My new Bible

Thank you so much to Jeff Noble for my new Bible! It arrived yesterday, so I have started reading it right now, but stopped for a minute to blog. He has challenged me to read this everyday for a week, and then share something I have learned with someone.

So, I opened the Bible up and read the first page I opened to, and it was perfect for me. It was talking about being content with what you have, and not wishing for more. I struggle with this daily, and have always had problems with this! It reminded me of a scripture that I have recited to myself over and over again, but I think it falls on my deaf ears! Phillipians 11-13....I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances......It also talked about starting a blessings journal, which I have been reading on Becky's G.'s blog that she has started one, and I was thinking about it. I think this is something I REALLY need to do, b/c I am EXTREMELY blessed, and won't let myself be grateful for it b/c I am do busy wishing for more! I have never allowed myself to just be happy, and this is a constant internal struggle. It is like I take it as a personal failure b/c I do not have all of what I THINK I need. It is crazy....and odd how one part of my brain knows how dumb I am for feeling and thinking the way I do, while the other part of my brain won't shut off constantly being discontent!

So, it is late, my battery is almost dead, and I am just rambling! You get the jest of it.....I like my new Bible, and I am really going to take my studying seriously! So, the page just flipped to finding the right church.....another struggle I have been having lately. So, I am off to read.

THANK YOU, JEFF!!!

A quick trip......

Down to the Beach! So, on a weekly basis, Clay or I will say, "let's just go to the beach this week!" and we always have something going on that we need to do. Yes, we are crazy, and spur of the moment, but that's us! Anyway, last Monday I said....hey, let's go to the beach, and Clay said, o.k.....go pack! And, that is pretty much what I did. We left about 4 a.m Tuesday and drove down to Orange Beach. We checked into our condo, walked down to go to the beach, and saw Shelley first thing! I knew she was going, but never imagined we would end up at the same condo, and see her first thing! Anyway, that was cool. The next day, after our family photo session Shelley and I talked and offered to take pics for each other. It was good to hear that I am not the only one that gets frustrated when I try to get the kids to take pictures. So, Shelley, the next time we happen to get to the beach at the same time and place, let's do it! LOL

So, I think unplanned trips are the way to go. We had more fun I think on this trip than we did when we went to Orlando. Like I said before, I am not a traveler, so only one day in the car instead of 2 was MUCH better! Here are a few pics we took in our planned photos....I will post just our fun pics tomorrow.....my battery on my laptop is dying.

I was a good mom BEFORE I had kids.....

My brain is so boggled, I can't even remember how I heard about this book....but I think every mom should read it! I will say, it is kinda early for me to be recommending this book....I am still reading the forward, but I just KNOW this book is exactly what we all need to read. Just on the first page There is a Quiz....Sound like you??

1. You secretly wish you had your OWN apartment.
2. If you have to play GO Fish one more time, you will definately poke your eyes out.
3. You lie to your friends about how much babysitting you have. (Or let me add...how much you WISH you had!)
4. Next time your husband goes to Home Depot to "help" you, you think he should just stay there.
5. You fill guilty that you like going to work so much....(again I will add...or you wish you Could go to work!)
6. You consider a trip to the dentist your "alone time" (I remember that feeling as I went for my weekly checkups when I was pregnant with my 3rd child as I went on my husband's lunch break)
7. You plan to get control over your life.....next week.
8. You find that slowly strolling the aisles of Target, by yourself, is better than therapy.

My favorite so far, is their description of moms.....it is so true!

"We love being mothers, we love our children, (especially when they are sleeping..) BUT.....

We are overwhelmed
We feel guilty for EVERYTHING that we don't do, or should have done better
WE feel stretched beyond belief
We judge ourself for being unable to accomplish everything we set out to do
WE compare ourselves to others we think have it all together
We feel out of control
We hav emore "bad mom" days than we care to admit
We are struggling to find balance (if it even exists)
We've lost sight of our identity
We feel alone b/c no one talks honestly about how they really feel


Now, I must say, I fit everyone one of these!

So, I want ALL of you that ever reads my blog to leave me a comment this week about this, and I have a surprise for you!

I know Suzanne, and others talk about this on their blog a lot, and I love to read it. It is encouraging to see I am not alone.

Please pray

Today when we went down to the pool, I found out one of the girls the kids play with, her mother was hit by a car and killed last night. The girl is 10 yrs old, and I think an only child. Her dad works out of state and isn't home much, so I don't know what will happen to her now. She actually at the pool b/c her dad was busy making arrangements, and she would go from playing to crying. So, when you are praying, just send one up for this little girl that now tragically has to learn what life is like without a mom.

Noah again.....

I like these.....he looks like he can walk on water! I will post some cute ones of the girls later.

My Crazy Jumper!

I decided that Noah need a post all of his own. So I took my good camera to the pool the other day, and I love how quick I can take pics of them and catch them in mid air in their jumps. These pictures just make me laugh!! Noah was having so much fun jumping as crazy as he could!

This second one has got to be my very favorite!!

Homeschooling book

I wanted to recommend a book to all you homeschool moms, or even if you are thinking about it. One of our clients from last year that got married was homeschooled along with 2 of his brothers their whole life. Their mom, Marilyn Rockett has been very active with a homeschool group in Virginia, and she has written a book. I have not read it, but I am about to order it. I am very excited for her, and it was great to meet her son, someone has turned out to be a great man, and he now has a wife that is one of the nicest people I have ever met. Ms. Rockett also has a website..... www.marilynrockett.com if you want to check her out.

Her book is called "Homeschooling at the speed of life" you can get it through amazon, and maybe through her website too. Click here to see The book.

On my way.......

To register my kids for school! I have struggled with this all year long! My heart very much wants to homeschool my kids.....but like my kids say to me...."my brain won't let me!" I have pretty much been a basket case since we moved to Little Rock, and can't seem to cope with anything. I can't focus to teach them and things are so chaotic all the time. So, we have decided that it is in everyone's best interest to put them in school. I have decided to just start Noah over in Kindergarten, b/c I don't want him to be behind in anyway. So, he and Leah will be in the same grade, and I know they will spend their entire life answering the question..."Are you twins?" I told them they could just say yes if they wanted to! They are only 10 months apart, and have been a lot like twins anyway, so I think this will work out well. I am also going to get Rachel in preschool. I HOPE to get her in the same school they are in, that would be great!

Please pray for me....I have REALLY been struggling, and it has taken a lot just for me to take this step of putting them in school. I just think...it isn't doing them a lot of good keeping them at home protecting them from the world, when their mom at home is crazy as a loon! I really have been hard on myself for not being able to do this, and I carry guilt for putting them in school, but have also felt horrible all year b/c I haven't taught them the way I should.

I am so thankful though, for this year that we have all had together. Even though it has be CRAZY, we have done a lot of fun things together, and gotten closer as a family. Next week will mark one year since Clay quit his job at the bank to be home with the business. We have done more things as a family this year, than I did with my family my entire life, and I am so grateful for that!

Family Time....

Not sure what Rachel was doing back there, but it cracks me up!

We took a quick road trip to Hot Springs on Sunday to go back to the Mid America Museum. We have gotten our money's worth out of our family pass to the Museum of Discovery, that is for sure!

So, I have really been slumming it lately....no makeup, not fixing my hair, spending half the day in my p.j.'s.....so, Sunday I actually got up and got ready....and even had a new outfit to wear. The girls actually had their hair washed and matching clothes too, so I said I wanted a pic of us girls. Well...Clay made his usual face when I suggested pictures....and I said...Oh, you only take my picture when I look like crap, and that is all I have to remember me with the kids! Then, I didn't say anything else about it. We went to the mountain tower, and on the way up, he pulled off, and said, everyone get out....we are taking a picture! I just wish he had of been in it! Then, I did get one of them 4 outside the tower. Someone did walk by then and offer to take a picture, but I know that Clay doesn't like people touching his camera...(he really doesn't trust me either! LOL)

I just have to say, that Rachel is the biggest nut! She makes the silliest faces, but then will also have the biggest smile when we are taking pictures!

Anyway, thank you to my great husband for getting some pictures of us!