Meet Cindy

My sister Cindy teaches kindergarten at an 'at risk' school in Columbia MO. She has considered other teaching jobs, with higher pay and in the upscale neighborhoods but she doesn't want to leave these precious little ones. They need her and she loves them.

Here they are at a pumpkin patch! Cindy is on the left in the orange coat looking very happy and festive.




I love you Cindy. Keep up the excellent work. Hope you don't mind me posting the picture! ;-)

Are You Angry?

We are privileged to have a great man (with a gorgeous wife) :) teaching through The Heart of Anger by Lou Priolo in a class before our Sunday service. I have read parts of this book but now we are going chapter by chapter with discussion and teaching. What a blessing! This is not really a book about angry children, it's about how you and I can deal with our own sinful attitudes, behavior and anger and then begin to apply it to our children. Like P. said today, we must get the log out of our own eye before we can go to someone else with a complaint. Dave and I have a little saying/chant...."log eye, log eye, log eye".





I highly recommend you read this book. Better yet, move to Phoenix for the next 10+ weeks and be blessed by our friend's teaching and encouragement.

Thank you P. & M., we appreciate you!

A Heritage

Lauren and I ran in to the Mobil to grab a Diet Coke and apple juice and we had a very sad conversation at the check out. It went something like this.

Mean Lady to Lauren: Do you want one of these Halloween bags?

Lauren: Sure!

Mean Lady: Do you have any brothers or sisters? Would they like one?

Lauren holding her fingers up: Yes, I have 4 sisters and 1 brother? (close enough)

Mean Lady looking at me in shock: You have 6 children? (Gasp.Gasp.)

Me: No, actually I have 5 children. We just dropped the others off at school.

Mean Lady: Five Children. (Cough) This must be the happiest time of your day. Getting rid of them.

Me in shock: No, not really.

Mean Lady: Well, how old is the oldest?

Me: Oh, that's my daughter, she's 14.

Really Mean Lady: Ugh. Oh my G*d, that's even worse, a teenager!

Me: No not at all, she's a great girl. (I love you Hannah)

Really Mean Lady: Oh, just you wait, it's coming.

Me: Ok, bye.

Really Mean Lady as were walking out the door: Can you believe that lady has 5 kids. Ugh.




I called Stacey in shock and we have a scheme planned. All of us in the area with large families are going to parade our sweet, polite and well behaved (no, not perfect)children through the Mobil and show this lady what children really are....BLESSINGS!!

Psalm 127:2

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.

UPDATE 1:57 pm
A friend and mother of 9 (yes 9 children) loaded up her kiddos and took them in to the Mobil station. The Really Mean Lady wasn't there, can you believe it? The good news is that a very friendly man complimented my friend on her beautiful and well behaved children. Happy day and nice people.

Oh. My. Heavens.

This man can dance.



I remembered to watch Dancing With The Stars tonight. Two steps into his second dance and I was screaming (I'm not kidding) and laughing and cheering. And, yes, I was all alone, stuck in the corner of our house having a blast watching Emmitt get down with his bad self!!

Emmitt is not the best dancer out there, it's Mario if you ask me, but his style is amazing and fun and that smile of his is just too much! I love the soul he adds to each dance. He can dance and he is a pleasure to watch. (Nice earrings, Emmitt.)

A few other Dancing thoughts....

* Joey's first dance melted my heart. I love Gene Kelly and that was a very special dance. I am so familiar with Singing In The Rain that I recognized all the steps.



* Jerry Springer's fan club (aka white trash) should stop voting for him. He's a horrible dancer but seems sincere and has improved.

* Monique is a lovely dancer but I didn't like all the stomping, it was a little over the top. Monique and Joey are in a close second, IMHO.

* I LOVE the shouting judge. He cracks me up!! Where does he come up with this stuff?

150 Things

I copied this from Donna. Highlighted are the things I have done. Remember I am 40 years old, some of these were done when I was a little girl or a wild college girl. Feel free to ask questions if I have sparked your curiosity. :)


01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game (and survived the crush afterwards)
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a babyÂ’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love

53. In a restaurant, sat at a strangerÂ’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didnÂ’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldnÂ’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someoneÂ’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someoneÂ’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that youÂ’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didnÂ’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someoneÂ’s life

Great News!

Stacey, Josh's mom, just called me from the doctor's office. His scans came back ALL CLEAR!! The next step is to get the Broviac removed. We are rejoicing and praising the Lord for his goodness and mercy. I have no words, only happy tears. Thank you for praying and please take time to thank God for all He has done.

Psalm 145
A Praise of David.

1 I will extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.

4 One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
5 I[a] will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And on Your wondrous works.[b]
6 Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
7 They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.

8 The LORD is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
9 The LORD is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.

10 All Your works shall praise You, O LORD,
And Your saints shall bless You.
11 They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
12 To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.[c]

14 The LORD upholds all who fall,
And raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And You give them their food in due season.
16 You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

17 The LORD is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
18 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.
20 The LORD preserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.

Scooby and Rednecks

I'm posting this picture for my blog friend Cindy. She wrote a funny post about annoying inflatables she saw at Sam's Club a few weeks ago. Well, this guy can be found 5 doors down from my house and every time I drive by it I think of her. Isn't he cute? I agree with her conclusion though...it's silly to waste your money on these goofy halloween decorations. I'm saving my money for nice harvest type decorations like pumpkins and fall wreaths.



I also thought of Cindy when I heard a country song on the radio tonight called "Redneck Yacht Club". Listen to it here, ya'll.

Cindy, she's my hero. :-)

I Love My Crock Pot

Now that the temperatures have dropped below 85 degrees it's time for some soups and stews :-0 I am very thankful for my crock pot and don't know what I'd do without it on busy days. Today I have a low carb vegetable beef soup cooking. I found this recipe in a cookbook that belongs to Janice. It is "Better Homes and Garden low-carb slow cooker recipes".

My other favorite slow cooker cookbook is this gem. I got it at Costco a few years ago.




One of our favorite recipes in this book is the chicken in a pot. It is basically homemade chicken soup, you can add rice or noodles or make it thick like a stew.

So, tonight it's veggie soup and later in the week I'm going to try beef and red bean chili. Doesn't that sound good, it calls for chipotle peppers!

Do you use your slow cooker? Do you have any yummy, low carb recipes for me?

Facing the Giants

Now this is the kind of movie I'll spend my money on....what about you? Do you plan on seeing Facing the Giants? I complain all the time about the trash at the movie theaters and we rarely take our children to the movies but we hope to see this one very soon.




I have read two positive reports so far from two fellow bloggers and homeschool moms.

Let me know what you think. And I'll be sure to give a short review after I've seen it.

Update on Joshua

I thought you might enjoy reading this update from Josh and his family.

*******************

“How I Spent My Summer Vacation”

Dear;

This summer was not what I expected, but a lot of really crazy things happened. First of all, I got a stomach ache and the doctors said I had cancer. The first thing I thought of was, “Am I going to lose my hair?” Well, I did lose my hair, but some of my best buddies shaved theirs so that I wouldn’t feel so bad. It's actually starting to grow back already.


I had my first surgery which hurt a lot, but the doctor liked my incision so much that he took a picture of it the other day. It might get published in something scientific. My mom is sure that agents will be calling soon to see if I’m interested in being a belly-button model.


I got to meet a lot of really new and exciting people – especially some nurses. My favorites were Shirley, Warren and Christina. They took great care of me while I got chemo and they made sure I didn’t throw up too much.


I also got to travel a lot – over 600 miles back and forth to Phoenix Children’s Hospital. The scenery isn’t much to write about, so I’ll skip it. Sometimes I traveled in limos, corvettes and sports cars. I sort of felt like a celebrity.



My dad and his friends at the fire department let me shave their heads for a fundraiser. That was a lot of fun, especially when I cut a girl’s long ponytails off. I always thought it would be cool to do to my sister, but I knew I’d get busted.


My dad says I set a record for getting the most spinal taps. I got 12 of them, but who’s counting. I’m thankful for things like morphine so that I didn’t have to feel much of anything.


My parents promised me a trip somewhere since we had to cancel our summer vacation, so I’m going to – where else? Disneyland! That won’t be till after I get my tests done and the Broviac removed. In case you’re wondering what that is, my mom is including a picture of it. She says it’s not for the “faint of heart” so you might want to be careful.


I had a doctor’s appointment today and he says that everything is looking good. I’m really excited to start playing sports again and not worrying about germs so much. I go back next week for scans and I’m sure my mom will let everyone know about my test results when they come in.


That is how I spent my summer vacation. I hope next year won’t be as exciting!


Joshua Munoz, with the help of a ghost writer.

7th Grade















*******************


Romans 8:35,37-39

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord"

Games People Play

Janice got my kids hooked on this game and I finally bought one for our family. Have you ever heard of this game? Do you play it?



We also love this one, I think my sister Sue gave us this for Christmas. Or was it Donna...?



Anyway, both are great fun and they are also good for the ole brain.


Listen here. I know, I'm so weird. We had the 8 track tape.

Fire Away

Donna had a "Be Nosy Day" yesterday and I thought it was such a fun idea I'm doing it today. She stole it from Melodee who I think is a very clever lady.

So, go ahead, ask me a question and I will answer it.

Be nice now.















I am even going to copy Donna with a Curious George picture but it is to tell you to please listen to this soundtrack or buy anything you can find by Jack Johnson. He's great.

Camping is Fun!

Our first family camping trip went off without a hitch. It was so much fun and the weather was perfect, even a little warm during the daytime. Here are a few highlights of our weekend in Prescott:

* Our football team beat Granite Mountain and we are still undefeated. 3-0 baby!

* There is a very nice In-n-Out Burger in Prescott, I digress.

* We camped at a National Forest camping ground so it was like camping in a camp neighborhood. I was OK with that.

* There were little (clean) buildings that housed toilets!! Yipee

* Water was also available.

* Our campsite had a picnic table and a fire pit.

* We had a beautiful view of mountains and pines.

* The fish weren't biting.

* The critters were out and about that night. Everyone in the tent fell fast asleep in record time and I lay awake listening and smelling and wondering. (sisters, are you surprised?) One little critter was nibbling on something right outside the tent where my head was positioned. I figured it was a skunk or a raccoon, neither of which are very NICE critters. I wanted to shoo it away but knew what would happen if I startled a skunk.

* Later in the night I had fun listening to a pack of coyotes howling in the distance. It was really amazing, actually. I could tell with every howl that they were getting closer to our camp. Wow. God's creation is amazing. BTW, everyone in the tent was sound asleep, including my best camper, Lauren.

* I then heard something quite different than the howling coyotes. It was an elk bugling. I have seen many elk in my day, we go looking for them every time we are in Flagstaff but I have never had the privilege of listening to elk in the middle of the night. I'm serious, it was a privilege. First thing in the morning when we were making coffee and starting the bacon we heard another loud bugle. I'm sure he bedded down for the rest of the day after that.

* I was warm and snuggled in my Coleman sleeping bag on my Coleman air mattress listening to God's creation and my knee was throbbing. Yes, my left knee. When this happens at home I move to my side and position pillows so my knee has support and I go back to sleep. That was not about to happen out there in the wilderness. I only had one down pillow (gasp) and sleeping on your side on an air mattress is not very comfortable, at least not for me! So for the rest of the night I tried to position my leg in such a way that I could go back to sleep in between elk calls and coyotes. Needless to say I didn't get much sleep and I had the STRANGEST dreams...can you believe a 'preppy' came in to our camp and stole our food? :-)

* Sarah asked me to take her to the bathroom in the middle of the night and right then the coyotes howled and boy were they close. I asked her if she heard that noise and I said "Hunny, I can't take you potty right now the coyotes are out there". (wimp)

* All in all it was a great experience, just a little too much work for one night. It would have been nice to stay another night. Um, did I just type that?

* To my sister Cindy, the standard is high, girl. Don't worry about me. hehehehe You crack me up. :-)