Mums The Word...

I was browsing through a few store circulars and I saw a deal to grab!

1.0 Pint Garden Mums

Originally $2.48 each.

Sale - 2 for $1!

Valid 9/1/11-9/5/11

At Lowe's...Let's Build Something Together :)

September is almost here...almost time to break out the fall decor and mums are a beautiful part of fall!

Recipe: El Sombrero Corn Bread

I made this recipe last week for a Mexican meal and it was delicious! I think the only thing I would change is possible put a few dashes of my homemade Cajun seasoning in the batter. :)

El Sombrero Corn Bread

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 can (14 3/4oz) cream style corn
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped

In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, corn, sour cream and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in 1 cup of cheese and jalapenos.
Transfer to 2 small loaf pans. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 min. or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Serve warm.

"I Am Not Your Doormat"

Today in my husband's sermon, he said, "Don't treat your Lord like a doormat."
These two thoughts came to my mind:

1. People walk over Him daily not even noticing He is there.

My husband is often guilty of not taking notice of things. Do you know someone like that? He often walks in from his day at work and will not notice a thing that may be different. We had 3 sets of closet doors that we had taken down (because they didn't work and caused much frustration to me! :) and they sat in our back hallway. I don't know why I let them sit so long. I finally took them out to the garage a few days ago to take to the dump. My husband came home, it has been 3 days and has never said a word about the doors being gone.

That is how we are sometimes with God. He is in our life because we are saved. But we just walk over him - like we do a doormat by the front door - never even noticing that He is there. That He is waiting for fellowship with us. That He is waiting for us to talk to Him in prayer.

2. People only use Him when they need Him.

Most of the time, I do not conciously use our door mat to wipe my shoes. Why? I do not necessarily need it all the time. However, when it is raining or snowing, I am definitely going to use that doormat! Why? Because I am the one who will be cleaning up the mess from people who decide not to use the doormat.

And this is how we treat God. "God, if my life is messy, I will use you. I need you to clean up the mess I made in my life."

But when our lives are sunny and pleasant...problems are few and far between...we don't have a need for that doormat. We don't have a need for our God.

What a great reminder for everyone! Don't treat God as your doormat!

Calling In Your Problems...

My husband preached one of his favorite sermons Sunday...it is regarding hunting. He tells the story of the first time his father took him out hunting. They went to the middle of the desert, sat down on a big rock, and his father started calling the coyotes to come closer with a game call. This particular call was that of a dying rabbit. The coyotes will hear that call, think that a rabbit is dying and come to find their dinner.

My husband uses this story to illustrate how we do things to call the devil closer. On the way home, I thought about that sermon illustration.

I also thought...don't we as Christian women sometimes "call" our problems in? I think we are all guilty of this.

We say..."I don't know why my teenager is rebelling." Do we set rules for our home and then stick by them? Or do we try to be the cool mom? Do we set the example and go to church with them or do we just let them go to church and we stay out? Are you calling your child rearing problems in?

We say..."I can't keep up with my housework." Do we spend more time on the computer than we do keeping our house in order? Do we spend more time shopping than cleaning? Are you calling your problems in?

We say..."I don't have enough money!" Do we tithe or are we robbing God of what is His? Are we paying our bills first? Do we say no to the extras when we can not afford it? Are you calling your money problems in?

We say..."My husband just doesn't put anything into our marriage." Do we have a home cooked meal ready when he comes home from work? Do we have clean clothes ironed in his closet? Do we text him love messages when he is at work? And yes, I worked a full time job before we had children and I still had a home cooked meal and a clean house ready when my husband came home. Don't let the TV homes dictate what you can or can not do as a godly wife. Or do we just nag him about taking out the garbage or mowing the lawn? Are you calling your marriage problems in?

Your actions in your life will help determine what problems you have in your life. I didn't say it will determine every problem you have...but it will help determine.

Yes, teenagers from good Christian homes with godly parents may go the wrong way. Yes, Christian couples get divorces. There are situations that sometimes no matter what we have done, they happen. The Lord knows and He understands.

Take care...ask yourself the next time a problem arises...am I calling this problem in? If you are, ask the Lord to help you change and then work on it.

"He That Formeth The Mountains..."

I was reading in Amos and these verses stood out to me...

"For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, and maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The Lord, The God of hosts, is his name." Amos 4:13

Just reading this verse reminded me how very powerful our God is! As I sit at my dining room table and type this, I can look out the window and see Peavine Mt. in the distance. The Lord formed that mountain!

As I watch the news of the powerful hurricane that is wreaking havoc in the Bahamas and will soon devastate the eastern coast of the United States...The Lord created that powerful wind!

The thoughts that I write down and pass through my brain...the Lord declares those thoughts to me!

Remember, The Lord is his name. Wow.

In Amos 5:8, "Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name:"

Seek this amazing God today! He made the stars and the heavens...he made the planets. Take your children out in the evening, lie in the grass on your back and show them the creation of the stars and heavens that their God has made.

Then back up to vs. 4 and vs. 6...The Lord says, "Seek ye me, and ye shall live:"

Do you want a fulfilled life? I didn't say a life without problems. Do you want a purpose-filled life? Seek the Lord and ye shall live. He is able to give you life...and life more abundantly!

Ken's Salad Dressing...

I am sure you are wondering why I posted a picture of salad dressing. LOL!

I think God cares about the little things in our lives. The little things that are important to me...and to you.

We were almost out of salad dressing and we are having company over Thursday - so I stopped at our local grocery store to pick some up. I didn't want to...knowing I was probably going to pay extra if it wasn't on sale and because this store is not as cheap as a larger chain.

I grabbed the only coupons in my binder that I had for salad dressing - Ken's Steak House - and headed in. I figured I would buy whatever was the cheapest - coupon or not.

And there in front of me was Ken's Dressing on sale for $1.99! With my $1 off coupons, I was able to buy 2 bottles for $.99 each!

To somebody else, that might not mean much. But to me, it is like a hug from God. God knows what is important to you and what makes you feel loved. And He also knows when you need a hug. A sweet and tasty reminder! :)

Squash and Wednesday!

This morning, I found this cute basket of squash from our neighbors outside on our front step! What a sweet surprise on this morning! I look forward to cooking these fresh garden vegetables. :)

"Well, You Ought Of Been There"

Last Sunday, my husband forgot his clothes for baptism. So I rushed back to get them for him before Sunday School. On the way, I was listening to a song...

"Well, you ought of been there...when He blessed my soul!"

I thought, How true! May I encourage you today? Don't miss a church service!

"Well, you ought of been there..."

What kind word from a friend did you miss today? What Bible truth in Sunday School did you not hear today? What hymn of the faith did you not hear to uplift your spirit? What joke did you not hear to cheer your heart? What spiritual encouragement did you miss from Pastor's sermon today? What area of service in your church did you forego today?

"Well, you ought of been there..."

God has done so much for each and every one of us. Why do we rob Him of His time? He is deserving of our praise and worship. He wants to speak to us through His Word yet we are not there to hear it.

Don't miss out on anything else! Don't come to the end of your Sunday just to hear...

"Well, you ought of been there..."

SVBC Tubing Activity 2011

Today we had a teen activity - tubing on the Truckee River. I wasn't able to tube because I had the girls so we hung out in the park and on the banks of the river. Everyone had a wonderful time!

After the teens and chaperones floated down the river, we grilled cheeseburgers, chips, cookies and soda. We played volleyball and fellowshipped.

I love Nevada and I love the Truckee River! It is still ice cold from the snow run off from the mountains and crystal clear! It is a beautiful area to enjoy in the Reno area. Bro. Tom and Sonny went fishing and were catching trout left and right. They brought back several fish and cooked them over the grill as well.

It was a bad day for possessions though. Bro. Jake lost his sunglasses and his wedding ring. :( Bro. David lost his sunglasses. And Bro. Shaun broke his sunglasses.

On the other hand, hilariously so...Bro. Shaun actually found his flip flop that he lost last summer on our tubing activity!

This was where my husband fell in while trying to get on his tube! LOL!

Couponing Blessings!

I finally squeezed in some couponing today! I wanted to share my blessings. :)

I stopped today at CVS and received all these items for FREE! Yay! Here is how: I scanned my Extra Care card at the red machine. I received coupons for a Free Hershey's candy bar and Free Carefree Liners. I also received a coupon for $2 off 2 Shampoo/Conditioners. The VO5 products were $.99 each so I got one of each-both Free. I received a full size CVS body wash for Free coupon online through Facebook, I believe, and cashed that in as well.

When I checked out, all I paid was the tax - $.33 and received $1 Extra Buck for using my Green Tag on my reusable bag. Sweet!

I also did couponing at Wal-Mart today. Many coupons expire on 8/31 or even before so I wanted to try to use what I could before that time.
2 Reach floss-Free! Plus made $.24 in overage.
2 Tide Single Load Packets-Free! Plus $.06 in overage.
2 Curad Bandaids-$.47 each
2 Dawn dish soap-$.47 each
BIC Soleil 4 pack lady razors-$1.47 each
Woolite detergent-My husband specifically asked me to get this detergent for his work shirts so they don't fade. When I picked it up, one bottle behind it had a $2.00 off coupon taped to it for exactly what I was buying! :) - $5.97

2 Kid's Crest Toothpaste-Free!
6 Airwick Ultra Freshmatic Kits with Refill-$.77 each

The total paid for all these products in the above picture...$9.72!

Volunteering-Feeding the Homeless

Tonight, my husband and I were able to go with a group of our church folks to volunteer at the Reno/Sparks Gospel Mission. Our teens have been going twice a month to volunteer to feed the homeless for the past several months. They have also volunteered at the Food Bank bagging groceries for needy families. In the past 6 months, our church teens and adults have volunteered 92 hours in the community! What a blessing to give back and be a beacon of light in our city!

There are not many experiences that will make you more thankful than experiences like those...seeing men and women who are homeless...come in for their daily meal. A simple meal with a glass of water/milk. It makes you so very grateful for the blessings in your own life.

I think it may be just what Jesus would be doing...if He lived in 2011 in Reno, NV.

I challenge you to get involved in your community! You will not regret it! :)

Sunday night, we were coming home from church...my husband and I were chatting about the day's events. In the back of the van, the girls were playing and talking. Sierra was pretending that her lip gloss was a princess and she was talking for her "lip gloss princess". She was talking to Addie's lip gloss who was the "prince" and this is what she said...

"Stop! I am trying to fall in love with you!"

My husband and I burst out laughing. You never know what kids will say!

But often, kids can teach you valuable lessons through their actions and words. And this is what I "heard"...

God is trying to speak to you every day. He is like the spouse that just wants some undivided attention from their lover. He says, "Stop what you are doing! Stop watching that TV show. Stop reading that novel. Stop hanging out with your friends. Stop shopping for that new outfit. Stop talking on the phone to your best friend. Stop chatting on Facebook. Stop listening to that music."

"Stop! I am trying to fall in love with you."

God wants that love relationship with us. But often we are too busy to even hear what He is saying to us. You know, like when your husband is playing a video game and you are talking to him...you tell him this long, detailed story and end it with a question and he answers - Huh? Do we do that to God? God is trying to speak to us...through His Word...through his nature and creation...through the pastor's message on Sunday...but we are too busy to hear it.

"Stop! I am trying to fall in love with you."

Give God a quiet time. Take away the distractions of your life. And give God the chance to fall in love with you.

Video: Birthday Cake!

Princess Party Pictures

Happy 8th Birthday to Addie and Kailey! They had matching shirts and princesses. :)

Playing our first game...

James, Thomas and Matthew making their door knockers...

All the girls got their nails done, put on lip gloss and a spray of perfume...

Sierra's door knocker...

Addie and Autumn working on their craft...

Opening their gifts...My Little Ponies...

Birthday gifts and the kids' goody bags with their door knockers and prizes.

Just a few pictures from the birthday party for Kailey and Addie on Saturday! We played games, made a craft, did mini makeovers, had hot dogs, watermelon, chips, soda and chocolate cake, and had a wonderful time!

Video: Sierra-First Verse for the Year

Sierra's first verse for this year - Genesis 1:1.

Video: Sierra-Letters I and U

This is Sierra. She is doing K-4 this year. She is reciting her phonics for the letters I and U.

A Lost Art

My mother-in-law was doing some cleaning and sent me a box of stationery that she didn't need anymore. When I told her thank you...she texted me that I was probably the only person in the world that used stationery any more.

Well, I am sure that I am not the ONLY person in the world that still uses good, old fashioned stationery. LOL! But, yes, it is not commonly used in this day of texting, e-mail, Facebook, Skype, Twitter and all the other modern conveniences. I do use many of these modern ways to communicate on a daily basis. But I still like to write a note on pretty stationery to a friend as well.

The other day, my husband asked if I would like to have a Kindle someday. He said it would be great for me because I have a love for reading. I don't know...but I don't think right now. I just like going to the library...browsing the shelves...and holding our stack of books to check out at the desk. Maybe old fashioned...but I like it that way.

Maybe it is growing old...maybe the nostalgia of it...or perhaps I am old-fashioned.

But I am going to hang on to that old-fashioned letter writing...it may be a lost art...but I like it. :)

My Week In A Nutshell...

Ever felt very busy in your life...but you don't really have anything interesting to tell about? LOL! That is me, I guess. When I finally sit down at the end of the day to write in my blog...I can't think of anything to say. Ha ha! Oh well.

School has been going well. We have had a great start to the year and every year, I perfect our system a little bit more. :) This year, I bought those plastic trays for my desk to help keep all the paperwork organized. One tray is for seatwork/classwork, one tray for quizzes and tests and one tray for the day's folders for each girl. It is also a good prompter to keep up on the grading and not fall behind for me.

We have finished 8 days of school. Sierra is memorizing her second Bible verse for the year...and has learned the phonics for I and U. She also started cursive writing. It is a lot of tracing at first...and the first year of cursive writing the hardest...but it is a great start and she enjoys it.

Addie has had a Language and Science Quiz as well as a Spelling Test...grading 100 on all 3! Yay! Autumn cruises through her work and is doing so well. I am very proud of her!

Yesterday, I made a tator tot casserole and blueberry muffins for Papa Vern in our church. The girls, my father-in-law and myself had an afternoon visit with him after school.

Tomorrow, we are having a birthday party for Addie and her friend, Kailey, who just both turned 8 yrs. old.

Hope you are having a blessed week!

I Am Praying For You...

Tonight, one of the couples from our church had taken the teens of our church for their weekly Young Leaders for Christ meetings...they had came back to our church building and

found a small group of people from a local Southern Baptist church praying outside our church door.

Wow. What an amazing feeling to have fellow Christians praying for you.

They do not know us...yet they had on their prayer list...

"Pray for Pastor Eric and that Sierra View Baptist Church would continue to do a work in Reno".

I thought...What a wonderful testimony of Pastor Dave and the members of the Life Church!

It convicted me to do more for others...

...even if it is just to pray...for others that I may not personally know...will never come to my home for dinner...will never darken the door of our church.

I praise the Lord for the Christians of Reno who love and care for others through their prayers!

Addie Turns 8!

Tuesday was our oldest daughter's, Addie, birthday. She turned 8 yrs. old. I started a tradition awhile back that we had a date day doing various things. I sign up for lots of free birthday goodies with various stores and restaurants. Then we go to all those places and get lots of freebies! The birthday girl is happy and it is very inexpensive!

A friend made this birthday shirt for Addie. It has her name and the number 8. Isn't that neat?

The first stop was the Christian book store. She had asked for a Bible because she had lost hers at VBS this year. This is the one she picked out. And we had a 25% off coupon!

Then we went to Red Robin. Our first stop was going to be Texas Roadhouse but they didn't open until 4pm so we missed out this year. :(

Summer tagged along with us. She is a ham!

Addie got a free kids meal...they sang happy birthday to her and gave her a free ice cream sundae!

Then we went to Toys R' Us. She had a $3 off a $3 purchase coupon. I let her use $5 of her birthday money from her aunt and she was able to buy a new Barbie doll with the coupon for $4.87!

Then we went to Chuck E. Cheese. I couldn't get the coupon to print for her free tokens so I printed the e-mail. At first they wouldn't accept it and Addie started crying. They ended up giving her the 20 free tokens plus 15 extra! She had so much fun playing the games. :)

On the way home, she got a free scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream from Baskin-Robbins.

She also got a free kids meal from Sonic to take home!

You can have lots of fun on a little bit! :)

A Fresh Look!

So my husband left Tuesday evening to go to Boise for work responsibilities. I decided to do a project while he was gone. This makes me too tired to miss him (much :) and it is fun to have a surprise when he gets back!

So I decided to paint my kitchen. This is what my kitchen looked partly like when we bought it. Plain and ugly. White and bright blue cabinets...old linoleum...

So since we didn't have a lot of money then to replace cabinets and countertops...we did the best we could.

This is partway through the fixing up. Minus the outlet covers, curtains and baseboard.

What a change, right? You can really do a lot with just paint! We also put in new flooring. I went with a mocha color for the walls and sage green for the curtains to flow with the dining room in the next room.

But after three years and lots of grubby handprints, etc...my kitchen needed a fresh look. What a better time than when the hubby is gone and I don't need my kitchen to cook! LOL!

I had found that white wasn't the best choice for cabinets with kids. I really don't like painted cabinets but they are too expensive to replace. So I decided to give it a totally different look...dark cabinets and bright colored walls! And I love it! :)

I have a very small kitchen in a house that was built in 1950. My laundry room happens to be in my kitchen! But it keeps my laundry from piling up. :)

These are actually a set that someone from our church gave us for free when they replaced theirs and I was so thankful! My set was as old as my house! LOL!

I am doing a little fun shopping and getting some accessories to hang up in my "new" kitchen! Woo hoo! Can't wait! :)

Have a limited budget? This only took 2 gallons of paint and 2 days of work. You can do it! Don't ever use the excuse that you can't have nice things because you don't have the money. It doesn't take much to create a home that honors the Lord. A little creativity goes a long way! :)