This Would Be So COOL!!!

I think Giraffes are just about the cutest things ever.
They are amazing.
And the babies!
Can you see one and not let out a gushy "awwww"?
If I could squeeze one in the backyard I would. What a fun pet that would be.
I wonder what the neighbors would think. LOL

But anyway....

I was looking through a fun little website that I read when I want to put my brain on pause for a bit and just enjoy some interesting stuff. Just for fun.
While there I saw this article.
Seriously. I have a new dream.
I. think. this. would. be. so. cool!
I think you'll agree.

Check it out.
Eating With Giraffes

Wisdom

"...Once I stopped pointing fingers and started offering a helping hand, I realized that the people I’d once criticized weren’t anything like I thought they were. In fact, I’ve learned so much about grace, love, and life from people whom I once upon a time wouldn’t associate with.

I’m also learning that heated words condemning another person’s choices don’t usually solve anything. Loving and listening to a person with a heart full of compassion and care… now that’s the way to make an impact. It’s much more powerful that the loudest, sharpest words ever will be..."

 

Found this quote on a blog I read. Wow.

For The Love Of Peanut Butter

I LOVE peanut butter.
I don't need anything to put it on. Eating it right out of the jar is fine with me.
In fact, sometimes preferable.

So, when I came across a recipe that was peanut buttery, healthy, easy and oh so very yummy-
I was all over it.

Lydia likes this recipe a lot, and me, well...I just have to not make them very often because peanut butter and self control don't always go together very well for me.

Healthy in moderation? yes
Good when consumed in mass amounts? Um, not so much.

I do want to share, because it is a quick, easy and healthy (if done right) snack that fills you up just the right amount and gives you energy when you need a pick me up.

Before I give you the "recipe" though, let me tell you that all the ingredients are to taste so I have no measurements. It's really just- throw a little bit of this and a little bit of that in the bowl until it looks and tastes right.
My kind of recipe.

Here's what you need:
*Peanut butter (any kind, but I prefer creamy for this)
*Uncooked oats ( I like a lot because it tastes good and helps bind it together)
*Honey
*optional- I gave this recipe to a friend and she said "Where's the chocolate chips?" So she added those- health factor goes down a notch or two but she says it's very good. Your call.

Mix together and then, if you can wait that long, form it into balls.
Sometimes I add a dusting of flour on the outside of the formed balls to make it not so sticky. This is good for little fingers that don't like to be sticky or for little hands that don't mind being sticky and then touching everything in the house, thus spreading the sticky about thoughtfully.

Sometimes I just eat it with a spoon and forgo the ball forming.

Either way, it's delicious!

And one more thing-
If you love PB as much as I do and you have never tried these...

 

 

Go. Go NOW!

Get some!

Grab your keys, your wallet and run to your nearest pb seller.

 

I don't really care for The Bee's Knees (honey and pb) because I can make that at home so why buy it?

But the Dark Chocolate Dreams and White Chocolate Wonderful?

Oh. My.

There just aren't words. It's that good.

 

 

You're welcome.

The Spider Who Came To Church (But Didn't Get Saved)

That's just about right!

I do not like spiders.
I do not like them in my house.
I do not like them in my car.
I do not like them in my yard.
I do not like them anywhere, Sam I am.
And I really don't like them when one is crawling on my child, about ready to sneak it's creepy little way under her shorts-
IN THE MIDDLE OF CHURCH!
(With Vincent not there, of course.)

I had just told Lydia to lay still a little longer because church was almost over. She obeyed, curled up in the pew with her head on my lap and was laying there peaceably. Not a minute later and rather loudly, I whispered to her GET UP (trying not to scream during the final prayer).
She looked at me like "Huh?" and didn't know what to do.
Understandable, but there was a spider on you, girl!
(I didn't tell her that.)

Here's how it all played out- As she had curled back up to get comfy for the remainder of church, her dress was up just enough to reveal the shorts underneath.
As I went to pull her dress down a black spider crawled from her hip to her shorts and tried to make a bee-line under them.
I had to quickly muster up my "panic in silence" skills because I really wanted to scream.
I thought..."I'm gonna have to get that thing off her" so I (screaming inside all the while) did my best to fling it off her. It went flying about the time she was in the process of sitting up, looking at me oddly. It all happened pretty quickly but I'm pretty sure things started to go in slow motion.
I did manage to fling it far from us but then decided it needed to die, so during final prayer I was busy killing the horrid thing with Lydia's coloring book.
After I killed it, I told Lydia what happened and then picker her up as if everything were cool and we sang the closing hymn as if I hadn't just had a spider war and as if my heart weren't pounding like a hammer.

But I was victorious! I am woman, hear me roar!

Epilogue:
(Tonight, halfway through song service, Lydia beside me happily coloring.)
I'm sitting with my legs crossed, swinging them in time to the music
Looking down for a split second, something black on my shoe catches my attention. Something black that isn't supposed to be there.
Before I have a clear, reasonable thought as to what it might be, my heart leaps to my throat and I jump enough to startle Lydia.
She gives me that same odd look from this morning and then goes back to her picture.
Probably wondering why her mother is scared of a black piece of fuzz.

Happy dreams tonight!

Footy Pajamas

It is time to break out the footy pajamas. For Lydia. Not Me.
I love how warm they look. All fluffy and warm, soft and cuddly.
And the feet! I love some of the feet on them.
So cute.

I have thought I'd love to have me some.
I know they sell them in adult sizes.
And wouldn't I look cute?
But I can't bring myself to do it.
Why?
Well for a very technical reason, really.

See, when you wear them, they are all warm and toasty UNTIL you have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night in a cold bathroom.
Normal pjs you can at least keep your top on, but you have to take it all off  when you are sporting footies and that'll wake you up like nobodies business. Burr!

So, I've then thought...how could they make them, shall I say, more "user friendly" for needs like this?
They could put the little "vent" in the backside like they used to with long underwear but with all the maneuvering that would take, it wouldn't be worth the risk involved and you'd still be pretty much wide awake before you made it back to bed.
They could maybe put a zipper in just the right place but not so sure a zipper would be so comfortable there.
I guess that's why they've left the design pretty much like they do for kids and not changed it much.
Even at the risk of losing sales from people who over-analyze their sleepwear.

And that's why I will go another year looking at Lydia's cute, footy pajamas and think "Man, those look comfy."
And then I'll say...Nah.

Good night, ya'll....from a normal pajama clad lady.

A Love "How-To"

Good stuff!

For The Love Of Frosting

Now THAT's some frosting!


I couldn't resist

Voices Raised To Praise

I have many memories of church. A lot of them, some of the most fond ones, are centered around music.
Even as a child I LOVED listening to the family of God gather together and lift their voice in beautiful worship to their Lord and King.
Say what you will, there is still nothing as beautiful to me as a congregation of voices singing hymns. I love the "new stuff" but nothing reaches down and ministers to my soul like a hymn.
I love the message. I love the melody. I love the music.
And when they are sung by people who understand the words because of all the different life experiences they collectively bring to the table.
When you hear their chorus as worship based on a lifetime of a love relationship with God and the different seasons that all have weathered, it is powerful.
To this day, I love walking up to a church and hearing the voices wafting on the breeze. Their loud song heard even from outside. And oh what a glorious song. Beautiful.

This is the last day of week long special meetings at our church. A couple of times we have been late getting there and church was already started. As we walked up to the church I could hear them sing.
Last night it was "Sweet Will of God, still fold me closer, till I am wholly lost in Thee."
(one of my favorites by the way)
As I walked closer to the doors I let their song surround me. It made my heart rejoice.
I know the people singing. I know some of their joys. I know some of their struggles.
I know their stories.
I know their seasons of life.
And I know they mean what they sing.

Listening, it took me back to my childhood. Listening to voices sing. Falling asleep in pews while their song drifted in and out of my ears.
I knew those people, too. I knew they meant what they were singing.
What a testimony it can be to a child.
Church, keep singing. Keep proclaiming in song the message of Christ, His love, His care and the Home awaiting us above.
The children are listening. And they are watching us to see if we know and believe what we sing.
The church body is listening. And they are encouraged by our song.
Christ is listening. And He is glad.

I Love Jesus

From the backseat, while I'm driving down the road on our way to town.
Totally out of the blue.

L: Jesus is coming in the clouds one day, isn't He?
Me: Yes He is!
L: Will I really see Him then?
Me: Yes, just like you see Mommy and Daddy now.
L: When I see Him can I run up to Him and give Him a really big hug? I really want to hug Jesus.
Me: He will love your hugs. He can't wait to hug you. He loves you so much, Lydia.
L: Do I get to go to Heaven with Him then?
Me: Yes, He'll take us to Heaven then. All the people who really believe in Him and love Him.
L: Will you and Daddy be there with me?
Me: Yes we will. And we'll all be with Jesus forever.
Pause
L: I like that.

Me too, Sweet One, Me too.

Good Morning World!

 

Been there?

 

Have a great day anyway!

Why Communication Is Important

In every marriage book there is a section, if not a chapter, on communication issues.
Whole books have been written on the subject.
Anyone who has been married for more than a hour knows without a shadow of a doubt-
Communication is essential for a healthy marriage.
Every author has his or her own slant on why communication is important.
And they are most likely all right.
But there are a few reasons for it's importance that I have never read in a book.
Practical, every day, going about life reasons that I can tell you, should be discussed.
It could save a lot of problems.
Not that I'd know these things first hand, mind you.

Going Deeper Than The Books- Why Communication?

Toothbrushes-
When it comes time to change out toothbrushes and get new ones, it is a good idea, yea a very wise idea, to make sure each spouse is fully aware of which color belongs to whom. The sooner the better. This is not a conversation to be had 2 weeks into the new toothbrushes. Do not assume which one you have ownership of. DO NOT.

Shopping-
Vincent does about half of the shopping. It is common for him to go by the store before coming home. It is also common for me to go shopping when he's gone.
If communication is not occurring well here we have been known to both get something that we have needed. The problem really occurs when that item is on sale and we both get more than one. Then we end of with a crazy amount of whatever it is. Thankfully it's things we need anyway or we wouldn't be buying it but it gets harder to store stuff when you have like 6 of things.
Also in shopping it is wise to make sure everyone knows just who is getting what and when and then sticking to the plan.
When it comes to purchases that need to be made, make sure someone is designated to get it. That way you don't run into "I thought you were going to get that."
That can be really bad. You can run out of things you don't want to run out of.
Like toilet paper.

Coffee-
Both of us like coffee first thing in the morning. Like most normal people.
But if a person is not pre designated to make the coffee, breakfast can be done and you will both be staring at each other with a glazed look, both wondering to yourself when the coffee will be done and why it's taking so long. Then, when one or the other can no longer take it, a stomping into the kitchen will reveal that no one has made the coffee. Blame is placed. Both are sad.
This is especially bad because neither has caffeine in them to make things manageable.

Packing for a trip-
When going on a trip, it is advisable to do your own packing 100% of the time. That way there can be no confusion. There should be no deviation from this.
When a load of laundry must be done last minute it is still advisable to make sure for yourself that what you need gets packed. Do not assume your spouse is going to be thoughtful or smart enough to take care of that for you.
Things get left behind that way. Things you will wish you had the next morning when you shower.
Underwear for example.

Shutting the door-
You wouldn't think you would need much communication on this. Think again.
When you are leaving the house together and then going in separate directions, please specify "I've got the door" or some such thing.
If not, the one coming home will have assumed the door was shut by the last one leaving while the other person (conveniently not home) will have assumed you were going back in the house before leaving and has left the door open in case you had your hands full.
Then the one coming home will come home when it is dark and she is alone and the door will be wide open but she won't know its your fault and will assume the worse and will think someone is or has been in your house when they weren't invited and then fear will make it hard for her to go in her own home and once she does she will spend much time checking all the nooks and crannies and wondering what she would do if she actually found something or someone but praise the Lord found no one was there and it was only because of a lack of communication that this happened.

Another area of door shutting that needs to be discussed-
Shutting the garage door at night-
If there is not a pre arrangement on who will shut the door before bed, you go back to the "I thought you were going to do that" and the next morning you open the house door that leads to the garage, assuming the garage is all shut up. Since you assume the garage door is shut you have on pjs that shouldn't be seen by the world. Then you realize you CAN be seen by the world because the door is wide open.
The door will be slammed.
And then one will think...animals. Did animals get in here last night?
And then that one will not want to go to the car later when a run to the post office must be made because one might imagine there is a skunk or some other nasty rodent hiding under the car, ready to pounce.

One last area that is very important. Vital to the health in fact.
Hi, Honey, I'm home!-
When a spouse is away at work. Please make sure the other spouse knows when you will be arriving home. Do not show up at home early without a little heads-up.
And for Pete's sake, don't go the bathroom before making your presence known.
Why?
Well because this is the stuff of heart attacks.
The spouse at home, unsuspecting and in need of "taking care of a little business" will bepop it into the bathroom, not thinking about the fact the door is shut and will find someone on the toilet. As a result, innocent spouse will no longer have need of that bathroom. Although an ambulance might need to be called.
I quick "I'm home!" would have avoided this. Just sayin.'

In conclusion-
Communication. Learn it.
and
Assume nothing.

Tidbit of Truth

Bloggy challenge. Still going. I haven't forgotten.
I've just been a little tad bit busy and at the end of the day there aint been no way I was gonna be able to string a sentence together, let alone a whole blog post.

I will make good though and spend some real time on this asap.
For now...

We had a guest speaker at church this week.
He said something that I love and thought I'd share.

You may be overwhelmed, but you don't have to be overcome.

Yep. True.