Wife

Prov 31:10-31 ♥ these verses. Still applicable today ladies!

Join me in studying these verses each day for the next 21 days and see how God can change you and your marriage through the power of being a wife of noble character. 

And with this, each day, say this simple prayer, a prayer that is but a breathe..." (inhale) Abba, (exhale) I belong to you." **this prayer came form a book by Brennan Manning called The Furious Longing Of God and I highly recommend it**

If you are doing this challenge with me, please make a comment and let me know!

A Wife of Noble Character

10 Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
She is more precious than rubies.
11 Her husband can trust her,
and she will greatly enrich his life.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She finds wool and flax
and busily spins it.
14 She is like a merchant’s ship,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household
and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.
16 She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She is energetic and strong,
a hard worker.
18 She makes sure her dealings are profitable;
her lamp burns late into the night.
19 Her hands are busy spinning thread,
her fingers twisting fiber.
20 She extends a helping hand to the poor
and opens her arms to the needy.
21 She has no fear of winter for her household,
for everyone has warmt clothes.
22 She makes her own bedspreads.
She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
23 Her husband is well known at the city gates,
where he sits with the other civic leaders.
24 She makes belted linen garments
and sashes to sell to the merchants.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she laughs without fear of the future.
26 When she speaks, her words are wise,
and she gives instructions with kindness.
27 She carefully watches everything in her household
and suffers nothing from laziness.
28 Her children stand and bless her.
Her husband praises her:
29 “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
but you surpass them all!”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
31 Reward her for all she has done.
Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

Play

Love these handsome and beautiful faces!

 lol, he's goofy sometimes :)

 swing

 Playin' ball with Jacque

 "hi-yaaaa!!!"

Some time at G-ma's house!  Wish these weren't blury, but indoor photos with a horrible camera phone = blur :(  sorry G-ma....
Our children really like to vacuum, and g-ma had hers sitting out.  Gabriel found it, unplugged it and turned it on. lol  Then proceeded to vacuum the entire living-room, kitchen and bathroom :)   Our kiddos are funny

Punkins

I was waiting until the weather warmed up again to do this outside, but it is now finally actually starting to get colder and apparently stay that way.  So, we just put down a throw-away picnic table cover we had and then some big color sheets.  It worked great!  I gave them each one color to paint with and a sponge paint brush. 

After they were finished I glittered them up to add a little extra pizazz!  They had SO much FUN!  And that's what it all about!  And the fact that there was no mess since all I had to do was wrap up the tablecloth and throw it all away, and nothing got on the tile or anything else, I was super happy!  After decorating I just wiped them each down with a towel as they did get a little paint on their hands and a little on their feet :)  and then they jumped in the bath, as they were needing one today anyway. **acrylic paint flakes off which would have made their bath pretty gross and pointless.  So if you do this remember to wipe off your kiddos first!

No Soup Fo You

Whiners and disobeyers just don't get it.  And what is the "it"....well it may not be soup, but generally it is a toy.  And in Trinity's case this morning, Hot Chocolate.  You see, Trinity, even after I said no, and put my coffee up, and advised her that I was making her hot chocolate (which she was super excited about getting as we just started the whole hot chocolate thing) still decided to disobey....I was not watching close enough, turning the Kuerig back on for some hot water I glanced over to my left and saw her with my coffee cup walking over to the table.  Then on my way to her she managed to spill the coffee (not hot, since it had cooled) everywhere as she was turning to sit herself in a chair.  book in hand. 

I have to be honest.  There are times when I really dislike disciplining.  Especially when I know that my precious daughter is just imitating her mama....coffee and book.  And it is in these instances that I really have to push through it as a parent and do what is right for my child.  You see, hard as it was to not go "oh, how cute, you want to do what mama does!"  my little mini me!  ha.....The point was that she deliberately disobeyed.....

1.  She knows very well what the word "no" means
2.  She knows full well the consequences of her actions if she chooses to disobey
3.  We have the "don't take unless you ask, and mama or daddy say it's ok", and the "no means no" talk daily
4.  In general....she understands
5. I love her

So all in all as cute as it may have been, discipline was still needed.  And she received no hot chocolate, while the boys enjoyed.

And it really made me think...How many times have I done that to God?  How many times have I received discipline for doing what I was told not to do....however innocent or good intentioned or in His likeness it may have been. Even knowing, as Trinity did, that something better was in store....and in her case, hot chocolate.

Aren't you glad He loves us enough to not let us stay the way we are.  I am very thankful for the discipline God has given me....however hard it may be while I'm receiving it, He makes me a better person and daughter because of it.  Crazy to think of where I'd be without His love. 

Obedience.....the 1st step in being a healthy, Godly Parent is being a  healthy, Godly daughter or son to our Heavenly Father.

Proverbs 13:24  A refusal to correct is a refusal to love; love your children by disciplining them

Proverbs 20:11 Even children are known by the way they act, whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.

In-case you missed it

click this link..... Our Peekaboo Article
I literally sat down to write this article several times.  They wanted something light hearted and not very long.  An example they gave me was a funny store experience.  We honestly don't have any interesting stories about our kids out in public.  Thank you Jesus!  lol...except for Gabriel falling asleep at lunch while out with people, but that's not very interesting to most people. SO, my first thought was "I want to show people the positive", and I figured that thought was just me b/c I'm generally a pretty positive person.  There were a couple times I sat down to write our whole story...ya know....preg, hospital, complications.....etc.....

But I just kept feeling God say "No, that's not what I want you to write."  SO.  When I sat down for the last time to try and give them at least something, this is what God gave me.  He just said "share the good....someone out there needs to be encouraged that multiples....and children in general are a blessing not a burden."  

And I have to admit, after I got the magazine and saw that most everyone else had given their whole dramatic story, the devil was really attacking me about what I wrote and I was even a little embarrassed that it was the shortest piece....anyways. It took some prayer and I really had to take those thoughts captive and just know that that was exactly what GOD wanted me to write.  So now I love what I wrote, not because it is anything eloquent, as I would have liked something in a magazine to be, BUT because I wrote what God intended and wanted me to write.

So, it is short and sweet and apparently someone needed to hear it! lol

Iron Man & My Little Ponny

In a house of 2 boys and a girl....all the same age

 

 What could me more fun! 

Getting some swing time in b4 it gets too cold...

Reading...we love books.  Whether I am reading to them, or if they just decide to come into their playroom and look on their own, our kids love books.  This is actually what I caught them doing one afternoon while I was washing dishes :) It's a beautiful thing!

They are talking SO much now.  It seems like they are learning new words daily.  So their favorite game to play while reading is naming each thing they recognize.  And they can play that game for-e-ver :) HA!

They also like to play the game that we always play in the car which is "say what I say".....Daddy particularly loves this game and really has fun with them!  lol  Chris likes to go through the whole alphabet several times...allowing them to repeat each letter....then sings the alphabet song, then animals, then sounds that animals make....so on and so on....It's quite entertaining and the kiddos love it, and most of the time, the animal part is more like an i-spy game since we have so many cows, chickens, and horses here in NW Arkansas.  We even saw a ginormous pig on a back-road we were on and the kids were so excited.  They like animals.....a lot... lol

Gabriel sleepin'.  so sweet

And a couple random pics that I think I put on FB but not on the blog yet.....

The third week

It's go time.  This was my third week of spinning class.  As with everything else, the third week is the hardest.  I have noticed, in my life at least.  Once I can push past the third week I am usually good.  The first week of any new workout is the week of discovery.  I'm excited for something new.  The second week is the week of trying to do better than the first and push it just a bit further.  Then week three comes.  And I just want to lay in bed.

Thankfully though, I kept with it.  The fact that I invested $36 into this Spin class has a bit to do with it.  And honestly to say, I do really really enjoy spinning.  The fact that I have enjoyed the class and that it makes me feel great has been the main factor of me keeping with it.

These past 3 weeks have also been kind of a experimental workout time.  The first week I did spin 2 days a week, and swam once.  Then the next week I just did spin.  This week I have done something each day.  Ran on Monday, Spin on Tuesday, workout video on Wednesday, Spin on Thursday, and I will be running again tomorrow morning, and hopefully swimming on Saturday.

So far this week has worked out the best.  I am finally "mad".  If you have ever taken Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace, you will know what I mean. You have to get mad about your situation in order to really start stepping it up and doing something about it.  I am applying this idea to my physical fitness.  I am mad about this muffin top.  Why?  because it just doesn't belong there.  And it's not baby weight people....1.my children are 2 1/2 yrs old...you can only use the baby weight card for the first few months really, and 2. This ghastly thing was not there this time last year.  And it is time that it hit the road.  For good.  For reals.  See ya.  Wasn't nice knowing ya.  Don't bother coming back. bye.

Hence, my new workout schedule of doing something each day.  Except Sunday.  I am also cutting down major on my snackage.   My children eat and snack practically all stinkin' day and I got in a really bad BAD habit of snackin' it up with 'em.  Obviously not a smart idea.  And if I am going to be a better steward of my body, something has to change.

So schedule will be as such....
Monday - morning run @615am, workout video during nap time
Tuesday - Spinning @ 520am
Wednesday - workout video during nap time
Thursday - Spinning @ 520am
Friday - morning run @615am, workout video during nap time
Saturday - morning swim
Sunday - off day

After another week or two of this schedule I will change it up a bit.  Maybe add running to Wed morning as well and a dif workout video for naps on same day as spin.  We will just see.

I have slowly been working myself up to this.  Before spinning started I was swimming 3-4 days per week.  So, if you are looking for a schedule and thinking mine looks full, just remember it didn't start that way.  When it comes to a fitness plan I have learned to not start out doing everything.  It's way too exhausting.....and I notice that I eat more when I'm tired for some strange reason....SO, do what you can handle...then take it up a notch.  Always make sure you are challenged.  But make sure you get enough sleep!


a few of my motivational verses.....
1 Corinthians 6:19-20...Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. 
2 Timothy 1:7....For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.*
Galatians 5:22-25.... But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self‑control.*  Against such things there is no law.  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

*self-discipline and self-control are the biggest issues with getting fit.  At least for me.  It is a battle of my mind.  If I am to succeed I must become self-disciplined so that I may have self-control and be able to stick with my plan.  

And in the end it's all about being a good steward and honoring God with my body...as it is His temple.  And His temple doesn't need any extra lavishes that I have graciously bestowed upon it, such as this muffin top.   
:) 

And I'll end with a pic a friend of mine took of us leaving work! Thanks Kelly!

 Our kiddos have been doing SO great at holding hands!  I'm so proud of them!