We are taking the girls to Disney on Ice tonight.... they are excited, counting down the hours already! We even sprang for the second row seats, partly because last time we went we were nearly at the top and could see nothing! I am looking forward to just being together with three of my favorite people. Pics to come tomorrow, I hope!

I want more for my girls than for them to grow up and be involved in bad, dead end relationships with nothing but a lost soul and an STD to show for it. I want my girls to love themselves, have big hearts, care for others, and love Jesus most of all. I do not want their hearts to grow cold to those around them, not caring about who they manipulate or fool along the way. I want them to strive for integrity, to be responsible, to let their yes be yes, and their no be no. I want them to desire God and His Word. To surround themselves with good, honest, God-fearing people. I want them to avoid big life-changing mistakes as much as possible... to look at the sins and mistakes of others and know to run west, away from sin. I want them to not be superficial, to believe and know that beauty goes much deeper than skin. I want them to follow God's plans, to be great wives, and to marry great men of God. I want them to be selfless, not just striving to do what pleases their flesh. I will not buy into the view that kids have to go explore the wild life and then come back around. I did not. That does not have to just be the way it goes. I know their decision to follow Christ is ultimately theirs, which is why these lessons must be taught now. No time to wait until they are teens..... it is the time to deal with the heart.... daily, making sure it remains soft to the things of Christ. This is what I want for my girls.

Rain

It is pouring here today. We have not had rain in awhile. It is nice and refreshing and my plants really needed it. I also realized quickly that I am truly from the Pacific Northwest. It rains so often there..... hardly anyone uses an umbrella. We just deal with it. As the girls were headed to the car for church this morning, they came in wanting a coat to put on to keep from getting wet. I said "we are from the northwest, we do not used umbrellas or coats..... get out to the car and deal with it". Ha.... they just kind of looked up at me, like I was crazy! They survived. Got a few drops on them.... so what?! We may live in the midwest but some things about being from the northwest will never change about me and I will proudly hand them off to my kids!

Georgetown, KY Apple Festival

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These are pics from our trip to Evans Orchard yesterday. It was their annual apple festival and we had a blast. There was a huge play area for the kids to play in, then we went and got some apple cider and fried pies, then we went to the animal land and saw a kangaroo, camel and some other unusual animals. Then Nevaeh rode a pony and then we headed back to the playland. It was well worth the hour drive. Lots of fun and a perfect way to kick of the fall! (my favorite time of year!)

9-11

It has been 8 years since that awful day. We were living in Oakland, with our three month old. It was terrible. I cannot imagine what it must have been like to have been in NYC or to have actually been on one of those planes. Terrible. I think we can all remember where we were on that tragic day.

On another note, I am totally pumped about this school year! We have so many fun things planned. Art classes, field trips, gymnastics! It is going to be a lot of fun filled with lots of new things to learn.

I have been listening to Mark Driscoll's series on Genesis.... it has been amazing.... and I am realizing that the Bible stories that we tell our kids as they are growing up are quite the stories when we include all the facts.... sure Noah was great, listening and following God to build an ark when everyone else thought he was nuts, but what about when he gets into his tent, drunk and naked. ? haha.
I am realizing even more and more how wicked we are without Christ. I have known this forever, really, but now I feel I really grasp this concept. We think the world is corrupt now, but it has been ever since the fall. Crazy to try and grasp.

I also have some things in life that I have really been praying about. I feel like I am being tested to keep trusting for the plans of the future. I feel like some changes are coming and am not even sure what that means, but I do know, that my hope is in Him, therefore, all of my worries and fears can go to Him. Now if I could just let go of them and actually hand those worries and fears over. Easier said than done.

On another note, President Obama gave a speech to kids today about staying in school and achieving goals. Lots of people were outraged and wanting their kids to be taken out of class for that time. I have a few opinions about it.... I do not feel that the speech is that big of a deal.... and really.... isn't it the parents job to teach the kids to stay motivated? Does anyone think that his 5 minute speech is really going to change the graduation rate from 70% to 100%? Too many of us want others to direct our kids...... being a parent is hard. We must take on that responsibility ourselves to teach our kids to work hard and stay motivated.

Is it a holiday?

It is labor day.. doesn't mean much to me. Joel is working, no family around which means no picnics to go to..... so, I am just taking some time to research fun homeschooling ideas. Field trips to apples farms and pumpkin patches, art classes, and ways to fill up the schedule with something other than book work.
I love this time of year. The weather is a tad cooler, the days are getting a bit shorter (which means it is easier to get my kids in bed at a decent hour), and fun activities for the kids. There is nothing better than a trip to the farm to pick up a pumpkin!
This school year has gone really well with the girls. Jesslyn has totally mastered playing letter games on the computer, and Nevaeh's reading is so much better than last year. I think this will be a fun year of learning and great field trips.
Right now the girls are turning the kitchen into their own little restaurant. This drives me crazy because things get messy, but I know this is saving me from paying for a membership at the children's museum and we also don't have the germs to go along with it. We shall see how long they can play without a fight!

There are two kinds of people in this world.
Those who love golf and those who hate it.
I hate it.

I cleaned out closets yesterday... clothes are headed to goodwill and there were 5 extra bags of trash to put out in the garbage last night. Feels so good.

Joel is in California... I sleep terrible when he is gone. Wide awake until 2 last night and up at 7. I am too old for that.

It is September.... my favorite time of year is right around the corner! yippee!!!!

I am starting to plan our trip to Disneyworld..... hopefully going in January sometime. Can't wait. The girls are perfect ages, they will be ecstatic... and then we will be broke ;)

I am back on track with weight watchers.... had family at our house all of July, then went to visit family for two weeks. This means my diet gets all jacked up... but I am back on track and already 3 pounds down!

I bought the girls d0-it-yourself bean bags... the best $45 I might have ever spent. They love them. Play in them, read in them, watch movies in them...... it's great.

I am thinking about actually making a meal calendar..... planning my meals two weeks out and shopping according to my list... any thoughts on that and if that helps keep you organized and helps save a few bucks?

Well, I am done with my random thoughts I guess. Time to go school my children.