• Dec. 20, 2007
Thursday Thirteen - 12th edition... Christmas Version

Predictable... Thirteen Things I Love About Christmas...

1.   I LOVE ADVENT!!! - the candles, the scripture, the family time, the stories...

2.   The music - for 6 to 8 weeks a year I fill our home with music of the season and nothing else - IT IS MAGNIFICENT!!!

3.   The movies - there is nothing like a good viewing of Miracle on 34th Street or It's a Wonderful Life... and how about A Christmas Story or ELF?  The movies are great!!!

4.   The stories... some of my favorites are A Christmas Carol and The Gift of the Magi and I partake in the annual reading of C. S. Lewis Xmas and Christmas: A Lost Chapter from Herodotus

5.   The annual baking of the cookies!!!

6.   The annual making of the gingerbread house!!!

7.   Christmas morning cinnamon rolls while we drink coffee and cocoa and open presents in our flannel pajamas

8.   Picking out the yearly pajamas gifted on Christmas Eve to the children.

9.   Christmas cards of all varieties and letters from family and friends

10.   Caroling with our little congregation around the neighborhood and to shut-ins

11.   The children's faces as they open gifts and come in first thing Christmas morning

12.   Putting up the ornaments from Christmases past made by family and friends

13.   Driving around to see the lights... and just being a family while doing all of the above

So, what are your favorite parts of Christmas???

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• Dec. 13, 2007
Thursday Thirteen - 11th edition...

You have NO idea how hard it is to do NOTHING!!!  LOL  Here is the list of thirteen things I will do when my doctor releases me from my post surgery restrictions...

1.   Take a walk outside for more than 10 minutes (maybe even a full hour)

2.   Pick up a laundry basket myself without having to ask other people to do it for me.

3.   Actually make a full blown meal without having to sit down every 10 minutes.

4.   Lift weights again... I am SO flabby!!!

5.   DRIVE!!!

6.   Let my little one sit in my lap again.

7.   Play with the kids in the backyard and at the park

8.   Get back to deep cleaning my bedroom closet

9.   Continue with the book and clothes purge

10.   Move some furniture around

11.   Be back to taking NO medications AT ALL!!!

12.   Wear my jeans again

13.   Gardening prep for the spring - my beds are so overgrown with dead stuff!

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• Oct. 24, 2007
Thursday Thirteen - 10th edition....

Thirteen of my favorite songs of the 70's and 80's (my impressionable years)



1.   Saturday in the Park - Chicago
(One of my ALL TIME favorite songs!!!)

2.   Shining Star - Earth, Wind and Fire
(AWESOME dance song)

3.   September - Earth, Wind and Fire
(Love the big brass sound and Phillip Bailey's voice is just too cool!)

4.   MacArthur Park - Donna Summer
(does anyone really know what this one means?)

5.   Piano Man - Billy Joel
(The COOLEST piano man on the planet!!!)

6.   I Can't Help This Feeling.... Blue Suede
(still own the 45 for this one!!!  LOL)

7.   Why Do Birds Suddenly Appear... The Carpenters
(sang it in choir in an experimental ensemble and took it to state competition where we got a first division rating - still cannot get it out of my brain)

8.   Beautiful Day - U2
(Edgy and Irish... my favorite!)

9.   Desperado - The Eagles
(and who DOESN'T think the Eagles are cool???)

10.   Mary Had a Little Lamb - Stevie Ray Vaughn Style!
(OMGaw.... this one is just so rockin')

11.   You've Got a Friend - James Taylor
(popular among my friends when we were hanging out and singing loudly with the radio)

12.   Colour My World - Chicago
(edgy chords and rich!!!)

13.   Brick House - The Commodores
(popular music coming from the field house while we were doing marching practice on the field)

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• Oct. 18, 2007
Thursday Thirteen - 9th edition

It is Autumn!!! 
It is my MOST favorite time of the year so this week is 13 things I love about Autumn.

1.   That early morning chill in the house!

2.   The leaves are starting to turn beautiful colors

3.   I can sit out in my Adirondack chair any time of day and be comfortable

4.   The mums and daisies are AMAZING!!!!!

5.   Dan kissed me for the first time in the Autumn (September 29th) and then proposed to me in Autumn (October, 1988)

6.   Watching my boy play football on the weekends

7.   Bible study is in full swing again.

8.   Dan bringing me coffee in the early mornings

9.   Sipping hot tea any time of day

10.   Taking a walk out of doors and soaking up the coolness in the air

11.   The holidays are coming!!!

12.   Snuggling up with a nice afghan or blanket and reading a good book

13.   THE BAKING, GOOD GOOGLY MOO, THE BAKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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• Oct. 11, 2007
Changed my mind...

Today's Thursday Thirteen is a tribute to my amazing husband...  This is my 8th week posting...


*   The man serenades me...
*   He brings me coffee in bed...
*   He makes a mean peach cobbler...
*   He provides for his family....
*   He ADORES his kids!!!
*   He still thinks I am beautiful with the battle scars of motherhood...
*   He is more concerned for me than he is for himself...
*   He prays for me every single day...
*   He has NEVER raised his voice to me in anger...
*   No matter where I am in the house when he comes home... he finds me and kisses me
*   He encourages and supports me in going back to school to be a chef/pastry chef... he likes the practice samples he gets, too...
*   He calls me every day from work just to check on me and the kids
*   He LOVES GOD WITH ALL HIS HEART AND SOUL AND MIND

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• Oct. 4, 2007
Thursday Thirteen - 7th edition...

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen ways to ease an Autumn Cold. 
I am officially suffering from my first cold of the season (early huh?)
so this is a bit early 'cause I am not sure how I will feel tomorrow

1.   Haul your buttocks to bed - put on those cozy pajamas and snuggle in for some rest and recuperation.

2.   Sleep!!!

3.   Drink TONS of fluids - no caffeine please

4.   Got echinacea in the house?  TAKE IT!!!  (I also use something called goldenseal but use it sparingly and read up on it first)

5.   Flush your sinuses with salt water - gross but HIGHLY effective

6.   Fever?  Take some form of Tylenol type product

7.   MORE FLUIDS!!!

8.   Chicken broth is a miracle food!!!

9.   Eat when you feel up to it to build your strength but start bland if you have not eaten much in the past day or so

10.    Let someone else deal with the kids if you can (use a video if you must and for pete's sake... don't feel guilty about this!!!)

11.    Take a shower when you feel up to it - it makes a world of difference in how you feel

12.    Brush your teeth - same effect as a shower for me

13.    Don't get back to life too soon... you don't want a relapse.  Take the time to get well and go to the doctor if you are not better in three days or so or if fever keeps climbing.

Now, I am going back to bed.

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• Sep. 20, 2007
Thursday Thirteen - 6th edition...

This week is ALL ABOUT PBS!!!  Before we had our cable shut off that was my MOST favorite channel to watch.  I loved the cooking, arts, gardening, drama, comedies, etc...  I am such an information junkie!!! LOL  That is the one thing I miss the most about not having television!  I would go so far as to say that I learned more from the cooking shows on PBS about "real cooking" than I ever did on Food Network.  (GASP!!!)  It is true... 

Here is a list of my most favorite PBS Programs...

1.   Good Neighbors - The Good Life - my most favorite EVER!!!
2.   Monte Python and all manner of Britcoms
3.   Julia Child programs
4.   Rick Bayless
5.   Lidia Bastianich - Lidia's Family Table
6.  Everyday Food
7.   Christina Cooks!
8.   America's Test Kitchen - despite that snob that hosts it!  LOL
9.   Mystery!  and Masterpiece Theatre programs
10.   House programs of all varieties - 1900, Manor, 1940s, Frontier, Colonial, Texas Ranch, etc...
11.   P. Allen Smith Gardening
12.   Victory Garden
13.   Ken Burns ANYTHING! 

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• Sep. 14, 2007
Seems like...

I am doing a lot of memes lately!  LOL  I am one tired mommy tonight and don't have the strength or brain power to do much more but this is certainly one of my favorites.

These are a few of my favorite things...

*   Purple

*   Flannel

*   Friday with nothing to do and a Saturday, too!!!

*   Quiet weekends

*   Breakfast for dinner

*   Candy corn season

*   A stack of magazines I have been saving up to read in some leisure time - like tomorrow!

Bon Appetit

Cooking Light

Gourmet

Every Day with Rachael Ray

*   A brand new book - well used but new to me! 

*   New yarn

Red Heart Super Saver #981 - Fall

&

Red Heart Soft Baby #7955 - Fizzy Print

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• Sep. 13, 2007
Thursday Thirteen #5 - The Netflix Edition

This will be my fifth edition I believe.  But first... a little updating is due.  We have the craziest week on record in months this week.  Dan has been in after school rehearsals and doing lots of scouting promotional and recruiting activities.  I had my first nutrition test yesterday and some late nights baking bread in the culinary department.  I am having the time of my life in baking class!  The kiddos have been teetering on the brink of sickness and two gave way yesterday to it.  I have also been baking bread and making yogurt as well as cleaning areas of the home again this week.  I have some big projects for the weekend planned and a night out with ladies for tea on Saturday.  It is a church ladies thing...  I have also been walking this week and had our first Bible study meeting with the ladies on Tuesday.  We are studying selected Psalms and 1 and 2 Corinthians.  It all looks promising...

We have been television free for some time now and we have seen the benefits to it.  I do, however, still have a Netflix account that is brimming with delicious movies and television shows I want to see at some point in my crazy busy life.  This week is light with a list of the top 13 movies/television episodes in my queue.  Now, keep in mind this is MY Queue... we have four set up so they rotate movies for everyone consistently.  This is the chicky and grown-up picks except for The Party... which is just a HUGE favorite of the whole bunch.

1.   24:  Season 2:  Disc 6 - ok, this show is like...

A HIGHLY ADDICTIVE DRUG I WILL NOT MENTION HERE!!!  LOL

2.   24 Season 2:  Disc 7:  Bonus Materials

3.   Bell, Book, and Candle

4.   It Happened One Night

5.   Shakespeare in Love

6.   Elizabeth

7.   Miss Evers' Boys

8.   Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

9.   The Party

10.   Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

11.   The Legend of Bagger Vance

12.   Courage Under Fire

13.   The Far Country

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• Sep. 6, 2007
Thursday Thirteen - Double Whammy

Every now and again one has days where the world is pressing in and one wants to escape to a far away place...  Today is that day for me!
Thirteen Things I NEED to do Today
1.   Clean the kitchen
2.   Wash three loads of laundry
3.   Hem a pair of shorts for J(13)
4.   Sweep the floors
5.   Vacuum the floors
6.   Mop the floors
7.   Work on Nutrition homework and study guide
8.   Make more holiday stuff lists
9.   Clean my bathroom
10.   Help the kids clean their bathroom
11.   Water more plants
12.   Work on Flower Show stuff
13.   Fold and put away all those clean clothes




Thirteen Things I would RATHER do Today

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• Sep. 4, 2007
It is Tuesday and I am tackling...

UPDATED AT DAY'S END...

A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS...

1.   Bake Bread for family and two customers

2.   Fold and put away all my laundry in my bedroom on the couch and chair

3.   Read a chapter in Real Jesus

4.   Clean up that kitchen after baking bread to spotless!!!

5.   Finish sewing Cub Scout flag for tonight's meeting

I cannot take credit for the design or the artwork but I did sew it all together.  The creative spirit behind this was J(13) and Dan.  Pretty adorable isn't it? 

6.   Put final touches on journal for class tonight and print

7.   School with kiddos - clean out boxes and organize area

8.   Build that holiday notebook for Holiday Grand Plan and start making the lists

9.   Water the vegetable garden!!!

10.   Class tonight

GOING TO MY BEDROOM RIGHT NOW TO PUT AWAY SOME CLOTHES BUT NO MORE READING AT THIS HOUR!!!  LOL

If I do that list today I will be on top of it.  I am turning the computer off now...  LOL  I will post some results when I can later today or tomorrow after I am done.

Have a good one!!! 

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• Aug. 30, 2007
Thursday Thirteen - Lifelong Learning...

I am a firm believer in learning something new EVERY DAY of my life.  I am also an information junkie.  I listen to talk radio, read books, watch DVDs and videos on nonfiction stuff all the time.  I started back to school a year ago this month and have been loving every minute of my time in school.  I thought I would do a Thursday Thirteen on

13 things I have learned this week...


1.   I don't eat enough every day - Nutrition class - WOOHOO... I get to eat MORE!!!

2.   You can wash away the gluten in a ball of dough and put it in the microwave and have a giant inflated ball.  - Baking class LOL

3.   You can earn a bonus if your school does well -who knew???

4.   No matter where you live squash bugs exist when you grow squash

5.   You CAN eat dessert and lose weight - just not a huge dessert and just not every day

6.   There is a story in the Bible that Ravi Zacharias mentioned in his book that I had missed in all my reading all these years!!!  COOL!!!!!

7.   No matter how much you tell children NOT to answer the door when you are in the shower they will have a VERY HARD time resisting the urge to answer it and then they will get into serious trouble even though it was the cable guy.  Thank GOD the cable guy did not ask to come into the house and they kept the door locked.  We have some more reteaching to do here...  (Perri, I remember when this happened to you!!!)

8.   I learned to make a dry method caramel

9.  I learned how to make chocolate mousse

10.   What is my destiny?  It is to feel, to see, to have all of the senses finally converge in the fullest expression of purpose.  Everything I experience and feel before I arrive at that heavenly home amounts to mere analogy.  Everything in my heavenly home is consummate expression.  Ravi Zacharias in The Grand Weaver

11.   God really does bless you when you are obedient - Ok, so I knew this but it was reiterated to me this week in a big way!

12.   Netflix's Watch Now feature ONLY works in Internet Explorer and NOT in Firefox

13.   When you think you are low on food you get very creative in your cooking - and you might just eat better because of it!!!

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• Aug. 23, 2007
Thursday Thirteen - my second edition

Thursday Random Things from This Week...

1.   Dan started back to work this week

2.   His BP is doing better!!!  YIPEPEEEEE (has nothing to do with going back to work, btw)

3.   I started back to school this week, too.  Nutrition is going to be great and baking is going to be my FAVORITE class yet, I do believe.  Only thing is... I am the only truly female person in the class.

4.   Got paid to assist a local caterer - and paid well, I might add...  ;)

5.   D(7) lost his first tooth this week!

6.   Joined just4thehelluvfit reading challenge!  Thanks Dana...  :)

7.   Will be joining the Book to Movie Reading Challenge

8.   Helping J(13) bake a cake for scouting for tonight

9.   Saw a bird right outside the front door

10.   Learned how to make a sourdough starter

11.   Cleaned garden bucket out and got some seeds ready for planting for next week

12.   Drawing a plan for moving dining room to sun room at some point

13.   Did I mentioned I TOTALLY BOOGERED UP MY COMPUTER!!!!!!!!!  I am still so bummed about that... *BIGSADSIGH*

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• Aug. 17, 2007
A Whooooooooooole Lotta Stuff...

First I will start with some news from our early morning phone call...  My youngest brother and his wife had their first baby this morning and she is a darling little girl - I am an aunt again!!!  YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEE (that makes four nieces and three nephews)

I also have another niece or nephew on the way around April from my SIL and her husband!!!  This is HUGE news since they have not been able to have a baby for the duration of their marriage which is 17 years!!!!!  They heard the heartbeat this week and can see the little one on an ultrasound.  God is good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It is still very early so we would appreciate prayers during this first trimester especially.  Thanks!!!!!

The weekend is looking like it will be relaxing before the big schedule starts on Monday.  I have textbooks and uniforms ready to go. 

I have been reading a book that is just now on the market by Ravi Zacharias called The Grand Weaver.  It is truly inspiring!!!  Here are my two favorite quotes to date.

Submit to God's design and be number one in His eyes.  Know that you are God's temple.  Bathe your life in prayer.  Live out your life in humility of spirit that serves for the right reasons.  Seek the counsel and example of godly men and women.  Finally, exhibit a commitment to the preeminence of Christ in all things.  These are the components of a call.  Self-glory, power, sensuality, and the seduction of material gain impede such a call.

&

But the question arises as to what makes the Christian framework unique.  Here we see the second cardinal difference between the Judeo-Christian worldview and the others.  It is simply this:  no amount of moral capacity can get us back into a right relationship with God.  The Christian faith, simply stated, reminds us that our fundamental problem is not moral; rather, our fundamental problem is spiritual.  It is not just that we are immoral, but that a moral life alone cannot bridge what separates us from God.  Herein lies the cardinal difference between the moralizing religions and Jesus' offer to us.  Jesus does not offer to make bad people good but to make dead people alive. 

Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



So, for my Friday Felicities (things I love)...

*   New babies
*   God's faithfulness
*   Easy weekends
*   Opportunities for learning
*   Amazing books full of truth!!!
*   Hard books that convict
*   Pizza on a Friday with family
*   My Mom who always keeps us posted - she called about the baby this morning
*   Sweet friends that send encouraging e-mails
*   Quiet moments in the afternoon while children play with friends outside
*   Fresh from the garden tomatoes and jalapenos
*   Fresh fruit for a cobbler or a cake - baking for later this afternoon
*   Birthdays and anniversaries and family

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• Aug. 16, 2007
Thursday Thirteen...

Thirteen benefits to our family with the television off!!!

1.   Read more - WAY MORE

2.   Have a quieter home - no blaring commercials

3.   No more sheltering the children from images and ideas we don't approve of

4.   Play outside instead of sitting in front of the Boob tube

5.   Play games together in the evenings

6.   Take family walks after dinner instead of...

7.   No more commercials!!!

8.   We control the viewing instead of it controlling us

9.   No more late night television temptation - earlier to bed earlier to rise...

10.   No more distraction to homework and school time

11.   The den stays cleaner (the tv area)

12.   Family discussions instead of distractions

13.   More stuff gets done around the house instead of wasting time doing nothing

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• Jul. 26, 2007
A lesson from my MIL

The final installment...

I get along with my MIL very well.  We actually have a great deal in common.  We have learned to ignore the stuff we don't agree on but that seems to be less and less as I grow older.  She is a wise woman and has an amazing son.  I am blessed... 

One of things she taught me very early in my motherhood is that I needed to let Dan take care of the kids, too.  I see so many families where the mom does it all and the dad is not plugged in.  I often wonder if it is more of the mom not letting go than the dad not stepping up.  Oh, I know there are some dads that won't step up but my experience has been that when given the opportunity the dad is very willing to be.... well... the dad! 

The first time my MIL held J(13) she handed him to Dan instead of me and then took my hand to come and do something with her in the kitchen.  I realized later she was giving Dan the chance to step up.  I LOVE that!!!  Because I have learned that lesson Dan is a really great dad.  He is VERY plugged in and present for out kiddos.  They all think the world of him.  It may be me that is less plugged in lately with school but it has seemed to really make our children better to be with their dad more.  There is a relationship there that I did not get to have because my dad worked a great deal and was away from home.  I am not blaming just stating a fact.  I love my dad very much.  I miss the time we spent with him as a family.  Those were very good when they happened.  It was just more scarce.

I learned a very long time ago that I cannot do it all and be all to my children.  I need help.  I, of course, need the help of my Heavenly Father but he has put Dan and me together for that purpose, too.  We are to encourage and help one another.  The help-meet part is not just from my end.  Dan has made me a much better person through his help and encouragement.  He loves me as Christ loves the Church and I am grateful for that grace in my marriage.  I am not easy to live with some days.  I totally know that...  LOL  The two of us together make a great team.  He is my best friend...

There are so many things we can accomplish together that are not possible apart.  He teaches our children things I cannot teach them.  Between the two of us our children are very well rounded and know lots more than we did at that age.  Again... not a statement on my upbringing.  The world is more open for them to explore and with the technology we have they can learn so much more at a much earlier age.  That is NOT always a GOOD thing but much of it is beneficial.  LOL 

I honor Dan today for the dad he has become and all that he is to be.  I just need to tell him that more and not just say it here. 

I will continue with the Marriage Mondays...  but they may not be on Monday!  LOL  The 30 day challenge is over but I will continue to concentrate on my marriage and honoring Dan and continue with my goals.  I will get a book out to read that I started a long time ago but got sidetracked on by school.  The book is called Blessing Your Husband.

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• Jul. 20, 2007
Friday Felicities...

* ROAD TRIP!!!
* Goodnight kisses by cell phone
* Great praise and worship with friends
* Old friends that bless my heart - after 18 years!!!
* Roommate chit chat
* Girlie magazines full of clothes and make-up and foodie stuff and home decor
* My big water bottle
* Fitting into an old jumpsuit and looking good
* Heating pads on a sore back
* Homemade banana nut bread and a bag of pistachios
* A brand new book - Laundry Tales - signed by those long lost friends who happen to be authors in it!!!!! WOOT!!!!!!!!!!!! Tell you the story later... Have a good one!!!

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• Jul. 19, 2007
Works for us... Thursday?

I can never get those memes up on the right days!  LOL

Life has been so nuts this summer we were anticipating the potty training thing to wait until fall so that we could just spend some time with the learning process.  Now, granted, we have been talking about potty stuff and God knows Josh has seen his dad and brothers enough to know the process but we just did not see him being really ready up to this point.  Well, to our surprise he declared in his most grown up three year old voice yesterday that he did NOT want to wear diapers anymore and he proceeded to go to the potty with his dad and then found his underwear and put it on.  He has been toying with the underwear thing but we were still forcing the diapers because I just don't have the willingness, if you would, to clean up all those "accidents".  I am NOT good with all the accident stuff that comes with potty training.  Call it a shortcoming if you will....

We tried to potty train J(13) when he was 2 and after two really frustrating weeks we put him back in diapers until he was nearly 3.  He was one month shy of 3 when he made his choice to move out of diapers.  Our daughter was on her way to being potty trained quickly when we had Davy so she regressed until, finally, at the age of 3 1/2 she just went on her own and then never looked back.  Davy did the same thing  at 3 but has had some "accidents" along the way and would rather not have to interrupt his "work" to take time to potty.  At the age of almost 7 he has finally gotten to where he is not up every night going potty and he makes it all the time now.   For him it never was about the "knowing how" but the "taking time".  It is very much a personality thing with him.

Just in time!!!  Josh declared that he was done and has been accident free for 24 hours.  Will he have some accidents?  Prolly... but he is in underwear now and we are NOT going back.  I am now free of diapers for the rest of my life!!!  WOOT!!!!!! 

So, what works for us... is waiting until THEY tell us they are ready.  They tell us with their actions (can dress themselves and pull pants up and down, stay dry through the night and do other big kid things) and their words and then they are potty trained with very little stress if any.  It works for us!  We are now done...  and that works for us, too!!!  LOL

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• Jul. 13, 2007
Friday Felicities...

from the mind of Natalie Rose York

*   Friday night baseball with Scouts and Family




*   Roasted Corn

*   Seventh Inning Stretch

*   Cracker Jacks

*   Friday Night Fireworks at the local ballpark






...and...

*   Ginormous is now a word in the dictionary!!!  LOL  Love this word!!!!!

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• Jul. 11, 2007
I have been inspired...

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• Jul. 6, 2007
Friday Felicities...

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• Jul. 2, 2007
Healthy Marriage... Healthy Me

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• Jun. 25, 2007
A Memory for Monday... and the challenge

Eighteen years ago I became Mrs. Dan.  We have been reminiscing all weekend on what we were doing at certain times of the day 18 years ago.  Dan even talked about it in his sermon (it fit, there was a point made I promise).  We were married on June 24, 1989 at 10:00am.  We got married so early in the morning for two reasons... we had waited four years and we were just ready to be married to each other AND we were planning about a 1000 mile trip for our honeymoon and wanted to get halfway there before dark.  Oh, and one more reason... we had lots of friends that were in ministry and had to travel so we wanted to make sure they had time to get on the road and back to their churches before too late at night. 

We laughed about how we did not get to eat ANY of the food from our reception except the bites of cake we shoved in each other's mouths.  We were so hungry when we left around noon that we had to stop for a Dairy Queen burger on our way out of town.  We were in an old blue pickup truck and we broke down 20 minutes out of town.  The Dairy Queen was right by the mechanics place!  LOL  I remember sitting in a little trailer house parked next to the shop with the mechanic's wife.  She was such a darling lady!  She was sitting at a table clipping the biggest stack of coupons I had ever seen while three children played around her.  She let me sit and eat my burger while the men were working on the truck.  About half an hour later we were back on the road.  We did not have one more problem with that truck but every vehicle since then has been a challenge on occasion.  It is the way it is with old vehicles but they have such character.  I often drive a 1989 Chevy Suburban now and I LOVE IT!!!  Dan bought it for me...  LOL 

We honeymooned in Colorado and I learned to flyfish on that trip.  We have been flyfishing almost every summer since and now our children are learning.  We have had rough times and tough times but we have always hung on together.  Dan is my best friend!  I would do it all over again if I had the chance.  Every day has been worth it.  He is an amazing husband and father.  I am not always the most wonderful person to live with but he is always so patient with me.  

In honor of our 18 years together I am going to be joining in the focus on Honoring My Husband for the next 30 days.  I will be writing about some of the things as I go.

1.   My focus is to respect my husband even when we don't agree on everything.  It is ok not to agree.  We are different people and have different personalities.  The way we disagree is important though and I have spoken out of turn in front of our oldest some lately.  I will be working on keeping the discussions and disagreements private.  We don't yell and fuss but sometimes discussions should just be between us without little ears hearing all we say.  That is my focus this week and ongoing... 

2.  I also struggle with being frustrated over his parents.  They live 10 whole miles from our home and can be a bit intrusive if we let them.  Dan's dad in particular is hard to deal with.  The issue is that I need to stop being so outwardly frustrated and stop voicing it to Dan.  He knows... I don't have to keep reminding him...  he is annoyed by his dad too a great deal but we need to stop letting it be a part of our conversation.  Part of honoring our husbands, I think, in some way means honoring their parents, too.  I will try to do that more. 

3.   One more... I will set my studies and work aside and just focus on him every day.  There needs to be a time that everything is put aside for just us.  We need more of that... with four kids and me in school it is very hard but NOT impossible.  I will work on that, too. 

So, if you would like to join you can check out Fruit in Season's site for more information on both Marriage Monday and Honor Your Husband.

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• Jun. 22, 2007
Focus on Marriage...

Dan and I will celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary on Sunday.  In honor of that I am going to be joining in a few things over the next month starting on Monday.  I found out about these two things at Stephanie's blog (Olive Tree)   You can read more about them....

Challenge...

and the Meme here...

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• Jun. 22, 2007
Friday Felicities...

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• Jun. 15, 2007
Friday Felicities...

A Nattie Rose Meme

Things I love...

*   That my husband and daughter come home today!!!

*   Fresh tomatoes from the garden

*   The end of a very long week

*   Vegetable lasagna

*   That I can fit into my little denim overall shorts again!!!

*   A new cookbook

*   An afternoon with friends

*   An evening with my SIL (both our hubbies have been gone)

*   A new black dress that cost me nothing!  :)  Thank you Blest!!!

* My latest Gourmet Magazine arrived in the mail

*   and a Vegetarian Times Mag from the grocery store
(yes, I splurged for some summer recipe ideas)

*   Clean laundry all folded or hung and put away!

*   A clean kitchen

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• Jun. 13, 2007
Wordless Wednesday - a story in pictures...

To donate to Locks of Love

For more Wordless Wednesday

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