Weekend news....

So the weekend went very well...we had a great time visiting with family.....and the food .....my oh my...... how full can one person get!!!

This morning however, our oldest son (T) woke up feeling sick and then had a bad nose bleed...so I sent him back of to bed and let him stay home from school...he is feeling some better this morning and if he is doing as well in the morning then he will be back at school.

I ended up not getting much sleep and wrenched my back so I have not been feeling like myself today ..... I did not get anything done today! Ughh, now I'm dreading tomorrow....hopefully I will get a good night's sleep.

The baby (J) is doing well on cereal and baby food....tonight he was not happy until he got some cereal and was able to nurse....his appetite is growing with him!!!
I was talking with my first cousin that has twin 18 month old girls and she was amazed at how big (J) is...her girls weigh just about the same (within just a pound or under) as (J) ....so I believe he is gonna be one big o'l boy!!!! Already at 4 months and he weighs over 20 pounds....but the nurses at the helth dept. don't seem to concerned about him .....he looks just good and healthy!!!

Well, until another time..... I'll be back soon!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We have had a great day here, just enjoyed being together and had a simple but good meal.
The weather was great and the day was wonderful.
The baby is doing fine after his shots yesterday and has not been overly fussy.
The older kids went out and played this afternoon and enjoyed the fall weather...
it was so nice...sunny and a crispness to the air.

We will be leaving in the morning to spend the rest of the Friday and Saturday
with our families.
From our family to yours have a Blessed Holiday.

Pro 16:8 Better is a little with righteousness than great gain without right.

Wow, is it not great to open up and find just the right verse for your circumstance.....this really sums my thoughts on our situation....

I also like what the Henry Commentary had to say on this verse....

It is maintained that a small estate, honestly come by, which a man is content with, enjoys comfortably, serves God with cheerfully, and puts to a right use, is much better and more valuable than a great estate ill-got, and then ill-kept or ill-spent. It carries with it more inward satisfaction, a better reputation with all that are wise and good; it will last longer, and will turn to a better account in the great day, when men will be judged, not according to what they had, but what they did.


My dad always had this concept of life....not that he did not want to improve our lifestyle...but he often said it was not what you have but how you got it....and how you used it....such wisdom.

Computer swap....

So Eric has decided he wants to swap computers with me...I know all who know us are saying WHAT???????? Well, for those of you that don't know, let me explain....Eric had waited for over a year to get a really nice laptop....just went on and on about it...was so excited when I bought it and gave it to him...now 2 months later he wants me to take it and he wants my desktop.....so to make him happy I agreed. I know some of you were saying I did this because I would be getting the updated computer, but now I'm back to using Windows and I had really gotten used to my Linux....so in a way I feel disadvantaged....of course the kids are totally jealous!!! Eric likes the laptop, but it just does not do what he wants it to do and he is so frustrated with it....(he wants to run a Linux system and the laptop will it just won't do sound with Linux...the speakers won't work)...and he knows the desktop will run what he wants.

I think I'm gonna lose the office...since we have decided to start up a business in computer repair, Eric will be needing the space to work out of. so I am now using the table where Eric set up his laptop work station last week....

Playing around...

Just playing with adding images.....found some free clipart....love the vinatge look!

A Wise Woman....

Proverbs 14:1 (New Century Version) A wise woman strengthens her family, but a foolish woman destroys hers by what she does.

As wives and mothers we are in a position to be a bountiful blessing to our husbands and families. Often you could say that we are the 'core' of the family. We women can make or break our family......taking none of God's blessings for granted..... when we look at our households with purpose and consideration we can build up our family, making sure to stay industrious and maintain a proper attitude of our given place in the family...(not to rule but to take care of) we can see our family prosper.

However, we must not loose focus and become idle and wasteful...remember the verse says a foolish woman destroys her family by what she does. We must take care not to neglect what God has blessed us with...for when we loose gratitude for God and His blessings we can be the ruin of our households.

I pray that I am finding wisdom.

Getting my bookshelves, a husband at home, and feeling blessed.

So looking for the blessings right.....right! Blessing # 1...I'm getting my bookshelves finally built! Yeah! Whooooohoooo! So, now I can unpack my books!! The office will finally start looking like something instead of a catch all room!! Eric is sooooo goood toooo meeee!!!

Speaking of Eric, it has been different getting used to him being at home during the day. I have to admit I've not done as well as I should this week because he has thrown my own schedule off....well it will get better, I just have to buckle down and do my own thing if he is here or not.

Thank You Lord for the Blessings You give.... I am thankful of all I have and the friends in my life. God truly blesses His own! Thanks for each prayer on our behalf!

Cold/Wet Weather, Baby Food, and Mamma's a Winner

Okay the cold and wet are getting to me....maybe it wouldn't be so bad if it was just either/or but both are getting to me.... the drizzle that seems never ending today had me in the yucks today! I have not done anything much at all!! Eric did say when he looked at the forcast that the weather is supposed to be more sunshine and dryer tomorrow....so maybe I can get something done then!

The baby (J) had some cereal with applesauce the last couple of days ..... he is still getting used to the spoon but so far is enjoying the food..... I could not feed him fast enough. He still is not for drinking anything other than when he nurses so I guess I will just be nursing and feeding him the cereal...(starting it slow on that ....just at lunch to see how he does these first few days). So far so good....

My mom called this morning to see how everything is going (she is worried for us since Eric lost his job earlier this week) ...... anyway, she was calling from Chattanooga (she was at a convention for work) and she was all excited cause she won one of the prizes... a really nice digital camera ! She is so thrilled!! I am so glad for her! She will be coming back tomorrow and we will go and see her next week....She has a job lined up for Eric (every little bit helps at this point) and since I had to go for J's 4 month shots he can get the work done the same day!! Then we will be going back over at the end of the week for Thanksgiving....we will spend the night with Mamma Sue & Papa Rich on Friday after a family dinner there and have family dinner with my side on Saturday. So, busy weekend next week!

Not the best day....

So I sleep in just a bit this morning with the baby ....I get up feed him and hear the door opening...thought it might be one of my aunts coming in to check on me or something like that and instead it was my hubby....he had just been let go from work....they told him they needed someone that could be there.....not someone who has to take off due to his migraines.(The migraines have gotten bad the last few years and he has had to take off more and more.....we have seen numerous doctors about them and had test after test run to no avail.) So, what to do now? We are trying to keep our spirits up and praying about this....we hope that it will be a blessing in the long run and that God will open up doors for us.

We had company last night for dinner ..... a couple from the congregation we attend came to help us try out a new recipe I found ..... Sausage & Apple Pie...it was great! So, here is the recipe.....(I tweaked it somewhat)

1 pound Sage Sausage

2-3 Granny Smith Apples

1 good sized Onion

1 cup Apple Cider

1-2 teaspoons Vinegar

8 slices of Swiss Cheese

Pie crust for 1 pie (top and bottom)

Brown the sausage in skillet and dice the apples and onion in good size chunks. Drain the sausage and then put apples and onions in pan with last of the drippings to cook....slowly add the Apple Cider and Vinegar and let cook .....add in sausage after it has drained for a min or 2 to get most of the grease out. Simmer the mixture until most of the juice is cooked away. Line the bottom of pie crust with slices of Swiss Cheese then pour sausage/apple mixture over top of cheese. Add remaining cheese slices to top of mixture and cut top pie crust to form a "weave" top. Bake at 350 for about 30 min or until pie crust is golden. Enjoy!

Well, I hear the baby once more, so off I will be! Please keep us in your prayers!

Six Week Muffins? Yes!

These are so good and good for you!

15 oz box of Raisin Bran .... I use a 20 oz box and it comes out fine!

1 quart Buttermilk

! cup Veg Oil

2 1/4 cup Sugar

4 Eggs

5 cups All-Purpose Flour

5 teaspoons Baking Soda

2 teaspoons Salt

Mix all together and cover in air tight container. Let sit for at least 6 hours before baking. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes. This will last for 6 weeks in the refridg. Just take out how much you want for the day and put the rest back in the refridge......These muffins are dense and will stick with you and they are packed full of fiber.....hope you enjoy!! (My hubby and kids love these!)

I got this recipe from my MIL....thanks Mamma Sue!!!

Well, today I had to take the kids to services alone...Eric woke with a migraine and has been not feeling well all day....he is doing some better now but still a bit sluggish from the headache. Other than that, not much to report.... have a blessed day!

Silent Auction....

We went to a silent auction tonight...to benefit a church that several members of my family attend.... had a great time...good food.....good company...and we bid and won most what we bid on....spent $29 and we got a package of gloves (I'd say about 8 pair of work gloves), a set of 6 place mats (that I'm using for a Christmas present) 2 embroidered handkerchiefs (to use as a craft project), a cartoon dvd, 3 hardback books, and a huge lot of Christmas decorations/gift giving supplies...not bad I think.....and it is all stuff we will use!

My mom is still fighting the flu, so she did not make it after all ...talked with her this morning and she was so upset...I told her maybe this was God's way of saying she needed to slow down and take a rest. She has been going non-stop the last few years and she could really use a good rest! I hope she feels better soon so that she can come and visit and stay a night or two I know the kids would love it and so would I.

Make a joyful noise....to do lists and Holiday cheer

Psalms 100.... 1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before His presence with singing. 3 Know ye that the LORD He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. 5 For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations.

Wow! What a great way to start your day!! Making a joyful noise unto the Lord!! And what a wonderful Psalm this close to Thanksgiving....for we must always remember that God is sooo Good and that all we have are His blessings on us!!!

My first week and I've missed a day already.... I really did try to get on here last night, but the baby was not feeling all that well and when I started to write last night he decided that it was time for nursing and cuddling .....hey, who am I to argue? He drifted off to sleep and so did I ....he he he.....anyway, yesterday was pretty much the same as every other day around here....although daughter #1 (M) stayed after school for soccer tryouts.... she came home cold and wet since the field was soaked....and she is staying again today for more tryout fun....they had to be there for at least 2 days of tryouts....she is so excited!

Today, I am gonna work on more laundry (story of my life) and clean the kitchen (since I did not get to that last night) and start pulling out Christmas decorations...the last fall things I will leave up until after Thanksgiving then it will be full blown Christmas around here....We really want the kids to enjoy the Holiday this year....we may not can afford lots of gifts for them but we sure can put them in good spirits!!

Well, I hear little man waking up so I guess I'm off for a while.....God Bless All!

Did you VOTE...breakfast for dinner....and homemade hot chocolate

We did (hubby and me) and now I hope to see and hear no more campaign ads for a while. Now, don't get me wrong, I think people need to know who is running...but let's just stick to the facts about how you vote, what your stance is and leave the mud slinging out of it...I don't want to know your opinion about each other ....just tell me about yourself....FACTS ONLY PLEASE!!!

Well, we had breakfast for dinner (we tend to do that lots around here)...on the menu was breakfast beef steaks (cut up and breaded), homemade biscuits, scrambled eggs, gravy, and fried apples....good and filling....we don't mind if it is not your traditional dinner but we love different breakfast foods for our evening meal....my favorite is chocolate gravy and biscuits with eggs and bacon....the kids love that one too!! Hubby is so easy to please and never complains as long as he has something and its not to late....gotta love that man.

And I made a gallon bucket full of hot chocolate mix...the weather here has been chilly and the last couple of days wet as well, so I just had a hankering for some good warm drink....I love to mix it in some decaf coffee and have a mocha drink .... so great to cuddle up and sip on a cool night!

Well, that about does it for me today...been a nice quiet day and not much has gone on....looking forward to tomorrow and getting more things done around here...my list will include laundry, working on organizing the kitchen, and start getting out some Christmas decorations out and slowly put them up....Love Christmas and hubby really wants the house all done up this year ...don't want to disappoint him so I'm gonna try real hard to get it all up (that's why I want to start so early)

Reorganizing the house, pantry envy and a sick momma....

So like I said, we got these 3 great bookcases and I'm reorganizing the house...moving furniture and such to make room and get all I can out of the extra storage...still working on it but I moved the small bookshelf that had our movies (VHS and DVD) on it out and put in a bigger shelf (we really needed it the movies were overflowing) and then I moved the smaller bookshelf into the kitchen for some added storage....also traded out a small bookshelf with the Bibles and Bible references for the same reason....now I have one large and one small bookshelf that I need to find homes for....

I am having a hard time right now with pantry envy...my friend and neighbor just posted on a board (and her blog as well) about doing inventory on her pantry...she is so well stocked that I am envious...I used to have a well stocked pantry but alas, with the move, the new little one and having to have both vehicles worked on the last few months my pantry is sad, very sad....I am hoping for the chance to use our tax refund money to help out with that come the first of the year....(yes d, that was me commenting on your blog).

I called my mom this evening to check up on her...she is sick with the flu.... she is taking some meds, but its just gonna have to run its course....I do hope she gets better before Friday, the church that many of our family goes to is having a silent auction and dinner and she wants to come down for that and maybe spend the night and be able to visit with family she has not gotten to see in a while....

Well, that about does it for my day...gotta go take care of the little man (he's hungry once again) Just call me "Bessie" cause some days I feel just like a milk cow.....

10 dollar bookshelves, friends locking their husbands out, and Sunday happenings....

So, Eric tells me that while I was out visiting family yesterday my aunt came by and asked if we wanted to buy some bookshelves from my cousins house (they are moving into a small apartment and are majorly downsizing) ....they are 6 foot bookshelves and she only wants 10 dollars each for them so for less than what it would have cost for one from Wal-mart, I got 3 ...... whooo hooo!!! Tonight I asked my friend to come to services with us and to stay after for a short devo and refreshments....after the devo and while we were eating I asked if her husband could get into the house tonight (she had locked him out on accident on Halloween while she was here) and she got this horrified look on her face and said that she had locked him out once again.... OH, NO!!! (I promise, , I'm not trying to be a bad influence on her, really!)

We are truly enjoying our new church family, and are becoming more involved with the congregation and its ministries each week.... God has most assuredly been blessing our family!!! Everyone has been so welcoming and helpful to us these past few months. We hope to become even more involved as time goes on and (for me ) the baby gets bigger. Not that I am having to worry about him.... he gets passed around more than a hot potato!

Well, I'm off to get the bigger kiddos into bed and to settle in with the little man and let him nurse and drift off to sleep!

Quiet Time...

I don't know about other mothers, but I like Saturday mornings to be my time....let everyone else sleep in and do something just for me...(I'm an early riser now by nature).....in warmer months and when I can I love to get up and go to yard sales....other mornings just to get up and read, spend time on the computer, or watch a movie all by myself..... everyone benefits from my quiet time. I get to wind down and Eric (my husband) and the Kiddos get to sleep in (just what active ones need sometimes ....extra sleep).

This morning during quiet time I went and picked up Ripley (our Min. Schnauzer) after his grooming session...he had been a bit neglected on the grooming since the baby arrived and was looking a bit shabby...so now he is all clipped and clean and looks just too cute. When I got back, Ripley had to wake everyone so my quiet time was limited this morning (but that was okay) and so I've enjoyed the morning watching the kiddos playing with the dog....Ripley is still getting used to the baby. He is so funny and wants to smell all over our little one....then try to lick him in the face (I then push Ripley gently back and say "no") he is getting better but gets so excited to be close to him.

Now the older kiddos are out playing down the street at a friends house (sorry D....next time they can all gather here I promise!) and the baby is sleeping away in the living room with dad watching over him while he enjoys the quiet of the house (and playing on his laptop). Nothing much going on the rest of the day...gotta lay out some stuff for dinner and I may go and visit an aunt in a bit ....other than that we are just gonna enjoy the blessings of God in our lives today!!!

Just being me....

With me, what you see is what you get....period. So that is why my blog is named what it is.... I am nothing more or less than me..... I don't try to put on a pretty front for the world, I am who I am reguardless of who is with me or whatever situation I'm in. (Just ask my husband..) Now, that is not saying I don't need to work on who I am....quite the opposite.... I want to become a better wife, mother and I want people to really see Christ living in my life....so yes, there is always room for improvement. Saying that I want to use this as sort of an accoutablity factor.... make myself own up to my shortcomings so to speak. So you will probably hear all about the good , bad and the ugly in my life.


Before I go any further I must say what a wonderful husband I have, I mentioned that I thought I would like to start blogging and the next thing I know he is looking for ways to make it happen.... whithin a short while he was saying this is how it is done and we can start now and slowly update everthing to make just how you want it .... what a great man God has blessed me with!!!


Well, more later.... I must go and get ready for a trip to Nashville with my cousin (she is taking her son to the doctor and asked me to ride along) and I have to get the little man up and going.

Okay , so now I'm blogging..... and this of course is my first post. It will have to be a short one since the baby is ready for bed..... I am hoping that this will help keep me motivated to be a better wife, mother, daughter and friend.... and above all a better servant to the Lord! Well, I'll be back to really get a good start tomorrow! Got to go and tend the little man!!!