Self Serve Lanes

I'm one of those people who was not blessed by God with patience. It's just not part of my DNA. I pray about patience all the time - - it's just something I struggle with.

So - grocery lines really TEST my patience.

Grocery time for me is traditionally Monday evenings after work (5:30'ish). Note to everyone who is looking for a routine day/time - - don't choose Monday's at 5:30 p.m. unless you have a couple of hours to spend. Not at Wal-Mart anyway!

Today is Thursday... I'm a little late in shopping this week. So - needless to say, there were some things I HAD to get like bread, chicken, milk... you know, something to actually MAKE a meal with. SO... I headed to Wal-Mart for a "quick" trip. hahahaha!

Can someone PLEASE tell me why we even have the "speedy" Self Serve lanes in these places??? REALLY! Half the time they don't work and EVERY time I end up losing patience before I'm finished. First of all - the darn scanners never work. Then you have to wait for an employee to come over to punch in some 39 digit code to allow me back in to scan... that's IF she or he's not too busy talking to another employee in the lane beside me! Then the skip bagging deal - - seriously - what's that about? Okay - I can't place everything on that little scale at the end so naturally I am going to skip bagging to put the items in my cart. Then my red light begins flashing and my screen says "Too many skip bag items, please see store clerk." Okay - another 5 minutes waiting for the cashier to mosey over to see how she can totally be inconvenienced by my presence. Then I FINALLY make it to the finish and it's time to insert my cash. Yeah right! After putting in dollar bill after dollar bill being rejected by the silly machine, I'm ready to bust b/c now the machine is repeatedly telling me "please insert cash, please insert cash." Um -- lady, I'm trying to!!!!!

I don't think I'm going to self serve again...

Family Devotions!

I love doing family devotions. Really gives my family a way to connect. Especially in the hectic-ness of our everyday lives... it gives us a chance to come together and talk about the ways in which God has blessed us!

I have to say - I am PUMPED UP about a GREAT thing Crossroads is doing this holiday season. This year we have decided to replace our annual Summer's End Carnival with an outrageous outreach that we've entitled, Project Share: Food. Love. Hope. This project is like nothing we have ever done before. On December 15, 2 semi's filled with food and personal care items will be delivered to the grounds of the Christian Family Centre. We will have enough food and care items to personally deliver to 800 families who will be less fortunate this season. Each box of food will be enough to feed a family of 4 for a week! I can't wait! I feel tremendously blessed to be able to partner with other Crossroaders to make this Christmas a special Christmas for families in our community suffering from hunger.

One of the neat things we are offering families in our church community is a family devotional book. There are two family devotions each week leading up to Project Share. Each devotional includes a lesson and a family activity.

This week's activity is about Food. The family activity is about finding ways to share food with other people this week. Here is what my family came up with:

• Donate can food items to the local soup kitchen.
• Prepare a meal for a family in our neighborhood.
• Make a plate of cookies for the staff at my daughter's school to let them know how thankful we are for them and what they do for us week in and week out.

It's SO much fun to think about the MANY ways we have been blessed and in turn, how we can bless back to others.

As my family gobbled up our dinner of grilled cheese sandwiches and chili, we thanked God for all the blessings in our lives that we have so taken for granted. Our heat on this cold, fall night, warm water to take baths in, TV to watch, vehicles to drive, lights to read by, soap, soft pillows, clean clothes, loose change in our pockets... the list goes on and on.

Thank you, Father, for providing abundantly for us. Help us to be mindful of those less fortunate and may we be a blessing to others because of your love for us! Amen.

Recipe Friday

These look fantastic! :) I LOVE sweet potatoes!









Sweet Potato Fries


2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon low-sodium chili seasoning
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside.
Use peeler to peel sweet potatoes.
Cut potatoes in half lengthwise then cut into 1/2-inch thick fries.
Place sweet potato fries in a large mixing bowl.
Add oil and spices.
Toss until they are thoroughly coated with spices.
Spread fries in a single layer on prepared baking sheet.
Place in preheated oven.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes turning once to ensure even cooking.
Remove from oven and serve hot.

Making an Impression

One of the things that we strive to do at Crossroads is make a lasting impression on our guests. To make their first time through our church doors not only a great first impression, but to wow them with an overall terrific guest experience.

I'm reading a book entitled "Beyond the First Visit" and it's about connecting guests to your church. What gets them in the front door and then what keeps them coming back. It's unfortunate, but the church today competes with all kinds of other opportunities presented on Sunday morning. What is the church doing to create irresistible environments where people are excited to come back next Sunday? When was the last time YOU were wowed by your church? This is taken directly from the book (some language altered) and I thought I would share it this afternoon...

If you were a guest visiting your church...

1. Would you be impressed with the facility and landscaping?
2. Would you be able to find the restrooms without asking?
3. Would you feel comfortable leaving your child in kid's church?
4. Would you understand what takes place during the worship experience?
5. Would you feel embarrassed or pressured during your visit?
6. Would you be greeted and accepted as you are?
7. Would you come back next week?

Just some interesting questions to ponder. Let's not get so comfortable with our own environment that we forget about those who have yet to experience the greatness we have experienced! The story we have to share about how much God loves them is TOO AWESOME not to do all we can to make the first visit a great one!

What Was I thinking...?

Well - obviously last night, I wasn't thinking at all!

So - there I was in line at Country Market with ALL my $100 worth of groceries and the cashier JUST finished ringing up my last 3 items when I felt like I was going to pass out! YES - it happened! I had left my wallet (with money, bank cards AND checkbook) at my office! You should have seen the look on my face when she read me my total, "That will be $96.27 ma'am." It didn't help that I was shopping during PEAK hours when the store was REALLY busy. So - needless to say, I had to suck it up and tell her I had NO WAY of paying and that I would have to be back once I went to get my wallet! How pathetic am I? And HOW did this happen, you ask? Well - b/c for whatever reason I just brought my wallet into my office yesterday - not my entire purse and somehow I just walked off without it! Nice!

So - after retrieving my wallet I headed back to the store to ring up the groceries a second time and actually pay for them!

This week's off to a great start already! Gotta love Mondays...

My Dad...

I have a great dad! He's truly a gift to me and my family.

Yesterday, I got to spend time with my dad. We had lunch together. It's not often that we have these moments... life is busy and I just don't see him as much as I would like. But yesterday I was reminded of how precious these moments are.

I wanted to share just some of the MANY things I love about my dad...

• He's a real man of God.
• He's a loving grandfather.
• He's loyal.
• He's generous beyond measure.
• He's understanding.
• He's gentle.
• He's funny!
• He's dependable.
• He's smart.
• He's my dad - and I love him!

Today I just wanted to pay tribute to my friend, my mentor... my dad. THANK you for your love. THANK you for giving me life. THANK you for being you!

Happy Halloween Recipe FRIDAY

These are really cute and look like fun! I always like to make some special treats this time of year... :)

We're Off to See the Wizard!

Yep - it's official, Chloe's gonna be Dorothy for Halloween! I tried talking her into this last year and she wasn't interested. This year - she complied. No... actually it was HER idea!

I love the Wizard of Oz! It's got to be one of my ALL time favorites!

Now - - to find the red ruby slippers... :)

When God says, "Slow Down!"

What do you get when you work like a horse without a break, eat on the run all week long, have multiple projects going at one time and get very little sleep in between? The flu! That's what you get! And I got it last week! God spoke.. "Slow down." I failed to listen. He spoke again, "Slow down." I still failed to listen. So - - he made it so that I had NO OTHER CHOICE than to slow down! I'll admit - it drives me nuts to slow down. I just like the fast pace life. Always got something planned... always have somewhere to be and someone to see. That's my life. But every now in then, we have to take time to s-l-o-w it down a bit. Take time out for ourselves - - to take care of ourselves and nourish ourselves back to health!

Next time God says, "Slow down" I'm gonna listen...

Recipe Friday

Making this for a shower that I am hosting for my niece tomorrow afternoon... I hope it turns out...

AUTUMN APPLE PUNCH

1 1/2 qt Apple juice
2 Cinnamon sticks
8 Whole cloves
1 1/3 c Pineapple juice
1/2 c Lemon juice
2 pt Orange juice
28 oz Ginger ale

Place apple juice in a NON-aluminum kettle; tie spices in cheesecloth, add to kettle, and simmer uncovered 15 minutes; discard spice bag. Mix spiced juice with remaining fruit juices. To serve, place a large block of ice in a large punch bowl, add fruit juice and ginger ale.

Ramblings (and other useless information)!

Hello blog world! I know, I know... I haven't been too consistent lately in my blogging. I wish I could write every day - - but I am close enough to my goal of 3 times per week. :)

So - - here are some ramblings of things that have been going on in my world as of late...

• Sunday evening I finished all FIVE of my daughters classroom baskets for the all-school auction coming up this Saturday, October 20 at her school. Wow! That was an undertaking! I agreed to lead the charge for the five baskets donated by the parents of Chloe's second grade classroom. What a job that was! But they did turn out nice, I have to say. We did 5 themed baskets that will be auctioned off this Saturday. The themes we did are, 1.) Bath Time Fun Basket, 2.) Baker's Basket, 3.) College Exam-Cram Care Basket, 4.) Boredom Busters Basket and 5.) Half Time Snacks Basket. If you're planning to attend the auction, now bid generously! :) They are WORTH it!
• I am preparing for my niece's baby shower this coming Saturday, October 20 at my house! Wow! Yes - another big project I'm leading the charge of. It will be exciting! She is having a boy (Jayvian) sometime in November. :) First baby and YES - this will make me a Great Aunt for the SECOND time! I feel so old!
• I'm just getting over what I think was a touch of the flu. YUCK! There's nothing worse than being sick! Makes you SO appreciate the times you feel good! Thank you, God, for my health!
• Remember my blog on "Conversations" where I talked about interviewing someone to work the What's Happening Center at church on Sundays? She joined the team! I am so excited! She's going to add so much energy to the team! Welcome aboard, Lisa! :)
• The staff at Crossroads is reading this book right now. It's a good one so far! We've actually gone through most all of Lencioni's books! If you haven't read any of them - I highly recommend them!
• Project Share is well under way, Crossroaders! Keep your eyes and ears open for more info coming soon! This will be an AWESOME project and a great way to contribute to the needs in our county! Stay tuned for more...
• Chloe has a dentist appointment tomorrow afternoon. Pray for her! This will be her third visit in a month. The problem is - she has teeth coming in at a rapid speed, but she's not losing them quite as quickly! Last time we were there she had to have a filling and a baby tooth removed to make room for the new one popping out. Tomorrow she will need to have another tooth pulled on the other side of her mouth! Let's just say - she's not too happy about that! She doesn't mind the work they do - she just hates to be numbed. Who really enjoys that anyway? Her biggest worry: How will I be able to eat? Oh - she's her mommas child indeed!
• We visited one of my favorite stores on the planet this past weekend. I SO miss going to this place! I couldn't go there enough when Chloe was a baby! Stuff's a little pricey - but just being in there made me yearn for another little one!
• Can I just say that I have the best husband in the world! When I was down sick the other day, he went to Kohl's and bought me new bedding for our bed! It's a set we had been admiring the weekend before. When I was sleeping, he snuck out to Kohl's to buy it and then came home and put it on the bed. It looked picture picture when I woke up! I think he's a keeper!
• Chloe takes gymnastics every Wednesday night at Maple City Gymnastics. She loves it! I must admit though, she is not the best one in her class. As a matter of fact, I was a little frightened the first couple of times that she might be in a too far advanced class, but I think she's catching on. It's been a while since she was in gymnastics and so, getting used to things again was a little challenging. It's super-fun to watch, her, though, and I really believe it's building self-confidence!

Recipe FRIDAY!

This looks so good. And it's the perfect time of year. With the
cooler weather here - this is something I might even make this weekend! :)

BTW - if you haven't been to this website yet, you've got to check it out. They have some tasty and simple recipes. This one came from there. ENJOY!

Layered Pumpkin Loaf

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 egg whites, divided
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup canola oil
2 cups flour
2-1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese, softened

PREHEAT oven to 350ºF. Grease a nonstick 9x5-inch loaf pan; set aside. Mix pumpkin, 1 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 3 of the egg whites, milk and oil in large bowl. Add flour, baking powder, pie spice and salt; stir just until moistened. Set aside. Beat Neufchatel cheese, remaining 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar and the remaining egg white with wire whisk until well blended.

SPOON half of the pumpkin batter into prepared pan; spoon Neufchatel cheese mixture evenly over the batter. Cover with remaining pumpkin batter.

BAKE 1 hour to 1 hour 5 min. or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Run knife or thin spatula around edges of pan to loosen bread; cool in pan on wire rack 10 min.

Remove bread from pan to wire rack; cool completely.

Conversations...

Got to hang out and have a great conversation with a wonderful woman this morning about the possibility of joining my team, the What's Happening Center, at my church. She is a great lady whom I feel has a lot to offer. She's outgoing, energetic and has a real "eye" for customer service. I am so thrilled about the possibility of her joining us, beginning next month!

Crossroaders out there - - we are currently seeking individuals who are ready to take their next step toward Christ and hop on board with us at the What's Happening Center! We have GREAT opportunities for you to get involved and make a difference in the lives of our guests and attenders!

If you have a heart to serve... we want to talk with you!
If you have a desire to see life change... we want to talk with you!
If you want help people take a next step at Crossroads and with Christ... we want to talk with you!
If you want to be a part of a team who loves God and want to serve Him fully and faithfully... we want to talk with you!

God is doing incredible things here at Crossroads and I am so blessed to be working along side of some of the most amazing volunteers on the planet! If you want to be a part of something BIG, something GOD-sized, consider getting involved with the What's Happening Center, where we get to be a part of God's design of changing lives!

If you are interested - - simply email me (wendy@ilovemychurch.org). I'd love to talk with you about how we can get your plugged into your new serving role!

Today...

~ I woke up 20 minutes late for work. I totally have NO idea how Trevor's alarm AND my alarm both failed to work!

~ I went to Tim Horton's for breakfast... plain bagel, plain cream cheese, toasted with a large drink. Can I just say that I LOVE the customer service at T.H.'s. They totally get it! I honestly can't recall a time that I waited for anything there!

~ My daughter received a 100% on a pre-spelling test. YIPPEE! She has the skill of memorization!

~ I saw a friend of mine I haven't seen in ages. She is just recovering from a divorce from her husband of almost 12 years! They were married before Trevor and I were! I went to their wedding. Very sad!

~ I forgot to pick up water softener salt from the store - - AGAIN!

~ I read a chapter from this book. What a good read. This is the only book I've read in a long time that I actually have to put it down after each chapter to allow myself time to "process" the information.

~ I made dinner for my family -- Chicken and Bow Tie Pasta. They liked it and both of them ate seconds! :)

~ I thanked God for the fall and the cooler weather that we're about to be blessed with. I am so over the 85 - 90 degree days!

~ I walked into a MESS my dog made while we were at work. He actually climbed up on top of the kitchen counter and ate an ENTIRE plate of chocolate chip cookies I made on Saturday!! Can I just say he's a 115 pound Golden Retriever that was almost sold to the first bidder on ebay this evening! ARRGHHH!

I can't Wait Until Thanksgiving...

... I'm making this now!

I made this last year when we had Thanksgiving at our house and it was a HUGE hit. I couldn't wait until Thanksgiving to eat it again. I bought the items this week to make it this weekend. You HAVE to try it!

Recipe Friday

Cornbread and Andouille Stuffing

2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound andouille, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 tablespoon minced garlic Basic Cornbread, recipe follows
3 slices white or whole wheat bread, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2 large eggs, beaten
1 to 2 cups chicken stock, as needed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 13 by 9-inch baking dish and set aside. In a large skillet, cook the sausage until brown and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Add onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl to cool. With your fingers, crumble the corn bread into the bowl, add bread, the green onions, parsley, and thyme, and mix well with your hands. Add the salt, pepper, cayenne, and eggs, and mix well with your hands. Add enough broth, 1/2 cup at a time, to moisten the dressing, being careful not to make it mushy. Transfer to the prepared dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until heated through, about 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Basic Cornbread: 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 cup yellow cornmeal 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1 cup buttermilk 1 egg
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pour the vegetable oil into a 9-inch baking pan or heavy cast iron skillet. Place the pan into the oven as it preheats, allowing it to heat for at least 10 minutes. Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and cayenne in a large mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. Add the buttermilk and egg to the mixture, and stir well to blend. Pour the cornmeal batter into the preheated pan and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving or using in the dressing. Note: When making the dressing, make cornbread the day before. Yield: 8 servings

Random Thoughts Part II

I like to blog this way. Let's me get out all of that "stuff" that's seemingly locked away in my brain... so here it goes... my Random Thoughts Part II:

- I'm so getting these for this winter. Laugh all you want - but these shoes ROCK! If you haven't tried on a pair of regular Crocs yet - - let me just tell you what you're missing! Comfort... pure comfort, baby! Gotta get these ones made for the winter months, though!

- Inspired by this website, I have decided to sit down with my hubby each Sunday and actually "plan out" the weeks meals! I decided to do this for 2 reasons... 1.) I was tired of going to the grocery store each Monday and buying things - but nothing really "for an entire meal", just some random things (not to mention I shop when I'm hungry, I know - bad idea!) and 2.) It makes it a lot easier than getting home to try to decide what the whole family would like for dinner. This way - it's chicken - or NOTHING. It's Taco Salad - or NOTHING. Got the idea here?

- There are only 85 shopping days left until Christmas! Can you believe it??

- Two of my friends recommended this movie. I'm planning to take Chloe on Friday night! :) Can't wait!

- I started a new book this weekend. It's called Confessions of Pastor by Craig Groeschel. It's pretty good! Very easy read.

- I bought 5 new movies at Wal*Mart the other day for only $3.98 each!! They are... Mission Impossible 2, Mission Impossible 3, Dreamer, Failure to Launch and The Last Holiday. Not bad for less than $20. I love Wal*Mart!

- So am I the worst mom in the world? Last week, my second grader came home with a fundraiser envelope from school. Honestly, I did look through the book, but it immediately got trashed. I DON'T do school fundraisers. At least not the kind where you have to actually go door-to-door selling items from a book. I have no desire to ask my family and co-workers for money to help my daughters school or classroom earn more money. I don't do them for 2 simple reasons... 1.) The quality of the items aren't anywhere close to the price you have to pay! and 2.) I have no desire to bombard people who are already being bombarded by 12 other students hoping you'll buy what they're sellin'! No thanks, it's not for me. I'd rather give a cash donation to the school or classroom instead of guilting people into buying from us!

- I'm currently in the market for a new vehicle. I have to be honest, though, I detest going car shopping. My hubby, on the other hand, will do his homework THOROUGHLY before buying anything. I've already decided on this. :) (Trevor - you need not look any further!)

I'm So Making This!

I haven't tried this yet - - but it's on my list...

Recipe FRIDAY...

Chicken and Bows

1 pkg Bow Tie Pasta (16 ounce)
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 c chopped, sweet red pepper
1/4 cup butter, cubed
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup (10-3/4 ounces each)
2 c frozen peas
1-1/2 cups milk
1 t garlic powder
1/4 to 1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2/3 c grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook chicken and red pepper in butter over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.

Stir in the soup, peas, milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Drain pasta; add to chicken mixture and toss to coat.

YUMMY! Maybe I will try this one tonight! :) I like the fact that this one is EASY and not requires minimum time! (I never have very much time!)

Thanks for stopping by!

I've Got a Secret!

I have to tell you - I am pumped up! Our church is getting ready to launch something... something big. Something exciting. Something that's going to rock this city in a mighty way and I get to be involved in it! And so do you, fellow Crossroaders reading my blog... but I can't tell you. Sorry.

I know, I know - you hate that, don't you? But honestly - it's going to be awesome! Be praying for the ministry of our church. I truly believe that God is preparing us for something extraordinary, Crossroads. Fasten your seat belts...

My New Favorite Song

My husband says I have too many favorites! Maybe he's right... I don't know.

This is my new FAVORITE song! I just listen to it over and over again in the car. I'm probably driving my daughter nuts! It's by Casting Crowns (# 7 on their new album, Altar and the Door). Here are the lyrics:

Somewhere between the hot and the cold
Somewhere between the new and the old
Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Somewhere between the wrong and the right
Somewhere between the darkness and the light
Somewhere between who I was and who You're making me
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control?
Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle?
Are we caught in the middle?

Somewhere between my heart and my hands
Somewhere between my faith and my plans
Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves
Somewhere between a whisper and a roar
Somewhere between the altar and the door
Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more
Somewhere in the middle You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control?

Lord, I feel You in this place and I know You're by my side
Loving me even on these nights when I'm caught in the middle!

Random Thoughts

Here are some random ramblings for you on this beautiful fall morning...

- Do you ever notice how stingy the people are in the drive-thru's with ketchup packets and dressing packets? Seriously - whenever I go to places like Taco Bell, I always place my order and at the end say, very clearly, "with EXTRA mild sauce, please." You would have thought I asked them for their first born child or something, because I always get up there and find like 3 sauce packets in my bag. Come on, people, ya' making me crazy!

- I sing in the car. I mean, I GET DOWN in the car. I feel sorry for people driving next to me - they must think I'm crazy! If you see me rockin' out in the car - just ignore me, please. :)

- I bought the new Casting Crowns CD yesterday afternoon. WOW - you've got to get it. Tracks 4 and 7 are my fav's so far!

- I've been tracking my hits on this blog for the past month. It appears the average number of readers (hits) per week is 152! :)

- What's with the 90 degree temps?? I say - bring on the fall weather. Nothing like a couple months of 65 degree days! I'm ready to be done with the hot, please!

- So, this week, my 7-year-old daughter, Chloe, jumped off the diving board at the CFC pool. I could hardly believe it when she told me! She's come a long way from even a few short months ago when she wouldn't even get her face wet! Yeah, baby!

- I had a goal this past summer to read 15 books. I only read 3. My goal for the winter won't be as high so I won't feel as bad about it when I don't make it! I just realized I've read 2.5 books within the past three weeks - - and I couldn't make it to 15 for an entire summer?

- I miss my friend, Roxanne, so much. It's been almost an entire year ago that we lost her, yet it feels like only yesterday. I love ya, Rox!

- I'm totally geeked. I had a Lia Sophia party last night and I had a $600+ show... so that means, I'm getting like $157 of FREE jewelery. Another $50 order would bump me up to $261! YEAH! Anyone still wanting to order may do so - - I am closing my show on Sunday night.

- I had to use dictionary.com twice this week to look up definitions of words I didn't know. Can I just say I love this website and I love learning new words. (No, I'm not telling you what words they were - you might laugh at the fact I didn't know what they were!)

The ATTITUDE!

Seriously - all you mothers of girls can help to answer this.. when does the "attitude" begin with girls? I'm referring to the "You can't make me" and the "It's not fair" attitudes? I swear, I would not have guessed it to begin as early as the second grade! But it's begun in my household and it's been all I can do to not pull my hair out (although I think it is turning grey!)

So this morning when I got Chloe up, I THOUGHT it was going to be a good morning. I was wrong. From the moment she placed her feet onto her bedroom floor - it was one crisis after another. First her shoes didn't fit right, then her shirt felt "funny". Then she couldn't find her wallet (she received $4 from the tooth fairy last night so she needed to put her money away). Then she didn't want to brush her hair but absolutely refused to let me touch it. Then she didn't want to put a coat on, then she wanted tennis shoes on, but couldn't find socks to wear with them. By the time we got in the car, I felt like I had wrestled a tiger. I was sweating from head to toe, forgot my lunch, dropped my cell phone on the garage floor causing it to break (not completely, it was fixable) and after arguing over shoes to wear, ended up putting my daughter into her booster seat in the back seat with NO shoes on. I have to say, by the time I got in the drivers seat, I was NOT happy. So... the "little" talk began. I told her that these types of mornings were "unacceptable". I explained that when I get her up I expect her to be ready to go with teeth brushed, hair combed, shoes on, backpack ready, water bottle filled and the dog fed. I even found myself saying, "This isn't rocket science, Chloe, these are simple things I need to have done in the morning." ROCKET SCIENCE? Where did that come from? THEN I proceeded to tell her that when we got home, she would have to clean out the entire back seat of my vehicle. It's been a mess back there for weeks. Books, crayons, stuffed animals, shoes, wrappers - - you name it - it's back there. She proceeded to pout saying that I'm mean and she always has to do everything. I said, "Well, you said the other day you want to earn money and I'm not going to give you things and give you money if you can't help around here." (I know, a simple "do it because I said so" would have been fine here - but I feel I always have to justify.) I couldn't have prepared myself for what she was about to say. She replied with, "You don't give me money or anything anyway!!!" ARRGHHH!! Part of me wanted to scream out, "Where do you think that money from the tooth fairy anyway??" but I refrained from that! At one point she did retaliate with "Some of this stuff back here, you put back here!" to which I replied, "Oh yeah, well I don't wear your underwear, but I still wash them every day!" Good one, Wendy!

Bottom line is this - - it used to be that when I got after her or scolded her, she would cry and would get very remorseful. Those days are long gone. Instead, all I get back is attitude and it's killing me!

HELP - - are there any mothers of little girls who can sympathize with me or can give me some great advice on what works or has worked for you???? Hurry - - before I lose my mind!

50 Things You Need to Know About Me

Hey there!

So - yesterday morning those of us on staff at Crossroads went on a Team Building Adventure with the LISD. It was a lot of fun and we even got to know some things about each other we didn't know (or perhaps, in some cases, never wanted to know). :) All-in-all it was a good day. Lots of team-building stuff that, hopefully, will make us stronger as one team serving one purpose.

So it got me thinking - I am sure there are a ton of things that my readers don't know about me. So - I've started my own "tag, you're it list". The first person I'm tagging to respond on their blog is my good friend, Faythe.

50 Things You Need to Know About Me
1.) I love Jesus!
2.) I love eating chocolate frosting straight from the can!
3.) I am an only child (and no, I was not spoiled rotten!)
4.) I cut my right arm open on a barbed-wire fence when I was 9 and had to have 13 stitches.
5.) I love the rain and storms!
6.) Fall is my favorite time of the year.
7.) I am addicted to email. Seriously - ask those who know me well how often I check it even on vacations!
8.) My first job was working at an ice cream store (and I ate more ice cream than I sold, I'm sure of it!)
9.) Friday is my favorite day of the week!
10.) My dream, since I was a kid, is to become an elementary school teacher.
11.) In school, I often got in trouble for talking to much. My report cards often read, "disturbs others in class". (I know, I know... you find this SO hard to believe - but it's true!) :)
12.) My husband and I bought a vehicle on Ebay 5 years ago and drove all the way to Minnesota to pick it up and bring it home - all within 2 days!
13.) I once won a "prettiest feet contest".
14.) I had more male friends in school than female friends.
15.) I own more than 10 pairs of black shoes!
16.) I'm afraid of heights!
17.) I actually had fun and enjoyed planning my own wedding!
18.) My first boyfriend was in Kindergarten and his name was Justin.
19.) I like some rap music.
20.) My favorite subject in high school was English.
21.) My least favorite subject in high school was History.
22.) My favorite color is Burgundy.
23.) I love the smell of gasoline.
24.) I cry at Hallmark commercials!
25.) I broke my collar bone hanging upside down from a swing when I was in 2nd grade. OUCH!
26.) For my 21st birthday, my parents flew my boyfriend and I to Chicago for an afternoon.
27.) I've never had a cavity in my life!
28.) I went on a blind date once and choked on a piece of cheese pizza! (no kidding - it was awful!)
29.) I never went on another blind date again!
30.) I took a vacation when I was a senior in high school with my dad to Puerto Viarta Mexico and drank Fuzzy Navels for breakfast! (not recommended!)
31.) I hate to fly!
32.) I love to color with my daughter! It helps to relax me!
33.) I would eat Mexican food 5 days of the week if I could!
34.) I've seen the movie Titanic more than 20 times!
35.) I wrote a song when I was in high school.
36.) When I was a kid I used to think that that was my face on the Wendy's Restaurant sign! I asked my grandma, "Grandma, when did I have red hair?"
37.) My two favorite holidays are Christmas and Halloween!
38.) When I was in the fifth grade, my friend and I had a fake band. We called ourselves, "Timeout". We did concerts for my parents in our living room every Friday night!
39.) My bedtime is 11 p.m. most nights.
40.) When I can't sleep I read.
41.) My best friend (through junior high and high school), Rob, was shot and killed in Colorado January 5, 1992.
42.) Our limo driver left my husband and I on the night of our wedding and we had to ride home with friends of ours in the back of their car!
43.) I was in active labor with my daughter for 3 days!
44.) My favorite song at the moment is "By His Wounds".
45.) In my opinion Coke is much better than Pepsi!
46.) I skipped my American Lit class every day my senior year of high school.
47.) In November I will be a great aunt for the second time! (gosh I feel old!)
48.) My dream job would be to own my own party planning business.
49.) A friend of mine from high school still lives with her parents. She's 34.
50.) I like red grapes better than green ones!

Am I Back in School Too?

Ahh - - the beginning of a brand new school year! I LOVE September. I love it for so many reasons... school is back in session and that means back to a "normal" or "semi-normal" routine, fall is nearing and leaves are beginning to fall off the trees, the air is a little crisper and of course new seasons of all my favorite shows are back (particularly CSI and House M.D.).


Chloe is in Second Grade this year! I can't believe it! When I dropped her off on last Monday, it seemed impossible that she is big enough to have her own locker and be in the big grade school wing! Simply impossible! But - she's growing up and it's happening right before my own eyes!


Can I just say - - what's with all the paperwork that comes home on a regular basis? It's like I am back in school! Almost every night she has papers that come home that I need to sort out. And it's not like I am one that can just push them aside. I have to take care of them AS they come in. So - - each night - there I sit, doing MY homework. Organizing school papers, managing homework that needs to be returned the next day, sorting out papers that she brings home that is already graded, keeping a calendar of all the events going on within the next few months. YIKES! AND of course, I'm always the mom that volunteers for any and everything. What's wrong with me? Seriously - I enjoy it. I tend to feel more guilty because of my hectic work week and not always being able to help within the classroom. I always try to help out where I can and how I can at home. :0)

Well - - I've gotta go - I'm sure there are papers I should be sorting or homework I should be reviewing...

Recipe FRIDAY

Okay - so I tricked you. This isn't really a recipe.

I am the type of person who gets hooked on certain foods pretty quickly. Like this one time... I was SO hooked on Taco Salads from Wendy's. Literally - I ate there for lunch like every other day. Then there was the time I was hooked on S'mores cereal. Go figure! If I could have talked my family into sharing my obsession with me... would have eaten it for breakfast, lunch AND dinner! At other times throughout my life I have been known to be hooked on Tootsie Rolls, Triskets, Yoplait's Strawberry/Banana yogurt, Milano cookies and even once I was hooked on those brown and serve rolls... you know the ones you can easily find at Thanksgiving and Christmas? Those ones!

I go through these phases, spurts really, and it's weird. I'm not a big "variety" person. Typically either I like it - or I don't. No black and white there.

So - my new obsession is Subway's personal pizza's. I have seen them advertised for some time now, but never really got up the nerve to try them. Like, really, who goes to Subway for their "pizza"?? If you're going to Subway, it's typically because you want a healthy sub, right?

Well - I was in line last Friday afternoon at my local Subway shop and I saw 3 people in front of me order these pizza's. So - I thought, "They must be good, so I'll try one." Well - let me tell you - if you haven't had one yet - you at least owe it to yourself to try them out! They're surprisingly pretty good. And they're decently priced. $4 for a cheese pizza and then you can get any veggies you want on it for no extra cost. YUM-O! :) Then you get Parmesan cheese and oregano to top it off and WHAL-A - you have yourself a meal.

Try it, I think you'll like it! :)

My Board of Directors

I heard recently that everyone should have themselves a "Board of Directors". You know what I'm talking about? People in your life that advise you, support you, guide you, protect and defend you. People that you have given the authority to speak truth into your life - - even when it hurts.

I remember when I was in high school... I had this great friend; her name was Lena. Lena was one of those "really honest" people that would tell you what she wanted to tell you - not necessarily what you wanted to hear. You know the ones I'm talking about, right? Lena was famous for her honesty. I could ask her, "Do these jeans make my butt look big?" and sometimes she would reply, "Yes. Yes, Wendy, they do." WHAT? Are you kidding me? I wasn't expecting that. But Lena taught me something. She would always say, "I love you enough to be honest with you." Okay - so maybe at age 16 I really wanted her to tell me that my butt looked great in those jeans, but it's not what I NEEDED to hear. Years late, I'm leaning the lessons that my friend taught me about how to build myself a "Board of Directors".

I have GREAT friends! No kidding! I am one of the most blessed people on the planet earth. I have had some of my closest friends for more than 20 years and then there are those of my closest whom I've only known for a couple years. Each one of them blesses me beyond words! I have one friend who is so encouraging I don't know what I'd do without her. She's my rock. She's one of those friends who always tries to get me to see the other view point and turns everything into a postive. She's amazing. I have another friend who is constantly asking me, "Are you sure you want to do that?" This friend protects me and keeps me focused. I have yet another friend who always has my back. She's there whenever I need her. She's very self-less and I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that she'd be the first one to my rescue in my time of need.

All of these people add something different to my life and they are all people that I love and respect more than they will ever know. But more than that, I have give them authority to speak truth to me. I have allowed myself to be transparent with them and I depend on them to hold me accountable. They are my Board of Directors - they are my inner core.

I read recently that every Christ-follower needs a cabinet, a board of directors, an inner circle of people who breathe love and truth into their lives daily. It goes on to list important questions to ask yourself about your selection of board members:

Who’s giving you the go-ahead?
Who speaks encouragement into your life?
Who’s in your life positioning you for progress?
Who’s in your life bringing balance to it?
Who drags you kicking and screaming to important tasks?
Who’s steady in your life?
Who will give up anything for you?
Who’s got your back?

This is what I will be focusing on over the next several weeks. Developing my Board of Directors. Bottom line is - we all want to be loved and accepted and we all want to be part of something bigger than ourselves. I believe the first step is paying close attention to the people who will go the journey with you and the ones who will stay on the journey with you. Through thick and thin. The people who will support and encourage you and maybe even slap you upside the face once or twice asking the question, "What were you thinking?"

Do you have a Board of Directors? Who speaks love and truth into your life? Who holds you accountable? I encourage you to get some members together. Life was not meant to go it alone!

Saying Goodbye...

Can I just say RIGHT NOW that I hate goodbyes?? They are never easy and I don't like them AT ALL! Here are some of my reflections as I say goodbye to two people who are near and dear to my heart...

I met Rick Mink back in November of 2004 when I applied for this position as Church Office Administrator for Crossroads. We instantly had a connection. I can't tell you what it was - but I just knew I was going to like him!

It's been a joy getting to know Rick and his lovely wife, JoAn. They have been like parents to me. They have supported me, affirmed me, guided me, loved and cared for me and taught me more than they will ever know. The things I have learned from them go far beyond just work-related lessons. Rick has taught me how to believe in myself and how to stand firm in what I believe in. He has taught me lesson after lesson about how to be a grace-filled person, even when it's hard. He's taught me about perseverance and determination. By sharing his life with me... by being completely transparent and open, he has taught be about honestly and humility and what it means to fully embrace every opportunity that comes... to seize the moment and how to take time to celebrate the wins in life.

Knowing Rick and JoAn has been an absolute joy for me. I am richer for having known them and I will forever be blessed by the legacy that they leave me. Although there is now a large void in my life, I will forever be grateful for the time we had together.

So... thank you Rick and JoAn. Thank you for sharing this journey with me. Thanks for your kindness, for your support and for your friendship. I will miss you more than you'll ever know.

An Afternoon To Remember

What do you get when you combine a beautiful Loch Erin Lake Frontage home, rain, two small canopies, rain, a basement full of yum-o desserts of all kinds, rain, a garbage-bag covered video camera, more rain and 17 people who have accepted Christ and want to make public their private confession of faith??? A WONDERFUL BAPTISM celebrating lives forever changed by Christ, that's what!

For those of you who couldn't make it out to the Baptism Celebration this past Sunday, August 19, boy did you MISS OUT on something big!

The day started out pretty bleak. I must admit I had my doubts about moving forward with an outdoor baptism in the pouring rain, but one thing I've learned about God - He is bigger than any problem we face. He knew the rain was coming long before we even planned this event and we weren't about to let a little water "rain" on this celebration!

Can I just say - we have the most incredible people in our church!!! I am constantly blown away by the support of those we serve Christ with every week! Time and again I am amazed by the countless ways our people step up to the plate to get things done! We can do what we do week in and week out because of the self-less acts of people helping to make a difference in the lives of those around them. To you, the people of Crossroads Community Church, I am honored to be doing life with you. I am honored to be able to serve Christ alongside of you. I am blessed by your love and count it a privilege to share this life journey with you.

Congratulations to all those who were baptized on a cold, rainy day in August. I know it will be an afternoon I will never forget!

Sometimes I...

...cry when putting Chloe to be at night.

...sing in the shower. YES - I said SING!

...drive to Tecumseh just to eat Basil Boy bread for dinner! No lie! If you don't believe me, you've obviously never tried it! I'm a carb-a-holic!

...call my husband during the day at work just to hear his voice.

...ask for advice and then don't take it. I'm very stubborn!

...judge others too quickly and am overly critical of myself.

...see a chick-flick at the movie theatre alone (and eat a large popcorn by myself!)

Who Am I?

I began thinking about this question this week and I wanted to share it with you. I don't know where I'm going with this, quite yet, but hang in there with me....

Am I who I say I am?

I mean, really... am I truly who I say I am? Here's what I would say about me...

I am a Christian.
Do I reflect the love of Christ in my life?

I am a good wife.
Does my love for my husband shine through?

I am a good mom.
Would my child say she is proud to have me as her mom?

I am a learner.
Do I make every effort to continuously learn new things and accept new challenges?

I am good friend.
Do my friends know how much I love them and how much they mean to me?

I am happy person.
Can I demonstrate joy even in the midst of pain and/or trying times?

I want to be able to truly BE who I say I AM. I want the world to look at me and see me the way I see myself. I pray for the ability to always be transparent to those who know and love me. I want to be known as someone who is who she says she is. Reliable, trustworthy, willing, gentle, kind and caring. Is what is in my heart reflected in who you see on the street? I hope so! With God's help I will continue to bridge the gap between who I say I am and who I know I am.

Thanks for letting me babble!

WHAT?!?!

Can ANYONE guess what this is???

Seriously - - there's a Weed Trimmer in it for whoever guesses right first!

:0 LOL!

I Will Be Here

I think I have mentioned before that Trevor and I are part of the Marriage Mentor team at our church. It has been an exciting journey and we are down to our final 2 meetings. Today we will meet with our 3 other Mentor couples for training. We have all been asked to bring our wedding pictures to share with the group. This morning I pulled ours out of storage (even had to wipe the bottom of the box from the dust that has gathered on it) and we began looking through the book - - how funny! We have changed so much over the past 10 1/2 years! We look like kids... but then again, I guess we were!

Looking at these pictures reminded me of how much Trevor and I have changed - but mostly how much we have been changed on the inside. It's amazing how much we two have grown. Grown in our love and with Christ. The journey hasn't always been easy - but there is NO ONE I would rather share my life with than with Trevor. He is the absolute love of my life and I thank God daily for him!

Here is the words to the song that was played during the candlelight ceremony on our wedding day. These words are so appropriate. Time has not changed our love and I look forward to 50 more wonderful years with my husband...

I Will Be Here(Steven Curtis Chapman)

Tomorrow morning if you wake up
and the sun does not appear
I will be here

If in the dark, we lose sight of love
Hold my hand, and have no fear
'Cause I will be here

I will be here
When you feel like being quiet
When you need to speak your mind
I will listen
And I will be here
When the laughter turns to cryin'
Through the winning, losing and trying
We'll be together
I will be here

Tomorrow morning, if you wake up
And the future is unclear
I will be here

Just as sure as seasons were made for change
Our lifetimes were made for these years
So I will be here

I will be here
And you can cry on my shoulder
When the mirror tells us we're older
I will hold you
And I will be here
To watch you grow in beauty
And tell you all the things you are to me
I will be here

I will be true to the promise I have made
To you and to the One who gave you to me

Tomorrow morning, if you wake up
And the sun does not appear
I will be here

Oh, I will be here.

I love you, Trevor!

Recipe FRIDAY!

My family loves pasta of just about any kind. My favorite is Bow Tie Pasta... Trevor's is Penne Pasta... and Chloe's is any kind of spiral or spaghetti noodle. This is a great recipe. Very filling and good for entertaining (which I love to do).

Five Cheese Penne Pasta

Kosher salt
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup crushed tomatoes in thick tomato puree
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano (1 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup shredded imported Italian fontina (1 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup crumbled Italian Gorgonzola (1 1/2 ounces)
2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
1/4 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 pound imported penne rigate pasta
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Bring 5 quarts of salted water to a boil in a stockpot.

Combine all the ingredients except the penne and butter in a large mixing bowl. Mix well.

Drop the penne into the boiling water and parboil for 4 minutes. Drain well in a colander and add to the ingredients in the mixing bowl, tossing to combine.

Divide the pasta mixture among 6 shallow ceramic gratin dishes (1 1/2 to 2-cup capacity). Dot with the butter and bake until bubbly and brown on top, 7 to 10 minutes.

HINT: I would suggest getting the cheese at WHOLE FOODS in Ann Arbor. Great place. If you haven't been there - GO! NOW! It's a bit on the pricey side, but the selections are incredible!!

ENJOY!

Loving Diego!

Meet Diego. He is one amazing little boy! We are truly blessed to have him in our lives!

A little background on our friend... he was born with FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome). He was adopted by my friend, Faythe and her husband, Joe, when he was just a baby. Diego has overcome several obstacles already in his young life. To know him, is to love him. From the moment I met him, I feel in love with him... and, oh yeah, by the way - so did my daughter! That's another story for another blog entry. :)

Today we had the privilege of watching Diego while his mom was at a meeting (can't wait to hear all about it, Faythe!) and his dad was at work. I love days with Diego. He is such a lovable, caring little boy. Spending time with him and being a recipient of Diego's love and affection reminds me of the simple, child-like love that Jesus wants for us to come to Him with. It's an honor to know you, my friend. And my prayer for you is that you will always know how much you are loved, and how much you mean to so many people whose lives you have forever touched.

Now - on to the funny part of this story (dry your eyes, now!)

Chloe was reading Diego a book on the way home tonight. She was very serious as she read about Shanna and her "animals". Diego, being Diego, delights in making people laugh. Literally, he CRACKS me up! This book is a simple rhyming book (most likely way below Diego's reading level as he is an excellent reader!) One of the parts in the book goes something like this... "I rhyme with money, hop, hop, hop... I am a ----" and of course it's bunny! Well - Diego thought it would be funny to say something different (not wanting to state the obvious) so he says... CHICKEN! If that wasn't funny enough (that one got a good snort laugh from me) he says, "Umm... Antelope!" Like what kid thinks of "Antelope!" (Just shows how smart this kid is!) Antelope! Okay - so it doesn't rhyme with money and it obviously was the incorrect answer - but I thought I would die from laughter from this dialog exchange between an eight-year-old and a seven-year old! PRICELESS - -simply PRICELESS.

These are the moments to remember!

Rain, Rain... Go AWAY!

Okay, can I just say it now that I can't stand it when my husband is right and has to say, "I told you so!" This was one of those mornings.

I am on vacation this week and have planned a bunch of day trips with Chloe, my 7-year-old daughter. One of those trips included visiting the waterpark in Ypsi today. It's a sad day because when I woke up this morning - it was POURING. So - no waterpark today. :( Maybe tomorrow.

I guess our grass needs it and our pond has been crying out for rain forever, so all-in-all it's a good thing. We'll just have to be a little more creative in our plans today is all.

Recipe FRIDAY!

I keep forgetting about my 'Recipe Friday' entries! I guess the time just keep slippin' away from me! I can't believe another Friday is upon us! :)

Here is a recipe from one of my favorites, Rachael Ray! Although I haven't actually MADE this yet - - I plan to do so next week (when I am on VACATION!!) Looks delicious!

Flank Steak Pinwheels

1 large flank steak, butterflied along the grain
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces Asiago, shredded
8 ounces curly loose spinach leaves, washed, patted dry, stems removed
6 ounces Gorgonzola, crumbled
4 scallions, left whole
8 to 10 wooden skewers, soaked in water

Preheat grill or grill pan to high.
To butterfly the flank steak, start with the meat grain running up and down in front of you. With your knife, begin cutting the meat in half. Essentially, you want a thinner, larger flank steak. Continue cutting the flank steak in half until you reach about 1 inch from completely cutting through. Lay the cut flank steak open and even out the middle so there is not a thicker piece in the center. Or just ask the butcher!

Spread the flank steak out so that the grain is running left to right. Begin layering the flank steak with salt and pepper, the Asiago, then the spinach, the Gorgonzola and scallions. Begin rolling the flank steak tightly and away from you. Evenly insert the skewers 1 to 2 inches along the seam of the pinwheel to hold it together on the grill. Cut in between each skewer but not against the skewer; you want the same amount of meat on either side of each skewer. Grill the pinwheels on each side for about 3 to 4 minutes or until your desired doneness.

As my good friend, Rachael, would say... YUM-O!
(Okay, I don't actually KNOW Rachael Ray - but I do know I want to be her when I grow up!) :)
Summer's almost over, people - - - this is a great one for the grill!

Tooth Fairy - - where are you???

Okay - so I have to be the world's worst mom... ever! My daughter lost her third tooth last week. Well - it was actually on Friday and she wanted to put it under her pillow for the tooth fairy to find, but she was having a friend stay the night, so I didn't think it was a very good idea. So - we put it off to the next day - and then we forgot. Then last night we finally remembered -- THE TOOTH! It was still in her camp bag. We got it out, kissed the bag and put it immediately under her pillow. Surely we would wake to find a couple dollar bills under the pillow. :0

Well - can you believe it? The tooth fairy FORGOT US! ;) She just plum forgot the tooth was there and one sad mom had to "explain" to Chloe this morning that it must have been that she couldn't see it very well because it was in a rather larger plastic baggie.

Tonight before going to bed, I watched as Chloe taped the tooth in the baggie to the top of her bed post. "She's SURE to see it tonight!" I heard her say, getting tucked in for the night!

Nice going TOOTH FAIRY! Hopefully she WON'T forget tonight! A little girl is patiently waiting...

When God Goes Silent!

I don't know how many other people struggle with this same thing, but I know I have had a hard time lately always hearing from God. I know in my heart that there are many reasons I don't always hear what God is telling me. For instance.. all the noise in our lives keeps us to hearing from God... the media, the busyness, the static, the gadgets, the music.. all of the demands of our hectic lives. And then there are some times when we just don't listen. Have you ever done this? Asked God repeatedly to "Show you a sign" or "Give you an answer" to a situation and you just don't seem to get a clear answer? I have always told God that I'm not very good with discernment. I mean, it's just not one of my God-given gifts. So I ask for a big, bold, blinking sign. You know - the big OPEN signs that are neon pink and flashing? THAT'S what I need, God! And yet sometimes, I believe He's prepared to answer, yet I won't KEEP QUIET or BE STILL long enough to let Him do the talking and truly listen.

So - I've been thinking a lot about this lately and read something yesterday that really hit home for me. It was this:

"It is possible that when God goes silent... it's because He's up to something!"

This illustration was given in a sermon that I was watching the other day online...

You have a two-year-old who is always breaking things around the house. He spends most every day running through the house screaming at the top of his lungs and breaking things whenever and wherever he can. But do you ever notice - it's when your two-year-old is "silent" that you actually have reason to be alarmed that it's because he's "up to something".

We need to think about this the next time God goes silent in our lives... just maybe it's because He's "up to something"... Get ready!

Believe Me Now

So, I was at lunch today and decided to eat in my car. Needed time to sit and think and talk to God. Can I just say that God AMAZES ME! Every day - He amazes me! As I was praying and thinking over some things going on in my life right now, this song came on the radio and I was, once again, overtaken and simply amazed by His love...

I watch you looking out across the raging water
So sure your only hope lies on the other side
You hear the enemy that's closing in around you
And I know that you don't have the strength to fight
But do you have the faith to stand and...

Believe Me now
Believe Me here
Remember all the times
I've told you loud and clear
I am with you and I am for you
So believe Me now
Believe Me now

I am the One who waved my hand and split the ocean
I am the One who spoke the words and raised the dead
And I've loved you long before I set the world in motion
I know all the fears you're feeling now
But do you remember who I am? Do you..

Believe Me now
Believe Me here
Remember all the times I've told you loud and clear
I am with you
And I am for you
So believe Me now
Believe it's true

I never have, I never will abandon you
And the God that I have always been I will forever be
So believe Me now
I am the God who never wastes a single hurt that you endure
My words are true, and all My promises are sure

So believe Me now
Oh, believe Me now

iPhone

My husband's new phone arrived today!! Let me just say - I am SO JEALOUS! This thing is awesome! I told him I was so jealous that he got one that I didn't even want to see what it could do. I lied. He's shown me all kinds of neat things. It's one COOL gadget! Now I want one!

Breaking Free: Cravings

So - this guy spoke during our worship experience last week and he rocked the house. He usually does. :) We are currently in a series entitled, Breaking Free, and he spoke on Cravings. It was really interesting to think about what ARE the things we crave and why? For some people it may be that their craving attention, for others, maybe material things and for some of us (me included), it could be more simple things - like coca cola.

Anyway - it got me thinking about all the things I crave. Here is the shortened down version of my longer list of cravings...

Chocolate
Coke (NOT diet, the fully-leaded stuff!)
Acceptance
Kitchen Gadgets (LOVE stores like IKEA, can't stay away!)
More hours in the day!
Grace
Ice Cream (Spotted Cow anyone?)
More time alone with God

Okay, there they are... just some of my personal cravings in no particular order.

What do you crave?

DNA Test

So, I took this test the other day and found out what my Personal DNA is.. I am an Advocating Visionary. If you have some time - take this test! It's a little lengthy, I've gotta warn ya, but it's fun. The results were pretty right on for me, I think!

Day Off!

Gotta love a day off in the middle of the week! Really breaks up the week. :)

Yesterday, I spent the day with my wonderful mom! We took a day off "just because"... mainly just because we needed some time together. Although she lives right here in my same hometown, we don't see each other as often as we should. Life gets busy and before you know it, weeks have passed and I realize I haven't seen her. Sure - we talk all the time and email back and forth a lot, but it was really nice to be able to connect with her and spend some good, quality time with her.

Our day began with a trip to IKEA. This place is awesome. I bought some things I am sure I didn't need - but wanted. :) Mom had never been there, so it was nice to see her experience IKEA for the first time. Then we headed to Ann Arbor for lunch at this place. Since my last visit here with Trevor back in May, it has now become my new favorite restaurant!!! YUM-O! Let me just tell you - if you plan to eat lunch there, don't plan dinner that night! I was still full at 7 p.m.! Definitely do the salad bar, too. It's SO worth it! The only down side to our visit here was that it was Ann Arbor's Art Fair - so traffic was pretty bad.

After lunch, we headed to Whole Foods. Love this place! But can I just say right now that I literally spent a small fortune on Michigan Sweet Cherries. $3.99 a pound! Now - they were the BEST cherries I have ever eaten - but I was in shock when it was the only thing in my cart and my total came to $10.93!! YIKES! My family thanked me when I got home, though, and we spent some time before bed relishing in their sweet goodness! :)

After Whole Foods Market, we visited Bed, Bath and Beyond. Please tell me how you can be a big shopper like my mom and have NEVER visited this glorious store before??? Another first for mom and again, spent money on things I am sure I didn't need. :0

What a great day! I so enjoyed having the opportunity to be with my mom and I'm ready for another day off like this again! :) Where are those darn Vacation Request Forms anyway...

Love this!

This is a site that I visit quite a bit and this is a blog that I read every day. This guy is amazing and his church blows me away! He's a real man of God and I have been so encouraged by what I have learned through his teachings.

Here is something that I wanted to share with you that Steven recently said in one of his teachings entitled "Most of the Time I am Scare to Death" in his current series, "Confessions of a Pastor." This is great stuff and if you get a chance - you need to watch it online...

He says, "There is a situation that you are the solution to... Before you were ever born, God decided there were certain people he wanted you to impact."

Wow - I know I need to be constantly reminded of this. It's so easy for me to fall into the "why I am really here" trap. Countless times I have questioned God's purpose for my life - as I am sure you have too. It's easy to do. But as I have had time to process this statement... "There is a situation that YOU are the solution to"... I feel an overwhelming sense of peace and encouragement. I have been designed BY God FOR God's purpose. Hearing this segment today has reminded me who is in charge of my life and that there is, in fact, a situation that I am the solution to.

Thanks, God, for getting my attention today!

Elvis is dead?

So - we were at home last week watching one of my newest favorite shows - The Next Best Thing on ABC. If you haven't seen it - it's a good one to watch! It's on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. The show highlights celebrity impersonators and I'm telling ya - some of them are out of this world!

My daughter, Chloe, and I love to watch it. Truthfully, I am not sure what excites her about it - most of the talent that is performed is from no one she knows. We've watched look-alikes of Dolly Parton, Cher, Robin Williams, Frank Sinatra and Madonna - - she doesn't know any of those people. But there WAS someone last week she DID know.

There was one incredible performance from someone doing an outstanding impersonation of Elvis Presley. Honestly, who HASN'T heard of Elvis? So - there he is doing his thing on stage when Chloe looks up and says, "Mom - THAT'S ELVIS!!" Smart kid, I thought, but "It's not really him, baby." I replied, "It's just someone acting like Elvis." Quite puzzled, she looked at me and said, "No, mom, that's really him!" Okay, so I have to tell her, right, "No, honey, that's someone just pretending to be him. The real Elvis is dead." Her response was hilarious... "WHAT? Elvis is dead?????? When did this happen?" She was really distraught over the death of someone she never knew who died 23 years before her birth! WOW! Out of the mouths of babes!!

Recipe Friday!

Back from vacation and back to Recipe Friday! :) This one is as simple as simple can get - but it's proven to be a crowd pleaser anywhere I take it. Great for summer time picnics!

Super Easy Fruit Salad
1 pint of strawberries diced into bite-sized pieces
4 bananas sliced into bite-sized pieces
1 lb. Green Grapes (usually cut in half)
1 lb. Red Grapes (usually cut in half)
5 Kiwi Fruit diced into bite-sized pieces
1 Can of Peach Pie Filling

Cut up all of the fruit and place into a large bowl.
Add Peach Pie Filling to the fruit and mix well.
Place Saran wrap on the bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
(note: I like to eat it after it's been chilled overnight.)

YUM-O and very simple! Almost no one ever guesses that it's peach pie filling! :) You can even get the low-sugar and it's still great! :)

Enjoy!

Thanks!

Thanks, God, for today. Thanks for loving me, for watching out for me and thank you for your continued grace and mercy you show me! I am in awe to look around and see all of the wonderful things you are doing in and through me. Here are the things I thank you for today...


1.) The air I am able to breathe.

2.) My health and the health of my family.

3.) My wonderful husband whom I am honored to share my life with.

4.) My beautiful, amazing now 7-year-old daughter, whom I am proud to be able to mother.

5.) My job. Thank you for allowing me to come to work each day with a heart to serve you and the others in this wonderful church.

6.) My friends who continue to love me, support me and encourage me.

7.) My parents. Thank you, God, for blessing me with two of the most amazing people on the planet earth!

8.) My home - for shelter and safety. God, I love coming home every day!

9.) My dog. For his companionship and loyalty. I learn from him every day how to be a better person.

10.) Most of all, God, I thank you for sending your son to die upon a cross for ME. I am awestruck by your amazing love, your mercy, your grace, your guidance, your patience and your presence in my life. Thank you!

Vacation Recap Days 4 and 5

Okay, so I am thoroughly convinced that Pennsylvania is the Pizza Hut capital of the world! It was amazing how many Pizza Hut's we ran across while we were in this glorious state! It was nuts! Now - Trevor keeps telling me that I'm nuts (I already knew that) and that there really weren't that many - but I swear to you that there was one on every corner we drove past! At least it seemed that way to me!

Day 4: June 28, 2007

Boy was I sore when I woke up on this day! Climbing up and down that water park play structure all day on Wednesday completely wore me out! Let's just say that even though I can still ACT like a 7 year old - I still FEEL like a 60 year old after a day like that! Oh well - it was such a good time I wasn't too worried about the pain in my knees and my achy-breaky back!

It has been one of mine and my husband's goals to get to Philadelphia one day to eat at one of the two famous Philly cheese steak joints. We watched a special on the Food Network a year or so ago that highlighted both places - Gino's and Pat's in downtown Philly and we knew at that moment we had to go. We are both big Cheese Steak fans. So - we decided to incorporate a stop to Philly in our family vacation. (Okay - nothing like letting the food be your guide!) :)

Once off the toll road just outside of Philly, we asked the booth attendant where to get the best cheese steaks in town and his reply was, "I'm a Gino's kinda guy myself." So - we took his advice and got directions.

The directions seemed easy enough - - this street to that street until you get downtown and then it's on the corner of 5th and this other street. How hard can that be? WELL - let me just tell you right now that after 2 and a half hours of driving - we saw more of downtown Philly than we ever care to see again. The town consists mostly of one way streets - so to get anywhere will frustrate the pants off you! Let's just say that we were just about to our breaking point when we finally found it!

Gino's and Pat's are rival cheese steak joints just opposite each other in the heart of the city. What amazed me was the people lined up for cheese steaks at nearing 2:30 in the afternoon. My guess is that it's like that most of the time around there.

We decided to stop at Pat's first. They are known as "The King of Steaks." Trevor and I split a steak and a drink. It was good. But what was more amazing is the sign that hung out front that described, in detail, how to order your steak. Now we were specifically told before even going to Philly that you NEVER place your order by saying, "I would like to get a Philly Cheese Steak." Um - DUH! You're in Philly, dude! Here is how you order (in slang), "Whiz Wit" or "Whiz Witout." That's it. Whiz Wit means you want it with Cheese Whiz (no other way but this way since it's the original way) with onions. Whiz Witout means you want it with Cheese Whiz and NO onions. Simple stuff folks. So - we were then able to order with confidence what we wanted and sounded like we knew what we were doing at the same time!

So - we decided to head to Gino's for a comparison. I've got to tell you - hand's down - Gino's was the best! This steak was juicy and buttery and just plain delicious! Notin' like it! Grab some napkins if you go, though, those things are messy, but well worth the greasy arms!

After leaving Philly we decided to head to the coast to see what we could find. This would mean crossing into New Jersey - or Jersey as we've been told to call it. So much slang to remember!

We landed in Long Branch, which is one mighty fine city right on the Atlantic Ocean. What a beautiful city! We literally passed mansion after mansion. It was amazing! We wondered what these people did for a living. It blew my mind!!

We ended up at a Resort right on the water called Ocean Place. This place was awesome WITH a pretty awesome price tag I might add! YIKES! Good thing we were only in for a night! This place was an all-inclusive resort complete with 2 pools, spa, tennis courts, private beach area, restaurant and a shopping center. The only bad thing was that it was overcast most of the time we were there - so that Atlantic wasn't very clear - but it was so nice just to sit on the beach for a bit and relax. There's nothing on this planet like sitting on the shore listening to the sound of waves crashing in! Nothing!

After some swimming and some relaxation and a good dinner, we were ready for bed. Another great day!

Day 5: June 29, 2007

Before leaving Jersey, we visited the beach again, picked us up some sea shells (that's a must) and ate a good lunch practically right on the water.

We knew we wanted to head closer to home and stay for probably one more night somewhere... but we just didn't know where the car was going to land us.

Now without offending anyone who may be reading this who is actually FROM Jersey - I have to just say one thing. 95% of the people we encountered in Jersey were just down right rude. I'm not sure what it is about living in in that particular state that makes them so grouchy - but I can tell you it's something. Even though I enjoyed my stay - I'm not ready to head back there anytime soon.

So - leaving the great state of Jersey, we decided to head back though Pennsylvania.

We landed in the Pocono's! What a pretty place! After a little bit of sight-seeing, it was pretty obvious where we were going to be staying! Chloe can spot a Great Wolf Lodge from a mile away! It was pretty much a no-brainer when we got closer that THAT was going to be the place to stay. We've been to Great Wolf in Traverse and ever since, our family has been hooked. There's just something about a gigantic indoor water park that tops off a week-long vacation! We enjoyed it so much - that we decided to stay for an additional night! I think what we really needed was that one extra day to do nothing. Just lay by the pool! That's it! After all the driving we did - we just needed that!

So - it was home on Sunday evening - and we rolled into town a little after 7 p.m.

It was one memorable vacation and I am blessed to have a wonderful home, family and friends to come back to!

Vacation Recap Day 3

Day 3 of vacation: Wednesday, June 27, 2007
So - of course this day had to be it's own stand-alone day. For one, it was the craziest day on vacation and for two, it was my daughter, Chloe's, 7th birthday!

For her "gift", we decided to spend the day at the new attraction at Hershey Park called, The Boardwalk. This place is the world's largest water play structure in the world... or so they tell us, and we decided to be there on a day that would prove to be the most challenging day on our trip.

The day started out perfect. Slept in a little later than normal... ate a Pay Day (from the night before) for breakfast... nice weather... it was going to be a great day!

At around 10:30 a.m. we arrived at Hershey Park. Did I mention that The Boardwalk is located in the very center of Hershey Park? Trying to wade through thousands of people to find the water in smoldering temperatures well past 95 degrees was and IS NOT my idea of a good time. I'll admit, I'm a baby. I just wanted to BE IN THE WATER for heavens sake. It felt like it was taking days to get there.

FINALLY - we arrived at the water park. Ooh - now I was getting excited. You would have thought it was my birthday or something!

We decided to rent one of those lockers. You know - the tiny ones that used to cost something like $.25 at Cedar Point (at least that's what I remember the cost being not too long ago!) Once we arrived, there were only small ones left. That was fine, I thought. I can shove everything in to fit! BUT THE COST OF THIS TINY BOX WAS $13!!! I was blown away! You've got to be kidding me? Everything in my bag, including the bag itself, wasn't worth $13. I'd have been better off risking someone ripping me off! For goodness sakes! BUT - we got a locker anyway - didn't really have a choice in the matter, I guess.

After putting everything away, we headed for the water park! Let me just tell you. If you EVER get the chance to go out to Hershey - - VISIT THE BOARDWALK! It's worth every penny you pay for the tickets to get in! TRUST me! A little overwhelming at first (there's just so much to see!) but it's a FLAMING good time! I've never laughed so hard in my whole life. And slides! Those slides were something else! I went down 3 different ones. I have to admit, I was a little nervous at first. I mean, could parents really go down slides? Was I too big to get in? Would I look silly? I was on vacation for crying out loud - WHO CARES! I went for it and I'm glad I did. I felt 7 all over again.

Well into the fun, clouds started forming in the sky and you could tell a storm was a brewing. BUMMER! I was one disappointed mama, let me just tell you right now! Because of the storm and the thunder, everyone had to be escorted out of The Boardwalk. They called it a level 2 storm - which, I later learned, is just fancy wording for a storm including thunder and lightning. We were told, by Pennsylvania residents, to wait it out for a half hour and the storm would blow over... evidently, they always did.

So - we waited. Great idea I had - - let's wait underneath this nice little tree. The key word here being "little". Needless to say - it didn't even COME CLOSE to keeping us dry. At one point Chloe decided to forget about trying to stay dry and she proceeded to dance in the rain! It was wonderful - and definitely a highlight of our whole trip. There is just something magical about dancing in the rain. We should all learn by the children and dance in the rain more often!

After waiting it out under the tree for about an hour, the rain finally stopped and people started to emerge from their coverings. It was like time stood still when it rained and everything stopped. Once the rain ended... it was as if a button had been turned back on and everything was up and running as normal. ALL EXCEPT for the water park! The rules for safety at The Boardwalk say that the park will only resume once the storm has passed and has completely ended 30 miles in any direction. We decided to stand back in line to wait for the park to re-open. This was like waiting for paint to dry! Talk about exhausting - - and HOT!! ARRGH! You could actually see people dropping like flies from the line. It was getting too hot for the little ones to sit out in the blazing sun much longer. Chloe managed to make herself a little hut on the cement with 2 damp towels. It was the only way she could stay cool.

After waiting in that terrible line for well over an hour and a half - they FINALLY opened back up the park doors! And WE were one of the first ones in!! YEAH! FINALLY - water!!! So - for the next 45 minutes - we were in pure bliss! Water to cool us off... slides to play on! This was what I called a vacation! THEN - - it happened again! Forty-five short minutes after entering the water park for the second time, a storm came up again and whistles blew calling everyone back out! That was it! We couldn't take anymore. We were out of there! Too much drama for one day! There was just no way we could wait another 2 hours or more to get back in the water. It was getting ridiculous. So - we decided to head for our lockers and get dry. Well - at least we would attempt to get dry!

Once all dried off, we headed to the amusement park side to ride some rides. Chloe was able to get in a few rides and even went on her first "big" ride all by herself - - the Swings! You should have seen her face! It was priceless! She was amazed at how high you went - and even more than that I was amazed I watched the whole thing! I was more scared than she was, I'm sure of it.

And then - the rain came... again. Rides shut down... again.

By this time, we were just purely exhausted. We were tired of fighting the rain. Tired from all the sun and just ready to be in a dry bed with dry clothes! So - we headed for the front of the park... popping in and out of stores every 2 minutes when buckets of rain would attack us.

Looking back on it - it was a great day! What we learned from the day was this: Some of life's greatest moments emerge from unpleasant circumstances. We didn't let the rain ruin our day - - we made our own fun and laughed anyway! It was a great day filled with great family memories that we will share for years to come. I was grateful to be spending a day like that with my two favorite people on this planet! Thank you, God, for life's little treasures like rain dancing on a Wednesday afternoon!

Day 3 Highlights:
Dancing in the rain
Sliding down the water slides with Chloe
Watching Chloe ride on her first big ride
Spending time with family!

Stay tuned for days 4 & 5!

Vacation Recap Days 1 and 2

Oh how I love vacations. Oh how I loathe vacations. Can both of these be true? They are for me! Our family doesn't take vacations very often. It just never happens for us. Trevor's job has put the brakes on them for the most part. Having worked contractual jobs most of our married life, vacations taken - were without pay - so we just didn't do them. But let's face it - we all NEED a break every now and then. A break preferably that includes eating, sleeping in late, eating some more, resting, did I mention eating, swimming and catchin' some nice rays?! The part that, well, pretty much stinks about the whole vacation thing, is coming back. Yes - coming back to reality. Coming back to all the bills shoved in your mailbox. Coming back to piles on your work space in your office. And coming back to the dreaded laundry. Darn things won't clean themselves.

Since this was indeed one of the longest vacations we have taken, I have decided to break it up into 4 parts... Days 1 and 2, Day 3, Days 4 and 5 and Day 6. Yep - 6 nights, 7 days and lots to talk about... so here we go.

My wonderful, creative (oh, and handsome) husband, Trevor, has this theory that he still stands by after this vacation is over... DON'T MAKE PLANS - DON'T MAKE RESERVATIONS - - just GET IN THE CAR AND GO. While I will admit that this is fun most of the time, some of the time it is just down right frustrating. I go along with it, though - - hey, he's the one driving! I can always kick back, fall asleep and wake up to a new state. Nothing about that you shouldn't like. :)

Day 1: Monday, June 25
Our plans were to leave by 8:30 a.m. We know how "plans" work (maybe Trevor's on to something here). However, after getting the dog to the kennel, packing last minute things, making sandwiches for the long drive the first day, taking back movie rentals and picking up the rental car... we just didn't make it out when we thought we should. So, I think we pulled out of Adrian somewhere around 10:30 a.m. Not good... but not too bad.

Now, I have to clarify something. We DID know that we were headed out east and we DID know that "east" included Hershey, Pennsylvania. Chloe's birthday was on Wednesday, so we did know that we wanted to include Hershey Park as a stop on her actual day. So - that's the direction we headed.

First stop - Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. We rolled in at around 5 p.m. Remember - we had no reservations, so first priority was finding a place to stay. We did just that and then spent some time roaming this cute town. What a place! Loads of history. Now I'm no history buff, but I did enjoy the site-seeing in Gettysburg.
After some sight-seeing, Chloe was anxiously awaiting her time in the hotel's outdoor pool. To be honest, after the 95 degree day - so was I! We hit the pool and then went to bed. Pretty tiring first day, but hey, I could get used to this whole vacation thing! What job?

Day 2: Tuesday, June 26
We signed up for one of the Battlefield Tours on one of those really neat double decker buses. You know, the funny looking ones? The 2-hour tour began at 9 a.m. (glad it wasn't a 3-hour tour.. We might not have made it back :) haha!) By 9 a.m., it was over 90 degrees outside and we decided to sit up top. Nice! Boy was it hot! But I did get some nice sun on my face and arms.
Now how she did this, I will never know, but Chloe actually FELL ASLEEP on the top of that bus! Twice! After each stop I caught her dosing off. It was incredible. Guess that sun just wore her right out, poor thing!
Following the bus tour we went back to the hotel, packed up and checked out. Headed for our next destination.
Now this next destination was my heaven on earth. I know it's going to sound weird, maybe even sick, but this made the entire vacation worth it for me. We visited this place. Okay - I collect them, so I HAD to go! And let me JUST tell you... anyone who collects Boyd Bears HAS to HAS to HAS to visit this place at least once in their lifetime! There is absolutely nothing like it! No kidding. I don't know how long we were there (my guess would be 3 hours) but it was AMAZING. And I STILL didn't see all I wanted to see! $117 later, though, Trevor was convinced that he would carry me out if he had to!
Back on the road....
Next stop: Hershey!
We arrived in Hershey at around 5 p.m. and I am NOT kidding - you can actually SMELL the chocolate when you enter the town! I'm not joking. Trevor kept telling me it was my imagination - but I swear to you, our vents were blowing in the sweet smell of cocoa powder from the first turn into the town.
We decided to check out the hotel that the Hershey Park pamphlet actually recommends called Hotel Hershey. Um.. let me just say this right now... even if they would have HAD rooms available - we wouldn't have stayed there! The room rate was over $450 a night! I don't care WHAT they had available or HOW old and GRAND the hotel was - it was NOT worth taking out a second mortgage on our house! We settled for a Days Inn. MUCH nicer on the wallet!
After arriving to our room and freshening up - we decided to head to Hershey Park to check out Chocolate World. This place is the coolest place! For a chocolate lover - it was my second heaven on earth in ONE DAY!
We bought some chocolate (DUH!), ate some chocolate (DUH!), saw a Chocolate 3D movie and rode the simulated Chocolate ride. Oh and did I mention that we bought even more chocolate after that - because once you are finished with the ride - they dump you into this NEW, HIDDEN chocolate store that has everything in the world chocolate to buy! NICE! Trevor was practically carrying me out of that place, too. VACATIONS are AWESOME when they include Boyd Bears and Chocolate. (don't you poor Trevor me, he enjoyed himself just as much as I did.)
What was the funniest thing about the whole day was that we actually ran into people we knew!!! Now I have been known as the woman who knows everyone everywhere I go - but I didn't know that would still be true over 400 miles away! Yes - it's true. Our Children's Ministry Director, Shari Glass's, kids were visiting their grandparents in Vermont and were there visiting the park on the VERY SAME DAY we were there! How funny was that!? Trevor actually took their picture to prove to Shari that we saw them! I cannot imagine how weird her poor parents must have thought we were!
Following Chocolate World we went to Red Robin to eat and then back to the hotel.
Another great day!

Day 1 and 2 Highlights:
The beautiful ride into Pennsylvania
Gettysburg Tour
Boyd Bear Heaven
Swimming with Chloe and Trevor singing songs and being silly
Chocolate, Chocolate and more Chocolate!

Nothing could have prepared us for Wednesday, though. Stay tuned for more... :)