The Family That Works Together Can Play Together

Ah, the stress-free life!

My Own Personal Designer!

Last Monday (only 4 days ago!) on Vintage Indie, a wonderful opportunity was given to send in our designing delimnas. I got excited when I read:

"Do you need a little direction on how to make everything work for you?
Vintage Indie's Design & Style editor Jerusalem Greer is here to help!

"Jerusalem owns her own business Storia Di Vita where they
specialize in home styling, custom painting, sewing, holiday decorating
and more. She comes fully experienced and ready to help."

I quickly sent in my request -- a design problem that has been bugging me for 12 years! And guess what? I was the first one to get some help! Jerusalem answered my question today on Vintage Indie! And she gave some great tips and advice! I'm really liking the shutter idea -- if they come that narrow! I am really getting motivated about finally treating those windows! Thank you, Vintage Indie and Jerusalem!

Go on over and read my question and her answer. If you want, give me your thoughts. And then send in your design or decorating question!

FIREPROOF, The Review

I've owed you this review for 19 days! Time does fly when you procrastinate, doesn't it?

FIREPROOF is opening in theaters all over the nation this Friday, September 26! I must tell you, that it is one of the best movies I have ever seen!

Because of the great acting? No. Kirk Cameron does do a great job, but the rest of the cast isn't top star quality.

Because of the innovative plot? No, you can play with guessing what might happen next. You might be right.

No, it ranks up there at the top with me because it touches the heart. In a big way. I was watching it in a small viewing room with about a hundred people. Most of them men. Most of them cried. Yeah, it touches the heart.

In FIREPROOF, Caleb Holt (played by Kirk Cameron -- not a kid anymore!) tells his father that he is about to get a divorce. Caleb's dad asks him to wait 40 days before moving forward. Dad's challenge: work a day at a time through a handwritten book he calls The Love Dare.

During Caleb's journey, the discussion of marriage covers so many things that get to the heart of marriages everywhere. I tell you, unless you are already in heaven, you will relate somewhere, somehow.

The subtitle of the movie, "Never Leave Your Partner Behind", summarizes it all.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the trailer or click here to go to the FIREPROOF website where there's all kinds of information, resources, and even a place to get your own copy of The Love Dare! How great is that?

Just Pull the Plug

A man and his wife are sitting in the living room and he says to her, "Just so you know, I never want to live in a vegetative state dependent on some machine. If that ever happens, just pull the plug."


His wife gets up and unplugs the TV.

My Favorite Muffin

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins -- my favorite muffin and my favorite Autumn food. I just had to make them today 'cause it's the first day of fall!

Here's the recipe. I've been making them for years. The original recipe was from Taste of Home magazine. (Disclaimer: They aren't the healthiest muffin around, but I'm sure you could tweak it to use more "sane" ingredients!)

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 - 15 oz. can pumpkin

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil until smooth.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full.

Bake at 400 degrees for 16 -20 minutes or until they test done.

Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Yield: 24+ standard-size muffins.

These are so easy to make. Bake up a batch today and celebrate fall!

(Sorry about the spacing on this post. I can't get it to space right. I know it's harder to read this way.)

How far feminists have come.....

"When we consider that women are treated as property, it is degrading to women that we should treat our children as property to be disposed of as we see fit."

~ Elizabeth Cady Stanton, American social activist and leading figure in the early women's movement

Self-examination

I came across these questions earlier today. They get right down to the heart of the matter! (I won't give you my answers!)

John Wesley's self-examination questions:

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?

2. Do I confidentially pass on to others what has been said to me in confidence?

3. Can I be trusted?

4. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?

5. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?

6. Did the Bible live in me today?

7. Do I give the Bible time to speak to me every day?

8. Am I enjoying prayer?

9. When did I last speak to someone else of my faith?

10. Do I pray about the money I spend?

11. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?

12. Do I disobey God in anything?

13. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?

14. Am I defeated in any part of my life?

15. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?

16. How do I spend my spare time?

17. Am I proud?

18. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?

19. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?

20. Do I grumble or complain constantly?

21. Is Christ real to me?

Inspiration for Campaign Slogans?

Thank You, Mr. President!

Quoted from HolyCoast.com:

Say what you want about President Bush and his time in office, but there has not been a terrorist attack on U.S. soil in seven years. After watching 9/11 unfold, how many of you thought we'd go that long without another attack?

Given that protecting the American people is one of the president's primary duties, I say job well done.

~

Always Remember!

Pay It Forward, Part 2

Back in August, I joined a fun "game" here in blog land. It's called Pay It Forward. It boils down to: I get a gift, I send out three. I sent out my first gift a few days ago. I'll show you that in a later post. Don't want to spoil the surprise!

Last Friday, I received my gift. I was so excited when I saw Bonnie's name on a package when the mail arrived. I couldn't get the package open fast enough. Oh! My gift is fabulous! It is one of Bonnie's beautiful apron creations! Here's my gorgeous apron being modeled by Sarah-Kate. Thanksgiving-themed toile! How great is that combination?!

The apron is feminine with side bows and a ruffle. It is lined (!) and so practical as it covers in the front completely. And did I mention that it is Thanksgiving toile?

Visit Bonnie at her blog, Calamity Jane's Cottage, and her online shop and check out some more of her aprons! She also has many other categories of wonderful items to browse through. So, go enjoy!

Happy Grandparents' Day!

Today is Grandparents’ Day. Though the emphasis of this day is to honor a child’s grandparents, I look at this day as a time when I recognize the blessings of being a grandparent.

I grew up without grandparents. Oh, a few of them were still alive when I was a child, but as I don’t ever remember even having a conversation with them, I don’t consider myself as having had a relationship with them. As a young adult, I sang at my grandmother’s funeral. I cried – not because I would miss her, but because I had missed out on having a grandmother.

I never really considered the grandparent relationship much until I watched my mother with my children. I watched with envy. What a beautiful thing. They loved her. She loved them. They could not wait to visit her. My heart would wish that I had experienced what they took for granted.

I watched the interactions between my mother and other children, too. One day in the grocery store, two little girls were arguing with a little girl from our church named Mindy, who is not related to us at all. The little girls, who did not attend our church regularly, had called my mother “Grandma” as most everyone did. Mindy was very upset. Grandma was not their grandmother! She was hers! Her love for my mother made her very possessive!

I determined that even though I had not been on the receiving end of a grandparent’s love, I could definitely be on the giving end! It is so fun to dote on my grandbabies. I love seeing them excited to see me! Why do they get so excited? Well, maybe it’s because they see me getting all excited to see them! Taking the time to cuddle them, love them, teach them, play with them, has been one of the most cherished of blessings in my life. As for others’ children, when a little boy from our church, who we call Li’l Paul, first called me “Nana”, it blessed my socks off! (Whatever that term means, that’s what it did!)

If you have grandchildren, I beseech you to not miss the wonder of being a grandparent! Take the time to cuddle the baby, read to the toddler, have tea with the child, and you will find that the emerging young adult will always be comfortable by your side, loving you.

Be blest, dear Grandparent, by being a blessing.

Happy Grandparents’ Day!

“Grandparents are proud of their grandchildren” (CEV)
“Old people are distinguished by grandchildren” (The Message)
Proverbs 17:6a

Friend, Can You Spare $1?

Yesterday, I spent $1 in one of the best ways that $1 can be spent. I bought a cookbook. Yep, a cookbook.

George has a very aggresive form of prostate cancer. Radical surgery and painful radiation failed to cure his cancer.

Friends of George is a fundraising attempt by his wife, Gina, to help raise the funds in order for her husband to be treated at an alternative cancer treatment center. As of August 31, 2008, she has raised $16,106! What a woman!

In her words:

An idea occurred to me one day while I was brushing my teeth...

If I were to sell SOMETHING of SOME VALUE

for only

$1.00

and I sold 20,000 of it

that would be $20,000-

and that would be just about

enough

to send

my husband to this treatment center.

BUT WHAT???

And then it hit me-

RECIPES!!

Everyone loves to share recipes.

So I have chosen to compile a collection of recipes from "Friends of George"

and sell them for only $1.00.

And every penny goes directly into a fund solely created

to send my husband to this treatment center.

Hey...It might sound crazy.

But it might be crazy enough to work.

And I'm crazy enough about this guy to do anything to keep him around-

for a very long time.

Friend, can you spare $1.00???

Thank you, and God bless you!!

Piper and Trig

In case anyone was wondering, I thought Governor Palin did an outstanding job last night. Her speech delivery was smooth and she was not afraid to say exactly what she meant.

But, I think she was upstaged by her two youngest children. This excerpt during her speech might just go down as the sweetest and cutest moment in political speech history.

Fireproof

Never leave your partner behind.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the trailer to this new movie coming to theaters September 26. It will surely be a must-see! A perfect date-night movie!

I will be attending a special pre-release screening on Thursday, September 11. I will give my review then.