Shelf Reliance Give-Away

The food storage company, Shelf Reilance, is having a give away. They call it "Free on Friday". This week they will be giving away a food storage shelf to help you begin your food storage preparations. Check out their site at www.shelfreliance.com.

20/20

As most of you know, my sweet husband is a bit of a celebrity! 20/20 did a story on a homicide case that he worked and it aired last night. You can see part of Marshall's interview here


http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7464068


(If I know how to add a video I would have done that; sorry.)

Please know that this video/story may not be appropriate viewing for everyone.

TEA Party

I almost forget to post picture of our first attempt at political activism! Our family attended the TEA Party in Sugar Land on April 15. What an experience.

Don't even ask me what I think about secession!

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

One of the things I love about GfBC is that we concentrate on one hymn a month. It really helps with family worship and maybe some handwriting assignments or piano lessons ;) One of the most recent hymns was Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence. I had never heard of it but it has become one of my favorites in this season of my life. Here is the first verse:

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded,
For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
Our full homage to demand.

Wow! So, since I am "mortal flesh" I should at least attempt silence. Does anyone else have trouble with that? So often I am just busy. Doing what? Homeschooling, laundry, correcting, playing, reading, crafting, talking, watching tv. Hmmm. Ok, keep silence. "And with fear and trembling stand". Yikes. Silent and reverent. Thinking about the awesome-ness of God-the Creator of the universe. And me. "Ponder nothing earthly minded" What? That means no "to-do" listing during worship. No thinking about what I can do when we get home. No worrying about the week ahead. Nothing earthly minded-only Heavenly minded. "For with blessing in His hand, Christ our God to earth descendeth, Our full homage to demand." He came to earth, as God-Man to bless us and He requires our full homage. What is homage you ask? Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines it as this:

HOM'AGE, n. [L. homo, man.]
1. In feudal law, the submission, loyalty and service which a tenant promised to his lord or superior,when first admitted to the land which he held of him in fee; or rather the act of the tenant in making this submission, on being invested with the fee. The ceremony of doing homage was thus performed. The tenant, being ungirt and uncovered, kneeled and held up both his hands between those of the lord, who sat before him, and there professed that "he did become his man, from that day forth, of life and limb and earthly honor," and then received a kiss from his lord.
2. Obeisance; respect paid by external action.
Go, go, with homage yon proud victors meet.
3. Reverence directed to the Supreme Being; reverential worship; devout affection.

I have alot to work on this week!

NASCAR

My dad (what was he thinking?) took us to the NASCAR race a couple of weeks ago. I'm not sure he knew what he was in for when he piled all of us into his motor home, but we sure had a great time!! I think the kids liked the part where they didn't have to be buckled into seat belts!

At the race we were right up front, which some people would have complained about, but I thought they were great seats. We were picking rubber off of our blankets! And my motorhead, Braden, actually fell asleep about lap 100! How does that happen??

We had a great time! Thanks Dad!

Yesterday I also got to sew for a bit. At church on Sunday, my sweet friend Emily taught us how to make a skirt from a pair of jeans. This interested me because my girl is way tall and way skinny so a good fit is out. So, I took a pair of jeans that were given to me, some fabric and lace out of my stash and set to rippin'! Here is the result:

Not too bad for a totally free skirt! She loves it and can't wait to wear it and I'm planning on making more. Goodwill here I come!

Another birthday

Yesterday was my birthday. We had a great day!!

Birthday cake-what girl doesn't love chocolate?!

And...

Birthday roses! Am I a lucky girl or what?

Braden's party

We had Braden's birthday party on Saturday. We called it a "speed party" because we started with presents and cake so that we would have more time for the actual fun! Marshall and I surprised Braden and his guests with the parts to put together their own marshmallow shooters. Then we all went out to the playground to test them. I think we went through 5 bags of mini marshmallows! The kids, big and small, loved it!

Here is Braden getting his ready for the next shot!

Operation Hospitality update

We are moving right along in what my friend, Dee Dee, calls "Operation Hospitality". The mission to get our home ready for the Biblical command of hospitality. We have been working hard and I wanted to show off a picture:

This is our "new" dining room. The box is a shelf that needs to be returned to IKEA, and there are several things that need to be hung on the wall, but we are very pleased with the switch.

Opa's bag

When Marshall's mom moved in December, our children received their Opa's bag from when he was in the Marine Corps-he served in Vietnam. They had such a ball going through the stuff! Here are some pictures:

Thanks, Opa! The kids really were excited about all the "old stuff" in there!

What's going on at my house

We have been very busy around our house. We are getting our home ready for the practice of hospitality! My sweet friend, Dee Dee, (you may remember her from my traumatic event with the car in June) came over two weeks ago and helped me. We started switching our school room and our dining room. The new dining room will now have more space where we can actually eat in there and add tables if necessary. We also took the table and one chair to a repair shop so that we will be able to use them! They belonged first to Marshall's grandparents and then to his parents so we would like to keep and use them. It was pretty hairy for a while because we had to wait before the china cabinet was in the right place. I had my great-grandmother's china all over my kitchen counters for a week! My poor children were banished from the kitchen!! The former dining room is now the office. We put up shelves around the walls and moved the computer in there. We do school in the kitchen anyway so it is all turning out nicely. We also bought more shelves for the living room when we went to IKEA so that has been turned upside down also! It's been a crazy time! It seems like everything has been a "hurry up and wait" issue. We are having to move heavy pieces of furniture and then piles of stuff. Then more furniture and then more piles. And Marshall is having to put together lots of shelves and is really giving his tools a workout!! But it is coming along and looking very nice. I'm posting a picture of the living room today and when the other rooms are done I'll take some more. So far there has been only one casualty: my wedding china sugar bowl, so if anyone is taking notes for Christmas, it is a Lenox Federal Gold sugar bowl-*sniff*





Here is a picture of the living room shelves:

Don't they look great!! Now I just need my Aunt Mo to come over and "tweak" it all! There is more to be done and it won't happen while I'm blogging!

Happy Birthday Braden!!

I can't believe my little man is 6 years old today! It seems like yesterday that we were racing to the hospital only to have Braden before the doctor even got there! Life moves too quickly! Braden enjoyed our family tradition of chocolate chip pancakes for dinner!!

In Defense of Choice

I am a bit discouraged today. Last week I was sharing with a friend that some of the members of our former church had been very vocal in their disagreements about our choices for our children. She was very hesitant to believe what I was saying, wanting to give the benefit of the doubt. I spoke with her again yesterday and she apologized for doubting me. She had been to a function at our previous church for the outgoing pastor and our family was mentioned in a conversation she had. The other person, whom she did not name, had heard that we were going to "a homeschool church" and mentioned that our children are "so sheltered". So, I'm working this out in my own head. Do we attend a "homeschool church"? Well, we do attend Grace Family Baptist Church, were we believe that the education of our children is our responsibility, not the responsibility of the state. (See anything by Dr. Voddie Baucham for more of that-'The Children of Caesar' is a good place to start!) Most of the families there do homeschool, but not all of the children are homeschooled, not all of the families have school aged children, and not all of the members are even married yet. So, let's just say we attend a "homeschool friendly" church. Next, about those "sheltered" homeschool kids. What exactly is meant when people use that phrase? Do they mean we barricade our children behind our locked front doors and keep them from encountering any other human beings? If you take a look at my schedule this week that is hardly the case. Or, more likely, do they mean that we keep them close, mentoring them ourselves rather than throw them into a group of peers and expect them to learn anything? Can our 12 year old son really learn how to act like a man by "hanging out" with other 12 year olds? It's amazing how we are perceived as preventing our children the "experience" of public school and the "opportunity" to be a light in the dark world. We have been ridiculed, both behind our backs and to our faces, for not letting our children attend church camps, not letting them spend the night at church with other children, not letting them read the latest trendy teen novel, not letting them watch rated PG moves, not encouraging them to have a boyfriend/girlfriend, and *gasp* not steering our daughter toward college. I have been told by my friends that I am way too strict; the world has changed and I can't really expect my children to act/do/say/be a certain way. Well, maybe the world has changed, but God certainly hasn't! I AM will always be! Praise Him! "For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ". Galatians 1:10. Are we perfect parents? Ha! Hardly! We are in the continual process of sanctification. We are learning, growing, and making mistakes everyday. We are trying our best to do what God has called us to do. Here are some verses to emphasize our position:

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." I can't necessarily do all of that if my children are away from me for several hours a day. How could I be sure that another teacher will be "diligently" speaking the things of God into my children?

Ephesians 5:24 "Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands" I don't feel like I would be able to do that if I placed myself under the authority of anyone other than my husband.

Stay at home wives/homeschooling families are not popular positions. They seem to incite controversy even in Christian churches and groups. It's frustrating to have to defend your choices, but I am learning to be glad about it. It provides me the opportunity to defend my faith-something that I struggle with because I never know the right thing to say and end up getting flustered and loud! Not conducive to winning one over!

So, in spite of the criticism, we will continue to shelter, homeschool, train, guide, protect, love, and be "one of those freaky homeschool families" for as long as that falls in line with God's Word!

Finally, a new post!

Well, I know it's been over two months since my last post. I can't imagine why, with three children, a husband who just started a new career, homeschooling and a new church I can't find time to update my blog! Let's just say that we had a great time at Disney World, the lost wallet was returned by the airline, Thanksgiving and Christmas were great and now we are starting a new year! Hey, everyone needs a do-over once in a while!


During the Christmas holidays, Marshall and B1 went hunting with my brother. While they were gone doing manly, yucky hunting-type things, I got to stay with my sister-in-law, which I never get to do. We don't often get to spend time together so I really enjoyed it. Not to mention she has two of the cutest girls so B2 got to be among girls-finally! She also has two nieces who came over to play with them! It was so much fun. While I was there, my SIL made these yummy crackers. As soon as I got back to my aunt's I had to make them for her and I made them again when we got back home!! I want to share it with you but with a warning! They are VERY addictive!!

Herbed Crackers

1 box saltine crackers
one package dry ranch dressing mix
1-1/3 cup canola oil
2T red pepper flakes

Put all of the crackers into a gallon jar with a lid. Mix the other ingredients together, pour over the crackers. Turn the jar occasionally for 24 hours (if you can wait that long) until crackers are coated.

Enjoy!