Bad News- Good News

The bad news: I don't like corner pieces.

The good news: This homemade pecan pie doesn't have a corner piece!

Career Goals

Noah- football player

Callie- doctor

Lucy- Rapunzel

Conversation

While changing the sheets on Callie's bed...

Lucy: (whining) Why don't you change my sheets?

Me: It's not time yet.  I try to change them every two weeks.  I am just changing Callie's because she's been sick and needs fresh sheets.

Lucy: I'm gonna pee in my bed.

Me: What?

Lucy: I'm gonna pee in my bed so you have to change my sheets.

Me: You better not do that.

Lucy: (really whining) But I want new sheets!

Me: Well, I have a HUGE pile of laundry.  I'll get to your sheets when I can.  Please, don't pee in your bed.

Lucy: (thinking) Well... we'll see.

Visitor

My nemesis is in town, and he is trying to take us all down.

Stomach bug, you will not win this war!!

Lorraine (my dryer) is faithful and true.  In the end she will defeat you!

I sent Noah down to the neighbors' on Saturday afternoon to invite them up for tea in the evening.  When they came over we were talking and they casually mentioned that their two-year-old had been barfing all afternoon.

WHAT?!?! 

I wanted to pull out the bleach right then and there and get to baptisin' people.  I mean really!   What on earth?  Keep it at home, people!

We had already made plans with our sweet friends to go on an adventure to a forest out of the city.  Everyone was completely healthy so we went.  I guess we should have kept it at home, too.  I am praying we did not give this lovely gift to our friends!

Last night about 2 am Justin starts erupting.  It was foul.  Callie started some time in the very early morning. 

They are both doing a bit better now.  Praise the Lord, it seems to be a quick virus.

I am just watching and praying to see who will fall victim next!

Final Four, Baby!!

from ESPN.com

Isn't it beautiful?!

from Kentucky.com

C-A-T-S, CATS CATS CATS!

C-A-T-S, CATS CATS CATS!

GOOOOO WILDCATS!!!

Sunday Sneak Peak

Picnic in the Forest

I'm Afraid to Say It But...

could this be our year?

from ESPN.com

C-A-T-S, CATS, CATS, CATS!

C-A-T-S, CATS, CATS, CATS!

GOOOOO WILDCATS!!!

YUM

Shredded chicken with homemade BBQ sauce in the crockpot.

Coleslaw chillin' in the fridge.

Sweet mercy it's American food for us tonight, baby!!

Today

The sun came out today.

Can I get an AMEN?!?!

Hello friend, its been a long time.  It is sooo good to see you again, Mr. Sunshine!

In other news...Callie tried to kill me today.

No AMEN for that one, please!

She threw one of her super fits about her school uniform and I was ready ship her to China to work in a factory.  Sweet mercy that child can go off the deep end and then some!!  I am going to bleed out from the veins in my eyes if this continues!

Her punishment was that she had to stay in her room all night.  We were having one of her favorite things for dinner but she didn't get to join us for dinner.  She got one piece of bread with some peanut butter on it and some water.

Oh the trauma!  I think we have found an effective punishment for her.

Ever the optimist, she decided that there was one good thing about her punishment.  She wouldn't have to do her homework because she was going to die.

I see a career in theatre for my little Callie!

We made her do her homework... just in case she pulls through!

Nose in the Corner... With a Smile on my Face

Well, I just got off the phone with my mom.  I got in trouble!  Apparently my tone is too dark on this here blog lately.

Really, today's post was a bit tongue-in-cheek.  I am NOT grumpy.  And the post from the other day was just my musings about my future.

I do wonder about what God has in store for this next chapter in my life.  But my faith is strong and I feel joyful.

So, mega SORRY if my tone is bumming you out.  If the dern sun would just come out...

Oops... there I go again.  I mean, I feel pretty great right now.  No worries about me, mate!

Inside Voice and Other Musings

I have decided that my children do not have inside voices.  They are so stinkin' LOUD!  I guess they take after Justin!

Winter came back, and I just want to crawl up in my bed and hide until spring really comes.  This girl needs to experience some sunshine.

I am in a cooking funk.  Any good recipes or dinner ideas that you want to share?

Lucy has a favorite minibus driver.  He lets her sit up front with him and gives her gum.  She is so happy when we end up on his minibus.  When we got off today she said, "I just love him, Mama!"

We are still looking for some fun activities for the kids to do.  The guitar lessons are going well, but their teacher is moving so we have to find a new teacher.  What they really need is something active.  Why is it that God gives the energy to the young?  Life would certainly be easier if things we reversed a bit!

On that note, why is it that kids and old people wake up so stinkin' early?  What on earth do they need to do?  Sleep in a bit, for Pete's sake!

Clearly I'm grumpy today!  I had no idea!

And the winner is...

#5... Isaiah!!!

Congrats, Isaiah!  I'll get that out to you ASAP.

Sunday Sneak Peak

Our government has outlawed Google again.

This is what our home page looks like now.

Lunch

My favorite lunch in the world is a turkey sandwich and Cheetos.  Can't get that here.  Today I ate black olives and feta cheese.  I guess we all need a little change once in awhile.


Don't forget to enter my giveaway.  Just click here.  I am going to pick a winner tonight!

Retreat: The Rest

***** Don't forget to enter my giveaway right here!*****

I wrote about the first day of our team retreat here if you are interested.

Several families had to come up a bit later for various reasons, but by Friday night our whole team was together.  We had such a good time together.

One of the highlights for me was the opportunity to worship freely.  Since we all live in apartments in the city, we have to be a bit careful about the noise we make and what our neighbors can hear.  But, being up on a mountain, out in the middle of nowhere, we could sing our hearts out!  It was great!

Here are a few more pictures from the weekend:

 

This is the bucket of firewood.  You could easily exchange the new bucket for the empty one in the stove or just add wood as needed.

 

This is what the stoves looked like.   They were in each of the bigger gathering rooms and in some of the bedrooms.

 

The "neighbors."

 

The local mosque.  It is closed during the winter because hardly anyone is in this tiny village at that time.  The people all come up with their herds during the spring, summer, and fall.

 

The frozen pond near the house.  There was a big wooden play fort made like a boat.

 

Lucy settling into her bed.

 

The view from the front door.

 

The house dog had puppies.  Of course, they were a HUGE hit!  

 

The mosque.

 

Callie

 

The wood stove in this room was the largest.  It had a cook-top and an oven on the side.

 

Looking down towards the pond.

 

Lucy could have played with those puppies all day!  That child loves animals!

 

Justin could have played with the stoves all day!  That child loves fire!

 

Noah reading Scripture during one of our worship times.

 

Noah playing a game with the boys one night.

 

Each night I was in charge of giving a little slide show of pictures from that day.  It was a fun task, and I think everyone loved seeing fun pictures of themselves.  Justin was helping me get the slide show together.

Retreats are just the best!  It is such a blessing to get out of your environment and just focus on the Lord.  Of course, going to a beautiful place makes it easy!  I just look at God's amazing creation and  instantly want to worship our beautiful Lord who made it.