The goings on. {Random}

* Hannah does little scribbles on paper and truly thinks she's writing her name. I love it.

* I had to confiscate the markers.  Too many open markers laying all over all the time, and now there is marker on the carpet.  Thankfully it's the play room, and I don't care too much. But still.

* I just pulled out Eli's old bin of 9-12 month clothes and it looks like Carter will fit a lot of them for the next couple months anyway while we still have hot/warm weather.  How can Little Man be growing up SO FAST!

* I'm getting excited about fall shows returning soon.  Though I'll probably have to watch via Internet the day after because ABC likes to quit out on me when I do choose to watch something which really isn't very often.

* These cool mornings have been AMAZING!  Wish I could get out for more walking!

* Little Man has been waking up really early lately.  Between 5:30 and 6am early.  Not cool.  But I either feed him right away in hopes that he'll go BACK to sleep or I leave him be and he plays til a normal time.

* I've been super unmotivated lately.  I have great goals but my follow-through is terrible.  Why is self-discipline SO. HARD.?!

* Eli's in preschool.  I love it.  Totally love it.  I feel-like-a-new-woman love it.  =)

* Tea parties are fun.  I hope that even when my kids are grown I will continue to have tea parties.

* We just got a new windshield put on the van on Thursday afternoon.  Saturday morning it was cracked all the way through the middle again.  Not cool.

* Now Kevin used his one day off to go back to Omaha to have them re-do it. Again.

* Carter crawls across the room to climb in the my lap now.  It's so cute.

* I'm getting anxious for our dining room and bathroom and bedroom to be complete.  But I have NO DESIRE to do it myself.  We need to paint and stain trim and sew a bunch of curtains.  Anyone wanna do it???  Anyone??

* Okay, going to attempt to go offline until the kids' naptime.  Adios!

What's been going on at your house lately??

You know you eat out too much when...

...a song on the radio says "angels on a subway" and your child shouts from the backseat "SUBWAY!"

...you're looking at a book with your toddler. you point to a cherry and ask her what it is, and she replies in a soft, sweet voice, "Cherry, like the limeaid?" {Sonic}

...the radio announces a song by Sonicflood and your children shout, "SONIC!"

...all the time your kids will stick their head out the side of a ladder or the bottom of the piano or the window of something and say, "hamburger and fries please!"


What have you heard your children saying??

Monday Meanderings - Aug. 30

Bible Study... I dunno, I'm tired of writing something here and then I never read it!!  Maybe this week I'll do a word study.

Memory Verse --  Psalm 25:15

"My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare."

Husband Encouragement... 

* Clean. Up. Our house is a sort of wreck right now.

* Joyful attitude, patience with children.

* Take initiative on some things that need done.  Last week I burned some boxes on my own!

* Make a dessert.  I haven't been doing this much lately.

Train Them Up... 

* Chore chart.

* Eli -- early bedtimes, no nap.  {He was awake 'til 10pm last night!!}

* Hannah -- read with her lots while Eli's at school

* Carter -- wash all his "lovies" that he sucks on.  They smell disgusting.

Personal Goals... 

* Paint my nails.

* Remember to use my lotion regularly on my hands.

* Exercise at least once this week.

New Habit of the Month...  SEPTEMBER! {I'm moving on to a new one already this week since I've been failing so terribly at last month's LOL}
* Shine my sink.  This means I'll have to wash the dishes {instead of leaving them for the next day} in order to do so!

MUST Do...
* Call the window people. Our windshield completely cracked only a day and a half after we just got our new one done.  Arg!
* Continue working on MOPS stuff.
* Get bills out.
* Spend time in the Word.

Zone(s)... Kitchen counter and bathrooms.

Menu - 

M - pizza casserole
T - hamburgers, pasta salad, oranges
W - breakfast casserole in the crockpot
Th - kids nite - smokies, cheesy broccoli, fruit
F - whole chicken, cooked carrots, red potatoes
S - TBD
Su - TBD

Dessert of the week: oatmeal cake

FUN THINGS!
* Kevin's day off today.  Although he might have to spend the afternoon taking the van back for a new windshield.
* Maybe going to Omaha on Thursday?

3 things I'm thankful for today... 
1. Beautiful cool mornings.  And leaving the windows open at night. It's felt AMAZING!
2. Eli being in school now.  I love it, he loves it, we're all happy.

3. A free photo book that's on its way!  =)

Need some more organization in your week!  Start HERE!  And leave your link to your post below so I can come visit!

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 27:4

"One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: 
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life..."

What's this?

Any guesses?  I think it looks kinda cool!

UPDATE: Of course you were all right on with your guesses!  I can't fool you! It is indeed Eli looking through a paper towel roll.   After that I took some more pictures. Check 'em out. Easy way to get vignette {and a lot of it!} on your pictures, I guess! Anyway, just playing...

Answer Me This: Kids Toothbrushes.

Can someone please answer me, what is with the age ratings on kids' toothbrushes??  I was picking out Eli a new one today because his was all "hairy" (AKA the bristles were really frizzled.  hmm, I like that word, I think I just made it up) and looking at all the brushes on the shelves they all look the same to me.  I select one that I think looks good, then flip it over and it says 5-7 yrs!  So I put it back and kept looking.  There's Stage 1 and Stage 2 and maybe Stage 3 or whatever, but what's the difference in these brushes?  And does it really matter what I use when??

Monday Meanderings - Aug. 23

Bible Study... Mission of Motherhood

Memory Verse... Proverbs 16:3

"Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established."

Husband Encouragement... 

* praise him

* stay off the computer and either be productive or spend focused time with family

* plan a date

* have a joyful attitude throughout the day

Train Them Up... 

* Eli - practice sight words, word families, have him wipe himself {gross, I know, but now that he's going to school he needs to do it ALL by himself}, listen with enthusiasm about his school days, pray with him before he goes into class

* Hannah - establish a one-on-one routine with her. {Carter will be napping while Eli's at school}  I'm so excited for this.  I'm thinking tea time.

* Carter - make baby food

Personal Goals... 

* read two chapters in my book

* put my lotion on regularly (3x a day!) so my hands can actually get better

New Habit of the Month...
* Get up before the kids.  I aint gonna lie to you, I'm not doing too good with this.  But maybe things will change with Eli going to school somewhat first thing in the morning.  It's also Kevin's 4 days off though, and I like to stay in bed next to him in the mornings for as long as possible.  So we'll see.
* July habit: completely clean off couches at the end of the day {still working on this}
* June habit: wipe down bathroom counter nightly {I used my Clorox wipes for something last week and now I need to get them back in the bathroom so I can do this again!}

MUST Do...
* continue calling Moppet workers
* set up a meeting date with them
* order contacts {umm, yeah I had that on my list to do several weeks ago, and I never did it}
* return pan to someone from church
* clean out the van post-vacation {still have an excess of toys and books in there right now}

Zone... Living room {including UNDER COUCHES} AND kitchen.  there are still things laying around that were "dumped" when we got back from vacation.

Menu -

M - ham and mac n cheese or ham and hash browns sort of thing
T - date?
W - taco salad
Th - Omaha

F -TBD
S - air show - we'll probably be back around dinner time but very tired, I imagine, so we'll do something super easy
Su - homemade pizza

FUN THINGS!
* Eli starts preschool!!  I'm sooo excited for him!
* Date on Tuesday maybe
* Day trip to visit Kevin's family Thursday while our van windshield gets fixed in Omaha
* Ouffit air show on Saturday.  Meeting family there as a celebration of my brother Paul's birthday!

3 things I'm thankful for today...
1. My husband. He's pretty great.
2. Our little family.  We are truly blessed.
3. Days off.  Excited to have Kevin home for the next 4 days.  =)

Join me with your plans for your home this week,  and leave your link below so I can come visit you!  Be blessed! 

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 145

I will exalt you, my God the King;

I will praise your name for ever and ever.

Every day I will praise you

and extol your name for ever and ever.

Great is the Lord an d most worth of praise;

his greatness no one can fathom

One generation will commend your works to another;

they will tell of your mighty acts.

They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,

and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

They will tell of the power of your awesome works,

and I will proclaim your great deeds.

They will celebrate your abundant goodness

and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

The Lord is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all;

he has compassion on all he has made.

All you have made will praise you,

O Lord;

your saints will extol  you.

They will tell of the glory of your kingdom 

and speak of your might, 

so that all men may know of your might acts 

and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is faithful to all his promises

and loving toward all he has made.

The Lord upholds all those who fall

and lifts u all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to you,

and you give them their food at the proper time.

You open your hand

and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in all his ways

and loving toward all he has made.

The Lord is near to all who call on him,

to all who call on him in truth.

He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;

he hears their cry and saves them.

The Lord watches over all who love him,

but all the wicked he will destroy.

My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.

Let every creature praise his holy name

for ever and ever.

Traits of a Good Help Meet

Alright guys, I did it.  I finally {what a year later probably?} finished the book.  I'm not sure why I'm such a sloooow reader, but it in no way portrays my like/dislike for a book.  I LOVED this book, Created to Be His Help Meet by Debbi Pearl {thank you, Julie, for loaning me the book for half a decade! I WILL get it returned to you!}

This one quote pretty much sums up Debbi's theme of the entire book:

"No matter who or what your husband is, your job is to be his help meet.  When you approach him with light in your eyes, that light will reflect back to you."  (284)

It was pretty amazing reading some of the letters from people throughout the book and how just a change in their own attitude is what then made ALL the difference in their marriage, even in the very worst of all marriages! 

At the end of most chapters Debi lists some traits of a good help meet.  I kept a running compilation of these traits and here's the master list.  Read through it slowly and evaluate yourself and imagine the kind of woman this is...

Traits of a good help meet:

* She is joyful.

* She makes love fun.

* She is thankful and content.

* She asks God for wisdom.

* She learns to understand and appreciate her man for who he is.

* She learns to be flexible.

* She fears God.

* She believes God's word as it is written.

* She considers her position as a help meet a privileged command.

* She acknowledges the "good traits" in her man.

* She speaks of her husband with esteem.

* She defers to him.

* She never responds to him with scorn or ridicule.

* She provides an oasis for her man.

* She fixes meals that please him; she does not cook to suit herself.

* She plans and prepares well ahead of time.

* She exercises self-discipline.

* She establishes a haven of rest.

* She will adjust to her husband's time schedule and eating habits.

* She will relax and enjoy her family, instead of fretting.

* She glories in answering her husband's needs.

* She learns to know his needs even before he is aware he has them.

* She empties her mind of the cares of the world so her body can respond to him with eagerness.

* She soberly considers the needs of her children before her own interests.

* She invests time in training them to know and do many things.

* She schools herself in diet and medicine to be better equipped to keep them safe.

* She grows in grace and knowledge.

* She is gracious and honest.

* She is without guile toward her husband.

* She can be found at home.

* She takes her responsibilities seriously.

* She maintains safety for her children in the refuge where God has put her.

* She fears blaspheming God's Word. She knows that whatsoever you sow, you will reap.

* She is at home being an earthbound guardian angel to her children.

* She makes valuable uses of her time at home, creating a clean and pleasant haven.

* She helps.

* She is a doer.  She busy serving others.

* She serves her husband first, her children second, others next, and herself last.

* She is genuine and well-disposed.

* She is yielding, willing, and eager to accomplish injunctions or desires, and abstains from that which is forbidden.

* She looks for ways to obey and reverence her husband.

* She channels her mind into positive ways of saying "yes".

* She never considers herself to be an exception to the rule of being a help meet.

There's sooo much I've learned from this book!  I really want to be a whole different person when it comes to my marriage and home and parenting, and I'm praying for a better start right now!

More posts related to this book:

* ABCs of Being a Help Meet

* My Mission Statement for the Home

* Reverence

* More on Reverence

* My Homework: being a better help meet

* What I am learning

T - 4 Days

...til Eli starts preschool! 
...til I start toting all the kids back and forth from town twice a day, three days a week.
...til I start having to finagle Carter's morning nap so he can hopefully stay awake 'til we get back home.
...til I either go grocery shopping with just two kids, or have to rearrange my grocery schedule.
...til I get to spend loads of one-on-one time with Hannah.  {I'm thinking of doing tea time with her.}
...til I can maybe officially do potty training with Hannah, maybe.  =)
...til Eli gets to really be a big boy and have something to be so proud of!

I'm so excited and anxious and nervous!  A whole new life is coming.  T - 4 days!