October 31, 2015

"Praying for Boys" ~ End of the Month Wrap-Up

If you have an hour to sit down at your computer and listen to this, here is a link for an awesome Francis Chan sermon from April of this year.  It doesn't have a title about "self control", but I found that the message overall was heavy on self control.  Also has a great message about marriage embedded in the middle!
"I have set before you life and death,
blessing and curse.
Therefore choose life
that you and your offspring may live,
loving the Lord your God,
obeying his voice and holding fast to him,
for He is your life and length of days."

Deuteronomy 31:13

October 23, 2015

Pumpkin Bowlers

Pre-Halloween practice ~ Boo Fest downtown today, where kids dress up in their costumes and go around to local businesses and get candy.
 Amazing how well eyeliner works for make-up!

Pumpkin bowling at the Chewelah Farmers Market!
 Each kid got two bowls, Sawyer didn't hit any pins... 
but Bennett knocked over 9 out of 10 on his first bowl!!!
This is a picture of him celebrating :) :) :)
His 2nd bowl came SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO close to knocking over the last lonely pin for a spare!!!

 They had fun and got to enjoy some delicious cookies from Carolyn at The Bread Box for a treat afterwards.
And inspected a cool bug together too ;)




October 15, 2015

"Praying for Boys": Mid-Month Discussion Question from Brooke McGlothlin



"We all (and I mean ALL) struggle with self-control in some way.  What are your weaknesses?"

October 14, 2015

Catch up time

Buddy B, about a month ago.

Nothing like a spontaneous road trip to spend more time with Daddy!
We drove to Portland on a Monday and stayed until a Wednesday.
Six to seven hour drive, depending on stops... as usual, the boys did great :)
They LOVE hotel rooms and swimming pools and all the junk food they get to eat while on road trips.  It was a really fun time, even though it was a short trip.
I drove the boys over to Vancouver for a couple hours while Erik was in class to visit our old stompin grounds...
...had to get me some of my old favorite coffee from Brewed Awakenings!
And Bennett got to play at the playground he used to play at when he was just a little tike, while Sawyer napped.

Felt like a creeper snapping this picture while I drove by our old apartment in Vancouver!!! LOL
We got to pick up lunch for Daddy and eat with him in the hotel room on his lunch break... then... hotel shenanagins while he went back to class. ;)
Cheap Halloween masks we bought at Target that morning.
Can you say creepy?!!
Movie & nap time :)
(OK- I admit... I took advantage of Dish network or whatever it is they had at the hotel... and I watched my first ever episode of 'Celebrity Wife Swap'... and, well... they kept playing episode after episode after episode... and I got HOOKED! LOL!!!  Such a hilarious show! And you can actually learn something from each episode! Except I can't watch it anymore back in Chewelah... :(  OH well, it was fun while it lasted.)

We had a fun night after Daddy got home from class.  Went back to the swimming pool (duh!), and then Daddy went out and bought some sushi and wine to bring back to eat in the hotel.  It was truly a great day!!!

Headin home the next morning, I had to work on Thursday otherwise we would've stayed longer.
It was a long straight road, ok... I snapped a couple pics while the boys napped ;)
The Oh-so-Gorge-ous Gorge ;)




Heading up to our favorite picnic spot for an evening picnic
together as a family on a beautiful Sunday.
Fall at it's finest!
Fun fun fun!
 (Call me crazy.  I never leave for a picnic without blankies and pillows!
I think Bennett appreciates this fact about his mama!!!)



Sauce takes advantage of our massage table at every chance he gets.


Bennett was imitating what I was doing while making tag blankies one evening :)
Speaking of imitating... an awesome excerpt from my daily devotional this morning:

Webster’s Dictionary defines the word “imitate” as an act, “to do the same thing as someone; to copy.” Our world today gives us no shortage of examples to follow—from magazines and movies, television and social media, to celebrities, athletes, and politicians. Our potential influences are endless. We must be aware that these examples can easily promote a divided heart, drawing us into the desires and deceptions of earthly things, as Paul warned (Philippians 3:19). Temporary things cannot bring long-term contentment (Matthew 6:19-21).
When instead we imitate the ways of Jesus, we are transformed more and more into His likeness. As the Word of Life takes deep root into our minds, hearts, and souls, we are able to live as aliens in this temporal land. We are empowered to stand firm in the pain and mess of life with compassion and love, joyful and expectant of Christ’s return. Instead of merely surviving, we as believers have the joy and privilege of illuminating the character and values of Christ to a world that desperately needs to know Him. By the grace of Christ in us, we become someone to imitate—someone who points others to the hope of the gospel.
-Debbie Eaton-

Definitely not perfect at this yet... 
but getting better and learning new tricks every time I make one!
(front side above, back side below)
These are the two tag blankies I made for my cousin's sweet baby girls!

Here is the one I made for my nephew, Lewis :)
I'm pretty happy with how they are turning out so far...
considering i've never used a pattern or looked up any directions.
Trial and error, that's my life motto I guess! lol...


It's Tiki Time, at the neighbors'!
Margaritas for mama... mmm, love our neighbors... so, SO much :) :) :)
And Bennett learning some woodworking skills!
BONUS- the boys got to go home each with a pumpkin of their very own!  
To carve for "Light Up the Park"!!!


Bennett getting all his drawings from the week taped up on the counter for Daddy to see when he gets home :)
See the pumpkin?!! 
(P.S. please disregard the man on the right... i'm assuming it's a MAN, anyway...!!)

Running errands in Colville on a rainy day.
Actually SUPER refreshing to have a whole day of RAIN for a change!!!
What a dry summer & early fall it has been...

In the spirit of the rainy day... we picked up some paint supplies at WalMart while running errands.  The boys were stoked!

We approve of naked classes in this home-schooling home ;).  
What are you teaching today, Mr. Bennett?!
I guess, "How to Draw a Pumpkin" is today's lesson!


Pooped at the park!  :)


A gorgeous Saturday this past weekend... 
took advantage of it and went to the Cider Pressing at our friends' farm, 
The Front Porch!  (Only about a 15 minute drive from our house in Chewelah)
Go ahead Sauce.. just take a bite out of that delicious apple that we haven't paid for... yet ;)
Our friend Gretchen's Dad showing the boys how the cider press works :)
Both boys LOVED helping turn the crank to squeeze out the fresh cider!!!
I'm one happy Mama :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
(oh and the Packers are 5-0 this season... did I mention that yet?!)  ;)

Bennett's new favorite trick.
He's getting soooooooooo tall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me just being super duper creepy while trying to figure out my Halloween costume for the costume contest at work this year ;)
(and no, I'm not wearing contacts.)

Bedtime shenanagins.


Getting ready to head to the library.
Yes I know everyone says this all the time about all their kids...
but it is so gosh darn true... they grow up so fast... :(

A picture of them from a couple weeks ago, getting to use the "kid computers" at the library together.
The "Story Time" project from the library, also from a couple weeks ago.


Just chillin in our tightie whities.
The End!