Absolutely Incredible Kids

Mari has declared it "Absolutely Incredible Kids" day. Here are some pictures of my 4 incredible kids...

This one has a funny story behind it... Zack did really well at the final State Meet for indoor throwing a couple weeks ago. It was late getting home because of the blizzards that we kept hitting. Aparently Zack was too tired to change out of his clothes. I had to be to a church meeting early the next morning and his car was still at school. I told him if he wants his car he needs to be ready to leave at 8:30am to get it or he will have to wait until Dad gets home from work to go get it. I guess he wanted his car because this is what I found waiting for me that morning, medal and all.


Here is Anna warming up for her basketball game. As of last nights, very intense game, they are still undefeated with only 2 more games to go.


Here is Kaylyn, and Libby, while visiting with their Great-Grandmother a couple weeks ago. Kaylyn loves to go visit people. As you can tell my Grandma was happy to see them also. I wasn't with them but I am guessing my Grandpa must have said something funny because that is the direction they are looking.

Here is Libby and me at her Valentine's Day Party at school. I love being able to help in her classroom and getting the opportunity to get to know her classmates.

Head on over to Mari to see some more incredible kids.
Smiles!

Excited Auntie here!

I got my sister to send me a picture!

I probably should have warned her that I wouldn't be able to not blog about it. She actually sent me 3 pictures.
One was labeled "What the general public sees" (that is the one below), one was "What the cleaning ladies and unexpected company sees" (her in sweats and a t-shirt squeezing over her growing baby belly), and one "What only Leo, the doctor and I see" (her bare baby belly, oh I just love that one). Isn't she a hoot? Doesn't she look great? I am so excited to hold that baby girl and love on her. We only have a little over 2 months to go.

Check it out, I found a picture of me (looking thrilled to have my picture taken I might add) 7 months pregnant with my first baby 17 years ago. The sweater must hide more because I was huge with Zack. I actually had a lady ask me if I was expecting twins when I told her I was only 7 months pregnant. Isn't that awful. The things some people say. My doctor did an ultrasound on me on my first 3 pregnancies because I always measured big. By the 4th I guess he had it figured out and didn't bother. He said I have a lot more amniotic fluid than most. There is your useless info for the day.

Smiles!

How-to for scripture frames

A couple ladies commented on wanting to know how I did the scripture frames. Well I am not a teacher, I usually self teach myself things through trial and error, so I will give it my best and hopefully you can get the idea.

I purchased the "Clip Frames" at Hobby Lobby. They are normally $2.99 but all frames were 50% off this week. I love that. Then I picked out one sheet of scrap booking paper in each child's favorite color.


At home I selected a verse for each child and then "personalized" it. If you read the verse out of your NIV bible and compare it to how I wrote it for each child I think you will get the idea.

Then I typed it up on the computer and matched the color of the child's name to the color of the paper for each name and printed it off on regular printer paper. Note: space it all out enough so that you can have enough room to cut them out separately. (Can you tell that was part of my trail and error process?)

I cut both the child's name and the scripture out using the same width to give it some unity.

To make it a little more fancy I used a corner punch on each of the white name and scripture squares. (Out of my scrap booking/card making supplies)

Next I used a double-sided sticker (from scrap booking supply) to attach the name and scripture to the colored paper. Again, to give it some unity, I kept the same distance from the edge of the colored paper to the edge of the white paper on the top(header) and bottom(footer).


Reassemble the frame following the directions on the back. I also added bumpers on the to side clips so that the picture hangs nice and to keep the metal clips from leaving marks on my walls. I already had some of these in the house but I am thinking we bought them at Wal-mart.


Smiles!

Spring Cleaning-Kids bathroom

Before picture:

I didn't dare go much further in for the picture for fear of terrible embarrassment. My husband and I both refuse to use the kids bathroom because they don't clean up after themselves and they don't seem to have very good "aim". Ewww.

After pictures:

I went shopping to Target (new rug) and Hobby Lobby today to make some fun things for the walls now that the bathroom is so shiney clean.

Speaking scripture into my children.

In case you can't read them I will type it out for you...

Zachary
That whatever Zachary does, he will work at it with all his heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since he knows that he will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ he is serving.
~Colossians 3:23-24

Georgiana
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, may Georgiana clothe herself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
~Colossians 3:12

Kaylyn
Let Kaylyn not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time she will reap a harvest if she does not give up.
~Galatians 6:9

Elizabeth
That Elizabeth will be strong and courageous, and do the work. That she not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, her God, is with her. He will not fail her or forsake her until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.
~I Chronicles 28:20

We have always had the towel hooks hanging in the bathroom but I decided to "spruce" them up a little.

Some of what was done:
-remove shower curtain and launder it
-scrub shower/tub
-empty trash and soak trash can (why can't kids put gum in tissue before dumping it?)
-wash down toilet
-wash mirror
-empty drawers, wash them, replace only essential items (how many toothbrushes can one child use anyway?)
-empty cupboards, wash them, replace only essential items (what do they do with the rocks I found in cupboard?)
-wash down walls where needed
-wash door
-hand wash floor
-spruce up a bit

Smiles!

Just for Laura...

I thought I should prove to Laura that she is not alone. You will have to go here for an explanation of why my fingers and toes often go white and numb when I get cold, just like Laura's. I should note it was much worse than this but after I ran house and searched for the camera I improved some of the blood flow. This has only been happening to me for about the last 6 or 7 years. My kids get a chuckle out of seeing one of mom's fingers randomly going white. It is so attractive don't you think?
BTW- Thanks Laura for giving me a name to go with my "weird finger/toe thing".

Be sure to visit Angie. She is having a Max Lucado book giveaway.

Smiles!

Wordless Wednesday

See other Wordless Wednesday participants at 5 Minutes for Mom

Spring Cleaning-Master bedroom and bathroom

"Before" pictures of the Master bedroom:

My sweet husband makes the bed for me every morning so this really is how my bedroom looked the morning I started. If it was left up to me the bed might not get made until right before I crawl into it at night. Silly yes but it is nice to get into a made bed so yes if Mark isn't home to make it I do make it before going to bed.

Another view before the "cleanfest".

"After" pictures of the Master bedroom:

A partial list of what was done to it:
-stripped the bedding and washed it
-picked up the matress and box springs and everything that had found it's way under the bed and vacuumed
-removed everything that didn't belong in the room (look next to the bed on my side, pack rat)
-swiffered the walls
-removed and washed the light fixture and cleaned the ceiling fan
-washed the windows inside and out (they tip in for easy cleaning)
-dusted the blinds
-cleaned out the dresser drawers and dumped things with holes in them (I'll spare you the pictures)
-made a new bedskirt and put it on
-bought a pretty basket to hold blankets (instead of the plastic laundry basket)
-vacuumed the lampshades

"Before" picture of Master bathroom:(Note the cracked toilet seat and the new one waiting to replace it still in the box leaning against the tub. How long do those projects wait to get done in your house?)

"After" pictures of the Master bathroom:

This second "after" pictures is just to show you another tip for making the most out of your mirror. I buy suction cup hooks and hang my jewelry on them on the mirror. I just bought some more to do the same in the kids bathroom. It works really well. I even hang my glasses there while I am not wearing them.

Some of what was done:
-washed down bathtub/shower
-removed and cleaned furnace vent
-hand washed the floors and cabinet faces
-cleaned the mirror
-dump out-dated toiletries/medications
-washed the rug and toilet cover
-replaced broken toilet seat

Now it is on to the kids bathroom and Anna's bedroom to catch up on my goals. Yikes I am running a bit behind.

Want some inspiration? Visit Monica at The Homespun Heart to see how others are doing with their spring cleaning.

Smiles!

How is it going you ask?

I've got my cleaning supplies in hand and I am plugging away.

I have come to realize that I set quite an aggressive goal but I am not allowing myself to become discouraged. I would rather have each area really deep cleaned then to rush through it now to stay on schedule.

( Confession: I really would like to have that outfit. I love the look of that era's dresses.)
I have gotten through my bedroom and bathroom. If you look at the list I should also have conquered Anna's bedroom and the kid's bathroom. I may get those two done today. I am holding off on pictures because I am also sewing a new bed skirt for our bed and Anna's bed. I had already bought the fabric for ours I just hadn't gotten to making it yet. What better time to remove the old bed skirt than when I have the mattress off the box springs right? We have a king size bed so I picked up the box springs so that I could vacuum under the whole bed.

Back to cleaning...

I also just realized that it is the 8th and I need to update you on how I am doing on my 8 in 2008 intentional living goals....

1. Keep up our 1,000 Gifts List
-We (I) have been adding more things to our 1000 gifts list.
2. Work @ becoming a Proverbs 31 woman
-I don't have a tangible way to measure this but I feel I am making progress.
3. Consistant quiet time/devotions
-I am blessed by the fact that my quiet time is becoming much more consistent.
4. Memorize scripture weekly
-I have memorized a couple of verses since last month. But probably not weekly.
5. Spend 1 on 1 time with each child
-I did take Zack out to lunch yesterday since he had a half a day of school but other than that it has been a pretty busy month.
6. Complete sewn gift for Julie and Leo
-Haven't touched this because I am working on a baby gift for them.
7. Build up to run with Anna this summer
-Well this is going to be a huge challenge. I haven't done anything and summer is coming. Yikes!
8. Complete knitted gift for Crystal and Jeremy
-This one is getting really close to being complete. Yeah!

So there you go. I am so happy that this month's "check-in" was much better than last month's "check-in".
Smiles!

Spring Cleaning Motivation

I could use a little motivation. How about you?

Look what Monica from The Homespun Heart is doing.

Click on the image to check out how she plans on motivating us.

Here is my plan:
Master bedroom and bathroom - 3/6
Anna's room - 3/7
Kids bathroom - 3/7
Kaylyn/Libby's room - 3/12
Landing closet and staircase -3/13
Living room and Dining room -3/14
Computer/Sewing room -3/19
Kitchen -3/20
Back bathroom/Laundry room -3/21
Stairs and downstairs living room -3/26
Zack's room -3/27

It seems a little daunting to me but it would feel great to accomplish it. Wish me luck.

Smiles!

My baby is Seventeen!!!

Are you ready for this? Seventeen pictures of an incredibly handsome boy.
Turns out I scanned my pictures in HUGE so that is why blogger was uploading so SLOW yesterday. Silly me. After I fixed them it took no time at all.

What is better than to see "my guy" sleeping with our "little man". Precious.

I love this picture! A long day at the beach wears a little man out.

Last picture as a single child. Maybe why he is still smiling.

What a great big brother.

Oh he wanted this race track bad! Those are his cousins to the left of him.

Zack's first time on the MSU football field with daddy. Mark was being recognized for being on the Rose Bowl '88 team.

"Come on Anna, let's go hunt something."

Fast cars and maracas what more could a little boy want?

You better believe mom hid those duck whistle when we got home.

Look. I have proof that he does have a soft spot in his heart for Kaylyn.

The guys in deep concentration. The girls... being girls.

Hey there. Look at me.

Isn't this a great picture of my men?

Pinned!

This picture just melts me. Look at those eyes. I love this guy!

The serious hunter pose.

Way to go Zack!

Well there you go a sneak peek of the last 17 years with one wonderful guy.
I love you Zachary!
-Mom

My baby is 17 today!!!!!

Blogger is being incredibly slow uploading pictures so I will have to do his birthday post tomorrow. Now it's off to bed.
Smiles!