Bumper Crop

I bought a 10 lb bag of potatoes the other day - but I didn't expect one potato to account for such a large percentage of the bag. I just had to post because it was such an oddity. This one potato with a roast and a couple of carrots fed our family of six plus one with leftovers.

How Would Jesus Vote?

I haven't finished this book yet, but I have been challenged by what I have read so far......

Think about the issues. Not Republican or Democrat.....

The 2008 election is shaping up to be one of the most important political contests in American history. In fact, Dr. D. James Kennedy believes it will be a watershed moment that could impact our very survival as a nation under God.

Values voters—people whose political views and votes are based on their faith in God—are being targeted as never before. As the campaign season moves forward, the significant players will debate terrorism, radical Islam, nuclear threats, global warming, social issues, gay marriage, immigration, education, health care, and many other essential issues that can create sharp ideological divisions.

Into this overwhelmingly complex political situation, Dr. Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe bring a clear, compelling, and nonpartisan exploration of what God’s Word has to say on these critical matters. How Would Jesus Vote? isn’t intended to tell readers which candidates to support; rather it offers a Christ-centered understanding of the world to help readers draw their own political conclusions.

Author Bio:

Jerry Newcombe is senior producer for Coral Ridge Ministries television and has produced or coproduced more than fifty documentaries. The host of two weekly radio shows, he has also been a guest on numerous television and radio talk shows. He is the author or coauthor of more than fifteen books.

Dr. D. James Kennedy is one of the most trusted and recognized Christian leaders of our time. The senior minister of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, he is the featured preacher on television’s “The Coral Ridge Hour” and radio’s “Truths That Transform”, syndicated on over one thousand stations throughout the U.S. The founder and president of Evangelism Explosion International and chancellor of Knox Theological Seminary, he is the author of more than sixty books, including the bestselling What If Jesus Had Never Been Born?

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400074061

older movie time

I am watching "Yours, Mine and Ours". The original with Lucille Ball. Made in 1968.
What a sweet film.
18 children!! and pregnant? Can you imagine the chaos?

They went to the grocery store and got four overflowing grocery carts for $126! I wish I could do that today.

I loved the line "It isn't going to bed with a man that is love. It's getting up in the morning with him and facing everyday life together that matters!" Of course I paraphrased.

I love older movies.

God has a sense of humor

I had a rough morning, just a lot to do and other junk. But that's not what this post is about. I went and had a wonderful Greek lunch with hubby that cheered me up. Then I got books in the mail!! Then I had issues with the kids and obedience this evening.

THEN - I watched the evening news. We don't watch it all frequently but today we did. Early in the news they mentioned a segment they would be airing regarding wholesale stores. I frequent Sam's especially for milk, snacks, laundry detergent, etc.

A week or two ago I was there while a news crew was there (you have probably guessed where this is going). It was a day that I didn't feel wonderful. It was raining, I had pulled my hair up and not put on makeup (actually that is pretty frequent). Anyway - I tried to avoid the cameras.

So, tonight, when I saw them announce the segment I mentioned this to hubby AND I whispered a prayer out loud that God would have mercy on me....

When the segment aired - I was the first thing they showed...

Hubby laughed....

At the end of the segment, they looped the video and showed me again, AND again, AND again....

Needless to say hubby is offering a premium to anyone who has TIVO......

(I am offering more if you accidently delete it!!!!)

Bon Appetit by Sandra Byrd

In Bon Appetit by Sandra Byrd, I can identify with the character Lexi Stuart. Our dreams may be different, but we both have dreams and when they work out the way we plan, they don't always work out the way we plan.....

Lexi finds herself in a "fish out of water" situation in France, trying to win over her instructor, her employers, her co-workers and fellow students.

The recipes in the book look wonderful and I will definitely have to try them. The book is delightful and I found myself craving the next Lexi Stuart adventure. I have not had the opportunity to read the first in the series, Let Them Eat Cake, but I found Bon Appetit was great as a stand-alone title.

Here is a more detailed description too.

In this second book in the French Twist series, readers join Lexi Stuart in a crème de la crème adventure!

Deciding to leave her familiar home in Seattle and her could-be boyfriend Dan, Lexi moves to a quaint village in France to pursue her dream of becoming a pastry chef. Life among the French initially proves to be less than easy as Lexi is challenged by her coworkers, missing her friends, and failing to master the perfect baguette.

Determined to find her place, Lexi settles into the culture and life becomes la perfection. She finds a church, meets a new friend, and makes the acquaintance of a child named Celine—as well as Celine’s attractive, widowed father, Philippe. Even Patricia, the gruff pastry cook, shows a softer side as she mentors Lexi in the art of baking.

Fast, fun, and packed with French culture, foodie appeal, and unique recipes readers will love accompanying Lexi on her journey in Bon Appetit as she tries to choose between two countries, two men and the faith to lean on God while savoring the surprises life brings!

The smell of fear

My little guy has a fear of shots. Even more than most. He does come by it legitimately, Dad doesn't love them either.

Anyway, when I took the kids in on Thursday for the flu shots, he was terrified. The older three actually got flu mist in the nose. That didn't matter to him. All he heard was flu shot and he hid under the sink in the room and hit his head. I dug him out of there and he hid under the exam table. I got him out from under there and he refused to climb up on the exam table.

After the nurse put the mist in the first nostril, he almost decked her. She reminded me of my grandma and I had visions of her falling and breaking a hip. I'm glad it worked out okay. We did give her fits. 4 kids, and 4 charts. 3 with flu mist, 1 flu shot. 1 with pinkeye. 1 immunization catch up. I hope she got it all charted okay....

I hope the boy outgrows this fear....or at least learns to deal with it.

Meanest Mom title revisited

I asked the kiddos repeated times today to clean up their rooms. I have been unable to locate a stink in the house lately too.

Stink found! The 5 yr old boy had stashed two milk bottles from Wendy's in his room. Evidently he thought the shape was fun and wanted to keep them. He had not washed them out and they were RIPE when I found them. At least now I don't have to burn my Buttercream candle to try and cover up the stink!!

The girls told me repeatedly that their room was clean and I went up to retrieve something and found a mess with a capital M!! I got out two large totes and dumped everything that wasn't paper in them and hauled one and a half trash bags of paper out too.

A small part of me wants to do the whole ebay thing. How's this for a title? Lots of fun stuff my kids wouldn't pick up! But does that make me the meanest mom in the world again?

Should I give them a chance to earn it back? Should I donate it to goodwill? I need some wisdom.....

Making lemonade of lemons.....

The kids have a four day weekend starting today and we had fabulous plans. A playdate, zoo, powerplay (possibly) and lots of time together. I had it all planned. I had even talked hubby into taking a day off. That is a feat in and of itself. He has such a strong work ethic, which I AM thankful for. (That's a post for another day...) Anyway, we all wake up this morning and I start in on the list of chores that have to get done this morning before we start the fun stuff. As I walk by my beautiful 8 yr old I notice that her eye doesn't look quite right. I turn around and give it a closer inspection and think, "OH, NO! PINKEYE!"

So we went on a trip to the doctor for eyedrops to try and nip it in the bud and keep it from spreading. While there I decide to get flu shots/flu mist for all four and find out Sha Sha is behind on vaccinations. So we take care of that too.

Now comes the fresh squeezed lemonade. A couple of weeks ago I borrowed a book from the library on simple science experiments. We did several today. A couple were a bust. A few were okay and one was a BIG hit!

We had a lot of fun and made a mess, but we were entertained. Lots of tents and forts were built today with blankets too!

Anyway, it was okay. Not at all like I thought when I first saw that eye this morning.

What's in a word?

Gigi who is now 16 months old, has several words and her favorite currently is CHEESE. She must be related to Mickey and Minnie. I definitely don't need to worry about her calcium intake. Her cholesterol on the other hand.....

I might scream if I hear the word CHEESE one more time today!

I think I'll go have some CHEESE!!!!

New job description

Sometimes I feel like the children think I'm the meanest mom ever for making them pick up after themselves and do some chores.

Would anyone else like to trade and be the "meanest mom ever" for a day? I really wouldn't mind giving up this title.

Glad it wasn't me

So - hubby got a virus on our desktop computer yesterday while loading pictures up to facebook. It took him 5 hours of work on an off to finally repair the damage. I'm glad it wasn't my fault - because I would have been in big TROUBLE!!

Coffee Fetish

Trolling other blogs I stumbled upon this video. And then had to have hubby help me post it. Anyway, I have a Starbucks fetish although I now only go a couple of times a month - I used to be a much more frequent customer. ENJOY!!

Gigi's Escapades

Guess who tried to Mousse the cat today? 16 mo old Gigi. YES. SHE. DID!

Guess who didn't take it? Felix the cat.

Guess who fell off the piano bench today while climbing?

Guess who hijacked my iced vanilla coffee from McDonald's (Thank goodness she still took a nap today?)

Guess who uttered possibly her first sentence and like any good girl said, "I want that!"

Guess who loves mom's new heels and of course only takes off with one and the other is left 3 rooms away?

Guess who makes me laugh and smile?

To diet or not to diet...

She says as she chews the cookie...

Does Lean cuisine count when you eat cookies and have potato chips too?

I used to do the same thing in high school. Slim Fast and Giant chocolate chip cookies for lunch. (Of course then I was a size 8 - not so now!)

I am overweight now and know it. I used my four pregnancies and nursing time as an excuse to eat what I wanted to and it caught up with me. I have lost some in the last year, but am a far cry from where I "should" be.

Oh well, I finished the cookie. Now for the lean cuisine....and Pepsi of course!!

new developments

Gigi is cutting molars, initiating peek-a-boo, giving high-fives, trying to walk up and down stairs, climbing like crazy, throwing fits, all within the last week.

Noah is reading several words already after just a few weeks of Kindergarten.

Elayna is recovering well from surgery. Getting tired of tv and mom, I think.

Alicia is so mature and grown up. Her kindness toward her sister during this recovery time is very admirable.

God is good and continues to bless us.......

Just have to remind ourselves of it sometimes.

Too much stuff

You realize you have too much "stuff" when no one in the house (including myself) can be a good steward of aforementioned "stuff".

or when it takes a whole afternoon to pack away and weed thru summer clothes

and then what do I do

buy more "stuff". Arg!!!

Changes and my reaction

Change is a constant in life. Yet it is so hard sometimes. Some changes effect everyone we come into contact with, but what we have to consider is God's plan for us and our families and some of the other relationships in the grand scheme of things are not a significant part of that decision. I get so wrought up over changes in my relationships with others sometimes that I begin to think its all about me and forget that I am only a small blip in their lives and probably have nothing to do with their decisions.

We all go thru phases in our lives (or "seasons" for those fans of Ecclesiastes) and the transitions are sometimes hard. Especially when relationships change.

Women are so relational that sometimes these changes are harder for us to accept than our husbands. Men are much better about seeing things from a matter-of-fact perspective. I can only speak for myself, as a woman, when I say that I let my emotions get in the way.

I don't know that I had a point except that I need to get over myself.

RV Park here we come.....

Hubby went in for a dental cleaning last week. Our dentist has a new hygienist. She asked if he was retired!! (He is only 36!) He will be 37 in Nov. In her defense, hubby is graying some and the hairline has receded quite a bit.

Needless to say hubby was not delighted. He is considering a box of "Just For Men" like his dad. I have been covering my gray for a while now and he's made fun of me, but I think he's seeing the light. Maybe I can graduate to salon coloring......

Training the next generation

The girls were helping with dinner last night. Their Dad was encouraging them and told them they needed to learn to cook so that they could cook for their perfect men someday.

NiNi piped up - "OR our husband"

Ba, dum, bump. (rimshot)