or maybe just a realist. Either way, this struck me as funny.
There is a commercial running right now that advertises, I believe, a mortgage company. It begins with the statement "People are smart".
A few days ago, my 9yo daughter was sitting in the floor with a pile of Barbie dolls, and an even bigger pile of Barbie doll clothes, playing, and apparently having a fine time, but making no comment~at least, until she heard "People are smart."
Her reply?
Hmph. Not all of 'em!!!
ROFLOL!
Where did THAT come from?! :)
Vicki
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Thank You
It's time for some Thank You letters. So.....
THANK YOU
To My Husband
For being the wonderful man of God that you are, for listening to the leading of the Holy Spirit amidst all the other voices calling out to you, for being a wonderful father to our children, for working so hard at BOTH you jobs to support us, and for loving me as I am, faults and all.
To My Dad
For truly LIVING the Word of God before me, for working hard not only so you can provide for your own household, but so you can be generous with ALL your loved ones. Thank you for being willing to stand always on the Word of God, and for being not only willing, but HONORED to be allowed to contend for the faith. Thank you for being a wonderful Daddy, and an amazing grandfather.
To My Mom
Thank you for standing by Daddy through all the years, and through all the hard times. Thank you for being the Godly example that you are. Thank you for making all the holidays so special, and for making Grandma's house a place that everyone loves to visit. Thanks for being a great Mom, and such a fantastic Grandma.
To My Sisters
Thank you both for being my best friends. Thank you for being there to listen to me, to talk to me, to laugh and cry with me. Thank you both for being so great with my kids. Oh, and since I KNOW you both tried to do me bodily harm when I was little, I guess I should say thanks for letting me survive to adulthood!! LOL!
To My Children:
Thank you for all the joy you each bring into my life. Thank you for the countless things I've learned from you. Thank you for all the times you make me laugh. Each of you is truly a treasured gift from God.
To All the Wonderful Homeschooling Moms I Know
Thank you all for being such wonderful, christian ladies. Thank you for allowing your love for God, your husbands, and your children shine through. Thanks for all the questions you answer for me, all the times you sympathize with me, and all the times you make me laugh. Each and every one of you ladies is very special.
MOST OF ALL
To My Savior
Thank you for loving me, for saving me, and for blessing me as you have with all the wonderful people You've placed in my life. I am truly undeserving of Your grace and mercy, and yet You pour it into my life in great measure every day. Words could never express my gratitude.
With Much Love,
Vicki
THANK YOU
To My Husband
For being the wonderful man of God that you are, for listening to the leading of the Holy Spirit amidst all the other voices calling out to you, for being a wonderful father to our children, for working so hard at BOTH you jobs to support us, and for loving me as I am, faults and all.
To My Dad
For truly LIVING the Word of God before me, for working hard not only so you can provide for your own household, but so you can be generous with ALL your loved ones. Thank you for being willing to stand always on the Word of God, and for being not only willing, but HONORED to be allowed to contend for the faith. Thank you for being a wonderful Daddy, and an amazing grandfather.
To My Mom
Thank you for standing by Daddy through all the years, and through all the hard times. Thank you for being the Godly example that you are. Thank you for making all the holidays so special, and for making Grandma's house a place that everyone loves to visit. Thanks for being a great Mom, and such a fantastic Grandma.
To My Sisters
Thank you both for being my best friends. Thank you for being there to listen to me, to talk to me, to laugh and cry with me. Thank you both for being so great with my kids. Oh, and since I KNOW you both tried to do me bodily harm when I was little, I guess I should say thanks for letting me survive to adulthood!! LOL!
To My Children:
Thank you for all the joy you each bring into my life. Thank you for the countless things I've learned from you. Thank you for all the times you make me laugh. Each of you is truly a treasured gift from God.
To All the Wonderful Homeschooling Moms I Know
Thank you all for being such wonderful, christian ladies. Thank you for allowing your love for God, your husbands, and your children shine through. Thanks for all the questions you answer for me, all the times you sympathize with me, and all the times you make me laugh. Each and every one of you ladies is very special.
MOST OF ALL
To My Savior
Thank you for loving me, for saving me, and for blessing me as you have with all the wonderful people You've placed in my life. I am truly undeserving of Your grace and mercy, and yet You pour it into my life in great measure every day. Words could never express my gratitude.
With Much Love,
Vicki
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Stuff that Bugs Me :)
I sqashed a bug this morning, and it left a mark on my bedroom wall. The spray cleaner I used wouldn't get it off! Yuck!
I sat outside today watching my kids play, and I got two mosquito bites in the MOST annoying places!! My elbow, and the knuckle of my little finger! Yuck!!
Both my parents got some anonymous hang up calls, several over the last few days. These calls started the day after they received that anonymous letter. I've got no clue if the phone calls are related to the letter or not, but if so, I sure wish the person who is doing it would let it go, move on, grow up, and get a life.
So, anyway, if these things are the worst things that I have to worry about, then I am well and truly blessed. Our financial problems are being taken care of one by one, we are all in good health, my family is doing well, and we can truly see the hand of God in our lives. What could be better than that? :)
Vicki
I sat outside today watching my kids play, and I got two mosquito bites in the MOST annoying places!! My elbow, and the knuckle of my little finger! Yuck!!
Both my parents got some anonymous hang up calls, several over the last few days. These calls started the day after they received that anonymous letter. I've got no clue if the phone calls are related to the letter or not, but if so, I sure wish the person who is doing it would let it go, move on, grow up, and get a life.
So, anyway, if these things are the worst things that I have to worry about, then I am well and truly blessed. Our financial problems are being taken care of one by one, we are all in good health, my family is doing well, and we can truly see the hand of God in our lives. What could be better than that? :)
Vicki
Friday, September 14, 2007
Opportunities
We have a rather urgent financial need right now. And you know what? I can't do anything except praise the Lord for that!
Yes, this need makes me "uncomfortable", and I've asked our friends to help us pray about it, and I hope it is resolved quickly, but still, I can only praise God.
That's because we have been in situations of financial need many times before. Sometimes, those situations were our own fault, a result of financial mistakes that we made. Other times, the situations were not of our own making. The amazing thing is, in BOTH cases, whether it was our own fault or not, God has ALWAYS come through for us!! Not always as quickly as we would have liked, and not always in the way we would have liked, but He has always come through for us.
That is not to say that we can just "mess up" any time we want too, and God will always come and clean up the mess. What it means is that when we make a mistake in handling our finances, and we realize that mistake and come to God, confessing to him that we made the wrong decision, or whatever the case may be, He WILL provide for our needs. We won't neccessarily get our WANTS, but He will provide our needs. Each and every time.
This particular situation that we are dealing with now is not entirely of our own making. It is something that just "hit us' today. But, I can see how this situation would be a lot easier to handle now if we had made better money decisions in the past.
But, that is under the blood now. The Lord knows that Roger and I are doing our best now to make the best decisions we can with our money, decisions that are in line with His Word. Satan is not happy about that, and I think that our current situation is, at least in part, something that satan has "thrown in our faces" so to speak.
That being the case, I choose not to look at this as a problem, but as an opportunity for God to come on the scene, and to "show up and show off" as the old fashioned preachers used to say.
I don't know about anyone else, but I just love watching God show off.! :)
Vicki
Yes, this need makes me "uncomfortable", and I've asked our friends to help us pray about it, and I hope it is resolved quickly, but still, I can only praise God.
That's because we have been in situations of financial need many times before. Sometimes, those situations were our own fault, a result of financial mistakes that we made. Other times, the situations were not of our own making. The amazing thing is, in BOTH cases, whether it was our own fault or not, God has ALWAYS come through for us!! Not always as quickly as we would have liked, and not always in the way we would have liked, but He has always come through for us.
That is not to say that we can just "mess up" any time we want too, and God will always come and clean up the mess. What it means is that when we make a mistake in handling our finances, and we realize that mistake and come to God, confessing to him that we made the wrong decision, or whatever the case may be, He WILL provide for our needs. We won't neccessarily get our WANTS, but He will provide our needs. Each and every time.
This particular situation that we are dealing with now is not entirely of our own making. It is something that just "hit us' today. But, I can see how this situation would be a lot easier to handle now if we had made better money decisions in the past.
But, that is under the blood now. The Lord knows that Roger and I are doing our best now to make the best decisions we can with our money, decisions that are in line with His Word. Satan is not happy about that, and I think that our current situation is, at least in part, something that satan has "thrown in our faces" so to speak.
That being the case, I choose not to look at this as a problem, but as an opportunity for God to come on the scene, and to "show up and show off" as the old fashioned preachers used to say.
I don't know about anyone else, but I just love watching God show off.! :)
Vicki
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Sometimes I think....
that change is one of the few constants in life!
We were just getting used to Roger coming home around 2:15 each day, and now that will change. Actually, he will probably still come home at 2:15, but only long enough to say hello, maybe grab a snack, and head off to his new part time job. Then, he'll be home again around 7:15 or 7:30. It's going to make for some long days for him, but we are SO thankful for this job!
We are working toward becoming debt free. I am thankful to be able to say that we don't have credit card debt. We do not carry or use any credit cards. Our debt at the moment consists of some medical bills, and a car loan. We'd also like to make some "extra" mortgage payments. AFTER, and ONLY after all of that is taken care of, we hope to take a nice family vacation in the spring of 2008.
So, we have been praying about this, and we feel that this job is the Lord's answer to those prayers. Roger did not go out looking for this job. Instead, we got a phone call telling him that it was available and asking him if he wanted it. It is 4 hours per day, and since the job is at the local high school, he does not have to work when school is closed~so, no weekends, no holidays. Also, Roger will be working with people that he knows, doing something he enjoys~maintaining the football field and various equipment for the football team. So, if you have to have a second job, this is a great one to have. We are very thankful to the Lord for answering our prayer in this way.
We still have some other things that we are praying about, and I'd love to have others praying with us about these things. We are still looking for a home church, and my Dad is still candidating as a pastor for a couple of local churches. There is one church in particular that my family and I love, and they seem very interested in having my Dad as pastor. If it's the Lord's will, we would love for that to work out.
Also, my Dad will be having an endoscopy ( I think that's what it's called) tomorrow ( Thursday). He has Barrett's disease, which is erosion in the esophagus from years of heartburn/acid reflux. He has been on medication for some time that helps with the heartburn and is also supposed to repair the erosions. But, this CAN be a pre-cancerous condition, so he has to be checked every 3 years to make sure that the erosions are getting better, not worse. He is due to be checked again tomorrow, so prayers for him during the procedure, and for good results from the test are appreciated.
One more thing. The last time that my husband worked a second job was about 9 years ago, when our first child was just about 3 months old. At that time, my mother in law made comments ( not directly to my face, but in my hearing) that "Roger wouldn't have to work two jobs if SHE ( meaning me) would let somebody take care of that baby ( probably meaning that she wanted to keep our daughter during the day) and go get a job!!
Needless to say, this did not set well with me or with Roger. We are really hoping and praying that there won't be any kind of an ugly scene when my inlaws find out that Roger has taken this job at the high school.
Vicki
We were just getting used to Roger coming home around 2:15 each day, and now that will change. Actually, he will probably still come home at 2:15, but only long enough to say hello, maybe grab a snack, and head off to his new part time job. Then, he'll be home again around 7:15 or 7:30. It's going to make for some long days for him, but we are SO thankful for this job!
We are working toward becoming debt free. I am thankful to be able to say that we don't have credit card debt. We do not carry or use any credit cards. Our debt at the moment consists of some medical bills, and a car loan. We'd also like to make some "extra" mortgage payments. AFTER, and ONLY after all of that is taken care of, we hope to take a nice family vacation in the spring of 2008.
So, we have been praying about this, and we feel that this job is the Lord's answer to those prayers. Roger did not go out looking for this job. Instead, we got a phone call telling him that it was available and asking him if he wanted it. It is 4 hours per day, and since the job is at the local high school, he does not have to work when school is closed~so, no weekends, no holidays. Also, Roger will be working with people that he knows, doing something he enjoys~maintaining the football field and various equipment for the football team. So, if you have to have a second job, this is a great one to have. We are very thankful to the Lord for answering our prayer in this way.
We still have some other things that we are praying about, and I'd love to have others praying with us about these things. We are still looking for a home church, and my Dad is still candidating as a pastor for a couple of local churches. There is one church in particular that my family and I love, and they seem very interested in having my Dad as pastor. If it's the Lord's will, we would love for that to work out.
Also, my Dad will be having an endoscopy ( I think that's what it's called) tomorrow ( Thursday). He has Barrett's disease, which is erosion in the esophagus from years of heartburn/acid reflux. He has been on medication for some time that helps with the heartburn and is also supposed to repair the erosions. But, this CAN be a pre-cancerous condition, so he has to be checked every 3 years to make sure that the erosions are getting better, not worse. He is due to be checked again tomorrow, so prayers for him during the procedure, and for good results from the test are appreciated.
One more thing. The last time that my husband worked a second job was about 9 years ago, when our first child was just about 3 months old. At that time, my mother in law made comments ( not directly to my face, but in my hearing) that "Roger wouldn't have to work two jobs if SHE ( meaning me) would let somebody take care of that baby ( probably meaning that she wanted to keep our daughter during the day) and go get a job!!
Needless to say, this did not set well with me or with Roger. We are really hoping and praying that there won't be any kind of an ugly scene when my inlaws find out that Roger has taken this job at the high school.
Vicki
Monday, September 10, 2007
Brangging, The Travel Channel, and Hannah Montana
Okay, most of my IRL friends who read this blog all ready know this, but I simply cannot stop myself from posting it here.
My daughter Rachel, who is 9 years old and about 6 weeks into the 4th grade, recently completed her first standardized testing. These are her grade equivalent scores. For example, a score of 5.3 means 5th grade, 3rd month. Below are Rachel's scores:
Word Analysis: No grade equivalent listed
Vocabulary: 8.2
Comprehension: 5.1
Spelling: 2.9
Language Mechanics: Post High School
Language Expression: Post High School
Mathematics Computation: 5.0
Math Concepts: Post High School
Science: Post High School
Social Studies: Post High School
I actually started NOT to post these scores here because I feel like I'm bragging, and I feel badly about that. BUT, I also have family who don't live near us who like to read my blog, and Rachel deserves to have them know about this too, just like our "local" relatives and friends know about it.
Now, changing the subject~I just LOVE the Travel Channel!! My girls are studying Italy and Panama for our homeschool group's Around the World Day. So far, we have seen episodes of Samantha's Brown's show Great Hotels that featured 2 citites in Italy, as well as 2 or 3 episodes of her show Passport to Europe that have featured cities in Italy. This weekend, we just happened to catch her newest show Passport to Latin America, and gues where she was? Panama!!! VERY cool!
I STILL remember, from my childhood, an episode of Mr Roger's Neighborhood in which he visited a crayon factory. I've always wanted my kids, who LOVE crayons, to see that. This morning, I checked the Travel Channel's tv schedule to see what the topic was going to be for today's episode of Made in America, hosted by John Ratzenberger. I am so glad I checked, because we got to watch as he visited the factories where they make 2 things that my kids love~Crayola Crayons and Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup!!
Like I said, I LOVE the Travel Channel!
And now, a word about Hannah Montana. We are VERY selective in not only the amount of tv that our kids watch, but also which shows they are permitted to see. I have in fact been accused of being TOO picky about what our kids watch. Anyway, one program we DO allow is Hannah Montana. My husband and I watch this show with our kids, and we like that the characters are always decently dressed( at least we've never seen anything indecent) and while the kids do make some "smart" remarks, which we always discuss with the kids, we generally like the relationship portrayed between Miley/ Hannah and her Dad.
I was "won over" by this show durning one particular episode in which Miley and her friends had plans to go somewhere. Miley's Dad saw her report card and told her that if her science grade did not improve, the trip was off. When Miley's friends accused her Dad of being unfair, instead of joining with her friends in complaining about her Dad as the characters on many shows would have done, Miley told her friends that it was NOT her Dad's fault, that they had a "deal", that school had to come first. I really liked that.
So, now, my sisters and I have lost our minds. My 9 and 7yo daughters are Hannah Montana fans, as is my 6yo neice. My 15yo nephew and 14yo neice are fans too, though they don't like to adimit it.
There is going to be a Hannah Montana concert in November at an arena that is about 5 minutes away from my sister's house. So, we are going to "take the plunge" and take all 5 kids that want to go. My husband enjoys the television show, but he and my 5yo son couldn't care less about the concert, so they aren't going with us. Yes, I"m going to spend an evening in the midst of a multitude of screaming, hyped up teens and tweens. Heaven help me! LOL But I KNOW my girls are going to LOVE it! So what if I've lost my mind?! Sanity is over-rated anyway!
Vicki
My daughter Rachel, who is 9 years old and about 6 weeks into the 4th grade, recently completed her first standardized testing. These are her grade equivalent scores. For example, a score of 5.3 means 5th grade, 3rd month. Below are Rachel's scores:
Word Analysis: No grade equivalent listed
Vocabulary: 8.2
Comprehension: 5.1
Spelling: 2.9
Language Mechanics: Post High School
Language Expression: Post High School
Mathematics Computation: 5.0
Math Concepts: Post High School
Science: Post High School
Social Studies: Post High School
I actually started NOT to post these scores here because I feel like I'm bragging, and I feel badly about that. BUT, I also have family who don't live near us who like to read my blog, and Rachel deserves to have them know about this too, just like our "local" relatives and friends know about it.
Now, changing the subject~I just LOVE the Travel Channel!! My girls are studying Italy and Panama for our homeschool group's Around the World Day. So far, we have seen episodes of Samantha's Brown's show Great Hotels that featured 2 citites in Italy, as well as 2 or 3 episodes of her show Passport to Europe that have featured cities in Italy. This weekend, we just happened to catch her newest show Passport to Latin America, and gues where she was? Panama!!! VERY cool!
I STILL remember, from my childhood, an episode of Mr Roger's Neighborhood in which he visited a crayon factory. I've always wanted my kids, who LOVE crayons, to see that. This morning, I checked the Travel Channel's tv schedule to see what the topic was going to be for today's episode of Made in America, hosted by John Ratzenberger. I am so glad I checked, because we got to watch as he visited the factories where they make 2 things that my kids love~Crayola Crayons and Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup!!
Like I said, I LOVE the Travel Channel!
And now, a word about Hannah Montana. We are VERY selective in not only the amount of tv that our kids watch, but also which shows they are permitted to see. I have in fact been accused of being TOO picky about what our kids watch. Anyway, one program we DO allow is Hannah Montana. My husband and I watch this show with our kids, and we like that the characters are always decently dressed( at least we've never seen anything indecent) and while the kids do make some "smart" remarks, which we always discuss with the kids, we generally like the relationship portrayed between Miley/ Hannah and her Dad.
I was "won over" by this show durning one particular episode in which Miley and her friends had plans to go somewhere. Miley's Dad saw her report card and told her that if her science grade did not improve, the trip was off. When Miley's friends accused her Dad of being unfair, instead of joining with her friends in complaining about her Dad as the characters on many shows would have done, Miley told her friends that it was NOT her Dad's fault, that they had a "deal", that school had to come first. I really liked that.
So, now, my sisters and I have lost our minds. My 9 and 7yo daughters are Hannah Montana fans, as is my 6yo neice. My 15yo nephew and 14yo neice are fans too, though they don't like to adimit it.
There is going to be a Hannah Montana concert in November at an arena that is about 5 minutes away from my sister's house. So, we are going to "take the plunge" and take all 5 kids that want to go. My husband enjoys the television show, but he and my 5yo son couldn't care less about the concert, so they aren't going with us. Yes, I"m going to spend an evening in the midst of a multitude of screaming, hyped up teens and tweens. Heaven help me! LOL But I KNOW my girls are going to LOVE it! So what if I've lost my mind?! Sanity is over-rated anyway!
Vicki
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