What we're reading this week...

We are trying something new since we moved...no cable! Can you believe it? I feel as if we've transported back to the days of Laura Ingalls or something...it's amazing how much TV one will watch if it's available. It's even more amazing how much TV one will not watch if it's not available and actually not miss it too much. I find the kids are not missing it at all. I am missing it just a little at night after the kids are in bed. Thank goodness for Netflix! Jason and I are catching up on House, a show we've recently started watching.

So, here's what we're reading this week...

Happy Reading!

(Click on the images to link to Amazon's website 

for reviews and/or to purchase.)

Jason's reading...

I'm reading...

Just started it yesterday...I'm gripped already.

Emily's Reading...

This book can be quite a challenge to read aloud 

with all the words that start with "P".

Ben's reading...

Great book! Rhyming text and great pictures...

Abby's reading...

 

It's the simple things...

So, Jason's been wanting a reel mower (you know, the kind that doesn't have a motor) for a long time. 

I, myself, thought it was a ridiculous idea. Well, his dream came true today. He bought himself one. We have a small to medium size yard here and after much reading and researching, Jason felt certain this would be a great purchase. I tried my best to get him to get a "real" mower all the way to Home Depot, but finally went along with his plan. 

Well, prove me wrong! This was a great purchase! And Jason is very happy...so well worth the price (which is a small portion of a "real" mower!)

Abby's happy, too, with her first lunchbox...Dora, of course! 

It really is the simple things, isn't it?

Pitter Patter...

Do you know how much I love this man? I can't even put it into words. We have been married almost 13 years and he still makes my heart pitter patter. Married life has not always been easy, but so worth it. I can remember as if it were yesterday (which is good for me, let me tell you...I have a terrible memory) the day Jason walked into the classroom the summer we met in school. I can remember like yesterday the look on his face when he proposed to me (total shock and I didn't have the best reaction...sorry dear). I can remember the look on his face the day I walked down the aisle to be his bride. I can remember vividly the joyful tears we shared on three very special days; the births of our children. I am so grateful that God brought us together to share this journey called marriage. 

Thank you for teaching me what unconditional love truly is 

and for loving me in spite of all my "conditions".

Try this...

A friend sent me an email with this challenge. The email simply said, "Click on the ball to make it change colors." and then it said, "This may ruin your life." 

Disclaimer: 

It will indeed change colors if you click on it.

(I've done it.) 

However, the process may elevate your stress level somewhat.

What we're reading this week...

I got some good reading in while I was in Texas. I highly recommend "The Shack" by William P. Young. It is a fiction book, but will give you much to ponder.

Happy Reading!

(Click on the image to link to Amazon's website.)

Jason's reading (my recommendation)...

I'm hooked on this author...

total chic books and easy reading!

Emily really likes this series...

a mischievous pig who LOVES toast!

One of Ben's current favorites...

Abby has requested this book 

every night for the past 4 nights...

This Old House

I'm beginning to feel a little bit more at home. At least the mess is our mess, so it's familiar. Unpacking a house with a high maintenance 2-year-old is quite a challenge. I gave up this afternoon and we walked to the park. 

I'm not even going to set unrealistic expectations on myself this time, you know, like trying to be unpacked by the start of school. I don't think it's going to happen!

So, we are really liking our house. It's very different from our house in Texas, the first difference being it's about 65 years older than our Texas home. But, here are two very cool features...

Mail drop...

no more trips to the mailbox at the end of the street

Laundry chute!

Don't worry, Abby doesn't fit!

Happy Birthday Ben!

I can't believe Ben is 5 years old! His birthday happened to be while I was in Texas, so we are celebrating this weekend with a family trip to Chuck E. Cheese. And, of course, we are also in the middle of unpacking in our new house, so poor Ben's birthday fell this year in the midst of much chaos.

Ben is a special little boy. He is happy, funny, sensitive, smart and very perceptive. He tends to be more on the shy and reserved side, but loves his family and friends very much. He loves music but not so keen on performing. He is an amazing and loving brother to Emily and Abby, always very concerned when one seems to be hurt or sad. Ben loves to cuddle and one look from those beautiful blue eyes melts my heart instantly! Ben loves to play with dinosaurs and cars, but his most recent favorite toy is the Wii.

Happy birthday, Benner! 

Your family loves you very much!

3 months old

1 year old

2 years old

3 years old

4 years old

Haven't seen the movie, but loving the lightsaber!

Dancing Wall-E...

5 years old

The Chapmans

You probably heard on the news about the tragic accident involving two of Steven Curtis Chapman's children, resulting in the death of their youngest daughter. I can't even imagine the depth of their grief. Their first public interview since the accident was with Good Morning America this week. I watched it last night with tears in my eyes, just trying to picture myself having the faith they have and choosing to hold on to that faith and light when it would be so easy to sink into the depths of darkness. Please continue to pray for their family.

Disoriented...

We are back safe and sound from our visit to Texas. My new little nephew is so sweet and a great little baby! I did night duty a couple of nights while we were there...man, I forgot how tired those early days are with a newborn. But, gazing in that sweet little face makes it worth it!

My tastebuds were satisfied with a couple of meals of Tex-Mex...Pappasito's, Willie's (best fried jalapenos ever!) & Los Cucos...yum! 

Texas was HOT...now, I know, everyone knows Texas is hot, but this summer is ridiculously hot! We were there for 8 days and I think all but 1 day was over 100 degrees. Add in high humidity and it's a recipe for a day inside with the A/C cranked. Needless to say, the cousins got a little stir crazy, but they loved seeing each other.

I haven't blogged much about our house situation in Texas. Not going into much detail here, we still have our house there. We leased it last year and the entire year was a nightmare. Our tenants abandoned the house in early July and it's been such a relief to have them gone. However, God is taking care of us as he's provided new tenants that are friends of ours who have recently moved back to Texas. Jason's parents have been awesome in helping get the house ready because we are so far away. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

So, we've returned home...um, well, sort of. While we were in Texas, Jason supervised our move to a new suburb of Cleveland. So, returning home was to a different house on a different street in a different city and not to mention, loaded with boxes patiently waiting for me to unpack them. 

I feel a bit disoriented at the moment... 

In the meantime...

We are still in Texas, which explains why I haven't blogged in a few days. I will catch up when we return home, but in the meantime, click here for a fun brain test. These are my results, which are very true:

Your Brain Usage Profile:
Auditory: 60%
Visual: 40%
Left: 50%
Right: 50%

1. Your hemispheric dominance is equally divided between left and right brain, while you show a moderate preference for auditory versus visual learning, signs of a balanced and flexible person.
2. Your balance gives you the enviable capacity to be verbal and literate while retaining a certain "flair" and individuality. You are logical and compliant but only to a degree. You are organized without being compulsive, goal-directed without being driven, and a "thinking" individual without being excessively so.
3. The one problem you might have is that your learning might not be as efficient as you would like. At times you will work from the specific to the general, while at other times you'll work from the general to the specific. Sometimes you will be logical in your approach while at other times random. Since you cannot always control the choice, you may experience frustrations not normally felt by persons with a more defined and directed learning style.
4. You may also minimally experience conflicts associated with auditory processing. You will be systematic and sequential in your processing of information, you will most often focus on a single dimension of the problem or material, and you will be more reflective, i.e., "taking the data in" as opposed to "devouring" it.
5. Overall, you should feel content with your life and yourself. You are, perhaps, a little too critical of yourself - and of others - while maintaining an "openness" which is redeeming. Indecisiveness is a problem and your creativity is not in keeping with your potential. Being a pragmatist, you downplay this aspect of yourself and focus on the more immediate, the more obvious and the more functional.