Thursday, May 31, 2007

Our Schedule - to be modified as weather permits

For two days out of the week this is what I have planned for the girls while I work.

6:30 – 7:30 – Sign in and work uninterruped
7:30 – 8:00 – Make and Eat Breakfast (no work)
8:00 – 8:30 – Dora the Explorer Show
8:30 – 9:00 – Free play in play room
9:00 – 9:30 – Learing crafts and activities
10:00 – 10:30 – Little Einstein Show
10:30 – 11:00 – Outdoor play
11:00 – 11:30 – Eat lunch (no work)
11:30 – 2:00 – Nap Time
2:00 – 2:30 – Pool Time
2:30 – 3:30 - Movie (sign off at 3:30)

I tried this yesterday, and it worked. Not the pool time of course it rained, but everything else. I got alot accomplished and the girls had fun. Had to stay home yesterday, cause Eddie was working and Emma had a low-grade fever. You know how that goes. She slept late, took some Motrin, and played hard the rest of the day.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

A Shining Star

From Beth Moore:

Dearly loved one
You’ve been called by God
To shine like a star
In a dark, depraved world
Don’t blend in
Refuse the daily temptation
To be absorbed in yourself
Take interest in others
Deliberately humble yourself
And live the life of a servant
As you live in the crisis
Of “continue to”
Keep working out
What God is working in
Watch your mouth
Choose words of life
And one glorious day
You will see the face of Christ
And He will show you
Every good purpose
He fulfilled through you
And there will be delight
Even if you are despised or ignored
You are Christ’s star
Go forth and shine

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
Isaiah 60:1

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Beginning the week of June 25

My new boss has allowed be to begin working from home on the days that my husband goes to work. Which is about 2 days a week. This is good, because the girls will be home all the time, and won't have to go to daycare. Granted they were only going 6-8 days a month, but they would rather stay home, and we'd rather them stay home. Being a web developer, I'm not tied to the phones, I'm just tied to my computer, so this is a possible thing to do. I've already got a schedule written out so that, I can keep the girls entertained for periods of time. This will give me plenty of time throughout the day to complete my dev tickets. Another good thing is that my company has given me a work laptop. Everyone in our department got one. It's a cute little Dell one.

In other news...
Eddie and I decided that the girls are going to be going to public school. All along we had made the decision to send them to a Christian private school. But after the parenting conference we went to and the books that we've been reading, we changed our minds.
Basically it comes down to this. We will strive to raise strong kids, not safe kids. We will do our job at home instilling the moral and ethical principals of the Bible, so that in any situation that our kids face they will be able to stand their ground and do the right thing. I would love my kids to be in a ultra-safe enviroment, learning about the word of God, but in reality we can't shelter them from life. School will be a great mission field for my girls to share their faith with lost kids. Plus over the course of 12 years for both girls we'll save $100,000. I know plenty of kids who went to public school, who are men and women of God. Your parents did a great job. My mom did a great job. We will strive to raise our girls for true greatness.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Highlight of my weekend




I get to park my car in the garage. Yes! We finally had the time to organize the garage and get everything off the floor (ok everything except the lawnmower and wagon). The Lord allowed us to do this by keeping our girls asleep on Saturday from 1 pm - 4:30 pm. Hallelulah!

Friday, May 18, 2007

Pictures from Isabel's Birthday Party


Strike a pose


Ballerina at heart


Her first pinata


Dancing Ballerinas


Sitting Pretty


Cake my mom made

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Morning Conversations

While at home:
Isabel: Mommy, can we go get those little donuts?
Me: Oh, (looking at the clock knowing we don't have time). Daddy didn't leave me any money. We'll get some tomorrow.
Isabel: Why didn't Daddy leave you money?
Me: He forgot.

In the car:
Isabel: Mommy, do you have a card?
Me: (Card? Debit card?) Yes, I have a card.
Isabel: Does it have money?
Me: (clever little girl) Yes it does.
Isabel: Then get some out.
Me: (trying to change the subject) Guess what? I got you some pan dulce for breakfast.

Still in the car:
Isabel: Is it Sunday?
Me: No, it's Tuesday.
Isabel: Nu uh, I see the sun, so it's Sunday.
Me: Ok, (defeated)
Isabel: Then why did you say it was Tuesday?
Me: Cause it is Tuesday, but if you want to say it's Sunday, that's fine.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Blessed

In January I was looking for a dance school that Isabel could attend. I started calling around. My friend has her kids at "The Dance Workshop", and I knew I didn't want my kids going there. Too competitive. I've heard horror stories of her kids practicing 3 days a week right before the recital, and all the trophies that that's studio has won. My child is only 4, I want this to be fun. So on I went to look for the perfect studio for us.
I called "A Step in Time" which is in our city. They told me it was too late because costumes for the spring show had already been purchased.
I then called "Divine Arts" 20 minutes away. I asked if it was too late and they said no, not too late. Great I signed her up and she started in Feburary. Well in March there was talk about the recital in June. I asked the teacher if she was going to be able to perform and she said "no, because they had ordered costumes in October". Talk about a bubble being burst. I was disappointed. In April, I called the owner and addressed my concerns, I told her I understood why she couldn't perform, but that if there was any way she could, it would just make my day. She mentioned that there was a little girl who had purchased the costumes, but no longer attended. So she was going to double check, and maybe Isabel could have those costumes.
On Saturday, I got the 2 costumes. Yeah! She will be in the performance. This is so cool, cause it saved us the cost of the costumes, and the cost of the recital fee.
At least $160. Thank you God.

Happy Mother's Day

This is a late post, but nevertheless.

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there.

Single moms
Stay-at-home moms
Working moms
Moms of infants
Moms of toddlers
Moms of teenagers
Widowed moms
Teenage moms
Moms of more than 3 kids
Grandmas

You are all very special. Thank You for all the work you do.

Friday, May 11, 2007

Patience with Imperfection

Patience with imperfection
by Jon Walker

“Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.” (Ephesians 4:2b NLT)

Humorist Dave Barry says, “A perfect parent is a person with excellent child-rearing theories and no actual children.”

The same could be said of a perfect world or the perfect family. Created by God and guided by his perfect instructions, there’s only one way to mess things up: People!

The fact is, living with imperfect people requires patience. And I say this as a friend, but you are one of the imperfect people who require patience! Unfortunately, I keep learning that I’m an imperfect person too.

The Bible teaches that patience is the solution for living with someone else’s imperfections. This patience is to flow from the kindness God shows us, so we’re (not so simply) following God’s love.

Colossians 3:12-13 says: “As holy people whom God has chosen and loved, be sympathetic, kind, humble, gentle, and patient. Put up with each other, and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (GW)

The word translated “patience” also could be rendered “longsuffering.” Patience means putting up with one another when we’d rather lose our temper; it means forgiving one another when we’d rather hold a grudge.

It is love in action, for “love is patient.” (1 Corinthians 13:14a NIV)

In addition, patience muzzles our mouths, stopping the murmuring and complaining that so naturally flow from the human tongue. Paul says, “Let us stop criticizing each other. Instead, we should decide never to do anything that would make other Christians have doubts or lose their faith.” (Romans 14:13 GW).

With patience ruling the day, we become stronger through our differences and we develop a godly diversity in our relationships. We no longer require that everyone act and look and think exactly the same way.

Paul saw this as an exciting model of God’s Church: “Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do. And don't jump all over them every time they do or say something you don't agree with – even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently.” (Romans 14:1 MSG)

So what?

Patience and a critical spirit are mutually exclusive – Even when your complaints are justified, patience pushes and pulls you toward forgiving and forgetting: “A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.” (Proverbs 19:11 NIV)

You are imperfect – Living with an imperfect person requires patience. You, my friend, are an imperfect person, and there are some people who require patience to live with you! (Think about who they are and thank them today.)

Let love lead – “Most of all, let love guide your life, for then the whole church will stay together in perfect harmony.” (Colossians 3:14 LB) How open are you to other believers who don’t see things the way you do?

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Interview by a Tammara

1. What is one thing you did in high school that you really, really wish you hadn't done?

I was really good in high school. I regret hanging out at the "spot". An area where everyone parked their cars, drank beer, and smoked. Why do I regret that, because later I realized it was a church parking lot. That was totally disrespectful. And for the record, I neither smoked or drank. I found those two things disgusting.

2. You can learn to do one thing - anything - expertly in one hour (like Neo in "The Matrix"). What is it?

A writer of best-selling book on parenting. So that I could write one book sell a million copies and retire.

3. By what adjective to your children occasionally call you now that they will be grateful for you being, once they are adults?

My kids are 2 and 4 so the only thing the 4 year old has called me is mean.

4. Is there a quote or saying that you live by (intentionally or not)?

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4

5. If you could have a photo of some event that was not photographed, what would it be?

My 30th birthday party, I don't remember taking pictures.

Strawberry Quick

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/drugs/candymeth.asp

There is a very scary thing going on in the schools right now that all need to be aware of. There is a type of crystal meth going around that looks like strawberry pop rocks. It smells like strawberry also and it is being handed out to kids in school yards in AR. I'm sure it will make its way around the country if it hasn't already. Kids are ingesting this thinking that it is candy and being rushed off to the E.R. in dire condition.

Please instruct your children to not accept candy that looks like this even from a friend and to take any that they may have to a teacher, principal, etc.

Please pass this around it could save some family a lot of heartache! That is what they are calling strawberry meth or strawberry quick.

Thought you'd want to know.

Kathy Johnson, RN
School Nurse, McNeil Elementary
McKinney ISD

Happy Birthday Isabel

Isabel turns 4 today. As my little girl grows up, one of the things we want to instill in her is the act of giving back to others who aren't a fortunate as she is. Also that beauty is who you are on the inside, not merely what you look like on the outside.
Yesterday I thought about my friend Dixie who grows her hair long only to chop it off to donate it to Locks of Love.

Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. We meet a unique need for children by using donated hair to create the highest quality hair prosthetics. Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. The prostheses we provide help to restore their self-esteem and their confidence, enabling them to face the world and their peers.

I showed Isabel the website and the pictures of the kids with no hair. I told her this morning that since she got alot of presents for her birthday she needs to give a present to someone else. I talked to her about sharing and giving to others who don't have. My hope is that she will make the decision to give back.

Monday, May 07, 2007

Annual Wish List

Ok, with only 3 days to shop, here is my annual wish list.

1. iTunes Gift Card (to buy music)
2. Fry's Gift Card (to buy a pcmcia network card)
3. Amazon.com Gift Card (to buy books)
4. Starbucks Gift Card (to buy a Cinnamon Dolce Latte)
5. Visa Gift Card (to eat at any restaurant I want)

Scholastic Spring Sale



Click here to find the sale near you.

Sunday, May 06, 2007

Raising Truly Great Kids

We went to a conference on Saturday given by Tim Kimmel author of several books on parenting. It was a wonderful conference and we were able to acquire several resources that we will be reading over the next couple of weeks. I will be blogging about the things that I will be learning as I read and also I'll blog about the things I learned this weekend.

To begin on Raising Truly Great Kids

"The biggest part of our job as parents has to do with our influence on our children's hearts. The tool that God offers us that empowers us to connect to our children's hearts is God's wonderful gift of grace."

During the next couple of days I will give you guys an overview.

Think of a house.

Roof Aim them at True Greatness (rather than success)
Second Floor Build Character into their hearts
First Floor Create and Maintain a daily atmosphere of Grace
Foundation Focus on meeting their inner needs

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Ways to Maintain A Healthy Level Of Insanity

1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and
point a Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.

2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice.

3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, Ask If They Want
Fries with that.

4. Put Your Garbage Can On Your Desk And Label It "In."

5. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks .. Once Everyone has
Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso.

6. In The Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write " For Smuggling Diamonds"

7. Finish All Your sentences with "In Accordance With The Prophecy."

8. Don't use any punctuation

9. As Often As Possible, Skip Rather Than Walk.

10. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.

11. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is "To Go."

12. Sing Along At The Opera.

13. Go To A Poetry Recital And Ask Why The Poems Don't Rhyme?

14. Put Mosquito Netting Around Your Work Area And Play tropical
Sounds All Day.

15 Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their
Party Because You're Not In The Mood.

16. Have Your Co-workers Address You By Your Wrestling Name, Rock Bottom.

17. When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream "I Won!, I Won!"

18. When Leaving The Zoo, Start Running Towards The Parking lot,
Yelling "Run For Your Lives, They're Loose!!"

19. Tell Your Children Over Dinner. "Due To The Economy, We Are
Going To Have To Let One Of You Go."

20. And The Final Way To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity.......

Send This To Someone To Make Them Smile.

Its Called ..... therapy!

Happy Feet

Last night I downloaded the soundtrack from Happy Feet to my ipod. The girls love it. I love it. This is one of my favorite parts of the movie. Brittany Murphy does an awesome job at singing as Gloria and Robin Williams does an awesome job at playing Ramon and Lovelace. He is the one who sings "My Way". I love that song...
Anyways if you haven't seen this movie enjoy this clip.

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Microchips for your pets $20

Microchip Clinic
All 3 SPCA Clinics

You and your beloved pets are invited to join the SPCA of Texas on May 12, 2007 as we microchip furry family members for the discounted price of $20 at the Dallas, McKinney and Village Fair clinics by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, call 214.742.SPCA (7722).


Dogs and cats should be microchipped and tagged to make sure they can be reunited with their human companions should they become lost. Micro-chipping is a quick, non-surgical process which involves injecting a sterile microchip—about the size of a rice grain—between a pet’s shoulder blades. Each chip has an unalterable ID code that enables animal shelters to locate owners should pets become lost.

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2007
Time: 7:30 AM - 3:00 PM


This event does not require an RSVP. Registered users can request event reminders.
SPCA