Snowed in and loving it!!

We are snowed in here and the kids are having a ball - literally. I stayed in the garage to capture these photos because we are currently having freezing rain. The kids don't care though.
No, we are leaving the drive way alone because we are staying home anyway BUT the trampoline is getting some TLC by Brian.
This picture just cracked me up because Reece thought it would be easy to lift up this lid. He learned quickly that snow can be quite heavy.
Snow ball fights galore!!

This is Reece, right before coming in the house, asking for some hot cocoa. He knows the "snow drill".
We've wanted the kids to watch The Ten Commandments for months now, but who has 4 hours to sit and watch it. Brian thought it might be a good idea to watch a little bit in the morning, a little in the afternoon, and a little tomorrow. So....I think we are set for our 'snow weekend'. Hope everyone is enjoying the thrill of the seasons!

The EXCITEMENT!!!!!

North Carolina has been gearing up, for a few days, for a big snow storm and it has begun! I wasn't home, earlier this evening, and missed my husband's "Get home NOW" 7:41p.m. phone call because I have the problem of keeping my phone on vibrate w/out thinking about it. It isn't wise, in NC, to be out in such weather. It was a stressful drive home with people stomping on their brakes on the highway, but I came home to some pretty excited children and that was precious.
Everyone, even in Ohio and Iowa, should celebrate snow like these kids. :)

Yes it is bedtime, but let's go out and play anyway.......

I LOVE the joy the kids have over the snow... I love that Brian swept the steps so I wouldn't break my neck when I got home. And I love that everything is cancelled for the next couple of days. And I love that it was 62 degrees yesterday and snowing today! :)

Please be praying.....

While I haven't seen the utter devastation on the t.v. -having 3 little kids at home doesn't afford much t.v. time- it has been on my mind and in my prayers so much over the past couple of days.
Brian's sister, who was able to visit us last month, lives in the Dominican Republic where her Markarios School and ministry is located. Over the past 24 hours she has been able to raise almost $20,000 for the people of Haiti. She has already sent a truck of supplies (water, food, tarps and medical supplies) to Haiti and will be sending more in the next day or two.
It is a joy to read, on the internet, how this world comes together and helps even when they have no personal connections to the people of Haiti. I've read of several countries sending nurses, doctors, supplies, etc. to Haiti to help during this tragic time.
My mind has been in such a fog and it's so hard to concentrate on my own tasks knowing all that is happening in another country. After supper tonight and Bible reading we discussed what it must -in our own imaginations- be like for people in Haiti. After discussing it all with the kids we went around and prayed for the people in Haiti and for Aunt Sharla. We must never forget the power of prayer and we desire for our children to remember that, even when they feel helpless, they have the VERY Lord of Lords to call upon and pray to Him. Wow.....that doesn't feel so helpless after all. Let's keep praying!

Feel VERY sorry for our 3rd child...

My sister might deny this (she is the first born and I am the 3rd/baby of the family), but the third child gets a 'raw deal' at times. While Brian was setting up the train for Christmas, he discovered that Reece had his FIRST loose tooth. The camera came out and I was determined that this 'first' would not be forgotten. Well...on our way, with Aunt Sharla, to the Christmas concert Reece lost his tooth in the parking lot. We have no idea if it dropped or if he swallowed it.

In the busyness of the season we did not write the tooth fairy a note and it was completely forgotten. Fortunately Reece didn't really remember either and we went on with the holiday season. Now he has several teeth loose and I am determined that we will make it up to this little guy.

It is so funny to go back and look at my sister's baby book and my baby book. If my sister had so much as a bug bite, my mom recorded it in her baby book. By the time I came around my baby book was not nearly as full. We babys of the family do make up for it and Reece tends to give us the best "can you believe he did that" kind of stories.

Can you imagine what would happen if we had had a 4th child? We'd probably forget to bring the baby home from the hospital. :)

Something to keep you warm.....

For the month of January I planned out a month's worth of new recipes to try out. Thankfully this week has been great and all the meals have gotten a 'do again star' beside them. One that we'll be doing weekly - at least as long as the cold stays around - is this 5 ingredient soup.

1 can corn
1 can fat free refried beans
1 can black beans
1 can chicken broth (Swanson has one that has no MSG in it)
1 can diced tomatoes.

Mix together, over the stove, and enjoy.

The refried beans liquify and make a yummy creamy texture. Brian took some to lunch, one day, and e-mailed home how much he loved it and filled him up for the whole afternoon. For those who look at the nutrition, it really packs a good fiber, protein and lycopene punch. Easy to have sitting around in your pantry too. I'm sure you could 'dress it up' with cooked shredded chicken, and top with tortilla chips and sour cream. Still....these 5 cans are a hit and just 5 minutes to dinner. Love it!

From my last post on Grant Horner's Bible reading system -- I love it!! Over the past 7 days I've read 70 chapters all over the Bible. Writing that down - it sure sounds like a lot AND time consuming, but this is simply reading the passages - not doing any deep research. The goal is to gain more intimacy with the scriptures as you will soon go back over, again and again, the same scriptures. Also the kids and I have quiet reading time every afternoon and I've decided this is a better use of my time than reading another book or magazine. So I've not been getting up earlier or staying up later just to get the reading in. And I now really understand why people struggle to do the "read through your Bible in a year" programs. This one gives such variety as you are all over the Bible every day. And if you miss a day or two it doesn't matter because it isn't dated as in "read this on January 16th" You simply move on to the next chapter. I can't say enough about this program (I know I've just started), but I do see what he means when he says you'll wonder how you ever lived on a meager diet of the Word. So true...

I'll try to keep posting 'kid pics' on this blog, but I'm working on a family blog and hope I can do both. We'll see.... :)

Challenge/blessing.....

More than any other year I've heard more people say how ready they were to leave 2009 behind.

It is nice to "start over", begin anew.... I love getting new calendars and envisioning the possibilities. Yet how very easy it is to get caught up in life's busyness and see a day, a week, a month and even years slip by. I've seen on many inspirational blogs those that want to take that 'next step ahead' in their life -- be it with their job, parenting, exercise, and walk with the Lord.

I'm very excited this new year with a Bible reading system that is like no other I have ever seen. In my desire to focus more energy in preparation for my eternal home, God led me to Grant Horner's Bible Reading System.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/12349985/Professor-Grant-Horners-Bible-Reading-System

It is well worth checking out. Grant has been doing this system since 1983 and it is life changing. So many of us are familiar with "reading through the Bible in a year". Well....this will catapult us into a whole new intimacy with God's Word.

Using this system you'll read through all the Gospels four times, the Pentateuch twice, Paul's letters 4-5 times each, the OT wisdom literature six times, all the Psalms at least twice, all the Proverbs as well as Acts a dozen times, and all the way through the OT History and Prophetic books about 1 1/2 times.

When Dr. MacArthur saw Grant Horner's battered Bible he said, "If your Bible is falling apart, you probably aren't."

My own Dad's Bible is held together by duct tape and so I personally know how God's Word can impact a life.

I'm excited for this 'deeper' journey!