What to do???????

The kids have been shipped off to Popi and Yaya's house for a week. Then, I'll go down to spend a long weekend visiting and drive home with the kids. This is the first time EVER we've been at home without the kids. It's wonderfully quiet!

What are our big plans? Whatever we want! We've already had a hot date out to dinner then grocery shopping at Walmart. See, exciting stuff, huh? Other plans this week:
- catch up on blogs
- clean out the kids' rooms
- regular house chores- laundry, bathrooms, floors, dusting....
- errands, that I can run in half the time without kids and don't have to be back for naps
- exercise
- prep for Just Between Friends consignment sale
- read, maybe at the neighborhood pool
- scrapbook
- watch old movies
But, it will blissfully be done in my time, without extra voices and whining (maybe a little from Kevin).

This is good stuff. Thanks Popi and Yaya!

Wanna Play a Game?- WW

I love summer!

The other day, we decided to take the kids to the neighborhood pool for the first time this season. We've been enjoying the little pool in the yard and goodness knows I can't take both kids to the big pool by myself while Kevin's working.

Jacob has a floating suit thing, but he tumps over. I finally found him some floaties, and he was quite pleased (they have sharks on them). Jacob took to the pool like a fish to water. No fear and wanted to do it all by himself. At first, he giggled so much, open-mouthed that he kept swallowing and gagging on the pool water. Eventually, he figured out how to catch and spit it out instead. At bath time that night, he asked for his floaties and told me how much fun he had at the pool. Good stuff!

Beth takes a little longer to warm up to the idea of swimming. I wish we'd gotten out here earlier, but oh well. She swam around with floaties some, then we worked on her real swimming. Oh, the drama! After a while, though, she was getting the hang of it again. Don't worry, we'll get some more practice in.

Then, home for little pool and playing in the yard time. My little water bugs sure had fun! Like our redneck-i-fied pool?

The other day, I was shopping at Target (like that's a surprise), and I found these smaller hula-hoops ("hoop-a-loops" to Jacob) for $1.50 on clearance. OK! It's been fun to watch them try to use them then come up with other games to play with them instead.

Jacob discovered that the water hose is a great microphone. Quite a concert he gave! B-I-B-L-E that all the neighbors must have heard, Zaccheus, Jesus loves me.... Then, Kevin played that age old water hose trick. Jacob didn't get flustered at all and thought it was so funny he asked Kevin to do it again. Silly boy!

Meanwhile, Kevin grilled burgers while we hung out together outside. I think we've had burgers every night for a week since we've been hanging out outside every evening. I love summer!

Wordless Wednesday- Boy Adventures Never Cease

Zoo much fun!

I just love having such a great zoo not too far away! June was a great month to be a zoo member. There were special presentations before regular zoo hours on Mondays to go learn more about animals or see their feedings. Since Beth is so interested in snakes, we went up the day the snake keeper was to have a session. While the "presentation" wasn't very exciting, we still had a great time checking out the animals and trying to stay cool!

Another day while Kevin was out of town, we invited our friends Mary and Mallory to spend some zoo time with us. The kids were all so cute being by each other and talking about the animals. Since we went after naps, we spent a nice, not-crowded couple hours at the zoo before they closed. Stopped at a mall for dinner to miss rush-hour traffic. What fun spending time with friends!

The Evolution of a Summer Pool

Kevin and Beth took a trip to pick up a summer kiddie pool. I was thinking they'd come back with one of those old standard hard plastic type, maybe the one with the slide. I'm told Beth was even given the choice of one of the really big ones that take gallons and gallons of water (but there was something about taking the trampoline down temporarily). Instead, she chose the alligator with a slide in and a slide out. Pretty fun looking!

It didn't long before we realized there just wasn't much room to "swim" with both slides. Off went the slide-out. Much better!

Then, the slide-in went flat. Ok, no big deal, take it off too. Much better! Now, there's room for Beth to stretch out, close her eyes and sing. (I'm sure Yaya is now having a "that sounds like a little girl I used to know" moment) We also put the big hard plastic slide in it once in while for more adventure. Talk about redneck! But, they love it!

Next summer, I'm hoping for a pool at least long enough that I can get in and cool off too. :)

Time changes things- WW

February 2008

July 2010

The best decision, ever!

About a month ago, Beth made the best decision she will ever make in her life, an eternal decision. In Sunday school, the teacher asked anyone to raise their hand if they needed to make this decision, and she did. Her heart has been tender to it for a while, knowing that she loved Jesus. It took her asking Jesus to live in her heart to assure that she'll spend eternity in heaven.

For the next few days, out of nowhere, Beth would start singing "I'm saved!" My heart just swelled with pride. She understood it, she meant it with her whole heart, she'd be in heaven one day. How awesome! The first step in obedience to Christ, in her salvation, is to be baptized, to show others that she'd made that decision to be a new person with Jesus in her heart.

On Father's Day weekend, it was her turn. She was a little nervous, but Bro Jim talked her through it. The water was warm, and she got to hold her nose. After church, lots of people told her congratulations, and she liked that. We're so proud of her, with her tender heart, asking Jesus to save her.

Yes, she'll still sin and make choices that don't please God. But what a wonderful God we serve, that He will forgive her. I hope her heart is always tender to listen to God's teachings, to grow in a relationship with Him, to see Him as a friend and wonderful heavenly father. Regardless, I love knowing that when we die, I will see her in heaven, as we praise Jesus together!

The age of accountability, different for every child (or person), is reaching the point where heart and head match, knowing it's more than just saying you love Jesus and singing songs about Him. It's making a choice to follow Him. It doesn't matter how kind or obedient or loving you are to people. God wants us to make the choice to invite Him into our hearts. He's in charge of heaven, and without his permission you don't get in. You can dress and act the part, but you have to be a member. Sounds simple, right? It is! If you want assured membership into heaven, here's what you have to do:

1. Know that God loves you. Above all else, no matter what you've done, no matter what you'll do. He's a Father that knows no bounds of his love. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. Could you imagine letting your own child die, just to save others? Me either. But, that's how much God loves us.

2. Admit you are a sinner, you've made bad choices. It doesn't mean a criminal, it just means your human-ness is there. "For ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 Tell God you know you're a sinner. Talk to him like you would a friend.

3. Realize that sin has a price. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23. Our choices, our sins, will come payment-due. Thing is, Jesus paid for them, for OUR sins, with his life. It was a gift, and all we have to do is accept that gift. It's not a strings attached deal. It's ours, for free! "God commandeth his love toward us, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

4. Just ask! Ask Jesus to be your savior, believing that he forgives you, that you will have eternal life! "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13. Tell him that you know you're a sinner and should pay the price for it. Tell him thank you for loving you and for paying the price for those sins. Tell him you choose to have him live in your heart and change your life for eternity.

If you have more questions about this, please send me a message. I'd be happy to talk to you about it!