Everything Under the Son

In just a few short weeks, it will once again be time for the children's consignment sale that I work twice a year. I will put in lots of long but FUN hours working the sale, and I will also have all of my children's winter wardrobe from last year, priced and selling! It is so nice to make some money...and the money we make from the fall sale automatically becomes our Christmas budget, so I am hoping for people to love my stuff and buy, buy, buy!

Part of the sale is all of the work beforehand; sorting, pricing, tagging, hanging, and ironing. I really isn't so bad, but I always seem to make such a big mess while I am working on it. I am sure there is a better way, but I have yet to find it, and this mess works for me right now so I am sticking with it :) The part that keeps me going is knowing that it is all worth it when I see my things selling, and I know that within a couple of weeks after the sale, I will be getting that check in the mail! Definitely worth it!

Anyway...I thought I would give you a glimpse of what my dining room has become last week:

So as you may have noticed from my post yesterday, I was having a bit of trouble with my sewing machine. Thankfully I have friends...and thankfully, those friends have sewing machines! Melissa came to my rescue today and let me use her machine while our kids played. In less than an hour, I had the nap mat cover as well as two pillowcases complete! Yeah!

And, since we were already there, and the kids were having such a good time, I went ahead and used her machine to make some adorable pants for Natalie for the Halloween season! They are not quite finished, but I will be showing them off when they are done!



This is Natalie's nap mat that I had made last year...a cute turquoise with chocolate brown polka-dots! I made the mat and pillowcase and then found a cute brown blanket to go with it!



This is Levi's nap mat that I made today. I only made the denim mat cover and the bandanna print pillowcase. My mom (MawMaw) made the adorable quilt for me when Levi was born! Now he has this cute cowboy stuff to take with him to school. I think it turned out really well...don't you think so?

Thanks Melissa...it was great fun hanging out, sewing, talking, and letting the kids play!


And just for fun, I thought I would also include of picture of my cuties! I pray that they have a wonderful year at Mother's Day Out, and that they are blessed beyond measure with great teachers and friends! I know God has big plans for them this year!

For Sale: One sewing machine

Okay, maybe I am not really going to sell it, but I am about ready to drop-kick it out the front door! It's not working properly, and I have a deadline...or maybe I should say, HAD a deadline. High hopes filled my head as I planned to make Levi a nap-mat cover before his MDO starts. Adorable...lightweight yet sturdy denim-looking fabric, with a cute pillowcase and blanket made of bandanna and vintage cowboy fabric! It was going to be adorable!

I had it all cut out, roughly, but cut out nonetheless. You see, I was making my own pattern which translates to "No one else could make sense of the mess I had, but it was going to turn out beautifully 'cause I knew what the mess was". My sweet husband pulled out the machine and set it up. He even made a new bobbin for me, and then threaded the needle...all I had to do was sit down and sew away.

But, alas, it was not in my sewing plans for this to be successful. First, something was wrong with the bobbin...but we got that fixed quickly. Then, the stitches were all wrong, but we pulled out the manual and got that setting fixed as well. Then, more bobbin problems! AHHAAHH!

It was at this point that I folded up the fabric, and put it away, along with the notions I had gotten out.

All of the pins back in the box, check.
Thread put away, check.
Fabric folded neatly, check.
Machine placed back into it's box.
All of it put away out in the laundry room (out of my sight!), check.

It was too much, and I just couldn't handle the failure today. Maybe another time I will get it all out and see what I can make of it, but for now, I am wondering a couple of things:

1) Could my son possibly use the yellow floral nap mat that Natalie had two years ago? (Nathaniel's vote would be a loud NO!)
2) How much are the nap mats at JC Penney?
3) Is there enough money in the bank to purchase one and still eat for the rest of the month?

I think I need a nap mat for myself after all of this! I hope your crafty/sewing endeavors are much more successful than mine! :)

In our home, we have lots of pictures. Pictures from the day Nathaniel and I vowed to God we would love each other forever. Pictures of Natalie as she has grown from a tiny baby, to a talkative four-year-old. Pictures of Levi...an adorable son sent from Heaven. And a picture of Carson, our firstborn son. It is one of the few pictures I have of that precious boy...in the hospital, wrapped in a tiny blanket covered in pastel hearts. He has on a hand-knit cap...the tiniest one I have ever seen, and in his arms, he holds a teddy bear.

I had the picture for a few months, and had been looking for the perfect frame for it. I knew in my heart that his picture should be upon the shelves among the photos of Natalie and eventually Levi. I knew in my heart that I wanted it there, where I could see him and remember. One day, while wandering around a bookstore, I happened upon a small shelf of frames, and there sat the perfect one. Silver, with a poem engraved on it, and at the top, a small cast of a mother and infant.

The poem reads like this:

...the price of milk, that is! I cannot believe how much milk costs! It seems that milk prices are rising faster than the price of gasoline, and that is too much for my liking! Especially with a four-year-old and a 16-month-old in the house, both of whom LOVE some good milk to drink. No kidding, I bet we go through 3-4 gallons a week, and that's a lot of milk! I even checked on WIC, and we barely miss the magic qualifying number. Milk Budget - BUSTED!

So I have been thinking. How much would it cost for us to buy our own milk cow? I mean, we could name her, and keep her in the backyard. Natalie has always said she wanted a pet, so this may be just the thing. Okay, just kidding. I have a feeling that a milk cow in the backyard may just be a little extreme for our family right now. After all, which costs more, milk or hay/cattle feed?

I've never used powdered milk before, but I am starting to wonder about it. Have any of you ever used it before? Come on, I know there must be some funny powdered milk stories out there somewhere!

At our house, we do not have cable or satellite TV. We have the basic few channels, and then videos/DVD's. One of Natalie's favorites right now happens to be Little House on the Prairie. I couldn't be happier. It is such a great series, with so many moral lessons. Natalie has learned so much from watching, and she always asks the best questions. She has learned about chores, and about modest dress. She has learned about honesty, and forgiveness, and the importance of family. I love it!

Today, we were watching an episode together while Levi was napping. The Ingalls' family was attending church together, and they were singing a song that was somewhat familiar to Natalie from our own singing at church. She suddenly turned to me with this question: "Mommy, how come they don't have screens with the words on them? And why don't they have the little TV's for the praise team to see the words? Surely they have children's church 'cause I love that part!"

Of course I explained to her the answers. That they didn't have the technologies we have now...from screens all the way down to flushy potties! She seemed satisfied with the explanation.

But this all got me to thinking...in her little world, at four years old, all she knows really is church based upon our own congregation and my parents' church. What a huge world of worship awaits her! And I thought to myself how much I don't want to keep her in a little box, where she thinks there is only one single way to do things. I want so much to teach her what the Bible says, to teach her about the Holy Spirit, and to let her see that there are many ways we worship the Father!

Lord, help me to teach my children Your ways. Help me to fill their hearts and minds with Your truth, and instill in them a longing to follow You all the days of their lives! May my steps be worship, may my thoughts be praise! Amen.

What about you? What are some different worship experiences you have had...your children have had? What are some ways we can expose our children to other worship styles/traditions?

Today I had the privilege of helping out with a 50th Anniversary Celebration for two very special people. As we were getting ready for all of the friends and family to start arriving, I asked the bride of 50 years what the secret was...Nathaniel and I hope to be having just such a celebration one day! She replied that it was one word. One word sums it up. What was the word? FORGIVE.

I have been thinking about that a lot this afternoon. I thought about it as I served 175+ pieces of cake...I thought about it as I listened to the stories and looked at the photographs. I thought about it when I looked at the marriages in the room. I thought about it as I thought of the marriages that have split up around me. And, now that I am home, I am thinking about it as I look at my husband. I know that life is not perfect. I know that life is full of ups and downs, twists and turns. I know that I am not perfect and I know that forgiveness is key to our marriage.

And then, as I think about it some more, I am reminded of how this is really about Jesus. It is about my constant effort to be like Jesus. It is about Jesus living in me. It is because of Him that we have forgiveness in the first place. I know that Christ loved the church - me - so much that He gave His son for my forgiveness. And I know that I am to love Nathaniel as Christ loves the church!

Whew! I am thankful! I am thankful for a husband who knows my weaknesses, and sees my failures, and loves me anyway. Forgiveness will be the glue that helps to keep our marriage happy, and more importantly, holy. I am thankful for my God, who knows my weaknesses and sees my failures, and loves me anyway. It is His forgiveness that secures my home in Heaven with Him forever!

Forgiveness...it's a powerful thing! And in it's own way, it is choosing peace!

There are officially 136 days until Christmas!


In case you were wondering :)

** See addition **


If only I were judged by my intentions instead of my actions. You see, I truly intend to work with Natalie on some memory verses...I want her to hide God's Word in her heart. And for a while we were doing great. She was learning a new verse each week, and was doing well at retaining all of the verses! She was really enjoying it too. She would get so excited to share her new verses with the people that we saw, and it made my heart smile as I saw her sharing her faith with others.

But then, I fell off the wagon, so-to-speak. I stopped teaching her new verses. Oh, I meant to, but it seemed that life got in the way. All of the 'little things' were taking up our time, and we pushed aside that which was the most important.

So I am resolved to once again be teaching her some new memory verses. All the while, I am learning more about my God, too! It's amazing how that works...in my attempts to teach my children, they are actually the ones teaching me!

And now, the big questions....what are some of the memory verses you can remember learning as a child? Do you have any suggestions on verses I can teach her? What verses would you recommend for a four year old? And, will you join me?

Let's all commit to helping our children, and in turn ourselves, hide more of God's Word in our hearts!

** I have found a wonderful year-long study that I am going to do with my children! I am so excited about it...each week, you study one of the names of God in scripture. I think it is going to be an incredible time for our whole family, getting to know God better. I haven't decided yet when we will start. I want to expand on what I have found, so I may work on it for a while before we begin. I am not sure, but I will keep you posted on our progress! **

***Edited at the bottom of the post***


So just yesterday, as you can see below, I wrote an entire post about how I was going to let it go. I was going to really try to stop the worrying, the obsessing about things.

After today, I have decided that Satan reads my blog!

No, really, y'all!

He hated that I said I was going to seek happiness and holiness. It enraged him that I was going to lay down the burdens, and not stress about all of the 'little things'.

So, today, he came for a visit.

Levi has a TERRIBLE diaper rash caused by a little stomach bug. One doctor visit and two medications later we are home with a tired, fussy little boy. Natalie was up late last night which meant she was super tired today...so tired I put her down for a nap, which is something I rarely do. In the car, on the way to the doctor, Natalie has a terrible nosebleed! I was going to catch up on laundry today, so of course, Satan broke my washing machine! It seems it has been one 'little thing' after another. And then there's the 'biggie' that I never made it into His Word today...

But, guess what? I choose peace! I choose happiness! I choose holiness!

And I know that makes Satan really angry, but I am doing it anyway. After all, I'm giving up worrying about what others think of me, right!?

So tonight, as I lay my head on my pillow, I will choose peace! Tomorrow is a new day, and His mercies are new every morning! I love Jesus! What about you?


***Edited to add: My handyman husband has fixed the washing machine! Yee-Haw! Natalie's nose is fine and dandy! Levi woke up this morning feeling great...the diaper rash is getting MUCH better, which means the cause of it is too :) He seems to be feeling normal again! Yippee!

As I sat in church Sunday morning, listening to the sermon, I discovered there is a long list of things that I am allowing to come between me and peace. Things like the stress of seeking out friendships, keeping a household running, making sure I am on everyone's good side. There is the stress of making sure there is enough...enough money to cover bills and food, enough time spent with my children and my husband, enough gas in the car. I invest much into the stress of keeping others happy. Stress about choosing a Bible Class, stress about shepherding group, stress about whether I am making true friends, or simply "surface level" friendships. Stress about the quality of time spent with my family, stress about the amount of time I spend in the Word, stress about my parenting skills, or lack there-of. Stress about how I look, or how much I weigh. Stress about my hair, or my wardrobe, or the car I drive, or being "in", or being "out" for that matter. Stress about health, mine and the health of those I love. Stress about whether or not my cancer will return. Stress about making healthy choices. Oh my, the list could go on and on.

But as I sat there, really listening to the words of the sermon, I realized that I am the only one who can change that stress. I cannot leave it up to others or circumstances, as the preacher stated so well. I have to be the one to choose peace. I have to be willing to say that though things may not always be perfect, that I am choosing to find peace. I am choosing happiness. Better yet, I am choosing holiness.

So I give up. I give up trying to please everyone around me, and sometimes that has meant pleasing everyone but myself. I give up trying to "fit in" all of the time. I give up obsessing over perfection as I walk the journey of motherhood/wifehood. I give up trying to keep the perfect home, with the perfect appearance. I will choose peace...I will choose happiness...I choose holiness...I choose You, Lord! I will do my best and let You handle the rest, Lord!

So Lord, help me today and every day, to choose peace. That means to choose You, Lord, for You are where true peace is found; peace that passes all understanding. Help me to lay the burdens down, and look to You. Help me to cling to Your ways, and to always choose peace. And Lord, help me to be an example of this choice for my children. Help them to see peace in me. Help me to teach them to make that choice every day, every hour, every minute. Amen.

And what about you? Is there something standing between you and the Lord, between you and peace?

This last week we took our very first Jones Family Vacation - the four of us! We had a great time. We started out the trip by spending a few days with my parents. Natalie and Levi always enjoy their time with Maw Maw and Paw Paw...it is non-stop spoiling! Levi loves running around their home, finding things to get into. He is really great at finding all of the things that are not child-proof, and making some fun for himself. Natalie loves the fun and games she has with my dad, especially when he is tickling her and making her laugh until she can hardly breathe. She also takes great pride in her "job" at my parents' church. My mom and dad are door greeters and hand out the weekly bulletin, so Natalie is their official helper when we are there. She LOVES it! What great memories they are creating with their grandparents!

After a couple of days at my parents, we headed out on our own. We traveled south and made a stop at the outlet malls in San Marcos. It was fun for a little while, but it was hot and the kids were too excited about staying in the "hotel", so after a bit, we continued our journey to San Antonio. That night, we arrived and got settled in to the motel. No trip is complete without a stop at the local Wal-Mart for some snacks to have in the room!

Tuesday morning, we were off to Sea World. The kids loved it...seeing all of the animals was a great adventure. We were able to feed the sea lions first, and then watch them in the show. Levi was too restless to sit through the show, so he and I stood at the top of the stadium and enjoyed some cold water and a cookie! Natalie has mentioned several of the little "jokes" from the show, and she especially liked the fake lips that one of the sea lions wore out onto the stage. Who knew that a pair of red plastic lips could make such an impression on a four year old!

We swam, we ate, we walked, we perspired, we looked at the animals, we perspired, we laughed, we talked, we perspired...have I mentioned that is was extremely humid, so we were all sweating like pigs?

The splash zone was a must for the show "Believe" which is Shamu's show this year. Even with a trip to the bathroom in the middle of the show, Natalie managed to make it back in time to be soaked by Shamu, and she loved it! She has decided she wants to swim with the dolphins when she is bigger, though she was thrilled to hang that dead fish out to feed them! I wasn't sure if she would want to touch the fish, but she just scooped it up and was ready to feed!

After two days of fun in the sun at Sea World, we decided to call it a success! We were all tired, and happy...even little Levi! Once we had found the kiddie pool in the Lost Lagoon, he was such a happy boy!

We couldn't be so close without having dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. We were seated right by the tiger, and so every 10-12 minutes it would growl and move. Levi thought it was great, and even tried to say tiger a few times. Natalie, of course, had to make several trips to the bathroom so she could walk around and tour the place!

One our way home, we stopped in Fredricksburg and Daddy took the kids to the park while Mommy had a little me-time shopping. Well, I guess I should call it browsing instead of shopping. I really enjoy getting great ideas to come back and make myself!

One last stop before heading home was the Wildflower Farm. We were able to go inside and walk around taking some great pictures of the kids. We also went inside the butterfly house, which was great fun!

All in all I would say that our first Jones Family Vacation was a success! Everyone had a great time, and we are happy to be home.

As the keeper of the finances for the Jones Family, I can say that it feels really great to have budgeted well for this trip. I had everything mapped out and all of the money in envelopes, and it worked out fine. We even came home with a few dollars left! I'll admit it feels good to return from the trip knowing it is all taken care of, and we don't have to spend the next 3-6 months paying it off! It's just a good thing that we have a "whole 'nuther year" to save up for another trip :)

I know it sounds bad, but we were so busy having fun that we didn't take any pictures until the last day at the Wildflower Farm...so I'll leave you with these...