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Menu Plan Monday and More

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 01:26:01 GMT

~ I haven't posted my menu plans in forever! Here is this week. All of these recipes are from Hillbilly Housewife.

Monday--Chili with homemade bread
Tuesday--Chicken Cacciatore on noodles, broccoli, and applesauce.
Wednesday--Dirty Rice, fruit salad
Thursday--Steak and Potato Skillet, watermelon
Friday--Pizza Pasta Casserole, Big salad

My grocery bill this week was $68.08.

~ I chose the first quilt, the soft pastel one. I can't wait to see what it looks and feels like in person. The JCPenney Outlet has such pretty stuff for really cheap. We ordered some lamps from there too, for our living room. One of ours recently got knocked off and broken.

~ The other day I casually thought that I'd like to have something to rock the baby in. We have a recliner in the living room, but I wanted a rocker or glider more privately in another room. I thought I'd keep my eyes open at yard sales and thrift stores. Just a couple hours later, someone offered a glider on Freecycle. Well as you've probably already guessed, I got it and it's beautiful! God gave me a glider to rock my baby in! I'm going to keep it in the schoolroom, which we're currently moving to a larger room.

I just feel so blessed...and spoiled!

Help me again!

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:57:32 GMT

Ok, I know there are more important things to blog about than decorating your house, but you all were so helpful to me about the bed, I need your help again. I need to order the bedding so that we can pick a paint color and paint before the furniture arrives. Now that you know what the bed looks like (see a few posts down if you don't), which bedding do you like?

This one is my favorite. I love the soft pretty colors and all the pillows have ribbons on them. It's beautiful. I'd be getting the quilt, bedskirt, shams, and the three accent pillows. If I got it, I'd probably go with the soft peach or green for the walls.

I like this one a lot, but the thing that keeps me going back to it is that it is half the price of the first one. It comes with a comforter AND a quilt, bedskirt, shams, and two accent pillows. I'd probably paint the walls a softer shade of the green or even a softer shade of the pink if Kevin ok'd it.

It seems like I should go with the one that's half the price, but at the same time I'm thinking that this is something I'll have for a long time and see and use every day, so I should go with the one I really like.

What do you think of them?

BTW--These are both from the JCPenney online outlet. They have some GREAT deals on there. It took me forever to get down to 2 quilts. I started with 12, then finally had it down to 5 for about the past week. Now that I have it down to 2, I can't decide!

My Thoughts on the Duggar Video

Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:33:38 GMT

I really don't think the intention of that video was to demonstrate the Duggars' style of discipline. I think the people at Discovery Health just titled it that for whatever reason without the Duggars' knowledge. I really think the video was just a fun little collection of bloopers that happened during an entire interview. I highly doubt Michelle's actions were the extent of the discipline she practices. Those were her youngest children, still in the process of being trained, and I don't think anyone would argue that all of the Duggar children are exceptionally well behaved and respectful and that it is very apparent that whatever parenting they practice works.

My point was that while Michelle was in the public eye during her interview, she was very patient and loving toward her children. She did not act embarrassed or flustered that they were not proving that they were this perfect family. I would have felt ashamed and making excuses to people watching and thinking only of what others may think of me as a mother. She didn't show this kind of pride at all. She was just real. Of course she wasn't going to start spanking her children during a taped interview! I would be willing to bet that they were disciplined during or afterwards, but you'll notice that that video was only clips. I'm sure Michelle is wise enough not to spank her children on the video!

I'd also like to share my thoughts on some other comments about the Duggar family. 18 children does sound like an astounding number to those of us who don't have near that many, but to those who do, I don't think it is. To most people, and to me before I had children, FIVE sounds astounding. But now that I'm going to have five, it doesn't seem like many at all. They have come one at a time and one more never seems much different! And they aren't just a bunch of stray kids running around, they are MY children, my best friends, and each of them is like an only child to me. I don't think that would change whether five turned into 10 or 15 or 20.

To say that a mother couldn't even remember her children's names if she had 18 doesn't make much sense. Here's something for you to do. Get a piece of paper and write down the names of the 18 people who are closest to you. It won't take you long. That's easy for me--I have (almost) 5 children, I have 4 brothers and 3 sisters, and I have 6 cousins (Beverly's children) who are more like siblings to me. That's 18 and it doesn't seem like very much at all because they are people I love and am close to. Now look at your list. Did you have any trouble remembering anyone's name? If you had them all over to your house for a party, would you lose track of who was who? Of course not! How much more your own precious children?

I once heard a mother of many say, "What to you is a number, to me is my child." I love that.

I used to worry quite frequently about how we would feed and clothe our family if we allowed the Lord to bless us without limit. I don't do that anymore. How arrogant of me to have considered that WE would feed and clothe these children. Of course it is the Lord who provides for us. I memorized Matthew 6:31-34 and allow it to ease my fears whenever they start to creep in. "Do not worry saying What shall we eat? What shall we drink? What shall we wear? For the pagans run after all these things and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself."

Whenever people have commented to me about how can I possibly give all these children the personal attention they deserve, I answer them, "Ma'am (Sir), I homeschool my children. I keep them by my side nearly 100% of the time that they are awake and even a lot when they're asleep. I'm willing to bet that my children receive a lot more attention from me than many other children do." We are together all day and I really believe that constant togetherness is so much more valuable that the planned one-on-one half-hours other children may receive from their working mothers after being at school all day. And God gives me those little times many times throughout the day where it's just a special natural moment between me and an individual child. God wouldn't give us any more children than He would give us the capacity to mother. Funny how people always make this comment about large families, but you never hear it made to those of average-sized families when the kids are at school all day and even in after-school programs and don't even see their parents till it's time to go home and do homework. You don't hear it made to those families where both parents work most hours of the day. "Quality time" once a week can never replace quantity time.

These were just things I was thinking about all day and needed to write them down. I love the Duggars. I love large families. And I love my family so much it's overwhelming, no matter how big it gets.

Happy Fourth! And Michelle Duggar

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:45:26 GMT

What are you doing today? We are cooking out this afternoon and then going to watch fireworks. We're having grilled hamburgers, the Layered Summer Salad from Food & Family magazine, the Slow Cooker Baked Beans from F&F and the Strawberry Fields Cheesecake from F&F. Do you get Food & Family? It's free as far as I know since I have never paid for it! It comes in my mail every month and I love trying new recipes from it.

I just watched this clip of Michelle Duggar. I just love the way she deals with her small children. She is so gentle and patient and loving. I probably would have excused myself and been a bit less than sweet once the cameras were off! She is such an inspiration to me. It is also encouraging to see that her little ones DO act up! They're normal people

Have a wonderful day with your families and children today!

Which Bed?

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:11:24 GMT

I had 4 votes poster and 19 votes for sleigh! Which one did we choose? The sleigh bed! Mostly because we decided we just liked how it looked the best, but some people also brought up some great points about it. You all were really helpful--thanks!

The sad part--it will take 2-4 weeks to get here.

Which bed? Which bed?

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:07:48 GMT

I am so excited! We are going to buy our new bedroom set (we held out for the Fourth of July sale). But I'm having such a hard time picking which bed I want. Which do you like better?

The sleigh bed?

Or the four poster?

They're both prettier than anything I've ever dreamed of having! Which one would you pick and why?

The More I Seek You

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:49:21 GMT

Why have I never heard this song?? I fell in love with it when I heard it a couple days ago and it has been playing on my computer, in my kitchen, in my van, in the bathroom ever since. Her "Revelation Song" is my second favorite. "The More I Seek You" is one of the most beautiful love songs to the Lord I have ever heard. When I sing it to Him, I just feel like I am sitting in His lap with His arms wrapped around me, enveloped in love and peace.

The more I seek You
The more I find You
The more I find You
The more I love You
I want to sit at Your feet
Drink from the cup in Your hand
Lay back against You and breathe
Feel Your heart beat
This love is so deep
It's more than I can stand
I melt in Your peace
It's overwhelming

Try Motivated Moms for Half Price!

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:17:10 GMT

If you've been wanting to try the Motivated Moms planner you always hear me talking about, now is the time! You can now get the 2008 planner for only $4. This is an instant download, so you can start enjoying it today!

Here is how I use it:
I buy the half size planner so that I can print off 2 weeks at a time. Then I hang the current 2 weeks on the fridge like this:

For more info, samples, or to order, click HERE.

Called to Queenhood

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:55:04 GMT

I just read this article from a 2004 Above Rubies last night and it was so inspiring. I am motivated today to be a queen in my home.

Called to Queenhood by Nancy Campbell

Tonsil-Free

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:21:18 GMT

We are home and everything went great. I can't believe how much time and thought I have wasted worrying about this! The surgery was so simple, Justin did great, and he's managing his pain so much more bravely than I had expected.

We had an enjoyable stay and our hotel even had a waterpark in it. Justin wasn't supposed to be going there. HA! Don't tell him he just had surgery and the anesthesia takes 24 hours to wear off and he has to rest for two weeks. He spent two hours in the afternoon and three hours last night shooting down giant water slides. Scared me to death but Daddy said let him do it and he had a ball.

He got so upset at me that I said no, he absolutely may not have chicken nuggets. This has been so much easier than I thought!

I have some cute pictures of him that I'll post later.