Look Mom.....

When Lane was a wee bit younger we discovered he had a curiosity for frog. Below is a picture of him at 15 months with a rain frog on his belly. At the time he was fascinated by this slimy little creature on his belly. He would get so aggravated at the little frog when it would hop off and Lane would chase it around and put it back on his belly. It was really so cute.

He still loves Frogs. He chases them all the time. He will put them in his pockets, cups, jars, the bed of his dump truck. Really anywhere he can to keep them. We always have a little family of Toad Frogs around and Rain Frogs come up on the porch too. But out in our pond we have Bull Frogs. His daddy told him about how you can actually cut off the legs and cook them. People really do this, it taste a lot like Fried Chicken. One evening Chris caught this on his fly rod in our pond.

Needless to say Lane was a bit upset that Chris "wouldn't cook his legs for him." He was so fascinated by how big he was and how far he, the frog, could hop.

I am wondering though is there something in the works for the future of lil' Lane or is he just not scared of any creature he sees. Check this out.

OK I know his mouth is taped, but come on this kid just turned 4.

I just hope he doesn't find a snake.

Quit whispering in my ear!

Our first official Women's Bible Class starts this Sunday evening and I am the leader/teacher of the group. I can't really say that I will be the "Teacher", because I need to be Taught just as much as anyone else attending the group. The Lord lead me to do this and I know this is a "God Thing" but I am just so nervous. What if I say something wrong to hurt someones feeling?What if I don't measure up? you know all the negative thought that the enemy whispers in your ear to make you want to quit or give up. Any way I thought the thing for me to do was to put what i wanted to say on paper. That way i could stay on track and not forget anything. Sometimes I have something to say and get so far off track that i forget what I was talking about in the 1st place. So here it is:
Welcome everyone
Announce about Prayer Request Sheet, Then about Sheet for sign up for Refreshments, And Pass out “All about Me Sheets.”, Pass out the Books
Have Prayer.
“Who is stressed out and feeling like they are running nowhere in every direction?”
How about Your Schedule, Your Kids Schedule, Work, (in or outside the home), Taking care of children, or grandchildren or maybe even a parent Are you over committed.
I know that we are all at different places in our lives but we all can relate to this class in someway.
We need to prioritize our time spent:
A good starting point is listing these in order:
First, Your relationship with God
Then Your Marriage Relationship,
Then Parent/Child Relationship
And then comes your career, friendships, and others.
When I get overwhelmed and things are not going well it is usually because I have neglected my time with God.
Read Matthew (6:33)
Are you letting your hectic life take priority over putting God FIRST in your life?
Begin your day in the word and in Prayer. It takes real commitment and effort. You will find that you will be less frazzled, discouraged or frustrated through out your day.
Now who needs The busy women’s guide to prayer?
For some people it is a challenge to squeeze in time for prayer.
God delights in hearing from us, Not just in the morning or before bed but all throughout the day.
The scriptures say in Psalms 40:1 and 34:15, He “INCLINES HIS EAR” and is “OPEN TO HEAR” my prayers.
Remember that your short prayers can have a big impact, too.
Here are ways to Begin Building a Life of Continuous Prayer:
(you can write these if you like)
1- Start with prayer and praise before getting out of bed. Do it before you get distracted.
2- If you walk or exercise in the mornings or any time of day, challenge your self to pray the entire time.
3- Pray while you are driving, Washing Dishes, Gardening, or taking a shower.
There are things around you that can CUE you to pray.
1- Passing up the schools, hospitals, a neighbor’s house, or Getting over for the passing emergency vehicles.
With visual cues to prompt you, all your daily activities become ways to start a conversation with God.
PRAY ON THE SPOT:
Whenever you clock in at work- as for him to prepare your workday.
If a friend ask you to pray for something- Pray with them right then.
Passing a stranger in Wal-Mart- Pray for that person or their family.
Everyone Needs Prayer.
E.M. Bounds, a 19th Century Pastor said, “Your prayers will out live your life.”
Long after your address has changed to heaven, the short prayers you have said will still be blessing those you have prayed for.
For those who are married:
Work on your marriage relationship
Remember the commandment of “Love thy neighbor as yourself”
Well your husband is your closest neighbor.
How easy is it to say, “I’ll work on my marriage when life calms down, Well life never calms down NOURISH YOUR MARRIAGE NOW.
I am not talking about expensive weekend get a ways, or nights out on the town.
Set up a simple “Date” of your choice once a week. Things like a walk alone after dinner, eat lunch together, have your morning coffee together, It does not take something expensive just mark the calendar or it will not happen.
IF you do not already… you need to pray together and for each other daily. Have you ever heard-A family that prays together stays together.
Next is your parent- child relationship:
Are you overwhelmed by your kid’s schedule? – Tired of being the taxi driver and not having enough family time.
Here are some ideas to tame your Schedule.
Put a magnetic calendar on the fridge with a dry erase marker. Jot down all the families activities on it.
This is a good way for you to plan ahead and also to see when you or the kids are on OVERLOAD.
Limit the number of activities for you and the kids. Like one extra curricular activity per season or semester.
Plan meals ahead for the week, Cook ahead and freeze the meals, or make casseroles, use the crock pot during the day, or just eat left overs. This will leave extra time for family, homework or just relaxing.
Pass out the The Great American Supper Swap
This is a great idea
Read Proverbs 22:6
It is great for children to be involved but we need to determine the needs of our children.
Are they over committed?
What impact will these activities have on their schoolwork or our family time?
Remember that More isn’t Necessarily Better.
Now for our Job or Career or Relationships with friends and others.
I am not going to cover too much on your job. If you work out side the home Just, remember that family comes first. And try to leave the job stress there when you leave for the day.
Friend relationships:
It is good for us to have Healthy relationships with other women
But we need to be careful getting caught up in gossip or “drama”
Pick a time during the month or over the weekend that is good for both of you and it does not take away from your family time.
I, myself do not have many girlfriends. I do however have 2 best friends, but they live in the Houston area. We talk often but do not see each other much. That kind of helps because I really do not have a lot of time on my hands. I try to call them while driving, or in the evening while, cooking or when the kids are getting bathes. You know the “Kill 2 Birds with 1 Stone” saying…..
In closing, This will be a little different from other bible studies we have done. Your book homework will be quick and to the point. But it makes you dig and evaluate your life. There will be a lot of time in here for discussion, (if needed we can break into smaller groups)
We are also going to be doing some neat little projects or activities throughout these next few weeks.
Questions or comments


Ok there it is Of course the Red is what I will be saying.
Feedback on this would be great.

Randomly Picked

So our school district is going to start doing Drug/Alcohol testing for 7-12th graders who are basically in any extra-curricular activities (Band, sports, cheer leading, etc. ) and also if you drive your own vehicle to and from school. It will be done to all students (in that group) at the beginning of the Year and random through out the year. I personally think it is a great idea. Parents of students who won't be in the random pick can Opt them in to it. Both my older kids are at the age and are eligible for testing. Heck they even think it is a great idea. Maybe it will get some drug and users out of the schools. Drugs in the schools is awful. Pills, weed, meth, coke, it is everywhere. I pray for my kids to steer from addiction all the time. The Temptations, the pressures........ and Sex is just as bad. It is like a sport to them. Almost a competition. How many partners in a short amount of time with what ever drugs and liquor.... It is just crazy. I think about all the things I have been through and there is no way I could have dealt with all these pressures. It scares me when I think about what I was doing at their age and it isn't a drop in the bucket with what some kids around here are doing.... We are open and honest with our kids and they have seen first hand the result of drug and/or alcohol addiction. Heck, I am even open with them that I was a teenage mom. But I also share the fact that I am not a good example of how the majority turn out. The lord has truly blessed me.

Satelite Ears?

I picked up Sadie from the vet this morning. She looks so different with her "Satelite Ears". They said she did really good and will need to leave stitches and foam in for 10 days. She can't be around the other dogs to keep them from chewing on her ear foam. The other dogs were so excited to see her today. Lots of butt sniffing going on there. I had to leave her locked in the bathroom so I could get back to work. She was crying..... so sad. But she will get spoiled these next 10 days being inside.

Oh Sweet Sadie Bella looks so cute..... I forgot how much different getting ears clipped makes them look.

OMG! Where is that Check?

First, I want to say that Dustin did well with his hernia surgery Friday. He is sore and swollen but will recover. These past weeks have just totally worn me out. Dr. appts, Medicines, Hospitals, Surgery and running around like crazy. I am just slapped worn out. Time for some down time.

This is really neat. Alicia (Dustin's Girlfriend) had a basket of goodies done up for him and this Money Flower was in it. I think it is so cool.

We are getting Sadie Bell's Ears Clipped today. She will have to stay over night at the Vet. Poor little girl she is not going to know what is happening to her. I will go get her tomorrow after 10am. She and Harley are getting so big. She wts. 25lbs and he wts. 16.2 lb. That says alot for him. He was so sick and little. He has really bounced back. DH even took him in this morning to show him off at the vet's office. They couldn't believe it.

Saturday is the day for Wes's peewee football games. Here is a picture, he is #65. I have no idea what position he plays. They all look alike out there running around. I say that they need to have color coded helmets.... Would make it easy for all us moms.

Saturday I got a check in the mail from my Dad to help Lauren and I go to the Thanksgiving Day parade in Houston. Thanks Dad! That evening I started looking for it to put in my wallet and it was missing. No where to be found. My poor daughter had to get down into our "burn hole". We live in the country and that is how we get rid of our trash. I lowered her in, not once but twice. Still no check. I was sick. $262.00 Gone! You know what could have been going through my mind. I prayed so hard for it to be put right in front of me, Show me where it was. After going out of my mind all evening and trying to figure out a plan I decided to quit worrying about it. The next morning I got up, went to the bathroom, while looking out my window, I about fell down. Praise God, there it was. The envelope with the check still in it, unharmed. It was sitting right there by itself. Why it took overnight for the Lord to show me I will never know, but he did that is what matters. So I had a really good day with the lord. We had a great day at church also. We had a special service for students. It is really neat. Each adult will be a prayer warrior for a child. All the kids, every age, made a card with their picture and personal info on it. They had the chance to put special prayer request on it. We will pray for "our kid" all year and at the end of the school year we will have another special service where the kids can testify.

Buzz, what Buzz?

I need to get a new alarm clock so bad. After 9 years, the one I have just doesn't cut it anymore. More and more during the week I don't even hear it going off. Like this morning, I woke up at 7:15. That is what time I leave the house! With 4 kids to drop off at 4 different locations before I go to work, I just hope everyone was completely dressed. I do have to say that usually on mornings like that I get in a horrible mood, but today I wasn't so bad.
I took Dustin to see the surgeon yesterday afternoon. He will be having surgery on Friday afternoon. He is ready for life to get back to normal, what ever that is. It will be out patient and we will be able to come home that evening. Hopefully this is it for him. Poor guy, he has been through a lot and missed so much school and we are only in the 4th week. I totally missed out on Open House last night. Being at the Dr with Dustin I wasn't able to make it back in time to go to Lauren's or Wes's Open House at school. They are both doing very well in school so I am not concerned with that, but I haven't had the chance to meet all their teachers yet. Finally get home last night, I wasn't even out of the car when DH is hollering for my help. He wanted me to help put some metal thingies on Bike. It hasn't been rode in a while and he just got some new parts in for it. That is not what i wanted to be doing. Although we got it done together and didn't even fight.
Awana's is tonight. Woo-hoo! I love going to church on Wed. nights. I don't have to cook. We have a meal ministry at our church and we have dinner every Wed. night before services start. Maybe this week won't be so unorganized. Last week was the 1st time for classes so there was confusion going on. We had 99 in attendance last week for Awana, 69 kids and 30 workers. Wow that was great for our 1st week.
Here is a little devotional I wrote to put in our Women's Ministry Newsletter. Hope you enjoy it!

Is Jesus Your Ant?

Philippians 4:13I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.

As I was sitting on my porch watching the red birds, something caught my eye. I could see a white moth moving across the pavement. It appeared to be floating, but I realized that an ant was carrying it. One single, tiny ant hauling a moth close to 20 X’s its own size. The ant was so careful to balance and keep a hold on the moth. It was then, I thought about how weak I truly am. God created every living thing, with humans being his masterpiece. He made ants small, but strong. They can gracefully haul around objects that are up to 50 X’s their own weight. Compared to ants we are weak and helpless. We struggle to drag around all our garbage everyday. Eventually we run out of energy, trip up and fall. Jesus did not intend for us to be so strong. He wants us to depend on him. He has already taken our troubles to the cross on Calvary. We need to have faith in him, trust him, and ask forgiveness. Ask him for the help to carry our load. If we will allow him to, he will carry us as the ant did the moth.
Praise Jesus!!!

Say Cheese!

~Here are a few pictures to introduce my family to ya ~

~ Lane Man~

~Lauren- Baby Girl~

~Wes and Lane and the Bull Frog from the pond~

~Dustin~

~Me and Chris (DH)~

~(Lt to Rt) Lacey, Harley, Trigger Man~

~Sammie (top) and Sadie (bottom)~

no more hospitals pleassseee!!!!

The day after i created this blog my oldest son was put in the hospital. He had a staph infection that would not clear up with oral antibiotic and he needed the area cleaned out by surgery. We spent Wed-Fri in the hospital for IV antibiotics. While there I had to have my boil (staph) on my leg lanced and was put on 3 oral antibiotics. He was a trooper though, this was his first time ever to stay in the hospital. Hey 15 years and never admitted to the hospital or surgery that is pretty good!! We came home Friday night and it has been chaos since then. We had a birthday gathering at my house for my dad that Saturday and a big plugged in service at church Sunday morning. Later the next week, Dustin was released to go back to football. The night of his 1st day back to practice he realized he has a hernia. Wednesday night the unexpected hurricane Humberto hits the Texas coast and with that said my sister and her 2 kids came up Thursday night. Being that I have missed so much work these last few weeks my sister took Dustin to the Dr. for me Friday. 2 hours and $50 later he confirmed in less than 5 minutes what we already knew. Today however I will be taking him to the surgeon, the same one from 2 weeks ago. Surgery is needed just not sure when yet that it will be scheduled. Maybe tonight, or I would really like Thurs. or Fri. Dustin is taking it well though. He knows it has to be corrected in order to play sports. He is looking at the situation with a good Christian attitude. He told us this Sunday after church, "Maybe this is God's way of protected me from a bigger injury during the season." He trust that the Lord will protect him.

Update on the others in my family:

My DH is so sick right now with a chest cold, Lauren's volleyball team lost the game last night, Wes had a great tackle at peewee football practice yesterday, and Lane well he is just Lane. For those who don't know about him, He is my youngest and I say he has 4th child syndrome. He is a double hand full. My dogs are good, Sammie and Lacey are both in heat right now and my Trigger Man has to be worn out. My pups Sadie and Harley are growing so much. Sadie goes in on Sept. 24 to get her ears done. Poor baby has some awful looking ears that just flop all around. She was not blessed with what I call Pretty Boxer Ears.




Today is my dad's birthday and also 2 good friends at work. Speaking of work i have been at my current job for 7 years today. woo-hoo!!!

Intro.......to my hectic life

Where do I start. I am a married mother of 4 kids. Dustin is 15, Lauren 13, Wes 8 and Lane is 4. 3 boys, 1 girl. She is a red head at that.....

I work full time out side the home and full time in side my home. I also raise Boxers and I am on my church's Women's Ministry Team, Directior of the Promotions/Publicity, Director of 3 &4 grade girls Awana, and a bible study leader. My life is total chaos majority of the time. I really need some me time and a stress reliever. I figured if I could find the time to clear my mind with blogging maybe I will be able to stay sane for the week. This is my first ever blog and it will take time for me to figure it all out. Hope you all enjoy reading it though.