Merry Christmas!

                                                                                                                                                                                    MERRY CHRISTMAS to all my blogger friends...Enjoy God's Blessings today, Tina

Being Thankful

Today we (me and the kids) made thankful crowns made from construction paper. So when I asked the kids to write on their crowns what they are thankful for, the two oldest said "God and Family" , the 3 year old said she was thankful for her brother and sister. How great is it to know that my kids are thankful for each other and our God. What am I thankful for...well it couldn't fit on a "crown" so I decided to share a few things.
1. My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,who without Him I am nothing.
2. My wonderful husband, who works so hard that I am able to stay home and take care of my kids and the home. I know that we are One and that we can trust and be ourselves with each other.
3. For my children, they are one of the reasons I am on this earth.
4. For our health,we are healthy and happy.
5. For my friends, who bring out the best in me.
6. For my church, that gives me a place to learn and grow.
7. For my family,a place where I can be myself.
8. For my house, it may not be the biggest or the best, but it's filled with love.
9.For my husband's job, that it (with God) provides for us
10. Again for my faith in Jesus Christ ,that with faith....ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

Have a blessed and safe Thanksgiving everyone!

Enjoy God's Blessings today, TINA

Making Our Home a Haven Challenge week 4

With the music playing, your candle lit and your clutter areas clean , lets move on to family fun. That's what the challenge is this week over at Courtney's website  http://womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/2010/09/making-your-home-haven-fall-challenge.html . Sharing tender moments with your family..whether you work or stay at home, I know how hard it is to carve some 'fun' time with the family. Last week was my daughter's 9th birthday and my family asked me what she wanted for a gift. I said 'board games , board games and more board games!"  We love to play games with the family, in fact every evening we play a board game right before bedtime. Lately it has been the game Trouble since Ashley got that for her birthday. Other things we love to do is take walks , throw the football outside and turn on the music and dance.. the kid's think the 80's genre of music is hilarious. We have neighbors that live across from us, they are a very quiet elderly couple and even though we have lived here 4 years , we haven't talked to them very much. They prefer to keep to themselves and that's fine. Although the other day, the neighbor stopped my husband and said " I enjoy seeing your family, it's so refreshing to see a family that is always together, whether you are going away or playing outside, I can tell you all really love each other" I have to tell you that is one of the greatest compliments I ever received. She could tell that our home is a haven to our family and that we love being together. Remember when you don't think anyone is looking ...they just might be. So now you need to get off of the computer and go have some fun with your family..Enjoy!!   Enjoy God's Blessings today! -Tina

Making Our Home a Haven Challenge Week 3

With the music on and the candle lit...(I have been very faithful each day in doing this) it's now onto the week #3 challenge which is looking for the clutter that takes up our lives and to fix it. I seriously have no clutter in my house..thanks to a wonderful husband who helped me fall-clean and me being a neat-freak.  But there are other areas in my life where I need to clean up the clutter. The first thing is my physical health..I used to be very faithful in working out most days of the week, but I have failed in this area the last few weeks. I make excuses and I say 'I'm too busy or tired'. You know, all of those reasons not to work out. But as of this past Saturday I blew the dust off the treadmill and got on and I feel so much better. We have to take good care of our bodies so we can be the best we can be for our family. The next place I need to clean up the clutter is in my spiritual life...I used to get up every morning at 6am and spend time in God's word and prayer. As of late, I have been hitting that snooze button. We need to be in the Word and in constant prayer for our family to function in the way God wants it too. So this week clear that clutter in your home or your spiritual life and let it sparkle to the glory of God! Enjoy God's Blessings Today, Tina

Making Our Home a Haven challenge-week 2

So last week it was the candle, this week it's music. That's right, our challenge this week is to play soft music in our homes. So this past weekend I did it. I am not a fan of classical music but I did play soft worship music over the weekend and boy did I see a difference. In my demeanor that is. I grew up with the T.V on all the time and I find myself doing that too in  my home now. I tell myself that it's just background noise. But with the music playing softly and the T.V. not on , I noticed that things ran a little smoother in the home. There wasn't shouting over the T.V. noise. The kids actually behaved a little better too. I noticed that with myself when I took the time to listen to the music, I remembered Who is in control and Who was with me throughout the day. The peace that surpasses all understanding. Our home needs to be a haven to the ones we love and to our neighbors. Wouldn't it be awesome to think that when our neighbors drive by our house they notice something different, something good about us and our home.

Making Our Home a Haven challenge- week 1

This week's challenge is to buy a big candle, once you light it, every time you pass by it say a prayer for your home, husband and kids. We as wives and mothers need to keep our home a place of prayer and comfort. A place where our children and our husbands are welcomed to be themselves. Where they are not judged. But they are encouraged and lifted up. This week Courtney challenges us to be the wife and mother we need to be to make our home a haven http://womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/2010/10/are-you-distracted-and-distant-or.html So above is a pic of my candle on my dining room table...I would love to see a pic of yours. Enjoy God's Blessings Today, Tina

Making Our Home a Haven Challenge

Making home a haven....what does that mean exactly? We as wives and mothers should make sure our home is inviting, comfortable and a safe haven to those who enter our doors..especially the ones who live in it everyday. We should make sure our home is a place where our children want to be and our husband can't wait to come home to. Join me as I start the challenge next week...Oct 4th along with Courtney. Here is her blog and challenge  http://womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/2010/09/making-your-home-haven-fall-challenge.html                                                                                       Enjoy God's Blessings Today,
                                                                                                                    Tina

Saving Time in the Kitchen

If you are anything like me, you are a busy mom, who doesn't always have the time to slave over the stove. Here are a few tips I use that might help you cut some time in the kitchen in half.

1. I buy my ground meat in bulk. So when I get home from the grocery store and everything is put away. I fry my whole entire 5 lbs of meat at once. Then put them in 1-2lb freezer containers, so when ever I need to make spaghetti,tacos or chili, just defrost the cooked meat and throw it in your dish.
2. Cut your vegetables when you get home from the store. If you buy onions or peppers and you are going to use them in a casserole or dish that week. Go ahead and chop them up and put them in a freezer bag and toss in your freezer , just defrost the morning of your dish.
3. Clean while you cook. As my dishes get dirty while I cook, I go ahead and throw them in the dishwasher. If your dish is in the oven , go ahead and clean your stove top.

These are a few of the things I do...if you have any other ideas please comment ...I would love to hear from you!                                                                    Enjoy God's Blessings today,
                                                                               Tina

Fall!!!!

I have to say that Fall is my favorite season!! The crisp air, the beautiful colors of changing leaves. Pumpkin and apple picking. Cool enough to wear a hoodie but still kinda warm to wear flip-flops...okay I wear my flip-flops until Halloween and even then it's hard to pry them off my feet until Thanksgiving. God's creation is so beautiful in any season, so bask in His Goodness!!

Young Love

So something has been bothering me lately. I have a few teenage relatives and friends that have facebook accounts. I am so tired of seeing 15, 13 and 10 year old "children" saying that they are in a 'relationship' and how much they love 'so and so'. Okay I've been there, I have a the 'crush or crushes'. I know what it is like to have "puppy love". But where are the parents? The parents especially the mothers of these girls/boys should be telling them that they do not need a boyfriend/girlfriend to make them happy or popular. In our house we will not date, but practice courtship. I just wish the parents of these children would step in and rescue the spiritual, emotional, and physical damage that these kids are going through. The more they give their heart away to others the less that will be there for their future spouse. Whew...I'm so happy I got that off my mind:)

God Bless, Tina

What I Have Learned About Marriage!!

Well this summer I took the marriage challenge, here is the website http://www.womenlivingwell.org/. It was about putting our husband's needs in front of ours, seeing the positive instead of the negative, submitting to him (yes there's the nasty 's' word again). I can't say enough that I have grown to see my husband in a whole new light. He's not just the breadwinner or my 'roommate with benefits'...He is my other half, He is my best friend and my lover ( oh and yes, that part of the marriage got better too!!) So thank you God that you used this challenge to help women ,like me , grow to love and know our husbands more:) May no man or women or anything..separate what God has joined together.

Completing him Final Week:(

So this is the final week of the Completing him challenge. Trust me, it's been an interesting summer discovering different ways to make my hubby happy and to feel oneness in our marriage. If you missed any week here is the blog http://womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/2010/08/kiss-him-like-you-mean-it-final-week-of.html  So here we are ...Kiss Him Like You Mean it. I just got done reading Intimate Issues by Linda Dillow. Wow talk about a wonderful book. It taught me how to be intimate with my hubby and to be the wife that shows my hubby how much I love him. Whether we feel like "it" or not, we should show our husband. Being  intimate with him does not only mean sex, but also the way we talk to him, we can write notes, send pics on our phones ( if you know what I mean) :) We need to show our husbands that they are appreciated and loved. Sex shows your husband that. Long kisses, hugs and sex is telling our husbands that we need them. Try reading the book Song of Songs in the Bible..it shows just how great sex can be and should be between husbands and wives.  I have 3 kids...one that sleeps with us and we still have a great sex life. So you may have excuses that you don't have the time, or that you don't feel like it or that your tired.  But God created sex to be a beautiful and loving time with our spouse and let's not take that time for granted.

Living on Less

Well this has been on my mind alot lately. It seems like we want things bigger and better...we need a bigger house, bigger car...bigger wardrobe. I actually had someone tell me that she would want a bigger house no matter what it cost. She only has 1 child..How big does she really need? We live in 1100sq ft. double wide mobile home. At this point we only owe $35,000 for it. Do I want a bigger home or a "real" home..of course I would love to, but do I need it? After losing almost 30lbs I NEED a bigger wardrobe but I am still wearing my old jeans just wearing a belt with them. I still drive a 2000 dodge Dakota which at this point I only owe 1,000 dollars. We didn't have a 'fancy' vacation this year but I'm fine with that. My husband and I have chose not to accrue anymore debt. We are hoping to be completely debt-free in 6 years. Bigger house=more furniture=more taxes=more heat/a/c..I feel the Lord telling me that I should owe no man anything. Remember we will not be remember for the things we had , but for the legacy we leave.

RESPECTING OUR HUBBY!!

So God tells us to respect our husbands...so how do we do that? First of all...do you treat the cashier at the checkout or the customer service rep over the telephone better than you do your husband? When your husband talks do you STOP what you are doing and listen? I know I have trouble with that. My husband tends to talk to me while I'm checking my email..but I keep on checking my email and say 'uh-huh...hmmm'...that's not really respect is it? We should give him eye contact and genuinely listen when he is speaking. Do we husband-bash when we get together with our friends? I'm working on that and I think I'm doing a great job praising him instead of putting him down. The one thing we never do is call each other names when we disagree...do you?  Let us follow God's command and respect our husband..even when we don't feel like it or it's not convenient. For more on this subject read Courtney's blog at http://womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/2010/08/r-e-s-p-e-c-t-and-your-husband

Struggling...UGGHHH!!!!

So this is what I am struggling with, here we go....I became a Christian at the age of 17. I always loved learning and I loved school. It always gave me something to look forward to. The thing I hated about school was the cliques and the peer pressure, which I succumbed to quite often. I did attend a public school and most of my friends were Christians and that is how I become one. I wanted want they had. But I swore that my children would never have to deal with the cliques and bullying. When I met my hubby, I told him the two things I wanted in the world was to be a SAHM and to homeschool my kids. My oldest daughter had developmental delays and the special ed preschool wanted her to go to Kindergarten 1hr and half away. I refused and decided to homeschool her in Kindergarten. Let's just say it didn't work out. I have a TYPE A personality and she has the whatever attitude. She is very smart , but doesn't like school work at all. So I sent her and my son to school. The Lord has been dealing with me, about homeschooling. This will be my children's 3rd year at public school. I worked at the school last year and it was horrible. The school kids were so disrespectful. The kids and teachers bullied each other. I feel if I would homeschool they would miss out on so much. But the thought of sending them to school this year makes me sick. Not sure what to do...I just want answers.

Completing him Challenge #7

My Husband's Vision

So this week on www.womenlivingwell.org ,this week's challenge is to ask our husband what his vision is for the future. 1 year,5 years or even 10 years from now. My husband's vision is to be COMPLETELY debt free in 6 years...that even includes the mortgage. So I need to help him with this..not by working outside the home, but to make sure that I purchase things for my family that stay within the budget. We downsized our home 4 years ago. We now live in a 1100 sq ft home (there is five of us). We took out a 15 year loan on this home. That means that we can't go to fancy vacations, so Disney world will have to wait. It means that I drive a 2000 dodge caravan. I can't always go out when my friends want to or buy things for my children they want. Am I complaining?...no. I know that he wants out of debt so we can enjoy life and travel later on. He works 60 hours a week to make this vision a reality. I have learned to submit to my husband's vision...Yes I said the bad "S" word. Actually submitting can be a wonderful thing. Knowing that my husband's vision , is also the will of God, makes me know that things are worth waiting for.

Completing him challenge week #6

The Way To A Man's Heart is Through His Stomach.

Wow..I can't believe we are on week #6 today. It's funny..I didn't even know what this topic was and I already had planned to make my hubby's favorite dinner tonight. The challenge this week is to make your husband's favorite dinner with dessert and his favorite drink. My husbands favorite dinner is a BIG Crock pot full of rice pudding. I know what you are thinking...Rice Pudding is NOT a dinner. But when he was growing up , his mother would make just a big stockpot full and that would be their dinner. And he begs for it all the time. I'm not so much a fan..but I make it and eat it to please him. So I already had it in the crock pot this morning before I even read this challenge. Also his favorite dessert is no-bake peanut butter/choc oatmeal cookies. And while he was working last night, I made him a big batch. Wow God knew this challenge before I even did! So my hubby favorite drink...coffee!!! My husband works night shift..so when he wakes up here around 3pm. I always have a pot of coffee waiting. I love to spoil my hubby. I enjoy so much cooking for him. I plan on blogging this week about problems in marriage. I see so many of my friends marriages ending in separation or divorce.  Just at this very moment I have 3 friends going through this. It breaks my heart. But I also know that my God can restore anything. Have a great week and may you keep your hubby's belly full!

My New Favorite Place!

So this is the deck my hubby worked so hard on for about a month. You have to understand.,he works almost 60 hours a week and for the past 4 weeks every free moment he got, he worked on it. So here are the pics. I love coming out here for mommy-time...sometimes when I need a five-minute timeout , I come out here to regroup. I am hoping that when my children chose (someday) to sleep in, I can enjoy some quiet time and coffee out here.

Homemade Laundry Detergent

I thought I would post the recipe for homemade laundry detergent. I have been using it for about a year and love it. And I also love the money its saves!

• 4 cups of water.


• 1/2 bar of cheap soap, grated.I use Fals Neptha..some also use Ivory soap

• 1 cup washing soda (not baking soda).

• 1 cup of Borax (20 Mule Team).

• 5-gallon bucket for mixing.

• 3 gallons of water.



First, mix the grated soap in a saucepan with 4 cups of water, and heat on low until the soap is completely dissolved. Add hot water/soap mixture to 3 gallons of water in the 5-gallon bucket, stir in the washing soda and Borax, and continue stirring until thickened. Let the mix sit for 24 hours, and voila! Homemade laundry detergent.



Of course, who'd post a recipe without trying it out first? I made and washed several loads of clothes with the homemade detergent. And I, like many before me who've traveled this road, couldn't tell the difference between store-bought and homemade.



Total cost per load? In the neighborhood of 2 cents. Store-bought detergent, depending on what you buy and where you buy it, can cost about 20 cents per load -- 10 times more.

Marriage Challenge week #5- Priorities

     This week's challenge is to ask our hubby about the top 5 priorities that he feels is most important. First of all if you are wondering where this marriage challenge came from here is the website. http://www.womenlivingwell.org/ . Feel free to jump in and start anytime. It will be such a blessing to you as well as to your marriage. I know I have been discovering how much our marriage means to us and to God.

        So you may be wondering why we need to ask him about what are his priorities and what is most important to him. Such as...a clean house, clean laundry, making his lunch for work, taking care of the finances or sex. My husband once told one of his friends, "If my wife ain't happy...nobody is".. I had to laugh and though that can be true at times. I think "If the husband ain't happy...neither will the wife or kids". You may be wondering why I would say that. Well it says in God's word, that the husband should be head of the house. Did you ever work for a boss who was horrible and never happy?  I have and it leaves the employees drained and with no motivation. Well the boss is head of  the company..just has a husband is head of the house. So our goals should be to make our husbands happy so that the house runs smoothly (most of the time LOL) and in turn our house will be pleasant to live in and for others to visit. I know one of the things my husband loves is when I pack his lunch for work. He tells me that he loves what I give him and the ideas I come up with ,when he does it himself it's just not the same. So ask your hubby what top 5 things make him happy that you do and do them JOYFULLY!! You'll be glad you did.

Marriage Challenge week#4- admiring my husband

So the challenge this week is to admire my husband. So today's blog is about him and only him and the 10 ten reasons why I love him. (I wish I was as witty as David Letterman when his does his top 10 on his show , but don't get your hopes up..being spontaneously funny is not a strong suit for me LOL)

10. His Determination: he will finish something no matter how he feels, for his family. For example, my husband works the night shift. He would come home and sleep 4-5 hours and then get up to work on our new deck and then go to work. I would tell him not to worry about it and he said that he wanted to get the deck done so I could enjoy it.

9. He's Loyalty: He would do anything for his family no matter the cost to him.

8. He's trustworthy: I trust my husband no matter what. When there are women out there who tell me that they don't trust their husbands, I honestly can say that I trust him 100%...there is never any fear that he would cheat on me or leave me. I know that I know..ya know? (okay that was kinda witty HA HA)

7.His Love for me: He loves me unconditionally. When I run into his friends from work, they always say..."Your husband talks about you all the time..He loves you so much..Your lucky" I know I am:)

6. His love for his children: He loves to be with his kids..for example,the last 3 years he missed July 4th because he had to work, but this year..he took off to be with his family so we could enjoy the festivities together. (Despite missing the holiday pay, he said that he didn't care)

5.His sense of humor: If you know my husband, he actually is a very serious guy. But when I am feeling down or just having a bad day , he is always there to lift me up.

4. He is a great provider: my husband works in a distribution center ...he loves warehousing work and actually went to technical school for it. He works where there is no air-conditioning and in a very fast pace environment. He works 12 hour night shift, shifts. And he does it so I can stay home to be with my children.

3. His selflessness: He will make sure that everyone is happy before his own happiness. Like when he gets a "nice paycheck" he will always ask me if there is anything I want from it , when he could easily go off and spend it on his self. Though I tell him there is nothing I or the kids need..he usually ends up giving me a little something that I have been eyeing at the store. In our household there is no " since I work this is my money" He says it's God's money first and then OUR money.

2.He's a dream giver: You may be thinking what does that mean? Well when Rich and I were dating, I said that I wanting to be a stay-at-home mom more than anything. Now here I am with 3 kids and I'm a stay at home mom. He said he still remembers me saying that and that he would do anything to keep me home. I did go back to work for a few months for 3 hours a day to  work at my kids' school but I just didn't feel right. He said he wanted me to quit because things just ran smoother when I was home. So I did.

1.He's a Man of God: there is really nothing more to say about that...He just is:)...So there you have it the top 10 reasons why I admire my husband:)

To be modest or not to be...that is the question.

1 Timothy 2:9 ESV
Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire.

Okay so when I saw this I had to laugh....a barbie nun. I think that is the first time I saw this. Modesty. When I used to think of that word I would cringe..The above picture is exactly what I thought when I thought of modesty. Wearing long sleeves..showing NO skin. But that is not what it is. I decided to blog about this because I am seeing so many christian women dressing inappropriately. I'm not saying you can't wear shorts or tank tops but you know what I am talking about. Cleavage, daisy dukes , going bra less..you know you seen those women out and about. If you have to pull up your blouse every time you bend over, you shouldn't be wearing it. Regardless if you are married or not , you are a child of God. Men are visual humans. Yes it can be flattering to have a stranger give you that 'eye' or find you attractive. But what is that doing to your husband or future husband. There are certain areas of your body that you must keep for them. So as a Christian woman what are we to wear? Well that is when you must seek the counsel of God. I myself, choose not to wear a bikini, wear spaghetti strap tank tops, halter tops, short shorts. When it's hot you will find me in shorts that are inch above my knee or mostly Capris. Tank tops with me are fine, as long as I can wear a regular bra with it and it not show.  I wear summer dresses as long as they are fingertip length and they are high neckline in the front and the back. Remember we are supposed to be Christ-like, do you think that we could be ministers of the gospel wearing daisy duke with everything hanging out? Also we are mothers...we are supposed to be setting an example for our daughters. My daughter is almost 9 and I still pick out her clothes. She can wear what she wants but I have the final say and I will until she leaves my house. Mothers with sons..this also applies to you. You are setting the example of how a woman is supposed to dress who has a true relationship with God. If your son comes home with a girl wearing a tight outfit...what would your first impression be? I want my son to look at his future spouse for her love of God,not for her body. So as you put on your summer outfits this year...please remember to dress for the Lord. And leave the sexy outfits for the bedroom;)

Marriage Challenge Week #3- Praying for my husband daily

 This week's challenge is to pray for my husband daily and to ask him if there is anything I need to pray for him about. Wow this is a big challenge for me. I chose to take a topic daily and pray for him. It can be for his job, his role as a husband and father and even for his self-image.( Which I tell him that he has nothing to worry about because I think he's hot! LOL) I also tend to fast 1x a month for him. I am so ready to see God move in his life.

Keeping the Marriage Covenant

1. Matthew 19:6 says "what God has joined together, let man not separate." (exception: look at Matthew 19:9)

2. Malachi 2:14 says God is a witness to our marriage covenant.


3. Ephesians 5:22-33 says marriage is a picture of Christ and the church.

The Completing him Challenge week 3 - Remember Our Sacred vows.

On May 20,2000 on a rainy day...I took my vows to become one with my knight in shining armor. Yeah I know that sounds corny..but I truly believe it.  We got married in a church from the town we grew up in and I had the pleasure of having my great-uncle marry us.

I cried so much during the ceremony that I don't think anyone could hear what I was saying..my dreams were coming true.
Then off to the reception we went. Our first dance song was "Almost Paradise" from the Footloose soundtrack an oldie but goodie.

Then off to our Honeymoon we went..we ended up getting lost and not getting to Willamsburg Va until 3am. We had our first argument as hubby and wife on the way to our honeymoon because we were lost. But we arrived. Thank goodness because our they were going to give our room away to someone else. I have no pictures of our honeymoon because it rain the whole 4 days we were there. We did end up going to Busch Gardens and Water Country in the rain..but they wouldn't that busy so it was great. We wanted to go to Colonial Williamsburg but it rained. So we spent the whole day in the hotel...which wasn't a bad thing:)  If I had to do it over again, I think I would have skip the 'big' wedding and just had a small ceremony instead. And I definitely wouldn't have gotten married in May...one of the rainiest months in Pa. But 10 years later and we are both still in love and I am so glad that we have the life we have. We are so blessed beyond measure.

Father's Day Post

Ephesians 6:4



Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (NIV)
 

Tomorrow we celebrate Father's Day. I decided to tell you about my children's father and my wonderful hubby. My husband did not grow up in "ideal" circumstances. He was abused by his father on a daily basis. So when I decided that he was the "one", I heard alot of negativity from others. They said "that he would be just like his father","that abuse is heredity and usually carries from one family to the next". I didn't and couldn't believe them, although I understand their concern. After 8 months of marriage I found out I was pregnant with our first child. He was happy, especially when he found out it was a girl...yes HE wanted a girl. He was a great father taking his share of diaper changes, feedings and night wakings. 8 months later,I found I was pregnant AGAIN!. This time when we found out it was a boy, he was very hesitate. He was so scared that he would treat his son the same way he was treated at home. I told him that is shouldn't worry about his insecurities and that he would be a great role model for his son. And he is an absolute wonderful father to ALL 3 of his children. On any given day, you will see him playing football, video games and Legos with his son. Also he plays board games , card games and colors with his daughters. He lives his life as a true example of a Godly father. And knows that even though he didn't (and still doesn't) have a reliable earthy father, he knows that his Heavenly Father loves him and believes in him and sees the best in him. So to him I say Happy Father's Day!

Enjoying Summer Vacation!

The other day we went to my kids' school to play on their awesome playground. It's all brand new and they have some really neat stuff. Chevelle swung on her first "big girl" swing that day:)

Completing him challenge: week 2

So this week, we are to talk about our "dating"days w/our spouse. Well Rich and I went to the same elementary, middle and high school together and only lived 2miles from each  other most of our childhood. Even though we close in distance, we never once talked to each other in school. We were in different cliques (I'm sure you remember those days). Well I was going through a rough break-up and Rich happened to work with my ex. Rich would come into my place of work, which at that time was a grocery store and we would just chit-chat.Rich was going through a divorce and neither of us were really "looking".  So after about a few months of small talk I was really started to fall for him. (but I never let anyone know). Well one day he came in on a Saturday and I ask him how his Friday night went. He said he went to the movies, uhhh....my heart sank, he had a girlfriend (or though I thought). I said "well who did you go to the movies with?" He said "no one I went by myself". As my heart was leaping for joy , I handed him my phone number and said "Well if you ever want to go to the movies..give me a call." Yes..that actually means I asked him out. So 3 days later he called and it was a date. Our first date was Dairy Queen sharing blizzards. That evening I went home, knowing that he was the "one".  5 weeks later, I went over to his apartment to visit him and he wasn't home so as I was leaving, he pulled up in the driveway w/his friend. He walked out of his car and walked over to me and said " You know I love you right?" I was thinking...okay..here it is ....the break-up conversation and he was too chicken to do it alone ...that is why he's friend is here.  Then he got down on one knee , with a ring in hand and asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes! We spent the next 18 months preparing for our wedding.
         So we are supposed to think about some of the things we used to do while dating...that have kind of been sent to the back burner and maybe how we can make it a priority again. Here is  one of the things I really miss when we were dating.  We used to go to his apartment and order pizza and watch Bruce Lee movies all night. Yeah I know that sounds corny. But I really miss just sitting on the couch watching a movie with him. Now when we do watch a movie ,we have either kids getting out of bed..needing water, bathroom or they just don't want to sleep. I really need to make just cuddling w/him a priority. That may be simple but that is what I miss the most.

A great challenge for us God fearing wives by a fellow blogger.

25 things about myself

I thought since this is my first blog entry. I would tell you a little about myself.

25.I have 3 adorable children
24.I have been married for 10 years to my wonderful hubby.
23.Out of all the jobs I have had being a stay-at-home Mom is the best.
22. I love to face book.
21. My favorite food is frozen snickers.
20. I went to school with my husband from elementary school on up, but never talked to him until 2 years after I graduated.
19. My goal is to go back to college someday.
18. I would love to work in the health care industry.
17. My husband and I got engaged after 5 weeks of dating.
16.I love to read all types of books from parenting to self-help to Twilight/Harry Potter
15. I always have to read the book first before I see the movie most of the time.
14.I home schooled my daughter in Kindergarten , but decided to send my children to public school after the 1st year. But I am a big supporter of education choice.
13. I am a republican.
12. I attend a great church where I get to be w/those who love the Lord.
11. I love to buy shoes:)
10. We are hoping to be completely out of debt in 7 years. (including mortgage)
9. We live in Pa...but my dream would be to live in New York city..love that place:)
8.My guilty pleasure is UFC.
7. I am a early riser.
6.I love the K.C. Chiefs
5. I am most happy when I am with my family.
4. My favorite restaurant is Red Robin ...love their Cobb Salad
3. I would love to learn to knit or sew..but have failed at a few attempts.
2. I got pregnant w/my 3rd child AFTER I had a tubal ligation a year before.
1. I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ...without Him I am nothing.