I've been tagged

Yikes! I've been tagged! My wonderful friend Wendy has tagged me and wants me to post my 6 favorite things in my kitchen!

When we were shopping around for a home about 2 1/2 years ago, our main concern was that we had to have 4 full bedrooms (of course everybody wanted their own. Jerome and I were the only ones willing to share at the time & Sam was just to little to say his two goo's worth.), 2 or more bathrooms (with 4 growing children I HAD to have tons of those!). A huge, fenced in backyard, with a beautiful place to garden. A schoolroom would have been ideal, but a closet would do. Perfect driveway to ride bikes in and neighbors that were tops! Of course the kids want the "P" word, a pool and and and and .....

The kitchen was important, but I didn't realize how important. As we, a crew of 6, walked through, played through, tried out all the seats (I do mean potties, Sarah was potty training at the time and the urge always hit her about the time we turned the key to the home that we came to tour......

Anyway the kitchen just needed to be big enough, updated and ample cabinets. We can paint, replace flooring...maybe even add cabinets.

Well, in our search for the perfect home, the one thing that wasn't a challenge, became a challenge. The kitchen. We were given a LARGE table that would seat the six of us plus a few more. It is a chunky, stable table. Not delicate to say the least. We now needed a LARGE eating area to hold our beloved table. We wouldn't dare part with the table, so we had to find a kitchen that would fit around the table!

So, one of my favorite things in my kitchen is my enormous table.

Here you see my two youngest sitting upon it with their newest fall creation. An Apple Sauce Cake. ( I told you it was sturdy!)

My second favorite thing is hanging on the wall of the only kitchen that would fit around my table that I couldn't do without. It is a platter that I made with my friend Heather last Christmas. It has all my children's hands painted on it and I will keep it as a reminder of all the little hand prints that are all over my home. Oh, how fast they do grow up!

My third favorite thing is "Girl Food!" Wendy and I satin the kitchen that went around the beloved table that I couldn't do without, a few weeks ago and talked for hours. If you're wondering what that stuff is, well, it's cream cheese and salsa! Oh, Ladies it is so GOOOOOOD!

The next thing that I love, really keeps my house in running order. It cuts down on arguing, confusion and bickering. Not to mention the whining! So, the next thing that tops my list of faves is my Chore Chart and Grumpy Day Chart. They go hand in hand. Chore Chart tells everyone what they are to do for the day. We are a family that goes with the flow. We are not a "do the same thing everyday" kind of family. Now, we do have our "Dailies" listed on every ones' chart, but there are just some chores that no one wants to do. So, we swap out. If someone gets up grumpy and decides that they want to whine about a job, they are referred to the Grumpy Chart. This is where Mom, Me, gets to add another chore (that just never seems to get done) to their list of things to do that day. It also has many verses about good work habits and "if you don't work, you don't eat" verse. No, my children do get to eat. However, that little extra chore really has cut down on the whole whining thing.

Oh, the charts are on the fridge, that is in the kitchen, that is around the table that we couldn't do without.

Next on my list of faves is: my stainless steal pots. They look beautiful and cook things great! They are a treasure to my kitchen, that goes around my table that we couldn't do without!

Am I almost done?

The next item on the list is pretty awesome! My children loooove
to take out the trash. I'm never sure if it is to get out of the house for awhile or a desire to get the chore done. I'm guessing the first! So, my favorite thing is whoever takes out the trash! Right now it is on Chloe's chart. Nate was available for the pic!

So, the trash taker outer eats, cleans, plays and works in the kitchen that goes around the table that I couldn't do without!

The Last and Final thing on my list of faves is

a JUST MOPPED KITCHEN FLOOR!

Wow that feels so good! No grit, no sticky, no "Hey, what's that?" no chips, cookie, grapes, bread crust, dirt, play dough, crayons. Just one beautiful squeaky clean floor!

The floor is the backdrop for the kitchen that goes around the table that we couldn't do without!

Who ever designed this kitchen did an excellent job. It is not immaculate but great to use. I have white cabinets that cheer up the place. A floor that pretty much hides most dirt to any unsuspecting visitor and is always welcoming friends over for coffee and girl food!

I love my kitchen.

Apples and Spice and Everything Nice

Sarah and Sam have been reading about an apple farm! Sarah loved it so much that she wanted to make all the recipes in the book! She is a very clever little girl. Her favorite things to spy in books are maps,& recipes! I believe that she will be my World Chef! Sarah loves helping me in the kitchen, except for clean up! However she is getting better. I even let her use the hand mixer to make her cake. She thought she was so big! She's got her sidekick where ever she goes and he is doing everything that she does!

Another day in the Lord's mercy

We just had another good day in the Lord's mercy. I had a busy day all planned out and the Lord just slowed it down a bit! I had high hopes of getting up early and getting a jump on things, but C and J got to go to the World Outreach Center in the Big town of O last night. They didn't get home till nearly 11! They had a wonderful time.

The youth from this church put on "Fatal Exit." It is a play about people who left this world through some fatal exit, and found out that they weren't going to heaven like they thought. It was very eye opening to some of our young youth. I asked C what did she learn from the play. Her response was "Don't drink. Don't show favoritism. Don't......" Which she is correct. These things don't glorify the Father.

There was one part for the "Old Christians" in the crowd that I hope that everyone got. That we are to share the Love of Christ with all His people. (The poor, the snobby, the lonely, the undesirables....) Chloe kept retelling this part of the play where a young lady was killed in some sort of accident and was sent to hell. She returned to the stage, burnt, calling out "Why didn't you just invite me to church? I would have come! Why didn't you just tell me about Jesus? Now I'm here! (hell)" As she was calling out to the audience, she was fighting demons back that were trying to pull her back to hell. Then in another part of the play, some of the new Christians that had died were thanking the ones who shared Christ with them.There was a time of joy! Of praise and happiness felt by these who were going to Heaven.

Oh, by the way, I didn't get to go to the play. This play impacted Chloe very much. The excitement of it ran through her till later in the night.

It really makes you stop and think about who you haven't shared Christ with. The clerk, the check out girl, the gas station attendant, the girl/guy in the drive through window. How many people did we come in contact with that we didn't show the love of Christ through our smile, kind words (not that we were unkind, but an uplifting word wasn't shared) a generous offer to walk an old friend into Walmart after she just had surgery two weeks ago. What chances did I miss to serve my Lord?

"A person should consider us in this way: as servants of Christ and managers of God's mysteries. In this regard, it is expected of managers that each one be found faithful." 1 Corinthians 4:1-2

All things are possible...

I don't know who created this lovely picture, but today this is how I feel. My hair is a mess. Did I brush my teeth? I think I had a bath---- Wednesday?! My contacts need to be replaced and my eyes are all scratchy.

I need my java, because it is now midnight and my 3 yr. old had a good nap! Thank the Lord for "Bob the builder." I really didn't think I would ever have a child that would be up later than myself.

Sometimes, I don't think that my husband realizes that my day soars at top speed from the time that my eyes pop open till the moment they close. Oh, that song that the funny lady sings to the "What's for dinner--Beef" tune is so my day! Praise God I have Him! My whole day relies on that one verse, "All things are possible through Him who strengthens me." Phil.4:13

Did anything crazy happen today? No, I think. My children have been pleasant and compliant. C made fresh muffins with peanut butter chips, Nate did all his chores with out me really having to follow him around. Our school work is almost complete. Sarah learned to write the letter A today! She is very proud to have accomplished this! I found it all over her drawings and other papers. Sam, well has been Sam. He takes after his father. Every few minuets he says: "Momma, I lovff you." It's really cute when I don't answer him. He'll get a little louder "Hey Momma, I said 'I lovff you'"

The dishes are done and the laundry in the drier.

The coolness of October blows in the windows and no air condition is needed.

We call it Aunt Jo Day!

Aunt Jo visited with us today! Actually, late yesterday afternoon we called her and asked if she would come up and spend the night and the following day with us. She agreed and showed up at our house as a surprise to our children. We had our "Candy Day" along with a night full of board games and other delightful sweets. We, all of us, didn't go to bed till midnight! We were having such fun. We got up around 9 this morning. It was a perfectly dreary day. One that you could sleep all day! After breakfast and the animals were fed, we played in the road! One of our "great aunts" gave the children a large laundry basket full of rackets, balls mitts, etc... that she had gathered over the years for a Christmas present. We have really enjoyed it. Well, that's what we did. We swatted balls back and forth, along with playing Frisbee. I know Jo thought we were nuts. We went to the neighbor's yard to play because it is flat. Our yard is not flat in any direction! After that we went in for a cool drink and played a game of "Clue." Then, around 1:30, lunch time for us, Aunt Jo took us out to Sonic. And we all had ice cream. We visited Micheal's arts and crafts, one of our favorites. We purchased a box of foam craft projects for Christmas and that is what we did for the afternoon. We ended our day with homemade tacos and root beer. We had a wonderful time. Our Aunt Jo is very special to us. She is our only one! Thanks God for giving us Jo.

Baptismal Day!

Nate
Chloe

September 28, 2008 my two oldest children were baptized! It was a glorious event. Our church is very small, space wise with no baptistery. Instead, we all met at a family's home and baptized the ones who had asked. There were 4 children and 1 adult that participated. It was a beautiful day and the Lord blessed us with a wonderful turn out of family.

Chloe and Nate have had Jesus in their hearts for many years now. When Chloe was 3, she would stand in front of the TV and preach to anyone who was willing to listen! She was so cute! She accepted Jesus as her Savior when she was 7. She has a real knack of putting God's Word in her heart and recalling it quickly. I am envious of this skill.

Nate accepted Jesus as his Savior at an early age of 3. Many times when they are this young, you are never sure they really get that concept of asking the Lord into their heart, or that they may forget. Nate has always stood firm on this fact and never doubted. He has a wonderful compassionate heart for people and I pray that he never looses that. He loves reading the Bible and many times will ask Dad to sit down and read it with him.

They are both rejoicing in the Lord and growing daily in His wisdom. They both enjoy Bible Study and putting God's Word in their hearts. I can't wait to see the plans that God has made for their lives. May He be glorified.

Elmo's World!

For Sam's 3rd birthday, the Walkers took Sam to see Elmo Live at the bjcc! Sam just loved the entire show! Joshua and Sam danced, sang, hooted and hollered the entire show! They were having the times of their 3 year old lives! Elmo was their favorite. Sam couldn't get over how BIG, Big Bird really was. "He's bigger than Daddy!" Over and over again. Every time he came out on stage! Sarah's favorite of course was Zoe in her pink tutu. My favorite was COOKIE MONSTER!

The whole show was about the new music teacher's truck load of instruments not arriving at Sesame Street. What was she to do without her instruments? All the characters on SS worked together to make this new comer to SS happy again!

Man, it makes you think: shouldn't we all be thinking of each other like that. To take care of each others needs and not our own. Galatians 6:2 says "Carry one another's burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law Christ." Let's be encouraged to take care of others needs.