5 Things I Loved About Being A SAHM!

My husband was gone for the last three days and I got to stay home (I had to be home for the kids to get home from school, I thought I'd let my fill in have the whole day instead of traveling 45mins just for a few hours) for two of the days. I was a stay at home mom up until 3yrs. ago and never got to enjoy the time at home while the kids were at school, the youngest two started school in the last two years. So, here are 5 of the things I enjoyed while being home. Keep in mind, I am normally not home so I took more leisure than most SAHM's probably usually get!

1. Going back to bed after sending the kids off to school! I had trouble falling asleep without Jim so I was pretty tired. After the kids went to school, I went back to bed for two hours! It was glorious!

2. Getting to make a nice lunch. I have to brown bag it most days for work (so tired of sandwiches, I now understand why the kids are tired of them too!).

3. Having lots of time to plan and get things ready for supper instead of having to know in the morning and then rush to get it made after work. I loved being able to think about it, once I was really awake and have time to take something out or do some prep.

4. I liked being mobile. I spend 40hrs. a week sitting in an office chair. At home I am going up and down stairs, walking all over the house and doing chores and it felt good to be moving all day.

5. The best thing I loved about being a SAHM the last few days was being home when the boys came home from school. I had a nice snack ready for them each day and they were so excited to see me (I suppose that novelty would wear off if I was home all the time!). Yesterday we walked down to the park after school. It was so nice to spend time with them instead of the usual: rushing to get dinner on, homework, baths and bed!

That is my list for this week, go visit Peanut to read more 5 Things I Love lists!

5 Things I Love About....Myself.

5 Things I Love About Myself.

Wow, that really sounds vain! Really it isn't, if you saw how long it took me to come up with 5 things! I'm taking my cue from Peanut today. She wrote about 5 things she likes about her body. I couldn't quite go that far but I figured I could find 5 things about myself in general I liked, if I really really tried, couldn't I? Well, lets see!

1. I am pretty social. I love to spend time with family and friends and love to laugh. I don't get to do it as much as I'd like but if I could, I would everyday! I loved living at Bible College and having friends and their kids all in the same building. We had a great time there!

2. I'm very forgiving. I am quick to forgive and I get over things quickly. I have found that quality to serve me well, especially being a pastor's wife. I don't take things too personally and if I am hurt, I get over it fairly quickly.

3. I can be quite shy (until you get to know me!). That doesn't sound like a positive, and in many cases it isn't, but I am easy to talk to. I don't come on strong and it makes it easier to get to know others who are shy like me. God has really helped me to come out of my shell enough to do this and to reach out to others first, but it doesn't come easily.

4. I am fiercely loyal and protective of my friends and family. I may be shy but I will stand up for them when I'm needed, especially for my children. When I'm your friend, I'm your friend for life (there, you have your fair warning!)

5. Oh boy, one more, um.......I am a child of God! There, that's a good one! I am happy that I made the decision 15 years ago to follow Christ. It is the best thing I've ever done and I wouldn't have any of these qualities or this life without Him!

Whew! That wasn't so bad, I just managed to squeeze 5 things in there! Go visit Peanut to read her list and more 5 Things I Love posts and why not make your own list and join up?

*By the way, any suggestions on how to make my header inline with the columns? I've had this problem before but have always been able to fix it. This time I'm stumped!

The Post in Which I Magically Reappear!

Two weeks? Wow, can you tell I've lost my blogging mojo? Hmm, that begs the question, did I every really have it or is it something I can still get somehow? There are so many computer viruses out there, why can't I catch that one, the blogging mojo virus! You'd think after two weeks, I'd have something to blog about (instead of wasting your time blogging about how I have nothing to blog about!) but you'd be wrong. Why aren't my kids crazy or weird or something? No one is giving me blog fodder and as you can tell, I'm NOT a writer at heart! I have, however, been reading blogs and so to finish this post with SOMETHING, I'm going to share some links with you. Here are some posts from the last two weeks that touched me, made me think or made me smile: (Just click on each blog to read the post)

Sarah @ Life in the Parsonage

Lisa @ The Preachers Wife

Peanut @ Peanut, Peanut-Lover and the Weenuts (Today is Peanut and Peanut-Lover's 7th anniversary so...Congrats!!)

Stefani @ Blue Yonder

Shannon @ Rocks in my Dryer

DeeDee @ Fiddledeedee

Make Me Laugh Monday

Just a quick comic I found on facebook, though it was cute and applies to many of us!

Check out more for your Monday chuckle at Jenny on the Spot!

Make Me Laugh Monday

I thought this one was cute, poor Grandpa!

This is totally how I feel!
To see more Make Me Laugh Mondays (if you are like me, you really need a laugh on Mondays) check out Jenny on the Spot, for guaranteed laughs!

Please Pray

click on the picture above to read what is going on with Baby Stellan and when you are saying your prayers, can you take a moment to mention Stellan? I can't imagine what mom is going through but she really needs our prayers.

5 Things Thursday: Spring!

5 Things I love (and look forward to) about Spring:



1. Daffodils. They are the first flowers to blossom in my yard and their sunshine yellow colour makes me happy.




2. All the green! I love it when the grass gets green and all the leaves come out on the trees. Ever look up at the trees and see how beautiful the leaves are against the blue sky? I just love love love it!




3. I mentioned the blue sky in the last one. I love the colour of the sky when it is that amazing, brilliant blue on a nice sunny day. That is my very favourite colour. Even on a cold day, that blue sky does wonders to this winter-weary girl!




4. Kids playing outside! Can I get an Amen? We are all tired of being cooped up, time for fresh air, running, swinging and sliding!




5. The thing my and my family love most and are looking forward to is going to the beach! No swimming in spring but lots of shell collecting! My boys love to collect shells and skip rocks in the water and I plan to spend a lot of my summer at the beach!




To check out more 5 Things Thursdays, go visit my good friend Peanut and maybe even link up yourself!

That much?

Quote from Joseph:

"Mom? You know how God can do anything? ANYTHING?? Well, that is how much I love you!"

It doesn't completely make sense....except...it does.

Spring Fever!!

Anyone else got spring fever yet?

I'm so tired of being housebound, it is driving me and the kids crazy! We had a beautiful, sunny Saturday. The snow and ice was melting, and then we got a few inches of snow on Sunday...sigh!

Signs of Spring will eventually show themselves, until then, God keeps reminding me. Winter is not forever. Spring will come and with it the bright colours and the beauty created by His hand. It is the same in our lives. It may feel like you are stuck in a long winter but that is just for a season, Spring is right around the corner, you know it, because it has happened time and again! I'm so thankful that we have a God to turn to in these tough "winters" of our lives and that he will guide us through to Spring, to renewal.

Thank you God for the promise of Spring and thanks for the beauty in the world that you have provided. I know all our needs are met in this world but thank you for the details, the pretty things in nature for us to enjoy. I know this winter won't last. You are amazing!

5 Things Thursday

I'm doing something a little different this week. Instead of posting five things I love, I am posting 5 things that recap our recent adventure at the regional spelling bee.

5 Things to recap the spelling bee

1. Nathanael was getting nervous during the 2 hour (yikes) drive to the regional spelling bee so we practiced some words, including the word Metaphor, which he spelled right. (You'll see the importance of that later)

2. We arrived at the spelling bee location and found a friend from down the street had a daughter in the spelling bee too. Nathanael registered and received a bag of swag (Clipping of his picture in the newspaper, two microwave egg cookers from The Egg Farmers of Canada, a cool Canada Post Yo-yo that lights up, a lunch bag, and a water bottle, all in a university bag)

3. After orientation, practice and introductions, the spelling bee begins (there are 53 kids). Every time he goes up there, I get nervous for him and can barely watch. The age group ranges from 9 to 14yrs. olds. He is 10 and looks so small up there!

4. In the second round he is asked to spell "credible" and does but they ding him out, saying he misspelled it. Most of the audience is murmuring that they thought he said it right. So, we appeal (for only the second time ever in the competition). Lots of crowd support during the break, nice bunch, not too competitive. Nathanael struggles with pronouncing R's and the judges all thought he said an O instead of an R. They decide to reinstate him.

5. Lunch break is over and they announce his reinstatement, everyone gives a thunderous applause! He has made it to the third round. This round is tough and the numbers go from 24 to 6! Nathanael goes out this round by spelling... wait for it...Metaphor! Go figure! It was exciting and the girl from down the street won, we were so happy for her. Nathanael placed 21 out of our region (about 4000) and really is not bad when you consider that he barely studied! He didn't study at all to get there from his school spelling bee and then studied once or twice and home and of course in the car on the way. He actually quite enjoyed the experience and really seems interested in putting in his best effort for next year.



That was our exciting spelling bee experience. For more 5 Things Thursdays, hop on over to Peanut, Peanut-Lover and the Weenuts to see more or to link up yourself!