Thursday, January 31, 2008

True Woman '08: Now is the Time

October 9-11, 2008!

"true fulfillment and joy are found through discovering why God made us and then embracing that created purpose and design."

Nancy Leigh Demoss


Registration is now open!

What if ...
women returned to God’s purpose for their lives, and expressed the beauty and wonder of true womanhood? What if you were a vital part of advancing that movement in your world? Come and discover God’s grand design for your life.

Speakers
Pastor John Piper
Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Joni Eareckson Tada
Janet Parshall
Mary Kassian
Fern Nichols
Karen Loritts
Worship Leaders Keith & Kristyn Getty
Speaker bios and more >



I would love to attend this...not sure with the logistics of us having just gotten back from the Desiring God conference! Anyone want to join me??

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

I just realized something...

We have our names picked out for our newest addition.

If this is a boy...his initials will be PBJ...um, PB&J...peanut butter and jelly???

Select a candidate

Take the survey and see who your views most line up with:

presidential survey

For Angela

I can sooo see your little baby wearing this:


or this one:

It's like I'm 10 years old again....The New Kids are back!

Hard to believe that it was 19 years ago that I used to listen to my Hanging Tough cassette tape from NKOTB. That is, until my parents took the tape away from us because they thought it was too mature for our age...so we kept up to date on them through our cousin!

Can you believe that they are coming back? I'm not sure how that will be....they are now almost 40 years old! Um, in my head, they are still teenagers!

I thought it worth posting that you can hear a preview of their new song here.

And John...stop rolling your eyes at me...I just might have to get their new cd for old times sake!

Works for me Wednesday...the best seasoning EVER!



A couple of years ago, my aunt did something peculiar. She wrapped up a seasoning and gave it to my mom on Christmas. My mom thought she was a little nuts...gift wrapping a seasoning? That was, until she used it!

I was blessed enough to get some in my stocking this year!

If this is the only seasoning you put in any of your dishes...you'll be fine! Last night for dinner, I made chicken sprinkled with this stuff. I cut potatoes into some wedges, sprinkled with this stuff...then had some green beans, you guessed it...sprinkled with this stuff!

Delicious!

Now, you can't find this in stores...only from a particular restaurant's website. I highly recommend everyone trying this out...people will compliment your cooking like never before!



Here is where you can purchase it Columbia Restaurant!

Enjoy! (and thanks mom!)

For more tips, head over to Rocks In My Dryer!

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Let the weeping and gnashing of teeth begin!

I brought the boys to the mall this morning. Since Nolan's birthday is on Saturday, he received a coupon for a free ice cream cone at Baskin Robbins.

They were very well behaved at Baskin Robbins...who wouldn't be? The woman behind the counter (who adores the boys and thinks Nolan will be a future president because he is so smart) actually asked me: "Do they ever fight with each other?"

HA!

You're talking about MY kids????

As I basked in the glow of the compliment...it began. We sat down at the table and both Gideon and Haddon started crying. You see, Nolan got his own ice cream cone, and they had to share. Usually, we all share, but since it's Nolan's birthday cone, he got one all to himself. Gideon and Haddon each wanted to hold their cone...but there was only one. After a few minutes, they settled down (mainly because the knew if they kept crying, they weren't getting any ice cream).

It only got worse from there.

We headed over to Payless to see if I could find some sneakers for Jamison. It was at this time that the woman that worked there walked down the aisle and started talking to me about my boys. She asked their names, ages, etc. The boys KNOW they are to hold onto the stroller at.all.times. Instead, they thought it would be fun to run up and down the aisles in circles, falling over themselves, and being very disobedient little boys.

Once we finally left, I was not a happy mommy. I told them as they strapped themselves into their carseats, that when we return home...there will be much discipline.

They still had the gall to ask for Burger King for lunch. Mommy's not that gullible guys!

Daddy was home when we pulled up. It was at that point we tag-teamed the boys. They were sent to their beds. There was kicking. There was screaming. There was weeping. There was gnashing of teeth. It was really quite Biblical.

The area of obedience is something that my lovely little men have been struggling with A LOT lately. There has been talking back. There has been attitude. There has been blatant ignorance of the rules when we are out and about, at the store, mall and even at church.

Today marks the end of that era. John and I are not letting this get by any longer. We are nipping this bad boy in the bud!

And to top it all off...there are NO SPECIAL TREATS FOR A LONG LONG TIME! (with the exception of maybe a crumb of birthday cake on Saturday)

There is a loss of priveledges that these boys will remember until the day they die...well, maybe not that long, but we hope to have made some impact!

Monday, January 28, 2008

The verdict is in....


It's a BABY!

I had an ultrasound today and the moment she laid the ultrasound wand on my belly...my littlest one began dancing. He/she obviously doesn't know we're becoming members of a Baptist church in a couple of weeks, lol(j/k). That little heartbeat was beating at a rapid 171bpm!

Everything looks great and the tech was able to see the four chambers of the heart...which she was surprised to see since they usually can't tell this early! The baby is measuring ahead of schedule, but we aren't going to move my due date since I'm positive of my dates. It's amazing that you have to have 4 children until the Doctor and nurses begin to listen to what you have to say!

Obviously it's too early to see the gender :) I go back in 4 weeks, and we'll schedule my BIG ultrasound for the beginning of March! But really, who are we kidding? I'm betting on seeing some boy parts!!!

Does everyone know what time it is??? Time for Bloggy Giveaways!!

Photobucket


Who doesn't like a new bag and a good book to read?


I will be giving away this bag that I made myself:



It has a nice big pocket inside:


And the handles are long enough to wear it as a shoulder bag!
The colors are fairly neutral, so it will go with practically anything!


In addition to this bag, you will be receiving the book:
Here is the write-up from Desiring God

When I Don't Desire God
How to Fight for Joy


"He has written
many classics, but this is my favorite book by John Piper."
—C.J. Mahaney

For over twenty-five years John Piper has been trumpeting the truth that
“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.” He calls it Christian Hedonism. The problem is that many people, after being persuaded, find out that this truth is both liberating and devastating. It’s liberating because it endorses our inborn desire for joy. And it’s devastating because it reveals that we don’t desire God the way we should.

When you discover the biblical truth that God commands our happiness in him, the absolutely urgent question becomes: What can I do if I don’t have it? With the heart of a pastor and with radical passion for the glory of Christ, John Piper wants to help you answer that question.



If you want to enter for this Giveaway...leave a comment. If you don't have a blog, just make sure I have an email address to contact you! I will randomly choose a winner on Friday, February 1st at 8pm!!

Be sure to click on the Bloggy Carnival link, located at the top of the page, to take you to HUNDREDS of more GIVEAWAYS!

Friday, January 25, 2008

Big Families and the Moms Who Blog Them

By Rocks In My Dryer

I have four children, which is not enough to get me my own Discovery Channel special, but it is enough to cause curious strangers in grocery stores to ask, "are they all yours?"

I'm sure the fact that one of the children is making monkey noises and another is trying to open a box of cereal has nothing to do with the strangers' look of sympathy. Or maybe that's disdain?

There was never a magical moment where my husband and I decided we were going to have a larger-than-average family, just an ongoing sense that all the little souls meant to join our family weren't all here yet.

(They're all here now. Oh boy, are they are ever.)

And despite the extra doses of mischief in the grocery store, the endless laundry, the living space in our home that seems to shrink daily, I would not trade this rowdy lifestyle for all the peace and quiet in the world. My husband and I both come from small families, and we watch with great joy as our brood never has any shortage of companionship. Watching the various sibling dynamics develop and evolve is undoubtedly one of the most interesting parts of my parenting journey.

While news of declining birth rates and a western "population implosion" abound, there are still plenty of families choosing to have a larger-than-average number of children. (In fact, the U.S. is experiencing a "baby boomlet", according to MSNBC.) And thankfully, many of these families are writing blogs. Blogs written by moms of many are among my favorite blogs to read--I love to watch how these women manage their homes with grace and laughter and unbelievably clever organization.

Katherine at Raising Five has written recently about some of the specific resources that have helped her navigate the raising of her crew.

Mary at Owlhaven is a mom to ten, including four biological children, two children adopted from South Korea and four children adopted from Ethiopia. She gives some practical advice for a common difficulty in large families:

I personally think the hardest thing about having a large family is finding individual time with each child. The youngest kids tend to get the lion’s share of my time during the day, but it is important to remember older kids need time to chat with mom, even when they seem pretty self-sufficient. We stagger bedtimes and let the big kids stay up a little later. which gives us a little chance to chat. I also rarely run errands alone– almost always I take one or two kids along. I’ve found that it is much easier to have a nice chat when there are only a couple kids along with me, and it feels more special to the child as well.


Angie at Larger Families (pregnant with number seven) also writes on teaching her kids to master the mess, noting that

This is harder than it sounds, because I have to factor in resistance, attitude, ineptitude. It is hard work training children. It’s even harder when you have to train yourself first. But the rewards are beyond measure.


Amy's Humble Musings has been chronicling her family's preparation to pack up their six kids and move to a converted Amish farmhouse in Kentucky, in an effort to simplify life for all of them.

Jenni at One Thing, expecting her 12th, writes her answer to the oft-asked question: How do you do it?

This question is overwhelmingly the winner of most-frequently-asked, even though it is vague and largely rhetorical. Do what, exactly? Breathe? Live? Get up in the morning? Make coffee? Wrangle toddlers? Adjudicate disputes? Potty train? Keep my eyeballs from rolling around independently of one another?

I suspect I do it the same way everybody else on this terrestrial plane does, whether they acknowledge the existence of a higher Power or not.

By the grace of God, baby. By the grace of God.



Indeed.

Published at BlogHer

Works for me Wednesday....how to put on a bracelet one-handed!


For my birthday last year, John got me a beautiful necklace with a matching bracelet. I immediately put on the necklace, but was unable to get the bracelet on one-handed. John's fingers just could not open the tiny, delicate clasp.

So finally, a few months after the fact, I was able to get it on!

Here is what I did:
I took a large piece of clear packing tape and taped down the end of the bracelet to my wrist. I was then able to open the clasp with my left hand and hook it in...without the bracelet moving at all! I was so excited!

For more great tips, head over to Rocks In My Dryer!

About Huckabee Meetups

I was reading the article I posted below and joined Huck's Army. It led me to the North East Tennessee support group for Huck. I joined and saw that they had a meetup scheduled for this Thursday night at a local restaurant.

I called up my husband and mentioned this to him. He was very excited, said he would check with his mom to see if she could watch the kids, and called some friends to see if they wanted to go too.

I received a quick call that they could come and that I needed to RSVP ASAP. So I did. Until John mentioned how excited they all were to meet Mike Huckabee.

Oops.

He had the impression that Mike Huckabee was going to be there...and in turn gave our friends that impression as well.

I un-RSVP'd while I laughed at the misunderstanding.

MORAL OF THE STORY:
Just because it is called a "Huckabee Meetup", does not mean that Mike Huckabee will actually be there!

Huckabee’s Foot Soldiers

A grass-roots effort launched by a pair of home-schooled 19-year-old evangelical brothers could become crucial to Mike Huckabee's presidential bid. Meet the Harris twins.



If Mike Huckabee's second-place finish in South Carolina seemed to rob his campaign of some momentum, it's not because the Harris twins weren't trying. The 19-year-old brothers are cofounders of Huck’s Army, a 14,000-member (and growing) grass-roots Web effort to catapult the former Arkansas governor into the White House. It was, after all, a Huck's Army e-mail that inspired actor Chuck Norris to get involved.

Home-schooled south of Portland, Ore., the evangelical teens have been organizing online since 2005, when they launched Rebelution, a youth ministry that has spawned a series of conferences and a book due out in April. They define that project as "a teenage rebellion against the low expectations of an ungodly culture." Now as Huckabee, a Southern Baptist minister, is forced to cut back on expenses, Brett and Alex Harris are calling on the volunteers of Huck's Army to provide the campaign with support and infrastructure. NEWSWEEK's Brian Braiker recently spoke with Alex about his man's loss in South Carolina, Fred Thompson's decision to pull out of the race and what Huckabee meant when he said he wants to bring the Constitution in line with "God's standards."

Read the rest of the Newsweek article here

Gorilla Bread



Just when you thought Monkey Bread couldn't get any better!

1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
2 (12-ounce) cans refrigerated biscuits (10 count)
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon. In a saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over low heat, stirring well; set aside. Cut the cream cheese into 20 equal cubes. Press the biscuits out with your fingers and sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar. Place a cube of cream cheese in the center of each biscuit, wrapping and sealing the dough around the cream cheese. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the nuts into the bottom of the bundt pan. Place half of the prepared biscuits in the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, pour half of the melted butter mixture over the biscuits, and sprinkle on 1/2 cup of nuts. Layer the remaining biscuits on top, sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar, pour the remaining butter mixture over the biscuits, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of nuts. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Place a plate on top and invert.

"We are football men!"

We're going to the SUPERBOWL!!!

Gideon and Haddon were very excited to put on their Patriot jersies this morning. They kept running up and down the hall screaming "TOUCHDOWN!" and "We are FOOTBALL MEN!"

Patriots are NUMBER ONE!

We've got the Brady huddle...


You can see that Jamison is a very happy Pats fan as well.

It's things like this that warm a mom's heart....especially since Nolan has been brainwashed into a Steelers fan. He tells me that he "likes the Patriots sometimes" so I won't be sad. He also has a soft heart for the Giants, since that is Uncle Casey's team.


February 3rd will be the 6th anniversary of the 1st Superbowl win by the Pats...it should be fitting that they win again, don't you think?


Disclaimer: If you respond to this post in anyway other than being respectful to the New England Patriots, you are sore because your own NFL team didn't make it to the Superbowl. If you have to mention past mistakes, like cheating...that they have apologized about already...you have real issues.
Jealousy is a serious sin that needs to be repented of immediately.

Monday, January 21, 2008

A Great Giveaway!

I had never heard of their products, but I am all about products that are innovative and helpful to parenting!

Go over to Our 7 Qtipies and enter the Boon Giveaway!

You just might win something!

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Lost....


What is going on in this picture? See the reflection of the city in the water?

I don't know if I am quite ready for teasers before I have had a refresher to remember what happened last year...oh, 9 months ago???

Leading Voices: A Woman's Seasons

By Susan Hunt

FOR SEVERAL DECADES WOMEN HAVE HEARD THE MESSAGES OF RADICAL FEMINISM. We have breathed feminist air for so long, even Christian women have unknowingly absorbed it in our spiritual pores.

Our preoccupation with our rights and our roles reveals the problem. Selfism slithers into our thinking by masquerading as a desire for ,significant ministry, when too often it is simply a desire for self-fulfillment and self-actualization. I know. My sensibilities were almost warped by this kind of non-biblical thinking.

When I was 30, with three pre-schoolers, my perspective was blurred. I assumed that by the time I was through mothering, life would be over — or at least that my years for productive ministry would be over. The higher I go on the chronological ladder, the clearer my life-view becomes, and the more I realize that my chief end is not to actualize or fulfill myself. My purpose is God’s glory.

BC (before children), while my husband finished seminary, I worked in an inner-city church developing and implementing an outreach to neighborhood children and teens.

When Gene graduated, I made a quick transition to being a pastor’s wife in a rural community. In short order I was the mother of three children. My ministry passions were stifled. Diapers, dishes, and church duties left no time for what I considered real ministry. Frustration soared. I considered my frustration to be spiritual because the longing of my heart was to serve Jesus.

Then I met Mrs. Johnston. She was in her 70s when she joined our church. Her love for Jesus was contagious, and many of us were never the same after her arrival. When she was confined to a bed in a nursing home, I went there for spiritual transfusions. I would leave her room with a deeper love for Jesus, my husband, and our church.

Now I realize that for me the conversations were random, but for Mrs. Johnston they were intentional. She wisely detected my areas of discouragement, and she gently told me stories or shared insights that caused me to look at Jesus and not at my circumstance. This dear saint was not sidelined from serving Jesus and His people by her life season or circumstances.

My sensibilities were also being sanctified by time spent in God’s Word, the faithful preaching of my husband, and books by and talks with Christian women. Several things happened.

First, I began to understand that a biblical world-view does not separate the sacred and the secular. I learned that "whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31). All of life, including diapers and dishes, is sacred for the Christian.

Second, I gradually understood the importance God puts on the family. From the beginning God worked out His plan of redemption through families. "‘As for me, this is my covenant with them,’ says the Lord. ‘My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever,’ says the Lord" (Isa. 59:21).

Teaching our children God’s Word became a thrilling adventure. I memorized Scripture as I taught it to them. Reading Bible story books deepened my own knowledge of Scripture. My heart soared as I read children’s versions of classics such as Pilgrim’s Progress. My heart wept as I read stories for children that encouraged legalism instead of teaching children about God’s grace. So my desire was born to write grace-oriented materials for children.

Third, as I grew in understanding God’s love for His church, I grew in my love for His church. Gene and I wanted our children to understand their privileges and responsibilities as part of the church. I began to discover ways to blend mothering and ministry beyond our home as I taught our children the joy of serving King Jesus. We made cookies and took them to elderly members of our church family. We had the teens in our home for Bible studies, and they helped care for the children. We made cards to send to the sick.

Fourth, I began to understand that I could not do mothering under my own steam. What freedom it was to learn that God supplied His Word to teach me and His Spirit to empower me. Mothering caused me to cast myself on the sufficiency of His grace.

Then I blinked, and it was over.

The children were grown, and Gene and I entered the wonderful world of grandparenting. The astounding thing is that life was not over. In these post-children years, ministry privileges beyond hearth and home have exceeded anything I could have imagined. Yet now I see very clearly, too, that the things I am currently doing in vocational ministry pale in comparison to the high calling of being a mother. Maybe this is one reason Paul told the young preacher Titus to equip older women to teach younger women how to love their children (Titus 2:1, 3-5).

Do we have to be taught to love our children? I think so. We have to be taught the significance of this life-stage of child-rearing. I will never do anything for the Kingdom that will begin to approach the privilege that Gene and I had of training three children to have a biblical world-view.

Let’s revisit Titus 2. This mandate is electrifying! Titus was pastoring a church on Crete in a pluralistic, decadent culture. Of all the things Paul could have told Titus to tell the women to do to combat that decadence, he bore down on the importance of older women encouraging and equipping younger women to live godly lives.

In recent years I have observed a troubling phenomenon. Many women of my generation have relinquished this high calling of nurturing younger women. Every where I go I meet young women who long for spiritual mothers.

My generation has abandoned this calling for many reasons. Some think they have nothing to offer. Some are intimidated by the intelligence and giftedness of the younger women. And some have decided this is the season to indulge themselves. I plead with my peers not to squander this season of your life. You have a perspective on life to share. Your sensibilities have been tempered by time. Your faith has been stretched and strengthened by your life-experiences.

I plead with the church to equip women for this ministry. God is gifting His church with incredible young women. They are a sacred trust; we must be good stewards. Many of them are first-generation Christians. Many are separated from their families because of the mobility of our society. We must teach them the truths of biblical womanhood. We must teach them how to pass on the faith to the next generation. The consequences of our accepting or abandoning this calling will reverberate through several generations.

Your mind may be buzzing with questions: Am I an older woman or a younger woman? How do I find Titus 2 relationships? How do I learn to live for God’s glory in every season and circumstance of life?

Every woman is both a younger and an older woman. There is someone who needs your life-perspective, and there is someone with a life-view that you need. How do you connect? The easiest way is when churches craft women’s ministries that teach women God’s truth about womanhood and that help enable nurturing relationships.

A woman’s life is not about just enduring diapers and the terrible twos, or the empty-nest, or a room in a nursing home. It is about valuing each season of life as an opportunity to honor the King of kings. It is about drinking deeply of grace and then reflecting that grace to others.

Ultimately, it is not the life-season or circumstance that matters. It is not so much what I do as who I am. The question is not "What is my role?" but "What is my goal?" Am I becoming more and more conformed to the image of Christ? Am I being transformed by the renewing of my mind? Am I loving God with all of my heart, mind, and soul and loving my neighbor as myself? Am I encouraging and equipping younger people to live for God’s glory?

Such probing questions should cause us to cling to the Cross and plead for grace to live for God’s glory. It is only the power of the gospel that can effect such a radical change. It is only the gospel of grace that can sanctify our sensibilities so we radiate His glory in every season and circumstance.

Susan Hunt is a pastor’s wife, mother and grandmother, and director of Women’s Ministries for the Presbyterian Church in America. She is co-author with Peggy Hutcheson of Leadership for Women in the Church (Zondervan).

Instructing a Child's Heart

I was very excited to learn that Ted Tripp has written a new book. John and I had the opportunity to go to his Sheperding Seminar last year. I can honestly say that it changed the way that we discipline and train our children.

I highly recommend purchasing Sheperding a Child's Heart. Another book that I found to take this book an extra step to real application is Don't Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Plowman.

I am excited that there is another book to be released. Here is a brief introduction to his new book:

Friday, January 18, 2008

I ask for prayers

I came across this post today.

It hit me hard. Maybe it's because I am a young mom, with young children....and this is something that you just never imagine happening to your family and now it has. This story just dumbfounds me and had me in tears.

I ask for prayers for this young pastor and his children. That they trust God for all that they need...and though they have hearts of sorrow right now...they look above for comfort and care.

ER: Atonement

I was watching ER last night. When I was surprised to see a conversation take place that doesn't often take place on national television.

You see, there was a 68 year old man who was dying. He had spent many years as a prison Doctor, giving lethal injections to the convicted. After injecting 17 men over many years, he retired...feeling guilty over what he had done. He came to the realization that man should not take life, but God should. He then began to atone for the deaths. He visited each family one by one trying to give them what he could to make up for the loss of life.

It brought him to a young boy and his mom. He had been responsible for the death of the husband/father. It resulted in saving the boy from falling into a lake...and that is why they were both in the ER.

Even though this man had tried to atone for all he had done with the families, he was still overwhelmed with guilt. A female chaplain was sent in to speak to him.

The conversation started with the man just retelling of his past. When he asked that he didn't know what God wanted him to do, her response was that it is up to each individual's interpretation of what God wanted them to do.

It quickly escalated into a heated discussion.

The man asked her how he can find forgiveness and that her new age religion was not helping. She kept saying that she just wanted to comfort him, to which his response was that he didn't want comfort, he wanted the truth. He wanted to real chaplain who believed in forgiveness and hell...because he needed to know and hear it.

He was screaming and very emotional about not wanting her help because she wasn't helping.

I wish I could find a clip of this to watch again...I know that there was more to it. It just really made me think about how we as Christians are afraid to offend people. I wouldn't even consider the woman chaplain to be a Christian, she is very universalist in her leanings on the show, but still, it is easy to see the similarities.

This man was hurting. He wanted to hear the truth...the truth that he was a sinner and that because of his sin, he deserved hell. He also needed to hear about Christ's atoning death on the cross. Instead, he got a hoity toity message that God is good and loving (which of course He is)...end of story. When what he was yearning to hear is that God is just and righteous. And what he needed to hear, only God can take away the weight of your sin.

I would hope that if we are ever in a similar situation, we would tell the truth of God's just anger at our sinfulness and the freedom from that sin that is found only in Christ Jesus.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

We've all heard of Ben Stein. He is saying some very interesting things on the topic of Intelligent Design.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Overheard during rest time

Nolan, Gideon and Haddon are sitting on the couch. They each have their cup of juice, while they watch Tom and Jerry.

I look over at Haddon and see that he has his cup in his shirt.

He says to me, "Mommy, a baby in my belly!"

lol...cute!

Considering this is a little boy who was barely talking 6 months ago...I would say we have progress!

Works for me Wednesday...easy breakfast idea! Cream Cheese Twists



2 boxes puff pastry sheets (17-1/4 oz)
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon, mixed with 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk

As you open the boxes of puff pastry, you will see each sheet is folded into thirds. Lay each piece on a sheet of waxed paper to thaw before attempting to unfold the dough. This will take about 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, 6 Tablespoons sugar, egg, and vanilla. Mix until creamy and set aside.

Also take the time to mix powdered sugar and milk in a separate bowl, beating until smooth, to make a drizzly glaze.

Preheat oven to 400. After dough has thawed, gently unfold and cut each piece of dough where the fold lines are. Spread one piece of dough with the cream cheese mixture, spreading all the way to the edge. Lay one of the other pieces of dough on top of the cream cheese.

Not cut lengthwise through both layers of dough and cream cheese filling every 1/2 inch. Twist each strip and lay on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet. (I used a large baking stone instead). Repeat with remaining dough until all twists are lined up on the baking sheets. (If you only have one large baking sheet, do the first half and wait until the first batch is done cooking)

Sprinkle twists lightly with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Bake twists 14-16 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from baking sheets and place on cooling rack. Drizzle with glaze.


I made these for breakfast this past Sunday morning at church and got many compliments! They are very easy to make and look like something out of a bakery!

Check out Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer for more helpful hints and recipes!

Monday, January 14, 2008

Beneath the Cross of Jesus by Eliz­a­beth C. Cle­phane

Born: June 18, 1830, Ed­in­burgh, Scot­land.

Died: Feb­ru­a­ry 19, 1869, Bridg­end House, near Mel­rose, Rox­burgh­shire, Scot­land.

Buried: St. Cuth­bert’s, Ed­in­burgh, Scot­land.

These lines ex­press the ex­per­i­enc­es, the hopes and the long­ings of a young Christ­ian late­ly re­leased. Writ­ten on the ve­ry edge of life, with the bet­ter land ful­ly in view of faith, they seem to us foot­steps print­ed on the sands of time, where these sands touch the ocean of Etern­i­ty. These foot­prints of one whom the Good Shep­herd led through the wild­er­ness in­to rest, may, with God’s blessing, con­trib­ute to com­fort and di­rect suc­ceed­ing pilg­rims.

Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat, and the burden of the day.

O safe and happy shelter, O refuge tried and sweet,
O trysting place where Heaven’s love and Heaven’s justice meet!
As to the holy patriarch that wondrous dream was given,
So seems my Savior’s cross to me, a ladder up to heaven.

There lies beneath its shadow but on the further side
The darkness of an awful grave that gapes both deep and wide
And there between us stands the cross two arms outstretched to save
A watchman set to guard the way from that eternal grave.

Upon that cross of Jesus mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One Who suffered there for me;
And from my stricken heart with tears two wonders I confess;
The wonders of redeeming love and my unworthiness.

I take, O cross, thy shadow for my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of His face;
Content to let the world go by to know no gain or loss,
My sinful self my only shame, my glory all the cross.

Stay a Huckabee, not a Huckawas

Mike Huckabee visited the Colbert Report...here are the results!

Friday, January 11, 2008

The end of another era

Jamison is weaned.

I started this process back when he turned a year old. I cut out his day feedings. Now, he had already been eating table food and was happy with that, but wasn't taking much milk, so I nursed. Then a few weeks later, I took away his morning feedings.

It was a nice feeling to be able to let John get the kids up once in awhile, without me having to feed the little man.

Then last night, I decided to just stop. I put him to bed with a cup with a small amount of milk in it, and he screamed for maybe a minute or two (out of sheer anger), rolled over and went to sleep.

I think it always affects mommy more. It is very nice to have my body back to myself...well, as much to myself as it can be when you are expecting :) It's nice to have that freedom, no matter how fleeting, to go out and not be on a feeding schedule with a baby.

I am dreading the day that my last child is weaned, knowing that it will be the last time I ever nurse a baby. That seems so far in the future, it is hard to grasp right now! I know that before I know it, those days will be here! Oh, the day when I don't have to worry about diapers! I don't have the sentimental attachment to diapers like I do with nursing, lol.

It's all part of being a mom. Jamison won't be looking back on this day the way that I am. He won't even remember...but I will. There is a special bond between mom and babe. I can still recall the first time I held him and instinct took over as he leaned toward me and fed.

We are moving on, and he is growing up. He started walking and hasn't stopped! The transition between baby and toddler seems to have happened overnight. I know that when our new baby arrives, he will have grown up so much more. It usually happens when mom is in the hospital...all of a sudden your youngest is a little boy, instead of the baby you left behind when you were in labor!

I am so thankful to have had those moments with you, my sweet boy.

List of the Day: America's 20 Worst Foods!

Nothing on this looks even remotely good to eat! Maybe it's because right underneath the pictures, it's labeled with the calories and fat content!

Check it out...you might find yourself surprised!

And I'm supposed to go out to eat tonight? lol

At least I have the excuse I'm eating for two, right?

America's 20 Worst Foods

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

My Fake Baby

Watch this

Obviously, I've never struggled with infertility...but this article and video brings it to a new level.

What do you think?

Kinda weird and freaky, huh?

Works for me Wednesday...backwards!



This is the installment of Works for me Wednesday with a different twist. Instead of giving a helpful hint, you ask a question and hopefully, with the amount of knowledge found in today's blogworld, you'll find a solution!

Here is my dilemma:

I have a duvet cover on my bed. It is the home to a king sized down comforter. It is impossible to keep the comforter fitting in the top and the sides of the duvet cover. It slides around in the duvet cover, so that the top of it is just the cover without the comforter up there. Or it slides to one side, so when John tries to pull the covers on top of himself, he is getting the end of an empty duvet cover.

Does anyone have a helpful way to keep the down comforter positioned inside the duvet cover, so I don't have to fix it on a daily basis???

Huckabee Momentum!

This is from the Huckabee Momentum site:

We founded Huckabee Momentum to see how quickly we can find 10,000 people willing to donate a mere $25 to the Mike Huckabee campaign. The best part is you only have to keep your pledge if we reach ten thousand people. Please sign up just to see if we can make it!

Pair of shoes:
$60.00
Monthly cable:
$50.00
Dinner for two:
$40.00
Huckabee
$25.00

Learn More about the pledge for Huckabee.


It only takes two clicks, a few keystrokes, and a couple seconds to be a part of making a real difference in this campaign. Stand with us today for Mike Huckabee. Take the Pledge and Share this Website!


The first 500 inidividuals to sign up have the special privilage of choosing to be listed in our Hall of Fame by name and hometown.


All contributions will be made through the Huckabee campaign website

The Train Set

For Christmas, we got the boys a train table. It came complete with tracks and lots of pieces! Since we were unable to bring it to Maine with us, we assembled the table and left it hidden in one of the downstairs bedrooms.

When we got home and semi-settled in, we brought the table upstairs. I closed myself up in Nolan and Gideon's room and began putting the track together. When it was finished, we had the kids come in and see their surprise!

They were VERY excited. They kept saying how cool it is, lol. They are constantly playing with it and are really loving it :)




There's just something about a good bargain!

I checked my email yesterday and discovered a printable coupon from Lane Bryant. Every once in awhile they give out these coupons that are $15 off a $15 purchase. They are obviously trying to rope you into using the coupon for the $25 off $75, $50 off $150 or $75 off $225.

Can't fool me!

These slipper socks were regular $10.50 each. They are currently on sale for half price. Then you take off my coupon and my total came to a whopping $.82!

Can't beat that!

There is just something about getting a good deal that makes your day!

Aren't they cute?? There is even tread on the bottom so you can't slip and there is a cute little bow on top...awww!

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Mexican Chicken Casserole

I made this dish while I was in Maine and it was a huge hit! Even to those who are especially picky about what they eat!

Vegetable oil spray
1 pkg corn tortillas
3-4 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into small pieces
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can Rotel tomatoes, diced
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 small onion, peeled and chopped (optional if you don't like lots of onion)
1/2 cup sliced black olives (optional)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Place 1/2 package corn tortillas in bottom of a 9x13 baking dish that has been sprayed with vegetable oil spray. Sprinkle half of the chicken on tortillas. Mix the soups, tomatoes and cream cheese. Pour half of the soup mixture over the tortillas and chicken. Put a light layer of cheese over top. Repeat layer with the rest of the tortillas, chicken and soup mixture. Sprinkle onions, olives and cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

*This is a great dish to be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until ready to bake!

Whate'er My God Ordains is Right by Samuel Rodigast 1676

Born: Oc­to­ber 19, 1649, Gro­ben, Ger­ma­ny.

Died: March 29, 1708, Ber­lin, Ger­ma­ny.

Buried: Kloster Kirche, Berlin, Ger­ma­ny.

Son of a Luth­e­ran min­is­ter, Rod­i­gast at­tend­ed the Un­i­ver­si­ty of Je­na (MA 1671), then joined the phil­o­so­phy fa­cul­ty there. In 1680, he be­came con­rec­tor at the Grey­fri­ars Gym­na­si­um in Ber­lin. He de­clined ap­point­ments as a pro­fess­or at the Un­i­ver­si­ty of Je­na and rec­tor at schools in Stade and Stral­sund, choos­ing to stay in Ber­lin.

This song was translated from Ger­man to Eng­lish by Ca­ther­ine Wink­worth, 1863, and others. Rod­i­gast wrote this hymn to cheer his friend Gas­tor­i­us, pre­cent­or at Je­na, who had b­ecome ser­i­ous­ly ill. Gas­tor­i­us not on­ly re­cov­ered, but went on to write the tune for Rod­i­gast’s words.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
His holy will abideth;
I will be still whate’er He doth;
And follow where He guideth;
He is my God; though dark my road,
He holds me that I shall not fall:
Wherefore to Him I leave it all.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
He never will deceive me;
He leads me by the proper path:
I know He will not leave me.
I take, content, what He hath sent;
His hand can turn my griefs away,
And patiently I wait His day.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
His loving thought attends me;
No poison can be in the cup
That my Physician sends me.
My God is true; each morn anew
I’ll trust His grace unending,
My life to Him commending.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
He is my Friend and Father;
He suffers naught to do me harm,
Though many storms may gather,
Now I may know both joy and woe,
Some day I shall see clearly
That He hath loved me dearly.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
Though now this cup, in drinking,
May bitter seem to my faint heart,
I take it, all unshrinking.
My God is true; each morn anew
Sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart,
And pain and sorrow shall depart.

Whate’er my God ordains is right:
Here shall my stand be taken;
Though sorrow, need, or death be mine,
Yet I am not forsaken.
My Father’s care is round me there;
He holds me that I shall not fall:
And so to Him I leave it all.

Monday, January 7, 2008

Since it's starting to get obvious and nearly impossible to cover up...

Baby Jordan...due to arrive 8/8/08!

This puts me at nearly 10 weeks along :)

Surprised or just waiting for the announcement?

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Great News!

Rocks In My Dryer will be hosting another Bloggy Giveaway! On January 28 to February 1!!

You can read here for more details!

If you haven't participated in on before, I highly recommend it! It's a lot of fun, you get a lot of people visiting your blog and you can win a lot of neat stuff :)

A quote

The climax of God's happiness is the delight He takes in the echoes of his
excellence in the praises of his people.

-John Piper

Said at my house

Nolan: "Mommy, maybe we can get a new house that has a toilet in the bedroom. Would that be cool, mommy?

Me: laughs

Nolan: "So in the morning, I can go pee in my room, not in the bathroom. That would be cool."

Me: laughs again

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

WFMW.....How to nap when you have four little boys


It's time for Works for me Wednesday, when we all share what works for us! Here it is.....proof that a mommy of four can take a nap in the afternoon. The kids have eaten lunch and Jamison, my one year old, has been put down for a nap.

You make sure you have your phone near, a juice cup for each child, and the remote. NEVER FORGET THE REMOTE! Put on your child's favorite movie or show and relax!

This is what it looks like:



Happy Napping!

For other helpful tips, visit Rocks In My Dryer!

Layered Sombrero Dip

I thought that last Saturday night, we needed something spicy to go with THE game...you know, the one where the New England Patriots went 16-0 and had a perfect season?



Layer the following ingredients on a long platter. Serve with tortilla chips!

1 can refried beans
1 small can diced green chiles (found in the mexican section of your store)
2 med avocados, ripe- cut into chunks (I don't like avocados, so I skipped them)
1 16-24 ounce jar of salsa
16 ounces sour cream
2 cups cheddar
1/2 cup black olives, sliced (optional)
sliced green onions, (optional)
chopped tomatoes

It looks pretty and tastes great...and very easy to make! It's great to make ahead of time :)

ENJOY!

Happy New Year! (a day late!)

I know I've been a bit negligent with my blog, but it's been nice to take a break and visit with family. We are heading back to Tennessee tomorrow and it's supposed to be COLD!

My sister, Erin, and her family spent the night New Year's Eve and spent the day here yesterday. The kids all played outside, while our annual meal of Lasagna and Meat Pie cooked in the oven.




They sure worked up an appetite! Of course, my picky eaters (namely Nolan and Gideon) ate a few slices of cranberry sauce and called it good. Haddon, however, loved his lasagna!




We've had a great trip, but I am looking forward to getting settled back in at home and am definitely looking forward to the temperature getting above freezing!

I just had to show this picture, lol. He looks so sad! He was all snuggled up after playing outside. He just wouldn't smile for anything!


Hope everyone has a Happy New Year!!!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland!

When we travel to Maine for Christmas, I always hope that we will get some snow. Since we live in Tennessee, the kids miss out on building snowmen, making snow angels and having snowball fights. When I say we have had some snow while we've been here, I should probably say PUMMELED!


We arrived the day before Christmas Eve and there was snow. That night there was some rain that kind of melted some of the ice down and the kids weren't able to go play in the snow because of the icy layers. Then last week, IT started. We got several inches at the end of the week...then on Sunday/Monday, we got some more....like 10 inches more....quickly followed by yesterday's storm that gave us another 8-10 inches!

It has been crazy!!

Here is my parent's house yesterday, inbetween storms...it's hard to tell, but it was snowing when I took the picture!


My dad went out with the kids yesterday for a couple of hours! I was surprised they lasted that long since it was 26 degrees out!!! They loved it! There was sledding (Nolan refers to it as the 'rocket ride), there was a walk, there was a snow fort, shoveling, snowball fights, the annual "King of the Hill Battle" and just A LOT of FUN!!!


Here's Haddon loving it!


My niece, Cosette, pulling Gideon in the sled in the backyard.


Nolan trying to shovel.


Gideon and Haddon...don't they look cold? lol


Here's Nolan, climbing up to the front door...look at the size of that snow bank! My parents have a special interlocking metal roof that the snow slides off of. When the snow gets heavy...watch out! It sounds like an avalanche falling off the roof!


This was taken on Sunday before the last TWO storms hit! They were able to make a snowman :)


My rosy-cheeked Giddy!


This is what I woke up to this morning!


This was the first time that the kids have really spent a long time playing in the snow. They went out last year, but there wasn't nearly as much snow for them to mess around in!