Invasion of the Cucumbers!!

I am being invaded by cucumbers!!!!!! Somebody help me!!!

There are cucumbers on my counters. There are cucumbers in my frig. The breakroom where DH works is being invaded by cucumbers. My neighbors homes are being taken over by cucumbers!!!

When people see me at church they begin to scream and run in the opposite direction....okay...maybe that is a weeee bit exaggerated........

Seriously though, our garden is in the business this year of mass producing cucumbers.

I've made pickles. I've made bread. I've fried them and ate them in salads and on sandwiches. I'm being cucumbered to death!!!!!!

So....can you give me some more ideas for these cucumbers?

I really love my neighbors and my church family and I don't want them to live in perpetual fear of running into me and my cucumber posse`.

Help me...pleeaassee.......... :o)

Making a Memory

After church yesterday morning, we decided to go get a bite to eat. Now, we don't go out to eat after church that often, but it was just one of those days that we all decided we wanted a burger (and I didn't want to cook!)

We drove into town and pulled in at our favorite fast food joint only to find the place packed!! The drive through was backed up and the restaurant was full, but we were so hungry we were going to brave the crowd and just wait.

As we pulled into a parking space, I noticed the car next to us had a Tennessee tag.

Me: "Hey! They're from Tennessee." ( We love Tennessee!!!)

DD: (jokingly) "Since they're eating in Alabama and live in Tennessee, we should drive up to Tennessee for lunch."

At that moment, DH puts the car in reverse and before I knew it, we were on the interstate headed towards Tennessee!!!!!!

While DH loves to surprise his family, spontaneity isn't his strong point...besides, it takes about 2½ hours to get to Tennessee!!!

Our two teenagers start cheering and an afternoon of laughter, smiles and music began.

We did stop quickly at Walgreens for some drinks and chips to eat on the way, but other than that, it was up there to eat and then just driving back home.

We got a chance to talk, sing some praise and worship songs together (even DH joined in on the few contemporary songs he knew). We were able to laugh and now, we have a memory to share.

Maybe some would look at us and say that we wasted over a half tank of gas just to eat out. That driving 150 miles one way to eat a hamburger and french fries is ridiculous....and maybe to some it is.

But to us...it's what memories are made of and those are priceless.

Thankful Thursday

Today is the day I link up with Sonya over at Truth 4 the Journey for Thankful Thursday.

We all are so blessed and I encourage you, whether on a blog or a piece of paper, to make a list of things you are thankful for. Somehow, seeing those blessings written down can take us away from any pity party we may be having. Or maybe, in our busy day, we just take those blessings for granted...don't even give it a second thought. Writing them down helps us to say, "Oh man! I am so thankful for....."

I've decided to make my list for today one that reminds me to be thankful for the things I don't usually even think about.

Here goes:

1) I am thankful for clothespins. Yes. clothespins. I love to hang my clothes out on the line for reasons I've posted about before. But those little pieces of wood make that job so much easier and keep the wind from blowing my clean clothes onto the grass.

2) I am thankful for the freezer. The freezer will freeze my water into ice, making sure that I can enjoy a cold drink on these 100º days.

3) I am thankful for a working battery in my car. Want to go shopping and the mall is 15 miles away? Just hop in the car, crank it and go! No real planning. No overnight trip. No worry about getting everything I need because if I forget something it may be a few months before I get back to town. Just go.

4) I am thankful for pokes from DD and arm punches from DS. Both are telling me they love me in their own way. Sometimes the touch is ever so slight that, if I'm busy, I might miss it. But those are clearly I love you moments.

5) I am thankful for electricity. I don't even give it a thought when I flip the lighswitch (except if the bulb is blown!). Just click. Light. No filling of lamps and lighting of wicks. No melting of wax to make candles. Just click and no more dark.

"Be thankful in all circumstances...." 1Thessalonians 5: 18a, NLT

......even the little things....

Lovin' My Gifts!!

It was just another ordinary day. I was up by 6 a.m., had hubby up by 6:15. Watched the morning news to see if it was going to be good motorcycle weather. Hmmm.....95º with 100% humidity...yep, excellent melting weather! Hug and kiss hubby, hand him lunch, wave and he's off.

Take a minute to think about my day..should do devotions first, ahh...but the kids are leaving at 10 to go to the lake. All will be quiet, I'll do it then..BIG lie from satan....

Make the bed, comb my hair, brush my teeth get dressed.

Time for some iced green tea and checking the ole' e-mail box.

Great comments from some bloggy buddies, a couple of devos..read those....

Oooops!! Just remembered, meeting Mom about 9 to give her some egg cartons for her fresh hen eggs.

Kids up...go meet Mom...

Back home, kids are laughing running around collecting towels and sunblock.

R drops by for a few minutes and the kids are off to the lake.

Soon all is quiet and I'm enjoying some Toby Mac while washing dishes. Nothing makes dishwashing more fun than singing loudly to Boomin' !! Man!! That's a great song!!

Rrrrringggg!!!

"Mom. All of us are coming home and getting a bite to eat."

"All of who??" Mild panic begins to set in.....

"All of us teenagers. (duh!!) You know...all of us that went to the lake?? (duh!!!)"

"Okay....."

"We're hungry."

Oh no!!!! 6 hungry teenagers less than 2 miles from my house!!!! No time to run! No time to hide!

"Okay. See you in a minute..."

"Loveyoubye!!!" (No typo there...with DD, that truly is all one word! :o)

Sweat begins to pour as the panic begins to set in. I stand in the middle of my clean kitchen looking around at the orderly cabinets, clean counters and feeling the cool breeze from the fan.

I realize they've arrived. I hear the thumping of car speakers. I hear the yelling and laughter of 6 mouths, 3 male..3 female....Car doors slam..they're getting closer.....the door flies open and the feeding frenzy begins!!

"Hi Mama Willis!!! Thanks for feeding us!!"

Then begins the clanging of cabinet doors, the noise of ice falling into glasses and the pshh of soda cans being opened. Chips are everywhere, noodles are cooking, bologna sandwiches are being made.

"I LOVE Toby Mac, turn it up!!!"

Then the tv comes on....I know this because I hear the Gospel Music channel in the background....Stellar Kart gives it away...

I'm finally left in the kitchen with Toby Mac singing to me..."I don't want to gain the whole world, and lose my soul...."

The door to the pool deck opens and their off. 2 hours of playing chicken and dumping teenage girls off their floats......

Soon it's time for DS and DD to get ready for work and the crowd disperses.

I look around and I'm left with wet towels, dirty dishes, no food and Toby Mac singing to me.....and I realize......

I wouldn't change this for anything.....I AM BLESSED!!!!!!

Psalm 127:3a "Children are a gift from the Lord...." NLT

Just to Let You Know.....

Hopefully you've visited recently and noticed that it's been a few days since I've posted anything.

Let me explain why....

I was reading a blog that I frequent and the sweet lady was saying good-bye. She had spent time in prayer and felt that God was calling her to focus on her calling as a wife and mom and to sign off to the blogging world for now.

I'm going to miss gleaning from her wisdom, but completely understand the decision she has come to.

One thing in her writing that stuck out to me and has caused me to step back for a few days was this....

She wrote that she'd become discouraged by the women who are trying to "look" like other bloggers....those who are merely mimicking what they read on other blogs and trying to appear spiritual.

This really made me stop, think and do some self examination with some serious questions and views on my end.

I respect this woman a lot, but I find myself thinking that there are what...a million blogs out there..and in all of that, there has got to be times when God will lay the same subject on more than one person's heart to write about.
We tend to read blogs that are similar and share our viewpoint for the most part. Isn't it logical to assume that you're going to come across duplicates??

I also have to admit that I believe God can bless me through someone's writing even if they are in the wrong frame of mind when they post something.

If they are trying to "appear" spiritual, isn't that something that is between them and God?

I'm certainly not trying to attack this lady at all....again, I've been thoroughly fed at the hand of her postings.....

Then I began thinking...do I fall into that category? Am I copying other bloggers or trying to "appear" spiritual??

There have been times in my short blogging venture that I've done a post only to click on someone else's blog and see they've posted something similar. Did I "copy" them? No..I tend to believe that God has a message that He really wants to get out and that the other blogger and I may have a few of the same readers, but for the most part, we have a separate, different readership and God is reaching an ocean of people through our writings.

Am I trying to "appear" spiritual?

No. Let me be the first to admit that my relationship with my Savior isn't always what it should be. I try really hard to seek Him out before I do a post because I want my blog and myself to be a vessel He can use to further His Kingdom. But He doesn't always "give" me something to post about. It's those days you'll find random postings if you find a new posting at all.

I can't "appear" to be anything. I am who I am....a 44 year old-wife of almost 26 years to the best husband in the world- SAHM of the two greatest teenagers God has ever created. My house is not spotless, my car needs washed, the ironing needs done, I've got 62,000 books that I've started and have yet to finish reading. We have homeschooled for almost 12 years and will graduate our youngest next year. I live a simple life and find pleasure in simple things.

I face the same financial, marital, life with kids struggles as everyone else, we're just in different stages of life. Maybe you have already been where I am or I've already been where you are.

I want my blog to help and encourage. I want you to leave my site with something to ponder, laugh about, relate to or maybe even the occasional eye roll...."WHAT was she thinking!!?"

Yes. I love my Heavenly Father with every fiber of who I am. He is my Everything. Yes, I fail Him...but He loves me anyway. He loves me just as I am, but He loves me too much to leave me that way.

So with that, let me just say....

I'm not perfect and I don't ever intend to portray myself as someone who 'has it all together'. Those of you who read my blog and personally know me (R & K) can attest to the fact that having it all together is the farthest thing from the truth...but I do pray that when you visit, you leave here blessed.

Give-a-Way Winners!!

Thanks so much to all of those who entered to win a free bottle of laundry detergent.

We got off to a bit of a sluggish start with the entries at first, but then..BAM!!..here they came and I was thrilled at the entries and found myself wishing I had a lot more coupons for free Sun detergent to give away!! It just makes me happy to be able to give something to someone else!

I found out that I'm not the only person who literally washes over 20 loads of laundry a week!! There are a lot of folks who spend a great deal of time putting clothes in the washer and taking them back out.

Let me encourage you while you're enjoying your free Sun detergent, to save a little more money and hang those clothes outside on a line to dry! It's summer..enjoy the SUNshine!!

Listed below are the 5 winners for a coupon for a free bottle of Sun Laundry Detergent. Please stop by and visit their blogs and say Hi!!

Rebecca Joy over at The Barry Patch

Greg C over at Greg's General Store

Make$ Cent$ 2 $ave

Hope over at My Hope is in the Lord

Twinsz

Thanks again to everyone who entered!!

Don't Forget!!!

I'm kind of surprised....Couldn't anyone use some free laundry detergent???

I've only had 2 respond to getting some free laundry detergent.

I'm giving away 5 coupons for free laundry detergent...this will fit anyone's budget Im sure!!

Want to know how to get this free detergent??..click here!!

I'm joining up with Sonya over at Truth 4 the Journey today for Thankful Thursday.

I tend to get so caught up in the everyday things that make up life, that I really do look forward to Thursday's and just taking some time to reflect on the week and the blessings that God has so freely given out.

How about joining all of us today and sharing what you are thankful for??!!

1) I am thankful for teenagers who, although not perfect, are truly trying to live by the Word of God. I am constantly taken back by the 'say one thing, do another' attitude of their circle of peers. After their recent wilderness wanderings, we have come into agreement about accountability and honesty and so I'm learning that in their circle of peers, what matters is how people perceive you and not Jesus Christ.

2) I am thankful for hugs. We are having VBS this week and I am in the nursery. Now, I haven't been in the nursery since my two were that age..I tend to follow their age group. But since I work so closely with the teens on a regular basis, I decided helping in the nursery would be fun. I forgot how attached to their moms 2 year olds can be!!!! I've got one little boy who will just scream when mom leaves. It usually only lasts about 20 minutes, but wow!! what a long 20 minutes. Last night I was diapering a baby and this little guy comes up behind me and grabs me around the leg and gives me a big hug and kiss!! What an awesome blessing he handed me!!!!

3) I am thankful for veggies from our garden!! We have really fought with our soil over the last 4 years to get it to produce and finally...this year....fresh veggies!!!!

4) I am thankful for electricity!! For those who want to know why...click here!!

5) I am thankful for a satellite channel that I found that has Christian music videos and Christian movies on it!! I am so tired of getting interested in a program only to have raunchy scenes or bad language invade it.

"....Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts." Colossians 3: 16b, NLT

Playing Peek-a-Boo

This is a picture of my bed.



It's just an ordinary bed..some pillows and some quilts.

It's quite comfy and a wonderful place to lay my head and night.

If you'll look closely though, there appears to be a lump in my bed.

Now, while I have never been in the military (although DH has been--Navy man), I do like a well made bed.

Sadly, I was/am one of those moms who, once the bed has been made, you need to keep your rumpkuss off of it. (I know, I know.....).

I think this lump is a result of God telling me not to sweat the small stuff. I mean really....a lumpy, unmade bed is nothing if you are getting to spend great quality time with your family---right??

Thing is, I've had this perpetual lump in my bed almost everyday for the last 5 or so years....

What is causing this lumpy life lesson for me???

Peek-a-boo!!!!



It's Miss Kitty!!

In all my life, I've never saw a cat that is so concerned about being completely comfortable.

If she's cold, she will get under the quilt on my bed.

If her food bowl is almost empty--not empty, almost empty--she will meow and follow you and wrap herself around your legs until you can't stand it any longer and will top off a half empty bowl.

If she's hot, she will sprawl out in the middle of the floor, especially where there's hardwood, with all four legs in the air....and she always seems to find the spot where the most traffic is.

If there's----ummmmm----unmentionables--in her litter box, she will make trip after trip from the litter box to wherever you are to stare you down.

If she's curled up on a cushion on the couch or chair or anywhere that you need to sit down--and you try to move her, she will hiss and her fur will stand up on end and she will glue her ears back to show you that you are a huge pain in her behind!



But, in spite of all her moodiness, she truly is a joy to have around and she's free entertainment!!!

Got a Give-a-Way Goin' On!!!

I love a good give-a-way, don't you?? And what makes a give-a-way even better, is when it's for something I use everyday...something I would pay for.....unless....I could get it for free!!!!

I was chosen to try a bottle of Sun Laundry Detergent. Now, I was very happy to get this bottle of detergent to try for free, but...I must confess....I already use Sun Laundry Detergent. So, getting this bottle to try was just perfect for me!!!

It does a great job cleaning our laundry. It comes in a variety of scents (which I really love!!) and it's incredibly affordable (which our budget really loves!!).

Now, here's where it gets really good......

Along with my free bottle of detergent, I was also given 5 coupons for a free bottle of Sun Laundry Detergent! So, you know what that means...

Five of my readers will get a coupon for a free bottle of this detergent to try as well!!!!!

Think about it...we all do laundry and if you're like me..you do several loads a day! Laundry detergent is something we use a lot of.

If you're not familiar with Sun Laundry detergent, then this would be a great chance to try a very good, very affordable product for free.

Here's all you have to do......

Leave me a comment telling me why you'd love to win and try this product and (just because I'm curious if anyone does more loads of laundry a week than I do) share about how many loads of laundry you do in a week.

This will be open until midnight, June 21 and I'll announce the winners first thing Monday morning, the 22nd.

Can't wait to hear from everyone!!!!

God is All Powerful!!...Literally

Wow!!! What a 24 hours it's been!!

Yesterday morning we left for church as usual. It was a little cloudy outside, but nothing out of the ordinary for the deep south in late spring.

Around 10:30, during Sunday school, it got so dark outside that it could have passed for 2 in the morning!!! The wind started blowing really hard and the rain began to fall---in sheets!!

The electricity flickered several times and then....all went dark!

Thankfully there is a window in our classroom, so even though it was stormy outside, a little light was provided.

We were able to finish with Sunday school, and our pastor preached by flashlight.

Isn't it great that no matter our situation, the Holy Spirit will always show up if you allow Him?!

By the time services was over, so was the storm, but the electricity was still out.

We decide to go get something to eat in town. Since we only live 2 miles from church, our electricity was out as well.

All the way to town we saw downed trees, downed power lines and power trucks everywhere. This was a big deal and it looked like we'd be without power for quite a while.

By evening, the electricity was still out on our end of the road, so we decided to go to church with my friend R. It was an awesome service and once again, the Holy Spirit filled the place!! It was fantastic!!

Back at our house we notice the neighbors have electricity and we notice our meter is back on.

But.....hmmmmm...no electricity in the house.

DH begins checking things out and our main breaker to the house is shot. It's past 8 o'clock on a Sunday evening....no chance of getting a breaker tonight.

Oh well...no big deal...we've been without power before and what's one night??

Well....in late spring, in the deep south....it's a big deal.

It quickly became hot and humid inside and so we got cold showers and decided the best thing to do was hit the bed.

We were up early and DH began the search for a main breaker. Should have been as easy as going to Home Depot or one of the electrical supply companies around town, right???

Should. Have. Been.

No one in our entire county had a main breaker for our house. Why?? Because our house is old..(SMILE Leslie!!!)...and everything in it is obsolete.

Finally, our friendly neighborhood Ace Hardware man tells us he can order it and have it in after 2 pm....TOMORROW!!!!!!

Okay. Tomorrow is way better than buying a new electric panel.....but has anyone noticed that it's only 10 am and it's already 85º with 70% humidity???!!!!

This is not sounding good.

DH tells our friendly hardware man to go ahead and order the breaker.

We continue looking in the phone book and DH sees a hardware dealer we haven't checked out.

DH calls the store.

DH: "I have a so&so&so main breaker. Do you have one available?"

Man: "Sure do. Come on down here and we'll fix you up!"

DH: "Thanks! I'm on my way!!"

Cheers!! Clapping!! Relief!! A main breaker has been found!!!

1 hour later and incredibly angry DH rides up on his motorcycle....empty handed.

The guy did not have a main breaker at all!!!! Okay---I'm going to allow you in on one of my pet peeves----if you are going to work a job, please be competent on that job. Please!!!! Obviously not everyone got the memo........

DH goes on to tell me that while he was in the hardware store, he'd been clicking the breaker switch back and forth, back and forth......and it stayed!!!!

Now, DD and I had been at home praying that DH would bring home a working breaker for our house.

Carefully DH put the old breaker back in and all praise and glory to God!!!!!!!!!! We have electricity!!!!

We are still going to buy the breaker from the friendly neighborhood Ace Hardware man to have on hand because---(as Leslie knows :o), this happen again!!!!

So, I just want to thank God for taking care of His children and being ALL powerful!!! Why we were given this test, only He knows right now. But one thing is for certain, my house is cool all because of Him!!!!

My Husband Rocks!

Today is the day I join Katy Lin over at The Great Adventure for My Husband Rocks!

I enjoy this meme because it gives me a chance to brag about the awesome husband that God has provided for me.

As I've shared in the past, DH loves to garden. He has always loved working the soil, planting and tending to those tender plants and enjoying a bountiful harvest from them.

Usually he can accomplish this without too much trouble....until we moved here.

We have lived here almost 4 years, and this ground has given DH more grief than any place we've ever lived!

If you recall, back in January I shared that DH's workload was decreased by 10% (which was restored just last week..PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!).

This decrease in hours enabled DH to get down and dirty (excuse the pun) with his garden. He fertilized and composted and tilled and griped---oopps---and watered and planted--and replanted--ahhhh but success has found it's way to our garden!

We have already harvest lettuce, radishes and green onions in major quantities! We've eaten enough salad that I'm starting to think I'm half rabbit!!

Then yesterday evening I decided I needed to go pick some raspberries (they're in the bowl in the picture below). These raspberries are special because the vines actually came from my grandma's house in Kentucky. (Another post that's worth sharing sometime)

I barely got those berries picked when it started to rain, so I never made it over to the garden to check it.

DH got home from work and got a bucket and headed toward the garden...and look what he brought back!!!



Squash and cucumbers like we haven't seen in years from our garden!!!

He looked like a proud new Papa with his bucket of veggies!! (I'd have taken a pic of DH, but he's not too fond of that....)

He told me that the vines were full of blooms and baby squash and cucumbers. The rest of his garden is looking just as plentiful!

One thing about my DH, he is a determined man that refuses to give up and that makes My Husband Rock!!

At the Well

Hi Bloggy Buddies!!

Just wanted to let you know that I'm guesting at The Well today.

I'm facing the subject of not nagging your man.....ouch

Can't wait to see you there!!!

Thankful Thursday

Today is the day I join Sonya over at Truth 4 the Journey for Thankful Thursday.

I've thought and thought the week on what I'd like to list as my thankfuls....there are always plenty if I'll just look around....and I decided this week I wanted to list 5 verses in the Bible that I'm thankful for.

There are so many promises in God's Word. So many things and ways that He wants to bless us.

I am positive that God has and will keep every promise He's ever made, but what I've noticed is, that in making us a promise, there is something that we have to do ourselves.

God meets us over half way so many times in a day, He just wants us to do our part.

As I list my thankfuls, any emphasis will be mine. I will highlight God's promise in blue. Everything else will be "our part".

All Scripture is taken out of the New Living Translation.

1) Philippians 4:6-7a~~ "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what You need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand..."

2) Galatians 6:8~~ "Those who live to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit."

3) 1 Peter 3:10-11~~ "For the Scriptures say, 'If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.'

4) Proverbs 2: 6-8~~ "For the Lord grants wisdom! From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to Him."

5) Hebrews 3:14~~ "For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ."

I hope you will take the time to search the Scriptures for yourself and allow God to fill you with joy as you drink in His promises to His children!

Just Dirty Pool Water

On Wednesdays, I've been doing a post on Our Story..the story of mine and DH's growing up years and how God, in His awesomeness, brought us together. Today I won't be doing that. With the events of the week and just life-stuff in general, I haven't taken the time to talk with DH about one of his memories (I'm trying to do this as chronological as possible) at a certain age in his life. So....God being my helper, I'll have an Our Story post ready for next Wednesday. To read past Our Story posts, click on the Our Story label in the left hand column.

Here in the deep south, it's time to open up those pools and start swimming! The heat and humidity are going to be hovering around 90 at my house today, so the pool is going to be a huge blessing.

But right now, I'm a little frustrated at my pool.

It's milky looking. I don't know why.

We've cleaned and chlorinated. We've algecided and stabilized. We've baking sodaed and vacuumed...but it's still not crystal clear...and that bugs me.

Oh, it's much better than it was when we opened it. Our pool cover had gotten torn with all the spring storms we had and so a lot of winter's debris had found it's way in. When that pool cover came off.......well, have you ever wondered where Swamp Thing came from??? Yep. Our pool.

So..from that view point, things are much better. At least I'm not afraid of mutating into something else if I get in the water!

DS doesn't have to work until this evening and he wants us to get in the pool this afternoon and that's great!! Spending time with DS is something I absolutely LOVE to do!! But in my mind, it's bugging me to death about this milky looking water.

I found myself thinking about this water this morning and about the conversation that DH and I had just a couple of days ago.

DH: "If the added stabilizer and chlorine doesn't work, we may just opt to empty the pool and start fresh."

Me: groaning....."I hate the idea of emptying the pool. We've already put, like a million dollars worth of chemicals in it...and to waste all of that water."

DH: " A million dollars??..."

Me: " ....Well, a least a hundred."

DH: "I realize that. But if we can't get it cleared up, then we'll need to empty the dirty water and fill it with fresh. I hate looking at that cloudy water."

God has used that conversation and our cloudy pool water to make a point to me.

I'm like our pool.

There was a point in time when I was empty. I needed filled.

The Holy Spirit came down and filled me with His crystal clear Spirit and made me beautiful on the inside. I was fresh and clean.

Time began passing and slowly little things fell into my pool. Anger, bitterness, envy, hatefulness. My temper would grow short and I would lash out at those I love the most.

When a little of this and a little of that began falling into my pool, instead of grabbing my net (my Bible) and scooping out the debris, and getting hold of my chemicals (the Holy Spirit) to freshen the water and keep it clear, I ignored it.

"Oh, it's not too much. Just some sand blown in by the wind", (a few small sins).

Or, "Oh, it's just a couple leaves that fell off the trees", ( some bigger sins).

I let time go by until the water had become so dark and nasty that I gave up on it.

"What does it matter? I'll worry about it in the spring."

Spring time came and I try to get the water clear....cheaply.

Just a little time spent vacuuming. The stabilizer level is "okay"....could use some more, but we can probably make do. I think 4 packs of shock will do (even though the amount of water we have calls for 8).

Yes, these things have worked. The water is no longer green and nasty. You can stand to look at it and even get in it...but it's just not crystal clear. It's not like it was intended to be.

When you're looking at it or in it...you still feel......dirty. Not refreshed.

That's what I catch myself doing with God.

Okay. I've let myself go. I've dropped the ball. I've been lazy in my prayer life and in my quiet time and it shows. I'm all nasty on the inside. So, okay. I pray..a little. I read my Bible...a little.
There's conviction and confession, but I haven't allowed the Holy Spirit to completely clean me. I haven't allowed Him to give me everything He's got to make me crystal clear and pleasant to look at...to be around.

I've got to give up everything and allow the Holy Spirit to refill me...refresh me.. make me crystal clear again. Drain me of all the nastiness that has accumulated over time.

Start over.

Just like our pool.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me." Psalm 51:10, NLT

Without Further Ado....

Yes, I'm suffering from a huge case of writer's block.

Yes, it's been an up and down, emotional, teenage kind of life around our house since Friday.

Yes, it's times like this I have to admit my body is making me realize that my age catches up with me from time to time.

So, while sitting here wondering what in the world to post about, because my writer's block has me completely locked up, I was looking at pictures in my digital camera and smiling because there are pics in there from DD's graduation, laughing because there are pics in there of R's son's graduation. Rolling my eyes because there are pics of Miss Kitty laying on her back with her feet in the air....oh what a wonderful life she leads...and then I got to thinking (and that is always a dangerous place for me to be in) that there are things--important things--you don't know about me.

Then I thought, "Hey!! Post those awesomely amazing things that absolutely everyone wants to know about wonderful you!!" So, here I go with 10 things you just can't live without.....!!

1. I am terrified of most bugs. I love June bugs, lightning bugs, daddy long legs and grasshoppers...beyond that, I'm all girl and will scream at the top of my lungs should one of the "other" bugs even look my way!!

2. My toes, my big toe and the one next to it, automatically cross when I'm sitting down. I don't know why, they just do.

3. I am allergic to anchovies.

4. I didn't learn to ride a bike until I was 12.

5. I can play the flute.

6. I can wiggle my nose without moving any other part of my face.

7. When I was in the 7th grade, I was thrown off a horse and the horse then came down on my ankle and crushed it!!

8. I've had a firecracker blow up in my hand--took half my thumbnail with it!!~~~ confession~~~ The firecracker blew up in my hand because I was busy laughing at my cousin who just had a firecracker blow up in his hand!!

9. My eyes change color almost daily..today they are are brown with a thin line of blue around the brown.

10. I love, love, love drag racing!!! Funny cars, top fuel, smoking tires, insides rattling with those huge motors, 335 mph.....!!!!

Hope you have a wonderful Tuesday!!!

Me? Think I'll go cross my toes, wiggle my nose, and watch some drag racing!!

My Husband Rocks Friday!!

I'm joining Katy Lin over at The Great Adventure for My Husband Rocks!

It's no secret that I think my DH is awesome! I share that with you most Fridays. He did something just this morning though that is so out of the norm for him--in a way--and so sweet as well.

My sweet hubby, likes getting out of bed just in time to get ready for work, grab his lunch and coffee and head out the door.

Since we have 2 very active teenagers in the house, sleep~or enough of it~ is a very precious thing for us....so DH sleeps in the mornings just as long as he possible can.

When he gets on his motorcycle or gets in his car, he has one thing in mind--get to work...straight to work....no time for delays....straight....to....work!!!

So this morning he gets on his bike and heads up the driveway. I wave to him from the window and then I realize he's stopped at the top of our driveway.

I can hear the bike just idling and I look to see what's going on.

I see DH in my flower garden picking one of my lilies that have just began blooming.

He gets back on his bike, lily in hand, turns around and comes back down to the carport.

He gets off his bike, hands me my flower, gives me a quick kiss and he's off!!




What he doesn't realize is that he's handed me more than a flower, he has just handed me a wonderful start to my day!!!

What an unselfish man I'm blessed with!!

Thankful Thursday

Time once again for Thankful Thursday.

Sonya, over at Truth 4 the Journey hosts this each week and I would really encourage each of you to join in. It's such a huge blessing to count your own thankfuls as well as rejoice with others in their thankfuls.

This week.....

1) I'm thankful that DH's tests went well. We should be hearing from the doctor today, but we're trusting God that whatever the problem is, it will be minor.

2) I'm thankful for God's direction. I've been really struggling with something that I've been wanting to do yet knowing that God is wanting me to back off for now. Sunday night during altar prayer, I asked God to give me something concrete so I would know in black and white what His will truly was. Less than 15 minutes later, He answered my prayer!

3) I'm thankful for my new front door!!! It's awesome and I've been waiting on it for like, 2 years!! I am really enjoying it!! (If you want to read about the fiasco with the door, click here)

4) I'm thankful that our garden is doing so good. We've tried, unsuccessfully, for a few years to raise a garden. DH has finally gotten the soil to the place it needs to be though and my garden is just beautiful!! I love fresh veggies and I love to can them for winter! Can't wait to enjoy!!!

5) I'm thankful for you. My bloggy buddies who read...even when I'm just running around in circles...and comment and encourage me along this road we call life. In only 9 months, I've made some friendships that will last a lifetime!!

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name." Psalm 100:4, NLT

Our Story

Bananas and Bee Stings


Paw was a tall man. He was well over six feet tall but he was very thin. She used to think it was so funny to look at Maw and Paw. Both were tall, but Maw was much.....bigger than Paw. They made her think of that Jack Sprat poem she heard in school.

She really liked hanging out with Paw.

They had two things in common bananas and Reese Cups. They LOVED them!!

She knew that any time they were going to Paw's house, there would be a bowl full of bananas on the kitchen table and a good supply of Reese Cups in the fridge.

Maw and Paw lived in Kentucky on the side of a mountain...literally. For many years, Mommy and Daddy had to park at the bottom of the mountain and everyone had to carry there suitcases up the mountain to the house. It was a great day when her grandparents had a driveway put in!!

Somehow Paw always knew when they would be getting to his house. As soon as they would come around that last big curve, she would start looking up the mountain for Paw. There he would be standing...smoking one of his Camel cigarettes and holding two bananas.

She knew she should probably help Mommy and Daddy with the suitcases, but Paw was smiling so big and waving at her...she just had to run give him a hug.

It wasn't long before everyone had gathered around and said hi and gave out hugs that she and Paw would go set on the edge of the yard talking and enjoying their bananas.

"How's school going?"

"Okay."

Munch, munch.

"Did you get sick on the drive down this time?"

"A little."

Munch, munch.

She wasn't talking too much because she was looking at all the bees that were on the wildflowers and clover.

"Paw, why do you have so many bees?"

"Got a lot of mouths to feed. The honey comes in handy. Don't you like my bees?"

"Not really. Remember last time I left my shoe on the porch and one got in my shoe and when I had to go to the bathroom I put my shoe on and it stung me on my toe and my toe swelled up so big that Mommy had to go buy me some flip flops cause my toe wouldn't fit in my shoe?? I don't like your bees at all!!"

With that, she jumped up, threw her banana peel over the hill, kissed Paw on top of his head and ran in the house to find Maw.

Maw let her go in the fancy living room and read, but after a few minutes of turning pages in her favorite book, she found herself thinking more and more about Paw's bees.

He had so many boxes of bees on the hill behind the house and it seemed like every time she was at his house someone was in a tree catching more bees or standing over the boxes with a smoke box and something covering their faces stealing the bee's honey.

She thought that was really mean. Those bees had to work hard to make that honey and Paw was stealing from them all the time!!

Maybe that's why those bees were always mad and stinging folks......

A few days later found her running around outside playing with the dogs and running in and out of the smoke house with some new treasure to beg Maw out of.

Maw was busy helping Paw steal some honey and she soon tired of the little girl's energy.

"Why don't you go find your Mommy and see what she's up to?"

"Can I have another Reese Cup?"

"You and your Paw have eat them all. But if you'll go sit with Mommy while we steal this honey, we'll go up to IGA and buy some more a little later."

That did it!

A promise of getting to sit beside Paw all the way to IGA to buy more Reese Cups!! She was off to find Mommy.

She found Mommy and her aunts sitting on the porch letting their hair dry.

They were talking and laughing and it was funny to her to watch them.

They all talked at once and laughed about everything and she thought they were just plain silly.

All of a sudden Mommy jumps up and screams, "A bee just flew in my hair!!!"

Mommy was slapping at her hair and the aunts were trying to calm Mommy down and find the bee. All the time, the little girl just stood there wide eyed.

By this time, Maw had come running to the front porch to see what all the screaming was about.

Finally the aunts convinced Mommy to stand still and they managed to get the bee out of Mommy's hair.

That bee was really mad though and he needed someone to sting!!

All of a sudden the little girl let out a huge scream and grabbed her eye. That stupid bee had stung her on her eyelid!!!!

Oh her eyelid was hurting so bad and she just couldn't quit screaming. Nothing Mommy did could make it quit hurting and the little girl was jumping up and down and screaming and screaming!!!

All of a sudden Maw grabbed her by the shoulders and said, "If you don't quit screaming, I'm going to get my switch down and whip your rear end."

That was all it took. She'd never been whipped by Maw's switch, but she'd seen her aunts and uncles get whipped and she knew she didn't want any part of that!

Maw managed to get the stinger out of her eyelid and she put ice on it to help the swelling, but the fact was her eyelid was swollen shut and it would hurt for several days to come.

Maw and Paw kept their promise and a few house later they were on their way to buy more Reese Cups and bananas.

As a woman, she can laugh about it now. It has honestly become a funny, warm memory to her heart.

And every time she eats a banana or a Reese Cup, she goes back in time to when simple things were the most fun......

A Bird, A New Door and a Cat Hat

A bird got in my house last night. Yes, a bird.

How did a bird get in my house you ask?

Simple. He (she?) flew in.

How did he (she?) get out?

DH ended up catching him (her?).

Let me begin at the beginning.

For several months now, I've been wanting a new front door. Our living room is surrounded by porches. On the front is the..front porch. (Imagine that!) It's covered and on the north side of the house, so very little light comes in the room from that side of the house.

On the east side of the house is another porch. This one is covered as well and screened in. It leads to our pool deck. So, very little light comes in the east window as well.

Saturday morning, both kiddos had to work so DH and I decided that this would be a great time to go get my door.

He hooked the trailor to his truck and off we went! Just me and DH bumping along merrily down the road.

Oh I could see my new door. I wanted a door that was more glass than door. Yes, I was going to welcome and embrace the light coming through that door. My new door would include the mini blind that was between the two panes of glass. You see, I love mini blinds for the privacy, hate them when it comes time to clean them. If those blinds are between two panes of glass, guess what I don't have to do?? Clean them!! Woot!!! (is anyone doing the happy dance with me right now???!!! Oh yeah! Don't have to clean the blinds!! Oh yeah!! Woo hoo!!)....sorry.....

We arrive at the store, pick out my beautiful, wonderful, light welcoming door..pay for it and we're are back on the road again.

At home, we set right to work getting the old door out and putting my new door in. For once, a small remodel is just that...a small remodel. (you see, the main part of our house is over 100 year old. Not too much of anything is a "small" job in our house.......)

Oh...I just oooed and ahhed and kept sliding the little switch thing open and close.

Light, no light. Light, no light. It was great!!!!

Now. If you've been checking in with me regularly....and I know you have been because I'm just funny and serious and interesting and great and just the bestest writer around...and you probably feel sorry for me and just want to encourage me...but you know that we have birds nesting on our front porch...(ahhh...I see the light coming on......)

That wonderful little Mama Bird and Papa Bird hatched 5 beautiful baby birds a few weeks ago. ( I'll spare you the nasty details of what I've been cleaning up on a regular basis for a few weeks now.....)

Well, those sweet, precious, loud, pooping machines....uh, babies, have learned to fly. Walking on our front porch or even in our front yard now is a daily lesson in how to avoid getting hit by diving air missiles....umm....upset birds.

My friend R dropped by after church for a few minutes last night and we were oohhing and aahhing over my new door. She got ready to leave and went out the front door. We don't usually use the front door that much, but since her van was parked in that direction, it just made more sense.

Now, let me set the scene.

It's dusky dark. The baby birds are roosting around my front porch because they can't fit in the nest anymore. Our light is on in the living room and the door is open.

R says, "Well, gotta go! I'll call you later!"

I say, "Okay! Be careful!"

Baby bird thinks, "Head toward the light."

And he does.

Baby flies in the house.

Miss Kitty notices bird flying around the living room, begins to wildly chase bird.

R is laughing hysterically.....(some help she is........)

DD and her boyfriend, who were sitting on the screened porch, are laughing at Miss KItty chasing the bird.

DS and R's son, who are dripping wet from being in the pool, are standing with noses pressed up against the window cheering the Baby bird.

DH is trying to keep the Baby away from the ceiling fan that is on and going around in hyperspeed.

Miss Kitty has now noticed that the front door is open and there are A LOT of meals roosting on the porch. Miss Kitty is strictly an indoor cat.....Miss Kitty darts for the door, I dart after Miss Kitty.

Baby is still flying in circles in our living room just outside the perimeter of the spinning blades of death.

I grab Miss Kitty who begins to wiggle and fight and make these funny gut noises.

DH has clicked the fan switch so much that we're not sure what speed the blades are at right now and Baby is still flying in circles around the spinning blades of death.

DH finally grabs a flashlight and turns off the switch to the entire fan. He aims the flashlight at the front door. Baby, once again, flies toward the light.

Miss Kitty has wiggled high enough on my neck that I'm now wearing a live cat scarf that makes funny gut noises.

Baby misses door, flies behind door and is now making quite a racket.

Miss Kitty hears the racket, decides that I need a new hat as she climbs past my neck up to the top of my head. (Let's remember that Miss Kitty is almost 7 years old and weighs about 25 pounds...really.....)

Finally, because I can't see anything but Miss Kitty belly, I hear DH, DD and her boyfriend, DS and R's son, (R is still laughing.....(thanks ssoooooo much R!) cheer!

DH actually caught Baby and put him (her?) out the front door.

DH shuts the door about the time my Miss Kitty hat flies off my head and the fiasco is over.

And who says life is boring?????