Just the good stuff

can't...keep...eyes...open.
So I will leave you with the good stuff:

God is higher than anything and anyone,
outshining everything you can see in the skies.
Who can compare with God, our God,
so majestically enthroned,
Surveying his magnificent
heavens and earth?
He picks up the poor from out of the dirt,
rescues the wretched who've been thrown out with the trash,
Seats them among the honored guests,
a place of honor among the brightest and best.
He gives childless couples a family,
gives them joy as the parents of children.
Hallelujah!
~Psalm 113:4-9 (The Message)


A refusal to correct is a refusal to love;
love your children by disciplining them.
~Proverbs 13:24 (The Message)

Running on Fumes

In exactly three hours from now I will leave my favorite place on earth, my home, to catch a horribly early flight to Houston. Blah!

And yes, I'm not going to bed tonight. In fact, I still have to pack. And yes, I did get up at 5:00 am this morning. And yes, I did work a twelve hour day today. And yes, I did submit two grant reports before I left tonight. And yes, I am seriously considering quitting my job. And yes, I have officially used this platform to complain to anyone willing to listen.

So whoopty-do, I fly to Houston and stay in this hoteleat at this restaurant and sit in this hot tub Even after looking at these pictures, I'd still rather stay home. In fact, I suddenly feel the urge to belt out Sinaed O'Connor: "I could eat my dinner in a fancy restaurant, but nothing, I said nothing, nothing compares to you (hot husband, wonderful adorable children, my little house)...Oooh oooh!"

So I'm feeling a little glum tonight my faithful blog reader(s?). But not to worry, I will remain dedicated and focused to your blog reading needs and keep my promise to post every day for your reading pleasure.

....praying for strength (not only for me, but my poor husband who will be a single parent for the next five days)

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Praise the Lord. Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands. His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. ~Psalm 112:1-7

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up. ~Proverbs 12:25

On a lighter note

My adorable daughter Sarah and her adorable friend Mikayla started their own "web show".

It's called Say What?!

What could be better than getting together with your best friend and making silly videos? This video is one of my favorites.

So if you're extremely bored, want to partake in silly nonsense and be reminded of how fun it was to be a 10 year old girl, you can check them out!

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The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. They are steadfast for ever and ever, done in faithfulness and uprightness. ~Psalm 111:7-8

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. ~Proverbs 11:2-3

To Meghan, With Love

About two weeks ago Meghan asked me for my sweet-n-sour chicken recipe. I said, “sure, I’ll email it to you tonight when I get home!” Like I said, that was about two weeks ago. So Meghan, and anyone else who needs a good idea for dinner, here it is:

Sweet – n- Sour Chicken

This is my go-to recipe, it turns out delicious every time!

1 to 2 lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Garlic salt
Eggs
Flour
2 Tbs. oil

Sauce:
¼ cup pineapple juice
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup ketchup
½ cup vinegar (either apple cider or white)
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. soy sauce

-Combine sauce ingredients in sauce pan, stir well and heat on low to medium heat while preparing chicken

-Cut chicken into small pieces (a little bigger than bite size)
-Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt
-Dip chicken pieces in egg (I usually crack about 6 eggs in a large bowl, stir and then add all the chicken in at once so they can soak in the eggs while I work. I realize this is a tad wasteful)
-Coat each piece with flour
-Heat oil over medium high heat
-Add chicken pieces to hot oil, brown until golden on each side
-Place chicken in 13 x 9 inch baking pan
-Pour heated sauce over chicken
-Cook uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
-We like to eat this with rice and broccoli and then finish off with a big dessert!

My aunt emailed me this picture today. That's my little sister on the left, my grandma, and the big-banged, velvet dress wearing, me! I remember being so excited getting this new doll...if only life could be that simple again.
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The Lord is at Your right hand; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath. He will judge among the nations. ~Psalm 110:5-6

He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray. He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool. When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. ~Provebs 10:17-9

What would you do?

I have a confession to make: I did Daniel's homework. Am I a bad mom? Would you ever do your kid's homework, or is that something totally off the ethical radar for everyone but me?The poor kid was up to his eyeballs in homework one night, so not wanting him to stay up until midnight, I started working on his science poster for him while he worked on other subjects. It was just drawing a volcanoe and labeling the different layers of the earth's crust and types of volcanic rocks. I tried to make it look like a 6th grader's drawing, but my perfectionism took over. I couldn't stop, I should have only done about half, but I kept drawing, adding in trees, coloring the sky blue, and check out my lava chamber...I got that just right! Daniel was like, "oh mom, that's way too good. My teacher is never going to believe that I did that!"

Well, luckily Daniel's teacher didn't question who did the poster, he got an "A" AND a good night sleep. So it all worked out!

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But you, O Sovereign Lord, deal well with me for your name's sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me. For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. I fade away like an evening shadow; I am shaken off like a locust. My knees give way from fasting; my body is thin and gaunt. I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads. Help me, O LORD my God; save me in accordance with your love. Let them know that it is your hand, that you, O LORD, have done it.

~Psalm 109:21-27

Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning. ~Proverbs 9:9

Better With Time

Today, Jon and I celebrate our 11th anniversary...some things just get better with time
Today has been the perfect day.

With every year that passes, I am amazed at how God has directed our steps. I don't mean to get too mushy on y'all, but I love this guy so much. On this day eleven years ago, we were young, crazy in love, and full of enthusiasm for wherever God would take us. Today, we are older, deeply in love, and thankful for God's faithfulness - how He has bonded our hearts closer together through years of joy, disappointments, trials, tragedies, celebrations, and the challenges of putting up with each other day in and day out for eleven years. :)

It's amazing how someone can know everything about you, all your faults and shortcomings, and yet love you even more than they did when they had no idea all those flaws existed.

(I love this picture. We were trying to take a picture of ourselves and kept busting up laughing.)


Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. ~Ecclesiastes 4:9,10

Just The Two of Us

This picture was taken five minutes ago at the Starbuck's in Bend, Oregon.

We are in heaven right now. We arrived at Eagle Crest last night and are enjoying an Anniversary weekend getaway...just the two of us! Something that doesn't happen very often.

Right now, the little things are the biggest luxuries to me, such as, not setting my alarm, waking up and getting out of bed whenever I feel like it. Taking a long shower and not being rushed, watching C-SPAN, working out in the middle of the day and not at the end of a tiring day, going on a walk with my husband, just having an uninterrupted conversation with my husband is a treat in itself.

Well, I don't mean to brag, but we're off to go see "Body of Lies" with Russell Crowe (my favorite actor), go shopping and then enjoy a nice quiet dinner. Ahhh...I love getting away!!!