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Doing myself a favor…

Today I did myself a favor. I slept in.
It was sweet! I had planned to go to bible study but when I got out of bed it was rainy and cold. And I thought “Oh, what a good day to crawl back in bed”. So as soon as the sitter arrived I did just that. From 9am until 12pm I slept like a bear.
A friend told me that women are nurturers. I knew that. But she also told me that we forget to nurture ourselves. So this morning I did just that.
Hmmm…..wonder what time they’ll let me get in bed tonight?

And just because posts are better with pictures….

“Learning to shoot one handed”

Have a great night and tomorrow.

2 Comments

Posted: February 18, 2009 by Julie |Category: Parenting | Tags:

Not much to say…

or I guess you could call it Wordless Wednesday but I really don’t participate enough to call it that. But since I’ve not much to say and a ton to do today here’s my big guy shooting hoops. A sport he had sworn off until just this year. Before now it’s been football or bust!

Now off to do a whole week of Bible Study which I haven’t touched since last week. UGH

1 Comment

Posted: February 17, 2009 by Julie |Category: Happenings | Tags:

With mouth wide open…

Sheer Concentration!

That’s what it takes sometimes to make right choices. At least that is the way it’s been in my life. Some of you “real life” friends know that we have recently been through a job change. We were so blessed to receive a severance package from our former employers that allowed us to pay off all our debt except our house. Is that a WOW or what???

The remaining money we planned on socking away in savings and supplementing our income for a while until we adjusted to our new yearly income. After a few miscalculations on our part we ended up with a little less than we planned. Still no big deal. We’d get the rest next year at tax time. Instead of saving it ourselves we’d let the government get use it for a while. “Aren’t we kind?”

So with the remaining “sock it away” money we then realized we had not figured in our tithe. YIKES.
“Ahm, excuse me God, but do we have to tithe this money?”

“I mean, I know it’s income and all but we were planning to save it and ended up with a little less than we thought. So……???”

looooong preeeegnant pauuuuuse

“Ok, Lord, I’ll just be honest here. You know my heart anyway. I don’t want to tithe that money.”

There. I said it.

I could call myself all kinds of names but let’s just call me a REAL Christian.
Sometimes I don’t want to do what is best for me.
Sometimes I want my way and not the Father’s way.
Sometimes I’m a little dense like that.

So a few days pass and I allow myself to be in this place knowing good and well I’ll do what my DAD wants because, well, I really love him and I’m his girl. I want to please him. I want him to smile upon me. And I love, did I say LOVE?, his blessings.

“Pst….tell ya a secret…..He think’s I’m really special.”

So a few days of some heart changing and I begin to pray about where God wants the money to go. Hmmm……

“Lord, show me who you want to touch with YOUR money.”

And oh my word!
Here’s where the Mouth Wide Open part comes in.
The blessings I have been able to be a part of!!!
It makes me wonder why I ever question Him. Why do we? Crazy us!

It is more blessed to give than to receive.
It really is.
Really.
I’m not kidding, really!

I have felt so honored just to be a part of God’s work in blessing others that I’m so excited about doing it again.
More often.
With greater fervor.
With greater concentration that I am investing money in eternal things.
That one day when I’m walking the streets of gold He’ll allow me to see what my obedience started, ended or continued. I’ll see people that I touched and never knew I’d touched. I’ll see him smile at me and I’ll remember the secret.

“He really thinks I’m really special!”

Be a blessing to someone today. Try it out.

2 Comments

Posted: February 16, 2009 by Julie |Category: God Breathed | Tags:

Taking time to talk…

Yesterday I got to chat with a friend of mine via telephone who is also a stay-at-home homeschool mom. Her hubbie is out of the house a couple evenings a week and she’s the sole parent for 24×7 some days. When RocketMan traveled I was the sole parent some days too. It’s a hard job and my hat goes off to all the single parents out there. I don’t (and I really don’t) know how you do it.

At one time I could think. And I could complete sentences without the thousands of interruptions I have in a day.

At one time I cared about what happened in other family’s lives and I could do something about that desire to help.

At one time I ministered outside my home.
I cooked meals.
I took bread.
I babysat.

But now is a different time in my life. My ministry and every single ounce of my energy is taken up at home. I still care for others. But not at the level I once did. I still want to help. But have no energy for it. I have four little ones and a husband that take all that I am. My life is poured into them.

It’s a strange thing, this stay-at-home mom thing. It’s wonderful, it’s wonderous, it’s frustrating, it’s confusing and it’s blessed.

In my conversation with my friend the other day I realized how much we need each other. I offered a listening ear if she ever just needs to call and scream, then hang up. Don’t you wish you could do that sometimes? Just know that someone else outside of your four walls knows that it’s a tough day? That someone else can hear you scream?

And as I type I remember God hears. He see’s my “I’m the absolute worst mom in the world” days. He sees my frustration when teaching/loving/caring for my kids.

And though I know beyond a doubt that He hears. It’s nice to have a human ear that hears too. One who doesn’t judge me when I’m beyond myself with frustration. One that can listen to me vent and tell me tomorrow will be a new day.

Thanks, friend.
You know who you are.

4 Comments

Posted: February 12, 2009 by Julie |Category: Homeschooling | Our Family, Our Lives | Tags:

More Fun!

But first rats, rats and double rats.
I just deleted my post.
UGH!
I just HATE IT when that happens.

Sometimes I wonder if what I’d had to say just wasn’t what God wanted you to hear.
Hmmmmm…..

Anywho…..

Saturday was spent exploring while Sunday was spent in the yard. So here are some pictures from Saturday. We ended up at a local park and big fields just lend themselves to football in our family. Before long a pick-up game was in full swing.

Forever the coach…

Wonder what he’s thinking?
Dirty feet, green grass, sunshine on your head…..how does life get any better??

We love fashion in our house (not!). My poor sister and nieces have to dress me.
Here’s a perfect example. Flower flipflops, red velvet and leopard print pants! Yea baby!!

One from Sunday…
Baby girl sharing a swing with her friend who spent the day with us.

And one from my photographer son!…..
Good job buddy.

2 Comments

Posted: February 10, 2009 by Julie |Category: Happenings | Tags:

A Wonderful Time of Year

This weekend we were blessed with 70 degree weather. It was so nice to be outside just sitting in my chair watching the kids play. That was, until my husband got these out….

(look those calves!)

Then a round of yard work ensued! And I have the blisters to prove it. Rocket Man kept telling me to put on gloves but they never work for me.

I admit it was fun working beside him as the kids played and enjoyed the day. We got some of the leaves that hide under the bushes all winter long dug out, some bushes trimmed and part of the leaves in the back yard up. We live on a wooded lot so we have more leaves than we know what to do with every fall.

The kids made up all kinds of games on the skateboards. Racing and riding on their rear ends,
Here’s one of my favorites from the day…
See those scabs on #3 son’s face? That’s from flying down the driveway in a wagon this weekend! Our kids are quite the dare devils!

And one of our oldest flying down the driveway…

And another…..

And another….
Here’s another of my favorites……there is something about the flip side of things….

Here’s one from the day the wagon accident happened…

And one of my "model worthy" son…

Or what about this pose??

I’ve got a lot more pictures to post tomorrow so "ta-ta" for now!

1 Comment

Posted: February 9, 2009 by Julie |Category: Happenings | Tags:

It's all at the park!

Last week in the cool but brisk 50 degree weather we ventured into Greenville for a field trip to the theater to watch The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. It was a great play put on by a group that caters to school children. It lasted about an hour and was fun to watch. Afterwards we visited a local park and had such a blast running around trying to keep warm. Here’s a couple pictures from our day!

The kids had a blast on this thing…..

They would take turns pushing each other and trying to stay on without holding on. Because the "merry go round" was set at an angle it was quite a task.

I love the action I captured in these two shots (the one above and below.)

This thing was another hit. Since everything was angled in some strange way it made for so much more fun. Everything felt wobbly!

Three boys trying to hang on this time!

Baby girl tried her hand at hanging on.

Next was this cool skateboard type thingie…

I wanted to try it but I was chicken!
I think I succeeded in wearing them out though!

Today was almost 70 here and gorgeous! Spring is just around the corner.
Hope you had a great weekend.
IN HIM,

3 Comments

Posted: February 7, 2009 by Julie |Category: Homeschooling | Tags:

What's in your freezer?

Yea, most people would say food or one of those frozen "boo boo" things if you have kids. Maybe even a grown-up icepack for strained muscles. There may be some deer if you have hunters in your family. If you have a garden maybe some freshly frozen veggies.

Well we have a few of those things,,,no fresh frozen veggie though unless they’re from wallyworld.

But I did open the freezer door the other day to find this….

Here’s another view:

Excuse the really bad photography. I grabbed the closest camera available. Where is MY camera??

What is it in little boy’s minds that cause them to do such things? Just wait until this spring. I’ll have all kind of frozen mud mixtures to show you.

I guess I should be happy the lizard wasn’t real huh??

5 Comments

Posted: February 5, 2009 by Julie |Category: Homeschooling | Tags:

And the winner is…

Sherie!

Feb. 2, 2009 – Frames

Posted by Florida5 (71.180.189.123)

I love the idea! I have never seen these before. My living room sure could use them. I have been looking for something to put above the tv. This might be the answer! Thanks for letting me enter the contest. I happened across your website when I was looking at "Lessons learned on the Farm". 🙂

Sherie

Congratulations Sherie! Shoot me an email (julie.stew@yahoo.com) and I’ll notify the guys at Photojojo and let you know when to expect your frames!

1 Comment

Posted: February 3, 2009 by Julie |Category: Happenings | Tags:

A Contest to celebrate you!

Edited to say….
Okay you guys, no one has left not even one comment. And the stuff is free. What’s up? Do you not like them? Are they ugly? Are you all busy? What’s up?

To celebrate you, the weekend, and the wonderful people at Photojojo I’m having a little contest. The winner will be selected at random as soon as some people actually post a comment! So what do you have to do? Tell me where you are going to put these wonderful restickable wall decal photo frames in your home. The winner gets a set free!

Want to know more?
Thought so….
Here’s what Photojojo has to say about them….

Re-stickable Wall Decal Photo Frames
8 retro infinitely re-positionable wall frames.

We have a bit of a thing for simple things that let you change up the photos in your home quickly and without fuss.

After all, who wants to look at the same photos day after day? So it’s no surprise that we’re crushing on Re-Stickable Decal Photo Frames.

Each pack contains eight stylish frames cut from pliable, premium vinyl. (The same material used to make high-quality wall decals.) The low-tack adhesive sticks to your walls or windows but is a cinch to take off and re-apply. And it won’t damage walls or paint.

Tired of the photos you put up? Just peel your sticker frame off the wall and slip in a new one. Want to move a frame to another room? It’s just as easy.

It’s the fastest way to frame your photos.