One last Hurrah...

We love the Oregon Coast. It is so beautiful there. We were able to take a week off to go camping. We stayed at Pacific City at a Thousand Trails park. We went hiking, mini golfing, swimming, campfire-ing, exploring the beach and just had an all around great time. We visited the Tillamook Cheese factory, and the Pioneer Museum. It was interesting and fun. We loved our time away. It was a perfect ending to a great summer.

The most amazing smores!!

I love a campfire. I love roasting marshmallows. When we went camping last, I had found the craziest curli-cue marshmallows! They were long and thin. Christalin must have put six on her stick if not more!

I went to the store to get smore supplies. They didn't have what I needed. So I had the idea of using chocolate macaroons for an ultimate smore! Each smore had two macaroons with a roasted marshmallow in between. Boy they were soooo good! They were very very rich, though. Everybody had only one "smore", but it was enough! Yummy!

Praise for protection of my daughter & son!

We serve an awesome God. Last night I had a scary experience. I had Joshua and Christalin washing pans and big bowls in the sink. (think; water everywhere!) I was making spaghetti. I asked the kids to move aside as I had to dump the boiling water for the pasta into the strainer in the sink. I turned around the corner and suddenly slipped on the water on the ground! All I could see was my precious daughters face right in front of where the boiling water would spill!! I cried out to God, and miraculously, regained my footing without spilling a drop of boiling water on my daughter and son, (who hadn't moved away as far as I had anticipated.) I was in tears of thankfulness that they weren't hurt. I just had to share. Thank you Jesus!

Southern Hospitality in the Pacific Northwest...

It hardly seems like a year ago that we were the sponsor family of the Children's Hospital Costco Auction. That was a great time. We met the nicest gentlemen from Georgia there. Last December they even paid our way for the whole family to come down hunting on their game farm.

Well, a year has gone by and we got a call from these southern gentlemen asking to take us out to eat in Seattle. We ended up going to Ivars. The food was delicious and it was so good to see these friends again. They had to leave early to go to the auction that night, but they handed me tickets to go on a cruise on the Locks! Again, we had a terrific time. These gentlemen continue to show us true southern hospitality even up here in the Pacific Northwest! May God bless them for their generosity and kindness.

Beach Day!

A dear friend of mine has a beach house. Once a year we get to go to Mrs. Blanches's house at the beach. We potluck and bbq and have a great time. The kids were making sand castles and moats. Josiah and Joseph stayed in the water a lot of the time. The water is sooo cold! It hurt to get in! A nice hot shower afterwards and a great lunch was the perfect ending to a perfect day.

Beams & Dreams Sailing !

We have been so blessed to have a group called Starlight Starbright foundation. They schedule fun events for seriously ill kids. It is so great to forget all the medical stuff and just have a fun day out.

They were the ones who referred us to Beams & Dreams. This group does sailing for seriously ill kids. We got to go out on a beautiful sailboat for the afternoon. It was incredible!

As if that weren't enough, BizKids was filming an episode about philanthropy. They had Christalin be the star of the show. They followed her around on the boat and asked her questions. She felt like a movie star! It was fun! They said the show will air sometime in February. The producer is the same producer who started the "Bill Nye The Science Guy" programs. I got to watch BizKids and it was very interesting! It helps kids with finances.

It was another terrific day!

Letterboxing... What a great day!

I have been wanting to do letterboxing since the kids were little. We finally did our first search yesterday. The site was just a walk away from our house. Unfortunately, the box was long gone. The kids were so disappointed!

So today, my dh had to go pick up his tour bus at the mechanics down in Vancouver. We had to drive him down, so he could drive the bus back up. I got online and looked up some letterbox searches in the area. We found one that was really close to where we had to be any way. It was at a nice little park. We did our stamping thing and had a picnic to top it off. It was a lot of fun!

Now if we have to go out anywhere, I think I will try and look up some letterbox searches before we go. It is a hoot!

To start with, we just used ready made stamps, but I would like to have the kids carve their own someday. We used the site letterboxing.org.

Mike's new job (#3!!)

 
Mike has gotten another new job. He is working for a tour bus company. It has been keeping him busy since school has been out. I think he will continue working for the school district, as he loves being a school bus driver. This job will be for all of the holidays that the school system takes and of course, the summers. He is still working for the YMCA as well, but he has cut down the hours. I want him to keep that job so that we can keep our YMCA membership. I have been enjoying working out every morning.

Warren Moon/ Steve Pool golf tournament

 
We had an incredible time at the Warren Moon/ Steve Pool golf tournament. It was a fundraiser for Children's Hospital. We were able to spend the night at a hotel (a treat for our family of 6!) after the Auction. Josiah and I got to speak at the auction. It was really incredible to see the generosity of so many people. The next morning we attended the Kid's Putting Tournament. They were each given a hand-crafted, personalized putter from Dave Musty. (www.mustyputters.com) They really are gorgeous! To top it off, Joshua won the tournament!! I was so excited for him!

Ugh!!! Now my son's bike has been stolen!!!

My bike was stolen a week or two ago. We went outside to go bike riding and my son's bike is gone!! I can't believe it! We have been home all day! The carport is right next to the parlor where we all hang out. I am in shock that someone would do this in broad daylight when we're home!

We called the police on my bike, but there isn't much they can do. I'll have my dh call again on this bike too, but I don't hold much hope of recovery.

My dh has now chained all the bikes together and even set up a trap to catch the thief, but I'm feeling a bit shook up. Our neighborhood has been so safe. I even saw a police officer patrol the streets yesterday! My kids are feeling unsafe, as well. However, I think the sunshine has helped them past their uneasiness. They are outside playing right now.

I'm just so frustrated!

Happy Anniversary to us!

Seventeen years ago today, my dear husband and I walked down the aisle as husband and wife. It doesn't seem like it could be that long ago! The years have tripped by so quickly! I am very blessed to be the wife of the love of my life. I have now known my dh for half of my lifetime. Wow! It just gets better and better! Through thick and thin, it is wonderful to have him at my side. I love you babe!

31 Ways to pray for our Children...(and loved ones!)

One of my FIAR Friends, Lisa had this on her blog. I think it is really good and plan to implement it into my prayer time, one virtue a day I hope it ministers to you as well.
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31 Ways to pray for Our Children

By Bob Hostetler


Following is the list I have developed, complete with brief suggestions for prayer from Scripture. Feel free to duplicate it--or improve upon it--to help you pray specifically and purposefully for your children to experience and evidence:



1 salvation "Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory" (Isaiah 45:8, 2 Timothy 2:10).

2 growth in grace "I pray that they may 'grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ'" (2 Peter 3:18).

3 love "Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to 'live a life of love,' through the Spirit who dwells in them" (Ephesians 5:2, Galatians 5:22).

4 honesty and integrity " May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection" (Psalm 25:21, NLT).

5 self-control " Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be 'alert and self-controlled' in all they do" (1 Thessalonians 5:6)

6 a love for God's Word " May my children grow to find your Word 'more precious than gold, than much pure gold; [and] sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb'" (Psalm 19:10).

7 justice " God, help my children to love justice as you do and to 'act justly' in all they do" (Psalm 11:7, Micah 6:8).

8 mercy " May my children always 'be merciful, as [their] Father is merciful'" (Luke 6:36).

9 respect (for self, others, authority) " Father, grant that my children may 'show proper respect to everyone,' as your Word commands" (1 Peter 2:17a).

10 strong, Biblical self-esteem " Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are 'God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus'" (Ephesians 2:10).

11 faithfulness "' Let love and faithfulness never leave [my children],' but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts" (Proverbs 3:3).

12 courage "May my children always 'Be strong and courageous' in their character and in their actions" (Deuteronomy 31:6).

13 purity "'Create in [them] a pure heart, O God,' and let their purity of heart be shown in their actions" (Psalm 51:10).

14 kindness "Lord, may my children 'always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else'" (1 Thessalonians 5:15).

15 generosity "Grant that my children may 'be generous and willing to share [and so] lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age'" (1 Timothy 6:18-19).

16 peace, peaceability "Father, let my children 'make every effort to do what leads to peace'" (Romans 14:19).

17 joy " May my children be filled 'with the joy given by the Holy Spirit'" (1 Thessalonians 1:6).

18 perseverance " Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to 'run with perseverance the race marked out for [them]'" (Hebrews 12:1).

19 humility " God, please cultivate in my children the ability to 'show true humility toward all'" (Titus 3:2).

20 compassion " Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion" (Colossians 3:12).

21 responsibility " Grant that my children may learn responsibility, 'for each one should carry his own load'" (Galatians 6:5).

22 contentment " Father, teach my children 'the secret of being content in any and every situation. . . . through him who gives [them] strength'" (Philippians 4:12-13).

23 faith " I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children's hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them" (Luke 17:5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40).

24 a servant heart " God, please help my children develop servant hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, 'as to the Lord, and not to men'" (Ephesians 6:7, KJV).

25 hope " May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).

26 the willingness and ability to work hard " Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work hard at everything they do, 'as working for the Lord, not for men'" (Colossians 3:23).

27 a passion for God " Lord, please instill in my children a soul that "followeth hard after thee," a heart that clings passionately to you (Psalm 63:8, KJV).

28 self-discipline " Father, I pray that my children may develop self-discipline, that they may acquire 'a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair'" (Proverbs 1:3).

29 prayerfulness " Grant, Lord, that my children's lives may be marked by prayerfulness, that they may learn to 'pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests" (Ephesians 6:18).

30 gratitude " Help my children to live lives that are always 'overflowing with thankfulness,' 'always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ'" (Colossians 2:7, Ephesians 5:20).

31 a heart for missions " Lord, please help my children to develop a heart for missions, a desire to see your glory declared among the nations, your marvelous deeds among all peoples" (Psalm 96:3).



After several weeks of praying through the above list for my children, I discovered an additional benefit to my prayer program; as I prayed with my children each night, the Lord brought to mind the subject I'd prayed for that morning, and I would repeat my request in Aubrey and Aaron's hearing. Before long, they began to echo my praying, and pour out their own hearts in prayer for the very virtues and qualities I desired to see in them. Thus, my simple prayer program not only changed how I prayed, but also how my children pray. . . and, by God's grace, how they live as well.