Coffee Talk 4.29.11

Good morning, ladies!

I have some OUTSTANDING baked oatmeal to share if you are interested and LOADS of Easter candy. I would love someone to take that off my hands because I REALLY need to get it out of the house.

I only have a moment this morning. I am administering standardized testing with our home school tutorial this morning so I have to zip out of here in a minute. I am a little bitter, however, that someone had the horrible planning to schedule this on the same day as the Royal Wedding. I'm gonna miss the kiss, people! It just isn't the same on the DVR! C'mon, Will and Kate, kiss already!

Seriously, though, it has been a LONG week here in the south. We were under severe weather advisories most of the week and spent much of it in our bathroom under the stairs or at our church in the "dungeon". Many areas around here were without power, many lost lots of trees and many had trees in houses, on fences, etc. One family in our church even had about 1/3 of their roof blown off! However, the relatively mild damage we have had here is nothing compared to the devastation of the areas south of us, Alabama and Georgia, who have been absolutely devastated by storm damage. My heart hurts so much for all of those people and my prayers go out to them constantly. It seems like so little for towns that are leveled, but we serve a powerful God who was not surprised by the storms and is fully able to hold those precious people under His wings and get them through this tragedy! How grateful I am to have that hope and knowledge and I pray all of my dear Company Girls do too!

Okay, I have to run...duty calls! Be sure to check Home Sanctuary for more Coffee Talk!

P.S. THEY JUST KISSED! I saw it! Woohoo!

Coffee Talk 4.15.11

Good Morning Ladies,

It is EARLY here, too early. I got up to have my quiet time only to be interrupted by the tornado sirens. The kids are, of course all now up, and (this is where I get bitter) the storm just got here about 5 minutes ago...after the sirens STOPPED! I know we need to be cautious and all, but really...HOLD OFF ON THE SIRENS UNTIL THE STORM ACTUALLY GETS HERE! I am trying to make lemonade out of the lemons, though and we are going to go ahead and start school...maybe we can be done by lunch today!

Anyway, a house full of kids already up and going means not much time to post so here are the high points of the week:

1. Dancer's fashion show went great. She was so sweet. She got a few "treats" that day. We bought her a pair of shoes to go with the outfit she modeled and after it was over Daddy let her get the outfit and another shirt. Nana bought her a pair of flip flops and then we went to Sonic for drinks. When we got in the car she exclaimed..."This is the best day of my life!"

2. B.B. shot his first turkey of the year...quite a humdinger!

3. The rest of the week has just been the regular school, work and tornado sirens! Ya gotta love Spring in West Tennessee! Tigerteen downloaded some pictures for me off my phone so here are a couple that belonged a few weeks ago...I like to keep you guessing!

This is Spring Break when Dancer and her friend helped make cupcakes. If you are wondering about the scarves...they were playing dress up! These babies were chocolate filled chocolate cupcakes.. I would like to say they were delicious...but they LOOKED pretty!

And here is Tigerteen and his friend-girl (isn't she a cutie!)celebrating his birthday at Nana's house...you may notice that Tigertot felt the need to get in on the action.

Well, I am totally aware of how dull this post is, but since we are all up and going, we might as well get school done so I am off to "encourage" our academics! That is code, by the way, for telling them to get off the phones and ipods and get busy already!

By the way, I have to do a little devotion thing in my Bible Study this week. I know it is silly, but I am super nervous about it and have no idea what to talk about so if you think about it, please say a little prayer that it will just be all about God and He will be glorified and speak through me! Thanks!

Have a great weekend and be sure to check out some far more interesting Coffee Talk at Home Sanctuary.

Coffee Talk 4.8.11

Good Morning! Hope everyone is doing well. I have a couple of lovely treats to entice you with. Both are from this website which I have spent WAY too much time on this week. I cannot tell you how much money I could spend at the grocery store trying all these recipes! Anyway, I can offer you some date squares that are A. MAZ. ING. I could eat my weight in them! The others are strawberry oat squares. Admittedly, not quite as amazing. I did a little tweaking with the recipe...I probably should have left it alone! Not horrible, though. I was looking for a recipe to replace processed cereal bars...this isn't it, at least not in this form!

Anyhoo, today's post will be brought to you in list form. Because I can!

1. Also from the above website, I had VOO for breakfast one day this week. Not bad. I stayed full for HOURS! I look forward to trying other variations...after I go to the grocery store. Which I am in DESPERATE need of doing.

2. I confess, I HATE exercising. There, I said it. I really want to like it. I really want to look forward to it. Instead, I have to force myself. Every. single. time. Aren't you supposed to start feeling so good you get excited about it? Isn't it supposed to become fun? I just don't like it. I don't.

3. It is that time of year again. Turkey season. The time of year I become a hunting widow. I don't really mind. Here are the first fruits of the season. Tigerfan and his daddy went Tuesday night and brought home these little babies! Now they (along with the boys) are itching for Saturday morning.
May I be honest? Can ANYTHING, other than hitting the road to go see my family, really be worth getting up at the horrific hours they get up at and the sitting by a tree without moving or talking? I just wonder...I don't get it!

4. Saturday, Dancer is having a big day! One of our local anchor stores in the mall is having kidfest and it includes a fashion show. We happened to be in the mall at just the right time a few weeks ago and they offer! She has been practicing her walk all week. Here she is on her birthday doing her model pose:

I must admit, her enthusiasm is contagious because I can hardly wait to take her and see her in action...and that is even knowing I have to take "The Hurricane" AKA Tigercub!

5. Speaking of Tigercub, his allergies are KILLING him. We will be making a little trip into town this morning to see the Dr. His little eyes are almost swollen shut and he is just miserable...and that is with daily Zyrtec, poor little guy!

6. We are ADORING pretty weather this week (although we can't actually go OUT in it because it sends poor Tigercub into sneezing fits), especially after my momma sent pictures Sunday of their snow...inches and inches of snow. In April. Thank heavens for Tennessee!

7. I could keep writing snippets forever, but my kids (and dog) need to eat and we have lots to do this morning. I look forward to visiting you this weekend! Hope everyone has a great one!

8. Oh, yeah, last one. I am a complete and total Home Sanctuary failure. I really WANT to do good. I held strong for TWO whole days this month. Yes, TWO. I have failed ever since. Someone help me!

9. Which reminds me...I saw an episode of Dr. Phil this week. (Not sure how that happened because I never watch that show...but it is what it is). Anyway, this girl was on and she wanted help because she was always yelling and screaming at her children. People, Dr. Phil reemed that poor girl over the coals. He was awful. I felt so sorry for her! I am not advocating screaming, and especially not cussing, at your children...but as a home schooling mom of four, I admit...I have done it. I have done it more than I care to admit. Were the things this momma did wrong? Of Course...but we are all sinners saved by grace. She was there for help. She knew the things she was doing were wrong and wanted tools to change it. What she got was a public lashing. She was told she was an abuser, she was told she was obese, she was just pulverized. I have not stopped thinking about her since. I wonder, has Dr. Phil ever been a stay at home parent? Has he ever gotten up at dark and worked until almost dawn with no appreciation, no help and little support? Has he spent hours cleaning a room only to walk back into it in ten minutes and find it utterly destroyed? Has he ever worked tirelessly on a healthy meal to have everyone at the table turn their noses up and ask for something else? What that poor girl needed was encouragement and tools to help her change. What she got was a message of more judgement, more condemnation, another message to join in with the voices in her head that she just wasn't good enough. I have prayed for her ever since. I hope that somehow, the voice of a loving and compassionate God can make its way to that girl's heart. I hope that somehow she receives the message that she is a beautiful girl, created in the image of God and she is loved. Her actions are sinful...so are mine. I am nothing but filthy rags...but Christ died for me WHILE I WAS STILL A SINNER! It is by HIS grace that I am clean, Praise HIM! Anyway, that is my little soap box...now I know why I don't watch Dr. Phil...maybe I should start a program called Dr. Star. Although, I am not actually a Dr. I'm working on a tagline...a program for the redeemed by the redeemed? Needs a little work...but then, so do I! :)

Have a great weekend, and don't forget to check out more Coffee Talk at Home Sanctuary!

Coffee Talk 4.1.11

It is Thursday night and listen....silence! Beautiful, elusive silence! A sound (of lack thereof) so beautiful to this introvert, I can hardly stand it!

You see, Tigerfan and Tigerteen are out of town. They left at 4:00 a.m. this morning headed to Texas for some good old fashioned turkey hunting. That leaves me here to hold down the fort with the other three. Ordinarily that would be no big deal. But it has been an ugly week here in the Tiger den. And I am tired.

People, we have had drama this week. I don't like drama. I like peace and serenity and I like all my kids to like me! I'm not sure which was worse this week...the teenager or the toddler, but between the two, I am seriously considering committing myself to a nice padded room somewhere!

I say all that to say that, while the idea of a quiet weekend with a couple of folks gone sounds peaceful, I am not in a great frame of mind. I was actually looking forward to this evening. We had NOTHING planned today after tutorial. Just homework...no guitar, no drums, no friends, no appointments...just home and calm (aaaah, sounds great doesn't it). Unfortunately someone forgot to tell Tigercub about the whole calm part.

Thursday nights are usually popcorn and M&M night for Tigerfan and I. Since he was going to be gone, we recorded "Secret Millionaire" and I told the kids we would have popcorn and T.V. night...an unheard of treat because Tigerfan hates for them to eat in the living room. I was even excited! I went to the store and even bought plain M&M's and sour gummy worms for the occasion and told them they could drink a soda. They have been SO excited all day. B.B. even set up a snack counter complete with movie tickets, prices and play money. We got our snacks, turned on the T.V. and got all the way through the opening intros before Tigercub spilled his popcorn...for the first time. We spent the next hour turning up the sound above his "entertainment", picking up spilled popcorn (3 more times), mopping up tears from siblings he injured and pulling him off furniture he was using as a trampoline.

When the torture, I mean the show, finally ended, I knew it must be bedtime! Alas...we still had a solid hour! We then moved on to board games which are almost as much fun as a movie when a three year old is involved. From now on, I am lacing his Sprite with valium (I am totally kidding, by the way)!

Needless to say, the kids are all now tucked soundly into bed...and there is a Hershey bar with almonds and a Diet Coke calling to Momma. No, they are not on my diet, don't judge me! I am SO looking forward to visiting with some precious adults this weekend!

Don't forget to check out more Coffee Talk at Home Sanctuary!

Coffee Talk 3.25.11

C'mon in and enjoy a nice cold bottle of water. Although, if I drank coffee, I would totally have a big, hot, steaming mug right now because I am FREEZING! Earlier this week it was gorgeous and about 80 degrees...last night, we had a frost!

Once again, I missed you beautiful ladies last week...how dare life get in the way of blogging! Things seem to get so crazy at times and they tell me that before we know it that these moments will be gone and we will miss them...I can believe that the moments will pass quickly, life seems to be moving at the speed of light around here!

So, here is what has been happening in our neck of the woods:

1. Last week was Spring Break. I am usually a fuddy duddy and make my kids do at least partial days of school anyway. Not last week, baby. I think I was more desperate for a break than they were and promised them NO SCHOOL. Nothing. Nada. I promised friends could come over and they could go. And that is just what we did. Somehow, I thought I might get a little cleaning done, get some things accomplished...that didn't happen. But friends did.

2. We still had all our night time activities which meant apartment ministry Monday and dance Tuesday. So days were calm but nights were still busy...plus, I promised the kids they didn't have to go to bed early, so they kept begging to stay up...I finally gave in and made them go get ready for bed at their normal times but then let them stay up and watch T.V. upstairs...away from me...cause people, by 9:00, Momma needs a break!

3. Wednesday, drama began! Our 13, almost 14 year old and his first friend-girl (who I refuse to call a girl friend because they are too young but who I totally know they call one another boy/girl friend behind my back) had their first BIG drama. No details here, just suffice it to say that the day was filled with weeping and gnashing of teeth...It was NOT pretty around here friends. And to see my first born experiencing his first heart break was heart wrenching! On top of that, we had two friends over for the day...they boys playing at the pond, the girls helping me play with cupcakes. (Because I have a secret dream to someday have a bakery, which is not so secret anymore, I guess!) We had so much fun making chocolate filled chocolate cupcakes and lemon cupcakes with beautiful icing swirled on top. They were BEAUTIFUL and I was totally going to show you pictures...only the pictures I THOUGHT were here aren't here and we all know about my issues with getting them on the computer and since my IT man is in bed...you will have to use your imagination. Think two precious girls in dress up clothes (complete with big hats and momma's boots) holding their lovely cup cakey creations. The only problem...the cupcakes weren't actually good. I think the batter was overmixed. This week, I have been researching new recipes and totally want to try out some new ones.

4. Thursday, the boy/girl drama continued and we went to play at the house of a precious friend. He has a children's wonderland built in his yard complete with a zip-line. We went and picnic-ed with him and played till Tigercub was ready to drop! Thursday night, we had Rock Band performance for Tigerteen. His girl decided that she could overlook their issues and come watch the performance so he was THRILLED! They did a great job and had the best location yet...however, this momma was stressed most of the time worrying about relations, so to speak. She even agreed to get ice cream with us afterward...although she didn't actually eat any ice cream (ah, young love!)

5. Friday, Tigerfan took off work and hung out with us. We slept in, had a pancake breakfast, took Tigerteen to guitar, got the obligatory Friday Sonic drinks and went home for a little R&R before having a date night Friday night.

6. Date night included dinner and shopping for spring clothes for the children.

7. Saturday involved Tigerteen, Papaw, and the boys going to the woods to get ready for turkey season. For me, it involved exchanging ALL of the clothes we bought Dancer the night before because I got the wrong size in EVERYTHING!

8. This week, we have gotten back to our regular schooling but have had a wonderful week of rest from night time activities. It has been glorious. I even cooked once! I even cooked a HEALTHY recipe that my kids LOVED and asked me to make again! Yippee!

9. B.B. left yesterday to go on a little weekend trip with his best friend. Right now he is enjoying being in the mountains of Gatlinburg, TN. His first time away from us for an extended trip like this. I am sure he is having the time of his life!

10. Tonight we will enjoy visiting with some friends we haven't seen in ages and tomorrow it will just be me and the youngest two because it is juvenile hunt so daddy, papaw and Tigerteen will be in the woods.

11. The house is still a mess. I am completely stressed over having a child in high school next year and what curriculum, etc. I should get. My house is a complete disaster. I am completely sad that I could not make it to Bastrop to hear our very own Rachel Anne speak at the women's event or hug the necks of Ci Ci or Lydia Cate. But I am SO abundantly blessed. I serve a RISEN SAVIOR who loves me despite the fact that their is NOTHING good in me. He puts up with my crazy, my drama, my failure and gives me His righteousness! How thankful I am to be a child of the One True God. How about you? Do you know Him? I pray that you would find the peace that comes form knowing the Giver of Peace and the author of LIfe and would love to share Him with you.

Dont' forget to check out more Coffee Talk at Home Sanctuary and have an amazing, drama free, perhaps cupcake filled weekend! One picture (taken by Tigerteen) of the springy lovliness earlier this week! Blessings!

Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth."

Hosea 6:3

Coffee Talk 3.12.11

Good Morning from the Tiger Den! It has been another whirlwind week around here!

We had such a fun weekend with the 10th grade boys...they even slept, a little. We will totally be open to doing it again! Tiger cub really had a good time...especially waking them up by kicking the tarnation out of them. As a matter of fact, they may beg NOT to come back again!

This week was catch up and get ready to slow down week. Catch up on sleep, get ready for Spring Break! Ordinarily on Spring Break, I still make my kids do work, we just have a lighter schedule. Not next week friends...we will be doing NOTHING, cause Momma needs a break! YIPEE!

Yesterday was an exciting day because we had Regional Science Fair. I had four students participating, including my own B.B. The student portion was yesterday morning and we went back last night for the awards ceremony. Our tutorial took home 31 awards! How amazing is that? One boy alone took probably half of those! B.B. took second place in his age division (which he was ecstatic about) and came home $66 richer. Yes, I did say $66...can you tell an engineer came up with the award amounts? They were $44, $66, $99, $153...we were cracking up! Anyway...every single one of my students that went yesterday won something so it was a great night!

In other exciting news, the great state of Louisiana has decided to share some of its convicts with us. Yes, earlier this week, some convicts from LA escaped, they stole a car in Mississippi and were pulled over here. They fled on foot and have been in hiding since. It is quite an unsettling feeling...especially since we live in a wooded area away from the main part of town. I admit...I am not usually the easily scared type, but when I heard, yesterday, that schools near us were on lock down...I was afraid to go home. We just stayed in town until Tigerfan got off work and could go with us! Yesterday afternoon, they found the body of the man they stole the car from so we know they are quite desperate. Needless to say, we had two out of our four kiddos sleeping on our bedroom floor last night. We are praying for our law enforcement folks around here and hoping they are caught soon. For now...no playing outside alone!!!

We are also sending up prayers for everyone in Japan, so sad. I haven't heard from my brother yet but am hoping none of his family was affected.

Looking forward to a girls' lunch tomorrow and a peaceful, quiet, laid back next week! Did I tell you I am excited! Don't forget to check out more Home Sanctuary and have an AWESOME weekend! Blessings! I WILL be around this weekend...eventually!

Coffee Talk 3.4.11

Oy, what a week! They tell me that at some point life will slow down and we will miss weeks like this one. They tell me to savor these moments and enjoy them because they are too short. They say that one day I will look back and wonder where all the time went. Right now...I'm just wondering where and when does sleep fit into the picture. Can I get an Amen?

To be honest, I'm so tired...I don't even want to think about what to type in this post but I'm afraid that if I keep skipping the only day I blog, that even this little part of my world will drift away and it is my one little connection to my far away family. So here things are in a nutshell.

This week has been full of storms (weekend and beginning of week), school, church, apartment ministry, tutorial, dance, Wednesday night church activities including being in charge of snacks for Bible Study...because I also have a 10 year old turning eleven this week and 8 10th graders/young men staying at my house this weekend so I needed something else to prepare...BIRTHDAY for my 10 (now 11) year old...which I totally MEANT to blog about. Here is the best I have got. A year old picture, but isn't he just precious!
He has been so completely beside himself about turning 11. I'm not sure if it is 11 or the fact that he was hoping beyond all hopes for an iTouch. Thankfully, my in laws went in with us and were able to find a refurbished one that was within our budget and his techno dreams came true...not sure how long the joy will last since there is NO WAY he is getting internet access on that thing!

This morning we are headed off to a school play (one that I would have not committed to if I had really thought things through), then guitar at 2, library and somewhere in there I need to grocery shop for the weekend, fix and eat supper and have FB to the church at 7 for the weekend hoopla. We are hosting 10th grade boys and are responsible for feeding them breakfast and supper on Saturday. The words of advice I have received are: have LOTS of food.

Did I mention I haven't cleaned house? At the beginning of the week, that seemed like a good strategy...I mean when you have four kids, what is the point of cleaning house a week before it is needed, now with not one spare minute on the horizon, I am just praying that the bathroom chores fell to a responsible child last time...and deciding that clean underwear is really overrated!

It is humbling, as I read back on this post...because I am tired, I'm afraid I will miss visiting with many of you over the weekend (please don't be offended, I'll do the best I can), I'm craving sleeping in...and yet every single one of these things is such a privilege and such a blessing. If all I have to worry about is a too busy schedule and healthy children that are involved in too many activities...WOW! I deserve none of this. I deserve death and Hell. I am sinner. I am selfish. I am proud. And yet, I have four beautiful children and a home that I can host youth in. I live in a country where blessings abound and where I am rich compared to most of the world's standards. I have been taught the name of Jesus and I KNOW what He has done for me. I have the assurance of salvation...not because of anything I have done...but because of His marvelous grace...undeserved, unearned, unmerited grace, offered freely to me. I am so grateful for that amazing grace.

How I hope each of you has that same peace. I hope you can each say...I am tired, I am over worked, I am under appreciated...but I am so blessed, because I know the name of my redeemer. I know my redeemer lives. Thank you, Jesus!

And if you don't know...I am praying for you. Because there is a hope and a peace that passes all understanding that comes from a savior who would (and did) go to the depths of Hell for you. Please let me share Him with you if you do not know Him, let me pray for you, and allow yourself to be blessed by Him.

Praying you all have a blessed weekend, for more Coffee Talk, go to Home Sanctuary.