2012

Ankles, Trees, and Parties

It's been very busy the past several days and the next few days are lookin' pretty well the same. Which is good. Y'all know I thrive on busy-ness.
But, as you may or may not recall, I need my ankle replaced. So all the busy-ness is taking its toll on my ankle. I took some ibuprofen and right now I am just sitting here looking at my Christmas tree while waiting for my ankle to stop throbbing before I try to go to bed. I love the peacefulness of of the tree. I love everything about a Christmas tree.

Did I tell you that Bruce made me a bookshelf? I got around to painting it today and it looks BEAUTIFUL! He did such a great job building it and I can't wait to get all my school books and things back on it.

Tomorrow night is our church-wide fellowship. We'll be able to have it in our new gym this year. I helped with the final touches on the decorations last night and I wish I had taken my camera. It looks so great. Mrs. Amy was in charge of decorations and she chose a gingerbread/candy theme.

My ankle is feeling a little better so I guess I'll try to go to sleep now. Hope you're having a good week so far.

Perfect Peanut Butter Fudge

I like making this during the holidays and it always comes out great. Hope yours does too. Be sure to read all the directions in case you're like me and often jump the gun, if you know what I mean.

3 cups of sugar
1 & 1/2 sticks of butter/margarine
5oz, evaporated milk
1tsp vanilla
1 jar marshmallow cream (I use jet puff and never the store brand!)
1 & 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

Take a small amount of butter/margarine and rub into bottom of 9x13 pan. Set aside.
Bring first three ingredients to a boil on high, STIRRING CONSTANTLY. Once it comes to a rolling boil, gradually bring it down to medium, continuing to stir, for four minutes.
After four minutes, take off stove top, mix in vanilla, marshmallow cream and peanut butter.
When everything is melted together real good, pour in pan and let it sit for 4 hrs at room temperature.
ENJOY!

This and That and Merry Christmas

There are several things going through my mind this morning. I have no idea what to post about, but I'm just going to go with it and see what comes out.

First of all, I want to say a big CONGRATULATIONS to some young adults in our church, Spencer and LeAnna, on their engagement. Spencer popped the question Tuesday night. I saw the video and I cried. It was so sweet. I'm happy for them. We all knew this day was coming and it did. Praying for them as they seek God's will for their lives together.

Remember when Harry bought his iPod? Well, it's not working. Good thing I kept his warranty and a good thing I let our friend, Jack, talk me into buying it. Thanks, Jack!

Hannah is going to Georgia with a friend and her family this weekend. I know she'll have a good time. Praying for safe travels and I can't wait to hear the funny stories I'm sure she'll come back with.

Justin has been busy working and going to the trade lot, or as some people call it, the flea market. He's becoming quite the wheeler and dealer. Harrison went with him last time and they had some good brother bonding time together.

I finally bought some frames for our family pictures. They look great! I can't wait to get them hung. Bruce has done a fabulous job on painting the house. He built a beautiful bookshelf to put our home school books and other things on. I just need to paint it. I love it!

We were able to get our tree up and other decorations out. I've been enjoying watching the lights and just thinking about the goodness of God and how He would send His only begotten Son to die for us. For me! This time of year we celebrate His birth, the little baby in the manger, but we also celebrate the man on the cross. I love Him.

I was suppose to clean a house today, but that was cancelled so I decided to wrap presents I bought last night, bake some Christmas goodies, and get some Christmas cards ready to go out. So it's not a loss of time today. It's been busy around here and I'm glad for the opportunity to get these things done.

If I don't get to post again between now and the 25th, I wish you all a Merry Christmas!!

Growing Up the Bible Way

So a few days ago a I was informed that someone thought we were fuddy-duddy and fanatics and because we home schooled, our children would not know how to function in society. We're a cult, don't you know? Apparently, they've thought this for years. Because of who the person is, I wasn't really surprised by this. However, it did still hurt my heart. I cried a little, vented a little, got mad a little, and then this morning I read this verse:
"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." Psalm 5:3 Did crying and venting help me? No. It wasn't until I could pray about it and LOOK UP to the Lord that I was able to reason this out in my heart.

My children have grown up the Bible way. There is no rhyme or reason to raising children and it doesn't have to be hard. If you stick to basic Bible principles and standards, you should be ok. When they grow older and begin making life decisions of their own, you should be able to stand back and know you did your best, the Bible way, and hope they make the right decisions, based on those same teachings. You can never, ever go wrong the Bible way. It is impossible to take the Bible way and fail.

Building a strong and confident Christian doesn't mean you're brainwashing your child. It means you are preparing them for the world and what it has to offer compared to Christ and what He has to offer. And what He has to offer is so much more than the world's offering.

I think the most critical point of any child's life, but more specifically a Christian child's life, is when they go from childhood to young adult. The college and career age. At this point in their lives they are making decisions that we wish we could make for them. But now is the time when we have to start loosening and cutting the apron strings and watch them fly. Will they fall to the ground and wobble around? Yes, they will. But they won't stay there. If they've been saved and raised the Bible way, they will get up and try again and eventually we will see them soar. "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6 This verse is not a promise that they will always live right and do right. But it lets us know that if we teach them the Bible way, it will always be in their hearts and minds. Even when they're not living right, they'll know it and won't be able to stay there long.

When I look at families that are doing their best, the Bible way, it seems that they have troubles in life, but not with their children. Not that the children are perfect, because they're not. Especially, and including, my own. Point being, life has it's ups and downs and they're a lot easier to face without having to deal with spoiled, rotten children, who think only of themselves and cause strife and unrest in the home.

Am I a fuddy-duddy? A Jesus fanatic? Yes, I suppose to the eyes of worldly man I am. Do my children function normal in society? I suppose that depends on how you define "normal." If normal means raising children with lude behavior, disrespectful to those in authority over them, greedy, prideful, brawlers, etc... then no, they do not function normally. But if you define "normal" as the Bible way....if normal is meek and quiet, seeking the hidden treasures God has for them in this life....if normal is hiding Scripture in their hearts, reaching out to others in need, sharing Christ with others....if normal is feeling and knowing compassion to those who need it most, obeying and submitting to those in authority over them...if normal is learning to do things on their own and working hard to set and achieve goals... then yes, they are learning to function normally.

And I pray, as they grow and become men and women in society, that the Bible way isn't just something they grew up in, but something they look at and know is the only way to truly function in this world. I don't believe there is one person that can say the Bible way has brought them misery and strife. It is the world's way that brings those things.

Another Post? Two Days in a Row?

I woke up this morning to the sound of a very obnoxious power sander and a thick cloud of white dust this morning. Bruce was sanding some places he had patched on the wall. A very long wall. He felt the power sander would save him some time. And it did. It also saved his arm a lot of work. However, it will take a long time to get that dust off of everything. But you know what? I don't care. I am so happy with how things are going to look when he is finished that I really just don't care about the dust. That's what Pledge is for, right? Besides, I had to dust anyway.

My kids are out of school for the month of December. I've done this every year since we started home schooling. We don't get snow days, teacher's work days, etc. So if when they've completed "x" amount of work from the beginning of the school year to the first Friday of December, they get the rest of the month off to enjoy the Christmas season. It's fun, with them, baking cookies, watching Christmas movies, listening to Christmas music, going shopping, etc. I love that we are able to do that and make memories this way. It is a blessing.

Since they're out of school, Hannah, Harrison, Justin, and Hannah's friend, Taylor, went to mom's house on Monday and decorated for her. The girls have spent the night with her since Sunday and will go home tonight. I know mom will miss them. Anyway, I went over to have dinner with them last night and the house looked so pretty. Especially her sitting room. It was so cozy and comfy in there. Of course we didn't spend a lot of time in there. We actually stayed around the table playing Phase 10. It was slightly intense for a while. But it was fun. While I worked on mom's computer, the kids sat in another room and played a game where each person said one word, adding to a sentence. The first person to mess up the sentence was out and the game continued with everyone else until there was one person left. The sentences were hilarious. Kind of reminded me of Mad Libs. We also played Chinese Writing. If you've never played that, it is fun and, especially, with a new people. It's a great party game.

Speaking of parties, we'll be having our Sunday School party this Friday. I'm looking forward to it. I need to find an elephant gift to take. With all we're doing around the house, I have some things I'm thinking of taking. We always have a blast with that game. It's so funny. We have a couple of gifts that have shown up for the last several years. Always makes us laugh when it is opened. I'm suppose to take a side dish for bbq. I was thinking slaw and chips and dip. I have no idea what dessert I'm taking yet. It'll be something good, though.

After the party, we have plans to go see the lights in McAdenville with some friends. It'll be a little late, but I'm looking forward to it. Their kids and our kids will be here playing games and watching Christmas movies. So they'll be having their own little party, I guess. Fun, fun!!

So that's today's post. I wonder if I'll think of something to write tomorrow. I guess we'll see.

Really?

I think this is the longest I've ever gone without posting something. I really want to, I'm just in a bloggy pit, I guess.

Lots of things going on here. I've been busy with photo shoots. The Lord has blessed in that area and I'm thankful for the opportunities and the good times I've had this year. I've taken pictures of families, engagement proposals, maternity pictures, and next week I'll be doing a newborn. Which, by the way, I am totally psyched about. I love me some babies.

Thanksgiving was fun. Hannah and I cooked the side dishes, with the exception of the mashed potatoes. My sister in law made those and they were really yummy. As a matter of fact, she made the desserts and they were to die for. I had my fair share and more of those. lol My mother in law cooked the turkey and it was the best, I think, I have ever had. I was most thankful, this year, that Bruce's brother Mitch and his family were able to be with us. He recently retired from the Navy and has moved back to our little town and it is so good to have them home. It just makes the family feel whole again.

This month, Bruce has been painting and doing some odd jobs around the house. We're hoping to have everything finished this week so we can decorate and enjoy our newly painted walls and doors and windows. It's been fun watching it all come together. I suppose after almost twenty years it's time for a facelift for the house. He's doing a great job and his need for perfection has even made room for me to help a little. haha

We have Christmas parties, family reunions and Bruce's birthday this weekend. The Christmas season never slows down and I'm glad. I enjoy the busyness of the fellowship and gatherings of friends and family. We have so much to be thankful for.