Mr. Jingles

So tonight, I was putting the final touches on my latest culinary masterpiece (it is really a sheer miracle if it tastes half way decent).

Thank the Good Lord that my man is not picky, eats whatever I fix and tells me that its the best thing he ever tasted.

I hear my man say, "I think something is swimming in the pool." Oh no, please Jesus, not another snake!

So he and the little guy trek out there to check out our new friend. I follow in tow, and ask if it was a snake? a turtle? Nope, no turtle. A FIELD MOUSE!

This sweet thing (trust me, it is cute because I have never in my life called a mouse cute before) had swum to safety and his safety boat was the vacuum hose.

Of course, I declare, "I need a picture!" He whips out his camera and takes a pic on his phone. That is when I nominate him the best blogging assistant EVER!


Joe quickly grabbed the pool net and like the knight in shining armor that he continually proves that he is, he swept that mouse up and saved Mr. Jingles life (you've seen The Green Mile, right?). Then, he even went inside and got some cheese to feed our new pet.

When we sat down to dinner he said, "Now if Isaac was just a little bit older, then Mr. Jingles would be in a box in his room right now." Even though I wanted to say "Mr. Jingles is NEVER coming inside." I figured a cool mom would let her son have a pet mouse. Thankfully I have some time to work up to that.

Speaker phone Theory

So my mom and I have this theory and it goes a little something like this. If her and I talk to each other each time on speak phone, its almost like she is there. Then the little man gets more familiar with her voice and then knows that is his grandma. Or it could backfire on me and he thinks that my pink floweredy razor phone has lots of different voice settings. I think it works, what do you think? If you would like to be a part of our experimental theory, then next time you call let me know you want to be on speaker phone. Deal.

Here are some pics to leave you with for the weekend.

My blue-eyed boys.


Here God is showing off His creation for us out our back door.

I updated my last post with the latest regarding Southfork :)

Its getting hot in here...

Not because its July but because I am in the refiners fire. I think He has turned up the heat in here.

About a month after we got here to the ranch, all felt that it was best for many different reasons to put the ranch on the market. It was on the market last year for six months and there was NOT ONE call...nope, not one person interested. Well, its been on the market for three weeks and last week got a call for a family from Waco. They asked to come see the property and they came to view everything on Friday. They liked it a lot and they came back again on Monday. They havent given an offer, but still the prospect of more transition is refining my character.

I woke up this morning with this song on my heart, "Lord, not my will but your will let this be my cry. I lay down everything, I give my life to you."

What will we do, you may ask? God has some things in the works. Some of which I cannot talk about yet, but He is good. Oh yes, He is good. Regardless of what I can see, He knows.

I covet your prayers. For His will. For less of me and much more of Him.

I watched this clip a few weeks ago and again this morning. This is my anthem...I will worship. Regardless. He is worthy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE33ejdgWIY

Last night, we were watching Jimmy's sermon at Gateway recently. Isaac was totally mesmerized. I had to get the video camera because it was hilarious. To give you an idea, he will watch Praise Baby or Baby Eistein for about two minutes and then he is done. After about 15 minutes of listening, Joe tried to turn him around and he practically threw out his neck to crane it around to hear the rest of what God was speaking to His little spirit :) I know I have reaped the fruit of many of you who have prayhed for our little man. I am so grateful...bless you 100 fold.

Here is a little glimpse...



"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed yet my unfailing love for you will not shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,' Says the Lord who has compassion on you." Isaiah 54:10

**UPDATE: I cannot tell you how much I have felt your prayers. You girls must have some seriously special connections with God! Truly, this week has been the best spiritually and emotionally for me, all glory to Him and eternal thanks to you for lifting me up in prayer! After laying down our future many times over (there were truly pros and cons to both sides of the coin), they called to let us know they found another ranch near Dallas (ironically) that they liked better due to location :). Again, I cannot thank you enough...bless you!

Praise Party!

Let me just start this by saying that little "I" and I have had many a praise dancing parties in our bedroom. I think the little man was just so overjoyed that there are other people who are just as weird as his mother.
In my previous post I told you about our wonderful weekend and visitor, but that was just the beginning. We loaded all the fam up in the "Louise" (my car's name) and headed to Houston to Anointed Faith Family Church. Sounds good already, doesn't it?

My step mom, Daina, was singing her first solo at church and we were there with bells on. I have mentioned Daina before, but I wanted to tell you a little about her. You know that verse that says, "He who finds a wife, finds a good thing." Well my dad not only found a good thing, he found a GOOD THANG! She by far brings out the best in him, they are a wonderful compliment to one another and they keep everyone laughing around them.

Its not easy being a step mom, but she does such a great job. I cherish her more than words can express and we are so blessed that she is a part of her family.

Daina's church was so much fun. It was 2 1/2 hours of pure soul praisin'. My cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing so much. Their preacher was really genuine, preached the WORD, and everyone made us feel a part of the family.

The kids had had VBS of sorts the week before and so they showed off their choreographed praise dance for the congregation. My mom took Isaac up to the front because she said that he liked it so much. I'm so thankful my mom came and even more grateful that Daina and my mom are friends!

I included some video for you to see Daina. She did such a great job! She is the beautiful lady in the front with the brown suit on. I wish I would've gotten a longer video, but I felt bad for videoing in church.

Some Much Needed Girl Time!

I have been in some serious need for GIRL time! I love my boys and wouldn't trade them for the world, but sometimes I need some other estrogen around here. Working in the women's ministry, I was used to the estrogen ocean.

As many of you know, Anna lived with us for a little while last year. Yes, we were pulling a little "You, Me and Dupree" action at the Riverhill Apartments. This last weekend, she came to visit and we had a grand ol' time. It has been such a blessing to see all that God is doing in her life.

Through out different seasons in the last four years, we have been one another's work out partner. We both are quite competitive and enjoy pushing one another. I think she knew I needed a little intervention here at the Ranch.

She calls before she leaves Dallas to ask, "Hey, I can leave earlier if I wait to work out with you- are you up for that?" HECK YES!

The other part of the ranch is up the road a mile so we were going to run down to there and back. It was 2 o'clock in the afternoon and hot as hades out there, but it was a great time to sweat our guts out and for me to demonstrate how little time I have spent out in the heat as of late. We were making our way back when Anna says, "Hey, is that Joe." Joe and Isaac loaded up in the car to look for us because we had been gone for so long. He said Isaac was concerned that the heat might have gotten to his mama. He knows me so well already. Here is a pic of us afterwards- I get over heated looking at that picture.

Then, we had to jump in the pool to cool off. It wouldn't have been the same if we didn't race each other doing laps too. Yes, we are that compettive. We used to play us some racquetball and it would get fierce.

Then, Anna was so sweet to join us at Annointed Faith Family Church as we got our PRAISE ON!

We also got to expose her to the local fare here at "Toots & Bodine's." Do not be deceived by the name, it does compete with some Southlake cuisine, let me tell you ;)

I was sad to see her go, and I definitely shed a little tear as she left. Thanks for coming to visit, Anna! We love you...

MOR-TI-FYING!

MOR-TI-FYING! I tell you girls, it is!

So I'm not a BIP (Breastfeeder In Public), but I don't judge those who do. I am really not discreet and neither is my son. For one, I don't know how to get him on the nozzle without showing everyone else my business. Two, my child makes all kinds of noises while he breastfeeds. Lastly, he is a wiggler and will wiggle right off exposing me for all to see.

I have known professional BIPers. Including this woman in church this last Sunday who straight up successfully pulled off a BIP during the sermon. Noone would have know, seriously. The only reason I knew was because I am a BM (Breastfeeding Mother).

This is relevant just to give you an idea that this part of my daily routine is rather private. On occasion of necessity I do pump, but this is not for enertainment or discussion...just necessity. Mind you, I have NEVER done this in front of anyone else, including my husband. We would rather him not to have that kind of visual of the "girls." We're trying to keep it sexy or as much as possible all things considering.

So yesterday the little man was not as hungry as usual, so I thought to myself, "self, its a good time to store up." I closed the door, put the man on the floor to play in his room, and then both girls went to work.

At that point, Regina, who works at the ranch, WALKS INTO ISAAC'S ROOM! First off, it was hard to hear her walk in because you know the loud noise those machines make. Then, once she was in my presence, I was so shocked I didn't move. She says, "Ohh!" and then proceeds to tell me in her best spanglish how good that is for the baby. Then, she comes NEARER to check out the pump. She also told me how she breastfed her oldest son until he was three. He would go out to play and then come in and lift up her shirt. He would say, "mommy milk." Can this wait until I am not chestly exposed...?

I know you are thinking, why in the world did you not unload yourself from that machine rather than letting Regina see the girls in their milking glory!?! I DO NOT KNOW!

I was just mortified.

So now I'm officially a PIPer (pumper in public).

You Matter More Than You Think

What a refreshing read! Leslie takes her years of counseling and ministry experience combines that with her passion for people and beautifully composes her heart in this book. She is transparent with her life experiences and genuine about the struggles that she has faced. I believe that she speaks to all women and we are all able to relate. It will cause you to contemplate how you are spending your influence. I also found myself emotional at times, not because she is sappy nor because of something specific that she wrote about, but rather it touched something deep within me. I think it will for you too.

The word on the street is she will be at Pink 2009 and so you can also get a little preview of what is to come :) (shameless plug, I know).

I love you and you matter to me, more than you know.

Cool Mom!

When I was about 30 weeks pregnant, Joe and I were chatting one night. I sighed and said to him, "Babe, I really want to be a cool mom." To which he replied, "What is a cool mom to you?" Good question and it is one that has spun into months of conversation and brainstorming. I have far from attained cool mom status, its more like the in equivocal Proverbs 31 listing. Everything you desire to be in a mom, so comment with what you would add to my list. So here is what we've come up with so far:


Cool moms...


1. Love Jesus but aren't religious.


2. Make love makin' a priority and don't use the kids as excuse not to :)


3. Get on the floor and play with their kids.


4. Try their best to take care of themselves.


5. Dress up for their husbands on occasion.


6. Can talk about other subjects other than their kids


7. Have great relationships with her kids but aren't afraid to have healthy boundaries and discipline


8. Aren't uptight about every little spill and fall




9. Take lots of great pictures of her kids


10. Know they have influence and use it for His kingdom

I have some girlfriends who know about my desire to be a cool mom and have gotten me some paraphernalia. I think they think that if I trick my brain into thinking that I'm a cool mom, then I'll start acting like one :) First, the ultimate cool mom, Nicole, got me a custom made mug that says "cool mom" on it. How thoughtful and sweet is that!?! Then, Laura made me a shirt that says, "cool mom." I have actually worn this shirt in Dallas while working out and gotten some pretty hilarious stares.

So, I was thinking about this post this weekend while my in-laws were her celebrating the 4th. I walk out to the pool and I see my sister in law, Julie, doing a cannon ball off the diving board.
Then, she proceeds to slide down the slide on her stomach and try to land on the raft at the same time. Then it hit me! Julie is definitely a COOL MOM! She is all the above and so much more. Julie, your family is so blessed to have you. We love you!

Above is Julie and her daughter, Hannah.
This is my beautiful mother-in-love letting Isaac dip his toes in.

Have a great week!

Summer has OFFICIALLY begun!

Yesterday I happened upon a glorious sight. It was like walking in the dessert for 40 days and seeing the first sign of water. Or like looking for that perfect pair of jeans and you happen upon them and they are on clearance. Or even better, it was like Isaac and I slept for 12 hours straight. Yesterday it was more like...

I PARTOOK MY FIRST SNO CONE OF THE SUMMER! (The angels are all singing in harmony)

Since it was my inaugural sno cone, I didn't get sugar free and I got cream! DE-LISH! That icy, sugary goodness was the perfect treat for the hot, Texas heat. Would you care for a bite?