Thankful Thursday (29 Days)

29 more days of waking up to an alarm clock.

29 more days of waking the kids (really only Carys) up.

29 more days of bus rides.

29 more days of packing lunches.

29 more days of picking out clothes for the next day.

29 more days of getting out the door by 7:25.

29 more days of getting to bed at 8:00.

29 more days of homework.

I am so thankful there are only

29 more days of school!!!!

What are you doing this week?

This week is "National Turn off your TV week."  This is a time when families can pledge to completely turn off the TV for 5 days or limit TV time. 

So what is a mom/family to do with no TV?  Here are a few ideas:

- GO OUTSIDE!!!  Enjoy this beautiful Earth God gave us.  Take a walk, hike, ride bikes, catch bugs, fly a kite, go to the park...whatever your heart desires...just go outside.

- Have a dance party.  We love to do this at our house.  Turn on fun music and dance around.

- Bake something.  My kids love to help in the kitchen.  They help with dinner sometimes, but they love to bake. 

- Make some fun crafts.  If you are on Pinterest you know there are all kinds of fun crafts for kids to do.  Let them pick one, head to the store, buy your supplies and go to work.

- Read.  Make a fun tent or fort and read the kids a good book.  (Or let them read to you.)

- Do a house project.  Have I told you we are remodeling our bathroom?  Yes, I know I have!  Well, it is still underway.  Have the whole family get involved in a project around your house that you have let go.

- Have a pillow fight.  Have you ever let your kids do this?  Mine LOVE IT!  You will earn some serious mom points if you declare it to be "pillow fight night."

- Have a picnic in the living room.  It is always fun to have a picnic outside, but maybe the weather isn't so great.  That is okay...have one in the living room.  Again, serious mom points.

- Clean.  (No mom points here!)  Give everyone a job and the supplies they need and then let them go at it.  May not be the most fun, but sometimes things just have to get done and there is no reason the whole family can't help.

- Go swimming at a local indoor pool.  If you have a recreation center in your area check their open swim times.  If they don't have any see what else they have to offer.  (open gym, or special activities.)

I hope this helps you to turn off your TV and enjoy time with your family.  If you have any other fun ideas I would love to hear them.  If you use any of these I would love to hear how your family liked them.

Enjoy your week!

This post is linked up with Top Ten Tuesday and Many Little Blessings.

Thankful Thursday

Our trampoline has become one of my favorite things we own. (I think it is my kids too!)

Last year before we bought it we kept going round and round about whether we should or not. I am so glad we decided to get it.

We put it back up about 3 weeks ago and they have jumped on it just about everyday. It is great exercise and they play great together on it.
Thankfully we haven't had any injuries...just lots of fun!

Today I am thankful for the trampoline!

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah...I know it's Tuesday

I know you all were just on pins and needles all day yesterday waiting to see what I did this weekend! To be honest, it wasn't that exciting. (Is it ever?)

We worked on our bathroom. It is coming along...slowly...but coming. There are so many decisions to make! (I have thought repeatedly through this process that I don't EVER want to build a house. In fact, I don't know if I EVER even want to move!) I am loving the way it is coming along and can't wait to show you all the finish product.

I did get to do one fun thing this weekend...my friend, Candice, got married on Saturday. She was one of the most beautiful brides I have ever seen. She is gorgeous to begin with and then you put a gorgeous wedding dress on her and she was just stunning!

I love weddings. It never fails, as soon as the groom sees his bride walking down the aisle I begin to swallow back tears. (I always watch the groom.) It immediately takes me back to my special day. I had a great time that night...dancing, squeezing my hubby, hanging out with friends...it was a good time!

Thankful Thursday

Some days it is hard to think of something to be thankful for.

Today is NOT one of those days!!!

The problem, today, has been deciding which one I should post about.

I could tell you I am thankful for mouse traps. Which I am! I heard one making some noise in our trash can the other night, so we set the traps and with in 2 hours we caught the little rodent!

I could tell you I am thankful for having 2 bathrooms. Which I am! I mentioned on Monday the we are remodeling our master bath, so we have all been using the hall bath. It can be tight in there when Rob and I are both trying to get ready at the same time. It works just fine, but I am thankful we have 2 bathrooms.

I could tell you I am thankful for all the lovely ladies I work with at the preschool. Which I am! I worked everyday this week and I am so thankful to be surrounded by such nice, fun people.

I could also tell you I am thankful for my in-laws. Which I am! They spent all of spring break with us and we had a blast! They are such wonderful people. My father-in-law and I have a "special" relationship...I give him a hard time, and he tries to give it back! (It is so fun!) My mother-in-law and I talk and laugh just like I do with some of my best girlfriends! I hate that they live far away and really wish we could all be closer. But since we can't I will cherish the times we are together!

Today, I am thankful for traps, bathrooms, ladies and my in-laws!

WeekEND News {Whatta Week!}

It was spring break at our house last week! We had such a wonderful time. My in-laws came in town and we kept them busy...like always! (I know what you are thinking, "Ugh...the in laws." Honestly, I love my in laws! I wish they lived closer and we got to see them more often!)

We had a great week and I hated to see them leave this morning, the kids go back to school, and Rob and I go back to work. Here is a taste of what we did...

zoo...
this (there will be plenty more to come on this!)...

caves...

celebrating the death, burial and Resurrection of our Lord!

We did a whole lot more, but I won't bore you with all the details.

I sure hope you all enjoyed Easter! Have a great week!

My Greatest Love Story

Today is my last day of "love stories." They have really touched my life and encouraged me and I hope they have done the same for you.

I saved a very special one for last. With Easter being in a few days I thought this was perfect timing. (Funny how God works those things out!?) You are going to hear from a dear friend, mentor, and inspiring woman. From the moment I met Diana she was special to me. You will find out quickly why...

Walking By Faith….

Daily I feel God challenging and stretching us. Sometimes it feels exciting, sometimes - terrifying, but all the time I know that He is refining and preparing us for the next part of our family’s journey. You see as I read His word and spend time with Him in prayer I am more convinced than ever that this life is so much more about His glory and so much less about our agenda. We want to know Him, to hear His voice and to join Him in what He is doing so all may
know and experience the good news.

Our passions, priorities and desires have so changed over the past 18 months as we have seen God moving in our lives and are amazed at how that is rippling through our family. I have seen firsthand the desperately poor, lonely and needy. I have held children in my arms that were nothing more than a skeleton covered with skin. I have seen a widow struggling to know how to
feed the many mouths crying out because they are literally starving to death. I have watched naked children playing with trash because they have nothing to resemble what we know as a toy. And I have put my arms around dirty, filthy, disease ridden orphans who have just been swept off the street because they have no home, no food and no one to care for or love them.

My heart aches and tears fill my eyes as I even sit here writing this now. Because you see, once we have seen and felt and touched and loved even one of these children… we CANNOT forget or ignore their plight. There is no going back to ‘life as usual.’ God LOVES them – each one of them, and He commands us to “look after widows and orphans in their distress.” God’s heart breaks for the orphan child and He is calling each of us to be His hands and feet to a dying and lost world.

My agenda is becoming His. It is as if I have put on a pair of glasses that I cannot nor want take off. What used to matter so much, what used to consume … is fading. God is challenging our family … stretching us in every direction. He is calling us to sacrifice and serve the least of
these. He is calling our family to once again lay down our time, energy, resources and safety at His feet … to show His love, and give HOPE to the hopeless.

“Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act." Proverbs
24:12

We know what the short-term looks like which makes it easy when you can see the next few steps of His plan – but we KNOW God is CALLING us to more than just a ‘short-term’ project. It requires us to DAILY walk by FAITH. Much like Abraham, we are feeling God calling us to GO… yet we do not know all the details or specifics of where or when. As an agenda-driven person I can become overwhelmed by the ‘unknown’ - yet God is teaching me to ‘let go’ of the
control and TRUST Him. God expects us to OBEY what He is calling us to do, and therein lies the FAITH… stepping out in obedience even when we cannot see the path around the corner. God has reminded me and encouraged me so much lately, that He will empower us to do what He is calling us to do – we just have to OBEY.

In FAITH… we are stepping forward. Making some significant ‘life changes’ as the beginning steps in the journey He is calling us to. We do not know all that lies ahead, but we TRUST in His plan for our lives.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Serving Him ~
Diana

I don't know about you, but I think my glasses need adjusted!

If you want to read more about the journey of Diana and her family please visit her blog here. They are currently planning another trip for the summer and need to raise a lot of money.

I do pray that God has used all these stories to touch your life. If you do not have a personal relationship with the Lord or understand it please message me so I can share more with you.

God Bless and have a wonderful Easter!