Great Advice

I received this in an email today and found it to be so encouraging!

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12 It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, drink good wine, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40 If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

New Office Chair

Work is fun again!

I FINALLY got a new and very comfortable chair.

The Gaiam Ball Chair!

The ball is even removable so I can like do some exercises in between phone calls!

Really!

Mother-Daughter Camp 2009

Chloe and I went to Camp Peniel for a Mother-Daughter camp! We had an amazing time!

I think that is the coolest place and I look forward to going back again!

Chloe and I had a chance to spend some time together doing things that we normally would NEVER do at home, plus we got a chance to meet some really great people!

It is so amazing to me how many women had come to Camp Peniel as children with their parents and are now bringing their children.

In our cabin we had a family that was 4 generations.......and a DOG!

Some women were there with babies that were still sleeping in a packNplay!

And they were so calm, the mothers and babies!

I would have been a nervous wreck!

I admire them for that!

What memories!

It is definitely going to be a tradition in our home!

It was AMAZING to see what the Lord had prepared for me there.

We had an amazing lady giving 2 talks and I think someone told her I would be there......because they were TOTALLY for me!

But then again.....the Lord does know exactly what we need and what time! :)

Breakfast of Champions!

Tonight for supper we are having roast beef sandwiches!
I have to cook the meat in my crock pot so this morning, about 6:30 am, I was getting everything together so it has ALL DAY to cook.
Well, last night I realized that my recipe calls for a can of beer.

SOOOOO, this morning while I am assembling I send Chloe to the garage to check the fridge out there.
This is how it went down:
"Chloe go out in the garage and see if there's a beer in the fridge."
Chloe says "OK!"
A few minutes later Chloe returns.......
"Mom, there was no beer so I brought you a bottle of water!"
WHAT IS THAT!
I guess she thought I was having beer for breakfast!

Then I take Lex to school and his school is right next to the convenient store......do you see where this is going??
So I drop him off and head into the store to get my needed ingredient, 1 12oz can of beer!
The cashier gave me the "one eyebrow up" look so I start in on my story.....
"I am using this to cook with and...." then the man behind me starts chuckling!
The whole time I am pleading my case and counting out CHANGE to buy this stinkin' can of beer for my yummy roast beef sandwiches wondering if ANYONE believes me!
I'm thinking next time I will leave it out!!!!

French Toast Casserole

This is soooo good, you might even want breakfast for supper!

French Toast Casserole
1 loaf of French bread (cut into about 1”slices)
8 eggs
2 c. Half & Half
1 c. milk
2 tsbp sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg

Arrange bread slices in buttered 9X13 pan. In large bowl combine eggs, half & half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat until blended but not bubbly. Pour over bread, cover with foil and refrigerate over night.

The next day preheat oven to 350. Prepare praline topping and spread over casserole. Bake casserole for 45 min. Serve with your choice of syrup. Raspberry is BEST but I used strawberry and it is pretty tasty too!

Praline Topping

2 sticks of softened butter
1c. brown sugar
1 c. chopped pecans
2 tbsp light corn syrup
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon

Pour all ingredients in a bowl, mix well. Spead/pour on top of casserole and WATCH OUT! This stuff if yummy by itself, not that I have tried it or anything.

Vicious Dog Attack!

A few nights ago Lex came into our bedroom and he was crying!
He said his leg hurt!
I am sleepy, so I told him I was sorry and asked him to go get back in bed.
Well, should it be so simple?
NO!
He starts really crying!
So I get out of bed....I love my sleep!
I go with him to his room, he is limping the whole time.
He gets in bed but will NOT STOP CRYING!
So I get him some Motrin and my nurse brain goes right to work.......I have about 5 diagnosis's for him in less than 5 minutes!
He is still freaking out!
I am freaking out!
He is rolling around in bed holding his leg, guarding his stomach!
I am thinking something is REALLY wrong with him and if this continues for much longer....
HELLOOOOO ER!
So I start rubbing his leg and praying over him!
Well, finally he calms down and he starts talking about this white dog that bit him on his leg!
WHAT white dog, I am thinking!
He then proceeds to tell me that this white dog bit him on his leg and stomach while I was riding my bike (I pull Lex in this trailer when I ride my bike and SOMETIMES these dogs chase us and bark at us.............but we have not ridden bikes in FOREVER!)
This little guy had a dream he was attacked by a dog and it was SO real to him....he was even limping!

Brady PRAISE report!

HE is HOME!
YEAH!
Mr. Brady went home on Monday, Feb.9 after a very long and stressful hospital stay~
The Lord is so good!
Thanks to the many, many who were praying for him and Steve and Kendall!
ALL TESTS were NEGATIVE!
YEAH!

A Prayer for Brady!

For those of you who missed out on the hoopla....I became an aunt to the sweetest little twin boy and girl in November!
Briley Grace and Brady Preston!
Well, last week both babies were hospitalized for RSV in San Antonio.
They appeared to be doing better and were released home on Saturday.
Well, shortly after being home on Saturday, Brady was taken back to the ER in Llano where he was air lifted to an Austin area hospital.
Despite multiple interventions Brady's condition was not improving.
He was put in ICU on Sunday.
He is STILL in the ICU!
While he has not gotten worse, he is really not getting any better and the doctors are starting to think maybe this is not RSV.
A pulmonologist (lung doctor) has been called in.
My brother-in-law and sister-in law are beat!
As a parent, when your child is sick you feel helpless!
Plus the 2 babies they have at home, Briley and Barret!
Please pray for them!
The Lord knows their needs and He can meet them!
He CAN heal Brady!
Steve and Kendall would really appreciate your prayers!

TAG your IT!

I was picture tagged!

Not really sure what it means but I was told to go to "my pictures" and open the 4th folder and select the 4th picture.

Well, the above pic was "the one"!

It is pretty self explanatory!

It was this Halloween!

I was looking at it and you know it's funny that this year the costumes they selected are a TRUE reflection of who they are.....

Jace is a TOTAL outdoors man

Chloe......SO not a girly-girl, she loves blood and guts!

****Funny side note: you know how you call girls "Tomboys"? Well there was this boy in her class last year and I think he was emotional at times for whatever reasons and she told me...."Mom, that boy is SUCH at Tomgirl!" And she was SO serious! I love that girl!****

And Lex, well, he IS a little clown! REALLY!

A Cold Indian Day

My Chloe never ceases to amaze me!

She brought home a letter from school the other day that said her art work was selected to be displayed at a local high school for rodeo art.

Each school was only allowed to select 40 kids...from the whole school!

She was one of the 40 selected from her school!

Apparently they had judges come to make the selection of those that would be taken to the rodeo. I think they choose like 6...out of a million!

I'm glad I wasn't a judge!

Though her work was not one that was selected to go to the rodeo, she did get a blue ribbon and we are SO proud of her!

Go CHLOE!

I think this is the ONLY trait she did not get from me!

I can mess up a stick figure!

Her father is an amazing artist and he gets that from his mother, who is amazingly artistic and very creative! THANKS CHERYL!

Yummy Chicken Dish!

Last night we had the most yummy chicken dish!
Brent loves it and the flavor is so amazing!
I kind of forgot about it until I was staring at the cans of leftover jelled cranberry sauce I had in my pantry (one from this Thanksgiving and one from LAST Thanksgiving) wondering what the heck I can use that on besides dressing????
What is the shelf life of that stuff?? FOREVER??
Then I remembered Russian Chicken!
YUMMO!
Do I sound like Rachel Ray?
Somebody slap me if I do!
Anyway I thought I would share the recipe and it's SOOOOO easy!
I bet you could even put it in the crock pot, too!

Russian Chicken
Chicken (whatever pieces you prefer, and enough to feed your family)
-I use boneless, skinless breast or chicken tenders-
1 bottle of Russian dressing
1 can of jelled cranberry sauce
1 packet of Lipton Onion soup mix.

Preheat oven to 375. Arrange chicken pieces in baking dish. Mix Russian dressing, cranberry sauce and soup mix together. Pour over chicken and bake uncovered about 25-30 min for chicken breast (15 min. for tenders)
I serve with rice. The rice soaks up all the yummy sauce!

The Office

For those of you who do not know......I went back to work AND I work from home.
I went back to the same company but now I have a whole new office!
YES a new home office.
Over the holidays Brent and I did some work and it is starting to look pretty nice.
Work can be FUN again!
And Brent and I are still married!
What? Still married?
Well ANYTIME we tackle a project when the project is complete WE are about 2 steps from marriage counseling.
OK, maybe its not that bad, but geesh how can communication be so difficult.
Open your mouth and say it......UH, that's what happens.
Anyway, whole different post ANOTHER day!
Back to my office,
We went to Ikea on Friday night and Brent has never been with me when I have bought something at Ikea so he is clueless about their whole "SelfService" way of business.
So, we choose our desks and make our way downstairs and Brent become confused and nervous (he is wondering what else could I possibly be buying NOW) when I grab a cart and then ask him to grab a cart.
Then we head to the area where you get your items from the "isles and bins".
OK, we have 2 desks and 2 filing cabinets........that equates to about 50 boxes. No joke.
And Ikea's baskets have a mind of their own and I think the heavier it gets the harder it trys to run away from you.
And if you want to turn that basket? Well, just start yelling several feet before your turn so everyone will get the heck out of the way because YOU will NOT be able to control that basket....
Anyway, we finally get to the check out line and head to the truck......but you see you can not bring the baskets in the parking lot.
So Brent brings the truck to the front, which is probably good because he couldn't possibly be mad at me in front of everyone at Ikea.
You know he has it in his mind how he wants something done, BUT never tells me....I am supposed to be a mind reader, too!
So I am clueless to his plan and not sure of WHAT I am supposed to be doing and well, he gets irritated with me (but the feeling is mutual...HA HA)
Then he says "I would fire you if you worked for me" that is when I say "HA, if I worked for you I would have QUIT along time ago!"
But now we are in front of Ikea along with everyone else who is trying to load up their cars....God is so good!
Brent gets everything into the truck and we head home.
He is NOT liking Ikea and says next time he comes he will remember to wear work clothes and bring his work gloves!
Saturday Brent gets the desks and filing cabinets together pretty quick, thank goodness Ikea gives easy to follow instructions!
And they look FANTASTIC!
Many thanks to him and the kids!