This morning my thoughts....

.... have me thankful that I didn't toss out last year's mums when they dried up -

can you believe how they came back?

....have me excited to use my new sander, that I received for Mother's Day this year, to refinish a dresser and table I recently discovered in some one's garbage pile.... 

....have me so proud of the twins for learning to build their own Lincoln log houses....

....have me thinking we need to find time to give the twins haircuts....  

....and have me thinking about the time when Elli will have hair as long as Jason and Reagan's....

Handfulls on purpose....

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the story about Ruth and Boaz.  I will give you a brief summary of this story, just in case you haven't ever read it ~ but you have to go read it, it is a beautiful love story!!! 

So, Elimelech, his wife, Naomi, and their two sons have left Bethlehem, Judah because of a famine in the land, and have travelled to the country of Moab.  While in Moab, Naomi's husband dies, her two sons get married, and then the two sons die, leaving Naomi and her two daughter-in-laws widows.  Naomi decides to go back to Judah and tells her daughter-in-laws to return to their families.  Ruth, one of the daughter-in-laws, loves her mother-in-law and refuses to leave her.  So, Ruth travels with Naomi back to Judah.  Ruth is trying hard to care for her mother-in-law and herself.  She asks Naomi if she can go and gather leftover grain from the fields belonging to a relative of Naomi's deceased husband:

Ruth 2: 1-2... 1 There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech. His name was Boaz. 2 So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.”  And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.”  3 Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

So Ruth goes to the fields, and Boaz sees her and hears of her caring for his relative's widow, and he says:

Ruth 2: 15-16...Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16 Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.”

My favorite part of that entire story is when Boaz tells his workers to leave handfulls on purpose for Ruth.  So much kindness, and caring, and grace, and love in one action. 

All of that intro for one little thing.....I love it when God gives me handfulls on purpose.  

Lately, I feel like my days begin and end so fast that I barely have time to breathe.  Homeschooling, teaching the twins to read, taking care of Elli, taking boys to and from school, football, soccer and boyscouts, painting some of the inside of my house, and having workers in the house to paint the rest, on top of my regular housework, laundry, and grocery shopping.....it really never ends!!  Don't get me wrong, I love my job and wouldn't want to be doing anything else!!!  I am just saying that it is wonderful when God gives me little handfulls on purpose.  Little handfulls of love and grace in a morning like this morning.... 

 Joshua, quietly and resolutely doing his schoolwork.... 

My Scentsy warmers, filling my home with the most wonderful smells....

(if you haven't ever tried Scentsy, you must, you will never again waste your money on a candle that only partially makes your house smell wonderful - and on my side-bar is a button that will link you to my sister-in-law's Scentsy store - yes, Patti sells Scentsy :))  

Leah, taking advantage of the quiet house and taking her morning nap.... 

Jason, Reagan and Elli playing quietly upstairs.... 

Me, drinking my coffee, reading my Bible Study (which is what reminded me of the story of Boaz and Ruth), grading math, and thanking God for a much needed handfull this morning ;)

Soup Season is Back!!!

I am so excited that the weather is cooling down!!  It has been in the 70s during the day, and is getting down into the 50s at night.  We all went to Brandon's football game on Friday night and we had to wear jackets and jeans - YEAH!!  Not only am I ready for cold weather clothes, but I am also ready for cold weather soups, stews, and casseroles!!!  I do love to cook and bake - I have to admit, though, that I have to really work hard at it.  Some people are just "naturals" in the kitchen - I am not.  So when I find a recipe that is easy and yummy I get really excited.  I decided to make Meatball Minestrone tonight.  It is Sunday, and football is on (which I love to drain my brain on ;)), and I didn't really feel like cooking, so I decided to make soup.  It was a HUGE hit with everyone, so I decided to share with my friends and family.  I hope you all try it and like it as much as we did.  My kids all declared it a "keeper" - although Brandon said he would put less beans in it ;).  Let me know if you try it!!

Meatball Minestrone

Serves 6

Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
4 cups chicken broth
14-1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in their juice
15-1/2-ounce can beans, rinsed and drained (I used white beans)
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 cup orzo pasta (I used alphabet egg noodles - the twins are learning to read ;) )
2 cups meatballs (I used frozen meatballs - EASY)
Grated Parmesan
Instructions

1.In a large pot, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat, then saute the onion and garlic until softened, about 2 minutes.
2.Add the carrots, chicken broth, diced tomatoes in their juice, beans, Italian seasoning, and pasta. Bring the soup to a boil.
3.Reduce the heat and add the meatballs. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the meatballs are heated through and the pasta is tender. Serve topped with grated Parmesan.

Guess who was on the front page of our township newspaper....

Edited to add the following....

There is a family who is trying desperately to rescue, through adoption, a baby from a European orphanage - you can read about them HERE.  Timing is so crucial in these adoptions, as the children in these orphanages are neglected, are usually malnourished, and there is always the threat of these children being sent to asylums because they get too old for the orphanages.  If you are at all interested in donating some money to this family to help them speed along their adoption, there is a great giveaway you can participate in.  Go to A Perfect Lily and read about how to win an iPad 2, or a Coach purse, or a Gigi Hill handbag, and help this family out at the same time!!  There are so many obstacles to overcome in these adoptions, could you also please pray for these children and the family's that are lined up to adopt them.  Good Luck in the Giveaway!!

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Today, when I went to pick Trevor up from school, I was surprised to hear the secretary, the assistant principles, and a teacher ask me if I saw my daughter on the front page of The Current, our township newspaper.  Seems my 3 little ones caught the eye of the newspaper photographer at the 9-11 Memorial Service.  Can you blame them?  They are the cutest kids EVER!!!

The caption reads "A young Egg Harbor Township resident gazes up at the American flag...".  Leave it to a reporter to put such a "touching" caption under the picture.  In reality, Elli was constantly looking up at me with a smile because she didn't want to sit that long and she was asking permission to stand - to which I would shake my head NO and she would sit back down. 

The photo I took of them was better, and in this photo they are actually facing the flag  :)

Random photos...

Elli with her friend Ella...Ella was born exactly 5 months after Elli...the hair thing is totally unfair!!!

Garage sales are great when you can get dress up stuff like this for a buck....

Brandon, falling asleep with Elli while reading with Reagan....

What can you do with an empty box and nothing to do?  Make a Rescue Hero house.... 

Complete with door, bell, window.... 

...trap door with rope to pull....

....and when you have older brothers who take care of their toys and pass them on to you....YOU GOT IT MADE!!!!

Notice the guy climbing a rope up the side of the building....

A whole day of fun!!!! 

Remember.....

So many lives were changed by this one event - lives were changed due to the loss of a friend or family member in the events of September 11, 2001 - lives were changed as people were inspired to pursue jobs in the military or in other law enforcement branches due to the events of that day - lives were changed as hearts were awakened to the pain, suffering, and needs of fellow Americans.  A speaker at the Memorial Service for Flight 93 (I cannot remember his name, he helps counsel the grieving families) said that people that lost loved ones on September 11th are always asking him how to get over the pain of September 11th. He made the statement "I am not sure getting over the pain is a good thing".  He said that learning to live and grieve effectively with the pain is necessary so that we don't forget how much we lost that day, or how much we have gained since that day. 

Remembering can sometimes be very painful....I don't like pain....physical or otherwise.  However, some of the best lessons I have learned in my life were painful....sometimes painful to my body, sometimes to my mind, lots of times to my pride. :)  I have learned that by trying to forget that pain - especially to my mind and pride (because I think physical pain goes away faster than a wounded ego) - I forget the lesson attached to it.

I heard my Pastor say once - and he may have said it more than once, but I am remembering a very specific time - that if you see a story, or a lesson, repeated in the Bible more than once you better pay attention....God is trying to show you something.  I looked it up and the word "remember" is in the King James version of the Bible 210 times, in scriptures where God is saying He will remember, or in scripture where He is giving the command to remember.  There is a word that translates to "remember", and it is written in the Bible 210 times.  I think that perhaps remembering - as painful as it can be - is something we are supposed to do.  I will remember....

While Chris was working this weekend in Newark, we attended our township memorial service for 9-11.  Brandon participated in the Color Guard and posted the colors, Trevor and Joshua represented their boyscout troop, and the twins and Elli waved flags and showed their patriotism for the great country we live in. 

Our Firefighters were out in full force last night.... 

The only thing I would have changed about the service last night was having my husband there to share it with me.  We missed you this weekend babe....love you!!

Remembering September 11....

I have to begin this post by saying Happy Birthday to my sister-in-law, Hope.  Her birthday is September 11 - I know that she hates that 9-11 happened on her birthday, and I want her to know that I am thinking of her this weekend ;).

Hope with 2 of her daughters, Grace and Jade....

It is hard for me to believe that September 11, 2001 was 10 years ago.  I still get sick to my stomach and weep when I see shows about that terrible day.  It was the events of that day that inspired my husband to apply to the FBI.  I am asking everyone who reads this post to please keep our country, our law enforcement and military, and this guy....

in your prayers over this weekend.  America's enemies are very real, and so is the threat of violence over this 9-11 weekend.  Please pray for Chris (and our family - we hate it when he is away for things of this nature) as he will be away all weekend protecting and serving the country he loves.

The First Day of School - 2011-2012

For the past couple of weeks I have been noticing that the weather is cooler.  So much cooler, in fact, that we have been sleeping with the windows open.  I have been telling myself - "it is still August, so don't get your hopes up that the weather will stay this way".  Today, however, is September 6, the first day of school, and while driving the boys to school this morning I noticed, not only the cooler air, but also a few trees whose leaves are beginning to take on the colors of Autumn.  So, today, I post the traditional First Day of School pictures....

Did you notice how Trevor is about the same height as Brandon?  Today Brandon begins his Junior year in High School, Trevor begins 8th grade, and Joshua begins 6th grade.  Seems like just yesterday when they looked like this....

Now, instead of Joshua holding his lizard while saying goodbye to his brothers, it is Reagan holding his Cheetah saying goodbye to his brothers....

I am missing my boys already as I post this, and I am hoping they are having a great first day back at school.

Along with the First Day of School pictures, I am changing my blog background to reflect the cooler weather, and coming season....Hooray!!!

Happy Labor Day!

Is it me, or is a holiday right before the very first school day of the year not as exciting as a holiday during the school year?  I miss the year round school that we had in Arizona - loved it!!!!  Onward.... 

Of course, we began our 3-day weekend holiday with donuts.... we even attached a home school lesson on the Labor Unions' (and Socialists') favorite word - "fair".  Chris and I want our kids to learn early on that life is not about fairness....it is about working your hardest and doing your best with what you are given - we want them to be ready to face the real world that awaits them.  Soooo....

we presented them with Dunkin Donuts.....

We explained to them that in all fairness, no one should get a better donut than another person.  Each one of our 6 children received their donut....and then Chris and I broke out the other boxes, because that rule doesn't apply to parents.... :)

....and then we said "just kidding" and everyone got the donut of their choice - WOOHOO!!

So, today we celebrate Labor day.  Hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, soda....and lots of labor too.  My hard working husband is outside power-washing the house and cleaning out the gutters with Trevor and Joshua, Brandon is at Football practice, and the twins and Elli and I have vacuumed out the truck, vacuumed the house, cleaned the kitchen and bedrooms, and are currently climbing through the mountain of laundry hoping to conquer it before the BBQ. 

One of the things I always hate about the night before the first day of school is that we are never trained to go to bed early.  We love to pull "all-nighters" (which usually just means staying up to midnight ;)) during the Summer.  So, hooray for "labor" day as all this hard work today is sure to send us all to bed at a good time tonight! 

What do you think is the one thing I hate the most about starting school tomorrow?  No....not getting up early....I am actually looking forward to starting my day earlier and getting things accomplished earlier.  No...not homeschooling...I am really excited about getting Joshua started on his 6th grade curriculum and having a more structured day.  No....it is not even fighting the flash flood of buses that run through our neighborhoods getting students to school - although I do hate that:).  No....I have to say that I am going to really miss having Brandon and Trevor at home.  I hate that they leave for school at 7 am and don't return until dinner time.  I hate, even more, the hour or so of homework they come home with after spending 8 hours at school.  (I am going to give a shout out here to the greatest school we have experienced - EDUPRIZE - my kids went to school from 7 am to noon every day on a 8 weeks on 2 weeks off schedule - the teachers were hard working and no nonsense, and my kids learned something everyday - Oh I pray we had a school like that here!!)  One thing I learn as I get older is that life is too short to waste time...am I saying school is a waste of time - no - but they do waste a lot of it!!!  I think about how old Brandon and Trevor are, and how much time I have left with them before they are off to start lives of their own, and it makes me sad that 150 days of the year I only see them for a few hours.  That is one reason I love homeschooling!!!  Of course, the other reason would be that those few hours we do have with them are spent correcting liberal ideas that are planted in their brains throughout that long day at school.  Anyway, I digress...Happy Labor Day everyone!

Elli and the Twins...

I love watching Jason and Reagan and Elli playing.  They are so funny to watch - sometimes they share and play so good - other times....well, they work it all out.

We started our day out today with Legos.... 

Reagan was so proud of his house...he came running to me to tell me that he build a "sun-setter retractable roof" onto it!!!  HAHAHA - what other 4 year old says that? 

Then he made it into a tree house.... 

Jason was so proud that he could fit a bed and "Swiper" the character into his house.... 

Elli snuck away to have some play time with her piano, but it wasn't long before the twins joined her....

We have lots of impromptu lessons on sharing and patience and being kind in our house ;)