For My Kids and My Shoebox Kids

So today I am super super excited! I was playing around on Pinterest (don't you dare ask me how long I spend on Pinterest in any given week! ;) and I came across two separate ideas that I wanted to make for my two oldest boys. One is a magnetic road set and the other a mini stove. But once I got to making them, it hit me! These would be PERFECT to go in my Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes!!!

A Mighty Presence

Before I tell you about the mighty presence, I want to tell you why it was so mighty! This is a picture of my nephews back. To make a long story short, he was vomiting a lot, acting really fussy and we could not figure out why. The doctor put him on Pedialite for a full day and then he was to start drinking formula again. Once he drank the first bottle after his "fast" this is what it did to him!

New Easter Tradition

I must admit while others are oohing and ahhing over Halloween, Christmas or other holidays I am in my element during this time of year! I absolutely LOVE Easter!! There is nothing more special to me than the meaning behind Easter. However, I must admit, last year our family discovered a new aspect of Easter that just made the week before Easter more intimate. [...]

It's Here!!!!!

 I went to the mailbox, opened it, and there it was!! The solid white, hard cardboard envelope. I looked at the return address and it was an address I did not recognize. It said US Government. I panicked a little. Was I going to be audited? (I am PETRIFIED of dealing with tax people.) I got back in the van and proceeded to open my intimidating white envelope. And there it was....[...]

Taste of Spring

It occurred to me the other day that not all people get to enjoy the beauty of spring like we do here in North Carolina. So I thought I would share a little of it with you. So I present to you -a taste of spring- Springtime in North Carolina USA

Managing and Organizing Receipts

Saturday organizing time! Wahoo! I must admit I love to organize things! They may not stay that way for very long (hahaha) but I love to go through the process of it all.

Today we are going to tackle, are you ready? RECEIPTS!! Ahhhh!!!! Those dreaded little pieces of paper that we keep for budgeting purposes, tax purposes, warranty purposes, etc. etc. And the worst thing about them is they come in all shapes and sizes!! This is what makes it so hard to manage them!

Well have no fear!! Kyliegh is here! =) I have been using this system for several months now (like 6 months) and it is working SO well for me! Ready to see it? [...]

FMF-Joy

Joy.
Isn't it amazing how many things can come to mind just from hearing a simple word. For instance, when I seen the word joy I thought of:
Dish detergent
Joy joy joy joy down in my heart, yeah, down in my heart. (Sandy Patty- you ever heard that song?)
Joyful Living (Its a local nursing home)
And then I thought of all the things that give me joy in my life and all the joy I have in store for me this summer.

Like a beach vacation with my family and mom and dad. We will be at the beach on my 30th birthday! I am joyful that I have lived to see 30. (Although from now on I refused to have more birthdays. I will officially be 30 for the rest of my life ;) I have a mission trip coming up that I can not wait to go on! I can not imagine all the joy I will have when I see all those little faces when they receive their gifts! Yes joy is a wonderful thing. Grateful I have so many things in my life that bring me joy. Thank you Lord!

Written in response to

New Places New Things

As a young girl I remember going to my great grandmother and grandfathers house with my grandmother and my mom. It was a fourth generation get together. I can still see their faces, remember their voices, and remember some of our conversations. But now I have a piece of their past to go forward in my future!

Sharing Jesus- Practical Christian Know How

So I said it was going to be a 4 part series but I like the theme and I think I will keep going! Is that okay with ya'll? (That southern girl in me just has to come out in my writing too??? (= ) So this one I am pretty excited about! I am going to show you how you can witness to someone by remembering ONE BIBLE VERSE!!!!

 I am NOT going to chew you out for not going out and knocking door to door witnessing to people. What I am going to do is teach you how to feel CONFIDENT enough to WANT to share the Gospel. Didn't think I knew that did you? Well we are going to get you on the right track! How do I know it will help you be more confident? Because it helped me! And if you don't keep reading you will not know what pineapples have to do with the Gospel! Now I got you curious! [...]

Learning While Having Fun

It is one of those things that you do not really worry about when you are pregnant with that first small bundle of joy. "How do I play with my kids?", is not really the top question on our minds. I would always tell my kids, "Ya'll go play with your toys. You have all those toys in there but yet you say you are bored!?"

Ian, my 2 year old, would get quiet all of a sudden and when I went hunting him he was standing on his stool in their bathroom playing in the sink- with water! I would fuss and tell him to get out. BUT THEN I came across my new favorite blog. But at first I thought this mom was a little crazy, I must admit. BUT THEN.... [...]

23 years ago today(ish)....

I remember it like it was yesterday. Although the date in 1991 was the 17th, it was a Sunday night- just like today. It was 6:50ish or 7:50ish- I can't remember if we started at 6:00pm or 7:00pm. I sat on the left hand side of the room toward the front. Seems like it was the 3rd or 4th row back.
My heart started pounding.
The room went silent except for the sound of knocking...... knock.....knock...
Everything almost seemed to be in slow motion.
Then the tears started streaming...... I grabbed my daddy's hand.
I was 6 years old- almost 7.

Organizing Finances- Finance Binder

Here it is Saturday again. Time for another organizing project! One thing that has made my life so much easier is having all of my bills in one place so that I can find them. Now mind you, I had a full size filing cabinet full of folders but it was just all junked up with stuff that I needed to get rid of. But now this is simple, to the point, and portable!! I love it! Ready to see it????

Five Minute Friday: Crowd

Crowd.

At first thought the fair pops in my mind. There is always a crowd there. Then there was the time that I went to the Nascar race in Charlotte. Now that was a crowd. But since I had kids I pretty much avoid the crowd at all costs. Even the Wal-mart Crowd.

Trying to keep a seven year old and two year old to understand that not everyone in the world is "good guys" and they need to stay with their mommy is always a challenge. Then there is the routine in the parking lot. "You are not tall enough to walk by yourself. Someone will not see you over their car and will back over you. You have to stay with me." And then taking a seven month in among all of that is an experience in and of itself. Trying to avoid the crowd of germs that have happily nested on the buggy handle only to have him bite his teething gums all over it! UCK!

Yes now a days the only crowd that I am in is the crowd of books on my nightstand. Then there is the crowd of toys that I pick up everyday. The crowd of dirty laundry that never ends. The crowd of dirty dishes that are currently sitting in my sink from being sick. Yes their are crowd's everywhere.

But ya know, I don't miss the large "people" crowd's. Nope. I don't. I got my own little crowd (of boys) right here! I heart them all!



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Not So Pleasant Reminder

Did your grandmaw ever tell you, "When its gone you'll miss it?" or "Enjoy it while you have it?" or "Don't take things for granted?" My mawmaw sure did and occasionally still does. But I had a not so pleasant reminder over the last two weeks that we should not take things for granted. [...]

Social Media Camouflage/ Tell Truth Thursday

"I just can't stand her/him. All she/he ever puts on her/his Facebook/Twitter (you fill in the  blank) is pictures of her/his projects, house, work and kids getting awards!! Well I got news for her/him! We all know how she/he REALLY is!"

You ever heard a conversation something like this? I bet ya have. Maybe even been the one doing the commenting. Truth is I have been apart of one of these conversations myself. Can't believe I am admitting it?? Well guess what!? I am going to do a whole lot more admitting than that! [...]

Practical Christian Know How Part 4: Memorizing Scripture

So I did a lot of research on memorizing Scripture and I found many many different methods. I tried one of them. It was an index card box that had dividers inside it. This concept did work until you dropped the container and they flew all over the place or until your two year old opened

the box and stowed them all over the house! [...]

Too Much??

I had a problem. Really it was a simple question. The problem is I could not figure out the answer. Actually there were many answers and that is what disturbed me. Shoes? Perhaps. Organizing supplies? Maybe. Clothes? Possibly. Books? Could be. Could it be that I actually had to much of everything? [...]

Matter of Choice

Yesterday morning was the worst! I woke up and felt ill for some reason. You ever have days like that? You are so irritable you can not hardly stand yourself? Well that was me yesterday! Let me just clue you in on how my day started! [...]

To Organize Papers, Tickle 'Em!

Where are all of your relevant papers? In a pile on a desk? On the bar? On the table? In your purse? Do you frequently have to search frantically for the kid's permission slip that you signed or for a work meeting agenda? You could find all of your needed papers in a flash if you only tickle them! [...]

Never Would I Have Guessed

Two times in one week! Well not literally the same place exactly, but overall it is the same. Its a place you only go if something is wrong.And I am here twice in one week!!

Happy Birthday Connor!

For some, today was a good day. For others, not so much. [...]

I LOST IT!!!!! But He was there....

The view was gloomy. Was it the view itself or the overall situation that made things gloomy? Nobody likes the feeling of being trapped in a room where the windows will not open, the doors are secured with locks, and people are continuously coming in and out checking on you at all times of the day and night. But then, nobody likes being in the hospital either! The view outside the window was nothing to brag about- just the side of a building and rooftops from buildings below. Where was the beauty in this situation!!?? It was there, you just had to look. [....]

This Gold's Worth More Than Gold!

Kind of a cliche don't you think? How can gold be worth more than gold? Well you see, to me, "something" is not worth a lot unless there is a memory to be found with it. I have a lot of things that I refuse to dispose of. But if it came down to it, I would not be devastated if something happened to certain things. On the other hand, there are a few things in life that I would be in tears over if something happened to them. For one, my pictures. Pictures of my husband and I in our dating years. Pictures of each of the births of our boys. Pictures of them growing up. And then there is my ..........................

"Dying to Grow" Book Review

My Overall rating 7/10- I would recommend it to a friend or family member. However, I do not have a desire to reread it or keep it on my book shelf.

Out of Control

I can't stand it! I am sure not many people like to admit it and neither do I. When things are out of my control, it drives me nuts!! I think that is why I get so anxious over certain things. Take for example my son's upcoming surgery. I can not be in there while they operate, I can not do the surgery myself, nor can I do anything if, Lord forbid, something goes wrong. But today I have had such a peace come over me. And it all happened from this view!

Skeletons in My Refrigerator- Organizing Time!!

I'm sure you have heard the expression, Skeletons in the Closet, but to day I must admit I have had skeletons in my refrigerator. No not literal skeletons! I mean that there was something in there I wanted to hide! Do you see it?

It looks like I have not cleaned it out in MONTHS! But the truth is most of the time I do it every Wednesday. There are occasional times that we have something going on and I do not get it done smack dab on Wednesday. If I do not get it done on Wednesday I do clean it out either that next day or Friday at the latest.

This was not working! We crammed and crammed all week long and if someone came over I dreaded them opening the refrigerator come Tuesday!

I have learned about myself I do so much better with cleaning and house keeping if I do things everyday. So how can I incorporate that into this situation?