Thankfulness & Sharing

Noteful November

This month seems like so many things are going on that I am so thankful for the Month of Thankfulness, to remind me of how much i HAVE to be thankful for.

Of course there are the usuals, house, food, warmth, family, all that stuff i am so very thankful for, and really i need to remember to be thankful for every single day of my life.

But something i think i am MOST forgetful about is to be thankful for Jesus Christ and His blood that washed my sins clear so i can one day live with Him again.

Our pastor this weekend gave an amazing sermon, about giving and why we NEED to give. The jest of  it talks about how when we generously give (not just money but our time, services, love, etc)is when we are most like God. I don't know about you but I know I try to be like my sweet Lord but fall so short. Two fellow bloggers are "hosting" a way for us to do this this month and season. Please check them out.

 Mandy at Biblical Homemaking is giving us a way to give of ourselves, and the Holy Spirit this season here  http://biblicalhomemaking.blogspot.com/2011/11/what-will-your-table-look-like-this.html .  I truely truely believe that when we LIVE like Jesus, we are so blessed and people will see those blessings (i'm not talking monetary altho i've know that to happen also) they see our lives and how they are different and they WANT to know what is different about us and WHAT is happening in our lives and that leads to the Lord. His word, His kingdom, His grace, His wisdom - His EVERYTHING -  He is the I AM! I'm signed up for this and I hope that you will at least think about it, and if you aren't comfortable inviting someone into your home, take it to shut ins or something!

Abbie at Five Days Five Ways is giving us a way to give of ourselves, our talents (possibly) and to connect with people through education to Jesus Christ here http://www.fivedaysfiveways.com/2011/11/try-it-tuesday-how-to-save-lifethe-big.html . This is one thing that is so very close to my heart, children. It saddens me to think of children without parents, how does one learn to function? It's through these AMAZING pastors and their families that love Jesus and these kids. Isn't it amazing that just $5,000.00 can build a classroom AND bring Jesus to so many little hearts! "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6 is true, my son went to a private Christian based MDO and Pre-K and when he got to regular school, he CRAVED that Godly influence there daily (we have now installed a daily bible class at HIS request at home).If we reach these little children, they will reach others and improve their lives with the tools that He has given, through education AND Christ!

All the Glory be to God! and as my sweet boy, cor sayd "Sharing IS caring!"

In His Wisdom & Love,

Michelle

Five Things Thursday Linky Party {#5}—My Favorite Color

Five Things Thursday Linky Party {#5}—My Favorite Color

This is gonna be a skimpy one, I'm still trying to figure out all this schedule stuff b/t working, kindergarten, volunteering, taekwondo and normal house/mommy/wife stuff. WHY were we created to need more than 4 hrs of sleep? Seriously I could get just about everything done daily if i didn't NEED 7 hrs to function with a nasty attitude and 8-9 to be cheerful working. And everyone   ahem, I, would like to be the cheerful worker.

It's that time again for Linky Party 5 things over here @ http://www.fivedaysfiveways.com/2011/11/five-things-thursday-linky-party-5my.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FiveDays5Ways+%28Five+days...5+ways%29

and well i'm a day late and a dollar short (isn't that how it always goes?!) i digress, on with the post:

have you guessed my favorite color by now? if not i'll give you a hint - you're looking at it, lol!!

here are some things that i absolutely luv to find in this color and any shade is great to me:

no i do not have a sweet lil baby to wear this, but i seem to have an issue with knowing sizes of friend's babies so i'm gonna list this one to sale as i'm about 6 months too late for my friends sweet baby girl to wear.

these are one of my most comfortable pairs of shoes i own, i have no idea if it is because they are purple or coach. i thrifted these for $7 and let me tell you they have almost had me buy full retail $149 shoes because of the comfort they offer. but my thrifter soul would never recover from that trauma!

i totally <3 (don't u wish they had emoticons on here? i surely do!) this shirt the back is like terry cloth fabric and the front is like a woven linen that is rusched. its almost PJ comfortable - u know what i'm talking about?! and it was thrifted for $4 (dats right four smackeroos, deniros, 16 quarters (ooooo i like that makes it sound like an even better deal)) can one even have paranthesis within a paranthesis??

and jewels hello my darlings, purple AND jewels i think i just died and went to heaven! this counts for two. i just lurve my medillion necklace and that gallery worthy piece to the left is courtesy of my sweet sweet boy from MDO for Mothers Day last year. He "put lots of purple beads because i know you luv purple but there werent any shiny or glitter purple beads." *squishy heart*

Yes that is my 5 Linky party post (late) sorry! Hope y'all have a wonderful blessed weekend!

In His Luv and Wisdom,

Michelle



Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween!!

I hope and pray that everyone has a safe and happy Halloween! Get lots of candy and enjoy all those jack-o-lanterns. Be like that candle and be the light that is spoken about in the Bible. "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden." Matthew 5:14.

In His Luv and Wisdom,

Michelle



Five Thing Thursday Link Up @ Five Days Five Ways

GOOOODDD MMMOOORRRRNNNIIINNNNN THUUURSDAY!!!

If you can't tell I'm in such a great mood today, we are supposed to get a C-O-L-D front in tonight. And here in the deep "Piney Woods of East Texas" (i was corrected by hubby that we are not "Deep South Texas as I've said before that would be more Mexico-ish area but my woman brain said IF we drive 2 hrs downward on a map we can not go any further as we would be in the Gulf of Mexico - yes i have an uncanning ability with directions but i am a hot tamale when it comes to directing and reading maps!) Any -WHO i digress back on trach shell back on track!

The fabulous abbie is having another link up for 5 Things Thursday and this weeks theme is "Simple Things."

On with the show!

this is the stairwell in our house, one reason i choose it is that to me it represent love our whole  family is on this wall. Love is one of the most special, simplest, yet least given things today. When  I talk about that I'm saying the purest, deepest, it-just-hurts-to-think-about-how-much-i-luv-u love, that kind of luv is complex but yet really simple to give. Some people vehemently disagree with me and say that that kind of luv should be earned. but to them I say, Did our creator, our Father make us "earn" that kind of love from Him? I know I sure didn't but i know that with every fiber of my being that He loves me in that way. How could one think He doesn't He gave up His one AND only precious son to die for us so that we may have ever lasting life with Him. All we have to do is accept that luv. I'm so blessed that Jesus' blood has truely washed my sins white as snow.

Sorry I still can't figure out how to turn pix!!

This is my most favorite coffee cup ever and it represents TWO simple things - i have a simple pleasure of a cup o joe with my best friend, God, and some talk and reflection time. Right now in my mom class we are doing Beth Moore's Study of Proverbs. And in one part she talks about 1 Peter 5:7 "Cast your cares upon the Lord, for he cares about you." she says that we are to throw these cares and anxieties to our Saviour, not just lob them over to him but throw it like you did when you were a kid playing hot potatoe, get-down-on-your-knees calling out His name throwing. I know that I always feel better after my coffee and reflection time.

Sorry for the horrible issue with the pix I don't know how to turn or college them.....

This is representitive of my family, I luv the fact that most my family lives within a 20min radius.  We are such a close family, when my Papa and Meme were alive we would just all end up over at their house without any type of plan. And visit for hours and hours, i was 6 months pregnant with Cor when Papa passed away, but I have to say I think somehow that luv that my Papa had for his family was passed down to him. He so so SO family oriented and cor is the same, he wants us to all live in the same house, his cousins are brother and sister cousins, and he can't stand it when the party is over! His favortie TV show is not cartoons or anything like that it's 19 Kids and Counting! When i ask him why he says, "They always show caring about one another and there are so many sissies and bubbies!" (one can see why i have such a huge, complex guilt about my infertility.)

The simple thing  is the childhood innocense of *knowing* that you look the most awesome of all time before going swimming in the middle of August at dusk.

I hope that you guys will link up with Abbie over at http://www.fivedaysfiveways.com/. You must dig thru her archives too! And then check out her other blog at http://www.secondhandorbarebottom.com/.

Here's the linky button for this link up

In His Luv and Wisdom,

Michelle

Where Has The Time Gone?

This week has been a mix of happiness, sadness, craziness, etc. This week my sweet boy had the end of his 9 weeks of school we will be getting his 1st report card. say what?!?! YES - my boy who is in Kindergarten will be getting a report card. I can't believe that it's already been 9 weeks since school has started! I've been meaning to post all week but well it's not been working out clearly.

This week was his open house, reading night and book fair ALL wrapped into one night. It was kinda crazy but we all loved it all. He luvs his teacher so much that we had to say hello at the very beginning and goodbye at the end. That makes me one happy mamasita since i really really *really* wanted (ok it should still be present tense since i still want to) want to homeschool.

Yesterday on our way home my car started doing some craziness stuff like so crazy we had to take it to the dealership to get it fixed (woohoo for the extended 7 yr, 100,00 mile bumper to bumper warranty with a $50 deductible), and I got a loaner, a minivan,...... If one knows me you know that I thot about, oh one millisecond about buying one a few years ago and then dismissed it. I don't know what has gotten into me the last 6 months or so but I have this urge to try one out. Like Texas sized mosqiuto bite in-the-middle-of-your-back itch to try one, so I requested one but it woulda been an extra fee to "upgrade" to that. So i said no thanks car is fine, we guess what? yeppers they had ONLY minivans left, lol! I am a convert. Yes you heard it right I'm converted to minivans. Now i really really want one, but only if I can sell my car now and pay for one up front (used is totally fine) or very low payments that I could double up on to pay it down faster. There is so much room in them its like having a mini-motorhome as cor calls it. He said we just need to get a mattress for the back, and we can sleep in it, haha.

This is the sweet thang I've fallen in luv with.

This week is their bookfair, and well, one of my favorite sections at Goodwill is the booksection. I luv that I can get a book for about 85-90% off the retail price. So while I absolutely and happily have sent him to school with money for the bookfair every day, my thrifting heart is crying, LOL! Not really but it did sound good, ha! It's things like this that makes me realize just HOW big he is getting and that he is turning into a little boy/manchild. I know that God entrusted them to us to teach them how to grow, be independant and all, but I just wish I had a pause button somedays ok ok MOST days. The old saying "The days are long, but the years are short" is so very very true.

Hope that everyone is having a great week so far! I would like to ask you to raise some family and friends up in prayer for me. My neice, Bree, who is by far one of the strongest persons i know just had hip surgery yesterday. Please pray a successful surgery and pain relief. A friend of mine from church, Sylvia, had a brain tumor that they did chemo and radiation on, she has finished all the treatments and goes for her followup appoint and mri tomorrow. Please pray for complete healing. One of my family friends has one of her kids in the hospital with broncial issues. please pray for completely and quick healing and wisdom for the doctors.

In His Luv and Wisdom.

Michelle

Findy Friday!

Hello and Good Friday Morning to Y'all!!

If you know me at all, you know that I have a love affair with Goodwills, and it rund deep! If you don't know me, I hope u will stay, read and enjoy a cup o joe with me! One learns quickly how deep the luv is when your son yells from the backseat, "Momma, There's a goodwill are we gonna stop?!" AND he doesn't know how to read yet, he just recognizes the GW smiley face. sorta like how much I lurve Target, he's called it Popcorn Store since he was old enuff to talk and when he would see the red bulleyes. ahem, but that's another post all togather!

Anywhoo - on to Findy Fridays, just wanting to show a glimpse of some of the great finds I found the last couple weeks  ok ok fine just last week. without further adew (is that how its spelled or would that be spelt? yes i have a very wondering mind)

'

We luv the book section esp. since he started kindergarten this year and they are supposed to be reading by Christmas break (seriously!! i remember getting a good citizenship award not learning to read in K). These little boogers can set you back some seriously dough @ $4 a pop, well we hit the mother load the other day @ $.50 a piece. You see that little green do-hicky thing in the middle thats a tag pen, you are supposed to be able to run it over the books that go along with it and it helps them sound out the words and read. It normally run $25, it was $1! Seriously peeps, that 1/25th of the original price (did I dazzle you with my AH-MAY-ZING math skills there?! ;D) It didn't have any of the books to check that it worked but for that kinda savings i'm more than willing to take that risk.



These little babies are mind for the keeping! They are the perfect size (width and all and with my feet that is a feat! haha math skills AND some literary commentary) and they are naturalizers, peep toes AND wedges *swoon*. i wish i knew how to rotate the pix for a better lookies. They normally retail for $60, a similiar style is on sale at naturalizer's website for $30, so my $6 investment sounds pretty good to me!

 

This little beauty caught my attention immediately, Fossil is an amazing brand. The leather is so soft, it feels like its been aged for years. I can only find one similiar on ebay for $20, i got this for $5.

And this sweet little jacket was too too sweet to pass up, no i do not have a girl, nor do any of my friends have a girl that wears a 3T (although if i did i would totally gift it to them just so i could see a sweet pea wearing it!). So I thought it might be a good find to start my "thrifting to resale" stuff. Its from Pete's Partners, A Good Lad Company, their new pea coats w/ hat retial for $40, their vintage ones even more. This was $3 so I figure $15 starting price is fair for everyone.

Well thats it for my Findy Friday (at least until tonight where there is a gw very close to my son's Tweakowndo class) ;D.

In His Luv and Wisdom,

Michelle



the Linky Button

Here's the linky for the fabulous abbie's 5 things thursday. i have no idea how to add it to my sidebar so its in a post form, lol!

5 Sweet Things

Well, over at http://www.fivedaysfiveways.com/ she is having a  Five Things Thursday Linky Party and I'm going to *attempt* to link up!

If you know me, you know that tech and i have a love/hate relationship, i luv it - it hates me.

This week's theme was sweet things and our interpretation of it, well you know me so you know it involved my #1 thing of sweetness, my bugs!

hello, to my sweet boy everyone - this was a little over 5 yrs ago and this was his 1st bday party, him and cake how much sweeter can you get?

We have a yearly tradition, we go to an area iconic restaurant thats been around since the 1950's, have breakfast, coffee and spend the day looking for our yearly family ornament and ornaments for family for gifts drink some starbucks (yes I allow him coffee and have since he was 2ish it calms him). The restaurant has an old-timey photo booth and he takes a couple pictures and we put them in our holiday cards.

We were at Natural Bridge Caverns in San Antonio - total unpaid plug - TAKE YOUR CHILDREN- do it all ESP. the drive thru safari buy each person a bag of food, just sayin ;D. Do the bagged mining in the gift shop and IF your kids are old enuff the actual caverns. He was too young here, but my parents recently took all the grandkids and he had an AH-MAY-ZING time! This is a normal picture photo-op, Daddy teaching him something and him wanting to be just like Daddy. Make my heart go *squishy*. I'm so blessed with the man that God made just for me and gave me. He is the best hubby and daddy I could ever ask for.  I wish I could give him more children to teach and love and guide to Christ.

Here we are at Santa's Wonderland in College Station, we luved it. Be warned get there super super SU-PRA early, or be prepared to wait....a long time in line. This year we are gonna pack a picnic dinner, lay all the seats down in the Journey, put blankies down and watch the DVD player and have dinner until they open. The lights are one of the most awesome things i've seen. and then they have a few shops to browse and spend out the nose, hot coco or cider, a camp fire with hay bales where a band plays Christmas songs that kids and adults can sing with.  Photos with santa and REAL made-in-a huge kettle cauldron kettle corn popcorn.    one of my weaknesses - do not believe my hubby if he tells you i ate the whole bag - it was only 3/4's, lol!

This is him just a week ago, totally NOT afraid of his cousins FB team mascot - *H-U-G-E* step for him and momma....yes yes i know i'm supposed to like him growing up and technically i do but i also miss his little guy ways (aka needing me) lol!

And this is him just a few days ago before his first Taekowndo class. He is so happy, excited and proud of himself. I can't believe my sweet, miracle boy is now this little big boy that is so independant and can accomplish whatever he sets his mind to! I'm blessed beyong measure.

Thanks for stopping by and reading. And yes i know i have 6 pix but i just couldnt help myself.

In His Wisdom,

Michelle

All Things New and Old

Wow, it's been so crazy its amazing how fast this year has past. We've had so many things happen, sometimes it's hard to wrap my head around it all sometimes!

Well, first off we moved from big country house to a smaller city house, and that's when everything almost felt like things got outta control. If you hail from my age range of the old school Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with Gene Wilder, you know that part where they go on the boat ride and that swirly swirl starts going and going and going. Yea, um well that's been our life.

First, we had all the holidays and the travel with it. Then my father in law got pnuemonia and that made his luekimia and prostate cancer go outta control, he ended up passing away about 2 months after he got sick in February 2011. At the time we were traveling every weekend to help jeff's mom and sister out and spend as much time as we could with G every weekend. After all that we decided it was best to move back to our big country house, it was best for our entire family AND I didn't realize how much I missed it, plus it had never sold, heck with everything we never even got to get it on the market. So we moved back home just 8 months after moving out (this made me wonder how people handle moving every 2 yrs or so, I feel sorry for them)!

So know my baby has started KINDERGARTEN, yes i wrote that in all caps, because i still can't believe it! i miss my cuddle bug time with him when he was in preschool and he would be so tired but wouldn't take a nap unless momma would lay down with him. (of course i would happily oblige ;D) He just started Taekwondo, yesterday was his first lesson, he is so excited and eager to learn. I'm truly liking how much he luvs school and class and all.

well, that's about what I can think of right now. I'll be back tomorrow, I'm trying to think of some ideas for different days for my blog like some wonderful blogs i follow.

Hope to see you back tomorrow!

yes - if you can't tell he is our world, lol!

Getting Back on Track

Well, it's been over a year now since I started that "blog" thing, and after two posts I petered out. Yes, that's me unfortunately! BUT i stumbled across a wonderful blog that had a link to a tutorial and free templates. and i thot that would make it so much appealing to me (you know there IS a reason this blog is called All That Glitter ;D). so in true Michelle fashion i shall start again .....tomorrow, lol! seriously i will post a new one tomorrow. there is so much going on, so much that has happened, and i'm getting my crafting and decorating mojo back after a self-imposed 6 yr hiatus (thats a whole other blog).