tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42475810692234549362024-02-19T01:32:14.535-08:00Family Of KnightsMommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-10699334848506027512013-04-02T22:53:00.000-07:002013-04-02T22:57:02.295-07:00How I cleaned up my kids' eating (Healthy Life part I)Last week was Spring Break, so I totally fell off of the Blogging world as I ran kids from stores to parks to zoos and science centers. We had a BLAST, but now things are finally getting back to normal and I have a little bit of "free time".<br />
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I have been wanting to blog about this for a long time, so I am very excited about this post. Those who know me know that I am a bit of a "health and fitness freak", and this post is the first of a series of my views and opinions on the subject. Today's topic is eating healthy...but not for adults, I am talking about the little ones! <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihoo2yFPgXifpSwX38Hq-re24dtipblXTKB-ZVijJPosRPlcyphGMlOjgCZYNjQJfyS9jPqLNcVHE22ydonVfS7IYxAgUwH8CwCyQARbxMNLBt8JzP26Nu0AZ52yqsar0ncD50Rvi0VObO/s1600/kidsroll2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihoo2yFPgXifpSwX38Hq-re24dtipblXTKB-ZVijJPosRPlcyphGMlOjgCZYNjQJfyS9jPqLNcVHE22ydonVfS7IYxAgUwH8CwCyQARbxMNLBt8JzP26Nu0AZ52yqsar0ncD50Rvi0VObO/s320/kidsroll2.jpg" /></a><br />
These lil munchkins are ALWAYS HUNGRY!!!!!<br />
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I have encounterd a lot of FAILURE in trying to get my kids to eat healthy (at least to my standards). The one thing that did work really well (which I still do) is the "Sneaky Chef" method <a href="http://thesneakychef.com/">(here)</a>. It has been a great way to supplement my family's diet, but I really wanted them to LEARN why they need to eat right. For a long time, it just seemed that all I could do was lead by example and hope they eventually caught on.<br />
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THEN- I ran across this amazing book at the library:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hXEixHBSwPZjQw7Y9hq84G-PU7ew0lyztCw04yot5Ow-52Kbt1ZvmG5-F0JOlI0BSePAioVrmsE-jz3SEN2eQj1FJD1SLwKhvcUdVTer3meyrbuvWjvzF1nmB0UYAuR-4W9LJWpJJdr1/s1600/eatinghealthy.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hXEixHBSwPZjQw7Y9hq84G-PU7ew0lyztCw04yot5Ow-52Kbt1ZvmG5-F0JOlI0BSePAioVrmsE-jz3SEN2eQj1FJD1SLwKhvcUdVTer3meyrbuvWjvzF1nmB0UYAuR-4W9LJWpJJdr1/s320/eatinghealthy.jpg" /></a><br />
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My kids LOVED this book, and it really clicked in their little minds the importance of eating right along with a guide to what is healthy and what isn't. It basically broke down food into 3 categories- red light (don't eat/eat very little), yellow light (eat moderately), and green light (eat often). As soon as we finished the book, Sonja (who wouldn't touch fruit or veggies) ran and grabbed an apple. I beamed. <br />
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Within a few days of reading this book, we ran into a man with a prosthetic leg. My kids (to my embarrassment) asked him why he had a "robot leg". He told them it was because he ate too much of what my kids call "Red Light Food", and not enough vegetables (Green light food). That totally solidified the book for them, and they were sold. OH if I could only run into that man again to THANK HIM!!! <br />
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Today all of my kids eat fruits, veggies, lean meats, dairy, nuts, and whole grains for most of their meals. They really have a lot of steady energy (not as many hyper crazes followed by crashes), and more importantly they have been so healthy overall. <br />
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MY philosophy: I really am not super worried about whether my kids get a little sugar or even a little preservatives, but here is what I have found: the options that are organic or made with all natural ingredients, or contain no high fructose corn syrup, tend to have better ingredients all around. Sure, "healthy" cereal may have almost as much sugar as regular cereal- but it is generally full of way less junk as far as preservatives and white flours. To me, it's all about giving my kids the best I can without making them eat seaweed and tofu- it's all about balance. <br />
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So anyways- now that the kids were onboard, we set out to make changes. My goal was to let the kids have foods (snacks in particular) that they like but were also healthy. This seemed like an oxymoron for a while. We went through A TON of healthy options that were just nasty- cardboard cereals, too sticky peanut butter, more cardboard with the crackers- just- ick. With time and the process of elimination, however, we did manage to add some golden additions to our pantry. I would love to share these with you to hopefully spare you some health-food-heartache....<br />
**** I am also a thrifty Mama so none of my options should break your bank :) Your welcome! <br />
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#1. Peanut Butter. I learned in my chemistry class how bad hydrogenated oil is- and how it resides in most peanut butters. We tried so many natural PBs that were Grrrosss- but then we found THIS! Soooo yummy. It does have a little sugar in it, but- it's a better choice than the alternatives! Found at any major grocery store.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nh5z64XcUG_YANlu6C08euas5_otyP_TEKbdNY6VqzdTAIjNsswFtqGxHrEaygS6vmzbAtznaVVK3n0FxKODChJWmENzkDGHG8okZMERomlBW6OJNJhVmuG0Zte8NeieBkrg7xM6W2U1/s1600/healthykids3.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nh5z64XcUG_YANlu6C08euas5_otyP_TEKbdNY6VqzdTAIjNsswFtqGxHrEaygS6vmzbAtznaVVK3n0FxKODChJWmENzkDGHG8okZMERomlBW6OJNJhVmuG0Zte8NeieBkrg7xM6W2U1/s320/healthykids3.jpg" /></a><br />
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#2. Jelly. Most jellies have high fructose corn syrup as one of the first ingredients. This jelly is actually fruit, fruit juice, and pectin. That's about it. I buy it at walmart and it's very decently priced.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vtH_vvX9yeycdyyMDFnoQeax_-oLhkozDjuZRkzylv4O4HXckK31DCvpW-s7w7dfPjPZf7pi3UKpEriyglJgZvuUtGVD-MuT0xhPA93hW25cMv6faxfr0wFB6xD3vbgufypOLmlAyrYZ/s1600/healthykids2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7vtH_vvX9yeycdyyMDFnoQeax_-oLhkozDjuZRkzylv4O4HXckK31DCvpW-s7w7dfPjPZf7pi3UKpEriyglJgZvuUtGVD-MuT0xhPA93hW25cMv6faxfr0wFB6xD3vbgufypOLmlAyrYZ/s320/healthykids2.jpg" /></a><br />
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#3. Cereal. My kids love cereal. We tried the ultra healthy kinds, and they despised it. So, we settled for a healthier version of their favorite cereals, and I am completely at peace with it. I have found these in health food section of many grocery stores <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzx0iaU3mt2nF9YXk4vWFYPr3J9SzxJNoXry1mNxImFly6PmczXCOSmheKB9wwHyx65tkAmxLcemw0CmHlnIS_dkfK8ym9-n1vNdeInYj-UOnkTwPEfXpUIrtjOJSrSlmmOacuHASiJkhm/s1600/momsbestnaturals.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzx0iaU3mt2nF9YXk4vWFYPr3J9SzxJNoXry1mNxImFly6PmczXCOSmheKB9wwHyx65tkAmxLcemw0CmHlnIS_dkfK8ym9-n1vNdeInYj-UOnkTwPEfXpUIrtjOJSrSlmmOacuHASiJkhm/s320/momsbestnaturals.jpg" /></a><br />
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#4. Oatmeal. So, Quaker oatmeal instant packs have a ton of ingredients I can't even pronounce, and that doesn't sit well with me. BUT- my kids do not like my homemade version. So, when we found this- the kids and I were both delighted. YUM! Found at any major grocery store.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZarcb6WxifMVqxd2A8SV5-YGXa_hhzGr1ISZK_X0SMnt2xSO0sdMISZbA8llbE3RQ79iNaEzX8Voi1Z-Na7fyPo-vTq9qB77CMwp18qTsLKKD_X_ZtLKR_K01jARbKdPnkGHZ6kKeSO3y/s1600/healthykids1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZarcb6WxifMVqxd2A8SV5-YGXa_hhzGr1ISZK_X0SMnt2xSO0sdMISZbA8llbE3RQ79iNaEzX8Voi1Z-Na7fyPo-vTq9qB77CMwp18qTsLKKD_X_ZtLKR_K01jARbKdPnkGHZ6kKeSO3y/s320/healthykids1.jpg" /></a><br />
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#5. Yogurt. Ok, so- the kid friendly yogurts are just no bueno. I get them once in a while for the kids as a treat, but I am really not impressed at all with the ingredients and nutrition. My kids really love this alternative- and it is much better for them! They are found at any major grocery store. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-aDDV2dvV9AHfdD7XcXhNNM_zXbRKgyfGAcHRY0K6dT1GiB_J_6ClZu7aWwEknrv_YHhOvF6u2CPsUm5GqSgvwzLEV7RcsZdY4LB9ENAnMLV4g_rFUR8elSydHE06HOZYEw7Okwqgb6ym/s1600/healthykids7.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-aDDV2dvV9AHfdD7XcXhNNM_zXbRKgyfGAcHRY0K6dT1GiB_J_6ClZu7aWwEknrv_YHhOvF6u2CPsUm5GqSgvwzLEV7RcsZdY4LB9ENAnMLV4g_rFUR8elSydHE06HOZYEw7Okwqgb6ym/s320/healthykids7.jpg" /></a><br />
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#6. Tortillas. Oh. My. Goodness. If you have some tortillas on hand- go and look at the ingredients list. You will be blown away. Homemade tortillas are made of 4 ingredients- water, flour, salt, and lard. What on earth are all those other things in the packaged kind? YUCK. Anyways, after a lot of searching, I found these: my kids eat them without fuss and they are very cleaned up! I have only been able to find them at Sprouts so far.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-tA-pQfuUiU4jmd2x2gmPyxvWNCA93lMaF15k_offl4GD0MVgqnT9mVi1TPpGLmL7PHd2Ln-vwWYfuND1r8bK-zQ7Wdpxnc2WV2NEwr5EJmHIi1MwnCatmsy2WHx9kZSEgsFXrLG7xY2/s1600/healthykids5.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-tA-pQfuUiU4jmd2x2gmPyxvWNCA93lMaF15k_offl4GD0MVgqnT9mVi1TPpGLmL7PHd2Ln-vwWYfuND1r8bK-zQ7Wdpxnc2WV2NEwr5EJmHIi1MwnCatmsy2WHx9kZSEgsFXrLG7xY2/s320/healthykids5.jpg" /></a><br />
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#7- Snack Attack. My kids are liking flavored rice cakes, popped rice chips, trail mixes, air popped popcorn, and cheese sticks. While these choices aren't perfect, they are better than the alternatives. They offer vitamins and minerals that other junk food does not, and paired with a piece of fruit they make for a satisfactory snack. <br />
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#8. Mac and Cheese. Last, but not least- the biggest change! Ok, not really- but I was having SUCH a hard time finding a mac n cheese alternative. It wasn't really the mac I hated (although it was white pasta, I coulda lived with it once in a while), it was the cheese...if you can even call it that. But ANYWAYS. Thank the Lord we finally came across this: My kids love it! Found at any grocery store, in health food section.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmpBIgg3ljKWDGk2IsfS6ZC16zuet678Zv2hY5QYSxdbb6BczlcDttK4yAbEzynNGBhiqfciploVc-WTf5xP_hDX4OLs0wSiBSC404N0eM2AfPEggD3HpOI51BcLt-OeWEGEx4hn1P-ex-/s1600/healthykids6.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmpBIgg3ljKWDGk2IsfS6ZC16zuet678Zv2hY5QYSxdbb6BczlcDttK4yAbEzynNGBhiqfciploVc-WTf5xP_hDX4OLs0wSiBSC404N0eM2AfPEggD3HpOI51BcLt-OeWEGEx4hn1P-ex-/s320/healthykids6.jpg" /></a><br />
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IF you are lookin for healthy food for your kids- you know- ones that don't sit on the shelf forever because no one will touch it, I hope you will give these a try. I am always on the search for healthy, kid friendly food- so I will continue my search- and if you have any treasures you have found, PLEASE comment below and let me know!<br />
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Stay tuned for more!MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-84836894218638725882013-03-13T09:13:00.000-07:002013-03-13T09:58:02.833-07:0025 Things I've learned About Motherhood<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQASx7QdiJDOMx8YNPfe2wrQGQ6102qoZsyk0B4x2938-Gt4OHQfMdSTdAXP5FHmwYE8RgauFLK8OmR1e0HGzwlLL0X71ipJo552UJ_O_FH2gVBIYrwFqb4qYs_Iy5nlj9XmFcSFy6IQTN/s1600/crazy-mom.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQASx7QdiJDOMx8YNPfe2wrQGQ6102qoZsyk0B4x2938-Gt4OHQfMdSTdAXP5FHmwYE8RgauFLK8OmR1e0HGzwlLL0X71ipJo552UJ_O_FH2gVBIYrwFqb4qYs_Iy5nlj9XmFcSFy6IQTN/s320/crazy-mom.jpg" /></a><br />
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I've been a mother for just about 8 years now, and I have learned an immeasureable amount about myself, about kids, and about my husband. Here is a collective list of some of those things.<br />
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1. Showers are a luxury, uninterrupted restroom breaks are non-existant.<br />
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2. Keeping your outfit clean is as impossible as keeping the kids' clean. By the end of the day,expect anything from dirt, snot, food, or even poop on yourself. <b>note</b> - CHECK your outfit before heading out in public and having someone else point out the streak of boogers on your thigh (true story).<br />
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3. Just because you have kids doesn't mean the romance is dead in your relationship. I've heard that before, and I totally disagree. If it is important to you, you'll find the time and energy!<br />
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4. Toothpaste is apparently hard to get on toothbrushes, but easy to get EVERYWHERE else. If someone could invent a way to brush teeth without the gooey stuff, my bathroom would love you for it.<br />
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5. Silence is the scariest sound in the world when kids are around. It means that they are up to no good. Silence is golden, however, when children are out with Daddy. <br />
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6. Being a referree sure isn't as fun as the NFL makes it out to be. But it's just as necessary.<br />
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7. Eavesdropping on little conversations becomes your favorite past-time. You get to hear their uncensored thoughts and dreams, it is truly amazing.<br />
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8. Sibling love is an amazing thing to watch....sibling fights can be a nightmare. <br />
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9. When playing board games, the rules become more like guidelines. This will happen because a child will no doubt lose the dice or step on the board and send all the pieces tumbling off their spaces. Or because a child is losing for the 4th time in a row and they just need an extra $50 of monopoly money to get them through :).<br />
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10. After days of 24/7 with the little boogers, you just NEED A BREAK. But come Friday night, you say goodbye to the kids and the babysitter, and you miss them like crazy!!<br />
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11. Spend all night cooking dinner, and kids won't touch it. Throw on some Top Ramen, and everyone wolfs it down. <br />
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12. Kids "helping" makes the job take twice as long. Let them anyways, it's worth it.<br />
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13. If your kids enjoy a movie one night, be prepared to watch it non-stop for the next month. I now know Lion King and Aladdin by heart.<br />
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14. Your house gets sticky. You don't know how, you don't know why, but it keeps happening just the same.<br />
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15. Laundry is never-ending. Dishes are never-ending. Some days you go on strike and say "what does it matter, they just pile up again anyways." Then you can't find a clean spoon or clean socks, and you realize that going on strike against yourself is just never going to work.<br />
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16. Things break. A lot. Even better, everyone says "it wasn't me!" with the most innocent of faces. You must become a private investegator to properly bust the guilty party.<br />
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17. Disciplining your child really DOES hurt you more than them.<br />
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18. Your son will, at one point say that your spankings "tickle". You'll have to try hard not to laugh. Then give the spanking job to your husband. <br />
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19. You will get embarrassed in public a LOT. Whether its the out loud "that guys stinks" comment, or the fit thrown in the middle of the supermarket, they'll make you look like a fool at least once...a day.<br />
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20. No one's hugs and kisses feel better.<br />
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21. Hearing "Mom, your the best Mom" is the greatest compliment you'll ever receive.<br />
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22. Watching your children grow and develop gives you such mixed emotions, and sometimes you wish you could start it all over again.<br />
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23. Knowing that your husband loves the kids with the same love as you have for them creates a new bond, and makes marriage even that much MORE worth the effort.<br />
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24. Kids' innocent faith in God is beautiful. Their prayers are even more beautiful. <br />
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25. Time goes way too fast. It is so important to see every day as a gift. Love on them and spend time with them every chance you get. <br />
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I'm sure I can come up with hundreds more, but these are the first ones that popped into my head. I treasure my time as Mommy, and am so blessed that God has given me these 3 little munchkins!!<br />
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MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-61496569235660374942013-03-09T17:31:00.000-08:002013-03-09T17:35:02.787-08:005 Things About Me..My friend, <a href="http://http://tabithalowder.blogspot.com//">Mimzi,</a> challenged me to write 5 things about myself that most people don't know. It took me a while, but I think I finally came up with 5 semi-interesting things about myself!! Wow! I'm not as boring as I thought.<br />
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1. My dream home is a castle house, complete with medieval furniture (like the oversized, clawfoot tub. AAAHHH LOVE those). I have wanted this since I was 13, and even had my room decorated knight-themed as a teenager. You can imagine my surprise when my husband not only has a last name that means knight, but wanted the same type of house! Coincidence??? Nah!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQ_bVVSNzhdRWrjgo2ywVqEO23Js5-uzUtc42vdJQxwd1fPuaxmLP9V-ZnoC0C7NPHpktKon08PqIhfvBgqzpLcEPe5oM8JJKSvNcjpYs-RPa5ZwWiPLYj5JZgViJfLRWNCLDU5krd3Jt/s1600/castle1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQ_bVVSNzhdRWrjgo2ywVqEO23Js5-uzUtc42vdJQxwd1fPuaxmLP9V-ZnoC0C7NPHpktKon08PqIhfvBgqzpLcEPe5oM8JJKSvNcjpYs-RPa5ZwWiPLYj5JZgViJfLRWNCLDU5krd3Jt/s320/castle1.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUh1b9q9sG_O_WlPgxWHYiJd0cfkatre_lqW9irKu-mVz6Z_l0lDnb-bzHEIkoB7TOrtC7p_lI8HqHTHhJa7v2WuYfpGC_uyzj2Lp-MptPOe8ha5GL9hswPvuw4Jh_bTfMWIksRNtFJ4Yx/s1600/castle2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUh1b9q9sG_O_WlPgxWHYiJd0cfkatre_lqW9irKu-mVz6Z_l0lDnb-bzHEIkoB7TOrtC7p_lI8HqHTHhJa7v2WuYfpGC_uyzj2Lp-MptPOe8ha5GL9hswPvuw4Jh_bTfMWIksRNtFJ4Yx/s320/castle2.jpg" /></a><br />
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2. I talk (out loud)to myself a lot. I have actually gotten much better about this, but I used to catch myself doing this all the time, even in public. SIDE NOTE- I do NOT answer myself, so it's all good :-).<br />
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3. I love schedules, to-do lists, plans, etc. Even though I've been a work-at-home Mom for the past 7 years and don't techinally have a boss (over the age of 7), I still love to plan out my days, weeks....years. The only bad thing is I love crossing off my to-do list so much, that I'll write down things I already did so I can cross them off, and look like I did more that day. <br />
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4. I am not much of a [laundry] folder, but I am very particular with how my towels are folded. They have to look like this:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnULaz8bqP-7yrp2xyXlodwtKF8EgjgxZ_BRf7hslHC2Fo7I5_Oax1RluSxRZQ1ukf0Jn97ZrPmPPRNJzFtnM8pwjcn59os1S4eJsDLQt6mKSpKcyJjOQBz9jGZS_Vds-ZkHt7p80kSAZT/s1600/towels1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnULaz8bqP-7yrp2xyXlodwtKF8EgjgxZ_BRf7hslHC2Fo7I5_Oax1RluSxRZQ1ukf0Jn97ZrPmPPRNJzFtnM8pwjcn59os1S4eJsDLQt6mKSpKcyJjOQBz9jGZS_Vds-ZkHt7p80kSAZT/s320/towels1.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQ52zeFEoZn_D1vZtmdeuirbVBOkO1mmIQ_kq51s2Zr9XpeKTkbxVESyxcnFnvdIUtuOeydLxKH-yq-xGTHSEcWcHdCG0YLeSO8U6w0EKMgfk2UqDDtsXJPfRstZeh3aYhVFeoBgPYcf9/s1600/towels2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAQ52zeFEoZn_D1vZtmdeuirbVBOkO1mmIQ_kq51s2Zr9XpeKTkbxVESyxcnFnvdIUtuOeydLxKH-yq-xGTHSEcWcHdCG0YLeSO8U6w0EKMgfk2UqDDtsXJPfRstZeh3aYhVFeoBgPYcf9/s320/towels2.jpg" /></a><br />
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If they are folded any differently, even if it's a good fold, I hate it!<br />
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5. My kids and I make up silly songs all the time using the tune of another song. We do this while cleaning and it makes the chores go so much faster. I wish I could think of one off the top of my head to share- I need to start writing these down!<br />
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Well, those are some [no longer] secrets about me! Have a great rest of your weekend!<br />
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To keep this train going, I call on <a href="http://paperpiecesofme.blogspot.com/">Holly</a>, <a href="http://aprons-n-pearls.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html">Shandy</a>, and <a href="http://tinyarrow.blogspot.com/">Sarah</a>!!<br />
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MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-35267794732605116672013-03-07T08:57:00.000-08:002013-03-07T09:16:05.104-08:00Rough Spots and How to Get Through Them<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuCWCegVi8qTZDQdwmGLJYY2LvGHPm7iP0h2WUfUP3YsxXfsDQJ9EluIELZYfITHfVvoqP8LQatdeQM4ulSKkTd50JFPrKQSd3CWpvp8kl6-N02MGF0I3bg6EpLZcczomi0fIpMOBQ0lVo/s1600/broken-heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuCWCegVi8qTZDQdwmGLJYY2LvGHPm7iP0h2WUfUP3YsxXfsDQJ9EluIELZYfITHfVvoqP8LQatdeQM4ulSKkTd50JFPrKQSd3CWpvp8kl6-N02MGF0I3bg6EpLZcczomi0fIpMOBQ0lVo/s320/broken-heart.jpg" /></a><br />
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Have you ever looked back on a part of your life and wonder how you even survived?? Like if someone had told you beforehand what was going to happen, you might have just locked yourself in the bedroom and never came out? Or maybe hopped in the car and ran away?<br />
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ME TOO<br />
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I have actually had 3 absolute terror of times that really define the above for me (I am only going back as far as I've been married). I would like to share them with you, as well as my views on those times now, and most importantly...how I got through them. If you are going through an especially tough time now, I hope I can encourage you a bit :). <br />
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<b>Hard time #1</b>. Miscarriage. I lost my 2nd child at 14 weeks pregnant. I had some spotting so made an appointment right away. The Dr found no heartbeat. It was such a shock, and did not feel real to me at first. Having to tell friends and family was really hard. I was embarrassed for some reason. Like I was insignificant because my body couldn't keep a baby alive (which isn't even true!). I had to have an emergency D & C the next day because my body went into miscarriage but I was too far along to pass it myself.<br />
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It was such a lonely feeling to lose a child. I still feel the sting once in a while, even though it was 7 years ago.<br />
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I remember what really helped me in those first couple weeks was holding my 1 year old daughter. She was such a comfort to me! I know for a fact that God sometimes shows us his Love through the innocence of a child. And that is exactly what happened in this instance.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezBwYNeoJuOBKoTpC_mi8LikZ3ufmHbOZHVj49voy8z1vaQrjbi3kvOnTfNijGFKXnB6RZXxeeTywyf_gN6CDt_dTubdNzer_ZV6R_DfGjyiYKZ8M6o0Jq4SIAiZGpX9lvQ8hhTDFrqnV/s1600/_smallMG_7852.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezBwYNeoJuOBKoTpC_mi8LikZ3ufmHbOZHVj49voy8z1vaQrjbi3kvOnTfNijGFKXnB6RZXxeeTywyf_gN6CDt_dTubdNzer_ZV6R_DfGjyiYKZ8M6o0Jq4SIAiZGpX9lvQ8hhTDFrqnV/s320/_smallMG_7852.jpg" /></a><br />
My oldest (this pic taken at age 4) <br />
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Four months later, I became pregnant again. We were so excited!! I went in for routine bloodwork. That night the nurse called me. "Your hormone count is really high. This means either you have twins, or something is wrong."<br />
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That night I broke down. I told God that if I lose this baby too, I am not having any more! In hindsight, I wish I would have rested in Him. But, I didn't. I was heartbroken.<br />
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Long story short, everything was fine with that pregnancy. And, it wasn't twins, either. Just a [very hormonal?] baby boy!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkN9I9QTJExwMD6zcLAfeDALNUGuo8omFQab8Tqz-bkMPivEJEkTWBccj6kStJBtB44sd1gQLEq7NlThw3oFp6ORLL73ai3xcqxejLFUow_LTev1Vosw7oyar59fVpbCS5yvj2DZP85ak2/s1600/theboys.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkN9I9QTJExwMD6zcLAfeDALNUGuo8omFQab8Tqz-bkMPivEJEkTWBccj6kStJBtB44sd1gQLEq7NlThw3oFp6ORLL73ai3xcqxejLFUow_LTev1Vosw7oyar59fVpbCS5yvj2DZP85ak2/s320/theboys.jpg" /></a><br />
But we balanced it out with a very unhormonal name- Alexander Troy.<br />
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Sometimes I sure don't understand why bad things happen like this. It wasn't a product of anything we did, and we couldn't have prevented it. But now, looking back, I think that it made me stronger. It made me appreciate my pregnancies and the miracle of bringing a life into this world. It gives me a source of "I've been there" comfort to other Moms. And it also helped me to learn that God has my back- when it seems hopeless, a great blessing could be just moments away! This is why when bad things happen now, I try to look at it through goggles of faith. Remembering that when God closes one door, another one always opens.<br />
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<b>Deuteronomy 31:8<i></i></b> It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”<br />
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<b>Hard time #2</b>. RSV. I had my 3rd (and final) child on February 16th, 2009. Prime RSV (which is basically a fancy word for a bad cold) season. When my daughter was 2 weeks old, we all had to take a trip to the Dr. because everyone was sick! My son was the worst. He was wheezing and it concerned me. Really, I only decided to take all 3 because of him. Figured I may as well.<br />
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As it turns out, my older two were fine. Breathing treatments and a little antibiotics and they were set. Then she looks at Sonja, my 2 week old. I had thought she was the "healthiest" of them all. But, when the Dr. listened to her lungs, she said "You need to take her to the hospital". <br />
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WHATTTT??<br />
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I was NOT expecting that. My sister in law had luckily came with me to the appointment, so she took the older 2 home while I headed to the hospital. <br />
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The first day there was an utter nightmare. You can read my post on it <a href="http://www.familyofknights.blogspot.com/2009/03/praying-for-sonja.html">HERE</a>. I stayed pretty strong until they had to do the spinal tap. I had to leave the room. I called my Grandma (who is a nurse) and just broke down.<br />
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The doctors kept teling me "babies that breastfeed don't get sick. She may have an autoimmune disease". I was scared to death, and began thinking the worst- that I could lose my new child.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjY_YwNkHvuJesi-duWqvjHjCOt8QnWVlT0FN7XPGyDLwZJdnlS1Bq-OWNQ8Yea0zq56Tm_QFaDuFP-EQiTjH6L9E7s8HZ49bjHFETZBXIHrE4tjx4D7sLAw1xN0qaOz7vjYugET59rA6W/s1600/sweetie.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjY_YwNkHvuJesi-duWqvjHjCOt8QnWVlT0FN7XPGyDLwZJdnlS1Bq-OWNQ8Yea0zq56Tm_QFaDuFP-EQiTjH6L9E7s8HZ49bjHFETZBXIHrE4tjx4D7sLAw1xN0qaOz7vjYugET59rA6W/s320/sweetie.jpg" /></a><br />
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Of course, the Dr's were wrong, and she just had RSV, even though she was breastfed.<br />
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We spent a week at the hospital. They had to continually deep suction her lungs and give her antibiotics via IV. I was frazzled beyond comprehension. This week was also the week of my midterms for my college courses, and my other 2 babies were sick at home. It was one of the worst weeks of my life! <br />
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At one point, I was so sleep deprived that when I changed my daughter's diaper, I just left it on the ground. I felt like I couldn't even move. The nurse came in and freaked out! She lectured me out germs, laziness, etc. When I think of that nurse now, I picture horns on her head! HA, ok not really. But, at the time, I could not believe the mean words she was saying. I broke down and sobbed. When my family came in later that day, I told them what happened. Boy did they make sure the head nurse heard about it! <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghqMDpihUVVIMN2v6eZhhmN6njcoNmDQKgGaBqbUiQyqIEX4C2YJGQjTFgLp9NCJTxK2OqN_OpTsi0m9KZtsyM68t4bc9oCMBENU85amnugK4YYNVKZKTBQnLWgePWtpviPpHjMTqQbBa4/s1600/truefriends.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghqMDpihUVVIMN2v6eZhhmN6njcoNmDQKgGaBqbUiQyqIEX4C2YJGQjTFgLp9NCJTxK2OqN_OpTsi0m9KZtsyM68t4bc9oCMBENU85amnugK4YYNVKZKTBQnLWgePWtpviPpHjMTqQbBa4/s320/truefriends.jpg" /></a><br />
So, how did I get through it? Well, I survived! For the most part, I didn't let myself think of what was actually going on, I just dug my heels in and barrelled through. Almost like an autopilot...I felt like if I actually sat down and pondered what was going on, I wouldn't make it through. I still believe that way. I asked for a lot of prayer, and I felt those prayers. I leaned on my family and friends when everything got to me (the spinal tap and the diaper woe). Looking back now, I see that my daughter is super healthy, and such a vital part of our family. I also see that God knew this whole time that she would be fine- and while we can only see the present, He is all knowing. That is, again, why I have decided to trust Him with everything. Not trusting Him, to me, is like getting all bent out of shape over something my husband did before having a chance to hear him out. He usually has a good reason for what he does, but if I set it in my mind that he was wrong, I miss that. <br />
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"The stars may fall, but God’s promises will stand and be fulfilled."–<b>J. I. Packer</b><br />
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<b>Hard Time #3</b> I don't even know what to title this one!<br />
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We own a landscaping business, and winters can be slow. So, we got a great idea to sell Jason's uncle's Christmas trees! It would help us to get through the slow season and maybe we could actually have a nice Christmas!<br />
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That was SO a bad idea.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX8-RPiDfhnOGAUh5Gcn8lW0uobglTkCv10SIgYNRxcw_7taxAQzasnLzzzjav1IPmAucnBFlS2lsUDSdk6OTerEP68MWSjHUUml8fQ-O4ZGX2n_imsy9QNFKZ13iXfUZW8konW-CWQ99V/s1600/evilchristmastree.png" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX8-RPiDfhnOGAUh5Gcn8lW0uobglTkCv10SIgYNRxcw_7taxAQzasnLzzzjav1IPmAucnBFlS2lsUDSdk6OTerEP68MWSjHUUml8fQ-O4ZGX2n_imsy9QNFKZ13iXfUZW8konW-CWQ99V/s320/evilchristmastree.png" /></a><br />
How I began to view Christmas trees<br />
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Not only did we <i>lose</i> $10,000 that we didn't have, I also had other stressors during that time-<br />
#1- our business got audited, and I am the company's bookkeeper<br />
#2- I was going to college full time<br />
#3- my oldest daughter was having frequent fevers of 105 (which later was diagnosed as reflux of the kidneys).<br />
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So, what this meant basically was- the kids and I helped run the Christmas tree lot (unless my daughter had a fever, then we mostly had to leave that to Jason), then I did my college work, and in between there I had to work with my accountant (which was NOT a good thing, she messed up on our taxes pretty royally) and the auditor. All the while we were losing money daily.<br />
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You know how with the other "hard times", I can say "looking back, this is how I got through". No, not this one. I have NO idea how we got through this one. It was nothing short of the grace of God. I DO know that I just didn't let myself break down. I knew if I did, I would give up. I had learned a little bit from my other hard times, and that "this too shall pass". The tree lot and the audit had time stamps. If I could just hold up until January, they would be over.<br />
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The tree lot and audit did end, but we weren't left unscathed. We ended that year in a grand total of 38,000 in debt. Our accountant made some mistakes on our last 3 tax returns that landed us owing the IRS 18k. It has been tough getting digging out of this debt, but with God there is always hope.<br />
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<b>Matthew 11:28-29 </b>"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."<br />
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What have I learned from this? I learned that it is ok to make big mistakes. That sometimes they are our fault completely even though they are unforseen (the accountant's mistakes). That sometimes as a business owner, we take gambles and lose (tree lot). But what I really learned, is that in the end- I still had my family. I still had my faith. And now, 3 years later- we are wiser for it. <br />
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I guess my conclusion is, bad things happen- whether its a result of our mistakes, or simply a side-effect of living in an imperfect world. The one thing I would change looking back isn't what happened to me- but how I responded. I would trust God a lot more. I would have spent a few less nights worrying. I would have taken a lot of guilt off of myself. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRnCCejhEuMrsQAjy_vedudmwQVVTnx2Hkw-co-DCNESibDAinMA7aP_60wvD7RbpA8i8N0T5MzNfegJmy_acuXnljfsarvRpNAaF1RI0g-D9ImgvxuRAHupC3oXyqa3xo0UgJzistZqC/s1600/faithingod.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRnCCejhEuMrsQAjy_vedudmwQVVTnx2Hkw-co-DCNESibDAinMA7aP_60wvD7RbpA8i8N0T5MzNfegJmy_acuXnljfsarvRpNAaF1RI0g-D9ImgvxuRAHupC3oXyqa3xo0UgJzistZqC/s320/faithingod.jpg" /></a><br />
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That's what I want you to do if you are going through a hard time...and that is what I pray that I wlll do when I face my next struggle.<br />
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Thanks so much for reading!<br />
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MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-37740624536750953092013-03-05T09:14:00.001-08:002013-03-06T12:39:41.163-08:00What Really Matters<br />
I <i>used to be</i> a clean freak- Jason would call me OCD for fun. But, having 3 kids in a matter of 4 years really messed all that up! Not to mention 2 dogs!!<br />
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The first 4 years of my marriage were spent raising babies. I had my first child in 2005, second in 2007, and third in 2009. Things were crazy for the first few years!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxvD6R1ckhjT-SN8xAcEmExvPF_-IUf3Yvg1lCzKqqQO19abaQN20PnYScuXAuFNoiiUCK21o_dmzosKSk4cs7THpJ49Cw67if1GaZtELcB4AMBynXhOVw1-9IkuUFeWjMQxaRmXEbunh/s1600/kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxvD6R1ckhjT-SN8xAcEmExvPF_-IUf3Yvg1lCzKqqQO19abaQN20PnYScuXAuFNoiiUCK21o_dmzosKSk4cs7THpJ49Cw67if1GaZtELcB4AMBynXhOVw1-9IkuUFeWjMQxaRmXEbunh/s320/kids.jpg" /></a><br />
My bundles of joy...and chaos! :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkZsTE_SxVIA86UWoM0ifVIv-11g8DGICAKCA8ymSDuMa5uW02Wc_CAuBq5r1g3hs4KEOhP5N7jG7roXGVgrD7ce-AiJ2PuPOEEb9ggxYix5gC1WAlGURjVx4o3gJ7fD_BvTcvpvhLUqtU/s1600/dogssm.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkZsTE_SxVIA86UWoM0ifVIv-11g8DGICAKCA8ymSDuMa5uW02Wc_CAuBq5r1g3hs4KEOhP5N7jG7roXGVgrD7ce-AiJ2PuPOEEb9ggxYix5gC1WAlGURjVx4o3gJ7fD_BvTcvpvhLUqtU/s320/dogssm.jpg" /></a><br />
More Chaos :)<br />
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I learned very early on that I can either have a super clean home, or I could have time with my kids. With our lifestyle, it was really hard to accomplish both. For the first 4 years of the kiddos lives, I was going to college....and working from home as a bookkeeper....and having my husband work many hours a week (which he still does), leaving all the household responsibilities to me. All the while I was the full-time "stay at home" Mom to a newborn, 1, and 3 year old. Needless to say, keeping a sparkling home was going further and further down my list of priorities. <br />
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Something I learned to embrace early on is that, aside from the Lord, my family is #1. Life is always going to be "too busy"- I will never be able to get everything done. But, I CAN take the time for the important things in my life. My first priorities were being a Mommy and a Wife. I have taken that priority very seriously, and do not regret it. <br />
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I am the mom that will drop everything to play a game of Candyland with my kids, or going out back and fingerpainting, or teaching my kids how to bake. We also did preschool daily in our home, and crafts. And science experiments. And built forts...the list goes on. I took them on weekly field trips, had a devotion with them every day, dropped my windex to dance on a whim, and cuddled them whenever they asked. When Jason came home from work, we all sat down to eat a homecooked meal. I talked to him about his day, and told him about ours. Then we had family time, which included things like going for walks with the dogs, watching a movie, or playing a game. After the kids went to bed, Jason and I hung out together and built our friendship and marriage. <br />
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Here are some pics of the great memories we have:<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsG-lNumbtW2llWn8JlfTdrsGHe40MpnRUkSx5lT5QgZu-0eSqJhgQMBVvDwjexNcHQgG7wgEeeJHBdf1GY-pGT0qHgFYKfkpW3XtlrFD-SCdpugA-sxvBf33jdQP2i1JxJ8IKeGeE2s2H/s1600/may2010+036small.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsG-lNumbtW2llWn8JlfTdrsGHe40MpnRUkSx5lT5QgZu-0eSqJhgQMBVvDwjexNcHQgG7wgEeeJHBdf1GY-pGT0qHgFYKfkpW3XtlrFD-SCdpugA-sxvBf33jdQP2i1JxJ8IKeGeE2s2H/s320/may2010+036small.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsI4eqWzCBzpgyyJ1SVkUUyto0rnoS58F2zDTSmrfnkb29F62Y_hT2WmxZQdFUnsp4YSRF7d0v94ZBv_ljp1H7MMZ28mL6unNoBfr7jtLoGRYiHrgxG1BdktwzZ8-T1hFfuWM0SLbhY-QS/s1600/057small.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsI4eqWzCBzpgyyJ1SVkUUyto0rnoS58F2zDTSmrfnkb29F62Y_hT2WmxZQdFUnsp4YSRF7d0v94ZBv_ljp1H7MMZ28mL6unNoBfr7jtLoGRYiHrgxG1BdktwzZ8-T1hFfuWM0SLbhY-QS/s320/057small.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBIvgq1OciCxjaQRLCR8nTYsylj7qFmtrZ670RCV2fYYXElk6m5DTVpNTQV_NwTj6yfTQ3cZWq_8grjKQmYqAa5fqhyDlJVuw8INFKshqs3MYBocU6ef8JhuciVA5KNsUCUqyIV1SBMUz/s1600/aug2010+017small.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBIvgq1OciCxjaQRLCR8nTYsylj7qFmtrZ670RCV2fYYXElk6m5DTVpNTQV_NwTj6yfTQ3cZWq_8grjKQmYqAa5fqhyDlJVuw8INFKshqs3MYBocU6ef8JhuciVA5KNsUCUqyIV1SBMUz/s320/aug2010+017small.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheXtkZvhPZYVtRVdHZWet479pczFZTRPbY8DwrUbXQjzOCao-UAy_o0CDL-azaAkubkLBFdcwmDzyJyojPGRep6euup022Se7cXsq5wQtPHoj_EFRklAL-bv1xYpVEDMdZ0fDsFSgeM4Mu/s1600/aug2010+054small.jpg" imageanchor="1" 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<br />
I felt that when the day was at it's end, I had truly done my best to be the wife and mommy, business partner and friend, that I could possibly be. That felt so good...I felt accomplished.<br />
<br />
They were my #1. So, after them came work/school, then meal-planning and grocery shopping/cooking, then health and fitness. And guess what got left by the wayside much of the time? My poor house. I have had off-and-on symptoms of CHAOS (Cant-Have-Anyone-Over-Syndrome). It sucked! My husband is a huge people person and always wanted visitors- and I would freak out because my house wasn't clean. So now I still had the "clean freak" attitude, without the clean house! It has been my biggest struggle! I dealt with feeling inferior a lot of the time. It looked to me like everyone else had it all together, and I was just this inadequate person! Jason would always try to tell me that "everyone has the same hours in the day, and no one can do it ALL". But I was pretty much convinced that everyone BUT ME could do it all! <br />
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Finally, I had a couple of older Moms (they are so wise!)tell me just not to stress about the home. If my kids are happy, well-behaved, and my husband isn't overly worried about a perfect home, to just let it go. No Mother of grown-up children has EVER told me, "wow, you are going to regret not cleaning your tub some day". I instead have heard woman after woman tell me how they WISHED they would have let their house go sometimes and just spent time with their kids. So, when it all comes down to it, I'm thankful that I did what I did. I let go of thinking that I am inadequate, and instead embraced that God gifted me with children and a husband, and I truthfully did my best to savor every single moment.<br />
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BUT.....<br />
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<br />
BUT!!!!!!<br />
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Now, I have a 4,5, and 7 year old. They are old enough to employ in daily chores, and I am ready to claim my house back! My schedule has relaxed a bit, as I am not needed every second of every day (it's more like every 5 minutes now). I have recently found a great website, www.flylady.net, and have been putting many of her principles to work the past few months. My goal is to decorate our house to feel homey (I have not decorated...like, at all...since the kids have been born), and have it just clean enough that someone can stop by at any time and I don't feel panicked. It doesn't have to be perfect. I've given up on perfect! But, I do want a good schedule to keep everything flowing smoothly. <br />
<br />
<br />
My first chore right now is getting us all the way unpacked. We've lived here almost a month now, and still have a lot of unpacking to do. We haven't had a free weekend since we moved, so it has been a little trying. During the week I homeschool (since we moved near the end of the shcool year, I am homeschooling Jayna until August), as well as have other obligations. Jason is working obscene hours currently. So, getting this all started has not been quite as "epic" as I would have liked. But I am slowly getting there. Our sink has been staying clean, our living room and kitchen is all unpacked and we've kept up with that. Laundry WAS doing well until our washer broke (UGH!). <br />
<br />
Once we get unpacked and I get more of a system together, I will post about it!! This is a journey, and I am looking forward to its outcome :).<br />
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Post is linked with the following:<br />
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This post is linked with an amazing blog called A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, check it out!<br />
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href="http://proverbs14verse1.blogspot.com/"><img
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border="0" alt="Wise-Woman-Builds "/></a><br />
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MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-57853058133212078922013-02-27T08:12:00.002-08:002013-03-09T17:35:20.134-08:00The Bee StoryOftentimes, I have wondered what I would do if I was in a crisis. Would I fight or fly? I usually think that I would be the scaredy cat who goes blank and can't do anything to help anyone. When Jason tells me stories of situations in his life and how he automatically responded, I can't help but think that I would never be able to do that. I just imagine myself being weak in an emergency. Then I met the bees....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEi4KRO8RsEk9JhFQUNxh-4eeN1zoY1MUZob28XDXgTASRasf2ZYpKQcSuXp4COzxrD7xsyJXJGfIbEsi70m7XJy6EUMl4U_etzFy42gJS0cc0WfyShvInxRGIsVnvjbWp8kTGJgTRJ7JY/s1600/bees.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEi4KRO8RsEk9JhFQUNxh-4eeN1zoY1MUZob28XDXgTASRasf2ZYpKQcSuXp4COzxrD7xsyJXJGfIbEsi70m7XJy6EUMl4U_etzFy42gJS0cc0WfyShvInxRGIsVnvjbWp8kTGJgTRJ7JY/s320/bees.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
Before I tell the story, let me point out two things-<br />
1. I cannot kill anything. I catch spiders and take them outside to let them go. I'm pathetic.<br />
2. I am allergic to beestings.<br />
<br />
So, this story goes back to our move from Avondale. We were loading up our truck, minding our own business, when suddenly a HUGE swarm of bees came upon us. There were hundreds!! We went inside for a while to try to wait for them to leave, but they just hung around! We had no idea what to do...we had to move...so, I stayed inside and packed and Jason kept moving our stuff. Except, he had to have the door open to move boxes out....so....bees came in!<br />
<br />
Within minutes there were dozens of bees in our house. Our house seriously sounded like a soda can with a bee in it. I could hear buzzing everywhere. My kids were running from wall to wall being chased by the creatures. It was like a real, live, NIGHTMARE. I (as far as we know) am the only one allergic to bees, so I wasn't scared for my children's lives, but I was a little worried that I may end up in the hospital myself! <br />
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I felt panicked for a few seconds, I must admit! I was flustered and had no idea what to do.But then, I had an automatic "crisis switch" that went off...and I got MAD! I hurried and grabbed my kids, and got a fly-swatter. Then the battle began!!<br />
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I couldn't believe my own "ninja skills" when killing these bees. I was a jump-swatting, window-hitting, mid-air, mid-floor, killing machine! No bee landed alive! Soon I had killed over 50 bees. When a bee started flying at me, I didn't run. I braced myself and swatted the thing probably a little harder than I needed to, and then stepped on it a few times to make sure it was dead- (yeah, sweeping and mopping was fun afterwards).<br />
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Anyways, my point of this story is...even though this is a relatively small "crisis", I realized that I did have the capability to react and defend myself and my family. It was very reassuring to know that when it comes down to it, I am able to do what I gotta do!<br />
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After the war, my youngest (the ham) and I took a couple pictures to remember this day. I love her personality!!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyllvZTpalMSts5wGfD8UQAf0oeSaFd2FUCxQU4AvqRxJsArouevapdZsaFCT_1AUW0-wcNyaZE0RlVjyKz5iHbIce34e9XLqf8JD1xVipizPFvNJTWrAoQhq8IGiHkhPEfOITH2tR1Kch/s1600/bees1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyllvZTpalMSts5wGfD8UQAf0oeSaFd2FUCxQU4AvqRxJsArouevapdZsaFCT_1AUW0-wcNyaZE0RlVjyKz5iHbIce34e9XLqf8JD1xVipizPFvNJTWrAoQhq8IGiHkhPEfOITH2tR1Kch/s320/bees1.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdkP84IY4SoUPlcsUPIVd8LLnNWoz9beKK1023ojAGU3tf_tQsX7ibCBDgpJy9U-PmuvERg-gTNQNS2tcBXD8dDSQTEFSH69hetmpkbCKa7o-ORjh_qZd7XyQjLH8_H68xO1pxGmdJvg8/s1600/bees2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdkP84IY4SoUPlcsUPIVd8LLnNWoz9beKK1023ojAGU3tf_tQsX7ibCBDgpJy9U-PmuvERg-gTNQNS2tcBXD8dDSQTEFSH69hetmpkbCKa7o-ORjh_qZd7XyQjLH8_H68xO1pxGmdJvg8/s320/bees2.jpg" /></a>MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-64872842420739240882013-02-19T20:15:00.000-08:002013-03-05T12:36:21.819-08:00A Really Hard Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP0DU7Y1P5Kr0r-YdJuYThf37iVg_wDzoxjCwTUpGclQLKuG7O3-vHzCDYfZB9SsAnrZVFgNAMoFWcuZFp1fUbMh72p4wORU-mOz8nYA9M6l2315GfWrzUVSCQYuw1Aoq-smVIBf3woiRj/s1600/sonjamodel.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP0DU7Y1P5Kr0r-YdJuYThf37iVg_wDzoxjCwTUpGclQLKuG7O3-vHzCDYfZB9SsAnrZVFgNAMoFWcuZFp1fUbMh72p4wORU-mOz8nYA9M6l2315GfWrzUVSCQYuw1Aoq-smVIBf3woiRj/s320/sonjamodel.jpg" /></a><br />
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February 16th was a tough one for me this year...so bitter sweet. I have officially reached the point in Mommyhood that so many women talk about, but I never thought would happen to me. This past week on Feb 16th, my BABY has turned 4 years old. I am getting to the insane mindset that I *almost* wish I could have another baby. I say almost because if I really sit and think about it, I know that my family is complete. <br />
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I did cry a little on Sonja's 4th birthday though (ok, maybe I cried a lot). I don't know why, but to me, age 4 just is the threshold to being a "kid" instead of a "baby". I have no more babies :-( I know that each year will hold new memories and great adventures, but I know babies- in fact, for the past 7 years I've had at least one kid under 3 (and at one point, I had 3 kids under 4!). So, this new stage in life is a tad uncomfortable. It's going to be even worse in 1 1/2 years from now when all 3 kids are in school- I'll have another melt down accordingly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_KHoEzys_NYvgjGZso-z1pxDOpQf2XQYZDXjz0XKYE9x_flIQrPEk6LUQB-jW1g39B1H2-pdacLt_K9_sZRMNVKEHo38Kpawg1jaT0iKBBpCfPteVZmpqAgNaIDxjfxcSjJuR4MqXBqT/s1600/sProfPics09+029.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_KHoEzys_NYvgjGZso-z1pxDOpQf2XQYZDXjz0XKYE9x_flIQrPEk6LUQB-jW1g39B1H2-pdacLt_K9_sZRMNVKEHo38Kpawg1jaT0iKBBpCfPteVZmpqAgNaIDxjfxcSjJuR4MqXBqT/s320/sProfPics09+029.jpg" /></a><br />
Newborn pics<br />
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Sonja was a surprise, to say the least! And I was not too thrilled in the beginning (although I cannot even fathom that now!). BUT, when we had our 2 children and were "done", I kept having a feeling there was another kid around. Like, literally, in our house. I'd even tell Jason, "I take Jayna and Xander somewhere, and feel like I'm forgetting my third kid". Well.....I found her! She was just waiting to be born. And oh what a joy she is!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy0oEyJjplcsazVJvykXSIGGpSqkHbC77LjgDHfKXpL8LU4auaNRuAnZS1B6KN56DxJLgsaGselnugwBb0RICT8-22j5xh5nqvC_dgtRtohxG8jviOiKruLbclrGQBKIEKgDItnWvjAq48/s1600/sonjasmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy0oEyJjplcsazVJvykXSIGGpSqkHbC77LjgDHfKXpL8LU4auaNRuAnZS1B6KN56DxJLgsaGselnugwBb0RICT8-22j5xh5nqvC_dgtRtohxG8jviOiKruLbclrGQBKIEKgDItnWvjAq48/s320/sonjasmall.jpg"<a/></a> <br />
10 month old cutie<br />
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She is probably the typical "baby of the family". She gets spoiled rotten by brother and sister, is pretty easy going, is funny and goofy, and doesn't let her age stop her from doing anything her siblings can do. Except when it's something she doesn't want to have to do- like get her shoes on...she talks a big bro or sis into doing that!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQ8DOf_jD97TuY5GiesdRX3eo-IdSpLHGCqCA8hpV2w5bBNiQx-KsCs0s0P_MNcir-EWR4VWO6ctoXvDObYIbByMhnlACBjmah9cyR6QD8cGoEqfJCtYoa4yfwElt7bRPCWXld6fJn4nS/s1600/sonjaleftout.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQ8DOf_jD97TuY5GiesdRX3eo-IdSpLHGCqCA8hpV2w5bBNiQx-KsCs0s0P_MNcir-EWR4VWO6ctoXvDObYIbByMhnlACBjmah9cyR6QD8cGoEqfJCtYoa4yfwElt7bRPCWXld6fJn4nS/s320/sonjaleftout.jpg" /></a><br />
Sonja was feeling left out this day as Jayna got to ride a horse (at 18 months).<br />
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She has a 'tude, but she also has the sweetest and most tender heart. She cannot stand to see others cry, she will immediately burst into tears along with them. She LOVES to sing and dance, and her current favorite song is "I'm Running to Your Arms" by Newsboys. <br />
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Her 4th birthday we went to her favorite place on earth...Chuck E. Cheese. That girl loves Chuck E.! She is the kid that is always right in his face :). Having a birthday party there meant that Chuck E. spent some time with her, and she was totally thrilled!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhriJyXoKWVRR1OSmKhtTVr0n8OMgj1N70uv2fdNOUevkOqQtyzVM9jjx-yQJN64FokM7XJjfp9TpM-ImRYiB89Ydi3YpgVrZXeEKe0MQdLa_JBrrbPlk6NFmJoz396pH1_Q0A1BJXnjzPQ/s1600/sonja4thbdaysmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhriJyXoKWVRR1OSmKhtTVr0n8OMgj1N70uv2fdNOUevkOqQtyzVM9jjx-yQJN64FokM7XJjfp9TpM-ImRYiB89Ydi3YpgVrZXeEKe0MQdLa_JBrrbPlk6NFmJoz396pH1_Q0A1BJXnjzPQ/s320/sonja4thbdaysmall.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixN9x2IVBM3HTOZOZegTUlzS9zbWY0UTu0hEUZ1VZcT5B5lLkoKdN440EwQaUeY7xBBsjDUPPsfjQ1wo5TWJNwqoOe_Kgu9KjSfa-4roxgIDNYjTtIgXkp6qO0MbmJ_HULFDW962TmGDz5/s1600/sonja4thbday3sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixN9x2IVBM3HTOZOZegTUlzS9zbWY0UTu0hEUZ1VZcT5B5lLkoKdN440EwQaUeY7xBBsjDUPPsfjQ1wo5TWJNwqoOe_Kgu9KjSfa-4roxgIDNYjTtIgXkp6qO0MbmJ_HULFDW962TmGDz5/s320/sonja4thbday3sm.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gQtteH0sNa-9R3gyrmO4tJAPr6SMKCe5Q5MJTjxm3Qniu8ziAnnXGLz71hOXRjgAaF4_zeEZXwjTVnFZGbIkuNC382iafwnXopwSuNGfXhULYKDTwD-wlLoSn543cKbgZ__spGu7AKUN/s1600/sonja4thbday2smal.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_gQtteH0sNa-9R3gyrmO4tJAPr6SMKCe5Q5MJTjxm3Qniu8ziAnnXGLz71hOXRjgAaF4_zeEZXwjTVnFZGbIkuNC382iafwnXopwSuNGfXhULYKDTwD-wlLoSn543cKbgZ__spGu7AKUN/s320/sonja4thbday2smal.jpg" /></a><br />
she basically had the time of her life :)<br />
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She had a Care Bear party, and my Mom made her the most awesome cake<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGS5nRPo5FpxuJRdQ4qFYTvQ1QfWkyG8p2KLMsiMb5b_ggHMUFRoP6HCsGvtYiwMbvvetBDs7aV6AGz7MQW0LvVUwmQHndHJUNpNKEiO85ik_m4XLq8zljWoh3Orzvfmw9yoyledAOlI0V/s1600/sonjas4thbdaycakesmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGS5nRPo5FpxuJRdQ4qFYTvQ1QfWkyG8p2KLMsiMb5b_ggHMUFRoP6HCsGvtYiwMbvvetBDs7aV6AGz7MQW0LvVUwmQHndHJUNpNKEiO85ik_m4XLq8zljWoh3Orzvfmw9yoyledAOlI0V/s320/sonjas4thbdaycakesmall.jpg" /></a><br />
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We all love baby Sonja to death and are SO GLAD that God decided to give her to us. What a blessing she is!! Now, as for the baby blues....<br />
I'm planning on making fast friends with some babies' Mamas and having some babysitting time to cuddle them- hey, at least I can send them back before the rude awakenings (literally) take place!!<br />
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MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-13107521499905278002013-02-13T16:47:00.000-08:002013-03-05T12:36:34.292-08:00My Love story..... 7 years married!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOBV70JvDOozUzDnkZb2WL3zAYktck2pprrqId9hJwTpbLBLoV9p2Ca7J9lX2bIeHRrWNpnLdS2r_zxKPReXVViwiRnvoP-WpO5VqNpId8HNGWVO6pDufjVhF_0Nx8iDt5BrpILC7PWuhZ/s1600/jasonandchristina.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOBV70JvDOozUzDnkZb2WL3zAYktck2pprrqId9hJwTpbLBLoV9p2Ca7J9lX2bIeHRrWNpnLdS2r_zxKPReXVViwiRnvoP-WpO5VqNpId8HNGWVO6pDufjVhF_0Nx8iDt5BrpILC7PWuhZ/s320/jasonandchristina.jpg" /></a> Ok, so I am not sure exactly how this post is going to go. Usually I have a pretty good layout in my mind before I get going. But this post is different. It's directly from the heart. This post is about my absolute best friend- my husband, Jason.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzh3c90k9BiiUTyad_yc5VldvEu5Z5Ry_10fQJhyphenhyphenFHaX8ku1qnp_t5gQXrtsuxCgYju3ZSq6PRdreMZfXmz0P5g7RPgth9tCns7aOXNJMCap_DghGJijq2ptWjCKefu-jllRAKCEcWdAS3/s1600/friendsforever.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzh3c90k9BiiUTyad_yc5VldvEu5Z5Ry_10fQJhyphenhyphenFHaX8ku1qnp_t5gQXrtsuxCgYju3ZSq6PRdreMZfXmz0P5g7RPgth9tCns7aOXNJMCap_DghGJijq2ptWjCKefu-jllRAKCEcWdAS3/s320/friendsforever.jpg" /></a> <br />
Picture of us taken right before we started dating. Jason gave me this photo, complete with the saying. Such a keepsake!<br />
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We had our first "date" (which I will explain later) on February 4th, 2003- exactly 3 years later (February 4th, 2006), we were married. I made the best decision in the world! I remember that on New Years Eve the year before Jason and I started dating, I was in deep prayer with God and profoundly heard him tell me "Do not worry so much about your life, you will never mess it up beyond repair. You will have a joyful life." I had a lot of things that had happened in my childhood and teenage years that left me feeling pretty rotten at times. But this promise from God was so clear, and I never forgot it. <br />
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Oh, and one more thing to add before I get into my story- When I was 13 (and kinda silly), I somehow convinced myself/tried to convince God that the guy I should marry would say Proverbs 13:12 at some point (which ends up being wildly profound both by it's content and by the fact that Jason's # is in fact, 13. The funniest part of this is, I closed my eyes, opened my book, and pointed to find this "destiny verse". I know, it was about as crazy as Gideon's request from God. But hey, it seemed to work just as well!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKhJtuNef1Jyjb6UUg2-2mtfuxAliyFO2-wR1PdUm3idXAFnrRumjG6isJd0-TZNsPScAcGfDZdohMx71FBUwpCz3MwBIA83HmReODlkBIkpxboXyNpQNX7LlFJatybhb4oP9bSK5_2Ec/s1600/usengaged.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKhJtuNef1Jyjb6UUg2-2mtfuxAliyFO2-wR1PdUm3idXAFnrRumjG6isJd0-TZNsPScAcGfDZdohMx71FBUwpCz3MwBIA83HmReODlkBIkpxboXyNpQNX7LlFJatybhb4oP9bSK5_2Ec/s320/usengaged.jpg" /></a><br />
This is one of our engagement pictures.<br />
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So, anyone who has known us for more than 7 years knows that we had some very rough times. I do not really care to get into details on those, but I do want to say that, contrary to what I totally believed once, time (and God), really does heal everything! There are things that don't bother me now that I once SWORE up and down would. I remember a dear friend Lora Henning sat and talked with me my first year of marriage. She told me that the past would fade, but I doubted her. She was so right though. As long as the person has truly changed (and in this case, we both had some changing to do!), time really does heal all! ...and that is all I care to dealve into the "rough patches" (although I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have- email me at r.christina@gmail.com! The most important part of the story is God's miraculous match-making despite of trials, problems, and mistakes!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92vIwTWL5DGFPB_I6Sip1pU2a6PSGTonac82PHPq1CmltWrf4HsmTzHw_1PGNjy4eOobxMll71ZQhzxoYxvzv1BWGJkgIVOrju9F8rv8SThckIbisBX-_wuc5ha17JBD1DlJNKO-k0MHV/s1600/ourwedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92vIwTWL5DGFPB_I6Sip1pU2a6PSGTonac82PHPq1CmltWrf4HsmTzHw_1PGNjy4eOobxMll71ZQhzxoYxvzv1BWGJkgIVOrju9F8rv8SThckIbisBX-_wuc5ha17JBD1DlJNKO-k0MHV/s320/ourwedding.jpg" /></a><br />
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Sooo- February 4, 2003, around 7pm. I am in my college class, English 101, I believe. I get this weird feeling that Jason is going to walk in (this hunk I've had a crush on since the Christmas play). To this day I couldn't tell you how I "knew" he was around. He'd never done anything like this before. We were only friends.<br />
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When class is over, I head for my car. I can hardly believe it when the car next to me is a black tahoe that looks awefully familiar.....<br />
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Jason rolls down the window and asks if we can talk for a minute. In this talk he says that he likes me, but (and I still tease him about this), he "doesn't know how much yet". He was so nervous! He said "Is it getting hot in here?" a couple of times! It was so sweet. I told him that since I was still 17 (not 18 until July), he needed to ask my mom if we could date. He did, and she agreed. We definitely knew pretty quick that we were perfect for each other. And, yes...in case you were wondering- he said Proverbs 13:12 in May, 2003. I was so excited!!! Then in June we started the really rough patch that actually stretches until June 2005- can a 2 year stretch still be called a patch??? The important part is, it was obviously God that brought us together the first time, and it was Him that made it work out the 2nd time as well. This is where the irony of Proverbs 13:12 comes in- "Hope delayed makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life". That was so profount to me once we got back together. "Hope" was in a sense deferred for 2 years, but it ended up being fulfilled.<br />
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Jason wanted to get married as soon as he proposed in August, 2005. But I really wanted to have an actual wedding, and after looking at the calendar, realized that our anniversary of our first date landed on a Saturday! So, Jason reluctantly agreed to wait :). I'm not sure what he was SOOO anxious for, as we already had a 6 month old baby (Jayna!!!). Maybe it was just the desire to be a real family, all under one roof (which I admit I was a little anxious for as well). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphMCOydTnfdlAuHCha46b41So0C7t-WlUmDSpOtkiTfRP3AKTMZkR16lykk9Sb75HH53hNGVo6bc5WbJflfcc3G0b-6FaMsv592zAS9MowZUeqBJuv3lJD7DxGBWa6jq0Nu6EQd5DqlD2/s1600/couple2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphMCOydTnfdlAuHCha46b41So0C7t-WlUmDSpOtkiTfRP3AKTMZkR16lykk9Sb75HH53hNGVo6bc5WbJflfcc3G0b-6FaMsv592zAS9MowZUeqBJuv3lJD7DxGBWa6jq0Nu6EQd5DqlD2/s320/couple2.jpg" /></a><br />
This picture was taken in April 2010-I unfortunately don't have access to all my pictures at this time<br />
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So, we got married. We moved to Awhatukee, and life was HARD! I, admittedly, thought I made a mistake. NOT because of what was going on at the time, but because of the= PAST. Such an ugly word!! I have memories of being in tears and literally vomitting at remissions of past memories. Yeah, the first year was tough. On top of that...I had a miscarriage. We got pregnant on our honeymoon (we decided we wanted to have our children close together), but I lost the baby at 14 weeks (May 10th, 2006). So- between hormones and past issues and first year marriage struggles...things. were. tough. BUT- Jason had been raised so well. When I was ready to run away (think emotional drives up to Payson), and I'm pretty sure he was having second thoughts too (though he'd never admit it), he reminded me that we had VOWS, and NOTHING would seperate us now. I was "STUCK" with him. I will just say it is really good that he had those values- because honestly, as much as I loved God and loved Jason and Jayna, I don't know if I would have lasted without his strength. <br />
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So, year one= HARD. But, it only got better from there. We both learned a LOT. We both persevered. We both learned how to be unselfish. And in 3 years, we both had 2 more children!!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEjuiS53LIZxlpRamkkHn9zu0VAwmY05JD45S0OadjqDNrVQvnHrcZdFMK2Gsfe0iqLUxah6ZksSYKMBjoV9wo0LR5_jZSRJegCba-o5WRCHOPodDxYBwqDeNqYA_eYdBTXELlGzSuApJ/s1600/ritter2.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEjuiS53LIZxlpRamkkHn9zu0VAwmY05JD45S0OadjqDNrVQvnHrcZdFMK2Gsfe0iqLUxah6ZksSYKMBjoV9wo0LR5_jZSRJegCba-o5WRCHOPodDxYBwqDeNqYA_eYdBTXELlGzSuApJ/s320/ritter2.jpg" /></a><br />
Taken in Dec 2009. Family complete!!<br />
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At this point in this blog, I need to just let it out and say how awesome my husband is. He has so many attributes that it is kind of hard to know where to start. But I'll just let it flow as it comes. Jason is a hard worker- he has a strong work ethic and has such a desire to support his family. He has a strong conviction that I should be home with our children to raise them. Which is great because I feel that way as well. However, even though I am the homemaker (I have ran a small daycare and/or the office side of the business as well), he does not come home and say "hey, where's dinner", or "why are my favorite pants <i>still</i> dirty, or "what exactly do you do all day??" He is always supportive, loving, and a gentle. Don't get me wrong- he can yell like no other when he is being defensive (and we have gotten into our share of fights!). But every year we are learning more about how to deal with each other and make life easier and better for one another. <br />
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Jason is also an exceptional father. Like....really. He loves to play with them (aka wrestle, throw, etc), talk with them, brag about them, etc. He is the all-star dad. He dreams of their future and how he will provide for it. He wants the best for them. How amazing it is to share with someone the parental love of children!! There is nothing else that compares!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVoYyyhPA_oKot-cRI0pYGctr5rYqrETPEnszWEbyNyEBsTOV1HJY_7_-_hplp7hU_hEokV5Ox6qILwBhhQcJEuBk64QD5ptcBJnJM5smqOWU_5FtK07uDb6sFwMIdsp6BvRpWKipURmk/s1600/menkids.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVoYyyhPA_oKot-cRI0pYGctr5rYqrETPEnszWEbyNyEBsTOV1HJY_7_-_hplp7hU_hEokV5Ox6qILwBhhQcJEuBk64QD5ptcBJnJM5smqOWU_5FtK07uDb6sFwMIdsp6BvRpWKipURmk/s320/menkids.jpg" /></a><br />
Mom-n-Kids<br />
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<br />
Jason is not a "romantic" as many would say...but whatever he does or says comes directly from the heart. I can feel the love he has for me radiating off of him, and that is wonderful. He is fiercely loyal and devoted. Who could ever ask for more??<br />
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We have definitely had our ups and downs this past 7 (or 10, depending on how you want to look at it) years, but every year we understand each other a little bit more, and definitely fall more in love. The 7 year itch is no where to be found!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrifo9uevUDP1bNGhXGnYF752NYbayISRdEr5N5iQopEOEFKe3cuHbJp1K7sjxxvlX09F_x9sshtvBEDxGyFV69EQJbJBjWLKr_MB4ZOYu355T4XtG1Ns0KAXL68nPEdkFh_3uoYjjFlEB/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrifo9uevUDP1bNGhXGnYF752NYbayISRdEr5N5iQopEOEFKe3cuHbJp1K7sjxxvlX09F_x9sshtvBEDxGyFV69EQJbJBjWLKr_MB4ZOYu355T4XtG1Ns0KAXL68nPEdkFh_3uoYjjFlEB/s320/001.JPG" /></a><br />
April, 2010<br />
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Jason and I, like many couples, are opposites in many areas. I am the saver/penny pincher, and he is the spender. I want a simple life, and he is more grandious (talking material), I am a over-thinker/ ponderer/ whereas he is very spontaneous. I like my privacy, and he really could care less who sees what. I am emotional, he is not (unless it's a movie that involves sad scenes of the kids or wife...sorry, Jason..but it's so cute!!). I tend to have reserved moments, and he is always outgoing/I wanna talk allllll dayyyy/ let everyone come over/ I love people!! So....we differ. But, we differ in areas that really help us to grow. I in fact envy a lot about his personality. I also learn a lot and have made changes because he has brought to my attention, simply by being himself, a vision of a better "me" that I want to be. Jason likes to say that we are "yin" and "yang"- which seems pretty accurate. <br />
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<br />
All-in-all, we are a match "made in heaven". There is just too much evidence to say that we were not meant to be, even though Jason and I both think that the "only one person for you" idea is untrue (or, do we???)<br />
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Here are a few more random pics of us! I am so happy to be a Ritter (German for Knight, which is where I get the blog title!!)<br />
<ahref="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKm9Agicw9ijHojkNWPtkzjFmoSXxpdR0m-0PP_N7orgrxz_-tY4L_NTM0w2xOUhmAVOQ2Zexv-DNs8fCE49-bBfFUzH7ygOBYItN2Oa5AvyV7d-G-CY9Vl0NgPU-h5FR3TuMswgDi8xe/s1600/meandjassilly.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKm9Agicw9ijHojkNWPtkzjFmoSXxpdR0m-0PP_N7orgrxz_-tY4L_NTM0w2xOUhmAVOQ2Zexv-DNs8fCE49-bBfFUzH7ygOBYItN2Oa5AvyV7d-G-CY9Vl0NgPU-h5FR3TuMswgDi8xe/s320/meandjassilly.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmv-wS7QXFLPfmzRKarX5oENUJ8FGGf3NqRRjalSpnpmYP_RpbcoQHzMWJT88pyBCvgoCUzbwWt2wTLZXdVr1NJuyZUODTVRedoDMuTU56WVfkN4MDeorn3qAhOOezZEChZ99wxXwAsyuM/s1600/mejasalexlaurenswedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmv-wS7QXFLPfmzRKarX5oENUJ8FGGf3NqRRjalSpnpmYP_RpbcoQHzMWJT88pyBCvgoCUzbwWt2wTLZXdVr1NJuyZUODTVRedoDMuTU56WVfkN4MDeorn3qAhOOezZEChZ99wxXwAsyuM/s320/mejasalexlaurenswedding.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfXFc2e-nuFwb08k_nNLcPBvjImQXiZb12uwa4hM8Zl0NiyQB3s6OnHm5KYdJAff6PVP1wY5FA5rY4Fk1yfeVWVP8jDKFmFctFpT-8lnuG-XA2Vu_IxH4ToPxW1xBXOCROah3rmAHU53M/s1600/nightoutmarch20123..jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfXFc2e-nuFwb08k_nNLcPBvjImQXiZb12uwa4hM8Zl0NiyQB3s6OnHm5KYdJAff6PVP1wY5FA5rY4Fk1yfeVWVP8jDKFmFctFpT-8lnuG-XA2Vu_IxH4ToPxW1xBXOCROah3rmAHU53M/s320/nightoutmarch20123..jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTc7V-MpD-a-SgreJHE0apC9yjKQwY7vntXtleoc1N7g9S4aKCOrOELAVv0Cl6E_daMpBu_2wF4PeovXlenniHJuMim_wVZs2uewLU4-APHNSavF8xp9umtVG9Ilgng1tjSCUBoY6jPAx/s1600/RitterFam2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTc7V-MpD-a-SgreJHE0apC9yjKQwY7vntXtleoc1N7g9S4aKCOrOELAVv0Cl6E_daMpBu_2wF4PeovXlenniHJuMim_wVZs2uewLU4-APHNSavF8xp9umtVG9Ilgng1tjSCUBoY6jPAx/s320/RitterFam2010.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEc4pn8J9DBdrtyh1vzSS5eQ8qfaHgY1kOapCiPdVpHVYSL-9er-Su-_vpA7HbZbaKxspZv0d0GGeJsXmYoSlUq9F4nMnHp9D7xMhFXbNveSjT-6Z64Q2SId0SAzaShBPxk7z4hpx1F4P/s1600/couple.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEc4pn8J9DBdrtyh1vzSS5eQ8qfaHgY1kOapCiPdVpHVYSL-9er-Su-_vpA7HbZbaKxspZv0d0GGeJsXmYoSlUq9F4nMnHp9D7xMhFXbNveSjT-6Z64Q2SId0SAzaShBPxk7z4hpx1F4P/s320/couple.jpg" /></a><br />
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MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-59507628574142079792013-02-01T08:49:00.000-08:002013-03-05T12:36:44.920-08:00Reserve Army<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZfgK4Co3FSgJSSEfPd3buBqMIL08GuvZYsN43hwP0WcTA0mOnwAKy0Njh2hAw2AoqNZniJi963B7GNnhz1IC9lFcHV0-1HC7ENUmV_WLGNa9dnWUoQgkfeSOAUH2ry46dFFHMBMukyde/s1600/reservearmy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="60" width="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZfgK4Co3FSgJSSEfPd3buBqMIL08GuvZYsN43hwP0WcTA0mOnwAKy0Njh2hAw2AoqNZniJi963B7GNnhz1IC9lFcHV0-1HC7ENUmV_WLGNa9dnWUoQgkfeSOAUH2ry46dFFHMBMukyde/s400/reservearmy.png" /></a></div><br />
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I absolutely LOVE this idea by James Dobson of Moms being the "Reserve Army". I really feel like he hit the nail on the head. I have <i>many</i> times been tempted to go back to work, and/or have planned on going once the kids were all in school.<br />
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BUT-<br />
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I am now a firm believer that if one parent can stay home, and be the "reserve army", it is best case!<br />
I am very fortunate that I have an accounting degree and can do some bookkeeping from the home, but I don't think I will ever get more than a very part time job at any point. <br />
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You know, it's just one of those articles you gotta read for yourself! <br />
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<a href="http://www.drjamesdobson.org/Solid-Answers/Answers?a=fb63b711-9679-4276-961b-c3d7f4a15d68">Here's The Article</a><br />
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MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-27673027983414296052013-01-26T19:03:00.000-08:002013-03-05T12:36:57.671-08:002012<br />
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This past December, We finally got family pictures done!! I am not big on the portrait studios, but we got a wonderful deal on groupon for Target and went for it! They turned out pretty good and it feels so good to have photos of the entire family!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabI0WaFockSPIQjt18GW6at0OFcNTr_wzk4_rIVixIsxoNFZE3ylfOm1bN_OMZkFIwuYg2YdjbTYJYNpJJEUyviKhXAOc6dBQqKKJXAd6JiXF8wDz4nDS0mP5AAKTjZyjgZ34IztZPJDK/s1600/Fam+photosmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="256" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabI0WaFockSPIQjt18GW6at0OFcNTr_wzk4_rIVixIsxoNFZE3ylfOm1bN_OMZkFIwuYg2YdjbTYJYNpJJEUyviKhXAOc6dBQqKKJXAd6JiXF8wDz4nDS0mP5AAKTjZyjgZ34IztZPJDK/s320/Fam+photosmall.jpg" /></a></div>Here is the best one of the entire fam<br />
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2012 was a year of amazing changes- especially full of the kind of changes that seem bad at the time, but in hind-sight you realize that God was orchestrating the whole thing. And what seemed like failures, he worked out for good. And, it isn't over yet!<br />
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First- we are "resting" our business as Jason joins in a venture of a partnership of sorts with another contractor. We lost our license due to a court situation, and cannot reinstate it until we can come up with thousands of dollars. Since we are not able to do that at this time, we were stuck. Jason applied for countless jobs and NOTHING- we knew God wanted us to keep our business going, but also knew God would not ask us to go against the law and operate without a license. Within a month, the answer came! We are now working with another contractor- have steadier income, and even an office! Which brings me to the next change!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3y8C2SH-_mjx7MVt8Pq4D__G2JP-QFdw2JD0YDXBHjZnRn9_vpxEMnNPGdebB4Jzh6r5qUvvzQFJwQev3eOYOFEhMjukHngR31_GxSEFDIm3Lt1dX7CLCmku863DGpSllM-AAmIM-p6N/s1600/kidssmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3y8C2SH-_mjx7MVt8Pq4D__G2JP-QFdw2JD0YDXBHjZnRn9_vpxEMnNPGdebB4Jzh6r5qUvvzQFJwQev3eOYOFEhMjukHngR31_GxSEFDIm3Lt1dX7CLCmku863DGpSllM-AAmIM-p6N/s320/kidssmall.jpg" /></a></div>I think these 3 are just about the cutest things on earth<br />
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We are MOVING! It has been a long time coming- we started just feeling "sick" of Avondale for many different reasons- this is usually the start of a change in our lives. Then, when Jason joined forces with the other contractor, he began to work in North Scottsdale every day- 3 hour roundtrip drive every day! We found out we were able to get approved to buy a home, and the decision seemed so clear. It was time to move!<br />
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It turned out not to be quite that simple. We had a hard time getting the home we wanted with our financing (VA financing), and ended up going out of the area we were hoping for. In fact- we went WAAYYYY north Phoenix. We chose a home almost in New River. We loved the home, and decided we would be o.k. with the location. God decided otherwise. Our financing got a kink in it and it will be another few months before we can buy again. Meanwhile...behind the scenes God is hard at work...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs10AhxQuQwsE_NXQyV83thVUE75rM6jq25rJLAmgCbJi9hk3pAxeV8yqGF8BKpKZ2f_4l7M8PAdDR4FTqO9x8s8lp9846P5b3G77A_hiFRcUmjKZ946h5tobc7p15jM3C36v_FQ_JNbVa/s1600/us...jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs10AhxQuQwsE_NXQyV83thVUE75rM6jq25rJLAmgCbJi9hk3pAxeV8yqGF8BKpKZ2f_4l7M8PAdDR4FTqO9x8s8lp9846P5b3G77A_hiFRcUmjKZ946h5tobc7p15jM3C36v_FQ_JNbVa/s320/us...jpg" /></a></div>We are pretty cute too..<br />
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Jason and his partner opened an office in Scottsdale- but not anywhere near as North as we had thought. From the home we were going to buy, it would be around 40 minutes! I think that was an intervention from God. It would have been really hard to have to make that commute- only about 15 minutes closer than where we are now!<br />
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Also- with VA financing, we have to choose a home that is newer. Now, our dream is to get a fixer upper on a lot of land. While we decided that this dream isn't important (and it still might not be in the makings for us), there is a chance we may get it afterall. Jason's partners parent's just so happen to be investors- and may be interested in investing in a property with us. Now, this is not a for sure thing by any means- but either way, we have decided we will be buying closer to his office.<br />
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God supplied us with a rental that is only $900 a month, in Paradise Valley (10 minutes from Jason's office), and is letting us rent month-to-month..I know, right?? God gives favor to his children!! It can be nothing else.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxYtd5aM2oKJnuqQLDaZgRHz4iu2pPm_A2MGDoXnU81eJ0chArEW_H4wRZRIvz3FezszneNk90DDzC50JE9aOAfK8zOt5E1gM7dV2mjA8-oyo8APMTMlHVpNxZd06pF5kv3MlUWUDkeF3k/s1600/boyssmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxYtd5aM2oKJnuqQLDaZgRHz4iu2pPm_A2MGDoXnU81eJ0chArEW_H4wRZRIvz3FezszneNk90DDzC50JE9aOAfK8zOt5E1gM7dV2mjA8-oyo8APMTMlHVpNxZd06pF5kv3MlUWUDkeF3k/s320/boyssmall.jpg" /></a></div>My boys. They make my heart melt<br />
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Now, back up a bit. When we found out we were going to have to wait a while to buy a home, we decided that we would just stay in Avondale until we could buy. No point in moving, we decided (even though we were pretty sure it was "time" to move). Two days later, our landlord lets us know that he needs his home back- his current living arrangment fell through. <br />
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Like I said, it was just one of those years where it can be chalked up to nothing other than "God is doing SOMETHING!!"<br />
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We are very excited to start up our "new life" this year. I feel so confirmed in my faith and so blessed that God cares about my situation. I know it sounds reduntant to say "God this" and "God that" about every single activity in my life. But, this is how I am learning to view things. Not that we have absolutely no hand in our own destinies, but that God can make good come from anything!!! And he really does help us out! We have been praying and praying for our situation- and when doors opened (and when doors closed) we just went with the flow. Which is so NEW for me...I have not been easy going when it comes to my life. I was a control freak :) I have always wanted to know what's going to happen and understand why..NOW!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoiGX0iMvZT2tOVt7Kd5bM0ygYADvtNmba4EVFswPs6bZbuPW1TkQObB98Ap0wGlvyzQz24QLbe34VK7Y-H2zYpO7Ztvzms04bTC_QHRjBa9nSPZV4U91tYqKb5m0c5b3dI4yvX3uwQU7g/s1600/jaynasmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoiGX0iMvZT2tOVt7Kd5bM0ygYADvtNmba4EVFswPs6bZbuPW1TkQObB98Ap0wGlvyzQz24QLbe34VK7Y-H2zYpO7Ztvzms04bTC_QHRjBa9nSPZV4U91tYqKb5m0c5b3dI4yvX3uwQU7g/s320/jaynasmall.jpg" /></a></div>My oldest- she has my personality, but looks so much like Daddy!!<br />
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God has really changed me in that sense- and a lot of that has been by going through these major, unpredictable changes- and watching how Jason handles them. Jason is so much a "roll with the punches" type guy. I envy it...and I despise it at the same time. But it's a great "yin" to my "yang"- we really balance each other perfectly. And over this past year, I have finally adapted this great attribute. I just look at everything now as God helping to lead us through life. If we mess up, he audibles and changes our route (pardon the football analogy).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92yS8mRm7zeEh0PZ-Cl0rYMjkukX5g_yGMAg8LDr31Z2anSuLke_3VBVAFeT5bUPrKEBSMvmNy_XZmMpj3c8RMQGprw6_twUefOhUmMJOM2K-Dkn-fUy8szvpyZbTDnr-cu-HB4RqfVBu/s1600/sonjasmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92yS8mRm7zeEh0PZ-Cl0rYMjkukX5g_yGMAg8LDr31Z2anSuLke_3VBVAFeT5bUPrKEBSMvmNy_XZmMpj3c8RMQGprw6_twUefOhUmMJOM2K-Dkn-fUy8szvpyZbTDnr-cu-HB4RqfVBu/s320/sonjasmall.jpg" /></a></div>Oh my goodness, my little sweetheart. Opposite of Jayna- looks SO much like me, but acts SO much like Daddy :)<br />
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At the beginning of 2012, I thought that in order to be really content with my life, I wanted this-and-this-andt-that, I wouldn't admit it, but it's true. I would think that I NEEDED an acre of land to grow my garden, I NEEDED to live in one house the rest of my life so the kids can have a good childhood, etc. I put all this criteria on what constitutes as a good life for me and my family. God has SOOO shook that loose from my mind. By the end of 2012- I really began to TRULY believe that because we have each other- a wife and husband who deeply love each other and work hard for our wonderful marriage,- 3 children for whom we would do ANYTHING for, - and our basic needs ALWAYS being met (and usually our desires as well)----we are already content and SUCCEEDING at living a great life! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAljVt8MY21kyZoOgi-bde6tajhgYqbTYHehw5e5VxXKzw8NtFng3E5wbn0OKC26n0Mx4d6fYZi188dPDG6wA7ijtHjXBkAnaWcZjjaDPYp2i4HqWb8V6in2CSkZqR4P1m8LM6fkK-R4Xf/s1600/xandersmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="256" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAljVt8MY21kyZoOgi-bde6tajhgYqbTYHehw5e5VxXKzw8NtFng3E5wbn0OKC26n0Mx4d6fYZi188dPDG6wA7ijtHjXBkAnaWcZjjaDPYp2i4HqWb8V6in2CSkZqR4P1m8LM6fkK-R4Xf/s320/xandersmall.jpg" /></a></div>My BOY- he is the perfect mix of Jason and I- shares looks with both of us, and shares aspects of both of our personalities as well.<br />
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So, in 2013, I am focusing on our life as a journey. Not comparing it to anyone elses, not comparing ME as a mommy, wife, or woman to anyone else. I instead am focusing on trusting in God to mold me, being the best wife and mommy that I can be, love with all my heart, and have fun!! I already know God will provide, and that he will bring us the desires of our hearts (maybe some of them we aren't even aware of), so I may as well just sit back and enjoy the adventure!<br />
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And, this adventure happens to start with a move to a little rental in Paradise Valley and a semester of homeschooling, a new church to find, new schedule with Jason's work, and nothing in the future planned out!!! Oh...don't get me wrong, I WILL plan, but it will be very flexible and I will not get frustrated when things don't go like I think they should. I have SO learned my lesson!!!<br />
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I love my life, and love my family :)<br />
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MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-44089937334728854842013-01-26T06:54:00.000-08:002013-03-05T12:37:08.995-08:00Schooling... This morning the kids and I are headed to an open house to a charter school that is within walking distance of our new house...<br />
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We don't actually expect to stay at this home very long, but I know better than to just "expect" anything in this life! So, we are preparing! Who knows, we may end up loving this area and choosing to buy here.<br />
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Jayna really wanted to try homeschooling, and so did Momma, so Jason agreed to let us do it for the rest of her 2nd grade year. I must admit- I am pretty awesome at it. <br />
My beautiful Cinderella gets to be home with me all day!!<br />
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I honestly am the type of Mom who hates having my kids at school all day. I'm a little strange, I hear :). So this one semester is so good for my soul.<br />
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Anyways, we are hoping that this school is a good one! I am really picky about my kids' school (especially since I'd rather have them home anyways!!).<br />
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Open house is in an hour though, so I better get going...<br />
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MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-79823163045553168642013-01-25T11:56:00.001-08:002013-03-05T12:37:29.464-08:00Packing like CrazyWell, I started out good posting my to-do's for the day..and then my to-do's just got to overwhelming to post!<br />
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I just started homeschooling my children for the rest of this year(another post, another time), and we also just found out we are moving in a week- I wish I was joking!!<br />
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We were going to buy a house, but it fell through. After we found out we weren't going to be buying a house anytime soon,we figured we'd just assume stay here in Avondale, even though we had felt it was time to move on. We figured we would just be patient and ride it out. WRONG. Our landlord called within TWO DAYS and said he needs his home back! Well, at least we knew we were right on with God's timing! :)<br />
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SOOOOOOO- here we are! Luckily, God is so good and faithful. We found a home in Paradise Valley for $400 a month cheaper than we pay now, AND- it's month to month!! Which is amazing for a family looking for a home to buy!<br />
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We are always praying for God's direction- and it's amazing to see it in action! I know he has a plan.<br />
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On the subject of packing....I am also getting rid of as much as I can. So, in my sifting and sorting, I have come across so many memories!!! I even found some stuff from Jason's childhood/teenager years as well as my own! There are so many signs in our old stuff that point us to each other. I know it sounds silly, and neither of us really believe in the "only one person for you" type stuff. BUT, it's hard to deny that we are indeed meant for each other. It's awesome!<br />
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Well, I have to get back to packing! Hopefully I'll have time for stories here soon!!!MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-16016138488044511752013-01-16T07:40:00.001-08:002013-03-05T12:37:19.561-08:00Todays Plan 1-16-13Yesterday didn't turn out quite as planned. I went to the gym did a few loads of laundry, and cooked dinner. That was about the extent of it. I did dishes and things like that, but nothing else off of my to-do list. There are some days when time just gets away from you! That was yesterday. So, today, my plan is very similar to the day before... Cook the meals (priority) Pay bills (priority) Jayna's curriculum plan shopping list/meal plan laundry workout (priority) Man- not enough hours in a day!!!MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-46752635773755532502013-01-15T05:45:00.001-08:002013-03-05T12:37:57.211-08:00Today's Plan Jan 15, 2013Yesterday I did good with everything except precooking. The turkey meat needed to thaw, and it's going to take a little while. So, looking like Jason is stuck with tuna for a little while :). Today I want to get a few more loads of laundry done, and get at least one dish done for myself. I also need get Jayna's homeschool curriculum figured out. Just knowing her classes and the timeframe of them is good. I can look into ordering Saxon math curriculum, and the rest I will just do freestyle. I am thinking tomorrow will be her last day, and we will start her on Monday. I need to make it to the gym today, preferrably this morning. I need to pay bills today as well (whatever is due), and I need to schedule in time this week to make a new meal plan and shopping list. Dinner tonight is sausage, quinoa, and peppers :) Something I can actually have a little of as well. MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-2031354326504507652013-01-14T07:46:00.000-08:002013-03-05T12:38:10.377-08:00Today's PlanIt has been a long time since I blogged. But, I wanted to try to get in the habit of it again. To start, I just want to put my to-do plan down. I will also add little exerps when I have time :) Today, my focus is laundry and precooking. I need to cook Jason's lunchmeat (I bought a whole turkey breast), as well as my back-up meals (according to my eat clean diet). I also need to make it to the gym. Of course, I also need to clean and take care of the kids during this time. My focus for tonight is to talk with Jason about our moving plans. We need to decide what we are going to do! I am praying today for God's guidance. ALSO- I need to schedule a time to get together Jayna's homeschool plan (going to homeschool her starting next week, just for the rest of her 2nd grade year), as well as a financial plan/execution. Dinner tonight is eggs, toast, and sausage. Kids love bfast for din :) MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-2856004950218266022010-11-17T08:26:00.001-08:002013-03-05T12:38:31.479-08:00Shopping CheapI am all about saving money wherever I can. I also am big on eating good and healthy food. So with grocery shopping, I have found a happy medium. Our budget for all essentials (including diapers and wipes, and dogfood) for a family of 5 + 2 dogs is $200 a week. Now, those of you who have a family my size knows that it takes some work to keep the cost down, especially when buying healthy foods to make delicious meals. First of all, we rarely eat out- I pack my husbands lunch every day. This of course cuts way back on money because it nearly always costs more to eat out than in. Second of all, I use coupons. I dont have a ton of spare time, so I use The Grocery Game. It only costs me a little over a dollar a week, and helps me save anywhere from $50-$100 a week. So, it's an investment well spent. I also buy a newspaper every week that has coupon inserts (I got a deal where I am only paying $1 a week for the paper). <br />
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Not going to lie, it takes some commitment. I spend about 1 hr a week cutting coupons and compiling my list, and 2 hours shopping. But to me, 3 hours a week is worth the $100 average I save. In essence, I get $300 (and many times much more than this) worth of food and essentials for my budgeted $200. <br />
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For those foods/essentials that don't usually have coupons, or those that are still cheaper by bulk even with coupons, I go to Costco. I usually end up buying Dogfood (only $25 a bag for really good quality vs. the $40 we were spending), diapers and wipes (ends up being the same as the best deal I have ever found on diapers with a coupon at regular store), cheese, sometimes meat,peanut butter, and printer ink.<br />
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I will try to post my next week's shopping experience to give examples on how these all work together to bring great savings!MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-59375545652699711582010-10-29T11:34:00.000-07:002010-10-29T11:35:15.342-07:00I love AutumnAutumn is so much fun with kids! I love doing arts, crafts, and of course, dressing up! Here are a few things we have been up to:<br /><br />First, we decorated <a href="http://www.homemakinginthecity.com/2010/10/cute-pumpkins.html">mini pumpkins</a>, which was so much fun and added some sparkle to the house! <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMsOREdprPI/AAAAAAAAADM/uQGxUOluJfo/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMsOREdprPI/AAAAAAAAADM/uQGxUOluJfo/s320/008.JPG" width="320" /></a><br /><br />We also made some chocolate spiders:<br /><br />You can read on how to do that <a href="http://www.education.com/activity/article/creepy-crawly-pretzel-snack/">here</a>. The kids had so much fun making these! And it's also a great learning activity!<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMsObLRgvMI/AAAAAAAAADQ/iFn9iibZfb4/s1600/Oct+25+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMsObLRgvMI/AAAAAAAAADQ/iFn9iibZfb4/s320/Oct+25+009.JPG" width="320" /></a><br /><br />Next, Jayna had an "Alphabed Parade" at her school. She was suppposed to dress up as a character that starts with a Z. She wanted to dress up as a zebra. It was so much fun getting creative! We used clothes she already had, and I went to the store and bought black and white eye shadow, and some white nail polish. Here is what we created:<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMsOCZwfMqI/AAAAAAAAADE/2PzgfrJ6jXU/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMsOCZwfMqI/AAAAAAAAADE/2PzgfrJ6jXU/s320/011.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMsOHv4t0TI/AAAAAAAAADI/50_r5GVEafM/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMsOHv4t0TI/AAAAAAAAADI/50_r5GVEafM/s320/010.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br />For Halloween, we are going to dress up as well! Even Jason and I! I can't wait to share those pictures. We are going out tonight to find the finishing touches! Jason is going to be Snake Eyes from GI Joe, I'm going to be Scarlett from GI Joe, Jayna is Snow White, Xander is a Transformer, and Sonja, of her own choosing, is going to be Alvin the Chipmunk! I hope all of you are having a great October, too!MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-6214426025510009952010-10-27T06:44:00.001-07:002010-10-27T06:44:34.704-07:00It really IS a free gift<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMgseZ6Hj4I/AAAAAAAAACs/lBDVP8ESU1o/s1600/jesus.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMgseZ6Hj4I/AAAAAAAAACs/lBDVP8ESU1o/s1600/jesus.bmp" /></a></div><br />I have been a Christian for as long as I can remember, but this concept is new to me. I can't believe I have missed this all these years.<br /><br />"For everyone has sinned (well, I knew that part); we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, <em><u>declares that we are righteous.</u><strong>(W-O-W)</strong>. </em>He did this through Christ Jesus when he <em><strong>freed</strong> us from the penalty</em> for our sins....people are made right with God when they <strong>believe</strong> that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood." Romans 3:23-25.<br /><br />That is just so amazing to me. We have newly been going to a <a href="http://www.faithharvest.com/">church</a> that emphasizes this concept. And, wow, that is such a blessing. It's so freeing. Yes, of course we want to live the best lives we can. But, when we mess up big time, God doesn't even count us as in the wrong! I can't get over that. I am so excited.MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-89020920443939087722010-10-26T20:04:00.001-07:002010-10-26T20:04:38.237-07:00My Afternoons and EveningsAfter lunch, until noon, I am cleaning up the kitchen (this gets very old, very fast!)<br />12-1p.m.- kids have homeschool (all three of them!). Today, we made yummy <a href="http://www.homemakinginthecity.com/2010/10/malt-chocolate-chip-cookies.html">cookies</a> and the kids did their worksheets.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMeTWfS7SJI/AAAAAAAAABs/csnxJZeVSL8/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMeTWfS7SJI/AAAAAAAAABs/csnxJZeVSL8/s320/001.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMeTauKpakI/AAAAAAAAABw/wFKdneL3IGs/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMeTauKpakI/AAAAAAAAABw/wFKdneL3IGs/s320/002.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />1-3- Sonja takes her nap, Jayna and Xander have quiet time, and I work on my College Courses (online). Fun-Fun-Fun!<br />3-4pm- KID TIME!!! We do crafts or play games. Today the kids painted <br />4-5:30- I get my butt to the gym. Staying in shape is really important to me<br />5:30-6:30- dinner (today was a delicious feast from Pioneer Woman. See it <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/03/monday-night-dinner-pasta-alla-marlboro-man/">HERE! YUMMY!</a>. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMeThf-oGFI/AAAAAAAAAB0/QbpYdgbq6Oc/s1600/030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMeThf-oGFI/AAAAAAAAAB0/QbpYdgbq6Oc/s320/030.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />6:30-7- dishes. Fun. Not. Kids do their Chores<br />7-8- Family hour, family projects, etc.<br />8pm- kids go to bed<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br />8-10- I'm finally off the clock!! Now I can work on my homemaking projects, or read, or just relax if I'm particularly drained!MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-13871293921855738502010-10-26T10:09:00.001-07:002010-10-26T10:09:19.245-07:00My Mornings<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcE9C0fMQI/AAAAAAAAAA0/aRVQmAf5ppY/s1600/Oct+25+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Confession #1- I live and breathe for schedules. Although things happen that cause me to deviate from them probably once a week (Dr. appts, sick kids, husband having a day off), I try to stick to it as much as possible. It keeps me focused and in line. I believe that staying home with the kids is my "job" (although so much more), and just as people have routines and schedules at there job, so do I!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcEsOjc4gI/AAAAAAAAAAo/Mib1URirLvE/s1600/Oct+25+030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcEsOjc4gI/AAAAAAAAAAo/Mib1URirLvE/s320/Oct+25+030.JPG" width="240" /></a>My schedule, as you can see from pen marks, I am always editing it.</div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /><br /></div><br /><br />Here is a glimpse of a typical morning in our home:<br /><br />5:45 a.m.- I get myself out of bed before anyone else is awake (ideally!) and shower, get dressed, put on my makeup and actually feel like a woman. If I'm really lucky, I even blow dry and curl my hair.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcEw_wL-UI/AAAAAAAAAAs/X37yKqjAumg/s1600/Oct+25+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcEw_wL-UI/AAAAAAAAAAs/X37yKqjAumg/s320/Oct+25+031.JPG" width="320" /></a>My more detailed schedule. I have it in a plastic sheet protector and use an erasable marker. On here I write what's for dinner (which I have the week planned out on Microsoft OneNote, etc.)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br />6:15 a.m.- I make a pot of coffee, and sit down to have my quiet time. I love reading the Bible and learning about God.<br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcE4UPZ3SI/AAAAAAAAAAw/tC-eSLLxVek/s1600/Oct+25+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcE4UPZ3SI/AAAAAAAAAAw/tC-eSLLxVek/s320/Oct+25+032.JPG" width="240" /></a><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcE9C0fMQI/AAAAAAAAAA0/aRVQmAf5ppY/s320/Oct+25+033.JPG" width="320" /></div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />6:45 a.m.- by this time, everyone is waking up. I fix breakfast (which as the picture shows, isn't usually grandious; Toaster waffles or cereal for kids, eggs and toast for me and hubby, ) Although sometimes we get adventurous and make <a href="http://homemakerinthebigcity.blogspot.com/2010/10/colored-pancakes.html">colored pancakes</a>! While everyone is eating, I'm usually cleaning up the kitchen and making my husband's lunch).<br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcF9E2FW8I/AAAAAAAAAA8/uSmhfKKzmZI/s1600/Oct+25+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcF9E2FW8I/AAAAAAAAAA8/uSmhfKKzmZI/s320/Oct+25+034.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcGHyPWDdI/AAAAAAAAABA/Ifxv7YjBf8M/s1600/Oct+25+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcGHyPWDdI/AAAAAAAAABA/Ifxv7YjBf8M/s320/Oct+25+036.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcHLYQfFJI/AAAAAAAAABI/-GgMpndcIio/s1600/Oct+25+039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcHLYQfFJI/AAAAAAAAABI/-GgMpndcIio/s320/Oct+25+039.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />7:30- I help Jayna get ready for school and do her homework<br />8:10- The younger 2 load up on the stroller and Jayna gets on her bike, and we walk the 0.4 miles to school. Jayna loves kindergarten.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcJHHvupvI/AAAAAAAAABM/eG6_yvEpjrY/s1600/aug2010+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcJHHvupvI/AAAAAAAAABM/eG6_yvEpjrY/s320/aug2010+016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />8:30- Start a load of laundry, and fold what's in the drier (yes, I leave clothes in the drier overnight. I'm bad)</div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />9:00- Business and Office work. Self explanatory!</div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcJNeq9qpI/AAAAAAAAABQ/OQ1SU6LdMgg/s1600/Oct+25+040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcJNeq9qpI/AAAAAAAAABQ/OQ1SU6LdMgg/s320/Oct+25+040.JPG" width="320" /></a>Sonja helps me with laundry. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcJTNKgp3I/AAAAAAAAABU/h6mr_Fy-GQM/s1600/Oct+25+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BiKYWaRQ1Lg/TMcJTNKgp3I/AAAAAAAAABU/h6mr_Fy-GQM/s320/Oct+25+044.JPG" width="320" /></a>Xander sits with me while I do QuickBooks.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />10:30- younger kids bathed while I blog (I actually sit in the bathroom with my laptop and try not to get splashed...it's quite comical, really).</div><br />11:15- pick up Jayna from school.<br />11:30- Lunch. Lunch ranges from leftovers from the night before to mac and cheese to sandwiches. Yes, Confession #2...I usually only cook 1 meal a day. And I'm okay with that.<br /><br />And this is how my mornings fly by every day! Up next is the Afternoons!MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-2522137779680894562010-10-11T08:05:00.000-07:002013-03-05T12:38:57.101-08:00Preschool DaysPreschool is so fun!! I have found such good ideas on the web for activities and crafts for the kids. They are loving it!<br />
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They have helped me cook, have done crafts, and done traditional worksheets as well.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVq_7NVZFZLchEm8er0kb6NABdtZylzzn6YD7kn4sBq5uzjOsG8-XcLgzJuth44gqcK0nDY9kkIEA9RS9CBsl0Vi-QEE2mM5ESzAf7AexFv9ETE6GhlrllrFKfywAff0uGOvR3VJ6VKCNA/s1600/031.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526807841375827954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVq_7NVZFZLchEm8er0kb6NABdtZylzzn6YD7kn4sBq5uzjOsG8-XcLgzJuth44gqcK0nDY9kkIEA9RS9CBsl0Vi-QEE2mM5ESzAf7AexFv9ETE6GhlrllrFKfywAff0uGOvR3VJ6VKCNA/s320/031.JPG" /></a> Smoothie pops!<br />
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<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKJrJHTU4k3h3Tmw9dMcF5T75N4rohTsN2quSiT5fCOkDFlejD5wivMFHXMVVIHjKOmy3DqD0PG_tM2Innfg3NYZNCVEWt3PZlHA93BZ5Tjs8p4QkX5FkHBedgHMhyphenhyphenMqoAp_IX63ESmhk/s1600/030.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526807837653742786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKJrJHTU4k3h3Tmw9dMcF5T75N4rohTsN2quSiT5fCOkDFlejD5wivMFHXMVVIHjKOmy3DqD0PG_tM2Innfg3NYZNCVEWt3PZlHA93BZ5Tjs8p4QkX5FkHBedgHMhyphenhyphenMqoAp_IX63ESmhk/s320/030.JPG" /></a><br />
found these popsicle molds at a yardsale for $1!<br />
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</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBsaWjsV6I7UeUDRcl9X9jZCciFE6sv_zpAvoi2R-x2FfopZ2k1J1ehhaT1UGZNHVLtTMYpB9pXHMi6ef4kjV5SZzGKoFvyTTTmmS_U_H0SkByOaK5nYx5Of8On1ZON88jmJMmJj2nrA3/s1600/026.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526805839276223954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBsaWjsV6I7UeUDRcl9X9jZCciFE6sv_zpAvoi2R-x2FfopZ2k1J1ehhaT1UGZNHVLtTMYpB9pXHMi6ef4kjV5SZzGKoFvyTTTmmS_U_H0SkByOaK5nYx5Of8On1ZON88jmJMmJj2nrA3/s320/026.JPG" /></a> Home Made Pizza Dough<br />
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<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrM7biBE7V2XKbwi9PJJj8J9emEeDfOHvh66ee_OK11ZGI6n6Ec96B9v_xJfV10m8SH5Fb2ktKojVVLyhOBan2wU-56xFDaim4W4cxwhTy8hXXR7zowStlQz-Vv2tM1UlwJ3rDfJhx8ta/s1600/029.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526807831809757746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrM7biBE7V2XKbwi9PJJj8J9emEeDfOHvh66ee_OK11ZGI6n6Ec96B9v_xJfV10m8SH5Fb2ktKojVVLyhOBan2wU-56xFDaim4W4cxwhTy8hXXR7zowStlQz-Vv2tM1UlwJ3rDfJhx8ta/s320/029.JPG" /></a> They each had their own pizza to fix<br />
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<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUfDM-RDUXOy7zc3PvZgL8DFai3JjphysK6fdDi_nt7muA3JXjUIAa1O5hz1caTylAskWjCyEwIbLi5R2ql-9Sg7iJb67dp5MhclOCKeQxPiIr6R2qVrLr1zBTfmc93lgczNx2zJItVYO/s1600/025.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526807815746975762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUfDM-RDUXOy7zc3PvZgL8DFai3JjphysK6fdDi_nt7muA3JXjUIAa1O5hz1caTylAskWjCyEwIbLi5R2ql-9Sg7iJb67dp5MhclOCKeQxPiIr6R2qVrLr1zBTfmc93lgczNx2zJItVYO/s320/025.JPG" /></a> Xander's pizza hat (was supposed to be a book cover )<br />
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<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlBFlW9StrZAWU13M1jMVdZw9EALttEIOQHipnHFr06sK5wHaWsUJAU6JtNkIwCrplpio7mMW4JI0RHbQE4J69nXgdShpKyUYUjar0m-1ZLhMqPlP8B6ALAyszn2Z_-voc6SGQ6mFXcLs/s1600/024.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526807813890096786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlBFlW9StrZAWU13M1jMVdZw9EALttEIOQHipnHFr06sK5wHaWsUJAU6JtNkIwCrplpio7mMW4JI0RHbQE4J69nXgdShpKyUYUjar0m-1ZLhMqPlP8B6ALAyszn2Z_-voc6SGQ6mFXcLs/s320/024.JPG" /></a> '<br />
Jayna's first book "What if we could only eat pizza"<br />
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<div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_mY3JPReZqYL7PJ6yiJAk9-5XdNYztHXkQZKa9vFhKdplLvj06jwQZXBskH9SlHD5Tv_kGl0cJuMqmE9iTMd6qnPbBM3LynCFhiUBqJAI_RjuM6iftWkhUNqrFHfqtrCNe22shk_HF3Jy/s1600/016.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526805801726470898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_mY3JPReZqYL7PJ6yiJAk9-5XdNYztHXkQZKa9vFhKdplLvj06jwQZXBskH9SlHD5Tv_kGl0cJuMqmE9iTMd6qnPbBM3LynCFhiUBqJAI_RjuM6iftWkhUNqrFHfqtrCNe22shk_HF3Jy/s320/016.JPG" /></a> Steamed Apples with Cinnamon<br />
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I very much enjoy our "preschool hour" as well as our "homemaking hour" that we have every day. It takes some planning (which has been a lot easier thanks to Microsoft OneNote and, of course, the internet and printer). I think that family time is first and foremost, but if we're learning while enjoying each other's comany, it's that much better!<br />
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<div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-40041068737828649802010-09-18T15:15:00.000-07:002010-09-29T07:47:15.460-07:00Craft TimeI had to patch up my husband's favorite pair of jeans, so I set the children down to do a craft. I was having a hard time finding something for them to do that didn't require a lot of my help. So, I scoped out our recycle bin, and found a couple of square containers...perfect!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2UkPg0W-nGZyYRe-q_WnLX6_Nhx9seYhwPsBcwgpRGtiFN6TW8i0i8F49V7IFJZGKQtq5-AmIOcmHZSn6UHOLH4ZmecU8oqTT6Wnv6fnEVvSPtex9u3lbQB1eXEoHkgnzOQp2eKBYxWe/s1600/001.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522345489401906082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2UkPg0W-nGZyYRe-q_WnLX6_Nhx9seYhwPsBcwgpRGtiFN6TW8i0i8F49V7IFJZGKQtq5-AmIOcmHZSn6UHOLH4ZmecU8oqTT6Wnv6fnEVvSPtex9u3lbQB1eXEoHkgnzOQp2eKBYxWe/s320/001.JPG" /></a><br /><br />I grabbed some 2 sided mounting tape (didn't want them to have glue when I couldn't be right there overseeing!) and the box of popsicle sticks. They happily set to work making their boxes.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHDq9q5ic2qYZ6yKfZRBCJaFceEpfDSTl1Aqly_thBiT0N2gk-I3RfGvchcJ5tU8rQ8UIeNo68iw8tdXva37EoNeSxXaC2_rmiFraBwXFJr0ng33Xq00cC9JEP8KJQ77MbtqR-_3vKPF9/s1600/002.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522345498339487074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHDq9q5ic2qYZ6yKfZRBCJaFceEpfDSTl1Aqly_thBiT0N2gk-I3RfGvchcJ5tU8rQ8UIeNo68iw8tdXva37EoNeSxXaC2_rmiFraBwXFJr0ng33Xq00cC9JEP8KJQ77MbtqR-_3vKPF9/s320/002.JPG" /></a><br />When they were finished putting the on popsicle sticks, I took the boxes out to the garage and spray painted them.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6G61WGKaLDUb7Og0X6U1d-XhFNNGoTFAuUhyz8_QJhFuZTG4QHBVOCe0nhNYF5qowO9FvOqmue1nHbspqyTrvXueuczyIjc2Mt3z6adKl-4hfC_p6sPPnjW6v0RfXnx9f-_gEun-eXi3/s1600/005.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522345509959496578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6G61WGKaLDUb7Og0X6U1d-XhFNNGoTFAuUhyz8_QJhFuZTG4QHBVOCe0nhNYF5qowO9FvOqmue1nHbspqyTrvXueuczyIjc2Mt3z6adKl-4hfC_p6sPPnjW6v0RfXnx9f-_gEun-eXi3/s320/005.JPG" /></a><br />When the spray paint was dry, I let them decorate the boxes with stickers. They had a blast. Jayna uses her little box to hold crayons and pencils, Xander uses his to hold his sunglasses.</div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dLmMtGBqUgXjc7ZTUGgs8Lii9rFTQs8arkJPEnmyh81Pl8YiDulhxBSDqQsC8CgO3H-5fNkwnClLlaL4Rx73hX4GDWE-yt9K0MWPdGxtm1xJnFFd5q3ykNugt_O2gw7wpedSFZ4-xk4Z/s1600/010.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522345512018157202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dLmMtGBqUgXjc7ZTUGgs8Lii9rFTQs8arkJPEnmyh81Pl8YiDulhxBSDqQsC8CgO3H-5fNkwnClLlaL4Rx73hX4GDWE-yt9K0MWPdGxtm1xJnFFd5q3ykNugt_O2gw7wpedSFZ4-xk4Z/s320/010.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Oh, and my little "craft" turned out ok too! Jason was very pleased that he could wear his favorite jeans once again. </div></div></div></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKyKIpgFyG3_mzAbuJk2oUyAfHt1zxzmLDWSjdGr7oPxz_2jq823OILYD7cDZ2ZdGqVo0tuBJRJTFPOqNkP017XfcYgIGirzDUH1uhNBEevWiRQNDdcuTmAZOFiAXq3u9KKL_ZVGan_6db/s1600/006.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522345519909569810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKyKIpgFyG3_mzAbuJk2oUyAfHt1zxzmLDWSjdGr7oPxz_2jq823OILYD7cDZ2ZdGqVo0tuBJRJTFPOqNkP017XfcYgIGirzDUH1uhNBEevWiRQNDdcuTmAZOFiAXq3u9KKL_ZVGan_6db/s320/006.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0gYqI120Fik5WHuDVQ1jKvbAuo5MVfdyYRmggivY3HCRXksw-3brchxLgWNpKByBQxRHi1Ik5dq0gcbU-ZSdgm-2HJUTeapcSyZZlO6OecA285Wq0r8X1i7cjyk2kLPvI_bAU2-b2XVfz/s1600/007.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522346951516264866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0gYqI120Fik5WHuDVQ1jKvbAuo5MVfdyYRmggivY3HCRXksw-3brchxLgWNpKByBQxRHi1Ik5dq0gcbU-ZSdgm-2HJUTeapcSyZZlO6OecA285Wq0r8X1i7cjyk2kLPvI_bAU2-b2XVfz/s320/007.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6vRPE3dbuLXVs8QZM3zZoUyr3p9ExZFYnGWUUaqUeVWq5a4TXjF8L27zCVCKyT6AU-mcs1l1J7DPxBwDAKAQ6OC34Lx-qTwUF7EFQ5FkJP6t22P0nXmifgEllG9sk9SjCnnbkoGMq5Uk-/s1600/008.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522346958055471938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6vRPE3dbuLXVs8QZM3zZoUyr3p9ExZFYnGWUUaqUeVWq5a4TXjF8L27zCVCKyT6AU-mcs1l1J7DPxBwDAKAQ6OC34Lx-qTwUF7EFQ5FkJP6t22P0nXmifgEllG9sk9SjCnnbkoGMq5Uk-/s320/008.JPG" /></a>MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-83366822987734727872010-09-16T12:33:00.000-07:002010-09-18T15:19:19.051-07:00"Bunch of Okies"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhaATdV32Hqfx3uKGReNwVyCvmJWDAkreAwEt_GN30LvVqtc_t8gYOCElaGVHIjEk3j1zYc2F6jsL3XEDUBMeceVXgKQ_V5Qok-yCVaDoTUvhSNbiGKXGr9kQYJ8rz19cwCfhl6EX6jMQg/s1600/Oklahoma!+012.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 500px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 298px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517601519950432146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhaATdV32Hqfx3uKGReNwVyCvmJWDAkreAwEt_GN30LvVqtc_t8gYOCElaGVHIjEk3j1zYc2F6jsL3XEDUBMeceVXgKQ_V5Qok-yCVaDoTUvhSNbiGKXGr9kQYJ8rz19cwCfhl6EX6jMQg/s320/Oklahoma!+012.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />We had such a fun trip to Oklahoma to visit my dad and great aunt/great uncle. It's so beautiful there, and so different! The girls and I took a plane trip to Oklahoma City Thursday afternoon, and came back Monday afternoon. It was a short but sweet vacation!<br /><br /><br /><br />The girls...getting ready to take off!!<br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517597874834911026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2LTdqUY3fiPqqKtG_HmMPrVDpMljOJcfJZxemZlUquBSONHn5fTZCPigfgfjpLbjN3CccT7HIrUwB77iMYRtyssIC7mj0uvPc7p0NDU8onS2GJUCclRttkNVSGmQtk-C9BVruQ8ZrjTri/s320/Oklahoma!+125.JPG" /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517597868099970130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmCXVUOE9Gyryq-yNAFL3Cd17HIxSew96jzupsddTpg92qM_NFXfd9eHEK22F66RbZnwHlxXdUeA__tntShgAeNlMPpRQh0Y4xT7CK3gv9B0aGdn-HpYrlaXYFGMT3Nn9G3GPiHGgDH_j/s320/Oklahoma!+124.JPG" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p>Being out in the middle of nowhere (my aunt and uncle live on about 150 acres, give or take) was so refreshing, and I felt just a tad envious. But I quickly realized (ok, it took me a day or two after I got back), that being here in Arizona with family is a great life, too. Still, the ranch life tugs at my heart. Maybe someday we will be able to have some land, even if it's here in the Sunny State. Here are some pics that me and Jayna took of our time in Ada, Oklahoma.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX2PjXfqs__oP3M_4sq_A580jEKQ1rYU_SOM3MSGe11LDCaAE5iLlrXDjxH_hUwyXun88ro-QAri6s2oPmV_hoQtUOot5r5aM8wqwy2eGFNeWB9XeTNPc-T7cDTg-zdiW9s8I5E5E7T4P2/s1600/Oklahoma!+002.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517601513459568834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX2PjXfqs__oP3M_4sq_A580jEKQ1rYU_SOM3MSGe11LDCaAE5iLlrXDjxH_hUwyXun88ro-QAri6s2oPmV_hoQtUOot5r5aM8wqwy2eGFNeWB9XeTNPc-T7cDTg-zdiW9s8I5E5E7T4P2/s320/Oklahoma!+002.JPG" /></a></p><p><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517601498150842370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinf3Q-2VSlRFl6icZ2r8lMJi8F6TEb9dMjx-VQTC_lHEOCApLBqtcSKQ7DmIWf-BRXIq1mAegupuFBeqJdXZzxfl0CKHwH9RcWhKXRQAEZD_WU3n7qbRjeLr0VnQ2t1iWpQgi3_z5zmVpJ/s320/Oklahoma!+001.JPG" />Jayna loved riding this tricycle...it was my great uncle's brother's- over 50 years old! It still makes little kids smile!</p><br /><br /><br /><p> </p><p> </p><p>The girls loved the cows (my aunt and uncle run a cow ranch). These calves just got weaned and were sent to the City on Sunday.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMem-kOFTZvIn9Cbg4NhqCFJ4ycODtMLBsXH7qvYfmp9I2RhowivwCLF7No2g3uLeLCtWW_b5HDpdSjaV9g19QTBxsAEAZTGoMxEB11m2mm08w_eoX5X8FLsK6tX1P_2NEBun8dmLZtQ17/s1600/Oklahoma!+020.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517601533295112610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMem-kOFTZvIn9Cbg4NhqCFJ4ycODtMLBsXH7qvYfmp9I2RhowivwCLF7No2g3uLeLCtWW_b5HDpdSjaV9g19QTBxsAEAZTGoMxEB11m2mm08w_eoX5X8FLsK6tX1P_2NEBun8dmLZtQ17/s320/Oklahoma!+020.JPG" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_29-qEdhpC3RYWxrD6zfwRZTeONop2CNcVPoEy0yKha5GJlun2lk_F4Q0tK0wbMHNY2rwVBC_Q0nMF1DTEyiliMgd0rWaaCFmCBLwOkQ9vSwoTJftpzgzWnlJZTxBsrSzw3pTV_8rWLja/s1600/Oklahoma!+027.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517605034901637234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_29-qEdhpC3RYWxrD6zfwRZTeONop2CNcVPoEy0yKha5GJlun2lk_F4Q0tK0wbMHNY2rwVBC_Q0nMF1DTEyiliMgd0rWaaCFmCBLwOkQ9vSwoTJftpzgzWnlJZTxBsrSzw3pTV_8rWLja/s320/Oklahoma!+027.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4H-jb3VzWHnr1BfhxtJDfX7NBKoUAUvVDaB-gqcBE5Em6pbZVjW2GR83St1yIyqHz-DG-vYoajhVChk8zxFKBOcJWdGvH04gNthMKgQ3v7Fw6Eora9Phcvre-9VIQNiC5K3j6U-HMbfxu/s1600/Oklahoma!+015.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517601526398546578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4H-jb3VzWHnr1BfhxtJDfX7NBKoUAUvVDaB-gqcBE5Em6pbZVjW2GR83St1yIyqHz-DG-vYoajhVChk8zxFKBOcJWdGvH04gNthMKgQ3v7Fw6Eora9Phcvre-9VIQNiC5K3j6U-HMbfxu/s320/Oklahoma!+015.JPG" /></a><br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The next toy that they loved was the "Mule". We rode it around the country, and stopped at a pond or two to do some fishin' (Jayna had never caught a fish before this trip, and now she has caught 5!). Mama loved the Mule because it put grumpy babies to sleep!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWT3LsT7QhR57ERzXgt5BtI_6gagnGnuCdz6ofOZwACSFbjbA-okaBt5ULtziHiPwk5LCo0uPYVT_n48SdI5dnb1BzvgEeyh63660A-hO00vrC8RTBkHQCdCgKApAA5j6bJqsFoJM_aR4y/s1600/jay's1stfish.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517605048684164002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWT3LsT7QhR57ERzXgt5BtI_6gagnGnuCdz6ofOZwACSFbjbA-okaBt5ULtziHiPwk5LCo0uPYVT_n48SdI5dnb1BzvgEeyh63660A-hO00vrC8RTBkHQCdCgKApAA5j6bJqsFoJM_aR4y/s320/jay's1stfish.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSi4Tnicm83L3KaTM7Ez8fZ-b3YYnInzlNPNM5vK6FbBCD08evMgrd96ueOVx16Nt-USgswutYFNBj7cDOmnEjQbqnXByZm6zLzAFWFYMu_-Wd-tUrX7p-c2_h914tchsflqcis7T8InE6/s1600/Oklahoma!+033.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517605039712545778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSi4Tnicm83L3KaTM7Ez8fZ-b3YYnInzlNPNM5vK6FbBCD08evMgrd96ueOVx16Nt-USgswutYFNBj7cDOmnEjQbqnXByZm6zLzAFWFYMu_-Wd-tUrX7p-c2_h914tchsflqcis7T8InE6/s320/Oklahoma!+033.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Fishin' with Grandpa, and her first fish! (left) Very exciting evening.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>"I got a FISH!!!!!!"<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZF2yPohHjluSUNjUaYBlQk-g_lh6_uAJ_kwmTxW7tPoMaiCZnhx7ah7jEnSbJ4uOQdGzZ6nW08j0JkNW5Z9uXcJRdL7bKJ-bN_kS9rsorx_zkfXNCsCC8prSaNrqaicAbE04fQmn8gXg/s1600/Oklahoma!+063.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517605051308288674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZF2yPohHjluSUNjUaYBlQk-g_lh6_uAJ_kwmTxW7tPoMaiCZnhx7ah7jEnSbJ4uOQdGzZ6nW08j0JkNW5Z9uXcJRdL7bKJ-bN_kS9rsorx_zkfXNCsCC8prSaNrqaicAbE04fQmn8gXg/s320/Oklahoma!+063.JPG" /></a><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br />The sunsets were very beautiful! I just loved the scenery all together! The GREEN!! Wow, what a change from Phoenix! It was so relaxing and wholesome feeling!<br /></div><br /><br /><div><br />-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /></div><div><strong>AMISH FESTIVAL FUN!!</strong><br /><br /></div><div>On Saturday, we headed straight to the Amish festival of Ada! First, we watched them make the ice cream.........then, we ate the yummy goodness!!</div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxhgC1JYUWm_gly6yMgifiZmBabndnmnqVP-1qa41Z2htSYhFv8_iDkd4VPJUmqemgKR2vTwplI-ZiyXh1YVRUc0Jg-kMl2L7n9_L5hVSPC-M6o9xuTgbrogvX5SmxCi_NO3UFGqf4m0Y/s1600/Oklahoma!+047.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517609090567101298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxhgC1JYUWm_gly6yMgifiZmBabndnmnqVP-1qa41Z2htSYhFv8_iDkd4VPJUmqemgKR2vTwplI-ZiyXh1YVRUc0Jg-kMl2L7n9_L5hVSPC-M6o9xuTgbrogvX5SmxCi_NO3UFGqf4m0Y/s320/Oklahoma!+047.JPG" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFAZ-Aglfrwcft5Q8yM2dzQV0XfFJ6QcABEHY8k9gHwgboecS7DEmDTK6bX-fDUsC-mmHXAVlJaGUYaUqG4T1lt4nrMvEiEpbEbrQw4GH_Gw7m3ypmS3so5kD5Rtq1AadEmYxhWSXQNM8/s1600/Oklahoma!+048.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517609098732120162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFAZ-Aglfrwcft5Q8yM2dzQV0XfFJ6QcABEHY8k9gHwgboecS7DEmDTK6bX-fDUsC-mmHXAVlJaGUYaUqG4T1lt4nrMvEiEpbEbrQw4GH_Gw7m3ypmS3so5kD5Rtq1AadEmYxhWSXQNM8/s320/Oklahoma!+048.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8nRxu6Tvy5_wyDPMDhOKrtXVcJ5H1OwBT7Vg9B3aV93gxM25gn8wtvxfjNhheaeJzaKrffK3G2CVH2a9KPtqiywhYIFqJMB2RUrO2CgWfknPMfHJsaBxMx0w3FBZUjPTHi1gDTScj6zO/s1600/Oklahoma!+042.JPG"></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgD5vOX5XtzQyOUapsP9dv1WE3M5N87jaPjE3iXm5FKQ0opy-3Y8lDv2M7otEQq05YHq9VvUsFSoQvUSJLI3QnMPKK0neKhlq0ihFVxzV23VfC22o2WZOylV_kmW5pBkZ4_eLyydhFtyHn/s1600/Oklahoma!+046.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517609080169635106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgD5vOX5XtzQyOUapsP9dv1WE3M5N87jaPjE3iXm5FKQ0opy-3Y8lDv2M7otEQq05YHq9VvUsFSoQvUSJLI3QnMPKK0neKhlq0ihFVxzV23VfC22o2WZOylV_kmW5pBkZ4_eLyydhFtyHn/s320/Oklahoma!+046.JPG" /></a><br />Uh-Oh....Jayna found her new wish for her Santa list. these ponies were way too cute!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div>My Aunt Lois and Dad leading the way.<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8nRxu6Tvy5_wyDPMDhOKrtXVcJ5H1OwBT7Vg9B3aV93gxM25gn8wtvxfjNhheaeJzaKrffK3G2CVH2a9KPtqiywhYIFqJMB2RUrO2CgWfknPMfHJsaBxMx0w3FBZUjPTHi1gDTScj6zO/s1600/Oklahoma!+042.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517609070301061778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8nRxu6Tvy5_wyDPMDhOKrtXVcJ5H1OwBT7Vg9B3aV93gxM25gn8wtvxfjNhheaeJzaKrffK3G2CVH2a9KPtqiywhYIFqJMB2RUrO2CgWfknPMfHJsaBxMx0w3FBZUjPTHi1gDTScj6zO/s320/Oklahoma!+042.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div>The Amish Festival was a neat site, but it was a little too hot and sunny to stay too long.<br /><br /></div><div>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />Sunday morning, we found this little creature in the middle of the road. We took him home, and let him go in my Dad's pond. Dad called me yesterday to say he's still around!<br /></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4QQpIiBMqwNW-XNxY09xRmsY9Yc8eyfqkz7nh1GqTBKOxQRC4oqs-Yt94M3ZtwAchzqgxtpXwNYc-wsfUNfQmNbHStkqDC3jHoXPuOZQy9ahh9n31PIRgPHlTUL7i54nseBwqWyh7GAq/s1600/Oklahoma!+085.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517609056781642962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4QQpIiBMqwNW-XNxY09xRmsY9Yc8eyfqkz7nh1GqTBKOxQRC4oqs-Yt94M3ZtwAchzqgxtpXwNYc-wsfUNfQmNbHStkqDC3jHoXPuOZQy9ahh9n31PIRgPHlTUL7i54nseBwqWyh7GAq/s320/Oklahoma!+085.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWeTAKeSxiAgp2uu6tHmParYvzg0cery_0RwT6ejPOKO9x-2dbqOYQ07R0zFdk5vslvKr0VRF0BtA1BFZGy2w1OQ77_En2cjTcEXzc1rLqp-ENjbfRGZR9NZ6FavYenahGe_Sl4cSXJqVW/s1600/Oklahoma!+084.JPG"></a><br /><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><p></p><div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcPv218vReO601vlQO0NO6nTj5UUloeXGibmz9LAvt2mJayS6zDgXhB-cfC3z7lTdEXhT7oI6UfwN8SPM6nuYJLLJh4hSAhPttigs7dekshkcgWCqwoAj24Fp6UgZK0El_XaRmKO0vDGaj/s1600/Oklahoma!+113.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517611348940671250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcPv218vReO601vlQO0NO6nTj5UUloeXGibmz9LAvt2mJayS6zDgXhB-cfC3z7lTdEXhT7oI6UfwN8SPM6nuYJLLJh4hSAhPttigs7dekshkcgWCqwoAj24Fp6UgZK0El_XaRmKO0vDGaj/s320/Oklahoma!+113.JPG" /></a></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Sittin' on the front porch...we did a lot of that...it was nice!<br /><br /></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJHT_yjEPz2CqG9a300vRt6OcMaLFkFoXJLUpur0bAj5LfVvQKtiA_Hv_KOAc8R4I01VhdrjzCxsMntD5imo2lolP0SXpX-MC6BeoGVIMI3M5ovcgSS4woPM00yoa-gcVFNxdR2jyf3Nw/s1600/Oklahoma!+078.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517611366863847010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJHT_yjEPz2CqG9a300vRt6OcMaLFkFoXJLUpur0bAj5LfVvQKtiA_Hv_KOAc8R4I01VhdrjzCxsMntD5imo2lolP0SXpX-MC6BeoGVIMI3M5ovcgSS4woPM00yoa-gcVFNxdR2jyf3Nw/s320/Oklahoma!+078.JPG" /></a><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br />Sonja and me being silly, waiting for Grandpa and Jayna to get done fishing.<br /><br /></div><p></p><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div>All in all, it was an amazing trip, but of course it is so good to be back home with Jason and Xander. I missed them!<br /><br /><br /></div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-76334093586965167942010-09-08T12:16:00.001-07:002010-09-08T12:27:40.975-07:00Labor Day and Chores (Ironic)We had a relaxing Labor Day at home with family. Myah, my niece, came over to visit. We painted nails. It's so fun having girly time!<A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_oO7hvc2paCgvFfbDzj0wP2n806fau_rupLfcPRMDasnR6KwnRgQOnA9WWXvvJRxy2nFGDWGgyXDVHnUWJwlSN3PGrGUfMDrlFAlpPciztnQrk4mWyD4ITbup37jEz5N4SLmB_Hy8HL1/s1600/001.JPG"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514624334390340114 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_oO7hvc2paCgvFfbDzj0wP2n806fau_rupLfcPRMDasnR6KwnRgQOnA9WWXvvJRxy2nFGDWGgyXDVHnUWJwlSN3PGrGUfMDrlFAlpPciztnQrk4mWyD4ITbup37jEz5N4SLmB_Hy8HL1/s320/001.JPG"></A> Once it got a little cooler (haha, ya right), we went next door to the park. Myah played football with Uncle Jason and me. She is such a sweet girl! We love her! <A href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_ZFhFy6dNDf6yJcEDFeD_C9BTbTmt-rviuO5jFiemZYi7Zbdgm5oEvCw-2UIitMIlNMVVAL2LptXeX68fgy28i4d1eLVRE_H32DCMSpbHb9ejvs2D8_8gJD4OAsWKolYexgejCcRsMaU/s1600/003.JPG"><IMG style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id=BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514624853621698242 border=0 alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9_ZFhFy6dNDf6yJcEDFeD_C9BTbTmt-rviuO5jFiemZYi7Zbdgm5oEvCw-2UIitMIlNMVVAL2LptXeX68fgy28i4d1eLVRE_H32DCMSpbHb9ejvs2D8_8gJD4OAsWKolYexgejCcRsMaU/s320/003.JPG"></A> The rest of the evening we enjoyed watching the 4 kids playing together..running around the house chasing eachother, laughing and screaming so loud we couldn't even think! I LOVE evenings like this.<br /><OBJECT id=BLOG_video-706157210b3483c9 class=BLOG_video_class width=320 height=266 contentId="706157210b3483c9"></OBJECT>Before we went to bed on our day off of Labor, we developed a chore chart for Jayna and Xander. They have done very well so far. They earn a small allowance, and we are already teaching them to save a percentage of their money as well as tithe. They take pride in their accomplishments, and drag Daddy up to see their clean rooms and bathroom.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWgkoCIU46W_6OTCMEskOF1ckL9UKWRKQjdiWGZhIN8Uno0nerOrhK2WjkaVLPHWjYjs1-0J6AYhmXiE72yu__s0mGR4JqFrsH5sgmdgMQYQoZ_64jC10RebNGiRD4_mdjt4Wxq7njfNi/s1600/chorechart.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWgkoCIU46W_6OTCMEskOF1ckL9UKWRKQjdiWGZhIN8Uno0nerOrhK2WjkaVLPHWjYjs1-0J6AYhmXiE72yu__s0mGR4JqFrsH5sgmdgMQYQoZ_64jC10RebNGiRD4_mdjt4Wxq7njfNi/s320/chorechart.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514626290841737330" /></a>MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4247581069223454936.post-28864734325710708512010-09-06T16:13:00.001-07:002010-09-06T16:48:00.417-07:00Labor Day Vacation...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRklJP7SZafAa61wyM8dmwXzhZd42uY1A9bPVIrNIhRRKek0g5gQpVSxsmecLEKknvWcMOCcQXyDUnWgfAXELvYMGLhkzycErROSM6agA829Z-RXdVnUPx3mRiSbOtEUQLOxlmBDn9nW-1/s1600/009.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRklJP7SZafAa61wyM8dmwXzhZd42uY1A9bPVIrNIhRRKek0g5gQpVSxsmecLEKknvWcMOCcQXyDUnWgfAXELvYMGLhkzycErROSM6agA829Z-RXdVnUPx3mRiSbOtEUQLOxlmBDn9nW-1/s320/009.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513943864793719426" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKcRdfyRU6t0cYzNz1fjZqa85TlSidzruf9aM9KZtylNLjVZy5WR01MUNRw0IHBS1qz1McqpuO0C1tv1tjuyZLZOGUdZb08fhiHLInWcpH_GjO07PBjzm4HAeTtw6XszpT1qtC8XFIULEQ/s1600/006.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKcRdfyRU6t0cYzNz1fjZqa85TlSidzruf9aM9KZtylNLjVZy5WR01MUNRw0IHBS1qz1McqpuO0C1tv1tjuyZLZOGUdZb08fhiHLInWcpH_GjO07PBjzm4HAeTtw6XszpT1qtC8XFIULEQ/s320/006.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513943859881072242" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJamo9a6WJyEnJA16X-K7KQ6L7-Q4Ldi__QCGoH512TzKWyCvFpCSrvY2gM3xa0nc8ZLBvC1yZEb9bo3LwtwLzZUIlW09lRyUgTYb-t8eKrIfusNTVBBSpjXtxD84ZN_uvSKjgOoMFyIn/s1600/005.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJamo9a6WJyEnJA16X-K7KQ6L7-Q4Ldi__QCGoH512TzKWyCvFpCSrvY2gM3xa0nc8ZLBvC1yZEb9bo3LwtwLzZUIlW09lRyUgTYb-t8eKrIfusNTVBBSpjXtxD84ZN_uvSKjgOoMFyIn/s320/005.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513943847570646098" /></a><br />We headed up north to our hometown of Payson, AZ this weekend. The kids packed up their little backpacks and we ventured out on our 3 day vacation. After packing up the truck, we had to do some Ritter Boys' work on our way out of town. By the time we were finished with that, the kids were already sick of driving, and we had 2 hours to Payson! So, we stopped at a Mcdonald's in Scottsale. The kids loved the air hockey table! After stretching their legs and hitting around the puck, we continued on. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPN2QKgJ3b22VTDS7Jvca9wIbeJ3KKerxJNDEex0JulBe_c5nGvb_YGnDHcfjBDFfnllmizHqD4OwXPeXp3pA8A0Lj-1vkHTRwKkqe5sqnEZLmBNRRo9bIYwcOTp3VwuQIVboCS4qOc_Wm/s1600/038.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPN2QKgJ3b22VTDS7Jvca9wIbeJ3KKerxJNDEex0JulBe_c5nGvb_YGnDHcfjBDFfnllmizHqD4OwXPeXp3pA8A0Lj-1vkHTRwKkqe5sqnEZLmBNRRo9bIYwcOTp3VwuQIVboCS4qOc_Wm/s320/038.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513946929385676082" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFz5o2NJKxJzyBeFPhU_Gn8sVWpTa08k-nF38kelax7vyA5v5K6j0JfDeaY3iZjblXZYChk3vawSwxMUBwuzd3PGpPNSFxswA5Hr4ILhB5sSzFe0LzPz2tp34FS4YdMHIGZkQxjdc2fu4/s1600/039.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFz5o2NJKxJzyBeFPhU_Gn8sVWpTa08k-nF38kelax7vyA5v5K6j0JfDeaY3iZjblXZYChk3vawSwxMUBwuzd3PGpPNSFxswA5Hr4ILhB5sSzFe0LzPz2tp34FS4YdMHIGZkQxjdc2fu4/s320/039.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513946925701028082" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQawqDLFBfVqH7uBZb8Rj_NF5d5N2ctM198TuAb7dkE3YbrX3SpDihK3802XfkU7MY51CwZs9KfuSydwoLlUGRd-6v8z4aJmFVxj-Us5pBHLseDp28tM3RZZsIzZT8DKk2bgfXV7SzA7G/s1600/045.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQawqDLFBfVqH7uBZb8Rj_NF5d5N2ctM198TuAb7dkE3YbrX3SpDihK3802XfkU7MY51CwZs9KfuSydwoLlUGRd-6v8z4aJmFVxj-Us5pBHLseDp28tM3RZZsIzZT8DKk2bgfXV7SzA7G/s320/045.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513946921193323618" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrwoj_8NhDI43McF8NpkvpDljmz__zpwXusPO4e-CkkFTVggmEtuyXXYiUlcXzG8VhE6XghhD8o7zEQ-TwlIa7EhdgfLqofoTUMshyphenhyphenO6UBw5yzw9hbM9kQiXYeaQ8R4-zsMKC7i8OvgpD/s1600/044.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrwoj_8NhDI43McF8NpkvpDljmz__zpwXusPO4e-CkkFTVggmEtuyXXYiUlcXzG8VhE6XghhD8o7zEQ-TwlIa7EhdgfLqofoTUMshyphenhyphenO6UBw5yzw9hbM9kQiXYeaQ8R4-zsMKC7i8OvgpD/s320/044.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513946913537832882" /></a><br /><br /><br />Saturday, we headed to Woods Canyon Lake. It felt so good to get out of civilization and just see TREES and mountains! First we stopped on the side of the road to check out the awesome views. Xander was a little afraid of the "cliffs" at first, but he stayed close to Mommy because he knew I would "keep him safe". Jayna was as brave as ever jumping from rock to rock, which made Mommy nervous. <br /><br />It was so awesome seeing the amazing view. I always feel closest to God and am reminded of all His Glory when I am surrounded by nature. It is truly his masterpiece. No matter how many times I have been here, the view just takes me aback. The children seemed to feel the same way. It is just such a gorgeous site.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylncYSE8PruRn3Fh3NpsiPBabtafNrHloKp__aFhpFLyOW0JPi4FQTQ_D_ka4B8ApcW20UDmPHt5uQkRv0Zvlz0OV2ByngtqvXUSyAEzlnONvQeDOhip5NSfRkBI0TFbCJYGF4B7kuE9n/s1600/064.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylncYSE8PruRn3Fh3NpsiPBabtafNrHloKp__aFhpFLyOW0JPi4FQTQ_D_ka4B8ApcW20UDmPHt5uQkRv0Zvlz0OV2ByngtqvXUSyAEzlnONvQeDOhip5NSfRkBI0TFbCJYGF4B7kuE9n/s320/064.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513948786787426658" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMcHWSpaFM1OGMSdU0ev3Y61tVuXvBHyx_8aGf0aZC8MkZgCHttl5TiG4-rFHueM23n5ZwFzBR0W23DIMsuDyGERXbknpxVA-TPu25zOhVrYx9V5_-FFM9vo9yACp1Jm6164BwN9t5y0-q/s1600/062.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMcHWSpaFM1OGMSdU0ev3Y61tVuXvBHyx_8aGf0aZC8MkZgCHttl5TiG4-rFHueM23n5ZwFzBR0W23DIMsuDyGERXbknpxVA-TPu25zOhVrYx9V5_-FFM9vo9yACp1Jm6164BwN9t5y0-q/s320/062.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513948778367625074" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuonJGeRggXaSbL66vIvb_Y53A6Bp-bWDISqUR1g3He4YLbXtV3rGXZS484l5aX2xNiu9Os1f58e9Pzuh8R7HddTinvb7wGzz2a3Vj3ScxvtKrf0yLjHkik7wSgFwmQpOa9l4O9ZJjiNVz/s1600/059.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuonJGeRggXaSbL66vIvb_Y53A6Bp-bWDISqUR1g3He4YLbXtV3rGXZS484l5aX2xNiu9Os1f58e9Pzuh8R7HddTinvb7wGzz2a3Vj3ScxvtKrf0yLjHkik7wSgFwmQpOa9l4O9ZJjiNVz/s320/059.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513948775867656370" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOQk3Hr0Y-FJwjg8W3rJuLsIGBJSGMuRCj2yealxXWzq1q8PEkSrxqCqEE8otxhqk1xTxnQ1uYiGewbch2QK-a6a57v9zQqiJDhcQEWtek6kldKT79rs2VwntlDobi0jEPd4IHWaEttao/s1600/052.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOQk3Hr0Y-FJwjg8W3rJuLsIGBJSGMuRCj2yealxXWzq1q8PEkSrxqCqEE8otxhqk1xTxnQ1uYiGewbch2QK-a6a57v9zQqiJDhcQEWtek6kldKT79rs2VwntlDobi0jEPd4IHWaEttao/s320/052.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513948765398258402" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdu4VhYnmA-FG6e5mLI7EToyC7bJEc1pn5Eq5eXy8j-kcNLaVBDhIBt3I4Rzvoei9N0139F_eVtNRVsqemldFsrHSyEmfZvEYMfyJqCQzdx-ib5pExvJP59ub743lFE-MRaMh2nDl9uzd/s1600/050.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdu4VhYnmA-FG6e5mLI7EToyC7bJEc1pn5Eq5eXy8j-kcNLaVBDhIBt3I4Rzvoei9N0139F_eVtNRVsqemldFsrHSyEmfZvEYMfyJqCQzdx-ib5pExvJP59ub743lFE-MRaMh2nDl9uzd/s320/050.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513948759365780706" /></a><br />When we made it to the lake, we quickly realized that everyone else in Arizona had the great idea of taking their kids fishing. Our kids already had their little rods in hand, and were so ecstatic to go fishing, so we knew we had to give them the opportunity. After hiking around for a while trying to find a spot, and idea dawned on us. What's a great way to get away from a crowded shore at the lake? Rent a boat!! So off we went! What a wonderful surprise for the kids! They were so extremely excited to climb aboard the boat! We took off and found a secluded spot where we could relax, and let the kids fish for the very first time.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> They had so much fun, even though they didn't catch a fish.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-8TfXb346sqkY-lTfic2h7GC3kSxE4Izvfa5eJ9p2CvG5HOZuW_xlD7a5FB6zcrnxYwFgREZGSoEH_q9UpqTycXIBM5C7JmhuFGVGtBsXZxN5xFgR85SEcXIOGwUa7mFk0GRgg5to71i/s1600/068.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-8TfXb346sqkY-lTfic2h7GC3kSxE4Izvfa5eJ9p2CvG5HOZuW_xlD7a5FB6zcrnxYwFgREZGSoEH_q9UpqTycXIBM5C7JmhuFGVGtBsXZxN5xFgR85SEcXIOGwUa7mFk0GRgg5to71i/s320/068.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513949652793798594" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndFxueeIAxnq64-h8zn5wJ4-C_Q-JMOstE4uKQk52Jm-I5R4k2bhbvKiVnHcAH3Rq52EyNloos46vSOsQqcq3SSltrtDh8mFFZ2o1EPbACEtlhPUNhGVXdp1ZDqIsT7NJgtaFCGM6tUU8/s1600/074.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgndFxueeIAxnq64-h8zn5wJ4-C_Q-JMOstE4uKQk52Jm-I5R4k2bhbvKiVnHcAH3Rq52EyNloos46vSOsQqcq3SSltrtDh8mFFZ2o1EPbACEtlhPUNhGVXdp1ZDqIsT7NJgtaFCGM6tUU8/s320/074.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513949641795612082" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgULdAtjd2gIg2_WkWSDr9evOrlBAkprWeMUwEG9jw02Gi440vIotk8qdpnwpnI9TTII6yp0miP2_t7STlmKyH-WjSOwIxsQKhTxviDrgMszqsetCutl6gFYCIWboGnee-ZH_JbyokzIzZA/s1600/073.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgULdAtjd2gIg2_WkWSDr9evOrlBAkprWeMUwEG9jw02Gi440vIotk8qdpnwpnI9TTII6yp0miP2_t7STlmKyH-WjSOwIxsQKhTxviDrgMszqsetCutl6gFYCIWboGnee-ZH_JbyokzIzZA/s320/073.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513949636513713490" /></a><br /><br />Saturday night, we took a "date night" and went to hang out with some great friends. Our niece Kayla came to stay at the house while the kids slept. It was so much fun! <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGnwj9QVc6Pk4_6E4A3d9v50-GNZbNQ9iHLxRK86jDeImXLT4ErvoTn5W9vy9x_2NKlApGDz4QOLThn5qJSBq0CN7NhXg-_-1e43Eynt3c0MUHVi3Kjg8mkhVa6SD41sTiPrRxJK9kIss/s1600/FamousSamsNight.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGnwj9QVc6Pk4_6E4A3d9v50-GNZbNQ9iHLxRK86jDeImXLT4ErvoTn5W9vy9x_2NKlApGDz4QOLThn5qJSBq0CN7NhXg-_-1e43Eynt3c0MUHVi3Kjg8mkhVa6SD41sTiPrRxJK9kIss/s320/FamousSamsNight.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513950456035049186" /></a><br /><br />Sunday morning we relaxed around the house (we borrowed my mom's place while she was out of town), and then headed to Green Valley Park. It was a beautiful day to go walking/biking! <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_GVNJrz5xtNxMiPPm4Dhytkhese0bpWf_QOxeXL7IEb9LVsLv3p8_Kg3-K2Ui94j4XkexTAtEcOnnfQGoAP460-3dJ0iTFd1e6Y1z07nBzeEi06eIn0PFUoGwVbm-kLChgplmUummRXT/s1600/079.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_GVNJrz5xtNxMiPPm4Dhytkhese0bpWf_QOxeXL7IEb9LVsLv3p8_Kg3-K2Ui94j4XkexTAtEcOnnfQGoAP460-3dJ0iTFd1e6Y1z07nBzeEi06eIn0PFUoGwVbm-kLChgplmUummRXT/s320/079.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513951254682986946" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpe06irXPweci8hJ369XnMJUnvzA9CVwqzhUt4H8lP2We_G44_T_HsqauEfvE15quKt4MIC8jcUaMtfXdZlrXuGLrsblP6PXymB_IPOA7A3S2-o2PMnKxaHoQJ0m0nrF6Y9hKhia3WJW6U/s1600/078.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpe06irXPweci8hJ369XnMJUnvzA9CVwqzhUt4H8lP2We_G44_T_HsqauEfvE15quKt4MIC8jcUaMtfXdZlrXuGLrsblP6PXymB_IPOA7A3S2-o2PMnKxaHoQJ0m0nrF6Y9hKhia3WJW6U/s320/078.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513951248223309442" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjk96m6KTxdBvEFWBV7XD21byOjZA2KlhTdgfax9NVy4wzbFPVqQszAS9pAssnVe8N70rOmHiRRstuBn_Gx3aCKR59t9lDsWy6zmP2OAQ9oeXGW_ZZ71d6mNuD2rh7vrEvjFMnnh5Cp05/s1600/077.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjk96m6KTxdBvEFWBV7XD21byOjZA2KlhTdgfax9NVy4wzbFPVqQszAS9pAssnVe8N70rOmHiRRstuBn_Gx3aCKR59t9lDsWy6zmP2OAQ9oeXGW_ZZ71d6mNuD2rh7vrEvjFMnnh5Cp05/s320/077.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513951241683633650" /></a><br />Our little vacation came to an end, but we still have today (Labor Day) to relax, get little things around the house done, and just be a family. Then come tomorrow the girls and I need to pack and prepare for our venture to Oklahoma! Oh, vacation time!! It is just so exciting and precious!!MommaJXShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08375719301978242917noreply@blogger.com0