I could do a whole Friday Fav on Thanksgiving!  Who doesn’t love Thanksgiving?!?!

I love the food!  I love the kids being out of school for a week!  I love the food!  I love being with my family!  I love the spirit of thankfulness!  I love the food!  I love the fun fall decor!  I love the food!  Oh, I’m excited about next week just thinking about it! :)

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For my Friday Fav I need to give you a little background…

When I was in high school and wanted to get a job, my parents strongly discouraged me from working at a clothing store for fear that I would blow my whole paycheck on clothes.  They were right.  However, I chose to work at Bath & Body Works and LOVED it, but I blew my paycheck on lotions, body splash, and candles instead.  (The important things in life.)  I didn’t have any cute clothes to show for all my hard work, but I sure smelled good!

I worked at Bath & Body Works for three years and kept our college apartment stocked with yummy candles and lotions.

Every year, Christmastime at B&BW is NUTS and they needed stock boys to help with all the merchandise, so I convinced BRAD to work there for Christmas!  It’s still funny to me to think that Brad worked at B&BW, but so did his best friend, Michael.  I think they had WAY too much fun being stock boys!

Anyway, I still have a love for all things Bath & Body Works!  I ran in there last week and discovered a new “flavor” that I’m IN LOVE WITH!  The name sounds like a trashy romance novel, but I love the scent.

I know that scents and perfumes are so personal and some of you will HATE this (like my father!) but some of you will love it.  I’m talking to those people.  :)

I have always loved Angel, by Thierry Mugler.

If you love Angel, you’ll love Dark Kiss.

An added bonus is that Dark Kiss is just a wee bit (a LOT) less expensive than Angel!  They both have undertones of vanilla and powder with a little twang, and something that reminds me of my grandfather’s pipe.  That sounds weird, but the scents just work so well together in Angel to produce a sweet, soft perfume.

Dark Kiss has so many of the same scents.

Right now at Bath & Body Works, they’re having a great sale…Buy 3, get 3 free on their body care products.  Also, they have a coupon for $10 off $30 purchase, but it expires November 20.  Here’s the link for the coupon.  Google Bath & Body Works coupon, and get great coupons any time!

(By the way, B&BW has no idea who I am and did not compensate me in any way for saying this.  All of my Friday Favs are straight from my little scattered brain…not something somebody asked me to talk about.)

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Happy Thanksgiving week!!!!

-kate

Let me take you back a few years…like 18 years.

Back in the day, one of my most FAV things was a cold, refreshing Blackberry Clearly Canadian!

Now, I realize that some of you youngins have no idea what I’m talking about, but Clearly Canadian was THE DRINK!  It came in a glass bottle.  It was clear, bubbly, lightly sweet, available in a variety of fruity flavors and always sold cold from the gas station fridge (you know…back when we actually went INSIDE the gas station for something other than to run a child to the restroom).  Blackberry Clearly Canadian was my fav!

For years I’ve missed the taste of my most fav drink from middle school and high school.

When I was pregnant with AnnaLeigh I was craving a Clearly Canadian so badly that I did a little online research.  At that time, in 2008, they were still bottled and sold, and I could purchase a case from Canada for only $80 plus shipping.  I almost bought it, but I decided Brad would have a pig, so I put my marriage first and didn’t buy the $80 case of cold bubbly goodness.  However, I did go as far as to write the company and ask if there were any local distributors.  I never received a response, but I did somehow get put on their promotional email list and received advertisements from the company almost weekly.  This only taunted me and increased my pregnancy craving.  Mean!

Fast forward 3 years…almost exactly!  I was at the grocery store Monday, and I was STARVING!  I know better than to grocery shop hungry, but I was there…at lunch time…with 2 small maniacs…and everything there looked delicious!  I was putting things in my buggy that I would have never bought as a non-pregnant, non-hungry, kid-free grocery shopper.  However, I was not that woman, and I bought many exciting new things on Monday.  One of which happened to be Ocean Spray Sparkling Pomegranate Blueberry!!!

I had let it chill in my fridge for a few hours, then Monday afternoon I decided to try my little splurge.

Oh.My.Goodness!

I’m pretty sure I heard a chorus of angels singing!  It was like taking my first sip of a Blackberry Clearly Canadian!  It was an instant party in my mouth, and I gulped it down with pure glee!  That afternoon I went and bought another package just because it made me so happy!

Now, are Ocean Spray Sparkling Juices really that amazing?  Well, they are very good!  I would happily purchase them again.  Sometimes I want something bubbly without the heaviness or caffeine of a dark soft drink.  Ocean Spray Sparkling Juice definitely satisfies that craving.  However, I know that it’s my fav because it reminds me so much of a flavor of my past.  Tastes really can take me back in time, and I loved how this taste did just that.

So, if you LOVED Clearly Canadian, give this a try.  I’ve seen them at grocery stores and Target.  I have not tried the Sparkling Cranberry Juice, but I’ve heard it’s really good, too.

Enjoy your blast from the past and have a great weekend!

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A few confessions…

I am a list maker.

I love Post-Its.

I NEED reminders!

I need LOTS of reminders!

I don’t have a watch.

I don’t like watches.

They pull my arm hairs.

Anyone that knows me can tell you I have an excess of hair on my arms.  (Thank you God for that fun joke.)

I am ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS late!

Always!

I look at the time on my phone about 452,000 times a day.  Often it is to just check the time.

I find that the more often I see something, the more likely I am to actually remember it.

My new FAV way to leave myself notes and reminders is on my phone.  I just had to share my new (I’m sure not at all original, but I’ve been very excited about it) idea.

When I need to know the time, I click on the magic little circle at the bottom of my iphone and the date, time, and my wallpaper are illuminated.  My previous wallpaper was a precious picture of my big bug, and while I love looking at his sweet face, I decided I could use this split second as an opportunity to remind myself of something…anything.

This week I heard a lesson on living life to the fullest and making a difference.  The key phrase I took away from it was “Outlive your life!”…to make a difference that will last longer than my life on earth.  This week my phone looked like this when I pushed the magic button to see what time it was.

I would like to NEED to focus on the fruit of the Spirit today, so I just made it my “lock screen.”

How to do it…

Write something on a piece of paper and take a picture of it with your phone.  If you’re planning on the www viewing your handwriting, you may want to make it legible.  I am in a hurry, so this is all you get.  It’s not pretty, but I don’t need pretty.  I need to the point!

Allow space at the top and bottom, because there will be images on the screen that will block your text.

After you’ve taken the picture, select the image and click on the little box with the arrow at the bottom left of your screen, which will give you these options.  Select “Use as Wallpaper.”

Then select “Set Lock Screen”

Set the image and then you should have a lock screen that looks like this when you push the magic button at the bottom to see what time it is.

What a fun way to remind myself of all the things I need to be focusing on constantly.  Here are some things that I SHOULD use as my wallpaper…

Whatever you need to be reminded of, put that message on the one little thing that we all look at WAY too much!

Happy Friday, and happy wallpapering!

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Around this time last year I started running longer distances, and I memorized scripture passages to get me through some of the longer runs and the half marathons.  One of my most FAVorite passages is Ephesians 4:29-5:2

²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. ¹ Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

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I tried to decide what I should post as my Friday Fav.  I wanted to talk about my most fav stain fighter or my most fav coffee right now, but this verse just keeps HITTING me in the face!  I even tried to avoid posting this and I referred back to a list I made in February of things I wanted to post as Friday Favs, and out of 6 Favs, THIS was one of them.  So I guess this is what I need to hear today…and maybe you do too?!?  :)

Let me start by saying this has been a ROUGH week!  The girls have been precious and have played together beautifully.  LK has even slept a few nights this week.  (YAY!)  However, starting school is always very tough on Preston.  He requires MUCH more sleep than his roommate, Lilly Katherine, and the start of school throws us for a loop.  We sent him to half day kindergarten in part because he napped every day until the day before first grade. :)  Don’t be jealous…I can promise you LK wasn’t napping.

Anyway, Preston is a typical first born male.  He is logical, literal, analytical, TYPE-A, a rule follower, and over-all a very good kid.  He’s smart and likes to do his best at school.  It would CRUSH him if he got in trouble in school and I know that he does as he’s told, which makes me a very proud mother!  However…at HOME…this is not always the case.  Preston is extremely aggressive and intense, and the sleepier he is, the more aggressive and intense he becomes.  He’s so good at school that it’s like he uses up all his “good”ness there and has to let all his energy, aggression, wiggles, and frustrations out when he gets home.  That makes for a very challenging afternoon/evening at our house.

On top of that, my brilliant little boy HATES and I mean HATES to read.  He would rather be throwing a ball, and he’s been still ALL DAY LONG, so he just simply can’t do it anymore.  This is where the aggression and frustration enter.  Let’s just say if any of you have walked past our house in the last 2 weeks between the hours of 3:30-5:30 you would think I was beating someone, but it was just Preston avoiding his homework.  I have talked to him, tried to reason with him, Brad has talked to him, prayed with him, prayed for him, we’ve punished him, taken privileges away, and I was at the end of my rope.

I went for a short jog yesterday and was praying for my maniac when THAT VERSE came into my mind AGAIN, and I realized what I need to do with Preston.  I need to be teaching him scripture, so that his little mind can refer back to it when he needs it.  I need to be able to point to specific places in the Word that instruct him and guide him.  I, KATE, I need to hear the words of this verse echoing through my brain every moment of every day!   I myself need to get rid of rage and anger.  I need to speak affirming words to him that will benefit him and not things that will exasperate him or grieve the Holy Spirit of God.  It’s hard for Preston to get rid of rage and anger if his mother is screaming “Settle down!!!”

Preston needs to know these words.  He needs to hide them in his heart, so that he can recognize his sin as he’s being unkind to his sisters or his friends.  I tell my children all the time, “Be kind and loving to each other” which stems from this verse, but Preston needs to KNOW the verse.  It will be much easier for him to KNOW this verse if he sees someone trying to live it, and I can honestly say that he hasn’t seen that in his mother!

I need to watch my mouth, and not let any unwholesome talk come from my face!  I need to not say ugly things about other people, to other people, or to my children.  I’m learning that they don’t hear a lot of what I say, but they do hear the negative things I say to them, about them, or about others, and they remember it.  How horrible!  I am their example!  And this verse clearly says that it GRIEVES the Holy Spirit of God!

I need to stop dwelling on past issues with people and get rid of bitterness.  This is something Preston struggles with, so I need to be a good example!

I need to treat my children the way I want them to treat each other.  I still have to discipline them, and correct them, and train them, but I should do it without screaming at them in a fit of rage and anger!  Yes, that does happen sometimes.  I am able to sit and calmly talk to them, but sometimes I just get to the end of the flipping rope, and I lose my mind like I’m one of the children!  Yes, good example…I know.

I need to show them kindness and compassion.  I find this much easier to do to friends and strangers sometimes than to my own family.  I also feel that I’m exempt from this statement before 8 am, as I am physically unable to be nice or kind to anyone before 8 am! :)

I need to be an imitator of God!

I need to live a life of love, and for some reason I know that God gave me these 3 precious, wild children to show the meaning of the word LOVE!  I don’t do a very good job of that sometimes!

This verse just keeps coming to mind this week.  I think that’s the point of scripture memory.  I think maybe I should heed the words and try to teach them to my children.  I think this needs to be OUR Friday Fav for the week!

Happy Friday…now go memorize Ephesians 4:29-5:2!

²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. ¹ Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

(My awesome photography and attention to detail didn’t notice the small boo-boo bunny in the background of the first picture.  I’m sure some horrible catastrophe had just happened, but I can’t even remember what it was.  Thank goodness all 3 maniacs are still in one piece…and thank goodness for that little blue boo-boo bunny which miraculously heals all wounds!)

Now on to my Friday Fav #15…

We live in Texas.

We LOVE chips and salsa! We could eat them with every meal!

Lately, we have found 2 new kinds of chips that we just can’t get enough of.

Our very fav is Julio’s Corn Tortilla Chips, available in Texas.

They are often sold in a larger paper bag, but recently I have seen them in this plastic bag.  The color scheme is the same.  The wonderful flavor is consistently delicious!

They can be found at many Wal-Mart and Brookshires stores, and if you find them, buy them.  Julio’s Chips taste more homemade than mass produced chips.  They taste more restaurant-y (you like that word?)  They have just the right amount of their special seasoning blend, and they are great with hot sauce/salsa!  Especially this salsa! (scroll down to second recipe)

The second kind of chip is Tostitos Artisan Recipe Fire-Roasted Chipotle Corn Chips.

They are more readily available and delicious as well.  They’re just a different kind of corn chip.  They also have a great flavor, and the flavor is cooked into the chip instead of sprinkled on top.  Very unique, and very good!

It’s 12:15 on Friday night, so I guess I’ve missed my Friday deadline for the “Friday Fav” but we’ll just pretend like I’m on the West Coast!

Now I think I’ll head to the kitchen and stare in my pantry because now I’m hungry.  I’m sure that I’ll make every effort to avoid foods like this, and in the process I’ll take just a little bite of about 25 different things, realizing 15 minutes into my pantry raid that a few chips would have been a better decision.  Oh well.

Good Night World!

Have a wonderful weekend with those you love!

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Oh, and these chip people have no idea in the world who I am, nor did they ask me to write this.  However, if they would like to send me a few bags of chips, I will be happy to accept. :)

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I have 2 girls!

They are maniacs.

They wear hair bows.

They lose hair bows.

They get chocolate on hair bows.

We go through a lot of hair bows!

That’s to let you know that I have to BUY a lot of bows and have bought them from MANY different sources, and my FAV place to buy bows is this precious company called Gracie Belle Hair Bows.  I would HIGHLY recommend Gracie Belle to anyone with girls!

I have ordered TONS of bows from them, and they are always perfect!  They are the best quality, the fastest shipping, and usually the shipping is FREE!  She has incredible deals on her bows (and you all know how cheap frugal I am).  She also runs specials all the time which makes the deal even better!  Sign up for her newsletter to find out about new products of special deals.  Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.

Last week she had a 20% off sale, and I ordered 16 hair bows.  I got to choose the size, color, what kind of clip, lined/unlined, knotted/flat center…my point is that these bows are made TO YOUR SPECIFICATION, and I bought 16 precious bows for $25.47!  That’s an average of $1.59/bow!

$1.59/bow! Plus, the shipping was FREE, and I received my bows within ONE week of placing the order!  I’m telling you, you won’t find a better bow company.

The bows I typically purchase are the basic boutique bow sets.  You can look at almost any of my past posts to see what they look like on my girls.  I buy the Small Boutique Bows and the Gracie Sized Boutique Bows.  With my last order, I also purchased a color chart, so I could choose the exact colors I needed.

I do not know the owner, Michelle, but I have emailed her many times, and she graciously answers my questions quickly and kindly.  I emailed her yesterday to let her know I had a blog and wanted to highlight her business because I’ve been so impressed with it, and she offered to give you guys a 10% discount!! :)

Order from Gracie Belle Bows by Friday, July 1, and enter the discount code TRH10 to receive 10% off your order.

Share this with any moms that buy bows as often as I do!  They’ll thank you for it!

Have a lovely Friday, and enjoy this Friday Fav, thanks to Gracie Belle Bows!

-kate

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Aside from the fact that Leigh is one of my most favorite people on earth, her products are SO delicious!  If you haven’t tried any of the “Leigh Oliver’s” products, then today is the day to start!  We almost always have one or two of her items in our fridge or pantry.

My new fav is Leigh Oliver’s Cantina Fajita Seasoning.

Last night I used it on caramelized onions and chicken.  It was wonderful!  I love it on chicken!  Last week, I sauteed shrimp using the Cantina Fajita Seasoning, and then tossed it with pasta and tomatoes.  DELISH!

Here’s what it looks like.  I wish you could smell it. :)

Another product that we have inhaled recently is Leigh Oliver’s Creamy Jalapeno Dip.

It’s HOT.  It’s creamy.  It’s so good!  Brad and I ate the whole container on chips in a week.

She has a list of items from Marinara to Pimento Cheese, Spices to Sauces.  Check her out here.

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Leigh has no idea that I’m posting this on my blog.  She did not ask me to do it.  I just honestly love these products and think you will too!  So go get ’em!

Happy Friday!

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I am NOT a reader.  I read blogs.  I read my Bible (not as often as I should).  Other than that, I don’t read.  Sad, I know.

Due to the 3 maniacs that I am raising, I have read a few parenting books.

Due to the 2 weeks that we’ve had, I will be RE-reading this one tonight.

Due to the fact that this is an easy read and a wonderful resource, this is my fav parenting book, and i just wanted to share it with all of my favorite people.

Ginger Plowman offers wisdom and guidance on how to raise your children and “train them the way they should go,” but she does it with humor and humility.  Most of the pages in my book are highlighted and underlined.

“Don’t Make Me Count to Three” is available on her website, GingerPlowman.com, and she offers other great resources as well.  I also have the “Wise Words for Moms” that’s only $3.99.

Happy Friday!

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Well, helllllooooo there, friends!  I’m sorry I disappeared for a few days.  I have so many recipes to post, but they will come later today.  I’ve not felt great this week, and I have had a lot going on.  But I’m back…with a few Friday Favs!

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I stumbled upon this item at Target, and I love it!

Giada’s Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

It’s great on pasta.  It’s great mixed with cream cheese and spread on crackers.  And my fav is to make Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto HUMMUS!  I just make the Caramelized Hummus Recipe, except I use about a tablespoon of this pesto instead of the onions (although I’m sure it would taste great with the onions)

When I found it, I found a ton of Giada products and foods, but THEY’RE NOT IN THE FOOD SECTION!  Not sure why!  They’re with the cooking and baking utensils and kitchen supplies.  There’s a whole Giada section at our local Target.

She also has a basil pesto that’s very good.

Warning: These pestos do contain cashews. I had no idea pesto often contains cashews until Lilly Katherine had an allergic reaction to my sun-dried tomato hummus. Oops! Now every time I give that child hummus she approaches with caution for fear that her mother is giving her something “spicy for her tongue!”
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Happy Friday and happy eating!
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Well hello friends!  I’ve been M.I.A. this week, because ALL of my time and energy have gone to the CCC Sale, but I’m back…with lots of fun clothes and furniture. :)

My Friday Fav is simple.  Pure.  Delightful.

Let me introduce you to the LÄRABAR.

This is how they describe themselves:

“LÄRABAR is a delicious blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts and spices. Made from 100% whole food, each flavor contains no more than nine ingredients. Pure and simple, just as nature intended.”

They are made with very few ingredients.  Natural ingredients.  I feel like I’m eating pure nutrition and not junk when I eat them, but they are really good!

Apple Pie is probably my fav, but I love cherry pie, too.

Apple Pie ingredients: dates, almonds, unsweetened apples, walnuts, raisins, cinnamon.  That’s it!

Cinnamon Roll ingredients:  dates, walnuts, almonds, raisins, cashews, cinnamon.  I know what all those things are, and I can pronounce them.  AND, it’s YUMMY!They have lots of great flavors, and you can see them here.  I have always purchased LÄRABARs at Drug Emporium or health food stores.   They have recently started carrying a few varieties at Target.

Just remember, they are made of all natural ingredients.  No preservatives.  Eat within the expiration date, but give them a try!

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I’ll be back later with a yummy recipe…I hope! :)

But for now, I’ll leave you with 2 pics (taken with my phone) that pretty much sum up my life.

Brad and I had a date night.  We tried to watch a movie.  We’ve probably watched fewer than 10 movies in our married life.  This is why…

Please notice the DROOL on his lip.  (You know I love you dear.)

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And this pic…This was taken a few weeks ago, but it just makes me laugh.

Preston is being obnoxious crazy.  Lilly Katherine is posing for a picture, wearing her fav “big sister” hat.  AnnaLeigh is “nursing” her baby.  Sam is licking his bottom.  Welcome to paradise.  I love every minute of it…most minutes, anyway. :)

Happy Friday!!!

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This has been my Friday Fav since last week.  I never got it posted last Friday, and it seems I missed this Friday, too.  I’m just posting it on Saturday night, but I’m still calling it a Friday Fav. :)

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This year in BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) we’re studying Isaiah.  My most favorite passage has been Isaiah 1:16-20.  This passage of scripture is so rich and full of life lessons!  I have loved thinking about it, memorizing it, and trying to teach it to my kids.

¹⁶ Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
stop doing wrong.
¹⁷ Learn to do right; seek justice.
encourage the oppressed.^[a]
Defend the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.

¹⁸ “Come now, let us reason together,”
says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
¹⁹ If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the best from the land;
²⁰ but if you resist and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword.”
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

“STOP doing wrong.”

Such an elementary thought, yet such a wake-up call.  We need to take notice of the yucky, nasty, ugly things that are awful habits in our lives…the little things that are wrong, sinful…and STOP!  We can’t be the person God wants us to be if we continue to (willingly, blatantly) live in sin.  Because we are imperfect humans, we will always be sinful, but we should make every attempt to live like Christ.

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LEARN to do right.

This verse is key!  Correcting our sinful habits doesn’t typically change overnight.  It can happen with the help of the Lord, but in most cases correcting our sin takes time.  LEARN to do right.  It’s so special to me that the Lord knows this is a process.  Take the time to figure out how to do right.  Take the time to study the WORD.  Spend time with others that are encouraging and wise and knowledgeable.  Be teachable.

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Personal examples:

It’s easy to think this verse doesn’t really apply to us if we’re not committing “big” sins…but large or small, a sin is separation from our HOLY GOD.

I need to STOP yelling at my children when I am frustrated with their deliberate disobedience.  I need to LEARN to calmly speak words of truth to them.  Correct them, YES, but not exasperate them.  This is SO HARD for me!

I need to STOP being lazy, messy, unorganized.  I need to LEARN to be productive, organized, and take care of the gifts to which I’ve been blessed.  I know God is a God of order, I am a woman of CHAOS, and something needs to change.

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(vs. 17) Seek Justice.  Encourage the oppressed.  Defend the cause of the fatherless.  Plead the case of the widow. Be the arms and hands and feet and mouth of the Lord for people who are broken, discouraged, down, frustrated, weary.  There are so many people hurting, so many people who feel they have no voice, and they need YOU and ME!

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Come now let us reason.

Be reasonable!  Sit down, think about your life.  Think about this verse and BE REASONABLE.  Don’t make excuses (which I’m an EXPERT at doing), but instead try to see your life as GOD sees it.

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Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are as red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

(This always reminds me of an old Sons and Daughters/Watermark song)

Our sins are sometimes so small that we don’t think about them much, but they build to something ugly.  Sometimes they’re large and public.  No matter what they are, no matter how public they are, we are all sinners, and we all need the saving grace of the LORD!  Whether we feel the glare of peoples’ judgmental eyes due to a public sin, or we just know in our hearts that we are living in sin, THE LORD WILL…AND IS HAPPY TO…FORGIVE US!  No sin ever has to be a permanent stain, because He wants to make us “as white as snow!”  He wants to wipe our slate clean.  LET HIM!  Fall at his feet and ask for forgiveness.  He will make us clean if we only confess our sins, ask for forgiveness, and get back on track with a personal relationship with the one who created every one of us!

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If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”

This verse DOES NOT implythat walking with the Lord will give you an easy life or that living in sin will cause death.  To me, this verse sounds like good parenting/shepherding words of wisdom!  If we willingly obey the few things He’s asked of us, we may not have an easy life, but we’ll have a full and joy filled life.  If we resist and rebel (as we often see our children do), we will be met with consequences and a lack of peace.  We will never be completely happy with that void in our life, and we will one day face judgment…from the only judge that matters.  We can have eternal life with Him, or we can have eternal life without Him.  I choose to be WITH Him!  I choose joy, peace, hope!

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These verses have made me think a lot about my actions.  There are so many things I need to stop doing and so many things I need to learn.  The one place I know I can find wisdom is The Bible.  The Lord tells us clearly in Jeremiah 29:13,

“Call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you,” delcares the Lord.”

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In case you haven’t figured this out, I like to EAT!  I enjoy it.  It makes me happy.  I love good food.  I love healthy food.  I love junk food.  I love FOOD!

I don’t eat ice cream when my kids are awake, because ice cream turns Preston into something super-human.  It literally makes him lose his mind.  You can see the sugar start bubbling through his veins the instant it touches his tongue.  I’ve been told he looks like a racquetball in a small court.  It’s the truth!

SOOOO, My favorite sweet indulgence after the kids are asleep is

Chick-fil-A’s Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake

(credit)

And this is what it looks like when i’t gone. :)

I enjoyed this one with my sweet hubby last night!  So, so so yummy!

The Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake is seasonal, so get it before it’s gone!

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I have been very convicted about television this year.  I don’t want to fill my mind with the junk that’s on TV and I certainly don’t want to fill my babies’ minds with it.  I have always been pretty good about limiting the maniacs’ TV time, but this year I’m actually practicing what I preach.  Amazing!

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My Friday Fav #2 is the Cedarmont Kids Bible Singalong Collection.

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My kids have these CD’s, and they they listen to them ALL.THE.TIME!  They sing, shout and dance about…and it’s so precious!

My sister encouraged me to get the DVD’s of these same songs, so I got them for my maniacs for Christmas.   My girls LOVE them!  About 100 times a day AnnaLeigh says, “I wanna watch my songs, Mama!”  It’s so sweet to hear them sit and sing and know that they’re filling their minds with praises to the Lord instead of the drama of Hannah Montana.

The songs on this Platinum collection include the following 3 CDs or DVDs:

SUNDAY SCHOOL SONGS

• I Am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N
• Standin’ in the Need of Prayer
• He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands
• Alive, Alive
• Jesus Loves the Little Children
• Whisper a Prayer
• Jacob’s Ladder
• Old Time Religion
• Go Tell It on the Mountain
• I’ve Got Peace Like a River
• Michael, Row the Boat Ashore
• Oh, How I Love Jesus
• Down in My Heart
• Let the Sunshine In
• Do Lord

ACTION BIBLE SONGS

• Onward, Christian Soldiers
• Rise and Shine (Arky, Arky)
• Zacchaeus
• Father Abraham
• I’m in the Lord’s Army
• Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
• His Banner Over Me Is Love
• Jesus Bids Us Shine
• O Be Careful, Little Eyes
• Happy All the Time
• Jesus Loves the Little Ones
• Isn’t He Wonderful
• One Door and Only One
• Behold, Behold
• If You’re Happy
• This Little Light of Mine
• Climb, Climb Up Sunshine Mountain

BIBLE SONGS

• Little David (Play on Your Harp)
• This Is My Commandment
• Jesus Loves Me
• Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho
• Jesus Loves Even Me
• Dare to Be a Daniel
• Everybody Ought to Know
• Peter, James and John in a Sailboat
• My God Is So Big
• Every Promise in the Book Is Mine
• I Will Sing of the Mercies of the Lord Forever
• The B-I-B-L-E
• Silver and Gold Have I None
• Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam
• I Have Decided to Follow Jesus
• Give Me Oil in My Lamp

If you have young kids that love to sing, I encourage you to look into these CD’s and DVD’s.  They are a wonderful price, especially if you buy the box sets, and so worth it!  We have this set which includes 3 full length DVD’s.  You can purchase them at Christian book stores or you can buy them here.  The CD set is only $9.99 and the DVD set is only $19.99.  Hard to beat!

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“Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things.”

– Phil 4:8

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I think I am going to start a new little blog tradition called “Friday Favs!”  We already have the Friday tradition of  “DONUT DAY!!!” which is of course a FAV, so why not add another tradition.  I think I’m going to try to list an item, a product, an idea, a moment, etc…that is a favorite!

My first Friday Fav is…

La Tortilla Oven

It is the best tortilla warmer ever!  The tortillas stay warm throughout our entire meal.  This is smaller than those styrophome or plastic warmers with lids.  It really works!  I used it again this week to make homemade taquitos and it just made me happy!

I bought ours at Mistletoe and Magic, but you can buy them online here.

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