We are the Shepherds and we only get one chance

Wow.

How can you not want to do right by a sweet girl like  this?

God is teaching me alot.
I have tried to be good a "discipliner".


I've tried the Love and Logic type of stuff.
You know.  Natural consequences instead of getting mad.

I've tried laying down the law.
You know.  I'm the parent you must listen.

I've tried reward charts.
You know.  Giving them stickers or candy or money for doing what they are supposed to.

I've tried positive reinforcement.
You know.  Going crazy with praise whenever you catch them doing something well.

None of this is wrong.
BUT....
        NONE of it is right.

Am I training them to make me happy?
Am I training them to sit quietly in a restaurant?
Am I training them to say SORRY when they hurt someone?
Am I training them that good grades are most important?

YES, YES, YES....

Am I training them to TRULY love people from deep down in their heart?
Am I training them to put others before themselves ALL the time?
Am I training them that it upsetting me is nothing compared to sinning against GOD?
Am I training them that knowing and modeling the love that Jesus showed is the most important?

NO!

This study I'm co-leading (Shepherding a Child's Heart) is teaching me so much.
I have so much changing to do
.
Every behavior comes from the heart.
It shows what is in there.  Deep down.  Hiding.
Is it greed?  Is it self-centeredness?  Is it anger?
It is our DUTY to help our children weed through their emotions.
To see where they are sinning against God.
To see how they could show the love of Christ.
Every discipline needs to point toward the gospel.
Teach them what it means to sin.
Teach them what it means to pray.
Teach them what it means to LOVE.

I love these kids.  I want them to truly love God and truly love people.
We have some changing to do around here.
It starts with me.

Oh, life... you get in the way.

It has been nearly a MONTH since I wrote in this space.
Do you ever feel like you really have nothing to say?
Like nothing is new or different under the sun?
The last month or so has left me
 -BUSY
         (homeschooling, violin lessons, bible studies, church activities)
 -BLESSED
         (God is pressing more and more on my heart every day that I am so very blessed with a wonderful family as well as amazing Christian friends and the ability to study and grow in his word)
 -TRAVELING
         (Jimmy's grandma passed and we took a week to trek to Milwaukee and stay a weekend in Pierre for a wedding)
 -TEACHING
         (Homeschooling is wonderful and exhausting at the same time.  Sometimes it feels as though it gets in the way of life - and sometimes it feels like life gets in the way of our homeschooling.  Perspective.)
 -LEADING
         (Began co-leading Shepherding a Child's Heart as a small group at church.  I am being shown SO much.  I hope it is blessing the other mommies as much.  We will change the world if we can apply these principles.  More on that in a future post.  It greatly deserves it's own.)
 -LEARNING
         (My BSF study is amazing.  Every week.  So timely.  God is showing my parts of the Bible (Matthew - which I have read many times) that are so convicting to me.  Definitely provoking change.  Also helping Arabella to trust others and be comfortable when mom isn't in sight!)
 -CREATING
         (I've been making baby gifts for friends and costumes for Lexi and clothing for Arabella.  Feels good to be creating again.  I long to make more time to create.)
 - MOSTLY JUST TAKING CARE OF ME AND MY OWN
         (My family is my first ministry.  My husband.  My kids.  First, my God.  If I don't have the time to devote to those three - nothing else should get any time.)

I haven't even wanted to read blogs.  When I say that, it may not mean much in your life - but I LOVE reading other blogs.  I love seeing how people create and what their family dynamic is.  I am quite partial to those who love God, love to live simply, love to create, love to garden....

What are your favorite blogs to read?

I'll leave you with a little "quack,quack,quack" from the bathtub!

Halloween: YAY - or - NAY ???

Do you do Halloween?
I think this is a big one among Christians.
Do you participate in dressing up and giving candy/tracts?
Do you only hand things out but not dress up?
Do you avoid it altogether?
Do you leave home and do a "fall festival"?

We have friends that do any or all of these.
Some are passionate about their stance.
Some have never given it much thought.

For a few years now, I've felt that I didn't want to participate in the costumes.
I'm fine with handing our tracts and making it fun for others,
but I really haven't felt the need to have our children be fully involved.
Jimmy, sees it different.
He doesn't see a problem with Halloween as we do it these days.
He has fun with the kids dressing up, lighting the house, and passing out tracts and candy.

SO, we do it.
It's not a hot button issue.
He feels it's fine, so I don't push it.
No scary costumes.
No scary decorations.
No scary pumpkins.

This brings me to - - - WHAT DO YOU HAND OUT????
We try not to have much in the way of candy around here.
It doesn't sit right with me to give it out either.
I don't want to be THAT house that passes out pretzels.
or toothbrushes.
or little spider rings.

This year I thought I was really cool.
Today at Target, they had 15 packs of glow bracelets for $1.
I bout 8 of them, so that's 120 bracelets.
I was all excited when I showed the kids.
They told me I was lame.
We were now THAT house.
The one that doesn't give candy.
We'll let Jimmy be the judge.
:(  I thought I was cool.....


Also on my mind is 4-H.

Photo credit goes to the 4 H website!

Do you do 4-H?
Did you growing up?

The sign-ups are about to begin online - October 1st.
Lexi is all over this. 
She has a list of things she really wants to do.
Archery, possibly fashion, rabbits, preserving food.....  among more.
I'm still really unsure of how it all goes down.
We will definitely do the intro to 4-H class to find out all the 411.

Dylan isn't so sure.
I think it would be good for him, but he is such a teenager.
He wants friends, but doesn't want to step out to actually meet anyone.
He wants to do things, but doesn't actually want go anywhere.
I know some things interested him, but I dn't think I can convince him to step out and try it!


The Love Dare for Parents tells us to treat our children with compassion.
We are to model after Jesus.
He was SO compassionate in so many areas.
There are many examples listed in today's reading of exact instances where Jesus showed comopassion.
Things we can model exactly!
Why don't we do this???
It's not roket science.
It's reading the bible and actually DOING it!
Wow!  Novel idea, huh?

Photo credit goes to the feeding South Dakota website!

We have a Movie night tonight downtown!
If you are local, come down and check it out!
We have teamed up with Feeding South Dakota and are showing Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.
This month, they are raising awareness of all those kiddos that go home with nothing to eat.
The free breakfast and lunch at school are about all they get.
Couldn't be a better cause to raise awareness for.
Hopefully I'll have some great pictures to show you tomorrow!

Birthday Re-cap

We had a great night last night for Jimmy's birthday.
Lexi couldn't wait to give her daddy her gifts!
She worked really hard painting a mug for pens and pencils on his desk.

She made it packer colors and all!

Dylan worked on a plate with the girls' handprints.
It had his fingerprints around the edge.

Everyone's name and age were on the back.

We took him to Olive Garden for dinner so he could enjoy his favorite endless pasta and meatballs.
We headed to church after dinner for a night of reflection and celebration of the Lord's Supper.
we ended the night with some ice cream at Coldstone.
Wow, a busy night led to this:

The Love Dare for Parents reminds us of the
huge responsibility we have  in disciplining our kids.
We need to nurture their respect for God.
They need to respect their parents and take them seriously.
Does anyone else see this as something that has gone
terribly wrong in the past few generations???
Today's reading shares a little about how we can
foster that in our children, but it doesn't go nearly far enough.
I am so excited to begin a study at our church with other moms
centered around Shepherding a Child's Heart.
I see in my children's heart that they question my authority as
though they are to answer to me.
That's where I've gone wrong.
In their heart they need to seek to do right by God and
know that consequences come when they stray from that path.
We will be working on it, and I urge you to, too!


Our second day of Bible Study was great today!
I think it is really going to help me in being more disciplined in my
Bible reading and time with God.
I met the ladies in my small group and I think they are fantastic!
What a great year Arabella and I have ahead of us!

I linked up at:

Lexi's big day!

We had a great day catching up on school and canning.

I only have those 10 tomatoes left.
I think I will roast them and freeze them for future use.
It's not really enough to can anything with.
I canned  7 quarts of spaghetti sauce today.

I filled the dehydrator again with pears.
We really love them, so I know they won't go to waste!
I made  6 1/2 quarts of sauce with them,
and the rest are cooking down to fill the dehydrator for fruit leather.
Can't have too much of it, can you???
I'll probably add some blueberries to some of it.
I was thinking pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice to the other.
Is that too weird???
Kids might think so....  
I won't tell them what it is.

Lexi had her first violin lesson today.
She has wanted to learn for YEARS.
We finally decided we had enough time to really do it.
She couldn't stop grinning :)
Really, she loved it!

Dylan had to show his new song when we got home too.
He wouldn't let me take a video.
TEENAGERS!

Here's an idea from dinner last night,
everyone LOVED IT!
I took my big roasting pan and added about 4 big sliced chicken breasts,
3 big bell peppers,
3 big onions,
drizzled with olive oil,
seasoned with mexican spices
(cumin, chili powder, oregano, taco seasoning, salt, pepper, cayenne...)
whatever your family likes.
I added a couple cans of diced tomatoes.
Popped it in the oven at 400 for about 45 minutes or so.
The kids ate on corn tortillas.
Jimmy and I just ate in a bowl with salsa and sour cream.
No complaints from anyone!

Our parenting lesson today.
Encourage them.  ALL.THE.TIME.
Be their cheer leader.
Who else will?
"What you speak into the ears of your children can impart love and build bridges of hope for them or it can poison their perceptions and crush their confidence."
LOVE THAT.

Baby's new shoes...   Her second pAir from ebooba on etsy.  Love them!

Teach those children!!!

Today's Lesson from the Love Dare for Parents is good.
It is reminding us that we are here to teach!
Our entire parenting life is like a long drawn out seminar.
If we don't use every teachable moment,
we are doing our kids a disservice.
Next time you watch a movie, talk afterward.
What would they have done in the movie situation?
Next time you make up your family's calendar,
do it with your kids!
Next time you work out your budget, involve them.
Don't wait until they are adults to have those bigger teaching moments.
Make it a part of every day life!

So bible study today was great.
I know you all were worried :)
Arabella did great in her class.
Didn't care when I left, and they said she fussed only a little in the 2 hours!
YAY!
Tonight we begin Awana and Youth group.
Onward Fall schedule.

Last week, I got a bunch of green chiles from Bountiful Baskets.
The kids were so happy.
We all love them.
I boil them for just a couple minutes and then seed them and split them on one side down the middle.
I mix up some cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and mexican spices.
Ones we like are chili powder, cumin, oregano, taco spices, paprika, onion powder, garlic....
whatever flavors you love.
Stuff the cheese into the peppers.
Wrap a slice of bacon around them and pop them in the oven.
I cook at 375 for about 30 - 40 minutes and they are perfect.
SO yummy - spicy and creamy.
I served with a pork roast I added spices to and put in the crock pot all day.
YUM!

Ok.  Confession time.

Yesterday I might have mentioned that I am a hoarder.
I am a minimalist in most things, but one area.
Fruit and Vegetables.
Every time I can get a case for a good price, I can't help myself.
I dry it, I can it, I freeze it....
So far this week, I have purchased about 60 pounds of tomatoes,
and about 90 pounds of pears.
Is that a problem?
:)
My family likes it -
      - I think....
So far, you've seen my dried pears.
Here is what else I've done so far.....

Fruit leather out of pear sauce.
I made 3 different kinds
- one mixed with a pound of strawberries, 
- one mixed with a ginormous mango,
- one mixed with plain yogurt and cinnamon
I usually cut each 12 x 12 sheet into four strips across and roll them with parchment and tape the end.
Today I was lazy and I just quartered and stacked them.
It made 36 fruit leathers.
I hope they don't stick together.

I made 6  little four ounce jars of tomato paste.
Tomato paste is the dumbest thing to make.
That will be my last.
It takes SO MANY tomatoes.
You have to cook it down for SO long.
It is really cheap at the store.
duh.

I made 9 pints of pizza sauce.
I just add a lot of Italian Seasoning, some extra oregano, some garlic and onion powders and some red pepper flakes.

 I have a huge pot, a medium pot and a meduim crockpot cooking down tomatoes and I still have about 10 softball sized ones left!
I'll let you know what they become!

Ugh.... the schedule

Everyone settling in to their fall schedules???
I am loving the temps this week!
Perfect weather to get out and do something!
NOW, I just have to actually get out and do it!
Maybe I'll take the baby for an afternoon walk.

Lots of things are beginning this week.
My schedule will be adjusting and changing.
I'm not really liking that.
I'm trying to talk myself out of each and every one of them - actually.

First, a new bible study tomorrow morning.
This means the kids doing their schoolwork without me in the morning and spending the afternoon in our together stuff.
Every week.
I know it will be worth it, though.
It also comes with homework, I hear.
When will I possibly have time to do it - I tell myself.
Uhhh....  aren't you supposed to be making time for God every day?
It comes with a bible class for Arabella.
I hear it is WONDERFUL.
Be without my baby?
She LOVES other kids.
She is fine with other adults when I'm not in her view.
She loves new toys and singing and dancing.
She'll be fine - will I?

Lexi will begin violin on Thursday afternoon.
I hope she loves it.
I hope she wants to practice and I don't have to nag her every day and make it a chore.
She has wanted it for so long!
But with it, comes more scheduling.
Every thursday.
Every day to practice.

I will need to begin preparing for a study I am co-leading.
It is about parenting.
I want to get to much from this study.
I want all the other mommies to get so much.
I don't want to mess it up.


There is so much I want to do and I can't possibly fathom how to fit it all in.
Mostly it's me.
I am a home body.
I like downtime.
I don't like to over schedule.

Say a little prayer for us.

Here are some pictures from the last day....

Lexi's new-found love of archery.  She is hoping to add it to her 4-H program.

My kettle bell workout yesterday.  I love kettle bells.  My favorite is the Kettlebells app in Ipad.

This is how I'm attempting to remove millions of fruit flies from my home.  My addiction to hoarding fruit is not conducive of removing fruit flies.  Any ideas?

Arabella really wanted to help Lexi with the dishes this morning.

Pears cooking down to can pear sauce.

Smoothie for the kids for lunch.  A bunch of over-ripe bananas, a tablespoon or two of cocoa powder, about a cup of plain yogurt, a pinch of stevia powder, 1/2 to 3/4 cup of peanut butter, and a glass full of ice and water.  Blend it all up - YUMMO.

Today in the Love Dare for Parents, the remind us to use manners.
Kids learn by example.
They want to be respected.
They respond to love and kindness and MANNERS.
Model that behavior for them!
I know some think that you shouldn't have to coddle your kids and should be able to order something done and it be done.
It doesn't hurt anyone to say please.  Say thank you.  Say I'm sorry.  Don't burp in public :)
Your home will be much more peaceful if you practice what you are requiring of them.
Now go say thank you for something!!!

What a weekend

Wow!
Fun and busy weekend here!
We started out bright and early getting our bountiful basket.
Can't go a week without our baskets!
Seriously, I miss it so much if I do!

Next, we headed to a huge neighborhood rummage.
Apparently, it is a BIG DEAL.
I've never head of it, but we figured we'd give it a go.
It was a gorgeous morning when we set out, but by ten or so, it was HOT.
We only made a few purchases...
    - a covered sandbox for the baby :)
    - an old suitcase for me (I LOVE old suitcases.  What should I do to it?  Cover in fabric?  Paint?)
    - a few random DVDs that Jimmy had to have
    - a couple cute tie-dye headscarves for the baby - SO CUTE!

We ended the night with the Dueling Pianos show!
They are phenomenal.
Great entertainers and great talent.

After church today, Lexi had to get ready for a birthday party a cute little friend.
She got all decked out for a tea party. 
SO CUTE!

Of course there is packer watching and we're ending the day with a welcome home party for a friend.
Great weekend of fellowship, friendship, and time with friends.

Day eight of our parenting lessons has us looking at who has the hearts of our kids.
Do they still want to be around you and hang on your every word?
What has pushed them away.
The only thing that reaches them is whatever has their heart.
Man, I need to get back there with Dylan and hang on to Lexi with all my might.
They can slip away so easily.
    - with our attitude
    - with our laziness
    - with our negligence

Here are some pics from the weekend....

Yummy tomatoes shared from a friend's garden!

My 18 or so pounds of dried pears.

Arabella getting crafty.

Cooking up a storm....

Began the day wit wheatgrass in my ginger shot.
I stopped growing wheatgrass before our trip,
and hadn't began any seeds again.
At the local co-op yesterday, Jimmy and I noticed they had beautiful stuff for $2!
How can you pass that up???
Got me in the mood to start soaking my seeds again :)
For the kiddos, I made a grain free apple cake.

I bought tomatoes and pears from bountiful baskets last week.
Today they are both ripe.
I jumped in right away with and started cutting up pears for the dehydrator.
I filled all nine trays up with slices - probably used 18 pounds total.
I'm hoping to get to the store and use some birthday money I have stashed on a food mill.
Assuming I will acually do that,
I saved all the extra parts of my pears and threw them in the crockpot to make pear butter. 
I added some quartered pears too, to fill it up.
I despise trying to get things through a strainer.
I have maybe 10 pounds left to figure out something.

I halved enough tomatoes to cover two cookies sheets.
They are in the oven roasting with olive oil and garlic.
YUM!
When I get to that store for that food mill,
I have a plan to cook it in the crockpot for 24 hours.
This should make a beautiful tomato paste.
Still have about half the tomatoes left.

No school today.
We were planning to do it,
but we have much more fun plans
in preparing a surprise for Jimmy's birthday next week.
More on that later :)

In our parenting lessons:
Don't be easily provoked.
Love isn't.
We shouldn't be surprised wen our children make mistakes.
You don't want them to feel insecure or scared to mess up.
Your reaction to them is usually more about some stress or selfishness going on with you
and less about what is actually going on with them.
Let it go.
Be aware.
DON'T take your stuff out on them.

Me? Selfish?

Made it all the way to day 6 in the
Love Dare for Parents.
If I didn't know I needed it so bad, I'd be tempted to quit.
This is where I'd quit.
I don't want to be told I'm selfish!
    "Moodiness and impatience, laziness and irresponsibility, are only selfishness in disguise...."
and
    "Selfishness is like a disease that suffocates our capacity to love."

I don't want to hear this stuff!
But....   I need to.
That has me ALL over it.

1 Corinthians 13:5

New International Version (NIV)

⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

I don't think of myself as selfish.
I give up a LOT for my kids.
I stay hoe for naptimes and to get them in bed.
I don't go out with friends and leave them all the time.
I spend most of my days cooking and cleaning and working around the things that they want to do.
BUT, am I moody?
BUT, am I impatient?
BUT, do I sometimes procrastinate or get lazy when it comes to doing things they want?
UH....  you got me there.

That is not how God made me to be.
I need to "lose myself in the joy of loving, giving, serving."
That's my plan.
If you see me NOT doing that.
Call me out.
Punch me in the gut.

Slap me upside my head.
Whatever works.

Here's how our day looked...

The kids have chores to do when they get up.
They have to get ready, straighten their room, do their dishes and eat breakfast (in that order) before 9 am.
I know, I'm a slave driver.
Lexi handwashes the glasses that were used and any small pots and pans.
Dylan empties and refills the dishwasher.

I was having a friend come today, so I wasn't sure I'd have much time to prepare lunch.
I decided to experiment.
I threw rice, broth, beans, tomatoes, frozen spinach, and green chilies in the rice cooker along with some mexican spices.
Turned it on and came back at lunch time.
We ate a little cheddar cheese on it. 
It was so good!
Lexi had thirds!

We continued our lesson on Still Life Painting, 
but actually painted today.
Lexi loves it,
but Dylan - not so much.
If it doesn't start or end with bass guitar, he's not interested.
 
Got to meet Jimmy out at the greenhouse today to look at plants.
I have some reading up to do.
Saw lots that I wanted, but surprisingly, they aren't on sale yet!
We'll head back when they are.
We also went to Hardware Hank because they had began their annual produce sale early!
I didn't buy much yet.
Some peppers and onions.
I'll go back and hope for some on clearance on monday.
I'm cheap like that. 

Sobering Reminders Today

Please join us in praying for an aquaintance today.
Her husband is now with God. Unexpected.
They are a great family in our community and our paths crossed often.
She is left with her 4 little reminders of him. Beautiful.  Heartbreaking.

As I ponder this today, I'm teary eyed.
So many thoughts.
Do I do enough to appreciate my family?
What would I do without them?
How do you even begin to start a new life?
Only God can help you find these answers.
Only God could get you through it.
Only God.

I finally picked up my copy of the Love Dare for Parents again.
It really is a good book.
Reminders I need every day to make me more patient.  Peaceful.

Today's reminder was to acknowledge and accomodate your children's uniqueness.
They each have different gifts.
Different talents.
Different ways to be loved.
Different ways to show love.

Who are you to squish that?
Who are you to try to make them conform to what you think they should do?

It is our job to lead them to be Christ followers.
That's it.
Not perfect.
Not mini-me's.

UGH.  I need help with that.
I need to let them be their own people MORE.

I don't have much more to say than that.
I leave you with some pictures of our day.

Good start with a ginger shot and green juice.

Day three of perpetual bone broth.

Getting comfy for schoolwork.

Snack time!  The zoom is not good on an ipad. 

Azure order due tomorrow.  

I get eggs and cheese and random fill ins of nuts, dried fruits, natural health and beauty.

Feel like I'm missing something this time.

What do you HAVE to have when you order?