Monday Meanderings - Oct. 18

Good morning, friends!  How was your weekend??  Ours was a busy one--drove to my parents house Friday afternoon, Saturday Kevin and I spent the day out of town (3+ hrs away) for a wedding {at my college} and got to see some dear friends and reminisce while lots of family got to hang out with our kiddos.  It was a LAAATE night {a whopping 11:30pm} and we were beyond exhausted!  Sunday was church at my dad's church, lunch, and then the annual church fundraiser dinner, then we drove the 2.5 hrs back home.  Great weekend, but tiring.  And now we're heading into another fairly busy week!  Sheesh! SO here we go, gotta collect my thoughts and get my lists ready to check off!

Bible Study... Mission of Motherhood

Memory Verse... Psalm 27:14
“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Husband Encouragement...
♥ Clean our room.
♥ Find him a jacket.  {his is misplaced, can't find it anywhere, and he really should have SOMETHING these days}
♥ Limit my computer time. That's been good.
♥ Positive attitude.
♥ Keep Friday open.  It really wears Kevin out when we constantly have things on the calendar. There's nothing for Friday when he has a day off, so I need to keep it that way.
♥ Mow for him if I have any time at all.
♥ Early bedtime.

Train Them Up...
* Room time.  We haven't been doing much of this for quite awhile and the kids REALLY need some regular time apart from each other.
* "Cup monster." {takes their cups for the day when they leave them out}
* Reinstate some morning routine that coordinates with Eli's school schedule.
* Play date Thursday??

Personal Goals...
* Hmm... I don't know??

New Habit of the Month... 

"One load a day, washed and away."

MUST Do... 

* Prayer note card.

* Sort through boy clothes.

* Whole house cleaned, top to bottom.

* Catch up on laundry.

* Call electrician. 

* Buy hangers.

* Check smoke detector batteries.  I think one is chirping this morning.

Zone... Since I really need to seriously do the whole house this week {you'll find out why in a minute}, I'm breaking it up

M - laundry, living room, dining room

T - laundry, bedrooms

W - laundry, playroom

Th - laundry, hutch, office

F - laundry, anything that hasn't gotten done yet

Menu - I actually don't care much about our menu this week.  If I'm going to focus on the house this week, then I need to go easy on the meals.  Crockpot maybe?

FUN THINGS! 

* Tuesday Carter has a 9-month checkup.

* Wednesday/Thursday are parent/teacher conferences at Eli's preschool. I'm excited to hear what his teachers have to say about it.

* Thursday night is Godly Girlfriends (women's fellowship) at church.

* Friday is Kevin's day off and Eli doesn't have school.  Keeping this day open.  Though we'll probably have to mow if I can't do it myself sometime during the week.

* Saturday I have grandparents coming to visit who we've only seen a few times in my whole lifetime.  Excited for them to meet the kids and see our place (though I need to clean hard!)

3 things I'm thankful for today... 

1. Emily and Randon who got married this past weekend.  Wishing them the very best life together!

2. The friends we got to see while we were there.  LOVE them!

3. Home.  Even if it's a complete DISASTER at the moment.  I love our home.  I love our family.

*4. Life has been great this week!

Join me??  Click HERE for guidelines, then link to your post below!  Have a blessed week!

Pumpkin Painting

Just a peek at what the kids did this week...

 

I'm gonna miss this

I'm starting a new series of random posts of random little things I know I'm going to miss someday when the kids are older or simply not even kids at all.  

And this is one of them, I'm gonna miss this...

Pretending that jets in the evening sky are rockets.

Just something new the kids and I have been doing lately.  So fun. We usually see them in the evening as the sun is starting to set.  So look up next evening.  Do you see any "rockets"?  Where are they going?

Monday Meanderings - Oct. 11

Just trying to get this up so others can link up but really I have a VERY busy couple of days getting ready for our next MOPS meeting!  Anyone want to help me cut out a million little circles and triangles and squares?  Just kidding, it shouldn't be TOO bad.  But seriously, my to-do list is quite hefty at the moment.  Plus I still have a cold and feel yucky and tired but can't nap because I have so many things I know I have to get done that I can't get my mind to rest.  Just a couple days though.  One thing at a time.  Starting with this...

Bible Study... ???

Memory Verse...  Psalm 73:26

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Husband Encouragement... 

* Clean house.

* Quiet during the day while he's sleeping.

* Let him get as much rest as possible.

* Joyful attitude.

Train Them Up... 

* Trying something new with their sippy cups.  We'll see how it works out.

* More potty time for Hannah.

Personal Goals... PRAY.

New Habit of the Month...
"One load a day, washed and away"  Ugh, did a lot of laundry done last week but I got hung up on getting it put away.  Need to buy more hangers.

MUST Do...
* Everything MOPS.
* Bills out.
* Guest room ready

Zone... All of the upstairs.


Menu - TBD

FUN THINGS!
* Hanging out with friends Monday morning
* MOPS on Tuesday
* My SIL Holly is coming to visit with me Wednesday night and Thursday morning
* Thursday afternoon our family is going to the pumpkin patch
* Friday Eli has a little field trip with his preschool class, then in the afternoon we're headed to my parents for the weekend
* Saturday Kevin and I are headed off for a wedding while the kids stay with my parents

* Sunday is my dad's birthday and his church's annual Smorgasboard/fundraiser, then we'll drive back home

3 things I'm thankful for today... 
1. Holly's baby shower this past Saturday.  We're counting down these last weeks!
2. I ran into an old friend at the restaurant we were at Saturday night.
3. This beautiful weather we've been having!



Link up if you want to join in! You can read the guidelines HERE.  Have a blessed week!

Clinging to this.

These words. So sweet. So powerful. From my Father himself...

"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.  This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us.  For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything." 1 John 3:18-20

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him." Romans 8:28

"I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray for joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:3-6

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." Galatians 2:20

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9

"Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest."  Matthew 11:28

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26

OUTFLY!!!

Outfly is a tradition at my college where campus is given a you-know-it's-coming-soon-but-you-don't-know-when surprise day off, usually in the fall.  The cross-country team runs through the dorm hallways at 6am banging on everyone's doors and yelling "OUTFLY!" to wake everyone up.  Students then drag themselves out of bed and head to the campus bell, in their jammies mind you or dressed in costumes, where the pep band is playing and the college president gives a little speech. At this point it's still quite dark and cold out and the sun is just beginning to rise.  Then everyone continues to the cafeteria for breakfast served by the teachers. I think. Gosh, it's so hard to remember the exact details of the day, it's been 6 years.  Then you get to do with the day whatever you want.  Some students use the day to participate in planned events, some students take an extra day to study for a test they had scheduled, some students work on a big assignment that is due soon, and some students venture off campus for just a day of fun.  I spent one Outfly going to an apple orchard with some of my best girl friends {who are STILL my best girl friends}. It's an exciting day waited for with great anticipation.  TODAY IS OUTFLY.  Not sure what we'll do with the day.  But I seriously encourage you to make your own Outfly.  Maybe not today.  Maybe another day, any day. Cancel your plans and go do something great.  Make memories.  This would be especially fun if you had a job--just call in and take the day off to do something fun with the family. So what do you think? If you took a free day--what would you go do??

The truth is...

I'm struggling.  Hurting so bad.  Growling at my kids all day.  And going to bed at night feeling... empty.  I need the Lord to fill the holes in my heart. To satisfy me in ways that no human can.  But honestly. I don't know how. I'm tired and weary and seeking change. But what? I'm a goal-maker, list-checker, realist, practical person who doesn't know how to let go. How to let God handle this mess I call my life. How to answer when I'm hurt once again.  How to pray from my heart and not just my mouth.  The cursor is blinking, but I don't know what to write next. So. I guess I'm done.


NOTE: Thank you so much for your encouraging words and prayers!  I'm so thankful for each of you, so very thankful.  But I have now closed the comments to this post.  I don't want to continue sulking, or keep a record of wrongs, I want to move on and let God continue to mold me and shape me into His image, slowly and completely, according to His perfect plan.

The view from here.

It's harvest time here in Huskerville {Nebraska}.  I just love the golden hues as the sun streams across the fields.  And the clouds of dust as farmers are busy at work.  And the bursts of sun cutting through the tree branches.  And the cool evenings and chilly mornings where you want to snuggle up in a soft blanket with a mug of warm tea.  I love fall.

 

Monday Meanderings - Oct. 4

Okay, okay, here I am.  I didn't forget, nor was I just lazy like last week.  Blogger wasn't working for me this morning during preschool time and then I had to wait until naptime to try again.  So here we go... How's your week starting so far??  Me? I'm feeling really tired today.  Carter was up pretty upset last night from 10:30-11:45 for no apparent reason.  I'd even just FINALLY gotten warm in bed and was just falling asleep when he started to cry.  Gotta love that.  He hasn't woken up at that time for a LONG time.  Took a lot of tries before finally settling with some Tylenol, rocking chair action, and moving into Eli's room for him to finally go down and stay quiet.  Until 5:55 am, which if it's even 1 minute before 6am is just way WAY too early for me.  But it's quiet now, Kevin's off work today and just headed out for errands, one of which includes going to the grocery store FOR ME.  Amazing.  I checked the weather for this week, and though it's quite chilly today, it's supposed to be a fabulous week, sunny with temps in the mid to upper 70s.  Perfect.  So, on with the week, shall we?

Bible Study... 1 Corinthians.

Memory Verse... Psalm130:5

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope."

Husband Encouragement...
♥ Clean and dust our room.
♥ Manage the home well.
♥ Serve him wholeheartedly.
♥ Limit computer time.  I actually surprised him last week when we watched a movie and I wasn't fiddling around on the computer at the same time.

Train Them Up...
* Chore chart.
* Fall lapbook.
* Resume special time with Hannah on preschool mornings.

Personal Goals... Blog about Eli's new room.

New Habit of the Month... 

"One load a day, washed and away. One load a day, washed and away. One load a day, washed and away...."

MUST Do... 

* mail out postcards to Moppet workers

* finish preparing lessons

* buy snacks

* purchase craft materials at Hobby Lobby

* set Carter's 9-month checkup

Zone... laundry

Menu - 

M - salads

T - chili

W - (crockpot) teriyaki BBQ sandwich

Th - creamy chicken and wild rice soup

F - TBD

S - Omaha

Su- leftovers

FUN THINGS! 

* MOPS planning meeting on Tuesday

* My SIL Holly's baby shower on Saturday

* Dinner with family after the shower

3 things I'm thankful for today... 

1. Kevin. Today he made the bed, prepared breakfast, washed the dishes, and now he's out running errands.

2. Jaesi's baby shower this past Saturday.  It's always so fun and refreshing to be out with the ladies.

3. Eli's on the upswing of a yucky cold.

Care to join in??  Read the guidelines HERE and link up below!  Have a great week!

Jesus-'O-Lantern

As I was browsing kids lesson ideas for our upcoming MOPS meeting, I came across this great gospel demonstration using a pumpkin:

A pumpkin is round and shiny on the outside, and its skin is tough and hard to puncture. It looks perfect and wonderful. Sometimes we like to pretend we're all wonderful and perfect. (Read aloud Isaiah 66:2.)

The slimy stuff inside the pumpkin reminds me of our sins -- the things we need to confess and say, "I'm sorry, God, for..." When we ask God to forgive us for all the wrong things we've said, done, or thought, he forgives our sins. (Read aloud Isaiah 43:25.)

As we scrape all the slimy stringy stuff away, the pumpkin becomes clean inside. Jesus cleans our hearts, too, when we confess our sins. (Read aloud Psalm 103:12.)

Next we can begin to carve our designs in the pumpkins. Let's carve designs that can remind us of God, such as a heart, cross, fish, or butterfly. As we carve, the pumpkin slowly transforms into something new. We change too when God works in our lives. (Read aloud 2 Corinthians 3:18.)

Finally, we can put the candle inside the pumpkin. When we light the candle, what happens? (Read aloud 2 Corinthians 4:6.)

When we have Jesus in our lives, it's like having his candle inside us. We shine the light of Jesus so others can see and know him. (Read aloud Matthew 5:16 and John 12:46.)

We don't have the means to do this at the church, but it would be a great one to do with our kids here at home after we make our annual trip to the pumpkin patch!