As parents, we are entrusted with the daunting task of raising our children. Not only must we be there to guide and protect them as they grow physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well.
Like I said: daunting.
I am thankful for the opportunity to connect with other moms, especially those who have been in my shoes before. (As a side note,
Hosanna! will be starting up a new group for moms this fall - click
HERE for details.) Books, websites, parenting seminars, and the Bible - have all proven to be valuable resources as well.
And believe you me, I need them all.
An issue we've been dealing with in our home as of late, has been lying. With a background of secrets and addiction, I place a high premium on honesty. However, it seems the more I push the bigger the issue becomes. God has been making things pretty clear - my way is not working.
I realized it's possible to actually encourage
dishonesty, simply by how we discipline. It's something I'd even heard once from a child therapist friend. Interestingly enough, Supernanny expert Dr. Victoria Samuel seems to offer up the same idea (click
HERE to learn more). As does Christian apologist and author, Josh McDowell. Click
HERE to read an excerpt of his book,
The Father Connection: How You Can Make the Difference in Your Child's Self-Esteem and Sense of Purpose (Right Your Wrong).
I am a staunch advocate of consistent parenting, which is why I tend to lean most heavily on God's Word for advice. Circumstances change, our kids change but thankfully God never does.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8
America’s first Penny was about the size of a Half Dollar. Known as the Large Penny, it actually contained one penny’s worth of copper. The coin was one of the first to be struck by the United States Mint in the 1790’s, and it was made until 1857 when it was replaced with the first small Penny. This is a rarely-seen coin that is at least 150 years old.
After three long years of waiting, I finally have a garden. (It's really more like a spot of black dirt at the moment, but you get the picture.) The hubby has given me what he enthusiastically refers to as The Garden Mahal.
Transportation. Not one of my favorites. It definitely challenged me to step outside of my comfort zone. And on days I didn't feel like it...
I would simply resort to toys because I am 
It musta been one rough bus ride.
As parents, we are entrusted with the daunting task of raising our children. Not only must we be there to guide and protect them as they grow physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well.
In addition, it made a great capture for the last image under the theme of "family" in the weekly photo challenge. We hooked up with Tilly and her family for a little Sonic action. After all it was a gorgeous day, what could be better than dinner on the patio?
They enjoyed a quiet dinner. Alone. While Tilly and I helped four children carefully maneuver chicken and fries and tots and ketchup and ranch dressing and drinks.
So the whole "convert the lessons into PDF documents" thing still hasn't happened. I tried a free online service and it simply turned the document into a 4-page piece of mush. Perhaps I'll have better luck next time.
I knew that hosting a 12-hour crop on Easter weekend would be 
Unfortunately, we were not able to celebrate my nephew's first Easter with him or his family. For reasons that are difficult to explain, my sister chose not to join us. We miss the little bugger and look forward to the next opportunity to 
Oh... and Grandma Pat went all out, even making all sorts of fancy cupcakes:
After the cupcake extravaganza, we made our way to Grandma Lita's place and had ourselves another Easter celebration:
It was a good day. 
"Happy Camper"
"Angry Guy"
"Scaredy Cat"
"Sleepy"
"The Sad Look"
"Confusion"
Ren created this special egg to represent his dad. Notice the intricate detailing:
Um, yes... that's a bald spot. Here it is, up close and personal:
It's so funny watching an 8-year old mess with his dad.
