From The Trenches Of Motherhood

New Blog Address

2011-10-24T08:24:00.001-04:00

It’s been on my mind to do for some time now, but I finally just did it.

I changed my blog address and title.

You can now find, read, and visit me at DailyCupOfGrace.com.

It is the same content, same me, just a more fitting title with more flexibility.

And this is what you’ll see when you get there….

Building

2011-10-21T14:06:00.001-04:00

Building. It is something that in my 9 years of married life I have spent quite a bit of time doing.

Right after we got married we spent a whole year planning and working our way through the building process on our home in PA. Then 4 years later we spent 3 very intense months gutting and re-building our current home. And now another 4 years later we have just finished an almost 2 month long addition project.

In all the time I have spent on the process of building homes I never once thought about building a Reading Priorities List. Until now; after I read a fabulous book about reading titled: Lit!: A Christian Guide to Reading Books by Tony Reinke.

Up until last week I have always felt a bit overwhelmed at deciding which book to read next out of the many books I have in my “To Read” pile. However, taking the time to build a Reading Priorities List has changed that pressure and given me greater purpose in the time I spend reading. I now have a plan that allows my reading to build on what I have already read in order to build both godly habits and thinking into my life.

Therefore, when I built my list from the model that Reinke gives, I thought it was only appropriate that it have a building theme. Here is the basic outline. (You can see the whole list in this post on my book review blog.)

My Reading Priorities:

Foundational Reading: (Scripture)
Structural Reading: (My Identity In Christ)
Mechanical Reading: (Spiritual Understanding)
Interior Reading: (Personal Growth)
Exterior Reading: (Skill Sharpening)
Finishing Reading: (Wholesome Enjoyment)

How about YOU? What are you reading?

Stay tuned next week to look at my Reading List for 2012 using my new priorities to build it!

BBQ Chicken

2011-10-20T09:00:00.000-04:00

Do you like a good, quick meal?

Is that a dumb question?!

I happened upon this video clip and now I often use this EASY and YUMMY recipe to put together a QUICK pan of chicken for dinner.

Around here we love a good chicken dinner. And this Mama likes it a lot when it’s FAST.

The time it takes to fix the dinner…not the chicken!

So how about YOU? What GOOD and FAST chicken recipes do you like?

Cock-a-doodle-doo!

2011-10-19T06:53:00.001-04:00

Apparently Micah has never read this verse in the Bible:

“He who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning, It will be reckoned a curse to him.” – Proverbs 27:14

On Sunday mornings, when he’s up before the girls, he loves to stand at the edge of their room and in a high-pitched, 4-year-old voice, crow like a rooster….”Cock-a-doodle-doo!”

The girls don’t appreciate his sense of humor.

They groggily yell at him, “If you do that again we won’t get up!”

Ahh! *happy sigh* The joys of siblings!

How about you?

What “fun” things did your siblings make you endure?

Dog Ears

2011-10-17T09:29:00.001-04:00

I like to think of myself as being able to do and balance a lot in life.

But quite honestly, while I may be able to pull off looking like I am handling a lot, I often feel very overwhelmed.

Often.

VERY overwhelmed.

It’s something I battle on a weekly, if not daily, basis. I am always trying to simplify. Cut back. Eliminate. Organize.

I always think there has to be a better way…

And this morning I found that “better way”! With coffee cup in hand, I sat down to do my online quiet time and the first verse my eyes read was this one:

“Like one who takes a dog by the ears, Is he who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him.” – Proverbs 26:17

Before you click the little red “x” and move on to a more interesting blog post by someone a whole lot more eloquent and sharper than I…let me explain what I mean.

In this short little verse about dog ears God gives me the answer to feeling overwhelmed.

My parents have a very beautiful dog named Colt. He’s a large German Shepherd. I love that breed of dog and grew up with a lovely female one named Kitty. But Colt is only 17 months old and obviously I have not grown up with him. My relationship is different with him than it was with Kitty. When Mom and Dad weren’t around he has barked and growled at me enough to keep me from getting out of my car. Quite honestly, I love the dog, but I am scared of him. You won’t ever see me grab him by the ears.

Because I don’t want to get bitten!

However, while I would never dream of grabbing Colt by the ears, I tend to grab a whole lot of other things by the “ears”. I grab and hold onto concerns, problems, and burdens that are not mine to hold. Then through out my day I find my mind dwelling on these things that I have no control over. Before I can say “Colt” I am feeling overwhelmed and agitated.

When I feel overwhelmed it is because I am grabbing “ears” that I was not meant to hold. Instead, I need to hand it off to God.

And when someone shares a burden with me, rather than embrace the problem as a new treasure, I need to take the person by the hand and set this concern before the Lord.

It’s His.

Not mine to grab.

How about you…do grab dog ears?

Contentment

2011-10-13T11:47:00.001-04:00

This morning I made my current favorite hot drink – Café Mocha – and sunk into my big blue chair to “do the do”. You know, do the right thing….check my devotional time off my to-do list for the day.

I opened up my laptop and began to read today’s scripture passage on my Online Quiet Time Diary account and as I read the light bulb came on and the bells and whistles began to sound off – it was an “Aha! Moment”.

Today’s passage was 1 Timothy 6:1-8:

^“1 All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against. ² Those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are brethren, but must serve them all the more, because those who partake of the benefit are believers and beloved. Teach and preach these principles.

³ If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, ⁴ he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, ⁵ and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. ⁶ But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. ⁷ For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. ⁸ If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content..”

It was verse 6 that jumped off the page and arrested my attention.

I continually strive for growth in my relationship with Christ.

I read the Bible.

I pray.

I go to church.

I read extensively to learn more about Him and how to obey Him.

I spend time evaluating my life and examining my spiritual growth.

I reach for godliness.

I beg Him for godliness in my life.

I even pursue a gospel centered life and daily endeavor to focus and apply the gospel to my life moment by moment.

And this is why verse 6 made me freeze in my seat this morning. While I am busy striving for godliness in my life I have left contentment behind.

Oh sure…I look around my home and evaluate my contentment with what I own. I almost routinely go through my cupboards, closets, and bins and give away any duplicates and extras we own in order to help us be content with simplicity.

But this is where its becomes absolutely ironic. In my pursuit of godliness and contentment I am not content with my growth. Instead I see a whole list of things that need to change, be fixed, gotten rid of, have the rough edges sanded smooth….and my heart beats faster and my soul rises in discontentment. I want my life, my husband, my children, my ministry to be better!!! I am frustrated because I should be so much more godly than I am!

And here is where I sit.

Stuck in the mud of trying to grow in godliness while not allowing contentment to grab hold and get me out of this hole I dug. I check things off my to-do list as fast as I can rather than enjoy the process of growth and celebrate each milestone of God’s grace in my life. I lust for more rather than worship Him for what He has done and what Philippians 1:6 tells me He will do.

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus”

So this is my “Aha! Moment”. I need to embrace my growth with vigor AND contentment, trusting in His perfect timing…”fixing [my] eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God”. (Hebrews 12:2)

And now I am declaring this a day to celebrate God’s goodness and work in my life and trust HIM – not my own striving – to continue the good work.

Will you join me in walking this walk with contentment as our companion?

Heidi

2011-09-13T09:49:00.001-04:00

Here is one real life account of the flood…

Well, it all started on Wednesday afternoon. I was at work and had the radio on listening to what was going on around us. With all the road closures, and our parking lot beginning to flood, we put a phone call out to the owner requesting to close the store early. We were finally able to close at 3pm. I went to our church were my mom works to make sure she was ok. We decided to take one car home, leaving mine in the church parking lot (not ever crossing my mind that the church would flood). Without knowing what really was happening with all the road closures and not knowing if we could make it home, we wanted to be in the same car together in case anything happened.

Thanking the Lord that we made it home safe, with just a few detours we were able to park our car across from my grandparents home. As we started to walk home, I saw my grandpa coming over the rushing waters, in his John Deere Gator. Grandpa to the rescue! Getting home and seeing the driveway flooded out, and very little water in the basement we are truly blessed to be safe and have minimal damage. On Thursday morning I had heard that birds unlimited had some flooding and our church is right across the street. I texted pastor to see if he could see any water in the church and if any water around my car. He texted me back saying, “Heidi I am sorry to say but there is water up to the windows on your car…about 4 feet.”

My heart just sank. We got ready and went down to the church to see the water levels and at 10:30 am Thursday it was up past the trunk. Four feet up around the Church building as well. At this point we were standing in as close as we could get, and this was about 175 yards from the church. We walked around town looking at some other areas. It was about 6:30pm that night when we went back to take another look and the water had risen completely submerging my car - about 6 feet of water.

Feeling helpless and not being able to do anything we headed home. Friday morning we went back to the church finding that it was now 10 feet deep and my car was no where to be found. The water at this point was 300 yards from the church. My heart breaks for all the business around us. To name a few that are completely under water- The entire Valley Plaza (Unicorn Electronics, Birds Unlimited, Knucklehead Embroidery, Pella windows, Robson Electric), Mom's House (non-profit to single mom's and dad's with children continuing their education), Terminz, Childtime, New dentist office, Lourdes clinic, Five Star Auto, Goodrich, Ballet Studio, Karate Studio, Performance Sound, Cheshire Cat, and the Psychology Building. We meet a women named Anna who was the owner of a massage therapy office on the top floor of the Psychology building, who has lost everything. And so many more around us have lost so much. Despite all of this devastation, I believe God is going to bring so many blessings. As a Church family we are going to be able to serve our community and come together. I may have only lost my car…compared to some people I am lucky, but still very sad. And my job…not sure how long I’ll be without a job with all the flooding at the Town Square Mall, but just praising God in the midst of all this sadness.

* * * * *

This story is from my cousin Heidi. And her story is just one of many, many more. And like she says in her own words…so many people have lost everything. EVERYTHING. Please pray for us. If you would like to help, place an order through this Mary Kay consultant and she will give us 25% towards helping people. Just make sure you mention “NY” in the note section when placing your order.

Flood Report #1

2011-09-10T18:08:00.001-04:00

Today I began to deliver toiletries to those in need…here is a vlog report and pictures below.

Here is the van all loaded and ready to head out to people:

Here is Alesia with Karyn from the first house we stopped at:

Here is some of the flood damage to the area we delivered stuff to:

* * * * *

Video Correction: Our School Administrator did not get anything in his basement.

Homes

2011-09-10T09:00:00.000-04:00

I don’t know numbers but I know what my eyes see and I see many, many homes devastated by this historical flood.

Here are some pictures a friend shared with me of their own home. And let me add that these pictures are after water has gone down.

There are others who have lost even more. Who may not have a home to go back to. Go to Binghamton Flood 2011 to see many more pictures of the raw destruction.

Then you can help us by placing a Mary Kay order through Janna’s website and mentioning the word “NY” in your order. She will give us 25% of each order to use toward our Operation Toiletries in providing the people in need with necessary items.

Heroes

2011-09-09T23:50:00.001-04:00

Amongst the damage and chaos of this historical flood here in the Southern Tier of NY there are heroes. I am honored to know two of them personally. I have two younger brothers who both serve our community as volunteer firemen.

Over the past few days they have spent hours rescuing and helping people even if it means staying up all night and all day. For days.

They are not getting paid. There are no benefits for them. It’s what they do because the care. As most of us take care of our own homes and our own stuff they are out there helping. And helping. And helping some more.

While both my brothers are heroes to our community I want to highlight my youngest brother, Aaron, and his story.

In June of 2010 Aaron was on his way home on his motorcycle when a deer ran out and hit him. As a result he had and continues to recover from a head injury and is pretty much always in physical pain. In fact, as a result he has almost no memories of his growing up years. However, rather than let it slow him down he has continued to serve others through his training and rescue knowledge. While suffering himself he is out serving his community this week. While he has lost many of his memories he is trying to help others save their memories.

These are just two faces of the many serving us, helping us, leading us. Let’s show them our appreciation by listening to them. They are doing their best to watch out for us. You can also simply say “Thanks” to the first responders and community servants you see. And I know that these are two men who would love a bowl of ice cream…and I’m sure they aren’t the only ones!

Thank you little brothers for all that you are doing. And thank you to ALL those serving.

* * * * *

If you want to help our community you can donate toiletry items to us or send us gift cards for Weis Markets, Price Chopper, Lowes Home Improvement, or just generic Visa gift cards. Please send donations to the address found at this facebook page. I will be updating you as we get things and give them out.

ALSO! Janna has offered to give us 25% of any orders placed on her Mary Kay website. So please go visit Janna’s MK site and order! Thanks Janna! MAKE SURE YOU MENTION “NY” in your order when you do!

Helpless

2011-09-09T14:18:00.001-04:00

As I sit down to write my mind is running in a million different directions.

I know I have been a delinquent blogger of late. My life has become so crazy busy with ministry related stuff that I haven’t known how to blog about it. But now, I am hoping that one single post can really help despite my lack of having a big blogging audience at the moment.

I am helpless. My community here in the Southern Tier of NY has been ravaged by flooding. In a complete miracle my home – despite it’s low level – has been untouched other than a very, very soggy yard. Now, I want to show the love of Christ through reaching out to my community in this time of great need. And while I alone am helpless, I know that if I can get the support of my blog friends behind me I can change that.

I NEED YOUR HELP!

I am starting a toiletry drive with the help of a teen girl who you can follow on twitter and my church. Please e-mail me at trenchesofmotherhood {@} yahoo {.} com if you can help. Or go to this facebook page for our church address where you can mail donations.

My suggestion is to get your community to donate toiletries – see list below – and then use a flat rate box to mail them to the church. From there they will be passed out to our surrounding community and given to shelters. I WILL post updates about how they all get used.

Now here is a list of what we need:

Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Shampoo
Conditioner
Soap
Baby Wipes
Diapers
Feminine Products
Soap
Razors
Denture Cleaners
Deodorant
Any Hygiene related products such….combs, brushes, hair ties, etc…

NOW I NEED YOUR HELP! Please pass the word through blogs, facebook, twitter, and word of mouth. I will do my absolute best to report back to you as I get in the trenches of flood damage. I want to show the community of Binghamton, NY the passion of the blogging community as you all reach out.

So who is with me?

For pictures of the flooding visit this facebook page.

This picture is just the tip of the ice burg when it comes to damage we are dealing with.

Soup Anyone?

2011-08-01T09:34:00.001-04:00

My husband is the Associate Pastor at our church and his primary responsibility is leading both Jr. & Sr. High Youth Groups. We love it, but our Wednesday nights are…well…crazy!

Now I really don’t mind crazy nights, but it’s frustrating that they seem to be a large speed bump in our desire to eat healthy. I am usually throwing together calorie laden chicken patties or nutrient lacking chicken nuggets or some other not healthy food and calling it supper. So my husband and I have put our heads together and come up with some options to solve this problem. On of them consists of me making a big pot of soup and a large salad, taking it to church, and eating their with the other leaders.

While nothing is in stone yet, I am trying to plan how this might work…and I need YOUR help in doing this. I am looking for CHEAP, but HEALTHY soup recipes that are EASY to make for a crowd of 14 to 18. I also would like it to have common EVERYDAY ingredients – ingredients I can buy at Aldis.

So in the comment section below start to leave your ideas and recipes! You can also mail your recipes to me at trenchesofmotherhood{@}yahoo{.}com

Thanks for your help! I’m looking forward to the tasty goodness you all send my way!

My Husband Is In Jail

2011-07-28T12:01:00.001-04:00

At 9:45 this morning, two Sherriff's Deputies arrived at church and hauled him away in a Sheriff’s van. However, it’s not for “real”, it’s for a good cause – it’s all part of a fundraiser for muscular dystrophy.

They took him to a near-by hotel where he is now supposed to make phone calls to “post bail” so he can get out. The money goes toward a variety of things in support of muscular dystrophy.

While the girls understood what was going on and had fun watching them hand-cuff Daddy, pose for pictures, and other silly things, Micah broke down in distraught sobs. Meanwhile, even though it was all in good fun for a good cause, my stomach felt queasy. Even as a joke it’s not fun seeing your loved one get handcuffed or put in a paddy wagon.

So I am using Facebook and Twitter today as a means to encourage people we know to support this cause and help my husband get back home. At least for poor Micah’s sake…

Always Enough

2011-07-27T09:00:00.000-04:00

Have I ever told you…

2011-07-26T06:55:00.001-04:00

How much I like using Tweetdeck?

No?

Well, now you know!

I really like it.

There. Now I feel better.

*grin*

Google + ….WHAT?!

2011-07-25T09:12:00.001-04:00

The other day I got an invite for Google+. I had no clue what it was, but since I do like all things social media I thought I would at least check it out. However, once in and there, I just sat in my study scratching my head ‘cause I wasn’t sure what to do. Then I tweeted about it and my twitter friend Lori tweeted back with a link to a video that if nothing else, is funny. But I happen to think it’s a helpful video, too! So watch the video and let me know if you’re on google+, too or not.

Micah’s First Drive

2011-06-17T15:40:00.000-04:00

Micah’s first time driving–he seems to be a natural!

Using a GPS

2011-06-09T11:45:00.001-04:00

Each of has something we enjoy doing – a hobby of sorts. As weird as it may seem, my husband’s outlet – the thing that energizes him the most – is driving a truck or operating machinery. So on his day off he loves when he has the opportunity to drive truck or haul a load of some sort. This past Tuesday he took his day off to haul a cement mixer drum for the company his Mom works for, and since it’s destination was Long Island, he wanted me to go with him as navigator.

It as a “first” for both of us to be going to Long Island and to be driving it on our own – no seasoned tour guide to get us through the crazy traffic. We drove into the city – crossing the George Washington Bridge – sometime around 4:30am and we were so glad we did because the traffic was so light we were able to find our way much easier than if we had been battling a heavy flow of cars and trucks. After finding our destination, unloading, eating breakfast, driving down to the beach to use up an hour of time waiting for the commute traffic to thin out, we headed back out of the city.

As we headed out – using a different route than we had brought in – I couldn’t find the right route names on the map and all the road signs were using names, not route numbers. I have had several experiences with GPS systems that were not trustworthy and so while I had my phone’s GPS going, I was very hesitant to trust it. However, as I neared the point of tears in not being able to do what should be rather simple, I finally succumbed to trusting my GPS. After what seemed like hours, but really was only like 20 minutes, we were back on the right route heading out via the GW Bridge.

Feeling like a true fish out of water in the Long Island and NYC traffic made me realize just how much I needed that GPS system. And that made me think about my life in general and how much I truly need God. I do not have a clue where I’m headed – this life is like NYC to me – and I need His step-by-step direction. But all too often I don’t want to trust Him - I try my hardest to look at the maps the world has drawn up and find my own way. And that’s when I usually find myself in tears, turning to God for His leading. While some of the GPS systems I have used have failed me, my loving heavenly Father won’t ever fail me. I can trust Him. All the time. And so being “trapped” in traffic not knowing exactly which turn to take next was a sobering reminder of how much I need to be in God’s Word more than in the books that man has written.

I love how God uses daily life to remind me of who He is…

Immutable. Unchanging. Always Faithful.

…and how much I desperately need Him.

Regulations.

2011-06-04T13:12:00.001-04:00

I started this year with a resolution to learn to enjoy drinking coffee. Coffee that I make at home…not pay an arm and a leg for at Starbucks.

Oh! I still go to Starbucks…I just spend less there and enjoy my own little café here at home using my Keurig. Now as I enjoy my coffee at home I make myself drink an 16oz cup of water first to counteract the dehydration affects of coffee.

I find that I get into my “regulation” mode as I turn on the tap and fill up the cup of fresh water mentally rehearsing to myself…”Okay, Mandy, drink this water first so you know that you are enjoying coffee but taking care of yourself because this is the best thing for your body and for you and you want to do the right thing”…

And this regulating doesn’t limit itself to my coffee drinking. If I take a moment to stop and think about it all I can see that I have little speech tapes that play for a whole multitude of things I do.

…”It’s time to read the Bible now so that I don’t feel guilty and so that I set the example”…

…”Oh! I need to make my bed so my room looks neat and tidy”…

And on and on I could go. But I am going through a fabulous study of God’s Word called Because He Loves Me and as I was pouring my coffee this morning I paused just long enough to hear myself rolling the automatic “tape” of why I need to drink water; and that’s when I stopped myself. Instead of just listening to my “old tape” I made a “new tape” to play that gets rid of my self imposed regulations and makes me kneel at the cross. Now I preach to myself this:

“Take a moment to drink a cup of water so that you can enjoy the coffee knowing you are still taking care of your body so that it can serve you well as you pour out your life to Christ who poured out His life so I may have this life today and the special blessing of not only His salvation and grace but this simple pleasure of a cup of coffee.”

You see, as I focus on the gospel my life is transforming. Even my coffee drinking regulations are slipping away and being replaced by the joy of the Lord.

“…and to know the love of Christ which surpassed knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” – Ephesians 3:19

Ruth, Boaz, & a Missed Part

2011-04-19T19:30:00.000-04:00

It has been a long day but the girls begged me to cuddle with them so I somewhat begrudgingly consented. It’s not that I didn’t want to cuddle with them – I did! – but there seems to be a never ending stack of things that are screaming for my attention and I wanted to knock a few off tonight.

But I climbed up to the top bunk an snuggled with Emmy for a few minutes and then crawled into the bottom bunk to talk with Abby for a few moments. Abby asked me to tell her my favorite Bible story and when I shared that I really don’t know which one is my favorite, she sweetly pleaded for the account of Ruth and Boaz.

So I began, with the abbreviated tired mommy version; just the basic outline. I told them of how Ruth gathered grain from the field and how she met the owner and they got married. And that is when Emmy pipes up with, “Mom! You missed a part!”

“What part?” I asked.

“The part about the field and the shoe.”

“Okay, how about you tell us…”

Emmy began, “Boaz went to the other man and asked him if he wanted the field and to marry Ruth. But when he didn’t want to marry Ruth he made him give him the shoe to promise he wouldn’t want the field, too. Then they got married.”

I just burst out laughing! Her rendition was told with such gusto and mater-of-fact tone that it was funny coming from the small blonde almost-six-year-old of mine. And it was amazingly sweet and tender. I am so thankful for her and attention to details and pray that those details will impact her thinking as she grows older.

Missing!

2011-04-06T09:00:00.000-04:00

Yes, here in the trenches there are some things missing.

Can you tell what those “things” are?!

Yep, some grown-up sized pearly whites!

Stop, Drop, and…

2011-04-05T16:16:00.001-04:00

…Nap!

That’s how we roll around here on days like today!

Saturday Simmer 4.2.11

2011-04-02T14:19:00.001-04:00

I guess you could say that things are really simmering around here today.

I was in the shower this morning when all of a sudden I felt my feet getting cold. I looked down to see the tub filling up with cold gray water that was coming up from the drain, not down from the shower head. Meanwhile every other drain in the house was gurgling as the washing machine was running through it’s spin cycle.

My husband shut off the washer and the bathtub slowly – very slowly – drained down. However, we knew that the problem was anything but fixed.

We bought this house almost 4 years ago and since it passed the test we had done, we didn’t bother to actually dig up the tank and double check things. And since things have been flowing just fine, we left well enough alone.

But after all the gurgling and backing up began this morning, Justin went out and dug in the area where we were 99% sure that the tank was buried. About 8 inches later he struck cement and after lifting the lid we were assured that the problem was indeed with a full tank. (Rather than clogged pipes.) My plans for 6 or 7 loads of wash have been placed on hold and here I sit monitoring the kids who are playing outside in an attempt to keep them well distracted so that our toilet use is minimal. Instead of folding and sorting I whipped up a batch of caramel chocolate chip cookies for my hard working husband and hard playing kids. And I consider that enough simmer for this Saturday!

We are just so awed at God’s grace in allowing it to be nice enough for the kids to be outside and for the easy find and dig up of the tank as well as the clear skies right now. And now all that is left to be done is sit and wait for the septic truck to come clean the tank out!

From the trenches of motherhood…where I’m thankfully waiting… – Mandy the TrenchMommy

Coffee For A Keurig

2011-03-31T09:00:00.000-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

If you are like me, my first question when we got our Keurig was about where I could buy those cute little K-Cups. So below I am posting a list of places to buy. I have only purchased items from Keurig.com and our local Walmart; but some of these other sites look promising. Let me know!

Keurig.com: I like their coffee club and while their prices may be ever so slightly more than other sites, they do offer some good perks when you buy in large quantities and with their point system.
Green Mountain Coffee/Café Express: They do have better prices if you don’t want the rewards options that Keurig offers.
Grove Square: Don’t know much about them so I would love to know if you have ordered from them!
CoffeeGiant: Another site I don’t know much about but they seem to have good prices.
Amazon.com: Last but not least, they do offer cheaper than Keurig and if you’re a Prime Member you get free shipping.

Of course there is your local grocery stores and well known stores such as Macy’s that also sell online and in their stores.

Where you have you gotten the best deal?

Coffee Maker: Pros & Cons of the Traditional

2011-03-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

Now it’s time to give fair attention to the traditional coffee maker despite my new found love of the Keurig! So here we go with some pros and cons…

The Pros:

You have a whole pot of coffee if you’re a big drinker in the morning or hosting a group of people.
It’s cheaper.

The Cons:

Messier
Usually end up throwing some away.
Have to have filters on hand!
Only one flavor at a time.
Only does coffee (or hot water for tea).

What are your pros and cons for a traditional pot?

Keurig: The Pros & Cons

2011-03-29T09:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I shared with you that we had been given a very fun birthday gift – a Keurig coffee maker – and now today I want to share with you some of the pros & cons of this great little appliance.

The basic overview of this item is that you have the ability to brew only one cup of coffee at a time. It has turn off/on features just like some of the traditional models, and a water storage tank.

The Pros:

It makes 1 cup at a time making it easy for a quick treat anytime of day or night.
There is a whole lot less mess to take care of.
Can make coffee, tea, hot cocoa quickly and with one machine.
You have the option to still use ground coffee.
Heats the water in just mere seconds.
Gives you the ability to cater to your guests desires – no more 1 pot of caff and 1 pot of decaff!
You and your spouse can have exactly what kind of coffee you want each morning – no debating over what kind to make – you each get your own!
Water tank keeps you from having to fill it with water every time you want a cup.
Save money from making too much coffee and ending up throwing out the unused.
No more filters to deal with.
Every cup is hot and fresh!

The Cons:

Only 1 cup at a time instead of a whole pot.
Slightly more expensive depending on your usage and habits.
Takes up a little more space than the traditional.

Do you have any pros or cons you would like to add to my list? Share them in my comment section!

Keurig: A Delightful Birthday Gift

2011-03-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

My husband and I celebrate our birthdays only two weeks apart and this year my parents gave us a joint birthday gift – a Keurig single serve brewer.

I have known about these delightful appliances for quite some time but never could make sense of it’s worth. Now only one month later I can sit here and type that not only do I understand the value of of this machine, but I really, really, really like it!

I mean really!

So over the next few days I want to share with you some of the pros and cons for both a Keurig and a traditional coffee maker.

Until then, enjoy a nice warm cup of coffee….

Normal Conversations

2011-03-26T10:17:00.001-04:00

Micah: “Mommy, why did God make me different than Abby?”

Mommy: “Because you are a boy and she is a girl.”

Micah: “But God doesn’t hear me when I pray.”

Mommy: “Why do you say that?”

Micah: “Because when I say (*he whispers*) ‘Dear Jesus’ He doesn’t answer.”

Mommy: “That’s because you can’t hear Him talk to you, He has given us the Bible to read so we can know what He wants to say to us.”

Micah: “Mommy why don’t we take pictures of poop?”

Mommy: “Because that is disgusting Micah Matthew!”

Micah: “Mommy, what rhymes with bed?”

Mommy: “Ned.”

Micah: “What rhymes with bus?”

Mommy: “Gus.”

Micah: “Gus Pike rhymes with Bus!”

Mommy: “No. Just ‘Gus’ rhymes with bus.”

Micah: “I like watching Gus Pike. Gus Pike! Gus Pike!”

Mommy: “Gus Pike likes Felicity.” (Referring to the Road to Avonlea series we are watching.)

Micah: “Why doesn’t God hear me when I pray ‘Dear Jesus’?”

This is just a normal conversation around here in the trenches of motherhood with a 4-year-old boy! And yes, this “normal” conversation just took place all the while Micah was sitting on the potty first thing this morning.

It may be a long day here….

A Very Confused Tooth Fairy

2011-03-25T11:12:00.001-04:00

Abby lost a third tooth on Tuesday night. But the Tooth fairy failed to come. Abby blamed it on the snow storm we had and was content to wait yet another night.

Miss Tooth Fairy didn’t show up Wednesday night either! Abby then sat down and wrote her a note. However, once again she did not show up!

I know….I know….the Tooth Fairy around here is extremely forgetful! You don’t have to tell me that! And it doesn’t help matter that little Miss Abby stays awake until 10pm most nights just reading in her bed or writing out verses. It kills the poor Tooth Fairy’s bedtime!

So after yet another failed appearance we figured out that perhaps the Tooth Fairy is old and forgetful and possible got confused. So Abby searched under the living room pillows and low and behold….there was a dollar!

Whew!

The Tooth Fairy was getting quite worried she was going to lose her job! *wink, wink* At this rate Micah will have to wait weeks to earn his tooth money!

The Best Foundation…and I Sell It!

2011-03-10T19:25:00.001-05:00

The new Mary Kay foundations have the “good stuff” in them…so check out my website to order your own or call me to schedule your personal appointment to match the right color!

Saturday Simmer 2.26.11

2011-02-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

I am reading through the devotional book Comforts From The Cross each month and this past week this quote jumped off the page at me:

“Peace begins to fill my soul when I remember the truth of the gospel: I am more sinful and flawed than I ever dared believe, more loved and welcomed than I ever dared hope. I deserve less than nothing but have been given everything.” – Elyse Fitzpatrick

This week has been a busy one. I am glad it’s over. But we also had some very sweet moments along the way. The main one being the celebration of Micah Matthew’s 4th birthday.

Really?! Four, already!?!

A blog post I really enjoyed this week was one on John Piper’s blog and I just “happened” upon via a tweet that I “happened” to see. You can read it here. I love God’s timing and how He uses technology – yes, even twitter! – to encourage us. And I highly recommend you take 2 minutes to watch this clip from him….

On a completely different note…I bought a phone case from Otterbox and when the outer case cracked they honored their warranty and I have been thrilled with their customer service and ordering overall. So, if you need a case for your phone, kindle, ipad, or other devices, check out Otterbox.

And, one more link I want to share is this one about asking what a particular verse means to you. Excellent audio clip!

Happy Saturday!

It’s A Monday….AUGH!!!!

2011-02-21T21:39:00.001-05:00

Whew!

It’s been a long time since I have been so glad to see a day come to a close. But today is definitely one of those days where I am so happy to be going to bed. I am also feeling SO overwhelmed.

Normally around here I guard my Mondays like a mama bear guards her baby cubs. It’s my recovery and reorganize day. It is that day that I wipe the proverbial slate clean and start the week fresh with a clean house, washed laundry, meal plans, and all those other little tasks that come with being a wife and mother. By keeping my Mondays set aside for accomplishing my tasks at home I am able to serve more through out the week and still keep balance on the home front. It’s the foundation of my week!

But this Monday was different and from the moment my feet hit the floor it was not the normal routine. While we did get a very important task done, it kept me away from my usual chores.

So here I sit almost in a panic as I wonder how on earth I am going to get through a very busy week. I don’t have a clue!

And this is when I hear the still, small voice of the Lord whispering to my heart and mind…

….”Exactly, Mandy! You don’t need to know how, you just need to lean on Me.”

And I am reminded that God knew that today’s “to-do” items would take a whole lot longer than we anticipated. He knows what the next few days hold. He knows what I need to do and what really isn’t as important as I think it is. And I am going to simply lay down my cares and trust His plans to be best.

I am simply going to follow.

It makes me hum this song to myself…

And now I am simply going to go to bed and trust God to use this week for His glory. Even if I feel like I’m chasing my tale all week long.

From the trenches of motherhood…where I am thankful that God knows the plans of my every moment… – Mandy the TrenchMommy

Saturday Simmer 2.19.11

2011-02-19T10:54:00.001-05:00

Last week we spent the week attending an amazing conference – the Biblical Counseling Training Conference in Lafayette, Indiana.

Here is a short video slide show for you…

On Thursday night of that week we sat in the front row for the main session and got to see this dear woman give her testimony. You can watch it here.

Also, I am enjoying my kindle and have been trying to find cheap ways of filling it up! I have been keeping an eye on the “Top 100 Free” books on Amazon – and I’m sure you will, too! I found a few that I had already read, but since they were free I downloaded them anyway!

And around here in the trenches we have enjoyed the warm spring weather this week that turned back to snow and wind this morning. *Sigh* Oh well! In a few short weeks Spring will be here…until then it’s all the more reason to snuggle in a blanket with a good book!

Potty Dance & Humble Pie

2011-02-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

So as I announced on Monday, Micah is officially potty trained. And - yes! - this Mommy is doing the “potty dance” with an amazing amount of zeal! After 8 long years of spending an exorbitant amount of money on diapers, my arch nemesis – potty training – has been vanquished!

And does it come as a surprise that God used this normal and routine part of life to help me grow more in the image of His Son, Jesus Christ?!

Well, as much as it should NOT surprise us – because God’s desire is that EVERYTHING in our life helps us to change and grow – it still sort of caught me off guard.

When I find something that works in the parenting department – say the sleep routine that I used with all 3 of our kids – I tend to think that it is the right way to do things. Now I wouldn’t say to your face that it was the absolute right and only way to train your child…but most likely I would have been thinking that in the back of my mind.

Am I all alone in this or can you relate?!

For a little over 2 years now I have had multiple people giving me firm advice about the area of potty training with Micah. I tried 99% of the things that were suggested to me but nothing worked. Including the whole “potty train in a day” method.

Nope. He would not have anything to do with it.

And so through this whole potty training saga I have learned humility in that just because something worked for me and ALL 3 of my kids does NOT mean that it’s “right” for every family.

Now…before you go and quote me as saying something like “to each their own”…hear me out completely.

I am talking about methods only.

For example, I am not saying you should not potty train you child or teach them to sleep through the night. I am simply saying that the way you go about it may be different than the way I teach my children.

And that is okay.

While I hope I have never offended someone in saying “this is the right way” on something that is method only – I probably have.

And for that I apologize.

God has used this potty saga to remind me to give grace, be patient, be kind, and understand that not everyone is like me*.

{*Everyone breathes a sigh of relief!}

I am thankful that God is in control of everything. Even that date of Micah being “a big boy”!

From The Trenches Of Motherhood…where I am trying to learn from everything that comes my way… – Mandy the TrenchMommy

PS – Enjoy this video clip of Micah opening his package from Grandma containing the reward for being a big boy now!

Micah opens his reward from Grandma for using the potty!

Better Late Than Never

2011-02-17T10:52:00.001-05:00

Are you like me in that you use common phrases often through out your daily speech and then wonder about where they came from? For example, the title of this post….or one that I do know the meaning of – “the real McCoy”.

Well, since I don’t want to take the time to google {love how “google” is a verb!} it right now, I’ll just share why I think it’s better to be late than not do/show up at all!

It’s better that I post a Valentine’s post in honor of my husband late than not at all. I don’t want him – or anyone! – to forget or doubt for even a moment that I love him.

While out shopping a few weeks ago I came across these absolutely darling mugs at our local Christian book store.

So I bought them for Justin as a Valentine’s Day gift. Since I now drink coffee – thanks to my New Year’s resolutions - I thought it was a perfect little surprise! Come this spring we can enjoy the cool evenings by sitting on the front porch in our white rockers while we chat and sip a good cup of decaf!

{Can’t you hear the birds soft chirps and the violins playing melodiously in the background?!}

I love Justin so much and my top two favorite things about him are…

That he sincerely is my best friend and I miss him when a day goes by when we can’t spend a good 30 minutes or more just talking to one another about life in general and in depth.
That he encourages me in my relationship with Christ by answering my questions, explaining things to me, talking through things with me.

So why don’t you join me in being better late than never and share what you love about your husband?

From The Trenches Of Motherhood….where I am drinking coffee and thanking the Lord for the gift of my husband… – Mandy the TrenchMommy

PS – You can WIN a free book on my book review blog until tomorrow sometime…hurry over and enter the contest by simply leaving a comment!

Days Like Today…

2011-02-14T20:05:00.001-05:00

…make me tired.

And happy.

I woke up this morning at 4am and could not get back to sleep so I finally rolled out of bed, brewed a pot of coffee – which I ended up dumping down the drain – and started the day off by spending some sweet time with my Lord and Savior.

The coffee was Dunkin Dark and I don’t care if it’s morning or night, I do not like Dunkin Dark! So I brewed up a second pot of good ‘ole regular.

I spent time in 1 Thessalonians and read today’s portion out of Daily Readings From The Life Of Christ by John MacArthur. Then I moved on to his newest book called Slave. Wow! It’s making me re-evaluate my life and my purpose in life.

Big time.

Two and a half hours later I started breakfast and woke up the rest of the family. We enjoyed a healthy breakfast, a good time of family Quiet Time, and then I sent 3 out of 4 of them on their way to work/school. Following which, Micah and I attacked the housework.

Okay, I attacked. He watched. Although, for the record, he did load the washer at least once for me.

Despite the many potty breaks – for him, not me! – I was able to finish up my cleaning in time to go get the girls from school.

Did you catch that?!

POTTY BREAKS FOR MICAH!

HE. IS. POTTY. TRAINED. AND. I. AM. SO. EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, we were away last week at the Biblical Counseling Training Conference and when I came home, he was using the potty like a pro! I think my friend (she knows who she is) has the magic potty training touch and if I ever were to have more kids I would leave them with her for a week again!

So anyhow, besides doing the potty training dance I accomplished a lot around the house and now I’ve finished helping Abby with homework and piano practice, gotten 1 child a shower, all 3 tucked in bed, took my own shower, and now….*sigh*…and going to say “goodnight” to you all…and curl up with another good book…because….

…days like these make me tired. And happy.

*contented sigh*

From the trenches of motherhood…where I am going to sleep well tonight… – Mandy the TrenchMommy

Kids Eat Free?!

2011-02-01T13:27:00.001-05:00

A Change Of Plans

2011-01-31T09:26:00.001-05:00

Here I am typing a blog post when I should have been on my way to Washington D.C. for the first time ever in my life. But when you live in the north east during the months of November through March you just never can really plan too much.

There is a big storm coming through and the trip had to be canceled. While I am disappointed, I am also trusting God to be in control and know what’s best for me. And since I feel like I’m drowning in my own body right now, I trust that 2 extra days of rest are what God deems best for me at this moment.

So instead of me being gone, my husband went back home for the day with Micah leaving me home alone to recoup in peace and quiet. And attack my to-do list until I fall down in exhaustion. Meanwhile I am chugging down the vitamin C, goldenseal echinacea, and a variety of Bolthouse juices. And attempting to do the following:

wash, dry, and fold all dirty laundry
make supper
do the banking and all paperwork that is piled up on my desk
pack for lafayette
dishes
clean
read

From the trenches of motherhood…where I’m doing all I can to get better… – Mandy the TrenchMommy

Saturday Simmer {1.29.11}

2011-01-29T14:55:00.000-05:00

I hope to make Saturday Simmer a part of my week where I kind of recap on my week (if nothing else) and share some of my highlights.

So this week I will begin with a great blog post that I read. It’s titled “' target=_blank>' target=_blank>Two Things Every Kid Needs to Know” and if you are a parent of children (any age, really) you will appreciate it.

On Monday night, while waiting for my husband to come home from a late meeting, I listened to this fabulous and encouraging message by James Macdonald. I highly recommend you listen to this if you want to be challenged and encouraged in your daily Bible study.

This week I have been bringing in the swagbucks by watching the technology channel on swagbuck tv. I do this by multi-tasking – letting it play while I fold clothes and stuff. It’s great because I learn a ton about the latest technology out there all the while earning swagbucks to cash in for Amazon gift cards to use towards kindle books! Sweet deal!

For those who don’t know what swagbucks is, it’s a search engine that awards you “dollars” that you can redeem for real gift certificates or prizes. You get paid to search! If you sign up through the widget towards the bottom of my sidebar you will be helping me out, too! {Sorry! Couldn’t resist the self promotion!}

Other than that, I have been busy getting ready for our trip to the Biblical Counseling Training Conference again this year. And…with just days to go I am not feeling well. So as I type my parents are taking our kids out, my husband just scrubbed up the tub for me, and I’m headed to soak and drink throat coat tea till I can’t hold any more!

Oh! And last, but not least, I want to share a link to an e-book I came across this week about maximizing your mornings – fabulous!

From the trenches of motherhood…where you push on no matter what… – Mandy the TrenchMommy

Kindle Options: Give Your Opinion Here!

2011-01-28T13:13:00.001-05:00

Alright, I can not believe I am about to say this…but I am!…I want to buy a Kindle!

I am a diehard fan of holding a paper book in my hand and being able to dog-ear the pages and write notes in the margins. However, after using the Kindle App on my droid I am now enjoying the electronic option…just I would really enjoy a bigger screen!

My favorite part thus far is being able to have my whole library with me wherever I go. {I know…*sigh*…I have “issues”.}

However, I really can’t make up my mind if I want to spend $50 more to get the 3G compatibility vs just wi-fi version.

So…! This is where YOU get to share your thoughts on the topic. Leave a comment and tell me your thoughts, opinions, and pros & cons on the matter!

And thanks in advance for your help!

From the trenches of motherhood…where I am coming over to the “other side”… – Mandy the TrenchMommy

To Tie or Not To Tie?

2011-01-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

What are YOUR thoughts on this Motherhood Matter?

9 Things Behind My Couch

2011-01-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

I had 40 minutes until the kids came home and I was following up on the ultimatum I had issued 2 days before. When Abby got hurt from tripping over toys on Saturday night I said these words:

“If you would pick-up this wouldn’t happen! I am going to clean Monday and if it’s not picked up I will be taking care of it for you.”

So there I was with 32 minutes to go when I decided to pull the couch down a few inches so I could access the bottom of the bookshelf. And - Oh! - what a “treasure” I found…

A pile of legos…and I do mean a PILE!
1 pink sock
1 of Micah’s socks
Micah’s missing shirt…that I’ve been wondering about for over a week now.
The missing TV remote control
A book
A pad of Post-It notes
A large dress-up scarf
Wrapper for a pack of crackers

So now I am sitting here wondering, what have YOU found behind your couch lately?

From the trenches of motherhood…where I am cleaning behind the couches… – Mandy the TrenchMommy

Sign #9

2011-01-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

The 9th sign that your child may be/is ready to be potty trained is when he asks you a question like this:

“Mommy, how do diapers attach to people?”

Yeah. When he/she can use words like “attach” in proper context….I think they are old enough to know how to use the potty!

For the first 8 signs….click here!

From the trenches of motherhood…where I am trying desperately to keep Micah from being the first (and only!) child to attend the Beginner Sunday School class still in diapers… –Mandy the TrenchMommy

My Droid Passion

2011-01-24T09:01:00.000-05:00

Mt. Dew & Emily: What A Combination!

2011-01-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

This year at our youth group’s Snow Camp we once again held the annual food challenge. One of our leaders is infamous for his amazing – both in a bad and good way – challenge.

It starts by having two teams, usually guys vs. girls. Then the winner of the last round gets to pick a number. Each number is attached to a food – a really good one, or a really bad one. Then whoever can eat that item the fastest is the winner and wins the points associated with that food item as well.

Anyhow, now that you have a basic rundown of how this works, lets insert Emmy.

She was just chomping at the bit to participate and when no teen girls were ready to step up for that round I allowed Emmy to join in. Wouldn’t you know that the food chosen was Mt. Dew.

At 10:00pm at night no less!

So it was Emmy vs a teen boy. She had to drink 1 cup of Mt. Dew Whiteout before he could drink 2 cups of it. Keep in mind that Emmy is not used to drinking soda, let alone Mt. Dew with a kick!

Here’s a video of her chugging it down to a….

BIG WIN!

Way to go Emily!

Now, no more Mt. Dew until you’re 13!

Enjoying Life In Emily Style

2011-01-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

Emily is our child that is full of life. In case don’t know us in real life…here are a few pictures to show you my point…!

8 Signs Your Child Is Ready To Be Potty Trained

2011-01-21T11:02:00.001-05:00

You know your almost-4-year-old is ready to use the “big boy potty” when…

He tells you when he needs to be changed.
He can carry his own diaper bag.
He can climb up onto the changing table without help.
You ask if he needs to be changed and you can trust his answer is right and don’t need to check for yourself.
He can hold “it” all day just so he doesn’t go in his diaper.
He is very specific on what underpants he wants to wear each day!
He knows that you are right handed and lays down to be changed accordingly.
He can tell when you’ve wiped him clean and informs you, “That’s enough, Mom, I’m clean now"!

Leave a comment to share with my the signs you have seen in your children!

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

2011-01-15T13:31:00.001-05:00

The highlight of my year isn’t Christmas, or Thanksgiving, or even my birthday! Although I do enjoy each one of those holidays.

{*Gasp* You mean my birthday doesn’t show up as a holiday on your calendar?! Well! You had better go correct that right now! *Grin*}

But my favorite time of the year is when we head out to Lafayette, Indiana for the annual Biblical Counseling Conference. (#bctconf on twitter) We spend 5 days just marinating in the Word of God through wonderful teaching and incredibly practical classes. It’s the time if year when I get to just sit back and be fed – on an amazing spiritual buffet! – after pouring myself out to others for the past year.

It’s kind of like the difference between giving yourself a manicure at home and going to a spa to have one done! While I take care of myself through out the year, it’s this once a year “spiritual spa” visit that just refreshes my soul! To God be the glory for allowing us to be able to go and for using His instruments (the great speakers/teachers) to encourage so many people through this ministry.

So I am just so excited to be getting ready for our trip again this year. But it also means a lot of preparations since each one of our children stay with a different family at church. To make this event go smoothly for all involved I start planning and preparing in the beginning of January and my preparations include a countdown on my phone!

Hey! It keeps my focused! (Okay! And it’s there simply because I just love counting down to it every year!)

In the next few days I’ll share with you a few tips for traveling when your family is going in 4 different directions!

From the trenches of motherhood….where I’m in the throws of cooking, packing, and planning… – Mandy the Trench Mommy

Trash Talk

2011-01-14T09:00:00.000-05:00

Trash Can.

Garbage Can.

Waste Paper Basket.

Waste Can.

These are all names for one item that does a fairly simple job. We put our garbage, waste, trash in it and get rid of it.

Some people like to display theirs in decorative cans and baskets. Others – like us – keep theirs hidden under the sink or behind a closet door.

So what’s the purpose of this post?

Isn’t it funny how there are so many names and ways to use a simple item?

None of us – okay, after watching the show Hoarders I better say most of us – don’t like having stinky, yucky trash just laying around anywhere.

We put it in the place designated for stuff that we want to get rid of and then routinely take care of it.

Get rid of it.

Throw it out.

Put it out at the curb.

Toss it.

Dump it.

You get my point!

So why are we not better at trashing our trashy thoughts, too?

We don’t like the physical stink of rotten things…why do we cling to the stench of rotten thoughts?

Hmmm….maybe that Hoarders show hits home more than I first thought?! YIKES!

Philippians 4:8 says: “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” (NASB)

If you are thinking things that don’t line up with all of these checkpoints…you need to…

TRASH THEM!

TOSS THEM!

GET RID OF THEM!

THROW THEM OUT!

From the trenches of motherhood….where I am doing some tossing… – Mandy the Trench Mommy

Garbage Can Lids & Other “Junk”

2011-01-13T08:16:00.001-05:00

Yesterday the kids had a snow day. After lunch all 3 of them bundled up and headed out to play in the 6 inches of snow on the ground. While we don’t have a sledding hill to say, we do have a small – very small – bank around one end of the house. In fact, while it is a steep slope, it’s probably only about 6 feet in height/length. The short distance doesn’t mean a thing to the kids! They were bound to have fun sledding no matter what!

So imagine the comedy of looking out the back door to find them using the lids to our garbage cans as sleds! I have to give them an A+ for creativity! They had fun and it kept them busy for a whopping 15 minutes.

Hmmm…so what else is “new” around the trenches….well…

I made 6 meals to stick in the freezer out of a total of 15 that I need to make.
We are having a small roasting chicken for supper tonight.
That Overnight French Toast recipe I told you about did not fly around here. It was too soggy even after I adjusted the ingredients by large amounts. So you can try it….but we are not raving about it. Looks can be very deceiving!
My new habit of coffee drinking is going well. Maybe a little too well thanks to some of the fabulous flavors of International Delight creamers! Here is a short little article about the possible benefits of drinking coffee…tell me what you think!
I am really enjoying my new Mary Kay business and want to make sure you know that my January specials of the month are the $90 Miracle Set for only $65 and the Limited Edition Liquid Illuminator normally $20 for only $16. (I can take credit card and shipping is free!)
And while I may be blogging about totally random and odd things….at least I’m attempting to get back to blogging!

There’s A Crocodile In The Couch

2011-01-11T19:44:00.001-05:00

The other day the kids sat in a row on the couch here in the living room watching the old “Black Stallion” movie. At one point it was a scene with a snake. The girls sat with their hands over the faces – their heads buried on each other’s shoulders. Micah, however, sat with rapt attention watching the creepy creature.

That is until he noticed the girls cowering into the corner of the couch. It was then that he realized they were afraid and his little 3.75-year-old brain hatched a crafty little joke.

He grinned his irresistible smile and casually said: “I put a snake in the back of the couch.”

The desired reaction occurred as the girls both let out yelps of fear and scrambled off the couch. He giggled and said, “I am just teasing you!”

A few minutes passed by and they all sat quietly watching the movie when a sly look once again slipped across Micah’s face and he said, “I put a crocodile in the couch!” Once again the girls leaped off the couch in a fit of screams.

Micah fell over in a heap on the couch laughing so hard at his own joke on the girls! The girls ended up laughing in the end, but they didn’t find the humor in it that their brother did.

What boggles my mind is how quickly Micah has picked up on the whole joking and teasing thing. All I can think is that the teen years around here could be pretty interesting!

To say the least!

A Message To View…

2011-01-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

I am feeling…

2011-01-07T16:52:00.001-05:00

…warm…

…thankful…

…blessed…

…sad…

…humbled…

…refocused.

Why does it take a traumatic event to sometimes make us refocus on what is truly important?

Today was one of the crazy days. The alarm did not go off when it should have. We were running super late to get Abby to school. Emmy was home sick. I lost cell service for awhile and couldn’t make 3 very critical phone calls. When I did make those phone calls I got a bunch of run around. And because of the weather and a sick child I was house-bound from making some important errands. All in all I was feeling like I was accomplishing nothing and at noon I was still in my pjs resigned to the fact that I would just look away from all that needed to be done and simply cuddle with my sick little girl.

And that’s about when I got a call saying that there was a house fire at the home of a couple who attends our church. Immediately my frustration with the day melted away as I was jolted back to the reality that my day was going just fine.

Then this afternoon, after I picked Abby up from school, I drove up to be able to just be there for the couple…particularly to hug the wife and let her know I am praying for them. As I walked into the house the floors were spongy, and huge drops of water were continuously falling from the ceiling. While the house didn’t burn completely the water damage is so great that I imagine it will have to be gutted completely.

When you stand in the middle of a room surrounded by shattered pieces of such an event life seems so simple…so clear.

God.

Family.

Nothing else matters as much as knowing that God is in control, and for them today, that they were both safe and sound physically.

So tonight I am sitting here typing out my thankfulness that I am safe. My family is safe. And for this moment I am going to enjoy what God has allowed me to be blessed with.

Who cares about the wash to fold, the dishes to clean, and the playroom to pick up.

It’s time to simply enjoy those I love so much and praise God for allowing me these few moments with them.

French Toast & 5 Books

2011-01-06T11:28:00.001-05:00

To all of you who were waiting to see the “finished” product on that French Toast recipe…here it is!

I will share the recipe with you once I make a few alterations.

But meanwhile please – PLEASE! – go over to my book review blog today where I am giving away 5 – FIVE! – books! The giveaway is simple and I would love to have lots of participation! So help a girl, out….please??????!!!!!!

See you tomorrow!

It’s A New Year

2011-01-05T13:32:00.001-05:00

It’s another new year. Hard to believe how fast the time flies by.

Even when I’m not having fun.

Once again I find “getting up early” on the top of my goal list for the year. It’s a goal that has been a constant struggle since we moved into full time ministry 4 & 1/2 years ago. Up until that time it was something that I conquered fairly easily in comparison to recent days. I blame it on the fact that our days, and nights, are just so different from the routine we had as laypeople. However, I’m not giving up…I’m going continue to make this goal #1 until it’s been reached!

This year I have called out reinforcements to help me meet this goal. I asked my sister-in-law to text me each weekday to keep me accountable to getting up. So far this week it’s been 2 out of 3 mornings. Not bad!

Along with new things for a new year…I also happened to find this fabulous looking recipe for Overnight French Toast over at From My Kitchen To Yours. I am anxious to try this out tomorrow morning. This is what it looked like today after I did the prep work. I’ll try to grab a picture of the finished product in the morning amidst the am chaos!

Meanwhile, as you sit at the edge of your desk chair waiting for my scrumptious photo of the the finished breakfast food….you can run over to my book review blog and check out a BIG giveaway that will be happening tomorrow…after breakfast. *grin*

PS – go visit Rachel who happened to be thinking a lot like me today! ;-)

Why I Do What I Do

2011-01-04T22:02:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I ask myself why do I do what I do?

Normally my answer would be “I do what I do because I want what I want because I think what I think.” And while that is all good and true, it’s not the answer to today’s question. Well…not exactly.

I have been asking myself this question in concern with my blogging life. Yes. My “blogging life”. *ahem* Or lack thereof as of lately.

And today I got my answer.

I was out and about all morning and got home to an e-mail from a lady who had seen one of my vlog book reviews posted on Facebook by another person. Her e-mail was the sweetest and most kind note of encouragement about my review and my blogs. Even despite my lack of TLC the past few months.

Anyhow….!

That’s when I sat back in my desk chair, sighed a happy sigh, and said to myself, “THIS is why I do this!”

When my reading and reviewing can encourage someone else I get excited! To God be the glory that this simple passion of mine can be used to inspire, help, and encourage others. Even when it’s a bit dull!

From the trenches of motherhood….where I am doing a happy dance today… -Mandy

The Tooth Fairy’s First Visit!

2010-12-08T14:28:00.001-05:00

Last year was a rough year for Abby in the tooth department. If there is such a department!

Her first grade class had a chart where they kept track of how many teeth each student lost and Abby’s name never got a check mark beside it. She bemoaned her bad fortune to me quite frequently and the peer pressure was so great that she would even work on wiggling several of her teeth to try to get even just one to be loose!

But no such luck.

In fact for months now she’s had several “loose” teeth. Until yesterday after school when she walked in the door and said, “Mom, look at my loose tooth!”. I did the “mom routine” and briefly glanced while smiling and nodding and sweetly saying, “Wow, Sweetie! I see!”.

But this time I did a double take.

“Wow Abby! That IS really loose!” I said in surprise. After all our false alarms I was taken aback by this really loose tooth. I figured in a few days we would finally see it fall out.

Oh, was I wrong!

Last night we were sitting at the table, quietly and calmly eating our dinner when Abby jumped of from her chair and exclaimed quite loudly, “My tooth! Where’s my tooth? Did you see my tooth? Where did it go?”

After some investigation we concluded that she had swallowed it while eating her broccoli! I laughed! But it wasn’t a laughing moment for her. Finally after literally years of waiting and she looses her first tooth only to swallow it! However, the excitement of loosing a tooth finally set in and all was okay once more.

But then came the question, “Will the Tooth Fairy still come even though I swallowed it?”

We – or better yet, I – assured her that I was pretty sure the tooth fairy would come despite there being no tooth but rather that I was more concerned about whether the Tooth Fairy would be able to fly in since the weather wasn’t the best!

I know, I know! I should have been more compassionate….but I just had to have fun with it!

She promptly called her Grandpa, who is avid at keeping up on the weather, to see what his opinion was! Then she asked me, “Mom, is the Tooth Fairy real or is it just you, ‘cause you’ve been telling me funny stuff about her?!”

That was a fun question to answer. I sort of didn’t answer. I didn’t say she wasn’t real, but I would not tell her she was either.

So anyhow, last night I tucked a $1 bill under her pillow after she finally fell asleep.

Then! Here comes the funny part…

This morning she wakes up and shows me a note she had left for the Tooth Fairy – the note that the *ahem* Tooth Fairy didn’t see last night!

It read:

“I swol (swallowed) it. I am sorry that I swol it. Will you forgive me and please may you give me a doller (dollar) please?”

Well, it’s a good thing that by chance the *ahem* Tooth Fairy gave her a dollar!

From the trenches of motherhood….where I’m thanking God that He had me put a $1 under a little girl’s pillow…

-Mandy the TrenchMommy

Simply A Good Day

2010-12-05T23:23:00.001-05:00

Today was simply a good day.

My wonderful husband preached today for the morning service and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love listening to him preach!

He poured so much into this messages and still gets so nervous which then in turn makes me really nervous for him!

The neat thing about today was that I only knew the general topic of today’s message and nothing else. Usually by the time he preaches it I’ve heard several times through and another dozen times in bits and pieces! But today I got to simply sit back and be blessed.

Then we came home, relaxed a bit before heading into Sr. High Youth Group, and then enjoyed a good evening with them.

Now I’ve finished up some last minute prep work for starting the new week and now I am headed to bed.

*ahem* Yes, I am aware that technically the week began today. But MY weeks begin on Monday! *grin*

Good night world! See you tomorrow!

Only In Our House…

2010-12-04T21:50:00.001-05:00

…will you find two beautiful little girls acting out the Christmas Story using a children’s nativity set…

…while their little brother uses his Caterpillar loader to load the baby Jesus figure into the manger!

Do you suppose this little boy has too many trucks and tractors on his mind?!

May I Help You?

2010-12-04T19:59:00.001-05:00

Last month I signed-up – again – to be a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant.

And I love it!

I have always enjoyed make-up and finding new techniques to use it. So now I have my own MK Website and I would love to have you check it out!

And have fun watching this cute clip…

A Hodge Podge Of Things…

2010-11-18T08:54:00.001-05:00

Goodness! *exasperated sigh*

My real life seems to be overtaking my blogging life…the nerve of it! *silly grin*

Seriously, though…it’s true. My real life has caught up to me as of late and I have not had a moment to spare for blogging.

Oh, but how I miss it! And YOU!

I think of the various people I have become friends with and wonder how you are…and miss the simple interaction through comments or twitter.

However, my family appreciates the fact that I take time to feed them, do their laundry, and now I have a few customers who appreciate my care through Mary Kay.

*SQUEAL!* Yes! That’s some new news for you! I am now – again! – an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay. I am so excited about this…and guess what?! Because of the power of internet and a personal website I could even take care of YOU if you would like!

For now though here is what my real life looks like for today…

Getting ready for a pampered chef party tonight since my sis-in-law just became a consultant.
Gearing up for an all nigh youth event this weekend where I will get the honor *cough, cough* of staying wide awake all night long!
In the throws up starting up my new business.
Dealing with some health issues in Emmy and making hard decisions on how to treat her.
Keeping up with the normal life around the trenches as Wife, Mommy, and pastor’s wife!
Desperately clinging to my Savior for strength each day.
Celebrating the fact that Starbucks is offering a Buy 1 Get 1 Free on their holiday flavors this weekend! Praise the Lord!

That’s all for now….

Would you like to see my newest profile picture that my awesome, amazingly talented new friend took?

Okay!

Like I said, she’s an amazing photographer to make me look this good!

From the trenches of motherhood…where I’m in the trenches of real life…

-Mandy the trench mommy

Shattered Glass…X2

2010-10-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

*smash!*

As I worked to put clean sheets on our bed I heard the shattering of glass out in the kitchen. My body reacted quickly as I leaped over the pile of pillows on the floor and hurdled my body through the door way and out into the living room….the dinning room…and into the kitchen.

There I found my 3-and-a-half-year-old son innocently standing in front of the sink.

“I’m done, Mommy!” He declared happily.

I peered into my white sink to see the remains of a small glass bowl shattered into hundreds of pieces.

I shuttered. There is nothing I hate to clean up as much as shattered glass. I would be a happier mommy cleaning up vomit than the sharp chards of a bowl. It all goes back to the time when I broke something glass and ended up with a piece of it in my foot.

Apparently Micah had wanted a bowl for the snack I had given him instead of using the napkin I had placed it on. He was able to reach the small bowl that contained my morning vitamins, dump them into the garbage, and use the desired dish to eat his snack out of. After he had finished he was a good boy and cleared his dish right into the sink. The problem was the fact that he is too short to place it in the sink. He’s only tall enough to half drop it, half throw it in.

I grabbed my hand-held vacuum out of the cleaning closet and sucked up the many glittering pieces of glass from within my kitchen sink. And I was grateful that the sink had contained them all. But in my hurry to get back on track after this 6.5-minute-delay in my schedule, I wrapped the cord around the vacuum and shoved it back in the closet.

Oh yes, I had thought about emptying the vacuum bag, but that’s as far as that idea went. And so as the classic saying goes…“Out of sight, out of mind”. Until about 2 nights later when I asked my 5-year-old Emily to get out the vacuum for me.

I meant the big vacuum, but again, in my must-accomplish-much-haste I didn’t specify which one and so she brought out the smaller one.

*sigh* I can read their minds at times…shouldn’t kids be able to just know sometimes, too?! Just kidding! It was totally my own fault.

As I heard her work to get the vacuum I also heard the clink and clanking of glass in the vacuum hose. At that moment I went into “mommy overdrive” as I declared a From-The-Trenches-Of-Motherhood-Household-State-Of-Emergency and ordered everyone to clear the hallway and stand still.

I quickly gathered up all my needed supplies – garbage can, new vacuum bag, etc… – and swept up the glass…again. This time from the hallway closet. And this time I did it right – changing the vacuum bag when I was done.

So many times I get frustrated at my children for not doing things right the first time, and yet this incident served as a reminder to me that I am really no different. I’m just older and should know a whole lot better!

I get so caught up with doing and accomplishing that I sometimes let the “little” things slip. In the long run I really don’t accomplish as much as I think I did. I need to get back to the basics and do things the right way the first time. But while I work on slowing down, and doing things to the best of my ability the first time, I praise God for His grace to do just that. I am awed by God’s amazing love for me despite the shattered glass of my life.

From the trenches of motherhood…where God sweeps up my glass chards…

-Mandy the TrenchMommy

To Read Or Not To Read

2010-10-24T09:00:00.000-04:00

When flying on a plane - and trying to only pack for an entire week using carry-on luggage - one must be fairly selective. Not only am I cutting down on how many pairs of shoes I take, but also my reading material.

*gasp* What is this life coming to?!

So I started with this…(I am showing you only half of the cupboard!)

And then narrowed it down to these six…

Then finally ended up with packing these three…

Now all I have to do is…

READ THEM!

Oh, and you can read my reviews later on at To Read, Or Not To Read!

Just Keep Swimming

2010-10-22T09:54:00.001-04:00

Life is crazy busy for pretty much all of us. We all are flying by the seat of our pants at about double the speed we should be going.

Hmm….I wonder what the story is behind the phrase “flying by the seat of your pants” is…

Oh! Yes, back to what I was saying… I think most people in this country are way too busy. And when we – yes, I am included in this – are too busy we get overwhelmed really easy.

*Ahem* This is painful to admit, but I’m really overwhelmed this week and have been the past few weeks…or well, uhmm…months. It seems life just never slows down and there are just so many good opportunities coming my way it’s hard to say “no” at times.

This is also why my poor little blog has been left blank on so many days. Real life has just overwhelmed my online life, too!

*Gasp* Oh the horror! {insert silly grin}

Yes. Sometimes life doesn’t go as planned. But I am trying to make myself at least write more often – I don’t dare commit to a set amount of days! I enjoy it and it is such a wonderful way to chronicle our life for myself as well as my family.

So some days I may just simply write about feeling overwhelmed or maybe about the car I saw go flying by me and how happy I as to see he/she was pulled over by an Officer about half a mile up the road.

I know! That isn’t very compassionate of me to say…but the driver wasn’t just doing some “safe speeding”, he was driving like I was standing still taking a nap!

I guess I am writing all this to say that I’m still swimming! Taking one day at a time trying to balance all that God has brought into my life and make the best choices with the wisdom that God gives me.

I hope you will join me in this journey of following God…seeking His balance for our lives…and pushing on even if it means a few “blank” days.

Oh, and on a very different note….very different indeed!…guess who pooped on the potty last night?!

AND…if you want to read something about finding balance in life let me recommend Ordering Your Private World.

From the trenches of motherhood…where I am on the teeter-totter of life…

-Mandy the TrenchMommy

Do You Feel Alone In Your Marriage?

2010-10-19T15:20:00.001-04:00

Marriage is all about two people – a man and a woman – becoming one person.

The purpose of marriage is to be a picture of the relationship between us (mankind) and Jesus Christ (God). As we as individuals grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ our marriage should also grow more and more clear as a picture of Christ’s love for us.

However, we live in a sinful world and many of these “pictures” are anything but clear. Rather, they are still quite pixilated and fuzzy. Those looking at them have a difficult time trying to figure out what the picture is supposed to be. None of us are perfect. We all experiences these times in our marriages. They are times that despite the fact that there are two people in the marriage you feel like it’s only you.

You feel alone in your own marriage.

We each experience this loneliness to one degree or another. My degree has been low in comparison to that of what other women have experienced. However, we still all face it.

Different ways. Different times. Different reasons. Different degrees.

Same feeling of being…

Alone.

But there is hope! God has a plan for even your loneliness.

I just finished reading a book called Alone In Marriage by Susie Larson and I am so excited about this book that I had to share my vlog review with you today! You can see the whole review in person on Friday at my book review blog, To Read, Or Not To Read. Until then…here’s a sneak peek!

Susie will take you to Scripture to see the hope you have in Christ Jesus even when you are…

Alone In Marriage.

* * * * *

You can buy this book by clicking here.

This book was provided for review courtesy of Moody Publishing but the opinions expressed are my very own.

Cozy & Comfy Slippers: My New BFF

2010-10-15T16:26:00.001-04:00

I have never been a slipper person. Nope. I like bare feet in the house – or at least socked feet – so I can feel.

Feel?

Yeah, I’m not sure about that either. But I do know that I usually don’t like my feet cooped up unable to experience their surroundings. They get a little claustrophobic or something!

It’s okay. I already know I’m strange!

Although, I think if you finish this silly little story you may not think I’m quite as strange.

*ahem* Where were we?

Oh yes! So when we – my husband & I – got the list of “things to bring” for our upcoming retreat that included slippers, I decided to grab a pair. Well, buy them really.

I got a relatively cheap pair from Payless shoes and because they were just so comfy and cozy looking I was quite excited to try them on back at home. They have barely come off my feet since!

I wear them all the time except for in the shower or outside of the house. I don’t want them to get dirty! Although they are so cute and comfy that I have been tempted to wear them outside the house…and even toyed with the idea of in the shower…nah!…just kidding! About the shower part anyhow!

So, yep, I have resorted to writing all about my new BFF love for my slippers. I just can’t get over how comfy they are and how much my feet are loving being in them!

What can I say? Simple things amuse me at times!

Oh, and did you notice the dot of something on one of them already? I need to scrub that off before we go away so they still look cute! {insert silly giggle here}

Are you a slipper person? Do you know what I mean when I say my feet usually like to “feel”? Does this post lead you to think I’m a little strange? Or do you identify with my thoughts about my new BFF?

I Am Not Going To Relevant10

2010-10-13T13:37:00.001-04:00

That’s right.

I am NOT going.

Oh, I wanted to go. But it just didn’t seem to work out no matter what I did or tried. I wrote to a sponsor, I even have a friend I could car-pool with, but for some reason all the details just never came through.

So over the summer I resigned myself to the fact I would not be attending.

Then I saw Selah in concert back in September and when I told Todd I read Angie’s blog he immediately asked if I was going to Relevant10. I had to kindly answer ~~as I was turning green with envy~~ that I would not be going.

Now I know why.

God had other plans for me. Better plans for something both my husband and I desperately need.

We are headed to California for a Pastor’s and Wives spiritual retreat where we will spend 4 days alone with each other and God.

No internet. No TV. Limited cell service. No children along. No schedule.

Just mountains. Just us. Just God.

Time to be rejuvenated by concentrated time in His Word, in prayer, in fellowship with each other.

So while I am sad that I won’t be attending the Relevant10 conference…I am excited how God worked out something that I needed more than that. The dates overlap and there is no way I could have done both. God had a better plan for me this year and I look forward to making the most of it.

However, I still expect Kristina to take lots of pictures and notes for me! And I will miss you all…all those who someday I hope to meet – in person!

Hmm…maybe I’ll make a little button for her with my picture on it along with a caption that reads - “Trench Mommy is here in spirit”!

Motherhood Confession: My Favorite Kids DVDs

2010-10-12T16:27:00.001-04:00

As a Mom I really try to watch what I allow my kids to watch. I’m not always as good about it as I would like to be.

If this was a perfect world – which it is not – I would only allow my kids to watch Christian DVDs. However, as much as I try to attain to this goal there are times when a little Fetch or Bob The Builder sneak into their viewing line-up.

I must say though that as the years of parenting have gone by – all 7 of them so far! – I have actually become fond of some shows.

Yes! Me. The adult. The busy Mom. Actually likes some kids shows.

My favorites are the Max Lucado’s Hermie & Friends series by Tommy Nelson. I’ll be honest, at first I wasn’t all that impressed. But as my kids have grown, and as more and more of them have been released I have slowly grown to not only appreciate them, but like them.

Does this mean I have a major case of “mommy-brain” or just that I finally appreciate wholesome entertainment for my children?!

Anyway!

So now that I have shared my fave kid’s DVDs with you I want to know what YOURS are!

Introduce me to something that not only your kids like…but that YOU like!

And while you’re here, enjoy this intro video clip to the wonderful world of truth teaching bugs! Then when you are done with that…check out my TV Tuesday series on my book review blog!

Chomping At The Bit

2010-10-06T09:43:00.001-04:00

I don’t know about you, but around our house it seems our children chomp on the bit a lot!

Not literally!

This is how it plays out in our home…

*cue fading music as we step back in time a few days…*

I take Abby aside and tell her that she gets to start piano lessons – something she has been begging to do. But after I tell her that she gets to take lessons I also want to talk to her about it.

However, as soon as my announcement is out of my mouth she runs off in excitement to tell her sister and brother and to “get read” in whatever way a 7-year-old needs to get ready 7 days before their first lesson!

She’s so excited – chomping at the bit so to speak – that she hears what she wants to hear and then runs off.

As I was spending time in the Word of God this morning, I realized how much I am like my daughter.

I read a few verses and then my mind began to run off in my excitement to “get going” on my new day. I was happy to be reading the Word of God but I was so excited about doing what I needed to do for God that I had a hard time focusing on the rest of the details God wanted to share with me.

In the same way I had to pull Abby back to explain and talk through this whole new thing of piano lessons, I had to pull myself back and focus on the whole message God wanted for me.

Sometimes we – Abby, myself, you… – are all so excited and chomping on the bit to get going that we fail to enjoy and take in the whole message.

Today I am sitting here typing this up after I reigned myself in – despite the breakfast dishes, laundry, and endless paperwork – to listen to the whole message God wanted me to hear.

And it was refreshing!

Now, I’m ready to go!

On your mark…

…get set…

…Go!

Oh, and by the way…Abby starts piano lessons today. *sigh* She is growing up!

Finding True Refreshment

2010-09-28T09:19:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was Monday.

~~Thank you Captain Obvious!~~

While Mondays are my favorite days they are also exhausting days as I do so much around the house. By the evenings I am tired.

Last night was no different and yet I had Jr. High girls Bible study to get through before I could call it a day.

But something strange happened.

As I spent almost two hours digging into the Word of God with three 8th grade girls, I found myself feeling refreshed and energized.

There is nothing like having teen girls say their verses to you and then ask, “What does that mean?”, and then being able to open up the Bible and talk about the context and meaning of that verse! It’s better than a Venti Mocha Frapp!

And there is the fact that we only get through one chapter of our Bible study book each time we get together because they ask so many questions! I’m more amped up now than if I had a energy drink!

It’s such an amazing blessing and honor I have to spiritually coach these girls and watch them grow. I am humbled that God is using me to encourage them in this process of growth.

So to all my Small Group Girls out there…both Jr. High & Sr. High… HUGS! Your hunger for God’s Word refreshes me!

When Something Good Isn’t So Good

2010-09-23T09:00:00.000-04:00

While browsing my newspaper this morning….err, I mean my facebook news feed!…I came across an article from our local TV station announcing a special class being offered. The topic was something that I find fascinating and so I began to read further for the details.

That’s when I was disappointed to see that it was being held on Wednesdays at the exact time we have prayer meeting, youth group, and awana at our church.

Oh wait! It’s only for 8 weeks! Eight weeks isn’t that long of a time and –oh! – think of all the people I could meet and invite to church and get to talk to and share the gospel with! This is like a great community outreach!

See how easy it is to take something and spiritualize it? Even if I didn’t have my commitment as a youth leader, and even if I was not the pastor’s wife, I still would not go.

Why?

Because while the class is a good thing and I would not be sinning by being there, I am not honoring my commitment to my church.

What commitment?

When we came to this church we became members just like my fingers and arms are members of my body. We knew that they had Wednesday night activities but chose to attend this church anyhow. We didn’t have to; no one made us join. We could have looked for a church that didn’t have stuff on Wednesday nights. But we chose this body of believers to join. To commit to.

It’s only 8 weeks!

Yes, it is. But it goes back to my list of priorities. As a child of God – a believer with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ – my relationship is first above all else. As a wife my husband is second in line. Then third in line are my children which are then followed by both my real family and my church family. After that I put in other things like my job, spending time with friends, reading, blogging, extra learning, and so on.

If that class takes me away from a priority higher up on that list…it’s not good for me. Even though the class it’s self is not bad. I can only do so much and I must make choices in life that center around what God says is important. In the big picture, what will this class do for me and for the cause of Christ?

It is more important that I stay true to my commitment and my life actions be a testimony than it is to go to a class and trying to tell someone why going to church is important. My walk says so much more than my talk.

You’re just saying this ‘cause your the pastor’s wife!

No, I am not. I would say this no matter how my husband got paid. I believed the same way when I was not a pastor’s wife.

However, I am not perfect. I have not always made the best choices and honored biblical priorities. That’s why I am SO thankful for a gracious God who loves us no matter what we do or don’t do.

The issue isn’t about God’s love for us…it’s about our love for Him.

Are you willing to give up something you want in order to show love to God…through honoring your commitments…by growing in your walk with Him instead of playing that extra sport…in spending time with your family rather than watching another hour of TV…?

The list could go on forever.

Are the good things in your life better than they were before?

And are the better things in your life the best things you could be doing?

A Friend Who Is Closer Than A Sister

2010-09-22T09:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I wrote about a friend who God placed in my life for a certain time period.

Today I want to tell you about a friend who is closer than a sister.

*Sigh* Yes! You are right. I don’t actually have a sister…hence why I say this friend is closer than one!

My friend Hillari has been my friend since before I can remember. Though she is three years younger than I, we grew up spending many days at each other’s homes.

I didn’t have a sister, only brothers.

She was an only child.

We were stand-in sisters for each other.

Even though at times the miles separated us and our lives seemed to be so different…we always have come back and picked-up right where we left off.

Hillari is the friend who knows my favorite drink at Starbucks – venti Mocha Frapp with chocolate drizzle…in case the rest of you are wondering!

She knows the silly things I did as kid and still thinks I’m pretty cool.

She accepts me for who I am with my strengths and weaknesses.

She is the friend who I can go to no matter what.

She’s the friend who my kids call “Aunt Hillari” even though she’s not their real aunt.

She is a friend who cries with me when I want to cry. Or laughs at things I that only I think are funny!

She is a friend who takes you to Taco Bell for the first time and drives for you when you don’t feel well.

She is a life long friend who sticks with me for the journey. Good or bad.

I am so thankful for the picture of unconditional friendship that God as given me through Hillari.

* * * * *

Do you have a life-long friend who knows your history and still loves you?

Leave a comment here or join me in my community forum to share you thoughts and experiences.

* * * * *

You can read about friendships with these resources:

I Once Had A Friend…

2010-09-21T09:00:00.000-04:00

ecky was her name.

God placed her in my life for a special time and purpose.

While I still consider her to be a dear friend – and always will – we have lost touch since our move in 2006. However, I often remember the time God gave us together with fondness and abundant gratitude.

In 2003 I was still fairly new to marriage and even newer to motherhood. I was in a new town, in a new state, and three hours away from my own mother who was – and is! – my dear friend and go-to-gal.

I was lonely. Tired. Overwhelmed. Scared.

Just when I didn’t think I could go on much longer, the Lord stirred in Becky’s heart for her to reach out to me. At the time her 35 year old son – her only child – was unmarried and therefore she had no grandkids of her own. She wanted to minister to us by babysitting for then baby Abby.

As the weeks turned to months, the occasional babysitting turned to extra help on stressful days, a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, a patient friend.

When I was sick she was there to rescue me.

When we found out we were finally pregnant again with baby number 2 she was ready for an impromptu celebration at the local ice cream store.

When I was flat on my back with morning sickness she would come clean my house and do my laundry.

When I needed to go to the Doctor she would keep Abby or come along and help me.

When I called at 6am saying I had gone into labor, she was there to come take care of Abby and then later bring her to the hospital to see her new sister.

When Emmy was a newborn she and I would grocery shop together so I had an extra set of hands.

When at the age of 1 Emmy got a bad ear infection and then had an allergic reaction to the meds, Becky was there to drive a stool sample to the hospital.

When we got ready to move she was there day after day helping me clean, pack, or just simply to play with the girls.

When I struggled to stay consistent in my time with God she was there to call me at 8am every morning.

When I faced a hard trial she drove over after I called her just to pray with me in person.

For three years of my life Becky was God’s comfort, compassion, care, and kindness to me in flesh. I simply don’t know what I would have done without her.

Shortly after our family moved her son and his new wife found out they were pregnant. God moved us and replaced our children with her very own grandchildren.

I am so blessed even today by the testimony that Becky lived out. While she desperately longed for grandkids of her own, she patiently prayed and waited upon the Lord while serving Him by investing in our lives as a young family.

My prayer is that I can model friendship to others like Becky lived out for me. We may rarely see each other now, but Becky is forever close in my heart by the thread of love that God used as He knit our lives together for such a time as that.

The 1 Reason I Like My Kids Back In School

2010-09-20T09:00:00.000-04:00

I must confess that I enjoy having the kids back in school.

I know. *sigh*

I always said I wouldn’t be one of those moms.

But, I just can’t help it! I like the routine. No! I THRIVE on the routine! I bask in routine! I jump into routine and dance like a little kid in a ball pit. Okay! You get the idea!

One nice thing about having the kids in school is that I get to go grocery shopping with only one child instead of three children. And the one child I do take still fits in the child seat on the cart. In other words…shopping is a fun and enjoyable.

Minus the occasional begging of said child in the little seat.

The other day Micah and I were doing our bi-weekly grocery shopping and were actually enjoying browsing the newly re-arranged Walmart when we heard an announcement over the PA system.

Okay, first I just need to insert here that while I am one of the biggest supporters for the freedom to re-arrange one’s furniture and etc… {insert grin} …I think that it should be illegal for stores to re-arrange because I have spent hours of my life wandering around like a little lost kid searching for items on my shopping list while said store takes it’s grand old time in messing me up!

Uhm…but ANYWAYS…over the loud speakers we here a female voice announce: “Could Micah please come up front to the Customer Service desk?”

I was in one of those “conquer and attack modes” where I hear things, but they sort of bounce off of me because I’m so focused on the task at hand and so I was a bit caught off guard when Micah looked up at me and asked: “Mommy, why do they want me up front?”

In quick mommy fashion, my brain registered the PA announcement and also the memory of seeing the sign by the door that showed a picture of the manager named Micah.

I took notice of it because you don’t see the name “Micah” to often!

I laughed as I explained it was a different Micah that the lady wanted and that he – my little Micah – didn’t need to go up front! We was glad to hear that!

What kind of silly things happen on your shopping trips? Do you enjoy shopping alone – or semi alone – or would you rather take your whole clan with you?

Share your thoughts about “back-in-shool” shopping here with me!

Oh My Aching Rib…

2010-09-17T09:31:00.001-04:00

I have had a crazy busy 2 weeks and was really looking forward to yesterday when I could pause, sit back and enjoy some relaxing reading for a while.

That was the plan.

I cleaned up around the house, checked my e-mail, and then jumped on the treadmill while still in my PJs.

Only moments into my leisurely walk – I was reading and walking – the pain I’ve been having in my shoulder/back area got worse.

I laid down on my back on the floor in an attempt to get some relief. But all that happened was a few more pops in my back and then more pain.

I felt like a turtle on it’s back!

Finally I gritted my teeth and rolled over to get up and called my husband.

Have I ever told you how thankful I am that his schedule can be somewhat flexible in times like this?! Well, I am!

He came home and helped me get in the shower because I couldn’t even get undressed – and even with his help I was in tears doing such a simple task.

After a shower and having him rub some Tiger Balm on my back I could breath a bit better and he headed back to work.

I called our Chiropractor and he was able to squeeze me in for an afternoon appointment. Long story short was that my Mom was able to take me to my appointment and sure enough…I had a rib out of place.

After fixing my rib and three vertebrae in a row that were also out of place I felt so much better. But I was amazed at how my muscles and body still ached and hurt intensely.

I went and soaked in my brother’s hot tub for about 45 minutes last night and then came home and slept on my back. At 1am I woke up and so badly wanted to roll over…but I couldn’t! I lay there in my bed looking straight up at the ceiling feeling trapped in my own body.

I silently prayed for God to calm my heart and while the feelings of panic only lasted a few moments, in the short time my mind flew to people like Joni Eareckson Tada.

My heart has always held compassion for her, but as I lay in my bed not able to move I felt overwhelmed with compassion for her. And my problem was only due to 1 little rib…and hopefully only for a few days!

While this is a lesson that I am sure God will teach me over and over throughout my life, I was reminded to pray for Joni and those who deal with daily pain and immobility. For a few hours yesterday I could not function to save my life and what little I did do was done only through prayer. We all know people who need us to pray them through the physical trials they endure. Are you praying for them?

How Many Questions Can A 3-Year-Old Ask?

2010-09-16T09:00:00.000-04:00

Too many!

Since my girls have gone off to school it seems that Mr. Micah Man only wants to ask questions. In two hours time this morning he asked me…

How many stops do we have to make Mommy?
Why do we have to go to the bank?
What is that man fixing Mommy?
Why do people work in the bank Mommy?
Why do people help people Mommy?
Where did Great Grandpa park his car?
Did Great Grandpa drive his pick-up?
What does the word “like” mean, Mommy?
What is that sound? (referring to a type-writer)
Why does candy stick to my teeth?
How can I get the candy off my teeth?
How many more stops do we have to make Mommy?
What’s that lady’s name?
Why is the police car parked there?
Where is my Flo Car?
Are there strawberries in my strawberry yogurt?
Why can’t I have blueberries in my strawberry yogurt?
Why do I have to take a nap?
When I am five do I have to take a nap?

…and on the list could go!

My head is spinning by the end of the day! And how do you explain the word “like” to a 3-year-old without using the word “like”!?!

Maybe you can relate. Or maybe now you know what to expect when your time comes!

Okay…I’m off for a little piece and quiet before my little curious mind gets up from his nap.

* * * * *

What is the silliest/craziest/hardest question YOUR little one has asked you? Join me in my community forum to share!

The Start Of A New Year

2010-09-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

Ever since I was little I truly enjoyed the beginning of a new year.

Every January 1st I would make up my little childish list of resolutions. I even included “to lose weight” as a teen despite the fact that I weighed 115lbs at 5 foot, 3 inches. It was just part of my new year.

Now as a grown-up I still like the beginning of a new year, but I am finding that September holds more of all that new year feel than January.

If you have kids in school you know what I mean!

It’s that time of year when you spend hours getting ready for the start of a new grade…

new supplies
new clothes
new schedule
new friends
new plans
new goals

…it’s all one big fresh start right in the middle of the year!

And this year I have 2 girls who are now gone all day long as they grow and learn…

Emily is off to Kindergarten and Abby is diving into Second grade.

And they, along with me, are enjoying the new year with the fresh start at a whole lot of things. One week into school and they are loving it!

Now it’s just me and Micah at home and I’m enjoying my time with him. As well as the ease of shopping and cleaning the house with less people to work around! But you’ll have to come back tomorrow to hear about how Micah is handling the girls being gone all day!

Hay Is For Horses And Grass Is For Tractors

2010-09-14T17:34:00.001-04:00

Micah and I ran some errands this afternoon and as we drove along he chatted my ear off.

I love this incredibly curious stage…but it’s also exhausting!

Anyhow!…he asked me why God made grass. So I responded with, “Because He wanted to!”

Micah quickly replied quite seriously: “I think it was so the tractors could plow it.”

Selah

2010-09-14T09:00:00.000-04:00

Selah.

I really like that word.

In fact we almost named Emily that. Now I kick myself almost weekly that we didn’t. So much so that I have actually contemplated changing her name.

*ahem*

Not that I would really do it though.

Other than liking that word as a name for my daughter I like it because it’s the name of my favorite vocal group.

Selah!

And I am so excited about going to see them in concert this weekend with my dear friend Hillari!

I have followed their musical journey since 2001 and so enjoy their music.

What plans do you have this weekend?

My Very First Post

2010-09-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

A little over three years ago I began this blog as a way to stay in touch with family after we moved. That was July of 2007 and now here we are just 3 days shy of my 38 month mark for blogging.

Here is what I wrote on my very first “official” blog post…

(I say “official” because the very, very first post was a simple “welcome to my blog” post!)

Abigail’s First VBS – July 16, 2007

Today was Abby's first time at VBS since she just turned 4 a month ago. She was excited to go to "class" but also nervous. Justin took her in when he went in and then I picked her up at noon. She had so much fun! One of the workers was dressed up as a firefighter and she loved that! Most kids are scared, but not Abby! Justin taught the Bible lesson to 2 of the classes and had fun doing it. He gave them squares of unlevened bread (a.k.a. taco wraps!) and also roasted lamb (a.k.a. deer jerky!). After VBS I took the girls up to my parents where they were able go swimming. What a blast! Even Micah got in and loved it! My Mom was brave taking all 3 kids at once by herself.
~Mandy, on behalf of the whole family.

In honor of Back To Blogging with the SITSGirls I re-wrote this post in the manor I would write it if writing it today…

…tell me what you think!…

Abigail’s First VBS – re-written on 9/13/10

I remember when I was a little girl and how much I looked forward to every summer.

Partly because it meant no school. Some of it because of all the fun in the pool. And then the other because it meant VBS.

VBS is short for Vacation Bible School. But no kid likes the idea of Vacation and School in the same phrase so VBS sounds a WHOLE lot better!

Anyhow! Today I relived my own memories as my newly-turned-four-year-old headed off to VBS for the first time. She was so excited and acted so grown-up due to this new honor, yet just a bit nervous, too.

It worked out nicely that Justin was able to take her in and then I just ran in to pick her up. Handy for a mommy with a 2-year-old and 5-month-old still with her at home!

Abby had a blast despite her bit of fear. One of the teachers was dressed up like a firefighter to go with the week’s theme and Abby loved it! Most kids were either fearful or very timid about seeing some one in full gear, but not Abby! Of course it helps to have 2 uncles who are firefighters!

On another note, I am so proud of my husband as he continues to try new things, too. He taught the Bible lesson today to two of the classes and had fun doing it. He gave them squares of unleavened bread* and pieces of roasted lamb* to bring to life the lesson.

(*A.K.A – taco wraps & beef jerky!)

After VBS I took the girls up to my parent’s house where they were able go swimming.

What a treat! Even Micah got in and loved it!

I must say that my Mom was brave taking in all three kids at once by herself. Hopefully it’s only a couple more weeks before I’m able to be fully functioning again!

From the trenches of motherhood…where I’m still nursing my broken foot…Mandy the Trench Mommy!

I think I have learned to be a bit more creative in my blogging over the last three years?

How about you? Are you back to blogging now that the summer days are turning into fall daze?

Join me over at SITSGirls to get back into blogging this week!

* * * * *

This series is being sponsored by Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen & Bath, and by Florida Builder Appliances.

To link up join me here!

You Know You Live In America When…Lack Of Electricity

2010-09-10T09:00:00.000-04:00

Baked Oatmeal

2010-09-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

I like oatmeal.

Well….the word “like” may be stretching it a bit.

I like the IDEA of oatmeal.

Until my Mother-In-Law fixed baked oatmeal for breakfast one morning when the family was all together.

I found a new BFF for breakfast!

Baked oatmeal is the wholesome goodness of oatmeal with more of a coffee cake texture and a store-bought cereal sweetness for only a few pennies and 35 minutes of time!

Thirty of those minutes are baking time..so don’t panic!

And because I love my readers so much and because Bonnie asked me for the recipe…I’m posting it here for you!

BAKED OATMEAL

Gather all your ingredients and mix them together in a large bowl.

1/2 Cup Oil
3 Cup Oatmeal (1 C. Quick & 2 C. old fashioned)
2 Eggs, beaten
1 Cup Sugar (Don’t sub in brown sugar! Does not work…I know!)
1 Cup Milk
2 Heaping Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Vanilla
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Cinnamon

Pour into a greased 9X9 baking dish. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees. When done, the top should be a little brown – more so around the edges.

I have “halved” this recipe and baked it in a bread pan to feed only 4 people. Also, I have used Steel Cut Quick Oats from Aldi in place of the Quick Oats.

Oh! And you can’t forget to pour a little milk over the top and drizzle with some real maple syrup to make a delicious breakfast!

Scarf Wearing 101

2010-09-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

Since writing this post and this post I have become an avid fan of wearing scarves. In fact, I hope to save enough in my food budget to buy a few more to add to my fall wardrobe!

As I anticipate the cooler weather and bringing out some of my favorite outfits I browsed youtube and found these great tutorials on wearing scarves.

I hope they help you as much as they helped me!

Pain

2010-09-07T10:32:00.001-04:00

Pain.

It’s something we all experience at some point in our life.

Sometimes the pain is good. Not because it feels good, but because the end results were worth pushing through. Like when you push through to win a race or accomplish some physical feat. Or like giving birth and having a little bundle put in your arms.

Other times the pain is unbearable. It hurts so bad you don’t want to face it anymore. There are many things that can cause this physically, but possibly on an emotional level it’s the worst.

Mary Beth Chapman knows what unbearable emotional pain is like. She and the whole Chapman family experienced this raw journey when their daughter, Maria, died in a tragic accident in May of 2008.

But the beautiful thing is, that she has also clung to hope through this horrific ordeal and now shares about her personal valley experience in her book Choosing To See.

You can read my review of this book here and also if you leave a comment on that post, you will be entered to win a copy of that book.

If you have experienced the unbearable pain of loosing a child you will be comforted and encouraged by Choosing To See. Or if you can’t even begin to imagine what it’s like, as I can’t, you will be moved with compassion to comfort those who do know what it’s like.

I hope you will read this book whether you win it or not.

A Worthless Penny

2010-09-05T09:00:00.000-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

I enjoy saving money.

I am even one of those people who will take the time to bend down and pick up a penny.

If it doesn’t look really dirty!

But sometimes, a penny is worthless.

Sometimes $2.38 is worthless.

And for me – your average blogger mommy - $2.38 is a lot of hard earned money!

The other night I sat down in front of my blog again – after a month+ blogging vacation – and was dismayed at seeing my ads were for something I didn’t like.

In fact, it was for something I strongly disliked!

So after finding no way to change them I had to make a choice.

On a funny note…I’m in the middle of a Jr. High Girl’s Bible study about choices!

I chose to give up my $2.38 to say true to my beliefs and convictions. Accepting that money would have been worthless if someone had actually accepted the message of that ad.

So I’m back to square one. I’ve not earned a penny from this blog.

But that’s okay. Those pennies were worthless anyhow.

Knock, Knock!

2010-09-04T09:00:00.000-04:00

…Who’s there?

Around the Trenches of Motherhood we have been hearing a lot of these jokes.

All of them original. Of course.

When you have a 7, 5, & 3 year old they think the best jokes are ones they make up on their own.

So we’ve heard about silly eyeballs, mashed potatoes, and a handful of other crazy things.

My personal favorite actually came from the 3 year old.

It goes like this…

“Why did the pickle cross the road?"

“Because he wanted to be in a hamburger!”

Not bad for a 3-year-old!

What’s your favorite joke? Leave a comment and give us some new dinner time laughs!

The Best Way To Enjoy Labor Day Weekend

2010-09-03T21:34:00.001-04:00

…is to ride a 4-wheeler along the fields and through the woods.

It’s refreshing.

It’s relaxing.

It’s breathtaking.

It’s simply wholesome fun.

We went 4-wheeler riding tonight with the kids and saw 3 deer, and great-horned owl, and a lot of turkey scratchings.

It never ceases to amaze me how letting the wind whip through my hair as I smell the fresh forest air can rejuvenate my spirits so quickly. It’s like a bath for the mind…washes away the stress of life as I enjoy God’s creation.

So in my opinion, riding a 4-wheeler is the best way to enjoy the Labor day holiday. Or any day for that matter!

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Our 8th Anniversary

2010-09-03T09:00:00.001-04:00

One month ago today I spent most of the day with my husband celebrating our 8th anniversary.

Can I pause here to ask a question?

Well, it’s my blog so I’m going to either way! {insert grin}

Okay, WHERE has the time gone?!

Alright, so back to August 3rd of this year…

My Mom took the kids for the afternoon and evening and my husband and I got to do one of our most favorite things.

See if you can guess what we did…

Can you tell that the sun was in our face? Well it was!

We hauled a load of logs together and then went home, got cleaned up, and head out for a really nice dinner at…

…Red Lobster!

It was so yummy!

And we had a wonderful day just enjoying our marriage which is also our best friendship. Ever.

I love you, Sweetheart!

Our Summer. In Pictures.

2010-09-02T09:00:00.000-04:00

(And in a few words!)

Summer 2010 is sadly just about over. Although after the extremely humid summer we had, there is a great part of me that is anxious to enjoy the cool, crisp fall weather while wrapped in a blanket and sipping hot tea on my front porch.

However, while we wait for the thermometer to drop and the air to turn crisp…here are a few pictures of our summer…

Quiet Time

2010-09-01T22:20:00.001-04:00

It’s what I had wanted this summer.

Just time alone to read and relax.

However, our summer so was so busy it didn’t really happen.

But who’s summer isn’t?!

Now I’m so excited about the Quiet Time I am enjoying now.

With the whole family.

Every morning.

*ahem* Almost!

At breakfast time no less!

I’m not talking about eating in silence. Nor relaxing.

Quite the opposite actually.

Our family is trying something new this year.

We are doing our Word Of Life Quiet Times together, as an entire family, each morning around the breakfast table.

Word Of Life puts out yearly devotional/Bible study books set up for daily use on a range of age levels. But what we like the best is that no matter what age – Emmy using the 4-6 year old book, Abby in the 1st & 2nd grade book, and us in the adult book – we are all studying the same scripture passage each day.

We read the chapter or selected verses out of our ESV Bible and then talk about what we just read. Justin and I ask the kids questions about what just read or even as we read to keep them focused on listening. Then Justin and I write down what we learned and how we can apply it to our lives while the girls each do short and age-appropriate activity in their books.

While Micah is still too young to use a Quiet Time book of his own, he still listens and enjoys answering questions by raising his hand and loudly proclaiming: “I know! I know! I know!”

I am really looking forward to this year of breakfast time Bible study. It’s just right for our family.

It’s age appropriate while being on the same page as a family
It’s not too long, but not too short (about 10 minutes max)
It’s easy to use material for family devotions.
In 6 years we will have read through the whole Bible as a family.
It’s yearly cycle starts at the end of August so it coincides with the school year.

If you are interested in having some great “Quiet” Time with your family, you can buy your own books right off of the WOL Online Store. They also come in the following age categories:

Do you enjoy Quiet Time? What do you do as a family for your Quiet Time – time in the Word of God?

Blogging Vacation

2010-07-26T09:45:00.000-04:00

It’s summer and everyone is taking vacations.

Some go to the beach. Some to the mountains. Some to a quiet cabin. Some to a buzzing amusement park.

Around here in the trenches we hope to take a stay-cation and get a lot done around the house. While our little home-improving-vacation will only be a week long, I have decided to take a blogging vacation for the month of August.

I will be taking some time to makeover my blogging goals and plans, get my family more organized so we can serve better, and enjoying some simple fun with my family – such as doing sweet corn, going to some good country fairs, and working around the house – and of course celebrating 8 years of marriage with my husband!

I will see you back here for some new fun and creativity on September 1st!

Enjoy August!

The Sweet Prayers Of A 7-Year-Old

2010-07-13T21:00:00.001-04:00

Some of you may get upset at this post.

I’m just giving you fair warning!

However, the prayers of my sweet daughter, Abby, were just too precious not to share with you.

So if you are offended, I am sorry you feel that way, but I do not purpose this post to be mean, just to share the tender heart of my daughter.

The other day while in the van on our way to some destination Abby pipes up with a random question.

If I didn’t know better I would say random questions are her spiritual gift.

Anyway!

So we’re driving along passing horses and cute houses and she asks…

“Mommy, does the President love the Lord Jesus Christ?”

I’m feeling convicted just by her tender concern for the man.

“Well Abby, I don’t think he does because he believes some things that go against what the Bible says.”

Her reply was a mix of surprise and sorrow. “But Mommy! We HAVE to have a President who loves God! I wish I was his maid so I could share the gospel with him.”

Again I’m feeling so convicted for my lack of wanting to be in a position to share the grace of God with our Country’s Leader.

“Abby, you may not be his maid but you CAN pray for him.”

“Well I am going to pray for him then! I’m going to pray that someone will share the gospel with him and that he will love Jesus with all his heart.”

When our conversation was done I had a chuckle over her words – “gospel” at her age just sounds so cute!

So President Obama, just so you know, there is one determined 7-year-old praying for you. And now a humbled 29-year-old, too.

A Great Video Interview About Marriage

2010-06-29T10:22:00.001-04:00

Hi there!

As I skip and hop around the world wide web I like to share with you the treasures I find. This video about a couple’s marriage is one of those special treasures. I hope you will click here and watch a casual interview of a very sweet couple who have been married almost 41 years.

Then run back here and tell me what you though!

Budget Boot Camp

2010-06-28T13:41:00.001-04:00

I am so excited to tell you about some of my summer plans!

I’m joining up with some dear blogging friends and some new blog friends to work my way through the 90-Day Budget Boot Camp hosted by Beth and Clair.

I consider myself to be pretty good about living on my grocery budget of $100 a week – especially since we are a family of 5 - but I do have my struggles.

My specific frustrations are sticking to my menu plan and coming in under my budget on a regular basis. I’m not a big coupon clipper since I shop mainly at Aldi’s which saves me more than what I usually save clipping coupons. I am excited about being challenged to grow in this area of my life and would love to have you join me!

Stay tuned for more details or visit the Budget Boot Camp Facebook page for more details.

A Mommy War Any Woman Should Fight

2010-06-28T10:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to yet another vlog review of the book Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley. This vlog is about children and beneficial even if you don’t have one.

To view all the vlogs in this series, please click here on Chapter By Chapter. And I would also encourage you to visit Carolyn McCulley.

I’m Proud To Be A Homemaker!

2010-06-27T09:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my vlog series as I review the book Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley chapter-by-chapter. Please forgive my crazy hair once again…we’ve been having such warm weather that I have just been clipping it up rather than trying to do anything with it!

Let’s Get Ready To Roll….

2010-06-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

Thanks for joining me for chapter 4 of Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley. I hope you will be intrigued so much that you will run right out – or click over – to buy and then read your own copy!

Submission In Radical Womanhood

2010-06-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

Thanks for joining me for this series of vlogs as I review each chapter of Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley.

Click here to watch the previous chapter review, or click here to watch the following chapter review!

* * * * *

This review copy was provided by Moody Publishers, but in no way was my opinion influenced.

Who & What Is Our Problem?

2010-06-24T09:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my 2nd vlog in a series of vlogs to review – chapter by chapter – the book Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley. You can click here to view the first vlog.

This review copy was provided by Moody Publishing and my opinions of this book were in no way influenced by anyone.

What Is A Radical Woman?

2010-06-23T09:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my first post in a series of vlogs that will review the book Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley.

From The Trenches Of Motherhood

New Blog Address

Building

My Reading Priorities:

Foundational Reading: (Scripture)

Structural Reading: (My Identity In Christ)

Mechanical Reading: (Spiritual Understanding)

Interior Reading: (Personal Growth)

Exterior Reading: (Skill Sharpening)

Finishing Reading: (Wholesome Enjoyment)

BBQ Chicken

Cock-a-doodle-doo!

Dog Ears

Contentment

Heidi

Flood Report #1

Homes

Heroes

Helpless

Soup Anyone?

My Husband Is In Jail

Always Enough

Have I ever told you…

Google + ….WHAT?!

Micah’s First Drive

Using a GPS

Regulations.

Ruth, Boaz, & a Missed Part

Missing!

Stop, Drop, and…

Saturday Simmer 4.2.11

Coffee For A Keurig

Coffee Maker: Pros & Cons of the Traditional

Keurig: The Pros & Cons

Keurig: A Delightful Birthday Gift

Normal Conversations

A Very Confused Tooth Fairy

The Best Foundation…and I Sell It!

Saturday Simmer 2.26.11

It’s A Monday….AUGH!!!!

Saturday Simmer 2.19.11

Potty Dance & Humble Pie

Better Late Than Never

Days Like Today…

Kids Eat Free?!

A Change Of Plans

Saturday Simmer {1.29.11}

Kindle Options: Give Your Opinion Here!

To Tie or Not To Tie?

9 Things Behind My Couch

Sign #9

My Droid Passion

Mt. Dew & Emily: What A Combination!

Enjoying Life In Emily Style

8 Signs Your Child Is Ready To Be Potty Trained

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

Trash Talk

Garbage Can Lids & Other “Junk”

There’s A Crocodile In The Couch

A Message To View…

I am feeling…

French Toast & 5 Books

It’s A New Year

Why I Do What I Do

The Tooth Fairy’s First Visit!

Simply A Good Day

Only In Our House…

May I Help You?

A Hodge Podge Of Things…

Shattered Glass…X2

To Read Or Not To Read

Just Keep Swimming

Do You Feel Alone In Your Marriage?

Cozy & Comfy Slippers: My New BFF

I Am Not Going To Relevant10

Motherhood Confession: My Favorite Kids DVDs

Chomping At The Bit

Finding True Refreshment

When Something Good Isn’t So Good

A Friend Who Is Closer Than A Sister