Two Cuties

Here are a few pics that Josh captured of the boys a few months back! I am not savvy enough to know how to add these the correct way, so I apologize if they're not centered, or if they are too big for the site. To view all of the photos, check out www.perfectlypictured.com/cornfields.

"PUSH"

I hadn't heard the term "PUSH" up until a week ago. The novel I was reading taught me what it meant and then, randomly (or not-so-randomly), the next day...I received an email from a friend and the email was about "PUSH"ing.

P= Pray

U= Until

S= Something

H= Happens

In the book I was reading, a family needed a miracle (in regards to finances) and they prayed...nonstop....'round the clock....until something happened. They told friends and family of their need and asked them to join in prayer. I was so inspired by reading about this type of prayer. I would hope that if I had an immediate prayer request, I could call upon my dear family and friends to pray....until something happened! I am 'over blessed' (as my pastor would say) to have lots of people that I can call upon in times of need. Now...this type of prayer is meant to be nonstop. In the book, many people gathered in an old theater and prayed for nearly 24 hours straight. Some people stayed the whole time, while others came and went as they needed to. I know there is tremendous power in prayer. I have witnessed miracles and heard of hundreds of others. I know that we can't always PUSH. But...are you hoping for a miracle? Are you waiting for test results? Are you needing a clear and direct answer from the Lord? If so, maybe you should pray...until something happens!

..."The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

-James 5:16

"...Pray without ceasing..."

-1 Tim. 5:17

**Have you ever PUSHed before?? If so, please increase my faith by telling me about it!**

Will Work For Coffee

If you know me, you know that I love makeup. I mean....love it!

I love to try new colors, apply it, and play around! Over the years, I have contemplated going to school to "learn" the art of applying makeup. I have always thought it would be fun to work at the counter(s), too. Several (brave) friends have let me experiment on them! A few months back, I got to "work on" my friend, Theresa. She was attending a Murder Mystery dinner, and needed to look like a rich woman....so we really had some fun with her lashes and lips! This past weekend, my friend (Jacky) was a bridesmaid in her good friend's wedding...and so she came over "bright and early" for some primping. I got to do her hair and makeup, and she brought me Starbucks! Can't ask for better payment than that....

Jacky...all "done up!"

Look at those lashes! They are 100% REAL!

"Ms. Jessica Rochester" (a.k.a. Theresa) had some false lashes and bright red lips!

Call me crazy, but I think Theresa can pull this look off!

Pretty....pretty....!!

**I am a big fan of neutral lips and smoky eyes! So....both lovely ladies got the smoky eyes and I love how Jacky's neutral lips looked! Theresa needed the bright red lips to pull off her character....but a light lip on her would have looked great, too!**

A Lost "Art"

I have a Borders Rewards card/account and I receive coupons nearly every week! If you don't already have one, I highly recommend you sign up for one! It's FREE and easy (as opposed to Barnes & Noble... They charge to be a part of their "club!") Anyhow, I love going to "the bookstore!" It doesn't really matter which one! I love them all! I lugged my children to Borders last week...and I searched high and low for the perfect book on grammar, punctuation, and writing. I do believe(and I apologize for offending anyone) that correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation are a thing of the past! (It is mye deezire, that mye:; blogg have no errorz on! it. I trye reely hard, to make sure? i chek bak ovur mye" posts...surching for typoes.) Okay- back to the point. What was it again? Oh...yeah....I perused (fancy word, huh?) at least six books, one of which I remember having back in college! Oh, how I wish I could find it (in the 'black abyss' that is my garage)!! Some of the books I looked through were as much as $57.95, and the one pictured(which is the one I wound up with) was a mere $7.95. Lucky for me....I had my 40% off coupon....and my grand total was (drumroll, please) $5.19. This book is concise (another fancy word) and packed full of helpful writing information. The back of the book even contains a list of "1001 Frequently Misspelled Words!" I plan to use this book, to help in my blogging. Now- don't go correcting me yet! I haven't had a chance to actually read the book!

Time and Touch

I received this email today, from one of my most favorite women on the planet!!

Thank you, Darlene, for the reminder to take time for my kids...and to "train them up in the way they should go!"

October 20, 2009

Take It Easy
by Charles R. Swindoll

Proverbs 22:6

Maybe it's because I just had another birthday. Maybe it's because I'm a granddad several times over. Or maybe it's because of a struggling young seminarian I met recently who wishes he had been higher on his parents' priority list than, say, fifth or sixth. He was hurried and ignored through childhood, then tolerated and misunderstood through adolescence, and finally expected to "be a man" without having been taught how.

My words are dedicated to all of you who have the opportunity to make an investment in a growing child so that he or she might someday be whole and healthy, secure and mature. Granted, yours is a tough job. Relentless and thankless . . . at least for now. But nobody is better qualified to shape the thinking, to answer the questions, to assist during the struggles, to calm the fears, to administer the discipline, to know the innermost heart, or to love and affirm the life of your offspring than you.

When it comes to "training up the child in the way he should go," you've got the inside lane, Mom and Dad. So---take it easy! Remember (as Anne Ortlund puts it) "children are wet cement." They take the shape of your mold. They're learning even when you don't think they're watching. And those little guys and gals are plenty smart. They hear tone as well as terms. They read looks as well as books. They figure out motives, even those you think you can hide. They are not fooled, not in the long haul.

The two most important tools of parenting are time and touch. Believe me, both are essential. If you and I hope to release from our nest fairly capable and relatively stable people who can soar and make it on their own, we'll need to pay the price of saying no to many of our own wants and needs in order to interact with our young . . . and we'll have to keep breaking down the distance that only naturally forms as our little people grow up.

Time and touch. Listen to your boys and girls, look them in the eye, put your arms around them, hug them close, tell them how valuable they are. Don't hold back. Take the time to do it. Reach. Touch.

When you are tempted to get involved in some energy-draining, time-consuming opportunity that will only increase the distance between you and yours, ask yourself hard questions like, "Could my time be better spent at home?" and "Won't there be similar opportunities in the years to come?" Then turn your attention to your boy or girl. Hold nothing back as you renew acquaintances.

Take it easy!

The two most important tools of parenting are time and touch.

Excerpted from Day by Day with Charles Swindoll, Copyright © 2000 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. (Thomas Nelson Publishers). All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

Our San Diego Stay

Josh and I got to take a weekend trip to San Diego this past weekend. My parents stayed at our house with the boys, while Josh and I celebrated our 11th anniversary! The weekend was amazing...We had perfect weather (for most of the weekend), ate yummy food (and lots of it), walked along the boardwalk, shopped in Seaport Village, visited the USS Midway, slept in, worked out in the hotel gym, spent lots of time in the jacuzzi, played games by the pool, stopped for ice cream (several times), took a short trip to Coronado, walked around the Gaslamp District, and best of all- we enjoyed each other's company.

We stayed at the Grand Hyatt Manchester!

Our room was very nice!!

(We used Priceline, and did the "Name Your Own Price"....We got a great deal!)

Our view....so beautiful!

....another shot of the hotel!

My goofy hubby, at Seaport Village....

Yes, I am a Bath Junkie!

The impressive USS Midway....

We went on a self-guided tour of the aircraft carrier....

The bunks! Can you imagine 3, 500 men on this carrier, with such tiny quarters?

Controls for something....not sure what, though!

One of the Navy helicopters....

An amazing view from the "island" on the USS Midway....

We had to stop for a pic!

The Kissing Couple....

At The Fish Market for lunch....

...our beautiful view at lunch!

A (gorgeous) historic home on Coronado!

It was so foggy on the Coronado bridge!

October 17, 2009...Our 11th anniversary....at Ruth's Chris!

The ever-so-delicious Creme Brulee!

We were bein' goofy in the elevator and tried to take lots of pics together!

Quote from Josh: "Two days, two people....six bags!"

Why I Love My Man....

Tomorrow, Josh and I will celebrate 11 years of wedded bliss!

Here are 11 reasons why I love YOU, "my main squeeze"......

1. You take your role of provider seriously. You always have.

2. You are sensitive and caring.

3. You are quick, witty, and funny.

4. You rub my feet...pretty much every night.

5. You ALWAYS put me (and the boys) first. You are very selfless.

6. You take out the trash, scoop the poop, and clean out the fish bowls.....You do all of those "yucky" jobs without complaining.

7. You let me pick the restaurants and the movies.

8. You love me, despite my MANY flaws.

9. You always make me feel like a queen, and you tell me that you think I am beautiful.

10. You are very talented, and you are never prideful.

11. You are a man of integrity.

**Okay...so I could come up with a million more reasons why I love you. I can't imagine 'doing life' without you. You are the most amazing husband and father. I am convinced that I am the most blessed woman in the world. I am SO thankful that the Lord ordained our marriage and is in the center of it. I remember that Eph. 4:9-12 was read at our wedding and it holds true for us today. I love you, Josh. I always will. You have my heart forever.

XOXOXOXO