Slow and Steady...

I've decided that I have a strange musical memory.  Yeah, I remember ALL THE WORDS to songs.  This includes old, well-loved musicals, hymns and yes, those irritating toddler songs.  I think thanks to Laurie Berkner (video below) I haven't lost complete sanity in these toddler years.  Hey, I heard that...no laughing!!  Anyhew...her songs are fun in both the lyrics and music. 

Emma hasn't seen this for a while...since we got rid of cable.  She still sings pieces of it though...and the other day went around the house with her backpack on saying, "Slow and steady...slow and steady..."  I don't know where she picked up that part...cuz I don't think we've ever told her the whole turtle fable story really.  Huh?  

Um, Honey??

Um...heeheehee...why don't you just go hang up the hammock?? *snicker...
Don't worry...he's breathing...I checked! Har har har!!! *Peace*....

Getting to know you...Emma-bean!

My firstborn is sooo much like me. My parent's occasionally laugh about this fact. Depending on how frustrated I'm feeling...I either thank them for sparing my life, laugh or cry! I am still "getting to know her" though. I tend to see her as a rather dramatic (somewhat selfish) sweet princess! It has delighted me to see how a gentle, quiet spirit has come out lately....
Our friend Miss Hannah brought her baby Rona over to "play" yesterday. I wasn't sure what the sweet boobahs would do...if they'd just ignore her...or be rough...or what. Emma was thrilled. She shared all her dollies and blankets. She read her stories....awww! And like any good future teacher...she showed her the pictures too!
She was perhaps most gentle and sweet when she was allowed to help give Rona her juice snack! Lubby was present, but being very TWO...he didn't stay in any one place for long. Look closely and you will see that he gave himself a blue mustache with his marker!
I'm thrilled to see Emma's gentleness and sweetness...and pray that I learn to nurture it and not squelch it by maybe comparing her too much to my ornery self. I'm excited to pray and wonder about what kind of woman she'll grow up to be someday!

Sardines and Saltines!

This song is for my Dad...cuz every time I sing it with my kids...I think of him! I need to remember to share the recording with him soon! Enjoy the words for now!! I did get Emma to try them...but Lubby...nope, not happening! HAHAHA!

Sardines are the food of perfection

With vitamins, min’rals and more.

Not only nutritious, they’re also delicious-

Just bursting with flavor galore.

Sardines and saltines, Sardines and saltines,

The more that I eat ‘em the better they seem.

For breakfast and dinner and snacks in between,

Just give me sardines and saltines.

They fit in a backpack or pocket,

A fav’rite of all buccaneers.

And if they’re forgotten they never go rotten-

They’re good for at least thirty years.

They’re great when they’re sprinkled on ice cream;

With blueberry pie they’re a dream.

So slimy and greasy, they slide down real easy-

Sardines are the queen of cuisine.

Sardines and saltines, Sardines and saltines,

The more that I eat ‘em the better they seem.

For breakfast and dinner and snacks in between,

Just give me sardines and saltines.

For breakfast and dinner and snacks in between,

Their fins are fantastic, their skin is elastic,

their bones are real crunchy, they’re great in my lunchy,

their insides are gooey, the can is quite chewy!

Just give me sardines and saltines! Sardines!

Hosanna!!

Our English word "hosanna" comes from a Greek word "hosanna" which comes from a Hebrew phrase hoshiya na. And that Hebrew phrase is found one solitary place in the whole Old Testament, Psalm 118:25, where it means, "Save, please!" It is a cry to God for help. Like when somebody pushes out off the diving board before you can swim and you come up hollering: "Help, save me" … "Hoshiya na!"
But something happened to that phrase, hoshiya na. The meaning changed over the years. In the psalm it was immediately followed by the exclamation: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" The cry for help, hoshiya na, was answered almost before it came out of the psalmist's mouth. And over the centuries the phrase hoshiya na stopped being a cry for help in the ordinary language of the Jews. Instead it became a shout of hope and exultation. It used to mean, "Save, please!" But gradually it came to mean, "Salvation! Salvation! Salvation has come!" It used to be what you would say when you fell off the diving board. But it came to be what you would say when you see the lifeguard coming to save you! It is the bubbling over of a heart that sees hope and joy and salvation on the way and can't keep it in.
So "Hosanna!" means, "Hooray for salvation! It's coming! It's here! Salvation! Salvation!"

And "Hosanna to the Son of David!" means, "The Son of David is our salvation! Hooray for the king! Salvation belongs to the king!"

And "Hosanna in the highest!" means, "Let all the angels in heaven join the song of praise. Salvation! Salvation! Let the highest heaven sing the song!"So when we sing "Hosanna" now, let's make it very personal. Let's make it our praise and our confidence. The Son of David has come. He has saved us from guilt and fear and hopelessness. Salvation! Salvation belongs to our God and to the Son! Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!
BY: John Piper, Piper Notes 1983,1998

Springtime and Chalk lovelies...

Letters R and S AND St. Patrick's food pics!

Little Robin Redbreast

by Anonymous

Little Robin Redbreast

Sat upon a tree;

Up went Pussy-cat,

Down went he.

Down came Pussy-cat,

And away Robin ran;

Says little Robin Redbreast

“Catch me if you can.”

Little Robin Redbreast

Hopped upon a wall;

Pussy-cat jumped after him,

And almost got a fall.

Little Robin chirped and sang,

And what did Pussy say?

Pussy-cat said “Mew,”

and Robin flew away.

Okay, so it doesn't look that appetizing...but it tasted good. The kids thought it was all hilarious! Emma is insisting that we could surely come up with a reason to have an all pink night!
Grasshopper pie .... so ridiculously easy...
One graham cracker crust. Half a half gallon of mint ice cream softened blended with half a cool whip. Spread into crust...Top with extra cool whip and chopped up peppermint patties. Freeze hard. Take out of freezer 15 minutes before serving. Yummolicious!!

Happy Friday!

Awww...isn't he the cutest bubble blower? Awwww...he eats alot of bubble goop too...hehehe!

My little savages...

I heard giggling the other day...and went to investigate...
...chalk makes such great war paint! Hehehehe! Or according to Curious Georgette..."Cabub, he looks so pretty with his makeup." and he says..."I's pretty MomE!" *Snort...yes, you are Little Man...yes, you are!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Today we'll watch the St. Patrick's Veggie Tale...and talk about the Trinity....
We tried to make minty green milk this morning. But...MomE kind of over minted it and it was intense...so...we reverted back to our pink Lola milk.
Tonight's menu includes....Green Pesto Chicken...with Green Spaghetti noodles. Green scalloped potatoes. Green Beans. Green Grasshopper Pie. Yummy!!!

Get Revived!

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Just wanted to invite any tired, weary MomE's out there to....
...GET REVIVED....

Anything you'd miss live can be downloaded and listened to later. The chats have been awesome thus far. No travel, no dressing up...$12.95....cheapest and easiest conference I've been to...well, ever!
www.awomaninspiredconference.org

Q...is for Quail...& Trinity Shamrocks!

We attempted to make the letter Q look like a speckled quail...
I had some turkey feathers from our NY vacation...and the kids played quail for a little bit...
Then, they created a game.
My observation is that it's a little bit sword fighting, a little bit tickle tickle, and for some reason you must hold a strawberry (plastic) in your other hand. Dropping the strawberry makes you OUT. What should we name this game? Tickle the Strawberry Quail?
I saw this idea for Trinity Shamrocks over with Janna at Mustard Seeds. This was my first attempt at potato painting with the kids...and it was even messier than I anticipated. Not that I'm discouraging anyone from trying it...just have LOTS of other sheets of paper close by so the stamping can continue after the initial three for the shamrock leaves.
I let it dry and THEN talked about the Trinity with them. I said something like, "God is three in one...ONE, TWO, THREE.

God is our Heavenly Father.
God is the Son, Jesus Christ our Savior.
God is the Holy Spirit, our comforter."

Then we said over and over...while pointing...Father, Son, Holy Spirit!

Wordless Wednesday

Sweet Little Man...

Twinkle Puppet Show...

Sweet Girl...

P...is for...Peacock!

As I'm sure you can imagine, the kids LOVED this one. I mean really, who wouldn't want millions of crafting feathers floating about the kitchen...er, entire house!?
Sweet Boy doesn't stand still for more than a few seconds...unless sleeping...so that's why he's sort of a blur...
Don't you just love Curious Georgette's Indian Layered look? She loves this silky poncho...but insists on wearing it like a sash/sari...over her hooded sparkly silver jacket. No, our house is quite warm. Go figure?

Marriage Monday: Prayer...

It is poignant that prayer in marriage would be the topic for March. Loverbrains and I have recently recommitted to making prayer a priority in our marriage. Work, children, Winter and a host of other stresses have been working overtime to take our focus away. So, we knew that PRAYER was one way to not just say God was going to be first...but to literally put Him first.

In order to get in the amount of hours his job requires and still come home each evening to spend some quality time with his family, Loverbrains leaves for work VERY early. Although I am up...I'm barely moving. I find at such times that little things irritate me... I am quite short in stature and when my husband would hug me to pray before leaving (something I was so happy we were doing) I'd get downright grumpy about the kink in my neck. So, I got the kitchen stool...and now we pray in peace. Sounds dumb...but Satan uses all sorts of ridiculous things to thwart our attempts to obey God. By praying before he leaves for work...Loverbrains is literally putting me and our family before his job.

I have committed to praying for him at his work...and he has committed to praying for me in mine. This helps us to maintain a better perspective...and to truly value what the other does all day long. Something I feel has drastically changed his attitude and priorities is going to work early enough to take time to pray and read his Bible before he begins working. The workplace is crazy these days...most men are working longer hours, for less pay, and with constant fear of losing their jobs regardless of their abilities or performance. It is hard to remember in a stress-filled place...that God comes FIRST. I'm so proud of him for taking this step...to literally put God first at work.

I mentioned a while ago about the importance of prayer hooks in our marriage. These are places and things we attach to prayer time. My favorite is on Sunday mornings when we pray down the church road for our church, teachers, pastor and our children. I love how prayer hooks allow us to model prayer and its importance for our children.

We pray before meals. Recently, we were convicted to not pray in "vain repetitions" but really think about every word we say to God. During mealtimes we were soooo guilty of just rambling out the words...and now we try to really say what's in our hearts...for that meal time and that day.

The benefits of prayer in marriage... It helps us be a team...with God as the Captain!!

Ecc. 4:9-12, "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

I guess, my greatest prayer at this point is that we continue to be faithful to God. That we continue to recognize the importance of communicating with God together...and that we remember how it strengthens us to admit or weakness and need for God's grace each day.

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