Quilting Thursday

Well, I hung out at Tiff's on Thursday to work on a quilt I am making for the miss for her birthday.
This quilt I have pretty much done on my own and I have messed it up in a few places, but oh well, right.
Here's the top of it so far....I didn't make the tinkerbell border wide enough, I discovered, so I am not sure yet what I will do about that, whether I rip it out and sew a larger piece on all over again, or if I will add more to it, but any ol' way....

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The mister had fun practicing to be a big brother, with Tiff's youngest baby.

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He did really well with him, until he conked him over the head a few times with a marker.

My mister throws tantrums a lot. He likes to get his way, as do most kiddos. Usually, he will throw himself down wherever he is and bang his head against the floor as he screams. One point at Tiff's house, he had a tantrum while playing with some pots and pans, so he flung his head into the pan and screamed bloody murder. So what did mama do? Well, I took a picture of course.

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And yes, I know, brown shoes don't really go with his outfit. If you'd like to send me a pair that you think would be better, I can give you my address. :o)
Well, we are off this afternoon to a friend's birthday party. I will be sure to take some pictures.
See you then.

Harvest Time - Fun Ideas for the Kiddos

Pumpkin Dough Recipe
- 5 1/2 Cups Flour
- 2 Cups Salt
- 8 tsp. Cream of Tartar
- 3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 1/2 Cups Pumpkin Spice
- 4 Cups Water
- Orange Food Coloring

Combine ingredients in a large saucepan.
Cook over low heat until it reaches a play dough consistency.
Let it cool.

Taken From Mailbox Magazine

Homemade Applesauce Recipe
Homemade Applesauce
Ingredients:

* 6 firm apples
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. Peel and cut apples into chunks.
2. Place apples in a skillet with a lid.
3. Sprinkle sugar over apples and add water.
4. Heat, covered, on a medium heat for approximately 15 minutes. Half way through the cooking time, check to make sure the water has not evaporated. If so, add 4 tablespoons of water and continue cooking with the lid in place.
5. When apples are very soft, remove them from the heat.
6. Mash the apples with fork, and serve warm.
7. Refrigerate unused portions in an air-tight container.

Found at Suite101.com

Decoupage Pumpkin Craft

Pumpkin-Gingerbread Ice Cream Sandwiches

Pumpkin Milk Shake


1 cup ice-cream
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup pumpkin (From 15 oz. can)
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

In a blender container, combine all ingredients. Cover and blend at high speed until smooth. If desired, garnish each serving with a dash of pumpkin pie spice.

Learn about the Pumpkin's Life Cycle

Okay, that's all for now.

Psalms Sunday - Psalm 49

A Wisdom Psalm.

Psalm 49
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
1 Hear this, all peoples;
Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 Both low and high,
Rich and poor together.
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will disclose my dark saying on the harp.

5 Why should I fear in the days of evil,
When the iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
6 Those who trust in their wealth
And boast in the multitude of their riches,
7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother,
Nor give to God a ransom for him—
8 For the redemption of their souls is costly,
And it shall cease forever—
9 That he should continue to live eternally,
And not see the Pit.

10 For he sees wise men die;
Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish,
And leave their wealth to others.
11 Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever,[a]
Their dwelling places to all generations;
They call their lands after their own names.
12 Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not remain;[b]
He is like the beasts that perish.

13 This is the way of those who are foolish,
And of their posterity who approve their sayings. Selah
14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave;
Death shall feed on them;
The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning;
And their beauty shall be consumed in the grave, far from their dwelling.
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave,
For He shall receive me. Selah

16 Do not be afraid when one becomes rich,
When the glory of his house is increased;
17 For when he dies he shall carry nothing away;
His glory shall not descend after him.
18 Though while he lives he blesses himself
(For men will praise you when you do well for yourself),
19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers;
They shall never see light.
20 A man who is in honor, yet does not understand,
Is like the beasts that perish.

So many today strive to fill their homes with lavish things. A big screen TV, a fancy pool or a huge spa. And while we may want these things, because we think they will make us happier, I think a part of us wants them to show them off to others. Isn't it funny, how after a big screen TV purchase, you want to invite the friends over to watch the next football game. You want to boast of your purchase. Why is it that we are like this? Why is it so important to us to have the "in" things?
No, I don't have a big screen TV, nor do I want one. But I have purchased other "things" before, like a Dooney & Bourke Purse, and thought, oh people will see it and love it and be jealous. And that isn't very Christian of me, now is it?

I think it is so important, for us as parents, to raise our children differently. It is hard in an instant gratification society. It is hard, when we want to lavish gifts upon our children, because we like to see them happy. But I think it is important for them to realize that "things" aren't important. That having the brand new toy on the commercial that was just watched, isn't important.

I think instead, we should be teaching our children the best ways to save money. And I think it is important to focus more on our relationship with God, than on our relationship with the nearby shopping malls.

Because in the grand scheme of things, all the stuff we have, is just stuff. And most of it, doesn't last. The big TV's eventually break. The spas aren't used anymore after the newness wears off. The brand new car you just "have to have", loses it's new car smell rather quickly and not to mention a big chunk of value, when you drive it off the lot.

As Solomon says, it's all meaningless. It really is. No offense to those who have purchased a big screen TV.

What's important is our relationship with God. Because I would rather enjoy eternity with my Savior in a mansion built for me, than spend my time all wrapped up with money and "things" here on earth.
And I want my kids to live in the same way, and for them to pass that trait onto their kids.

And it's a struggle, because I wasn't raised that way. I am getting better at how I spend my money, but I am nowhere near where I want to be yet. But I am working on it.
Just like I need to work on my relationship with God, everyday, because I have been slacking there as well.

"Give me neither poverty nor riches — feed me with the food allotted to me; lest I be full and deny You, and say, "Who is the LORD?" Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God." (Proverbs 30:8-9)

"A million “well done’s” on earth will mean nothing without the ultimate well done of our heavenly Father on that great and glorious day." Darlene Zschech

Pumpkin Cookies

So, we baked pumpkin cookies today. No, not made from pumpkins, just shaped like them. Here's some pictures.....



Rolling and tasting the dough

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Making Pumpkin shapes, or thinking about it.

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Waiting for them

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Decorating them

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Eating them

Pickin' Pumpkins

Well, we trekked out to a pumpkin patch today with Tiffany and her kiddos. Unfortunately, there were slim pickin's, because it's been open for almost a month now. But the kids still had fun. They loved the hay ride. It was super hot though, well hotter than we thought it was going to be, and I think us moms were worn out by the end of it. I know I was.
I also bought some honey crisp apples at their store and they are pretty yummy. I hadn't even heard of honey crisp apples before. They smelled so good though, so I knew they'd taste just as good.
I didn't get any pictures of the miss with the pumpkin we picked. But, I'll take some more pumpkin pictures throughout the week and post them. On Monday, we are going to bake Pumpkin cookies and frost them and adorn them with fall sprinkles. And I think later on in the week, we may carve the pumpkin we picked today.
Since we were in the wrong field, and not where the little pumpkins were, I took the miss to Safeway afterwards to pick out a few little pumpkins. I think we will do a craft with one of them, next week.
Anyway, enough rambling, here's the pics. I didn't really get many though, sorry.

The miss and Tiff's son, "Turbo", waiting for the hay ride.

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Me with most of the kiddos....searching for pumpkins

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Heading back on the hay ride

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>
The mister was pretty content picking hay from the stacks. He was so engrossed, I couldn't get him to look up for the picture

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More Hay Ride fun

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Two worn out kiddos

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So Very Gorgeous

So gorgeous...and it makes me long to live back East again someday.....
The hubby's company is really big in Virginia....so I guess in years to come we could always transfer.
I mean I do love it here too, but nothing compares to back East. It will always be "home" to me.
Click for Fall back East

The Mister's First Hair Cut

Well, I took the mister to get his first hair cut today. I would do it myself, but I destroy hair, I do. When I tried to cut the miss' hair around 16 or so months, I gave her a mullet, seriously. The first time I cut my hubby's hair, with clippers, I messed it up so badly, he had his best friend help him shave his whole head. That was not a pretty sight. So, I leave hair cuts to the professionals.

I was a little bummed, because I thought he would get to sit in the cool race car, for his first cut, but no such luck. They plopped him down on a little booster on top of a regular salon chair, where I had to keep one hand on him the whole time to ensure that he didn't fall off.

He was a little concerned at first and reached out for me to hold him. But then the nice lady stuck a dum dum in his hand, and he was fine. That was his first sucker too.
He did really well with it and LOOOOVED it.

He really enjoyed the clippers, leaned his head into them and zoned off for awhile. Maybe if we are having a rough night at home with him, we should break out the hubby's clippers. I mean that boy was relaxed, you should have seen it.

Okay, lady, are you sure you know what you are doing?

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And they even gave us this cool thing that will definitely go in his scrapbook someday, when I sit down and actually do it.
I did color over his name on this particular image for the purpose of posting it on the blog.

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Oh and while we are posting pictures.....here's the mister sitting at the table yesterday eating his breakfast. Gone is the high chair. Hello booster seat.
And he does a great job at feeding himself when using a spoon.

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So, this is what I am getting the miss for her birthday. It is a wooden princess castle doll house. It opens up to almost 3 feet wide.


And if we were really rich and had tons of money to blow on a bed, she'd get this....

It's pretty cool, isn't it. But, there is no way I am spending $700 on that!
Oh well.

Oh and then my friends who have experienced the cabinet in my home which I have named...the cabinet where everything falls on you, will appreciate this picture.

It is now organized. And all of the craft supplies, paint and things that used to be piled up in there and would knock you in the head, upon opening the cabinet, are now in that plastic bin. However, I will eventually organize them into many separate bins, with paint in one, glitter in another and so forth. But for now, the things I most commonly use during craft time with the miss are in that box.
I know that Sara will appreciate that picture.
Okay, I am off to put some laundry away.

The Miss' Birthday Wish List

This is for the familia, who wanted some gift ideas for the miss. I took her to the toy department at Target today, and here are the toys she picked out. (These are all links by the way. You can click on each item to see a picture and description.)


Barbie Island Princess Twirl and Whirl Tika Elephant

Disney Princess Enchanted Tales Tea Cart

Disney Royal Princess Gem Princess Horse...either Cinderella, Belle or Sleeping Beauty

My Little Pony Skywishes Pony

FurReal friends Kitty Cat (I have seen this at Wal-Mart)

Our Generation Equestrian Horse

Imaginext Adventures Pirate Ship



And here are a few clothes ideas

Oh and Levis 4 regular jeans fit her well.
Carter's Raglan Horse Nightgown

Sonoma Horse Sweatshirt

Sleeping Beauty Smock tunic

Psalms Sunday - Psalm 48

Psalm 48
A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised
In the city of our God,
In His holy mountain.
2 Beautiful in elevation,
The joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north,
The city of the great King.
3 God is in her palaces;
He is known as her refuge.

4 For behold, the kings assembled,
They passed by together.
5 They saw it, and so they marveled;
They were troubled, they hastened away.
6 Fear took hold of them there,
And pain, as of a woman in birth pangs,
7 As when You break the ships of Tarshish
With an east wind.

8 As we have heard,
So we have seen
In the city of the LORD of hosts,
In the city of our God:
God will establish it forever. Selah

9 We have thought, O God, on Your lovingkindness,
In the midst of Your temple.
10 According to Your name, O God,
So is Your praise to the ends of the earth;
Your right hand is full of righteousness.
11 Let Mount Zion rejoice,
Let the daughters of Judah be glad,
Because of Your judgments.

12 Walk about Zion,
And go all around her.
Count her towers;
13 Mark well her bulwarks;
Consider her palaces;
That you may tell it to the generation following.
14 For this is God,
Our God forever and ever;
He will be our guide
Even to death.[a]



I love the last verse......
For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death.

God is our guide, our refuge and our strength for all eternity. Even in death, even through death, and even beyond death, He will be there.

He makes our paths beautiful. He blesses our lives. He fills our hearts with gladness.
And right now, tomorrow, years from now, at our death and when we are in Heaven for eternity, we will praise His name.

How great is our God!

Quick Update

Sorry again, that I didn't post a Psalms Sunday today. I will do it tomorrow. I had a bit of a distraction today, and now, honestly, I'm just too tired to dive into a Psalms Sunday post.
Well, last night after work, around 11:00 P.M. I noticed I had been bleeding and this morning I was still bleeding, so I called my midwife. It wasn't a lot of blood and I didn't have any cramping or back pain, so honestly I wasn't too worried, but I was a little concerned. I never bled with my other pregnancies, at least not this late in the pregnancy.

I did see online that it can be common and most of the time it isn't a problem. There were several possibilities for why the bleeding was occurring. She felt it would be best to do an ultrasound to make sure the baby and the placenta were okay.

We are fine. Everything looked great. The baby is very healthy and active. The heart rate was great. My blood pressure was good. The placenta looked good. So we think it was just cervical bleeding, which can be common in pregnancy. Obviously, if it continues, we can check into it more. But for now, I really feel like everything is okay.

And although I am only around 16 weeks, the "parts" are there and visible and sometimes you can or can not see them this early. But, our little guy sat there spread eagle showing his boy parts for the world to see. So, yes, I am having a boy. Well, we are 90% sure.

I will of course have a diagnostic ultrasound done at 22 weeks, where we will be able to confirm. But honestly, I don't think there's any mistaking it. She even centered in on the parts and checked to see if it was cord, by having it show the blue and red blood..those who have had ultrasounds know what I am talking about, and well, it wasn't cord.

So, the mister will have a little playmate close to his age.
Any ol' way...I just wanted to share. I have lots of ultrasound pics that I'll scan in at some point and share with you all. They are small though, so I am not sure how good they will turn out, but we'll see.

I am just so thankful everything is okay and the baby is doing well. It's always so nice getting to see the baby. Ultrasounds sure are fun.

I did take a couple of pictures of the miss at her dance class yesterday. I promised GG that I would post them.

That cute little gal next to the miss introduced the miss to her daddy as her good friend. The miss told me it was her best friend at dance class. And after class we met up with the cute gal and her mother and both girls told each other what their names were. They were good friends who had no clue what each other's names were. LOL They were cute.

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They only leave the blinds on the window open on the first class of each month. So here's the miss saying a quick hello. And notice her friend right next to her. I realized that in each picture from class, that cute little gal is right by her side.

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That's really all I was able to get for pictures. The miss likes to do goofy poses now...which make for some interesting pictures... like this for instance.

or this...


These were taken a few months back with one of the older day care kids I watched this summer for a couple of weeks. Do you love the dusty keyboard? I need to start playing that thing again.

I think she looks like her Aunt in that last picture.

Anyway, I am going to call it a night. I've been taking it easy today, understandably, and I think I want to continue my laziness for a bit longer, before going to bed for the night.

I'll see you tomorrow for Psalms Sunday on Monday. I promise!

Picture Day Featuring: The Mister

Okay, so I'll post pics of the miss this weekend. For now, here's the mister, who yes, needs a haircut.


The mister eating breakfast this morning

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On the computer with daddy during daddy's lunch break today.

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He wants to walk, but he's scared.

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No More Day Care

Well, it's Tuesday and I have been free from doing day care in my home since yesterday. I have been enjoying it. Yesterday morning, I took the kiddos to the library, which may be our weekly Monday excursion. The mister was bored there, because he didn't want to be in his stroller....he wanted to be crawling around. So, I let him crawl for a bit, but when he decided to just take off, I placed him back into his stroller. The miss was excited to pick out books, until she saw another little girl playing with the lego table. She quickly joined her and together they made a big castle. So, I picked out books for both kids, in a bit of a hurry, since the mister was fussing and we headed back home.
We got play time in together. We went for a nice long walk around the neighborhood where the miss picked fall leaves, pine cones and flowers to take home, and I got one
room thoroughly cleaned while the kiddos napped. I decided to focus on one project a day. Today, my goal is to fold all of the laundry and maybe put a big chunk of it away. We'll see how it goes.
I have finally gotten my energy back. I am in my second trimester, and already I am noticing a difference. I am not tired anymore. It could also be due to the fact that I don't have 6 kids running around my house anymore.

Today I went and got the rest of the fabric for the miss' quilt that I'd like to finish for her birthday, that is a month away. If I work on it everyday, I should be fine. And we ran to the grocery store for some diapers.

The miss and I read Horton Hears a Who after lunch and now both kids are in their rooms for nap time. Once they awake, we will have afternoon snack and craft time.

During craft time yesterday, the kiddos made a fall wreath out of paper leaves that we are sending off to GG and Papa. We sent a little craft off to my mother-in-law yesterday, and so today we will make something for my parents. They seem to have fun with it. The mister loves to color.

We may also try to go on another walk today, but it may be a bit shorter than yesterday's, because I have to work tonight. I am working tomorrow night as well, but that isn't too bad.

The hubby works right down the street from the house, so he comes home for lunch each day, which is so nice and the kids get so excited when he walks through the door.

So, things are good. :O)

I also need to finish making a blog design for a gal. I have been working on it for way too long now. She is pregnant too and was also very tired during her first trimester, so hopefully she understands why I have been taking so long. And now that I am back to my energized self, I will get cracking on her blog.

Well, tomorrow I'll post some pictures and tell you the crazy work story from last week at the hotel. Talk to you then.

Psalms Sunday - Psalm 47

Psalm 47 (New King James Version)
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
[NKJV at Thomas Nelson] [Thomas Nelson, Inc.]

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
1 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples!
Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
2 For the LORD Most High is awesome;
He is a great King over all the earth.
3 He will subdue the peoples under us,
And the nations under our feet.
4 He will choose our inheritance for us,
The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah

5 God has gone up with a shout,
The LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is the King of all the earth;
Sing praises with understanding.

8 God reigns over the nations;
God sits on His holy throne.
9 The princes of the people have gathered together,
The people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
He is greatly exalted.

What an awesome Psalm. I love to sing upbeat worship songs with wording similar to this Psalm. I think sometimes, it can be fun to be singing about how great God is while clapping your hands and tapping your feet.

Have you noticed how many times this Psalmist says "sing praises"?

Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
Sing praises to God, sing praises!
Sing praises with understanding.

What a wonderful thing to actually understand why God is being praised. How incredible it is to have Him in your life and to see how He has changed your life, and then to lift your hands in worship to Him.

I really do like this Psalm. And I love to praise God for who He is and for how blessed my life is because of Him.

Just to Catch You All Up

So, I know I haven't been blogging regularly lately like I used to. And there have been so many times where things have come up and I knew I wanted to blog about them. I wanted to tell you all about how my hubby's job search has ended and he has found an amazing job that will pay him very well and provide immediate benefits. IT IS SUCH A BLESSING. I know I had so many praying for us.

I wanted to tell you all about my son's eye appointment for a condition he has called Congenital Nystagmus, although his is very mild and he is just fine. I wanted to tell you all that this is my last week of doing day care in my home. I am looking forward to not having so many kids in my home every day, especially since I have been much more fatigued this pregnancy.

I wanted to share with you all cute things my almost 4 year old has been saying lately, and things that even made me think. Like she looked at all the weeds in our backyard one day and called them a beautiful garden. It made me reflect a little and think about how sometimes we have things in our lives that we view as weeds, but God sees the garden that they will become.

I wanted to tell you all about how I am working evenings now at a hotel and that it actually isn't too bad and gives me a little bit of an income and will let me stay at home during the day with just my two kiddos. Although, I think after the baby that I am due with is 6-7 months old, I may go back to working full time during the day. But we will see what happens when that time comes, and I will pray about it as well.

And I have been wanting to blog, but I have also been very tired lately. especially because I started my evening job while I still had my class going on and the day care. So, the nights I worked, wore me out. And then I spent most of this week trying to catch back up. I work tonight and tomorrow night as well. And the hubby has been home, he starts his new job on Monday, so during nap time, since he is home and awake, I've been resting or running errands. So, I used up some free blogging time, doing other things instead.

But I think I am back now, back to the blogging regularly and posting pictures and all that jazz. Thanks for bearing with me. I am still quite shocked at how tired I have been so far this pregnancy, but then again, I have had a lot of kids here during the day, and have had a lot going on. So, it is understandable.

So, I will end this now..and leave you with my daughter's new word of the week....magistrate. I guess she learned it on the show, Sagwa, and she said it many times yesterday. It's really cute how she says it. I asked her if she knew what it meant. And she said it is a fat man. LOL!

Psalms Sunday - Psalm 46

Wow, so I am really late aren't I? The post that I will write next will kinda explain this a bit. I am so sorry girls.
And then when I read Psalm 46, I realized, man, I really should have done this one sooner. Of course, I believe it is one we are familiar with. We have heard many verses of it in various worship songs.
Here it is:

Psalm 46
To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song for Alamoth.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah

4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;
God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.
6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.

7 The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the LORD,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.

10 Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!

11 The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

Real quick, I just learned today what Selah means. It means to pause, reflect, be calm.

So, I am going to focus on the first part of verse 10 today. It is one we have heard numerous times.... "Be still, and know that I am God."

I truly think this is one of the hardest things to do. Although, I do find I am pretty good at it with some things, because I have faith in God, and I know He has my best interest in mind. There are definitely times when it is hard to just be still.
Also, we live in such an instant gratification like society. When we want to talk to someone, even if we are out and about, we use our cell phones. We can email and chat over messenger. We can buy furniture when we don't have the money, because they have the no interest no payment for 2 years thing. I mean every where you go, your wants for the most part can be fulfilled pretty quickly. So when we have to actually be still and wait for something, it's pretty tough, even when we are waiting on God, our source, our life, our help.

I mean how hard it must be for the mother of two young kids who is just diagnosed with cancer, to "be still and know that I am God". Or for the parents whose child goes missing, to "be still and know that I am God". Or for the parents with very sick children to "be still and know that I am God". Or for those being persecuted to "be still and know that I am God". And of course those are serious issues. I am sure we have problems being still, even with things not as serious, like a behavior issue with our children or a misunderstanding with our spouse, or maybe a decision over a promotion at work.

So I guess in order to be still and know that He is God, we have to think about who God is to us. We have to look at all He has done in our lives. We have to look at how we view Him. Is He our refuge in times of trouble? Is He the first one we talk to in the morning and the last one we talk to at night? Is He our close friend? Is He the one who we give the credit to for all the blessings in our lives? Is He the one we trust? Is He the one we know will look out for our best interest? Is He the one who holds us?

He will always be these things if you let Him. And it is then that you can realize how easy it is to Be Still and KNOW that He IS GOD!!

If you participated, go ahead and leave your linky, if you do read this. I will visit all of you regulars and read your posts as well. And I am so sorry that this is sooooo late.

About Psalms Sunday

Well ladies, I just won't be able to fit in my post today, but I will do it tomorrow. If you happen to do your post today or tomorrow, I will have a linky up tomorrow with my post.
I had to submit my final project last night for my most recent class. I worked Last night and got home around midnight and I am leaving here to work again this evening as well.
So, I have just been busy today.
So, I'll see you all tomorrow.

So Small

So, I really love the new video and lyrics to Carrie Underwood's new song, So Small.
Watch it!
Read the lyrics.
Think about it.


What you got if you ain't got love
The kind that you just want to give away
It's ok to open up
Go ahead and let the light shine through
I know it's hard on a rainy day
You wanna shut the world out and just be left alone
But don't run out on your faith

Cause sometimes that mountain you've been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
And what you've been out there searching for forever
Is in your hands
And when you figure out love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else seem
So small

It's so easy to get lost inside
A problem that seems so big at the time
It's like a river that's so wide it swallows you whole
While you're sitting around thinking about what you can't change

And worrying about all the wrong things
Time's flying by, moving so fast
You better make it count cause you can't get it back
Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
And what you've been out there searching for forever
Is in your hands
Oh, and when you figure out love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else seem
So small, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah

Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
And what you've out there searching for forever
Is in your hands
And then you figure out love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else
Oh, it sure makes everything else seem
So small

Psalms Sunday - Psalm 45

Psalm 45 (New King James Version)
To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Lilies.”[a] A Contemplation[b] of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love.
1 My heart is overflowing with a good theme;
I recite my composition concerning the King;
My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

2 You are fairer than the sons of men;
Grace is poured upon Your lips;
Therefore God has blessed You forever.
3 Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One,
With Your glory and Your majesty.
4 And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness;
And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things.
5 Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies;
The peoples fall under You.

6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.
8 All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia,
Out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad.
9 Kings’ daughters are among Your honorable women;
At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.

10 Listen, O daughter,
Consider and incline your ear;
Forget your own people also, and your father’s house;
11 So the King will greatly desire your beauty;
Because He is your Lord, worship Him.
12 And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift;
The rich among the people will seek your favor.

13 The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace;
Her clothing is woven with gold.
14 She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors;
The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You.
15 With gladness and rejoicing they shall be brought;
They shall enter the King’s palace.

16 Instead of Your fathers shall be Your sons,
Whom You shall make princes in all the earth.
17 I will make Your name to be remembered in all generations;
Therefore the people shall praise You forever and ever.

Okay, I must admit, I did a lot of studying on this Psalm for today's post.
This Psalm is a wedding song. But this isn't just any wedding, it is a royal wedding, and while some believe this to be about Solomon, it is really about Christ and his bride, the church.

I love verse 1, where it says, "My tongue is the pen of a ready writer." This is referring to the Holy Spirit. I just love how it is written. Our tongues should always be the pen of the Holy Spirit. But, oh how often do we fail to ask to be filled with the Spirit? How often do our tongues speak the selfish words we, ourselves, have written?

Christ, the groom, is described in verses 2-9.

1. His excellency through His grace
Verse 2: Grace is poured upon your lips - Ahhhh the sweet grace of Christ. We are saved by His grace.

2. His splendor and Majesty (verse 3)
3. His righteousness (verses 3, 4)
4. His almighty power (verse 4)
5. His power to inspire conscience (verse 5)
6. His power to inspire worship (verse 5)
7. His everlasting kingship (verse 6)
8. His just rule (verse 6,7)
9. God's Anointing (verse 7)
10. His beauty (verse 8)
11. His bride (verse 9)

After reading these traits, it is clear that the bridegroom is Jesus.

In verse 10-15, the bride is instructed on preparing for the wedding.

Verse 10: "Forget your own people also, and your father’s house;"
- Forget the worldly things and pledge ourselves to Christ.
- Don't long for worldly things.

Verse 11: So the King will greatly desire your beauty;
Because He is your Lord, worship Him.
- How beautiful are those who are in worship.
- How beautiful are those who aren't worldly.
As His bride, we are to honor Him.


Verse: 13 The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace;
Her clothing is woven with gold.
14 She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colors;
The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You.
15 With gladness and rejoicing they shall be brought;
They shall enter the King’s palace.

Oh, it will be a glorious time, won't it? Filled with such gladness and rejoicing. Gladness like we have never felt before!

I really enjoyed this Psalm. I don't think I have read it before. The whole thing just paints such a beautiful picture. Maybe it's the girl in me that loves the idea of being a princess in a glorious robe of gold. And all of the dancing and celebrating, simply divine!!!

I used this link during my study...

Tiny Dancer

Well the miss went to her second tap/ballet class today. I promised G.G. some pictures, which was a feat in itself. They only have the blinds and door to the studio open on the first Saturday of each month. So, I snuck in a shot just as she walked into the studio and then a couple as we were leaving the dance center.
The momma needs to get better at putting a bun in the fidgety miss' hair. She hates it when I put her hair up, so she doesn't cooperate. This morning, we were running late, so I did the best I could. I also need to get better at having everything ready the night before, so there isn't a mad "let's get ready" dash. The hubby sleeps in on Saturdays, so I, of course, wait until the last minute to get the mister, the miss and myself ready to go by 8:30. But her class will be ongoing until June, so we should get it down at some point, maybe before May, right?????




Yesterday was the hubby's last day working as an Airman in the USAF. He doesn't officially separate until the end of the month, but he is using up his remaining 2 weeks leave. So, no more uniform, no more boots, no more rushing to find his hat in the mornings, or his misplaced id card. No more seeing him dressed in his military blues. It is a bittersweet thing. Although, we are so excited to move on to the next chapter in our lives, there are some things about the military I will miss. I will miss getting to meet new military families. I will miss having my clinic, my labs, and the kiddo's doctor all in the same building. I will miss having prescriptions filled right after the appointment, at the pharmacy right down the hall from the clinic. I will miss free health care. I will miss the BX. I will miss the military functions and the military discounts. But I will love not worrying anymore about deployments or having to ever have my hubby gone for a long time!!!

He had his going away lunch yesterday, and I forgot the camera. But, thankfully, there was someone there taking pictures. So, when I get those, I will post them on here.

As far as the hubby's job search, he had been working with a couple of contract companies, one of which called him earlier in the week to let him know they were submitting his resume to a company seeking someone to fill a network security position. The contract company then called him a day or so later to let him know that an interview had been set up. But they wanted to be sure he would be okay working for Compassion International, a Christian child sponsorship company, because as they put it, it was a "different culture". Little did they know, we happen to be strong Christians who actually have sponsored a Compassion child in the past. So he was elated to have an interview set up. How awesome would that be to work for such a great Christian organization, surrounded by Christian employees? And the pay is comparable to what he was hoping to make. So, his interview is this upcoming Tuesday.

It's funny, when we first moved out here, I knew Compassion was out here, and I had checked their employment opportunities often. I always thought it would be neat for me or the hubby to work there someday. And now, well...we'll see. :o)

So, that's my quick update. I know I didn't post much last week and I apologize. Last week, was a sleepy week for me and I crashed a lot on the couch by like 9:00 at night. But the first trimester is almost over.

Oh, and by the way, the hubby and I watched Premonition the other night, and it is VERY GOOD!!! So, YOU SHOULD SEE IT!

Have a great Saturday!!

Psalms Sunday - Psalm 44

Today we are reading Psalm 44. This is a long and tough Psalm today!

Psalm 44
To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation[a] of the sons of Korah.
1 We have heard with our ears, O God,
Our fathers have told us,
The deeds You did in their days,
In days of old:
2 You drove out the nations with Your hand,
But them You planted;
You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out.
3 For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword,
Nor did their own arm save them;
But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance,
Because You favored them.

4 You are my King, O God;[b]
Command[c] victories for Jacob.
5 Through You we will push down our enemies;
Through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us.
6 For I will not trust in my bow,
Nor shall my sword save me.
7 But You have saved us from our enemies,
And have put to shame those who hated us.
8 In God we boast all day long,
And praise Your name forever. Selah

9 But You have cast us off and put us to shame,
And You do not go out with our armies.
10 You make us turn back from the enemy,
And those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves.
11 You have given us up like sheep intended for food,
And have scattered us among the nations.
12 You sell Your people for next to nothing,
And are not enriched by selling them.

13 You make us a reproach to our neighbors,
A scorn and a derision to those all around us.
14 You make us a byword among the nations,
A shaking of the head among the peoples.
15 My dishonor is continually before me,
And the shame of my face has covered me,
16 Because of the voice of him who reproaches and reviles,
Because of the enemy and the avenger.

17 All this has come upon us;
But we have not forgotten You,
Nor have we dealt falsely with Your covenant.
18 Our heart has not turned back,
Nor have our steps departed from Your way;
19 But You have severely broken us in the place of jackals,
And covered us with the shadow of death.

20 If we had forgotten the name of our God,
Or stretched out our hands to a foreign god,
21 Would not God search this out?
For He knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

23 Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord?
Arise! Do not cast us off forever.
24 Why do You hide Your face,
And forget our affliction and our oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust;
Our body clings to the ground.
26 Arise for our help,
And redeem us for Your mercies’ sake.

Okay, so let's dig in, shall we.
It starts off on a good note. The first several verses talk about the passing on of the stories of God from generation to generation. I think this is so important, especially as a mother, that I do not leave the Bible lessons to my church, but that I make it a point to share the Word of God with my children.

The next section that caught my attention, is verse 6 "For I will not trust in my bow, Nor shall my sword save me." The psalmist knows that he can not trust in himself. He needs God to help him on a day to day basis. I think this is something we all have to remind ourselves of over and over again. We sometimes don't realize how much we need God and how we really can't do it all on our own strength.

The Psalm then gets very discouraging. The psalmist shows that during this time, it doesn't seem that God is giving His support. There is a lot of turmoil and defeat. Many seem to have the attitude of where is God. Why are all of these horrible things happening? Why me? Why us? Why are we being sent out like sheep for a slaughter?

But through it all, the Psalmist knows that God is still there. "We have not forgotten you. Our heart has not turned back."
Sometimes hard things will happen in the life of a believer, and they will question God and actually turn away from Him. Maybe they can't hear Him. Maybe they have called to Him for help and it hasn't come. They stop waiting. They stop believing. They stop caring. But this Psalmist believes that God will help him. He knows that God is there and he continues to cry out to Him. He doesn't turn away from Him.
He knows where his help comes from. And even if it doesn't come when he needs it to, he will not turn away.

What Color is Your Brain?

What Color is Your Brain?

BLUE:

At work or in school: I like to be with people, sharing with them, inspiring them, and helping them. I work and learn best when I can take into consideration people and the human element. I flourish in an atmosphere of cooperation.
With friends: I always look for perfect love. I am very romantic, and I enjoy doing thoughtful things for others. I am affectionate, supportive and a good listener.
With family: I like to be happy and loving. I am very sensitive to rejection from my family and to family conflicts. I really like to be well thought of and need frequent reassurance. I love intimate talks and warm feelings.
Take this quiz!

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Children See. Children Do.

A friend of mine sent this to me and I found it on youtube to post here. It is pretty powerful and made me teary eyed. I know that my miss has picked up some behaviors of mine that I wish she hadn't. I mean they are nothing like what is in this video, but they are definitely things that I would like for her to stop doing. I had actually talked to my hubby last night on how I want to work with her on realizing that it isn't right and to work on what things I model in mainly with patience and dealing with anger.
Anyway, watch this video, it is powerful!!

Friday's Happy News

Samiha Khanna
News & Observer
Updated: 9/6/2007

It was in the ironworkers' shop at the Golden Gate Bridge where Joe Venable started getting weepy-eyed again, witnesses said.

He saw workers clad in overalls manage massive pieces of steel and listened as metal clinked on metal and welding sparks crackled.

All along, the 71-year-old custodian from Mangum Elementary School kept tearfully remarking, "I'm here because of the students."

A group of fifth-graders surprised Venable and his wife Alease, 76, in May with tickets to San Francisco. They heard the school's only full-time janitor once mention he always wanted to see the renowned bridge in person and raised about $2,000 for the trip.

He never knew how many people would hear him.

As news of the students' gift spread, people nationwide sent donations to the school --enough to pay for $3,500 in meals, activities and spending money, much more than anticipated, said Principal Gwendolyn Johnson. The San Francisco mayor's office called to arrange the Venables' itinerary, and a bridge supervisor wanted to give the couple a personal tour.

"I had no idea that I would get this kind of attention," Joe Venable said by telephone in July, as a taxi whisked him to a lunch appointment.

Venable, a reserved man who usually hides his gray wisps of hair beneath a ball cap, has worked at Mangum for three years, Johnson said.

He never takes sick leave and rarely goes on vacation, she said. And since the day the children told him they were sending him on a memorable trip, he has become endearingly weepy, marking most of his thank-yous with tears.

The surprises have continued. The three-day trip became a five-day vacation when the Hilton Hotel where the Venables were staying threw in a couple of extra nights.

And a San Francisco salon called Alease Venable on Thursday and offered her a free hair appointment after stylists saw her on the news, according to the couple's daughter, Patricia Lea of Yanceyville.

Lea, 56, booked a ticket to travel with her parents months ago, she said. She thought they needed help navigating the city, but she has become their impromptu press agent instead, booking interviews for her parents with eager media outlets, including ABC's "Good Morning America."

As the family walked toward the famous bridge Thursday, a throng of news cameras followed them and people noticed, Lea said.

"I heard someone say, 'These must be celebrities,' " Lea said.

They are being treated as such, if only for a few days. The family's tour of the bridge was one few people receive, and it took them to the top of the structure for a grand view of the sprawling city. Then, someone put a keepsake piece of cable and rust-red steel rivet into Joe Venable's hands.

"We can't do this for everyone," said Mary Currie, director of public affairs for the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District.

Currie said the VIP treatment usually is reserved for elected officials and dignitaries. And on a Thursday in July, for Joe Venable, school custodian

Story here

Silly Survey

1.Has anyone ever made you so mad you punched something?
I've come pretty close, but instead of punching my brother, who made me mad, I threw his spaghetti all over him. It's a long story!

2.Have you been to both Disney Land and Disney World?
I went to Disneyworld when I was 2 and I've been to Disneyland dozens of times.

3.What is the highest number of animals you’ve owned at one time?
Just one, I think.

4.Have you ever kissed your grandma on the lips?
Of course!

5.What is your favorite car of all time?
Hmmm, that's tough! I loved the brand new Suburban I rented when I took the day care kids to the zoo. It had leather seats and a dvd player. But, if you want like a hot sports car or something, I think I'll choose the Aston Martin Vanquish in black or pewter.

6.Have you ever broken a tooth while eating something?
Honestly, I was chewing gum in 1998, at the now hubby's parent's house, and I bit down on one of my front bottom teeth and it hurt real bad, made a loud noise and became very, very loose, like it was going to fall out. The dentist had to bind it to the other tooth. Very strange.

7.Do you dress in a “style” like ‘preppy’ or ‘goth’?
I am a bit trendy, but I like to be conservative too.

8.If you ran into Bob Barker what would you say to him?
I don't know if I'd say anything to him.

9.Do you sleep with a fan on at night?
Yes. I like to have the fan going, so I can cuddle under the comforter and stuff and not be too hot.

10.Can you bench press your own weight?
Don't think so.

11.Have you ever created a survey for myspace or another blog?
Once, yes.

12.What is scarier, being chased or being mugged?
Mugged.

13.Where is the worst place you have worked?
Sandola's at the Hyatt. Simply because they took advantage of me and kept prolonging the training period. I worked a rehearsal dinner...a huge one with one other waiter. And I worked my butt off. And since I was training, I made no money...just my hourly $2.50 or something wage and then the guy I worked it with, kept the whole tip. THE WHOLE TIP!!!!

14.Do you know every word of the national anthem? Do you know the name of it?
Of course I know every word to it. Do you know how many times I have performed the National Anthem, Star Spangled Banner, with choirs and things?

15.Do you work out regularly?
I would love to. I really enjoy working out. It's just hard to find the time. By the time the kids are in bed and everything, I am just exhausted. I worked out when I was preggers with the mister, and I need to start that routine again with this baby.
I do love going to the gym though. I like to use weight machines.

16.Do you know the full name of the first person you kissed?
Yes I do.

17.Can you touch your toes?
Yes.

18.Does anything scare you?
I don't like spiders.

19.What’s your middle name?
Kristin

20.Have you ever snuck out of the house as a child?
Nope

21.Do you drink, and if so, what age was your first drink?
I think I was 20 when I had my first drink. I don't really drink now..maybe on a special occasion, or if I have an urge for a mudslide or something at a restaurant.

22.Can you hold your breath under water for 1 minute?
Probably

23.If you had to guess, how much do you pay in hair upkeep cost per month? Since, I don't make the money I used to make in Arizona, my monthly hair upkeep is just the cost of my shampoo and conditioner.

24.Can you drive stick shift?
Never have.

25.Would you go into a burning building if you heard a child screaming inside?I might, yes.

26.Does anyone in your life have more than 5 tattoos?
I dunno.

27.Have you done any drugs before, and if so, which ones?
Nope, never.

28.Have you been or are you married?
I am married

29.If you had to wear only one kind of shoes for the rest of your life, what kind would they be?
I guess I would choose a tennis shoe, because it's hard to hike, walk in snow, or work out in flip flops, which would be my preference.

30.Are you a lover or a fighter? Lover, but if you get me in a fight, watch out. I can have a temper.

31.If you could have any super power, what would you want?
The ability to heal disease.

32.Is there any movie that you WILL NOT watch?
Hostel

33. Red or Blue?
Blue

34.What 1 material possession could you “not live without” as they say?
My computer, definitely.

Conversation with the miss

Tonight at dinner, I had the following conversation with the 3 1/2 year old miss.

Miss: I am a princess
Me: You are?
Miss: Yes.
Me: And where do you live?
Miss: In a castle with two cars.
Me: Two cars, huh? What colors are they?
Miss: Purple and yellow and I have a truck. It is yellow with black on top.
And my hands do magic and I turn into pink Spiderman.
Me: Oh, I see.
Miss: And I have two boys waiting for me downstairs.
Me: You do? How old are they?
Miss: Six (She then rests her head on her hand and smiles at me)
Me: Two six year old boys downstairs?
Miss: Yes, in the playroom and they are climbing all over the place. And I tell them they will get owies that hurt real bad.
Me: Oh. Do you have any pets?
Miss: Yes, they are in my bath eating.
Me: They eat in the bath, in your bath?
Miss: Yes
Me: Doesn't that get messy for you to take a bath in?
Miss: No, there's a table in there. They eat at the table.
Me: There is a table in your bath?
Miss: Yes. It is their house.
Me: Oh, your bath is their house?
Miss: Yes.
The hubby then entered in saying...it's a bath house.

Good ol' hubby making the dad jokes.

Psalms Sunday- Psalm 43

Good morning, today we are reading Psalm 43, which is actually a continuation of Psalm 42. It is a Psalm of lament and of trust.

Psalm 43
Prayer to God in Time of Trouble
1 Vindicate me, O God,
And plead my cause against an ungodly nation;
Oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man!
2 For You are the God of my strength;
Why do You cast me off?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

3 Oh, send out Your light and Your truth!
Let them lead me;
Let them bring me to Your holy hill
And to Your tabernacle.
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
To God my exceeding joy;
And on the harp I will praise You,
O God, my God.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.

I love verse three, "Oh send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me." We should pray that every morning. We need His light and we need His truth, especially during difficult times when our friends in the world and the enemy are trying to bring us down. Or when we catch ourselves lost in our own thought processes of what if. We need His light and His truth and we need to have it lead us. We need to let go and follow Him.

The Lord will not stand by and watch His children trampled on forever… and as confident as I am that the sun will rise in the morning, so is my confidence that He will shine His light on your circumstance, whatever it may be. - Darlene Zschech

Have a wonderful Sunday and I will see you again next week, for Psalm 44.