Mama's Heart: Repetition...

Mama's repeat themselves...A LOT!

"Did you wash your hands?" "Don't bother the dog!!"  "Be KIND one to another!"  "CHILDREN, OBEY your parents for this is RIGHT!"  "Brush your teeth" "Sit properly in your seat!"

...I was always taught that if something is repeated in the Bible that it means, "PAY ATTENTION, this is IMPORTANT!"

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  John 3:3  (See?... he's giving emphasis to the importance of being born again!)

In my favorite Bible study, I noticed how many times Isaiah 44 and 45 records the words, "This is what the Lord says" or "I am the LORD, and there is no other."  (psst...it's A LOT!  About a dozen times)

God's repetition in these chapters makes it so clear that he wants to be known.  He wants it clearly understood how powerful He is...and His Sovereign position over all creation.

I've heard it said that certain educational studies have shown that we need to have things repeated 18 times in order to internalize them.  What a good reason to make Scripture memorization a priority.  Ooo...how many ways can you spell...C.O.N.V.I.C.T.I.O.N. Ouch!

So, what does this all say about God's words and my confidence in them?  God's words are TRUTH!  He is in control...always has been and always will be...I can and should have full trust and confidence in HIM...alone!

As I repeat cyclical, often trivial words to my children this week...I will be thinking of these TRUTHS that God patiently repeats to me...His child!  I'm so thankful He is patient with me...and says it AGAIN, and again, and AGAIN!

It's Grace

Tube Tuesday & Blurry Food

 This is what DadE does with the kids when I go to the grocery store...He makes robots...and then he fills up our goblets and nice glasses and lets the kids hit them with mini hammers.  Good grief!  No wonder my three year old frowns at me during the day and says, "I love DadE!"  Well, he IS a lot of fun...I have to admit!

I made these Pretty in Pink cookies from one of my favorite blogs...Chickens in the Road.  Then "invented" a butterscotch version...replacing the maraschino cherries with 1 c. butterscotch chips and 1 t. rum flavoring.  I dipped those in dark chocolate.

Scruffy went to the groomers the other day...and came back all pretty in pink...with a bandanna and two pink hair bows.  She looked hilariously cute...but we didn't make her suffer for long...we took them off!  DadE doesn't think dogs should look so doofy!  Emma kept the hair bows and wore them herself on Sunday!  HeHE! 

I'd heard of, but not really followed The Pioneer Woman...but recently I made her Coffee Cake (Literally!) recipe...and WOW...it was amazing.  It was intense...you cannot eat more than a sliver...but it was moist and wonderfully coffee!  A definite "keeper" recipe!

Explorers...just like the book!

My kids LOVE to act out their books...

....aww...aren't they SO cute!?   Psst...your line is, "Yes, the most cutest children I have ever seen!"

Truthfully...as you can see from the vacuum in the background...after reading this story before naptime...during naptime I took the opportunity to quickly make some things to help me get household chores done during the afternoon! 

It was in the mid 60s yesterday...and I had vacuuming, etc. to do...SO...a coat hanger and paper towel tube...a little masking tape and aluminum foil....VOILA...a sword!

Some newspaper...a little origami...and VOILA...a sailor hat!

And the little explorers played outside quite contently too!

Big Boys, Bahboos, & Biting Bullets

Don't judge...but I finally bit the bullet...and encouraged Lubby to be a BIG BOY and ditch the bahboos!  Bahboo...aka....Nube sippy cups...He only had two surviving...and will drink his rice milk from a cup.  Ironically...he was drinking from a cup when I brought him packing materials yesterday...

HE put them in the box...with the encouragement that "the babies" needed them....and he was a BIG BOY!

HE closed the lid!  And put on the tape....

We addressed the box...so the mail-lady knew where to take it!

HE carried it out to the mailbox....

...and HE sent the bahboos to the babies!  He did cry a little bit at bedtime...and this morning...but I hugged him and told him how proud I was....and how happy the babies are...and he drank his milk from a cup!

Some good friends stopped by and I got them to *secretly* take the box home and dispose of it! 

A Light With My Feet!

"Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."  Psalm 119:105

When I asked her what she was doing she said, "Making the Bible a light with my feet!"

I said, "Yes, reading God's Word helps us know how to live.  It shows us the right way to go in life, just like a good flashlight on a dark pathway!"

She flashed the light on her feet...and back to the bible...and back to her feet....I don't think she's got the idea quite yet!  BUT...she's hearing and thinking about His Word.  Who knows what God might do!!

Oh Dear Lord,  I so desire the salvation of my children...that they would belong to You!  I pray that you would continue working in Emma's mind...and open her spiritual eyes to SEE her need of a Savior!!  Help me to be wise as I share Your Word...that I will not get a "pretty conversion prayer" to please me...but that You would be gracious and truly save her soul!!  Amen!

Funtimes at the Children's Museum...

Remember to always take a security photo when you first arrive.  Make sure you include a shot of their shoes (the hardest thing for a 'napper to change)...it might sound negative to have a negative scenario plan...but I'd hate to tell the police I didn't have a good photo of my children should they become missing! 

Thankfully, we were protected and blessed with a fun time.  Here they are in the rocket ship in the Dora/Diego exhibit. 

Constellations...

Emma enjoyed the Barbie exhibit...She enjoyed the cameras on the runway especially!

Look at this grinning man...He LOVED the race car...of course!

Concentration is written all over his blurry face...sorry for the blur...it's hard to take pictures of moving targets!

This is one smart pulley using girl...look at her pull!!

She bravely participated in the ribbon song too....Which was sort of surprising...

but A LOT of fun!  MomE stopped taking pictures and joined in the fun too.  HA...no pictures of that!

Valentine Central...

SPOILER ALERT:  If you are a Teacher or Grandparent this post may include Valentine's you will receive very soon.  Sorry...you can either close your eyes and look later...or look now and enjoy it twice!

For my Patch kids...pencil are a good teacher-y gift, right?  My kids wanted those boxed Valentine's so I caved and got them...and we taped lollipops to them.  I didn't take pictures but...Lightning McQueen graces Lubby's and Emmer got Tinker Bell Fairies.  Sigh...you try to share creativity and sometimes it sticks...oh well.

We made these for their Patch teachers...Emma worked VERY hard on these!  Caleb did the stamps!

We also used our old tissue boxes to make V-day mailboxes.  We got through A LOT of tissues...and DadE thought this was a very funny, frugal use of recyclables. 

Look at her impish face...

...making smiley hearts with her little nail-polished hand!  Hehehe!

Mama's Heart: Early Valentine Thoughts...

My children LOVE their DadE...and I teasingly complain, "Hey, who takes care of you all day?  Who feeds you?  Who carried your little cutenesses in her belly for 9.LONG.MONTHS? "  But it's all with a big smile on my face...

because....nothing thrills my heart more at the end of the day than hearing "DadE's home!"  And the merry little feet tromping off to greet him.  I remember...(below)...Emma adjusting to sharing DadE after work each day!

It is good for me, even when I may not personally have warm and fuzzy feelings towards him, to promote my Loverbrains in the eyes of my children.  Don't laugh, but it's sort of like a spin on praying for your enemies.  My heart changes when I pray for someone.  Before I know it, any grouchiness is vanishing and I'm just as delighted to see him as they are!

We made DadE valentines today....and I thought of the many reasons that I love him.  He IS a great DadE...notice (below) he teaches them about inclined planes (recently he showed them how cars could be launched upward...yeah!)...He teaches them to say cute things...like "Heat transfer co-efficient" and "deoxyribonucleic acid"...He always eats his vegetables in front of them (even peas and cooked carrots)!  He always greets me with a kiss FIRST...before he settles down to listen to their chatter!  MomE is first with DadE! 

So, how are you doing....making DadE your kid's favorite Valentine?  This Mama's heart was warmed to remember how much she loves her Forever Valentine!  I hope you are too!!

It's Grace

Animal Cracker Boy!

Animal crackers and cocoa to drink,

That is the finest of suppers, I think;

When I am grown up and can have what I please

I think I shall always insist upon these.

What do you choose when you're offered a treat?

When Mother says, "what would you like best to eat?"

Is it waffles and syrup, or cinnamon toast?

It's cocoa and animals I love the most!

The kitchen's the cosiest place that I know:

The kettle is singing, the stove is aglow,

And there in the twilight, how jolly to see

The cocoa and animals waiting for me.

Daddy and Mommy dine later in state,

With Mary to cook for them, Susan to wait;

But they don't have nearly as much fun as I

Who eat in the kitchen with Nurse standing by;

And Daddy once said he would like to be me

Having cocoa and animals once more for tea!

Animal Crackers by Christopher Morley

All about tooth fairies...

 Emmy pranced about in her "tooth fairy" outfit today.  She doesn't mind that it's in the 30's outside!

At snack time she said, "MomE...you know what?"

"Tooth Fairies eat carrots....ya know!"  Oh, well than....let's break out the carrots...and a little Ranch dressing on the side!  Yummy!!