I {heart} New Toys!

More Heart Attacks and a Giveaway

'Tis the season to make my heart race.

After the police episode yesterday, we have already had 2 little episodes this morning. I'm gonna need nerve pills if all this keeps up. ;)

The kids were watching a new movie in the living room, and I heard Troy start coughing, which isn't really a big deal, since we have all been allergied up. But he kept on and kind of gagged a little. I ran in here and raced him to the bathroom in case he needed to throw up. After some more coughing and gagging, he choked out, "I swallowed a quarter!" Jeremy had given him 50 cents last night to try some gatorade (I know, right?) and he was so proud of it he was carrying it everywhere with him, even putting it on the headboard of his bed when he went to sleep last night. He had gotten it when he got up this morning and had evidently been holding it in his mouth (which is something he just started doing not too long ago.) Jeremy went out to get his phone and while he was trying to decide whether to call 911 to see what to do or call his mom to come get the other 2 kids, Troy coughed it up. He told me a little later, "I thought a mean man had come and cut my throat." I am sure it hurt. Not to mention scaring him, me, and Jeremy all to death. He came over here just a few minutes ago and sat down in my lap and asked me, "Mom, was I going to die?" Bless his little heart.

Well, about the time we got recovered from that, I got me some breakfast fixed and sat down at the table with Jeremy and we started talking. I looked around and asked the boys what Audrey was doing. They turned around and looked, and I just happened to see movement about halfway up the stairs. She had made it that far without any of us seeing. I thought she was just on the other side of Jeremy's recliner playing. Not so. I ran over there and walked behind her as she climbed the rest of the way up. She faltered twice, but caught herself. This is the third tme she has climbed the stairs all the way to the top by herself. She is just growing too fast.

If I make it through raising these kids without having a heart attack, and with all my hair intact, it will be a miracle. ;)

On a happier note, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home is hosting a giveaway for the book For Instruction in Righteousness. It is about teaching godly character traits to your children. This is one I am thinking I mght need to buy (if I don't win it!) :) Go check it out. Go on. You know you want to.

I Just Thought My Heart Beat Fast

Nothing like having a police officer knock on your door to make your pulse go up.

Like mine needs any help breaking the speed limit.

You automatically think the worst. Someone has had an accident or something else really bad.
(Also keep in mind my house is almost half a mile off the road, so chances are he isn't at the wrong house.)

Not at my house.

He just knocks on the door and says "Jeremy's not at home, is he?" No, I'm sorry, he's not. He hands me his business card. "If you don't mind tell him to call me. I had talked to him about getting some gravel." I sure will. Sheesh. Alright, heart. You can slow down to your normal speeding and get out of the reckless driving zone.

You just never know what is going to happen here.

Did I mention it was right before I was about to get in the shower, so I had my hair all pulled back, make up smeared under my eyes...you know. The works when you are a SAHM of 3. And the boys looked like little orphans. They both were in just a pair of shorts and had been eating oreos and koolaid. You can only imagine.

P.S. The boys were not concerned at all that there was a police officer at our house (possibly due to the fact our brother-in-law is a police officer), but were very concerned about the unmarked car he was driving not having lights on top of it. Go figure.

The Naked Face Challenge

My friend Deanna over at Delirious Rhapsody has issued a Naked Face Challenge! She says "We're all beautiful. Now let's be real." The challenge is to take one picture of your freshly scrubbed face, sans make up, no touch ups. Just you. After much debate within myself (haha) I decided to join in the challenge. And it was for me, because I NEVER go without foundation. So here you are:

My naked face, red splotches, baggy eyes, wet hair, and all. :)

And just for the fun of it, here is another one, because after eating a mini cupcake, my tongue matched my shirt. ;P

Preschool Party at the Park

Ty's preschool class had their end of the year picnic at the park today. The kids had a lot of fun playing on the playground and throwing rocks in the lake. It thundered and sprinkled a little, and the wind got up pretty good for a little while, but we managed to have a good time before the stormy weather rolled in.

Tyler and Troy by the Lake

Tyler and Tanner

Tyler, Troy, and Sam

Audrey loved being outside

Some of Ty's class (and Troy ;))

Troy needed to take a little rest. Audrey peeked around Daddy's shoulder.



Ty the barefooted climber.


Audrey really wanted down.


Ty and Sam are best friends.


Troy and Daddy


Hey, I made it in one!


Ms. Tara


Ty with Ms. Lori. We {heart} her!

I can't believe he will be in kindergarten next year. :*)

Grieving God

Ephesians 4:30 "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God..."


Really think about the word "grieve." My dictionary defines it as to "cause to suffer sorrow." When Jeremy and I were talking about it, that came to my mind was "make you so sad it physically hurts."

Did you know there are things we can do to make God grieve?

Verse 31 says "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor [or loud quarreling], and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice." You think it grieves God to hear us act in such ways toward each other?

If you keep reading in chapter 5, we are told, "But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for the saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting..." (v. 3, 4) How many of us are guilty of at least one of these? If we haven't participated in it ourselves, we have at the least not rebuked others who were. I am just as guilty on this as anyone. How many times have we heard or told nasty "jokes," or flippantly discussed adultery, or watched a television show that endorsed homosexuality? These are subject matters that are grievous to God's Holy Spirit. Should we be taking them so lightly? Verse 12 says, "it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done my them [ungodly people] in secret."

Instead, we are to "be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another," "walk in love," and "do not be partakers with" those who act in such ways, but "find out what is acceptable to the Lord. (4:32, 5:2, 7, 10) Maybe we need to start redirecting our thoughts and our tongues. When something like this comes up, ask yourself "Is this pleasing to God? Does He want me to have a part in this? Is this something that He will accept as 'an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma' or does it just plain stink?"

Let us always remember to "imitate God as dear children." Act as He would have us, just as we expect our own children to act in an appropriate manner. Think about how a child wants to do everything exactly like mommy or daddy does it. God is telling us to follow Him in the same way. While we know we are not perfect and will inevitably make mistakes, we are to do our very best to imitate the Spirit of God.

Whose Way?

Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death."


So many times we forget who we are supposed to be listening to.

It's not any man. (Acts 17:11)
It's not any tradition. (Colossians 2:8)
It's not even our own heart. (Proverbs 28:26)

Of course, there are times when man, traditions, and our heart are on the right track. But we should never trust them blindly. We should constantly search the Scriptures to make sure that we are following God's path, not our own. Sometimes, man tells us to make things easier for ourselves. Traditions may be held for the wrong reasons - simply because "that's the way we've always done it," not because we have clear instruction to do so (or not do so. It goes both ways.) Our heart can deceive us, trying to better our earthly life instead of looking toward our eternal goal and how we can achieve it.

God's way won't always be easy. It may not always be clear. We may not always understand why we are headed in the direction He sends us. But His way will always be right.