National Apple Pie Day!!

Today is National Apple Pie Day. It has also been an absolutely crazy morning. SO I've decided to ditch the schedule and bake apple pies & study this tasty subject!!

When life hands you lemons- use them to keep the apples from turning brown! The only question that remains is... with or without ice cream?!?!?

I'll (try to) post pictures later. Happy A.P.Day!!

**Update**
We made & ate 7 individual apple pies WITH ice cream! Delish & what a fun day of school! :)

Tile Time!

Yay for handy and willing hubbies!! Chris started tiling our foyer & dining room this weekend. Eventually, we'll tile the whole foyer, dining room & kitchen.

Marianne, our tile consultant/sales gal/friend steered us toward porcelain for it's durability- and I'm already grateful! Andrew was "helping" this morning & hammered the just-installed tile... and it didn't even chip!

Andrew seems determined to help Daddy grow in grace during this project. Yesterday, he ran straight onto the wet tile (bad, bad, bad!). Chris just picked him up and brought him to me, told Andrew not to walk on the freshly laid tile, and went to work fixing the now crooked tile. Now, if *that* isn't the Lord helping Daddy O to be patient, self-controlled and loving, I don't know what is!

So I'm thankful for the provision of tile, for Chris laying it & for patience with the project & my patience with all the M*E*S*S! It's going to be so much easier to keep clean than carpet under the dining room table!!! :)

Straight Paths

A few late night thoughts and a picture of our beautiful (2nd youngest) child. Proof that God can use all things (even sleeplessness) for my good!!

How can we teach our children to walk the "straight path" when we feel like we are running in circles ourselves?

Proverbs 3:5-6 Offers a few tips:
1Trust in the Lord with all your heart
2Don't depend on your own understanding
3In all your ways acknowledge him
4He will make your path straight!

Am I spending time in the Word and with my Creator? Am I praying, petitioning even, and thanking God then walking in His peace like Phil 4:6-7 says?

Am I depending on my own understanding? Making my lists & filling my days without direction from Him? (ouch- this is painful!)

Lord, I'm grateful for Your timing, Your faithfulness, Your care. Thank you for showing me TRUTH and for straightening my path. Please help me to love You & Your Word so much that I'll make You a priority no matter how busy life seems. Teach me to meditate on your Word and enjoy your presence... Amen!!!

Proof I love my children...

I LOVE all things food. I love to cook, to grocery shop at gourmet stores and gaze at the delicious offerings, and most of all I love to eat!

That is why it is particularly difficult for me to have a pantry that looks like THIS!

It's been like this since Christmas. I had it all neat before Christmas but it's been steadily declining since then. >sigh< I almost organized it today but realized I should really fold the laundry and clear it from the couch instead of creating another mess all over the breakfast table. :)

I desire my children to know how to cook, clean behind themselves- in other words, contribute to family life. And that's why my pantry looks like a tornado hit! It's more important to allow them to contribute than for everything to be perfect. And it's more important to snuggle as they wake up from naps than for me to be organizing the pantry.

So welcome to the chaotic side of GraceFull Mom! That basket will contain the tupperware it's intended to... and others will neatly corral napkins once again. I'll be able to step into my walk-in pantry as will my quite capable kitchen helpers who will then be able to reach the shelves to return things where they belong. :) Until then, I *try* to remind myself- this season of preparation is about the hearts of my littles, not the state of my beloved pantry.

p.s. I went to take a picture of my mess and found Ben cleaning out my pantry for me! Talk about providential timing! :)

Thoughts on Motherhood

I find myself so caught up in living out motherhood most days that I don't really think of the motives for what I do. I thank the Lord that He has ingrained in me core values to pass on to the kiddos!

So what exactly is mothering? Is it keeping laundry clean and faces washed and tummies full of nutritios food? Yes, of course... but it is so much more.

I'm thinking of writing my next article on mothering. It's an art that's largely lost in our fast-paced society. Or at least, it's changing it's face and not all for the better.

Do you have thoughts on mothering? I'd love your input as I develop my article. Be forewarned... If you comment, I may quote you. ;)

p.s. The photo is Mom holding Georgia Anne, so it's technically "Grandmothering" but seeing as how that's an extension of Mothering, and I learned Mothering from my Mom, I found it quite appropriate.

Gingerbread Houses Change...

We're all sick! So we're cancelling *our part* of the gingerbread houses. Everyone else is still going, we are just not so we won't be providing the houses. Ya'll bring your own or someone bring enough for everyone or just decorate graham crackers and have fun!

Sorry we'll miss you- our Merry Christmas is not getting you sick.

"Gingerbread" Houses

Most of you know my history with Gingerbread... it's shaky, at best. So this year, we're going to make Graham Cracker Houses instead. :)

Now, don't get your hopes up... even if we use graham crackers, the houses won't look like the one in the picture. :) But the kiddos will have a great time, cleanup will be a breeze, and we can all split the cost by bringing a contribution!

I'm going to assemble the houses the day before so they'll dry and the kiddos can decorate w/abandon. You RSVP # of children and pick what candy you'll bring from the below list (or be creative!) by leaving a comment here.

Losco Park, Friday Dec 18, 10:00. Bring a sack lunch, too. Merry Christmas!

**Candy Needs**
mini Candy Canes
Peppermints
Gumdrops
2 containers white frosting
M&Ms
Mini Red Hots
Chocolate Nonpariels (those chocolates w/little white candy dots on top)
Twizzlers (gross tasting, but they look cute!)
box of snack size ziploc bags
roll of paper towels, baby wipes, 1 grown up pair scissors, and a whole bunch of Publix bags to take the houses home in w/o gooing up the car