Our Beautiful State

Today I drove to Wasilla for lunch with some friends. Everyone thinks it is such a long drive, but its really only like 40 miles. And, the drive is beautiful, especially in the winter when everything is white. I took these pictures from my car. They are not that great, and do not do justice to God's beauty. I thought I would share. Alaska really is not all that bad - It's actually Amazing!

Great Finds!

I found two great buys lately and thought I would share.


These beautiful baking pieces are oven, dishwasher and microwave safe. They came all together with these metal holders for only $35.00! I got them at Costco. I need them for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner, but you could also bake stuff in them and give for Christmas gifts. Then the person has a nice meal and dish to keep for just over $10.00 each.

I don't usually watch hsn and qvc, but saw these when flipping through channels the other night. The are great storage for pies, cakes, cookies, cupcakes and all sorts of other stuff. They are dishwasher safe and fold flat to fit into this bag for easy storage! I needed a cake plate, but don't really have a lot of room to keep one. What a great alternative. It has dividers that can be put in any of the holders, and the cake holder can be split to carry two layers of cupcakes or two pies. I got them on HSN.com for $29.95. It only came with one handle though. Two would have been nicer and maybe a few more dividers, but I like them. They come in lots of colors, too.

Shaving

Jadyn must have been missing her dad this afternoon, because she got into some of his stuff. Can you guess what it is?

Sleepy Boy

Jared can fall asleep anywhere! He fell asleep in the middle of two separate concerts. He will sleep on the floor, couch, benches... Once I almost called the MP's looking for him. I thought he had gotten outside and was playing in the woods by our house with the big kids. There are BEARS, WOLVES, and MOOSE in the woods. I went back inside to check that he didn't come back in only to find that he was asleep under Jadyn's crib the whole time!

Last night I had a friend over and her kids were downstairs with mine watching Kung Fu Panda. We were watching the "Pregnant Man" special on TV. As we came down, I said "Jared is probably asleep. That kid just crashes when he gets tired." This is what we found, LOL.

Cute Kid

I entered Jadyn's halloween picture in the cute kid contest. Go to this site and vote for her!

http://www.thecutekid.com/ckgallery/votemypic/email/12932

The Kid's Mind

Jared is in Kindergarten and is beginning to put sounds with letters. One night we were playing Go Fish with the letter cards - matching upper and lower case letters. The rule was, when you got a pair you had to say the letter sound. Jared was having trouble with the letter "L". So I told him the sound and gave him some examples like lemon, look... He then said "Oh, and dumb" I said, "no dumb starts with a "D", but that is not a nice word to say anyway." He then proceeds to tell me with his hand stuck to his forehead in the shape of an L, "You know like in the song on Shrek." (She was looking kinda dumb with the shape of an L on her forehead)

Become Undignified

We are studying 2 Samuel in Sunday School. This week we discussed the ark and when David had it brought to Jerusalem. Because of the election we focused on the king and his responsibilities to the nation and the people. We talked about how we as believers are to PRAY and ENCOURAGE our president. This means that no matter who we voted for we have to believe that God has put Obama in place of our nation, and we should pray that God directs is heart and his actions in the upcoming years. In thinking about this idea I went back and reread the scriptures, but I came away with a totally different message this time. Isn't God's word awesome like that!

Look at the end of chapter 6. The ark of the covenant has just arrived at Jerusalem and David is celebrating and dancing about. His wife Michal (Saul's Daughter) does not think he is being "Kingly" and scold him if you will. I LOVE Davids response!

"It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone
from his house when he was appointed me ruler over the LORD"S people Israel - (I love
this part) I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor." 2 Samuel 6:21-22

How often are we reserved or even ashamed to speak up or praise the Lord in public. He is the one who chose us and sent his son to die so that we could have life. I challenge you this week to be "undignified for the LORD". Watch for those open doors where you can share your faith and follow through. Praise God in everything you do. We may not have slave girls watching, but we have children, friends, family - the world!

In verse 23 it says that Michal was never blessed with her own children. What a punishment for being ashamed of her husbands love for the Lord. Do not be ashamed- be UNDIGNIFIED!

Coats and Backpacks off the floor!

OK, So I have gotten better at keeping the house more clean and organized. It is still a work in progress. Some days are better than others. I try and remember Proverbs 31 and the passage of the Wife of a Noble Character. Especially verse 27 when I just want to sit on the couch and veg!

"She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread
of idleness." I need to post it on my pantry door, then maybe I will start to lose weight, LOL.

Anyway, so I am so tired of working all day and then when the kids come home it s destroyed! They throw book bags, coats, boots, and all in the living room floor. There is a closet in the foyer for shoes and coats, but that does not matter. I know Jared cant reach to hang up his coat, but it just frustrates me to no end!

I thought about putting hooks on the wall for their stuff, but didn't want just any old hook. I wanted them to be nice. It is the main entry way for our house. I found these nice hooks at Jo Ann's the other day. They were marked 9.99 each so I got them. Even better when I got to the register and they were actually on clearance for 2.50! YEA!

I hung them, but the problem is that the hook to hang them on the wall is just one of those jagged "picture frame" type hooks. I don't think that is going to be sturdy enough for my boys. Anybody got any suggestions as to how to make them stronger without compromising the look of the hook?

Pumpkins and Hot Chocolate

The kids wanted to make a jack o lantern, so we did a quick one before they went out to trick or treat. Justin helped, but only for a minute. He doesn't like gooey stuff, LOL. Jared and Jadyn had a great time digging out all the goo! She is wearing her Dora Ballerina gown. I have to wash it several times a week or she will just wear it dirty.

Our Halloween tradition since we have been in Alaska is to have hot cocoa after trick or treating. It helps with the warm up! Justin obviously doesn't like getting his picture taken. He downed his cocoa fast. But, Jadyn and Jared loved theirs and took it slow. Above Jared is showing Jadyn how to eat the whip cream off the top.

I had to go and bail my dog out of jail when the kids were done getting their candy fix. She took off after the first kid came to the door. I didn't have Jadyn dressed. She was still in her Dora gown. So I had to get her ready before I could take off down the street for her. The boys tried, but Dakota was too fast. The MP's got her and drove off right as I was coming around the corner. I called and let them know that she was mine, but that my husband was not home and I had to take care of kids first. I guess since I was so prompt at calling them and it was Halloween they let me have her. I don't know if there is normally a fine or warning or something, but I didn't stick around to find out!