Wacky Wednesday

Today was Wacky Wednesday at Brooklyn's school. They were supposed to do something wacky with their apperance. Well, we went all out, as you can see. She had on 2 different earrings, 2 different socks, 2 different shoes, 3 different colors of fingernail polish, 6 different colored ponytails with 6 balloons and her shirt on backwards and inside out. She was such a hit that the secretary of the school took her around to show all the other teachers/classrooms. That's my girl...always wants to be the "est" of everything! (wackiest, funniest, prettiest, smartest, sweetest). Who knows what she might become with that kind of competative spirit!

Am I Blessed or What?

Okay, I've been holding out on you guys a little secret because I've been waiting for the Big News before I even said anything...but I can't wait any more. Okay, first of all..it's nothing SUPER big like a house or baby or job or anything...It's just this: A few months ago our insurance company launched a fitness challenge for all members who wanted to compete. Me, being the bargain-hunter and fitness fanatic that I am, entered me and hubby. The deal was you had to go to their website every day for 3 months and record your daily eating/exercise. Each week they picked weekly winners to win $200 Adidas gift certificate and 2 Adidas duffle bags. A few weeks ago, me and my hubby won!! Hooray! The reason I didn't say anything before now is that the BIG GRAND PRIZE is a vacation for two to the Canyon Ranch Spa and Resort in Arizona. They were supposed to announce the winner of that on Feb. 19th...but so far...they haven't announced it yet. To win, you had to write an essay about how participating in this challenge has made a difference in your life. I was kind of nervous about writing our essay seeing as how we didn't lose a huge amount of weight or anything...but we have learned the value and importance of eating healthy and getting daily exercise. Anyway, when I sat down to write the essay, I believe the Holy Spirit just led my fingers because when I sat back and re-read what I had typed..I was amazed. It really sounded good! So....I am in faith that we will win this vacation and that is why I've been waiting to tell you guys about this. I wanted to see if we win the grand prize. But...since they are taking So long (still trying to read all the essays) and I got my $200 worth of Adidas stuff in the mail today..I just HAD to share with you all! Now I am even more motivated than normal to go work out! Lots of new goodies!! Yippee!!! Keep in faith with me that we will win the vacation too!!

The FAVOR of GOD!

So....if you remember back about 4 months ago (October 6th exactly) we got a new 52 inch projection TV for the living room. I was pretty excited about it because we got it for only $500 b/c it was a store display. (they sell normally for $897). Anyway, 2 weeks after we had it...it didn't work anymore and we had to send it off to be repaired. We got it back and it worked but...we never did end up getting a remote or an instruction manual for it (the store was supposed to "find" it and call us to come and get it--but they never did). I tried to order one online through RCA but they said I had to buy them from a dealer, which I couldn't find. Anyway...this past weekend our DVD player quit working so we decided to go buy a new one and this time get a nice one. (the one we were using I got free through a credit card company 2 months ago for signing up with their credit protection! I am SO cheap, I know!) So...we go to Wal-Mart Sunday night and look at DVD players and get to talking to this very nice worker-guy there . We end up telling him how dissappointed we are with our TV and how we can't even watch movies on it b/c we don't have a remote so we can't change it from TV to video and stuff. Plus, it really has an awful picture on it. Everyone's faces are blurry. We had figured there was nothing we could do with it since it was past the 90-day return period. But, he told us if we would talk to a manager and let them know that we were really unhappy with it..they might do something for us. SO...(sorry this is long...I am trying to shorten it up a bit though, I promise!) last night I called and talked to the manager about returning it. I knew it was a long shot since not ONLY is it past the 90-day-return period...but we also bought it "As Is" and weren't supposed to be able to return it. However...due to the FAVOR of GOD on our lives...he said, yes, we could return it! We had to jump through several hoops (so to speak) to finally get it returned and get the T.V. we really wanted...but at 10 pm last night...we got back home with our new TV in tow. I think we are going to like this one much better. It is a flat screen LCD 37 inch. We don't know if we are going to buy some kind of media stand to set it on or mount it on the wall...but for now it's just sitting on my mom's patio table in our living room. My project for this afternoon/evening is to try to get it all hooked up correctly to the new DVD player, VCR, Satellite and Stereo! Whew! Wish me luck!!

Yesterday mom and I took the kids to the mall so they could play for a little while in the playarea and so we could do some leisurly shopping. Well...so much for the leisurly part...I was chasing Grant everywhere and everytime I bought him a new peice of clothing, he changed into it. By the time we left the mall, he had on different jeans, different shoes and a different shirt. Oh well...at least I found some great deals. Anyway, we ran into the Gap and they still had these cute work out shirts on sale so I bought another one. They are a really comfy fit for working out and plus I love what they say! Here's a picture of the one I wore today.

Because.

As far as Grant is concerned, "Because" is a perfectly good answer to anything.

Me: "Grant, do you want to go to school today?" Him" "No, Because."

Me: "Grant, why won't you stay in your bed?" Him: "Because I don't want to because."

Just now at this very moment he said. "Mom can I lay on your bed and drink some chocolate milk because?"

You can pretty much assume every sentence he says will have the word "because" in it somewhere. It's kind of funny but can also get frustrating when you really are tryng to figure out what or why. If he is crying and I ask him why he's crying...it's always just "because". I wish I had a way to record his little voice saying it and put it on here. It's so matter-of-fact.

Anyway...today was Crazy Hair Day at school so we used blue hair gel on his hair. I think it turned out pretty cute. His best little buddy at his school did his hair spikey with blue gel too...so they matched. I can't help but think of that song that goes, "I'm blue blah-da-dee-da-da-dye--blah-da-da-dee-da-da-dye...." Does anyone else know that song?

Okay, I just thought of something else I was wanting to ask your opinions about. What do you guys think about little girls wearing make up? Now, I am not talking about the full blown thing here...so let me explain.

Every morning while I am "getting ready", Brooklyn comes in my bathroom and puts on some pink lipgloss and a little powder and maybe a teensy bit of light pink blush. She will pretend to curl her eyelashes with my curler and she usually puts on some perfume. I've always thought this was totally no big deal. Then the other day my mom rode to school with us in the morning and she turned around and looked at Brooklyn and said, "What have you got all over your face?" and then looked at me and said, "You let her wear make up to school?" I glanced in my rearview mirror and didn't see anything unusual. Really, the only thing I could tell was that she had really pink lips. Not dark pink like magenta...but more like shimmery baby pink...on thick. My mom gave her a kleenex and had her wipe most of it off (which she hated, of course) but then I started thinking about it and wondering if that is wrong to let her play around in my stuff...?? I mean, it would be TOTALLY different (to me) if she were wearing eye shadow and mascara and base or something...but honestly...the lipstick/lipgloss is the only thing that you can really see. The other stuff is just for fun on her part. I know when I was growing up...I wasn't allowed to wear any kind of make up EVER until I was 13. I remember I had this blue eye-shadow I'd gotten from somehere and I'd always try to sneak some on...but somehow my mom would always find out and I'd get in trouble. I guess my mom's influence stuck with me and even now, I wear very little make up with the exception of lipstick which is as essential to my day as clothes. I won't leave home without it. I probably won't even leave the bathroom with out it. I have a spare tube of lipstick/lipgloss or chapstick in every room in my house as well as in my purse and in my car. Thus (probably) Brooklyn's preoccupation with wearing it too.

It doesn't really bother me that she wears it...but I just wondered if other people thing that is weird? She already dresses like a teenager (as much as I will let her) and she likes to wear dangly chandelier type earrings and lots of "bling-bling". I was noticing today at her school assembly that I went to while she received her Tiger Cub of the Month award...that she really does dress much older and much cuter than the majority of the school. I am not sure I am glad about that though. I mean...she is only 6. But when I try to get her to wear more little-girly kind of things, she says, "Mom, that is your style...not my style." So once again, I am faced with wondering...is she dressing like a mini-teenage-diva or is she just exerting her fashion sense at a young age? I never let her dress inappropriately (like short skirts without leggings under them) or low cut shirts or short mid-drift shirts or anything. I just wonder if it might be a bad thing for her to look so much more mature than her real age? What do you guys think? You've seen the pictures of her on here.

Liar, Liar...Pants on Fire

"Please God, let this just be a phase!"

Brooklyn is slowly learning the difference between "just joking" and lying, but in the meantime, I am about to sCrEaM! She Constantly says things that are untrue. It's rarely ever anything that really matters...but I can't stand the dishonesty. For instance, if I buy her a ring...she'll insist that "Parker gave it to me." I will say, "Now, Brooklyn, you know that is not true. Daddy and I bought you that ring and just gave it to you today." To which she will reply, "Nuh-uh, Parker gave it to me" and we will go back and forth and back and forth until I finally give up and just walk away. I can't figure out where to draw the line between downright lying and just using her imagination. I mean...she obviously KNOWS that I know the truth since I bought the ring...but yet no matter how much I say, I CANNOT get her to admit the truth. I will tell her that God is listening and that He knows the truth. I will tell her that the devil is the father of lies and that we don't lie in our home. I will tell her the story about the boy who cried wolf and how when it really mattered, no one believed him because he had been deceitful too many times. We will hold hands and pray and I will make her look into my eyes...and she will STILL keep to her story that Parker gave it to her...or whatever the issue may be at the moment. ERGH!!!
When I "give up" or walk away from it..I feel like I am admitting defeat or that I am giving her the impression that she's won me over...but really, I end up thinking to myself, "WHY am I standing here arguing with a 6 year old about something that is complete nonsense?" so I just say forget it and leave the scene. It wouldn't be a big deal if this happened occasionally, but here in the past week or so...this happens at least SEVERAL times a day. It's exhausting always arguing with her. There are times too...that I really don't know if she's telling the truth or not. I can't stand to discipline her for lying if by chance she is actually telling the truth...but how do I know? I've even explained to her that because she is doing this..I never know when she's telling the truth anymore which is making me be a lot more suspicious of everything she says now. But she doesn't care. I know she probably likes all the attention she is getting from this, but I can't just completely ignore it. (can I? ) I guess my big struggle with this is that I don't want to let her get away with lying...but at the same time... I don't want to squash her playful imagination either. Every day she comes home from school with these "big" stories. Very hard to believe stories about things that happened at recess or things that certain little kids said to her. I find myself secretly rolling my eyes and letting my mind drift off to other things because I know she is just rambling on, making up the whole thing...and these stories will last as long as I will let her keep talking. On and on and on. (oh Lord, help me!)
Anyway, what do you guys think? Is she really lying or is she just being creative and using her imagination?

I chopped my hair all off today and got new brown, red and blonde highlights.

Brooklyn got awarded "Tiger Cub of the Month" at her school this month, which according to her teacher, is a huge honor. We are very proud of her. Being given this award means that she has turned in all her homework on time and has made good choices at school and has a good attitude. Yay for our big kindergartner!!!

weekend ramblings

Hello everyone. It's Sunday afternoon and the kids and Matt are outside so I thought I would sit down at my computer and do my work. But first I wanted to take advantage of the quiet time for just a minute and blog. Of course, now that I am sitting here...I can't think of a thing to blog about. I guess I'll just tell you about our weekend.
Yesterday, my friend Teya and I headed out to a nearby newly developed town (about 25 minutes from where we live) to go shopping and have lunch. It was SO NICE! She had discovered this little shop that has AMAZING deals on trendy clothes and accessories so we started out there. I got a pair of earrings, a belt, a set of 3 headbands for Brooklyn, a set of 6 bangles for Brooklyn and a long-sleeved shirt all for $8.00! After walked down the strip mall stopping in almost every store. There was an Old Navy too..which is actually where I spent the most money. I got Grant an outfit for Easter and several little things for Brooklyn and a shirt for Matt. I got myself a new purse there that I am not sure I like..but the texture was so wonderful I bought it. I also got some cute pajama bottoms for only $4.97 b/c they were left-over Valentine stuff. The thing I found that I LOVED the most was something I actually couldn't buy. It was a display in the juniors section of a department store we were in. It was this really funky canopy thing with lots of different colors of ribbon on it. I know everyone thought I was a goof-ball for wanting it so badly...but I did. Since they wouldn't sell it to me...I got Teya to take a pic of it for me so I can hopefully recreate it myself. The salesgirl said she didn't think she liked it until I said I wanted it and then she decided she did like it and then she wanted it herself! ha ha. Anyway, we were gone for about 5 hours total but it was wondeful to get away from the house and the kids for a little bit...and plus...it was terrific girl time!
Then last night, my mom watched the kids for us while we went out and practiced shooting Matt's gun. I had bought him some clay targets for V-day...so I tried throwing them up in the air with a special thrower thingy so he could shoot them. It turns out I am a HORRIBLE aim...so he wasn't able to actually hit any of them. I was throwing them in a million different directions..and nowhere near where he was aiming! oops! We ended up just propping them up on the ground and aiming and shooting at them that way. I shot the gun 3 times and hit the target every time! Woohoo! Matt never missed either..but I guess when your target is just sitting there still right in front of you...it's not that hard to miss it. We saw 7 deer while we were out there, which was pretty cool too.
Today, I taught the 2-year-old class at church and then mom and I stopped by the store on the way home to pick up some fresh steaks for Matt to grill for lunch. They were SO good! It's been WAY too long since it's been nice enough outside to grill!
In other "news", I've decided to try selling a few things on e-bay again. (the last time I tried I charged way too little for shipping and ended up actually losing money on my items b/c I sold them SO cheaply and didn't charge nearly enough for shipping!) This time I was selling Grant's crib tent. I paid $77 for it about a year ago and I sold it today on e-bay for $56 and I charged $10 for shipping. I think that is pretty good. Of course, I don't know how much my e-bay fees will be...so I'll have to deduct that...but still...we used the thing for a solid year and I am still getting more than half my money back on it, so that's cool. It turns out the lady who bought it only lives about 15 minutes from me...so I offered to split the shipping with her ($5) and just meet her somewhere in the middle. I hope that wasn't an un-safe thing to offer...???
Anyway, well, I guess I better go and get some work done. Hope you are all having a good weekend!

Here's a pic of the whole fam on Valentines Day.

Kennedy, Brooklyn & (the beloved) Parker. These are the kids that Brooklyn sits at a table with at school. We call it the love triangle because apparently (according to my daughter) both her and Kennedy are "in love" with Parker. Oh the drama's of Kindergarten! ha ha

little by little...

So...how are you guys doing on your quest for healthier, leaner bodies by summer? I didn't start out great...but I've been doing good for about the past week and a half and I braved the scale today and I've lost 2 pounds. Not a lot...but a start. I really worked out hard this past week. Monday I went to a class at the gym from 9-10am and then that evening I went to my Dancercize class from 6-7 pm. Tuesday I went to a class at the gym from 7-8 pm. Wednesday I took the day off (since it was Valentines day) and me and my hubby went out for dinner. Thursday I went to two classes: one from 9-9:45 and then from 9:45-10:30 am. Today (Friday) I did two again (9-9:45 and 9:45-10:30). Whew! My body is exhausted!!! I've learned lots of new exercises using the stabality ball though that I really like. I am thinking about having Matt take some pictures of me doing some of my favorite exercises so I can show them to you all and tell you about them. If you don't have one of those balls...you should get one. With a pair of hand weights....there are endless exercises you can do with them. I've had one for years but I've never really known what to do with it. Now though..I am totally pumped about it.
So anyway, I want to hear how you guys are doing. I know Logzie probably hasn't had a chance to do much with all the craziness and puking that's going on at her house...:o(
If I were to share some exercises with you guys...would you use them? Do any of you have a ball that you use?
By the way, I found the cutest shirts at the Gap the other night. I bought one and I'll take a pic of it so you guys can see...but the other ones are cute too. They say (on the front) "I only run..." and on the back "so I can eat more chocolate cake." and the other one said (on the front) "I sweat..." and on the back "so I can squeeze into my teeny bikini." You like?
Well, I think I am going to take the afternoon off and watch some shows (Wife Swap and The Nanny) that my mom recorded for me from Monday night. I cleaned house yesterday and I've already gotten my work done for today...so I am off to a good start on a great weekend! I hope you all get lots of exercising and relaxing done this weekend! (that's kind of an oxymoron, huh?)

Matt and I before we went out to dinner tonight. We look tired or something!??!!

While I am posting pictures, I may as well put one from Grant's Preschool Valentine Party on too. I went around and asked each one of them who they love this Valentines Day. Most all of them said their mommies and daddies, except for Grant. He just pointed to the little girl beside him in the red! What a ladies man already! ha ha

Here he is sleeping on the floor behind my desk. Look comfortable? Ha Ha! I really wanted to take a picture from behind b/c his little booty is sticking up in the air and you can see his 10 tiny toes underneath..but the space was too tight to get a good shot. And by the way...he never even woke up when I picked him up to put him in his crib! Hallelujah!!!!

Go to BED sleepyhead!!!

I think I am going to write a children's book titled that. I think all kids have had nights like the one my son is having tonight. He's beyond tired...it's 11:36 pm and here he stands right next to me, whispering to me, "I don't wanna go in my bed mom." His eyes are bloodshot and he's walking like a drunk...but he REFUSES to get in his crib. Thankfully, I am not too terribly tired myself..so I haven't gotten MAD like I would if I were trying to sleep. However, I would LOVE to get him to sleep so I could go lay down in my nice fresh bed (I washed the sheets today) and relax.
I have to admit...he did take a 3 hour nap this afternoon which is VERY unusual for him....which is why I wasn't surprised that he wasn't tired at his normal bed time (8 pm) and is also why I let him stay up till 9:30. But...now for the past 2 hours, I have been putting him back into bed Over and Over and Over..and it is getting old. I am SO tempted to just put him my bed with me and call it a night...but I know that is not the "right" thing to do and will most certainly be the beginning of a habit I will eventually have to break him of...so that's out.
By the way, I should mention that I am home alone tonight. Matt had a scheduled job tonight at 11:30 pm which will probably last all night, so that is why I am getting to deal with this all alone! (oh boy am I lucky! ha ha) One nice thing about Matt working a late job like this is that he will probably get to be off tomorrow. Granted, he will be sleeping the majority of the day...but still, it's nice having him home with us and especially on Valentines Day.
So, I'm sitting here typing and I told Grant to lay down on the floor beside my desk (instead of putting him back in his bed for the bajillionth time) and guess what??? He's alseep!!!! That little turkey! He just didn't want me to be the boss and make him go in his bed! I started this post at 11:36. It is now 11:44 and he's sleeping! Man...why didn't I lay him on the floor 2 hours ago?!?!
Just to be sure he's REALLY out of it before I pick him up to put him in his crib, I better keep typing for a few more minutes. So, I wonder what you are all going to do tomorrow for Valentines Day!?!? What'd you buy your sweetie? As you all know, Matt got me a 100% ceramic straightening iron on Saturday as my Valentines gift. He justified spending that much (it was expensive) because he had just bought himself a shotgun a day or two before. So...as my gift to him, I bought him clay targets and a target shooter thing. Also a gun case and some targets to shoot at (pictures of turkey's and then just the regular targets with the black circles around a red circle). Hopefully he likes it. He's pretty into his shotgun/hunting stuff right now..so I think this will be right up his alley. I was torn between buying that stuff and buying some kind of exercise equipment. Both of us has been wanting to get some kind of exercise stuff for a while. We are actually thinking about getting a Bowflex...but haven't decided if we are willing to dish out that much money or that much space for something like that. Anyway, since Valentines Day is on a Wednesday (10 minutes from right now actually), I don't suppose we'll have any big "date". I may try to either think up some creative dinner to make or else maybe we'll all just go out as a family somewhere. If he's home all day tomorrow, we could probably go out for an early dinner and beat all the crowds.
Okay, well, I think it's safe to say my little guy is a goner for tonight, so I guess I will end this babbling and go put him in his crib. I just PRAY he stays asleep b/c if he wakes up and realizes I am putting him in the DREADED crib...the games will be back on. Gosh, I am almost tempted to just throw a blanket over him and let him sleep in the floor of my office all night...but that wouldn't be very nice...so I will be a good mommy and put him in his bed, all safe and sound.
Well, I hope to hear all your Valentine Day stories tomorrow. Leave me a comment and tell me what you gave/got and what you did, okay?

This was us in the car leaving for our honeymoon. We were so young. (me 19, Matt 21)

One of my bridal portraits. My hair was so long and healthy! I miss that! :o(

I know this is hard to see..but I thought I would post it anyway. This is one of our wedding pictures. It just goes along with the story. (Ps. One little extra story for you: Years before I got married, I had ripped a picture out of a magazine of my "dream" wedding dress. It was in the Estee Lauder Beautiful perfume ad for years. I ended up finding that same exact dress...on sale for $200!!! God really spoiled me that time!)

A not-so-typical love story...

Since my friend Logzi suggested we all tell our "love stories' in honor of Valentine's Day...Here is ours:
I was 17 and the janitor at our church. I would go in on Saturday afternoons and clean before Sunday's service. This one particular afternoon, I noticed a really old, gray truck driving around and around the church parking lot. I started getting nervous (I was at the church all alone). I called a friend, an older man, who lived nearby and went to our church to tell him I was worried. It turned out it was just Matt teaching his little brother how to drive. That was our first "interaction." The next time we saw each other, he was working at a grocery store in the meat market and my best friend, Keri, and I were spying on him because her parents were suggesting she might like him. We ended up talking to him that day and I noticed how cute I thought he was. Our first date was on a Wednesday night after church. He asked me to go to Braums for ice cream. As we were standing in line to pay for our ice creams, he felt in his pocket and told me he had forgotten his wallet and he didn't have any money. I didn't have any either so I was freaking out...but then he told me he was just kidding. That was the beginning. We dated for about a year before we broke up. I tried dating someone else for a couple of months but it didn't take long for me to realize that I was MISERABLE without him. I would look at him across the church and miss him SO much. One Sunday morning, I was so sad, I went into a back room and sobbed. The pastor of the church, who knew our history, heard me crying and went and got Matt and told him to go talk to me. He told us that he knew we were going to get married someday. From about that point on we started dating again---on and off---but never seriously. I guess I had really messed up by breaking up and dating someone else and Matt was not about to commit to me again. For about 6 months, we dated...but I was not his "girlfriend"...we were just "dating." I would practically BEG him to let me be his girlfriend....but he never gave in. Then on December 26th, we decided to go to the mall because he hadn't bought me a Christmas present. We walked around and ended up randomly walking into Zales and looking at diamond rings. I saw one I liked, tried it on and he said, "do you want it?" I said, "yes" so we bought it and walked out and said...."I guess that means we are engaged?!!?!!" We set a wedding date of March 28th (1998) and that was that. Well...there is one more funny part to the story. That following weekend we were going to go visit my family for Christmas and so we decided to hide the ring until then so Matt could ask my dad for my hand. So...we were at my brother's house---the whole family---and my dad goes outside for something and Matt takes the opportunity to go out there so they could be alone to do his "asking". Well...if you know my dad...he can be pretty intimidating. He's very blunt and long-winded. Long story short...poor Matt was out there for like over an hour..and we were all starting to get worried about him. (most of the women already knew the big secret...how's a girl gonna hide that from everyone?? he he) I guess my dad told him that I was used to living nicely and being treated good and if he could keep that up...he could marry me. Of course...I am really the lucky one.
It's hard to believe we are going on 9 years of marriage this March! We've certainly had our share of HARD times...but there is no question that he's my other half. We have a lot of different points of view and are actually pretty different people in a lot of ways...but that is what keeps things interesting and what keeps us balanced. I fall more in love with him every year that we are together..which makes the future so EXCITING!
So...what's your love story???

Well, after a yummy dinner at Johnny Carino's last night, we ended up walking around the mall instead of going to see The Nativity Story. One of those little kiosk's in the mall had this really persistant girl at it begging people to let them straighten your hair. I walked on by but Matt turned around and listened to her and long story short...she ended up selling us a $180 straightening iron!!! Of course...we didn't pay that for it...we know how to bargain:o). Anyway..this thing is amazing! It immediately turned my fried-to-the-bone hair nice and soft and silky. I was just about to cut my hair all off because it is so overprocessed...but now I don't have to. So...Thanks Honey for this WONDERFUL Valentine's present! I LOVE it!!! (but I love you the most!)

daddys little beauty

My cute kids...

I ordered Grant a John Deere hat off of E-bay. He's been wanting one for a long time and boy was he excited to get one in the mail! This other picture is one I took today of the kids before church. I figured out how to use the software that come with my camera and I thought this coloring book feature was pretty cool.

not a real post...just a note...

I know it's been a while since I've written. I have good intentions...just NO time. But..this has been a day of accomplishments and I am feeling a lot less overwhelemed having gotten my house cleaned, my taxes started and my check book balanced for the past 3 months. Now my hubby and I are fixin' to go on a date...out to dinner and then to see the movie The Nativity. If time allows... I will write later tonight. But if not..maybe tomorrow. Hope you guys are having a good weekend and that you've already planned something special for your sweetie for V-day!

Love & Respect

I am reading this book that was given to me by my husband's grandmother a couple years ago. When I first got it I was so busy with little babies...I just put it aside and never really looked at it. However, a while back, I found it and started reading it and it is just SO good I HAD to share it with you all. I am completely convinced that every wife needs to read this book. It has opened my eyes in some really important areas. I have been underlining parts in the book that have really ministered to me and I thought I would share a couple of exerpts from it so you can see what I mean...

The main point that they refer to throughout the book is called The Crazy Cycle. It goes like this (imagine a circle) His love -- motivates --her respect --motivates --his love--and so on. If you've been to any marriage conferences or seminars, it is likely that you have heard something similar to this. This is not the "profound" information that I have learned from this book...but it is important to understand "The Crazy Cycle" and how it affects your life.

What I have learned from this book that has and will continue to change my marriage is that our commands from God to be a loving, respectful and submissive wife are not conditional on our husbands behavior!!! WOW! That means if your husband behaves in a way that makes you feel like he doesn't deserve your respect....He still does! Not because he has earned it..but because God commands us as wives to be respectful. Ephesians 5:33 does not say, "Husbands, love your wives unconditionally and wives respect your husbands only if they have earned it."
The wife must focus on God's command to her and not God's command to her husband.

"We know that a wife does not want to show unconditional respect, especially when her husband comes across unloving. Yet, Ephesians 5:33 and I Peter 3: 1, 2 are God's revelation. If a husband does not respond, the command of God is not invalidiated. The husband's response is irrelevant. The call of God is for the wife to trust and obey Him. God is calling her to love and revere Him. God will help every wife who seeks to trust and obey Him. As she places her confidence in the inspired scripture, it will prove profitable. "

I Peter 3: 1, 2 says: "In the same way you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior."

"When a wife shows respect in face and tone, it touches her husband's spirit." "Too many women have little respect for their husbands and no one has pointed out to them that this reveals their disobedience to the Word of God."
"Even if your husband is more unloving than you are disrespectful, your new respectful attitudes will motivate him to be more loving."

Okay, I could go on and on but I hope that from what you have read so far...you will agree that this book could be a great asset in your life. I know it sounds old-fashioned...but God's Word is unfailing and proven. As Christians wives there is a lot of pressure to be "independent" and we feel like we are justified in our disrespect towards our husbands, after all...look at what all we do for them...and then how they treat us in return. Humph!! But no....that is what is messing up marriages left and right. We must obey God unconditionally and let HIM work in our husband's lives. Anyway...what woman ever convinced her husband to be more loving by nagging and whining all the time? I've yet to meet one!

So, let me know what you think! The book lists this link so I thought I'd share it with you all, but I haven't actually gone there yet myself. www.loveandrespect.com
Let me know what you guys think about all this!!
I love you all and I believe that God has much better for us and our marriages than we have had so far.

Motivating Your Man God's Way

This book is SO good. So, So, So Good! I think EVERY wife needs to read it!

Movie Reviews

With all the frigid weather we have been having, it seems like we've been renting movies left and right here lately. Since last weekend, we have rented 3 and all of them were GREAT! There is one in particular that I am going to practically beg you to rent and watch with your family.
But I will review them in the order that we watched them...so first of all...
The Guardian
This action packed movie stars Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher as Coast Guard rescue divers. It is rated PG13 for some "action" parts, some sensuality and some language. It's not for the little kiddies...but for you and hubby...I totally recommend it. It has all the things you want in a movie...suspense, romance, comedy, drama, action. I think it is Ashton's best work to date, hands down. It was also very interesting and inspiring to see what these guys go through to save lives! I completely recommend this movie!
Facing the Giants
Wow!!! Amazing! This is the one I said I would INSIST you see. Not because of its terrific acting or even so much the story line...but this movie is a HUGE step for the Christian world. It is a story of a high school football coach who has nearly lost everything but finds his comfort in God and not the "things" of this world. He keeps his head high and turns everything around. What sets this movie apart from all the rest of the football movies out there with this same story line is the fact that it is so scriptually accurate and such an inspiration. This is one worth buying actually. Another thing about this movie that we found particularly fun is that the main characters are the sames names as our kids. The coach's name is Grant and his wife is Brooke. It was funny because (our)Grant kept saying, "Hey! That's MY name!" This is also a movie you can feel good showing to your whole family!
One Night with the King
We watched this movie last night and we were pleasantly surprised. It was a very serious story...so you really had to pay close attention but it was completely worth it. It is the story of Esther from the Bible. The girl who plays Esther in this movie is just gorgeous and she has such a fun, cute personality. I'd love to watch it again now that I understand what's going on. Even though this movie is rated PG, it's not something I'd recommend for the little ones just because it would be WAY over their heads...but I totally recommend it for you adults. If for no other reason, it's a good way to learn a Bible story!

So....if any of you watch any of these...let me know what you think!
And one last time... I just want to say that I really hope you will all check out Facing the Giants. We need to show our support for films like this!!

Beautiful inside AND out

Okay, this has been bugging me ever since my post the other day titled "What have you got to lose" and I don't know if it is just my conscience or if it is maybe the Holy Spirit "convicting" me or "pricking" my spirit in this direction...but I just want to say that although I do believe physical health and an attractive body are important...BY NO MEANS are those things more important than what is going on INSIDE of you. It ain't no good for your body to be tight if your heart ain't right! (from the hip-hopster in me! ha ha) I just want to emphasize that even more attractive than perfect abs and legs is a person who is a true reflection of Christ. We've all known people who are "perfect" on the outside but are extremely rude or cocky or hateful on the inside. That's just yuk.
As I was praying today, God was reminding me that He created our bodies and He wants us to take good care of them...but not so much so that 'looking good' rules our lives. If all you think about is how you look (on the outside) then you are probably focused too much on this temporary flesh in which we live instead of the permanent effects of beautifying our spirits. Does that make any sense? I don't feel like I am saying what's really in my heart...or at least not very clearly...but I just wanted to be sure that I mentioned that BALANCE is a key ingredient in life. I don't mean to sound so superficial---as I think I may have in that last post. There is nothing more important to me than being #1 Who God has called me to be, #2 The best wife I can possibly be, #3 A good mother, #4 A good friend, daughter, sister, etc... Looking good is just the icing on the cake. (the diet cake, that is! ha ha!)