Trick or Treat

So we say with confidence,

'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.'

Hebrews 13:6

Loren's off to another trip. Although this one is for fun. He and several other guys are riding their Harley's to Galveston, Tx. So when I stay alone out here in the middle of Little House on the Prairie, I am scared at night. I set my alarm, but I still am afraid. My mind wanders off and all the bad things that can happen come into mind. I stay up late, and pray that God keep me safe and make me not afraid.

I'm also afraid of how I'm raising my kids. You know, comparing myself to the June Cleavers of the world. My house is not as clean as theirs, my children are not as disciplined as theirs, my laundry is still not put away and so on. But when I ask Him to help me gain confidence and not give in to my worries and such, He does it. He helps me remember that through him I can do it all.
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Well, today is Halloween. Yes, we go trick or treating. We are baaaaddd people. We also believe in Santa Clause, The tooth fairy, The Easter Bunny and the Great Big Pumpkin just like in Charlie Brown. So there!! Now you know the real us.

The boys are excited about it. They are going to be Ninja's. Isaac thinks he can use his new karate skills while in costume. The sword might be broken by the time tonight gets here, but at least he'll have a knife. Ha Ha.

We went to our friends house yesterday. She used to be our neighbor when we lived down her street and she is 80 yrs old. Now that we have moved she still calls me to change out her light bulbs, or change out her battery in her smoke detector, or reset her microwave oven clock so that she can just hit start and not key in numbers. So yesterday we went over to take out some crape myrtles that she no longer wanted that were growing wild by the side of her house.

Her back is not in good shape and she's got arthitis in her hands which make her fingers stay curled. But you would never know this while watching her pull those trees out. She wants me to bring them home to plant, but of course my husband doesn't want them. Last time she send me trees to replant, they didn't make it. So Loren doesn't want to dig a hole and have them die. I'm going to be rebellious and still bring them home. Maybe they won't die this time.

Anyway, she told me to make sure to bring the boys by today for Halloween.. I asked her if she had her candy ready to give away and she said "The world is full of candy, the kids get too much sugar that way. I am giving them sodee pops." OK. I guess sodee pops don't have as much sugar as candy. But she is 80 and she'll do what she wants. I hope I get to be 80 one day because when I do, I'm going to do what I want and people will just say, "she's just old and set in her ways" Hee Hee

You broke it!

"Give, and it will be given to you."
Luke 6:38

When we give so much of ourselves, sometimes we feel like if we can't give anymore. But God can continue giving. He can give more to us so that we in turn can give more to others.
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Well, yesterday was a strange day. The boys broke their space shuttle, rocket, etc. from yesterday's post. (aka the guitar stand) They were fighting over who got to sit in front, and it just broke. Of course when it broke, they both blamed each other. "you did it, no YOU did it" and on and on. Once they figured out who broke it the most. (their language) It was on to fight about who was going to get the bigger piece. Finally, I took away both pieces and off they went to find something else to break.

While we were doing school I asked Isaac to bring me the little stereo that was on the floor in my room. He ended up dragging that thing from my room to the school room by the chord. When I plugged it in, it wouldn't work. Why? Because I think he thought it was a dog and was pulling it by the collar. He ended up pulling the chord out from the inside of the stereo.

I haven't checked out there rooms to see if they broke anything else. I'm sure there is something else, I will just wait for it to tell me "here I am, I'm broken, you see me?"

I had send them outside and last I heard, they were trying to make a fire out of rocks and sticks. Maybe the dog put the fire out if they succeeded.

We went to my favorite place in the whole world (she says sarcastically) Wal-Mart.
I mean, that may be the only hang out place here, but I dislike shopping there . They have all those registers and only 2 or 3 are open on each side. Which means you have to wait 30 minutes to buy just a couple of items.

So we had one thing and got in line in one of the 3 speedy checkouts that had 6 people. We ended up behind a lady that was sitting in one of those electric wheelchairs. Her basket was full. She seemed to have more than 20 items and I was complaining to myself. You know, we've all done it. "I can't believe she has more than 20 items and she's in the speedy lane" "Why do I always get stuck behind people that don't bother to be respectful" "Why do I even come shopping at this place?" I was going on and on. When suddenly she turns around and looks at me and says "why don't you go ahead, it will take me longer to set these groceries on the register, than it will for you to pay"

Ouch!!! I felt really bad. I had tried to practice what I had put as my devotion yesterday. You know, the fruit of the spirit. But I hadn't practiced it at the place where I needed it the most.

To infinity and beyond!

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,

goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control."

Galatians 5:22-23

We are doing a study on the fruit of the Spirit at church and we are using the book "Naked Fruit" by Elisa Morgan. It is a wonderful book, I recommend it. But for a long time I always said fruit(s) ,but when you read it closely, it says fruit. It is one fruit that contains all of those in it. Sometimes it's hard to have love towards someone when they are hard to love, but that is what God wants you to do.



Everyday we have to pray for each piece of fruit to be visible in our lives. You don't know how many times I want to say "Ok God, I can do the love and joy and goodness and faithfulness today, but I'm just not in the mood to be kind or to have patience and and definately not have self control when it's in anger." That's not how God works, he wants us to do it all. It is hard, but it is worth it because He works through us.
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The boys think that everything, EVERYTHING, in the house belongs to them. They have rooms with toys in them and yet they play with stuff that isn't theirs. They like to dig in my dresser drawers, because what is in those drawers is more exciting that the hot wheels and dragons in their rooms.



This is another thing they like to play with. Loren's guitar stand. I can see why. It can be a space shuttle, a log ride, a horse, you know, the possibilities are endless.
The little boy says that underwear are clothes, so he stays in just that all day long. To be a kid again.


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We haven't had a pastor since the middle of March. Our search committee has been working hard trying to find us one. This past weekend we had someone come to our church in view of a call. Which meant that he was to preach and we as a congregation would vote whether we felt he was the right one for the job.



He came in on Thursday and had meetings on Friday and Saturday with different areas of the church. Then he preached both Sunday morning and Sunday night. Everyone was impressed with him. He flew in from Japan, and if he was jet lagged, he never showed it. He talked to everyone he could during the luncheon. He played with the kids, he hugged on some necks and smiled the entire time. By the time we were ready to vote, I believe everyone knew that this was the man that God wanted for our church. And the vote showed. He had 96% of the congregations vote. He accepted the positon and now we have a pastor.

His wife and daughters stayed in Japan and they will all be here at the end of January to start at our church. It's exciting to know that we have a pastor for our church, but most of all that we are getting girls. The majority of the kids in our church are boys, it was definately time for some girls.

I've got a date

"He will not let your foot slip-

he who watches over you will not slumber"

Psalm 121:3

When you are going through some tough times remember that God does not sleep. He will take care of you, he will protect you and watch over you, even when you think you're going through it alone.
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Loren and I went out on a date last night. With no family around here, it makes it very difficult to just get up and go do stuff without kids. We had a sitter and we went out. Since dates alone with my husband are few, I don't care where we go. I didn't even mind if we went thru a fast food place, picked up some food, rented a movie and sat in the backseat of the car to watch the movie on the car TVs. At least we would be alone and not have to fight over the remote.

We went to dinner then went to go hang out at the only happening place here in town. You see, when you live in a small town, with limited restaurants and limited "hang outs" you have to make do with what you've got. Where else can you see different people of all walks of life and be able to not worry about having broccoli in your teeth because someone has you beat by walking around with toilet paper on their shoe? Wal-Mart!!! The only happening place at night in small town Oklahoma.

When I worked there, I saw some pretty interesting people, but I can observe them at a different level now that I'm just a customer. Strange things happen at that place. Things that make you go hmmmm! And with that, I leave it in your imagination.

The loser

"Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them."

Proverbs 4:5

There are days when we seem to need more wisdom than others, but no matter what it is we need, we can go to God and he will give it to us. God wants us to need him. He wants us to go to him for all our needs. He's ready to share all he has with us, so go get it!!!
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One of my favorite authors is Shel Silverstein. And one of my favorite poems in his Where the Sidewalk Ends book is the following.

The Loser

Mama said I'd lose my head

If it wasn't fastened on.

Today I guess it wasn't

'Cause while playing with my cousin

It fell off and rolled away

And now it's gone.

And I can't look for it

'Cause my eyes are in it,

And I can't call to it

'Cause my mouth is on it

(Couldn't hear me anyway

'Cause my ears are on it),

Can't even think about it

'Cause my brain is in it.

So I guess I'll sit down

On this rock

And rest for just a minute....

That's me today. We were headed to the park and I couldn't find my glasses. (I need them to drive) I was looking everywhere. But I guess not really everywhere because when I rubbed my eye I found my glasses on me. And while looking for my sunglasses that clip on to my glasses, I was looking all over the passenger side of the seat, but I couldn't find them. So I put my arm on the arm rest to back out of the driveway and I find them. Then my cell phone was ringing, but I couldn't find it in my car, so what do you think I found 'ringing' in my jean pocket? You guessed it. The other day I was looking for my pen and couldn't find it, someone pointed out that it was in my hair. Repeat after me "I AM NOT GETTING OLD"!!!!!

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I didn't say that!

"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."

Ephesians 4:29

When my kids were younger, they would stare at people and they were quite honest about what they saw. One day we were at the bank and the gentleman next to us had apparently been working very hard, it was either that or he was rolling around in the Oklahoma red dirt and mud. Well, the boys kept staring at him and I kept trying to distract them by telling them how the nice teller would give them a lollipop, but it didn't help. They both turned to look at me and Noah, who wasn't talking quite well yet said in a not so quiet voice "dirty man". Isaac then agreed and started to say how VERY dirty he was. It was quite embarrassing. I guess it could have been worse.

But we as adults and parents need to watch what we say because our kids pick up on it. When we have kind and friendly words to say about someone, our children will do the same. As the boys get older, they still stare, but now they try to say something positive about who they are staring at.

When Loren drives, he thinks he's Dale Earnhardt. Sometimes he doesn't compliment the driver of the other car like he should and therefore, some not so nice kid friendly words come out. They are not vulgar words, but my kids think stupid is a bad word. So one day we were riding in the truck when Noah suddenly yelled at his brother and this is what he said "you are a more on" (My kid friendly spelling of the word.) Loren and I looked at each other and knew that we had to watch what we said a lot more carefully.
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Do you ever feel like someone is following you? Like someone is trying to get you? I feel like that lots of times in my own home. I have these little munchkins that try to plot against me. They have their own language with each other, and they can look at each other and know exactly what the other is thinking or wants. It's scary. :)



I knew my kids were up to something when I couldn't hear them in the house, so I snuck outside and this is what I found.

I think they are plotting to hurt me and burn me in the pit. Although, they'd have to make the hole a little bit bigger, because I definitely don't fit in that.

Is the phone for me?

"Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

1 Samuel 16:7

No matter how many wrinkles or gray hairs we have, God loves us anyway. He looks at our hearts. And when we fill our hearts with his word and through prayer, it doesn't matter what we look like on the outside because he sees our heart. And he knows.


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I often wonder why it is that a phone is a magnetic attraction for kids. I can be doing laundry, sweeping, mopping, cleaning windows (oh wait, I don't do that). But it doesn't matter what I'm doing, the kids are destroying the house on their own. As soon as that phone rings and I am on it, they want my undivided attention.



It doesn't matter who I'm talking to on the other end of that phone, they come running and start jumping on me or doing that poke. You know, the one that they use their pointer finger and start poking or jabbing your arm or rib with. Poke,poke, poke, poke, jab harder, jab harder, poke jab, poke jab, until you acknowledge them.



They don't really care what they want to tell you, they just want you to listen. Every once in a while they know I'm distracted on the phone and they do something crazy like use my curling iron to iron plastic blue hair. But for the most part, they just want to tell me something.



Like the time I was on the phone and Isaac was jabbing me to tell me that Noah was jumping off the bunk bed with a sheet as his cape, because he was superman. Or the time that Noah was trying to climb (literally) the walls because he was dressed in his spiderman costume and well, that's just what spiderman does. Or when Noah was trying to swing off the hanging light fixture that is over the kitchen bar area.



Isaac has done his share of things, like when Noah came in to poke me to tell that Isaac was going to blow something up. When I sneak up on him, he's put the air mattress pump attatched to a cable of some sort, then put into a lunch box so that the lunch box can blow up.


I say they get these ideas from their daddy!

I guess I'd rather have him try to blow up a lunch box than blow up his brother. That's another story.




It doesn't matter if I lock myself up in the bathroom, the closet or in the vehicle, they find me. I guess it's their way of telling me to keep it short. Gotta love them!!

The weapon

" Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Colossians 3:16

Take time to read God's word and your day will fall into place. When it seems that you are too busy to read God's word, stop and do it and all the chaos won't matter, because you will be able to accomplish everything you set out to do for that day.

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We went to a birthday party last night for Loren's cousin Mark. Loren's other cousin Randy is always telling Noah, "Noah, I want you to build me an Ark". Most of the times, Noah just laughs because he thinks it's funny. Last night he was quite tired. He is the type of little boy that when he's tired, he just wants to go home and go to bed. So last night when Randy said that, Noah looked at him and told him "It will take me a week". Then laid back down on the couch.

Since it was cloudy and drizzling yesterday, the boys stayed in the house. Every room in my house was messed up. I don't understand why they don't want to be in their room. They come to my room and build leggos, or build forts or try to beat each other up.

While I was attempting to load the washer and dryer, I heard them playing in the kitchen and they were playing "swords". They normally use sticks, but I kept hearing a banging. I just couldn't figure out what it was. I guess I wasn't that concerned about it, because I wouldn't get out of the pile of laundry I was trying to sort.

When I do go out there, Noah tried to hit Isaac with his weapon and it hit the countertop. When I heard the "cling" I knew Noah had the illigal weapon. Upon further inspection, I find that Noah's "weapon" is a piece of pipe wrapped in electrical tape. Of course his comeback is "But Isaac made me use it".

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Isaac made a volcano for school last week as one of his experiments. He wanted to finish it on Sunday, so we exploded the volcano. He was quite proud of his finished volcano.

Gingerbread play dough

"Encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone."

1Thessalonians 5:14

Everyone needs encouraging. We need to encourage those that need it, to help them with what they are going through. But we need to make sure that we get encouraged ourselves. By filling up with God's word, his love, his peace. Then we can be patient and encouraging.
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I would like to say that all the devotions on this blog are my thoughts and they may not be what you interpret from the verse, but it's my version of how I interpret the Bible verse.


We had a storm here last night. I don't understand why it always has to storm at night. When I can't see anything. I like to believe that I'm in control of situations, but I know that I'm not. We had wind gusts at 30-40 mph last night before bed. I woke up at 1am to thunder, heavy rain, and the light from the lightning coming in my room. I was sure the boys would be in there any minute, but they slept through it. So I fell back asleep.

This morning we woke up to a brisk 40 degrees. Remember, we had been in the 80's up until now. Welcome home Fall!!!!

It is cloudy and cool outside, so here is a recipe to get the house smelling yummy, but without the calories. I know, no fun, but maybe tomorrow we'll have a fun to eat recipe.

Gingerbread Play dough

2 cups flour

1 cup salt

1 TB ground cloves

1 TB ground allspice

1 TB ground ginger

1 TB ground cinnamon

2 TB vegetable oil

1 cup water

#combine all ingredients in a large bowl

#mix well

#knead until smooth

The sprinkler

"And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit,

because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

Romans 8:27

Sometimes we don't know exactly what to pray for. Our hearts are heavy with burden, either for ourselves or family or friends. But the Holy Spirit in us knows exactly what to pray for. So when you don't know what to pray for, have faith in the spirit and know that your prayers will be answered according to God's will.

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I'm going to share a story with ya'll that happened to me several weeks ago. We have an interim pastor and has wife that have been with us for several months while we look for a new pastor. They have a dog named Frawwwnce. I have no idea how to spell it, so I'll just spell it as I pronounce it. This family lives on the weekends, in a travel trailer in the church parking lot. They are a wonderful couple and the dogs not too bad.

The boys love to take Frawwwnce on a walk after church to do his business. I teach Sunday school and usually have my stuff in a brown paper sack. One Sunday after church, we were all standing around outside watching my boys take Frawwwnce for a walk. Then I see Frawwwnce approach me, but don't think anything about it. When I look down again, I notice him sniffing my brown paper sack that has all my sunday school books, bible, food and whatever else the boys throw in there. Before I can react and do something about it, he lifts his little back leg and starts to tinkle on my sack.

It's like watching in slow motion, where you think you can do something about it, but you are in shock and can't react quick enough. Of course, my boys think this is hilarious, and the interim and his wife are extremely embarrased, but I just stand there and smile dumbfoundedly.

When he walks towards me and starts sniffing me, I snap out of my shockness and tell him to go away. I think Frawwwnce wanted to sprinkle me with tinkle.

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The boys at the pumpkin patch! It's hard to believe that it is October and still 80 degrees outside. I'm ready for some Fall weather.

He's home

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?"

Isaiah 43:19

Isn't wonderful to know that TODAY, God is doing a new thing in our lives? If you are feeling down today because things just aren't going your way, just remind yourself that God is doing something new in your life today.



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Loren got home at 5am yesterday morning. I was a mean wife and left him at home alone to watch the kids while I went on a trip. A friend went with me to visit another friend in the hospital who has cancer. She was needing some items taken to her and I volunteered to take them to her, and my friend said she would go with me. We visited her at the hospital and because she was feeling good and was wanting to talk, we stayed longer than what we thought.



Of course our tummies were grumbling because it was lunch time, but we felt it was more important to stay and visit than it was to eat. When we did leave, we went to a Mexican Restaurant called Ted's. It's a place where you eat the never ending bowl of chips with never ending bowls of salsa and cheese dip and the never ending warm homemade tortillas. It is so yummy.



I order a meal, but am usually so full from everything else that I end up taking it home. But we can't have a meal without ending with some delicious sopapillas. Am I making you hungry yet?



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I took this picture of the moon the other day. I thought it was pretty cool, what do you think?

I won!

"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

James 5:16

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I enjoy reading all types of books. Recently I went to Tricia Goyer's website and signed up to receive her newsletter. Her books are historical fiction. I have read a couple of them and they are very good. Yesterday I receive an email from her website stating that because I signed up for her newsletter I was entered in a drawing and I won. I WON!!!!! I am going to get six of her books. Isn't that cool!
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I have been noticing that Noah has had gum in his mouth every day. I give them gum occasionally, like to keep them quiet at church , but I hadn't been giving any at home. Well, yesterday I start cleaning. Only because Loren is coming home. I see these gum wrappers everywhere. Under the couch, behind the pictures on the bookshelves, under the pillows on the couch, on the dogs bed, in drawers and many more places that I can't keep up with. Of course, I'm still not catching on (the lack of sleep while Loren's been gone is starting to make me hallucinate).

When I see the pantry room light on and the door slightly open and hear noise in there, I peek in and what do I see? My little Noah climbing the step ladder to reach the pack of gum I have stored in there. But I didn't know that he already had one stuffed in the front of his underwear. He casually walks out and says he won't get anymore gum, but I see that he is "adjusting" his front. When I ask what he's got there, he smiles sweetly and pulls out the pack of gum. He said it was for later. Even though I got on to him for the gum fiasco, he came up to me, hugged me gave me a kiss and told me he loved me. I still said no to him. Hee Hee

Cool stuff to win

I found this cool site that you can enter to win some cool stuff.
Go to this post AND/or the Rocketfish Wireless Multimedia Bluetooth Keyboard and Laser Mouse Combo at Best Buy and check it out.

Another sleepless night

"Our Father in Heaven..." Matthew 6:9





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Loren has been gone since Sunday. I don't sleep much during the time that he's gone. The boys camp out in my room, which makes me feel better, but I still hear lots of noises all the time. I know it's just my imagination, but it still sounds "real".

After the boys went to sleep last night, I noticed that the shop outside had the lights on. Isaac had been in it yesterday to find a long nail for an experiment. It was pretty late when I noticed the light on. My paranoia kicks in and I start to look out all the windows to make sure it's not someone breaking into the shop and is still out there. My dog is barking wildly outside, but of course she does that every night. That is when I start to hear noises. I thought I heard voices outside and am panicking. I call Loren, like he's going to be able to do anything a thousand miles away, but I tell him I'm going outside and he can call the police from his end if needed. Did I tell you that I'm paranoid?





I open the garage door and stand outside looking all around me. I do this so that if there is someone out there, they can have a good look at me and know that I will hurt them with some of the karate moves my son is learning. (Now I'm not just paranoid, but crazy as well). Cinnamon is barking towards the direction that I'm headed, but I'm determined to turn that light off. I have to save money on my electrical bill you know. Halfway to the shop, the sirens go off. I forgot to turn the alarm off. I'm in my night clothes and my slippers are too big for me. I almost fall head first in the gravel.





I manage to make it to the garage,but Cinnamon is as excited as I am. After finally moving her out of the way, I go inside the house to turn off the loud sirens going off. I'm still on the phone with Loren and he is trying to calm me down. I run to go check on the boys, but not to worry because their snores drowned out the sirens. They didn't even flinch.





I go back out to do what I'm determined to do, run back in the house, shut the garage door and lock myself back in my house. I again set the alarm and attempt to go to sleep. After watching some funny shows on TV, I'm ready to fall asleep. I'm so ready for my honey to come home.

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Frog anyone?

Dressed for comfort

"For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith." 1John 5:4


When we are discouraged, the enemy tries to take over by making us feel worthless, depressed or worried. So we need to listen to God's word during these times, put it in our hearts and our faith will grow stronger. And the next time your are feeling worried, or discouraged, your faith in the word of God will help you get through.
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The boys set up boobie traps in the kitchen yesterday. They were plotting against me. Their plan was to get me to trip over these homemade traps. They got some rope and tied one end to the back of a chair and the other end to the trashcan about 8' away. Add some action figures on the floor and you've got you a nice and painful trap. But wait, don't forget the shoes that are left all over the place.

We got ready for school and Isaac was running and jumped over the rope but he fell anyway. Then while we were having school, Noah ran into the kitchen but forgot about his own trap. Down he goes along with the trash can full of let's just say yucky trash. Up goes the trashcan and all that was on the floor. Hooray, I get to clean some more.

Lunch time rolls around and I'm inside getting it ready. The boys run in only to have Isaac trip over his trap yet again. So again, down goes a child along with that same yucky trash can. Up goes the trashcan and I get to clean the leftovers that the boys couldn't get up. I am so honored to pick up trash twice today.

At this time, I am no longer nice mommy. My evil twin shows up because she has had enough. We all untie the rope from both ends and they pick up their shoes and whatever else is left on the floor. I then send them outside and lock them out for a while. At least until I see that they are trying to decorate the dog with wood and then ride her, because you see, the wood is a sled.

We go to karate and I look down and notice that my shirt is almost white again. Before I put my shirt on I noticed that it had some "light" stains on it. So I was quite happy that they weren't very noticeable out in public. I do notice that it is a little tighter in the front. I told myself I needed to go on a diet and just let it go. We went to a couple of places to run some errands after karate. I saw lots of people. When I get home, my shirt is starting to feel uncomfortable on me. It feels like a tight short sleeve turtle neck. I can't stand anything on my neck so I kept stretching it away from me.


After messing with the shirt for a while, I feel something tickling my chin. I reach down and what do you think I felt? That's right folks, the tag to my shirt. IT HAD BEEN ON BACKWARDS! All those places I went and saw all those people. Maybe I need to wear my clothes that way more often. You know, change the stains view for a while.
Whew, at least I don't need to go on a diet today.

Let's dig!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future." Jeremiah 29:11

We all have our plans that we believe are the best ones. We plan for something and sometimes it doesn't always happen that way. But God wants us to follow his plans. Isn't it amazing that he has our lives planned out for us? All we have to do is follow it. And His plan is a whole lot better than ours.

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Do you know what I've come to like a lot? My DVR. I don't have the kind that you can record onto a disk, but I have one that you can record from the TV unto the DVR. I don't even like to watch a show while it is on. I like to record it just so that I can fast forward the commercials. I don't like the commercials. They are usually some preview about what new hot show is coming on. (In their opinion) Full of stuff that I'm not wanting to see. So I just record my shows.

I like to record Dancing with the stars (I am weird). I usually record that because Loren just doesn't like to watch it, and I can watch it while he's in the shower. I also like to watch Numbers. But I like to see what happens fast so I record it and skip all the commercials to the good parts. I don't remember what TV was like before DVR. AAAAHHH modern technology. Please don't take it away.

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The boys have been looking for treasure. They sure aren't going to find it on our land. Of course, I think they are doing it to dig holes. You know how kids love to dig holes. Don't you remember digging holes and hearing "don't dig too much or you're going to dig to China".? Well, my boys don't really want to go to China(yet), they just want the treasure that you get before you get to China.

Isaac didn't find anything but Noah found this silver piece of something. Looks like something from a guitar. (I'd better go look at Loren's guitars to see if anything is missing)

He comes running to me and excitedly says "momma, we're digging for treasure and I found something real old, look, I think it's from the 1980's ". If he thinks that's old, I wonder what he'd say if he knew his mommy was from the 19???

Do you see my treasure?

Where's that treausure?

What's for storm tonight?

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34



Is'nt it wonderful that God gave us so much love that we can love more than one person? Sometimes we don't want to love the people that hurt us or the people that push us away, but through God, we can love those hard to love people.
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We had a storm last night. Oklahoma weather is very unpredictable. The menu for the day was cloudy all day with a sprinkle of sunshine. My boys don't like storms. As a matter of fact, I don't either. It's even worse around the Davis household when Loren's not home, as was the case last night. Top the storm off with a massive headache and you have a wonderful meal.


My head had been hurting all day. The kind that you could feel behind your eyes, to your ears and then the back of the head. I took some tylenol, but that didn't kick in right away. Since Loren wasn't here I had to keep on trucking and do the mommy thing.


As with all storms, this one hit at night. The boys were camping out in my room. When I got in to take a shower, Noah fell asleep right away, but Isaac was listening to the beginning of the storm. While having soap and shampoo on me, Isaac knocks on the door panicked because the fire alarm went off. I turn the water off and listen for the siren. Not hearing one, I tell him I'll be out soon.


We have experience with the fire alarm because it's gone off while we were not in the house. When the sirens go off at the house, it contacts the alarm people who in turn call us to see if we are ok. When we don't answer, which the first time I was in the shower and the second time I was brush hogging, the alarm people turn around and call the police or fire dept.


I rush out of the shower and try to find the source of Isaac's panic. I find it as the dishwasher. You see, everything in our house beeps when it's done or if something is wrong. We have so many beeps that I've just started to ignore all of them. You know: coffee pot, oven, mircrowave, dishwasher, washer, dryer, storm door, alarm, boys (well I guess not the same beep)


He falls asleep reassured that everything is ok. I am still with this headache that won't leave me alone. I go lay down only to be startled when I hear what sounds like rocks being thrown at the windows. Hail. I was on the phone with Loren at this time and I pretty much panic. Imagine being in a small aluminum shed. (Not that our house is aluminum) but the hail was coming down fast and a lot at a time. The wind was blowing hard as was the rain, the lightning was also enjoying the show. I'm glad the boys slept through it all.


After taking pictures of the hail, I lay back down. Loren hangs up with me so I call my friend who keeps me posted on the weather. I have satellite and nothing works when it's storming. While I'm talking to her, my power goes out. Great, I can see that I'm going to get no sleep. I finally try to sleep sometime after midnight. The power comes back on at 2:30am. I know I left all the lights off, but for some reason the living room light is turned on. I get up to turn it off and to set my alarm. The storm has finally passed.


My headache is gone this morning. Woo hoo. I guess I'd better go clean out all the stuff I put in the safe room and get it ready for another day.

How much longer?

"The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."

Numbers 6:26



The boys had been bugging us (me) to go camping. On Thursday, they had made some tents with blankets draped over some wood. All this located on our driveway. Yesterday, I used the concept as leverage for finishing school. You know, "If you don't finish school soon you will not go camping tonight." You know you've done it as well, so don't give me that innocent shock gasp. Anyway, we went to buy a tent, because I can't see my 6'1" husband sleeping in a tent that is only 2' x 2' and 1' tall. And because he gets grumpy if he doesn't sleep well. But don't tell him I told ya'll that.

I didn't realize there were so many different kinds of tents. There are tents with rooms for goodness sake. I've never been camping before in a tent, only in a travel trailer of some sort. I'm not one for showing my exposed bottom to a bunch of bugs or creepy crawlies or whatever is out there. I have nightmares of going out to the nature bathroom , and getting bit something on my shiny moon. No thanks.



So back to my point, because trust me, there is one. I finally pick a tent after arguing with the boys that no matter how wonderful the one with the rooms sounds, they are not going to sleep in their own "rooms" anyway. They will be velcroed on our sides. Or should I say daddy's sides.



We come back home and we finish school and wait and wait and wait and wait some more for Loren to come home from work. If you have kids and they have something on their minds, then you know that waiting is worse for the parents than for the kids. You get the same question, "mom, how much longer before dad gets off work?"

"I told you that he will be home by 5:30" (I'm trying to sound June Cleaverish here)

"but mom, how much longer is that?"

"since it is only 2, it will be an eternity for me"

And it just continues until daddy gets home.



Loren gets home and he wants to mow. Finally after what seems like that eternity shows up, we start to assemble the tent. I don't know about ya'll, but my husband and I can't do "projects" together with that "peace" that the verse above talks about.



I read the instructions, he listens, then he asks again, I repeat, he repeats, the boys want to know how it goes, I want to know how it goes, Loren wants to know how it goes and even the dog wants to know what we are trying to do. GGGGRRRRRRR



So after many attempts at reading the instructions, we get the tent up. The boys were extremely excited. Even if it meant just camping out in the backyard. They had a fire going, were roasting marshmallows and were planning their night out. The life of children.



I came inside my house to my comfy bed to watch TV all by myself. Isaac made it in the house at 5am to tell me it was time to wake up. After remembering that he is only a child, and I can't be too mean, I yell at him to go back to bed, not wake anyone up and let us sleep.



When everyone is awake and the wind picks up tremendously( if you've never lived in Oklahoma, then you don't know what wind is) we start to disassemble the tent. I thought assembling it was a challenge, good grief, that was nothing. I just don't understand how you can start with something all nice and neat, rolled up to look like a perfect tootsie roll, and end up looking like a chewed up tootsie roll. Seriously, how do they do that? How do they make it look so easy on commercials and magazines, and I can't even get the thing to go back in the bag. So we just leave it in a big wad, I tie it up and throw it in the closet for the next time we need it. Naps are sounding really good for today.



Now to my point. I realize that during the "hardest" times of a task, I need to ask for peace for me. As much as I think the other person needs it far worse than I do, because I'm perfect you know. I need it the most. I need the kind of peace that is around when things don't go the "right" way. I need kind of peace that I don't understand. The Bible says that it's a peace that exceeds all understanding. That is what I want. See I told ya'll I had a point.

Loud truck coming through

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse....And see if I will not...pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." Malachi 3:10


You know, it doesn't matter how "little" we have in our checking accounts, but when we give back to God what he gives us, we always seem to have more than enough. Last Sunday, Noah raided my money jar. He had to have money in his jeans for church. Before church started he gave me 11 cents to give to our youth minister's wife for their baby. When I asked where the rest was, he told me "I gave it away. So and so has some and then I gave some to so and so and then so and so didn't have any money so I gave them some too."

When I asked him how much he had left, he proudly said "none". How many us, me included, don't want to give away "our" money. Not even a dollar to the whatever raffle is going on. (Usually it's because I don't have any cash on me), but most of the times it's just inconvenient for "me". How cheerful Noah was to give away "all" his money and not keep any. He was quite proud of himself, and frankly I was too.

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Last night I went to the movies with some friends. Woo Hoo, no kids. I love my kids, but Loren had been out of town, then practicing with the band, then playing at gigs with the band. I was needing some "me" time. I enjoyed myself. I didn't have to share my popcorn, or have backwash in my drink. I didn't have to get up during the middle of the movie to take someone to the bathroom. I didn't even have to break up fights about who got to sit on my lap.

I even drove Loren's "man" truck. You know, the kind of truck that's LOUD. While driving it I thought about all those kids that say "vroom vroom" when they play cars. That's what I was saying while driving the truck. I'm sure everyone in town heard this truck coming down the road. I wanted to roll my windows down and yell "I am woman, hear me roar, I mean vroom, vroom. "


On the way home, I was trying to hurry to watch ER. I know, I know, that's not a good show, blah blah blah. I like it. Well, it never fails that when you are in a hurry, someone in front of you thinks they are on a Sunday cruise. The road I was on was speed limit 65. I was driving 5o, which meant the truck in front of me was probably going 55. I couldn't even pass him.
We'll say it's a him because I'm a she driving my loud truck.
Every time I tried to pass there were lots of cars coming the opposite direction or the double yellow lines would pop out from the road. I guess my loud truck behind him didn't phase him a bit. I think for a while there he even went slower. It's a good thing my kids weren't with me, because first of all, I would've just stayed way back, then I wouldn't have been able to say the things out loud that I was saying. They weren't bad. I think.

I finally got home safely that same night. I think it would have been sometime in the morning had he not turned to go the opposite direction. Maybe next time I drive the big loud truck, I'll have to do as others do and just rev the engine over and over again. lol

I get to sleep in the suitcase

"Give praise to the Lord your God!" 1Chronicles 29:20

Last night, we went to a FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) rally. All the FCA's in the state were to meet at the same time in different football fields around the state. Loren plays in a band with Matt Roberson. They were playing last night at this rally. It was very good. You definitely saw all those high schoolers giving praise to the Lord. It was encouraging to see several different high schools from different towns coming together as one to praise the Lord. There were at least over 200 kids there.

I'm not going to bore ya'll with my boring day from yesterday. (like that's possible with two overly imaginative boys). I'm just going to bore ya'll with my wish list. I enjoy taking pictures and ever since I got my canon rebel, I take pictures all the time. I'm not very good at it, but I capture my kids doing crazy things. So my "wants" are to get 3, but definitely 2 more lenses for my camera. Along with photo shop. I guess I'd better get a job because none of those things are cheap. Anyone know of any jobs I can do from home? lol

The boys have been wearing their costumes for the last 3 days. Noah would wear it all day if I let him. Isaac only wears it when they are playing superheroes. Here they are packed and ready to go camping (in the guest bedroom). That suitcase is holding all their clothes. (can you tell they've never been camping before?

Well, that's enough boring you for today. It's time to go save the clean laundry from the dirty laundry that wants to rule the house. Ahh, don't you just love housework?

Snake, snake!

So now the Lord says, "Stop right where you are! Look for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls." Jeremiah 6:16

This is my devotion for the day. How many times do we look at everything around us when it's not going "our" way and say "I just need a break"? I do it a lot, but I forget that in God's word, I can find a break. His word will give me the rest I need. So go ahead and open your Bible's and let God's word rest in you.

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School is going great, but reading is a challenge with Isaac. He enjoys every subject out there but reading. He tells me that he is going to drop out of school when he gets to 2nd grade. Just so that he can go work and make some money for "big boy toys". Can you believe that a kid would rather work than go to school? Well, that's my little mexican boy.

He knows the words and will read them when they are alone and not having a party with other words. But put the one word in the same room with the other words, and you have disaster with Isaac. I have done it all, or at least it seems like I have. Well, a couple of weeks ago, he was reading and said he "liked to read". Yee hah.

As I've said, when Loren is not here, he was at a gig, I try to put them to bed early. Last night, Isaac wanted to read. He read and read and read and didn't want to stop. Those words on the page were sure having a party with Isaac as the guest. He read until 9. I made him stop or else he would have kept going. I didn't make a big deal because I know him and he would say "I never said I like to read".

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Living out in the country has its own adventures. The boys came running in yelling "snake, snake, mom there's a snake outside". Loren wasn't home so I'm supposed to go save the day. I don't like snakes. I grab my camera, no, I'm not thinking of killing it with it, and run outside. Those boys were ready to catch it. I don't have any knowledge on snakes. The only snakes I see are the ones at the zoo.

We did see a bull snake earlier in the year, but this one was different. It was small and skinny with a red stripe down the middle. I'm not a snake expert, but I think this one was mad because the tongue kept coming out in a non-friendly way. It got into the back of the grill. The boys started throwing stuff at the grill to get it out. I have to admit that my first reaction was to kill the thing.

I take a picture of it and tell my neighbors grandson to go ask his grandpa what kind of snake it is. He comes back and says "it's only a garden snake". Like the word "only" is supposed to be reassuring. We left it alone, and by the time Loren got home, it was gone. I guess it didn't want to play with us anymore.

How much is that doggy in the box?

Isaac wanted to make "something". So here is his "something". He was quite proud of it. It consists of a small skateboard with a box taped on it. His "helmet" is a red bandana to cover his ears so that when he sits in the box to go down the hill, his ears won't hurt. All topped off with his bike helmet. Hey, at least he's safe. I didn't get to take his picture of him with his swimming goggles over this. Maybe one day his experiments and gadgets will win him a noble prize. :) I can only dream.

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After school yesterday, we went to 4H. They had scheduled a trip for us to visit a nursing home. It's sad to see all those people there, especially the ones that you can definately tell have no family. The kids had made turkey decorations and were passing them out. You should have seen the joy on not only the kids faces, but the residents faces as well. All in all it was a fun day.



Loren had band practice last night, so I normally try to put the boys down by 8:30. It gives me some much needed "me" time. I know they are wonderful boys, but as I was talking to a friend on the phone last night, I told her that I just needed to record my voice with "no", "stop hitting your brother", and all those other ones that come up during the day. So these are the comments that I said all day yesterday starting at breakfast time.


"Time for school" in a happy voice
"Isaac, what blend goes in the blank?" a little happy
"Isaac, what blend goes in the blank?" starting to get unhappy
"Isaac, what blend goes in the blank?" getting irritated but still with a smile on my face
"Isaac, what blend goes in the blank?" finally turning into a female version hulk (with a smile)
"Noah, stoop harrassing Hazie" the chihuahua weighs 5 lbs
"Noah, get Hazie out of that box" he caught her in a tall and skinny box
"No, that can not be her new home" her soft comy bed apparantly not good enough for her
"Isaac, it's not okay to lock up your brother in the closet" only mommy can do that hee hee
"Isaac, we will make the tornado in a jar when you stop asking" already asked 78 times
"Noah, the broom is not to be used as a slide" he slid down the broom leaning against the desk i n the study, resulting in a big owie on his leg
"Why are there bubbles all over the bathroom floor" I guess they obeyed when I said go take a shower



Anyway, I have many more, but those are enough for now.

I finally did make Isaac a tornado in a jar (after he asked another 50 times). Noah then wanted one, so before bedtime I made Noah one. As I was shaking it to make the vortex, the bottom of the jar exploded out and there was water with soap all over me and the kitchen floor. What a way to end the day. Oh well, it could have been worse.

Sorry!

So I am new to this and you can really tell. I have made the change to allow comments. It is a work in progress so please be patient with me.

Somethings Burning

Here is something else my boys did just recently. While I was on the phone with some people that were trying to scam me with their "you ordered some medical insurance and in order to send you the packet, we need to verify your checking account info so that we can make sure it's what we have on file" mumbo jumbo. Like I'm going to believe that Me, who handles the finances in this house, had a breakdown and ordered something that I didn't need. No, that only happens when it's something for "me" that I really don't need but want. Anyway, when I wouldn't cooperate with the second person who came on the phone, he hung up on me. I tried calling back both numbers they left with me, but I guess they had caller id because noone answered, (at least not the first time) not even an anwering machine.

So while all this was going on, my boys were doing another experiment. I walk back to my bathroom to finish curling my frizzy hair. I smelt something burned, but thought it was just that my curling iron had been left on too long. As I look at my hair after curling it, I notice I have blue stuff in my hair. Upon further investigating, I realize the curling iron has blue stuff on it. So my conversation goes like this.

"What is this blue stuff on my curling iron" (of course I don't ask nicely, I'm pretty much yelling because there is blue stuff on my hair you know)

Isaac answers cautiously "That's Sandy's hair"

So I start thinking and can't remember knowing anyone named Sandy, not a dog or a person.

"Who's Sandy?" I asked

"You know Sandy mom, from Spongebob Squarepants"

By this time I'm wondering when she came for a visit and I wasn't aware of it.

So Isaac continues "We wanted to see what her hair looked like curled, but now it's just hot and very hard" He walks slowly to me with "Sandy" in his hand.

Poor Sandy, I'm just glad we don't have girl or the boys would really have a blast with her.

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We had a wonderful day at church yesterday. We attend a small church with no pastor at the moment, so getting new kids or even existing kids come to church is a challenge. And being the children's director, it's sometimes (most times) disheartening when the only kids that usually come are your own two and your friends four. So this past Sunday I decided to do a pancake breakfast. We were going to eat pancakes and then paint pumpkins. Carving (at church) is just way too much trouble for me. I had bought 20 pumpkins thinking that the leftovers would be used for each classroom to decorate "fallish". So imagine my surprise when we had to go buy more pumpkins because we didn't have enough. We had 23 kids there. Never doubt God. (That's for me to remember). It was wonderful to see them all having fun and enjoying themselves and comparing their creation with their friends. I did say a condensed version of the pumpkin prayer, so they were trying to make their pumpkins into little people. Some of their creations were to say the least "interesting".

Howdy!

Well, I have started a blog. I don't really know what I'm doing here. Boredom I guess. (like that is possible in my house). I enjoy writing and this way I can do something about it. I also wanted to start this so that I can have a record of what wild stuff my boys do. I only have two, but sometimes it feels like I have 6.

I am married to a wonderful man that works extremely hard so that I can stay home and homeschool our two adorable mischievious little boys.

I enjoy cooking, but dislike cleaning. Actually, I dispise cleaning. I do it just so that my husband doesn't have to come home to a dirty house and complain. So I just put everything away in boxes or totes or hide stuff under the beds, couches, or whatever, just so that it's not noticeable when he gets home. "See honey, I have worked just as hard all day, can you tell?" Then the next day I forget about the boxes or totes and then my totes and boxes multiply. Just like rabbits. Eventually I have to sort through those boxes and hope that I didn't put any food in there. I just can never get in the "mood" to clean. I have tried to turn candles on and listen to music while cleaning, I CAN'T DO IT!!!! So in order for me to "clean", I have to remember that I'm not doing it for anyone other than God. He sees it all. He knows how hard I work. I guess that means I can't sweep the dirt under the rug huh?

The picture above is an "experiment" my kids made. It is a waterhose that runs into a yellow toolbox(filled with water) that has a tube connected to the end of the waterhose, that has another tube connected to the end of that tube, that runs into a blue bucket(filled with water) that is inserted into the end of an empty coke can. Oh yeah, the dryer vent is supposed to have worked like a water fountain.