The Camera Explosion

I didn't know that digital cameras could explode. I wonder if Samsung knows this? This past Saturday night I took a picture of Kevin's first pie. He used self-rising flour instead of plain, and it grew and grew and grew. IT was everywhere in the oven. I took a picture of it and then I shut off my camera and it made a popping sound, like a 22 and that was all she wrote for it. When you shake it, it sounds like a light bulb that has shot. I am so disappointed. I haven't even had it for two years. I guess I am now in the hunt for a new camera. We went furniture shopping yesterday and I am amazed at how much furniture actually is. There was a set of queen size mattresses that cost almost $3,000.00 and I almost lost my breath. I can make my house payments for almost 10 months with that. Bunk beds for the girls cost as much as a bed for me and kevin. Maybe this is why so many people are struggling to buy these things, they are overpriced. I can see paying 1,000 for a real oak bed and a dresser and mirror and a nightstand, but when they say 5 piece and they are talking about the rails, and footboard and headboard for a 1,000 and they are made of chipboard, then I would rather just buy a metal frame and forget about it. It is CRAZY!!!Just for kicks I thought I would post the pictures that killed the camera. Believe it or not, the pie was very good, it was my favorite....chocolate chip pie. The other pictures are from our boredom when the power was off for several hours and the jewelry box workshop that the Girl Scouts did at Lowes' on Saturday.

God Bless each of you this week.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone. My plans for a nice dinner were cancelled, as if that was a surprise. An outside force plus a serious sinus infection were to blame. I did still enjoy my day though, as much as a snotty nose would allow. This morning the girls and I went to a Lowe's Create and Build Workshop and made jewelry boxes. I am not a carpenter, but they turned out very well. They earned a patch from it for their tunics. I did take a nap, because the sinus meds I am taking are a killer. Through all of this, I think of I Corinthians 13. It tells us what LOVE is and what it is not. I have to read this chapter quite a bit about how love does NOT act. I read it as a reminder of how I need to love my family, my husband, and even myself. The part about being rude is especially for me. If I don't get my way, then I can get so rude with Kevin that after the fact, I am so embarrased. Today is a day to think about the Bible verse John 3:16, Jesus was God the Father's Valentine to us. We get Him everyday, not just once a year. In that verse is the word VALENTINE. Write it out, and look for it.

Can

This and That

Today it was just Jordan that had to do school. Alivia is sick, and she slept until 12:30. She has a head and chest cold. The coughing is just starting. Last night I taught about 15 kids in children's church. Jennifer and Linda helped. It me remember that those women who have 17 kids are absolutely crazy. I had a great time though, and I can't wait until it is my turn again.

Jordan is learning to count by 5's and she is doing quite well with it. I was going to start working on telling time this week, but I decided to wait until next week. I want to let her practice more on the counting by 5's. We also began the long E sound today. We have to write a story tomorrow that uses long E sounds. I have a feeling that there will be queens and dreams mentioned in this one.

I have been reading my new devotional book that I purchased in Pittsburgh. It is called the Power of a Positive Wife. Right now.. at this moment, they are all fighting in the living room and I am thinking.. positive yea right. It is a good book though, and I am glad I bought it. Here are a couple of new pictures that we took last night when we were getting ready for church. I think they are great.

Family Saturdays

Alivia has been fighting a nasty cold for a couple of days, on Thursday morning she must have gotten too hot, because she vomitted and she just felt miserable the whole day. She didn't do much with school on Thurs. of Fri. She is feeling somewhat better today and she is now playing the drums with her popcorn tin.

Kevin is fighting a sinus infection today and he gets so sick with them, I think he would be better off to get the flu. He is whiny when he is sick, as I guess most males are. Anyway.....

Today the girls and I cleaned the house. Most of it anyway. We mopped their room, which was a disaster area, and the hallways and living room. I can't wait until summer so that we can sand and wax our floors. The only thing I hate about hardwood floors is the fact that you have to sweep 2-3 times a day around here.

To take a break, the girls and I made brownies and then we made Rice Krispie treats for children's church tomorrow night. We put red food coloring in the marshmallows and made them a pretty pink color. I threw in some peanut butter too. I thought it would be nice to watch Wall-E on PPV this evening. So I bought it and then realized that the dumb thing doesn't come on until 11:00 tonight. What a crock! So, I will DVR it and watch it between church goings tomorrow.

Jordan is a good helper around the house. She loves to dust, help mommy mix up things and then she loves to eat what we have made. She must be going to grow more, I haven't been able to fill her up today.

I am thankful that the girl scout cookie orders are almost over. Our service unit sold almost 6,000 boxes of cookies. That is really good, since there are only 60 girl scouts in our county at the present time. The Diana troop actually sold 1700 boxes themselves this year. They were the county high sellers. I am proud of my troop. They have overcame alot and stuck together. The parents have been very supportive of my leadership, and I am thankful for my little group.

Kids

Today after school Alivia was playing on our big whiteboard and she tells me to "Watch and learn, mommy." She is so funny. Yet- this evening when I was fixing supper I started to think about something. I am not one to watch and then learn. I am the one who learns the hard way. I don't read the directions to a project and then I wonder why the bookcase is lopsided.

I am learning side by side with my kids in school. Sometimes what works with Jordan does not work with Alivia and then vice versa. I have to watch them and learn that something isn't working for them. My kids have a different learning style than I do at this stage.

We got our books from Alpha Omega this week. I was so excited to get them. I love Alivia's set of books, but I think I messed up on Jordan's. I ordered her the Kindergarten level, and the only thing in the math book that we haven't covered is the telling of time. The Language Arts section is about the same. It does show how other letter combos make the long vowel sound. So once again I am resourcing from the internet and other matierials that I have here at home. It is a dillema that I am in. I don't want her to work ahead, but I don't think that I have much of a choice at this time.

At this moment my kids are playing dodge balloon with their daddy in the living room. So far nothing has been broken and noone is crying. That is a miracle in itself. They have such a good time playing with their dad, but the house suffers for it afterwards.

I am still doing laundry and putting up my clothes from my weekend in the panhandle. I think about my friends and the lives that we lead now. It is great to see that everyone is doing the works of God, in some way or another. What ever your calling, do it with all of heart, soul and being and you will inherit the kingdom of God. What a great incentive.

Revelations!!

I know the title of the blog sounds like the book from the Bible, but my thoughts aren't about that. Well. entirely. I took a long weekend to myself this past weekend. Something that I thought I really needed, and I did need a break from the same old same old, but it was not from my family, it was my physical environment. I admit it, I love the faster paces, the convenience of every store imaginable being within 15 to 20 minutes. The culture and opportunity. Then one the morning I was set to leave, I began to dread the 3 hour trip home. It was then that I realized that I would have to drive this far to see my family and to be able to slow it down a little bit. I love the fact that my yard is flat and that I can let my kids play in the yard safely while I am in the house. I can grow a garden in my yard. So after all of this rambling, I came to the fact that I can always drive to the city for a weekend, but I couldn't unwind or play outside as much or not worry about who my neighbors were. God put me in this little community for a reason, and it will just take time to see why.
I did enjoy so much seeing my old friends. I am glad that each of us are still with God and they have a wonderful ministry. They work with the youth of their church and I think that is so important especially in today's time. It is neat to see each of them with kids, especially Howie and Toni. They have a cute little girl who makes the funniest faces.
As I said before, God puts us where he wants us. Each of us has a purpose, to reach one or to reach many.