Call Her Blessed

I'm a Believer!

2009-11-10T09:04:00.002-07:00

Remember when I told you about our new "Simplification" project...also known as the "slash the budget by over half and see if Daiquiri loses her mind" project? Well, diving head-first into the couponing world is one of the ways I'm trying to make newly limited grocery budget stretch. Stretch until every single little nickel found between the couch cushions positively screams for mercy. Wait...that might be me screaming.

I kid. Sort of.

I was up until midnight Sunday poring through ads and blogs and coupons. Putting together a plan, organizing shopping lists by store, clipping, sorting, wishing I was editing photos instead. And then I went shopping Monday night after dropping 3 of the kids at AWANA. Daddy drove Thomas around in the store's race car cart while I dashed around the store trying to find the stuff on my list.

Some of my thoughts while shopping:

"Wow! I'm going to get this entire meal for free!"

"Get out of my way lady, I want some of those too."

"Oh Lord, it would sure be nicer to just win the lottery. You created LIFE, God. Can't you please just make a winning lottery ticket materialize in my hand?"

"I don't use this conditioner, but it's FREE. It's sure worth a shot at that price!"

"How the heck am I supposed to make this deal work, when the shelves have been wiped clean of half the stuff I was going to buy?!! GRRRRR!!"

"I know Lord...you CAN...but WILL you? Pretty please?"

"Where's my calculator? Which pile of coupons is that...the pile I've used, will use, want to use only if I have to, or the ones I'm not sure if they'll work for this promotion? WHERE IS MY CALCULATOR?!"

"Holy Moley, that computer just gave me $15 in coupons!"

"Oh MY! I'm actually doing this!"

For those of you who are seasoned couponers, my numbers might not be impressive. But to me, they're VERY exciting!

My before coupon total (what I would have paid if I bought this stuff with no coupons): $126.42

What I paid (after combining coupons with store specials): $53.61

That's a savings of: $72.81 (or 57%)

Now, my first reaction was "WOW!"

My second reaction was, "Yeah, but this store is always more expensive that that other store, so I didn't really save 57%". That may be true. But even if this store averages 20% higher prices than that other store (and it isn't THAT much more expensive), I still saved 37%. Still a great deal.

So my grocery budget was cut in half this month, and I saved 57% during this trip! I'm on my way to actually making this budget work!

Now, Lord...I'm "naming it and claiming it". You WILL let me win the lottery. I know you can do it. I know you want to bless me. I'm standing here in faith. I can't wait to go collect that multi-million dollar check! What? Really? You're not a genie-in-a-bottle kind of God? Okay...I'll keep doing the coupon thing instead ;-)

Down on the Farm

2009-11-09T21:23:00.003-07:00

Wow, did I have a fun weekend! I got to spend a couple of hours with some of my favorite people in the whole wide world. And I got to spend those hours with them here:

Want to see a sneak peek of what I got? Head on over to my photography blog for more....

Family Tradtions

2009-11-05T08:08:00.008-07:00

I love holidays. Not always for what the holiday itself represents, but for the opportunities to celebrate family traditions.

I look at these pictures and I think, "this is the stuff that my children's best memories will be made of." Yes, they'll be made of pumpkin guts :-) And togetherness. And fun. And silliness.

When my little clean freak baby saw people putting their hands in their pumpkins and pulling out the stringy goo, he picked up a napkin and tried using it to get the seeds out! He wasn't so sure about this messy process :-)

Ah, yes...the mandatory "pretend like you're eating the pumpkin guts!" shot. This tradition started with my family as a kid. There are countless photos of me as a child, with my dad appearing to serve me a big goopy spoonful of pumpkin insides!

He's not so sure...

I love the individual looks of all my kids' pumpkins. They get to design their own, and we do our best to carve it according to their wishes. Thomas, of course, got whatever Daddy wanted to carve this year.

My big strong boy...

They weren't satisfied to simply carve this year...the markers came out for extra embellishment after carving.

Clara's plan:

I love this little peanut.

I love that my kids have a silly and fun Daddy. He can be tough. He can be firm. My kids know what to expect from him when they screw up. But the other day my kids were teasing me, and I teased back by saying "I'm going to call Daddy and have him come home to give you a whoopin'".

Long pause. Shifting eyes...looking at each other...looking at me...looking at each other again.

And then giggling. Hysterical silly giggles. The mere idea of Daddy "whoopin'" them was humorous. I love that they obey and respect him...but don't fear him. They climb up on his lap without hesitation and expect to be loved no matter what.

I got a good one :-)

Family time - babies still at home and wanting to spend time with us - tradition - Daddy's love - creative kids....what a joyous belessed life I live!

If you want to read about what brought others a little joy this week, head on over to this week's "Just for the Joy of it" and read on (and contribute some of your own joy).

Simplification Sorta Stinks

2009-11-04T13:27:00.002-07:00

We've been living in a "rubber hitting the road" kind of way lately. We've been talking big talk about paying down debt and living the simple life until we do so...but now this talk has been turned into action around here. I've learned a lot, even though it's only been a couple of days. Namely, I've learned that simplification can be painful.

On the surface, "simplification" sounds so...sweet. We all want life to be simple, right? Less complicated? Less busy? Less hectic? Sure!

The idea of the simple life makes my mind wander to scenes from "Little House on the Prairie", where daily life consisted of milking the cows, a root cellar filled with vegetables and canned goods that came right out of the garden out back, the kids toting their lunch pails across the field to get to a one room school house, sitting around a fire and night while Pa plays the fiddle and Ma knits the baby a new stocking cap. Wholesome foods, wholesome entertainment. Simple and beautiful.

So what's the problem? Well, for starters...I'm no "Ma". If you could see the homemade rolls I made, you'd agree (they were supposed to be rolls, anyway...more like whole wheat discuses).

And my husband can't play the fiddle.

See? Doomed right from the start. Lousy homemade bread and no fiddle music by firelight...we don't stand a chance at the joyous simple life ;-)

The other problem is that I'm a spoiled brat. A whining, crying, "I don't wanna!" kind of spoiled brat. I like cable TV. I like caller ID. I like voicemail. I like eating out. I like going to the grocery store and just tossing stuff into the cart. I like my instant gratification life!

But my instant gratification mindset played a role in getting us into this financial hole. Something has to give.

So we cancelled cable, caller ID, voicemail, and we slashed our monthly grocery budget by almost half (gasp...HALF!). We cut the "entertainment" budget by even more, so eating out instead of buying groceries isn't an option {sigh}.

Do you want to hear something terrible? Do you want to hear what ran through my bratty mind when my wise husband told me that he'd cancelled cable? It went something like "What am I going to do with the kids all day? How will I get anything done?!"

And my older kids literally *burst into TEARS* when we told them the news.

Ugh. How did I become this mom? We only even GOT cable 2 years ago, and already I'm depending on it to help me raise my children?! My kids are so reliant on sitting in front of a box and watching people live a pretend life, that they're moved to tears at the thought of turning it off?! Not good.

So yeah, this simplification is painful. But only because I've been living in a place that's very comfortable...but not healthy. I'm being forced to change my ways to a more healthy (and fiscally sound) lifestyle for our whole family. Some pain is good, I guess.

My prediction? I predict family time that involves less TV and more books and games. I predict healthier bodies and minds for my children. I predict going to bed earlier for us grownups since we won't be sucked into the endless late night TV that's available on cable. I predict a quieter and more peaceful home without the noise of the TV in the background...without the hurrying to finish something so we can go watch that one show...without the bickering over whose turn it is to choose what to watch. I predict my children will spend more time outside, with friends, and using their imaginations.

And maybe, with enough practice, I'll learn how to make really great homemade bread. And hey! Maybe my husband will even learn how to play the fiddle!

Yeah, ok. Maybe not :-)

First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage...{Sneak Peek}

2009-11-02T22:39:00.000-07:00

I had the time of my life shooting this beautiful little family this past weekend. The good times started when this sweet family stepped out of their car and I saw all these gorgeous sparking eyes, red heads, and adorable clothes (not to mention those delicious baby cheeks!).

They were all such great sports. Patient, cheerful...just good kids all around!

We took lots and lots of pictures (more to come shortly), but some of my personal favorites were those of the parents together.

Is it me, or does it seem like you can almost read this man's mind in this shot? I look at those eyes and I hear "I am crazy in love with this woman."

They are a beautiful couple...and not just on the outside. Being around them made me feel like going home and squeezing my hubby ♥.

Thank you, wonderful and beautiful family! I can't wait to show you more...

Photo Shoot, Sammy Style

2009-10-30T16:40:00.004-06:00

I'm not the only one with camera fever around here. Clara and a neighbor girl made their own "business cards" a few weeks ago. The cards said "Come to Clara's house for a photo shoot...and bring a smile!" :-)

Sammy strolled into my office this afternoon with her Elmo camera and announced, "Mama, we're gonna have a photo shoot, kay?"

(Note the finger over the lens...that's my girl!)

Giving her subject some direction...

What? Do I have something stuck in my teeth?

Sweet Little Fix it Friday

2009-10-30T12:33:00.005-06:00

I've been so busy lately, I've been choosing to not participate in FIF...but this one, I just couldn't resist! How sweet is this little lady?! Here's the before shot:

And here are my fixes...

My first pass looks like this - I cropped, rotated, sharpened, and did some lighting stuff all in Lightroom. Then I brought it over to PSE to do the rounded corners.

Then I decided to try my hand with overlaying some textures. This first one has sort of a soft, vintage feel to it:

This one has that same texture, but with an added texture to give it a little more of an aged look.

I'm not sure about those textures quite yet. I just love the look of a sharp and bright photo. Maybe they'll grow on me...

Hello, My Name Is Daiquiri...

2009-10-28T20:47:00.004-06:00

...and I'm addicted to card design.

I was actually sitting down to work up another Christmas design that's been tumbling in my brain, when these baby announcements were born (hehehe...nice pun...I think it might be time for me to step away from the computer).

Aren't these adorable? Almost makes me want to get pregnant again!

Or not.

At all.

The little guy who's my model in these cards though...now HE gives me baby fever :-)

Don't You Just Love This Card?

2009-10-28T11:04:00.003-06:00

I do!!

To see more of my designs, click HERE.

Remember, I can do your cards even if I didn't do your photos! Send me some of your favorite pictures and I'll

1) Touch them up for you

2) Make the perfect holiday card for your family

3) Ship them to your home in plenty of time for the holidays

Click "Contact Me" in my sidebar and we can work out the details :-)

Planning For a Clean House

2009-10-28T08:07:00.004-06:00

As I settled into our cozy couch with my yummy man, I took a glance around and said something like, "You know, I always imagined I'd be a better housekeeper than I turned out to be."

The scattered toys, unwashed dishes in the sink and dust bunnies seemed to nod their head in disappointment and agreement.

My husband, being the wise man that he is, simple chuckled with no comment.

I started thinking, I need a plan. A schedule. Yes, that's it...a spreadsheet! (it's been a long time since the days when I called myself an engineer, but the geek...she's still in there)

So far (it's been just a few days), it's worked like a charm. My house is being cleaned. I have time in my day to do something OTHER than clean. And the dust bunnies aren't communicating with me anymore. That's always a good thing.

My idea/plan is hardly revolutionary. I'm sure many of you do it without even thinking about it. But for personalities like mine...the kind that wants the WHOLE house clean NOW and who will practically kill myself trying to get it clean only to turn around, see more mess the very next day, and GIVE UP for 3 weeks...I needed this plan on paper.

I broke the house up into sections, and assigned them a day of the week. My plan looks something like this:

Deep Clean

Monday- Master bedroom and bath

Tuesday- Half bath, Laundry Room and garage entry. Water plants.

Wednesday- Front entry and stoop, office, kids bath

Thursday- Living room and play room

Friday- Kid's rooms, stairs, upstairs hallway

Saturday- Kitchen and dining

Sunday- rest

Daily

Bible

Exercise

Straighten living room and kitchen

Vacuum living room and kitchen

Load of laundry

"Deep Clean" means dusting, vacuuming, scrubbing floors, washing sheets and towels, scrubbing the sinks and toilets, etc. Once a week for those things seems adequate to me. Especially compared to how often it's typically done around here (ahem).

Ironically, the hardest part of this plan is the "daily" part of my list. I'm working on it.

So that's what Works for Me this Wednesday. If you'd like more great tips from the blogosphere, click over to "We Are That Family". If that's where you came from today, thanks for stopping by!

Because I Just Don't Have Enough To Do

2009-10-27T22:31:00.003-06:00

....and because you don't hear nearly enough about my life as it is.

I've hopped on the "tweeting" bandwagon. That's right, you can now find me at Twitter as well as Facebook.

If you're a tweeter or a fb-er (what has the world come to?), you can click on those nifty buttons in my sidebar to get to my pages and link up with me. Or you can CLICK HERE for my Twitter page and HERE for my facebook page.

PS. The love of my life just walked in and called me a "twit". I think he's jealous.

Rejoicing in Him

2009-10-27T09:30:00.004-06:00

What a whirlwind the past few days have been! Forgive me in advance for what will likely be a long and rambing post.

I've been so overwhelmed lately...in a good way...with JOY that is just beyond my understanding. For those of you who know Him, do you ever feel him so near you that it seems that if you could just turn your head fast enough, you'd physically SEE him standing right next to you? I love that. I love HIM. I love feeling him with such certainty and joy.

Of course, me being who I am, I always worry just a tad. Is he showing himself in a powerful way because he's trying to prepare me for something painful? I KNOW...what a worry-wart I am! I'm trying to just enjoy this time and "be still".

Actually, when I look back on the past couple of weeks, I think he's been so near me and protecting my heart because of some of the people he's sent my way. I've been having such amazing discussions with people who are not Christians. Normally, I'd be filled with doubt and fear while I consider their beliefs ("have I fallen for a lie?"). But this time? There's not a hint of doubt even way down deep in my heart. He has truly proven himself to be my rock...my protection...my provider in these past few weeks. Oh man, how can I love someone so much who I can't even see?!

I also have so much in my life that I'm thoroughly enjoying and having fun with...good friends, my amazing husband, my wonderful kids, photo shooting and editing, holiday card design, a good book to read....it goes on! It seems like every time I turn around I'm excited to do what's next on my list. It's a nice place to be :-)

*******

For those of you who have been praying for my Grandma...an update. She's actually LEAVING hospice care, and going back to assisted living! What a tough little bird she is! She's said many times "Why am I still here?", "Why won't the Lord just take me home?", "I'm no good for anything anymore."

I hope that when she someday looks back on her life from her comfy chair in Heaven, that she can see just how much she's taught me in these past few "useless" years of her life.

In the mean time...Grandma's going HOME! Yippee!

*******

I've made a change in my life that seems small and insignificant, but that's really contributed to happier days for me. I've rejected my bathroom scale. Yep. I just refuse to step on the darn thing! I've felt so frustrated and angry with myself for not doing a better job of staying in shape. And I've been...confused. I guess I always figured weight loss should be straight-forward. Calories in vs. calories out, right? Eat less, exercise more. Yeah...and then there's real life where I LOVE food and HATE exercise. I try and try, but just can't seem to make that darn number on the scale budge.

I finally got to the point where I was just beyond myself and my abilities. I prayed (why do I not START with prayer more often??). "Lord, I don't know how to do this! Help!"

From that point forward, I decided that the scale doesn't mean a darn thing. And I was letting it have far too much control over how I felt about myself. There were days when I felt great...I'd step on the scale and suddenly feel lousy because I was up a pound. There were days when I felt like a walking marshmallow...I'd step on the scale and suddenly feel like a super-star since I was down a pound.

Really? A number on a scale has that much control over my perceived self worth? Unacceptable!

So I stopped weighing myself. I started praying more. And that part of me that wants to cruise the kitchen for a pick-me-up when I'm feeling bored/frustrated/lonely/celebratory/happy/whatever....that part of me is suddenly satisfied with HIM.

I've done a Bible study on the "Names of God". The God who provides, the God who protects, the God who IS, the God who saves, etc. I wonder...did I skip the chapter on "the God who satisfies chocolate cravings" and "the God who enables me to do 'banana rolls' without trying to jump in the TV to punch Tony Horton in the nose"? :-)

And the kicker? I stepped on the scale this morning for the first time in weeks, and I was down 5 pounds!

*******

Do you want to choke me yet? Sometimes it can be hard to listen to someone rattle on and on about how wonderful life is.

Isn't it interesting how it can be easier to listen to someone complain? Why is that? Probably because we can all relate to struggles and trials in life. We bond in our common suffering. We (as people in general) should try to bond in our common joys...focus on the joy instead of the pain, don't you think?

For me lately, life IS wonderful. It's all because of him...and I just can't not share.

But let all who take refuge in you be glad;

let them ever sing for joy.

Spread your protection over them,

that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

Psalm 5:11

Too Fun!

2009-10-25T14:45:00.001-06:00

I'm getting a kick out of creating collages with some new photos (still in my jammies at 2:30 in the afternoon kind of fun!). Click HERE to see the goodies!

Strawberries, Puppies, and Jedis...Oh My!

2009-10-23T20:39:00.003-06:00

The conversation went something like, "I want to be a STRAWBERRY for the harvest party this year cuz Amy's going to be a farmer with a watering can, and she'll water ME."

Okay, that sounded fine. Strawberry, pumpkin, we should be able to find something in the fruit/veggie group by halloween.

And then there was a dramatic turn for the urgent.

"Oh, and school's fall ice cream social is where everyone wears their costume. And it's TOMORROW."

HUH????

So the big kids and I dashed off to a number of stores last night after dinner in desperate search of costumes. We scored big on a Star Wars costume for Ben...it was exactly what he wanted, it was cheaper than all the other "themed" costumes, and there was ONE left in his size. Thank you, Lord!

Clara was a different story. We scoured the stores for something...anything that might work. By the way, there are some seriously inappropriate and disturbing costumes out there for little girls. Yikes. I don't know, call me a prude!

So instead, we hatched a plan to make her a strawberry costume. We had all the materials we needed except some black and green felt. I was tickled to find THIS POST when I googled "homemade strawberry costume". Less than 24 hours later we had this:

Throw some black leggings on underneath, and what you get is one very happy (and adorable) strawberry:

Sammy wore the "puppy dog" costume I made for Clara a couple of years ago, and she played the part perfectly:

Woof Woof! Just don't ask for a kiss...

Oh my...look at my beautiful girls! I'm so incredibly thankful that all of my kids have both a brother and a sister. It was one of my prayers when we started our family...God is so good to me.

And here's our Jedi master. I'll tell ya...I need to get a video of this kid doing his light saber moves - he's seriously GOOD!

We talked about making him a costume too, and while he described what he wanted, the only thing he was really adamant about was that he wanted to be able to do this with his hands:

This picture cracks me up. Thomas isn't crying here, he's making his "shooting" sound with his little wooden gun. Everything "shoots" with this kid...spoons, cars, planes, books...if he can hold it in his hand, it gets a shooting noise.

Thomas and Daddy didn't go to the ice cream social tonight. It's just not the kind of thing that's very fun with a 2 year old. (Besides, Thomas has developed quite the cough and runny nose...please pray for him. AND Luke's grandma is in the hospital tonight with heart problems. Please REALLY pray for her!)

As we were getting ready to go, Thomas ran up to me carrying the Elmo costume. So we put it on and took his picture like the big kids.

Is it me or is that costume made for him? :-)

So happy fall, y'all! I hope you're enjoying the cool weather and the joy that comes with a change in season as much as we are.

Brothers {Sneak Peek}

2009-10-23T11:23:00.003-06:00

I had a wild, run around, sing songs, and throw leaves good time a couple of days ago. Somewhere in there, I got some pictures too :-)

Click on over to my photography blog to see some more....

Joy

2009-10-22T08:30:00.002-06:00

...is watching my healthy, strong, beautiful little girl playing in the crisp fall leaves. Life is sweet.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down

from the Father of the heavenly lights, who

does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:17

Looking for more *Joy* inspiration? Head on over to visit my bloggy friend at "Good, True, & Beautiful". She's hosting a joy party each Thursday (and I hear she's servin' up some brownies). Tell her I sent you :-)

Oh, the Joys...

2009-10-21T08:21:00.002-06:00

I loved being pregnant.

Well, the first 2 or 3 months weren't so fun. I lived little more than vanilla yogurt, and nearly threw up at every food commercial on TV. I remember screaming at the TV one day "That should be illegal! That's obscene and disgusting!" Then I started to gag a little at the pictures of (gasp) Applebee's food....then I cried because I was feeling a tad insane.

Aside from THAT, I loved being pregnant.

I felt good about myself and my little role in the miracle of bringing a new life into the world.

I actually liked maternity clothes...excuse me...they're all soft and comfy with tons of elastic. What's not to love?! And by the time I was pregnant with Thomas, maternity clothes was actually fairly fashionable too.

And, talk about miracle, I liked my body during pregnancy too. I felt beautiful...the whole glowing thing I guess.

That brings me to my story...

I was pregnant with Clara. Ben was just a little guy. He was only 13 months when she was born, so I guess he was probably 12 months old when this story took place (oh my...how did I DO that?!).

Ben and I went to the store for groceries. More specifically....we went to the store for avocados. I'm a guacamole junkie, and what better time to indulge yourself with all your favorite treats than during pregnancy?

I was thrilled to find some avocados that were actually ripe enough to eat THAT day. Oh...God is good, indeed!

So I got my avocados, and then I cruised around the super-store for an hour or so to just see what I could see. I did that a lot when my kids were really little - got us out of the house.

On that particular day, I felt really great because of all the positive attention I was getting at the store. People seemed to stop and just watch glorious me walk by with my beautiful baby boy. My round belly was getting all sorts of appreciative looks - smiles all around.

Dang...I must be one hot mama! (Just kidding....even in my most confident moments I didn't quite go that far!)

But I did feel good. I felt alive. Happy. Pretty. Proud of my little boy. Excited to be pregnant. REALLY excited to get home and have some guac. Life was good.

And then, Ben and I went to get in the car. As we strolled outside, he in the cart and me pushing, he was adamantly trying to get my attention about something. He was reaching and pulling and just doing all he could to to...what? ....grab my shirt? I didn't understand what he was doing.

So I looked down to inspect my shirt. Nothing.

My little Benjamin would not let up.

So I grabbed the bottom of my shirt and pulled it away from my body to better inspect it. If you've been pregnant, you understand what I'm talking about. When you're THAT pregnant, there's a whole southern hemisphere of your body that you CAN'T SEE because...well...your eyes reside in the northern hemisphere.

And guess what I found when I inspected said southern hemisphere?

I found this stuck to my shirt:

Apparently, when I leaned over the avocados, my shirt picked up one of the stickers and it found it's way to the perfect location of my full (RIPE) belly. I'd been walking around with it for a good hour.

I'll just leave it at that. I could go on to describe how I felt in that moment, but I won't. I'd hate to interrupt your laughter....

Coo-Coo For Christmas Cards!

2009-10-18T20:29:00.003-06:00

I've been having waaayyy too much fun designing holiday cards lately...just ask my aching and tingling carpal tunnel!

I've posted a bunch more cards over at my photography blog.

Click HERE to see more designs.

Click HERE for even more!

And click HERE for my prices.

Don't forget...I can do your holiday cards even if I didn't do your photos! Click HERE for details.

Cold Hard Cash, Baby!

2009-10-16T14:05:00.002-06:00

I hate doing yard sales.

I love to GO to them...I just hate having my own. It seems like it takes weeks to sort through all the stuff in our house while trying to find things to sell. It takes even longer to price every single blasted little plastic toy. And then....joy upon joy...I get to sit outside all morning while my kids wail, "NOOOO you can't sell THAAATTT!", I sweat in the sun, and I barely make enough to cover the ad I put in the paper.

So we've decided to just drop our used and unwanted goods at our church thrift store. They can sell it, the money goes to a good cause, and most importantly...I don't have to do a yard sale.

But then there are days like today.

I've been sorting and cleaning and organizing the past few weeks. Not to prepare for a sale, just to get our home in order. I piled the stuff we've outgrown into plastic totes and stacked them in our bedroom until I was done. The plan was to drop everything at the thrift store again.

But BOY, did that stuff pile up fast! And it was really NICE stuff. Clean. In great shape. Still useful...to somebody.

I found myself thinking a thought that makes my husband cringe with agony....

Yard Sale

I was determined to keep it simple.

I didn't place an ad in the paper ($15, I don't think so!). Instead, I placed a free ad on Craig's List.

I didn't have a sale in the middle of the summer when everyone else is having their sales...the amount of traffic I saw was unbelievable! (thank you Lord, for clear skies and a nice day)

I didn't buy balloons filled with helium. Luke found the sale signs from a couple of years ago, and we stuck 'em on the corner sans balloons.

I didn't mark each item. I put everything out on tables and blankets in the driveway and wrote general prices for the whole table or blanket instead. It took me no longer than 20 minutes to display and price everything.

I didn't commit to a 2 day sale (Friday-Saturday sales are popular here). Instead, my goal was to get rid of everything NOW. It was made especially simple because my older two ~~hoarders~~ kids were in school.

And...drumroll please...I had the most profitable yard sale of my life! (and the most fun yard sale thanks to good friends keeping me company and my wonderful man bringing me a Big Mac for lunch).

It's a revolutionary thing....yard sales don't have to be painful! And most importantly, we're a couple of hundred dollars closer to our goal of being debt free.

:-)

(That's me, smiling)

Truth with a Capital "T"

2009-10-14T14:06:00.005-06:00

We have one excited little girl around here. Samantha will turn 4 years old next month, and she can hardly stand it! Each day, she asks, "Mama, is my birthday tomorrow?"

Our conversation started off in the usual manner today, but when I tried to explain to her that her birthday was about a month away...about 30 days...she just wouldn't accept it.

"But Mamma, I want to have one more sleep. One more sleep tonight, and then tomorrow is my birthday. Okay? Please?"

"Sorry, sweetie. Your birthday is not tomorrow. It's a month away. C'mon, let's go look at the calendar and I'll show you."

"NO. Tomorrow. I want my birthday to be TOMORROW. ONE MORE SLEEP, MAMA, ONE!"

"Yeah, that would be nice, wouldn't it? It would be nice, but Sammy... it wouldn't be true!"

"Oh, okay." slumped shoulders...as if I'd just announced that her birthday is never going to happen again (although for an almost 4 year old, a month might very well seem about as far away as "never".)

It struck me then how often we (read: I) have this same sort of conversation with our Father.

"I can't believe that Jesus is the only way to Heaven. What about all those people who are not Christians? Do they all go to Hell? I think that there's one God, but many paths to Him."

I can't stand here and claim to know who's going to Heaven and who's going to Hell. But I can say that Jesus told us how to get to Heaven. Not liking it doesn't make it any less than God's Truth.

"The idea that Jesus is the only way to Heaven is ludicrous. How can the path to God be so narrow?"

Yes, the path is narrow, but the Truth is that it is available to every person who ever lived.

"I think Jesus was just a good example of how we're supposed to live. I don't have to let Him rule my life or anything. As long as I'm doing more good than bad, I'll go to Heaven."

It might be nice if that were the case, but it's simply not True. (but I've gotta say, having the burden of living a life that's "good enough" would not be nice if you're asking me)

"Hell? For an eternity? That doesn't make sense. Why would God let anyone go to Hell if He loves us?"

It would be nice if Hell wasn't a reality, but it is. Believing that it's not, doesn't change Truth one little bit. And he does love us. That's precisely why he offers us the gift of Heaven.

"I'm a Christian. Why is my life such a mess? Why doesn't God fix this for me? Shouldn't life be easier now that I've become a child of God? Maybe I bought into a lie."

This is one I struggle with, personally. But each time I have doubts about my faith because I'm suffering, God reminds me of His Truth. He loves me. He saved me. I'll still suffer in this life, but I won't be alone.

"Jesus died for my sins? Are you calling me a sinner? Well, I'm offended by that. I'm a good person and always have been. At the very least, I've grown up a lot and am a good person now."

Yes, you're a sinner. I'm a sinner too. Remember, we don't get to decide what sin is...God does. And the Truth is that everyone has sinned.

And when I do mess up? I take care of it myself. I don't need anyone else to take the fall for me."

Especially here in this "I'll do it myself" independent country, this is a popular belief. It feels good - it lets us feel like we're in control of our own life...in control of the outcome. But it's not True. Christ died for our sins, whether we believe it or not.

"What do you mean I need Jesus? This spirituality works for me. I can feel it - I'm right with God."

Yeah, I know...we're all about doing what "feels right" or what "works for you". But it's not True, and there's no getting around it!

In fact, let's go back to the example of Samantha's birthday. Let's say that Samantha was so incredibly upset that she wasn't having a birthday party TOMORROW that we decided to just go ahead and celebrate with her tomorrow. We'd have friends over. We'd have cake. We'd have lots of fun, and we'd even have presents and singing.

Sammy would be happy. She'd get to live for a day in the belief that it's her birthday.

In short, it would "work for her". And while opening her gifts, it would certainly "feel right and good."

But it simply wouldn't change the fact one little bit: it is not her birthday tomorrow. No amount of pretending will change the date of her birth!

It would sort of be like getting on an airplane that's flying to Detroit. But you want to go to Honolulu, you say? You can sit in your chair the entire trip believing that you're going to Honolulu. You can even sing about it. You can write about it. You can proclaim it for all the passengers to hear.

But guess what...you're going to end up in Detroit, my friend.

So how about you? Are you believing any lies? My conversation with a very passionate and earnest 3 year old today sure opened my eyes! I plan to spend some time praying for God to make me aware of any lies I might have accepted as Truth.

Some commonly-believed lies for you to consider:

1. There's no God.

2. Jesus was not God.

3. Jesus did not rise from death.

4. Jesus did not die for me.

5. Satan is not real.

6. Hell is not real.

7. As long as I live a good life, I'll go to Heaven.

8. I'm doing my best, that's good enough.

9. God doesn't love me.

10. God is not real.

11. I'm a Christian, but it doesn't feel like I'm forgiven.

12. I'm a Christian, but I don't think I need to tell anyone else about Jesus.

13. I'm a Christian, but I'm suffering. God must be punishing me for something.

14. I'm a Christian, I'm protected from anything bad happening to me.

15. I'm a Christian, but other people should just do whatever works for them.

16. Christianity means being a good person.

17. Hell is not eternal.

18. If I live a life that is good enough, I can be like God someday.

19. God is unconditional love, He's not judgmental.

20. God just wants me to be happy. Anything that makes me happy is okay.

Punkin Pickin'

2009-10-13T09:40:00.004-06:00

I'm loving fall this year. Idaho falls are typically either wonderful or miserable...crisp and chilly and beautiful, or soggy and drab and yucky. This year's fall is a good one.

One of my sisters lives about 30 miles from here. She and her family live on about 12 (?) acres of sweeping pastures lined with trees. The views are killer in every direction. They have goats, chickens, and even a mentally challenged bull. No kidding - he had birthing problems and isn't quite "right", as far as bulls go.

From our suburbia viewpoint, they're country folk :-) Visiting them is always a treat - relaxing and fun and free. It doesn't hurt that my sister is a most excellent cook, and always stuffs us silly with delicious meals when we just happen to be there during the dinner hour (my Luke is probably wondering how he got the sister who seems to know nothing but casseroles).

And this year they planted a garden that just does not STOP. Happily for all the kiddos in the family, they devoted a big section to "punkins". They invited us out over the weekend to pick our pumpkins (fun and frugal...I like!).

Is it an American thing or just human nature...to choose the biggest thing we can see, fight and fight to obtain it, and once we have it...turn and choose something even bigger? I love that my girl doesn't even consider the idea that she can't do whatever she sets her mind do.

Oi - my heart wants to bust just looking at these children!

I'm loving the glowing look on Sammy's little face here.

NO - my big strong boy doesn't need ANY help! (Note the country dog gnawing on a dried up cop of corn :-) )

Aww, my little Bubba. I love this little guy to bits.

And here are my sister's kids - wonderful and beautiful and good. Fresh air and amazing parents will do that to kids :-)

Here's their other dog, Cooper. Look at that happy face!

Thomas saw Daddy choosing a pumpkin, and wanted to help. Check that...INSISTED on helping. He can't carry a pumpkin that big, but I sure love that he thinks he can!

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Summertime Blessings

2009-10-12T07:19:00.002-06:00

This past summer was such a flurry of busyness and fun and sweat and giggles and...blessings. One of our fondest memories from the summer of 2009 will always be when this gang of love and fun descended on our home for a few days.

These are three of my aunts (some of my Dad's sisters) and one uncle. They drove all the way from Wisconsin to visit! That's just the way these guys are. Something going on in your life? Some important event? Something difficult? Something to celebrate? Whatever... these guys will get in their car and drive 1,000 miles (or more) to just flat BE THERE. Family...that's what these folks are.

My kids were totally and completely spoiled rotten while they were here :-) Books, kicking the soccer ball around, playing games, long talks while being pushed on the swing. Sheesh, they've probably felt a tad neglected since their aunts and uncles went home! It was so sweet to see my kids getting to know them and having such fun.

One day around the time of their visit, I saw a golden finch in our yard. It was a big deal to me because it was the first time I could remember seeing one since I moved to Idaho (almost 20 years ago!). I told them about it - just part of casual conversation.

And the next thing I knew, my uncle Donny was handing me a finch feeder to hang in our back yard! Thanks to his thoughtfulness, we had views like this out our dining room window for the rest of the summer:

My little Sammy especially warmed up to having her aunties and uncle around. The day they left was bitter-sweet. Bitter, because they were leaving. You should have seen my kids sprinting down the sidewalk to wave and scream "BYE!" as they drove off. But also sweet, because it was so full of warm hugs and kisses.

Sammy was saying goodbye to uncle Donny, when I asked her to give him a kiss. She obliged by giving him a "puppy-dog" kiss...and LICKED him right up the side of his face! We all got a good laugh out of that.

Then she gave him a real kiss, and one of the sweetest hugs I've ever seen.

Those few days will forever be etched in our memories as "the time the aunties and Donny" came to visit. Summer of 2009....you were a good one.

Fog of Awareness

2009-10-11T13:30:00.004-06:00

I'm living in a fog lately.

So many firsts...so many lasts to consider. The last hug. The last laugh. The last time sleeping in her own bed. The last Sheboygan steak sandwich. The last prayer.

The first face to face conversation with Jesus himself. The first time seeing "Daddy" in some 25 years. The first time without pain or sorrow or tears of any sort.

The first Christmas without the center of our family. Grandma.

This fog of mine is sort of an inverse-fog. I usually think of a fog as something that keeps me from seeing reality. But now...I'm in this place where it seems that I'm seeing reality for the first time. It's a fog of awareness...highlighting true reality and settling an opaque mist over what I typically think of as "real life".

I look at my babies and I practically see them grow before my eyes. I think of the 6 small baby pictures my Grandma has hanging on her bedroom wall of her children. And now those children gather around her bed to pray for a peaceful and painless final journey. Do they feel like they're being orphaned? No longer someone's baby...

I watch the world bustle about trying to earn a buck. Get the list done. Be there on time. Deal with their frustration. I want to scream. Don't they see how short life is? Don't they know that they could be dead by the end of the day?

Morbid. Real.

The magazine cover screams "LOSE 10 LBS FAST!" and "Gorgeous, Sexy Hair Without the Fuss". Honestly. Who gives a shit?

I straighten up after dinner, and realize that something isn't quite right. What is it? Oh yes. The sour cream goes in the refrigerator, not the pantry.

I settle into the couch for an evening of relaxing and conversation with my best friend and greatest love. I'd normally be distracted by my to do list or the next day's schedule. But now, all I want is to feel life. I wiggle my way next to him and settle my head onto his chest. "What's this?" he wonders aloud. I just want to hear his heart beating. This man of mine. This amazing gift...God gave me this perfect partner and love. The rest of me.

I wonder, did Grandma ever do the same with "Daddy"?

What am I doing with my life? Am I doing anything that matters? I think silly thoughts about trying to grow a successful business. Get out of debt. Organize and decorate the house. Get the chores done. Get dinner on the table. Lose weight. Find the perfect haircut. Secure a patent on that idea.

What is Grandma thinking right now? What goes through her head as she wakes up in a hospital bed? Does she feel the end? Or is it the beginning she feels? Is she afraid? Excited? Peaceful? Mournful?

I have this crazy desire to be sitting next to Grandma right now....holding her hand...singing "Amazing Grace". She's still spunky enough to tell me, "That's a nice song. Don't quit your day job though!" We'd laugh, she'd sleep, I'd cry.

This strange place in my head...I'm here, but there. Trying to function here...cherish every moment, while also wondering what she's going through.

Praying, "Please Lord. If this is her time, please take her quickly and painlessly. In fact, maybe you could just come back now and get us all? Goodbye is just too hard."

Friday Fixins

2009-10-09T15:52:00.003-06:00

Here's this Friday's adorable "before" shot:

I started in LightRoom, and cropped to an 8x10 aspect ratio. I also sharpened, brightened, and tweaked to get the following three results. I did some blemish removal and added the frame in PS Elements.

Fix 1~ Standard Fix

Fix #2~ Blown-out Fix (a little higher in the brights and exposure) - made the eyes really pop, I thought

Fix #3~ Classic BW - I think this one is my favorite this time. The eyes just really sparkle in black and white!

Thanks for stopping by. Head over to I ♥ Faces for more Friday Fixins :-)

That Darn Humility Stick

2009-10-08T12:00:00.002-06:00

Whenever I have a humbling experience seemingly from out of nowhere, I call it "being smacked upside the head with the humility stick".

I got a good whack today :-)

Don't get me wrong...I'm not under any delusions that I can sing. I used to be. You know, back in like the 6th grade when I'd record myself singing "The Greatest Love of All", and then playing it back to hear how I sounded.

In fact, it might have been that very experience that led me to the realization that I really can NOT sing. Oh well. I keep hoping and praying that when I get to Heaven, the Lord will do some work on my vocal chords so I can praise Him the way I really want to.

In the mean time, I try to stick to the simple stuff like "Twinkle Twinkle" and "Old Mac Donald". The kids don't really mind. Or so I thought...

I was driving in the car this afternoon with Sammy and Thomas in the backseat. We were all sort of lost in our own worlds.

My mind was wandering down the road to Wisconsin, where my dear Grandma is in a hospital bed suffering. I prayed. I cried a little. I thought of Grandma and her drawn out "Yellloooo" when she answers the phone, and her witty sense of humor. I thought of my last trip to Wisconsin. Grandma was a little unsteady, so I liked to thread my arm through hers and we'd walk arm in arm. I can still feel her on my arm.

Of course, we can not know who's saved and who's not. But if you can tell what's going on in a person's heart by the way they live their lives...Grandma is saved. I am so thoroughly and eternally thankful for that. I'm thankful that we'll never have to say "goodbye", but rather, "see you later". Now that's a comfort that none can offer but Jesus.

I love my Jesus.

When I think about Him, I inevitably start to sing whichever hymn comes to mind. That's what I did in the car.

It was a quiet song, from my heart more than from my vocal chords.

It's too bad that songs from the heard don't sound more beautiful to the human ear.

From the back seat, Sammy snaps out of her world and says, "Mamma, if you're gonna sing, would you please turn on some music? Turn it on LOUD."

Well, okay.

I hope the Lord hears my heart more than my voice ;-)