My Husband Rocks Monday

We are planning our trip to drive from Sicily to Berlin and see everything in between. While this may be short and sweet, I know there are a lot of husbands that don't like to travel but mine rocks because of this trip!

Books Books Books

I have recently become an Usborne Books Consultant. I am having an Open House & eShow to showcase Usborne's awesome selection of high quality books.

Click here to visit my website and order online. For every $25 order you will be entered into a drawing to win a free book (up to $20 value). Click on Emily Ekegren under eShows to place an order and be entered into the drawing!

You can also host your own Usborne show and earn free books! If you host before the end of October you can earn DOUBLE the FREE books because I am a new consultant!

Now is also a great time to sign up to be an Usborne Consultant! I am able to share this opportunity with two friends for half price during my first eight weeks. So, if you sign up before October 3rd you can get the complete kit for half price $99 (+$20 shipping). Regular price is $199! You get 31 books, all your business material, catalogs and website for only $99! There are no minimums to stay active so you can work as little or as much as you'd like.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Scriptue Sunday

So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
-Matthew 10:31

M.I.A.

Our internet was down for over 36 hours! I am so behind on everything! I'll try and get some catching up done tomorrow.

Wisdom For Wednesday

Growth means change and change involves risk, stepping from the known to the unknown.
-Author Unknown

Changes...

I am going to be making some changes to my blog, hopefully completing them this week. Please pray for my patience with HTML and that everything works out right. If you have a blog or a button you'd like to add to my blogroll please post a comment. Thanks for your patience!

My Husband Rocks Monday

Saturday was my birthday and while I proclaim that August is my birthday month and we need to celebrate every day, my husband is not usually receptive. But this year he warmed up to the idea. First, I have to tell you that my husband never wraps presents and typically I will get the gift as soon as he has it. This doesn't bother me at all.

Anyway, I received my craft closet two weeks ago. Then last week he brought home the new Daughtry CD for me. [Which I absolutely love!]

Friday night I really wanted to go out to dinner with friends and get a sitter. Living in Italy has been hard for me because I haven't eaten Chinese or Mexican, really since we've been here. I decided on Chinese. Dinner was fun with friends and good food and always the adventure of driving in Italy. It was not quite as good as the Chinese back home but it will get me by for three and a half more months.

Saturday we had stamp club (working on pictures) and last year on my birthday we started the stamp-all-night-birthday-celebrations. Lets just say I was in bed close to three AM! Earlier than last year. Jason stayed home with boys, they came over and had pizza with us for dinner. He is so understanding of my needs for creative time and also time with the girls. He even helpd the boys make me birthday cards. I almost forgot, he let me sleep in Saturday morning, too. He got the boys up and fed while I rested up.

Sunday morning rolls around and we didn't quite make it to church. We relaxed on the couch for a little while the boys played upstairs. Jason made the boys' breakfast and I made ours. We hung out and watched TV and did laundry. Later in the day he said that I didn't really get a birthday dinner and asked what I wanted him to make. After I reminded him about Chinese, he said he wanted to make me dinner. I told him that I wanted something that would make him leftovers for lunch for the entire week. He made some goulash-y stuff and we had enough for lunches all week! That makes menu planning so much easier!

One final note about my rockin' husband... Last week we had VBS and Jason took time from his very busy schedule to volunteer. It really meant a lot to me. Like, really a lot.

Nursing Mommy Celebration

Don't forget! August 24th through August 28th, My Four Monkeys will be hosting our very own Nursing Mommy Celebration in honor of my final days as a nursing mommy! Luke is down to nursing only once late at night, so he may actually be weaned by the time the party starts! There will be lots of giveaway goodies to be had during our Nursing Mommy Celebration: Nursing Cover, Nursing Poncho, Nursing Top, a Hooter Hider from Bebe au Lait, Baby Sling, Medela Products, and a Boppy!

Scripture Sunday

From Psalm 16:

"Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.

O my soul, you have said to the LORD,
“You are my Lord,
My goodness is nothing apart from You.”

O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance.

I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
I have set the LORD always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

ABC's of Me

The ABC’s Of Me

A- Available: nah, I'm really lovin' my hubs!

B - Best friend: hubs is truly my best friend!

C – Cake or pie: uh, both. I like yellow with chocolate frosting. And I love banana cream pie. I like brownies and cake, too. No nuts, please.

D - Drink of choice: iced tea is good, no sugar. I love cappuccinos, too!

E – Essential item you use everyday: my glasses, so then I can see all the things I need to use everyday.

F – Favorite color: blue

G - Gummy bears or worms: I like the sour ones.

H – Hometown: San Andreas, Ca. no, it is not on the fault.

I – Indulgence: craft stuff. duh.

J – January or February: I dunno

K – Kids: 2 boys

L – Life is incomplete without: my Bible

M - Marriage date: 7/4/2006

N - Number of siblings: I have twin sisters that are younger than I am.

O - Oranges or Apples: I love oranges but I'm picky about them.

P - Phobias/Fears: I don't like adrenaline.

Q- Favorite Quote: Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

R – Reason to smile: Jesus loves me.

S – Season: depends on where we are

T- Thing you’d have if you had all kinds of money: our very own house with my very own craft room!

U – Unknown fact about myself: I'm a blogger, there is nothing unknown.

V - Vegetable you don’t like: mushrooms, they are a fungus but I guess they're a vegetable, too.

W – Worst habit: being lazy

X – X-rays: Teeth, back

Y – Your favorite food: Mexican

Z - Zodiac: I'm a Leo.


Link to other like this.

TGoF .19

Our Precious Lord and Father, today I thank You and praise You for/that...

1. Vacation Bible School was wonderful.
2. VBS is done.
3. I can get back into my routine.
4. I don't have to be out the door at 715 every morning.
5. I'm another year older (and wiser, right).
6. we are all happy and healthy.
7. Jason booked our place to stay in Rome.
8. vacations! Three weeks in Italy and Germany to be exact!
9. my amazing hubs. He rocks but I'll talk more about that on Monday.
10. motrin.

This post is late, I've been super busy and exhausted this week...

Flashback Friday

I was about six months old!

Things I Love Thursday

I'm sure you've seen some Tot School posts on my blog recently and you may have no idea what they are, so I'm going to tell you a little about them. I subscribe to over 150 blogs... Yes, really. There are a few that I absolutely love and consider them a must-read. One of my favorites for the kid stuff is 1+1+1=1. Carissa is awesome! She has compiled ideas from all over the place and now shares them with all of us! The best part, if I could only pick one is the Tot Books! They are mini-lapbooks that are special for tots! If you have a tot you need to go visit Carissa and see all of her ideas and resources! You'll see why I'm sharing this on a Thursday!

Don't forget to go say hi to the creator of Things I Love Thursday!

Tot School Week 3

Forgive me, I am taking this week off from Tot School. I am volunteering at Vacation Bible School and am so exhausted! We did work on our Creation Book this last week. I'll do a double post next week!

My Husband Rocks Monday

I have been having a hard time with the organization around here. I'm getting everything just how I like it but I think it is because we're moving in a few months. I've been dumping the excess and organize the stuff to keep. The biggest challenge has been my craft stuff. It has been upstairs in our extra bedroom collecting dust because I never go in there. It was in those plastic drawers and I had no workspace. I couldn't have it all downstairs, as I have two toddlers.

My husband is a builder in the Navy, which means he can build a house from the foundation up, other than the plumbing and electric. It also means that he has access to every tool and a woodshop with every piece of equipment that you could imagine. We have been married for three years and together for 1.5 years before that. He had yet to make me anything. He was always telling me about all these great things that he could or has made. blahblahblah. I got nothing!

Until last week! My first Jason Masterpiece and a craft closet, complete with a lock! He even stained it to match our kitchen table. He did say this is just temporary. I'm figuring this will work well until we buy a house. You know what makes this really awesome? A couple things; he made it with his own hands, I never asked for it and he really cares about my hobbies and the things that are important to me.


MY HUSBAND ROCKS!
Click here to see how My Husband Rocks all started!

Scripture Sunday

⁴Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, ⁵for each one should carry his own load.
Galations 6:4-5

A Run In With The Roses

It all started as a relaxing morning by the pool and somehow turned into the roses attacking my poor baby! Maybe they are upset because Nikolas gets more attention than they do. They are pretty sad. Praise God for spray Neosporin!

Craftagious

I made these cards this week! I love them! You can steal my original ideas only if you link back to me! Thanks! These are all Stampin' Up stuff, using the last catalog's in colors.

Fun Giveaway!

You have to go check this out! I love free stuff and it is even better when it is adorable!

Flashback Friday 1992

This was 8th grade, 13 years old. We were at a volleyball tournament.

TGoF .18

Thank you Lord for/that...

1. motivating me to be a better mother and wife.
2. surrounding me with faith-filled people.
3. my healthy and handsome boys.
4. my husband, for so many reasons.
5. we have four more months to go.
6. all the things we don't think of as blessings.
7. bookshelves.
8. my new craft cabinet (more to come!).
9. crafts and other creative outlets.
10. your grace.
    

Things I Love Thursday

When my husband said we should get one of these things, I ignored him. But eventually (like usual) his reasoning started to make sense. The Bissell Little Green Machine is a great gadget for parents and pet owners. It is very easy to carry to your spill or stain. I keep the cleaner with water in it at all times, ready to go. For tough stains I use hot water. I, honestly, use it two or three times a week. There is always a drink or a bodily fluid on my couch. The Little Green Machine is easy to use and much less intimidating than big carpet machines. I always clean a larger area than the stain, eventually my furniture will be completely clean. We don't have any carpet but it works great on our furniture! Anything that makes my job easier will eventually be on Things I Love Thursday.
Click here to read about other Things I Love.

Wisom For Wednesday

Experience is not what know but what you do with what you know.

Scripture Memory System

Charlotte Mason has a great Scripture Memory System. I fill our box with verses from My ABC Bible Verses by Susan Hunt.
Repetition is also helping me learn them!

Summer Swap Part 2

The boys tried on their bandannas that they received in their swap box! Lots of goodies from Wyoming! The zoo book at the bottom is awesome. We are starting our Creation lessons this week and this is perfect! This was really fun and I will let you know the next time there is a good swap going on! I will for sure be doing this again!

Tot School Week #2

Pictures are kind of lacking this week. I did a lot of boring planning and organizing. I will post some organizing photos this week. We did an activity of some kind every day. Joshua loves playdough! He has also been playing Mario Kart Wii. A lot. Today we will start actual learning activities. We will be discussing Creation: days 1-3. Also working on number recognition 1-6. Bible memory verses and a devotion at least a few days this week.

This is Nikolas loving some car sorting. They are Wylers Light drink containers. He loved putting the lids on and them taking them off. Putting one car or four in them and shaking them and then dumping them out. Definitely a success!