Christmas music is already on! Oh my...

We watched the grinch the other night, but for some reason I hadn't heard the 'seasonal music' yet. I listen to xm radio usually. I drive a 'hooptie', but it has xm radio... something fell off the exaust pipe last week, and I'm waiting on a part for my repair man to install. But until then, I'm driving a car that sounds like a lawnmower. No complaint, we love not worrying about dents & scratches. And xm bluegrass always sounds great. We just don't hear the radio much. We have a few CD's in right now. A cajun CD, an excellent spiritual/acapella CD, & a kids music CD from Land of Nod. Some really great songs.
But the point of all that is... Roan has a great list of Christmas tips started. Check it out. she has her christmas card posted, with some of the most precious children I've ever seen. You've got to see it just to see them. She's also a homeschooler, so if you're looking for a good spot for info...
I was reminded in ladies Bible class today, that I was memorizing scripture. I won't even try to pretend like I've been able to work on the verse like I should this week. 2 kids and 1 spouse sick this past week. I didn't qualify since I didn't actually go to the doctor, but it was enough for my parents to take pity and drive down to step in for a while. Thank-you Lord for parents who keep on caring. We all enjoyed their visit, and miss them already.
Ladies class was amazing. Thank-you Katie for such a tremendously encouraging class. Study to show ourselves approved, and don't just read it... live it. Thanks Katie-

Memeory Monday... on Tuesday

So,,, I clicked on "linky".. and realized I needed/or probably should have posted the memory verse I am memorizing. I've been 'thinking' about a few... here's one that struck me during study. I read about this, Memory Monday on Joanna Heim's website The Simple Wife. Check it out.. You won't be sorry!

"Behold, what manner of love the FAther has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." I John 3:1-2

My longterm challenge is... Romans 8:31-39.... yes 8 verses. Thanks Leigh H. for your inspiration from last year to memorize scripture. I'll never forget Ebony's recitation in class!

Pretending to have seasons

I found this recipe for pumpkin muffins this morning... be sure to click on link to see beautiful picts of muffins. We didn't have any eggs! So it was cinnamon toast and Hot Choclate, in his own Hot Choclate mug, and we even read Snow a PD Eastman book. It was dark outside, and cold so we pretended we were in a fall/winter house, warming up to the day. It was a hoot!

I know I'm in denial, I have Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow, as my new phone ring. It's kind of funny. Eric was tired of my 'screamer' ring, of Love Song by ___ Barellis. I like it, but it does kind of break the mood. He thinks I should get stand by your man, however,,, didn't that relationship end up in Divorce?

So we were off to City Park today. It's a new park revived in a sort of fantastic old style way. There is a fantastic kids playground, tennis center, art gallery, golf course, beaches w/ducks to feed, and 'lakes'. There is also a dog park, sponsored by Cane's Chicken. Yum!

Anyway, we met Meg and girls and had a ball, we actually were in a BREC advertisement for a Christmas event... well, Meg & I weren't, the kids were. We picked up take-out at Zeeland Market, veggie plate and a turkey sandwich for boy's and we were off. Super yum... Sweet potatoes, green beans, dressing, & butter beans. Sweet tea!

I promised myself a few things when I started to blog. One of those things is to not be negative. I blog on a day where hot choclate & cinnamon toast & a trip to City Park were more for Mom than for kids. I am prayerful today, with some simple efforts to distract myself from the newspaper headlines. Can't say I'm surprised at the headlines. But I'm not a blogger in denial. I may have a rediculous ring-tone...and blog about restaurants, but if you know me at all, you know I'm concerned for our nation. I trust you & I will be mindful of our newly elected president & his family, in prayer, for our nation, for our new & incumbent members of house & senate.

That said, I ran across an 'old faithful' sister read. Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World written by Joanna Weaver was the book I had read. And just picking it up to share, I realized I had come across a new book from the same author. The title of this read is Having a Martha Spirit. The book is filled with inspiring information... helpful information...timely information.

From her chapter entitled 'Rooting Out Bitterness' she mentions 9 suggestions for avoiding the 'shriveled soul syndrome.' I won't attempt to post all of these. I found this book in our public library, but I will share one idea that spoke to me.

'#9 Think globally. Enlarged souls follow the Lord of the universe. Shriveled souls want a village God who attends to their whims... Enlarged souls see their role in serving the world. Shriveled souls make their world the whole world." Her comment was footnoted from another book titled "The Shriveled Soul Syndrome: How to Live Large for a Lifetime,"by Paul Borthwick. The same term 'village God' I read in a book from renowned author Madeline L'Engle, writer of "A Wrinkle in Time."(and at least 20 other books...) News to me, she is quite a faithful believer in God. Understament. Her spiritual maturity is far beyond mine, not to mention her life experience maturity by age and event. But back to my point, she writes in her book The Rock that is Higher about this same village God.

Soup's on

It's cream of mushroom soup for lunch today. I'm going to keep looking for my old recipe. But this one will do for today. It just doesn't quite have that punch I'm looking for. Anyway, I have another tomato soup recipe for fresh harvested tomatos with pictures and everything! But it would be a little bit of a waste of time, since most people don't have fresh tomatos right now.
I'll look for my butternut squash soup recipe too! My favorite 1 time in the season.
Heidi makes BNS for dinner, with salmon and salad... soooo yummy. Peel, seed, make into chunks and roast with olive oil & S/P. At least that's what I remember. It was so good. Just be sure to cook on high heat, and be sure they've glazed and are soft.
Henry's washing dishes, must run.

Halloween 2008

This says it all... 2 hours after departure, the this is where we found ourselves, watching Charlie Brown's 'The Great Pumpkin." The boy's had a ball. We took the big stroller and Henry only had a few breaks. Jack wanted to turn around until he saw a neighbor friend, and then the game was back on. I realized I like chewy lifesavers better than nerds, and tootsie rolls are still my favorite. Henry likes Reeces cups. ERic pretended like he didn't want any, but he kept sneaking some.

I really have to hide this stuff. You'd think I'd be the one to gobble it up, but I'm the hider. I found Henry on the kitchen island yesterday eating skittles. 4 times! He kept sneaking away, and using the drawer pulls for a ladder. At least afterward he'd move on to the bathroom counter, and work on brushing his teeth. Off to soccer!