daybook 7/4/2011

 

FOR TODAY  

Monday, July 4, 2011

~ * ~ Independence Day ~ * ~

Saturday’s s’mores 

 

Outside my window...

It’s getting hot already ~ Tim is working on the woodpile with his chainsaw ~ Kitti is still grazing while Crocket and Valerie have laid down for a rest ~ White moths are in the garden … not a good sign  ~ Now there are three children working in the garden … much better!

 

I am thinking…

about the 200-some new pictures I just downloaded from the camera card… Someone has been using my camera! 

I am thankful to God …

for good times with good friends ~ new and old.

that His grace is sufficient.  Oh how thankful I am for that.

 

I am praying for...

… Angela & Jared and family ~ one of their newborn twins was called to heaven this weekend.  Such heartache, but God is faithful.  And for that, I am so thankful.

… 6mo Ruby (friends of friends in Wisc) ~ recently suffered a very serious head injury

... the Rettigs and the church in Prague ~ currently on furlough for this summer ~ I’m hoping we can see them! :-)

… the sale of my mother-in-law’s home

… Amber’s dad

… Grant S.

… people who live and work in Japan

… Cinnamon ~ her Army hubby is coming home soon from Afghanistan, her Marine son is home from Japan but headed for Afghanistan!

… Amy W., a young wife/mom with cancer

… Sarita & Jeff need visas for their return to Israel

… Michelle B., recovering still from her gall bladder surgery  :-\   ~ also headed for France next week  :-)

… folks in Joplin, MO, and along the Missouri River ~ so hard hit with tornadoes and flooding this year

… the A Family, on furlough from their field of ministry ~ such a blessing to see them again!

… Gina’s family ~ in their loss of Jason as he rescued his own children from drowning

… Lea’s dad ~ in the midst of a serious health crisis

… Kari’s dad ~ had triple by-pass surgery recently

 

… Laura

 

… and especially marriages ~ meant to last a lifetime

 

From the learning rooms...

We seem to be in Holiday Mode  :p  But tomorrow at 8am, two girls will get their first taste of Driver’s Education Class.  :-)

 

From the kitchen... 

Lotsa leftovers ~ graduation BBQ beef; brats/burgers/dogs from the grill, calico beans.  Oh, and pizza crusts waiting for toppings ~ probably should eat those today!  I managed to leave the oven off last Thursday-Friday while we had heat index of 105-110F.  Saturday I had it on but off again before 10:30am.

 

I am creating...

hmmmm?

 

I am going...

to listen to the home school conference CDs while I whittle away at the ironing … later, but today surely.  Maybe after a nap?

 

I am reading...

for a summer Sunday school class ~ Choosing Forgiveness by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

                                         

 

Ta da!  I persevered (okay, avoided the kitchen and stayed barefoot all day)  and finished this book… 

   ~!~ yAy Me ~!~

 

So I got this one off the shelf again…

Getting closer to back-on-schedule for our Bible reading too.  I will have lots of time to read this week… if I can stay awake while I wait for the driver’s ed girls.

 

I am hoping...

my girls do better than what I remember from my driver’s ed classmates who hadn’t driven much before…  They are out with Tim right now for a concentrated time of instruction.

 

I am hearing...

the dehumidifier

Around the house...

We’ve just been enjoying ourselves with friends. 

Thursday we had the A Family here (see waterballoon pics). 

  

Saturday more friends came over (instead of today). 

 

The Computer Geek’s friend developed some sort of game that combines checkers with chess.  Don’t ask me to explain it! ;-)

 

One of my favorite things...

cooling off with water balloons  :D

  

   

  

        R preferred just to watch  ~ 

But they all enjoyed a freeze pop!

     

 

Pondering these words...

The book of 1 Timothy tells women to “adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control” (2:9). How do you do that when it seems like immodesty is everywhere? Let me suggest seven choices.

1. Live your life to please God and bring Him glory.
   
2. Say, “Lord, my body belongs to You.”
   
3. Decide to be modest because it pleases God.
   
4. Resolve to be morally pure.
   
5. Commit to never dress in a way that would tempt men to lust.
   
6. Stand against the culture when it’s contrary to the Word of God.
   
7. Be humble and open to the input of others.

Modesty isn’t necessarily about a list of acceptable clothes. It comes from a commitment to Christ and a commitment to purity…

~ Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Seeking Him

 

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Hopefully we’ll get a spot this week with the chiropractor.  (How’s Wednesday, Vickie?)

Tim will be off to a grazing conference for a few days.

 

Here is a are a few of the 200 pictures for thought...   

          

                

 

 

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,

that thou fulfil it.

Colossians 4:17

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

~ Find more Daybooks at Peggy's ~

daybook 6/28/2011

 

FOR TODAY  

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

 

 

Outside my window...

the Cattleman should be weeding his beans on this beautiful morning.

Sunday afternoon I saw this…

The travelers brought home hammocks (hedgies?) from Brazil, and the youngers got to try one out.

 

I am thinking…

about researching for our potential travel plans

that Tim needs to take our girls driving ~ before driver’s ed starts next week!

 

I am thankful to God …

that our children came home again safely from Brazil, glad that they were able to go and learn and do so much.

that His grace is sufficient.

 

I am praying for...

... the Rettigs and the church in Prague ~ currently on furlough for this summer ~ I’m hoping we can see them! :-)

… the sale of my mother-in-law’s home

… Amber’s dad

… Grant S.

… people who live and work in Japan

… Cinnamon ~ her Army hubby is in Afghanistan, her Marine son is home from Japan but headed soon for Afghanistan!

… Amy W., a young wife/mom with cancer

… Sarita & Jeff need visas for their return to Israel

… Michelle B., recovering still from her gall bladder surgery  :-\  

… folks in Joplin, MO, and along the Missouri River ~ so hard hit with tornadoes and flooding this year

… the A Family, on furlough from their field of ministry ~ such a blessing to see them again!

… Gina’s family ~ in their loss of Jason as he rescued his own children from drowning

… Lea’s dad ~ in the midst of a serious health crisis

… Kari’s dad ~ had triple by-pass surgery last Wednesday

 

… Laura

 

… and especially marriages ~ meant to last a lifetime

 

From the learning rooms...

It occurs to me that I have papers to check.  

Tim says tomorrow we will return in earnest to the unfinished school work.

 

From the kitchen... 

ripe bananas are again calling… “Smoothie!”  But some of my kids will think they are saying, “Banana bread!”

Still lots of Brazilian goodies displayed on the island.  Last night I served fajitas.  Tonight something with ground beef?  I need a menu.  And a grocery list.  And some motivation.

 

I am creating...

this post.  Possibly another load of clean laundry?  Didn’t make it to the curtains for the younger girls last week, but the Cowgirl did start ironing the fabric.  Which reminds me of the clothes I’ve accumulated that also need ironing ~ thought maybe I’d look for a dvd or audio book… oh, or home school conference CDs… to listen to while I work on that mountain…  Very creative, yah?

 

I am going...

to the grocery store if I can determine what we need besides milk  =)  I’d like to deliver something to a friend who is moving today (!)  I need to return the empty luggage to my folks.

to fall asleep instead, I fear.

 

I am reading...

for a summer Sunday school class ~ Choosing Forgiveness by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

                                         

 

I had only ONE chapter to finish in First We Have Coffee: Life Lessons from Mama… and I did it!  =)  Such a good book, even if I don’t drink coffee ~ I’m still an Iowegian, ya know.  Yah, sure, you betcha!

 

 

And I am determined to finish this one too ~ In Defense of Food.  However, it’s not the best thing to read on your way to a party with lots processed junk food… ahem.  Except maybe I didn’t eat quite as much.

 

And a bit of ‘mind candy’ in between.  I’m also trying to catch up on my Bible reading.

 

I am hoping...

my girls are feeling much better by tomorrow ~ they were sunburned so badly, their  lower legs and feet were swollen.  Yikes.  The Computer Geek had a bit too much sun too.  Crazy, but the beach and dune buggy rides sure looked like fun!

 

I am hearing...

a tractor went by mowing the ditch ~ hopefully our wildflowers survived by the mailbox

Around the house...

  

        

 

One of my favorite things...

a deserted island

 

Pondering these words...

A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.

The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.

Psalm 37:16-18

  

A few plans for the rest of the week:

the Computer Geek wants to see the chiropractor… asap… I’m waiting for the girls to feel up to it too.

good friends here on Thursday for supper

new friends here for the 4th on Monday

 

Here is a picture for thought...   

souvenirs from the beach (including a bottle of water from the Atlantic)

 

 

And in other news…

~ Kitti’s first milking by hand ~ 

  

 Mmmmm… mmmm…good!

 

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,

that thou fulfil it.

Colossians 4:17

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

~ Find more Daybooks at Peggy's ~

family of five? week 2

 

This past Sunday was Father's Day...

  The Cowgirl in her new skirt (birthday gift from Grandma F.)

It seemed I didn’t have the ability to think about it, let alone plan anything.  But my sister was in town and wanted to get us together.  (Thanks, Marcia!)  We decided to have ‘everyone’ here for dinner on Sunday.  A whopping ten of us.  Not hard ~ very nice and relaxing!  Especially when Tim grilled the main dish(es)  :-) 

• Turkey tenderloins, not marinated by me
• Hamburgers, not shaped by me
• Hot dogs (you getting the picture?)
• Watermelon
• Potato salad (leftover from my nephew’s graduation party)
• Iced sun tea
• I’m not sure what to call Kim’s dish of baked zucchini with rice, tomatoes and cheese ~ except Delicious!
• Flaxseed corn chips, hummus, pineapple salsa, choc-covered almonds (all from Trader Joe’s and courtesy of my sister)
• Symphony Tier Bars and leftover chocolates from Kate’s graduation party

 

Symphony Tier Bars ~ made by the Cowgirl especially for her dad 

 

Monday?  Maybe laundry.  Not much.  Five people don’t make much laundry… or eat much food.  :-)  Remember, I had time to post a daybook.  And we’ve been eating Saturday’s and Sunday’s leftover’s all week long.  Really.  I finally made some turkey salad yesterday…  (Granted, Sunday’s leftovers was a lot of food, but whatever.  Next week will be different.  Mark my words.)

 

Tuesday we picked strawberries... lots of strawberries.

 

The available kids helped pick them, and they helped ‘deal’ with them.  And insisted we make jam.

 

 

They still find time to relax...

 

Wednesday and Thursday I baked bread, attended a funeral, caught up on my Treasurer duties, shipped the dvds back to A Beka, bought groceries, shopped W-mart, vacuumed, did a little more laundry…

Friday I finished a couple more blankets for some special babies ~ the farm animal blanket is headed to Prague  :-)

 

…and called the IRS again.  This time it was GOOD NEWS  :-)  Praise the Lord!  Oh, happy, happy day!

 

And downloaded all the pics off my camera and wrote several posts to go with them!  ha

 

And found this passage in Luke 17:

…Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.

So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

 

Next week I will have more help ~ along with more mouths to feed and socks to wash ~ Life is good.  We will be a family of 8 again.

Vacation Bible School 6/13-17

 

After sending the big kids off to Brazil, the rest of us went racing with VBS . 

REV IT UP!  Full Throttle for God

We made the keys chains for Monday’s craft.  On Tuesday they put together their candy bar racer (and took them home to eat!) and painted the empty TP tubes for their inedible race cars.

Wednesday's craft was a foam license plate.  Thursday they put their TP tube race cars together.  And Friday was a checkered flag placemat.  Jill has the coolest toys tools ~ Check out the laminator!  And the trophies came out of her Cri-cut.

Thanks be to God,

which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Thursday was Crazy Hat Day  :-)

      

 

And snacks too!  Leah & Brianna were two of our helpers.

Monday we served slices of co-jack cheese and NASCAR-themed Ritz crackers. 

My oh-so-clever-and-always-helpful Chief Snack Assistant Tricia came up with the great way to serve the frozen 'fun pops'  {in a pitcher}  on Tuesday ~ along with a bag of chips.

The Cattleman and the Popper helped by cooking the 120 hot dogs we served on Wednesday.  It's not very often we can provide "all you can eat" snacks!  The kids thought it was great  :-)

        

For Thursday Tricia put together a snack mix of pretzels, m&m’s, car-shaped marshmallows and graham crackers, and Bugles.

Friday we had pizza!  and a homemade cookie  :-)

 

 

You might notice that I didn’t take pictures of our largest class ~ the 4 and 5 year olds  ;-)  The Popper and the Cattleman each had less than ten children in their classes usually.  The 4-5yo and 1st-2nd grade classes, however, had 20-25 children every day. woo hoo!  We had lots of fun with them all!

The Cattleman memorized enough verses that he and a friend had a show-down in a Sword Drill Sunday night to determine the final winner of the big prize before the final program.  They both win big with those verses in their minds and hearts!

Afternoons at home ~ (when we weren’t shopping or visiting the chiropractor) ~ I let the kids watch some library videos (dvds, yah).  Swiss Family Robinson and The Lone Ranger.  Good fun.