Whew!! It took me all day to get this site lookin' the way I wanted it to!! FINALLY!! :) I guess I still need to update those little calendars on the side, but I'm tired of doing that for now!! LOL Now, to be fair, I didn't acutally spend all day on the computer!! LOL It just felt like it!! :)

So, I've been a busy bee lately!! I've really wanted to blog, but haven't had time to really devote to just sitting down & blogging, and it's been bugging me!! I've totally had some, "I've gotta blog that" moments...

So, I know I've shared with you all that I've been thinking about selling some pre-made scrapbooking wares, I just didn't know how to do it as far as a home-show kind of business...well, today Steve did the checkbook & said he just prayed over it & he wasn't going to worry about it. Then he asked the Lord to clearly & specifically show us how to earn a little extra money, if it be him getting another pt job, or me doing something. He was at work when he did this, and I hadn't talked to him yet. Well, as you know I had a lot of computer time today, and I put a couple of things up on ebay. While I was there, I did a search for "pre-made scrapbooking pages" & a TON popped up...towards the top of the list was a double lay out (only 2 co-ordinating pages w/ the same theme for those of you who aren't into scrap lingo), and it had 10 bids on it, 5hrs left, and the top bid was $61!! I emailed that to Steve, and said, "I think I've found what I'm supposed to be doing!" He immediately calls me laughing, and says, "You'll never guess what I just prayed about not even an hour before I got your email!!" So, we had a God-moment today. Okay, every moment is a God-moment, but you know what I mean...

It makes me want to just rake off the kitchen table & set up scrapbook camp!! :) LOL Now, I did more "research" on ebay just to see what the going rate for a pre-made scrapbook page(s) were going for, and was surprised to see that there were some more lo's going for $25-35 (and that was a 1st bid), and there were lots that had no bids, but there was still time, ya know? There were also ones that were only going for $5-$10, and some $15, so you get the picture. So, there is a want for this type of thing. Just exciting :)

Okay, there's tons more to share, but I gotta go...Steve made me a s'more!! :) YUM-O!! :)

Love you all!! :) I hope the new look is easy on your eyes!! :)

Okay, so why haven't I ever really checked out Proverbs 31 Ministry before?!?! It's awesome!! A lot of their website stuff isn't free, though, but they have a monthly magazine that was reasonable, and they have a daily email devotional (that's very good, btw) that's free, but to get on their mesg. boards it's $15/year...So, right now, no msg. boards for me, but I am really thinking about the magazine...Oh, they have a big honken conference called "She Speaks" in NC (where they're headquartered), and it's a conference for writers, speakers, and leaders of women's ministries. All of the topics sounded totally awesome & relevant, not just there to fill in the gaps, but when I saw the price tag, I realized why!! LOL It's jam-packed full of info & stuff, but it was almost $500!! That included your hotel room & at least 3 meals I saw, but WOW, that was a sticker shocker...Anyways, that's one of my dreams, to be able to go there one day, because every day I really feel more affirmed that women's ministry is where I'm being led.

If you've never heard of Proverbs 31 Ministries (from now on referred to as P31), here's the link www.proverbs31.org . It's a ministry devoted to women's needs & interests, and most importantly our walks with the Lord. Very interesting stuff, and worth the pop over there to really get a better feel for what they're all about...I was just very impressed with that conference!! :)

Today's been nice & slow. Abbey's napping right now, and in a little bit we'll go to get my eyebrows done. I made some sweet sun tea today (easy as pie, and SO stinkin' good!! :)) Sun tea is the lazy summer way of makin' tea. There's just something so refreshing about it. Maybe it's because I can remember my Mom making it in the summer. You just fill a glass jug full of water, pop in 6-7 (or more if you prefer) iced tea bags, and set it out in the sun for about an hour 1/2 or so, and then sweeten it when you bring it inside. I learned a trick from Paula Deen, though, about that, and really, my Mom probably did it, too, I just don't remember that part. You make a "syrup" so you don't have any "crunch" in your drink. Just boil equal parts sugar to water (really, you're just heating it up to dissolve the sugar), and add it to your freshly sun-brewed tea!! Ahhhhh!! :)

My glass jug (the kind with the push-spout thingy at the bottom) leaks, though, so I had to pour it in my Pampered Chef gallon pitcher with the thing you move up & down to mix it all up with. It's easier to handle, too... I'd like to just get a new glass jug. I had 2 & they both leak...

Wow, how's that for rambling?!?!

I'd better go. I was really on here to find a bee puppet pattern that was cute for VBS, but I can't find anything so far...still looking...I'm starting to think I could make us one that would be cuter than anything I've found so far!! And, I might actually try it!! :)

Talk to ya'll later!! :)

Wowie Zowie, what a day!! :) This is my "in the middle" of it time...This morning we met my friend Carrie & her niece at Chic-Fil-A for an early lunch, and then I had to run by the store to pick up something for a dinner I'm making for a family @ church (Lisa had knee surgery last week, and is out of commission for a bit...) So, that's what I'm really supposed to be doing right now...But then after I drop off their dinner, I'm meeting another gal from church at McD's for supper, so we can discuss the logistics for this year's VBS. Yes, I'm a crazy person!! LOL

What's probably the most funny thing is that I'm making another family a nice dinner, complete with cupcakes for dessert, and I'm taking Abbey to McD's for dinner!!!! LOL Her 2nd fast-food meal of the day!!

Anyways, that's what kind of day I'm having!! LOL So, I needed to squeeze in some 'puter time for a minute...

Our weekend was WONDERFUL!! :) We had a really great weekend. Last Thursday was a trip, though. We went to a Quilt Show...in Columbus...and then I find out out on the way home...from Columbus...that my WM has asked me to lead worship for him on Sunday because of a couple things going on (his Mom was on his way to Boston for a wedding, and when they stopped for dinner, she experienced some chest pain, and her brother or bil one, is a dr. & said, "Yeah, you're going to the ER." So, they took her, and moved her to Buffalo, NY hospital (I guess it was pretty close to wherever they were), and they found multiple blockages & said she needed surgery...so, they've since moved her to Columbus (very close to where she lives), and will do it there. So, he was going to be away, anyway, but his plans got all switched around, and he was still gone...) Anyways, before any of that happened with his Mom, he had asked me (in an email in the wee hours of the morning on THURSDAY) if I'd be willing to lead...We were on I-70, almost home, and getting ready to stop in Springfield @ Cracker Barrell for dinner, and I said, "Mom, I need to go home." It was already quarter 'til 7p.m., but we had to go to Mom's house to pick up the van, Abbey was hungry, I was hungry, and drained from the trip up & back from Columbus, but I got there around 7:20!! :) So, we practiced & decided between the people there that we'd "Co-Lead" the worship on Sunday. That way, at that late date, nobody was put on the spot. It turned out really well. Oh, should I also mention that I had to teach Sunday School & Children's Church this past Sunday, too? LOL Mom said I should've just called Pastor & told him I'd take care of the message, too!! LOL It sounds like a lot, but it really wasn't. We did a refresher lesson in SS (I was really proud at what they remembered!!) & Children's Church was movie time!! :) We watched Veggie Tales (I asked first!! LOL) We totally vegged out on Sunday afternoon/night, though!! :)

Oh, Friday, Mom & Dad kept Abbey overnight, and that was AWESOME!! :) Steve & I went to the movies (the cheap one!!) & saw Blades of Glory...pretty funny in a Will Ferrell kinda way. We got home around 11:30, and looked @ each other & said, "Good night." And, we went to bed!! LOL We slept in a little on Saturday, watched Click (Steve rented it from the library!! LOL), bawlled like a couple of babies, then Steve did some yard work, and I did NOTHING!! LOL

Then, there was Sunday!! :)

I kinda went out of order, but Sunday went with Thursday's story, so, whatever.

Like you wanted a full play-by-play, huh? LOL

Okay, so I'd better get started on that family's dinner, and gather all my VBS stuff & get my focus together...Talk to ya'll later!! Love ya!! :)

I'm so glad that what, I felt at the time, were just crazy ramblings actually spoke to someone!! LOL Thank you for letting me know, because I was starting to feel like, "Ah, crap, I didn't make any sense..." LOL :)

Anyways, I've been reading my "Queen of the Castle" book by Lynn Bowen Walker, again, and actually needed to get caught up from Easter!! ::YIKES:: Well, I'm caught up, and last night I read this...

"You are doing your job in caring for your home and family. You are confident and fulfilled. The work is necessary; the work is important; the work is good."

She also ended the chapter with this prayer:

"Lord, help me to remember that as I am a "worker at home," (reference from Titus 2:3-5) I am being obedient to you. I am also being a blessing to my family. What a gift you've given me in this family to take care of! Thank You."

What I love about this, is that at the very beginning of her book, she clarifies that when she says "homemaker" she's referring to all women, single, married, children/no children. I just thought that was profound. And, she goes on to say that she loves the word "homemaker." That word has become so taboo in our society, but what's wrong with being the "maker" of the "home"? Of making that soft place for your family to fall? This book has just been full of Godly validation for me, and for this blessing of staying home. Just a great book. It's "52 weeks of encouragement for the uninspired, domestically challenged or just plain tired homemaker." And, it's not all about women being homemakers...there's lots of advice about cleaning, gardening, cooking, celebrating holidays, etc... Very diverse, and she's got a great sense of humor!! :)

Okay, so last night I went to a Women's Retreat planning meeting. Very interesting. I have no idea what we're going to be doing, and I don't necessarily want to be in charge of it, but I am more than willing to help in any way I can. SO, some of the logistics are in place, such as the date &...um, the dates...LOL Well, we know we've got around 30 rooms reserved for that weekend, too, so there's that. But there is NOTHING else planned. So, we're starting from ground 0. We're going to be meeting every 2 weeks or so between now & then, so that should be good, and keep us all in the loop & on the same page!! There are a couple of ladies who have experience in planning retreats, but then there's new people like me who scraped by with a couple of luncheons on her belt!! LOL

I'm excited about it, though, and there's always ladies asking about the next "Chick Flick" night!! That really was a hit!! :) I'd like to schedule a shopping excursion soon, too, but I'm pretty sure I've shared that with you already...

Anyways, lots of things going on with that!! :) Oh, and Jodi, one of the ladies at the meeting, we got to talking about Henry Cloud & Boundaries!! She's got that small group video & stuff, and is going to (in the near future) teach that class again!! I'm so excited!! I told her that I was very interested in reading the book, and then she said she had all the class curriculum, and that she's a "partner" (I didn't know what that means), with New Life Live, and that she's been to a few of their workshops...SO, she's a Henry Cloud/Arturbon (sp?) fan, too!! :)

Tonight Steve was supposed to put together Abbey's armoire, but opted for men's group instead (whatever). Acutally, I'm cool with that, because I still need to get Abbey's room sorted through. That girl has definately learned how to NOT put her things away...My fault. We were really good about keeping things picked up & orgainized when she was first born, but ever since "the move" we've not been consistent with her picking up her messes...nor Steve or I!! LOL I've been doing my FlyLady, though...so at least the living room/kitchen/bathroom/entry hallway are out of CHAOS (can't have anyone over syndrome). So, now I've got to teach Princess "I'm-still-playing-with-that" how to "FLY." (and, I'm using lots of "Flylady-isms," so sorry if I've confused you :) )

I'd better go...I need to see what Abbey's doing!! LOL j/k Steve just left, and we're afraid to leave her in a room by herself for more than 5 minutes (remember the nailpolish? Steve actually got that stain out!! This stuff called "Goop" or something...took most of it right out!! We'll probably have to use it again, though, cause there are some spots not wanting to go away...)

Anyways, ya'll have a great week!! Love ya!!

Okay, so a little while ago I said that I'd like to blog about an epiphany I had while listening to Flylady's radio program a couple of weeks ago. I'd like to do that now, if you don't mind!! LOL

I don't normally listen to Flylady's radio show on Thursdays on WTR (http://www.modavox.com/wtrstudioa/), but with my recent decision to "pick up where I left off" with Flylady, I saw that they had just taped a show that day, and listened to most of it while I was on the computer fiddlin' around...So, anyways, towards the end, a SAHM (stay-at-home-mom) called in & asked if it was ok to do stuff for herself. For real, she asked that. She was feeling guilty because her kids sleep in until 9a.m., and that's about the time she gets up, too. She went on to say that she feels like cleaning & watching the kiddos are her job, so what would she do if everything was always clean all the time?!?! This was a lightbulb moment for me, folks. Flylady said to stop feeling guilty for getting up when the babies get up (all children are referred to as "babies" by Flylady), then she said that this gal needed to sit down & figure out what it is she really ENJOYS doing, something just for herself. Then she "knited her with the Flylady Feather Duster" & told her she was free from all guilt for sleeping when her babies slept, and to have permission for Mommy time...Here's my "A-ha!" moment...I really think that's what keeps me from "flying" consistently. I start feeling GUILTY for choosing & the priveledge of being a SAHM, and can end up feeling like, "Well, if I don't have 'stuff' hanging over me, like cleaning the house, doing laundry in ginormous loads to catch up, etc... then I am useless." I don't know if that adequately sums up what I really mean. I guess it's kinda like I keep the messes around me so I can look around and feel useful because I'm needed to clean up the mess...and this turns into a horrible cycle because then I let things get back to the way they were so I can feel useful again...If I could relay to you that feeling, I would, because then maybe those sentences up there would make sense. That feeling of not feeling worthy enough of being a SAHM, and even though you know a few of your friends would stay home, too, if they could, they would...I don't know, there's just a guilt trip going on here. Like, I feel guilty for being able to stay home, or something. Maybe that's the best way to put it. I feel SO blessed, and know it's a blessing to be able to do what I do.

Now, I am not a society hater. I don't want anyone to think that I blame everything on "society" or "women's lib" or anything. But, it's probably going to sound like that!! LOL

We're taught that women can be anything they want...as long as it's generating a paycheck & you can call it a "career." I know that secular society look down their noses at women who stay home & write us off as "brainless," "uninteresting," etc... And, on the flipside, diehard SAHM's can come off as self-righteous & "spare the rod" types...But why?!?! Where did this division come from? We all have a different calling. We are all to be doing different things, so why is there this animosity?!?! Argh!!!!!! Did anyone watch all those shows Oprah did about WOHM's vs. SAHM's?!?! I really wish that I could've spoken up & said, "Why is there a 'right' side or a 'wrong' side? Some of us are called to stay home with our children, and some to work. They're both missionfields, people!! Our very footsteps are directed by the Lord no matter what our "occupation" or lack there of (in a 'traditional' sense of the word...being a SAHM IS an occupation, imo). Anyways, there are people that SAHM's can witness/touch/show love to that maybe a WOHM can't, and likewise. We are put in these places, ladies, by the King of Kings Himself.

SO, I realize that there isn't really a controversy about this right now, but my feelings of guilt for being a SAHM is what led to this huge deep thought process!! LOL Why should I feel guilt when it's the Lord's leading for me to be where I am? And that goes for all of us. I know that there's a "guilt trip" on the "flipside" (the guilt WOHM's tend to experience for not being with their babies 24/7), too, and again I say, "Why the guilt when your footsteps are being led by the King of Kings?"

There is a right & wrong side to this, though. The wrong thing is disobedience in not going where the Lord wants you to go, and the right is always following His lead, wherever that may mean for you. We're not all called to be school teachers. We're not all called to be CEO's of major corporations. So, why have we decided that all women should work in corporate America, or on the flipside, that all women should stay home & clean their house?!?! LOL Ya'll just follow where you're being led by the Lord!! He's the MOST AWESOME LEADER!! :)

Now that I've said all that, I do want to share a little bit more about my own personal struggle right now. We're really starting to feel a pinch in the financial belt. Just too much debt!! Argh!! We've come a long way, though, and since doing that whole "The Blessed Life" small groups, we've really been faithful tithers, and we can totally see God's blessings for us over the last year + since we've done so...But now it's time to really take our debt by the proverbial horns, and knock it out!! And, to do this, we've realized that we do need a little more income. So, here's the plan...

Remember all that scrapbooking stuff I was going to do? I don't remember if I've shared it here or not. Anyways, I'd like to start doing in-home parties/demonstrations & selling product & my own creations. Some are really intimidated with all that scrapbooking stuff & tools, so I'd like to help get rid of some of the stress, or just have things that people can buy (albums, frames, misc. home decor, etc...) This whole scrapbooking thing is really moving into the home decor genre, too, and it's really awesome; a part of that whole altered art thing.

So, that's what I'm planning on doing. There's a scrapbooking home show company called "Memory Works" & they have a VERY small start up fee, and they provide all the big names in the scrapbooking world. So, for the product part of my shows there'll be that. They have a very easy contract, too, that will allow me to sell my own creations at these parties (albums, special-order albums, and all that other stuff I've already mentioned). Anyways, that just combines 2 of my needs right now...Income & a creative outlet!! :)

So, prayers, please? I'd like to even advertise in the newspaper eventually. For now, though, I'm thinking of starting relatively small...like 1-2 shows a week for starters. This would really help with our debt, and we'd be tithing more!! :) We'd love to really start giving "over & above" offerings, too.

Okay, better get a move on, I think I've unloaded enough for today!! LOL

Oh, I did forget to mention little Miss Abbey May & her very first awards ceremony last night!! Last night was the "Awana Awards Banquet." It was actually a cookout, and very good. She was so stinking cute!! She got her little things, and Miss Lori (her teacher) gave all the kids a little bag of gardening stuff, like seeds & a "dirt digger"!! LOL Very cute...and her class sang a song...it was just precious. Steve got it all on video!! Of course!! My pictures didn't turn out very well, though. But I'll share one of the best ones...

Love you all!!