{ one word }

 [I saw this on someone's blog the beginning of the month but for some reason never posted it...so I'm doing it now.]


one word: encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. explain why you’re choosing that word. now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?

2010: BUSY
I feel like this year was a blur due to being so busy. It seems like I am constantly rushing from one thing to the next and missing out on the little moments along the way. I hate the running. rushing. stressing. I want to take time to smell the roses and not just photograph them to look at them later. This past week, I am embarrassed to say that we have played more games as a family as we had all year combined. Granted, they got some new fun games, but really, it was just a matter of us taking time to do it instead of blowing the kids off because we are "too busy" to sit and play for an hour.

2011: ORGANIZED
I know I could be less busy if I were more organized. So my prayer for 2011 is for organization. I need to be better at prioritizing to get things knocked out in a timely manor and not waste time doing and redoing. I need to organize my schedule, business, family, home, meals, even my time with God......so basically my entire life. I hope to look back at the end of 2011 and see some changes that have stuck and new habits that have formed. Please feel free to send me suggestions that work for you......or a secretary, maid and cook if you have a spare of any of those ;)

How about you? What are your words? Link me up in the comments so I can see...and we can keep each other accountable in 2011.

It really is the thought that counts

{thought-ful. adj. showing consideration for others}

 
We cut our gift giving way back this year...which makes you have to put more thought into things. Big Daddy spent 2 weeks in IL in December and I took the kids to AL for 10 days during that time. We had already finished the shopping for the kids before we went our separate ways and were just doing stockings for each other. I was so surprised when I opened this necklace on Christmas morning. He found it when he was shopping in Bloomington and it is so thoughtful. I love it!

 

 

It is so cute that I'll even overlook the fact that it is a Nikon camera in there ;o) OK, truthfully, the whole thing is only about an inch wide so I hadn't even noticed until I blew up the picture. But really, this meant so much to me because I can tell he really put thought into it. Thank you, honey, for being so thoughtful. I love you!

Wordless Wednesday: Snaps from Christmas morning

Here's a story...

...of a lovely lady. Who will not likely be mom of the year anytime soon!

Today went so much better than yesterday. I think God knows how much you can handle and cuts you some slack when you are teetering on the edge. Know what I mean? Yesterday, I was teetering. Today, was bliss in comparison. The kids knocked out school before lunch with minimal complaints. After lunch,we were reading a Kids Discover magazine together about moon exploration and it was talking about a show from 1959 called Men Into Space. They wanted to see if we could find that online...but I didn't. I did, however, find a site that has all the Brady Bunch episodes on it. I'd understand if you are questioning my searching skillz about now but really, it was a logical path...that I can't currently remember. Anyway, I am not feeling great today so we all snuggled up on the couch, in front of the fire, and watched Season 1, Episodes 1 through 10. Oh My Goodness. How embarrassing! I can't believe we sat there that long. First, Princess P doesn't like to watch TV really and rarely sits through even a 30 minute show. I dozed on and off and woke up to it being dark outside and the Brady boys taking the Brady girls on their first camping trip.  Haha -  that was a good episode ;o) Captain C was playing his DS most of the time...but he's lying if he says he didn't watch it.

Even worse? Big Daddy got home about 6:30. We ate. And the three kiddos are back on the couch watching......episode 11. Craziness, I tell you. We might need a Brady intervention...or might have a GREAT bribe in place for tomorrow's school work to be done quickly again. Hmmm...

Glad for a "new morning"

Yesterday, I wanted to start blogging again but really didn't want to remember that day. We started school back yesterday, which was possibly pushing it to try to start 2 days after Christmas, but we needed to get our days in since we went on vacation recently.  It took a certain someone until 7pm to finish yesterday. That included 5 hours to do ONE PAGE of math. Yep. It was quite a day around here. Lots of prayer and a little bit of yelling and we survived the day...barely. Today, I woke up about 9 and that same someone had already done his math, reading, and speech homework....before I even woke up!  WOOHOO. The other two have also been busting out their work. Looking to be a much better day. Hopefully I'll be back to blog this afternoon after we get everything finished up.

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, 

for his compassions never fail. 

They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

Book Review: Voices of the Faithful by Beth Moore

I was so excited when this book showed up on Book Sneeze as an available book to review. This is a compilation of daily devotions written by missionaries around the world. Each day of the year has a short, one page devotion written by a different missionary. Beth Moore writes an introduction to each month, which has a different theme, such as God's Character, Compassion, or Contentment. As the cover says, they really are inspirational stories and each day includes scripture and a prayer.
This book arrived a couple of weeks ago and I was waiting to review it until I used it for a while so I could give an honest review. I decided to read it with the kids too and I find myself looking forward to it each day. It is very well written, easy to read, and applicable, even to those of us living our comfortable lives in the US. I love that the kids are hearing about people out spreading Jesus' love to the nations - this is one thing each day that none of them have complained about doing. We also like to talk about their locations every day (they are listed at the end of each page). Maybe this will spark an interest in them to go into mission work. If nothing else, it reminds us that we can share God's love every day, right where we are, and that we need to be in daily prayer for those that are putting their lives on the line to get the Message to the ends of the earth.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Birthday, Terrific T!!

I can't upload my real pictures right now but here are a few phone pics from our lunch out with his cousin/bff.

Wordless Wednesday: Watching TV with a friend

dreams....are weird

I woke up at some point during the night with Princess P asking if she could go back to bed. She was snuggled up between me and Big Daddy. Ummm...sure...I didn't even know she was there!! Big Daddy laughed (and continued to poke fun in an email this morning) and we sent her back up to bed. Then I woke up at 7:30 with a horrible dream that left me wide awake and praying HUGE walls of protection around each of our kids. I don't understand why we dream the things we do. I used to think we would dream about what we were last thinking about before we fell asleep but don't think that is the case. There has to be another explanation considering I woke up from anesthesia one time asking for Steve from Blues Clues...thankfully the nurse, and Big Daddy had a sense of humor when she got him from the waiting room and realized he wasn't Steve!

So, are dreams a prompt to pray? To teach? To change the future? I have no idea. I chose this morning to talk long and hard with the kids about safety in parking lots...and maybe it will prevent something horrible from happening in real life. Who knows? Maybe my crazy dream was a merely a warning to lay off the Nyquil ;)

Oddly, P came down this morning about 8:15 and asked if I was calling her or it was just in her dream. I wasn't calling her...but had been in MY dream earlier. Hmmm.....