Friday's Five

Friday's Five

Five Things that Happen Around Bedtime that Derail us from the Bedtime Routine

1  Silliness

What do you do when you think bedtime is a minute around the corner only to see this? 

We laugh, take a few pics and then continue on with bedtime. This was Tuesday night's derailing episode.

2  Deep Conversations

I don't know why but at bedtime my boys will have the deepest questions that provoke some great, yet time consuming, questions.  We've covered cancer / heart attacks / all sorts of weather conditions / heaven / how babies are born / life long dreams / fears  etc. Just seems to be the time they really talk and share with us. I wish I could press a record button every night they start talking deep.

3  Teeth Brushing

This should be simple but it's not. 4 kids in one space creates chaos. We try to rotate and such or spread out among two bathrooms but anyway we do it it just seems chaotic and messy. I mean you can't brush your teeth without getting water on the sink or tooth paste all over the counter. It's a must!

4 Brother Bonding

The boys share a room so many times that's when we hear them talking on and on about really personal stuff like Star Wars and Dinosaurs.

5 Books

We read a lot around here. All the kids would leave there light on an hour after bedtime to read. Can't blame them. 

I must admit the bed time routine has gotten 10x easier as they've gotten older. It was a comedy show around here when the twins were 2 or 3. Good memories but I'm tired just thinking about it. :)) HA. 

Challenging Read and Friday's Five

Finished a book.
A good one.
A challenging one.
One I recommend.
I've recommended her books before.
I like how she thinks.
She brings a little sarcasm to her style as well.
Plus she's Texan so she gets bonus points. :))
The last book I recommended was "Out of the SpinCycle: Devotions to Lighten Your Motherload"
This one is a little different topic.
It's called "Interrupted: An Adventure in Relearning the Essentials of Faith" by Jen Hatmaker.
You can get them both at this site or at amazon.

It's the story of her and her husband's journey to plant a missional church.
Missional?
Missionologist Rick Meigs described missional as "a life where 'the way of Jesus' informs and radically transforms our existence . . . where we adopt a missionary stance in relation to our culture."
Since I don't know Rick Meigs I got a definition from the guy I live with: "Being 'missional' is discovering what God is doing here and now and joining Him in a way that engages every area of our life."

I know there are at least a hand full of church planter wives or pastor wives that read this blog - you would love this book.

It's not just for them though - pastors are not the only ones that should be living "on mission".

We can all live "on mission" whether we are a part of a church that is recognized as missional or not. 

Confused about all this "missional talk"? 

Read the book.

It will bring you into this conversation with a women that is in the mix of it. 

I've tried to pick out some quotes from the book that I really liked.
Not sure I picked the best ones to represent.
Too many to pick from.
I've written all throughout the book - it was that kind of a read for me.
Here's five quotes from the book because it's FRIDAY'S FIVE.

1

"I am still stunned by my capacity to spin Scripture, see what I wanted,

 ignore what I didn't, and use the Word to defend my life rather than define it." (p. 20)

2

"When believers sequester from culture, it's like recruiting a group of traveling 

salesmen and discovering all they do is stay together at the office" (p.145)

3

"Our faith communities run the gamut from judgmental high church to feel-good 

talent shows, and people aren't buying anymore. Remarkably, most outsiders are not

 anti-church; they simply dismiss the church as irrelevant to their real lives since it seems 

mostly irrelevant to the people who go there." (p.80)

4

"A frustrating trait about God is how He expects us to act on conviction fairly quickly. 

Pretty much the second He convinces us to move, to change, to shift, we're 

supposed to. Despite how much we ponder it or talk about it, until we are obedient in word 

and deed, we're just here pretending to be there." (p.76)

5

"We don't get to opt out of living on mission because we might not be appreciated. We're not allowed to neglect the oppressed because we have reservations about their discernment. We cannot deny love because it might be despised or misunderstood. We can't withhold social relief because we're not convinced it will be perfectly managed. Must we be wise? Absolutely. But doing nothing is a blatant sin of omission. Turning the blind eye to the bottom of the grounds of "unworthiness" is the antithesis to Jesus' entire mission." (p.58)

Maybe those quotes made you want to read it.
Maybe they made you want to skip this sort of a book.
I challenge you to read it and consider where God has you RIGHT now.
How can you incorporate a "missional life" right where you are?

What challenging read are you reading right now?
I'd love to hear it.

Two Ways of Thinking

Two ways of thinking about my day so far.

Since it's Friday's Five . . . I'll give you FIVE scenarios.

I could say . . .
"I didn't get anything done all day."
or I could say . . .
"You just can't see what I've done all day."

I could say . . .
"I watched cartoons all day."
or I could say . . .
"I've held feverish children all day."

I could say . . .
"I've sat on the couch all day."
or I could say . . .
"I've loved my sick kids all day."

I could say . . .
"I am still in slippers and sweat pants today."
or I could say . . .
"I'm dressed for the occasion today - my work clothes."

I could say . . .
"Today didn't go as planned."
or I could say . . .
"THEY were the plan."

Sometimes as Mommy we just have to pick a different way to look at our day.

Normal day needs a goal !

My January was insane.
Insanely good but insane.
I'm one for goals.
So in Feb. I'm setting some goals.
The goals involve these things . . .
. . . loving . . . my camera . . . organizing. . . sweating . . . feeling creative . . .  
I'm starting today.
It's not a real exciting day.
Just a day with to much to do really but I will pick up my camera and try to think creatively.
Check back and I will post FIVE pics I have taken today.
Why five?
It's Friday's Five of course!
This will make me do it.
Pressure's on!
Happy Friday!
Come back now ya hear?
------------------

It's almost 6:30.
Here's the five pics from my day!

Friday's Five: Five Pics from Friday

 Pink boots and a sparkly purse . . . I love my shopping buddy! We were on a mission for a cute gift for that cute baby boy from yesterday's post.  We scored and found it!

 A little Self Portrait at the start of my day.

Power Snack

This is a place I've come to love and hate in life.  It makes the other people that are usually with me happy so I guess it makes me happy. Hmmm.

When we walked in today Tatum said, "Oh they put some beautiful things up for Valentines."

Made me laugh.

The girl asked for my name. 

I said Nicole.

She repeated "Nicole" and wrote it like I've never seen before - the letters were all there - just out of order.

Made me smile - that'll work - though I have no idea how to pronounce this.

HA!

Happy Friday!

Friday's Five

Friday's Five 

Five Sentences that begin with "I just might. . . "

I just might . . .  accidentally leave the house in my slippers. The kids bought me some new slippers from Target for Christmas and they are so comfortable I feel like I'm wearing shoes.  If you see me wearing slippers in the store will you quietly point it out so I can scream in embarrassment.

I just might . . .  be in love with seeing my dishes looking clean again.  Dare I say I enjoy unloading the dishwasher??  Not really but I had forgotten what some of my dishes looked like before soft water.

I just might . . . be super excited for the Women's Retreat next weekend. If you live around here I hope you are coming.  The fabulous planning team is geared up for a great weekend with you!

I just might be . . .  over the top excited that the girl I posted about here is coming to the retreat too. Oh joy!  I told you she was an amazing friend.  We are even getting an extra night and day after the conference to just hang!

I just might . . . go to bed before 10:00 tonight. If I hurry and press send it will happen! Oh how I need it.

Friday's Five

Friday's Five

Five Reasons Cookie Making With Grandma is FUN.

1.  The kids get to be hands on with the flour fun.

2.  We get to taste each step. Dough (check!) Frosting (check!) Finished cookie (check!)

3.  They mess up her kitchen and not mine.

4.  We come home with a container full of yumminess!   

5. They get precious time with her.

Thanks for a great after school activity Grandma.
It was a great way to end a very busy week.

Friday's Five

Friday's Five

Five Totally Unrelated Random Things

1    Today Tatum woke me up saying "Is it Kissmas today?".

2    Yesterday we checked off another license plate on our game.  H A W A I I !! I screamed when I saw it AND took a picture of it to show the kids (They weren't with us.).   I didn't think we'd find Hawaii - and in a Walmart parking lot of all places.  Four to go . . . .

3     I've been emotional this week. Crying over stupid things.

4     Want to rock out to some great Christmas music with your kids?? Reliant K's Christmas Album - Let it Snow! LOVE IT!! It's been our favorite for a couple years.  We jammed out in the van today and then the next song made me cry. I said I've been emotional.

5     It's cool to learn life lessons from my kids . . . Ian saved for almost 7 months, kept himself from buying other things, still gave money away for good causes, and this week he smiled big and waved at the UPS man as he picked up his dsi package! I want to be like him.  

Friday's Five

Friday's Five

The last several posts have been very wordy so let's just look at some random pics today . . .

FIVE RANDOM PICS FROM THE PAST MONTHS

Happy Weekend!

Friday's Five

Friday's Five

Five Things I Don't Like To Do

1. Fold Laundry

2. Fold Laundry

3. Fold Laundry

4.  Fold Laundry

5.  Fold Laundry

I had an entire post on my five favorite organizations and opportunities to participate in during the holidays and when I went to send it it had not saved. All the links and info. gone. AHHH!  I'll try again.

Friday's Five

(on Monday)

My Five Favorite Organizations and Opportunities to participate in during Thanksgiving and Christmas.

(I  know it's still November but with some of these you need to think ahead.)

1
Operation Christmas Child - Samaritans Purse.
This is the shoe box project.
You pack a shoe box FULL of gifts for a specific age child.
National Collection Week is November 15-22.
Make your kids a part of this project.
Take the shoe box to the store with you - let you kid fill it.
If you can, have each child do a shoe box for a child their age.
I have a very fond memory of Ian packing a shoe box when he was three.
We were picking out a wash cloth to put in the shoe box and he said, "Blue. Ryan likes the color blue."
I said, "Who is Ryan?"
"That's the boy that is getting the box." (He said it with a tone implying that I should have known this.)
He talked about Ryan for days.
Obviously we have no idea what the child's name was that received that box and we didn't know anyone by this name.
Ian had just connected with this unknown child.
It made it even sweeter.


2
World Vision Gift Catalog
You pick out items for children in need and purchase them.
You can buy 2 chicks for $25.
A goat for $75.
There are so many choices.
If your kids are like mine they look through every toy catalog that comes this time of year.
They circle things they want.
They cut things out.
Let your kids shop through this catalog and impact a child in need.
Our church in Utah did this as an entire Children's Ministry.
It was a neat experience - children saving money to buy a cow!

3
Charity: Water
Give water.
Give a well.
The girls over at Project 320 will be doing some amazing projects again for water.



Watch for that.
You could do some sort of water project with your kids to understand the need.
It's such a basic need that changes so many lives.

4
Go local.
Check your area and see what opportunities there are.
Maybe you can get your hands involved in sorting toys for a ministry.
Our school sent home a packet from a local shelter.
$1.57 buys a homeless person a Thanksgiving Meal.
Maybe each of your kids wants to buy a homeless person a meal.

5
Dual Gifting
I  made this name up but that's what I call it.
My definition:  When you make a purchase that has a dual purpose.  It benefits someone in need and it gives you a gift for someone on your list that has a deeper meaning.
I've been given gifts that I know benefited someone else by being purchased.
I love that.
I've given a few like that.
You will see opportunities for this all over during the holidays . . . just make sure the organizations or people offering these are trustworthy.
I will be hosting a 31 Bits Design party later this month!
It provides income for women in Uganda.
You can come and "dual gift" shop!
I'm just waiting for my box of goodness.
Can't wait!!

6 (Bonus)
Go Big and sponsor a child.
This is an ongoing commitment.
Allows the giving to keep going all year long.
World Vision and Compassion International are two very reputable organizations for sponsoring a child.

Somehow when I look for ways to teach my kids to give, I give.

When I give generously they learn to give generously.

It's crazy.

Ultimately we all are just trying to learn from the ultimate Giver.

Friday's Five

Friday's Five

Five Pumpkin Pics

Friday's Five

Friday's Five

FIVE STATES we still need in our License Plate Game

Started like this.

Now it looks like this.

FIVE to go!
1.

 2.

 3.

 4.

5.

This is the coolest license plate board game.  Made by Melissa and Doug (for you locals I got mine at Susan's Bookstore.). We started it this past July 4th when we took a road trip to the Texas Coast. On that one trip we got 30 license plates.  The kids took turns flipping them over.  We had a states book along and  sometimes Ian would then look up the state and find some fun facts about it.  We were so into it that after our trip we kept looking for them - we are trying to find them all. We are down to 5!!! We've been stalled at 6 for the longest time but FINALLY last week I found North Dakota.  We even went to South Dakota this summer and didn't see a North Dakota plate.  Do they leave their state Kim :))? The one we all got the most excited about seeing was an Alaskan plate.  We found it in a McDonald's parking lot in South Dakota and we all screamed.  Since then I've seen 3 more!!! One was right on our town's Main Street.  Crazy!!  Truthfully I think it's Jason, myself, and Ian - maybe just Jason and I - still playing but on the road trip everyone was involved.

You can play it several ways. You can flip it completely over to see the states and capitals (like we did) or you can have two teams (red and blue). I think the teams thing could be fun. After we get all 50 we'll probably play it different each time we take a road trip. We may try to beat our record of 30 from the last trip.

Have a great weekend!

Friday's Five

Friday's Five

Today I'm thinking about my man. 

Here's FIVE lines from the song "Stuck Like Glue" 

by Sugarland that I like. 
(This song is the first one on my playlist right now.)

I had five pics from the past to share with you today but I'm having some real issues with blogger pics right now. Not sure what the heck is wrong. I'll figure it out another day.

1    

" Absolutely nobody knows me better"

2    

" There you go making me feel like a kid."

3

    " Nobody makes me feel so good."

4    

" There you go making my heart beat again."

5    

" I know I'm never letting this go. I'm stuck on you."

Tell your special someone you love them today!

Friday's Five

Friday's Five

Five Pics of the Harvest Action

1. Corn Going Down

2.  Transferring Corn to Grain carts and Trucks 

3.  Shredding up the field after it's been harvested. (or maybe this is Discing)

4. Harvesting Beans on the field right by our house. - It's mostly corn around here but some beans.

5.  Pre Harvest Picture - That combine is HUGE.

For you non-farmers that wonder what the heck corn harvest means; here's the process as understood and described by a non-farmer herself.

You farmers can just skip this next part because I know you'll laugh at me.

Cut down (harvest) corn with a combine.

Corn goes from inside the combine to a grain cart that drives along side the combine. 

Grain cart fills up.

Takes the corn to a semi.

Another grain cart comes up along side the combine and the combine starts unloading into that grain cart.

The combine never stops.

At least that's the goal.

It can go for a little bit before it needs to have a grain cart by it.

Corn goes from grain carts into semi trucks.

Trucks take the corn to either grain elevators or to grain bins on the different yards.

Corn dries and does stuff in those bins and they eventually take it all to a grain elevator to sell it.

I think the beans go the same way with just a different head on the combine 

to cut down the beans.

Then someone goes over the field that was harvested with a different tractor and 

shreds up or discs the dirt. 

They do all this and then repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat for 6-8 weeks.

I'm only out there for the purpose of taking pictures, letting my kids get "rides" or hang out with Daddy, or dropping off some grub. 

Friday's Five

Friday's Five

Five things That Happened Last Night While I Was Sleeping

1   My purse was stolen at Walmart.  Guy grabbed it from my cart and ran off.  I was so shocked it took me a minute to scream.

2  Snow! All over our yard. Covered.

3  I found the perfect turquoise vase that I've been looking for to go with my newly painted kitchen - and at Walmart of all places. I've been looking everywhere for it.

4  To find the best produce I had to climb up and over the piles of fruit. Weirdest thing but I needed that produce.

5.  While walking to the front of Walmart to report my purse stolen I saw a man just walking around with my wallet.  I quickly grabbed it from him and ran! I'm so brave.

All that in a night  -- I tell you I was exhausted when I woke up.  Can you tell that Walmart is on my list of things to do today. I will be keeping an eye on my purse today and I won't be climbing any fruit stands either. Goodness! Thankfully their is no snow today either. Not sure what that was about - I'm loving this Fall weather so please no snow.

Friday's Five

Friday's Five

(on Saturday Night)

Words . . . Here are five groups of words I see at my house every day!

There are more but I picked just 5.

What are you looking at around your house?

1.

Bought this awhile back for a birthday gift and as you can see it never found it's way to the receiver. 

I liked the reminder of living in the moment - the moment of this season. It sits above my kitchen sink.

2.

I know this piece is sort of a "trend" right now but I absolutely love it. 

The history of the saying is pretty amazing too - my "keep calm" is nothing compared to the history. 

It hangs in the place where I get all my kids out the door and where we come in usually with arms full. It's a great reminder for me in the mist of all that chaos.

  

3.

Simple verse but

packed full of so much truth and power.

4.

Isn't this saying just beautiful? 

I'm currently working on printing some 12x12 pics of moments in our life that have taken our breath away. We have had so many of those moments in life and I'm so thankful.

5.

This picture could have a post all to itself.

Maybe some day I'll tell you the story.

I've looked at this for 3.5 years now.

What are you looking at around your house?