Boys n' Baseball

Our boys get a wee bit excited about baseball. They love the Phillies, but will settle for watching any team play. This past weekend we were able to take them to watch the LV Iron Pigs play curtesy of my hubby's company. What a picture perfect night for baseball! Last year we went and it was 98 degrees at 8 o'clock in the evening! This time we could have used a sweatshirt by the end of the night. It was gorgeous!

The boys had a great time, of course! I was able to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of the ballpark, but I'm afraid my sweetheart didn't get to do the same for all the trips for food, the bathroom, and the playground. He was a dear, and I was able to get a few pictures of it all!

Unfortunately we didn't make it to the end of the game and the fireworks display. Our 3 yr. old and 5 yr. old would have been a little grumpy for Sunday School the next morning. :) Hopefully in another year or two, we can get it all in on a Saturday night. Plus, I'm sure we'll be able to see some fireworks this coming 4th of July weekend! Ahhh, great family memories.

Rain, Rain, Rain

This has become the standard weather scene around here lately! Hmmm, I know I should never complain about too much rain. But. . .

I would certainly enjoy seeing the sun shining brightly on my flowers again sometime soon. And I'm sure my veggie garden would appreciate basking in some warm sunshine for a few hours!

Ahh, well. Maybe tomorrow? :)

Teach Me to Number My Days

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

- Psalm 90:12


Each day, with the gift of a whole, entire, precious, and priceless day before you, ask: "Lord, how do You want me to live this day? What is it You want me to do with this one day You have given me? What is the work You want me to accomplish today?"

- Elizabeth George


Nine-tenths of wisdom consists in being wise in scheduling time.

- President Theodore Roosevelt


(all of the above is noted in the book Small Changes for a Better Life, by Elizabeth George)

We May Have Turned a Corner

My three year old little man has always had a difficult time when it comes to being separated from mommy. Specifically at church for his Sunday School class, or Junior Church, or the Wednesday evening kids' program (Truth Trackers). We finally decided to scale it back to just Sunday School, figuring we needed to take baby steps with this boy! Alas, even just a 20 minute Sunday morning class seemed more than he could or would handle. He is always very good sitting in "big church" with us (for a 3-yr. old), but we really felt he should be able to attend all his classes without crying through the entire hour.

However, this past week, it was like a light switch flipped on in his brain, (or his will), and he attended Sunday School and morning Junior Church on Sunday with a smile, and then Wednesday evening, he did the same for that class! I'm still in shock. I'm just praying that it's a new beginning and not a fluke! :) What a blessing to be able to sing and pray with my hubby, and listen to the pastor's words from scripture minus a child's whispers and wiggles. It was like a date! So, I'm very hopeful that my "baby" boy is starting to grow up a little! It's definitely about time!

Little Boys Fishing

I haven't had more fun in recent memory than when we took the boys fishing for the first time! They were obsessed with fishing before they even knew what it was really all about!

The time finally came a few weeks ago. The boys waited all day for daddy to come home from work! They couldn't think of anything else to do with so much anticipation building inside them, so they sat with their tackle boxes on the back porch waiting, and waiting for daddy.

Finally he came and we loaded up the truck with all the gear and headed out to the lake at the gun club where daddy knew all the good fishing spots to keep impatient little boys busy reeling in fishies! :)

I had camera duty, of course, and what great opportunities for photos they gave me! I had almost as much fun snapping pictures as they did fishing!

So we went again on Memorial Day, and the boys enjoyed another great day of fishing! I had to force them to stop to eat! It's in their blood, I guess! They are definitely all boy and I have a feeling there are years of outdoor fun ahead of us! Oh what adventures we will have! I'm so blessed to have my precious family!

A Brother Gets Married!

How could I forget the most important event of spring 2009! My brother married his sweetheart! They could not have special ordered a more beautiful day. Sunshine, a bright, blue sky, 75 degrees, a refreshing breeze, and the location, a gorgeous golf course!

The touching ceremony honored the couple, their families and godly heritage, and most importantly, God himself, the divine designer of marriage, holy union of one man and one woman! Two people who have genuinely honored God with their lives separately to this point, will now serve him with the rest of their lives together as one!

I'm so happy for you two, and so proud to call you brother, and now sister! May God continue to bless you as you embark on this new journey of honoring Him as husband and wife!

Back to Blogging

I've not been in a blogging mood for a while now, but I want to give this another go. :) There's certainly plenty going on to blog about. With the arrival of spring and summer, we've been planting flowers and veggies, moving rocks around, planting grass in our mud pit of a side yard, having a new roof put on the house, taking a few fishing excursions with the boys, involving our family in various church activities, etc., etc., etc. So, why I haven't felt like blogging, I really don't know. But, here's fair warning - I'm back with lots to share through my finger tips!!

(I'll be posting some photos from some of our activities in a bit.)

I'm Loving This Book

One of the books I'm currently reading is by Elizabeth George and entitled, "Small Changes for a Better Life." I think she wrote it just for me. :) I came across this book at a time when I really needed to be reminded of a few things as I navigate through some changes. I've only read the first several chapters, but I'm trying to do all of the things she suggests and really study the scripture passages that she references. It's been a very encouraging reminder so far. Exactly what I needed to refocus and do some goal setting. Elizabeth George wrote this book a few years ago, and it has since been republished with this current title. I love all her books, but somehow I missed this one until now! What great timing to find it now! Thank you, Lord.

A New Year Recommendation

I thought I would just send you over to girltalk for some great insight and encouragement about the new year. There is much food for thought in their short daily posts, why should I try to wax eloquent when I'm in the same boat as many of you wondering how to proceed from here! :)

"New Beginnings..."

I'll be posting some thoughts on the New Year, just like everyone else, I suppose. I haven't collected all those thoughts yet, however. So I'll "keep ya posted" on when that comes together. :)

Yet Another Ice Storm

Today's forecast is calling for, believe it or not, more ice and snow. Possibly an inch of ice! This will be the fourth ice storm already this winter, and it's only the first week of January! But, honestly, I don't mind that terribly much because I don't have to go out in it. Being a stay-at-home mom has its advantages at times. :) Snow, however, would be just a wee bit more fun for little children to play in than ICE! Right after the last ice storm I took the boys outside for half an hour so they could try to chop through some ice with their little shovels. But the wind was blowing so hard that huge ice chunks were dropping from the trees and hitting the ground like shattering glass! It was amazing to see, but dangerous to be anywhere near a tree. Needless to say, 30 minutes of slipping on the ice and being cornered in the back of our tiny yard away from the trees was quite enough! So, I'm hoping the tail end of today's storm produces a bit of snow for the kiddies to at least walk around in with their snow boots!

There is a positive to bad weather for me, though. I either get motivated to tackle a cleaning project in the house, OR I curl up with an extra cup of coffee or two and a good book for a few hours while the boys watch movies in their sleeping bags. I have a feeling that this winter is going to continue to provide opportunities for both these options!

Come to think of it, I have a miniseries to watch on DVD, too! My inlaws got me the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice for Christmas! It's a collector's set with a beautiful book of how it was produced and everything. That may just be what I decide to do today! Hope you all are able to stay warm and cozy wherever you are today, too!

Mice and Popcorn

Apparently we have a mouse in the house! The popcorn strings I so tediously made for our Christmas tree this year are chewed right off of the branches! Somehow a very careful critter has eaten half of the popcorn strings without knocking a single ornament to the ground! I don't know why he didn't bother to finish the string closest to the ground before moving halfway up the tree, but at least he was careful not to mess with my precious ornaments! I was planning to leave the tree up for a few more weeks, but now it looks a bit goofy. I'm anxious to be rid of the whole mess! I think a mousetrap will be waiting for our little popcorn thief later tonight! :)

A Most Wonderful Time of Year

We've been having so much fun decorating! Isn't it exciting to pull out those boxes and go through all your special Christmas things? It's like opening presents early! :) Hope you are enjoying the season so far!

Here are a few photos of our favorite things!

Come in out of the cold and snow. . .
grab a cup of coffee . . .and enjoy the tour . . .
Thanks for stopping by to enjoy a bit of the season with me! May your Christmas be a blessed one!

Yay! It's Finally December!

I'm feelin' that fuzzy feeling-ya know, the one that suddenly hits you right after you finish savoring that Thanksgiving turkey and swallow the pumpkin pie. It's that special tingle I get, when I know it's finally time to break out the Christmas decorations and let the month-long celebration begin! :)

It is SO MUCH FUN to experience the Christmas season with little children! It has opened my eyes to a whole new appreciation for this time of year and what it means! My boys are old enough this year to more fully understand the story of Jesus' birth and what a wonderful gift of salvation he was born to give to each of us!

We have yet to get our big tree (my sweetheart has been a little busy lately-a post for another time), but we've had plenty to do. Hopefully we can get us a real tree this weekend! Pictures will be coming soon. Happy decorating, everyone!

In Light of the Recent Election

I've taken some time since the presidential election to read and re-read passages in Ecclesiastes. It sorta sums things up.

Eccl. 1:4 "Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever."

Eccl 1:9 "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."

Eccl. 3:1 "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:"

Eccl. 3:14 "I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him."

Eccl. 12:13 "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."

Eccl. 12:14 "For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."


Other passages that were great reminders to me this past week . . .


Ps. 118:8 "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man."

Isaiah 26:3, 4 "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal."

Ps. 31:24 "Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord."

James 5:7a "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming."


God's Word is so jam-packed with encouragement! This is obviously just a taste. :) Finding a bit of encouragement in verses like these is something I need and look forward to on a regular basis.

Birthday Upstaged

Well, it's November 4th, a pretty important day for our nation this year. And I'm very aware that today's outcome at the voting booth may signify major changes for our country's direction. I had definitely planned on doing my part for republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain by standing in a long line to cast my vote; however, today I find myself stuck in my easy chair not feeling very well at all! I don't think I'm capable of standing for longer than five minutes, so it looks like I will not be able to assist in getting my birthday wish of a McCain victory. I must count on my fellow Americans to "get out the vote" today.

And yes, November 4th is a pretty important day every year for me. :) Unfortunately this year, I've been upstaged a bit by this "little" election. But since I'm over 30, I'm actually not that bothered by some attention being drawn away from my annual milestone. Tomorrow is another day, of which, I sincerely hope to be feeling well enough to get off my chair and maybe, just maybe, find my way to a store where I can indulge myself with the purchase of a new Vera Bradley bag. (I'm a little obsessed with Vera! Jeffery will attest.)

So, my special day will be one of much needed rest, and maybe a little reading. I find that sometimes, the Lord knocks you off your feet, so that you are forced to slow down and do a little reflecting. And as my Bible reading has been a little neglected of late, that is where I will start. Meditation on His word is always the very best medicine for whatever ales me. Maybe later, I will return and share what I read and how it blessed me. :)

Weather and Baseball

First, the look of my blog has changed again. And I'm not promising that it won't change a few more times until I settle on a particular look. I do love red, though, and flowers are always a good choice, in my opinion, so this may stay a while.

On to the weather...it's pouring rain/snow and blowing. Not conducive to outdoor activities. Thus, we will be exhausting all fun and creative indoor activities today, the boys and I. Oh, as well as keeping the dog quietly occupied. (Not an easy task!) We're keeping our fingers crossed that she has one of her few and far between "catch-up on sleep" days.

The weather has also put a cramp in the World Series...postponed until the storm passes. I'm not into baseball, but when your hometown team is involved, you are sort of obligated to get a little excited, right?!! I really hope it can resume tonight, and we can finally have a winning home team!! Go Phillies! I have a special place in my heart for pitcher Jamie Moyer. Not being a baseball fan, I only know his name because of a certain person I used to care for a few years back when I worked as a nurses aid in a retirement community. One of the residents I cared for was an older man who LOVED baseball and was Jamie Moyer's biggest fan. The man's name was Walter and he needed alot of assistance. Walter could have complained much about his physical situation, but he was always cheerful and just wanted to talk about one thing--baseball and Jamie Moyer. Every time you entered Walter's room he asked if you knew Jamie Moyer and that he was a great pitcher. It was virtually the exact conversation word for word with Walter every time; but he was so happy to talk about Jamie Moyer, that you couldn't help but oblige.

So, now almost 15 years later, I'm watching Jamie Moyer pitch for the Phillies in the World Series. It brings back memories of a college occupation that was not always pleasant. Walter was one of the few rays of sunshine in that depressing place.

I do not know if Walter is still with us, but I am hoping Jamie Moyer gets to bring this one home for Walter, his biggest fan!

An Autumn Look for My Blog. . .

I was getting bored with the look of my blog, so I found this really neat website with lots of free blogger templates. And believe me, if I figured out how to make this change, anybody can do it!

The weather has been slowly cooling, but not enough to actually start burning the costly gas furnace yet! We though last year's heating bills were ridiculous, I don't even want to imagine what this winter is going to cost us. I'm torn. I want an unseasonably warm winter so we can afford to keep the house reasonably comfortable, and yet I want my boys to have some snow to play in. Last winter was a failure in the snow department.

But Autumn has only just begun, so I must focus on the now instead of the future. We are in the midst of hunting season--archery for buck and doe, shotgun for grouse, etc. (It actually could be rifle for grouse and not shotgun. Apparently there's a difference. Who knew?!!) Anyway, between overtime at work for my hubby, some minor house renovations, and hunting season, it's been a little crazy around our house. Oh, and I hurt my back again, so I can't even help my man out with painting. Very frustrating!

I'm not letting the frustration overtake my excitement for fall, though! I love this time of year! Some of our trees are just starting to change their leaf color and the air has that crisp coolness to it. I love being able to put on my fuzzy socks and settle in under a fleece throw with a good book and a cup of coffee. Or hot apple cider or hot chocolate! Tea would be ok, too. Pretty much any steaming beverage. :)

So, I will probably post some pictures of our renovations when they are completed. But I'm not even going to venture a guess on when that will be. Meanwhile I will be nursing my sore back trying not to feel too guilty about how hard my hubby is having to work these days.