Rhinestone Jesus

 

This book sat in my Amazon wishlist for awhile.  I was excited about reading it, ordered it, then it came and I read the back cover or something and was hesitant.  I wasn't sure I still really wanted to read this.

 

Then I opened the cover.  I never should have second guessed me choice in this book.

 

This book was moving, powerful, inspring and beautiful. 

As I read through this book, I cried, I smiled and I thought about my life and my family's life and how we could do more for Christ. 

I kept my pen handy and underlined and wrote notes in the margins. 

I shared tidbits of the book with my family around the dinner table.  The conversations were not quite as I expected, but it's a deeper conversation than we've done in the past and I realize people need time to process.  Our kids are young! 

I don't have the words to describe the impact this book has had on me, it is something that needs to be read.

This will be my go to book reccomendation for friends for awhile at least.  It is worth the read.  (Plus I want someone to talk to about this book more!)

 

Prince

Elinore came to the breakfast table this morning and say next to Caden.  As they started eating, Elinore asked Caden to be her prince. 

So sweet!

Caden tried to tell her he was the King and her father.  He wanted the power!

Disgusting

Caden and Caleb have for quite some time now really liked the word disgusting, especially to describe our supper.  As a result, Elinore now uses it too when she doesn't want to eat something.  However, she can't say disgusting, so she says pisgusting.  We try not to giggle every time!



(By the way, I had to google disgustin to see how to spell it; don't ever do it.)

Girl Things

We took the kids to Idlewild over the holiday weekend.  While in the kiddie portion of the park, Elinore got to ride some, which she loves!  I asked her if she wanted to ride the motorcycles while her brothers were in the hand cars.  She told me NO, she wanted to do "girl things."

Oh honey, anything you want can be girl things, but if you don't want to, so be it!

Holding Hands

Bedtime snuggles between sisters make me smile every night.

We met Daniel Tiger and Katerina Kittycat!

Slide Fun at Jumpin' Jungle

Letters at Storybook Forest

They found their name letters!

Magic Carpet Ride at Storybook Forest

My Little and Not So Littles

Hospital

Elinroe has recently started talking about how Ruth came from the hospital.  She recounts how she went to the hospital to see Ruth and hold Ruth and mommy was there and daddy was there and grandma was there.  She talks about how she went to the hospital and Ruth came home with her.  It's so sweet, and sometimes I'm surprised how much of it she remembers! 

9 Year Well Checks

Caden and Caleb had their 9 year old well checks at the doctor's office this morning. 

Caleb weighed in at 52 pounds and 54 inches.  For the weight/height combined percentiles, he's dropped off the charts.  He's tall and skinny for sure.  Doc said he wasn't really concerned about it, just make sure we feed him well and they'll check again next year. 

Caden weighed in at 62 pounds and 55 inches.  He's in the top quarter percentile for his height. 

Ironically their temerature came in at excactly the same.  Twins share things sometimes!

They're well though and no shots needed, so they were happy!

I treated them to Burger King breakfast aftewards on the way back to school.  They were only 20 mintues late for school too, so win! 

I had fun being out with just them even if it was a short time for a doctor's visit! 

Numbers

Last week I finally finished reading Numbers. 

Here are my notes from the book.

• The Lord directed Moses and Aaron to count the poeple with help from those named by God; they were the 12 leaders of Israel, one from each tribe.
• They counted the tribes, but the Levites were not counted; they were to keep the Holy Tent.  Those age 20+ were counted for Israel's army. 
• The Lord directed locations for each tribe to set camp with their banners; they were all around the Levites.
• The Levites were to help Aaron and sons, the priests.
• Of the Levites, the first borns were given to God. 
• This was a little confusing on exactly what that meant to me.
• The Levites were counted by family groups. Each family was responsible for a part of the Holy Tent.
• Each part of the Kohath Levite Family group carriers part of the Holy Tent as assigned.
• Those unclean were senta way from the camp.
• Doing wrong to others was sin to the Lord and must be paid for.
• Husbands who know or suspect their wives of unfaithfulness must bring them to the priest with a jealousy offering.  A process with bitter water will curse the unfainthful women or prove her faithfulness to her husband. 
• Nazirites belong to the Lord in a special way by a promise they made to God.
• Nazarite rules:
• No grapes in any form
• No cutting your hair
• Not near dead bodies
• If it occurs suddently and you're near them you must follow the rules to become clean again.
• When Nazaritie time is over, offerings are made. 
• Each tribe gave offerings for the Holy Tent.
• They celebrated Passover.
• Israelites moved as the Lord directed through a cloud that looked like fire over the Holy Tent.
• Silver trumpets used by the priest to direct Israelites for moving and gathering.
• They complaind; God send fire; Moses prayed; fire stopped.
• The people complained for meat; God gave quail for a month, much more than they wanted and started to turn against God.  They were complaining they had meat in slavery in Egypt.
• Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses.  The Lord then speaks to them and tells them they should be afraid.  Miriam is given a skin disease and sent outside of camp for 7 days.
• Moses sent spies to survey Canaan.  They found fertile land, big people and walled cities.
• Israelites complained about their current life; God is angry; He is powerful.
• Those who complained won't see the promised land and will wander the desert for 40 years.
• The Lord punishes guilty people.
• There are rules for offerings once the Israelites arrive in the new land for themselves and foreigners. 
• A man working on the Sabbath was stoned to death.  (This is convicting.)
• A group came against Moses and Aaron; God had the ground open and swallow their leaders and families and killed their men.
• The Israelites complained again and God killed.  Aaron made sacrifices and saved the remaining people.
• Aaron's walking stick buds; 12 leaders sticks were with Aaron's for God to show/prove who is choosen so the people wouldn't compalin. 
• The Levites are responsible for the Holy place and 1/10th of the Israelites earnings will be theirs and 1/10th of that is Gods. 
• A cleansing offering is described.
• The Israelies compalin again for water and Moses disobeys God and hits a rock instead of speaking.
• Edom didn't let them pass through their land in their traveling.
• Aaron dies as God said and his clothes went to his son Eleazar.
• They won't enter the promised land because they disobeyed with the rock and water. 
• Israelies were attacked but God let them defeat their enemy and destroy their cities.
• The Israeliets complained again and God sent snakes poisoning them. 
• They asked Moses to pray for them; God directed Moses to build a bronze snake for them to look at when bitten to be saved.
• The Amorites wouldn't let them pass.  They put up a fight and the Israelites defeted them.
• Moab was afraid of the Israelites and asked Balaam's to curse them so they could be defeated. 
• Balaams refused at God's direction. Then Balaam went away with his doney.
• Three times the donkey stopped for an angel and Balaam hit the donkey before the Lord reveleaed himself to him through the speaking donkey.
• Balaam went on with them doing only as the Lord guided and blessed those Mab wanted cursed three times.
• Balaam then told them Israel will be victorious!
• The Israelites started sinning and worshipping Baal with the Midianites. 
• Phinehas saw a man come with Midianites woman and killed them; sickness left Israelite then.
• Midianites became their enemies.
• Israwlies were counted again, none from the fire countere were left; they died in the desert.
• Moses brought a daughters concern to the Lord who said daughters should receive the farther's estate if no brothers. 
• Joshua becomes their new leadder; Lord tells Moses he will see promised land from a hilltop and die.
• There were descriptions of the offerings:
• daily
• Sabbath
• monthly
• Passover
• Feast of Weeks
• Feast of Trumpets
• Day of Cleansing
• Feast of Shelter

As I read through the offerings and the required number of livestock to sacrifice I thought about how much they were asked to provide.  It seems like a lot.  We asked asked of much, but they were asked of much of thier livelihood too.

•  Men must keep their promises.
• Women must keep their promises unless their father or husband won't allow it.  Then the promise is cancelled.  The Lord frees her of her promise.
• Israel attachs the Midianites, killedm en, capture women and children, but they were supposed to kill all.  THey had to then kill the boys and the non-virgin women.
• Goods from the Midianites were split up.
• The tribes went after more land and shared it by tribes.
• There was a summary of the travel journey through Egypt by location.
• The borders of Canaan were established.
• The towns were given to the Levites.
• There were cities of safety established.  Murders may go for fair trail in a city of safety.  Victims family must kill the murderer when they meet. 
• A murder not done in hate must be evaluated.
• Do not accept bribes.
• The murder is a punshiable offense only if there is a witness to it.
• Women who inherit land must marry within their own tribe so the tribe doesn't loose their land. 

Sense of Humor

Caden likes to be funny.  One method he tries is to turn the number on the toaster all the way up to 9.  He wants to burn someone's toast apparently.  So far, the only person who's made unedible toast though, is him!  I've caught it a few times and changed it before I used the toaster!

Soccer Spectators

Because they are too cute not too share

Ruth and Elinore Dance

Favorite Birthday Gift

Crazy Carts

Ruth's Baptism

Mother's Day 2015

This past weekend was Mother's Day.  We were fortuante that Grandma Barb came into town Friday afternoon and stayed the weekend with us.  She watched the kids for Keith and I to go out Friday night to the Reverse Raffle.  It was the first time we'd been out together without some of the kids since Ruth was born. 

Saturday we all went to Caden's soccer game, then we took both Grandma's out to lunch at Longhorn following the game.  The meal was good, but Elinore was having a rough day.  She'd been sick the week before, and Grandma kept her up late the night before.  The soccer game was during her nap time, it was hot and she was crabby!

After lunch my mom heading out, and the rest of us went to the local outlet mall to do some shopping.  Grandma Barb needed some new tennis shoes, so we bought her a couple new pair of shoes for Mother's Day.  I had my mom sent flowers that morning at work. 

We were at the mall for quite some time doing some shopping.  The boys got to use some gift cards they had gotten for their birthday the week before.  They were thrilled and we now have a Repeat Pete talking parrot and some new Wii Star Wars video games in the house.  Elinore got some new shoes, and I a new blazer and pants!  Caden got new tennis shoes too. 

On the way home we grabbed some DQ treats for supper and headed home to relax and get ready for bed. 

Sunday Grandma Barb headed home and we went to church as a family.  Before church, Keith gave me a new charm for my Pandora bracelet for Mother's Day and Caden gave me a nicely decorated picture frame he made a 4H for me.  Once, Elinore saw that she ran to her room and got a picture frame off her shelf with a photo of her and I in it.  She brought it to me and said here, I made this for you at school!  It was seriously super sweet, even though she didn't make it or go to school, she wanted something special like her brother had for mom!

After church we relaxed and ate for awhile before heading to my parents house to celebrate mother's day with pizza and my dad and brother.  We finished evening with Guerne ice cream, delicious!

A couple days later, Caden told me to look on top of the fridge for another picture frame Caleb made.  I told him Caleb could do with it what he wanted since it was still his.  Then Caleb grabbed it and tossed it to me as an after thought.  He also made me a picture frame at 4H.  Now I want them to take pictures with me to put in the frames! 

Updates

• Ruth is growing like crazy!  She's about out of her 3 month size clothes already.
• Elinore is growing wearing mostly 3T clothes now and she's certainly grown in height lately.
• Her attitude has grown more though; she's reaching those 3s.  I remember three being worse than the terrible 2s with Caden and Caleb.
• Elinore still is a charmer though, she may be stubborn, but when she randomly tell you she loves you, or says sorry, and you know it's sincere, she'll melt you!
• Caden is loving soccer season this year, and doing it on his own!  I've seen him improve so much this season and enjoy watching him play. 
• Caleb is really into legos and video games right now.  Those are his two favorite things to do. 
• The boys are starting to count down to summer.  I'm ready for the homework to be over too!
• Yet, I need to find a way to keep them motivated and reading this summer.  I need a system in place for that soon!
• Elinore talks about school and what she doesn't at school, which is hilarious since she doesn't go to school yet.
• Ruth is getting very good at rolling around! 
• Keith has worked really hard on the bathroom remodel and he's almost done with it!  A few finishing touches and we'll be there.  With some help from Barb heming the showing curtain for us. 
• Keith is getting into working on the garden now. Elinore likes to join him to help water it too!
• I've been trying to stay on top of the house work (see previous writing) and raise the kids and grow my faith. 
• I've been trying to open my home more and do a better job at interacting with people and being a good friend.  I'm starting to slip a bit in that as it's getting so busy with soccer, scouts and 4H.  I'm hoping that will calm down in the next month with school letting out for summer and scouts ending for summer too. 
• My Aunt from Wyoming is coming in this summer, so I'm excited to spend some time with her!
• We are officially taking a family vacation later this summer too; so excited about that.  All of us are, even Elinore!

Keeping Up

I've been sturggling, espeically since the weather has turned nice, to keep things caught up at the house.  We have a to do list crazy long of spring chores and finishing touches to complete the bathroom and house projects, but I'm struggling to keep up with the daily chores. 

I feel as though I can never keep up with the laundry for the six of us.  I know it's a never ending chore, but it always seems as I'm behind.  Keith and I folded probably 5 loads of laundry last night, so we have some clothes and dish clothes.  I had to use a bathroom washrag the other night for the dishes.  We have those now!

However, when I showered this morning, I noticed we have one towel left, and no hand towels clean left.  And guess what, tonight is shower night for the kids and I have a dinner for work.  Diapers were finishing in the washing machine, so I couldn't switch anything over.  I did a load of clothse last night before the diapers though so we would have clean underwear for the morning!

I've briefly thought about purchasing more, but that only makes the mounds of laundry higher because I can wait longer to get it done.  Yet there isn't a day that goes by that I don't do laundry.  at least one load a day, often many more.  On a good day I can get two through in the morning and a few at night.  More regularly though it's one in the morning and one at night. 

I'm especially behind on laundry after Elinore was sick last week and we had extra sheets to wash and diapers that needed bleached.  Hopefully we'll get to a more managable system again soon.

It's not just the laundry though, getting the shopping done is increasingly harder too.  Getting to town, getting motivated to get it done, and having the time are hard to come by.  I tried Amazon Pantry for the first time last week to help with the shopping.  It was well overdue.  We ran out of toilet paper in our house over the weekend and ketchup too.  We were out of more of course, but those stamples caused issue.  Toilet paper for obvious reason.  The ketchup Caden really wanted on a leftover cheeseburger he ate for dinner earlier this week.  I ran through the list of other options we had to put on it and none of them satisfied him.  That's when I realized that we had fast food ketchup packets in the van.  I sent him to the driveway to retrieve one for himself.  After I assured him the date was okay on it so it wasn't spoiled, he ate his cheeseburger happily. 
I didn't tell him there's no dates on the ketchup packet and I had no idea how old it was.  It was from Sonic, and the last time I remember going there was in September, so it may have been a bit old, but it was ketchup. 

In all the household chores, I try to delegate a bit more to the boys for some help and to teach them responsibility as well.  But I also try to remmeber that this is my opportunity to serve my Lord by serving my family and caring for them.  I try to do the chorse with a grateful heart and willingness to accomplish them chores.  I think of it as a serving opportunity.  It's one way, I can serve Him. 

Crunchy Diapers

Elinore does not like disposable diapers.  She calls them crunchy diapers.  She likes her good once, her nice ones she says. 

Last week she was sick; sick enough we went and bought some disposables for her to wear to avoid the mess of cleaning up the cloth diapers.  She was NOT a happy camper about it! 

Grandma, my mom, refuses to use cloth diapers.  She doesn't like them and is always offering a disposable for her from her stash so she doesn't have to use them.  Elinore keeps telling her she doesn't like them, but it doesn't matter to Grandma!  She'll always choose us over her to change a diaper if Grandma's around!

BUT, to my surprise, when she woke up this morning she asked me for a crunchy diaper.  She asked if she could wear a crunchy diaper today.  Sure I said, we had some left anyway.  I asked if she wanted me to send crunchy ones to the sitters to and she said yes, so I sent some there too.  I don't know what she'll want to wear there today, but we'll see.

If she decides she wants disposables, so be it.  Ruth will get the cloth then!  She can fit them now, but I don't have enough diapers or time to do the laundry for them both to be in cloth! 

Hopefully Elinore will be potty trained soon and then it won't be an issue any longer!

Baptism

Sunday, May 3, Ruth was baptized in our church.  It was a choice Keith and I made with ease; we knew we wanted to raise our newest girl in the church as we are the older kids. 

It took us awhile to get organized and a date that worked for the family.  We were waiting for the weather to turn too, we didn't want to have his family traveling so far in our snowy winter this year.  This date enabled us to celebrate her baptism and Caden and Caleb's birthday with one luncheon after church.

The service itself also coincided with communion Sunday, which is always something moving for me. 

Our family stood in the front of the church with us during the baptism and tears welled in my eyes as she was blessed.  Keith said the same thing that night as we talked about it later. 

Ruth, you are loved by your family and your church family.  We strive to raise you to know Christ and live like him. 

Cavs

Work provided me with a pretty great experience Wednesday. With my boss and two of my agents, I attended game two of the Cavs - Bulls playoff series. It was a great game and the city had energy!

Ruth - 5 Months

YES PLEASE

I recently finished reading YES PLEASE by Amy Poehler.  I had read a couple reviews on it from bloggers I like and I read some things on Amazon about it and finally decided it was time I read it. 

I was disappointed.  I did not like it.

In part I was disappointed because I should have selected a book that I was more interested in.  I'm wanting to read more faith based books that have me thinking about my Lord and seeking him more, this book did not do that.  God was missing. 

Aside from my desire for something different I found the book to be full of name dropping, reliving old SNL skits and stories about how she got where she is with more name dropping.  I should probably mention I don't watch SNL or Parks and Recreation. 

Now, I'm making my way back to some more Jesus reading. 

NINE

This past weekend, Caden and Caleb turned NINE!  This is their last year of single digit birhdays.  Hard to believe they are so grown up already. 

I planned ahead this year and we celebrated their birthday well!

Friday night after school, Camerin came to stay for the weekend with us.  After they went to sleep I put up some birthday banners for them. One, right outside their bedroom door so they'd see it first thing!

Then we had brunch of pancakes and sausages mid-morning to feed the family before heading to Caden's double header soccer games.  He played well! 

The Elinore went to Grandma's while the rest of us picked up some Star Wars balloons and headed to Acres of Fun for their birthday party! 

For the first time we threw a birthday party for them and invtied their friends from school.  We invited both of their classes from school and had about 20 kids show up to play 2 games of laser tag.  It was crazy busy and we ran late, but all the kids seemed to have a good time.

Then we headed home with some pizza and Grandma Nancy brought them over their birthday gift.  She gave them Crazy Carts; they're basically a go cart and they took them to the school parking lot and loved every minute of it.

Sunday was Ruth's baptism, which I want to write about too, but after the church service the family came back to the house for lunch, cake and some presents for the boys.  Caden finally got his mini Christmas tree he's been wanting for over a year now!  And Star Wars was a common gift theme between them.  Between their friends and family too, we are not certanly over ran with legos (as if we weren't before)!

We had a great time celebrating two very special boys and being thankful for another year of their life.