Pumpkin Spice Hodgepodge

It's time for the Wednesday Hodgepodge again!  This week I'm on the right day.  Go see Joyce and link up with us! 

1. What do you do at the first sign of a cold? Will you get a flu shot this year?

At the first sign of a cold I start with the orange juice and airborne.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.  I don't get sick with that kind of stuff often, but since my immune system is compromised with Crohn's, when I do get it, it takes me a long time to get over it.  I get a flu shot every year.

2. What advice can you give about how to conquer fear?

I used to be a very fearful person.  I grew up afraid of everything and it kept me from doing things that I have since found out were fun.  The idea of driving on the interstate terrified me for a while in college.  Not so fun fact: I've never flown on an airplane because I was always afraid to fly.  In the last 7 years I have been close to death twice.  When the twins were born I had HELLP syndrome and I went into acute renal failure and my body began to shut down.  Not quite two years later I had a doctor at Mayo Clinic telling me that because of my Crohn's, if I didn't have surgery within the next month, I would die from malnutrition.  Those were both times when I could have been afraid.  I probably should have been afraid.  I wasn't afraid.  I discovered that I wasn't afraid to die because I knew where I would go.  Now that I'm not afraid, there are 1001 things on my list to do.  Flying is one of them, just got to figure out where to go for my first flight ~ and how to afford it with all four of us going.

3. Share two good things about your life right now.
I have a husband and kids who love me no matter what and I am able to work in ministry that I feel passionately about.

4. A hot fall fashion trend in 2011 is a return to sixties style...tunics with pants, shift dresses, pencil skirts, cinched waists, bold prints, high necklines and short lengths to name a few. How does this fashion trend fit with your wardrobe and personal sense of style?

Lately I have tried to regain a sense of style.  Since becoming a Mom, my style has been more blue jeans and a top.

5. Were you involved in scouting as a kid? How about as an adult?

I was a Brownie and a Girl Scout as a kid and I have many fond memories from camping and doing things with my friends.  We haven't gotten involved with scouting with the twins yet.
6. Apple, pear, plum, pumpkin...your favorite fall flavor?

Pumpkin in the fall...yummy!  Last year I discovered that Dunkin' Donuts had pumpkin donuts and that was definitely a bad thing.  I'm trying to steer clear of that place this year because once I have one, I'll be coming back for more.  Speaking of pumpkin, isn't that a cute little punkin in the picture?  He went through a stage where he thought he was smiling for a picture when he made that face.
7. What characteristics do you think are essential in a good teacher?
A love for children, flexibility, understanding, and the ability to think outside of the box.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Monday was a day off of work for me, but the kiddos still had school.  I was able to go visit some dear friends of mine that live about an hour and a half away.  He was my pastor for a lot of my growing up years and they were both spiritual mentors for me...they continue to be.  It was a great visit and as much as they wanted to see the kids too, it was nice that I got time alone with them. 

Here they are last year with my kids.

A Belated Hodgepodge

It's not Wednesday, it's Friday and I can't believe how quickly this week has flown by.  I started my hodgepodge answers on Wednesday morning but have been so slammed this week, that I haven't had a chance to post.  So here are my belated hodgepodge answers.





1. What is one piece of advice you would give a 'just turning' 21- year old adult?
I like the line from John Lennon "Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans."  You can't plan everything that happens to you, so roll with the punches and enjoy the journey.  Wow ~ I wish I was that smart at 21 or heck even now at 36.  I'm a work in progress, what can I say?


2. Besides cooler weather (or warmer weather, depending on your hemisphere) what is one thing you are looking forward to this fall?
I'm looking forward to less humidity.  Also, I love all of the fun activities in the fall ~ the festivals, going on picnics, just enjoying the nicer weather outside.

3. What sound lulls you to sleep?
I love falling asleep to the sound of a thunderstorm or the beach waves.  Those are my two favorites and for a while Hubby was playing those relaxation CDs at bedtime and boy was it working.  I really don't have much trouble getting to sleep, as soon as I get still and my head hits the pillow, I'm out.  However, it is hard for me to stay asleep all night.


4. September is National Preparedness Month...does your family have an emergency 'kit' and/or disaster plan in place?
Yes, we have a hurricane kit but I think we probably need to check the supplies and be sure we have everything we need. 

5. How has your blog changed since you started blogging? Or has it?
I have learned to not put so much pressure on myself for topics, they come as they are ready to come.  I have also learned that some of my struggles, such as coming up with a title are the same struggles that others have as well.

6. What's something you've recently learned to do on the computer?
I can't think of something I have learned recently, but I want to learn how to do more photo editing.  There is so much about Photoshop that I don't know how to do yet.

7. Is a picture worth a thousand words? Elaborate.
Sometimes, although I tend to be a bit wordy and feel everything needs an explanation.  However, there are pictures that I think speak for themselves.

Just a couple of my favorites.


8. Insert your own random here.

It's been birthday week around our house.  My birthday was Tuesday and it was such a great day.  Princess had an orthodontist appointment for a consultation in another town and Hubby was taking the day off to go with us.  So we decided to take Prince out of school for the day and we all played hookie for my birthday.  We never do this, but we also know that every once in a while it is important to take family time and things worked out so we could.  After Princess' appointment, they took me to lunch at Olive Garden.

I had to take a picture with my babies.

This one was Princess' idea.  She wanted to show that she loves me.

When we got home, Hubby let me have some quiet time to myself.  He had gone to the grocery store and got ribeyes and potatoes for dinner.  He washed the china and set the table.

He spoils me and I love it.

We had butternut squash soup, which was so yummy!  It really put me in the mood for fall to be here.

The pretty flowers he bought me.

Candlelight dinner complete with champagne.

I can't get this picture to turn, but here's the cake...from Publix...so delicious!

Hubby also did great in the gift department, but I won't go into all of that.  Just wanted to stop and recognize how incredibly blessed I am.  Hubby and the kids spoiled me and it felt good.  

It Couldn't Just Happen ~ A Book Review

It Couldn't Just Happen: Knowing the Truth About God's Awesome Creation is a book that is geared for older children to answer questions about the creation of the world from a Christian perspective.  Children today are bombarded with a lot information that may or may not be true about the creation of the world and in his book, Richards addresses questions and false information from a biblical view.  Some of the questions he addresses are:
"Did Earth begin with a 'Big Bang' cosmic explosion?"
"Does science contradict the Bible?"
"What happened to dinosaurs?"
"Is there life on other planets?"
"Did we evolve from apes?"
"What makes my body work on its own?"

I enjoyed reading this book and getting a taste for issues to come with my own children.  I think this book is geared more for upper elementary or middle school aged children.  I was hoping this book might provide conversation starters for my own children, but I don't think they are quite ready for the content of this book, as some of the information is technical and a bit dry for younger readers.  I received a complimentary copy of this book from booksneeze in exchange for an honest review.

Laboring through Labor Day Weekend

This weekend we took a trip to the in-laws.  The in-laws live in the middle of no-wheresville and have lots of land.  My father-in-law loves to grow stuff on this land and we are recruited to come and visit  provide manual labor when it is time to harvest.  Friday night we drove the 4 hours up to no-wheresville and didn't get in until 11:00.  Saturday morning we were up and working by 8:00.  This weekend's task: picking off peanuts, boiling the peanuts and bagging the peanuts to be frozen.

If you've never seen how peanuts grow, they grow under the ground.  Here is a pile of peanut plants that my darling Hubby pulled up and stacked for me to pick off.

Here are Prince and his cousin, picking off peanuts.

Princess is proud of the peanuts she picked off the vines.

After we picked the peanuts off, they were rinsed in buckets and then put in big pots to be boiled. 

I had a very important job in between picking the peanuts.  My father-in-law assigned me the duty of tasting the peanuts to see if they were done.  So every so often I had to pull myself away from my pile of peanut plants and do the quality taste testing.  This was really a tough job, but somebody had to do it.  After the peanuts were done to my satisfaction, we drained them and I put them in ziploc bags to put up in the freezer.  At the end of the day we had picked, boiled and bagged 71 gallons of boiled peanuts.  We were so exhausted, but the peanuts are so delicious!  In fact, when we got home last night I wanted boiled peanuts for dinner last night. 

This morning Hubby took me to the beach.  We sat out on the beach and relaxed while we watched the kids play in the sand.  I didn't let them in the water for all of the jellyfish that were stinging people left and right.  It was a mostly peaceful time at the beach.

There's nothing like the feeling of sand between my toes.  Ahhhh!

For our family, Labor Day weekend is usually when we celebrate the fact that my mom quite literally was in labor...with me.  36 years ago tomorrow, I made my entrance into this world. 

This afternoon my mom and dad made steak fajitas (my request) for my birthday dinner.  My mom made a delicious homemade carrot cake and we taught my sister and brother-in-law how to play our new favorite game, The Settlers of Catan.  We are addicted and my mom asks probably once a week when we can come over to their house to play Catan.  If you've never played it and you like strategy games, you'll love this one!  Hubby bought me the American History Trails to Rails game but we haven't had a chance to play that one yet.

So it's been a busy, but fun weekend and I am feeling incredibly blessed.  Given all I've been through with my health, I count each candle on my cake as a gift from God.  I serve a great God and I am so thankful for what He has done in my life.  When I was in ICU after the babies were born, my dear friend and prayer partner said that when she was praying for me God gave her a verse for me.  It is from Psalm 91 and while she gave me the whole chapter, she said the part that really struck her was verses 14-16:

"'Because he loves me,' says the Lord, 'I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.  With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.'"

I'm counting on that long life that God has promised me.  I know that God keeps His promises and I hope that when I do go to heaven and bow before Him, God will say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." 

Secure Daughters, Confident Sons ~ A Book Review

"So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." ~ Genesis 1:27
Secure Daughters Confident Sons by Glenn T. Stanton provides a framework for thinking about the masculine and feminine traits in your own children and how we as parents nurture those qualities affects the men and women our children become.  This book was divided into two parts. 

Part 1: A Clear Vision for Authentic Manhood and Womanhood - How to Help Your Kids Get There, discusses qualities of what makes a good man or a good woman.  Stanton notes that while we don't all exhibit male and female qualities in the same ways, there are distinct male qualities and distinct female qualities.  It is helpful to know what these qualities are which define us as male and female.  In Chapter 1, What Makes a Good Man, Stanton says, "As parents, we need to realize that our boys need help, encouragement, and guidance to the inevitable road to male adulthood so they become authentic, healthy, vibrant, virtuous, and wise males in their

• exploration
• deliver the goods
• moving to the next thing
• opportunism
• chance taking
• initiative
• activity
• competition and dominance    (these were all the qualities he discussed in the chapter.)

Your job as a parent is to raise your boy to be the man he was created to be."
In Chapter 2, What Makes a Good Woman, Stanton says, "our girls, and the women they become, are more likely to:

• be confidently enticing
• value intimacy over action
• be receptive
• seek security
• be modest
• be caring
• relate with words
• seek equity and submission
• wield soft power that shapes humanity
• connect to others

As the parent of a daughter, your job is to pay close attention to the kind of girl God has given you and raise her toward womanhood with the qualities we've discussed.  Of course, you'll need to consider which of these qualities you need to nurture or temper, realizing these either are or are not a strong part of your own daughter's makeup."

Stanton follows these chapters with What Boys and Girls Need Most and The Journey to Manhood and Metamorphosis to Womanhood. 

In Part 2: Why Boys and Girls Need Mothers and Fathers, Stanton discusses the obvious differences in how mothers and fathers parent and why these differences are important in nurturing our children and encouraging growth in other areas as well.  Moms and dads play differently with their children and they connect differently because of the the qualities that make them who they are.  Both roles are integral in raising children to be the people God designed them to be.

Throughout the book there are question and answer sections that describe real discussions parents may have about how to best parent their children.  I really took some time with this book and enjoyed reading it.  There were many things that I already knew or had heard elsewhere, but to have it all put together in this way was helpful.  It is a good resource for parents in helping them understand gender differences and to help put into focus that our ultimate goal is to grow well-adjusted men and women who fulfill the roles God has planned for each of them.  Stanton is quick to point out that this isn't about stereotyping one role or another, or conforming to arbitrary cultural rules, but in nurturing those gender qualities that God has given girls and boys so that they may be secure in their masculinity and femininity  so that they may make a difference in the world. 


I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

It's Hodgepodge time Again

It's Wednesday Hodgepodge time and I'm back in the game.  Go see Joyce HERE and link up ~ you know you want to!  BUT FIRST: read my answers.



1. Do you think the world became a more dangerous place on September 11, 2001 or did we just become more aware of the danger? How has your own life changed as a result of that day?

I think there has always been danger in the world but we are more aware of danger when it hits so close to home.  Other countries have faced this kind of terrorism in the past, it just hadn't hit our soil until then.  Right after Sept. 11th I was afraid to go places where there would be large crowds of people, just not knowing if there would be another attack.  God has not given us a spirit of fear and I try not to live in fear. 

2. Did you think your parents were too strict when you were growing up? How about in hindsight?
Yes, growing up I thought my parents were pretty strict.  The one area they were not strict about was curfew, as long they knew where I was and when I'd be home they were good with that.  In hindsight I think they were probably just about right.  I was pretty responsible, the most trouble I got into was toilet papering houses.
3. Share one random but candid fact about yourself.
I wish I were as organized in real life as I am in my mind.  In my mind I know where everything in my house is and it all is in its neat little place.  In reality, I know which stack to find things, but they aren't put away and I almost always have a basket a mountain of laundry to fold and put away. 

4. Would your nearest and dearest describe you as simple or far too complicated?
Far too complicated I think.  I want to be simple, I think I'm simple...I simply want things to go the way they are supposed to.  Is that so hard?

5. What is your favorite stadium or carnival food?
Funnel cakes!  I don't get them often but they are oh so good!  My other favorite is a dipdog (corndog for those that don't speak southern).


6. Tornado, hurricane, earthquake...how many of these natural disasters have you experienced? Which event do you think would be the scariest?
Growing up in Florida, I have lived through my fair share of hurricanes.  The first day of my senior year of high school was a hurricane day and if I remember correctly, it ended up being nice weather that day.  We pray for hurricane days like kids up north pray for snow days.  When the twins were toddlers and we lived in Georgia we had a terrible tornado that destroyed the hospital where they were born.  There was a lot of destruction and by God's grace our townhouse wasn't hit, but the tornado track skipped around the street we lived on.  We were pretty scared.  It was night, the power was out and we had the kids in the downstairs bathroom in the tub with pillows on top of them. 

This was our Winn Dixie

A giant tree that was ripped up by the roots

Our hospital that was also hit by the tornado. 

Amazingly enough, there were only 2 fatalities with all of this damage.  It was a tough time for this small community, but everyone pulled together and helped where they could.  I still love that town and the cherish the friendships we made while we were there.  There are some precious people in that town.

Back to the question at hand, I've never experienced an earthquake so I wouldn't really know how to compare it with the others.  I'd say I'm most afraid of a tornado.

7. Labor Day weekend is approaching so a work related question seems appropriate. Growing up, did your parents assign you regular chores? Were you paid for doing those chores? If you're a parent do you assign chores to your own children? Why or why not?
My sister and I didn't have a lot of chores, but we did have to take turns loading and unloading the dishwasher and cleaning our rooms.  In the summer we had to do laundry and we all know how much I love to do laundry ~ NOT!  My mom always insisted that we use this thing called a clothes line.  I loathe that thing in the Florida summer heat where we were subject to thunderstorms every afternoon.  We had to hang the clothes out to dry and then watch the weather because if it looked like rain we had to run out and bring the clothes in to finish in the dryer.  If it rained on the clothes we had to start all over again.  I vowed that I would not use a clothes line when I was old enough to pay my own electric bill, which has held true.  I don't even have a clothes line.  I was paid for some chores, but my parents gave us money whenever we needed to go somewhere so it all evened out. 
My children are assigned chores.  They are responsible for taking the recyclables out, helping set and clear the table, cleaning their rooms, taking their dirty clothes down the hall to be washed and other things as assigned.  We took a note from Dave Ramsey and our children earn "commission" rather than allowance.  Allowance sounds like they are entitled to it whether or not they do the work.  Commission is earned based on the work they do.  They have commission charts that hang on the fridge to keep track of what's been done.  Payday is once a week and they have three jars to place their money : Spend, Save, and Give.  They can spend their spend money on whatever they like.  The save jar money has to be approved by us before they spend it, and the Give jar is for giving at Sunday School or some other place they may choose to put their money to help others.

That last question was inspired by a post Mindee wrote on Monday. Everyone go say hi to Mindee-she blogs at Our Front Door and she's funny.

8. Insert your own random thought here.
It's great to get back into blogging after a month off.  I needed some time to establish a new routine with school starting.  Also, God has been working with me and dealing with me about some things and I needed time to process for myself before sharing with others. 

Healing Hurting Hearts

It's been weeks a month since my last post and I can hardly believe all that's been going on.  It's been such a busy time of finishing up summer and starting school and finally I feel like I am in some sort of routine.  In all of this, God has been faithful in providing what we've needed.  Prince and Princess have started first grade and they are in different classes this year.  Mommy has been more nervous about this than they seem to be.  All is going well and they have adjusted.  Mostly.  There have been a few hiccups, but they are happy and except for all of the homework and getting up and going in the morning they are glad to be back in school.  I began praying back in April that God would give each of my children the right teacher they needed for this school year and He is faithful.  I truly believe He did that, thus they are blooming where they're planted. 

One of the things I've been aware of lately is the needs of others and how so many are hurting around me.  Just last week I prayed with a mother in my office who was at the end of her rope with many circumstances out of her control.  There is a child from the same school as my own kiddos who has leukemia and is undergoing treatments.  We have had several deaths in our church family.  Lay-offs from the Space Center are leaving families in a tough situation and as prepared as they thought they were, there are no jobs to be found.  My sweet cousin had bleeding on her brain and had to leave college to have surgery to stop the bleeding.  Thank you Jesus she is on the road to recovery.  Another sweet girl I know had her baby at 31 weeks due to complications with her blood pressure and her sweet baby boy is in the NICU.  There are so many needs around me and at times I just feel overwhelmed.  I have been praying day and night and I know that God hears those prayers and that His love never fails.  As it is right now my prayer list is a mile long and I begin as soon as I wake up in the morning and pray throughout the day for all of those needs.  My heart aches for all of those that are hurting and I have known what that hurt feels like when loved ones are sick or die or to have your sweet baby in the NICU and be so out of control or to have illness come on yourself.  I have lived through all of that and I think that I big part of that is that I can now empathize with others in the same situation and see them through a different lens.  I also know that God always keeps His promises and that He never leaves us.  As all of this has come into my life, I have also discovered a new favorite song, which has come to mean a great deal to me. 


We never know exactly what God has planned for our lives.  We don't know what those trials will mean for us, but what if His healing comes through tears and we discover that the failures of this world serve to remind us that this isn't our home?  I am so thankful for all God has done in my life.  There is a reason he spared my life not once, but twice and I know that I still have work to do for Him.  No matter the circumstance, God has a plan and I have learned that it is much better than anything I could ever dream up.