What do you do when you have a flat tire?

Since I'm still trying to determine what kind of camera we are going to buy, there's not been many pics on the blog. So, I'm going through the library to find some that have been overlooked. This past year on a trip home from my parents we did have a flat tire. The kids found lots of things to do while waiting for Daddy to change the tire.

Elijah sees a...

This week Elijah and I were in the car driving out of our neighborhood when we saw a deer running by a patch of woods. He was so excited and wanted to tell his daddy about it. A few days later our whole family was in the car driving when I remembered the deer. Here's the conversation.

Mommy - "Elijah, tell your daddy what you saw this week"

(As I was looking at him...at first it didn't register, but then he remembered and his eyes lit up).

Elijah - "I saw a (crescendo-ing excitement)....A....A....KANGAROO.

(The whole family laughed a lot and I mean a lot)

Daddy (while laughing)- "Really"

Elijah (Not laughing, deadpan serious) - "Yeah, it was so cool".

For those of you who didn't know...we moved to Australia!!

Pancake Syrup

Yesterday we were having pancakes for breakfast. Whoops...we were out of syrup. So, I thought I'd do a little research and find out if I could make syrup from scratch with ingredients I had in the house. Sure enough I found a recipe and it turned out great. The only problem was it was a little messy getting it into my old pancake bottle. So, if you are ever out of syrup, give this a try.

Also, we were out of milk so we used Buttermilk (you may be wondering why on earth we have Buttermilk....David made homemade Buttermilk biscuits a couple of weeks ago) in our pankcakes. Good stuff!!

Primary Source

Here's the primary source website I found recently.

Rain

Rain, rain go away come again another day...for many that was probably the saying yesterday here in Rainville. For me I relished the rain. It was wonderful!!! I sat on the back porch in the morning snuggled under a comforter and read. And, then moved to my comfy chair in my bedroom so I could still hear the rain.

I read all day long and felt much like a bear in hibernation. I did nothing, but sit and read. And I'm serious. I mean nothing!!! There were a million things I could have done, but instead I chose to sit and soak and rest and read.

I read my BSF notes, Psalm 33, a chapter from The Green Letters, A chapter from the Light and the Glory, A History of US Book 2 (yes, the whole entire book covering the time from 1600-1740), pages from George Muller's autobiography. And then, I found a great resource of primary source documents on the internet and read from Foxe's Book of Matyr's, The Mayflower Compact, Last Will and Testaments from Settler's in Plymouth, The Westminster Catechism, and even transcripts from the Salem Witch Trials.

Rain refreshes the earth.
Rest refreshes my soul.
Reading refreshes my mind.

Smith Story Time

"Far, far away, where the trees were greener than the prettiest green and the sky was bluer than the brightest blue, there was a place called Happy Valley. In Happy Valley the brooks babbled, the birds sang, and everyone smiled all day long. The farmers whistled and hummed as they did their chores. Children sang as they skipped to school. In Happy Valley every day was a happy day."

PLEASE GIVE ME A GREAT BIG BREAK!! Last night Noah picked out a book and this was the first page. I seriously wanted to toss my cookies. But I refrained and read the book and sent my little one off to bed to dream of Happy Valley with a vow to throw this book in the trash after blogging about it.

Why do I react to Happy Valley so vehemenently? I think it's because in the past ten years in particular I've learned that life is not always so happy. People do not get what they want when they want it and everything does not turn out hunky dory.

Life is often hard. Dreams die. Loved ones die. Marriage is not on the horizon. The barren couple weeps. Sickness comes crashing in when we least expect it. People disappoint us. Money doesn't grow on trees, it flies like the wind. Our dream home needs a new roof. The children we long for go off the deep end when they grow up. You get the picture.

Our deepest longings are often unfulfilled. Happy Valley is an illusion. It's a lie. What is the truth?

The truth is Jesus came that we might have life to the full. Not once do I read that He came that we would be happy. His life resulted in death on a cross. And yet, He didn't stay dead, He came back to life. His call on my life is to deny myself, take up my cross and follow Him.

Today one of my dearest friends is dealing with the disappointment of not receiving what she longed for and my heart hurts for her. For many months she and her husband have been involved in the adoption process for twins. They've been loving on them, investing in them and yet they are at home again in waiting mode without them. Unfortunately she is 6,000 miles away and I can not be with her.

She's definitely not in Happy Valley right now, but I know her. Regardless of how she feels, she is trusting God. Why? Because He is God. Because He is good. Because He is Powerful. Because He works all things for the good for those who love him and are called according to His purpose. Because with Him nothing is impossible.

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

Investments

Recently David and I went to Ashville, NC. We had the opportunity to attend a conference at the Billy Graham Training Center. It is a beautiful location that provides a wonderful atmosphere for refreshment through the word of God. I highly recommend it!!! (And they have scholarships if you are military.)

We also went to visit the Biltmore Estate. It is also a beautiful location. The house is mammoth. David and I walked around for hours, listening to the audio tour. I had two favorite places...the veranda, the view was breathtaking. And, the library....I really wanted to sit and read the books. But, alas, everything at the Biltmore is off-limits. It's a museum and everything is priceless. (And, I might add the cost of touring the facility is PRICEY).

While I get that it's a museum, in my soul I was saddened. Thousands of books will never be read. Thousands of sunrises and sunsets will never be viewed. It seems like a waste really.

As I dealt with these emotions, I began to think about the investments of these two men. The man who built the Biltmore and the man who built his life around sharing the good news that Jesus brings. What are the returns on their investments? What are the results of how they spent their time? How were people's lives affected?

What investments am I making in the future? What kind of legacy will I leave? How am I spending my time? Weighty questions, let me just say!!!

AAAHHHH!!!

Yesterday Little E, who's three, got sick on the way to school. We promptly turned around and came home. I set him up on the couch with waterproof tablecloths all around him. And of course we put the handy, dandy bucket beside him for his puking pleasure.

He never used the bucket, but let me tell you that waterproof tablecloth he was laying on was a cinch to clean...actually he would clean it himself (pretty nice since by this time I was joining in on the sickness venture).

This am my husband went to wake up our six-year old for school and smelled the dreaded smell. I'm glad I was still in bed, let me just tell you that. So now, our six year old is laying on the waterproof tablecloth.

Well, he just got sick and I'm so proud...he used the bucket. But my favorite thing was when his little brother said. "Oh, so that's how you are supposed to do it!!!!" Education at it's finest.

I'm off to do some serious cleaning!!

Crazy at the Cove

David and I went to a conference at the Cove in Ashville, NC last week. It was spiritually renewing and I will talk about that later, but I wanted to share some of the quirkiness of our trip (in no particular order).

• We ran into a former college student from our Ohio days. He's married now with one child and one on the way.
• I met a man from Memphis who looked vaguely familiar. Turns out he was the judge when I went to try and wiggle out of my speeding ticket. OUCH!!
• It rained and rained and rained!!!
• The rain kind of blocked out the view of the mountains...what mountains?
• When you go to the bathroom in an outhouse at the top of a mountain, it's kind of breezy.
• We ate and ate and ate.
• We opted to stay at a Bed and Breakfast since we knew the Cove didn't have TV's, after all it was vacation. Guess what...the B&B didn't have TV's either. Guess what else...a TV free week was nice.
• The Blue Ridge Parkway is a beautiful drive.
• The Blue Ridge Parkway is a spooky drive when the clouds are swirling around you.
• The Blue Ridge Parkway is not the quickest way to get to Memphis from Ashville.
• Traveling without kids is so much easier!!! (Although I did miss them!!)
• Driving a Hummer really does feel like you are driving in a tank.
• Driving a Hummer makes you feel way cooler than driving a grocery getter (minivan).
• It was great to go, BUT it was even more great to come home to our sweet family.

Where have I been?

It wasn't my intention to take such an extended blogger break. But, the time away from the computer was well spent. We've been up to a few things around here.

First, my house needed some significant de-cluttering. Usually I spend all my time in other areas of our home and the master bedroom seems to become the dumping ground. My nice, walk-in closet is dubbed "The Pit" and you certainly couldn't walk in it. Now, it's organized...well for me it's organized. I can actually step foot in it.

Second, my husband and I had the opportunity to go away for a few days. We went to a conference at "The Cove". It was great. I'll post more about that later. I will say that spending time with my hubby was wonderful. And, thanks to my aunt who made it all possible by caring for my four kids while we were gone!!!

Finally, I'm reading a book called "Making Room for Life" by Randy Fraze. Well, first I read Ted Dekker's book "Adam". I digress. This book by Randy Fraze is making me think.

The Smith's are in a BUSY season of life. Sometimes I miss the good ole' days. When we lived in Ohio and we hung out with friends all the time. When we only had two kids and we weren't outnumbered 2 to 1. When it was just the two of us and we....I'll refrain. You get the picture.

The fact of the matter is I want to enjoy the moment. Today is a new day. This season in life is unique and once it is gone, I will not be able to recapture it. Period. So, I'm thinking and pondering.

What is important in life? I can certainly give the textbook answer to that question....God, family, friends...people. But, can I live out the answer? Does my life reflect a full-on commitment to pursue relationships?

Smith Family Bailout

With the state of economy and the rising cost of EVERYTHING, our family is in evaluation mode. It would be easy to be fearful right now. News articles seem to be screaming that we are heading into the next Great Depression. While I am no financial analyst, it does seem that our country operates in excess mode. We want what we want and we want it now. Cost seems unimportant.

If I am honest, unfortunately I've operated in that same mode and have taught my children to do the same. So, while I can't change the world or the country, I can change myself and greatly influence my family. That is why my family is taking stock financially. We're taking baby steps.

This week we evaluated what we spend on beverages. Well, I determined that we spend an average of $130 a month on drinks and that does not count if we go out to eat or pick up a drink at a gas station. For crying out loud. That's $1,500 a year. Surely we can do better than that!! So, the Smith Family budget cut #1 is that we will reduce our beverage budget to $50 a month. Milk gets first priority...we do have some growing kids. Then, tea, coffee and juice (in that order). Anything else is considered a splurge.

Our second cut is piano lessons. Both of our girls are taking piano and while they love it and are progressing well, that's $120 a month. Yes, piano is important, but it is a luxury. So, we've gone to the drawing board. We've worked with their teacher and have come up with a plan to have the girls take piano every other week. They still have to do two weeks worth of work so hopefully it won't slow down their progress. That's a $60 a month savings.

So in one brainstorming session we've cut $140 from our budget for October.

Let me conclude by sharing my Hannah inspirations. First, our daughter Hannah gave up drinking carbonated beverages a year ago. Granted we're paying her $10 a month to do so based on a good case she made . She said she would be saving money. She's decided to continue to abstain until her braces come off. Talk about will power.

My other Hannah inspiration is my mother-in law. She is very frugal and lives simply. When I'm with her I'm amazed at how careful she is with her resources. I could certainly learn some lessons from her.

Some of my favorite frugal websites are:

http://www.moneysavingmom.com/
http://www.owlhaven.net

Who knew?

Here's a pic of our dear little boy Noah when he was four. Isn't he cute? Isn't he sweet? Doesn't he look innocent?

Well, this week he came home from school with a poor conduct grade. As we dug deep to determine the reason, we found out "he had shown his backside to some boys in the classroom".

That's a nice way to say that the moon was shining brightly at school. At least it was only a partial moon, not a full moon.

I mean seriously these boys are causing me to question my sanity. Yes, we spoke with him about the inappropriateness of this. However, I realize this just paves the way for some other boyishness.

Thoughts from a 3 year old.

Yesterday after Bible study I picked up my three year old. I usually ask him what he learned. He usually says "Nothing". Well, let's just say he was a bit more talkative this time.

Here's the conversation on the way to the car:

Mom - "What did you learn about baby Moses today?"

Elijah - "The bad guys put the babies in the river to take a bath because they didn't have a bathroom in their house".

And then in the car driving home:

Elijah - "Mom, is darn it a bad word?"

Mom - "Yes"

Elijah - "Is jumping a bad word?"

Mom - "No. Where did you hear darn it?

Elijah - "Bible Study"

He really makes me laugh.

He can however recite the verse "Direct my footsteps according to your word" for which I'm grateful.

Smith's

Here's the latest family pic from the beach this summer.

Dream Big!!

This morning our daughter who has a hairline fracture and is not able to play soccer shared the following dream she had last night.

"Mom, I dreamed last night that I was playing in the World Cup. And, I was my age. And, my whole team was playing with me. And, I scored 15 goals. And, we beat Italy and won the World Cup".

"Oh, and I dreamed that I met the Jonas Brothers."

"Oh yeah, and I dreamed that I became a star on Disney Channel."

Poor girl!! All her energy is oozing out in her dreams. We'll find out today how her leg is healing. She's handling this like a trooper.

Delighting in the Unexpected

Yesterday was a day I had been somewhat dreading. It was going to be a day full of activity from morning until night with no breaks. A day when I needed a detailed plan to determine where to be and what to do.

My day started early!! It was planned to the minute. Then, at 6:30 a.m. the phone ring. Who in the world calls at 6:30 am? It was my neighbor asking me to do his family a favor. It was serious enough that I took 30 minutes from my day to help my neighbor. It did not stress me out at all, even though it was not in "my plan for the day".

Before I left for work I was reading from a book entitled "Keep a Quiet Heart" by Elisabeth Elliot and this excerpt just seemed to scream at me, with my to the minute plan for the day. "She delighted in seeing her plan upset by unexpected events, saying that it gave her great comfort, and that she looked on such things as an assurance that God was watching over her stewardship, was securing the accomplishment of His will and working out His own designs"

Delighting in the interruptions...what a concept.

Unfortunately the experience of the morning and the success I experienced at delighting in the unexpected early in the day flew right on out the window in the afternoon hours. I won't go into details, but it was not pretty. It involved a missing purple sock that was the part of the soccer uniform....minutes before we needed to leave to take soccer pics.

And no, the sock never was found. What I did find was intense frustration and agitation in my heart that spewed all over my daughter and everyone else in the house. I can't say I delighted in the unexpected. I can say God used the pressure of the situation to reveal what was in my heart.

Today is a fresh start. Thank God!!

I took the plunge

This weekend my husband set me up a facebook account. He recently spoke with his college roomate and I commented on how I really needed to get on facebook. So, he hooked my up. Now, I have a few friends and I'm still trying to figure it all out.

The plus side is I've become friends with people I haven't seen in years. My favorite comment was a friend from college who said I haven't changed much. Little does she know I used a college photo (just kidding, it's a recent photo). The truth is I have changed so much not only in physical appearance, but also on the inside. And, I have a mortgage, four kids, a cat, a husband, a to do list a mile long. Talk about life change!!!

The down side is.....wow how much time could facebook consume of my life. Hubby made a great suggestion to set a timer when I use facebook. Technology is great and yes I love my DVR, my computer, et al, but I have observed that it does eat up my time if I'm not careful.

So here are my questions for the day....what's so great about facebook? Does it eliminate the need for e-mail? How in the world did "my new friends" find me on facebook within hours? Isn't it all a bit frightening? I would love to hear your raves and digs about facebook. And, any pointers would be greatly appreciated by this newbie.

Two Steps Forward Three Steps Back

You know it has just been one of those days. It seems like when I make progress in one area, something else falls apart. This morning went well, I made some progress on the wreckage of my house. I went to Kroger and found some deals!!! My favorite were the bags of chocolate for .75!!!!!

My day got ahead of me and I had to rush to get to my "appointment" to meet some friends at Starbucks. Let me just say that I LOVE that time of the week. It's a regular time to just get together with a few women and talk about life and God. It's a time to relax for a bit and breathe.

I had to rush out of the meeting and pick up my kids at school (crutch girl can't ride the bus). When I got home it seemed like a tornado was brewing in my dining room. My oldest daughter and her friend were finishing their time capsule project highlighting different Native Americans. They were working hard trying to finish on time.

The ultimate moment that I truly haven't figured out how to deal with yet and I'm procrastinating by writing this blog entry is this...I went to put a load of clothes in the dryer. When I reached in, my hand felt cold, slimy, little pellets of yuk everywhere. It took me a moment to figure out what it was.

I washed a pull-up with a load of clothes. So, it's Friday evening and I have to figure out how to get pull-up guts out of my washing machine. SIGH!! However, in all things I will thank God.

I'm thankful that I have a washing machine
I'm thankful to have electricity.
I'm thankful for pull-ups
I'm thankful for a beautiful day

I'm praying for those on the coast who are waiting for the storm.

Love/Hate Relationship

I have a confession to make....I hate moon sand. Last Christmas some dear soul (either my mother or my aunt) gave my children moon sand. "Moon sand, moon sand, sand that you can mold." It was supposed to NOT be messy and more fun than play dough. Bonk, I say!!! It is the messiest and I mean messiest concoction on the planet. In the past year my children have played with it three times max and usually when I am rendered unconcious because of some illness.

Now, I have another confession to make.....I love moon sand. This past week we realized that moon sand played outside works pretty well. It's still pretty messy, but at least it is outside and not tracked all over my house. My kids played with it and many of the neighborhood kids played with it. At one point I believe there were ten children surrounding this small table playing happily with moon sand. The funny thing is we have a ginormous sand box just a few steps from our porch that was completely ignored.

What made the love relationship with moon sand more secure is that my three year old spent an hour outside on the back porch with his sister this past Monday morning. Quiet in my house, what bliss. So, I've declared "Moon Sand Mondays" for one hour each week. It's only coming out once a week people...maybe I'll bring it out as a treat on the weekends if I'm feeling generous.

The morale of this story.....what we hate might just become what we love.

Good News/Bad News

Yesterday was just one of those days.

The good news is our oldest daughter does not have any bone damage in her wrist that was stepped on during a soccer game.
The bad news is our youngest daughter has a hairline fracture above her knee and is unable to play soccer right now.

The good news is our oldest son scored his first ever soccer goal (his smile lit up the field)
The bad news is our youngest son had to be sent to the principal's office (he's only three... did I mention my hair is gray)

The good news is I got a ton of Kashi products at Target. With my gift cards I earned we were able to get a couple of things we needed for our house for virtually FREE.
the bad news is my house fell apart yesterday and I've got some serious cleaning to do. (How does that happen in one day?)

The good news is "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose"

The mind of a six year old

Last night I was making dinner and I happened to overhear this conversation between my six year old son and my husband. "Dad, when can I date?" My husband had difficulty formulating a response to this question. Finally he asked our son if he knew what a date was and his response was, "Well, yeah, me and a girl go to a restaurant and I pay."

After a bit he concluded that he should probably wait until he is sixteen. My husband agreed that was probably a good idea.

Did I mention that my hair is completely gray?

The mind of a three year old

Today Little E and I were reading the book, "Harold and the Purple Crayon". It's his new favorite book. We read it often and I mean often. This afternoon I was reading about Harold who decides to take a midnight walk with his purple crayon and draws many fun things. At the end of the book Harold draws his bed and gets into bed. At the end of the book Elijah asked "Where are his mommy and daddy and when are they going to come in, get mad at him and tell him to get in bed."

Very perceptive...not that we had ever "get mad at him" and tell him to go to bed. He never gets out of bed once we've tucked him into bed. Actually, I am concerned that Little E might decide to go for a midnight walk one night with a purple crayon, hence the twelve dead bolts we're planning to install!!

Seriously, if you have a preschooler, I highly recommend this book. It's creative and imaginative!!

Heart!!

Last night Clara's team played their first game of the official soccer season. A couple of weeks ago, Clara was selected by her team mates to be captain along with another young lady. Both of the captains were injured and unable to play last night. Plus, the captain from last year was also injured. Yes, three girls were injured and unable to play. AAHHH!!!

That left ten girls to play the entire one hour game (two subs). They were down 1-0 most of the game and came back in the final few minutes to tie the game. A moment of euphoria. Unfortunately, the other team scored with a couple of minutes to spare and they ended up losing.

It's one of those games where even though it was a loss, I believe it was a victory. EVERY SINGLE girl worked hard and poured themselves into the game. They worked together as a team. They passed the ball. They took shots at the goal. Most of the game was spent on the opponents side of the field.

We were proud of the girls and their victory in spite of the defeat!!!

It's been a long week!!

I will spare the details, but let's just say I've spent the week getting well acquainted with my bathroom. The result has been an intense desire to simply hang out and relax. It really is amazing how many habits fly out the window when I don't feel well. No blogging, no time alone with God, no exercise, no hanging out with friends, no cleaning my kitchen, no cooking (so how on earth did my kitchen get so dirty). Oh yeah I have five other people in my home.

Even though it has seemed like an eternal week and my accomplishments are tiny. My laundry piles has reduced. My kitchen counters can finally be seen. I have spent a great deal of time this week hanging out with my youngest. So much so that yesterday I really felt like he might seriously be physically attached to me. He's growing up so fast that I for the most part enjoyed the attachement.

So, my question this morning is should I eat or make a cup of coffee? Or should I just drink water?

Random

Yesterday we were sitting at the soccer game. It's almost the end of the game and our team was down 1-0. We were all realy focused on the game. If the girls either tied or won, then we would be first in our bracket.

At that moment, my oldest son loudly asked the question, "How are movies made?" Everyone just looked at him incedulously and waited to hear my answer. Then before I had a chance to formulate a coherent thought, he asked "How are channels made?" I really don't know where these questions came from. Maybe he thought it seemed like a movie at that moment.

In the movies our team would have shot and scored in the final seconds. Life is not a movie. We lost 1-0.

On Hold

Our blog renovation is on hold for a few days. This week has turned out to be CRAZY. It was the first week of the new semester at the school where I work and I worked a few extra hours.

Plus, it's soccer tournament weekend. Seriously, I'm getting OLD. Yesterday I sat on my tush and watched my daughter play two games of soccer (and watched my son practice soccer..that was entertaining). This morning I'm sore and tired and really just want to go to bed.

Clara busted her tail and worked really hard even though she is fighting an ankle injury and she's been hacking up a lung for the last few days. Hopefully she will wake up refreshed and ready to go for her game(s) today. I'm realizing she is an all or nothing kind of gal. Nothing by half measure. I wonder where she gets that?

Never in my wildest dreams did I think our life would be so full of soccer. My children seem to love it. It is becoming a large part of our life. What I am so thankful for are the families on Clara's team.

We've been together for two years now and are building strong friendships. Each family is special and unique and we are enjoying getting to know them. I realize that it takes time and intentionality to build friendships. It takes effort.

The whole concept of friendship is on my mind because I got a phone call from a dear friend last night. We were neighbors for a season and then she went and moved someplace exotic and we've lost touch. It was great to talk with her and hear about her life today.

We all need people in our lives. We need to know and be known. We need to know that someone cares. So, no matter where we are in life, what season we are in, we need to make the effort to be a friend.

The Power of Advertising!!

Elijah was watching some TV this morning. He just came to me and said "Next time am I going to have light up Sketchers?".

New Look

It's time to give Chateau Smith a facelift. She's looking pretty tired these days. It will just be a little tuck here and there, nothing too major. One of the areas that I want to update is the blogs I read. It would be helpful to me if you could post a comment with your blog name so my "blog administrator" aka my husband can easily make the adjustments.

Thanks!!! I love the blog world. It makes me smile every day to read blogs. I love seeing pics. I love keeping up with the lives of friends far away. Maybe one day I'll get a facebook account.

Fresh Peach Pie

This is my FAVORITE peach pie recipe. We usually only have it during the summer when we pick fresh peaches. It's so YUMMY and EASY. This comes from the Southern Living Annual Recipes Cookbook.

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 TBL brandy (don't usually have this, use vanilla)
1 baked 9 " pie shell]
6 large fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
3 TBL lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
3 TBP powdered sugar
1 TSP vanilla extract

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar and brandy (or vanilla), beating well. Spread in bottom of baked pastry shell; chill.

Combine peaches, lemon juice and 1/4 cup of sugar, cover and chill.

Beat whipping cream at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy adding 3 TBL powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until soft peaks form. Cover and chill. (I suppose you could use the canned stuff if you're in a pinch for time)

Drain peaches; arrange over butter mixture in pie shell. Dollop whipped cream mixture over peaches; SERVE IMMEDIATELY.

Morning Ramblings

Here's my thoughts that I don't have the energy to collect this am.

• It is possible to have too much of a good thing.
• 100 pounds of peaches is almost, (but not quite) too much of a good thing.
• 5:30 is too early in the morning.
• Coffee is a cherished gift.
• Is it really only Tuesday?
• Why are there so many barbecue places in Memphis?
• This winter I'm going to LOVE making peach cobbler!!!
• My friend's daughter asked me if I was decorating my house with peaches
• I'm not sure where she got that idea.
• Could be that EVERY surface in my house was covered with peaches.
• My husband loves his job!!!!
• I love my husband!!!!
• He's making breakfast as we speak.
• I love my job(s).
• I love my children and think they are incredible.
• Yes, I'm stalling and now I'm off to get ready for the day

Peach Pics

This morning we took a field trip to the orchard with two other homeschool families. The kids enjoyed their time. I love the pics of the girls hanging out in the trees. I'm sure they are discussing their school lessons for the week.

'nuff said...

The Individual

Educating my oldest daughter at home is a challenge and a joy. The unexpected surprise is how much I enjoy reading the books she is reading. It sharpens my mind and I'm learning so much in the process. Yesterday I read a biography of Mother Teresa.

To say I thoroughly enjoyed it would be an understatement. Here's a quote by Mother Teresa that I love and that I pray will impact my life.

"I believe in person-to-person; every person is Christ for me, and since there is only one Jesus, that person is the only person in the world for me at that time."

How many times am I talking to someone, but thinking about something else? What would happen in my home, my world if I adopted this philosophy?

Peaches

This past year our youngest began to show signs of the same finicky eating that his older brother displayed. I was committed to avoid making the same mistake twice. Keep in mind I have two girls who eat great, so I'm not a complete failure as a parent.

Well several months ago I decided to draw the line in the sand with my youngest. Over the years I've heard many people recommend that if a child doesn't eat dinner you hold it over to breakfast and so on until they eat. While I had never tried it, I thought okay, I'll give it a shot.

Enter the infamous peaches. My youngest was given some peaches with his dinner. He decided NOT to eat the peaches. I firmly explained he couldn't have anything to eat until he ate his peaches (After all he'd eaten peaches before, so I knew it wasn't a matter of dislike). I put the peaches in the fridge and told him he could eat them for breakfast.

At breakfast, no can do, he would not eat the peaches. Again, line is drawn in the sand. I got firmer and said he had to stay in his room until he ate the peaches. I'll make a long, painful story short and say my willful young man spent the day in his room coming out periodically to look stubbornly at the peaches.

We were at war. Neither would budge. Although I did lose a little ground by giving him some milk (my mistake).

Finally, by the evening I could take it no longer. I put those blasted peaches in the blender and made him a peach milkshake. Technically I won. He consumed the stinking peaches, but it was a hollow victory.

Why do I tell you this story today? My husband and I took two of our kids to pick peaches and yes my youngest was one of them. He was pretty pumped about picking peaches.

It was a lovely morning in the peach orchard. The ultimate moment was when I heard Elijah who was walking slightly behind me, holding his basket muttering to himself...."I don't like peaches, I don't like peaches, I don't like peaches".

Clearly I have scarred him for life. By the way we picked 75 pounds of peaches.

Ignorance is it bliss?

I'm loving the comments about camers and realize that my friends are really so much smarter than I am. I know this will make some of you laugh, but I've been genuinely trying to figure out what in the world SLR means. It's a term that's been flying through my comments section.

This morning I finally did a google search and read the information. Can't tell you what it means, but I realize it might be important to me in my search. One day a long, long time ago I actually had an interest in photography in college and remember my Pentax camera from those days.

However all that is a distant memory replaced by years of ministry to students and now the day to day ministry to four children. But, since I'm homeschooling my oldest, I'm committed to learning with her. I've decided ignorance is not bliss and my goal this month is to learn about cameras and photography. While I may never be a professional, I do want to capture these wonderful moments with my family.

Facing the Giants

Our daughter plays competitive soccer. Last year she played in a tournament with the team that is a year older.

This pic was taken with the infamous Sony camera. She may be little, but she's tough and she's hanging with the big girls. She has been known to hunker down low and send girls flying over her back.

By the way, I'm loving the helpful comments on cameras and realize this research phase may take a little longer than expected. Thanks for the comments!!

New Camera

Our camera has been on a slow decline this year and we've been limping along with it, not really wanting to spend the money on a new camera. The camera was a gift from my parents and it was very nice. It has served us well. However, I'm realizing it is time to purchase a new camera.

With three children playing sports, we would like to upgrade a bit. We need to be able to get a shot from a decent distance and we definitely need to be able to get the action shot. While we will not be getting the $1,200 Sony camera that we previewed at the soccer tournament last spring, we do want an amazing camera for a low price.

So, I research. Any suggestions on the best way to get a great camera and save money at the same time. I figure I've been saving pennies on groceries (which certainly add up to big-time savings over the long haul), so I should apply the same principles I'm learning with groceries.

These are my specific questions:

Where is the best place to get a camera? When do they go on sale? Does anyone know if they offer rebates? What cameras are the best while also are reasonably priced. I'm not looking to go professional here, but I am hoping to improve my picture taking capability. Is a camera worth purchasing used or should I go for a new camera?

Inspiration!!

Watching the Olympics inspires me. It makes me want to be disciplined, to be the best, to reach for greatness. There are some movies that also inspire me...Chariots of Fire, Hoosiers, the Bad News Bears, Field of Dreams, Cool Runnings, The Karate Kid, Facing the Giants and Rocky just to name a few. I remember vividly Nadia Cominici winning the gold medal in the olympics. It made me want to be a gymnast even though I had never taken a single gymnastics class.

As our family sat and watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympics Friday night it was one of those freeze frame moments, when I wanted to stop time. I wanted to get inside the minds of my children. I wanted them to be inspired. I wanted them to dream big dreams. I wanted them to be moved to "go for the gold" so to speak.

Tonight my six year old son is participating in the "Field of Dreams" where he gets to run on the field with the professional baseball players and stand while the National Anthem is being performed. I imagine that is pretty big in his world. Unfortunately, my girls had soccer practice and they are learning the hard way that in order to play on a team you have to make sacrifices.

Speaking of Olympic athletes...what is it that causes some people to excel? While I doubt seriously any of my children will be Olympic athletes, I do want them to do their very best. And I want them to do it all for the glory of God.

School Starts Tomorrow!!!

School starts tomorrow. Those words both sadden me and make me smile. They sadden me because summer is already over. Although here in the south that statement is not even remotely true. More accurately, the lazy days of sleeping late and going to the pool are over. They make me smile because a new year brings a fresh start, new clothes and supplies, new teachers and subjects, new lessons to learn.

My kids are eager and I'm excited!! The hard part will be getting them to bed tonight. And, the hardest part will be dragging my hiney out of bed at 5:30 am!!

Play Pics

Here's some pics from the play the kids were in last week. So fun!!

Surprise!!

Last Friday the Smith kids took the stage (well three of them) for the final performance of their drama camp. Their grandparents decided to surprise them and show up for the performance. It was a fun night and the kids did GREAT!!

Thanks for grandmommy and grandaddy for your extravagant and sacrificial love. We were glad you were here!!

Bargain Boot Camp

My foray into couponing has occupied much of my time and attention. I feel like I'm in bargain boot camp. Day and night, hour by hour I'm training and there seems to be no end in sight. It is hard work to go from being a flabby spender, to a frugal fighting machine. Recently I was reading a book by John Piper, "Don't Waste Your Life" and he used a phrase "wartime lifestyle".

That phrase has been knocking around in my brain and haunting me. Why? Because it is foreign for me to think that way. Because it is necessary for me to think that way. Because it is right for me to think that way.

In the book an illustration is given about the Queen Mary, in the harbor at Long Beach California which is now a museum. The Queen Mary was used as both a luxury liner in peacetime and a troop transport during WWII. Currently as a museum it is set up as a contrast. One side shows the peacetime dining room with a table setting with 15 plates and saucers for the wealthy. On the other side the dining room reveals one metal tray with indentions. In peacetime there were 3,000 passengers. In wartime there were 15,000.

What would change about my life if I thought in these terms? How would this affect my spending? As I continue to ponder, let me share an excerpt from Piper's book.

"It is more helpful to think of a wartime lifestyle than merely a simple lifestyle. Simplicity may have a romantic ring and a certain aesthetic appeal that is foreign to the dirty business of mercy in the dangerous places of the world. Simplicity may also overlook the fact that, in wartime, major expenses for complex weapons and troop training are needed. These may not look simple and may be very expensive, but the whole country sacrifices to make them happen. Simplicity may be inwardly directed and may benefit no one else. A wartime lifestyle implies that there is a great and worthy cause for which to spend and be spent (2 Corinthians 12:15)."

A wartime lifestyle....what does that mean in practical every day life?

Working the Deals!!

I have a confession to make...being frugal is not really natural to me. Frankly it's a ton of work. Thanks to several websites www.moneysavingmom.com and www.couponmom.com and www.hotcouponworld.com I've been learning. Also, it has been fun to have many friends on this journey. You know who you are Cheap Chicks (+Brian)...thanks for being so great. (Spending less so we can give more!!!)

Today I want to celebrate the victories!! Saturday I went to my friendly, neighborhood Walgreens and bought $150 worth of merchandise. I paid $17 and got $10 in Register Rewards (you use them like cash on your next purchase) and will get $7 from rebate. So, doing the math I basically got $150 worth of stuff for free. This was my first MAJOR victory in the money saving deal.

Yesterday, I went to Kroger and walked through right after they had marked down meat and dairy. I bought:

Ground turkey for 1.09 a package
Ground beef for 1.48 a lb
Milk for 2.25 a gallon

Thes items cost 50% of the regular cost. It felt like I had hit the jackpot. My freezer is now well stocked with meat for the next six weeks. We start school in two weeks, so I'm working diligently now so that I will be able to pull together quick meals as we are running to and fro.

I would love some new recipes for quick, easy meals that can thrown together!!!

Party

There is a video that for some very, very weird unexplained reason has become a popular hit in our church youth group. At home if I simply sing the first line my girls drop everything and start dancing and joining in. It's hard to explain, so I think I'll just share it with you...pop culture at its finest...

Strawberries

At the end of the school year we went to pick strawberries to give as end the year teacher gifts. We picked twenty pounds of strawberries. It was a beautiful, cool day (surprising for the south) and we had so much fun picking berries.
I realize it's much easier harvesting fruit that you didn't toil for. But, I wonder if it is as rewarding.
Regardless, we enjoyed our day and this beautiful fruit created by God.

Free Starbucks

This morning I'm heading off to Starbucks to meet a friend and I'm SO EXCITED to try their new "healthy" beverage for free. It's called Vivanno and it's billed as a "nourishing blend". So, it's breakfast at Starbucks.

If you have a registered Starbucks card, you can receive a complimentary Vivanno July 25th or 26th. I registered my Starbucks card a few weeks ago and received a coupon for a free beverage of my choice.

Gas Costs lead to Changes!!

Rising gas costs have forced our family to consider ways to reduce our expenditures. We've made some pretty drastic changes.

Yes, I've cut out my weekly trip to Starbucks. (I did however sign up for their club by registering my Starbucks card and received a free beverage of my choice). And I'm going to Starbucks on the 25th to get a free beverage that they are marketing!!!

No, I have not started making homemade feminine products.

Yes, I did try making my own laundry detergent which involves grating bar soap with a cheese grater. No thank you!! Cheese graters are meant for cheese thus the name, well the exception is the new product PedEgg which grates away dead skin off your feet. Works great, but I digress!!

No, we have not stopped driving. Although I did suggest to my husband that he ride his bike to work. After all it's only a couple of miles.

Yes, I am clipping coupons.

No, I have not gone to recycle bin to get said coupons.

Yes, I have accepted coupons from our friend Brian who does dig through the trash to get coupons. He is a great example of a wise steward of his resources (Oh, and he is an excellent speaker to teens and parents of teens)!!! One day really soon I will take the plunge into the trash and let me tell you why:

• Yesterday I went to Kroger and purchased $122 dollars worth of products for $40. Many of the items I purchased were completely free. I started trying to save $ on our groceries in March and it has been a learning process for me.
• My neighbor found a brand new magazine in the recycle bin
• It will make for great dialouge to discuss rummaging through the trash.

So, how have you reduced your expenditures? I'm always open to new ideas!!!

We're Moving!!

We're moving without moving!!!

At the beginning of the summer we began "Operation Sibling Slumber Swap" which is a fancy way of saying all of our children changed rooms.

Of course when we began we thought it would be done in a jiffy, but it is a project that has dragged on through the summer.

In the middle of Operations SSS we received from my grandmother a beautiful buffet to match the dining room table that she had given us a few years ago. Receiving this one little piece of furniture has led to every single piece of furniture in our living room, hearth room and dining room being moved to a new location.

This week our neighbors gave us a chair and ottoman. Here's the deal....in order to put the chair in our bedroom, we are going to have to rearrange our bedroom. Are you sensing a theme?

The bottom line is that EVERYTHING in our house has been rearranged!!! I really do feel like we have moved and right now everything is still a bit disheveled. Our goal is to complete our "MOVE" by the time school starts.

So, in order to motivate myself, I'm going to celebrate our victories and blessings. It is neat to see how God has provided for us and we are VERY thankful!!!

• Moved all kids belonging to new rooms
• Picked paint colors to match Clara's bedding (we received bedding and curtains free from neighbors)
• Bought a rug for the boy's room from neighbors (cheap!!) with the planets on it.....The boy's room will be a space theme.
• Chose headboards for the boys room (pictured). (1/3 of the cost of other beds we priced...we are more concerned with functionality than quality...after all THEY ARE BOYS!!)
• Picked out and installed fans in the two of the kid's rooms.
• Rearranged dining room (LOVE IT WITH BUFFET)!!! (FREE)
• Cleaned out Hutch and are sending it off to live with another family.
• Purchased and put together two new bookcases...combined with a bookcase and shelves we already to create wall unit look. (1/4 of the cost of most bookcases priced)
• Put a rug in our living room changing it's look (FREE)
• Found the floor in our bedroom :-) (FREE)
• Added a chair to our bedroom...this is something I've really been wanting. Sometimes as "Mommy" I need to retreat. (FREE)
• Painted the front door (I will say that we picked out what we thought was a chocolate brown and it turns out it looks purple). I will live with the Grape Door for a while though!!

I must give kuddos to my husband because let's be honest...most of this stuff he has done. Anything that says installed, put together, painted, rearranged is all him. He's worked hard this summer!!

Now, I must quick avoiding the inevitable and get to work!!!!

We'll post pics when we are all done!!!

Words of Wisdom from Little E

This morning our youngest came to find me and with all seriousness said. "You must be careful of that black cat. It has SHARP NAILS!!!." He wants to know when we are going to give that black cat back.

Midnight is starting to get more comfortable and is enjoying playing with the kids. She slept with Hannah last night. She really is in kitty cat heaven. Four of us are fighting to snuggle with her.

And, we are anxious to see how "our" puppy Marley (who is not really our puppy, but we claim him) and Midnight get along. We have a plan for peaceful coexistence in case they despise each other. Midnight gets the upstairs and Marley gets the downstairs.

Midnight

We've come to an important family decision...Carrie is now "Midnight". She is sweet and snuggly. And, she has a pretty strong air of independence...which will come in handy in our household. She likes me the best!!!

Let's just hope she doesn't become "Midnight Madness". It's tough to name a cat.

Addition to the Fam

We got a kitten!!!

I'm not sure what I was thinking. Like we don't have enough drama in our household already. Our new cat's name is "Carrie" and she is black. Is it ironic that today when my husband and older children were adopting said cat, I turned on the TV and guess what was on TV...."Carrie"?

Foreshadowing? I hope not. I suggested we change her name but the kids would not even talk about it.

Just Plain Funny

Tonight my six year old son said, "I have a lot of stuff memorized." To which I asked, "What do you have memorized?

His response was classic..."Uh, I can't remember what I have memorized."

The Knight

We recently vacationed with some dear friends and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this pic my friend Kelly sent me today. It just makes me smile.

Elijah is the defender of the three, beautiful princesses. Don't they look happy, carefree, and secure.

Doesn't he look tough? He's holding his weapon of choice lightly in his hands ready to ward off evil. I wouldn't mess with him!!!

I love Summer!!!

We are in the throes of summer and I'm having a blast!!! There are many things I'm enjoying, but my favorite is the time that I have gleaned in the mornings. My children are still asleep!! I've been up for hours and admit I enjoy starting my day quietly. So, I will enjoy this for a few more weeks. Things I also enjoy about summer

• no make-up
• the pool
• playing games with my kids
• putting together puzzles with my 3 yr old
• drinking coffee leisurely
• picking peaches
• nights in the cove with friends
• cook-outs
• staying up late
• july flies
• the beach
• sprinklers
• family together time
• air conditioning (which we just had fixed..there goes our emergency fund)
• kids going to camp and the excitement when they come home
• fresh tomatoes, YUM

What do you enjoy about summer?

The Reader and Ponderer

After some grumblings from grandmommy who didn't appreciate the satire of the previous post, here's a couple of beach pics that we are willing to share. Hannah is our reader...rarely will you see her without a book. Here she is reading a school book even though it is summer. Yesterday she read a pretty long book for school in less than two hours...this is why we chose a literature-based curriculum for her.

Actually the more I've thought about the pic of Hannah's eye the more I love it. It's neat artisically. And, it says something about her. She is an observer and has been since she was itty bitty. We have a pic of her when she is five days old and her eyes are wide open. It looks as if she is sizing you up and capturing everything in her brain.

She is very ASTUTE (which by the way is one of my favorite words to say...it's a compliment, but it sounds like cussing.) But I digress...We are proud of the young woman emerging in our home before our very eyes.

Happy Birthday Clara!!

Okay so Clara's birthday was over two months ago, but here's pics taken on her bday. These are the two faces of Clara which we see quite often I might add. Actually there is a third face, but we will refrain from posting her mad face. Trust me, it is not pretty.

BTW--Marley is not our dog, but he is a part of our family because he is a regular guest at Hotel Smith.

Speaking of Hotel Smith...we are open for business. Our next guest is Amanda Lymburner, but we still have a few openings for this year. We've added French Press Coffee to our breakfast menu to go with the house specialty of chocolate gravy piping hot poured over buttered biscuits. Call for reservations!!!

PG-13 (In my day it would have been R-rated)

Okay so my intent was never to go down this road, but I simply cannot help it. I promise this will be the last of my posts that are rated...well I might post a G-rated post now and again.
Speaking of our youngest I have to share this. Yesterday he was walking around in the buff and entered the room where my husband and I were sitting. We are potty training naked boy so this is not uncommon. However my husband drew the line when he noticed that our son had his hands planted on his bottom area (buttocks sounds better really). So, he said firmly..."Get your hands off your bottom."
To which our youngest promptly and clearly stated...."But there is a hole back there". Seriously my and husband and I have not laughed that hard in a really long time. The logic of a three year old!!!
So, we are working on pull-up etiquette and the fact that we only take our pull-up off in the bathroom.
This will be my last of my rated postings. I will refrain from continuing along the downward spiral.

PG-13 Rated Post

We recently bought our oldest her first two-piece bathing suit. Of course we got a really cool swimshirt to go with it!!! By the way I REALLY wish the whole swimshirt thing had been in when I was younger. It would have saved me many sunburns.

Here's a pic of Hannah at the beach. :-)

PG Rated post!!

Our youngest has been the source of much joy in our lives. (Here's a couple of pics of him at six months and 3 1/2 years old). He is funny and active and keeps us on the move.
Recently I've run across an issue that we never had with the other three.
He really enjoys picking his nose and then sticking his finger in his mouth. We've of course corrected him repeatedly, but still the finger goes to the nose and then the mouth. I know, I know totally gross.
Yesterday we reached a new level of disgusting. He and I were laying down and I had just finished telling him a story. It was a sweet bonding time. He listently attentively to the whole story. He was thoroughly engaged. At the end of the story, again, finger to nose, nose to mouth. Again, Elijah "don't do that".
This time and for the first time ever. He invited me to pick his nose for him. As I was politely declining, he grabbed my finger and attempted to use my finger to pick his nose. AAAHHHH.
The joys of motherhood!! Well, of course I didn't pick his nose!!! It's a good thing he is so cute!!

Another funny...

The rest of the world has probably seen this, but I just got it and am still laughing...enjoy...

Our Young Man Completes Kindergarten

Our big man on Campus completed his first year of school. Here's some pics we thought our friends and family would enjoy. The first is his first day of school. The rest were taken in May and June as the school year winds to a close. The last one is taken on vacation and shows him in his favorite mode "relax to the max".
Here are this mama's thoughts on her little man:

• He runs fast...he's about 20 seconds behind his older sister in the 1/2 mile.
• He loves to read.
• He LOVES someone to read to him.
• He has a strong sense of fairness.
• He likes to talk and I mean really talk alot.
• He doesn't like to have his picture taken.
• He has five girlfriends and won't tell us who they are.
• He loves to play with his friends.
• He is methodical.
• He asks great questions.
• He's destined for beach living!!!
• He is tender-hearted.
  

The Ever Elusive Perfect Picture

My quest on special occasions is to capture a perfect shot of my four children. In my world this is a high priority because they are growing rapidly. I want to remember them as they are today when they ride out into the sunset. My children do not always buy into my plans for "the perfect picture"

Here are my latest attempts. While they are defintely NOT picture perfect...they are a great representation of the reality of my children. And, they make me smile!!!

Perfect Day at the Beach!!

We recently went to the beach and had a blast!!! One day was absolutely gorgeous. We woke up and the water was calm and smooth. The ocean looked like a great big pool.
It amazed me how calmness brought clarity. I realized I could use a little calm in my life so I can see things more clearly!!

Thought Provoker

Speaks for itself...