Well, here we are. The last day of 2011. Unbelievable! Wasn't it just December 2010? I think so. I love the beginning of a new year. It's so hopeful and refreshing to have a new start. I am so grateful that God gives us new beginnings. He is so good. We have been beyond blessed this past year. I wish I could remember if I made a resolution last year or not, but I can't. I must be getting old. It's the young carefree mindset I have. I was thinking about this coming up year and wondering if I should make resolutions or not. Then I stopped and realized that I have never really asked God what he wants from me in the upcoming year. So I've thought and prayed about it. I've come up with a few things that I think will not only benefit my own life(spiritually and physical) but my families life also. I really feel lead by the Lord on these new beginnings.  So here's some of my resolutions that are not so unattainable that I know I will never be able to achieve them.
Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. 

1. Grow in the Lord. Always seeking His face in times of happiness and not just in times of need. Part of this is reading His word every day. This is something that I lack in. When I know that it is something that will only benefit me and others.                                                                                                                         Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered," It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."
2. Become healthier. I have not been as healthy as I want. I want to change that. Not just because it's a new year but because it's been something that's been on my heart and mind the past few months. I don't just want to be a certain size, I want to me the best of me that I can be. It will benefit my life as well as the life of my family, If I'm healthy, they will be too. If I choose an apple over a cookie, they will see that and want to do it also.                                                                                                              1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.                                                                                                                                   1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. 
3. Be a better homemaker. I have improved the past few weeks on my homemaking skills. I'm not a dirty person nor was I an excellent housekeeper. I would do what was "necessary" and really not beyond that. The bathrooms could always use a little more attention and the dishes should have been put in the dishwasher last night. The past few weeks, I have been trying to tidy up a bit more through the day. Instead, of letting my dishes sit until after supper or the next morning(ahem!), I go ahead and put them straight into the dishwasher as they are dirtied.(Is that a word? dirtied? It looks weird. Moving on.) Who really wants to walk into a dirty kitchen? Not me. And the way my house is set up(very,very open! You walk into the living room and see the kitchen and dining...it's one huge family room...I love it!) neither does anyone else who walks in. I have really been convicted about being a better housekeeper. This is something that I really want to work on. I want to take pride in my work. Housekeeping is part of my work. This is also part of teaching my kids about how their houses should be up kept in the future, when they have their own homes.                                                                                                                                           Titus 2:3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the  word of God.                                                 Proverbs 31: 27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

These are my top three resolutions life changing goals. I hope to be a better wife, a better mother, and most importantly, a better servant of Christ. I pray that you have a wonderful and blessed New Year!





Blogger Templates

Have you ever wondered what goes through my head?

HA! Sometimes, I wonder what goes through my head! I decided to give a quick run-down of what is going through my head. It's ever changing and sometimes, I'm right in the middle of a wonderful thought and then..... What was I saying? I don't remember. Wait, why am I holding the remote in the bathroom. Wait, where's the phone? Why am I in the bathroom? You get the idea? Great, I'm not alone! So here ya go! Happy Tuesday!

I am so happy we had a Merry Christmas! Why can't I stop sneezing? The kids must have given me their cold. So glad they finally decided to share. Micah hid {1} Littlest Pet Shop remote control race car. I am not complaining. Sweet Pea is. I promised to help her look later. Darn. I am ready for the New Year. Should New Year be capitalized? Yes, I am home schooling my children. Why do you ask? Home school. I need to plan the next few months out this week for home school. Sweet Pea is really interested in the human body. I am going to create a human body study. One appropriate for a 5 year. I did find a craft on Pinterest for pasta shaped skeleton's. Should be fun. I also found this craft for a child size print out of the skeleton. Both right up her ally! Naturally, since she's interested in it, little sister and brother are too. I love it! The kids need breakfast. I hear one "I'm hungry" and soon 2 more will follow. I'll be right back.....

I'm back! Did you miss me? You so sweet! The kids are fed and watching A Bug's Life on Disney channel. What is it with people wanting kids to grow up before they should? Let's take Barbie for example. I opened, what felt like a million, barbies this weekend and was rather appalled at their choice of clothing. None of them had on a skirt that came to mid-thigh. Mid-thigh! If they had pants on then, their shirt's came above their pants to reveal a belly button. And their shoes! Their shoes were all 6 inch spiked heels. What?! Has Barbie always been like this and I'm just now noticing because my girls are playing with them? Yikes! Just an FYI my vet doesn't have scrubs that look like this:

 Just sayin'! I am in need of a grocery store visit. I need to make a list, check it twice. Ha! Anyway. I need to plan out my menu for the next week. Here's some pointers if you need to save some money at the grocery store. Tip #1: Don't go to Wal-Mart if you don't have to! They may think they have the lowest prices around, they don't! Sometimes, you just have to go, but I try to avoid it if at all possible. Tip#2: Coupons! Buy the Sunday paper, clip them, use them. Especially at Publix they have the best coupon policy around. (Well, in our area anyway.) Tip#3: Shop the sales at every store in your area! Tip#4: If it's not on sale, don't buy it! Tip#5: Make a menu and a list. Take it to the store and stick to it! Trust me. It works. I love grocery shopping. I use to hate it with a passion. I would put it off to the last possible minute. Now, I find joy in planning out a healthy meal for my family. I enjoy looking for deals and getting the most for my money. I am also beyond grateful that we have the choice to go to any store we want and buy just about any type of food we want. Blessed. I got a Kindle Touch for Christmas! Eeck!  

Isn't it nice? I love it! My kids gave it to me.  I am reading the Hunger Games. So far, it's a pretty good book. I also got a fishing pole. I love to fish. It's been years since I have gone fishing. I gave my hubby a game saver. So now, I can catch all the fish and he can save them in the game saver! hehehe! ;) He also got me a bicycle with a place to put a basket. :) I love it! It's been raining so I haven't had a chance to really ride it. I can't wait until it clears up. I could take me a picnic lunch packed with my kindle tucked inside and my fishing pole and ride my bicylce all at the same time. My hubby's creative like that! He loves me. Which is great, because I love him too! (and it's not even Valentine's Day yet!) I need to get started on laundry, I forgot to do it yesterday. Oh, well! There is always today. And tomorrow. No, today. Today. I also need to find my Beef Stew recipe. Hmmm. I wonder what I did with it. I hope it's in the recipe book where it's suppose to be. I make an awesome beef stew. It's delicious. Just so you know.  So I guess I need to wrap this up and get started on home school work and laundry and beef stew. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Happy Tuesday!

Blogger Templates

Griswold's meet the Fowler's

....sigh.....Sigh......SIGH.....SIGH! Did you hear me sigh? Oh, you did. Do you want to know why? Two words....my son. Someone has turned up his little boy dial to 200 and forgot to warn me. He has been a pistol lately! He gets into everything and before I turn around he is into something totally different. He is definitely making me earn my "mom card". Sunday was a rather rough day for me and his daddy him. So I'll tell the story of his day in a Not My Son Monday way. If your child has not been having an awful time lately or if you have not been having a hard time keeping up with said child, then join in the therapeutic fun.





My son did not get put in the corner in Sunday school. This mama did not even ask what he did but instead told him that is not how you should act at all, especially in church.

My son did not throw crayons in little children's church on Sunday. My husband and I did not teach the class and put him in the corner for all to see.

My son did not leave the corner only to throw another cup of crayons across the room. He would never be disrespectful to others. He listens to us when we teach these things.

My son did not take a piece of the soft foam stuff that looks like a puzzle apart and try to hide under it. We did not see only feet sticking out in the middle of the room. I did not muffle a laugh because it was kind of funny!

My son did not come home and poop in his pants. Nope not my son. He is fully potty trained. He poops in the potty like a civilized three year old. Well, you know what I mean.

My son did not, during a family Christmas party at our house last night, come running out of his room wearing only Spiderman underwear. My son then, did not pull his underwear up as high as they could go in front of the whole family. He then, did not bend over in front of everybody in the house and make his butt "talk". TALK. That's right...one hand on each underwear covered butt cheek and move them back and forth. In front of everyone. Everyone. The entire room did not bust out laughing. I did not completely die of embarrassment. After the guest left, I did not get right in his face and tell him that is not how little gentlemen acted. We do not make our hiney's talk and we do not run around in our underwear for everyone to see.

After he went to bed, I did not laugh and then pray oh, Lord, please don't let him be the Cousin Eddy(from Christmas Vacation) of the family. Then I thought, Cousin Eddy...you've met your match....meet

Cousin "The Boy"

Merry Christmas from The Griswold's   The Fowler's







Blogger Templates

Not me Monday...

Welcome to Not Me Monday! A place where you can, join the many mom's all over the blog world who have done thing's they never thought they would and lived to {sometimes embarrassingly} tell about it. So, if you would like to join up, head over to Mcmama's blog and join in the blogging fun. So this is what I have {not}been doing this week:

I {did not} skip a week of exercising. I would{never} do such a thing. I {did not} feel the sluggishness that came with not exercising. Nope, not me.


My son was {not} a walking disaster this past week.

He was{not} standing still with his hands in his pants and then just out of no where fall flat on his face. He also did {not} scrap the top layer of skin off his top lip with his teeth. He did {not} bleed all over the place and then only 1 minute after he stopped say, "Was I a dood* patient? Do I det* a stick-der*?" *good, get, and sticker*

I most certainly did {not} say, "Yes, of course!" and then giggle about it because he was so darn cute! He then did {not} run off to play with the girls.

He most certainly did {not} try to bite his toenail and it most certainly did {not} bleed all over the place. He most certainly did {not} on the very same night, fall over his toy "workyshopy" and scratch his face.

And he most certainly did{not} get his gracefulness from me.

I do {not} melt when I see my 3 kiddos play together nicely. I do {not} LOVE when The Boy calls his sisters, "his girls". He says, "Mommy, where are my durls?" So sweet. Then the girls come running and then they run off together in peaceful harmony. And I do {not} melt again.

Exactly 7 minutes later, my melty(is that a word?) self does not return back to normal because, Sweetie Pie did {not} hit her brother with a pretend doll car seat.

Exactly 10 minutes later, after time-out was over, Sweetie Pie did {not} slam her sister into the wall. Why? Because, she didn't want to play with her. SIGH.


The boy did {not} break Sweet Pea's Chinese yo-yo that she got from church yesterday. Sweet Pea did {not} have a drama queen melt down of epic proportions. I do {not} know where she gets being a drama queen from. Not me.....

My son did {not} ask me if I had googly eyes and then he did {not} try to poke me eye just to be sure.

My night did {not} end with doing a family science experiment. I did {not} add vinegar to baking soda. My kids most certainly would {never} like something so messy. Never...

We also did {not} start "The Bouncing Egg" experiment last night either. We did {not} put a raw egg in water and a raw egg in vinegar to see what happens to the shell. Nope, we don't even like science.....


I am {not} excited that Bones has new episodes on Netflix. Today I am {not} excited that I can do laundry while watching Bones. Not me....

I am {not} slightly proud of myself for getting up and exercising this morning while reading my bible devotion at the same time.( Exercise bike!) I have {not} already drank a whole glass of water while writing this blog post. :)

That's all today my dears! But the week is still young.... :)
I hope ya'll have a good week!




Blogger Templates

The Birmingham Zoo....minus a few monkeys

I am so behind on my blog post and pictures. I finally upload pictures from my camera and had, are you ready? Are you sure? Ok. I had 584 pictures on my camera. Oh. My. That is a little extreme, even for me. I had forgotten all the great pictures I took at the zoo. So here's a few for you, a few months behind. Better late than never! Right?.....Wait, did you not hear me? Better Late Than Never, RIGHT? Right!

Sweetie Pie is seriously interested in the map, Sweet Pea could care less and the Boy has a feather in his hand. These are all signs that it's going to be an interesting day! 

Daddy Lion looked a little hungry. Or maybe he was annoyed that he got a bad hair cut? I 'll go with the later. ;)

Fist stop was the African Lion exhibit. They had a whole pride of  lions at the zoo. It was pretty awesome to see! Although Mama Lion looked a little nervous.

"Look Mommy! A trash can!" SIGH  The boy never misses a trash can.

"If I hide behind this stick, they'll never see me!"
This gorilla had us laughing our tails off! He seriously stayed behind the stick for about 5 minutes, barely moving! Hilarious!

What you are about to see can only be found at an Alabama Zoo. A ZOO! I wish I could make this up. I really, really do. Also, no where else in the world would a parent make their child take a picture on one of these. Caution: You may laugh. If not, then maybe we just have a sick sense of humor because we laughed for days over this. You may continue!
.....
......
......
.......
........
........

That's right folks, only at the Birmingham Zoo will you find an out house! Thankfully not a real, working non working out house but still they had one.  We made the kids each take a picture  Each child eagerly waited their turn to have a picture taken on the "think tank", the oval office, the throne, the super bowl the toilet. Sweetie Pie was the only one who really was eager to have her picture taken. She came up with this pose on her on.  She's her father's daughter.

And this was at the end of the day. Sweet Pea, gracefully dancing in the back , The boy ringing a bell he was told 43.5 times "that's enough!" and Sweetie Pie, mad because she's not dancing and ringing the bell at the same time.

And that my friends was our zoo trip in a nutshell! Fun, huh? It was a lot a fun. Especially when they all went to sleep on the way home. And the husband and I went to Sonic and got an icy treat and didn't even have to share!  Yup! It was a lot of fun!

Blogger Templates

Not me Monday...

Today is definitely a not me and a not my child  Monday. After all peanut butter is better with jelly and Oreo's are better with milk. So if you would like to hop on board the Not Me train, then head on over to MckMama's blog and join in! So here's what I have not  been doing this week.....

I {did not} decide on Friday I was taking a stand and not doing any more laundry. Thank you very much! Only to do laundry while watching a marathon of The Vampire Diaries on Friday night with the husband on Netflix.
I{am not} slightly addicted to that show. At all. I promise. :)
I have{not} not posted a lot pictures to my blog because I keep forgetting to upload them to my computer. There are {not} pictures on my camera from 2 children's birthday's. There are probably{not} over 300 pictures on my camera. That is {not} a guess because I'm a little scared to look!
I {did not} find poop in my son's underwear this morning while doing laundry. Nope! My son would poop in the potty. And even if I did find poop in his underwear, he would tell me. He's a big boy now, after all.
I {did not} go on a date with my husband on Saturday. And we most certainly{did not} finish our Christmas shopping 2 weeks before Christmas. This {is not} the first time in 7 1/2 years that we are completely done before Christmas Eve.  Nope! Not us!
My child, Sweetie Pie{did not} have a melt down over supper Saturday night with the babysitter. She {did not} make the observation that there was sauce in pizza rolls, proclaim that she doesn't like sauce and then proceed to gag. All while Sweet Pea is saying, "Oh no!...Oh no!" My child{does not} have an easy gag reflex and {is not} a picky eater. She {did not} have cereal for supper because, "Ce-ree-al doesn't have sauce in it!"
My son also{did not} have a meltdown with the babysitter. He {did not} play in the bathroom sink for 5 minutes, until his hands were wrinkled. And then lay in the floor and cry because he couldn't play longer. He {did not} stop crying until a cookie was given to him. My child{doesn't} even know what bribery is. AHEM. I most certainly{do not} bribe him with cookies or cartoons on Netflix. Nope! Not me!
So that's what I have {not} been doing! What have you {not} been doing? Happy Monday and Happy Not Me-ing!




Blogger Templates

Happy December!

Christmas is almost here! Well, it's closer anyway. My kids have a count down going on, only 24 more days. Twenty four because, you should NEVER count today. Right? Right! So we are doing an advent calender thing this year but, a little different. We are doing one Christmas ornament everyday with a different name of God on it. Cute idea right? I got it from Pinterest. I strongly like Pinterest. It's a good way to say, "If I had time, I could do that. I'll pin it, so I can remember where it's at!" Of course, this would only work if I actually got off Pinterest and made something I pinned. Crazy. :) So if you want you can go to my pinterest board's and see some really cute ideas. You know, if you have the time! :)

I finished up my hubby's Christmas and Birthday gift shopping today. See his birthday is just around the corner from Christmas. Lucky guy! He gets me and his birthday near Christmas. ;) So I wrapped most of his stuff and put it under the tree. I can't wait until he opens it. Hehehehe! I love surprises. Except when they are for me. Remember, I got caught for trying to gently shake a gift? Yeah, now I'm afraid to even try to look at my gifts from across the room. Ninja girl Sweet Pea will be watching my every room. My children are so nosey! I have no idea where they get it from!

We are going to be studying the human body after Christmas! This is something my Sweet Pea and Sweetie Pie are really interested in. They are all about trying to figure out how things work. And my sweet boy is just as curious, so it should be an interesting lesson, to say the least! I love that we can pick a topic and learn about it at our own leisure.

I just found out that a family we go to church may or may not be having a battle of Christmas lights with her neighbor across the street. I may or may not take the kids to her neighborhood to see the lights. :)

We are having a purse party at church for our ladies group. It's gonna be fun! Basically, we'll be playing dirty Santa with purses. Fun, right? And we're having breakfast/brunch. So much fun. :)

Target has got the cutest stuff. Don't you think? I mean Wal-mart is fine and all, but Target has got such unique stuff. You never can tell what you may find in their dollar bins. I bought some wrapping paper there today. It's so cute. Give me a Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks and some time to browse and I am in paradise! So much fun.

Well, I guess that's all the random fun I can have at the moment. I have dishes to do. And as my Sweet Pea told me when yesterday. "Your a mom, that's what you do!" Yeah, I guess so! ;) Happy December!



Blogger Templates