Lovin' Life At Home

Eat Food. Mostly Plants. Not Too Much.

2011-07-25T09:23:00.002-04:00

I recently read a great little book that has captured my attention. Food Rules: An Eaters Manual by Michael Pollan. His book is broken up into 3 categories of simple rules based on the 7 words in the title. Eat food, mostly plants, not too much. The 64 rules are super easy to understand which is a blessing to those who may feel bogged down in the world of nutritional information overload. Here are a few of my favorites.
*Don't buy your food where you buy your gas.
*Eat only the things that your great grandmother would recognize as food.
*Avoid food with words in the ingredient list that a 3rd grader could not pronounce.
*Don't eat cereal that turns your milk another color.
* Don't eat it if it has ingredients that you would not keep in your pantry.

I have found this book to be a breath of fresh air for our family. Some really good changes have been made in our kitchen. I highly recommend this easy, enjoyable book to anyone who desires to make a few healthy changes to their diet.
Mr. Pollan also wrote The Omnivores Dilemma and In Defense Of Food. These would also be great to read if you really want to know the ins and outs and whys of food. He goes in to detail about the modern food manufacturing industry and current farming practices in America. I scanned both of these books and got a few really good tidbits. In the end though, I found the Food Rules book to be very practical and helpful in making the much needed changes in the way we eat. If you get the chance to read it for yourself, let me know what you think.

Motherhood as a Mission Field

2011-07-19T00:03:00.001-04:00

Even though I no longer have little people at home this was encouraging to me. I hope it is to you also.

Motherhood as a Mission Field

Dangerous Practices

2011-07-08T00:18:00.000-04:00

Below is an excerpt from a larger blog post by Jim Eliff. This is just too good not to share. I will link the original post "Southern Baptist an Unregenerate Denomination" at the bottom if you are interested in reading the whole thing.

Though sacrosanct to Baptists, careful study should be done related to the historical use of the invitation system evangelistically. For eighteen hundred years the church did not use such a method. It was not until its principle originator, Charles Finney, a true pelagian in his theology, promoted his "new measures." Earlier preachers were content to let true conviction play a greater part in conversion. They needed no props for the gospel—no persuasive techniques to prompt people to make a "decision." Instead of relying on a method, their confidence was in the preached Word and the Holy Spirit. Baptist giant, C. H. Spurgeon, for instance, saw thousands converted without the use of an "altar call." His message was his invitation. We should always offer a verbal invitation in our gospel preaching, meaning we must invite people to repent and believe. But there is no real benefit, while there is much potential harm, in our inviting them to the front of the church and then assuring them that their short walk or tearful response proves their conversion.

We don't need better methods to get people down to the front. What we need is more biblical content and more unction in our preaching. You cannot beat sinners away from Christ when God is bringing them in (see Jn. 6:37, 44-45). When as many as 70-90% of "converts" are giving little, if any, evidence of being saved after their first weeks or months of emotional excitement, questions should be asked, both about our understanding of the gospel and about our methods. Forget the fact, if you must, that there is no clear biblical precedent for the altar call. Even considering the matter pragmatically ought to make us quit. Though prevalent in our churches for decades, it has not helped us. (See "Closing with Christ" at www.CCWtoday.org.)

The dangerous practice of receiving new members immediately after they walk the aisle must finally be abandoned. Also, more careful counsel should be taken with those entering in as members from other churches. And add to this a need for much deeper thinking concerning childhood conversion. An alarming percentage of childhood professions wash out later in the teen and college years. For unconverted yet baptized church kids, the more independence they are granted, the more they live out their true nature. (See "Childhood Conversion" atwww.CCWtoday.org.)

http://www.ccwtoday.org/article_view.asp?article_id=150

Hymn Night

2011-07-06T09:25:00.000-04:00

In our house, after we eat supper it is our tradition to sit and talk for awhile. Lee usually leads us in a time of devotion and prayer. Lately on Tuesday nights we've been taking turns researching and then teaching each other about a hymn that means something to us personally. It's been a lot of fun and very meaningful to learn the history behind many of the hymns we sing. A few weeks ago Gracie chose "Be Thou My Vision" as her hymn. She taught us that it was originally a poem inspired by St Patrick's courage for Christ in 433 AD. The poem was set to music (an old Irish folk tune) a few hundred years later. It was not translated into English until 1905. It's truly inspirational that it has withstood the test of time.

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.

Thou my best thought, by day or by night,

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word;

I ever with Thee, and Thou with me, Lord;

Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;

Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise;

Thou mine inheritance now and always:

Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,

High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,

May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's Son!

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.

Give it a listen here:

"Be Thou My Vision": A Tribute and a Reminder

Inspired by an event that helped change the spiritual climate of Ireland, penned by a renowned Irish poet, and paired with the tune of an old Irish folk song, "Be Thou My Vision" stands as a link between Ireland and its Christian heritage. It is a tribute to a significant event in Ireland's history, and a reminder of the sovereignty, strength, and joy of Jesus.

New Baby News!

2011-07-05T10:10:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe that exactly a year ago we were sending Caitlin and Holly off on a month long adventure to India. While they were there they were able to participate in a traditional Indian wedding. The bride is a friend of the family that hosted our girls in India.

It's tradition to sit with the bride and her family (possibly for hours) while awaiting the groom.

The beautiful bride

The bride's mother, who helped take care of our girls while they visited.

So here's the big news you've been waiting to read. The bride just had a little baby boy. He was full term and only weighed 4 pounds. That's the little guy up there with his grandma. (No name yet) Please pray for him and his mama. Neither of them are faring as well as they should be. They are from a poor family and it is likely that she had no prenatal care and very little proper food to eat. As far as we know, some of this family knows the Savior but not this little guy's parents (yet). Continually pray for the team of folks there who faithfully work to help this family and others just like them to know the love of Jesus and His healing power.

Love Is A Command

2011-06-30T12:30:00.000-04:00

Lee posted this on Facebook today. He borrowed it from a pastor friend of his. Now I'm borrowing it from both of them. It's just too good not to pass along. It primarily addresses men but it is just as applicable to women. Listen and let me know what you think.

An Excellent Follow-Up

2011-06-29T19:01:00.004-04:00

Below I have linked a talk by Dr. Al Mohler. This is an excellent follow up of the sermon I posted a few days ago called Whose Kingdom Come? Whose Will Be Done?. It is only about 25 minutes long and WELL worth listening to. Let me know what you think.

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?MediaId={E9098C4A-EAC3-4CA8-B586-184F99465EE4}

Coffee!!!!

2011-06-29T17:22:00.000-04:00

Go Ahead and drink your coffee guilt free!!!

Starbucks, here I come!

Whose Kingdom Are You Building?

2011-06-28T08:55:00.001-04:00

Last Sunday our pastor preached a wonderful sermon about building God's Kingdom. It goes so well with what has been on my heart lately. Pastor Brian began his message by asking us: Which one of God's blessings do we often consider a burden when He adds more of that blessing to us? Click the link below to hear the answer.

Whose Kingdom Come? Whose Will Be Done?

Clarification

2011-06-27T16:02:00.001-04:00

It occurs to me that I could have inadvertently hurt some feelings in my So Much More book review post. I would never intentionally set out to hurt anyone especially family members. I cannot be more thankful to my parents and extended family for all that they have been in my life. I have been loved and well cared for throughout my life. I love them very much. As I look back over the years I cannot help but thank God for the path He led us all down. It was that very path that led us to be in right relationship with Him. I sincerely apologize for my words that may have seemed insensitive.

So Much More - Book Review

2011-06-25T15:27:00.000-04:00

I just finished reading a book borrowed from our pastor’s library: So Much More: The Remarkable Influence of Visionary Daughters on the Kingdom of God by Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin. The ideas in this book have occupied my thoughts for over a week now. I’m having trouble thinking of much else. The ideas are very counter culture and revolutionary for the day and time in which we live. To begin with I will write a short review of the book and then venture to give you a little of my own opinion. This may be difficult for me to do; I’ve already mentioned that I have many thoughts on this subject.
The Botkin sisters were teenagers at the time they authored the book. Their intent is to encourage young girls and to beckon them to be right in relationships; first with God and then with their father and within the family. They assert that God had very specific and different roles in mind for males and females when He created them in the beginning. These roles have not changed with the passing of time, just as God does not change. Men are to provide, protect and lead, while women are to be helpers to the men God has placed in their life (brothers, fathers, husbands), be keepers at home, and bear and help raise children. The premise is that if these are the God ordained roles for a woman then her daily choices in life should reflect her obedience to these roles. Throughout the book the sisters teach that this will affect how a girl should dress, how she should be educated, how she should relate to the men in her life (even the would be suitors), where she should live while unmarried and whether she should work outside of the home. This list is not exhaustive. In other words this belief will affect every aspect of life for a young lady.
There is also a strong call for fathers to step up to their God given roles and be provider, protector, and authority to and for his daughter. The proper relationship between father and daughter is spoken of as being crucial in the upbringing of a young girl. Her ultimate success in fulfilling her God honoring role in life primarily rests on her dad’s shoulders. Near the end of the book the sisters enlist the help of their own father to write a chapter in which he instructs fathers of daughters.
The major theme is that we as a society have allowed the ideals of feminism and Marxism to poison our thoughts and lead us to believe that God’s original plan for women is archaic and cruel. Even Christians have let this perverse ideology of feminism creep into our churches and our everyday life because it has become so “normal”. Society as a whole believes that women have made remarkable leaps forward by attaining an equal plane with men. The book goes into great detail to explain the damage that feminism has wrought on men, women, marriage and the family.
Young ladies who wish to honor God with every aspect of their life are instructed to reject feminism completely. They are called to humbles themselves, and with grace and joy accept God’s design for women. In practical terms the Botkin sisters are saying that a girl should remain at home under her father’s roof until she is married and allow him to be her provider. She should be content with her father’s provision and therefore have no need to seek employment outside of the home. Her job during this time is to be a helper to her parents and to prepare herself for her own future family. She will dress modestly and in a way that will not draw attention to herself and will be willing to help in the ministries of her church. Her education ideally will be done at home. The Botkin sisters are far from saying that a girl should not be educated, just the opposite is true. Their assertion is that her education will simply look different than that of a young man’s education, especially after high school. Much emphasis is placed on a young lady gaining more than just an education but wisdom and practical skills are highly valued. A virtuous daughter will also relate to young men differently than is commonly practiced among today’s youth. She will allow God to lead in the area of romance and be very open with her family about the subject, and will trust her father’s wisdom and guidance in this area. In essence, the finding of a husband becomes a family affair.

Allow me to preface my own thoughts on the book with just a little bit of background information. I was raised in the 1970s. Like so many of the girls of my generation, we were raised by mother’s who were right smack dab in the thick of the feminist revolution. At every turn women were being told to break free of the tyranny of children and husbands. Moms began to buy the lie that they could have it all, be true to themselves and that their families would be stronger and happier for it. Men were dazed and confused at having to suddenly share roles with their wives that had traditionally always been a woman’s arena. I recall at the age of 11 being told by my own grandmother that I had better get myself educated in order to be self sufficient. She said that I was NEVER to depend on a man because they are all scoundrels! “Look out for number one” she advised. Fast forward a few years. Through a series of events and nothing short of the grace of God I saw feminism for exactly what it is -- A Big Fat Lie! I resolved in my mind that things would be different for me. I determined to not become a bitter, disillusioned old woman surrounded by nothing but broken or patched up relationships. I wanted more. Thankfully the Lord drew me to Himself, saved my life and set me on the path of joy and contentment. He has blessed me beyond measure with relationships that are deep and loving.
It has not always been an easy path to walk. There have been times when I’ve been full of pride and wanted to tell Lee that I know better than he does. I’ve been angry in the past because of his authority over me. I’ve been belittled by people and accused of laziness for wasting my abilities by “just being a housewife and mom.” I’ve been ridiculed for teaching my daughters at home. I’ve endured well meaning folks who have doubted that my sweet girls would ever amount to much because I’ve taken a “normal” life from them. When money gets tight I’ve been known to panic and think seriously about finding a job rather than trust in God and my hard working husband. I’ve even been accused of taking this “God stuff” too seriously.
So, here is my take away from the book. Living a life of obedience to the Lord is 1) not easy, and 2) it will look vastly different from what is standard operating procedure of the world. I want to focus in on that second point. Today in my quiet time the Lord led me to read Titus 2:1-5.

“But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; that the older women likewise be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things-- that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands that the word of God may not be blasphemed”.

in his commentary, John MacArthur has this to say about the phrase, “not be blasphemed.” He says, “This is the purpose of godly conduct- to eliminate any reproach on scripture. For a person to be convinced that God can save from sin, one needs to see someone who lives a holy life. When Christians claim to believe God’s word but do not obey it, the word is dishonored. Many have mocked God and His truth because of the sinful behavior of those who claim to be Christians.”

I was struck by the fact that not obeying God’s instruction in these verses on how we are to conduct ourselves would actually malign or blaspheme God. We think that we can without consequence choose for ourselves what commands from scripture suit our fancy and fit into our modern day lifestyles. No! We cannot! Obedience glorifies God, however disobedience drags His name through the mud. I’m not talking here about legalism and abiding by a strict set of rules. I’m talking about loving your Heavenly Father so much that you are happily obedient because you’d never want your actions to malign His Holy Name.
I encourage those of you who have daughters to read So Much More. Examine it for yourselves, search the scriptures regarding the principals contained in the book. Pray and ask God for wisdom on how He would have you apply it in your family. We are still in that process of thinking it through and praying about it for ourselves. I will tell you this though, I want So Much More than what the world has to offer for my daughters. I want His best for them. I want them to choose obedience to Him, and if that choice means that they will be ridiculed and treated badly for being different then I will do my best to help them learn to endure it with grace knowing that God’s ways are BEST.

Two Down One To Go

2011-05-10T01:53:00.000-04:00

After having to wait for weeks after Holly got her braces off, Abbie now has a brand new, shiny, braces free smile.

No rest for mom and dad's wallet.

Gracie's smile is now a work in progress.

I love my beautiful smiley girls!

Finished!

2011-05-10T01:30:00.000-04:00

We finished the wood floors.

What do you think?

Floating On Air

2011-05-05T13:21:00.000-04:00

For 2011 we decided to make birthdays about making memories. Gracie has been on a hot air balloon kick for over a year. To her surprise, she got to go up in one for her 12th birthday. You've never seen a happier kid!

She was thrilled to be allowed to help with the balloon set up.

Daddy was the brave one to go up with her.

He claims that I would have loved it. Truthfully, I was as happy as I could be with both feet on the ground taking pictures.

Up, up and away!

Now our girl is hooked and cannot wait until she gets to go again!

A.W. Tozer

2011-05-05T00:58:00.000-04:00

I just read the most amazing prayer written by A.W Tozer in a book called The Pursuit of God. It is at the end of a chapter where the author talks about us (the created) being in a proper relationship with the Creator. I would love to be able to pray this prayer with sincerity of heart. I believe that I will make doing just that my goal.

O God, be Thou exalted over my possessions. Nothing of earth's treasures shall seem dear unto me if only Thou art glorified in my life.

Be Thou exalted over my friendships. I am determined that Thou shalt be above all, though I must stand deserted and alone in the midst of the earth.

Be Thou exalted above my comforts. Though it means the loss of bodily comfort and the carrying of heavy crosses, I shall keep my vow I made this day before Thee.

Be thou exalted over my reputation. Make me ambitious to please Thee even if as a result I must sink into obscurity and my name be forgotten as a dream.

Rise O Lord into Thy proper place of honor, above my ambitions, above my likes and dislikes, above my family, my health and even my life itself. Let me sink that thou my rise above. Ride forth upon me as Thou did ride into Jerusalem mounted upon a humble little beast, and let me hear the children cry unto Thee "Hosannah in the Highest!"

Bamboo Bamboo Bamboo

2011-03-24T12:53:00.000-04:00

Something tells me that by the time we get this house just the way we want it, it will be time to move again. This month's project: Hardwood (Bamboo) floors in the Dining room, Living room and Den. Thanks goes out to Uncle Will who ripped up the carpet and tack strips in all three rooms. You Rock!

Holly helping me get the floor ready.

So, Lee took the classes and watched the videos on how to install a floating engineered wood floor. He was educated and ready to roll AND THEN I threw him a curve ball. Poor guy. I had to go and fall in love with a solid wood bamboo floor that has to be glued down. I couldn't resist, IT WAS ON SALE!!!

Back to the classes my sweetheart went. I just love him.

Here we are spending most of the morning of Day 1 figuring out how to begin. It was challenging. You can go ahead and refer to this portion of our day as "marriage therapy". We're a stronger couple now after weathering this storm. Don't mess with US!

The spacers are down and the first few rows are laid out. We're ready for the glue... I think.

Hey, this looks like progress!!

The most stressful part was getting started.

Then the work really began.

I did not realize that putting this floor down would require EVERY muscle in our bodies!

Happy ME!!!!

At the end of Day 1 a little more than half of the dining room was finished.

Fast Forward... That's me laying the last board in the dining room. I've never felt such relief and exhaustion all at the same time.

WE DID IT!

Our dining and living rooms are connected. It was a challenge to run such long rows and get them straight but we made it work.

We still have the rest of the living room and the den to conquer but we are giving it a break until the weekend. Lee only had 2 days off this week and my poor body needs a little recovery time.

Happy Lee!!!

Teeth Drama

2011-02-18T12:48:00.000-05:00

Taken on May 20, 2008 the day Abbie got her braces put on.

Holly had already had hers on for 2 1/2 months at that point.

Holly was 13 and Abbie was 11.

Taken February 16, 2011 the day Holly got her braces removed.

Holly wore hers for 2 years, 11 months and 2 weeks.

Abbie was told that hers would be removed that day too. When we got to the appointment the Dr. told her that a tooth in the back had turned. So the braces stay on for one more month. It was a sad day for Abbie. Hopefully March 15th will be a MUCH happier day for her.

Look at that BEAUTIFUL smile!!!

She was SO happy to have her first gumball in 3 years.

Blast From The Past

2011-02-11T13:31:00.000-05:00

The girls dressed up for Samantha's 80s Themed 16th Birthday party. We had so much fun shopping for all of these clothes. We found most of them at the Goodwill store. Every time one of them would come out of the dressing room I would just laugh! It took me back to my days in high school. I cannot believe that we REALLY dressed like this!

We even found Gracie some gummy shoes. Remember those? UGH they made your feet stink and sweat but they were all the rage (thankfully only for a little while).

Caitlin with her acid washed jean jacket, ultra mini w/leggings and of course Keds. Her curly hair was perfect. I recall many of us paying big bucks for a curly perm to get that look.

Abbie with her flybacks/wings and her flashdance look.

Holly with the acid washed pegged jeans and deck shoes. Of course she's sporting the ultra popular side ponytail with scrunchy.

They look like they could have stepped right out of my highschool yearbook.

India

2011-02-10T14:08:00.000-05:00

Can you guess which daughter would happily go back tomorrow if she had a plane ticket?

Too Much Coffee Maybe?

2011-02-08T01:17:00.000-05:00

I love this picture because The Doty's look so normal and my girls look like I've had them on a strict 2 day Espresso and Jelly Bean diet.

My Delight

2011-02-07T10:50:00.000-05:00

In what do I take delight? What makes me happy? What do I treasure? If I did not give it much thought and quickly made a list right off the top of my head of the things that please me most what would it look like?
Let's take a look.
Things that I delight in:
My Husband and Daughters
Coffee
Food
Sleep
Books
Computer time
Free time
Money
The latest gadget or cell phone
Time with friends and family

I could go on but these are the ones that came out before I stopped to try to think of more, so this is where I stopped listing. Notice what is not on the list? I do.

Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in The Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

I have made people and things my delight and the source of my joy.
The problem with that:
Husbands and Daughters sometimes do not live up to expectations
Coffee and Food are a temporary comfort
Sleep is sometimes elusive and isolating
Books are an escape from reality
Computer and free time etches away at my productivity
Money cannot buy me what I really need
Time with friends and family replaces time spent with
God, my truest friend and Father

Neglect and Change

2011-02-07T01:52:00.000-05:00

I've been neglectful of my blog lately. I blame Facebook! Nowadays when I have a picture to post or something to say I just run to the easy way, Facebook. Originally when I started this blog back in 2006 we lived on the other side of the world and Mark Zuckerberg was probably in the midst of many the battles involved with getting Facebook off the ground. Back then Facebook was something only teenagers did. We've come a long way baby! The blog was a easy and fun way to share the latest news and photos with family and friends back here in the States. Even when we moved to Virginia I continued to chronicle our life on the blog. Several things have changed since then. The first thing is that now we live fairly close to almost all of our family. Many times they are present for celebrations and get togethers that I would have otherwise reported on the blog. To get on the computer and blog about that event would almost seem redundant. Secondly, there's Facebook! It's just so quick and easy to use. Anything that I want you all to see or hear gets posted there and usually there is some immediate response. It has done for communication what the microwave did for food when it was invented. Instant gratification!!!
I say all of that to say this; I want to get back to blogging and I have a plan. No, I'm not giving up my Facebook account! I do however intend to spend less time there. This past month our church got a new pastor. His messages are amazing and difficult and convicting. What does this have to do with blogging you ask? For me it means that each week I am given A LOT to think about. I think better when I write things down, so my plan is to use the blog to journal some of what I'm thinking and working through spiritually. Keep reading if you'd like and feel free to respond or leave comments. The one thing I will tell you is that I will NOT enter into an argument and probably not even a spirited discussion here. Those talks have their place but here on the blog is not where I consider the right place. I can elaborate more on that topic later if it ever becomes necessary. Don't worry, I do still plan to post pictures and funny stories about my beautiful and wonderful girls.
Until then, I'll see you over on Facebook.

What Superbowl?

2011-02-07T01:09:00.000-05:00

Earlier tonight there was a crowd in our cozy little house. A few in the crowd actually watched the football game. The rest of us played a little game of our own called "Pass The Baby"

Sarah brought her sweet little 8 week old nephew over, game on!!

Caitlin and Abbie both got their fill of baby snuggles.

Precious!

Gracie's 12th BIRTHDAY

2011-01-27T11:18:00.001-05:00

Click on the picture of Gracie to see the whole album. Enjoy!

Ohio Fun

2011-01-18T15:40:00.000-05:00

You know how you have pre-conceived notions about places that you've never been? I definitely had a few about Ohio. I NEVER expected it to be so beautiful. We drove through the countryside into Amish country. It was like taking a trip back into snow covered time.

As most of you already know, the Browns are tropical people. After 3 years of living on Guam and now Florida, our blood has thinned so that it probably looks more like cranberry juice. Being in for real, honest to goodness SNOW was a huge deal for us!

Uncle Rob introduced us to the joys of uncontrollably flying down snow and ice covered hills. Also know as sledding.

Abbie made it halfway down at lightning fast speed before she rolled the rest of the way down.

She got up asking for more!

Holly was considering carefully her options.

"Should I risk life and limb for a moment of absolute fun?

Absolutely!"

Yes, we ate Heini cheese and we loved it!

Heini's Cheese Chalet was in an Amish community called Bunker Hill.

We also ate a restaurant called The Amish Door in Wooster and I am not kidding when I say it was one of the best meals I have EVER had.

Lee was a very happy guy. He, his dad, Abbie and Gracie went to the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in Canton. He loved every minute of it.

See all of our Ohio pictures in our Picasa Web Album linked on the right.

White Christmas

2010-12-10T10:27:00.000-05:00

I really am dreaming of a White Christmas. It could happen.

Friday Funny

2010-12-03T13:04:00.000-05:00

This is on Fraidy Cat's Christmas wish list. Automated dog smacking device!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-24T07:23:00.000-05:00

Turkey Day Prep

2010-11-22T11:59:00.000-05:00

Twas 3 days before Thanksgiving and all through the house-PANIC!!!

Nah, not really...but close.

We went from just a small dinner, possibly somewhere else to a big gathering then back to just a few family members and back again to possibly 20+ people at our house. It's a good thing that I adhere to that ancient proverb: Semper Gumby-Always Flexible!

I'm not complaining mind you, I LOVE Thanksgiving!!!!

Thanksgiving is a dream holiday for cooks and eaters alike and I fit in BOTH categories.

We've been faithfully watching the Food Network and scanning the internet for new tips on our old favorites. Holly has the Alton Brown pie making episodes recorded and is ready to put those skills to good use. Gracie is on standby with her Yoshi Blade just waiting for me to hand her something that needs to be sliced or diced. Caitlin has shopped for her cookie ingredients and is ready to put that Kitchen Aid mixer to work. It remains to be seen though whether or not Lee will build the Turkey Derrick over the fryer this year. Abbie and Lee are our ever reliable taste testers. Now, who's doing the dishes? (Insert cricket sounds here)

Truthfully, I plan to cook for an army and whoever shows up to eat will not be disappointed. If we end up with leftovers, all the better. Leftovers make good lunches.

So here is our menu for Thursday:

2 Turkeys-

Not sure if we will bake, roast, fry or smoke them but I'm

leaning towards roasting one and frying one.

1 Ham

Again, don't know if I will go buy a Honeybaked ham or one from the grocer and bake or smoke it. I guess I need to make these decisions huh?

Cornbread Dressing

Giblet Gravy

Green Bean Casserole

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Mashed/Creamed Potatoes

Sweet Potato Casserole

Corn Pudding

Fruit Salad

Cranberry Sauce

Rolls

Pecan Pie

Pumpkin Pie

Caramel Cake

Apple Dumpings

Snickerdoodles

Did I forget anything? Do you think we need more?

I'd love to hear what you are having!

Friday Funny

2010-11-19T12:07:00.002-05:00

Friday Funny

2010-11-12T10:56:00.000-05:00

Thanks Stan and Kayti for introducing us to this guy. Find his MANY funny clips on YouTube by searching Happy Wife Happy Life. Enjoy!

Homeschool Moment

2010-11-10T22:38:00.000-05:00

Today Holly took a break from studying History to help Gracie with her math.

Sweet, helpful sister right?

Having older girls is very helpful for many reasons.

It was a proud moment until I later heard Gracie read the note Holly wrote to her.

See Below:

November Tenth in the year of our Lord Two Thousand and Ten
My Dearest Sister Miriam,
It bringeth me much pain to inform you of this fact but I feel that I must.
Thou stinketh at long division.
Sincerly, Your loving sister Holly.

Never a dull moment at The Brown Academy For Girls.

Friday Funny

2010-11-05T12:06:00.000-04:00

I REALLY would like to teach Hobbes to do all of these things!

Eat Your Veggies

2010-10-28T08:59:00.000-04:00

I prefer to eat my veggies seasonally the way nature intended. This is why candy CORN is eaten in the Fall and jelly BEANS are eaten in the Spring.
Here are a few facts about Autumn's favorite Veggie:

October 30th is National Candy Corn Day (You only have today and tomorrow to get prepared for this celebration! Hurry!)
One serving of candy corn contains only about 140 calories (See HEALTHY!)
Candy corn has 3.57 calories per kernel (But who could eat just one?)
More than 35 million pounds of candy corn will be produced this year. That equates to nearly 9 billion pieces -- enough to circle the moon nearly four times if laid end-to-end. (Don't be shy, there's plenty for everyone)
Halloween accounts for 75% of the annual candy corn production (As it should be)
A cup of candy corn has fewer calories than a cup of raisins. (See again, HEALTHY! Why eat raisins when you can have CORN?)
Candy Corn has 0 Fat. (Hurray!)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-27T11:35:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-19T23:53:00.000-04:00

Couponing Part 2

2010-10-19T15:32:00.001-04:00

This week's grocery totals: 73 items bought with a retail value of $226.57
Paid: $74.95 Saved: $151.62 that is a 67% savings. I am most proud of my Walgreens purchases. $46 worth of stuff needed for $4.50. My receipt is on the left. The cashier was quite surprised and began to wonder if he would get in trouble for my savings. I promise it was all on the up and up!

Since reporting my savings over on Facebook I've had a lot of questions. How'd you do that?!?!? I covered some of the basics in a blog post down below. Click HERE to see it.
I just have a couple more tips to add.

The #1 tip I can give is this: This takes patience and commitment! The payoff is BIG though. Slowly learn all you can about savings. I research different blogs all the time. There are SO many blogs out there who have taken most of the work out of this. I listed some of my favorites on the earlier post. You don't have to scan the papers for the best sales. I guarantee there is a blogger out there who has already done it for you. A new one that I just discovered is www.totallytarget.com If there is a great deal or freebie from Target, this blogger will know about it. I have found that friending or liking these blogs on facebook keeps me in the up to the minute loop.

Coupons: The Sunday paper is NOT the only source for great coupons. Target.com and Publix.com has their own section on their websites and they are HUGE. Don't forget that if you get a Target (or any store) coupon you can stack it with a manufacturers coupon for the same item. Today I bought Lysol at Target and used a Target Q along with a Manufacturer's Q which allowed me to buy it for 25 cents. Happy me!
You can also find printable coupons at coupons.com, redplum.com, smartsource.com. Most stores like Publix have coupon booklets that they publish each month. Usually these booklets are at the front door. Walgreens has a monthly book at the front door crammed with savings. CVS has a little machine just inside the front door where you scan your CVS Care Card and it prints out coupons on the spot. Keep your eyes open for tear off pads/Qs and peelies on products throughout the store. Proctor and Gamble is constantly offering savings booklets that you can usually find in the store but you have to look for them. I rely on my blogging friends to clue me in when they see one in a particular store.

If you've never really considered shopping for daily needs at the pharmacy stores, think again. Both Walgreens and CVS have rewards programs and run great sales. Here's how they work: For CVS you have to join their Extra Care Club and get a member card which you can do for free right inside the store. Weekly they publish sales that allow you to buy certain items that will get you money back to use on your next purchase. Your first trip or two will cost you a little but after that your trips can easily resemble my receipt on the left. The money back is called Extra Care Bucks or ECBs at CVS and Register Rewards or RRs at Walgreens.
An Example: This Week at Walgreens you can earn $5 RRs when you buy $20 worth of the following products (before coupons):
Oreos 2/$6
Pringles 2/$3
Dixie paper products 2/$5
Fridge Pack Coca Cola Products 3/$10
Solo Cups $5

So I could go in and buy:
2 Pkgs of Oreos- Use 2 $1 off Qs
3 Fridge Packs of Coke - Use a $1 off Q
2 Pkgs Dixie Plates - Use 2 $1 off Qs
Before Coupons= $21
After Coupons= $16
When I check out, the machine will print out 5 Register Rewards for my next purchase. Now I have 5 Bucks to use on next weeks sales.You can easily see how this would add up to savings quickly. If I had had 5 RRs to apply to the above purchase my total would have been $11 instead of $16 and I would still get my 5 for next week.
It works the same way at CVS but you must have your card with you there. Like I said, it takes a little time to build up to having RRs and ECBs. I've been at it for about 2 months and I generally walk in every week now with an average of $12 worth of free money.
One more thing to think about couponing. What is on sale at any given moment may not be the items that you need right then. BUT if they are items that you use often, buy them while you can get them at 50% or more savings. Over time your stockpile will add up. For me it's an awesome feeling when one of my girls says "Mom, we're out of toothpaste or shampoo" and I can reply "no we're not, look under your sink!"
If you have any more specific questions for me, I'd be happy to TRY to answer them. Send them this way!

Happy Caturday!

2010-10-16T11:23:00.003-04:00

Friday Funny

2010-10-15T15:51:00.000-04:00

Lee wishes he could practice this technique in his counseling sessions!

Eat Love Drink Coffee

2010-10-14T11:03:00.000-04:00

I love my family and I love Starbucks.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-13T08:29:00.000-04:00

Couponing

2010-10-11T17:51:00.001-04:00

Before we get into that details of couponing I wanted to say a few things on the subject.

First, I am pretty new to all of this. I've only been at it for about 3 months. I think I have a good bit more to learn. So if you're reading this and have suggestions for me, I'm all ears! Even though I'm a newbie, I have been able to save us a large amount of money AND we have a surplus of supplies on hand which is something I've never been able to do before. That's enough incentive for me to continue.

It's a little bit of work and it involves some commitment but the payoff is GREAT.

Secondly, I've heard a lot of people saying that they do not use coupons because they are mostly for junk/processed food or items that they don't buy. In response to that idea I ask: Does your family use toilet paper, cleaning supplies, shampoo, laundry detergent etc...? If you could save 50%-75% off of these items alone couponing would be more than worth the effort. Most families buy these items with their groceries. The money saved can easily then be applied to items like fresh produce and meats. Truth be told though, if you look, coupons and deals on dairy, meat and produce CAN be found but you MUST look for them.

Lastly, You have to think about this in terms of investing. Buy in numbers when you can get it at a fraction of the cost. Learn to live on and plan your meals around what's on hand.

The first thing you must do to save money is find the coupons. We subscribe to the Sunday paper. If you can possibly get your hands on more than one copy each Sunday, DO IT. I'll tell you why later. Thankfully I have grandparents who bring me their 2 papers each Sunday. That gives me 3 copies of each coupon insert.

When I get my paper(s) I pull out the coupon inserts and mark them on the front with that days date. The next thing I do is file them away by month. That way I can easily put my hands on them again.

At this point the work begins. I go to my new favorite website www.thegrocerygame.com

On this site you can subscribe to the stores that you shop in regularly. The site keeps track of the store's sales, even the unadvertised ones. It will list the item and what the sale price is, and where you can find the coupons for that item. The trick to BIG savings is combining a store sale with a store coupon and a manufacturers coupon.

FOR EXAMPLE:

Publix has Right Guard Antiperspirant on sale buy one get one free.

Regular price: $2.79 B1G1 means that each one is $1.40

With a coupon of $1.50 off of 2

(found in the August 15th Red Plum insert)

that brings the total to $.65 each.

A 77% savings!

At that price you can get 4 for less than the price of 1 at the original price with no sale or coupon.

Three hints here:

1. When an item is on sale Buy 1 Get 1, technically you are buying 2 items, so you can use a coupon for EACH item. This is why more than one paper on Sunday comes in handy.

2. When you see items for a certain number for a certain amount, 3/$6 for example. You do not have to buy all three items to get the sale price. You can buy 1 for $2. Combine that sale with your coupon and you've got yourself a deal.

3. If the store has a coupon for an item you can combine it with a manufacturers coupon for double saving. PLUS lots of stores accept competitors store coupons as their own. YAY!

thegrocerygame.com does charge for a subscription fee but it is fairly nominal. The first 4 weeks are a free trial so go try it out and see what you think.

There are other free sites that I use often:

www.couponingtodisney.com

www.southernsavers.com

www.savingthefamilymoney.com

www.savingandclipping.com

All of these have great information about your favorite stores.

Couponing to Disney for example keeps a running list of items from Target and WalMart that can be bought for $1 or less.

SouthernSavers has a links for CVS and WalGreens which both have amazing awards programs.

Alrighty, I'm tired now.

I gotta go look at the coupons that came yesterday.

More later.

Another Friday Funny

2010-10-08T14:21:00.002-04:00

Friday Funny

2010-10-08T14:09:00.000-04:00

I really want to try this now! Where can I get a stuffed skunk?

Cupcake Queen

2010-10-07T12:58:00.000-04:00

My busy, high-tech baker in the kitchen making mocha cupcakes.

She got the recipe online for the cake part.

The frosting on the other hand was a made up, this sounds good, add a little of that and throw in some strong coffee concoction.

It turned out to be a delicious mocha hazelnut coffee buttercream.

I can tell you that Nutella was involved.

The finished product with a few coffee grounds sprinkled on top.

Three days later she was at it again making Margarita Lime cupcakes for my birthday.

The Cupcake Queen can reign in my kitchen any day of the week.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-05T22:36:00.000-04:00

Sir The Barber

2010-09-30T17:59:00.000-04:00

Charlie flew with Gaga and Papaw, Aunt Bob, Uncle Stan and Tyler to Texas today.

He got a great haircut just for the occasion.

Papaw has been taking him uptown to a Barber Shop for his haircuts ever since he was tiny. Charlie calls his barber "Sir". None of us actually know why but we go with it. That's what you do when cute 3 year olds enter your life and change your vocabulary altogether.

Anyway, last night Charlie walked into my kitchen and this is the conversation we had.

Charlie: Hey Becky do you like my shoes?

Me: WOW!

Those are some great flip flops! And I LOVE your new haircut! You look so handsome. Did Sir cut it for you today?

Charlie: No, he's tired.

Gaga: (whispers) he retired.

Gotta love that little guy.

Have BIG Texas sized fun Charlie!

Where's Wally?

2010-09-30T01:22:00.000-04:00

Has anyone noticed that it has been 284 days since we've spent money at Wally World? My family has pretty much stopped asking me why we aren't shopping there anymore. I guess that might be because I shrug and say "because". We don't really have a great reason and we don't hate Wal*Mart. Last year it was not uncommon for us to go there two or more times a week. We've even had more date nights than I care to admit end with a stroll around Wal*Mart.

It all started last Christmas when the girls received gifts that needed to be exchanged. All 4 gifts had come from Wal*Mart but we had no receipts. Two of the gifts had come from a Wal*Mart in another state. Long story short, the manager accused us of trying to cheat them and refused to exchange the two from the other state. THAT did not set well with my dearly beloved. He suggested that we try to live without them for a year. At first I was worried. No Wally World? Where in the world will I waste my hours and money from now on? Then I realized that I lived quite fine without it for 3 years on Guam.

Within a month my truck (Jet Puff) stopped pulling to the left when I'd ride south on Blanding Blvd. Now, 9 months later I don't even miss it.

Since I started couponing in earnest I have learned that Wal*Mart is NOT where you'll find those rock bottom deals that I am always on the hunt for. All in all it has been an eye opening experience and I do believe that I will not have the urge to run to the nearest store when our year is up. We'll just have to find a new place to end our date nights from now on. Starbucks sounds like a winner to me.

I Joined - Have you?

2010-09-28T14:30:00.001-04:00

Sleepytime She Comes

2010-09-27T00:05:00.000-04:00

Cheyanne at 11:00

Cheyanne at 11:30

Friday Funny

2010-09-24T14:45:00.001-04:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-22T11:37:00.000-04:00

All My Girls

2010-09-21T19:38:00.002-04:00

All the girls I'd love to spend an afternoon with over a cup of coffee. Some of them I see all the time and some I haven't been able to see in quite awhile. Some I will not have the privilege of seeing again this side of heaven. If you see any boys in the video below ignore them; this one's for the girls.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Yesterday's Haul

2010-09-21T07:38:00.000-04:00

I shopped the under $1 deals at Target yesterday. These are items that were on sale plus I applied a store coupon with a manufacturers coupon to each item. That brought us to 31 items with a value of $67. My total at the register was $26. That's a $41 savings! The only item I paid more than a dollar for was the mouthwash but I got a few items for free, so I let it slide. I am SO loving this couponing, it's addicting. My pantry and bathroom shelves are beginning to look well supplied and that makes me a happy mom.

Friday NOT SO Funny

2010-09-17T01:11:00.000-04:00

I have to thank my friend Valerie for pointing me in the direction of these photos over on Facebook. Typically I am not very politically minded. Don't read anything into these photos about my political opinions (which are few). These were taken with the intention of poking fun at the newly formed TeaParty. I must admit that after viewing them all, I have much to think about.

I post them because I simply cannot believe the horrible use of the English language! If you are going to make a public, political statement ESPECIALLY about the English language at LEAST word your sign properly!!! Note my improper over usage of the exclamation point; I own that. Even grammar tyrants are allowed a little wiggle room.

I don't want to get all serious on you but I will for just a minute. Did these people graduate from high school? Do they vote? Do they hold down professional jobs? Yikes. The educational system in America ROCKS! You can go ahead and note that my last sentence was dripping with sarcasm; I own that too.

Sure, respect it but don't bother learning it? This is a common mistake that makes me a little nutsy. If we own it, it is O-U-R-S. Our country, not are country!!!

AMNESTY- Not only a controversial topic but evidently an EXTREMELY difficult word to spell.

A-Men-Sty Is she protesting messy bachelor pads?

English 101: Put the apostrophe where the letters are missing.

Is that so hard?

Lesson continued: Didn't is short for Did Not. Which letter is missing in Didn't? The "O". Oh, that must be where the apostrophe goes! I won't even ask to whom he served 22 years. How would one go about serving a year anyway? You can't put a year on a plate and serve it up the way I served my family homemade raviolis for supper. I guess we are supposed to assume that he served OUR country for 22 years. That same guy would probably be quick to tell me what happens when you assume anything.

By far this is my favorite sign. I was so excited to learn that I could know a second language in 24 hours simply by keeping my trap shut for a day. I've been meaning to learn Spanish but that Rosetta Stone program is so expensive. I'm not exactly sure though why I would need to find my legislator. Is he lost? Is that part of the requirement for my ability to speak Spanish tomorrow? Kind of a Hispanic version of Where's Waldo? Sounds fun, sign me up!!

I had an excellent second grade teacher. She taught me that I should: Write my sign in pencil first, proof read my sign by checking carefully for spelling mistakes and THEN make it official by breaking out the magic markers and glitter.

It's really too bad that someone didn't pay attention in English class on the day that contractions were taught.

I completely understand that I may have made grammar mistakes in this post. Feel free to point them out. I can take it.

Friday Funny

2010-09-17T00:02:00.001-04:00

Friday Funny-ENJOY!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-08T16:37:00.000-04:00

10 Good Things About A Week That Wasn't

2010-09-07T09:24:00.001-04:00

10 Things About Last Week That Didn't Stink.

Sometimes you just need to look on the bright side.

1. Rosie's steak tacos. Yum! Sunday started off well. Our church visit/hunt was not a complete disappointment. After church we ate with the Furlongs at Rosie's which has NEVER let me down. I love their steak tacos!

2. Baby Cheyanne kept us entertained and smiling for 3 straight days.

3. I got this nifty new hair color. I did it all by myself and am pleased to announce that I do NOT look like I will be looking for work with the circus.

4. Facebook. My friends live there.

5. I saved us some major cash by playing the grocery game. I love the competition between myself and that giant called the grocery store.

6. My sweet neighbor Mrs. K (who is old enough to be my grandma) popped over for a visit just to chit chat. What a delight.

7.College football season is here!

AND

There's a hint of Fall in the air. Ahhhhhh

The Dawgs and the Gators both won their games so all is still well in our divided house.

Go Gators!

8. My dearly beloved ran 8 miles in one stretch. He's training for the Marine Corps 1/2 Marathon in Jax.

So proud of him!

9. Caitlin and Abbie have surprised and impressed me by faithfully working together on their relationship and their girly figures. They are torturing themselves with P90X daily. I love my beautiful girls!

10. His promises are sure and His faithfulness unwavering.

Sunday Suppers

2010-09-06T00:54:00.000-04:00

Nobody cooks like my mother-in-law! She could give Paula Deen a run for her money any day of the week. Today I think you would have liked being me sitting down to an AMAZING southern, home cooked meal surrounded by family. Eating here on Sunday after church is almost exactly like Thanksgiving without the turkey. There's roast beef (and today pork chops too) creamed potatoes with gravy made from the beef. There's field peas, creamed corn cut straight from the cob, fried okra and of course corn bread and sweet tea.

Get this: She was worried that we might not have enough food. I guess she wouldn't be worthy of being called a true southern woman without a little tizzy over how much food to prepare. After we all ate our fill and then some there was naturally an abundance of food leftover.

Just about the time we are stuffed to the gills and moaning about how we may never need to eat again we hear from the kitchen "I hope ya'll saved room for dessert!!"

Ugggghhhhh!

Sitting around the table with family and telling stories and making memories is what Sunday afternoons ought to be about.

About the time we finally get up and get the kitchen nice and clean along comes a kiddo asking "what's for supper?"

Ding ding! Round 2!

Friday Funny

2010-09-03T10:51:00.000-04:00

I Love Me Some Chicken

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-01T11:31:00.000-04:00

East Bound And Down

2010-08-31T23:24:00.000-04:00

Earlier this summer my cousin Jamie called to let us know that he had a load to deliver in our area. We jumped at the chance to visit with him and his sweetie Tina. What a fun time we had! We had a good meal at the TA and got the grand tour of the big blue Peterbilt. It's an amazing machine. After listening to the two of them tell us all about life on the road, I have so much more respect for the truckers out there.

Jamie and Tina bring Titan the dog along for the ride. What a well traveled dog. He seems to love his life on the road. I'm so proud of my cousins!!

Kiwi-less Living

2010-08-30T15:23:00.000-04:00

My arm just after all the scratches. OUCH!!! and ITCH!!!!

This is 15 minutes later.

See all of those big red splotches on the bottom? That was the housework section. I am officially allergic to laundry and toilet cleaning. I'm also allergic to kiwi fruit, cats, dust mites, and oak trees. The doc says that kiwi fruit is related to latex, bananas and avocados. So far I can eat both of them with no issues but he says that may change. And from now on I'm supposed to assume and allergy to latex just to be safe. I think I would not really miss bananas but I don't even want to think about a life without guacamole.

Six And A Highchair

2010-08-29T23:13:00.000-04:00

This is Cheyanne.

She's our little houseguest for a while.

Isn't she a cutie?!

We've once again been launched into the world of diapers, bottles, baby food and carseats.

It's a good thing that Lee and I have a little bit of experience with baby girls.

She has Lee wrapped around her tiny baby finger.

He's a sucker for a baby girl.

The HUGE advantage that we have now is four older girls who are loving practicing their mommy skills. Caitlin is intently trying to teach Cheyanne to say Cay Kin.

Hobbes and Cheyanne are still getting to know each other.

She is very intrigued by him but he's not too sure about her yet.

My new sink turns out to be a perfect baby bathtub.

It's been a lot of fun having her here.
We love our little houseguest.

School's In

2010-08-27T01:32:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow we will complete our second full week of school. For us this is a landmark year for a couple of reasons. First, it is the first time in 7 years that I have only had 3 girls enrolled in The Brown Academy For Girls. Caitlin has moved on. Secondly, This is probably the first year EVER that we've gotten started so early. Im usually the last holdout among my homeschooling mommy friends. What?!?! It's Labor Day already? Guess that means we gotta start school.

This year it just felt right to everyone involved to get back into a routine. SO we plowed ahead.

Holly 10th Grade

Teaching Textbooks Algebra 1

LifePacs by Alpha Omega Press for Science, History and Bible

Wordly Wise 3000 -10, Easy Grammar and Natural Speller for Language Arts

Holly and Abbie will both be reading and researching famous American authors.

Holly is currently working her way through the strange world of Edgar Alan Poe.

Abbie 9th Grade

Saxon Math

LifePacs for Science, History and Bible.

(She thought she wanted to do Apologia General Science but after further inspection decided she would wait another year) good choice Abs.

Wordly Wise 3000-9, Easy Grammar and Natural Speller

Abbie is excited to be starting Spanish 1 soon and is currently researching the works of O. Henry.

Miriam Grace 6th Grade

Saxon Math

LifePacs for Science, History and Bible

Wordly Wise 3000-6, Easy Grammar, Natural Speller and A Reason For Writing

Gracie is researching hot air balloons and plans on building a miniature hot air balloon as soon she gets it all figured out. I hope she doesn't blow up the garage.

A few days ago, after a long research session she came to me asking if she could disconnect the propane tank off of daddy's grill. She needed it for fuel for her hot air balloon burner. YIKES!!

What am I gonna do with that kid?!

I told her that daddy need it to stay connected so that he could cook our supper. I quickly thawed out the pork chops. Phew.... dodged that bullet..... for now.

If you're not home schooling your kids, you're missing a blessing... just sayin.

Wow! What a summer!

2010-08-21T13:08:00.000-04:00

It has gone by so quickly. Just this week the girls began school again. I can hardly believe that we are a week into another school year. This is the first one in a long time that I have only had 3 students instead of 4. Caitlin is working hard a Chick-Fil-A this year trying to earn enough money to go back overseas as soon as possible.

Lets see, In late May we remodeled the kitchen and graduated Caitlin from high school with a big party. In June we went to the Southern Baptist Convention as a family (minus Gracie) in Orlando, took a trip to Georgia to see family and got the girls ready for India. In July we sent Caitlin and Holly off to India and Abbie and Gracie to Georgia to spend 2 weeks with Grandma and Grandaddy. Lee and I went to the Smart Marriages conference in Orlando. A week later we went back to Georgia to get the younger two.

That brings us to August. Caitlin and Holly came home from India. We've spent a little time recovering and now we are trying to get back into a routine. Speaking of routine, I've been out of a blogging routine! I've missed it.

Stay tuned for regular posts from the Brownies!

Click on the picture of Caitlin and Holly in the post below to see India pictures.

Enjoy!

India

2010-08-21T12:53:00.000-04:00

Kitchen Slideshow

2010-06-28T15:20:00.002-04:00

Create your own free photo slideshow

Duck Soup Kitchen

2010-06-28T13:35:00.000-04:00

For about a month we have been keeping up with the newly hatched baby ducks from the pond across the street. Every day the mama duck waddles over to our yard with her little ones trailing behind her. Every day they get just a little bigger. When they first started crossing the street they were so small that the trip was quite a journey. Now they can scamper across very quickly. Miriam Grace has befriended them by going out as often as possible to feed them our leftover bread. The other bigger ducks have caught on to her routine. She's running a regular duck soup kitchen out of our front yard.

Free picture collage generated with Smilebox

India

2010-06-28T00:42:00.002-04:00

In just a few weeks I will be able to add a photo in the international gallery on the right of Caitlin and Holly in front of the Taj Mahal. Isn't that cool?! The girls are gearing up to make the long journey from Orlando to New Delhi, India in just one week. They are SOOOO excited!

They will be staying with Jacob and Melissa pictured here above and below. This sweet couple has agreed to be the girl's hosts for the whole month while they are there.

They will be keeping the girls busy working in orphanages and homes, playing with children, working in kitchens and teaching some basic English. They will even have the privilege of attending a traditional Indian wedding during their stay.
I'm pretty sure there will be some sight seeing and shopping going on too. It won't be ALL work but it WILL be hot. Right now in this part of India the temp is well over 100 degrees daily, with no AC during the day to escape the heat.

This is the city where Jacob and Melissa live. It is located on the Ganges river. The girls will be taking a train (with Melissa) to get there after they land in Delhi. What an adventure! Please remember the girls as well as Jake and Melissa. Mention them to The Most High as often as you can during the month of July. We would GREATLY appreciate that!

Snickerdoodledog

2010-06-25T01:06:00.000-04:00

Anyone who has known us for awhile knows our little Snicky dog. She's been a constant for us since July of 2000 when I found her sitting in the middle of a highway in Yazoo City, Mississippi. Bless her long little weinerdog heart. Most of you also know that she has cancer. She is now nicely recovered from her recent surgery to remove 2 large tumors. I'm happy to report that she seems to be back to her old bouncy self when it comes to meal times. Otherwise she lounges her days away on her pallet beside my bed. It's a dog's life!

Twins?

2010-06-13T00:23:00.002-04:00

Wrigley: Small, fluffy and cute. Thinks he is a doberman. Currently looking for employment with the K9 unit on the local police force. Can't figure out why no one takes him seriously.

Hobbes: Large and Clumsy. Thinks he is a Yorkie. Can't understand why he won't fit under the coffee table. Completely baffled that people keep getting into his giant water bowl in the backyard.

It's Finished!!!

2010-06-13T00:14:00.002-04:00

Hurray!!! The kitchen is officially remodeled. I LOVE IT!!!

My new sink. It makes me happy.

You can't see it but there is A LOT of love and elbow grease in those granite tiled countertops.

Coffee anyone?

Come on over and enjoy a cuppa joe with us!

CAITLIN.mov

2010-06-08T01:01:00.000-04:00

Senior Pics

2010-05-06T08:39:00.000-04:00

Can you believe it?!?

Little bitty Caykin Bown (her name for herself when she was little bitty) is finished with high school!

What happened?

Was I there?

These are only a fraction of the ones that were taken.

More to come later.

Thank you Uncle Stan and Aunt Kayti for taking a thousand or so photos of Caitlin.

You two are a blessing!

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

2010-05-05T11:04:00.001-04:00

Hola Amigos!

Once again I am asking myself "exactly why are we celebrating a holiday which has its origin in another country?'. Evidently it has become American to celebrate un-American holidays. Personally, I think it is simply another reason to go out with your buds for an enchilada, which of course must be washed down with a cerveza or a margarita. According to wikipedia (my source of knowledge for most of my random facts) it is a common misconception among Americans to assume that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's Independence Day. This most important holiday is actually on the 16th of September. Or, Dieciseis de Septiembre for those of you who want to be technical about it. We celebrate Cinco de Mayo for primarily the same reasons we get excited about St Patricks Day, Oktoberfest and Chinese New Year. They are days where we recognize the heritage of other cultures in our own melting pot nation. Plus it's a great reason to throw a party. Don't forget the nachos with queso dip. My oldest just came in behind me saying "hey mom, it's cinco de mayo, can we eat at Taco Bell for lunch, I'll pay". Arriba!!! My kid wants to pay for my lunch!

In closing I must advise you to not go around today saying "Kiss me I'm Mexican". It just doesn't have the same ring to it.

Friday Funny

2010-04-30T00:41:00.000-04:00

In honor of Holly's most favorite place to eat I give you todays Friday Funny.

I cannot take credit for the drawing.

I got it from the place where everything ends up nowadays: Facebook.

Birthday Gifts

2010-04-28T15:36:00.003-04:00

Lee got a nifty new pair of Vibrams

Mimi got a delicious Edible Arrangement.

Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers: The Public School Parents' Guide to Homeschool Parents

2010-04-28T11:01:00.000-04:00

Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers: The Public School Parents' Guide to Homeschool Parents

The Birthday Guy!

2010-04-17T13:21:00.001-04:00

Q: Where's your happy face?!?

A: This is my happy face.

Happy Birthday to my sweetheart!

Doesn't he look thrilled to be another year older?

It could just be that he's in the passenger's seat. My man likes being the driver.

Opinions Please

2010-04-15T23:34:00.003-04:00

We just repainted the kitchen these khaki and red colors. The khaki in the picture below looks more gold than it actually is. The red wall only has 1 coat of paint on it. I can see that several more will need to go up before the splotches disappear.

The next step is to granite tile the countertops.

I have narrowed the choices down to two. They are similar, and I do have a favorite but I need some opinions. My decision making skills are not one of the reasons why Lee married me.

That is where you come in. Let me know if you prefer tile #1 or #2

I will let you know what we decide and of course finished kitchen pictures.

Tile #1 above with the Khaki wall.

Tile # 2 above with the the khaki wall.

You should know that the appliances are stainless steel and the sink will be black.

Decision time people!!!!

Flying Blind

2010-04-14T11:12:00.001-04:00

A WOMAN was flying from Seattle to San Francisco . Unexpectedly, the plane was diverted to Sacramento along the way. The flight attendant explained that there would be a delay, and if the passengers wanted to get off the aircraft the plane would re-board in 50 minutes.

Everybody got off the plane except one lady who was blind. The man had noticed her as he walked by and could tell the lady was blind because her Seeing Eye dog lay quietly underneath the seats in front of her throughout the entire flight.

He could also tell she had flown this very flight before because the pilot approached her, and calling her by name, said, 'Kathy, we are in Sacramento for almost an hour. Would you like to get off and stretch your legs?' The blind lady replied, 'No thanks, but maybe Buddy would like to stretch his legs.'

Picture this:
All the people in the gate area came to a complete standstill when they looked up and saw the pilot walk off the plane with a Seeing Eye dog! The pilot was even wearing sunglasses. People scattered. They not only tried to change planes, but they were trying to change airlines!

True story...

...THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS AS THEY APPEAR.

Inventions

2010-04-13T07:37:00.003-04:00

The week before Easter Gracie overheard me say that I needed a cup of honey to make the baklava. I was telling Lee that I had some honey in our current jar but I was not sure if it was a full cup and that it was stuck in the bottom of the jar. He offhandedly said that it was too bad that no one had invented something that would hold a bottle upside down in order for the contents to drain out.

Gracie saw a challenge and went straight to work.

Here is what she built.

Impressive huh?

Imagine what she could do with a lab and a workshop!

Sharable

2010-04-13T07:29:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter 2010

2010-04-09T15:56:00.003-04:00

Goodies

Fraidycat is jealous that he didn't get a chocolate bunny.

Beautiful Brownies and Hobbes

Easter Baklava!

It was delicious!

(Thanks to my friend Heidi for the online lessons)

Caitlin has decided she wants baklava instead of a cake for her birthday.

Another Driver In The Family

2010-04-09T15:55:00.000-04:00

The proud owner of a brand spankin' new learners permit.

Lee has his work cut out for him.

Recent Randomness

2010-03-28T01:16:00.001-04:00

Changes

2010-03-28T01:11:00.003-04:00

Again with the changes! Enough already. I know, I know, every time you visit the blog it looks a little different. Blogger surprised with new controls and backgrounds and templates and colors! What's a girl to do but redecorate? With all of these new choices it is very likely that Lovin' Life At Home will get another face lift or two before it's all said and done.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day (Repost from 2008)

2010-03-17T12:37:00.000-04:00

Have you ever wondered why we who are not Irish celebrate on a day set aside for the patron saint of Ireland? Forgive me please if you are reading and you happen to be Irish, rightfully celebrate to your hearts content. Kids all over America will be hyped up on sugar from green frosted cupcakes and shamrock shaped cookies. They'll delight in pinching those who had the unfortunate luck of forgetting to wear green clothing. Adults will toast with warm green beer and drunkenly sing "O Danny Boy" off key. It's the only day where an American can claim to be Irish just for a kiss. Why do we do this? Here's a few facts you might want to know.
First off it might interest you to know that St Patrick was not Irish! He was born in Britain, kidnapped at age 16 and enslaved in Ireland. During his slavery (while shepherding) he "found God". He escaped from slavery and made his way back to Britain studying theology there for 14 years. He claimed he had a vision from God compelling him to go back to Ireland to spread God's word among the pagan druids. He preached there for over 30 years and his impact was enormous and far reaching. I found it interesting to learn that within 200 years of his preaching, Ireland had completely converted to Christianity and was the ONLY European country to do so peacefully. On a side note, one legend says the Shamrock is popular on this day because Patrick used it in his preaching to demonstrate the holy trinity. The 3 leaves showing how the Father, Son and Holy Spirit can be separate yet still one.
For centuries Ireland celebrated their Saint quietly each year. It wasn't until 1737 that Irish immigrants to America brought the party to us. In typical American fashion we have managed to turn it into a boozy festival. The good news is that if you are going to drink, make sure you drink the authentic Guinness Dark Irish stout. In 2003 the American Heart Association claimed that their research showed that a daily mug of the dark amber variety is as effective as an aspirin in helping reduce blood clots that cause heart attacks. So when you raise your pint with the traditional Irish Slainte' which means "health" maybe you are actually doing something good for your health. I'm not sure I buy that though. If green and healthy is what you're after, go with broccoli. Besides, no one has ever been thrown in the pokey for driving under the influence of broccoli.
I say all of this to say that I'm not sure why we Americans celebrate good ol' Saint Paddys day. I just know that when I wear my Emerald Isle green today, I'll be remembering Patrick's faithfulness and obedience to God.
Slainte'

2010-03-02T15:52:00.002-05:00

Our third one in braces.

My Sweetheart

2010-02-26T01:32:00.003-05:00

I've been a little down in the dumps lately with a simple case of "Navy Wife Syndrome". The symptoms of this ailment vary in severity depending on the length of the deployment. Thankfully, this is not a deployment but just a 4 day class in another city. I predict that all of my symptoms will magically disappear tomorrow about the time supper rolls around. My sweetheart will be home and all will be right in MY world once again.

Here's a quick little lesson for those of you unfamiliar with the Navy life we lead. Our orders typically have us in one location (tour) for about 2-3 years. Generally speaking, a sailor will flip flop tours from sea duty in one location to shore duty at the next location. Don't let those tags fool you though. You cannot assume that just because you are on shore duty that you will remain on the shore. Also, sometimes a sailor on sea duty will never even catch a glimpse of the ocean. Sea duty simply means that you are deployable or that you are attached to a group that can be deployed. Right now, Lee is on shore duty. He may stay on the shore BUT his current job has him away from home pretty often for short periods of time. I will gladly trade him sleeping at home 25 nights out of the month over him not sleeping at home for 9 months at a stretch. To me though, absence is absence. Whether it's a weekend or a year I miss him terribly when he leaves. I texted him a few days ago to let him know that I thought I may be losing my edge as a hard core Navy wife. I'm happily getting used to having him around. If I am struggling to get through a 4 day absence, how will I cope during the next tour when we kiss each other goodbye for another 6 months or so? I don't even want to think about it!

Charlie's Cupcakes

2010-02-23T00:38:00.002-05:00

Little cousin Charlie turned 3.

Sweet little boys deserve yummy cupcakes on their birthday, don't you agree?

The problem: Charlie IS a very sweet little boy BUT he can't eat cupcakes. At least not normal cupcakes. He's allergic.

For him, a fun birthday with treats could end with an ambulance ride to the ER.

That's no way for sweet little boys to celebrate birthdays!

Thankfully we found a cake mix and frosting without eggs, dairy or peanuts.

YUM!

Charlie doesn't get baked goods very often.

He knows those are his cupcakes and he has his eye on the prize.

But wait, why is everyone looking at me and singing?

Daddy to the rescue! Hurray lets eat!

Two minutes later

Aunt Bob: Charlie is that a good cupcake?

Charlie: (with chocolate frosting lips) It's DeeWishus!

Awwww..... Charlie you make my heart melt.

I will make you deewishus chocolate cupcakes any day of the week.

The Rules

2010-02-22T09:11:00.002-05:00

These are the rules.

If you want to become a member you must ask Gracie, the club's president and one and only member as far as I know. Be prepared to dance though if you don't know the password.

This is an Ofishall announcement.

Zoey Girl

2010-02-20T00:09:00.002-05:00

Mimi and Poppy got a new little friend.

Her name is Zoey and she is a miniature long haired doxie.

My goodness. She is the cutest!

Repeat after me:

I do not need another dog!

But... Oh my goodness, she is SO cute!!

Friday Funny

2010-02-19T09:50:00.001-05:00

FRIENDS

2010-02-18T00:22:00.004-05:00

The boys came for a visit. Need I say more?

Oh wait, their parents Chris and Amy came too.

What a wonderful visit. We were neighbors for a short time but we'll be friends forever.

Amy: my inspiration to begin blogging. I took total advantage of my friend while she was here to help me out with some techie details. Thanks Amy!

Not that we need a reason to have chocolate ice cream cake BUT we HAD to help Tyler celebrate his 5th birthday.

Look at all those hands!

It took us a few tries but we finally figured out the timers on our cameras in order to get a few group shots.

Ryland picked Abbie as his fav and she was thrilled.

Logan and Gracie hit it off just like old times.

All is right again in the world for a little while. The boys are with their girls.

I have NO doubt that if we were still neighbors we would see this happening almost every day.

So sweet. We love the Morrison family and miss them very much!

PS: In case you are concerned, Holly got her share of cuddles in too. I just did not happen to catch any of those moments.

STILL Under Construction

2010-02-16T11:10:00.002-05:00

As you all can see I have been tweaking away at the blog changing things around. It's in my nature I guess. I get bored with the furniture in the house every 6 months or so. That's when I can't stand it anymore and have to rearrange it all. Believe it or not it's much easier to move a couch than it is to rearrange html. Well it is for me anyway. Slowly but surely I'm learning a few things thanks to the willingness of others who have taken the time to write out detailed instructions on the internet. Otherwise I'd be as lost as a polar bear in the Everglades.

Live the Life - Strengthening Families and Marriages - (850)668-3700

2010-02-16T00:25:00.000-05:00

Live the Life - Strengthening Families and Marriages - (850)668-3700

It's Pawdicure Time

2010-02-13T01:23:00.002-05:00

Even 4 legged creatures love a little mani-pedi every now and then.

I Want A Boonie Cat!

2010-02-12T00:41:00.004-05:00

If you have spent any amount of time on Guam you will know exactly what the word "boonie" means.
Boonie is a Guam term for stray animal (boonie cat, boonie dog). It can also mean "jacked up" or something that is especially "islandy" like a house that is sort of thrown together but can miraculously withstand a category 3 typhoon. Lot's of military folks go to Guam and buy a "boonie car" also known as a Guam bomb. It's a car that is cheap, probably has had many owners, and likely does not have aircon, but it gets you around on Big Navy. Guam has had a major issues with their stray "boonie" animal population for years. You cannot ride very far at all in your Guam bomb without seeing a boonie dog or even be chased by a few down the road. Many a Navy family has returned to the Continental United States with a Boonie cat or dog in tow. The Browns are no exception. We adopted our beloved Fraidycat within a month of living on the island (thanks Smith family!) and he is curled up beside me even now as I type. He is proudly representing his Boonie status on this side of the world. Now that I've caught you up a little on the word boonie, let me tell you about the conversation I had today.
I went in to get my hair done and was making the usual small talk that you make with a new hairdresser. The conversation went a little like this:
Me: Oh yes we love it here in Florida. The weather is so much better than Virginia. It's more of what we are used to after spending 3 years on Guam.
Rhi (hairlady): GUAM!!!!! OMG I had a cat from there!!! A Goonie cat. She was so sweet and had such personality with her pointy face and crooked tail. She died about 6 months ago.
Me: (Trying to keep a straight face) Oh, you mean a boonie cat right?
Rhi: yes a boonie cat. (Poor woman has probably been telling everyone for years that she owns a goonie cat)
Me: I have a boonie cat. His name is Fraidy.
Rhi: OMG Is he fixed?!?!?!?!
Me:Yes
Rhi: Oh thats too bad. I really want another boonie cat, they are just the best cats. How can I get one?
Me: (Looking around for the candid camera) Ummmm well... I guess if you knew someone military who lives there you could have one shipped to you but it would be very expensive because they have to go through vet checks and shots and blood tests etc... Then they have to ship through Hawaii and spend the night in quarantine blah blah blah...
Rhi: Oh I knew it would have to be expensive. They are so exotic, with that coloring and that crook in their tails.
Me: (Laughingly admitting) Fraidycat has a crook in his tail too but only because I slammed it in the dryer door when he was a kitten.
Me Again: (because Rhi was unsure how to respond to my cat abuse) You know..... I'm not sure how to tell you this but boonie cats in Guam are a dime a dozen. They are considered strays. The word boonie essentially means stray.
Rhi: Oh no!! A boonie cat is a specific breed. They are the best cats ever.
Me: (Bewildered) Ok. Well... I know we like ours... best of luck on your hunt for another one.

It was all I could do to keep my composure. Wow. I did not want to contradict her too much, after all she was applying chemicals to my head! I came home and relayed this crazy conversation to Lee and the girls who rolled with laughter. We decided we could become rich and famous for exporting the rare and exotic Boonie Breed around the world. Think it'll go over? Me either.