared videos of my daughters boyfriend Ty before, but here is one that he made while being snowed in last January:
What a MESS HE IS!!!

Introducing Tyler as "Crazy ChickenHawk"

Happy Friday my dear friends!

Enrollment

2011-07-27T05:20:00.000-05:00

Today we are on the road to go enroll our Sweet girl Jenna in College! We plan to make a day of it. We will meet with an advisor and then enroll and we even get to look at her Dorm Room and get measurements as well as see if there is anything else we need :)

Gosh, these final weeks til school begin are going so quickly! I sooo wish I could slow them down! and cool them off :) LOL

Our temps are still over 100 each day and unless God does a miracle it will remain this way for quite sometime! UGH!

Anyway I pray you all have a blessed Wednesday! Love to you all ♥

Mondays Musings

2011-07-25T05:20:00.001-05:00

I didn't really mean to leave everyone hanging!!! So sorry about that....

We went to the neurologist's office and really really liked him! He was willing to answer any questions we had and believe me, my husband can ask some questions now LOL.

This is where we are in a nutshell.....

He won't be diagnosed with anything unless he has a 2nd seizure. If that happens we will begin meds immediately. For now, everything looks fine. He scheduled an EEG for mid- August which was frustrating for a couple of reasons. School will be back in and for that test he MUST:

On the night before the test he has to STAY UP TIL MIDNIGHT and then WAKE UP @5A.M. he is not allowed sugar or caffeine products AT ALL! Then the actual test won't be until late in the afternoon!!! I am going to see if I can be put on a "call list" in case someone cancels and pray that one will open up BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS!! will anyone join me??? pretty please :)

I honestly thought we were going to have the EEG the day of the apt. so when I found out it wasn't until another 3-4 weeks, Jantz & I were bummed! Oh how the Lord is working on me about HIS TIMING :) and NOT my own!

On another note....Our oldest daughter & son-in-law, celebrated their ♥ 6 year wedding anniversary ♥ and we got to keep our grand babies overnight! We had so much fun. Rylee finger painted, did water balloons, played in the sprinkler, helped me cook dinner, and we found some really cool PINK BUBBLES!! Bentley is getting sooo big! He turned 6 months old and is just the sweetest and happiest little boy! He eats constantly LOL Can you believe my arms were actually sore from holding him! He is just sooo precious. They both are! We all enjoyed having them here! Aunt Jenna and Uncle Jantzen were in heaven as well and they were both a HUGE HELP!!

At church, We ended our series titled, "At the movies" this weekend. Man, they were awesome ~ each and every one of them! This week was a lesson through the eyes of the movie "The Kings Speech." Craig taught on how the true story of King George VI and how he stammers. He shared about Moses not feeling qualified because of his fears and insecurities. He shared that God will always use what others will overlook. We have a VOICE !! Whatever HE calls us to do, HE will provide all we need even if that means someone to help us with that specific insecurity. In this movie God provided a man who helped him in a very unorthodox way. I just love how God allows what we think is impossible or simply ridiculous into being the answer and the way....It is truly only Christ who can make something out of what we might "think" is absolutely NOTHING!

Well, my friends please continue to pray for rain. Here is out forecast for the week! It is really getting to be a HUGE concern with water, and the farmers with their animals, crops etc. We have made the choice to let our yard go but after putting so much money into our flower beds we can't let them go. So please pray for rain....I know many are suffering with this heat. I am praying for relief for all who are experiencing this unrelenting heatwave!

Look at that!! That is Not even with the Heat index...that is just the temp....OYE! Please Please Pray!!!

Happy Monday my friends!!

Thankful...We FINALLY have a Neurologist Appt.!!

2011-07-21T05:20:00.000-05:00

6 and 1/2 weeks ago, I shared with you all about my Son Jantzen, having a seizure. Since it was a Saturday afternoon, We immediately took him to the ER and then followed up with our family physician the following Monday. He referred us to a neurologist. Pretty much this is where we have been for WEEKS.... Waiting on them to call. To be honest, I have **at times** lost my patience, gotten frustrated, and then I would calm down, asking the Lord for forgiveness and not only the patience I need, but to trust in HIS Timing!

So, today we will be going to the neurologist!

I have watched Jantzen for these past 6 1/2 weeks VERY CLOSELY. Taking the precautions they asked us....no swimming, no tubs (meaning showers only LOL), no energy drinks etc. He also cut way back on playing video games. I wasn't the only one who was impatient LOL. He has had his moments as well ;) For the most part he has been doing fine. At times, he will have a dizzy spell and explain that when he stands up, he gets dizzy and his fingers get tingly. Then he gets really hot, kind of like when I have a hot flash

But tomorrow we will have some answers! YAY!!! I am praying, obviously that the EEG will show no proof of any seizure activity. If in fact this is what the test reveals then hopefully this was just a one time thing! If not, then we will get some sort of plan and see what type of seizure we are dealing with.

Whatever we find out, I know that God is with us. None of this has surprised him and HE will continue to lead us every step of the way.

Thank you Lord! You're timing IS perfect. You are our Strong Tower and our Peace that passes ALL understanding!

Word Filled Wednesday

2011-07-20T05:20:00.002-05:00

I LOVE Word Filled Wednesday, don't you?!?! This Scripture is one that has always given me HOPE and ENCOURAGEMENT! The Words "IN ALL THINGS" not some things, not this thing, or that thing....but....ALL THINGS! Doesn't that just give you PEACE!

I am so thankful the Word is Alive & Active and speaks to soo many....May HIS WORD speak to you today!

For other Word-Filled Wednesdays please visit Internet Cafe Devotions here

Back to Life

2011-07-19T05:20:00.002-05:00

Back to Life. Back to Reality. Back to....oh wait, that is a song ! But certainly how I felt having come home from one of the most fun and successful trips I've had in quite awhile.

My Sweet Momma has taken Jenna and I on girls trips since Jenna was about 10. We usually go somewhere within 4 to 8 hours away, always driving and spend a weekend or so just enjoying one another. We shop and eat out, sleep in and stay up late. It has been such a gift my Mom has given to both Jen and I all these years!

This year we had a goal and that was to get some things for Jenna's dorm room. She will be moving into her dorm in mid August. We decided making a trip to IKEA would be our best option and definitely the best prices. Jenna was able to get everything she needed and even some stuff for her roommate as well. She got a complete closet system, curtains, pillows, bathroom towels and a shower caddy, sheets, duvet cover, rugs, dishes...the list goes on and on. She got it all for around $300. Unbelievable! Truly a blessing!

We also went to an AWESOME Outlet Mall. We literally shopped til we dropped. Then on the last day we went to downtown McKinney Tx. and walked around. It was the cutest, most quaint little downtown area! The shops were so cool and then we went into a restaurant and caught the womens soccer game. So sad they lost but happy that Japan had something to celebrate!

The Lord blessed us with time together, laughing, bonding, relaxing, and we met some of the nicest people along the way! It is always fun to see who the Lord allows us to meet on these trips!

So now, it is back to reality. We are still in the 100+ temperatures! Our Governor has called us to pray for rain! How awesome is that!??!?! Of course, there were those who were upset with the word "Pray" but this is really affecting our Farmers, animals, and the elderly too. We have set some serious records with the temps this summer. So if you don't mind...Can you help us pray for rain in Oklahoma and for all of those affected by this heat! Thank you soo much! We have had to be put on water rationing and for now we can water only on certain days but if we don't get the rain we may lose the option to water AT ALL! OY!

I pray you all had a blessed weekend and are staying COOL! Have missed you all! Will be getting around to say hi soon ....

Friday Funnies!

2011-07-15T05:20:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday Everyone! Its time for Friday Funnies! My friend Bella Mella shared this on Facebook this week and I loved it and could not wait to share it with you all!!!

Hope your weekend is blessed!!! I'm in Dallas with my Mom & Jenna doing some shopping for Jennas dorm room!! I love roadtrips with my Mom!!! We all have soo much fun and we laugh pretty much NON STOP! :)

Word Filled Wednesday

2011-07-13T05:20:00.000-05:00

"Feed your fears and your faith will starve. Feed your faith, and your fears will."
— Max Lucado (Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear)

Have a blessed Wednesday&hearts ♥ ♥

So Blessed

2011-07-11T05:20:00.000-05:00

You ever have those days when you just receive such a blessing from the Lord that you just want to cry??? Ya? Me too! That is just how I felt after this weekend.

Saturday my husband and I woke up @ 6:30 am. I took Jantzen to work for NHS @ a local run. Tons of people turned out to run the annual Josh Hatzell Memorial Run. Josh was killed a few years ago tragically and this has been something our community has done to honor him and I can only imagine how much it has helped his parents in the healing process.

As I returned Brian and I began working out in our yard. We were making 2 new flower beds. My neighbor informed me that Lowes was having a HUGE sale and had clearanced alot of their plants/flowers. Sooo, I went a picked up some Iris' ($1.25- $1.10 per plant!!!) and some crepe myrtles($9.99) and a few other things. We had so much fun and worked our tails off too! Oh, did I mention it was HOT? OH EM GEE! WAS IT EVER HOT!! According to the Weather Channel we were the hottest place in the country!!! Sunday our Bank's temperature read 113'. That is just TOO HOT! & yes, we were working in the yard LOL (drinking lots and lots of water and gatorade!! I will share pics soon)

Later that evening we went to church. Holy Smokes, it was packed out! Seriously, so many people were there and were even standing in the back! It was a great sermon on dying to our self! Recognizing Self Absorption and Pride ~ we all know where that gets us....flat on our face & full of regrets! Pastor Craig shared from the movie about that man who went hiking and ended up stuck and had to literally cut his arm off. I haven't seen that movie but I am definitely going to now! He was so self absorbed and did you know that when he set off for that hike he told NO ONE he was going??? It is an amazing story to say the least!

After church, we went to a beautiful wedding! My daughter, Krista and my grandaughter Rylee were both in the wedding! They looked beautiful! My grandaughter was the flower girl and I have to say I truly wondered how she would do walking up that aisle with all eyes on her! Let me just tell ya.....She was PRECIOUS!! She had us all in stitches and I don't know that I have ever seen her look so pretty! I can't wait to see pictures....Oh ya, I will be sharing them here ;)

Sunday finally came and my sweet JENNA is HOME!!! She has been gone for 10 days in North Carolina! I can't tell you how I've missed my girl! Krista and my grandbabies came over and we had a family Sunday dinner! Just a perfect end to a wonderful weekend. God is so good. HE blessed me so ~ HE knows there is nothing that fills a Mommas ♥ Heart ♥ the way having her family around her does....

Thank you Lord! I am so blessed

Spiritual Sundays~ A Spoken Blessing

2011-07-09T05:20:00.001-05:00

A Few years ago I learned about a very special gift ~ the Power of a Spoken Blessing. Declaring and Decreeing blessings over my children. Literally imparting Gods Word as well as speaking a blessing over them.

Do you speak blessings over your children? Maybe, as they go off about their day, just stop and pray over them, speaking forth the blessing. Asking God to give them Joy throughout their day, or to be strong in their gift as a leader, or speaking peace & calm over them if they are experiencing some strife in their class room. The list could go on and on.

Speaking blessings is not some magic formula, the children have a choice in receiving it and choose to live according to it or they might turn their back on the Lord and ignore it all together. The same goes for anyone we might speak blessings over. But as parents, I know I would much rather speak the blessing over them, leaving them a heritage of many spoken blessings!

One wonderful example I can share, was speaking a blessing over both Jenna & Jantzen about getting along as brother & sister. To not only get along but to truly be "friends" enjoying hanging out with each other and not bickering. The transformation was amazing! Within a very short time of speaking these blessings, I saw subtle changes and then each day watching what the Lord was doing in them was just so exciting!

Do you know what your childrens spiritual gifts are? This is another wonderful way to speak forth blessings over them. My son, Jantzen has such a servants heart. We pray that his gift would continue to grow and the Lord would use him according to
His will! Not only do the kids hear you speaking, but they know you believe in them as well! Plus, they also see a glimpse into how much God does too!

I have had prayer warriors speak blessings over me, and let me tell you, I received those blessings with great expectation! Hearing those blessings was so very powerful !!

Outside our homes, our children and/or our spouses hear enough negativity. Don't you think speaking a blessing over those you love is one of the most wonderful and loving things we could do?

Today I am joining Charlotte & Ginger @ Spiritual Sundays ~ to read more go here

Friday Funnies ♥ "Shut the front door"

2011-07-08T05:20:00.000-05:00

So last night our TV was on for maybe 15 minutes before we went out to play badminton and then work in our flower beds. While we had it on we saw this commercial and it cracked us up! Hope you guys enjoy it too!

A laugh is a smile that bursts. ~Mary H. Waldrip

Happy Friday Everyone

No Justice for Caylee

2011-07-07T05:20:00.001-05:00

Not guilty?

As I sat and watched the jury declare Casey Anthony "not guilty" I was shocked. Even more so, watching her after the jurors had been escorted out of the court room, and seeing her parents make a quick exit as well, what was she thinking? Then again, What must they all be thinking? feeling?

As Casey began to laugh, and chat away with those around her, I was so sad. So sad for her baby girl. A beautiful 2 year old, whose life was taken from her far too soon. Yet, her mother was giddy. She was free. Free from the possibility of the death penalty. Free from facing consequences of actions she allegedly committed. Was she thinking of Caylee at all?

I have thought so much about how she spent her nights in jail and more importantly, how she spent that last night before hearing of her conviction or as we all witnessed her "not guilty verdict."

Does she pray? Does she practice "positive thinking" and believe it will come true like so many "new age movement" thinkers do?
Or did she just pace all day and night allowing Fear to rule and reign her thoughts and mind?

I truly never have understood how people get through life without Christ. Whether it be getting through the loss of a loved one and experiencing the Comfort and Peace that only truly comes from the Lord. Or maybe, it is the way HE will show HIMSELF strong in a situation and bring you that "Suddenly" moment, knowing there is no way to deny that it was the Lord working in your life. I will be praying for Casey Anthony. I don't even begin to judge where she is spiritually. Based on the facts of the case, it would be safe to say she needs Jesus in her life as her SAVIOR in a BIG WAY. Clearly, she is attempting to numb some pain in her life with all the partying she does and lying that comes with it. It's all so very sad. She needs a miracle to put her on the path to Eternity.

But then again, Our Lord is still in the Miracle business today and forevermore!

What are your thoughts on this case?

Red Skelton on Freedom

2011-07-06T05:20:00.002-05:00

My Mom shared this with her grandchildren in mind. After watching it, I just had to share it with you all!! Enjoy and make sure you see the end...

‘May the Lord bless you
and protect you.
May the Lord smile on you
and be gracious to you.
May the Lord show you his favor
and give you his peace.’
Numbers 6:24-25 NLT

Hey it's me, Remember?

2011-07-05T05:20:00.001-05:00

Wow....I guess I took a Blog Break. LOL We have sure been enjoying summer. We had a wonderful 4th of July, celebrating our Freedom and surrounded by friends and family, made it so special. Taking the time to truly appreciate our Freedom and all of those who have fought or continue to do so was very important this year. To Remember our Heritage and all this Country stands for as well as knowing our true Freedom in Christ is so vital!

Here is our sweet Rylee dressed in her stars and stripes!

My Beautiful Momma holding my grandson and her great-grandson, Bentley! Isn't he darling!!

We have started a new series @ Church which is known @ LifeChurch.tv to be when they experience one of their biggest growth spurts. It's called "At The Movies". Usually in summer alot of people tend to go on a hiatus from Church but in true Craig Groeschel form, this church reaches out to any and all, inviting them to come and hear the Gospel. When we started attending LifeChurch last year they had just finished "At the Movies" so we really didn't know what to expect this year. It is amazing all of the hard work that goes into it and God uses so many during this time, and HE gives Craig such an amazing Word for each week. I will share more later this week!

College is just around the corner for our sweet Jenna, we will be getting her dorm room stuff soon and she is SOO EXCITED to say the least! Here is one of her gifts my mom got her for the shower area in her dorm. In true jenna form she is modeling for us! LOLOL

So happy to be back to this wonderful Bloggy world! I have missed all of you!! Hope your Tuesday is blessed!

Spiritual Sundays

2011-06-25T01:05:00.003-05:00

Happy weekend Everyone! It's my favorite time to blog and to visit others :) I pray you will join us in Spiritual Sundays and visit others who have posted as well! Thank you Charlotte and Ginger for all you do for Spiritual Sundays

Enjoy this new song by Chris Tomlin..... Will you let your Faith Arise??

Friday Funnies ♥ Bieber Fever

2011-06-24T05:20:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday everyone! Can you even believe we are approaching the last week of June already???? Man, I wish Summer would slowwwww downnnnn :)

Anyhooo .... You might have heard about Bieber Fever. Justin Bieber is just the cutest thing! He has fans of all ages and this little guy has got to be one of the cutest fans I have ever seen! Enjoy this clip ~ We have gotten such a kick out of it!

Happy Weekend my Dear Friends! Love to you ALL!

Thankful for.....

2011-06-23T05:20:00.001-05:00

I am so thankful it is SUMMER TIME

We have been enjoying "Summer" since the kids were out of school, but Now....It's Official :)

Swimming with my family and friends, sitting out on the back porch in the evenings and talking with the kids, listening to the outdoor symphony of the frogs, crickets, and cicadas. Seeing the Beautiful Moon and the Stars twinkling and catching one fall every now and then!

Fireworks! My Husband and Son are sooo funny! They LOVE to shoot off fireworks together, and trust me, it does NOT have to be July 4th. I love to watch my honey, it is like he turns into a young boy, with such a smile on his face as he shoots off the LOUD and Booming Fireworks! Soo cute :)

Grilling out! Making yummy dinners on the grill whether it is chicken to add to a salad, or some burgers, and even better, how about a steak or some fajitas! Just love grilling and having dinner outside together!

I am so thankful it is SUMMER TIME

What are you thankful for so far this Summer??

Cleaning, De-cluttering, and Organizing ~ OH MY!

2011-06-22T05:20:00.003-05:00

Goodness gracious, mercy me! I don't know where the days go anymore.....I know it's not like me not to blog but I have been doing some organizing and de-cluttering and by the time I finally sit down in the evening or early morning LOL I am plum tuckered out! I do LOVE being able to stay up soo late and sleeping in. We are such night owls and very rarely do we get in bed before 2:30 or 3 am. CRAZY I KNOW!

Anyway, My husband and I have been working on our bedroom and our Master Closet. It has been quite the task but OH MY how I love the end result! Getting rid of clutter, taking clothes to others who could wear them, and just bringing order into our rooms gives such a peaceful feeling! It is so sad how much "stuff" we let accumulate, but, we have both committed to the Lord and to each other that we are going to do this one room at a time :)

Here are some tips from Peter Walsh of TLC'S Clean Sweep to help keep the clutter from piling up in your home:

Tackle messes one room at a time.
When you buy something new, practice the "in-out rule:" For every one new item, get rid of an old one.
Create intimacy in the master bedroom. Remember that improvements in one room can spread to the rest of the house.
Make cleaning up fun for your kids.
Create a vision for the room you're cleaning.
Teach your kids how to sort.
Use a hanger system to determine which clothes you wear most.
Ask yourself if you really need something. If you hesitate, you don't.

There is also an E-book out from a fellow blogger....Sarah Mae's "31 Days to Clean, Having a Martha House, The Mary Way" It's 4.99 and worth every penny! It's not JUST about cleaning our homes, but our hearts as well!!

Today I will be taking a little break and going to go swim with our neighbor and her daughter..... It will be such a nice treat!

What about you guys, How is your week going? Do you need to do any De-cluttering?

Spiritual Sundays ~ Fathers Day

2011-06-18T05:20:00.000-05:00

What Makes a Dad

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so,

He called it ... Dad

~~Author Unknown.~~

As we all celebrate our Fathers this weekend, I am missing my Daddy. I have peace knowing that he is with our Heavenly Father, celebrating the Ultimate FATHERS day!! I am so thankful for all the years the Lord blessed me with my dad. As we prepared to say good-bye, The Lord blessed me with the gift of learning of my Daddy's Eternal home. In HIS Final hours and truly one of his final conversations, I learned of my Dads Salvation. So many of you all had prayed for this very moment. Just one of the MANY gifts from the Heart of my Heavenly Father ♥

I pray that those who may not have a good relationship with their earthly Father will come to know their Heavenly Father. For it is HIM and only HIM who loves you unconditionally. thinks of you continually and longs to show you what the true love of a Father is.

Please join us @ Spiritual Sundays and I pray you all have a blessed Fathers Day weekend

Friday Funnies ♥

2011-06-17T05:20:00.001-05:00

Our Host for Friday Funnies, Kim is taking a much needed break for the Summer. She has, however, given us permission to go ahead and post a Family Friendly Funny if we want to!

On Thursday night I colored Jenna's hair (OMG, the child has SOOO MUCH HAIR) Her BFF and soon-to-be college roomate came over and we had a fun Girls night. While I was coloring her hair, we watched a movie, had us some popcorn, and just laughed and laughed!

Afterwards, the girls had gone upstairs and all I could hear was giggling. (Even @ 18, the sound of your childs laughter is such a precious sound isn't it!??!!) Then I heard them coming downstairs and THIS IS WHAT I SAW......

Love IT! Thanks for such a Fun Night Girls :) For all laughter and just letting your momma be a part of it all!! XOXO

Word-Filled Wednesday ♥

2011-06-15T05:20:00.001-05:00

When besieged,
I'm calm as a baby.
When all hell breaks loose,
I'm collected and cool.

I'm asking God for one thing,
only one thing:
To live with him in his house
my whole life long.
I'll contemplate his beauty;
I'll study at his feet.

That's the only quiet, secure place
in a noisy world,
The perfect getaway,
far from the buzz of traffic.
Psalms 27:3-5 MSG

There are So many distractions, wouldn't you agree??? .... The Word tells us the ONLY quiet, secure place and the perfect getaway is with the LORD. I LOVE sitting outside on my porch swing, listening to the birds singing in the morning, or the outdoor symphony of the frogs, cicadas, and crickets in the evening. Watching the deer walk through as they graze on the corn we have put out for them. I just Love swinging, reading the Word and being in Gods Presence. Truly a Perfect Getaway! As Summer makes it arrival and many plan their vacations, isn't it awesome to KNOW that we NEVER have to go somewhere to find God....He is ALWAYS with us. He refreshes us, renews us, and fills us with HIS Peace.

Truly, the Perfect Getaway is with Our Father! HE awaits your arrival.....

Today I am Linking here

Tuesday's Here!!

2011-06-14T05:20:00.001-05:00

I am soooo excited that Tuesday is here! Last week, My sweet granddaughter Rylee said she wanted to see NONI ♥ Sooo, even though Papa is away and is sooo sad he is missing her, she will be coming this afternoon and spending the night! We are all beside ourselves EXCITED!! She always keeps us in stitches...The last time she came over and spent the night she told us that our cats according to Rylee were "Britney Spears cats" LOLOL Ok, how does she even know about Britney Spears?? We are constantly doing something to "Fweak her out" and then she says "I dont wanna talk about it!!" Oh that little girl! She is a mess! We are going to gobble her up and spoil her rotten!

This weekend while we were doing our electric fence, the Lord dropped an idea in my head. About a month 1/2 ago, we got some new neighbors! I have shared how awesome they are and how she has put in sooo many flower beds and is teaching me how to do the same. Anyway, we all have lots of trees on our lots, but again, we all have such rock issues, some of the trees just don't make it. So my neighbor had a tree knocked down and my DH was there watching it come down and said "Hey, just push that over to our yard and we can use it for Firewood next winter." Soooo, it was a HUGE TREE and it has been in our backyard ever since. I felt the Lord say, "get that tree cut up for Brian for Fathers Day." I told my daughter about it and she immediately said, "I will see if anyone can switch hours for me at work because I want to help." So as soon as my honey walked out the door, I started making phone calls looking for some Chain saws. Long story short ~ Our neighbor and very close friend, Dusty, came down with chain saw in hand and went to town. We were able to get the tree completely cut up and in the perfect size for our fireplace. We stacked it and our yard looks sooo much better! I KNOW Brian will sooo appreciate not having to do the work, cutting it up, stacking it, especially with the heat the way it has been here! Praise the Lord for awesome neighbors!!!
I can tell him we all worked on His gift together :)

I have been reading some really AWESOME books lately..So if you are looking for a Great Summer Read, visit my Book Review blog here

What are you all doing on this Beautiful Tuesday

Monday's Musings

2011-06-13T05:20:00.000-05:00

Oh my gosh Ya'll....I feel OLD! Literally, every muscle in my body HURTS!! Why???? What did I do? Well. Let's see.....

Friday, Mom came over and took the kids and I to one of the CUTEST places EVER! It's called the Pecan Porch. It's an old country house/cottage they made into a resaurant. Beautiful plants are everywhere, they even have an old squeaky screen door. Such character and charm. I will have to take pics next time we go.

Saturday my honey & I subbed in our neighbors card group. They play "Pitch". I have never played before and thought we were going to play "Spades" :) Ha. Not spades but similar, I guess. We had a great time, lots of laughter and met some really sweet people. I used to play bunco with a group once a month but haven't done that in forever so it was nice to be a "sub" and learn a new game!

Sunday.... yep. this is the day in which my body decided it was about 100 years old! LOL We decided to put in an electrical fence in our yard. Because our yard has ROCKS just about everywhere and digging to far down is just about impossible, having a split rail fence or any other kind for that matter is financially just about insane! Not to mention, we really don't want to put a fence up. But if we did, we would have to dynamite or jackhammer for days so we say NOOOO. Anyway, for the electric fence you have to bury the line and because we don't want the dogs to go in the front yard and mess up all our new landscaping we had to not only do one full circle around the back yard we had to make a U shape so that the electric line won't go along the back door and shock the dogs. So that meant being on your hands and knees burying a wire ON AN ACRE LOT!!!
OH EM GEEE..... CAN YOU SAY SORE MUSCLES, ACHING BACK, TENDER HANDS AND FINGERS... :)

ok, I will quit wining now :)

I was so thankful the Lord brought us a bit of rain in the wee hours because it sure made working with the dirt so much easier!
Now we just have to do the final connect and then we can begin training the dogs. That will have to wait a bit because my Honey is going out of town this week. Would you all mind saying a prayer for traveling mercies for him and his trip :) Thank you so much!

We are also trying to get in with a specific neurologist for Jantzen. The one our DR. referred us to didn't have the best of reviews so we did some research on our own and also have a friend who has seen this Dr. that we hope to get in with. So anyway, pray the Lord will open the doors for us :) I will not be making any appointments this week since Brian will be gone, but hopefully next week. Jantzen has been feeling much better in the past few days. He doesn't feel so weak anymore and the dizzy spells seem to be lessening :) Thank you all so much for your prayers!!

So tell me, How was your weekend?

How close are you?

2011-06-10T05:20:00.000-05:00

I've heard it said that we can "JUDGE" how close our relationship is to God by how QUICKLY we listen to HIS voice....and respond/obey to what HE says to do ~

Do we respond immediately?
Or do we get "around to what HE said to do"
or worse...
Do we listen to HIM and then ignore HIS Voice all together?

Where are you?

I would venture to say we all have those seasons where we fail miserably. We may claim we can't hear or that HE seems so far away. If we are honest, we would know the truth....our Father NEVER leaves us. It is us who strays.

Of course we have times of great Passion, totally On Fire for Christ when we are so close we wouldn't dream of not obeying right away.....

May we be quick to remember to stay close, on fire, seeking HIM ~ ALL OF HIM.

Romans 12:1-3 The Message tells us....
So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.
(Emphasis mine)

Hanging onto every Word and waiting anxiously for the next.....

Linking with Spiritual Sundays

Word-Filled Wednesday

2011-06-08T05:20:00.001-05:00

When life seems out of control and in chaos.... Jesus says:

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Phil 4:6-7

When Fear tries to rule you and keep you from doing what we are called to do.... Jesus says:

Peace I leave with you, My Peace I give unto you; not as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John14:27

When we feel weak and defeated....Jesus says:

The Lord gives His People Strength. The Lord blesses them with Peace.

When our thoughts take us into some "stinkin thinkin" ...... Jesus says:

You, Lord, give true peace to those who depend on you, because they trust you.

Thank you Lord that no matter what we are facing today....YOU care and long to fill us with YOUR Peace. True Peace.

For more Word Filled Wednesday go here

An update on Jantzen:

We met with our family doctor and he has ordered some tests for Jantzen. We are hoping to take those sometime before weeks end as well as have an appointment with a neurologist by early next week. I am waiting on phone calls to let me know when they will be.

Thank you all so much for your prayers! Truly, we feel them, each and every one!

Prayers Needed

2011-06-06T05:20:00.002-05:00

Would you all please say a prayer for my Son Jantzen? Saturday afternoon he stood up and wrapped his arms around me to hug me. I said to him...."Oh my goodness Jantzen, you are sooo heavy" and then I kind of pushed him away from me. Immediately he fell straight backwards and went down on the floor! As I bent down to get him, I realized he was having a seizure! He also was a bit confused and saying things that didn't make sense. To say this scared us to death is a HUGE understatement!

After a bit, he was alert and able to get up. Although, He continued to do things that were just "off" Like, saying my hands were on fire (to the touch) which they were NOT!! We rushed him to the ER and they did quite a few tests as well as a Ct scan. Everything came back NORMAL! Which is GREAT NEWS except that, we need to figure out Why this happened! The ER doctor explained to us that even with all the tests he did coming back normal that we need to get Jantz to a neurologist and do more tests! He explained that he could have epilepsy.

So today I will be taking him to see our family doctor and then he will refer us to a neurologist! I am praying the LORD direct our steps and we are connected with a wonderful Neurologist and that they can determine what is going on. There is a possibility that it might be dehydration that caused it, but this is a determination that we came up with on our own. The ER doc never even considered that so we might be way off base.

How can you pray?
That we be referred to an amazing neurologist
That we find the truth of why this happened.
No more seizures!!
This isn't anything more serious!!

Thank you all sooo much!! I will keep you all posted and for so many of you who saw my FACEBOOK STATUS and have already been praying I can't even begin to thank you enough! Having your love and support as well as prayers is such a GIFT FROM THE LORD!!

BLESS YOU ALL!!

Spiritual Sundays ~ Laughter is good ♥

2011-06-04T05:20:00.000-05:00

WOW! Can you believe it is already JUNE?!?!?! Time is sure flying by! Anywhooo, I saw these pictures@ my friend Anne's blog and thought they were soo cute and would be great for a laughter-filled Spiritual Sunday Post!! They sure made me laugh and brought me a smile :) Hope you all will enjoy them too!

You gotta wonder though..... Is the Lord laughing as well!?? :)

All Google Images

For more Spiritual Sundays go here

Thankful for the turnout!

2011-06-02T05:20:00.000-05:00

I shared with you all about my daughters friend Hance who was killed a couple of weeks ago here. A 56 year old woman was drunk and traveling down a highway on the wrong side and sadly Hance was thrown from the truck and died. My daughter, Jenna asked her boss about doing a fundraiser in honor of Hance and giving a donation to MADD. The day the fundraiser was scheduled was the day Oklahoma was hit by some serious tornadoes and killed many and injured even more. Unfortunately, they closed down the business when the severe weather came so that everyone could be safe at home. After the tornadoes in Joplin, it was just too close and everyone was being extremely cautious! Understandibly so.

Both Jenna and I were heartbroken! Some money had been raised but not near what either of us had hoped for. But then...GOD MOVED IN THE HEARTS OF HIS PEOPLE.....

Jenna's boss and owner of Cherry Berry offered to reschedule :) THANK YOU JESUS!! It was an AWESOME turnout and sometime this weekend Hance's Mom will be presented with a check for almost $700 to give to MADD in Hance's honor. This week, Hance's family drove to Utah to get all of his stuff, meet many of his new friends he had made this past year, and just enjoy the beauty of Gods creation the way in which Hance would have. Even though they were not able to be @ the fundraiser, the were able to thank people over Facebook and be a part that way! I truly cannot even begin to grasp how difficult this trip has been for them but What I do know is that the Henrie Family love the Lord and it is HIS STRENGTH in which they are clinging to. One day at a time.

I am so thankful for all of those who came out to support the Henrie's. Who came to take a stand against those who choose to drink and drive. For those who don't know what to do at times like this for those who are hurting or grieving but in some small way this gave so many an opportunity to "do something" tangible.

Thank you Lord for allowing this to be such a huge success and for moving in the hearts of YOUR people!

having some yummy yogurt

enjoying it outside

Friends, Family, and countless others came to Love and Support the Henrie's !!

so much Love for Hance! ♥

I know Hance would thank you Jen....you make me so proud sweetheart!

What are you thankful for today?

The Tortoise and the Hair

2011-05-31T05:20:00.001-05:00

I Pray everyone had a Blessed Memorial Day Weekend! My kids have officially begun their Summer Vacation! I know some are still in school for a bit longer....so hold on! It will be here SOON! :)

This weekend Our Sweet Grandbabies came and spent the night with us which can only be described as HEAVENLY!! Swinging outside, taking walks, reading books, and the best part?? HUGS & KISSES OXOXOX

I took a walk around the house really early on Saturday and found this guy peeking over the rocks just ready to nibble on some flowers! LOL

Peek-A-Boo

Here is our Sweet Rylee! She LOVES to be outside and just ONE of her Favorite things to do with her Papa is to put Corn out for the Deer to eat when they come by! The weather was soo Beautiful... and so is her HAIR!!!

She had so much fun running ....

And Running.....

Oh to have her Energy!

Til' Tomorrow.....

Spiritual Sundays

2011-05-28T05:20:00.000-05:00

Are you a:

Peace ~ Maker OR Peace ~ Keeper?? Last week in our Series titled "Getting Past Your Past" Pastor Craig Groeschel shared on the difference of

Peace -keeping vs. Peace - making.

I will be honest. I always felt it IMPORTANT to "Keep" the Peace. It wasn't until I started learning a few things such a boundaries or even personalities that I started to recognize that "Keeping" the Peace is sometimes really just sweeping things under the rug or better known as "Stuffing my feelings, and being run over."

Pastor Craig said it this way....

"A Peace Keeper" is one who hates conflict and stuff's their emotions, brushing them aside and refuses to work toward reconciliation.

"A Peace Maker" will face conflict and/or the issues with humility and intregrity, always seeking to work toward reconciliation, healing and in turn bringing about true Peace!

I don't know that you could find one person who has not been "hurt" and as much as we sometimes can focus on that hurt or that pain, we would do best working on those situations or people where we are ones who have caused the hurt. Seeking to bring forth Peace, not only allows for freedom within, and freedom to those whom we have hurt, but it is in this process that the LORD is Glorified.

It is in humility that we can seek to bring forth Peace. It is in humility that we can honestly look within and look into those whom we have wounded and ask forgiveness. When Christ brings truth into the light, exposing it...it is here that Peace and Healing are made. Not kept. Freedom goes forth and brings life to all in its path.

Matthew 5:9
God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God

Thank you Charlotte and Ginger for hosting Spiritual Sundays. Please join in with us each week and be blessed by so many who share their hearts and the Love of Christ ~ You will be blessed!

Memorial Day Thanks

2011-05-27T05:20:00.003-05:00

As we begin the Memorial Day Weekend I just wanted to say Thank You to all of those who are fighting for our freedom and for their sacrifices as well as those of their families!

May we all take a moment and pray for them and for our Leaders too!

Have a Blessed Memorial Day weekend my friends!

21 Years and Going Strong ♥

2011-05-25T05:20:00.001-05:00

Happy 21 Years Honey! EAch day is a gift...one I never take for granted. God made you JUST FOR ME and I am forever grateful!

SCRATCH THAT! MAKE IT...... TWENTY ONE YEARS!!!

From the day we pledged our love
I seem to love you more
Over time our love has deepened
And grown stronger in the Lord
Through all the ups and downs we’ve had
Our love has not grown dim
The light burns brighter to reflect
The love of God within

© By M.S.Lowndes

THANK YOU HONEY FOR 21 WONDERFUL YEARS! Praying the Lord Blesses us with MANY MANY MORE!!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2011-05-24T05:20:00.000-05:00

I shared with you all about our new landscaping a few weeks ago and just had to share these pics with you

So cool ~ Looks like a ♥

Our Sweet Garden Angel ~ Her face made us think of Rylee ♥, isn't she sooo cute!

One of our GORGEOUS Roses LOVE THEM! So would my Daddy!

PINK POWER!

LOVE the Purple!!

Our VERY FIRST YELLOW ROSE!!! Took much longer to bloom but sooo worth the wait!!

Our Cats LOVE the Flower Bed too! :)

This is our HUGE and Oh SO Lovable "Coopey JOE"

Our Quiet and Shy "Pongo"

The Queen of all Cats ~ Katrina Carol Anne"

The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth,
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.
~Dorothy Frances Gurney, "Garden Thoughts"

The Much Anticipated Walk

2011-05-23T05:20:00.000-05:00

So Very Proud of you Jenna

So are Nanny & Papa

Rylee too! ♥

As Are Your brother and Sister

And now.... A New Season Begins

Dear Lord,
As I look toward the future
Bright hope conducts this prayer,
For I know the plans You have for me
Were wrought with divine care.

Holy Spirit, lead me.
Let me run at Your command,
Yet be still and know that You are God
When trouble is close at hand.

Your Word will be a lamp for me,
A guide to light my way,
A solid place to set my feet,
A compass when I stray.

May I live my life to praise You,
Not for fortune, nor for fame,
May everything I say and do
Bring glory to Your name.

May my eyes stay fixed upon You
As I seek the way that's pure,
Tasting Your love and goodness
Sleeping and rising secure.

Planted by Your living streams
I'll delight in all Your ways,
Hidden by Your sheltering wings
With new mercies for each day.

Even in a dangerous land
When storms threaten to destroy,
At the cross I'll stand upon the Rock
My Strength, my Hope, my Joy.

Dear Lord, show me Your favor,
At all times keep me blessed,
May Your face ever shine upon me,
With peace and perfect rest.

Amen