Hope Continually -- Psalm 71:14

Monday, I said to list ten of your current favorite things.  I like to think about my favorite things.  It puts a happy thought in my heart.  :) Here are a few of my favorites...today. Lilacs The smell of freshly cut grass Standing in the warmth watering my lawn The books of the series Little House on the Prairie The TV show - The Andy Griffith Show and House Hunters International Dryer sheets Getting my hands dirty in the garden soil Soup Coffee in the morning Dinner in the crock pot What is on your list today?

Quick Chicken Stir-Fry I started making this recipe a very long time ago - when I was a young college wife.  I found it in a Pampered Chef cookbook.  It has been my go to recipe for a quick and yummy stir fry for a dinner meal. 1 tbsp. canola oil 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 package frozen broccoli stir-fry 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup pineapple juice 2 tsp. cornstarch Hot cooked rice In a deep-sided 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken; stir-fry until no longer pink. Add frozen vegetables. Cover; cook 4 - 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, pineapple juice and cornstarch. Pour over chicken and vegetables; cook 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve immediately over hot, cooked rice! * I use reduced sodium soy sauce for a healthier alternative. * An easy way to get 1/2 cup pineapple juice without lots of leftovers...drain one can of chunk pineapple. Use the juice in the recipe and save the pineapple for a fru...

Every Child is a Problem Child *I am teaching a mini series in my   Ladies Connection Class from the book Kids Without Chaos by Mrs. Evans.  Here is what I taught this Sunday. One of the best kept secrets is that every child is a problem child.  You are not alone in pulling out your hair trying to rear children.  It's hard!  In fact, many of us adults are fighting problems we had as a child.  So that makes it doubly hard!     What can you do with your problem and angel children? Thoughts: 1.     Realize that you will always be spending more time with the problem child than you probably will with the angel child.  Don’t let your angel go unnoticed.   You will not want them to grow up hurt because Mom never spent time with me.  They need you just as much. 2.     Often, problem children, because of their personalities and drive, will go on to do great things.   Guide them ...

Last week, I was at work...I took out my contacts and put them in their case.  Well, it was very dim lighting and I didn't realize that one of the contacts didn't make it into the case.  The next morning, I went to put it in and it wasn't there.  Thankfully, I was able to find it on the carpet in the place where I had taken them out. Dried up...shriveled.  So, I put it in the case with contact solution and in just a little bit, it was restored back to its normal state. Is that you this morning?  Do you feel dried up?  Do you need renewed?   I admit.  My schedule and circumstances have taken a toll on me the last seven weeks.  A combination of living in a hotel...my home being in disarray...a different daily schedule...working 36 hours overnight weekly...daily demands...it all dried up my spirit.   Everything around me was taking the moisture from my spirit and I was slowly drying up. Today begins a new week.  ...

I feel a little behind!  I started this post last Monday morning.  So here is a week of life in photos! Thought I would share some neat updates happening! Last Saturday, we had the front of our church building painted.  I think it looks awesome!  It really changed the entire look of the building - making it more inviting. :)  We even had some comments - I didn't know the church had a steeple!  Ha!   Let me encourage you - whatever your pastor is asking you to participate to give...whether it may be a painting project, a special missions goal, discipleship books...GIVE!  Why?  When that project is completed and you get to see the fruit of the labor...you will be so glad you had a part!!  Don't be just a church member that attends but doesn't give financially to your church.  Decide - whatever project is going on to further God's work - I am going to give - even if it is just $5 or $500!  Give!   Thank...

Crusty dishes.  Since living in the hotel and having a tiny sink, you learned you had to definitely wash/rinse every dish right away.  There was no way to "soak" it eventually and take care of the grime later.  The longer you let it sit, the bigger the job. Sometimes, we need to get rid of the negative around us.  The longer we let the negative be around us, the harder it is to get rid of later.  The negative just sits on our heart and soul eventually making us hard and crusty. What may be a negative in your life at this time?  Wash off that negative with the soap of God's Word! "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."  Psalm 51:10 Get renewed today!

Brr!  So the week started off very cold and a dusting of snow!  I am sure glad that didn't last.   We were so happy to have our flooring put down on Wednesday! Yay!!  I really, really, really like it. :)  I already swept the vinyl floor and it really hides the dirt well.  So nice!! One of my favorite places...the sunny dining area.  :) Of course, it always makes your week when you see this! We have been enjoying McDonald's small smoothies for only $1.25!  Love the mango pineapple! Thursday, I had a photo inspection job of 13 houses.  Thankful for the extra money for our camp fund. :) Friday, I did a second photo inspection job for this week - 11 houses.  Stopped by our house and did a few things.  Dropped Sierra off to go to a birthday party.  Grocery shopping.  Did four loads of laundry, grilled some hot dogs and cheddar brats for dinner and took the girls swimming - all at...

One morning, I was getting a cup of coffee in the breakfast room.  I always put the cream in first and then add the coffee.  I'm a creature of habit. :) A guy next me was getting a cup as well.  He noticed me the way I made my cup and said, "You put your cream in first.  Maybe I've been doing it wrong all this time!".  He was joking, of course.  I thought it was interesting.  We were making the same thing - just in a different way.  He wasn't right or wrong.  I wasn't right or wrong. I was at Home Depot - choosing a paint color for our hallway and bathroom.  Saturday night with a four-year old.  I spent 45 minutes just standing there.  Every color had their own shade of gray!  The blues had shades of gray...the tans had shades of gray...the greens had shades of gray!  It was completely crazy.  I ended up leaving without buying any paint!! When I got back to the hotel, I told my husband the story. ...

I normally blog about my entire previous week but it all seems a blur now.  LOL!  Work...a lot of softball...cleaning the church...Awana...babysitting. So I will just recap the weekend.   Saturday was Opening Day for our softball league. This season, Autumn and Sierra are playing.  Autumn is in 10U and on Team Chaos.  Sierra is in 8U and on the Purple Minions. Little sister shenanigans.  She is such a stinker! Archie, the mascot from the Reno Aces, threw the first pitch. Autumn is one of the pitchers for her team.  I love the different stances in the photos. :) Shhh....the best part of the day!  LOL! Sierra finally lost her tooth. Sunday, we had a wonderful crowd!  I started back our Ladies Connection Class and had a great time.  My husband preached the first sermon in his Life App series.  It was on the family.  We also had three baptisms.  Two young men - J...