WFMW - Sugary Cereals

Ah, those delightful cereals loaded with sugar & artificial colors. I know of several families that do not allow them at all, and while I do try to avoid most processed junk, this is one area where we bend the rules a bit. So here's how it works in our family.

Friday is fun cereal day. After a busy week, I love that when Friday rolls around the first meal is a no-brainer :) The kids are each allowed one bowl of scrumptiousness -- but of course I can't give it to them "as is." No, it gets the mommy treatment first. I mix the super sugary stuff with other varieties - here you see fruity pebbles and rice krispies. Other popular blends are cocoa or peanut butter puffs with kix, and cinnamon toast krunch with Special K (my personal favorite!). And let me add that I combine the 2 cereals as soon as they come home from the grocery store - I dump 'em out into a big bowl, mix, and pour into rubbermaid containers so that the kids can get it themselves.

So what works for you? Lots more good stuff over here.

Checking in

So what's up? I'm working on getting taxes done - we generally try to have them done by the end of February, but obviously that didn't happen this year. I installed TurboTax, but was unable to actually open the program - and when I restarted the computer, I got a lovely variety of greetings, included "This system has recovered from a serious error." Delightful. This is the same computer that had been giving us fits but hubby was able to clean things up and get it running again... but then in the past 2 weeks it's started doing wonky stuff again. Anyway, I installed it on the laptop and starting punching numbers in; I'm thinking some of the refund will be going toward a computer!

Hubby was away last week, and that always leaves me feeling drained. Thankfully it was a brief trip, but I still hate it when he's away... We're busy getting ready for an invasion of teens next week, as our niece (who's attending CFI in Dallas) is coming down for a visit. Along with 4 other friends. I've stocked up on soda and chips, and we'll be firing up the pool heater on Sunday afternoon. Anyone else wanna come down? We still have a bit more floor space available :)

Oh, wait - we had another visitor arrive yesterday: Flat Juan! A friend of ours is a teacher and she was looking for host families for a school project. The kids are really getting into it. I think we're going to have a keep an eye on this guy, though, as he has already tried jumping into the pool...

Friday Funny

Tim Hawkins is pretty much guaranteed to make me laugh until I cry.

Works for me Wednesday - Displaying Kids' Artwork

Our son & daughter both manage to crank out a lot of art projects. They, of course, are proud of their creations and want them on display... I want to encourage them, but also have a hard time getting excited about accessorizing every room in our house with construction paper.

My solution: the art wall! This space is in our dining area, right by the back door. We spend a lot of our time here, but it's not the very first thing you see when you walk in our house. The kids know that this is where stuff has to fit - and if they have a new masterpiece to share, then we need to decide what will be coming down. All it took to create was six nails, a few feet of jute twine, and some clothespins. I considered decorating the clothespins with paint, ribbon, or patterned paper, but in the end decided to leave them plain because I didn't want to detract from the kids' creations.

Click over to get some other great "works for me" tips!

Sometimes God has purple fingernails

How's that for a post title?! First off some background: I'm still fighting off whatever viral thingee has taken up residence in my body and the kiddos, daughter in particular, have been whiny... probably due in part to the fact that Daddy left on Saturday morning for a week-long business trip. Blechs all around. And as I've whined about mentioned we have yet to find a church home in our new locale.

Sunday morning we were off to visit another church, this time in an adjacent town. The kids were a bit grumpy about the prospect, and frankly I was tempted to just take the "easy" way out and laze on the couch, but we loaded up and some good music on the little trek got us in a better mindset. We arrived, walked in, were warmly greeted and given a bulletin*. I walked the kids to their classes (they have a separate praise and worship time as well) and headed back. I had a moment of confusion, though, when I exited the kids' section and came to the common area where there were more doorways than I remembered... Yet another reason I miss having hubby around - he's much more observant and has a better sense of direction than I do! Anyway, a couple ladies were there chatting - they noticed my confusion and asked if I was looking for the bathroom :) I said I was just trying to get back to the sanctuary, and then noticed the "Worship Center" plaque mounted on the door. I made a little joke about reading signs, and then headed in to take a seat.

As I was sitting, I looked up to see that one of the ladies had followed me in, and came over to introduce herself. Jean is approximately my grandmother's age, and her accent indicated that she's a "Southern belle" transplant to the Valley. She had short, permed hair, was lugging an enormous purse, and had a warm smile. And I couldn't help but notice her long, purple nails. She hugged me and invited me to come sit with her - then proceeded to stop and introduce me to every person in between my original seat and her pew. We didn't get a chance to talk further as the service was starting. The music began - neither a pounding "performance" nor a stilted dirge - but a worshipful chorus with meaningful lyrics. Ahhhh. I could already feel the weight being lifted from my soul. The pastor is currently working through Acts, and he spoke on chapter 10. Another good thing - expository preaching!

The service finished, and Jean continued to introduce me around, generally with one arthritic hand resting on my arm as she reached out for the other person, purple nails flashing. I got several more hugs, and when I picked the kids up they were both excited to tell me about the songs they'd sung and the verse they were all going to memorize during the week. More good stuff. As we were driving home, I couldn't help but offer a prayer of thanksgiving for Jean... and also wondered if she would have latched onto me so firmly if I'd had my hubby with me. Probably not! Just another example of the way God works with our circumstances.

We'll be going back on Sunday. As a complete family. Continuing to pray!

*Already better than the previous week, when the only thing we were given was an offering envelope. Now that's a great first impression! I left that church service with a severe headache from the crazy loudness, and didn't feel at all challenged in my Christian walk. Our son wanted to know why the girl up front was screaming instead of singing. Couldn't have summed it up better myself.

Psalm 103 - Amplified

BLESS (AFFECTIONATELY, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul; and all that is [deepest] within me, bless His holy name!
Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul, and forget not [one of] all His benefits--
Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities, Who heals [each one of] all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from the pit and corruption, Who beautifies, dignifies, and crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercy;
Who satisfies your mouth [your necessity and desire at your personal age and situation] with good so that your youth, renewed, is like the eagle's [strong, overcoming, soaring]!
The Lord executes righteousness and justice [not for me only, but] for all who are oppressed.
He made known His ways [of righteousness and justice] to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy and loving-kindness.
He will not always chide or be contending, neither will He keep His anger forever or hold a grudge.
He has not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great are His mercy and loving-kindness toward those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him.
As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
As a father loves and pities his children, so the Lord loves and pities those who fear Him [with reverence, worship, and awe].
For He knows our frame, He [earnestly] remembers and imprints [on His heart] that we are dust.
As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
For the wind passes over it and it is gone, and its place shall know it no more.
But the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord are from everlasting to everlasting upon those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, and His righteousness is to children's children--
To such as keep His covenant [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it] and to those who [earnestly] remember His commandments to do them [imprinting them on their hearts].
The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His kingdom rules over all.
Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, you His angels, you mighty ones who do His commandments, hearkening to the voice of His word.
Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, all you His hosts, you His ministers who do His pleasure.
Bless the Lord, all His works in all places of His dominion; bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul!

What a great reminder on a Monday.

Friday Funny

I know they've redone this for Haiti, but you just can't beat the "original"