If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

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Sunday, November 30, 2008

Bill of Rights

I received this in an email from another M.O.M. and just had to share it with all of you. Hope you get a laugh as I did.

My son came home from school one day,
With a smirk upon his face.
He decided he was smart enough,
To put me in my place.

'Guess what I learned in Civics Two,
that's taught by Mr. Wright?
It's all about the laws today,
The 'Children's Bill of Rights.'

It says I need not clean my room,
Don't have to cut my hair
No one can tell me what to think,
Or speak, or what to wear.

I have freedom from religion,
And regardless what you say,
I don't have to bow my head,
And I sure don't have to pray.

I can wear earrings if I want,
And pierce my tongue & nose.
I can read & watch just what I like,
Get tattoos from head to toe.

And if you ever spank me,
I'll charge you with a crime.
I'll back up all my charges,
With the marks on my behind.

Don't you ever touch me,
My body's only for my use,
Not for your hugs and kisses,
that's just more child abuse.

Don't preach about your morals,
Like your Mama did to you.
That's nothing more than mind control,
And it's illegal too!

Mom, I have these children's rights,
So you can't influence me,
Or I'll call Children's Services Division,
Better known
As 'C.S.D.'

Mom's Reply and Thoughts

Of course my first instinct was
To toss him out the door.
But the chance to teach him a lesson
Made me think a little more.

I mulled it over carefully,
I couldn't let this go.
A smile crept upon my face,
he's messing with a pro.

Next day I took him shopping
At the local Goodwill Store..
I told him, 'Pick out all you want,
there's shirts & pants galore.

I've called and checked with C.S.D .
Who said they didn't care
If I bought you K-Mart shoes
Instead of Nike Airs.

I've canceled that appointment
To take your driver's test.
The C.S.D. Is unconcerned
So I'll decide what's best.'

I said 'No time to stop and eat,
Or pick up stuff to munch.
And tomorrow you can start to learn
To make your own sack lunch.

Just save the raging appetite,
And wait till dinner time.
We're having liver and onions,
A favorite dish of mine.'

He asked 'Can I please rent a movie,
To watch on my VCR?'
'Sorry, but I sold your TV,
For new tires on my car.
I also rented out your room,
You'll take the couch instead.
The C.S.D . Requires
Just a roof over your head.

Your clothing won't be trendy now,
I'll choose what we eat.
That allowance that you used to get,
Will buy me something neat.

I'm selling off your jet ski,
Dirt-bike & roller blades.
Check out the 'Parents Bill of Rights',
It's in effect today!

Hey hot shot, are you crying,
Why are you on your knees?
Are you asking God to help you out,
Instead of C.S.D..?'

From a M.O.M.
(Mean Old Mother.)

Friday, November 28, 2008

Fun Game

Jules From The Roost tagged me for a fun bloggy game.
Here are the rules:
1. Choose the 4th picture folder on my computer.
2. Choose the 4th picture.
3. Explain the picture...
4. Tag 4 people to do the same
My picture is:
This photo is from the waiting area of "The Great Movie Ride" at Disney Studios at Disney World from our August 2008 Trip.
Now, I choose
Cathy from As the World Flops,
Fringegirl from The Domestic Fringe
Dana from Are We There Yet
Sherry from Life at the Parsonage

If you get a chance, check out these ladies' blogs. They are really a lot of fun to read.

Black Friday

Did you participate in Black Friday? Why do they call it Black Friday?

We went shopping but not in the middle of the night. We left home around 9:40 this morning. I didn't really have a plan and I barely looked at the ads to see what was on sale. I guess I just wanted to go out if everyone else was going out. We went to the Fairfield Commons Mall and like to have never found a parking spot. I absolutely couldn't believe there were that many people out. I mean this mall is huge and we were having trouble even finding a parking place!?! I should have known right then not to go in. But did I pay attention to common sense? No, of course not! We finally parked out about as far as you could and after a half mile hike to the door we went in and joined the throngs of people milling about. We gave the girls my cell phone and told them we'd call when we were done. It might take an hour or we could be 5 hours. Believe it or not, the girls finished before we did!!. I never in a million years thought two teenage girls would give up before me in a mall. Hubby and I didn't buy one solitary thing. We just walked around and looked at stuff and tried to keep from tripping over all the people. Finally hubby found a seat in the mall and sat and people watched and I went ahead and shopped around some more. Still didn't buy anything though.

After the girls called us we met up with left the mall and went and got some lunch. We went to the Long Horn and had a steak and then headed back out shopping again. Now I had to get serious and try to find KJS a red, white or green top to wear for her upcoming Christmas Program at school. We looked and looked and couldn't find one that we both liked or when we did, it would be a hand wash or lay flat to dry sweater. I'm sorry, I hate those things. I want only wash and dry clothes. I hate to have to hand wash a sweater and then reshape it and lay it flat to dry. I have never been able to reshape them right and get them to turn out the way they were before I washed it. Any way she finally found one she liked at Target. It was wash and dry and it looked really cute on her. So that task is done, Thank the good Lord!! We also, bought a few Christmas presents for my nephews there. At Kohls I bought a mattress pad (ours is worn out) and some towels for a gift. I think that was about all we bought. Maybe a few odds and ends.

So all in all, we didn't buy a lot, but it was a fun day! How was your Black Friday?

SkyWatch Friday

This photo was taken in a small cemetery about a mile from where I live. A couple friends and I were out geocaching and stopped here. I couldn't resist taking a picture of the sky as the sun was setting. To see more skies from all over the world, click on the above button which will take you to SkyWatch Friday.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Things I'm Thankful For!

Ten Things I am thankful for. (Not necessarily in order)
1. Jesus Christ
2. The all out best husband in the world (sorry ladies, he's mine!!!)
3. Two great daughters
4. Our extended families.
5. Our home.
6. Our church family (These are some of the greatest people you could ever hope to meet.)(Today a bunch of them will be serving a free Thanksgiving lunch to anyone who wants to come and they will be delivering over 100 lunches out to shut-ins and others who wish to have a Thanksgiving dinner but can't come to the church.)
7. My job. (most days anyway)
8. Good friends.
9. Our family's good health.
10. Vehicles that run (most of the time).

You know when you start thinking about things you are thankful for, we could go on and on and on. God is so good to us and many times I forget. So Lord thank you for today and the reminder to take a moment to be Thankful. As the song says: "Count your many blessings, see what God has done."

Have a great Thanksgiving Day everyone!!!!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Christmas Tree Photo

Jules from the Roost asked for a photo of our tree. This is all I'll show of the decorations right now because I plan to be part of the 2008 Christmas Tour of Homes. Here you go Jules.

The Tree

We finished decorating the tree last night. Hubby and I put the hooks on the ornaments and the girls put them on the tree. Then we turned out the lights and just enjoyed the sparkling of the tree. I love just enjoying the tree and decorations. The rest of the stuff is sitting out on the table waiting to be put out for the season. So we've still got a lot to do, but we can enjoy the tree while we're doing it.

Remember the Reason for the Season!

Monday, November 24, 2008

Are you a perfectionist?

I watched a movie last night with my daughter. From my posts it sounds like that's all I do is watch movies. Really I don't hardly ever watch movies except during the Christmas Season. There are so many good or fun movies out this time of year. Anyway, the one we watched last night was called Snowglobe, I think. It was kinda weird but it made me think. The girl in the movie was seeking for the perfect Christmas. Her family was rather loud and strange and kept trying to run her life. She wanted to do things her way and she wanted to have the perfect Christmas. Anyway somehow she ended up inside a Christmas Snowglobe of a little village and everything was just how she imagined Christmas should be. She loved it at first but then found out after a while that it wasn't so great to have everything just perfect, because it got boring and predictable.

I think sometimes I spend too much time trying to make everything perfect for Christmas that I miss out on the fun of Christmas. I get so worried about if the house is cleaned up just perfect and is each decoration hanging just right and did the food all come out just exactly perfect, etc. When we concentrate so hard on everything thing being just so so, we sometimes forget to just enjoy the fun of putting the decorations up with someone. Or we forget to laugh when something is a little crooked, or when we burn a tray of cookies because we were talking and we get upset instead of just laughing it off and baking some more.

So my plan this year is to just let it go and have fun. So when you see my decorations, they may hang a little crooked and be off center. My cookies may not all be shaped just right and some of them may be a little dark. But my hopes are to enjoy my family and friends to the fullest and laugh and talk and just totally enjoy my imperfect Christmas.

After all if you have Christ in your life then what other perfection do we need. He is the only perfect one.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Movie Marathon

We watched 3 movies last night! I can't believe I sat in front of the TV that long. Well, really I didn't. I was up taking down the knick knacks so we can put up the Christmas stuff. Also, I blogged a little (well, read other people's blogs) and stuff like that. I just can't sit still that long.

Anyway, we watched all three of the Santa Clause movies. I love these movies with Tim Allen. He is so funny!

Hubby and the girls put the tree up and I added some extra lights to it. Now we're ready for the decorations.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!! Have a great day everyone!

Friday, November 21, 2008

My Kids! I love them! Really I do!

Last night after going to the YMCA and walking for about 45 minutes and then coming home and helping hubby finish up dinner and then the girls and I cleaning up the kitchen, then she tells me.

Okay, you gotta figure at this time, I'm thinking ok, everything's done and now I can relax and watch Survivor. But nooooooo. KJS informs me that we're supposed to fill a shoebox for a child that's due today! What!?! And you're just now telling me? But mom, I thought I did tell you. No, no I haven't heard a thing about this and it's due tomorrow?! Now mind you, it wasn't the giving something to a child, it was the late notice that got to me.

So, what did I do? I sat down and watched Survivor. (I don't know why I like this show, but for some reason I do and it's one of the few shows I watch all the time).

After it was over, I decided I better do something about the box. So first of all I looked around the house for a shoe box. Fortunately, we had one. And then I looked to see if we had anything to put in it. The only thing I had was a couple pencils that hadn't been used and some floss. Don't think a little child is only gonna want only those, so into the van I went and off to Walmart.

Now I don't know about you, but I seldom go out at 9:30 at night anymore. I guess I am getting old. Anyway, off I went and guess what. I had a really good time being out by myself and shopping for a few minutes. Who knew shopping at Walmart at 9:30-10:00 at night would be so nice (no crowds, no waiting)

I bought some socks, hair clips, crayons, coloring books, 4 little babydolls (awww they were so cute), SpongeBob toothpaste, light up toothbrushes, Crazy8's Cards, 2 bottles of shampoo, some bars of soap, and a notebook with a cute puppy on it (to go with the pencils at home). I think that's about all. The box was full.

My prayer is that the Lord will bless the little child that receives this box and that she will have fun playing with the baby dolls and using the other stuff. Hopefully, through this she'll learn that the Lord loves her and will take care of her. Plus I got a blessing because I had fun getting to buy for a little girl again!

KJS thanks for the opportunity to do something for someone else, but next time could you let me know just a little bit earlier?

Thursday, November 20, 2008

SkyWatch Friday

For Skywatch Friday I thought I'd show some beautiful skies from our nation's capital from my oldest daughter's school trip a couple years ago.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

White Coats

Do any of you suffer from white coat syndrome? I sure do. I just had to go for a normal check-up to get my prescription renewed. Immediately when I walk in I start getting nervous and my blood pressure is elevated more than normal. Then he tells me it's time to get some tests run (you know the normal things we have to start having checked at age 50) and my pressure goes up even more. Then they wonder why it's high. Well, duh?! I don't like to go to doctors and I don't like to have tests run and I don't like them to tell me I need to lose weight (I already know that) and guess what, there goes the pressure.

Anyway, I got my prescription and now I have to schedule all these other tests. Yuk! I can tell you one thing. It's gonna have to wait until January. I have no intention of ruining the holidays with medical tests! Especially, just routine tests! If he suspected something was wrong, I would go immediately, but just routine can wait til after Christmas!!

One good thing is that I weighed 6lbs. less than I did the last time. Yeah me!!! Plus if I wait until January that gives me 6-8 weeks more of weight watchers and a chance to lose more.

So that's my fun time for the day. Now, back to work and on to hopefully a more fun-filled day!

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Christmas Movie

Today we watched our first Christmas movie of the season. After church, we ordered Chinese for lunch and took it home and watched "White Christmas". We all love this movie. I can't believe we're starting this so early this year, but I love it!! I haven't started decorating yet, but I've been cleaning and moving furniture around trying to decide where I want to put things for Christmas. I want us to just take our time and have fun with it all. I'm hoping not to stress out this year, but instead just concentrate on enjoying everything and thinking about our Savior and his birth, life, death and resurrection. Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

Luke 2:11
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
KJV

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Christmas Decorations

We're leaving here shortly to go out shopping for Christmas decorations. We won't be buying all new decorations, but just some to add to what we have. I can't wait. For some reason, I'm all excited about decorating! I'll try to show you later some of the goodies we buy or maybe I'll wait until the 2008 Christmas Tour of Homes to show you. Have a great day!

Well, we're home now and we had a blast. We shopped at the Old Time Pottery Store. They had so much cool stuff, it was hard to make a choice. But after an hour or so of shopping here's what we bought. You'll have to wait until we decorate to see what it all turns out like.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Us

Mom and oldest daughter, KLS
Dad and youngest daughter, KJS

Just thought I'd show you who we are.

SkyWatch Friday

SkyWatch Friday. This was a beautiful sunset. The pictures really don't do it justice. Click the SkyWatch Button above to see more beautiful skies around the world.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Jewelry Give Away

Go check out Our Front Porch and enter her contest. She's giving away $100 of free jewelry. Here's the one I like.

Devastated!

I'm totally devastated! I got my first senior citizen's discount today. What?!? What made you even think to ask?? While I'm glad to get the discount, I'm only 51 for goodness sake and I know I only look 49. I mean what was that girl thinking!

Being the nice mom that I am (ha ha) I took my daughter out to breakfast at Burger King before school and work. My daughter actually went up and ordered, but the clerk asked her if I was supposed to get the senior citizen's discount and my daughter said no, but then asked what age is it for and they said 50. My daughter thought it was hysterical and was more than happy to state my age and get the discount (see if I ever take her out for breakfast again).

Hey, when did 50 become a senior citizen? I don't even think I've reached middle age yet!! Of course that may be a bit of an illusion because I don't know that many people who reach 100. So I guess it's official I'm at least middle aged and at Burger King I'm considered a senior citizen!

Man, I hope my day gets better than this!!!!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Romance

Do any of you read romance novels or am I the only one? I love to read these. They are easy reads and just thoroughly entertaining. Plus when I get interrupted, I don't mind because they are so easy to go back too. Mostly I read the Love Inspired religious romance novels. I read all kinds of books, but these are my favorites. I'm always going to Half Price Books and buying them really cheap. I usually don't pay more than $0.50 a book. I also check garage sales and Good Will and other places for these books. Then when I'm done I'd pass them to my mom. She buys them also and then passes me hers. We found out this summer that some ladies at church read them too. So now we take them there when we're finished reading them and we're starting a library. So now anyone who wants to read them can.

Now our church is remodeling an Old Sunday School room to turn it into a library. Between our Christian romances and other Christian Fiction books and all kinds of resource books and commentaries and stuff, we're going to have a nice library for all the church people.

Another good thing about this is, I'm emptying my house out some. Between me, hubby and our oldest daughter we have tons and tons of books. We have a bookshelf full in our room and in the livingroom, plus our daughter has floor to ceiling bookshelves on one of her walls. Plus we have boxes of books in our closet and in our garage. So by taking these to the church library, it's helping there and helping at home. Besides, some of these books have been in boxes so long, I forgot I had them, and now they are out where I can see them and read them again (or maybe even for the first time) So I have lots of reading to enjoy and we're all having a ball.

That's My World Tuesday

I thought I'd show a picture of the dog in my world. Everyone, meet Lily.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Cussin'

My husband and daughter,KJS and I were sitting in our van a week ago Saturday night around 10:30 or so waiting on oldest daughter, KLS to come out from the party she was attending. While sitting there in the dark we were talking and hubby was telling us about his sermon for Sunday morning. He was preaching on Extreme Passion. Anyway, he said he would be using the story of Jesus when he cast the money changers out of the temple. KJS popped up in the back seat in utter consternation with, "He cussed?!" After we picked ourselves up off the floor from laughing, we told her, No, he didn't cuss them out, he cast them out.
Now trust me, she knows better and why in the world she would think Jesus would cuss, is beyond me, but I can't help but crack up everytime I think about this. I just figure God must've been up in heaven chuckling when he heard her. I hope it makes you laugh too!

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Normal

Well, it's no longer quiet at our house. The girls are back home and the music is blasting. Everything is back to normal. They had a great time and so did we. It was a great weekend for all of us. I think we're all refreshed and revived and are ready to face another week.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Today

Today has been a great day!!

The girls are gone on a weekend youth function. The oldest called this morning and is having a great time! I was surprised to hear from her, but very glad that she wanted to share about the good things happening to her. She said her sister is having a good time too.

Hubby and I woke up early and we just relaxed around the house. I watched an excellent movie called "The Ultimate Gift". If you haven't seen this, you really should. It was even better than the one I told you about the other day. I loved "Saving Sarah Cain", but this was even better. I cried and laughed. It was great. I can't wait to watch it with the girls.

After that we got cleaned up and worked on the house a little. Hubby ordered us a GPS so we can do some geocaching. It's a new hobby I found out about through some friends. I went with 2 girls from work Thursday night and we had a blast. Hubby loves gadgets and was all about getting a GPS. He says he thinks he'll like geocaching too. But if not, I know he'll love tinkering with the GPS. If you want to know more about geocaching to to http://www.geocaching.com/. I'm sure I'll be talking about it some in the future too.

Besides ordering a GPS, he also ordered Christmas presents for both of our parents. We're getting them Kodak Digital Picture Frames. I think they will love this. The love having pictures of their family and friends and now they'll be able to display all of them and not have to keep them hidden in a box. I've made both mom's a couple of scrapbooks of the grandkids, but sometimes they can be a little cumbersome for them and with this they'll be able to put tons of pictures on the memory card and let it run whenever they want. I hope they love it as much as I think they will.

So now I've been bitten by the Christmas bug. I can't wait to start decorating (although I'm going to try to make myself wait until Thanksgiving Weekend. I love getting gifts for my girls and decorating the house and burning candles to make the house smell like cinnamon (so it smells like I'm baking even if I'm not.) Hubby has already put a Christmas Screen Saver on the computer and I've heard a few Christmas tunes playing. I think he's even more ready than I am.

We're also planning on participating in the 2008 Home Christmas Tour that Boomama is putting together. I think this is going to be so much fun. Be sure to click on the button on my sidebar and check it out on her site.

Now back to today. After cleaning the house and cleaning ourselves up, we met some friends for lunch at an Amish restaurant in a neighboring town. It was so nice to just sit down and talk with friends and have a great time. This is something hubby and I don't do nearly often enough. I'm so glad we did today. Our friends are so much fun to be with and we just laughed and shared and had a great lunch.

After that we came home and I just packed away most of my summer clothes and pulled out the fall and winter clothes. I should be going thru them now, but I decided it was time to take a break and so I'm here typing this.

We'll be heading to my parents soon to visit with them and any of the brothers and sisters and their families that show up. Can't wait to see everyone.

See I told you, This is a great day!!!

Friday, November 7, 2008

Childless

This is going to be an interesting weekend. Both girls are gone. We dropped them off at 5:30 tonight. They are at a weekend Youth Function and will be gone until Sunday at 4:30. Hubby and I are home alone. I'm not sure we even know how to act. But I'm sure we'll figure it out as we go along.

After we dropped them off, we went to Cracker Barrel for dinner. Neither one of our girls like to go there, so it was so pleasant to eat there without any complaining. Dinner was good and it was quiet. We were able to talk without interruption or arguing going on. Wow! Of course, what do we talk about when we're alone. The same thing that every red-blooded American parent talks about. The kids!!!!

Oh well, I guess the things or people we love are what we talk and think about most. Makes sense.

Hubby and I are going to make some hot chocolate or something and go watch the new Indiana Jones movie that just came out of DVD. Sounds romantic doesn't it. hmm....Maybe I'll light a candle or something.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

SkyWatch Friday

Click above button to see other SkyWatch Friday Posts.

I love these clouds. Seems like our skies have been so blue and full of fluffy clouds lately.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Chic Flick

I don't know about the rest of you, but my family is so tired of hearing about and watching all the political stuff on TV. My husband and I went out and voted today and then have purposely kept the TV and radio off because we just don't want to hear it all. We figure we've done our part by voting and if we do or don't watch it on TV won't change a thing. So we choose not too. We'll find out soon enough what the outcome is and in the mean time my blood pressure will hopefully stay down. No matter what happens, God is still in control.

Anyway, last night while trying to avoid all the hype, the girls and I watched a new video I had bought over the weekend. The movie was "Saving Sarah Cain" It was an awesome movie. I read the book by Beverly Lewis a long time ago,but couldn't really remember the storyline. It's about a lady who works as a syndicated columnist in Portland. She gets a call from her 16 year old niece that her sister has passed away. Her sister had married an Amish man and they had not been in contact for many years. After the funeral she finds out that she is the legal guardian of her 5 nieces and nephews who have been raised Amish. She decides to take them back to her world and enters them in public school and so on. I won't tell any more here, because I don't want to ruin it for you in case you decide to watch the movie, except to say it has a great ending and is very good. I highly recommend watching the movie and/or reading the book. This is a very good chic flick as the 3 chics in this house loved it!!!!

Monday, November 3, 2008

That's My World Tuesday

There's a new photo meme to check out. Just click on the button above to find out more and see more of where people live. Here are a couple of random photos from my neck of the woods.
I took this picture while driving into work one morning a week or two ago. See my bear in the window of the van.
We took this picture last summer. It was in a yard across from a flea market in a nearby town. I thought this was a rather unique "Flower Bed"

If My People

As the election is drawing closer, let's remember this verse and do what it says.
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people , which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.KJV

Have a great day everyone!!

Saturday, November 1, 2008

I Won

Woo hoo! I just won a Bloggy Giveway Carnival prize from my bloggy friend over at "Voice of Truth". It's an Avon Bond Girl 007 cologne. This is such a cool looking bottle and I'm looking forward to see what it smells like. I'm so excited!

If you get a chance go over and check out my bloggy friend. She writes such interesting stuff and I think you'll enjoy her.

Thanks Cathy for the prize.