Yay Yay Yay!!!!

Excuse me while I do the happy dance and sing "Yay, Yay, Yay!!!!"

What's the celebration about?

I prepared my last lunchbox for the school year this morning...and I am soooooo excited and relieved! And YES, it does cause me that much stress and frustration!

Wow, how the 13-14 school year flew by...and not that I am rushing life...but am I glad it is almost over.  We need a break!  And while I know many moms who dread the weeks of filling time over the summer break, I am just as excited (or more excited) than my kiddos!

For me it means - less driving, less waiting, no lunchboxes, no homework, more time together, less fighting, less stress, and all together a nice break!

My preschooler successfully finished her first year yesterday!  My oldest has a week to go, but we ordered pizza for her last lunch tomorrow and next week is all half days!!!!!!

Projects for the summer -  I have a lot of ideas running through my head, but a main one is finding more things my preschooler will eat in her lunchbox.  I have discussed the ups of down of having a picky eater before, and although she has made some improvements, we have a ways to go...especially before kindergarten begins in another year and I have to fix lunch 5 days a week!!!!

We have just a few summer months every year until the kids grow, get their license, get summer jobs, and will not want to hang with mom and dad and siblings. They'll be too cool for family vacations!  And although I don't want to think of those days ahead, in the back of my mind I want to make the most of this time.  It's a lot of pressure to make the summer months fun but also productive; filled with activities but also relaxing; lazy but not too lazy!  I am anxious to get started and already sad for when it ends!

I hope to live each day with gladness and thankfulness to be with my little ones!  I will lose my temper a few times, and they will aggravate each other, but for the most part, I want this time together to be exciting and something they will always look forward to.

Today's Verse

James 4:14

King James Version (KJV)

14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

Life is short, and time with our children while they are small is even shorter!  I pray for a fun and safe summer!  One filled with good memories and lots of hugs.  New recipes and lots of picnics. Fun outings and rainy days watching movies.  Days swimming and days playing.  New friends at new camps!  And a Fabulous VBS!

Heavenly Father, Thank you for this life, and help us to live it fully... praising You at the end of each day no matter what we have faced!



Recipe Links...

Surprisingly Good Slow Cooker Pancake...

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/slow-cooker-cinnamon-roll-pancake/b72f7f2d-61b7-448a-908c-3704128ae9c4?src=SH


New favorite Cookie Bar recipe...

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2014/04/chocolate-chip-cookie-bars/


What my fantastic husband and girls made for Mother's Day - Delicious French Toast ...

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/perfect-french-toast-recipe.html


Hope your family enjoys!

Waiting is what I do best!

The title makes me laugh!  I sooooooo stink at waiting!  But there have been quite a few questions and prayers unanswered, so waiting has become the norm!  But I so love God's sense of humor in all of this...and yes I believe He has one and I love it when we see it!

We are beginning a new series at our church called "You Asked for It".  The pastor will be answering certain questions asked by the congregation.  I briefly thought of asking about why we have to wait so long sometimes and add in parenthesis (Do not tell me the story of Joseph!)  Well the thought of this question was Sunday and then Monday rolls around and guess who the P31 devo was about...oh yes....Joseph.  I laughed and laughed before I read it, and yes it was a great one!  The link is below.  But this morning, God thought it was time to get serious, and He lead me to verses that truly spoke to me and gave me the peace I needed after a rough few weeks!  

Psalms 16

8 I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

When the Lord is our focus (always before us) so much happens...

1) We are not moved!  No matter the turmoil, our faith keeps us steady!

2) Our heart is glad!  When we are children of God, nothing can take the glad out of our heart!

3)We have hope!  Not only do we have that hope at our finger tips but we can rest in that fact!  No staying up with sleepless nights of worrying; we rest in Hope not found anywhere else!

4)  He will not leave us anywhere!

5)  He will show us His path...but remember He has to always be before us!  It's not going to flash on a sign, but when He is our focus we will find the answers in our prayers and reading!  

6) In His presence there is fullness of joy!  JOY!  I love joy!  It's not just happiness it's a way of life!  But you can't have it if your not in His presence which again involves that relationship of praying and reading!

7)  He offers pleasures for evermore!  Those pleasures are ours for the taking, but again it goes back to the first verse...He has to always be before us.

We can't do this alone.  We can't manipulate life to happen how we want.  We might think we know what is best, but we don't!  Oh how I needed these verses today...and the story of Joseph helped too!  I want to do my best for the Lord...even while waiting for directions!

http://proverbs31.org/devotions/devo/when-your-life-feels-like-a-mess-2/

A few recipe links...

Lasagna Cups - so good and easy!  I tweaked a little so just play with it.  I used homemade meat sauce and three layers of the wontons.  I love the wontons as pasta!

http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2011/08/lasagna-cupcakes.html

French Toast Muffins - My girls loooooved these so much!

http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/french-toast-muffins/cb74717d-fe60-4bd2-93e0-30d6637eeef5/?nicam2=Email&nichn2=Core&niseg2=TBSP&nicreatID2=TBSP_Newsletter_2014_04_14

Pumpkin Granola Bars - Tasty!

http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/pumpkin-granola-bars/