James Made Me Do It  

Posted by cokelady

It's really weird when your husband comes and says, "It's time for you to blog." Ha! I haven't been in the blogging mood much lately, as seems to be the case with most of the bloggers out there. Maybe they've been on the same emotional kiddie coaster I've been on. (It wouldn't classify as a true "emotional roller coaster," but I think a kiddie version might be an appropriate analogy. Ha!) I typically have no interest in politics and do my best to stay away from them. But this election was HUGE and I must confess that I felt like I might throw up last night. I say that sometimes when I'm disgusted with something. "It makes me want to throw up," usually on the source of my frustration! Ha! But last night I really and truly felt sick--like I might actually lose my lunch. I have so many feelings about this man and the decision this country has made, but the last thing weary Blogland needs is to hear more about what we're already so tired of hearing--and most of us so sick over! I think that's why James wants me to blog. It's a good outlet and we probably all need to get our minds off of things for a little while. But first...

Aren't you SOOOOOO THANKFUL to be a part of God's "Holy Nation"?!?!? What a blessing! Every few hours I'll feel that "gloom" start to come over my spirit, but without fail the Word of God begins to speak to my soul, or I speak to somebody with like feelings, or a particular song touches my soul--all of which have lifted my spirits and filled me with peace and joy and anticipation for the future rather than dread. It's strange to experience such a wide spectrum of strong emotions, for sure. But ultimately, GOD IS GOOD and we have SO MUCH to be thankful for. And just in case anybody else out there is struggling with the same feelings I have, let me share something that Brother Donnie Estep posted somewhere. (One of the many things that God has used to touch my soul and remind me--in such simple ways--that we have nothing to fear!)

Top 10 Predictions No Matter Who Wins the Election
1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still work.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praise to God.
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10. Jesus will still save the lost when they come to Him.

Okay, so now on to something FUN and NORMAL LIFE-ISH. Won't that be refreshing?! I'll post about Ladies' Retreat soon, but first of all...

Today was not just the first day of the end of the world (Ha!), but it was also my baby boy's 5th birthday. Can you believe it?! WOW. I now have a 5 year old, a 6 year old, and a 7 year old. And here I am still 17... 14 years in a row! ;-) When we woke up this morning, the kids were already all wound up about the big day (although they did take a few moments to ask about the election and rant and rave their own frustrations for a few minutes) and Sam decided on breakfast. Not waffles or french toast, but "sugar cereal." They usually only get that once a week. Whatever!

It was nice and cool and kind of spitting some snow here and there when we woke up, so James declared Puzzle Day all over again. Technically, there is only one Puzzle Day a year. Truth be known, I never saw a puzzle today. But James did listen to Christmas music, which was, of course, his entire purpose for calling such a day. I started to get on to him, but he said he NEEDED it today. I couldn't fight with that!

We had devotions, then the kids bundled up and went out to scrape together a couple of snowballs. They came in and had a very tramatic day of school. Joe did, anyway. ~sigh~ That crazy kid spent an HOUR on one lousy page of subtraction. He could have been finished EASILY in 10 or 15 minutes but for his bad attitude. We're hoping that perhaps he's learned a little something through the experience. We'll know by tomorrow, I guess!

I made clam chowder for lunch today and it was sooooo good! I have a bad habit of rushing that recipe (usually don't have the patience to stand there and stir constantly while all that cold milk slo-o-o-o-o-owly heats and thickens), but today I grabbed a stool and took my time with it. It definitely paid off! Yum!!! We had some cresent rolls to go with it (Pillsbury this time, not homemade!) and the kids LOVED it. Afterwards James used his handy dandy apple tools to peel, core and slice-like-a-super-long-ribbon several apples and I made apple dumplins for the very first time.


Ooooooh, they were good!!! I'm not a big apple person, but these were wonderful. Joe said he thinks they're the very best thing he's ever tasted in his whole life... next to Tostada Casserole which, consequently, was Sam's birthday dinner tonight. Joe just loves to eat, really!

I took some chowder and a dumpling over to the horse lady and told her we were going to cancel our lesson for this afternoon--just wanted to have a nice, relaxing day with the family for Sam's birthday, you know? She was cool with that and seemed happy with the loot I brought. :-)

Sam waited not-so-patiently for his "party" all day today. James let Sam pick a show and he opted for the new Veggie Tales movie. It ended just as I finished up on his birthday dinner. We had him pray for dinner and he was sure to pray that the food would be good... and that the presents would be good, too. ;-) Here he is, all excited about his specially selected dinner...


Then we sang and it was cake time! Look at my chins, Em! Ha! Oh, well. It's a good picture of Joe, anyway! He looks so grown up in this picture!


And here's the birthday boy enjoying his chocolate cake with chocolate icing. His pick again, of course!

And then it was present time! He had a card from Sister Galaviz and one from Grandma Wanda, both with money inside. He was so excited! He'd been buying toys off of Katie all day and was just about broke by the end of the day. ("Sam, if you'll give me a quarter for this little wooden keychain, you can have another little toy for free!" What kid can pass up a good Buy 1-Get 1 Free sale?! Not Sam, that's for sure! I don't know how much old junk he bought off of Kate today, but I think she made a decent profit. Goofy kids!)

Sam had four gifts to open: one from Katie, one from Joe, one from James and me, and one from Grandma Vicki and Granddad. Katie had gotten him a toy knife and Joe got him a little gun that shoots little airplanes. And this is his gift from us:

That's right! A roll of Scotch tape!!! Seems strange, I'm sure, but that's only because you've never seen how that kid goes through tape. He is so creative and is ALWAYS making things with scissors, construction paper, and TAPE--lots and lots of TAPE. Just yesterday he made an entire Batman outfit for Joe--all out of paper--complete with legs and all. So we got him some tape and paper for his birthday! :-) We also got him an art/shape book with a stencil that he seemed to enjoy tonight--and an army guy costume. Mr. Dress-Up hit the jackpot tonight--a soldier costume from Mom and Dad and a fireman costume from Grandma and Granddaddy! He was just a little excited...



James wanted me to post the pictures we took AFTER we thought to close that bedroom door with the vacuum and junk, but these ones were so much cuter! So please excuse our mess. ;-)



It was a good, fun night. I finished up a book I've been reading with the kids tonight. I really enjoy reading to them at night and they always get sooooo excited. It's been easy to do it the past couple of nights because of the time change. Everybody is already feeling tired and wiped out by 7:00, so reading sounds like a mighty good idea to all of us!

I still haven't touched the polyurethane. That was supposed to be my goal this week. As was the ironing. Hhmmm. At least I made a lot of great food for my family today, right?! That's worth something, isn't it??? Unfortunately we probably have enough left-overs to last a day or two, thus freeing me up to do some of the work I've been neglecting. ~sigh~ What a pity. ;-) G'night, all!

This entry was posted on 9:33 PM . You can leave a response and follow any responses to this entry through the Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom) .

12 comments

Vicki Smith  
6:12 AM, November 06, 2008

FINALLY a new post!! You know, if it weren't for James you may not get ANYTYHING done! :-) Love the pictures, as always. I'm still amazed at those blonde headed, blue eyed boys--where'd they come from? The clam chowder and apple dumplins sound great. Wish I had some!

Marcia Brooks  
8:13 AM, November 06, 2008

Happy Birthday to Sam! Loved the post and all the pictures. Sam picked a great dinner and the cake looks so.. good. Can't wait to here about the retreat

Erika J.  
8:26 AM, November 06, 2008

My daughter, Kailee (she's 3) loves looking at your blog. I believe I told you that at the assembly when you basically told me you had no clue who I was even though you probably should. HAHA! Anyway, she asked what kind of cake Sam had for his birthday and I told her chocolate. She said 'Oh, I've had chocolate cake before!' Haha!

Happy Birthday to Sam!

Jamey  
8:47 AM, November 06, 2008

I know how you feel about the election. I was sick also. Tell Sam we said Happy Birthday!!!
Isaac seen all the pics and was soo excited because he will be 5 next month and him and Sam will be the same age. Tell Br. Horne those apple dumplings look yummy. And Dustin wants your clam chowder recipe if you dont mind.

Amy Anders  
10:13 AM, November 06, 2008

I'm finally commenting after being a lurker for so long :) I really enjoy you're blog, you need to write a book!!!!!!!!!

I know how you felt about the election too! I'll explain the way I felt... like I had been punched in the stomach and couldn't regain my oxygen!!! But just as you said each time I started feeling that I started praying. I know that God is in control!!!!!!!

Rebekah Doran  
10:50 AM, November 06, 2008

Good to hear from you Becki! :)

Happy Birthday to Sam!!! Wow, 5 yrs old. He's not a baby anymore.

I've never made clam chowder before, but it sounds REALLY good. Apple dumplings, mmmm. Those things are good. Jacob and I use to go to an apple orchard when we lived in IL. Those made the BEST apple dumplings ever! I tried making them with storebought apples later and they were near as good. Yours sure look YUMMY though!

Tostada Casserole, that sounds really good. Is that recipe in the WMB cookbook? We are having a Mexican themed dinner at our church this Sunday. That would fit in well!

Sam looked sooo excited. He sure is a cute kid!

What are you polyurethaning now?

Rebekah Doran  
10:51 AM, November 06, 2008

PS. Hope you feel better today. :)

Kevin Fearer  
2:16 PM, November 06, 2008

sick does not begin to describe my feelings regarding this election.... I am still in shock and realize how the republican party is the one to blame....we had the lowest voter turnout in a LONG time if not history...well I will stop so I dont make the longest political post ever but I do hope the party learns from this and begins to reach out again in win back the house and senate in two years.


Good pictures of the party. Kids grow up so quick it is really amazing. BTW your house looks so great.. i am really impressed.

ToughLady  
10:10 PM, November 06, 2008

Happy Birthday to Sam...
I to can say something about the election but it would not be worth it God is in control who am i to complain about it just let God do His work right? Is that tostada cassarole in the wmb cookbook?

cokelady  
11:29 AM, November 07, 2008

Mom--HOW RUDE!!! I resemble that remark! ;-) And I know exactly where the blonde haired, blue eyed boys came from. GOD! :-)

Sister Marcia--We missed you at Retreat this year! I'll try to post about it soon. :-)

Erika--I know EXACTLY who you are!!! (Now! Ha!) So glad you and Kailee enjoys the blog. My kids always like scrolling through the pictures, too. Especially if it's pictures of THEM!

Jamey--When is Isaac's birthday exacly? I'm sure Sam would love to wish him a Happy 5. And I'll have you know that I MADE THE DUMPLINGS, NOT JAMES. All he did was work the peeler-slicer-corer tools for me. ;-) As for the clam chowder recipe, tell Dustin I said NOPE. He's going to have to come and fix some of our electrical problems to earn that. I'll make it while you guys are here and then give you the recipe if he still wants it...and if he hasn't blown up my house or made any more than four more misplaced holes in it. ;-)

Amy--You've repented of your lurking! How wonderful! ;-) Great to hear from you! Hope you're feeling better about the state of our country. It helps to remember that none of the important things have changed at all. God is still in control and we still belong to Him! :-)

Rebekah--I can only imagine how good the apple dumplings would have been with fresh apples straight from the orchard! YUM! I know there are certain "breeds" (ha!) of apples that are good for different things and I'm not even sure what kind I used! (We received them in a pounding.) They were truly grand, though!

The tostada casserole... Hhmmm. I'd be happy to give you the recipe--it's one of my family's favorties--but some would argue that it's not truly Mexican. After all, it has a can of pork-n-beans in it. ;-) If you're still interested, call or e-mail me and I'll get it to you! Or I could give you the recipe for our enchilada casserole--it's a LITTLE more authentic. Maybe. :-)

Kevin--I KNOW. It's sickening. But I think the stripes Jesus took for our healing work even for this kind of sickness because He has been helping me to be at peace and JOYFUL the past day or two. What a blessing! I'm SO GLAD He thought to cover this, too, and not just the flu or a broken arm. :-)

Janis--I just looked and no, the recipe isn't in the WMB cookbook. Since there's so much interest in it, maybe I should just post it on my blog, hu? But whatever you do, DON'T LISTEN TO EMILEE! Ha! She doesn't think it's so great. I think I remember her saying it was a truly "Smith" kind of dish. She even wondered if there was ketchup in it! ;-)

Jamey  
12:44 PM, November 07, 2008

I'll tell Dustin what you said about the clam chowder. It is about time for some games and laughs which we seem to get both when we come to your house. Isaac will be 5 on Dec. 19.

Vic  
8:26 AM, November 08, 2008

I would say that most of us are in one mind and one accord about the election...When I was a child the world was still an innocent place, where you didn't have to lock your doors, your children could stay out in the neighborhood till dark and on and on...Our world is so much darker today and that will give us as the church an opportunity to shine brighter than ever before...I am glad to be aware of what is going on in our world, instead of mass delusion that I have seen in America...I am proud of my children being able to see where we are and I pray we all get ready as never before...Ready or not Jesus is coming...I have no idea what turmoil is ahead for our country when we have NO moral bearings anymore...With all my heart I want to win all I can and get myself ready to leave this world...Come Lord Jesus!!!

Newer Post Older Post