Jason has lotion on his face (right in front of his ear)...which, if you know Jason, he is SO NOT the lotion type, which is what makes this so cute and funny. He's been working outside in this freezing weather and caved in to my advice and finally had to use some lotion (which he would deny)....and then it gets photographed. I tried to "picnik" it out, but it just didn't work. Sorry, Babe, it's forever recorded in cyber history that YOU used LOTION.
We had a very blessed Christmas surrounded by our family, and as a special treat, at least for us here in the South, it began snowing on Christmas morning just like the movies!
I know this fake smile makes terrible pictures, but I could just eat it up!
Here are the kids with Jason's parents
The princess wore tennis shoes...
These are my precious nieces, Maggie and Audrey
And Baby Jacob (my nephew) finally got PawPaw rocked to sleep!
As we approach the celebration of Christ’s birth, I am reminded of the words of John Quincy Adams. On July 4, 1837, he spoke these words:
“Why is it that, next to the birthday of the Savior of the world, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day? … Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer’s mission upon earth. That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity, and gave to the world the first irrevocable pledge of the fulfillment of the prophecies announced directly from Heaven at the birth of the Savior and predicted by the greatest of the Hebrew prophets six hundred years before?”
This John Adams quote was taken from the Chuck Baldwin article linked above. When you read the founders' quotes, you get the overwhelming feeling that they all knew they were making and living out history. This was not just another rise of a nation, this was something BIG. Something blessed by the Hand of the Almighty and destined to further the Glorious Gospel to the nations of the world.
I don't pretend to put myself in the same class as the brilliant minds of the days of our founders, but I have that same gut feeling right now. Something big is in the process of happening. God is working. Nations are being dealt with. Only this time, it isn't God's hand of blessing and the birth of a nation, it is God's hand of judgment and the humbling of a nation.
Patriotic headsare already beginning to roll. There is a great possibility that I will be deleting my blog in the near future. While I believe this to be the absolute truth, this is not a blog post meant to depress anyone, unless you don't know the Saviour. If you are living with no Hope, without salvation and the promise of a home in Heaven, you should be depressed. But, thanks be to God, even in the midst of the undoing of my beloved country, I can still praise the Lord and have peace in my soul. If you don't know Jesus, this Christmas season would be a great time to look up and see from Whom your blessings flow!
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the
I love being a homeschool mom. I really do. It's not all fun, and it's not easy, but I honestly love it. It is one of the most rewarding ventures of my life. Having said that, let me make one thing clear: I HATE MATH! For one thing, I'm more the Language/History type; but the main reason I hate math, is that I'm the "I've just explained this clearly to you, now why in the world do you not understand it!!" type.
When I found this clip of Ma and Pa Kettle explaining Math, we all gathered round and laughed so hard. We have always loved Ma and Pa Kettle, and thought we had all their movies, but somehow we had missed this one. And just in case you're wondering, this is a perfect example of what it's like to try to teach Math to someone who already knows all the answers (translated: "to your oldest child").
Just in time for the holidays! I started my Amish Friendship Bread fermented base yesterday. It will be ready to bake on December 18. I'll share the starter recipe first. After your starter is ready, there are many bread recipes that can be used, however my favorite one has vanilla pudding in the mix. It makes the most delicious, moist muffins ever! These are so wonderful, and make great gift basket stuffers. They also freeze well. I usually bake several batches and wrap them individually, then put them in a ziploc bag and they keep for a long time. (well, I say that...ours never last long around here!)
For the starter:
1 (.25 oz) package active dry yeast 1/4 c. warm water 1 c. all purpose flour 1 c. sugar 1 c. milk
Step 1: In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes. In a 2 quart glass, plastic, or ceramic container, combine the flour and sugar thoroughly. Slowly stir in the milk and then the yeast mixture. Cover loosely. Consider this Day 1. (I use a Corning Ware mixing bowl and cover my bowl with a plate).
Step 2: For Days 2 thru 4, stir the starter with a plastic spoon once each day.
Step 3: On Day 5, stir in 1 c. flour, 1 c. sugar, and 1 c. milk.
Step 4: Days 6 thru 9, stir once each day with plastic spoon.
Step 5: Day 10. Stir in 1 c. flour, 1 c. sugar, and 1 c. milk. At this point, you will have enough for 4 (1-cup) starters. Use each starter to make a batch of bread, or to give away to friends with instructions, or save 1 and start the process over again beginning with Step 2.
Now, for the actual bread recipe:
Amish Friendship Bread
Preheat oven to 325. Prepare muffin tins by spraying and sprinkling with cinnamon/sugar. I personally prefer to use paper cupcake liners, which I also spray and sprinkle.
To the 1 cup starter, add:
1 c. oil 1/2 c. milk 1 c. sugar 2 c. all-purpose flour 3 large eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 2 tsp. cinnamon 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding
Mix with mixer and poor into muffin tins. Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon/sugar. Bake 25-30 minutes. Remove and let cool for about 10 minutes, then wrap individually with plastic wrap or preferrably press-n-seal (plastic wrap is not good for my Christian testimony).
These are so good and definitely worth the work and wait!
A friend of mine posted this on Facebook, and I just had to share it.
I just love homeschoolers! Just when you thought the world was going to become like Ingsoc from 1984, and people were becoming dumber and more dependent with each generation......BOOM! Homeschooling bursts onto the scene, to the eternal chagrin of the state. Now arises a new generation of independent thinkers who are slaves neither to tradition nor public opinion. This video is a hilarious and clever example of what homeschooling is all about. (watch it all the way to the end!)
On a more serious note, I don't get all upset about Santa Claus. I grew up waiting on Santa every Christmas Eve, and my parents still managed to instill in me a love for Christ and an appreciation for the true meaning of Christmas. Jason was raised the same way. We are both blessed with Godly Christian parents and were raised in loving, stable homes. Even so, we've tried to break any molds that we started out with and raise our children the way that the Lord would have us to do so. We've made many mistakes, had to backtrack many times, and we readily acknowledge that our own children will have many opportunities to do things differently, and no doubt better, by their own children.
Having said that, we actually tried Santa Claus one year when Caleb was a toddler. Maybe it's just my personality, but I honestly could not keep a straight face. I felt like the most ridiculous tale spinner around! Anyway, long story short, we just decided that it would just be too difficult to try to reconcile the tradition of Santa Claus and the birth of Christ as having anything to do with each other. I've posted before about what our Christmas looks like. (Here's a link to KK and Sis quoting Scripture 3 years ago).
After studying out the holiday traditions, we came to some conclusions. First of all, that the Easter Bunny and Halloween both are decidedly and ENTIRELY pagan, and our family would have no part in these holidays. The tradition of Saint Nicholas, from which our Santa Claus supposedly comes, seems to be a harmless tradition. Though the history is sketchy, he apparently was a kind, compassionate person who left surprise gifts for the poor. No problem.
However, I have to admit as I was laughing at the explanations these girls in the video above were giving about the impossibility of Santa knowing the thoughts and whereabouts of all children at all times, and about the fact that, as a man, he could not possibly still be alive, I got an uneasy feeling. Is Santa just a harmless tradition, or is he a creation of the jealous one (Satan....S-a-n-t-a, S-a-t-a-n....um, you can't overlook that) to cause children to love an omniscient, omnipresent, eternal, benevolent being other than the TRUE Omniscient, Omnipresent, Eternal, Benevolent Being Who is Jesus Christ?
I don't pretend to be perfect, and I know that there are many traditions of Christmas that are of questionable origin, and I AM NOT THE SANTA POLICE. I don't mean to come across as a Pharisee, and frankly, I just don't have time to worry about what anyone else does. Tara Stringer keeps me so busy and frustrated that I can't monitor the rest of the world. This is just a little food for thought for parents.
"Today is the anniversary of the second worst attack on American soil in our nation's history. Unlike the 911 attacks and the Ground Zero mosque, the Japanese have not asked to build a Shinto shrine at Pearl Harbor. The Japanese have not announced their intent to break ground on December 7th for such a shrine; nor have they applied for taxpayer funds from a Pearl Harbor Fund for a Shinto Shrine at Pearl Harbor.
The very idea would have been unthinkable. Not anymore. "
To read the rest of this article by Pamela Geller, click HERE.
I'm so thankful for how dedicated Caleb and Madelyn have been to their piano studies. They work hard, and I pray that the Lord will bless their efforts for His glory.
Our poor Bub. Poor, poor Bubbie. That boy gets a lot of teasing. (He gets lots of spoiling too, so don't think we're too mean!) It's just that he's such an easy target, and he's so much fun that we can't resist. Last year, on his 5th birthday, we convinced him that he was going to grow a mustache when he turned 5. And he did!!
So this year, we've convinced him that at age 6, one's hair turns gray. He's very worried. It's a good thing he's a sound sleeper. Those hair color spray cans are LOUD!
So, around 8:30 this morning, if you hear a rumble, it's not an earthquake. It's probably just Bubbie dealing with old age. (I love that boy!)
Today is Mark Twain's birthday. For your pleasure, I list some of my favorite Twain quotes. Even among my favorite authors that I admire today, this kind of pithy wisdom and raw common sense is missing. Perhaps there is some truth to his quotes about schooling and education!
'Classic.' A book which people praise and don't read.
Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.
Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.
Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.
Don't let schooling interfere with your education.
A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read.
Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I've done it thousands of times.
Education consists mainly of what we have unlearned.
God made the Idiot for practice, and then He made the School Board.
Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.
It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.
Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.
Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.
God created war so that Americans would learn geography.
If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you're mis-informed.
I didn't think there could ever be a government agency created that could be more abusive, more tyrannical, or more intrusive than Child Protective Services (or DFCS), but then comes along...the TSA. Welcome to the U.S.S.A.
Another Day, Another TSA Screening to Make Your Blood Boil
Romans 13:3
"For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil."
Government is not ordained by God to terrorize honest citizens.
And bring so much happiness... just as they did. I want to pay back all the joy they've provided, Returning each deed. Oh, they'll be so excited!
I'll write on the wall with reds, whites and blues, And bounce on the furniture wearing my shoes. I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out. I'll stuff all the toilets and oh, how they'll shout!
When they're on the phone and just out of reach, I'll get into things like sugar and bleach, Oh, they'll snap their fingers and then shake their head, And when that is done I'll hide under the bed!
When they cook dinner and call me to eat, I'll not eat my green beans or salad or meat. I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table, And when they get angry I'll run... if I'm able!
I'll sit close to the TV, through the channels I'll click, I'll cross both my eyes just to see if they stick. I'll take off my socks and throw one away, And play in the mud 'til the end of the day!
And later in bed, I'll lay back and sigh, I'll thank God in prayer and then close my eyes. My kids will look down with a smile slowly creeping, And say with a groan. "She's so sweet . when she's sleeping!"
As I was searching for some candy with which to decorate our gingerbread houses, I ran across some cookies in a tin at the dollar store. I was struck with deja vu so strongly that I could remember just for an instant exactly what it felt like to be 10 years old. You see, years ago (before iPods) my mother gave my sister, my cousin, and me little round cookie tins to play with. Hours on end, we would sit with the Sears and JCPenney catalogs (remember those?) and scissors, making a "pretend family". We would each pick out a husband, however many kids we wanted, what clothes we would like to wear, toys for our kids, appliances, even hair styles, and we would cut them out and store them in our cookie tins. We were quite creative, building this elaborate pretend world that occupied most of our play time. What great times we had!
I love to reminisce about those days, and the more I visited those times in my mind, the more I realized just what a miracle had occured in my life. When we played, I ALWAYS had 5 children (which I have now). I always wanted a Christian husband. I always wanted to love only one man in my whole life. I always wanted to stay at home with my children. I didn't know anything about homeschooling then, but I knew about Daycare. My mother ran a daycare center in our home. I loved those kids and spent so much fun, quality time with them. They loved me because I did all the fun stuff with them. Their moms would come pick them up after a long days' work, take them home for supper, baths, homework, laundry, and the menial tasks of everyday life. When I played pretend, I always included me (as the pretend Mom) doing all the fun stuff with my own kids. In my dreams, my kids thought I was super cool instead of the babysitter! Little did I know then, that God would open the door for homeschooling for me, allowing me to spend abundant time with my children and create tons of memories and traditions that I hope they will take with them forever. When I first held Caleb in my arms, I decided I was going to milk every ounce of fun out of him that I possibly could, and I've tried to live up to that with all my kids.
Seeing how the Lord has brought me full circle from my childhood dreams to my real adult life is overwhelming to me. God is so gracious. He's so kind. And thoughtful. And loving. Praise His Name! He truly does give us the desires of our hearts. When I say that I couldn't have had a better life if I had hand-picked it all myself, I hope you'll know that I literally mean that. The Lord has given me everything I ever desired, much more than I ever deserved.
On Saturday, October 30, 2010, the Opera Company of Philadelphia brought together over 650 choristers from 28 participating organizations to perform one of the Knight Foundation's "Random Acts of Culture" at Macy's in Center City Philadelphia. Accompanied by the Wanamaker Organ - the world's largest pipe organ - the OCP Chorus and throngs of singers from the community infiltrated the store as shoppers, and burst into a pop-up rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's "Messiah" at 12 noon, to the delight of surprised shoppers. This event is one of 1,000 "Random Acts of Culture" to be funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation over the next three years. The initiative transports the classical arts out of the concert halls and opera houses and into our communities to enrich our everyday lives. To learn more about this program and view more events, visit www.randomactsofculture.org.
This article goes right along with what I was talking about in my previous post about the oligarchy of rule by judges. The fact that they so often find themselves defending murderers, homos, and pedophiles ought to tell us something of their moral condition.
I'm still rejoicing over last week's elections. I still get a thrill every time I think about Nancy Pelosi handing over that big gavel and stepping down from her position. I was thrilled about Marco Rubio, Rand Paul, and the state governorships and legislatures that went Republican. However, there were two little reported results last Tuesday that really gave me hope. First, was the historic removal of 3 activist judges who tried to force gay marriage against the wishes of the people. The second was the state constitutional amendment passed in Oklahoma that forbids judges in Oklahoma to consider international or Sharia Law in making their decisions. And, boy, was I disgusted this morning to see that yet another activist judge has blocked this amendment that was passed by the people.
It really won't matter what kind of Congress we elect if this oligarchy of rule by the judges (who are not supposed to make laws, only interpret them!) is allowed to stand. There IS a Constitutional remedy for this, and it looks like it is going to have to be considered. The solution is called The Exceptions Clause. In the video below, David Barton explains how it works (fast forward to 6:50 to begin the exception clause discussion).
The shadow government that is methodically being put in place and subverting our Constitution will be the undoing of our nation, and there won't be anything Congress can do about it if they don't exercise their Constitutional checks and balances NOW. This shadow government consists of czars, beaurocracy with unchecked powers (such as DFACS), corrupt secretaries of state, activist judges, Obama's civilian army that answers to him (not a proper chain of command) and has not taken an oath to the Constitution. Add this to the demoralization of our military (who better to turn on its own citizens than perverted reprobates who have no conscience left?) and progressives like George Soros, who has spent $45 million to change the way state judges are seated, from elected to appointed positions. Um....and that's just the domestic shadow government! That doesn't count NAFTA, CAFTA, climate treaties and other possible treaties like the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child that relinquish our wealth and our sovereignty to people who haven't even discovered deodorant yet!
I'm glad the Tea Party won big last week. Now it's time to get serious about defending our Republic before it's too late!
I SAID she was NOT going coon hunting! But I guess I'm eating my words! The whole time I was trying to take her picture, she was saying, "Poor coon, Mama. Poor coon!"
It's that time of year again....flu shots for everybody! No matter your age, health condition, or medical history, and no matter what is contained in the ingredients, "they" insist that you need it. ("They" would be the Pharmacy Industry that gets rich off fear mongering and getting you to take medicines that cause you to need more of their medicines....um....there might be a conflict of interest there!)
"Thimerasol-containing vaccines are considered hazardous waste and can't be thrown into a garbage can, poured down a sink or flushed down a toilet because of the mercury—they're considered environmentally toxic....... Why would anyone.....want to be injected with a substance that is too toxic to dispose of down a drain?"
Click here to read the entire article by Dr. Mercola called "New Proof That This Common Medical Treatment is Unnecessary and Ineffective". Please do your homework before jumping on the bandwagon!
In 1999, when I began to think about potty training Caleb, I went to the library to get some information (back in the old days before I carried the internet around in my pocket!). My main concern with potty training was that I did not want to drag it out. I grew up in a daycare center that my mother operated in our home, and I had seen kids wear pull-ups for a year or more while they were "training". This seemed so ridiculous to me, and I knew there had to be a better way. Thankfully, I checked out a wonderful book called Toilet Training in Less Than a Day. Though I haven't followed this book to the letter, it gave me the foundation that I needed to come up with a plan. Now, five toddlers later, I think I can successfully say that I do know how to potty train kids. With every single one of them, I began on Monday and took them to church the next Sunday with underwear/panties on, and there was no looking back. That sure beats hauling spare clothes and pull-ups around for months! If you're interested in following this plan, I encourage you to read the book, but I will briefly outline the method.
First, however, there are some signs of readiness that you need to observe. You should notice your child going for at least 2 hours during the day without wetting his/her diaper. This indicates control over the bladder. The second indicator (and this is as much for the parent as for the child), is that your child will follow simple commands, such as "come", "sit", "clean up", "hush". This indicates that your child is mature enough to understand your instructions (and obviously this is a discipline/training issue as well).
Now, there are a few things to work on for the week prior to training: 1. Every day, find several occasions to teach your child "wet/dry" and "clean/dirty". For example, after a bath, you might pick up her dirty clothes out of the wet floor: "Yuck, feel these. They're wet. Gross! Let's put them here with the dirty clothes." 2. CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULE and eliminate distractions. This is the #1 tip for success. It may be hard, but if you devote a week to successful training, it will definitely be worth it! Somewhere around Day 4 or 5, you may want to schedule a visit to Grandma's or church or somewhere familiar to let the child check out someone else's toilet. Don't be afraid to turn the ringer off, and don't schedule any company. 3. Decide on consistent names for the process and share these with everyone involved. If your child understands "peepee toilet", and Grandma asks if she needs to "potty in the commode", it could cause some confusion. 4. Let the child observe Dad/brothers (for boys) or Mom/sisters (for girls) sitting on the toilet. Sounds funny, but some children are truly terrified of sitting on a water-filled tank with a hole in the bottom that makes a loud noise, so this can help them get used to the idea. Though some children truly are scared, it has been my honest observation that most 2-year-olds are more terrified that their mom might realize they can actually be made to sit for a few minutes at a time! They'll act like they're dying a slow, horrible death just to keep that secret from coming out! 5. Things to gather: --a stepping stool and toilet insert. You can use a potty chair, as the book suggests, but it isn't necessary unless you just enjoy carrying poop around in a pot. The stool is to climb easily onto the toilet and also to wash hands. --training pants, in a size larger than normal. This is so the child can easily pull his own pants up and down independently. --snacks and drinks, salty type stuff that will cause her to drink more and create more training opportunities --a timer --pull-ups for nap and bedtime
Major ideas from the book that I did not use: a wetting baby doll. My boys don't do dolls. Period. So I just never went there. Also, the potty chair. It just made more sense to me to train them directly on the toilet with an insert. It's easily portable and makes it possible to potty anywhere you go. Plus I do NOT enjoy carrying poop around in a pot.
Here's the gist of the method: On Day 1, expect a rough day. It's going to be cold turkey! Let the child throw away her diaper and put her own training pants on. Have her feel the panties and confirm that they are "clean!" and "dry!" just like ____________ (Mama, Daddy, siblings, favorite people, etc.). Every 5 minutes, make her stop and feel her panties to inspect if they are clean and dry. Take her to the toilet and let her sit for a while to try to potty. Don't make her sit for more than 10 minutes at a time, as this can be torture for a 2 year old. When she does wet her panties, take her to the toilet immediately and say "potty toilet" or whatever, to establish that this is the goal. Then, have her get up, feel her wet panties ("gross!" "wet!"), put them in the dirty hamper, have her get a towel and clean up her own mess. This may sound extreme, but the whole point is to make the child responsible for keeping herself clean and dry. Obviously, you clean up thoroughly behind her, but she will begin to understand that she has made a mess. This is only TRAINING time, no discipline.
Have your child only wear a t-shirt and panties/underwear, so she can easily feel her panties and pull them up and down by herself. The book actually shows how to teach the child to reach their hand in the back and pull the pants up that way more easily. The independence is a key to this training. After an hour or two of checking every 5 minutes, go to 10 minutes, then 15. After a successful potty in the toilet (which may or may not even occur on Day 1...don't be disheartened if it doesn't!), go to checking every 30 minutes and toilet tries every hour. Watch your child closely for signs (you'll begin to recognize that look on her face), and be absolutely consistent with the timer and with the clean-up process. Guard against constipation, as the child will be tempted to hold back on going. You may want to add lots of juice or slip some probiotics into their milk to give more teachable moments in that area.
By Day 3 or 4, you should be seeing some real progress, but DON'T LET UP on the timer and bathroom trips. Be consistent and stay focused. ONLY use pull-ups for naptime and bedtime. Summer's have Woody on them, and we call them "Woody panties". If they are wet when she awakes, just quickly pull them off and put on real panties. This will come with time. Summer is in her 4th week of being trained, and we already skip the naptime pull-up.
Try to keep the mood in the house cheerful, and provide lots of fun activities to do. Movies probably aren't the best entertainment at this point, because they tend to put the child in passive mode. When you know your child has to poop, you may want to pull up a chair beside the toilet and just keep her entertained for a while. This is the biggest step, but a couple of successes should seal the deal.
When it's all said and done, you will have given your child something more than just the knowledge of peeing in the toilet, but also the gift of personal responsibility. Since training, Summer has become obsessed with "hosh hands" (translated: wash hands) and dressing herself and cleaning up spills. It's such a joy to watch! Mission accomplished!
One of the best things about having kids ranging in ages from 2 to 13, is seeing that precious interaction between them. Summer is everyone's pet around here! Sis and KK have a nightly ritual with her, and I was able to capture Sis on video last night. So cute! (That's "hotdog!" that Summer is saying there at the end.)
What a great article! I love Dr. Hutcherson. He says what he means and means what he says. (I borrowed that blog post title from a line in his article below. So true!)
”The woman who makes a sweet, beautiful home, filling it with love and prayer and purity, is doing something better than anything else her hands could find to do beneath the skies.”
Here's one of my favorite new desserts, fruit pizza! It's so delicious, and I meant to take a picture last time I made it (forgot), but it's just as beautiful as it is delicious. Here's the recipe:
Crust: 1 18 oz. package refrigerated sugar cookie dough 1 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 1 7 oz. jar marshmallow cream
Topping: fresh fruit of your choice (strawberries, grapes, kiwi, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) NOT bananas (they turn brown)
Glaze: 1/2 c. sugar pinch of salt 1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch 1/2 c. orange 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1/4 c. water
Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Slice cookie dough and arrange onto greased 12 in. pizza pan, pressing dough to edges. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until lightly brown. Cool. In bowl, mix cream cheese and marshmallow cream. Spread over cooled crust. Chill while preparing glaze. In saucepan, combine glaze ingredients over medium heat, bringing to a boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and prepare fruit. After fruit is sliced, you can EITHER dip fruit in the glaze and then arrange on the pizza, OR place the fruit on the pizza and brush with the glaze.
Don't skip the glaze! It really makes this dessert special. Just to estimate, I made 2 of these pizzas using 1 quart of strawberries, 4 kiwis, and 1 large bunch of grapes.
My heart is full today. I have a lot to blog about, I just can't seem to get my thoughts focused on anything except getting ready for revival tonight. Jason is preaching, and last night, he preached and the Lord moved in a mighty way. Our Caleb finally got things right with God, and got saved. He made a profession of faith when he was 7 years old, and Jason and I felt good about it. We did not push him; in fact, we made him beg. Caleb has always been the kind of child whose heart was directed toward the Lord. He's always asked deep, theological questions, and always wanted to serve God. Perhaps that's why he made a move so early, but a couple years ago, he began to have doubts. I've never seen a child be so "poor in spirit", truly seeking God. It's been an agonizing time, watching him struggle, but we were determined to stay out of it, pray for him, and let him make peace with His Creator on his own. Thank God that He still saves and answers prayers! And I'm so thankful for my church family. Jason dismissed everyone to go home, but every single person stayed, praying with him and for him, determined to wait it out until he got what he needed. THAT'S what church is all about. It's not an organization, it's a family of believers, dedicated to building a wall of prayer around our young ones, trusting God for each other to keep them in His fold.
Can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for tonight!
We've had a busy but blessed weekend around here. My Caleb turned 13 on Friday. Jason and I had always planned to do something special with each of the children as they turned 13, but it always just seemed like something far off into the future. Now it's already in the past. Truly, this life on earth just flies by. Reminds me to be investing in what's ETERNALLY important!
For his birthday, we took him to buy a new set of Carhartt's (in men's sizes, I might say!), and then we left the other kids with grandparents and took KK out to eat. Jason and I had each written a letter to him, and he was so sweet and thankful for the extra attention. The world has given such a fearful reputation to "teenagers". A few weeks ago, somebody asked KK how old he was, and said, "You'll soon be a teenager!" Later he said, "Mom, what's a teenager?" I thought it was cute, and I know some would criticize me and Jason for sheltering him so, but we've never allowed him to watch movies, listen to music, or hang out with other kids or adults who think that it's a "rite of passage" for kids to turn into monsters for a few years during their teens. We're grooming him for manhood, not hedonism; therefore, we have carefully and purposefully fashioned his world to enforce what we're teaching. Very few people approve of it, but when I look into this young man's eyes, and I see a live personality and not an apathetic stare...I don't give a care about what anybody else thinks.
Here's a pic of KK and Sis on Sunday evening. Few things in life please me more than watching the relationship between these two.
Then on Saturday, we went to Lake Winnie Amusement Park. I didn't take a lot of pictures because I actually rode rides! Summer was old enough to ride and enjoy the day, and that freed me up to actually enjoy myself! It was the first time in 3 kids that I got to ride a roller coaster. I can testify that roller coasters in your 30s are different than roller coasters in your 20s, but I had a great time.
And now for the really fun news: I am potty training Summer Rose this week! Monday was a disaster, but today has been good. I'll give a report of this experience later. Wish me luck!
