Friday Five Meme

Susanne over at Living to Tell the Story tagged me for this meme. I don't know how hard this is going to be, so I'll jump right into it.
1)Five Minutes to yourself. How would you spend them ideally? I would probably, no I definitely would take a hot bubble bath and read. Technically I need about 45 minutes for that, so I guess I would say I'd catch up on some blog reading.
2)Five Dollars to spend right now. How and where would you spend it? Well, I would have said what Susanne wrote about lip gloss, but I already did that at the grocery store yesterday. If I hadn't given up coffee for a month, I would drive over to Stingers and get a frozen white mocha. Yummy! Okay, this is not working. Let's see...I would probably surprise my kids with 89 cent icees at the nearest Circle K gas station and get myself a sugar-free Red Bull. Poor Skip, he would have to fend for himself.
3)Five Items in your house you could part with right now.
-my bedroom lamps(Blah! They are so boring and old)
-my comforter( I think it is about 8 years old and has been washed so many times it needs a place of rest soon!)
-the toys in my son's closet he never plays with, but insists on keeping until he leaves for college in 9 years
-my coffee pot definitely!!! It works, but not well. I want one of those big fancy shmanzy ones that brew perfect coffee everytime.
-my computer desk because it has an edge that I am constantly injuring my knees on whenever I don't get up or sit down carefully
4)Five Items in your house you positively, absolutely could never part with.
-the picture my husband painted for me as a wedding gift. It was his first real work of art he painted and framed
-my photos, wedding album and kids baby books(of course)
-my bibles
-the Mark Keathley painting we own (he was a spiritual as well as artist mentor of Skip's)
-the piano bench which Skip's grandmother passed on to us (one of my very few antiques)
This one was hard because I really am not attached to too many things in my home. I throw out things constantly.
5)Five Words you love.
-Jesus(no word is more beautiful)
-amazing(I use it to describe everything)
-honey(Skip always calls me that-my kids think it's weird)
-friend(I love my friends and I love what a true friend means to me)
-mommy(mom, is good too, but there is just something about hearing my kids call me mommy that melts my heart-I sometimes even call my own mom-mommy when I am sad or upset and need her advice
Okay, I am tagging Julie, Tiffany, Chappyswife, Janice and Pamela. As always, anyone may join in the fun. Thanks Susanne for thinking of me!

A Promise In The Sky

This is such an amazing picture I took about week and a half ago. My son called me up to his bedroom window and we saw not only a rainbow, but also a cloud in the shape of a cross next to it. By the time I found the camera and ran back up stairs, the cross had faded. Seth and I both felt like that was a special present from God, just for the two of us.

Later that week, I was helping out in the library with my daughter's first grade class. They were taking reading comprehension tests on books they had read. One little girl was taking a test on a Noah's Ark children's book. I was helping her read the questions on the computer. I almost started to cry when I realized that she didn't know anything about the story. I didn't care that she hadn't read the book itself, I was saddened that she had never heard the wonderful biblical account. Doesn't every child know this story? In defense of this little girl, it is her first year at our school and her parents obviously wanted a christian education for her. It struck me so much that such a well known story was never read to her. She couldn't even tell me what God had placed in the sky as a promise to us. Did I mention that it was a multiple choice test? She still had no clue of any of the answers. I told her to try and get her parents to read her the story. I also prayed for her when I left. We as parents should be the ones teaching our children about God's word. Everyone else can help them along the way, but it is our ultimate responsibility. I am talking to myself here more than anyone else! A big eye opener that I will not soon forget.

Word Meaning Meme

I was just tagged by Pamela at Just the Two of Us for this word meaning meme. I am so glad she passed this on because I am so bored waiting for Skip to come home from church. I went to church last night and so far today has been pretty blah. It's raining, the kids are each doing their own thing, and I am about to start my 4th load of laundry. Okay, here goes the words Pamela sent and what they mean to me.

Heart- I want a Heart like His (meaning I want to be more like Christ). This is not an easy task since I am about as human as they come. My heart does not open up for many to see, but I am so happy that God does see it, and He loves me anyway.

Trail-I think of Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. We go every summer to Estes Park and on a few occasions we have been too early and the road has been closed . The picture above was taken on Trail Ridge Road in June of this year.

Grandparent-I am so thankful to have 2 of my grandparents still with us. My Nonnie and Poppie are the most precious couple you could ever meet. They are in their early 90's and still going around town and visiting with people like they did when I was a child. I love my Poppie who always speaks Italian to my girls in the most beautiful way. I love my Nonnie who has the sweetest personality, has an amazing green thumb,and her home is filled with beautiful memories of their life together. They have never been wealthy as society judges, but they are rich in faith and love.

Bear-This is the name of my sister's golden retriever puppy. Well, I guess at 9 months old it is still a puppy. When this little yellow puppy was born, he looked and cuddled like a teddy bear, hence the name-Bear.


Now comes the fun part. I am tagging some of my local bloggers(there isn't many that I know of here) to see if they will respond on their blogs. Okay Tiffany, Sunny, and Sunny's hubby, here are your words:

Friend:

Vacation:

Church:

Mountain:

Have a good time giving your answers. And as always, anyone may join in and please do. Have a great week and God bless! P.S. Thanks to all of you who gave such great ideas for my bunco menu. I love them all, and will have fun choosing which to use. Please send the recipes. I want them all!

I Need a Little Advice

I will be hosting our neighborhood bunco next month and I need some advice from all you smart ladies out there. I know I could ask my friends, but you gals seem to have the best ideas and you are like my friends too. Okay, first of all, I am unsure of what to serve for dinner. We only have to host once a year, so the host typically serves dinner. I want to do a fall theme, but not go overboard on price or time involved. The last hostess served chicken salad sandwiches, veggies and dip, and a side dish. I want to be a little more themed and creative. Not to mention, I want to make an out of this world dessert. Second, I need to know what I should do about beverages. I do not drink alcohol, and this bunch definitely does. I have no problem with their decision at all, but I would prefer not offering drinks, or having it flow freely as it does at the other get togethers. I am thinking about writing on the invitation something about bringing your own beverage, however, my husband doesn't think I should say anything. He says just offer coffee, teas, cider, soft drinks and water. If they bring their own, that's fine. I am probably making too much of this, but I want them to feel welcome in my home. I also want them to see something different in me and the way I live my life. These ladies are so special to me, and most of them are not Christian. Now, don't let me down. Bring on the advice!

TV Can Be Good For You

Since school has begun, our family is trying to make Monday and Friday nights "family nights." It is the only two weekday nights that we don't have activities going on. Last night was a tv night. I know, I know, it's not the ideal thing to do, but it was fun. The boys settled into my bedroom to watch a little Monday Night football (boring to me unless the Cowboys or Aggies are playing), and the girls and I took the big screen for a little "Wife Swap. " Not usually a program we would watch, but I monitored and discussed throughout. We were amazed at how some people live. Such extremes were presented, and it made us wonder how we would look to others coming in. I am not super organized and a neat freak, nor am I a lazy mess. After watching the complete episode, we felt pretty good where we fit as a family. The girls and I painted toenails and fingernails while we cleaned the dinner dishes on commercials. I think we balance life just fine. We did see some children using profanity and disrespecting adults, but then we talked about how God says to honor our parents and treat others with respect. We also discussed how keeping the house in order and clean let's us have friends over and keeps us safe from falls and germs. There is always room for improvement, but watching a show like that made us thankful for our unique family. Now, don't even get me started about Super Nanny!

Five Ingredient Friday (Shrimp Dip)

This is my first time to participate in Five Ingredient Friday. When I read the rules, I knew I had to share my shrimp dip recipe. It is so simple, but a sure hit. It only has 3 ingredients so I know you can't go wrong. We always serve this as an appetizer before barbeques and parties.

Shrimp Dip

1 can of tiny shrimp

1 pkg. of Hidden Valley Ranch Party Dip

1 16oz. container of sour cream

Rinse and completely drain water from the can of shrimp. Place shrimp in a bowl. Smash(for lack of a better word) shrimp with a fork. Add sour cream and party dip mix. Stir well and serve with crackers, or my favorite, Ruffles potato chips.

My Aunt Connie first made this for me and I was hooked. Careful, this not low calorie. I guess you could use low-fat sour cream. For more great recipes visit Overwhelmed With Joy.

Just Say No!

I am going to try (and I do mean try) to give up coffee and cokes for one month. Why? Because I think that those two things are causing my gradual weight gain of the summer. Skip says it might be all the desserts I've had lately, but I'm not buying that. I have always had a dessert here and there, but I have not always drank as much coffee as I have lately. I know that coffee is not fattening, but when you use almost 3 tablespoons of hazelnut Creamer as I do, believe me-it's fattening! I did not post this yesterday for fear of failure my first day. I did it! I am not counting my Red Bull (sugar-free) in this diet I've created. It only has ten calories and I only have one a day. The rest of the day will be water. This may not be hard for some of you die-hard water drinkers, but for me it is huge. I never drink water, ever. Well, I take that back. I do drink water right after I work out, which is only 2 to 3 times a week (if I'm doing good). Okay, anyone else up for the challenge? Skip said, "No way, are you crazy?" I guess I may have to go it alone. I'll let you know if I succeed, or if I cave under the pressure of my bible study ladies drinking it right in front of me.

Worth Far More Than Rubies

Today is my sweet mother-in-law's birthday. Linda is the Big 6 0 and we celebrated this past weekend. She is the one in glasses with a big smile on her face. She is surrounded by her boys, her mother and her grandbabies. Even before I married Skip, she began to treat me like a daughter. She loves me, values my opinion, encourages me and inspires me. Over the last several years, she has went through many challenges and changes. I have admired her faith in God and her willingness to persevere. She loves and respects her husband of 40 years and has shown so many people God's love by her attitude . If I could be half as good of wife, mother, friend and grandmother(someday) I will feel so blessed. Happy Birthday Linda!

How I Met My Honey

Barb at A Chelsea Morning asked the question of how I met my soul mate. I thought this might be fun, so I will break it up into two parts.
-Part 1- The introduction
Skip and I first met the summer before our sophmore year. We had drivers ed. together and became instant friends. He made me laugh constantly. We loved hanging out together, but never once did I see the possibility of a romance. He was a friend and besides he was like a best friend. You don't date your best friend (or so I thought). We have so many memories of riding around in his jeep with the top down and Duran Duran blaring out of the speakers. We went to parties together, rode to school together, talked about our dates together and I even went to his family gatherings. He knew everything about me and I knew everything about him. In college we kept in touch via letters and during the summers we would hang out. Nothing ever changed with Skip. He was a person I always wanted to be around. He is so charasmatic! If you know him, you can vouch for that.
Part 2-The Hookup
Skip and I were both spending the summer in our hometown the summer before our junior year of college. I was attending Texas A&M (Gig"Em) and he was soon heading off to Southwest Texas(now Texas State). I had just got engaged to a "boy" I had dated for 4 years. He was a good friend of Skip's too. That "boy" was in another town for the summer. Can you predict what will happen next. I hesitate to go on because this is exactly where our pastor tells singles not to go to find Mr. or Mrs. Right. Yes, it all started at a bar. Skip's band "Masquerade" was playing at the club and I got on stage to sing a little backup. I am not a singer by any means, but since I had had a few beverages I felt less inhibited. Some of you reading this are probably in shock. I do not drink and I certainly would never be caught dead on a stage in front of a mic. Well, Skip and I sang and laughed and suddenly I caught myself looking at him in a different way. Skip was actually looking pretty good to me and I was suddenly flirting with this friend of mine. That night I went home and called him on the phone. I actually said these words, "You looked kind of sexy on stage tonight." He said, "What?" You have to understand this. He had been secretly in love with me for years and thought he had no hope. I talked with him for a little while longer and went to sleep. When morning came, I felt so embarrassed and I could not even believe what I had done. I called him again and apologized for saying that. He said, "Why?" Don't you just love this man of many words? Anyway, that night started something which two years later became a marriage. Sparing you the long details, I broke up with my fiance and quickly started dating my best friend. We were so crazy in love that it really made people around us nauseous. I was so happy and could not believe that I was going to spend the rest of my life with this man. Don't feel too sorry for the other guy, I found out he had gone out with another girl while we were dating. I would have never known. Skip and I have been married for 14 years now. I am still as crazy about him as ever. He still makes me laugh. We still jam out to Duran Duran(even saw them at Madison Square Garden last year). He still knows everything about me. But what is even better than all that, is now he is an awesome man of God, a devoted, loving father to our three children, a musician using his talent for the kingdom, and still Susie's best friend.

Remembering 9/11

Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer is opening up the blogs for anyone who wants to share about their own 9/11 memories. Praise God I don't have a personal tragedy to share like so many.

My first memory that day was getting a call from my husband saying to turn on the tv. I was out of town with youngest two staying at my in-laws house. Skip was at work and my oldest daughter was at school. I struggled to find the remote to see what was happening. At that point one tower had been hit. My husband felt I needed to drive home right away(I was in Victoria which is only an hour and a half drive from Corpus) and he went to check my oldest out of school. I didn't know what was happening, and living in a city with a port, I knew I wanted my family together. I guess a lot of people were just waiting to see what horror would strike next. I got home quickly, only to find out about the 2nd tower and the pentagon. I remember being so concerned for all the children with mom's and dad's who lost their lives. I prayed that my extended family and my church family was safe. There are a lot of pilot friend's here in Corpus and a lot of military families too. I wondered how something like this would affect them. It was all so surreal. I think I sat glued to my tv for 24 hours straight while my kids played and had no clue of the devastation our country went through. I cried for so long and prayed until I was numb. In some ways I felt a little guilty that no one I knew was personally affected. But then again, we all were affected. Those were Americans killed. I love this country so much and my freedom was shaken that day. Luckily, my faith was only strengthened as this country pulled together, prayed together and united together. I want to say a personal thank you to the military and the armed forces who fight everyday so that I can live in this amazing United States of America. God Bless you!

The "After" Picture

Julie at A Joyful Life suggested I show an after shot of the closet. I finally did it, but then I had to wait until the hubby came home to to load the picture from the camera. He was very pleased and excited to finally see what was actually in his closet. It has been a mess for a while, and with the hip surgery he wasn't able to get in there and clean it. I am going to try to organize one closet or cabinet a day. Maybe I'll be done by Thanksgiving. Skip did ask, "Where did that sombrero come from?" I like it. It gives it kind of a mexican/cowboys theme(zoom in to see cowboy stuff.) I even lined up the shirts by color(Mrs. Kara) and I'm not a bit OCD. The whole thing only took about an hour. I wish cleaning out my "inside closets" (see previous post) would go that fast.

Neat As Can Be, But Don't Open The Closet

Any woman who has attended my weekly bible study I host can attest to the fact that I keep a pretty clean house. What they don’t know is that if they randomly open any closet or cabinet, things could, and probably would, fall out and seriously injure them. It’s not that I don’t want to clean out closets. It’s just that I have a family and a life. Honestly, it is also that I hate it. Organizing takes time and effort. I don’t want to spend the hours it takes to clean what no one else will see. Hum? Sounds like a comparison we could make to our spiritual lives. It has always been a misconception of mine to focus on the outward cleanliness before the inward. God seems to be beating me over the head lately that he is not concerned with my outward appearances, but is very concerned with what is going on inside my heart. I know that becoming more presentable on the inside will take some time. I may have to open some cluttered closets, face some dirt and grime, and often be willing to ask for help when I can’t do it all alone. Sound like work? Yes, it is work, but the benefits will be enormous. Even though God may be the only one who sees these changes, you will rest in knowing that the rewards are eternal. Well, now I’m off to clean out some closets. Yes, the ones filled with junk too.
Now, check out the pics of the clean "outside" and the "messy" inside. I can't believe I'm showing you my husband's messy closet. The embarassment alone will motivate me.

School Days, School Days, Good Ole Golden Rule Days...

Well, the day is finally here. We made it out of bed and out the door without a hitch. Well, actually my front left tire was completely flat, and we prayed our way to the school. It worked, and I quickly found a gas station to air up on the way home. I went to workout, had a shower, am drinking a red bull(sugar free) and doing what I want today. I have a list a mile long, but I think before I go any further, I am going to spend some much needed time with my Father(my heavenly father that is). I am a few days behind in my one year (can't believe I'm sharing that) and I need to just sit back and thank Him for a blessed summer and for all that I know he is about to do in my life in this new season I am entering. I want to write more, pray more, reach out more, give more and love more. I know I can't do any of this on my own, so I am going to go the one who gives so freely to those who ask of Him. May all of you reading this today, Be Blessed!

The Movie to See-Invincible

I have never done a movie review before so I thought I'd give it a go. I went to see Invincible today with my husband, my nine year old son, and my six year old daughter. It was awesome to say the least. I wasn't too sure about going to see a football movie, but I'm so glad I did. The movie is a true story about Vince Papale who played for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 70's. He overcame huge obstacles to fulfill his dreams. Here are the comments from the family after experiencing this amazing film. Skip(husband) said,"It was the Rocky of football. I'd give it 3 and a half stars out of 5". Skip is a huge critic of movies, so that is pretty good. Seth(my son)said, "It was good. I love football. I give it 4 and a half stars." Annie(my baby girl) said,"I liked it. I give it 5 stars." Actually Annie just is happy sitting eating popcorn and drinking an icee. I give it 4 stars. It did have a bit of a love story which is always a plus for me.