Joyfull Living

These kids seem to have already gained some wisdom in life! Advice From Kids: Never trust a dog to watch your food - Patick age 10 Wear a hat when feeding seagulls. - Rocky age 9 Sleep in your clothes so you'll be dressed in the morning.  Stephanie age 8 Don't flush the toilet when your dad is in the shower.  Lamar age 10 When your dad is mad and asks you, "Do I look stupid?"...don't answer him.  Heather age 16 Never tell your mom her diet's not working. Michael age 14 Don't pick on your sister when she's holding a baseball bat. Joel age 12 Never try to baptize a cat.  Laura age 13 Say A Prayer: Little Johnny and his family were having Sunday dinner at his grandmother's house.  Everyone was seated around the table as the food was being served.  When little Johnny received his plate, he started eating right away.  "Johnny!  Please wait until we say our prayer." said his mother. "I don't need to" the boy replie...

Last week at our home we had a birthday!  Our middle son turned 16.  We tend to keep our birthday’s pretty simple, usually inviting our family over or going out to eat, but for the 16th, we did something a little more special. Our neighbors graciously offered their home and game room to hold a surprise party. We invited several friends and had a wonderful time.  Of course since the party was next door, my son noticed a few things going on and caught on, but overall he was surprised at the turn out of friends and family! Happy Birthday Josh: The birthday boy with his grandparents: A proud Nana with two of her grandsons: The birthday boy with his parents: The parents enjoying the evening!

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,  Ephesians 3:20 This is one of those verses that “blows my mind”!  When we come to God in prayer, He not only can answer and meet every need, but He is able to do exceedingly – ( to a very great or unusual degree ) and abundantly - ( abounding with ).  But the fascinating part is that this is above all we can think (grasp in our mind) or even imagine!   This verse inspires me and gives unlimited hope in the great God that we serve!  May you be abundantly blessed today! This is the last week to enter the GIVEAWAY over at my cooking blog!  

I recently had the opportunity to try a free Go Gurt product fromMy Blog Spark. Go Gurt is a fun and tasty yogurt treat for kids.  Go-Gurt is made from simple ingredients moms look for and contains no high fructose corn syrup or artificial colors or flavors. Each convenient portable yogurt tube contains a good source of calcium and vitamin D. Simply stated, Simply… Go-Gurt is a good-for-you, low fat yogurt snack that you can feel good about giving to your kids. New Simply… Go-Gurt is available in two kid-friendly flavors, Strawberry and Mixed Berry.  Since I have one son who is an extremly picky eater, I am always looking for nutritous foods that he will find fun to eat.  This one was a great hit!  He enjoyed the flavor and has asked for these time and time again! The tubes are small and fit great in lunchboxes or are easy to take on the go.  In addition to the free sample, a beautiful notebook and mini etch a sketch were included!...

After a wonderful weekend with just the right balance of fun, rest and work, Monday has arrived with a powerful force all it's own! It is evident that my home will need some fine tuning this week in the attitude department.  The last few days the attitude of two teenage boys quarreling over one pick up truck and a hundred places that each one had to go blasted into overdrive.  Just when you think maturity and responsibility are taking root, (and they are!), it doesn't take much of having to give up something for someone else to bring up some selfishness and the "ME" factor screams for attention.  "That is MY gas you are using...", "That is MY truck you are driving..."  We also have one little guy who has watched a little too much tv and picking up the attitude of a tv model which is not welcome in our home.  Then there is the husband who pulled something in his shoulder, barely slept all night, but moving very slowly, went to work his 12 hour sh...

Have you noticed that coupon clipping is getting a little bit easier?  Instead of getting the Sunday paper and tediously going through the coupons, trying to decide if you will use the coupon or not, then cutting them out, there are many alternate ways to save money out there. I've shared before a few of my favorite money saving sites: Money Saving Mom Southern Savers Coupon Geek These ladies look out for and share great coupons, freebies and ways to save money.  Another of my favorite sites - A Full Cup is introducing something new that I absolutely love.  A shopping list complete with your favorite stores and matching sale items and available coupons.  It does not get any easier than this.  Match what you need with what is on sale, click directly to the corresponding coupon and just that fast, you have saved some money!  Thank you to so many who make is easier to manage our homes and grocery budgets.  Your hard work is appreciated!

This week a spot of joy for me was to see these gorgeous azaleas in bloom:   These azaleas were found in my mothers yard. They are extra special to me because although she passed away three years ago, a part of her love for beauty lives on.  She planted these azaleas everal years ago and loved and enjoyed them.  They bring special beauty and special memories in my heart, which brings a joyful moment to my week. 

And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.   For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.  Luke 9:23-24 Have you ever came across some verses in the Bible that you skim over, thinking they don’t apply to you?  When I would read the above verses, I always imagined that Jesus was talking about missionaries serving Him, in a land far away, diligently and fervently working for Him in danger of their very lives each day.  That is not me, by a long shot! Last night I was attempting for the first time to make strawberry jam.  Fresh produce, homemade goodness for my family, this was surely a labor of love and service for my family. My youngest son was working on a school project while I was preparing the jam.  Over and over again, he would ask a question for his project.  I could not just walk away from the jam and ...

I am excited to offer my first giveaway!  Giveaways are big things through the blogging world and I'm happy to share in the fun. My cooking blog Joyfully Cooking , tends to get overlooked as most of my posting is done here.  I enjoy my cooking blog and have been using it as an "online recipe book" to quickly find some of my favorites recipes!  To shamelessly promote it(!),  a giveaway is being held there.  See all the details at Joyfully Cooking.   All you have to do to enter is leave a comment, if you don't have a blog, just leave an email address so if you are the winner, the nice folks at CNS can give you a $45.00 gift certificate!  Go ahead and browse CNS Stores where they have everything from home decor to baby needs to outdoor furniture to the ultimate gift finder.  There is something for everyone there!  Remember to go to THIS POST to enter!  Good luck!

One of the highlights of Mondays for me is sharing on here ideas to " Make Your Home Sing".   For me it is always exciting to embrace a new week filled with new plans and this discussion helps get me motivated to put  those plans into action and remember how important the home is. This morning Moms the Word shared about "Permission To Fail" .  Probably every mother has been where purposes and plans start off strong, but end up losing luster.  By the end of the week, the goals for an organized, happy, fun-filled, clean home somehow end up with a messy house, laundry overload, tired, grumpy parents and some take out dinner.  The realization that we are not Superwoman has hit long ago.  We are not perfect and we don't have perfect homes.   But we are created in the image of God and He has given us the exact sphere of ministry He has chosen for us.  He has gifted us uniquely and put talents and interests in us to make us fruitful and able to ...

As a mother of three sons, sometimes the only thing I understand about boys is that they think entirely different than their female counterparts.  Boys (especially little boys) minds run on action, thrill and adventure rather than reason or logic.  Fun, movement and conquering are the things that drive them and although vastly different, these are the things that make little boys so special.  Take a look at these and if you are a mom to boys, you will surely relate to “why boys need parents”.

I have shared before about my son’s show pigs that we purchased in the fall.  This project consists of purchasing a show pig, feeding and caring for it, recording the expenses that the project incurs and concludes with a livestock show and sale.  Two of our sons showed pigs this year and it was the first time for our youngest (in the green jacket).  It was a great experience for the boys and as a mama watching the hard work pay off, it brought me a lot of joy! Here are a few shots of the week: Hanging out at the fair in the hog barn: The girls getting washed and ready for the show: This girl didn’t like her bath: All Clean: Show Time: My middle son: Then at the sale: Life is never dull and with sons, there are always opportunities to find joy in daily life!