A Proverbs 31 Kind of Day

I really do love to decorate. Nope!  That's not true! I love my house to look cute, but I do not like what it takes to get it to that level. I do not have "the eye" to decorate. I know what I like, and I certainly know what I do not like. But I do not have the knack of decorating. My mom does. She didn't pass that gene to me. There are certainly other genes she shared that I'd gladly trade for the decorating gene! My mom has this great eye -- can take a little of this, and a little of that, and put this here, and put that there, and poof!  Everything looks great! I either have to ask her for help or take pictures at stores of things I like. Which means I then need the stuff they're showing! On a trip to Waco, my boy cherub took us to a fun new store, where I took lots of pics! Imagine my delight when I opened a package from him that had just what I needed! 13 little birds to "nest" on my dining room table...

While the outside temperatures may not be reminiscent of Fall, it is clear by store décor that fall is here. Well, that's not necessarily true! If you're looking at store décor, you might think it's Christmas time . . . as fall décor is practically free by the discounts that are being advertised. But contrary to commercialism, it is fall. Where the bounty of pumpkins, family gatherings, and cooler temperatures are sure to please. This got me to thinking. Truthfully, not that . . .but my dishes on the table. What is meant by "bounty." So I looked it up; like I used to tell my cherubs to do when they were younger. Bounty; "copious abundance," or "generosity evidenced by the willingness to give freely." Actually, fall bounty has nothing to do with what we have, but it's our attitude with which we share. This fall, as we set out our décor and sip our lattes, join me in moving beyond what we see, to what we have. As i...

I'm so excited to announce my new adventure! This is for all of you who live in the OKC/surrounding area! Here's the scoop! I think meal time is one of the most important times of the day with your family; regardless of how big or small your family is! When at the table, with the TV off and phones down, you have some of the best conversations. But meal times are difficult! Schedules are full. Meal planning takes time. Whether it's coming in after a long day at work or after a packed schedule of practices; That's why I have "Meal Thyme." Each month, I'll have different meal kits, along with an optional dessert kit, that you can order. All you have to do is buy the meat, put it in the bag of seasoning, and throw it in the freezer. Then, when you're ready to cook, just thaw your meal and put it in the crock pot! Come home to a hot meal ready to eat! If you really want to "get fancy," you can add a veggie or side...

By the looks of it, you might think it's been a slow month at our house! Truthfully, though, it's been kinda busy. Just this month, we have spent a week in the mountains, prepared for the start of school, and I've gotten to share with a group of ladies about meal preparation. That's why I decided to write today. Because of my time with the moms. It got me thinking. One of the things I did at the cooking class was show how to prepare five meals with five pounds of ground beef. Easy enough. But there was really more to it than that. The "more to it" was this: eating at home is cheaper than eating out. cooking at home tastes better than eating out. cooking takes a little bit of prep, but it's worth the effort eating dinner together, as a family, is more than the meal; it's about sharing together   For some, cooking is intimidating. But I've shared this thought with so many . . .and I shared it with the moms at the cooking c...

It's getting close to trick or treat time and I wanted to do something creative! Our neighborhood is not "traditional." By that, I mean it is very small and off the beaten path. If you talk to my mom, you'd think we live off the grid! But truth is, by most standards, we might be considered "in the country." But by those who really live "in the country," we are close to city-dwellers. Regardless of such, we won't have a lot of little trick or treaters running up to our door. Matter of fact, I had to tell our neighbors to come see us that night! And with that, comes the fact since we won't have too many kids I wanted to go BIG! I bought BIG candy for the kids! Who doesn't love getting full-sized candy bars when they trick or treat? I mean, really!! To make your candy mummy, you'll need: any kind of full-size candy bar strips of white cloth; muslin, cheese cloth, even crepe paper if you have it.  (I used...

It's been awhile since I've posted. One might think that we haven't been eating!  While we surely haven't been trying new recipes or being creative in the kitchen, we have been maintaining a caloric intake! What's really been going on is that we've been in the process of moving! "Process" is a long word! And so is "moving!" In late Spring, we put our home on the market and it sold rather quickly. That was the easy part! The Mr. took a month off between job changes; we had hoped it would be a time to unwind. It was anything but that! Since June 1st, we have: made inspection repairs on our Dallas home cleaned our Dallas home when we moved out met movers to pack our Dallas home moved into temporary housing moved out of temporary housing cleaned our temporary home when we moved out gone on vacation started homeschool for the cherubs bought a house cleaned the new house so we could move in painted rooms at our n...

  When we first arrived in Dallas, there was a fellow pastor who loaded the Mr. into the car and said, "Let's go to Bonton." The Mr. spent the day in this area of far, South Dallas, learning about a ministry called H.I.S. Bridgebuilders. Fast-forward nearly 5 years. At our school, high school students have the week before Spring Break to participate in, "Minimester." Short synopsis:  it's a week to go on a mission trip. As a Freshman baseball player, my boy cherub went to Bonton . . . the place where the Mr. first toured. When the Baseball boys and two mom chaperons arrived in Bonton, a man named Trog met us there. Trog impressed my boy cherub. Trog has his own look, wears a leather knife holder . . . and knife, and gardens as apart of his ministry. In this inner city ministry, Trog cultivates both produce and disciples. This resonated with my boy cherub, who feels his own call to full-time ministry, but doesn't beli...

I did not grow up doing mums in high school. Honestly, it must be a Texas thing. And as the saying goes, "Everything in Texas is always bigger!" Mums . . . honestly, I don't get it! I'm not sure what the fascination with it is! I'm learning with my boy cherub. This is the second year that I have made a mum for his homecoming date. Now, for the record, I want to do it for him and for her. But that doesn't mean that I understand what it is all about! For those of you who don't do mums at your high school, just google "images of homecoming mums" Seriously!  Go do it!  Open another tab on your computer and look! You will d.r.o.p. y.o.u.r j.a.w !!!  Last year, a friend of mine taught me how to make the mum. I am thankful that she is working with me again. She has made several over the years and, while it isn't hard, I just want to make sure that I remember. Mums require lots of stuff. Ribbon. Mum. ...

It's been a journey this year for my boy cherub. He has handled it well, but together, as a family, we are figuring things out. It all started with his 15 year check up. I received a small reprimand from his pediatrician that the previous year I didn't take him for blood work . . . you know, just to get the base-line established and make sure things were well. Here's the deal -- I need one-stop-shop when it comes to doctors! If there's nothing wrong, then the "go get this done" thing doesn't usually get done. It's not that I try to forget . . . there's just nothing wrong to make me remember to get it done! But this year, when an in-office test came back with out of whack result, I was quick to obey the doctor's request to follow up with blood work. The short version, which included many blood draws and several months; my boy cherub was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease. The blessing:  h...

Yeah! My computer is fixed . . . for now . . . but I can post pictures . . . finally! I have uploaded pics to the last three posts! Hopefully, you were already inspired to make something tasty, but if you're a visual learner, then you might be a little happy today! My girl cherub and I have some lemon bars in the oven. If all goes well, we will be sharing that recipe soon! There are two things working against us! Time! And a new oven! The Mr. and I decided to replace the old double ovens with a single oven and this "whiz bang" thing that can be a convection oven, microwave oven, warmer, and proofer. We I am trying to figure it all out so that I can teach the Mr. and the cherubs how to bake perfect cookies! The only way to get it right is to bake . . . and I haven't heard anyone around my house complaining yet that I haven't gotten it right!

It wasn't that long ago when I strolled into a makeup bar. I was just wasting time and having fun. I picked out some new colors to try and the person helping me went to work on transforming my makeup look. It was fun and I did like the new colors. I even bought some things. But during the play session, the sales person was telling me all about the "organic, simple" eye makeup remover. I wasn't paying much attention until I heard, "there's only one ingredient!  How great is that for your skin?" I chimed in, "What's that?" Coconut oil. While I did like the remover, I didn't buy any .  . . I wanted to buy color! But I did tuck those little words away, " . . .only one ingredient; coconut oil." Once home, I began to look into the use of coconut oil as a cleanser. Sure enough!  It is widely regarded as an all-natural option in the health and beauty world! One site I looked at suggested buying organic so...

Look at those cuties! Those are my cherubs! That's also me and the Mr. But that's not the point of the picture! It's my cherubs! These cherubs of mine are rather amazing children, I might say! My cherub's have a fund-raising business. They do this during their "free time." They're dedicated and committed to their efforts. They've named their business, "Baked with a Mission." They fund-raise for their mission trips. Right now, it's a small effort, but they are able to work together and raise the funds for their trips. Our dream is to be able to raise money that would help provide financial assistance to other students who wish to do mission work. Here's the gist of the business:  it's a "treat of the month" club. There's no obligation or monthly commitment. They send out an e-mail each month of the treat they are making. They tell you the size of the treat (8X8 pan, etc) and the co...

I'm not much on resolutions. Never have been. However, each year there are things that I want to achieve, change, or try. Maybe that's a resolution but I just don't call it such! This year I sought something different. This year, each of us prayed and asked the Lord for a word. Our own word. Our word for the year. A word that we would each come to hold dear. To cherish. A word, that right now might be understood one way, but by the end of the year might have an entirely different meaning. A truth. At dinner we each reviled our word and defined it, as we understood it to that point. Excellence. Gratitude. Home. Power. To hear the Mr. and my cherub's say their word and describe it . . .it was amazing! When I gave my word, "home" to my family I said to this, "I'm not really wanting this word.  I don't even really know if this is my word for this year, so I may change it!  But I think it's my word beca...

Every year, when we go to Red River, New Mexico, we always stop at the same places along the way. One of our very favorite places to stop is Gladstone, New Mexico.  There's only one thing there:  The Gladstone Mercantile. It is a stop in the road. Literally! Here's their population sign 5! There used to be a mercantile store and a post office. They closed the post office! The mercantile store is still there. This might surprise you, but it's family owned and operated! The lady who runs it doesn't live in Gladstone. But her parents do! And their neighbors. That makes 5! We always stop to go to the bathroom, buy a package of homemade cookies, and my mom always buys a years supply of these pot scrubber things. The have a ton of homemade goodies and canned goods. The serve lunch to the local ranchers and serve the vacationers who are onto bigger destinations. Once the post office closed, the mercantile took over the little room ...

I'm sure you've heard all about making your own laundry soap. It's a novelty. Well, a novelty these days! Normally you think of tree-hugging, nut-eating, broom-stick skirt wearing, Birkenstock shoe wearing people as the only ones who would be interested in such. Not that trees, nuts, broom stick skirts and Birkenstock shoes are bad .  . . but sometimes when they're all put together; well, you know! Back to the laundry soap making . . . it's kind of coming back in style to be "in control" of things! That's probably because the things we need to be in control of  we aren't, so we're choosing random things to "take control of" so that we feel better about being out of control. Wow! I think that might be a deep thought to contemplate! Do I hear rhythmic snapping and "cool man" in the background? I have been making  my own laundry soap for several months now. It is cheaper. But I'm not so sure that it...

 Happy Father's Day to my Mr. You are just who we need; designed that way by God! When a dad is doing "his job," then his kids rightfully give him the title, "Best Dad in the World!" Here's to our "Best Dad in the World!" You give us more than a place to live; you give us a home. You give us more than just good times; you help us make memories. You take the time to teach us; You give us love; and plenty of opportunities to laugh . . . sometimes with you and sometimes at you! You don't do everything perfectly . . . . and that's ok! You have embraced the two gifts God has given us; made no excuses, and you have given it your all! You've taken the opportunity of being a father and turned it into the privilege of becoming a dad! All of our love! The Cherubs and me!

This was our "end of school" gift this year to ourselves! A new game! We absolutely love games! In the Summer, we play a ton of games! Matter of fact, we play a ton of games whenever we have a break from school! Our game closet looks like a Milton Bradley factory! This game is fun! It's a quick-play; and easy to learn! It's designed for 4 or more people to play; and it's great for groups! It's a keeper! Happy Summer! ** In no way am I endorsed by the makers of this game.  These thoughts are totally my own and in no way am I being compensated by the makers.  Heck, they don't even know who I am!  But if they did want to compensate me with a complimentary game, I'd love to have a free give-a-way with it.  The winner being the one able to post the most useless piece of amazing information!

Last summer, while on vacation, the Mr. insisted I buy a perfume. My only request is that it be something that I love and that I could get when we got "back home." As small as the world is these days, the second to that demand wasn't hard to accomplish. While we meandered our way through our trip, we stopped and sniffed and sprayed and tested until I couldn't remember what I had sprayed last! But finally, on a shopping day, we stopped by the counter of "Jo Malone." I had only heard of Jo Malone, but didn't have any idea about the fragrances. The sweet young girl sprayed and suggested and mixed until she was blue in the face. Finally, the very last sample was "it!" Nectarine Blossom and Honey ! I love it! I deluged myself in it one final time before I left the store with the iconic "Jo Malone Bag." I was happy! Since then,  I have the Mr. has purchased for me:  English Pear and Freesia , Red Currant and Cr...

I'm rubbing off on my girl cherub. I'm raising a little "me." It's somewhat sad and somewhat pleasing! I'll explain: A week or so ago it was the book fair at school. You remember those days? Loads of books hauled into the library. The children are encouraged to shop   . . .  .  . . and read, of course! It's actually a great fundraise for schools. However, my confession is this: when we lived in Oklahoma, a Scholastic Book Distribution center was just a few miles from our home. I could go anytime because I purchased books for our church library. It was phenomenal! And it was cheap! I would buy for the church library. And I would buy for my cherubs. And I would buy for the church library. And I would buy for my cherubs. And This was my shopping frenzy! Kind of a "one for them, two for me" sorta deal! But!  Here's the great part! When the book fair came to our school, I'd go open the c...

Dying Easter Eggs is a fun activity at our house. I have a collection of tools and dying paraphernalia that we can use to create the perfect egg. After Easter, I always buy egg dying kits on sale.   It's a great way to get plenty of stuff for real cheap! Cuter than any decorated Easter egg are these two little cherubs of mine!