Good Night?

Last night, after I got the kids in bed, Justin and I watched "Salt" downstairs in our little basement family room. We have an old loveseat that we recently moved down from the play room (which is now Deuce's bedroom). It's not the most comfortable piece of furniture, but it's better than sitting on the floor. Anyway, I think we had the best movie watching experience in recent memory. That's simply because we sat next to each other and actually watched the entire movie together. Normally, he's often on his laptop and I often fall asleep. Plus, we're usually on opposite ends of the couch. Cozied up next to Justin on loveseat, with his big burly arm around me is the best way to view a film. 80) It helps that the movie was good too! I'm looking forward to spending New Years Eve with my husband tonight too!

Deuce didn't do as well last night as he did the night before. He woke up around midnight, and didn't go back to bed until after 2. At one point, he was totally awake and smiling. Little turd! Thankfully, Justin let me go to bed shortly before 2, while he took care of getting the boy back to bed.And then Deuce woke up around 6 this morning.

I love coffee.

Josie, on the other hand, went to bed around 8, and slept in past 7:30. Deuce, try to be more like your sister, please.

Good Morning!

So far, it's shaping up to be a good morning!

Deuce slept through the night! I went to bed later than I should have, but I got 5 straight hours of sleep instead of my sleep being interrupted at least once. I know that if I got more sleep every night, I'd probably feel better during the day.

I worked out (did my 30 Day Shred dvd) early this morning, so I'm feeling great about that. Four days of exercising in a row! One more day this week, and then I'm off for two days. My eating has been on point for 4 straight days too. The biggest test will be when we go to Ohio next month. I HOPE I can stick to my guns and keep eating well. I'm not feeling too confident that I'll lose all the weight I need to (I underestimated - I need to lose 28 lbs to reach my goal) by February 25, but I think I'll come pretty close.

I followed my workout with a delightful cup of coffee and a bowl of scrambled eggs, broccoli and tomatoes! Speaking of eating, I should mention that Deuce has been doing really well eating with a spoon! The other day, I made some broccoli and carrot baby food, and Deuce has been letting me feed them to him. This morning, I fed him oatmeal. I know that he's actually swallowing a lot more when I feed him (instead of feeding himself), and the clean up is so much easier!

Later, the kids and I are going to Kim's house for a little Bible study (she's picking us up). We all get to get out of the house, the kids get to play with the other children there, and I get to spend time with my girl friends, studying God's word. 80) Sounds like a win-win-win situation to me!

I Want to Run...

I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone running and immediately got an ache in my heart, remembering how much I loved to run. In my prime, (late 2004, all of 2005 and part of 2006), I ran miles and miles and miles. I remember getting home from work, getting my running gear on, and going for an enjoyable run. Sometimes I'd go 6 or 8 miles - and not even feel like it. I also remember running 15 miles while training for my marathon, and thinking "this is fun!" I just loved pounding the pavement (or concrete). It didn't matter what the weather was like either. Although, I wasn't a fan of really hot days. But I would totally run in the snow and often in the rain. Anywhere between 45 and 70 degrees was perfect. 80) I know that a lot of people don't understand it, but there's something about long distance running that is different than other types of exercise. For me, the first 1/2 mile or or so was usually tough, but once I got past that, it was smooth sailing for as long as I felt like going. It was definitely euphoric.

Sigh. I hate living in the past. I wish I could blame that stupid sidewalk near Swift and Holmes... But that trip/fall, which injured my knee really messed me up. While, it wasn't a serious injury, I wasn't able to run for a LONG time. And then I got pregnant with Josie. Whatever running skills I had were gone. I ran a few miles here and there, but nothing like it used to be.

I haven't run an organized race since before I got pregnant with Deuce. I ran my marathon 4 1/2 years ago. I don't want that to be my only one. But I am SO far from being in that kind of shape again. My endurance has not been so great lately. Usually, I can run a mile fairly easily, but not much more than that. I tend to run and walk intermittently. Maybe if I were outside and not on a treadmill, I could run farther more easily.

Meh. I just really want to get from where I am (not having as much motivation or endurance) to where I was (when running was a passion and not exercise, and I could go for miles with no problem). I guess all I can do is just start running. Justin and the kids can't afford for me to get hurt, so until Spring comes, I'll have to run inside on a treadmill.

I can do this. I wasn't a marathoner on the first day; it took lots of time and effort to work my way up to that distance. It's going to take time and effort to become a distance runner, but I really want to try.

Proverbs 31:14-16

Proverbs 31:14
KJV - She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
NKJV - She is like the merchant ships, She brings her food from afar.
NIV - She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.

In the same way that merchant ships were valuable in providing people with goods from around the world, a wife of noble character is so valuable to her family, because she is responsible for providing them with food. It is doubtful that she traveled to faraway lands for food (as she was needed at home), but rather purchased a variety of foods that had been imported from various places.

Proverbs 31:15
KJV - She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
NKJV -  She also rises while it is yet night, And provides food for her household, And a portion for her maidservants.
NIV - She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.

At the very least, it seems obvious that she woke up before the rest of her household to tend to some of the day's preparations. She prepared food for both her family and her servants. Of course, we do not have servants today, and most of the meals we make don't require hours and hours of preparation. Nevertheless, getting up early to get ready for the day is a good thing. Plus, it is a great opportunity to spend time with the Lord

Proverbs 31:16
KJV - She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
NKJV - She considers a field and buys it; From her profits she plants a vineyard.
NIV - She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
     
The main idea here is that she considers a field. She is very thoughtful and wise about her decision. And notice that it doesn't say that she consulted with her husband. She made that decision on her own as far as we can tell. Can you imagine buying a piece of land`or a car without your husband's input? The only conclusion I can make is based on verses 11 and 12. Her husband has full confidence in her, and she only makes decisions that she knows will bring him good (prosperity, benefit, etc), and of which he will approve. That is some serious trusting!

It's hard to say if the earnings she used to plant a vineyard were from the field. Perhaps she planted a simple crop in the field, and used profits from selling the harvest to plant the vineyard. Regardless, a virtuous woman is thoughtful and informed when making financial decisions. She is savvy with her money.

***Proverbs 31:14-16 NIV - She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.***

Proverbs 31:12-13

Proverbs 31:12a
KJV - She will do him good and not evil
NKJV - She does him good and not evil
NIV - She brings him good, not harm,

The Hebrew word tove means prosperity, happiness, benefit, etc.

Everything that we say and do should be beneficial and bring prosperity and happiness to our husbands. Yes, this means being selfless and putting our own desires aside for the well-being of our husbands.

There are many ways we can bring/do our husbands good: Keep the home clean/tidy, have dinner planned and prepared, be respectful. A wife's demeanor should also be beneficial to her husband.

Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. - 1 Peter 3:1-2

The Hebrew word rah means distress, misery, injury, calamity, etc. Even though it's probably rarely intentional, all of us have brought harm in one way or another to our husbands.

Proverbs 19:13b - a quarrelsome wife is like the constant dripping of a leaky roof.

In other words, a nagging, argumentative and disrespectful wife is really, really annoying to her husband.

Proverbs 31:12b
KJV
NKJV  > all the days of her life.
NIV

All the days. Everyday, without exception. We are not given days off. A virtuous wife should not say, "today I'm going to be lazy and selfish. Today I'm going to complain, nag, and argue." No, we are expected to always bring good and never bring harm to our husbands. Each and every day.

It seems like an impossible task. But if we are serving the Lord everyday...

Luke 9:23 - 23 Then [Jesus] said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."

... then it should not be difficult to bring good to our husbands. In fact, it will probably be a natural result of following Jesus.

***

Proverbs 31:12a
KJV - She seeketh wool, and flax,
NKJV - She seeks wool and flax,
NIV - She selects wool and flax

In my opinion, "select" does not sufficiently express the original meaning of the text. The word "seek" in Hebrew means to seek with care, enquire of, investigate, ask for.

Jeremiah 29:13:

And you will seek (seek to secure, to desire, demand) Me and find (meet, encounter, acquire) Me when you search (seek with care, enquire of, investigate, ask for) for Me with all your heart.

Luke 11:9-10:

   9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Zeteo in Greek means to seek a thing, to seek in order to find out by thinking, meditating, reasoning, aim at, strive after.

There is importance in the act of seeking. It was not good enough to just to go to the market and pick any wool and flax she found. In the same way, It's not good enough for us wives to select something without first thinking about it, investigating it, and seeking it with care.

Proverbs 31:13b
KJV - and worketh willingly with her hands.
NKJV - and works willingly with her hands.
NIV - and works with eager hands.

In this context, "work" means to make, produce, or prepare something.

Back in the day, it was necessary for a woman to be able to spin wool or flax into yarn in order to weave or knit blankets and clothing for her family. Today, that need is generally not as required, but there is value in working with your hands to create something of value.

The word "eager" or "willingly" is actually a noun in Hebrew - chephets - which means delight, pleasure, desire, longing.

As wives, we must not only be willing and eager to work hard with our hands taking care of things around the home, but we must delight in the tasks at hand.

After the Fall, God told the woman (Eve) her punishment, which would be the punishment for all women:

Genesis 3:16b NIV - "...Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

Again, we have to be selfless and put our own desires aside. As difficult as it is, our husband's desires trump our own.

However, there is hope.

Ephesians 5:25 NIV - Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

If our husbands are loving us like Christ loves the church (ie sacrificially), then they will want our desires to be met. They will want to make us happy as a result of the respect, dignity and happiness that we give them.

*** Proverbs 31:12-13 NKJV - She does him good and not evil All the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands. ***

Proverbs 31:10-11

Proverbs 31:10a
KJV – Who can find a virtuous woman?
NKJV – Who can find a virtuous woman?
NIV – A wife of noble character who can find?

Virtuous - Having moral excellence and admirable qualities.

Proverbs 12:4NIV - A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

A king's crown is what sets him apart from everyone else. It reveals his status, and completes his royal ensemble. In the same way, a wife of noble character (ie admirable or magnificent) completes her husband. A wife is to bring worth to her husband. On the other hand, a disgraceful (ie shameful, blameworthy, dishonorable) wife is like decay or rot in her husband's bones.

Are you a virtuous woman? Do you bring honor or putrescence to your husband?

Proverbs 31:10b
KJV - For her price is far above rubies.
NKJV - For her worth is far above rubies.
NIV - She is worth far more than rubies.

In today's market, rubies run about $300 depending on the size, cut, clarity etc each. But we know that we are worth far more than that, especially if are exemplifying 1 Peter 3:3-4:

1 Peter 3:3-4 (NIV) – Your beauty should not come from outward adornment… Instead it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

In truth, our worth is SO far above rubies. God paid a serious price for each of us.

Christ died for our sins. 1 Corinthians 15:3.
We were bought at a price. 1 Corinthians 6:20

These [trials] have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which  perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. - 1 Peter 1:7.

A woman who is virtuous and noble, who has a gentle and quiet spirit, and who has genuine faith is very valuable to God.

***
Proverbs 31:11a 
KJV – The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her,
NKJV – The heart of her husband safely trusts her,
NIV – Her husband has full confidence in her

To Trust (batach in Hebrew) means to trust, have confidence in, to be bold, to be secure.

We must be so trustworthy that others (especially our husbands) have full confidence and feel safe and secure with us. This is more than physical safety. A husband must be able to trust his wife with his thoughts, emotions, passions, dreams, goals. A wife should never take her husband's feelings lightly. When he wants to share his heart with her, she needs to be his confidant, and keep the revelations of his heart protected and private.

Proverbs 31:11b
KJV - that he shall have no need of spoil.
NKJV - so that he will have no lack of gain.
NIV - and lacks nothing of value.

The Hebrew word shalal means prey, plunder, booty, spoil of war. In other words, that which is taken from the enemy after battle.

The Amplified Bible says it most sufficiently in my opinion:
...so that he has no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest] spoil.

In other words, our husbands should be able to trust us so much that they will not look elsewhere for riches (both tangible and intangible). Everything of value should be found in us. As wives, we need to ensure that our husbands lack nothing of value in his marriage. It is our responsibility to bring respect and worth to our husbands.

In the same way that husbands find value in their wives, so we all find value in knowing Jesus Christ. In Christ we have access to (out of context):

•  Riches of His kindness (Romans 2:4)
•  Riches of His glory (Romans 9:23)
•  Riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God (Romans 11:33)
•  Riches of God’s grace (Ephesians 1:7, 2:7)
•  Riches of His glorious inheritance (Ephesians 1:18)

Colossians 1:27 (NIV) - To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Philippians 3:7-9 (NIV)

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

There is nothing and no one that compares to the greatness of knowing Jesus.

*** Proverbs 31:10-11 (NIV) A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. ***

Changes

I'm looking forward to making some changes in my life.

Starting tomorrow, I'm going to do my best to work out 5 days a week, and eat really well. I want to be at a certain weight by Justin's birthday, which is February 25. That gives me 60 days to drop about 20 lbs, which is about 2.5 lbs a week. I know it won't be easy, but it's doable. And I really need to be eating better. I just have no willpower during the holidays it seems. I'm hoping that being hardcore will help jump start a significant weight loss.

The other changes will hopefully come as a result of deactivating my facebook account.

First and foremost, I want to wake up each morning in prayer and bible reading. This will require me to probably set an alarm (since right now my alarm is Deuce waking up) for pretty early. He usually wakes up any time between 5 and 6 most days. I'm sure there will be mornings he gets up before me, but hopefully 5:30 will be a good time to spend with the Lord. It's not going to be easy, but I want to be diligent in seeking God.

Second, I want to spend more time playing with my kids. This will require me to be more efficient at keeping the house in order. And I also need to recognize when a chore can wait. No one will get hurt if the dishes sit for another hour while I have fun with my children. 80)

Third, I want to start a daily curriculum with Josie. I had a very simple one going for a little while, but stopped  for whatever reason. She's a smart little cookie. She knows all the capital letters of the alphabet by sight. She can sing the song for the most part - she skips a few, and LMNO, doesn't sound much like the letters at all. lol. Plus recently, I've heard her make the letter's sound after she says it. "B, buh," which I think is pretty cool. She is also counting a lot more, recognizing shapes and colors and animals. Her vocabulary is definitely growing too. So, I'm going to try to come up with a short daily lesson /activity (maybe while Deuce is taking his morning nap) to do with her. If I'm going to homeschool, I better start practicing!

Fourth, I want to do a better job at keeping the house in order, without taking too much time away from the kids. I need to be more focused on one task at a time, and not be pulled to and fro between all the different things that need to be accomplished. I love Sesame Street, because I know it's one hour that Josie and Deuce are preoccupied, so I can do housework. But that means I actually have to do chores, and not stand around texting or whatever if I want to get much done in that hour!

Finally, I want to spend more time scrapbooking and doing other creative things. I think if I'm not spending as much time on the computer or in front of the TV, I will hopefully have more time to be creative. I have fallen very behind in my scrapbooks, and need to work hard to get them up to date!

Well, I certainly have my work cut out for me! I know that I can do it - I just need to rely on God's strength. I don't think I'll regret working harder in many different areas of my life, because I'm pretty sure the payoffs will be great. 80)

Countdown to Facebook Elimination

I've been back on facebook for about 2 months, and it did not take me long at all to fall back into my old habits. I really wanted to limit my time on it as much as possible, and spend my days being a good wife and mommy. Don't hear me wrong - I'm not saying that if you use FB, you're a bad spouse or parent. But I think that *I* am. Or at least, I'm not as good as I could be.

My last day is going to be December 31st. I'm starting 2011 facebook free.

10 days left to read pointless, hilarious, maddening and poignant status updates.
10 days left to see pictures of your beautiful families.
10 days left to have any idea what's going on in many of your lives.

I really hope that deactivating my FB account will help me get my priorities straight. Hopefully my house, my kids, and my Bible will get more attention from me.






Please keep in touch! My email address is sarahbearjones@gmail.com. If you email me, I'd be happy to give you my mailing address too, if you want it. I'm actually looking forward to writing letters and sending cards. 80)


Love everyone!!

One Day More

Well, I'll admit that I am looking forward to getting back on facebook, but not in an obsessive, addictive kind of way. I miss a lot of my friends, and I miss being in "the know." Now don't get me wrong, sometimes ignorance really is bliss. I missed some drama, and that is always a good thing. I think I need to lay down some ground rules for myself. Otherwise, I can see how I could potentially start spending way too much time on it.

1. The kids must be asleep prior to going on Facebook. I can't neglect them when they're napping or down for the night.

2. The house must be tidy prior to going on Facebook. Dishes done, toys and other things picked up.

3. I have a maximum of 30 minutes each time I'm on Facebook.

Hopefully these rules help me realize that FB is not at the top of my priority list. The question I now have to ask myself is: What will become of my blog? Is it obsolete? Nah, I suppose I can update it now and then. 80)

Okay, time to enjoy this lovely day with my kiddos!

Boring?

My life has been pretty boring lately. At least probably too boring to blog about it. Or maybe I'd rather relax and/or nap when I have a free hour to myself than talk about all the uninteresting facets of my life. Well anyway, let's play a little catch up.

My mind is blank. I can't think of anything exciting to write about.

See, this is why I don't blog.

Well, last Friday we had our second monthly Mommies of Blessings meeting. It was small and low-key, but a good time. I'm really looking forward to November's meeting, because I think we'll have a great turnout. Plus it's a craft night, and I've got tons of scrapbooking to do! Speaking of that, I ordered over 200 photos last week, and finally got them last night. I'm anxious to get started on some new layouts.

Deuce had a doctor's appointment on Monday, and he has gained no weight no gotten longer. Kinda weird. He was in the 105th and 95th percentiles for length and weight respectively, and now he's closer to the 60-70th percentiles. We need to check  back in a month to make sure he's growing. I can't explain his lack of length growth, but he has been moving a lot, which is probably why he didn't gain weight.

Josie is still teeny. She still can't wear a lot of her 24 month clothes. She's a great eater, so I'm not exactly sure why she isn't gaining much weight. We're trying to give her more high calorie foods like cookies and ice cream and soda. Totally kidding of course.

What else?

Last night, Mo, Raven, Kim and I surprised our friend Julie to a Girls Night Out! Her husband was in on it too. We made signs saying "We <3 You!" and "Surprise Girls Night!!" and stood outside her door making noise until she came out. She had no clue! And thankfully, she was in the mood to go out haha! We ended up going to Culver's and ordering cheese curds, onion rings and custard. I totally stuffed my face as usual. We all sat and talked for over 2 hours, but it didn't feel long enough. It was a really great time just hanging out! Plus, Julie said she had fun, and that's what matters most.

And to make matters even better, the kids were so good for Justin. I drove separately just in case he really needed me to come home, but thankfully he didn't. Deuce went to bed easily before 8, and Josie shortly after 9. I wish it were like that every time I have to put the kids to bed.

Speaking of beds, we're talking about moving the kids down to the main floor. For those who have never been to our house, there are 2 small rooms off the living room and kitchen currently being used as a playroom and a spare bedroom. If we move Josie and Deuce downstairs, I'm not sure what we'll do with the extra bed. Currently their room is enormous and directly connected to our "bedroom." I use that word loosely, because it's really a landing at the top of the stairs. Anyway, I think it would be really cool if we could make the big room into a  tv & movie watching/ game playing/ book reading/ relaxing space for us and friends. Maybe it would be a little weird to walk through our bedroom to get there, but anyone who has an issue with that probably isn't our friend anyway. It's just too bad Divine Design is located in Toronto, because I bet Candice Olsen could make that space like awesome! We've got a lot of work cut out for us, but I think it could be fun. 80)

Justin has been on 1st shift for the last couple of weeks. He was asked to help out for a month with a good possibility of it being a longer term situation. Unfortunately, that's not the case, and he'll only be on 1st for another week. He's going to be going to Oklahoma for some job training soon. At least he won't be gone as long as he was last time. When he gets back, he'll be back on 3rd shift until something else comes along.

Tonight is bible study. I really hope we can go as a family, since we haven't been to church together for awhile now. This past Sunday, I went with just Deuce, while Justin stayed home with poopy Josie. And the week before that, Justin went by himself and I stayed home with both kids.

Tomorrow there's gonna be a big shindig over at Kim and Ty's house. I don't know what the plans are, but I hope the guys don't do their thing, and leave the girls to tend to all the children. I'm sure we'll have a good time just hanging out! Kim said she's making a cake to celebrate Raven and my birthdays haha. Raven's was on the 18th, and mine is this coming Saturday.

And you know what happens on my birthday? I turn 31. Holy cow I'm old. (Shannon, if you're reading this, I'm sorry I missed your birthday! I hope you had a great day!) Also, my 2 months without Facebook come to an end. It'll be weird getting on after so long. I really want to limit my time so I'm not consumed by it. My blog will be pretty outdated then - or at least the name will haha.

My mother in law is coming into town next week, and staying until Tuesday. I definitely have intentions of taking advantage of a short-term live-in babysitter. Hopefully, Justin and I will get to go on a date. We're taking Josie to a Fall party and trick or treating in South Milwaukee on the 31st while Judy watches Deuce. It will be nice to give Josie some 2 on 1 attention, which she hasn't had since Deuce was born. We're cheap, and she's going as an Ohio State cheerleader since she already had the outfit. I'd like to get some fun red ribbons for her hair, and maybe decorate a bag/bowl to look like a pom-pom. Other than that, I'm not spending any money. I'm also hoping to go to Joann's sans children to get some scrapbook supplies. Hopefully I'll get to spend a little time with Judy while she's here!

After she leaves, the kids and I are driving to Toledo to visit my parents. Last time my mom came up, my dad wanted to come, but had to stay back because of work. I figured he'd really like to see the kids especially. I don't know what we'll do, but it should be a good time. I might even bring scrapbook stuff to work on!

Okay, apparently I did have a lot to write about. Now, I better find out what my children are doing!

There Ain't No Time for a Donut When God is in the House

An evangelist named Jeremy Prohaska is preaching at church every night this week, and I know that God is going to keep revealing Himself. Here are some of the things I got from tonight's sermon:

Isaiah 6:1-8.

In the year King Uzziah died,

• King Uzziah did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. He sought God during the days of Zechariah. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success. 2 Chronicles 26:4-5.
• Pride was King Uzziah's downfall. While trying to light incense in the temple (something only the Levites, who were consecrated to do so), he was suddenly stricken with a skin disease, and eventually died from it.
• It wasn't until after King Uzziah died that

I saw the Lord seated on a throne,

• King Uzziah represents everything that hinders us from seeing God.
• Isaiah saw the Lord, and lived to tell about it!

high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.

• God is HOLY!
• He is high and lifted up, greater than anything on this earth.  
• If we could just get a glimpse of God's glory...  

Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: with two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.

• Seraph literally means "burning ones."
• Isaiah's vision of Seraphim is the only one that refers to celestial beings

And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory."

• The seraphim fly around and shout nonstop,
• The LORD Almighty is holy,
• The whole earth is full of his glory.
• Holiness means absolute purity - in both action and thought.

At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

• No special effects here, just God's holiness
• I'm trying to imagine something so awesome and powerful 

"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined!

• Isaiah was a prophet, a man of God, at least by human standards.
• Yet when he stood before the LORD,  his sin was revealed.
• When we truly see God for who He is, we realize how far from Him we are.

For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips,

• First Isaiah realized that he was (generally) a sinner ("I am ruined").
• Then he realized that he was (more specifically) a man of unclean lips.
• And he was surrounded by people of unclean lips 
• The presence of God reveals our sins to us - and sometimes others.

and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."

• We must be wowed by God again.
• We are constantly trying to bring God down to our level, when we need to be rising up to His.
• 1 Peter 1:15-16 - Be holy because God is holy. 

Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."

• In the same way the coal cleansed Isaiah, the blood of Jesus cleanses our sins.
• Jesus was the ultimate atonement for our sins.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send?" And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am i. Send me!"

• This was not a commandment on God's part, but a volunteering on Isaiah's part.
• Isaiah was committed to God personally. We must be committed to Jesus Christ, the person, not the cause of Christianity.
• Would that I have the boldness to say (and mean) "Send me!" 

Where Have I Been?

Okay, it's harder keeping up a blog than I thought, especially with a 2 year old and an almost 8 month old. I don't even know what has happened since I last blogged 16 days ago. Please don't mind the bevy of random thoughts.

I'm over halfway through my facebook fast. I don't miss it at all. That's not to say I won't log on October 23 and attempt to catch up.

I've gained 6 pounds in the past couple months. Today I got back on the Weight Watchers wagon for the 400th time. If I'm going to meet my goal in late February, I've got to get my act in gear.

Deuce is crawling all over the place, and even pulling himself up to his knees. I wonder if he'll be our early walker. I can't get over how good looking he is. I think it's all that hair he has combined with his blue eyes. He is also enormous. He and Josie can basically wear the same size clothes.

Speaking of Josie, how can someone be so adorable and aggravating at the same time? She's been quite noisy lately. I've been trying to teach her to use her inside voice, with no success. I know it's just a phase, so I'm not too worried, but the yelling, screaming and crying does get annoying.

On a positive note, she is learning more and more words and phrases. I love that she knows all of her letters and she can count up to 15. As much as she  likes books, I hope she becomes an avid reader.

I've been going to The Church in Wisconsin for 2 months, and I'm finally starting to get used to it. I admit, it doesn't quite feel like home, but I know that's only a matter of time. I'm growing spiritually, so I can't complain. I still miss Pastor David though.

Last Friday was our first Mommies of Blessings meeting. MOBs is a group for moms with kids in grade school or younger that I'm helping to lead. Our first meeting was a success! I can't wait till the next one in a couple weeks!

My mom was in town for a few days this past week. It's always nice when the grandmas visit, because that means I get a little bit of a break. It was a pretty low-key week, but we did spend most of the day at Bayshore Mall. I didn't realize that the distance between my house and Bayshore is about the same as to Southridge. I think I'm going to visit Bayshore a little more often, because it is so nice.

On Wednesday, we ditched church and went out to eat instead, while my mom babysat the kids. Justin and I and Jon and Mo went to Comet Cafe on the East side of Milwaukee. Justin and Jon each got this enormous sandwich called the Local Yokel.  Mo's meal "sucked," and I got the old standby - a marinated tofu sandwich. To all you haters out there - it was delicious.

We went to Culver's for dessert. I'm kinda anxious to try the new pumpkin cheesecake concrete mixer. I'll save it for a day when I have lots of points leftover.

Yesterday I took the kids for a walk/run by the lake. We went past the condos on Lake Drive, and then around to the trail on the lake side of the buildings. It's so pretty being that close to the lake, but I wish  there was a little more shade. The kids were baking, and uncomfortable. That's when I started running to try to get to the wooded area where it's more shady.

I really like the show Parenthood. It's entertaining and I really like the characters. Last night, Raven came over and we watched 3 episodes together. We also ate some yummy, homemade kettle corn, M&Ms and apple crisp. (I can't figure out why I gained any weight...). Afterward, we had some girl talk, which I always love.

This morning, the kids and I went to TCIW for a weekly playdate. This is the first time we went though. It was nice talking with a few girls from church. I don't know if we'll get there every week, but I'll try to get there every once in awhile.

Well, the house is a mess. I've got dishes today, laundry to wash, toys to pick up, floors to clean, and a daughter to tend to. I'll try not to wait as long to check in next time.

Ride

Currently, our family vehicle is a 2000 aqua Chevy Cavalier. It is TIGHT. I actually meant that figuratively in a sarcastic way, but in all reality, it's tight literally. With the two car seats in the back, there's barely room for a normal sized human to fit in the front passenger seat. Don't get me wrong, this car was great for me before I was a parent, but it is by no means a car for babies in Britax (read humongous) car seats.

Justin and I plan to have more children. At least one, no more than three. We have got to get another, bigger vehicle before reproduction occurs. We've been talking about getting a new vehicle for a while. We have been focusing on a variety of 3rd row SUVs, because I will never NEVER never drive a van. Cool parents drive SUVs, right?

But then, I talked to my mom, and she talked some sense into me. Yeah yeah, vans are more practical for families with small children. They get better gas mileage, blah blah. They're roomier and drive more smoothly, yadda yadda. But they just aren't COOL...

Give me a P.
Give me an R.
Give me an I, D, E!

What did you spell? Pride! Say it again. Pride! What do I want?

Humility. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. I want to show my children what it means to love and serve Christ. What it means to be set apart from the world - not to be transformed or controlled by it. I want my children to know and believe that material things don't matter. So, Lord forgive me for my pride.

A van it is. Well, will be, someday.

This video helps too. Maybe vans ARE cool!

Swagger Wagon

Stomach=Blech...Heart=Yea!

What a blessed day I had!

This morning, Mo came over so we could bake some food and hang out together. Except for Josie's meltdowns the first 15 minutes (I ended up putting her in the pack n play so she could whine by herself, and she ended up sleeping for 3 hours!), it was a great time! We made sugar cookies, cinnamon rolls and strawberry bread. Of the 3, the strawberry bread was the winner. Very very yummy! We totally ate cookies and strawberry bread for lunch.

My eating didn't get any better as the day went on.

My mother in law is in town, and she watched the kiddos while I went over to Kim's house to visit. Mo and Raven were there too. We ate more junk food. My nutritional intake was so poor today, salsa was my only vegetable. Seriously, how sad is that? But we really had a good visit. I have such wonderful friends! I am so blessed to have them in my life!

My tummy is finally starting to feel a little better, but junk food filled diets are BAD. Tomorrow is a new day to make healthy decisions, physically and spiritually!

Ketchup

It's been a few days since I've written in my blog, so I thought I would play a little catchup.


Monday: Labor Day. Holidays are kind of pointless for us based on Justin's schedule. This past year or so he's been either working or sleeping during holidays. So, they get treated like any other day for the most part. Monday was no exception. The kids and I met my friend, Sarah, and her baby, Carson at Panera for lunch. We had a nice, albeit short visit. That was as exciting as it got that day.

Tuesday: I worked out with Mo early at the Y. I definitely I haven't been using my membership as muc as I ought to. Later, Kim very generously watched Josie and Deuce for about an hour while I went to an appointment on the east side. I visited her for awhile afterward. That night I had bible study at my house. Since it starts at 9, I like to call it "Night Owl Bible Study." We had the most people ever: 4, including me! Maybe next week, we'll have 5?! Kim and Sarah, and her friend, Christina came and we studied Romans 3. It took us an hour to get through the chapter, and then chatted for another couple hours.

Wednesday: I took the kids to Wal-mart to pick up a few groceries and a couple other things. Then we went to visit Raven and Max and Silas. I love that Josie is talking a bit more and interacting with other kids a little better. Lately she's been showing unsolicited affection, which is sweet. Deuce is at the point where I can usually put him on the floor, and he's pretty content. This works great for Mommy, because then I get to have an adult conversation. We had lunch there, and stayed till nap time. Last night we had church. Justin had to work, so it was just the kids and me. I'm really glad that the kids go downstairs for a little program/play time while the adults have bible study. I didn't participate that much, partly because Deuce was a bit cranky and hard to keep content. We started a study on the book of 1 John. Who knows how long it'll last, but it should be good.

Today: I decided to make waffles for breakfast. It was nice sitting down for breakfast with the whole family. (Hey, does anyone know how to keep waffles crispy? Every time I make them they're crispy when I take them off the iron, but get chewy after a few minutes on the plate.) Josie had to get some blood drawn this morning to check for lead levels since we live in an older home. I was impressed with how well she took it. She didn't cry or whimper or move much at all. I let her have her pacifier (right now it's only for sleeping) and I sang her a couple songs during the process. I'm so happy that it went so smoothly. Shortly after we got home, I got the kids ready to leave again. We stopped at Target for a quick diaper purchase (126 for $19.53 - not bad), and then went to Sam's for a play date with her kiddos. I think Deuce got more attention from the girls than he'd prefer. He better get used to girls giving him a lot of attention haha.

Well, it's Josie's naptime, as soon as I get up. I have plenty to do, but an afternoon nap always sounds delightful. I don't have plans for tonight or tomorrow yet, but Justin's mom is coming into town on Saturday, and staying until Tuesday. This means 4 days of sleeping in if I want!

Okay, I smell poop.

Oh, one more thing: Deuce started crawling this week.

Faith, Family, Friends

Today was a good day, full of my 3 favorite things.

After the kids and I woke up this morning, I realized that if I had a sense of urgency, we could go to Bible study before church. We made it just as it was starting. I let Josie play with the toys, while I attempted to sit and pay attention. I wasn't totally successful, but I'm glad I went. I will definitely make an effort to get out the door by 8:30 every Sunday.

Several people were out of town for the weekend, including two-thirds of worship leaders. Plus the keyboard was being serviced. Pastor Terry played the guitar, which is not what he normally does, and Greg played the drums. They seemed to manage pretty well. And I learned that "When The Saints Go Marching In" is actually a pretty good praise song. I never knew the lyrics! I really enjoyed service today. Maybe it had something to do with Kim and Emily taking care of my kids so I could worship and listen to the sermon undistracted.

We hung out and talked to some people after service, and then went home to eat lunch and take naps. I love family naptime, even if we are all in separate places. Well, Deuce and I usually snooze together. Anyway, I woke up after 5, and the kids were still out. Justin and I shared a nice conversation (I always like when we chat) while I prepared supper. The kids woke up, and we all sat at the table (Deuce sat in his exersaucer) and ate a late supper.

After church this morning, I had been invited by Matt and Bri Thundercloud to go over to their house with some other people for a fire. I ended up taking the kids over there around 8, but since it was drizzling, we stayed inside. I don't know exactly how many people were there, but I had some great conversations. Even though my besties weren't there, I was really comfortable talking and getting to know people. I'm looking forward to growing closer to my friends from church. 80)

We didn't get home until almost 11. And then I felt the need to stay up late watching TV and making strawberry lemonade. Now my kitchen is a disaster, and I just want to go to bed...

Family Time

It's been a great few days for the Jones Family!

We all went to Bible Study on Wednesday night. It's the first time we've been able to go to church together in several weeks. The discussion was good, but short. We stopped at Sonic on the way home, and I had some tots and a Sonic Blast! My kind of late night snack!

Thursday, we had a date night scheduled with another couple, but it ended up being just the two of us. I'm so thankful to my friend Kim for watching the kids so we could enjoy a quiet dinner together. Justin told me that he liked getting out with just me, because he was reminded how much he loves me. 80) We stopped in and visited with the Bessas (Raven and her boys were there too) for a while after dinner. After the kids were put to bed, we had a nice conversation about our kids and the future.

This evening, I prepared an experimental recipe, and it was a hit. I'm so glad that my Easy Cheesy Calzones turned out so well. Let me know if you want the recipe! I also made peanut butter cup cookies that were delicious! It's always so nice to have dinner together as a family at the kitchen table. Justin doesn't have to work tonight or tomorrow night either. So, we're going to watch a movie tonight. I'm not sure what tomorrow night has in store.

I'm just so blessed to have such a great husband and family!

Hone

Second Timothy 3:16-17 : All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Another way to say "God-breathed" is "inspired by God."  This got me thinking about the word "inspire."

According to the dictionary, inspire  means: to influence, move, or guide by divine or supernatural inspiration ; to exert an animating, enlivening, or exalting influence on; to spur on. It also has meant:: to breathe or blow into or upon and to infuse (as life) by breathing.

So, when we are inspired, it means that life has been breathed into us. Because Scripture is inspired by God, it will also give us life if we partake in it. What happens when we stop being inspired - when we are no longer moved, animated, or breathed into? The exact opposite of the word "inspire" is "expire." Expire means to breathe one's last breath. That is, it means to die. We must be inspired to live.


We should be inspiring each other in our daily walk with Jesus. I believe that God breathed life into the word so that we could receive it and then "breathe" it into other people. The word of God is useful, so we should use it! The Bible is good for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training.Without it we would not be prepared to do the good works God wants us to do.


Whatever is necessary for teaching and training regarding the Lord can be found in Scripture. In addition, when we rebuke and correct our brothers and sisters, both the reason for the exhortation and ways to correct the sin need to be backed up with Scripture. At the same time, we as believers ought to be open to learn, be rebuked, corrected and trained. This is how we become equipped.


Sometimes I think it's easy to use the Bible to point out another person's flaws, but we have to realize that there is a specific way to guide our brothers and sisters in Christ to make Godly decisions.

1. According to 1 Timothy 5:1, you do not harshly criticize believers just because you think they are in the wrong. Exhort older men and women as if they were your parents; be gracious and respectful. Exhort younger men and women as if they were your siblings; be kind and encouraging. Most importantly, make sure that you are pure in your exhortations. By that, I mean, be certain your intentions are good and you do not currently struggle with the same sins. It is never a good thing to be hypocritical. 

2. Jesus tells us how to respond when someone directly wrongs us. In Matthew 18:15-17, He says  ¹⁵"If your brother sins against you,go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. ¹⁶But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' ¹⁷If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

I believe that the church has a hard time receiving exhortation and correction. It is insulting and offensive for someone else to tell us when we're wrong. "Who do you think you are? You don't know me like that. Don't judge me." (Wow that sounds like it came straight from a Jerry Springer episode.) It has almost become cliche, but it is still so true: IRON SHARPENS IRON.

Be inspired by God's word to live righteously. And be inspired to encourage one another to live righteously as well. The day we stop being inspired is the day we start dying.

Proverbs 31

Sometimes I think I'm awesome. My husband is so blessed to have me as his wife. And even though my kids don't know it yet, they've got a rockin mom.

Then I read Proverbs 31:10-31 and maybe I'm not as awesome as I had thought... Let's take it verse by verse.


10. A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

This is obviously subjective. I'd like to think that Justin sees that I'm worth more than jewels.

11. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

I don't think he has full confidence in me, at least not yet. As for the value, I'm not exactly sure to what is being referred. Spiritual value or monetary value? Either way, I definitely lack in some areas.

12. She brings him good not harm all the days of her life.

I wish this were true! I wish I could say that I have never said a hurtful word to my husband. I definitely desire to be a good wife. 

13. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. 

This just doesn't apply to me at all. Although, I do want to be more eager to do things with my hands other than type. 

14. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.

Well, I do go to the Wal-mart on 27th for groceries even though Pick n Save is a lot closer. That's got to count for something that I'm willing to haul both kids out there in order to save some money. 

15. She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.

I do not like to get up while it is still dark. When this happens, it's the kids' fault, and usually Sesame Street gets turned on, and  I snooze on the couch for an hour. I know I know. But, I do make most of the meals, even if they're really simple sometimes. However, I do not have servant girls. A maid would be nice though. 

16. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

I did buy this house with my own cash money. Okay, that's not true. I got a loan. Anyway, I did have a garden for a couple years. But it wasn't my own money. My husband earned the money to plant it.

17. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.

This most definitely is not the case. That is, the "work vigorously" part. I do get motivated at times and bust my butt. However, it's not an everyday thing. However, have you seen my guns? 

18. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.

Maybe I should get on Ebay or Craigslist. Yes, I turn out the lights at night when I go to bed. Is that a bad thing? 

19. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her her fingers.

If this has anything to do with sewing, it does not apply to me at all. I lack in that area of being a woman. 

20. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.

For sure I need to improve in this part of my life. I need to be more selfless and help those who are in need. 

21. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

That's right. Scarlet and Gray. Go Buckeyes! 

22. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. 

Totally untrue. Although, I think it's okay that I don't know how to sew, and that I don't like to wear linen because it wrinkles so easily. 

23. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

If by "city gate" you mean the USPS processing plant in Milwaukee, then sure. 

24. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.

Again with the sewing! 

25. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

 Now we're talking. I want to be strong and dignified. But at the same time, I know that my strength is from the Lord. And, I'm okay if people think I'm not worthy of respect, but only if they are against God, and not my own behavior. Oh, I do laugh. At the past, present and future.
 

26. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

The only way I'm going to speak with wisdom and give faithful instruction is if I am in the word, seeking God daily. I need to be teachable, or I will never be able to teach. (Ooh that's deep.) At the same time, I want the boldness to give instruction as it's needed.

27. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

I take care of the kids and the house at least. As for idleness, I'm learning and improving. I certainly enjoy my veg time, but I'm getting better at accomplishing certain tasks before I turn into a total bum. 

28. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

They don't say that yet, but I do feel blessed. I think my husband thinks I'm all right for the most part. 

29. "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." 

There is no way that I surpass most wives, let alone all of them. I have so much work to do to improve. 

30. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Smooth talking won't work, and how I look really doesn't matter all that much. But I do fear the LORD, and that's a good thing. 

31. Give her the rewards she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

In other words, a vacation is in order.  ;0)

Obviously, there are some cultural aspects to this passage of scripture. Some things just do not apply to me. What speaks to me the most about being a better wife are:

1. Bringing only good (respect) to my husband

2. Working eagerly and vigorously, not being idle

3. Having strength, dignity and wisdom

I think that if I consistently show Justin respect, if I work hard to keep the house (and children) in order, and if I stay strong through hardships, live a dignified Christian walk, and speak with wisdom, I will undoubtedly become a better wife. But the most important thing I can do as a wife is to pray for my husband.

Jesus, I lift up Justin to You, and pray that You would move in his life in a mighty way. Draw him to You so that You can reveal Yourself to him. I ask that Your hand of protection would be upon him while he works through the night. Give him your strength and peace. And God, please help me to be a better wife: more submissive and respectful, working hard, and seeking strength, dignity and wisdom. May it be Your will, Lord. Amen.

Drama

I have realized that it doesn't matter how old you are, there will always be a certain amount of drama in your life, if you allow it. Some people definitely cause more drama than others, and some people create more drama than others. There is a distinction. I see in my own life that I have been the culprit of both I am quite opinionated about certain things. Therefore I have expressed those opinions, knowing that what I said could be interpreted negatively. On the other hand, I have created drama by choosing to be offended by what someone else says. I can also choose not to be offended, and let it slide off my back.

Anyway, facebook wouldn't be facebook without drama. It simply cannot be avoided. Someone is undoubtedly going to update a status, write a note, post a comment, or share a link that irks someone else. That's what happens when you put all your opinions and feelings out in the world for everyone (or well, your "friends") to see.

If you're the type that is more likely to offend, maybe censor what you post. If you're the type that is more likely to be offended, get over it. I guarantee it's not that serious. If you're guilty of both, take a break from facebook and enjoy the peace!

Okay, I'm just kidding, because there's always drama with or without fb. However, I'm just starting to prefer the Mama drama. For example: This morning I had Deuce buckled into his carseat, ready to go out the door. I just needed to get Josie and...*insert loud squirty fart noise* Really? I go to change his diaper, and see that it's all up his back; so I have change his outfit too. Currently my drama is almost all about my kids. And right now, they're too young to talk back or post mean things on facebook about me.

It's a Frozen Custard Kinda Day

That was basically my first thought upon waking up this morning. I wasn't exactly sure where I was going to get the custard - but consuming some was definitely my main goal for the day.

I don't particularly like Saturdays. It's the first day of the weekend for most families. Husbands are home from work. Families do stuff together. This has not been the case for our family in quite some time. My husband works 3rd shift, and his nights off are Wednesday and Thursday. This really means nothing, because he sleeps during the day whether he works that night or not. So, realizing that most people have plans on Saturdays, and it's just me and the kiddos, I tend to get restless and a little jealous.

Now don't get me wrong. Justin has a good job. He has a great salary and great benefits and unless he brings a weapon to work, he's not going to lose his job. Plus, he actually enjoys doing what he's doing now, just not the hours.

I don't know, maybe I'm being a whiny baby. Christians on the other side of the globe are being imprisoned, tortured and killed for the cause of Christ, and I have the audacity to complain about not having something fun to do on a Saturday. Nonetheless, I made plans.

First, I took the kids over to Mo's house after lunch to eat some dessert. I also picked up my Pampered Chef stuff that was delivered. (Thanks Mom for the early birthday gifts!) We didn't stay too long, because I had sort of planned to meet Kim and her kids at Kopps (see the 2nd sentence) for some more dessert. Don't judge me. When I left, I called Kim, and found out that she wouldn't be able to get to Kopps until right around Josie's naptime. I decided to drive out there myself. There are like 100 streets between Lake Dr (any farther east and you're in Lake Michigan) and 76th St. Driving out there at like 1pm in a warm car (no A/C), I don't know why it didn't occur to me that my children, especially Josie, would fall asleep. The least she could've (why is there a red squiggly line under "could've?" Since when is this not an acceptable contraction?) done was to zonk out *after* I got my custard. And of course, Kopps doesn't have a drive thru. Knowing that this was going to be her only nap of the day, I decided to drive around for an hour before I about put myself to sleep. 

Don't you fret. I got a nutter butter sundae at Culver's. 80)

I didn't get much of my wifely duties accomplished today either. Like I said earlier, I accomplished my goal. Anyway, there are clean dishes on one side of the sink, and dirty dishes on the other. There are clean clothes to be put away, clean clothes to be folded, wrinkled clothes in the dryer and wet clothes in the washer. But there's a limited number of toys to be tripped over.

I did get some things accomplished though. In addition to my custard consumption, I also took a pretty lengthy nap. I read almost the entire first chapter of 1 Peter (I got interrupted with something, and never went back to it). I watched a somewhat interesting show on the History Channel. And I read a bunch of entertaining blog entries by a young pastor. My favorite so far is:

The one time Jesus did get wailed on: that time he got beat for a solid day and then got nailed to a piece of wood, and was legally dead for three days – that one time…even that couldn’t keep him down! Nothing’s more manly than standing back up from a royal beating, especially one that leaves you dead. And then he hunts down his friends who shrieked and ran off like a bunch of pre-teen girls when he was arrested…and Peter thinks Jesus is going to wail on him now…but instead they just hugged it out. That’s what guys do. They don’t hold stupid grudges. They hug it out. Manly. (From Jesus was a Scowling, Heartbreaking Lumberjack)

And then, I got a strong urge to go on facebook. This is the first time really since I vowed to abstain for 2 months. I resisted by typing up this blog. I enjoy writing. When I was in high school, my English teacher told me I would be a good fiction writer. I never pursued it, but I have often thought about writing a book. It has never gotten much further than my brain. Anyway, I'm saying this because if I love to write, and supposedly I'm not horrible at it (I at least have pretty good grammar and spelling skills), you would think I'd have a better blog. I'll get working on that.

But before I do that, I need to go to bed. It's going to be a short night and a long (blessed) day tomorrow!

Cute Kids

Yesterday was kind of a rough day in terms of being a mom. It wasn't my first, and it certainly won't be my last. And I am totally okay with that. We have great kids (and God-willing, we'll have 1 or 2 more)! I need to treasure every minute I have, because I know that time is just going to fly by. Justin reminded me this morning that even though I work my butt off everyday, I get to be with the kids, unlike him. So, I will count every day as a blessing, no matter how many dishes I have to wash, how much poop I have to clean up, how many floors I have to sweep, how many clothes I have to fold... 80)

Here are a few videos I took of the kids the last few days. I hope you enjoy!

What a Day

I'm not exactly sure when last night ended and this morning began. Between Deuce waking up multiple times and one of Josie's Elmo toys going off randomly throughout the night, I had a rough time waking up this morning. I finally got off my butt around 9, and I was moving almost nonstop until after Josie went down for her nap. Here's basically how my day went (not necessarily in chronological order):

Wake up. Wash dishes. Feed Josie breakfast. Clean top of fridge. Something stinks. Deuce (and bouncy seat) is poopy. Take diaper off, and lay on playroom mat. Start bathwater. Pee all over playroom floor. Bathe Deuce. Remove alphabet floor mat. Sweep floor. Wash, rinse, dry and sticky roll each tile and letter/number. Something stinks again. Did I change Josie's diaper when she woke up? Remove diaper and pajamas. Give her a quick shower. Take out trash. Put mat back in place. Feed Josie lunch. Laundry. Wash dishes. Put Josie down for her nap. Take a shower. More laundry. Vacuum. Watch TV with Deuce. Bake homemade bread. Prepare dinner. Eat. Put Deuce to bed. Attempt to relax. Listen to Josie whine while I write this blog.

Still to come: Put Josie to bed. More laundry, more dishes, more picking up, and hopefully some relaxation! Wait, who am I kidding? I'm putting Josie to bed, and saving everything else until the morning. I'm way too tired (no nap for me again today!) to be productive tonight.

I have no idea how I got anything accomplished when I spent so much time on facebook. I don't miss fb, but I am starting to miss some of the people I only spoke to on it. I'd love some email/phone correspondence too.

Facebook Who?

What an enjoyable and (socially) productive day I had!

The boy woke up hungry at about 5 this morning, and was ready to face the day by 5:45. Josie woke up shortly after that I think I got a total of 4 hours of sleep. I'm not complaining, because it's my own fault for being such a night owl. Every once in awhile, I ask Justin to watch the kids while I get a little bit more sleep, but I had already decided that this morning I was going to take the dog for a walk.

Poor Waldo doesn't get exercised enough. I have plenty of excuses, but none of them are really that good. It comes down to the fact that I'm selfish and lazy. Anyway, I took him for a much needed 30 minute walk. It was a great way to start the day. We walked around the neighborhood and through Sheridan Park. Early mornings are so lovely. And Waldo is such a good walker (thanks to about $800 in training). I think I'll have to make this a weekly (I know it should be daily, but I'm trying to be realistic) thing.

When I got home, I did some housework and hung out with the kids. Honestly I don't remember exactly what I did between 7 and 9:30. Actually, at some point we started getting ready to go to South Shore Park to meet Tracey and Lilly and anyone else who decided to come. I grabbed some fuel at Starbucks (a Java Chip Frap this time), and we got to the park around 9:45. Does anyone really care about time? I don't know why I feel the need to be so accurate with time. Well, Margaret and Mikko and Margaret's MIL, Julie, were there. Raven and her boys came a little later too. It's not exactly easy holding an adult conversation at the park while keeping an eye on (and often chasing after) a toddler, but it's nice having people around that I know and love.

Josie loves the park. She really enjoyed the slides today. It took her awhile to get comfortable enough with them to slide down by herself. She did plenty of that at the park today. Another thing she enjoyed was climbing. You know the ladder thing that as rungs that are u-shaped and starts going vertically and then goes horizontally? Well, Josie climbed that several times this morning, and twice without me. This wasn't by choice. When I saw that she was almost across the top, I ran over to her to make sure she didn't fall. What a brave little girl she is. Or naive. Either way, you go girl!

Deuce was a good little guy too. He didn't get fussy until right before we left because he was tired and hungry. He's been sitting up really well, so I had him sitting in the grass for awhile, and later we sat on the playground equipment while Josie climbed up and slid down the slide. Yeah, I let my kid climb up the slide. It's good for her motor development.

We came home around lunchtime. Shortly after that, Mo and Kennedy came over with some crumb cake. I of course had to sample a piece. I love coffee/crumb cakes. Kennedy and Josie played while Mo and I chatted, like we're known to do from time to time. ;0)

By the time they left, it was almost 3, and Josie needed a nap! I tried getting some more housework done, and then eventually, I got Deuce to fall asleep, and I got a little snooze in myself. I love naps, but I prefer when they're longer - like in the 2 hour range haha. I know I'm spoiled.

It was after 5 when I got up. I quickly got ready for Bible Study and started preparing dinner for Josie. Just leftovers, so no big deal. I had to wake her up around 5:45. That girl is such a good napper. As usual, we were rushed getting ready for church, but got there with a little time to spare. I enjoyed studying study tonight. It was the first one at the new church that I've been to, and it was nice sharing thoughts with each other about God's word. It was after 9 when we finally left.

The kids are in bed, the dishes are done, the house is relatively tidy, and I am tired!

And I barely thought about checking facebook today. This is a lot easier than I expected it to be. I'm not sure I want everyday to be as busy as this one, but it was nice staying active enough not to want to sit on my computer aimlessly for hours.

So now I think I'll read the last chapter in Galatians and then snuggle with my hubby before I crash.

Thank You, Jesus for such a blessed day! Amen.

"Perfect" Strawberry Lemonade

The other day while grocery shopping, a bag of lemons caught my eye, and I thought about making lemonade - the perfect summer beverage. I walked around the corner, and the strawberries were begging to come along. Mmm. Strawberry lemonade. Now we're talking...

I found a recipe online courtesy of The Food Network and Emeril Lagasse, so you know it's got to be good!

I made it, and my husband, Justin, LOVED it. He even said it was perfect! So when he asked me if I would make it again, you better believe I did. Except this time I took pictures.

The Basic Ingredients

 Lemons

Strawberries

Sugar

Water

Club Soda

The Directions

1. Boil 2 cups water and 1 cup sugar, stirring occasionally; then simmer.

2. Juice enough lemons to equal 1 cup of lemon juice.

3. Grate 1 tbsp worth of lemon peel.

4. Add juice and peel to the water/sugar mixture; remove from heat.

5. Wash, hull and halve 2 cups of strawberries (I used a 1 lb container); puree.

6. Allow lemonade to cool completely, and strain into clean pitcher.

7. Mix strawberry puree into lemonade; strain again.*

8. Refrigerate until well chilled.

9. Add 2 cups cold club soda and mix well.

10. Serve on ice with a strawberry/lemon garnish, and enjoy!

The end result is a partly sweet, partly sour, partly fizzy, and 100% refreshing and delicious summer drink! 

By the way, if you don't want to go through the trouble of squeezing and grating lemons, you can try 100% lemon juice and pregrated lemon peel can be found in the spice section.

And if anyone is wondering, I made the lemonade and blog after I did my chores (well most of them haha)! ;0)

* I found that it was easier to strain the seeds and thick strawberry pulp after I mixed it with the lemonade.

Playing Outside

We decided to stay home and play in the backyard instead of going to the park. The kids seemed to enjoy the gorgeous weather as much as I did.

Thanks Grandpa & Grandma P. for the slide!

Running to the garage and back.

She did not follow up with a somersault.

Thankfully not here either!

Surprise her hair is in her face.

He doesn't seem to be uncomfortable.

He wants to move!

What a handsome fellow!

Catching Up

I know this is an age-old complaint, but will I ever catch up? I mean with everything. It doesn't matter if I do chores all day long, I can never say, "I'm finished!" There are so many things that I overlook in our house, because I'm constantly doing everything I can just to do the basics: dishes, laundry, and keeping the house relatively tidy. When will I get to the spiderwebs in the fans? When will I have time to wash the windows, inside and out? When will I be able to organize all of our junk in the basement? The list goes on. I know it's possible to be totally caught up... I just haven't figured out how yet.

Maybe giving up facebook will help me get more accomplished during the day. We shall see!

Great Start to the Day

For months I've been bringing Deuce into bed with me in the morning to nurse him so I can get a little more sleep. However, he now moves too much, and would probably fall out of bed (*ahem* again) while I doze. So when Deuce woke up before 6, I got up and nursed him in the rocking chair. I still got a little bit more sleep, and I got him to fall back asleep enough to be able to put him back in his crib for an hour. This will take a little getting used to, but I'm sure my body will adjust.

I went to the Y to put my new workout plan into practice. Tuesdays and Thursdays are going to be circuit day. This morning I concentrated on chest and triceps. After a 5 minute warm-up walk, I did 10 push ups (the real ones), 10 triceps push downs and 10 chest presses with 12 lb dumbbells. Repeat 3 times. By the time I finished by 3rd set of push ups, I was getting pretty fatigued. I then got a quick drink (forgot my blasted water bottle) and spent 15 minutes on the elliptical. I changed up the incline and resistance every 5 minutes. After another drink, I did my ab workout. 20 regular crunches, followed by 10 reps on the hanging ab apparatus, and 10 lower back extensions. Repeat 3 times, except I did 20 left oblique and 20 right oblique crunches the next 2 sets. My muscles (especially shoulders) were definitely  fatigued by the end. I kept my heart rate up for most of my workout, which is good.

By the time I got home, Deuce had just gotten up. I made myself a couple breakfast burritos and a couple quesadillas for Justin. I know it's not exactly breakfast food, but since he works 3rd shift, the morning isn't time for breakfast I guess. Anyway, I then gave Josie her breakfast, and attempted to feed Deuce his. He had no interest in bananas today. I will try again tomorrow.

I need to make my blog look a little prettier.

I also really to shower. Phewy!

I think I'm going to take the kids to the park today. It's a beautiful day out so I don't want to totally waste it inside.