Childhood accidents

While I was tutoring today the kids went over a neighbor's house to play. A few minutes later Cat comes running in saying "It's an emergency" The little girl-Kaleigh, and Cat were swinging on their swing set while the boys played soccer. Cat had just gotten off the swing when it came crashing down on Kaleigh's head!! Poor thing...she ended up going to the ER and getting 7 staples on the top of her head. She also had some bruising on her back. After tutoring we went to the hospital and picked up her brother so their parents could concentrate on Kaleigh.
The kids were so sweet on our way to pick him up we all prayed and their prayers were just so sweet!!
I am so very thankful that Cat had gotten off when she did...praise God for his protection, for Kaleigh as well-it could have been much worse for her! When everyone returned their dad, Blake, asked if I saw the swing set, I hadn't, he said the sight of it just made him sick-realizing what could have been.

FFHN

Click on the picture to view our new web-site...it is just a start...

Today...this is my prayer...

"Come to Jesus"

I just love this song...I can't listen to it without crying!!

A re-cap of the last week

Wow...it has been over a week since I've posted...I don't exactly know why?! Anyway here is a little "catch-up"
*Fri. evening we went on a date! Calixto set up the babysitter and we went out for dinner and then dessert/coffee. It was nice to go out-we haven't been on a date in a long long time!
*Sat. was another "all-dayer" at the soccer fields. Cat had 2 games and Christopher had 1 plus Cat had pictures too. I usually give her $.50 per goal but, on Sat. I told her I'd give her $1 instead...well that was some motivator...she scored "7" goals in the 1st game and "3" more in the 2nd game! Ok, next time there will be a "cap" on how much she can get paid!
*Christopher, finally got to hang out with Brady all afternoon...thanks to Miss Beth!!
*We sat by our fire in the evening and ate chili dogs and roasted marshmallows...I love sitting by the fire!
*Sun. we forgot to call the leaders of the Life group we're going to and weren't sure we were meeting...they did meet...we didn't! We really missed that time and felt all alone at church!
*Mon. I took Cat to the eye Dr. and found out her eyes do not work together and she sees double when things are reading distance from her eyes!!! Ugh!-That means vision therapy for at least 10 weeks. I have no clue how we will pay for this but, it must be taken care of. For good vision hygiene there will be no reading, coloring, game playing or movie watching in the car! Wow!
*I started another tutoring student on Mondays. Why oh why do schools not teach proper pencil holding and proper letter formation...this is important!!! This is even from a private-prestigious school!
*Tues. I mowed all the grass...I felt so good afterward and the yard looks beautiful! I love working outdoors!
*Only 3 more dance classes before recital, yikes!
*Thu. I took Chessie to get tested for heartworms and get the Rx. Fortunately, no heartworms-she has been off the prevention for 3 months now so I was a bit worried. I ran into a friend at the "Animal Protection League" so that was fun. I certainly recommend getting your pet's vacc.s there-much cheaper!
*All 3 of our gardens are "in"...we are growing...regular pumpkins (from last fall's rotted pumpkins), giant (possibly over 100 llb) pumpkins, watermelons, cantaloupes, Big beefy tomatoes, zuchinni, cucumbers, cilantro, carrots and 1 jalepeno. I love gardening!! Next year we'll have 1 large garden.
*CHS has a contract ready for me...

I'm just a gardening fool!

Here is my garden...I got it in on Wed. I had to rake it a bit this morning since I found someone's paw prints in it, hmm! She hasn't laid in it so that is good and she avoided stepping on any plants.

At the left of the bed are my big boy tomato plants then come the cucumbers, then the coriander seeds that will become cilantro plants...who knew cilantro came from coriander seeds? Lastly, are the zuchinni squash. I will be putting cages around the tomatoes and something for the cucumbers to climb up on.
Christopher was not happy that I planted w/o him, so I decided to do another garden with fun stuff like watermelons and canteloupes... and whatever else I can find just for the kids. We asked if we could put this garden in right outside of Christopher's room. Calixto said no b/c he had plans for that area...Well, after a little miscommunication I proceeded to dig that spot. I was just about finished when Calixto came out and so graciously pointed out a more suitable garden spot for me in the 2nd property where he stock piles extra plants. I dug the new garden and what a chore it was!! The ground was so hard and there were so many roots!
Here is a pile of the roots I dug and a big ole' root that I chopped out with an axe...I was a regular Pioneer Woman today!! It took several hours but I didn't want to stop til it was completely dug up, cleaned out and turned over. After school the kids put rocks around it and Calixto added some landscape mix to it...garden number 2 is ready for planting!

my little garden patch

Some pix of my garden. I've done more work since these shots but it gives you an idea of my "little" garden. I finally managed to dig up the lilly...oh my word, the bulbs are huge! I was able to salvage them and not take an axe to them...I replanted them in a container-ready to head to oklahoma this summer!

Here is a shot of the extremely "huge" root of the spreading plants-that were all in this area and other areas in our yard as well. it took a long time to dig these up too. They are called "four 0'clocks" they are pretty when they bloom but they take over everything!

Chessie keeps thinking I'm digging her a nice cool spot to lie down...I hope when the plants are in there she stays out...might have to put up a little fence!

Yesterday, I mixed some of Calixto's landscape mix in with the soil...it looks beautiful...and is ready for planting!

making mud pies

After the tournament, Cat and Kaleigh didn't have enough of each other and decided to play together in the mud in our backyard! What a mess they were!! It took us mom's a little while to get them both clean and mud free!

What cuties...mud and all!!

Finally...pictures from Christopher's recent competitions. On Friday morning Christopher was quiet in his room...I thought he was wasting time instead of getting ready for school...so I (in a not so kind voice) called him and asked what he was doing...he quietly replied that he was praying! ok, I felt bad! He told me in the car that Daddy told him to pray when he felt nervous or anxious about anything...so he was praying about the math olympics! God, quieted his nerves and helped him to do his best!

Here is his trophy and t-shirt from the tournament this weekend. The last 2 games came down to overtime and then penalty kicks!!! Oh, my goodness...my nerves just could not take it!! When a game ends in tie score (in tournament play) the teams then play two 10 minute halves...if that ends in tie score...they choose 5 players to kick...alternating the teams. let me tell you that is some pressure for the goalie. The goalie can not move from the line until after the ball is kicked. Both times the other team beat us by one goal...it was disappointing. But, they did get a trophy for finishing in 4th place. The 2nd and 3rd place teams are both Longview teams but they had guest players...we had our regular team. The 1st place team was from Tyler-as I mentioned earlier they play dirty and even cussed at the opposing team as they shook hands...as they were picking up their trophies the officials asked them to leave the park b/c they were being rude and arrogant that they won...it's a shame that teams have to be that way.

The weekend was very sunny but extremely windy! B/c of the wind we didn't really feel the intensity of the sun! At the end of the day we were pretty red. It was chilly so we didn't have too much skin exposed but, our faces got nice and red! So, now Christopher and I have fever blisters on our sun-burned lips! Ugh!!! When I got home on Sat night I smeared my medicine all over my lips...but-I got some blisters anyway! You'd think I'd know to put sun-block on by now!! This coming Saturday Cat has 2 games and Christopher has 1 so it'll be just like having another tournament...I'm getting my sunblock out right now!

Go Tigers!!!!

I am exhausted! We've been on the soccer fields since 8:30 this morning! (until 5:30)
The Tigers won all 3 of their games 6-0, 2-0 and 2-1
Now they advance to play tomorrow...they'll play a Longview team, if they win that- they'll play a Tyler team. The Tyler team is an incredible team (we lost to them last year) but, they play dirty and rough. Their goalie is bigger than Calixto!!
It is nice to advance to the next round!

Math Olympics

Christopher won 1st place in the "Math Olympics" for computation!!!!! We were so excited yesterday when he won...he is so very proud of himself!!! Yay!!!!

For the past several days we have had the threat of severe thunderstorms with hail and tornadoes. Fortunately none of that happened-somehow the severe weather missed us...but it did rain pretty heavily for a bit this morning...here is a shot of our waterfall onto the back porch-I'm thinking our gutters must be in need of some cleaning! the roof over the porch is pretty flat and collects water...I think the whole thing needs to be torn down and built anew...oh how I wish that could be done.

Christopher broke a pane in the office window a few weeks ago...we have a temporary patch until my dad (who fixes all of our household problems) comes back to town to replace it. Here you see Chessie trying her hardest to get inside as best she can...even if it is just her snout!! She desperately wants to be an inside dog...but, that won't happen in Calixto's lifetime!

Speaking of my dear husband, he'll be back tomorrow evening! Yay! Christopher's eye is much better just scabbie bumps but the swelling is gone. He will compete in the "Math Olympics" for area Christian schools hosted by CHS tomorrow...he will be competing in computation. Then on Sat. he will have a soccer tournament-they'll be playing 2 Jacksonville teams and a Henderson team. Depending on how that goes he'll have games on Sun. too...we haven't discussed playing on Sun yet?! Ok, I am off to organize some area of my house...maybe the bathroom...maybe Cat's room....hmmm

I must say that I love half-caf lattes! Of course I also prefer a double shot with one pump of vanilla! I think the above description fit pretty well too!
Peter Hellmuth serves up a good latte at Perfect Blend...mmm...just right. I haven't had a latte in quite a while-you know trying to save money- but, I splurged on Tues morning and ran into Perfect Blend very quickly and my latte was simply wonderful...I so enjoyed it!!

What do you do when your husband is criticized?

I copied this from the Girltalk blog. It is entitled "How to help your husband when he is criticized" It is a series of questions and answers from CJ and Carolyn Mahaney for a group of Pastors and their wives. Even though the audience was for those in ministry...every wife, and husband for that fact, can benefit from this discussion. I just loved it and was greatly challenged by it!

The new $5 bill!!

I hope it doesn't come to this!

Psalm 23

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Of course this is familiar to all of us, but in its familiarity I think we lose something and don't grasp all that the scripture is saying. This week I've been reading this with "new" eyes, trying to find what I've missed by just rotely reciting the verses. I've looked at it in several versions and read it accenting different words in each sentence. The kids and I have been discussing it together everynight as well. Praise God for His living word!!
ok, this "sheep" has to get going...I have lunch duty at CHS...Baaa!

I thought this might show his eye better?!

Christopher's eye looks just as bad this morning...it is so puffy and red! Poor guy can't see so well when his lid sticks out so far. He took benedryl and zyrtec so hopefully, he'll have a better day at school. Some of the girls in his class teased him about it...that made him feel pretty bad about how it looked. I'll have to "discuss" that with them when I'm at school ftomorrow for lunch duty!
I'm getting my hair cut today...not sure why since I'm trying to grow it into a different style...what style you ask?...I have no idea!!
This afternoon my day gets pretty busy...here's hoping the storm comes through early and both soccer practices are cancelled!
Ok, I must go to Wal-mart...our dinners last night consisted of the following: Christopher had left-over baked beans and mac n' cheese, Cat had cheese and crackers and then a scrambled egg with ham and I had a scrambled egg and ham in a pita. Well, I guess that doesn't sound too bad... at least we didn't just have chips or something like that.
I only got a quick text message from Calixto last night...it was a long day. I hope to hear from him sometime today.

Life at our house

Saturday morning Christopher had what appeared to by a stye on his right eye lid...this morning it was really puffy with lots of little bumps. this is how it looked this afternoon-a little less puffy but still pretty big...sorry for the blurriness! anyway, I sent him to school and he called asking me to pick him up-it was really bothering him. I made an appointment with an Optomitrist friend, since his pediatrician is out of town. He thought it was a stye at first glance but upon further investigation declared it to be an allergic reaction to something. Most likely he had something on his hand and rubbed his eye-b/c they are so itchy from allergies. We will keep an eye on it for a few days and give him benedryl to help with the itchiness. Poor guy I feel terrible for him! (Just look at those beautiful eyelashes-Mine don't even come close to that with mascara on!)

Here is just a random picture of Catherine-I took it the other day to show her hair...it is so cute this way...the picture just makes me smile! She will be having her pictures taken at dance class tomorrow in her monkey costume, I have to figure out what to do with her hair before then-she'll be wearing a little hat. the costume is adorable on all the girls! I am excited about the upcoming recital in May.

We had a good weekend, the kids both had soccer games-Christopher's team had another shut out and both he and Cat scored goals. We were playing against a friend's team and so after the game I took Christopher's friend with me and the other family took Cat with them-a good time was had by all! I came home and got busy making bread/corn bread and mowed the front and back yards...whew! I was tired that night! Cat and I went to a friend's b'day party that evening and had so much fun with everyone there! I enjoyed the great fellowship with families I don't get to hang out with that much!! We ended up getting home pretty late and we were both asleep w/i a few minutes!
On Sunday we went to a life group after church that friends invited us to...they are just trying to get it up and running. We are going over the 23rd Psalm verse by verse. Again, I so enjoyed the fellowship...can you tell what we've been missing?! But, I came home with such a bad headache and spent the remainder of the afternoon on the couch!
Today I dug up a flower bed against the house that gets sun most of the day. It was really hard work-there were tons of these plants that spread and the roots are huge and deep! I got a whole wagon full of them. There is also a lily that my mom would like us to give her...that would be my pleasure if I can only get it out of the ground...I worked on it all day and still it doesn't budge...the roots must be 10 feet deep...I'll try again tomorrow but, I may have to take an axe to it?! I'm thinking maybe I can use that space for an herb garden or a small vegetable garden. It has been a fun and tiring project...more to continue tomorrow!
Calixto's trip is going well, they are supposed to visit 3 mission sites today. The heat is unbearable! He decided...no more trips in April! Ok, I guess I'm going to have to go figure out what to eat for dinner it is almost 6:00 and I have no motivation to cook!

Oprah's heretical teaching

I have received numerous emails this past week with this attachment of Oprah. It is very sad and disturbing...I never knew she held such views...

A new blog to read

In reading my usual blogs this morning I came across this incredible story/blog of a couple-Nate and Tricia- their's is a story of a wife with cystic fybrosis and a double lung transplant, a very premature baby girl and a husband/father loving his "girls" and telling their miraculous story.
I thought it very interesting that I found this site twice-from my cousin Rachel's xanga page and Baby Ashley's blog.
check it out and pray for this family as God leads them through some pretty rough waters.

Scripture memory

I've been somewhat of a slacker on my scripture...here it is Friday and I'm just now looking at my verse for the week...so, now I have a head start on next week!

"In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints."
Eph. 6: 16-18

Mexico again!

Calixto is on his way to Mexico once again. He and a friend, Coy, left this morning in the middle of yet another thunderstorm! Coy works in graphic design etc. and will be taking pictures and video for our upcoming web-site They will be picking up a small group of leaders from Trinity church in NJ, in South Texas. They will be visiting all of the mission sites to decide which mission to adopt and do some planning type stuff. Please pray for them as they will be traveling quite a bit through out the week. I am sure Calixto will be preaching at each site they go to which is both wonderful and draining. Here are a few pictures from Jalpa that he took 2 weeks ago, the area is just breath-takingly beautiful!

The kids and I hope to have a quiet week with a normal routine of school and soccer. My projects are to clean out the garage...yuck! and possibly paint the bathroom-a task I have not been motivated to do...we'll see what I actually get accomplished?! The sun is actually shining-I can't believe it-it hasn't been sunny all week...oops maybe I spoke to soon...it is already gone...I am so hoping for a pleasant sunny afternoon!!

Team Hoyt

We watched this video at church on Father's Day last year...it is so inspirational!

Wordless Wednesday

Ahhhhh...

click here view other Wordless Wednesday posts

Modesty heart check

Click here for a great post from the "girltalk" blog...a must read about modesty with 2 great links to modern, cute and modest clothing.

Catechism

A couple of months ago we decided to teach our kids catechism-which consists of key questions and answers on the christian faith. Ironically, we already had "The Shorter Catechism" book that was published in the '20's or '30's. I bought a new one anyway so as not to ruin the antique book. So far we have memorized the first 4 ques/answers. Cat knows the first one but, is slower on the others since they are wordier. Our goal is to learn 1 a week, during school time that may not work out but, definitely during the summer we can do that. There are 107 to memorize...wow!
The following are the first 4:
1. What is the chief end of man?
-Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.
2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?
-The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.
3. What do the Scriptures principally teach?
-The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.
4. What is God?
-God is Spirit-infinite, eternal and unchangeable- in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.
I'm excited about learning these biblical truths with the kids.

Spring soccer '08

We're in full swing of soccer season. Catherine is doing so well and has scored a goal in every game so far. She is so funny to watch! She is on the same team as last year although the coach is different. This coach is not at all competitive...I know...she is only 5 but I still want them to win! I never knew how competitive natured I am, it's scary sometimes!!

Here is Christopher's game on Saturday...it was a shut-out and he scored twice but he was off sides so they didn't count one of them. Right before the game was over it started to rain and thunder...everyone ran off all the fields at once. It was a madhouse trying to get out of the parking lot. The new parking lots and walkways are finished, it is so much better than last season