Oh Snow

a few days ago it was this

my little man looking out the window at the snow...

and this...

our annual "duck fan" snowman

he wasn't looking so good yesterday...


and today it is even worse...

I don't mind when the snow comes to visit and then leaves...
Today I actually went outside and worked in the yard for a "few" minutes...
(it is cold out there people!!!)

What I don't like is driving in the stuff...
There was a bad accident yesterday just outside of Bend... and some people were hurt pretty badly. Looks like one of them won't survive. I have been praying for the families who are involved. Will you join me?

This coming weekend our teen pathfinders are headed to the beach...
and believe it or not there are snow flurries/snow expected.... even at the beach! WHAT???

This is not good news for me. I have already started to pray for clear roads and a great time to be had by all. I am not looking forward to having to drive there. ugh.

Anyway, my point... if it is even possible for me to have a point.

Love snow when it comes for a short visit and I don't have to drive anywhere...
don't like it when it gets in my business...

Here's hoping that the weather man is off by a few days and the snow comes at the beginning of the week and not the end!

1967... and last night...

Last night Josh and I were able to drive 1.5 hours north to watch the CAA Kodiaks play in the District Playoffs.

They played the Night Owls (don't ask, it was a little creepy)
Both teams played well and came away with the victory... which means they play Monday Night about 2 hours from here. No matter what they will be in Spokane next weekend for the State Playoffs! The kids are pumped up, this is the first time anything like this has ever happened for these kids.

Someone said to me last night "it sure is nice that you would drive all the way up here for the games when you don't have kids on the team..."

Funny thing about that comment is this.... we don't have biological kids on the team... but Josh has taught everyone of those kids, prayed over them, coached them, worked with them, etc. So pretty much we do think of them as our kids... weird I know, but when you pray over people's kids, and watch them grow and develop... you want to be there for them... in whatever way you can be. I guess it is a teacher thing.

Funny thing #2.
The games were played at Centralia High School...

Both my in-laws graduated from there.
I knew (or had heard stories) about my FIL being a star player for the team...

So I got super excited when I looked in the basketball display case in the hall and saw this... see 1967.

It is hard to think of my IL's as high school sweethearts and Dan the star of the bball team... and how weird is it that all these years later we are in the same town (different gym though because they built a new school) and display case that they likely walked past every day.

Random. yet very Cool.

A Million Directions...

Somedays you go one way...

Others its a million different ways.

Today I enjoyed a moment of peace...
only two errands (which included a starbucks!)
and spent the rest of the day cleaning & puttering around the house with my little man...

who I believe told me this

"I love you so-so much momma" "I only love you, and Jesus, and daddy so-so much"

a million times.

I melted every single time.

AND

Can I just say thank you to the writers of the movie ELF for using the word "snuggle" in the movie???

Because my little man tells me this daily...
"momma? when we get home from errands can we play? and then can we snuggle?"

Does he even need to ask? I'm dying here people! How is it possible to have 5 kids and love them ALL so much?

Anyway, back to the million directions thing (believe it or not I have a point...it's just that Jack and his sweet voice are distracting!)

We have a long weekend... and that means lots of crazy activity when you have a large family...

Tomorrow one of our kids is headed to a different church to lead a service, while we will attend MG so Josh can lead music & I can make sure everything is running well in the Children's Divisions... then 2 of our other awesome kids will head home with another family because they have a sleepover... we will pick up our other monkey... take a brief pit stop at home before heading up the I-5 for the CAA playoff games Saturday Night...

Then Sunday morning pick up of the two sleepover kids, bday party that Sam heads too... while I attend a baby shower... then Sam and her bestie will hang and she will stay the night with us while Emma goes to her bestie's house for the day.

Monday... repeat pick up drop off... practice for talent show and hopefully Hands In Motion.

I am certain that I have forgotten something.
I think it is my mind... it has been missing for about 13 years I think.

Anyway, still thankful for the long weekend... but wishing that I had a personal assistant to make sure that I am where I should be.... that my kids are where they should be and that I am not forgetting anything or anybody.

Thanks for the prayers yesterday & everyday. Love you all.
Happy Sabbath.

p.s. we got 5 new chicks... pictures later... they are super cute. well for the next week they will be cute until their feathers come in!

Snow!

Crazy thing happened this morning.

Josh woke me up at 7am and said "It's Snowing..."
He wasn't joking either...

In the matter of an hour we had over an inch.
Unfortunately I had to get out and drive in the stuff instead of just look at it out my window...

Thankfully no one was injured while I was on the road!
But the good news is that once my little man and I made it inside we geared up snow gear... and headed out to play.

(Shelly this is for you girl! Seriously sorry that the one day snow comes to your house you are not here)



my lavender

my trees... okay some of them...



my sweet adorable boy...

and it was at this moment...

"momma, please stop taking pictures of me and get me a carrot!"

and as Mac tradition states...

the duck fan snowman...



a little "snow kissin"

or eating the nose... not sure which!


just love the wonder in a little boys eyes... with all that "white stuff" falling from the sky.

the dogs even had fun!


and of course you can't go out into the snow and not get this...


bye. I've gotta go snuggle with this bit of preciousness!

Staying Grounded

Life is Good.

I truly believe it...
I believe in people... and I believe in God.

But there is this guy called Satan who drives me crazy.

He makes me doubt myself.
He makes me frustrated with people.
He pushes me to make the wrong choices...
Say the wrong things.
Stay too busy...
Want to give up and stay in bed...

Thankfully,
My God is BIGGER than that!

He reminds me that nothing I could ever do would separate me from Him.
He reminds me He loves me with an everlasting love.
He tells He died for ME!
He tells me I am beautiful, that I can do anything with Him.
He reminds me that in my business I am doing His work.
He encourages me.
Gives me peace, love, and acceptance.

Somedays (like yesterday)
Satan seems like he has the upper hand...

Thankfully we have made worship a priority...
it helps me refocus on God & family.


and looking at the adorable faces of my precious kids I am constantly reminded of the blessings in my life.


Yesterday someone said that they wanted my life...
My glamorous laundry filled life...

I said okay I will trade you for a week...
but you know what I take that back. I don't want to trade with anyone!

I LOVE my life. Chaos. Mess. Love. Heartache. Joy. Frustration. Dissappointment.
All of it.
God gave it to me and I will embrace it.

However I said to my hubby when I got home...
"Someone wanted to trade me lives because it is so "glamorous, easy, I got to go to TN.. etc." He laughed... and I said "I guess I make chaos & stress look easy!"
So here is to all of you who "think" that the person next door has it easier than you do... that is a lie. Everyone has their own journey, their own stress, their own chaos. It is how you choose to embrace the life that God has blessed you with.

I read a quote from Luke Jensen, 9 yr old who passed away from Leukemia last May...
"I'm kind of having a hard day but nobody can take the "happy" out of here."
Even up to his last breath when he knew that he was dying, being taken from his earthly family he knew that God loved him... and he wouldn't let Satan take the "happy" from him.

I love it.
and...
I am thankful that my chaotic life keeps me grounded...
because it keeps me grounded to my Rock!

Valentine's Day... Mom Style

I am not one for celebrating Valentine's Day.

I didn't marry a hopeless romantic... we never have done the whole roses, strawberries, cards... "consumer valentine's day" thing...

However...
I do like to spend time with my man...

so yesterday when he informed me that we were taking last night off for a date & he had everything taken care of I was super excited...

actually the reality was more like this...

I was excited and wanted to go,

BUT

I knew we had no groceries in the house, I hadn't seen my kids in 3 days... laundry was needing my attention.

BUT

I know how important my hubby is to me... and if he had taken the time to organize an evening out I better get my act together!

So... I put everything on hold...

AND

enjoyed a wonderfully fabulous dinner at Keo's Thai (the best)
and a movie (don't ask me about the lady at the counter)
we watched Just Go With It...

I was a little worried for the first few minutes and then LMBO the rest of the show... seriously the guy behind us & myself were in a constant state of laughter.

it was great for the soul... and honestly holding hands with your man in the theater is wonderful :)

PS. Sam was our sitter. We came home to empty dishwashers, handwashing done, put away, and counter cleaned... everything cleaned and put away in the living room... The girls took the dogs out, changed the kitty litter, and everyone was in bed except Sam who was having worship in her room when we walked in to check on them. Talk about the icing on the cake, it was wonderful. I thanked her profusely.

now to Today...
the "official" day of love.

I spent it making sugar cookies, grabbing teacher appreciation gifts, and running to a couple stores...

a few errands here and there...
ovens baking...

classroom party for Mrs. Kelstrom and her 3rd and 4th graders...



the sugar cookies I made for the kids to frost...


sweet mckenna



and the little man Jack... my sidekick

his shirt says "Chicks Dig Me" and it's true...
they do.

basketball game for our awesome Mustangs who came from being down 8 to beating the other team by about 16... they were on fire and it was so fun to be a part of it!

to running to Papa Murphy's for 5 pizzas... and back to my house to welcome 11 7th grade girls for our unit party for pathfinders.



can I just mention that 11 7th grade girls = EXTREME NOISE??

just saying. They were loud... but they had fun and that made me smile!

but that said...
this was anything except your typical Valentine's Day...

and I loved it.

I felt love.
I felt joy.
I felt chaos.
I felt life.

It was wonderful!

Happy Valentine's Day to you all... I hope that you enjoyed your day as much as I did.

Now to finish the Blueberry French Toast for the Teacher Breakfast in the morning...

I LOVE my kids teachers!!!

{inspiring}

I am in bed 5 floors up in an absolutely ginormous hotel.

but you already knew that.

I have packed my suitcase so that I will be ready to go home tomorrow.

But I can't go to sleep... not quite yet.

Ladies...

I am speechless as to just how motivating it is to get together with 2,200 women talking about God. I wish that this years Women of Faith conference was next weekend.

Over the Top is going to be just that.

Over the Top. I can't wait.

That said I had the most enjoyable day with my two new friends.

AND (drumroll please...)

Candie took a picture of me... alone

random huh?

anyway, today was filled with loads of fun... some dancing... singing... listening... sharing stories... food... praying... food... talking... coffee... gelato... laughing.

Wow. I am tired just thinking about it.

Have you heard of Andy Andrews?
Well pretty much he is probably the most motivational speaker I have ever heard. I kept thinking the whole time, "I wish that my friends back home could listen to this"

and guess what? You can! HE IS COMING TO PORTLAND FOR WOMEN OF FAITH!!!

there is just one drawback...

He is an Alabama fan. I know. heartbreaking, but after hearing him speak I forgave him of this folly.



and Lisa Harper who quite frankly knows the Bible better than anyone.
it is inspiring.


and Mandesa...

who stole the show...

she sang for us this morning... and then tonight again.

and Sandi Patti



and Lisa Welchel

tonight we had the best seats...
across the aisle from all the WOF peeps..

it was awesome.

we were also sitting across the aisle from this lovely lady...

miss angie smith... she was here with her hubby (Todd smith, lead singer of Selah) and 3 of her daughters. She also has a newborn baby girl, and she lost a baby girl just over a year ago... you can read her story here


right across from Mandesa & Marilyn
(yes Janet I was stalking... jk!)

and this was when we were getting our "swagger" on


another small portion of this amazing place...






well... I guess it is time for me to go to bed... it is 12:30a.m. here.

but my book "The Forgotten Garden" is calling me...
I MUST finish it before Janet does!