So here's the question....

If God provides you with boxes full of miscellaneous veggies such as onions, bell peppers, celery, tomatoes, cauliflower and shallots, what are you going to do with them??

Keep in mind that it's BOXES full of them.... lots and lots and lots of them!

So what are you going to do????

Make stewed tomatoes and can them of course! Or at least that is what I did last night!

24 pints of stewed tomatoes completely FREE! all I paid for was the salt in them and the lids for the tops. Not even the rings, just the lids! God is so GREAT!!

It's off to bed for me now because I have that case of peaches to deal with in the morning... I feel a Cin-ful Peach Cobbler calling my name.....

Night All,

Blessings!

Not Me Monday!

I keep meaning to do this.. then Monday escapes me! Well NOT today! I am going to join Not Me! Monday!... at least for this week :) Know what Not Me! Monday! is?? Well, if not here is the intro....

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week. MckMama is one of my daily "must reads", so I hope you enjoy her as much as I do!

So here goes....

Not Me! I certainly did NOT play hokey from work all day Saturday to finish building a golf course in my front yard. And even if I did, I most definitely did NOT bring my business partner with me, leaving my husband to babysit our boutique while we my business partner and I played with all the power tools..

And I so DID NOT sit at work all day today at my "mortgage job" wishing the ENTIRE seven hours that I could quit, walk out the door and NEVER return!

Oh, and if anyone was watching me at church yesterday, then they know that I most definitely did not sit through the entire service crying my eyes out for no reason that I could think of! Nope... that was not me!

Yup, and I did not trick my wonderful daughter into thinking she got to sleep in my bed three nights last week! So, since it wasn't me that tricked her, then it couldn't have been me that let her fall asleep here, then carried her to her own room only to bring her back in here before she woke up, so she thought she slept here all night.... and I certainly did not do it three times in the last week because it was simpler than arguing with her!

And while I am at it, I DID NOT charge the bridezilla I had in this last week a $40.00 handling fee to take her dress to get it cleaned because she took up too much of my time with her petty complaining... nope I would NEVER do that! My time is not worth that much, right?

Oh, and I did not skip dinner twice last week because the kids were eating at church and I didn't feel like cooking anything for myself! I would never do that!

And finally, I am NOT sitting here blogging while this box of free produce sits on my table waiting to be sorted out and put away...


Nope. Not me. Never!

Wow... that was fun! And a weight on of my chest... if I really did all of those things!

Hope you enjoy Not Me! Monday!.... Wanna give it a try with me next week??

Birthday Party Success!

*WARNING* This post has TOO many pictures.... but I just couldn't cut anymore out!!

I think we had birthday party success.... it was touch and go there for a time or two, but in the end I think everyone had a great time and it was a great success!!

Faline, Lorena, Mark and I have been working for about two weeks on the miniature golf course in our front yard (yes, I am sure my neighbors are rolling their eyes at me!) and I was getting really worried. But yesterday Faline and I kicked butt and got it done! I was really happy with how well it came out! Thank God for a SIL as crazy as myself who got down and dirty with me to get it done yesterday! Check it out.... what do you think for a do it yourself homemade course? Oh yea, and CHEAP too!!! Like I said.. I was happy with the outcome :)


Had to name it all for the Birthday Boy of course :)

1st Hole, Pirate's Cove


2nd Hole, Through the Mountain

3rd Hole, Duck Pond.

By and far the most popular hole of the course! And of course the one that daddy got to "fix"the most often since he was voted the official "ball fisher"!

4th Hole, Fiesta Time!

5th Hole, Western Trail

This pic is hard to get, but this hole was actually really funny. The ball went in the cardboard tube UNDER the sleeping bag, complete with life size doll asleep IN the sleeping bag, and came out on the other side of the tent!

6th Hole, Beach Time

And 7th, and final hole, Zen

The kids had a go at a few rounds of golf and had lots of fun. Then we took a break and opened some presents. I spared you most of the present pictures, but what birthday post is complete without at least a few.....

I loved this face.... can you just hear him saying "COOL!"??

Isn't that a GREAT hat?? I love my hat creator!!!

He is actually READING the card!!!!

(and if you know of his school issues, that is a HUGE deal!!)

After the presents it was on to CAKE, YUMMY!!!

So, we created this fun golf themed cake...

complete with the miniature golf cake balls in the sand :)

We had to head inside because the slight breeze we had would not allow me to light the candles and Nathaniel INSISTED on ALL of the candles being lite! Silly compulsive little guy :)

But he did get them all out again! Hope he wasn't wishing for anymore new balls!

After we enjoyed our cake and visited it was back for more golf.... Nathaniel really had a great idea with this one! And it was all his idea. We had so much fun!

Audrey in deep concentration on the 1st hole.

Nathaniel the little golfer!

Mommy (AKA me) showing Audrey how to actually hold the club!

And Audrey celebrating that on her VERY NEXT swing she made it in the hole, finally!

Josie was right in there having fun with the little ones. I am so thankful that she and Bri made it back for the party! Thank you Lord for answered prayers!

Getting it just so....

Such a cute birthday boy hu?

And this little guy saved the day!

Nathaniel was so proud. He came up with this birthday party idea and invited ALL of his friends from school. He was so excited about his friends coming to HIS house to play on HIS golf course. But then I never heard ANY RSVPs from any of the friends he invited. I know that the invites went out, but I just didn't know what to expect. We had an almost melt down when the party had been going for a bit and Nat realized that NONE of his school friends were there. I suggested that we start playing and hopefully someone would come.... in the middle of the first time around for Nat this little guy came waling up! THANK YOU LORD!!! I was so worried for my little guy! But this guy made Nat so happy :)

Nat and his school buddy playing together!

Audrey so happy to have some lap time with Gramie Sharon

Overall, it was a long tiring day, but what great party doesn't produce those results??

We had so much fun, and my little birthday boy is a very happy little guy!

Blessings!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY PRINCE OF PRINCES!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY PRINCE OF PRINCES!!

It's hard to believe that my precious little boy is 9 years old today! The time has both flown by by and at other times crept by. But as I waken on this fine morning of his 9th birthday my heart is prompted to write a little something to him...

Nathaniel, my Prince of Princes, I love you so! I can't believe that you are turning 9 whole years old today, can you? There is so much in mommy's heart to tell you, as always, but more than anything I want you to always know how honored I am that God chose ME to be your mommy! I love you so!

In April of 2000, when I found out that I was carrying such a special child I was terrified. I was sure that God had messed up, and that I could never be the strong mommy that you would need me to be. I guess He proved me wrong hu? We haven't done too badly together :)

Your strength, charisma and joy make me smile, even in the hardest of times. You astound me with the magnitude of pain and hardship that you endure, yet you stay so positive and caring.

Nat the Great, your compassion and sweetness break my heart at times. How can one little boy be so filled with so many emotions and know just the right time to give me a hug? You may be an ornery little thing, and drive me right to the brink of insanity with some of your testing, but right then, just when I think that I am about to fall head first into the craziness, you come off with one of your "It's all gonna be okay Mommy" moods and after a while I am laughing so hard and so happy with all of the hugs you are lavishing on me that I forget the craziness!

Nathaniel., you have a VERY inquisitive mind, and love to fill it with knowledge beyond your age! I think you will be a doctor when you grow up, you always want to know everything about how the body works, and why it does the things is does. I do dread the day that you realize how much limitation your body puts on your life, but I know that God will give us the strength to endure even that day!

Then there is your passion for balls ..... how can one little boy have so many balls?? And more so, how can that same little boy possibly think that he can play with ALL of those balls EVERYDAY??? Seriously little guy, you crack me up... when you aren't driving me to hide balls anywhere I think you might not find them for a few hours :) But then again, seeing as none years ago the doctors told me you would never stand, walk, run or jump, and you do ALL of those things, how can I complain that you love balls? Thank you Lord for the gift of mobility and ambulation that you have given my precious Prince! May he continue to be blessed with it for MANY years to come!

Nathaniel, my dearest boy, we have been through so much together in these last 9 years and I know that our journey together is far from over. But I want you to always remember one thing... now matter how much you test me, or how far you push when your little mind just doesn't get that you are pushing, mommy will ALWAYS love you! You will always be my most special Prince EVER! Pray with mommy for grace in all things and wisdom to understand you, my precious boy.

Today, I pray for the BESTEST 9th birthday EVER for you! I hope you love the golf course that you asked for and Mommy, Aunta, Daddy and Lorena have built for you. I pray that the Lord sends many of your friends to celebrate this day with us, even if none of them have let me know that they are coming! And I pray for MANY more birthdays to celebrate with you.

Happy Birthday Nathaniel, my Prince of Princes!
I love you to the end of the world and back..... a million zillion times!

Is there time to breathe?

Ok... so I seriously want to know if I am the only person having this problem.... Is there time to breathe?? I mean am I the only one so busy that there isn't time to do any of the things I WANT to do, because there is so much I HAVE to do?

I want a day off of the the HAVE TOS to do some WANT TOS! And just so I don't forget...

I want to have mommy dates with each of my kids!

I want to shoot hoops with Nathaniel without having to worry about anything else.

I want to scrapbook!

I want to blog for real!

I want to curl up with a book, a glass of wine and a fire in the fireplace on a rainy day.

I want to detail the inside of my car.

I want to paint the house.

I want to finish my bathroom! (2 years latter...)


Okay, out of my system! For now.

Good news?
Nathaniel's foot is healing WONDERFULLY!!! And he is out to the wheelchair!!!!! I am so happy about this! Thank you Lord!

Bad news?
NO ONE has RSVPed for Nathaniel's birthday party THIS Sunday! Is no one coming, or is everyone so inconsiderate that they make me stress out over this? He is so excited about inviting ALL of his friends from school, and them coming over. He will be so broken hearted if no one shows up. I am actually crying just thinking about it! Please Lord send one or two of his friends. We don't need all of them, but on or two please?

ALSO, the night of the dance show someone dropped my camera (yes, I see the dent on it even if no one is confessing to it..) and it does not work anymore. I am so bummed out about this! It wasn't an expensive camera, but it was my ONLY camera. And I love taking digital pics of my children and blogging and being able to remember.... And there is NO WAY I can afford to replace it. So I hope my parents understand me stealing theirs often... because I am crying sad over this too!

Ok... as much as I have so much to share from my heart, tomorrow is another very busy day and I must get some sleep.

Blessings!