5 Things Friday...

5 Things About Me:

1. I'm incredibly afraid of heights...but I love roller coasters. Figure that one out... I think it's because I feel securely strapped in...and on a ladder I'm just blowing in the wind!

2. I'm a perfectionist...but in a good way...most of the time!! I try to guard against going over the deep end...but occasionally I hyper control life...until I realize I'm under the delusion that I was ever really in control...and remember God is truly in control!

3. I'm a "jack of all trades, master of none" kind of jill! I've tried (or am trying) my hand at everything. I paint a little, sew a little, play the piano a little, quilt a little, cross stitch a little, run a little, etc.

4. I'm short...like technically under 5 foot...I'm 4'11" and 3/4". HA! It looks like my kids will be inheriting these short genes! According to that "test" where you double their two year old height both of my children will be 5'3"! Taller than MomE.

5. I love coffee. Although...I almost never finish a cup. I carry it around and heat it up again and again...but then end up dumping a bit from the bottom of the cup. Lately, I've been chugging one cup...and doing my half/heat it up with the second! HA!

For more 5 Things Friday join Jean Stockdale here.

Cute Smocks! Er, Biprons!

Awhile back I mentioned winning this from Infarrantly Creative. She calls them Biprons (part bib, part apron)...I call them smocks. Anyhew.....
Since they'd been fighting over the one...I used half a pillow case and made another! She liked the pink tie! Doesn't he look thrilled to have to stop painting so MomE can take a picture. It was close to naptime...what can I say!
They had been painting something messy enough to constitute the use of smocks but they were Christmas gifts so had to be hidden for these pictures! Oooooo the suspense is building!

He Knows My Name...

Many of you know that I've been following Stellan's story for a while. I posted about how it doesn't matter how you know people...that prayer is powerful...and God knows them...etc. I was recently connected to the Koning Family Blog...My Times in His Hands and they could sure use your prayers. Their sweet daughter, Joanna Claire, went home to be with Jesus at 26 weeks. She joins her baby brother, Noah, in heaven...and leaves behind two little brothers. I'm amazed at this family's testimony to God's faithfulness. Please pray for their continued peace at this time.

Tube Tuesday: Potty Talk

Cruel Cap on Creativity or Sanity Saver??

So, my Sweet Boy likes to do this...it sort of irritates me...so I did this....
Any thoughts? Please tell me some other moms out there do this too?

Frugal Friday...pool toys and tomato stakes...

Just a reminder what frugal means on my blog...
...characterized by or reflecting economy in the use of resources. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).
...It's about a simpler, less complicated lifestyle, not about being cheap. While those who put a frugal lifestyle into practice do tend to be thrifty, there is a method to their madness. (families.com)

Leftover plastic containers are great pool toys! My Sweet Boobahs filled this ice cream container with water...using their nifty spice container shakers and creamer jugs...for hours yesterday!! This may strike some as cheap I would argue that it helps them develop their imaginations in play! Rather than tell them it is a bucket, or shaker, etc....they decide what it is today! They had a great time discovering that the bucket floated around...until it became halfway full of water! Nifty nifty little scientists!

My tomato stakes ended up being way too short for the plant...sooooo....I pulled this broken Swiffer handle out of the trash...and VOILA...a nifty orange stake!

See, there's even a tomato under there!!!

Foam Snakes!!!

I got this idea from my Family Fun Magazine. It rocks!!! If you're a mome and you don't get this magazine (you can get it free...ask me for the details)...you are seriously missing out!
Downer...my kids suck in as much as they blow out...ewww! Cough, cough *bubble*
K-lubby was afraid of the bubble snakes coming out. Once they landed he was totally cool with stomping them!!!

Wordless Wednesday...Remember when...

Tube Tuesday...How Majestic is His Name!

Last week for Wordfilled Wednesday I posted Psalm 8:9 and got many comments saying they liked the song. Here's a really neat version I found out YouTube. Enjoy!!!

Constant Conversation...

Matthew 5:13-16 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Lately, I've been struck by the interesting and important mundane discussions I have with my sweet boobahs. Emmy, in particular, is now talking about everything. This can be quite, er, interesting. I hesitate to say embarrassing...but it could be...

Today, for example, we were grocery shopping. A hurried lady, grabbed her cart, threw her cigarette on the ground, and pushed past us. My sweet Emmy said in her chirpy toddler voice, "That isn't good. Those go in the garbage! She needs to say scuze me." She was right but what attitude do I want her to have toward people? I said, "You're right but it'll be okay. She must be in a hurry." Sometimes, in line she tells people they need to wait their turn...especially when they look impatient. Most people smile and agree that we all have to wait our turn.

Innocence can be truthful but not necessarily kind. I want her to love people...no matter how they behave. This means that I must also love them.
1 Timothy 4:12, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."
I figure as a Domestic Engineer my mission field is the grocery store, the library, the park and all the other seemingly mundane places I go with my kids and family. Am I acting out WWJD...to point my children towards Christ? Is the way I act and interact with the cashiers, librarians and moms going to point them towards Christ?

I'm not saying I have specific conversations with these people every week but I am building a relationship that will cause them to wonder why I'm different...to know I will pray for them...to know they can talk to me...and if that opportunity presents itself...I'm gonna be ready to share the hope that's in me!
1 Peter 3:15-16 "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."

Happy Birthday Sweet 2 yr. old boy!!

For more pictures go to Blogging Along!!

Marching in NY

They were so funny marching around while we had a cookout. Emma likes the song, "I'm in the Lord's Army"...although she only sings the one line over and over....hehehe!

For more cookout pictures head over to Blogging Along!!!

Fishin' and a Grinnin'

Darren really enjoyed his time to fish with Grandpa. It rained almost every afternoon of our first week...so the lake was all churned up and bugs were plentiful....so the fish weren't really interested. Thankfully, Grandpa and my brother had fished a few weeks before and frozen some. That, combined with the few they did manage to catch, made for a yummy fish fry on Friday!
Peace and quiet!

Caleb is so brave about things like holding worms, fish, etc. It encourages Emma to be braver. They are sharing in DadE's pride fisherman picture!

My mighty fisherman!

Breathe Deep...ahhhhh!

"Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling place." 1 Chron. 16:27

Fourth of July on the 14th!

For the Fourth of July we went to see a parade. God blessed us with perfect timing for parking...and seats right where the parade route started. WOW!
Caleb loved all the doggies...and trucks...and tractors! He did get a little scared when the firetrucks would hoot their horns LOUDLY! The raining candy was also a bit scary. A tootsie roll hit Emmy in the eye...and she cried for a bit! Poor thing!

She was so interested in looking for the American flag and standing and covering her heart!!! So cute...she would say, "Here's our flag...stand up...covers your hearts!"

I would love to try this someday...I'd probably break my neck but it sure looks like fun!

GOD BLESS AMERICA....land that I love!!! There were anti war protesters marching. Even upstate NY is pretty stinkin' liberal. It seemed peaceable but I wouldn't have cried if someone had hit them with candy...It borders on disrespectful in my book to come to a parade that celebrates our country and troops...and protest the hard work they are doing...grrrr!

Here's a picture of the veterans of foreign wars, I think!

Caleb loved the tractors...Emma loved the princesses but unfortunately my camera died and I couldn't take any princess pictures. We're talking dairy princesses, etc.

Farmer's Museum Funtimes

One of the first days of vacation we met up with my friend Sarah and her husband Nick. We had a great time!!! She is the only person I correspond with via snail mail...cuz I guess we're both weird that way and enjoy handwritten letters!

Both are great with kids...and when she wasn't taking pictures for me, Sarah was helping Emma feed the chickens or pet the horses and Nick was carting Caleb about to see things too!

Emma rode on DadE's shoulders. Awww...this is a real Mome Moment for me...I remember riding on my Daddy's shoulder's too!!

Nick helped Caleb look at the baby goats. Kid looking at kids if you will...hardy har har!

Which makes me think of that little song...

Lambs eat oats and Does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy....A kid'll eat ivy too...wouldn't you?

This is the old schoolhouse...Caleb is having trouble sitting in his seat and paying attention...ha!

Emma did not want to pet the big draft horse. Nope!

The blacksmith made a nail! That was neat!

MomE attempted to show Emma how to spin wool between her fingers. She seemed to think it was dirty though...and didn't really want to touch it. We tried to make a connection with the sheep..."this came off the sheep"...but she still thought it a bit odd!

For more vacation funtimes at the Farmer's Museum go to my other blog...Blogging Along!!!

Home again, home again...

We're back from our wonderful vacation! I will try to dissect my many pictures and share some of the fun we had with you over the next few weeks.

We had a great time on the carousel at the Farmer's Museum!

We'd been on them before...but this year the kids are big enough to really get a thrill out of it!