I Shoulda Known...

So......because I like to be a fun MamaMonkey.....all winter long, I have been letting the monkies play with snow in the kitchen. (Partially because the cold makes my back hurt so much worse and I don't have the energy to bundle them up, take them out, supervise, and come back in.)
So the picture above usually keeps them occupied for a long time with not TOO much fighting ;)

Until this morning....I heard giggling and a funny sound.

Yes, exactly what I thought.....the sound of snowballs hitting a wall.

When I came around the corner I saw Gabe hauling off another round at the basement wall.

There were water trickles running down a HUGE PORTION of the wall. *sigh*

I shoulda known......a new activity will ALWAYS get boring eventually.

Time to get more creative and come up with something else.

No one ever told me that being a Mom involves thinking hard....OFTEN!

Temporary Home

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPM0BZKPRUo
By Carrie Underwood

Little boy, 6 years old A little too used to bein' alone
Another new mom and dad,another school
Another house that'll never be home
When people ask him how he likes this place
He looks up and says with a smile upon his face
"This is my temporary home It's not where I belong
Windows and rooms that I'm passin' through
This is just a stop, on the way to where I'm going
I'm not afraid because I know this is my Temporary Home."

Young mom on her own She needs a little help got nowhere to go
She's lookin' for a job, lookin' for a way out
Because a half-way house will never be a home
At night she whispers to her baby girl
Someday we'll find a place here in this world
"This is our temporary home It's not where we belong
Windows and rooms that we're passin' through
This is just a stop, on the way to where we're going
I'm not afraid because I know this is our Temporary home."

Old man, hospital bed The room is filled with people he loves
And he whispers don't cry for me I'll see you all someday
He looks up and says "I can see God's face"
"This is my temporary Home It's not where I belong
Windows and rooms that I'm passin' through
This was just a stop,on the way To where I'm going
I'm not afraid because I know this was My temporary home."
This is our temporary home

Pictures-Skilly Bagillies

Gabe & Ellie's new favorite hiding spot for hide & seek.....

They are advertising "baby oranges".....the yummiest Clementines ever.....Gabe wanted to know where the mommy and daddy oranges were....

NO TRANS FAT

"Recently I saw a bag of potato chips with a bold declaration splashed across the front:

"Zero grams of trans fat." I was glad to know that I wouldn't be consuming any trans fat, which research has shown is detrimental to my health. But then I flipped the bag over and read the ingredients list, which included things like "yellow #6" and other artificial colors, and partially hydrogenated oil (which is trans fat, just a small enough amount that they can legally call it " 0 grams".) I thought it was incredibly ironic that these chips were being advertised in a way that makes me think they are not harmful yet were really full of empty calories, weird chemicals, and, ironically, trans fat.



It struck me that many Christians flash around their "no trans fat" label, trying to convince everyone they are healthy and good. Yet they have no substantive or healthful elements to their faith. It's like the Laodiceans, who thought they had everything until Christ told them they were poor and wretched. They were all about declaring, "Look, we have no trans fat. We are wealthy, or we have good families, or we go to church every week." Obviously, it's not what you advertise that counts; it's what you are really made of.



Following Christ isn't something that can be done halfheartedly or on the side. It is not a label we can display when it is useful. It must be central to everything we do and are."



~taken from: CRAZY LOVE....By Francis Chan

Jumping Into 2010

For 2010......I am jumping in......feet first.....



1-Into the River of Life....God's never-ending Love



2-Having a crazy and deeper love for my Jesus



3- Having a deeper love and respect for Jason



4- Having more patience with my monkies



5- Making wise financial decisions



6- Giving more to others.....time & money



7- Living life at a slower pace



8- Loving others into the Kingdom



9- Being more thankful



10- Exercising consistently

Reflecting on 2009

Today......as the sun is shining and I'm sitting here enjoying a quiet afternoon with the monkies tucked in bed for their naps.......Jase is playing his beloved Civilization game on the computer.....and my Dunkin' Donuts coffee warming my tummy....
I'm so thankful we finally were able to be back in church this morning. After the sickies in our house and missing Sunday morning services......I start gettin' this ache to just be back worshipping with our church family and hearin' Pastor's teachings.

This first week of every new year I like to journal everything I'm thankful for in the past year.
And just sit and reflect on God's goodness. And His love. And when I read Living Proof's blog today, I just had to share it with you. Cuz it's exactly what I'm thinking as I reflect on 2009.
Take a minute and read this from Beth Moore:

"I often think back on Exodus 33 when an overwrought Moses asked God to show him His glory. Moses didn't understand that he wouldn't have survived the kind of revelation he'd requested. Instead of giving His servant what he asked, the Lord said to him,

There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. (V.22)

The next part is so wild:

"Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.

Metaphorically speaking, the same thing can happen to us. When a shadow overtakes our lives and the light dims nearly beyond recognition, we may not see a single evidence of His arrival in our crisis. Sometimes we're in such blackness, we may go weeks or months that we don't sense God right by our side or feel the presence of His abiding Spirit within us. Those are the seasons when we make the choice whether we'll go by what we see and feel, or walk by what we know to be true. These are the places we learn what it really means to walk by faith and not by sight. To sow the seed of Scripture in our tears. It's often not until the crisis begins to dissipate that we look back upon the outstretched horizon and see God's hand prints all over it. No, we do not see His face, because, as Scripture says, our mortal bodies are not equipped to bear the sight. But, in a beautiful sense, we do indeed see His "back.' As the season draws to a close, we see that He took every single step we did.

We are quick to assume that all darkness is demonic but sometimes maybe the shadow over us is the hand of God covering us while His glory passes by. I wonder if any of you can glance back over 2009 and see the "back" of God. Maybe you didn't see His face. Maybe you weren't even positive at times He was there. But now, as you look over your shoulder at the months behind you, the fog clears and you get a glimpse of His back, leading the way to your exodus."


"You crown the year with Your good blessings, and You leave abundance in Your wake." Psalm 65:11

For more, go here: http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/

Pictures-New Year's Eve

The kids waiting for our guests to arrive New Years Eve

We had all couples and one little baby.....which Ellie LOVED!!!!

Helping Uncle Matt take down his bed in the morning.....they loved having him and Whit stay overnite....Daddy made us pancakes for breakfast.....and we sat around and enjoyed good coffee and more fun games.....

What a better way to bring in the new year but to play horsey??