We spent the night at a wonderful lodge with a delightful indoor waterpark. I honestly cannot think of another place that would be more fun to spend time with my family. I can’t wait to go back. It’s close to our home, so there’s no long drive. It’s so easy and FUN!

We didn’t take very many pics. We were too busy playing!

There’s this awesome fort and at the top are water slides. Everywhere you go on this fort there’s water pouring down on you like a soaker thundershower. It even sounds like heavy rain. I have had water violently squirted up my nose from every direction!! Climbing net ropes isn’t nearly as easy as it once was, especially while being sprayed with water. Every 3 minutes there’s a huge bucket that dumps thousands of gallons of water on the fort and those anxiously waiting to get nailed below.

The fort is my favorite part, but there are also mega large water slides that the girls and I delighted in. Lydia and Jessica like going down together on the two seater rafts. It was fun watching them haul the big raft together up several stories of stairs.

James and I took turns watching Anjelia in the pee-pee pool. I had a great time hanging out with her, soaking in the warm bath temperature water. There’s lots of fun things for the babies and toddlers. There was also a great hot tub we could all hang out together in. James and I took turns seeking the sanctuary of the ‘adult only’ hot tub!!!

Unfortunately, Anjelia and Elaina totally tired out by mid-afternoon and were crying to go home! They could barely walk. We were all exhausted from two days of play, so we headed home several hours before I would’ve liked to. I was a little sad heading back, but I know there are many more fun times ahead for our family!

“In every real man a child is hidden that wants to play.” Friedrich Nietzsche

My Aunt Kathryn, mom’s little sister, discovered my blog on Saturday and has become an instant addict! I hope my mom and all her sisters can start commenting regularly. (I know several of you already do!) It’d be great! I could just put my blog on auto pilot and let the commenting fury begin!!!! I am proud to be a part of such a great family. Y’all are so fun, creative and energetic!

We are leaving today to stay overnight at an indoor waterpark! The kids have today and tomorrow off from school and James has a little space in his schedule. I can’t wait to go spend 30 hours playing with my family! The kids think we are taking them to the mall! We have so much fun surprising them. I’ll post pics later in the week!

Saturday we had a wonderful visit with Rob and Sarah. If you remember from this post, we visited Rob in Colorado last fall. We met up for the first time with fellow blogger, Sarah! Well, apparently the sparks flew and Rob and Sarah have become one hot ticket! They flew in for the weekend to give Sarah and Rob’s family a chance to meet. Undoubtedly, they are very happy as Sarah is a great catch for Rob! And vice versa I’m sure!

I feel so honored that we were there when Rob and Sarah first laid eyes on each other and maybe this is a stretch, but I like to think we helped their meeting take place! We all agree that the girls were great ice breakers.

ROB -N- SARAH

Aren’t they super duper cute!!! How fun!

Before Rob and Sarah arrived the girls kept running around the house singing, “Rob and Sarah sitting in a tree K I S S I N G!” They were so excited. Lydia made some notes and valentines for Rob and Sarah. In one of her notes she wrote something like, “To Rob and your wife”. Hmmmmm. . .

“Love isn’t finding a perfect person. It’s seeing an imperfect person perfectly.”

I’ve had this recipe for many years. I only make it a couple of times a year, but it’s a keeper. I find it really impresses people and yet it’s very easy to make. Yesterday I made this scrumptuous pastry for James and the guys for Valentine’s day. It’s an especially yummy breakfast treat when served with coffee.

Wreath Cake

Ingredients:

10 oz (1 cup) marachino cherries, drained
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup chopped pecans (save some to sprinkle on top)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2-8 oz. tubes crescent rolls

Directions:

Chop cherries and nuts and add to cream cheese. Add sugar and extract.
Roll out dough into rectangle.
Spread filling onto dough (excluding edges).
Roll toward you. Pull up and pinch.
Put on cookie sheet in circle.
Make several two inch slits on top, around the circle.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar.
4 tsp. milk
1 tsp. almond extract

Let the cake cool and mix and drizzle icing over the top. Sprinkle on the remaining nuts. Slice and enjoy!

“Things that were hard to bear are sweet to remember” Seneca

Lydia gave me this picture this weekend. The girls love the idea of fighting for something worthwhile. To them there is only one good reason to fight and that is for L O V E! Little girls are such little women. I think fighting for love echoes the heart of every woman. We can be warriors. Just threaten our kids, husbands or girlfriends and you’ll find out just how ferocious we can become! I thought this picture would be great for a Valentine post.

I think we are finally ready for the big day. Valentine’s Day is HUGE around our house. Lydia has been making Valentine crafts for two weeks now. I had no idea how much little girls get into Valentines. Oh my goodness!!! We spent Saturday afternoon at mom’s kitchen table filling out Valentine cards and stuffing little mini goody bags. All four of the girls have Valentine parties tomorrow. It took us awhile to do all 63 valentines! Last night we decorated Valentine boxes for school. I think we are finally ready!

James is going shopping for the girls today. Isn’t that sweet?! He’s going to get them jewelry and candy. I can’t wait to watch them open their gifts in the morning. They will be way beyond excited!

“There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.” ~ Mother Teresa

After we finished praying, my four year old daughter, Elaina, tugged on my arm. She glanced up at me with a confused, curious kind of look and asked, “Mommy, is Jesus’ name. . . ‘Amen’?”. I’m going to really miss these funny questions someday!

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I am so excited to be back in a women’s bible study again!!!! It’s been too long since I’ve sat among a small group of women. Women are AWESOME and it feels so good to gather together, young and old alike! We started a Beth Moore study today called, The Patriarchs. That woman is phenomenal! I’ll leave you with a quote she made at the very end of today’s lesson! It’s simple and very encouraging.

“Easy lives do not make good stories.” Beth Moore

I’ve tried these pork chops a couple of times and my entire family liked them. The girls love plain meat to dip in ketchup. We buy the largest ketchup bottles available for our ketchup lovin’ household. What is up with kids and ketchup? ‘Tis quite the love affair. . .

Sage Pork Chops

INGREDIENTS:

*2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon black pepper
6 center cut bone-in pork chops
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup water
2 cubes beef bouillon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine the salt, sage and black pepper in a small bowl and rub on both sides of the chops. Melt the butter or margarine in a large skillet over medium high heat and saute the chops for 5 minutes per side, or until well browned.

2. Meanwhile, in a separate small saucepan over high heat, combine the water and the bouillon and stir until bouillon dissolves. Add this to the chops, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer chops for 45 minutes.

*In my opinion, this is way too much salt. I would, at least, cut the amount in half. The bouillon adds lots of salt.

“Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity.” Voltaire

Thanks to Sarah at Cool Cucumber, I’ve discovered Snapshots. This website will scan your blog and build a word cloud using your most frequently used words. The larger and bolded words add extra emphasis to those words that are used most often. Very cool. I could purchase a t-shirt from them with my word cloud on the front. Tempting, but I appreciate the use of the word cloud for my site.

I love the words that were selected. I believe they are a true reflection of my life. Just reading them made my heart smile real big!!

“Words are alive; cut them and they bleed.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Birthday Announcements!

Yesterday was my Grandma Vera’s 81st birthday. I didn’t have the pleasure of growing up near my Grandma, but I always looked forward to seeing her on traveling visits. One of my best childhood memories of Grandma was a visit we went on to see her in Nebraska. I absolutely loved garage saling when I was a kid. My main objective was to find as many stuffed animals as possible. My mom would often tell me, “No more stuffed animals!”. I totally didn’t get why my mom would have a problem with me getting more. It just didn’t make sense to me. (Now I completely understand and I often tell my own girls the same thing!) We went garage saling with Grandma and she let me pick out whatever stuffed animals I wanted!!! If I remember correctly, she let me get quite a few. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven!! We took them back to her house and she spent the afternoon washing them for me and getting them into tip top shape! I remember her brushing their hair. I’ve always treasured that memory. I felt very special that day. Happy Birthday, Grandma!

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My Dad-In-Law, Richard, celebrated his birthday this week, as well. Unfortunately he’s been very sick. Dad D has been a big support to James and I over the years. James often calls him for advice, as he has helped James get his business up and running. He’s been able to help provide us the wonderful opportunity to be self-employed. I know it’s going to pay off big someday! Richard is a good man and I am very honored to have married into his family. I am proud to have the family name!!

“The older the fiddler, the sweeter the tune.” English Proverb

MY NEW VACUUM REALLY SUCKS!

“Laughter is the brush that sweeps away the cobwebs of your heart.” Mort Walker

I have been feeling like a little fish swimming upstream. All around me I see every kind of immorality. I don’t want to hear one more sad story with lives left hurting and bleeding. Because I am a mom I have become so much more sensitive and concerned about what I see. In four short years, Lydia will be 12 and many of these issues she will inevitably be facing. I desire to teach my children to always act in love toward others, for God is love, but at the same time I want them to see sin for what it is– something that is outside God’s will for them. Boy, I didn’t realize what a heavy responsibility parenting would be! I get a little defeated feeling when I think about the society and culture that I fear my grandchildren are going to inherit. My biblically based values seem old fashion even to myself. These things have been VERY heavy on my heart.

I read this word this morning and God used it to really speak to me. There is a Rita Springer song that I ADORE called, Like You Jesus from her Created to Worship album. (I want Moving With the Lamb played at my funeral.) I have been listening to her a lot lately on Rhapsody. She feels like a good friend encouraging me in my faith and helping to fill my heart full with worship. In the song there is a line that brings me to tears everytime. “Set my face like flint before you now; my life I recommit here as I bow. I love it when you gently kiss my brow and whisper it’s alright.”

Is there a scripture that talks about setting your face like flint? I saw that line again in this word and I am so encouraged. No matter what I see around me I am NOT going to take my eyes off of Jesus. He is the Rock that I stand on and he will give me strength to stand strong!!!! I pray He does so for my children and grandchildren, as well.

HOLY GHOST BOUNCER
I AM setting doorkeepers into place. These are like Holy Ghost bouncers, throwing out the profane and keeping watch over the holy. I have given you the keys of authority and your vote makes a difference. Lock the profane out and guard the holy place in your life, your refuge, your resting place, your family, your church, your fellowship and your community. Yes, when you stand at the door, you are facing the stubborn rebellion of mind-sets, demons and cultural bias. They are powerful foes, but as you lean on Me, I will not only set your face like flint, I will also give you strength to stand. Together we shall drive out the unclean and rebuild the line of demarcation.

Isa 1:25-26 NLT
Afterward I will give you good judges and wise counselors like the ones you used to have. Then Jerusalem will again be called the Home of Justice and the Faithful City.”