Turn Dinosaur Off

Six months ago today we were traveling to Dayton, OH for a 4 month [turned 5 month] out-of-town contract job for Charles' work. Now...we're home. I've been thinking about it all day...how life has changed in the last six months. I'd have to say mostly all positive.

We're trying to get back in a routine. Trying. Between the unpacking, organizing, getting rid of/sending to storage, cleaning and just general trying to figure out how to make this house work for 2 very mobile toddlers and a newly mobile [almost walking] infant. 

Solution...keep less around.

I have a lot on my mind after this weekends Homeschool Retreat and hope to write about it soon. And God's been continuing to speak more things to me through this book I'm reading [I mean suppose to be finished reading today]. I experienced His heart this past Sunday morning more tangibly than I have in years. I'm seeing His heart again, and it's not what I've been living like it was.

Today is as real as the next...

Toys that make noise that I wish didn't

Babies who teeth and I wish they wouldn't

Messes that happen and shouldn't

Things I wanted to do and couldn't

All and all I count it a good one because I haven't lost it [...yet]. Twelve minutes till bedtime and I've done my best to let Him do it in me...enjoy the kids [accept the interruptions].

*My husband just figured out how to turn the dinosaurs roar off. 

My night is already looking up*

Scripture & Snapshot [#12]

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Scripture through Snapshots

[Giving God glory through our photos]

& Straight Out Of Camera Sunday

[Photo is not edited]

***

Thanks: Up

Dear Curious Georgi reader,

You!

Yes, you.

Thanks.

Just wanted to say...

 Thanks for reading.

Thanks for putting up with all my grammar errors.

[spell check just fixed "grammer"]

Thanks for sharing my posts.

Thanks for voting.

Thanks for reading "okay" posts.

Thanks for commenting.

Thanks for giving me an audience to create for.

Thanks for challenging me.

Thanks for understanding when I never replied.

Thanks for encouraging.

Thanks for listening.

Thanks.

***

P.S.

[P.S. is a section of the blog where I write un-edited for 5 minutes flat about whatever is on my mind. Enjoy. Or don't. Either way, here goes nothing. Or something.]

I should really use my iPhone stopwatch more. Come to think of it the last time I used my stop watch on my phone was probably when I was running intervals. That was fun. That was nice. Running was cool. It made me feel really strong and really powerful. I felt accomplished. I almost made it through Couch to 5K. Almost. I may or may not try that again. The running was actually getting easy, but my knees weren't so much enjoying it. Maybe after I lose some more weight it won't be so bad? I think I'm going to focus mainly on cutting back the calories and less on the cardio for now. Although, I do want to add in some P90X, I know strength training is good for fat burning. Working out at home will be nice. The gym is nice, but it's childcare center has more germs than the church's nursery. Ugh, if only it didn't. Actually, if only both didn't. Love those places, hate the germs.

New thought. 

Blogging. Again, in researching, studying, and listening about it all, I'm inspired and discouraged. Inspired to learn more, try more, practice more. "Get out there and do my thing", but then I look around at all the amazing blogs and sites and think...what's mine?" I don't suppose the point of anything we do in life is to necessary "make it to the top of the list", or "be the best". Isn't that what we teach our kids? Maybe I should remind myself. Being creative means being creative. It doesn't mean you have the be the-most-creative-one-out-there. I do so enjoy writing though. I have thirty seconds. What do I want to say? 15 seconds. 

I hope I can stop looking around, and just keep looking up.

***

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Subscription

[measuring if it's worth it]

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Usually, the first thing I do before getting out of bed in the morning is scroll through my emails on my iPhone. I don't know if it was the Christmas online shopping or what, but my inbox seems to be constantly full of Ad's [not spam, but Ad's from places I have purchased from]. It was overwhelming, annoying and just plain tempting...I'd be perfectly fine to not spend any money, but when you email me every-single-day with your "deals" suddenly "I NEED" them.

I unsubscribed.

To like at least 30+ places [stores, ministries, organizations and such]

De-cluttering.

Virtual Spring Cleaning.

Call it what you may, my inbox now greets me with real emails and things of the eternal importance. Not deals, sales, and information I don't have time for.

I highly recommend it.

Then I got to thinking. What other aspects of my life need "unsubscribing". I know every day as well I wake up to things I've been subscribing to. Enemies I've shopping with. Lies I've purchased from. Darkness I've stayed in touch with. For whatever reason, they are there. Some for a long time, some just before Christmas. They come in every morning, I read, I try to delete. 

What about not reading? 

What about not having to delete them? 

What about just plain unsubscribing from them? 

No longer giving them permission to enter my spiritual inbox. Measuring if it's worth my time and energy to even give them even that one minute every morning when they fill my inbox...just because I opened my eyes.

I'm asking the Lord to help me unsubscribe from...

overwhelmed.com

wontgeteverythingdonetoday.com

yourenotenough.com

failure.com

youreabadmommyandwife.com

suppressedanger.com

hotmessdisaster.com

What are you unsubscribing from?

***

Click once below to help me market my blog :)


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Thankful Thursdays Top Ten [#26] [Giveaway]

Nation at Tres Lagos Ranch Last Month

[YouCapture Photo Challenge: Happy]

Thankful This Week For:

1. "Editing down" ranch pictures to 400 [goal is to post highlights before the 1st]

2. A husband who keeps it real & helps me when I'm "outta whack"

3. Playdates [and friendships restored!]

4. A book that's rocking my world

5. Ladies night with small group woman...the transparency was almost as good as the food [strawberry lemonade & gingerbread chocolate cookies, Puerto Rican rice&beans, and Mexican food a la carte]

6. The few hours of "warmth" the kids enjoy outside despite winter weather

7. An inbox averaging 100+ [constantly] back down to 40

8. The [creative?] ideas He's given me [despite time to currently explore them]

9. A best friend finding a new house

10. Organic candy bars

Recently, Angell sent me a few samples of their candy bars...naturally [pun intended] I wad delighted to "help" by sampling. If only THAT could be my full time job. Well, maybe part time job, then my other part time job would need to be a fitness trainer. I digress. 

I tried all 3 yummy chocolate flavors [Dark, Milk, White].

Dark being my fav, duh.

I wish all companies had a "eat no evil" policy like they do. Fair trade & Organic all-the-way baby. These round about 150 calorie thin candy bars are just big enough to make you feel like you've eaten a "real" candy bar, without leaving you dissatisfied from those halloween sized candy "fun size." I'd compare the taste to that of a Kit-Kat Bar, and or a little mix of a really yummy chocolate protein bar. I'm just happy to be indulging on something with real ingredients and low cal. 

Wanna Try Them? 

I'm giving away a Angell Organic Candy Bar 12 pack 

[your choice of flavor]

To enter...participate below in Thankful Thursday Link Up 

or

Post your 10 Thankfuls in Comment Section

[Contest ends next Thursday]
[No internationally shipping unless you're Kate Moore]

***Winner is From Mel***

***

Every week I invite my friends in blogworld to...

 join me in being thankful. 

[1] write a blog post with 10 things you're thankful for this week

[2] mention this blog post [hyperlink my blog and/or grab my button]

[3] use McLinky below by clicking on "Click here to enter"

You don't have to do it on Thursdays. You can do it any day of the week. Call it whatever you want. Be creative...use words, pictures, poems, etc. Come back throughout the week and read other's lists and make new friends.
Ask others to join too. 

***

Black & White Wordless [#14]

When 5 people live in 1000 sq. ft with no playroom...

...sometimes [a lot!] this happens.

If you saw my last home-from-traveling-room-disaster picture, you might be tempted to think they get it from me. They don't. I blame it on the suitcases.  My mom was gracious enough to clean a mess just like so while we were on our cruise, but unfortunately as I unpacked other rooms in the house the two older boys did this...again. It took us several hours to clean up, and once we did, we've been on strict keep-the-room-clean training. 

Yesterday, they made a smaller mess three times. To which I made them clean it up and re-organize what they had un-organized. Charles asked the question..."is it worth it?" To which I replied, "yes"

For so many reasons, one main one being that they need a space to play and if it's messy and un-oragnized they won't play with their toys...so they run around the house and get into trouble. Thus, we're home and re-training how to play in our playroom/bedroom without taking out more than one type of toy[s] each.

Motto:

"If I don't make a huge mess, I don't have to clean up a huge mess"

Nation is a great sorter, Solomon...well, he tells me he's tired when I tell him to pick up. To which I reply..."So am I, keep cleaning"

***

This post was apart of the blog hop:

The Long Road to China
A Beautiful Mess

***

Struggles of a Blogger

Do  you hear that sound? The sound of rain falling on a very cold Atlanta day. The sound of a toddler playing too loud. The sound of a baby waking up too early from their nap. The sound of a boy clipping his own nails. The sound of my Chai being warmed up [again]. The sound of the washer.

We've been playing outside everyday [despite the cold] for 1-3 hours, not always by choice, but being cooped up inside isn't their favorite either. Nation always loves it. Solomon, not so much. He needs more convincing, but once he's out and can't see me anymore he's off in his own little world for a good hour.

Since returning home, I'm trying to average just two playdates a week. Mixing in Wednesday morning bible study. That pretty much takes up our mornings lately. I'd like to get the kids back going to indoor play places, but have still be using most of my time to unpack, organize, and clean. 

I usually try to blog the night before or earlier in the morning, but I just didn't know what to blog about today. Let me rephrase that, I know what to blog about, but I don't have time to blog about what I want to blog about. That's okay. It will be good for another day when I don't have a baby in my lap and a toddler on my arm as I write to you.

I keep telling myself consistency and character development is what makes a good blog. Oh, and Jesus. Oops, I mean, exactly. Blogging fascinates me in so many ways. I'm learning a lot about obedience to the Lord, hearing His voice, seeing His heart on a matter, and trusting Him to do with this what He wants.

The temptation to pour more of myself [than allowed] into it is there. The temptation to make a name for myself [if that's even possible] is there. The temptation to get rich with gifts, gadgets and ads is there. I keep coming back to home plate. 

Why blog? What's the point?

Keeping Him in focus despite the world calling...it's definitely a place of growing.

I'm committed this year to be an upside down blogger.

Join me.

Mommy Martyrdom

---Ever tell yourself?---

Be selfless

Put your kids first

Put your husband first

Stop thinking about yourself

It's so self centered to want alone time

You aren't pleasing the Lord when you're so needy

Give of yourself more

Support your husband

Let your husband do the things that make him happy

It makes the kids happy

You can have alone time later in life

This isn't your season for personal time

Be thankful you get to stay at home

Stop asking for more

Think about what is best for everyone else

You don't need it

---Remember---

"So He Himself Often Withdrew into the wilderness and prayed"

-Luke 5:16

[If it's good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me.]

Clearly the bible tells us that we're to be selfless and put others first, but it never says to do so at the expense of running yourself into the ground. It is possible to put out so much and never put in...to the point of emptiness. 

Where there is nothing left to give...

To your husband

To your kids

To your family

To your friends

To the world

---Solution---

Stop being a Mommy Martyr.

Stop listening to the lies [out of context] listed above. 

Stop accepting that being a wife and mother = you completely lose yourself

I'm not talking feminism here. I'm not talking selfishness. I'm talking loving your husband and family so much so you're unwilling to give them any less than your best. And realizing you don't function your best when you're starved. How can you feed them if you've had nothing to eat yourself? Didn't the Lord himself, go away and spend time with the Father so He could feed us? We didn't call Him selfish for always "having to have alone time". We didn't criticism him for "putting him before us".

---Plan---

Talk to the Lord, tell him you need some time with just Him

Talk to your husband, tell him you need some time all-by-yourself

EVERYDAY

Yes, I said it. Everyday.

---Solution---

If getting up early [and loosing the lack of sleep you probably already had] is your preference, go for it, enjoy it...soak Him up.

But, for the rest of us, I believe there is another solution. In as much as it is possible, I suggest finding a consistent [as dinner!] solution to having daddy help everyday at some point so that mommy can slip away for

 ...15 ...30 ...45 ...60 minutes and just be with Him.

No kids waking up up early in the morning

No one getting out of their bed early from nap

No one needing something from you

No one pulling on you

No one watching you

No one talking to you

No dishes to stare at or laundry that needs folding

Just you and Him.

If it's your car, the backyard, a closet, Starbucks, or a room in your house.

Just Go.

Start making you a priority again.

Start taking care of you again.

Start spending time with Him again.

A wise husband delights in giving his wife time and space to be with her Maker, especially not at the cost of her sleep or attention.

We've been doing this for a few months, and it's doesn't always happen, but it happens more than it doesn't. After dinner, Charles has some one-on-one time with the boys in the evening and I slip away to be alone. I don't alway study the Word, sometimes I'm just alone. Whatever refreshes my spirit I do. Then I jump back in and have family time before putting the kids to bed and having alone time with Charles. Maybe it's not for everyone, but it's made a real difference for our family. I feel like I have time to myself and I didn't have to wake up before everyone or stay up after everyone to get it.

Well this is my opinion anyway, but you are on my blog, so that's what you get.

Do you have alone time? How does that work [not work] in your family?

---

[ Praying your family finds an explosion of spiritual blessings & peace as you put back into yourself.]

Scripture & Snapshot [#11]

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You are precious to Him, His thoughts towards you can not be counted...

 ***

Scripture through Snapshots

[Giving God glory through our photos]

& Straight Out Of Camera Sunday

[Photo is not edited]

***

Click below if you enjoyed this post, Thanks!

Dr. Mommy

There really are few things tape can't fix. Usually duct tape, but in this case it was electrical tape. Nation sliced his finger pretty bad on an old fashion batman lunch box [thanks Old Navy]. Charles wrapped it up, but Nation didn't want to get it wet...that's where I came in...I rigged up a ziplock water proof hand protector. Worked like a charm.

Incidentally, when Nation is really injured he doesn't want me, he wants his daddy. I'll never forget last summer when Nation was outside playing and Charles was in the carport and Nation got hurt, but ran into the house screaming looking for us. I heard him screaming [I was in the shower], but thought he must have gotten in trouble and was with Charles. Then I heard him scream..."Where's my daddy?" and I knew... I got out and blood was everywhere because he'd been running up and down the hall. I forget now what he hurt, but it wasn't as bad as it looked. Just a lot of mess. Charles came flying in from outside and Nation ran to him and not me. It was a terrible moment, but I still remember how desperate Nation was on his daddy.

If you get hurt this week...run to Daddy.

Our Second Honeymoon

 Cruises are known for their food. Celebrity Solstice in particular. 5 star baby. We ate in their main buffet cafeteria for most breakfasts & lunches. Food from all over the world. Delish. I'm kinda wishing we would have weighed in before, but am now thankful our scale is still in storage.

 We sailed Sunday-Tuesday to arrive at our first port: San Juan, Puerto Rico. We took a little bus tour through Old & New San Juan, sight seeing and shopping. 

 Our second stop was St. Thomas. We went snorkeling on a sailboat for 3 hours were we saw a barracuda and some sea turtles near a shipwreck. Then we spent the rest of the day shopping.

 Our third stop was St. Maarten, where we went to Orient beach and did a lot of nothing. It was the most relaxing and beautiful thing we did all week. [Could have done without the nudity allowed...definitely saw women jumping waves topless and men laying out fully naked...that will teach us to get out of our lounge chairs and take a walk on the beach.]

See that giant ship next to our "little" ship? That's Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Sea...6,000 passengers! [I didn't take my real camera on the beach.]

Our second formal night...a bit of silly from Charles. We should have taken more pictures...I had some pretty cute dresses! Oh well, someone get married and I'll re-wear them!

 The cruise was lovely. Having our own balcony was worth-every-dollar. It helped with sea sickness and was nice and private for reading, eating and listening to the waves crash all night [since I couldn't pack my box fan!] It was nice to reacquaint myself with my husband and remember he isn't just my roommate and children's father. 

We enjoyed lots of the amenities the ship had to offer, made a few friends, saw some shows, played some games, but spent most of our time sleeping, relaxing, watching movies and of course...eating. We got to eat dinner at their nicest restaurant each night, Blu. The food was fancy, but eatable. I enjoyed all 22 meals with my husband over the course of the week. Well...maybe I should add in a few room services too.

There were so many incredible places around the ship to lounge, watch the ocean, or have a drink. I wish I would have photographed all their lounges...they were so unique. One morning at breakfast I joking told my waiter I'd pay extra to see a whale and right as I said it, a whale appeared...it was unreal!

We tipped well after that!

Already missing my clothes being clean all the time and going to bed and waking up whenever I felt like it...but not as much as I missed my babies.

Thankful Thursdays Top Ten [#25]

Thankful This Week For:

[1] A perfect cruise with my husband for 7 long days

[2] Being home after 5 months out of town, and 30 days "on the road"

[3] Back at our home church [David, by Beth Moore, started today]

[4] A reminder that life isn't always an emergency

[5] Local homeschool moms that encouraged me through their transparency

[6] My mom, who not only watched my kids all week, but cleaned my house too

[7] Caty, our family babysitter, I trust her & know she loves my kids

[8] The Christmas stocking candy I found while unpacking [reward!]

[9] A living God, a Shepard...who speaks to His sheep

[10] Opportunities to give

YouCapture Photo Challenge: Circles

***

Thanks for keeping me in the top 25 by voting today

***

Every week I invite my friends in blogworld to...

 join me in being thankful. 

[1] write a blog post with 10 things you're thankful for this week

[2] mention this blog post [hyperlink my blog and/or grab my button]

[3] use McLinky below by clicking on "Click here to enter"

You don't have to do it on Thursdays. You can do it any day of the week. Call it whatever you want. Be creative...use words, pictures, poems, etc. Come back throughout the week and read other's lists and make new friends.
Ask others to join too. 

***

My Blog Emailed To You

If you like reading my blog, but would like a more convenient way...

...you might enjoy FeedBurner's [free] email delivery service. 

Every time I post you will get a copy sent straight to your email. 

Got 3 minutes?

I'll walk you through the 3 step process below...

***

STEP 1

Enter your email

Enter your email on the top right hand corner on my blog where it says 

"enter your email address" then click "Subscribe"

STEP 2

Word Verification

You will see this screen next and you'll need to type in a funny set of letters in that blank and then click on "Complete Subscription Request". 

[This is a preventive measure taken to avoid spammers.]

STEP 3

Email Verification

Log into your email and look in your Inbox [or Spam folder] for an email from FeedBurner with a subject that says "Activate your email subscription...". This is the most important step because if you do not verify by clicking on that link you will not receive the posts. Open your email from them and click on that long blue hyperlinked "http://...." link.

You're finished!

If you see this screen below...you did it!

[I used my sons email as an example]

I hope this helped. I personally don't use GoogleReader [yet], so I enjoy having my favorite bloggers posts delivered right to email so I never miss one. Let me know if you have any trouble.

Black & White Wordless [#13]

This was my bedroom a few hours ago. 

Somewhere under that is a few suitcases.

From December 19th-January 16th we drove from...

OH to GA to TX to GA

Around 2,200+ miles. 

[Sleeping in our beds only 7 of those nights]

We lived out of suitcases for over a month.

This doesn't even include Charles' trip from Houston to South Texas.

[16 hour round trip]

This also doesn't include the 12 hour "layover" we had in GA before catching our cruise for a week where we cruised from FL to the Caribbean and back. 

If only our car could talk...

...oh wait...it did. 

Flat tire

Broken window

Broken door

Lost keys

Gas tank revolting

AC rebelling

and our 12 hour drive home from Texas took 26 hours!!!

I say all this to say, for the first time in 30 days I'm...

[a] not living out of a suitcase

[b] can see my floor

[c] am HOME!

***

Thank you for your vote

***

This post was apart of the blog hop:

The Long Road to China
Supermom