Updating

Second post of the day.......I have been messing with this stinkin blog background ALL morning. Finally decided to stick with this one for this week. If anyone knows of any other websites to use for this other than scrapblog, cutestblogs, or photo bucket let me know. I just hate leaving it the same .

When You Speak God Hears

I thought this was so good I just had to share it.
When You Speak, God Hears by Max Lucado,

Those who pray keep alive the watch fires of faith. For the most part we don’t even know their names. Such is the case of someone who prayed on a day long ago. His name is not important. He is important not because of who he was, but because of what he did.
He went to Jesus on behalf of a friend. His friend was sick, and Jesus could help, and someone needed to go to Jesus, so someone went. Others cared for the sick man in other ways. Some brought food; others provided treatment; still others comforted the family. Each role was crucial. Each person was helpful, but no one was more vital than the one who went to Jesus.
John writes: “So Mary and Martha sent someone to tell Jesus, ‘Lord, the one you love is sick’” (John 11:3, emphasis mine).
Someone carried the request. Someone walked the trail. Someone went to Jesus on behalf of Lazarus. And because someone went, Jesus responded.
In the economy of heaven, the prayers of saints are a valued commodity. John the apostle would agree. He wrote the story of Lazarus and was careful to show the sequence: The healing began when the request was made.
The phrase the friend of Lazarus used is worth noting. When he told Jesus of the illness, he said, “The one you love is sick.” The power of the prayer, in other words, does not depend on the one who makes the prayer but on the one who hears the prayer.
We can and must repeat the phrase in manifold ways. “The one you love is tired, sad, hungry, lonely, fearful, depressed.” The words of the prayer vary, but the response never changes. The Savior hears the prayer. He silences heaven so he won’t miss a word. The Master heard the request. Jesus stopped whatever he was doing and took note of the man’s words. This anonymous courier was heard by God.
John’s message is critical. You can talk to God because God listens. Your voice matters in heaven. He takes you very seriously. When you enter his presence, the attendants turn to you to hear your voice. No need to fear that you will be ignored. Even if you stammer or stumble, even if what you have to say impresses no one, it impresses God—and he listens.
Intently. Carefully. The prayers are honored as precious jewels. Purified and empowered, the words rise in a delightful fragrance to our Lord. “The smoke from the incense went up from the angel’s hand to God” (Rev. 8:4). Incredible. Your words do not stop until they reach the very throne of God.
One call and heaven’s fleet appears. Your prayer on earth activates God’s power in heaven.
You are the someone of God’s kingdom. Your prayers move God to change the world. You may not understand the mystery of prayer. You don’t need to. But this much is clear: Actions in heaven begin when someone prays on earth. What an amazing thought!
When you speak, Jesus hears.
And when Jesus hears, the world is changed.
All because someone prayed.

N.J.H.S.

Our Matthew was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society today.

We are so proud of him. Since returning back to public school this year he has grown leaps and bounds as a person, friend, student and christian. You normally are asked to join in the seventh grade but they felt Matthew had excelled as an 8th grader and would be a addition to the group.We are so proud of you young man.

PS-Dad is grilling your favorite tonight. Grilled shrimp yummy.

Waiting for induction
Saying the pledge

Group Photo

Congrats by His peers and friend Jacob

I am a very proud mama today.

Great Job Matthew you deserve it.

Confession Time

I survived the F3 aerobic workout. I am not sore yet but it was a great class, thanks Steph for kickin my booty. Ok here goes my confession, I have been really good for the last few weeks, I mean don't we all slip every now and then???? I cooked comfort food for my family. Our church services were cancelled so I decided to cook a good(bad) meal for us. We had Chicken Fried Steak, French Fries and yes cream gravy............HHMMMMMMMM can you hear how happy my tummy is. I did really good it is all about portion control girls.

My son was at his friends house when I sent him the text about the meal. This is his favorite meal ever. He send me a message right back and said can my friend come too? Sure I had already planned on that call, who turns down that kind of food? Poor thing after half way through his plate he said man I am glad you cooked, we were having leftovers at my house . That made me feel good. I told him he could eat here anytime.

Have you ever fed 4 big boys??? Man they can eat . No wonder as a mom sometimes we are glad when they eat at a friends. Well on to take my acid reflux meds after all that grease. It may be a while before I cook that again.

PS- Thanks Amy & Jackie for keeping me motivated for those classes.
Happy Hump Day......

Help Needed

If you have a job in this economy thank God today for it, even if you don't like it. It pays your bills. I received call from a dear friend a few minutes ago and she asked me to write a post for her. She is a highly educated women with several educational degrees under her belt, works with a rough group of kids in Vernon at TYC(Texas Youth Commission) Jail for young men. As some of you know working for the state has it perks and down slides. That's where your help comes in. She is as of today unemployed. They had a layoff last week and she was next on the list. If anyone knows of a teaching job or any job please let me know asap. She will be able to draw her teachers retirement but still that will not make ends meet with kids in college. If anyone can help please email me or call me at the center or home. She is desperate to get a new job. She has been teaching reading, English and home economics and would love to stay in this field but says she knows God has big plans for her and He will take care of her family. I agree but please pray for her, it is not easy to deal with and she is so positive about it. I know there are lots of contacts out there in blog land, so keep your ears open for me.........Thanks guys.

My New Slogan

I will admit right now this is not my own quote.Last season on biggest loser they were given a box of their old BIG clothes, to show them how far they had come on their weight lose journey. They thought it might be a food temptation. Before they opened the boxes one contestant said this" Remember guys nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" I think about that every time I get a sweet tooth. Skinny is different to everyone we don't have to be sticks. My skinny is a jean size and feeling good. What is skinny to you?

Friends

Who needs one best friend(i thought I used too) when you can have a bunch. I want to thank those who have followed my blog and offered such great advice and supported me no matter what I was rambling about. You guys Rock....
So thank you a bunch,and wishing you guys a great weekend.
Amy
Charla
Amanda
Tara
Jackie
Heather
Hayley
Liska
Stephanie
Lindsey
Lisa
Ginger
Anna

Please stop by and comment anytime.

Love wins every time

If you have read my blog for any length of time you will know I have some issues. No I will not recap all those sweet moments for you but, how hard is it to love someone, forgive someone and love them unconditionally when they have done you wrong, hurt your feelings, or stabbed you in the back? It sometimes for me impossible. I am very quick to write people right on out of my life. Does anyone else do that? I believe God talks to us in themes at times. I always try and watch a few morning programs (preachers) It was clear to me at 2:00am this morning when I was awaken by a splitting headache, maybe I need to listen. If I can't sleep at night I just spend my time praying, it really helps. Back to my theme.......the first program was on love, the next on family and love, and while reading a Max Lucado book to fall asleep as I do every night the chapter was on love.....HHHMMMMMM......ok Lord I hear you. As I prayed, he brought several scriptures to my mind, and I encourage you to read them. 1 Corinthians 13 & 1 Timothy 2. Makes you ponder. I will leave you with these few verses.

I Cor. 13:4-6
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful, or proud or rude. Love does not demand it's own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it is has been wronged, It is never glad about the injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love is hopeful,and endures through every circumstance.

I think I have been reprimanded by God today for my behavior and attitudes of others. I can't judge others for their choices, it is their choice to make. All we can do is pray and love them. How hard is it for you not to keep account of the wrongs done to you by others? The Bible says loves doesn't......There's your sermon for the day. Happy Thursday

Ramblings in my head today, it may be voices??

I think the germs finally got me yesterday. I have been trying so hard to stay away for it. I hate germs no telling where it jumped onto my shoulder from. I was sneezing so bad yesterday, I had to get a second tissue to blow in. Sudafed and rest really does the trick, well at least this time. I want to apologize to my sweet hubby. He worked hard all day and then came home to a dirty kitchen and had to fix his own dinner, and listen to a VERY whinny wife.So thanks babe for being so sweet. I was off work yesterday thank goodness, but got no house work done, just nose blowing. I didn't seem to feel bad til after lunch. I made it through my workout just fine. I even had a chance before that to slip into one of my favorites stores next to the gym Blackburn's. They have the cutest clothes and also a clearance sale.I found 2 pairs of pants yeah...wait....I tried on 2 pr. and thought I would see if I could go down a size. My clothes have become a little baggy. To make a long story short and by the way I did scream to myself in the dressing room, because I could not wear the smaller size I had chosen. THEY WERE TOO BIG YEAH!!!!!!!! I have dropped 2 sizes since Sept. I love it when my body shocks me like that. I didn't get to buy pants they didn't have any small enough.....what a shame...........So maybe I am off my death bed and on the up hill battle of this cold thing I call someone else's germs they shared with me.

Tomorrow will be a fun day, my friend Jackie and I are going on our first girls trip together. She asked me to go help her with her 2 sweet adorable girls. They have Dr. appmt. So i bet I can squeeze just a little shopping in. I think she is even going to join the gym with me and we may be back in time to do aerobics.

Kyle asked me last night if we were crazy???? If you read my last few postings of course you know we are the weird ones of the family. We are so excited about our bodies changing and feeling so good we talk about it alot and we don't want to offend people......WHAT.......offend people.. I said , we should be proud of what we have accomplished. It wasn't handed to us. I can count every drop of sweat I left in that gym and down my shower drain come on......He agreed. Silly man, not like we brag about it, but I don't mind sharing with someone when they ask or say how great we look. We do look good but the important thing is we feel good. Health is first

Tickers

Everyone else has put it out there about how much weight they have lost and their goals with a ticker, so why not join. I decided if maybe I let the whole world know how much I still need to loose I will work harder at getting those last 10 lbs off. I think they are the hardest to get off. So enjoy watching my ticker melt over there on the right side of the blog. Happy day off of work Monday...........

Where do I come from???

I am the weird one of the family so proceed with caution!!!!!!!

Does anybody out there have nuts for family members? Honestly I think I was mixed up in the nursery of the hospital and then sent home with a crazy family. I love then but OMG........It seems like when things are going good for me the rest of my family falls to hell in a hand basket you might say. I am talking craziness. From close relatives to extended ones I feel caught in the middle of what time warp am I in. Does anyone else feel that way...............and then in all of what I think is a normal life they call me the weird one. I go to church, I am happily married, I have 2 great kids, a job I love, and I am the weird one? I don't marry people I have only known for a week, I don't abandon my children, I don't throw crazy fits in public and have the police called out to settle it, I don't live with older men twice my age, I don't go years without speaking to my family..............and I am the weird one??? Obviously I can't give you more details, not sure who reads this blog but can you believe the things that go on? I am so thankful for Jesus, for being a child of God.For knowing what he expects of me. The craziness that goes on in mine & Kyles family, I am not sure where God is in their lives.I am just thankful everyday I know HIM and he loves me and I can't stand drama............how do people live on drama? I have to much to keep up with in my house how can I ever make time to keep up with others but that's what my family does, call and stir the pot. I am thinking of not answering the phone any more. I have prayed and will continue to pray for these people, they are too God's creation.......What do you do, I guess sit back hold on and just listen.

Trey asked the question a few days ago, Why do you blog? This is why I blog.It is a stress reliever as well as I know I have friends out there who will listen to me , pray and be a friend. Thanks for reading.

Seeing the Change

Alot of you already know Kyle & I are addicted to the gym. Call us crazy but I'd like to share with you why. September 22nd.2008 we committed to getting healthy losing weight would be the bonus. We just wanted to feel good. Now we both had our days where we would not want to go...I have a million excuses and can name them all here but I will spare you. We started on a program called body for life if your interested I have the book and will loan it out. A 12 week program, we stuck with it for the most part. Here is where it changed for us. Yes it is so hard to get up and go to the gym. If you don't find the time that is easy you won't go, next your going for a few weeks but not seeing many results yet, so why bother, I mean who wants to sweat and feel like their dying anyway right??? I will tell you Kyle & I both saw no physical results until week 9. We both found muscles that just were there over night I am telling you the truth.If you can stick it out and start seeing those results you have been working so hard for you will stick to it.We have a long way to go but we have come so far. I entered the Biggest Loser contest at F3 just for the t-shirt. LOL But it keeps me motivated to not gain back what I have worked so hard to get off. Weight lost does not come easy for me. I haven't been this weight since before my babies 17 yrs ago.....Still have a ways to go. I hope I can inspire you all to get started and keep going, call anytime you need a pep talk.My door is open.

Gathering Your Recipes..........

OK guys I need your help. I am tired of cooking the same ole things. I am asking for your favorite recipes. I want the quick easy ones and a little on the healthy side. As Kyle & I are starting to eat better we don't want to put back on those pounds we work so hard to sweating off. Maybe even your classics that you have put a twist on and recreated. I am a food networkaholic, and love trying new ways to do things so help me out and send me your great recipes.

On another note I have a really cool software I have yet to use to create your own cookbook. If anyone out there would like to make one with me I think that would be cool to have a community healthy eating cookbook. I love fun stuff like that and I know there are tons of you crafters out there. Let do one..................Happy Weekend.

A funny evening

Tonight our nephew and his kids came over to cut up a deer. It was so much fun. I am not used to little ones being around anymore and their kids are 2 & 3. So you imagine I have no toys. The dogs are freaking out because they aren't used to little people. So as they came in I said ok don't bother the dogs they are old................Cora (3) says my parents are old too.......I just died out laughing. Don't most 3yr.olds say mommy & daddy .. Nope she says parents. We haven't made the time to spend with them like we should. I plan to change that and make my house more kid friendly. We ate dinner together and I just had to break out my camera and catch a few funny moments. Matthew who is so good about playing with little ones, they copied everything he did and stayed on his heels the whole time. I could hear him in his room saying ok lets sing the ABC's song.......they did....He played the piano for them, watch cartoons , played with cars and the computer and oh yes they even lifted weights. We had a great time, but he was worn out. Enjoy the pictures and maybe their mom won't be mad I posted them. I just couldn't resist. Love your babies Casey................

Jantz stopping for ONE second to pose.

Cora and her dirty face.....We did just finish dinner. See the chicken in her mouth?

Matthew hates the camera, the kids loved it. Look at those poses.

Matt not real thrilled with my picture taken. He knows I will blog with them.
We had fun last night. Family that's what it is all about.

My Boys Do Love Me

Well it has happened FINALLY........my boys do love and appreciate all I do as a mom for them. Last night Gerry was packing for a ski trip and he said "mom can you show me how to fold the shirts the right way? "I almost fell out of my chair, ME help....... and he asked......what's this world coming too? I didn't get a picture of that one but 30 minutes later Matthew comes to me with jeans in hand and says " how about giving me an ironing lesson?" Who me??? you want to learn how to do it your self? Oh my, this is a proud momma moment. Boys who want to learn to do it themselves so I don't have too. WOW, and AMEN.

Matthew being goofy because he knows I will blog about this.

See he is doing a great job for his first time I even showed him how to use the starch.

He is so gonna love me for telling this.

Remember my boys are teenager and everything Kyle & I say or do to them is retarded.

Biggest Loser starts tonight...you'll find me in front of the T.V. tonight.

Not bragging,Just sweating

Kyle & I joined the gym Sept. 2008, & change our diet. We also decided to measure our bodies to track progress. We even went as far as to take pictures of ourselves so we could see a before and after. If you want to really see what your body looks like take a picture. My clothes must have been hiding all those rolls. Oh it was bad. Then we decided it was time to retake our pics, and re-measure. So we did that this weekend.

First I have to thank my friend AMY, she inspired me to start running(I don't do that much) but it got me started, so huge hugs to you my dear friend you saved me.

Second I have to say THANK YOU to Steph. owner of F3 our local gym for opening the doors, and letting me bug her with all my questions about everything from workouts to eating right. She has been great to us.

Now for the good part. ALL that sweating has started to pay off .I am not where I want to be but I am closer. Kyle has lost about 15lbs, me 11lbs. I have lost 11 inches total , & 7 in my waist alone.....Hey I don't have my muffin top anymore.....They do go away you just have to sweat them off. I have never been this motivated in my life...Life is good.

What inspires you?

You know that sound.......

At 2a.m. Kyle & I were sleeping soundly. If you are a parent you have heard this sound . Your child has been sick and all is better, but they want to sleep with you, so you let them so you can sleep too. No my children no longer sleep with me, my bed won't hold 2 big teenage boys. Now you know when they have been sick and you hear that sound, the sound of someone fixing to throw up and you don't want to get to be all over you. We both shoot straight up in hopes you can get out of the way of the vomiting. That's the sound we heard. Nothing will get you out of the bed faster. It wasn't my boys it was my girl. Yip our rat terrier Daisy made a sound ,we both shot up out of that dead sleep, kyle gently put her on the floor, but it was too late. My bed had been hit a few places. Poor dog don't know what she ate. I think she got into the trash. Yip our dogs sleep with us....it will be the only girls I get to have. Gotta love it. So I am off to washing the sheets.

Family Fun, Roofing, and Wii

We woke up to a great new year. We started our day out right with a healthy breakfast, then on to the gym for a hard workout, Kyle really challenged me. Then we were back home for much needed time to finish a home improvement project. We finally got the shed repaired from the tornado and got the metal roof on. today. It has been to cold to do it. Both my boys help and we had a blast joking around and playing and Gerry & I even boxed each other once then I gave up and he laughed at me. Have you seen how big he is ??? Next we were off for some relax time then I started dinner. Gerry requested spaghetti so I had to make by boy some. Now we are in a smack down with the wii. It is the best thing we have bought this family in a while. We play it as a family everyday since we go it, I love it. I hope everyone had a great start to your new year 2009 we sure did.