Home Again!

Oh, what a week it has been!  As most of you know, David and I have been involved in our church youth group since 1999, going straight from participants to leadership.  One of (or "THE" depending on who you ask!) the highlights of the year is our Winter Retreat.  We head up to Big Lake where there is anything from two to fifteen feet of snow.  Usually around eight or nine.  For those of us who get ecstatic about an inch of snow, this feels like a whole different world!  Nothing can describe the beauty!

Last year was my first year to miss the retreat (Ella was born four days before) making this my eleventh year to go. 

(David and I in 2005)

However ever since I've had babies,  I've brought my babies.

(Sweet Bethany in 2008)

As this year approached, my husband gently started nudging me towards leaving all my girls home with grandparents.  Talk about one of the most emotional times of my life!  No joke!  The girls have stayed many times with grandparents and were thrilled about the idea, it was just this poor mommy that didn't think she could handle it.  With the Lord's help a peace slowly and firmly took hold of me so the night before the retreat we finally decided to leave even my Ella Joy home. 

It turned out to such a blessed time.  Did I miss my girls every minute of every day?  Pretty much yes.  Did I feel at peace.  Absolutely yes.  I really can't explain it! 

Our speaker for the last five years has been Eli Stewart, an amazing friend and man of God who flies in from Texas.  We are so blessed by him every year and how the Lord works through him.  There were so may great points he talked on, and I'm sure that I will get to a few of them in the days to come.  For now I am whole-heartedly enjoying being home with my family and appreciating that precious time of drawing close to the Lord!



Our Bible Time

Bible time is very simple here for us.  We all gather around the wood stove, read a psalm, each pray for our day and work on our new verse.  We add a new verse each week.

It has been so refreshing to get back into our verses!  After being so slack about reviewing for awhile, we are reviewing several past verses as well as delving into some brand new ones.

We are still using our chart system, although we started fresh ones and Havilah has her own now!  Here are my sweeties sharing some of their favorites.

After this, we move to the table where I read a chapter from where we are in the Bible.  Tomorrow we are starting in Job which I'm excited about.  The girls then draw their own picture of what was just read.  Not only does this reinforce their listening skills it also throws in some art!

There are many days where it seems easier to just jump into school and "get to Bible later", but it never pays off.  Beginning our days in the Word, listening to it and hiding it our hearts is priceless!

Morning Routine

So this is how we (are supposed to) roll in the mornings.

Goal~ Mommy wakes up at 6:00, makes bed, exercises, showers, has devotions, does hair and make-up.  This is an excellent day!  Most mornings it's more like 7:00-8:00 before I am dragging my rotund self out of bed, but I'm feeling an extreme measure of grace these days as my sleeping habits have not been all that peaceful due to an incredibly active small child in my womb.  Result~ my exercising regime has been rather pathetic of late!

Goal~ Breakfast helper wakes up at 7:00 to get their morning routine done before helping with breakfast.  This time is also adjusted to comply with Mommy's waking time.  The breakfast helper sets the table and helps in whatever way time and ability allows.  Great jobs for a breakfast helper (mine are 2-5 yrs.)~ Make oatmeal (with a little practice Lydia can complete this independently), make toast, stir pancake, waffle, coffee cake, muffin etc. batter,  scramble eggs, help fry eggs, pour granola or cereal and many other jobs that just take a little practice and instruction.  This is one of those areas that it is so easy for me to just do myself and get the job done quickly.  I am always blessed though to see my girls thriving as they learn new skills and serve their family.  The breakfast helper is also responsible for clearing and washing the table after breakfast.

Goal~ The rest of the girls wake up at 7:15 and begin their morning routine.  We keep this posted in a prominent place and the girls can either read "enough" to know what it says or they can remind each other.  Either way, I am not having to constantly tell them what comes next.

Our "Morning Chores" have been tweaked slightly since I last posted about them.  They now fall in three simple groups that are switched monthly.  We've found that sticking with the same ones for a whole month rather than changing weekly has helped them to do their jobs more efficiently and to help them remember what they are doing!  The chore groups are;

Living room floor, kitchen floor and downstairs hallway

Upstairs hallway, dining room floor, and office floor

Bathroom counter and sink, swish toilet and pick up bathroom floor (and sweep if you are over three!).

So that is the start of our day!  It is supposed to land us at 8:30, ready to start Bible and school with breakfast all cleaned up.  Most days it is more like 9:30, or even 10:00.  But quite honestly, that's okay!  I really want to work back towards our early mornings as it really helps to get our days off to a boom.  But at the same time, our schedule helps  keep us moving and a more relaxed family is just what we've needed these days!

(I apologize for the appalling lack of pictures of late!  My camera has seen better days and I am simply out of the habit of snapping pictures.  I will try to do better in the future!)

A New Day

Ahhhh.  It's a brand new day.  I really can't describe what I've been feeling lately.  Truly.  I've been trying to explain it to myself and my husband for weeks now but to no avail.  It's just been strange.  Almost a lost, wandering feeling.  Not brought on by anything.  Just not resolvable.  (Am I mysterious enough for you yet?).  Unfortunately, it has also affected my blogging (if you couldn't tell).  For weeks I've just come up empty.  What do I write about?  Hmmmmmm.

This morning though I truly woke up different.  I'm ready to tackle life again!  I'm ready to try and blog again!  I'm ready to be ready for those bad days and just be grateful for a heavenly Father who sees me through.

So anyway, here I am again!  And to start out my return to blogging, I thought I would fill you in on our "new" schedule.  I know I took up much of your precious time last fall with agonizing details, but I never really finished and now that we have tweaked it to suit our needs even better, I thought I would give you at least a brief run through!  So here it goes in one fateful blow!

6:00~  Mommy wakes up, makes bed, exercises, showers, time with the Lord, gets dressed, does hair and make-up.
7:00~  Breakfast helper wakes up to get a head start on their morning routine and then helps make and set the table for breakfast.
7:15~  All girls wake up, make beds, get dressed, get hair done.
7:30~ Breakfast
8:00~ Brush teeth, morning chores
8:30~ Bible
9:00~ School
11:00~ Weekly chores
12:00~ Lunch
12:30~ After lunch pick up
1:00~ Reading time
1:45~ Naps and quiet time
3:00~ Little Keepers at Home
3:30~ Focus work
4:30~ Afternoon clean-up
5:30~ Dinner prep
6:00~ Dinner
7:00~  Dinner clean up, evening chores
8:00~  Girls bedtime
8:00 and beyond~  Mommy and Daddy time!

Make sense? Good.


Not so fast! You know I'll be filling you in on all the grimy details in the days to come.  Remember,  I'm all fired up to be back!  There's no stopping me now!

Oh! Wait!!!  The main excitement of our past week!

This beautiful little treasure is my newest niece,  Eliana Grace.  She was born to Jonathan and Laura on March 9.  Isn't she GORGEOUS!!!  I'm just gushing!

Nothing has come close to this excitement for awhile, unless maybe it was Ella's mysterious giant lip.

Nope, not even close!

Learning to be HIS wife!

I know. I know.  This is about as basic as it gets.  But it has also been a slow and painful lesson for me that I need reminded of ALL the time!  David and I married young.  Like "a month after graduating high school young".  But I had wanted to marry him for a VERY long time.  All I wanted in life was to be David King's wife.  (For some very young pics go here )

After we got married I read every marriage book I could get my hands on.  I was going to be the PRO!  I found all sorts of great ideas, things that "every" husband would like.  This was the first time I was faced with a harsh reality.  My husband was not "every" husband.  I don't think I could count the times I've poured myself into some great plan or scheme only to be left feeling unnoticed or unappreciated.  This was a wonderful place  to wallow in self pity.  Here was I was being the "best wife ever" and this man I was married to didn't even care.

I remember the first time it hit me, because I fought it tooth and nail.  Someone proposed the idea that I was supposed to be concerned about pleasing my husband.  Not the the majority of men in America.  Not the leading poll of husbands. My own husband.  But, but, but.  There where plenty of buts.  Eventually it sunk in though.  My own husband. My own amazing man that I longed to marry and serve.  What did it matter what "most men" liked?  I was called to love MY husband.

Like I said, this has been a painful lesson for me.  I've had to swallow my pride continuously.  And my self-pity even more often.  And it really has gotten easier.  When my goal as a wife is about loving the Lord by loving my husband and not about my own "perfect image", the rewards are overwhelming!

I still have to be reminded of it all the time though!  Tonight brought just another simple reminder.  Today felt like a good day to try a new recipe that sounded scrumptious.  I spent all afternoon following Pioneer Woman's Chicken and Dumpling recipe to the letter.  Pan frying the chicken,  removing it, adding it back in,  shredding it, adding it again etc.. Homemade chicken stock.  A dash of whipping cream.  It looked gooooood!  It smelled gooooood.  I thought it tasted gooooood.    

David's report.  He likes my other soup better.  You know, the one with chicken bouillon broth and packaged noodles.  Well, now I know!  No more Pioneer Woman's Chicken and Dumplings here!

Where I've Been and "The Wonder Roast'!

Where have I been?  Quite honestly, I've just been living life!  The girls and I have been rolling with school and we are all reaping the benefits of an even more modified schedule (more on that to come later!).  Life these days has just been fun.  It feels great getting things done regularly, touching areas of the house that seemed untouchable and watching my girls learning at an alarming rate.

On top of just "good old life", we had a wonderful visit from Jonathan, Laura and our sweet niece Talia last weekend.  It was spectacular.  Laura is one of my dearest friends (not to mention a fabulous sister),  David would rather spend time with Jonathan than almost anyone and of course we eat up every moment we have with Talia. 

The babies had so much fun together.  Talia is only 2 1/2 months older than Ella and they adored each other!

David and Jonathan made good use of their time and built me a fence on our front yard.

I'm so excited!!!  I have visions of flowers all over my front yard this summer.  Of course I also have visions of our resident deer moving to another state.  I'm afraid that one is as likely as the other.  I can still hope though!

Our days have felt full, mostly productive and sometimes just a little crazy.  It was on one of the crazy feeling ones that I remembered one of my favorite "so yummy I can't believe it's this easy" meals.  I call it "THE WONDER ROAST".

I learned about this roast from a Home and Garden Party rep who fully convinced me that my life would never be the same without the marvelous bean pot and the recipe for this roast.  I have to admit.  My life is pretty much the same.  That being said, I do enjoy my bean pot and I LOVE this recipe!

Now get out your pad of paper and take careful notes as I give you the ingredients for this secret recipe.

One roast.  Any kind.  Mine is usually 2-4 pounds (I think).

One can of Cream of Chicken Soup.  Actually it calls for Cream of Mushroom, but I'm a mushroom hater so I substitute all recipes with chicken.

8 oz. Coca-Cola.  The real stuff. Not diet.

And that's it.  Coke, can of soup, roast.  Mix the soup and Coke together.  It looks very yucky and doesn't smell very appetizing, but just give it  a chance!  Pour over your roast which is sitting comfortably in your bean pot or if by some random chance you haven't acquired one yet, a regular crock pot.

If you have a bean pot (or equivalent) place in the oven on 350 for 4-5 hours.  If you're using the crock pot, turn it on low all day or high for the afternoon.  Either method works the same. 

Let me tell you, this stuff is good.  I'm drooling now.  It is the tenderest roast I have ever eaten.  Cut it with a fork, chew it with ease and best of all, have it take five minutes to prepare!  Mmmmm! 

My "Pick Me Up"

You know those days that are just "off"?  Nothing is wrong.  It's just me.  And I can't seem to break free of it.  I feel myself searching for the perfect thing to make it all better.  Usually I settle for a cup of Earl Grey tea, a lavender and chamomile bath or maybe a bit of chocolate.  Most the time it doesn't really work though.

A couple of years ago I discovered something that really does work for me.  It's simple.  It's easy.  And it does much more for me than "pampering" myself ever could.  It's worship.

I'm not going to go into a deep discussion here about "what" worship "is".  I do believe worship is about living, but I also know that there is something incredibly beneficial in soaking in truths about the Lord and dwelling on them. I'm talking about old fashioned "worship music". Now, when I'm feeling "out of it" I know what I need.  My playlist is ready and waiting and it takes only a few moments for my mind to turn to what is true and noble and right and pure and lovely and admirable and excellent and praiseworthy. 

I challenge you to ready your own playlist.  Take advantage of itunes, pandora or whatever else you listen to your music on.  Spend some time listening to something that will turn your heart to the truth.  It does wonders for me!

I know that there are many different opinions, convictions and criteria for what you choose to listen to.  When it comes to worship music for me, I like a wide variety of styles.  My main criteria is, is it singing about my God (truths, not just feelings) or is it only focusing on me and how He makes me feel?  There is something irresistible about God's truths.

This is just a sampling of my playlist.  My feelings won't be hurt if you don't like my music!  Feel free to drop me some songs that encourage you.  (Oh, and just for the record, I'm really not a huge fan of watching people worship on a video.  I'm just posting these so you can listen to some words!)

King of All Glory~  New Life Worship
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af54VkOEf3I

No Other Savior~ Starfield
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdHe7KNG6JI

Great Are You Lord~ Phillips, Craig and Dean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUo58me9TK4

Beauty of the Lord~ Desperation Band
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2bEuHo1dbs

Beautiful~ Kari Jobe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3Jv1Hf2oCw

Center~ Charlie Hall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE3HKym0tRE

Savior~ New Life Worship
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wS4T1r2JMA

You are Good~  Gateway Worship
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLY8wnsEtTQ

Don't forget about about some of those amazing songs we sing all the time like Wonderful, Merciful Savior,  You are God Alone,  In Christ Alone and MANY others.  Also those beautiful hymns that are packed with truths!