Weekend Recap

On Friday I was able to get off work at noon since I already had my 40 hours for the week in. (Due to a trip to Roosevelt, MN which means 8 hours of driving--if you only stop for about 10 minutes each way on the trip.)

I got home and we took the kids ice skating. We ate supper and then began marathon Castle Risk. I am happy to say that I was the winner. Hubby was the first to fall (to "Z" on advice from another shrewd player.) Then I took out "Z" then "T" then "E". "K" was smart enough to have joined the winning team from the beginning. :o) The kids played really well and are beginning to learn strategy. A lot of the game is in the way the dice fall.

On Saturday, we took the kids skiing. Let me preface this with the facts that none of the kids had ever been skiing and I have only gone skiing once in my life when I was 16! Mike has gone skiing about 6 times. The kids did really well. It took some extra work with a couple of them. I skied for about 2 1/2 hours, then put my boots back on and was able to work with "K" better and she really took off. We were at the hill for 6 hours. "E" and "Z" went up the ski lift with Mike and came down the big hill to my complete terror. They both fell rather hard, but don't seem to have any injuries! The kids are wanting to go back again soon. If not this year, we will probably get a family pass next year for Christmas for every one.

It was a truly beautiful day weather wise. Blue sky and about 34 degrees. There was one kid snowboarding in shorts and a long sleeved shirt!!! There was also a bald eagle that kept flying over the ski hill!

Weekend Recap

We had a nice weekend. On Friday, my furniture arrived. The furniture store had told me it would arrive at between 9am and noon. It arrived promptly at 9am and was set up by 9:30. I was then able to get the room set up and all the clothes put away before going to work at noon. :o)

Friday night, I got most of the food ready for Saturday and started getting the house in order. Fixing the food led to a great "Z" quote. I was making chocolate cookies and put chocolate chips in half and peanut butter chips in half. "Z" asked me why I was making two kinds, I said, "Some people don't like peanut butter chips." "Z" replied, "Teenagers aren't people, they're just scary." (Apparently there are a couple of teens that tend to pick on him a bit, so he finds them a little scary.)

Saturday, we went snow tubing. NO injuries. The teens had a nice time and then came over for refreshments and Pastor Steve had a message on Salvation.

On Saturday night, we introduced the kids to Castle Risk, which is similar to regular Risk, only you don't have to conquer the whole world, just capture the other people's castles so the game is shorter. They enjoyed it. We are going to play again this weekend.

Think on These Things Thursday

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and to end up feeling stressed. Instead, we need to Be still and remember who is in control. If we are stressed we have either taken on too much and/or are not relying on His wisdom and guidance. Be still and pray!

Weekend Recap

This weekend was spent switching rooms with the girls. I never cease to be amazed at all the stuff and JUNK that can be acculmulated. We have about 7 garbage bags of garbage and 8 bags of stuff to be given away. All I have left to do for the switch is curtains and changing the stuff on the walls around. The rest of my house ended up being rather neglected, though. Not to mention there is a headboard and bunch of bags of stuff to give away in my living room!

This will be a busy week. Blue/gold banquet for Cub Scouts. "T" becomes a Boy Scout tonight. Tomorrow night is Ladies' Meeting at Church. Wednesday night--Church. Thursday--get groceries for people coming over on Saturday. Friday--new bedroom set arrives--get food ready/clean. Saturday AM--get food ready/clean/snow tubing in afternoon/people come over after for refreshments. I think I should be able to stay busy enough to stay out of trouble. :o)

New Bedroom Set

We bought a bedroom set last night. We had been looking and ready to buy back in October and then the car died in the furniture parking lot and the money to spend on the bedroom furniture went into the steering column of my car.

My favorite part of the whole buying process was when the saleman was trying to get us to buy a warranty and he basically told us we were buying the cheapest thing in the store by hinting that something could go wrong because "You know that set isn't top of the line."

Gotta love salesmen.

So, off to clean my room and get ready to switch rooms with the girls. They are quite excited to get our blue bedroom since theirs is a rather boring white. Hopefully nothing in the girls room will attack us. It is looking rather scary in there. I had no idea how much stuff can "fall" behind a dresser!!!

Just a quick thought

Psalm37:1-6

1. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

Sometimes it seems like people who have very little thought for others are the most prosperous. They make all the money while "good" people aren't as prosperous. These verses remind us that God takes care of them in the end. If we trust in Him and realize that He is in control, He will take care of the rest. :o)

Think On These Things Thursday

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Philippians 2:3--Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

It is so easy to get caught up in ourselves and to forget about this verse. Really, we are nothing special. And we are certainly not more important than those around us. Sometimes we can get caught up in what is "their" responsibility and spend more time fussing and getting annoyed than the time it would take to just pick up the socks, take out the trash, etc.

If we get caught up in the trap of thinking we are better than someone else, so we should be treated special, we should think of the God of Heaven who came to earth to be born in a manger and basically live a poor man's life and THEN died a criminal's death for us. Jesus was certainly better than each of us, yet He humbled Himself to save a bunch of sinners--sinners who seldom do as He asks or appreciate His sacrifice!

If we would remember that we are not better than others AND in humility put others first, think of all the fighting, annoyance and hurt feelings we would avoid. We also just might have a great testimony for Christ as others see the difference in our life.

A very silly dog

The family my sister is a nanny for sent a Duke ornament. Here is his response.

For those of you who are friends with me on facebook, I will post another video with "Z" in it. I don't want to post it here since I don't put pictures of my kids on my blog.

Kitchen Tip Tuesday

Easy egg chopping

I'm not sure where I read this, but it works great. If you need to chop boiled eggs for salad, put them in a round dish and use a pastry cutter to chop them up. SO quick and easy, wonder why I used a knife for all those years!!!

For more great kitchen tips visit: http://www.tammysrecipes.com/node/3751#comments

Trip to the cities

We got to go on an unexpected trip to the twin cities area. My husband "got to" donate some more time to his company by working today. The rest of us got to tag along. We go to the hotel around 6 pm last night and the we swam for an hour--I sat in the hot tub--the pool was not warm enough for me. This morning hubby went to work and after a hotel breakfast in which the kids got to make waffles and cover them with:
"T"--syrup, chocolate chips and cool whip
"K"--chocolate chips, syrup and cool whip
"Z"--strawberries, syrup, cool whip, chocolate chips and coolwhip
"E"--syrup, stawberries, coolwhip

The kids then swam and played hard in the pool for 3 hours--I had prunes instead of kids. They were able to play with a couple of other kids who were there.

We then had lunch at Chili's. The kids now want to know every place that has a Chili's they were so impressed. (Mainly by the endless chips and salsa.)

We are now back home and the grocery list is calling.

Think on These Things Thursday

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

I Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

On my travels this week, I listened to sermons. Most of them were about Baptist Heritage and were really interesting and eye opening. One was on prayer. Isn't it amazing how prayer is really such a simple thing, talking to God. Yet it is easy to neglect. The pastor went through a list of things we often do that we could replace with prayer.

Here are a few:

1. Worry--instead, pray about the situation
2. Frustration--pray about the situation or for the person who is frustrating you.
3. Gossip--pray for the person instead of gossiping.
4. Discouragement--pray about the situation.
5. Anger at/Dislike of others--pray for the person.
6. Conflict with authority--pray that God will change your heart or their heart.
7. Unable to sleep--pray
8. Difficult time making a decision--pray about it
9. Temptation--pray God will show you a way of deliverance!

Work has been difficult at times lately, so I am making it a point to pray for each person in our company every day, at least once. Now that I say that, though I realized I forgot our owner--will need to add him. It was amazing how much better today was--much less frustrating.

Isn't it so simple! Bring our difficulties to God instead of trying to handle things ourselves--what a concept! I am also praying that God will remind me to pray!

One other thought--If we are getting frustrated or worrying, it is because we are trying to handle things ourselves instead of trusting God--the all-knowing, all-powerful One who has promised to take care of us!!! How silly! Now to remember this all the time!!!

I'm back

I was off to the far reaches of Minnesota. Put over 600 miles on a rental car since Monday. Had a nice time visiting my coworkers. Nice to get back home, though.