Not what I thought...

I thought I would spend the weekend in Ceta Canyon (near Happy, Texas) at a women's retreat, but...

a snow/ice storm hit Thursday morning. So I spent two days in the house with my two boys. Kade spent most of his time doing puzzles (his new "thing"), and Drew showed me how to figure out if a number is even or odd (a new skill learned at Pre-school).

We cuddled.

We watched movies.

We played games.

Good stuff....especially because the conference is going to be rescheduled.

I thought last weekend we'd spend the majority of our time home relaxing, but...

we ended up taking the boys to see The Chipmunk movie, eating at Joe's Crab Shack, and bed shopping.

Ugh...bed shopping.

I feel like I need another degree just to figure out what bed is "best".

We have a queen size bed right now, and it's time for a K.I.N.G!

Anybody know what I mean?

So, if you have any tips on finding the perfect bed (under $2,000), leave me a comment.

Sunday we went to church at Second Baptist, took a nap, and I woke-up to the strangest thing.

Ronnie doing the dishes.
My man does a lot of things.

He works.

He pays all the bills.

He can fix ANYTHING.

He gives the kids baths.

He does all the yard work.

He vacuums,

but never in our 10+ years of knowing each other have I ever seen him do the dishes. Strange things are happening...never a dull moment, and I love it!

Anyway.

Sunday evening, we went back to church for the couple's Bible Study on the Secrets of the Vine. We went to Lubbock after church let out to get some kind of toilet part to fix our bathroom potty (like I said, my man can fix ANYTHING).

Drew requested "green sauce", so we ate at Casa Ole' in the booth next to Texas Tech's new football coach, Tuberville. Not that big of a deal for this Aggie girl, but I threw that in there for all my Red Raider readers. LOL!!!

I just finished the DVD/book series,

The True You: Reclaiming Health and Wholeness for your Mind, Body, and Spirit.

I have to admit, the information presented is still swirling around in my head.

You just don't hear much Biblical teaching on wholeness in your body and wholeness in your soul.

I don't know why?

Seems like most women have either emotional or physical issues...

Can you imagine what a witness Christian women could be to the world if we were healthy physically and emotionally??!!!???

I am just saying...hmmm!

Beth Moore, one of the presenters, had us draw a triangle on our paper.

At the top of the triangle she asked us to write "spirit".

At the bottom, we were to write "body" and "soul" on each end.

She went on to say that we are a three-part being, body, soul, and spirit.

If any of those three areas are not whole/healthy, or if we allow ourselves to become carnally-minded with our body or our soul taking the place as "boss" at the top of our "triangle", we will not be whole. We will not be able to live the Zoe, abundant life, Jesus died and rose again to give us.

1 Thess. 5:23 in the Messages says, "May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ."

So much more to say, but I need to go get dressed for the Monster Truck Rally tonight.

Short As Possible

My Weekend in as few words as possible...

1. Friday - conference with Drew's teacher (he's doing great) & girl's night-out: 4 girlfriends, Johnny Carinos, laughs, and the new movie, Lovely Bones.

2. Saturday - time alone to clean house (so enjoyable & relaxing), grilling burgers, Wii Tennis, bike rides

3. Sunday - River of Life Fellowship (possibly our new church home?), fajitas on the grill, Cowboy football :(, the Season Premiere of 24

4. Monday - 3-day weekend, ironing, reading, making place mats for Emmaus, left-overs, no make-up, more 24

5. Today- 2 miles, babysitting Cash, making Nana Jo's banana pudding, naps, Emmaus Community meeting in Brownfield

Other random things...

1. Been reading this book and this book . I think the second book will be incredibly valuable with mothering two boys and teaching (when I do go back).

2. Can't wait until next weekend!!! I'm heading to Ceta Canyon for the "Can't Steal My Joy" Women's Conference 2010.

3. Been walking at 6 every morning for the last 2 weeks (averaging 3 miles) and will be doing this for the next 30 days...yikes I am already sore!

4. This is my new favorite preacher/teacher. His teaching on being thankful is incredibly anointed. He has challenged me to quit talking about three things: what I don't have, what I don't know, and what I can't do. It has been hard...I didn't realize what was coming out of my mouth. To see some of more of his food for thought go HERE.

Funny Story:
Drew and Kade were in the tub, and I heard some splashing. I went in there and saw red on Kade's back. They were probably wrestling, but honestly who knows??? The following conversation took place:
Me: "Drew, what happened to Kade's back?"
Drew: "Maybe it was the sun?"
Me: "No. It wasn't the sun, because it has been cloudy all day."
Drew (now rubbing Kade's back): "Well mom, Kade is covered in the blood of Jesus."
Me: "Well yes he is, but did you slap his back."
Drew: "Yes I did."

Lots of pictures and a few laughs too!

Before Christmas fun!

This was actually my first time to make gingerbread houses.

CRUNCH!!!

One of our family traditions is every year the boys and I decorate sugar cookies. This year I laid out the icing and sprinkles and let them do whatever they wanted to do. You can see Drew really enjoyed his creative freedom, but Kade just wanted to lick the icing and eat the sprinkles.

We pretended the 23rd was Christmas Eve because we wanted to get down to my mom's by the 24th. After we made a birthday cake for Jesus, we ate dinner and opened gifts. Another tradition we have is on Christmas Eve the boys get Christmas PJ's and a board game. After we played the game, I Spy, we loaded up in Ronnie's truck in our Christmas "jamas" to go look at Christmas lights. The snow started to fall, and Drew said, "This is the best day ever!" The boys agreed to quickly go to bed after we got home, and about 10 minutes later they heard Santa (a.k.a. our neighbor, Royce) saying, "Ho! Ho! Ho!" outside the window with sleigh bells ringing. We woke up to 5 inches of snow on the ground the next morning. Our travel plans to Austin were delayed for a few hours, so the boys could play in the snow. (We don't get that much snow in West Texas very often!)

After a 10 1/2 hour car ride with two boys, the puppy, and a car load full of "stuff", we were SO relieved to see Nana and Pop's house. Of course, we had to open gifts first thing. Drew and Kade got baseball gear and bounce-back racers from mom and dad. My brother, Chad, got them a Wii. Mom, Chad, Ronnie, and I played Wii tennis together the next day. It was so much fun, and we got so "into the game". Chad is so competitive; when I looked back at him during one of the games I saw he was dripping with sweat. Ronnie told him he needed to get a head band. Then I got a mental picture of Chad playing Wii in his full tennis gear and could not quit laughing!!!

Bounce-back Racers...great gift!

Then on Sunday we went to church with my grandparents, Nana Jo and PawPaw Bill, and twin cousins, Cayla and Cole. After church everyone gathered at Nana Jo's for Kade's Birthday party.

It was an incredibly sweet day.

After the party, Ronnie helped my PawPaw fix his tractor, and the boys watched twin goats being born. It was fun and educational :)

Drew and Kade loved Nana Jo's house.

Kade, Cole, and Cayla

Nana and Kade with his new red tractor.

PawPaw Bill, Kade and Drew.

Nana, Kade and Nana Jo

Chad, Drew, and Kade

CHEESE!!! I L.O.V.E this picture!

I can't believe my baby boy turned 3.

He loved the ice-cream cake Nana bought for him.
Don't laugh at the drool.

Sometime it takes wind and water to put out a fire. LOL!

Wooden puzzles from Nana
Tools from Cayla and Cole

I think the three best Christmas gifts I got this year are the new PJ's and post-it note holder from my mom, and new work-out clothes from Ronnie.

Hey, it's the little things in life, right!!?!

But, my favorite Christmas gift ever is this quilt my Nana made for me.

It is BEAUTIFUL!

I LOVE IT!

She made my brother and cousin, Aaron, memory quilts with pictures. They are amazing!!! My brother even teared-up a little. She is incredibly talented and one of the most giving women I have ever known!

Okay I have to share a few Christmas stories that might make you laugh.

Story #1
Drew loves anything sweet.
He ate A LOT of Christmas cookies, and after we got home from my mom's he came into the living room that night with his hands on his hips and a sad face.
Me: "What's wrong Drew?"
Drew: "Mom, here's the deal. No more cookies at Christmas because I have bad diarrhea."
Ronnie and I couldn't quit laughing!

Story #2
Kade got a Spiderman watch from Santa.
I asked him a few days ago, "What time is it Kade?"
He looked at his watch, looked at me with a serious face, and said,
"This is the day the Lord has made."
Ha!

Story #3
I couldn't find Drew the other night after supper. I looked outside.
I looked in his room.
Nothing.
Finally I walked into his bathroom to find him brushing Eva's, our new puppy, teeth
with MY NEW TOOTHBRUSH. I guess nothing is off limits in this house!!!

Story #4
We were bowling on the Wii a few nights ago.
Kade bowled a strike, turned around and said,
"Oh SNAP!"
(FYI - "Snap" is the new word for "cool"...or at least I think it is ;)! Kade and Drew picked it up from the movie, Bolt!)