Killing Christmas...

There is now a sign in my mother's front yard that reads:

"I had beautiful Christmas decorations

for you to enjoy but they were stolen!

Happy Holidays"

Yes, I know it's crazy to think of but my mother's wooden cut-outs of Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus were tossed about her yard and her candy cane was missing! So being the insanely hilarious woman she is...she took the Claus' into the garage, had the above sign made to stick in her front yard and went on with her life. (of course, she drives around with her eyes peeled for her candy cane) What a sad world we live in when you have to worry about your Christmas decorations being stolen!!!!!!

This is it from me till next Wednesday.

Wishing you all the Merriest Christmas...and many Holiday Blessings!

Enjoy life, God is GOOD!!!!

Mother's Day Out or Not???

So....I'm looking into finding a Mother's Day Out program for Penny Laine and the twins to start in January. Now, I would not consider myself a conservative person at all, nor do I let conservative ideas or people for that matter, get under my skin....but I've been a little bothered by this article I came across while doing my searches. Granted, I'm sure it was written by a woman who has never been valued or appreciated for any reason other then her ability to bear children, keep a clean house and cook 3 meals a day with ankle bitters around the stove...I'm also pretty sure she's never worn a pair of pants!!!! Please don't get me wrong, I am not making fun of her by any means, I respect all forms of beliefs and traditions (ask Jeff, I ride no part of the conservative line!) it's just upsetting to me to read her opinions for some reason...oh, let me know what you think!



Mother's Day Out
Proverbs 22:6Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.There probably isn't a Christian alive that hasn't read the above verse a time or two. We all know that children require daily and diligent tutoring in the manner they must live and that it is a command of God that as parents we do so faithfully. Naturally, as we are confronted with this scripture we would do well to pause and reflect upon our attitude toward the word "train". Do you like to train your children, dear mother? Do you want to train your children? You see ladies; if we have a "train up" attitude toward our children then we would reckon it a good thing to spend countless hours with them for this holy purpose. However, what I sense in many mothers today, including Christian mothers, is a "put up" attitude as a substitute. A "train up" attitude wants children around as much as possible while a "put up" attitude doesn't, in view of the fact that raising children is considered a burden rather than a blessing. Would you say you typically face the day with the mind-set that if you've got to "put up" with your children another day you'll simply go crazy? Do you drive around town or thumb through the yellow pages seeking the names of the countless churches that now host "Mother's Day Out" programs just to be free from the kiddies you say you care about? Frankly, I find it disturbing that a church would assist mothers in escaping their God given duties! What kind of a support system is that?? In my estimation, something is seriously wrong with mommy's heart…Deut. 6:6-7And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.Ladies, where else would love be found but in the heart? If love for the Word of God coupled with a love for your children is not in your heart, it does not exist! If you don't highly prize the scriptures and consider it a privilege to have the very words that would press you to esteem the training of your children also a privilege, where is the hope that the right attitude shall ever reign within you?? It takes great diligence to put the truth into our own hearts, amen? Likewise great diligence is required to put the truth into the hearts of our children! How do you suppose this will happen if mothers are in constant need of another "day out"? God will never become the center of your children's lives if He is not the center of your life, dear mother! To be self-centered is to shortchange your children of a holy upbringing. According to the Bible, God has intended that mothers stay IN their homes, not out of them! Is your life organized around the Lord, or you? 1 Tim. 5:14I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. Let me take a moment to share an excerpt I found on the Internet describing the purpose behind one of the thousands of Mother's Day Out programs in progress:We are excited about the opportunity to minister to you and your child through our Mother's Day Out (MDO) ministry. Our goal is four-fold:1) Help your child grow spiritually.2) Help your child grow intellectually.3) Help your child grow physically.4) Help your child grow socially.To that end, we use a Bible based curriculum. In addition to Bible stories and Chapel experiences, the curriculum integrates biblical principles into math, science, language, cooking, art, guided play, listening, music, writing, drama, gross motor skills, tactile experiences, and more.I find it interesting that this outline sounds exactly like what God commands a parent to do for their children, yet who is frequently filling this position? None other than a substitute! These days mommy needs to be relieved of such burdens as helping her preschool child grow spiritually, intellectually, physically and socially. Instead, mommy's development has taken priority. Forgive me, but shouldn't that have taken place already? Why do adults wait to have children to decide to grow up? What supposedly started out as a ministry has ended up in the daycare business! It seems to me churches of today are robbing young children of their mothers in order to build their membership… Our program is designed to provide a child care opportunity for parents who stay home and care for their children during the week. We provide a quality experience for the preschoolers, including a Bible Story and age-appropriate activities.This ministry is for members and families who are seriously considering making our church their church home. Parents who are prospective members may participate in our program in the prospective member status for two months. (A prospective member is defined as someone who is currently attending our church activities as a guest.)If the goal is really to minister and support careworn mothers, then as a body of believers, we should follow God's program!Titus 2:3-5The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; [4] That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, [5] To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.Yes, God expects older women to train young women to face their duties with the right heart, not leave their post. This is the type of tutoring arrangement God approves. If truth be told, we should change the name of the whole concept to "Frequent Flyer Program" rather than "Mother's Day Out" and sober everyone up to look at things as they have become! Ladies, a young woman who is not serious about being a wife and mother has no right to marry or have children - it's as simple as that. If she can't count the cost of being AT HOME day by day without need for recurring flight, then her heart needs much help! God's love has more staying power than that! Such a woman needs a deeper relationship with the Lord, not more time to herself. Truthfully, I am amazed at the lack of endurance in mothers in general today. My own mother had 10 children and NEVER once experienced a day out or a day off and I am proud to say she has not lost her mind or her identity. You see, home was a workplace, not a playground for my mother! She had a sober mindset toward her countless responsibilities joined with soundness of heart, and she was happy! Hence, my mother thoroughly and adequately trained all of us. As a matter of fact, not one of my four sisters grew to crave life outside the home. We have each found our purpose in married life and parenting. Because my mother fulfilled her role at home, the church was never taxed with our needs. If you'll remember, it is God's own design that family members assume their own responsibilities and prevent the church from having to relieve widows. (1 Tim. 5:16) This being the case, why would the church be expected to relieve a woman who has a husband?? 1 Tim. 5:8But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.Are you providing for your own children, dear mother? Are you imparting proper love unto them? What can the little ones that live under the same roof with you expect from you on a daily basis? Are you sufficiently supplying them with spiritual, intellectual, physical, and social training, or have you turned that over to someone else or let it go altogether? Is it a practice of yours to avoid spending time with your children or is there sincere desire in your heart to roll up your sleeves and live out Biblical motherhood? By the way, does your church maintain the belief that older women are to minister to the hearts of young women by teaching sobriety in this area? If not, I don't mind telling you that you are not part of a church that carries out a godly tutoring program for mothers! The poor condition of children today is the crime of the mother, for home is no longer where the heart is. Proverbs 29:15b…but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.I would hope none of you really wants to be reduced to a shameful state. Ladies, an improved relationship with the Lord would lead you away from dishonorable status and provoke you to feel for and provide better care for all your family members - husband, children and other relatives too! Everyone will be affected one way or another by the condition of your heart. You will prize your time with your loved ones, not pitch it away. Rather than ignoring their needs you will engross yourself in meeting them - without obsession for your own. Stop following your emotions and start following God's commands and I guarantee your children will accelerate along with you! God Bless,PamIsaiah 60:1&2Copyright 2003 Pamela A. Iannello

Holiday Blues....

Have you been seeing heightened amounts of drama or stress in yourself or the people around you? The other day I noticed that both my husband and I have this unexplainable and unjustifiable cloud that parked over our heads right before Thanksgiving. Our family is healthy, and everything is going well. What is our problem?

I realized we were separately experiencing a bit of the holiday blues. Santa Claus, good food, time off, presents, parties, how could anyone feel blue? It seems that a minor case of depression, or the ho-hums, is not that unusual this time of year.

So, being the list maker that I am, I thought up a whole list of things to do to feel better this holiday season: (the added mental comments are a fun bonus...ENJOY!)

*Don't compare yourself to others: "They seem so happy and joyful, what is my problem?" There is no pressure on you to be festive just because it's "that time of the year." (I have 4 children, seriously the only person I really compare myself to is Carol Brady!)

*Expectation is the kiss of death. We create all this expectation about how the holiday should be, or have been in the past and we end up setting ourselves up for disappointments. Stay in the present and ditch the expectations. (I want a PONY!!!!)

*Delegate. Don't try and do it all yourself, and map out ways that others can help you. Be specific and stay practical. (this is truly where I need most of my help!)

*Go light on the alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant, so it's best to try and avoid over doing the drinking because it can actually push you further down into the bummed out abyss. (believe me I speak the truth on this topic!)

*Acknowledge your feelings. I'm not talking about giving into feeling sad or unexplainably overwhelmed. I'm simply saying don't try to stuff it down or eat the fact that you are a little sad.

*Enjoy yourself. Doing something that's fun and pleasurable to you is the number one way to combat depression.

*Don't over spend. Avoid adding more stress to your life by feeling the pressure to spend beyond your budget. Make the holidays about doing things with your friends and family vs. getting presents for everyone. (insert big Dave Ramsey push here...nudge, nudge!)

*Grab a moment to be alone. Just take a minute for some quiet time, take a few deep breathes, maybe meditate, or just go read an inspiring book for 10 minutes. (where does my mind come up with this stuff...I haven't ahd a minute alone in forever!)

*Do something for someone else, like volunteer work. This will take your focus off of yourself and put it onto someone else. Not only does it feel good to do something nice for someone else, but it can give you a better perspective on your own life. (Is it wrong to think I volunteer enough at home?)

*Be thankful. Take a moment now and again to express gratitude for the things you are thankful for in your life. This can just be an easy way to remind yourself of all the great things you have in your life. (this I have no problem with. I am extremly thankful....but most of the time I can't remember for what I'm so tired!)

*Exercise. Endorphins make us feel good and it's just that simple. (ha, ha, ha...can't even comment)

*Say NO. You don't have to oblige yourself to every party and event you're invited too. (you have to be invited to say no right?)

*Watch out for the overload on unhealthy food. (yes, this includes fruitcake)

*Sleep. When you can, try to get to bed early and use the holidays to catch up on some rest. (I'm gonna sleep for 3 years after the twins leave for college....I'll have that much catch-up sleep time saved up.)

Honestly, I think this is a great list but I hardly practice any of it....which could explain a whole lot....oh, if I could only practice what I preach!

I'm taking 2008 off!

I'd love to hear how you beat the holiday blues, talk to me!

Show some luv....

to your dishwasher, washing machine and dryer! I don't know how many times I have caught myself saying "I washed 3 loads of laundry today" or "I did the dishes" seriously, "I" did nothing more then load and unload the wonderful machines that did all the dirty work for me! Can you imagine having to hand wash your dishes or use a ringer washer? ( you'll find one of these in any antique store...it's rather dangerous looking with absolutely no fun appeal to it) It's amazing to think that just a few generations back women didn't have the modern conveniences we take for granted today. My granny is 90 years old and God bless her sweet heart, she has never had a dish washer...seriously, to this day she instantly jumps up from her plate, throws her scraps in the trash (no garbage disposal either) and begins "doing the dishes". Our society is so amazing and so ever-changing, technology is a wonderful thing...always moving ahead to create conveniences. Next time your watching a movie with your kids while the dishwasher runs quietly in the kitchen, or you lay in bed at night listing to the tumble of the dyer full of clean clothes for the next morning.....just think about the women that didn't have these amazing conveniences and the extreme measures they went through to ensure their families had clean dishes and clothes. Could you have washed your dishes in the river, or boiled your whites in a pot above a campfire? Forget the dry cleaner, how would you have liked to ring wash your husbands work shirts, line dry them and then press them with a cast iron? Just a little something to think about...go hug your appliances and your kiddos! :)

How cute is this....

Can I just tell you that all the work that went into this simple little photo....

* finding matching jammies (5T, 18months, 6-9months, and 3-6 months)

* dressing everyone in jammies during the day while having to explain to Gavin a million times over that it was not time for bed and he would be able to play after we took the picture and that we weren't skipping dinner.

*trying to pose everyone safely and then putting on a show a clown would be in awe of just to get them all to smile.

....Was all totally worth it!!!!!

Things I'm thankful for....

I've been meaning to post for quite sometime now. It's amazing how your brain can compose several posts a day but your fingers just can't find the time to actually type them. To borrow an idea from my dear friend Kristin, I bring you:

Things I am thankful for....

1.) Our family getting to spend Thanksgiving with my dad and grandmother 8 hours away in my hometown of Mathis, Texas.

2.) The taqueria being open everyday we were in town including Thanksgiving day, which allowed me to have the yummiest of yummy chorrizo, juevos, papas y queso taquitos every morning for breakfast!

3.) The fact that my spanish was good enough to order the above mentioned breakfast yumminess. It's amazing how quick you lose the ability to speak a second language when you don't use it!

4.) This will sound strange and it took me a while to be thankful for this one....Running into at least 15 people I knew growing up at the grocery store. I think I went 4 times and seriously I either ran into people I went to school with or older people that watched me grow up in our small little town. It took me 32 minutes to buy a gallon of water and some wipes (Jeff was counting out in the van) all because I couldn't make it down an aisle without someone talking to me. I found that insanely annoying and very "Sweet Home Alabama..ish" but after being home for a week and going to my normal grocery store twice without running into anyone I knew or even being spoke to (sadness of self check-out) I realize just how precious small town life is!

5.) That the kids didn't break anything at my Granny's house.

6.) Traffic really wasn't all that bad and the kids were actually good in the van.

7.) All 6 of us staying in one hotel room and actually getting to sleep. Yes, this can be done. Of course it requires lots of planning, 3 pack-n-plays, 4 favorite blankets, Penny Laine's teddy bear, Gavin's elephant, total silence, lots of prayer and two amazingly calm adults. All the kids were in bed asleep every night of the trip by 8:30, and even though the twins don't sleep through the night, which was my main concern about all being in one room, no one woke-up during the night feedings! Yeah!!!

8.) We spent less than $200 in gas for the beast!

9.) Granny cooked a yummy homemade Thanksgiving meal complete with sweet potatoes, dressing, gravy, rolls, green beans, turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, homemade mac-n-cheese (every family's got different traditions) and of course pecan and pumpkin pie. God Bless my sweet Granny and her ability to cook!!!!!

10.) We got to visit with my Dad's brother and Sister and their families Thanksgiving day. My cousin and his wife have twin 3 year old girls and guess what....they are expecting twin girls this Jan!!!!! Kinda hard to deny the twin gene is on my side of the family.....

11.) The Cowboys, Aggies and Razorbacks all won!!!!!

12.) There's only 22 days left until Christmas.

13.) Jeff and I are not buying presents for each other this year, Dave Ramsey has really changed our life and besides we really don't need anything.

14.) We are having Christmas in OK with all of Jeff's family...I can't wait to get all the kids together to play, I've got a list of things we can do!

15.) The fact that Jeff and I have decided that we are going to make Christmas more of a charitable event then a commercial disaster. Jesus is the Reason for the Season and I can guarantee Mary and Joseph never bought him anything from Toys-R-Us. Please pray that God blesses our family with the opportunity to step outside our comfort zone and minister to His world.

16.) My dear friend Jessica, with all the events that have happened to her family this past year and her husband Jon facing a kidney transplant in the next few weeks if a match is found, she is truly one of the strongest women I know. This girl has a heart that loves and praises God with every beat and I thank God daily for allowing her to play the role of my dearest friend in life!

17.) Jeff and I have begun selling the best candles on the face of the earth! http://www.nicholsmiabella.scent-team.com/

18.) Our Church, seriously I feel more at home at our Church building surrounded by our wonderful, loving church family then I do in my own home!

19.) The fact that Toby and Mike did such an amazing job presenting "budget Sunday" yesterday. This was the first time ever that I enjoyed listening to the church budget details and didn't feel like I was sitting through a finance class or a plea to empty my bank account into the collection plate.

20.) Our soccer team won Saturday afternoon. This is the first time we beat the other church team, so sad I wasn't able to be there.....could that be why we won? :)

21.) I will have lunch with my friends later this week. Yes, a real lunch, outside of my home, with grown-ups...I am so excited.

22.) The fact that I have such Godly friends, whom I totally love to death and am incredibly thankful for. These girls are absolutely amazing and have done so much for me and my family this past year, I only hope they know just how much they mean to me....

23.) Gavin has his first Christmas program next Thursday. I'm already charging the video camera!!!!!

24.) Jeff took the beast yesterday for some TLC. (wash, vaccume, and oil change!)

25.) I bought yet another piece of Beatles memorabilia this past weekend....oh, be still my beatnik lovin' heart!!!

26.) 3 out of the last 4 movies I've seen have been excellent and worth recommending to family and friends. The Bee movie, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, and the best of all Across the Universe. The 4th movie we saw was August Rush....I don't recommend spending money to see this in the theater.

27.) Since the twins turned 6 months last month my body has just decided to shed weight...all on it's own! I was becoming very bummed about my size and inability to lose the "baby fat" all of a sudden I've got down 4 sizes and lost about 10 inches off my waist....crazy I know!


hope you enjoyed my list....let me know what your thankful for!!!