Back To School!!

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

This year my daughter went off to middle school and my sons started their 7th grade year. It seems like time is just passing by so fast. It seems like only yesterday they were all just in kindergarten or pre-k. I know most parents can’t seem to wait until summer is over and the kids are back in school, but I am the opposite. I love having my kids at home. I love the sounds of summer, the sounds of sibling rivalry, and the sounds of my own voice “ministering strongly” to them. LOL. Every year when I take them to school, I always shed a few tears…STILL. I thought in the beginning it was just something that I would grow out of as they got older, but the older they get the harder it is to see them go.

I enjoyed watching them grow and mature over the summer into wonderful, loving young people. This year, I just felt compelled to encourage them with a letter instead of just the usually weekly scripture, I wanted them to know how so in love we are with them and to encourage them to be their best :

Dear Taylor, Tyler and Alonis,
We just want you all to know that, this summer, like all other summers with you were amazing. We’ve enjoyed watching you play, laugh, love, argue, pray, worship, eat, and just all out live these last few months. We loved seeing the growth that has taken place right before our eyes both physically and spiritually in your lives.
This year like every other school year will come with its own challenges, but we want you to remember a few things:
1. You are an overcomer… challenges will arise but you have the power to overcome!
2. You don’t have to conform, YOU are the salt of the earth, and YOU are difference makers!!
3. Speak life over yourselves, over your teachers, and over your peers!!
4. Treat others like you would like to be treated!
5. Be respectful to those who have authority over you
6. We love you and we will always love you no matter what, we are here for you so don’t be afraid to come and talk to us about ANYTHING!


“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Love Always- Mom and Dad

5K

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race,
I have kept the faith
(2 Tim 4:7)

I have been training myself to run a 5k since March and the time has finally come. My husband ran with me at my pace so I am thankful to him for that...It was definitely an experience of a lifetime and I look forward to running another one soon. There is one coming up on Aug. 21 but I am not sure if I can handle this heat again. It was sooooo humid and sooooo hot, I got to the end and was throwing up...LOL, yes i got the full race experience...and I also ran a persoanl best time of : 30:33. I hope to next time to either match this time or beat it. Thanks to all the support from my family and friends that kept me motivated to run...

The Forcaster and Me before the run!

Me strectching out the muscles and the nerves!!!

I know my headphones are huge..LOL..but they keep me in a zone and I HATE earbuds, they dont stay in my ears, they are more of a distraction to me.

(IPod Music for 5k: Youthful Praise - Resting on His Promise Album)

At the starting line, giving the kids the thumbs up!! Mom and Dad

are ready to go

Thanks NCBC Fire Dept.

Fire Safety Training

This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.'" (Zechariah 13:9)

For as long as I can remember ever since my kids have been in school , they alway have a fire safety day. They pack a bunch of restless , noisy 4th graders into the gymnasium and proceed to tell them about the dangers of fire. They also talk to them about the importance of having a family meeting place to go to when there is a fire, and how to stop, drop, and roll.

When I told them about going to a fire safety demo, in our cul de sac, they just sort of rolled their eyes like , mom, please, dont make me go out in the heat for that..lol..needless to say, I told them they were going any way..lol. When we got there, they sort of stumbled over to the fire trucks, but once inside the camper they brought, they came out with a whole new attitude. Inside the camper was an actual smoke demonstration. It was setup like a little house with windows, door etc and the kids had to learn what to do in a fire. The firemen pressed a button and the camper filled with smoke, the kids tried to open the windows, the doors, nothing happened, they couldnt see a thing, they had to get on all fours and crawl out, OH how they enjoyed that. Then came the best part learning how to use a fire extinguisher!!!!

Here are the kids getting a lesson on what a fire extinguisher was, and how to use it. Always remember P.A.S.S (P-pull out the pin, A- aim, S- spray, S-sweeping motion)

Here is Alonis going for it....

Taylor going at it......

Tyler going at it....

The kids said, this was the best fire safety they have ever been too...I agree..lol

MilSpouse Fill-In (My 1st one Yayyy)

You can do your own fill in by visiting Wife of a Sailor

1. What is something you wished you’d learned to do earlier in life?
To be consistent....lol.. and finish school. If I had that simple concept, I could be sitting back relaxing right, instead, i relaxed "earlier in life" lol and now play time is ova!!

2.What is your biggest pet peeve with the military?
My biggest issue with the miltary is how they are slow to pay you when they OWE you but when you owe them, they take it all at once and sometimes you dont even know you owe them until after they have docked your pay.! Maybe its only happened to us..:)

3.What tourist attraction near you have you never seen?
The French Quarter. We are stationed an hour from New Orleans, and we didnt even go to Mardi Gras or nothing, or participate in any of the Super Bowl festivities...we are so lame..lol

4.What are you avoiding doing right now?
Homework!!!

5.Wine, beer or liquor?
Neither, I dont drink.

Contentment

11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Phillipians 4: 11-13 NIV)

With the school year getting ready to start and parents hustling and bustling out to the nearest Wal-mart, Dollar Tree, or Office Depot, to get school supplies or to the local mall or a nearby outlet to get there kids all decked out for the "first day of school". I began to think on my own childhood and how when I was growing up, getting new supplies and clothes for school was a big deal. Most kids showed up to school with the lastest clothes, shoes, hairstyles, binders, pens, pencils etc. Kids stayed up putting their outfits together, laying them out on the bed and matching it with the latest shoes and acessories.

I wasnt as fortunate as many of the kids at my school, I grew up with three younger siblings and times were very hard for my family so new clothes was something we rarely got, and we only got the basic and i mean basic supplies for school meaning pencils and paper and maybe a folder. I think i may have had the same back pack all four years of highschool and No...it wasnt a JanSport like everyone elses. I soooo wanted the cool clothes, the Duck Head, Girbaud, Hilfiger, Polo, Guess, Nike, Cole Hann, and the list goes on and on but my wardrobe consisted of mostly of hand me downs and shoes from PayLess or WalMart that were noticebly knock off of the more popular versions...lol..I was mortified most of the time and was never satisfied with what I had. I knew my mom couldnt afford certain things, but it still didnt take away the taste of brand new and brand name things...

Somehow I think that , that discontent, carried over into adulthood and I found myself always wanting more, and then when God blessed me with more, I still wanted more. We got the degree, but now I need a better degree, then we got the promotion, but that still not enough...we just want more more more. Never Satisfied!! Then one day I realized that true contentment, cant come from man or material things it can only come from God. He is our father and everything we need can be found in HIM. We dont have to worry about the cares and burdens of this world we know that our God our Father, has our back. Just like he feeds the birds of the air and takes care of the lillies in the field, HE will take care of us.

Berry Goodness

Oh taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man

that trusteth in him ( Psalm 34:8)

Yes Yes, the Lord is GOOD, and so are these "Mini Blueberry Cobblers" that I made using a recipe from The Pioneer Woman. Oh how I just adore the Pioneer Women and any other women for that matter who can come up with such tasty, tasty things. The Pioneer Woman and Paula Deen are two of my most favorite..lol..cooks in the world. These two women have BUTTER and they arent afraid to use it. Now take that all you cowardly low fat, low cal junkies. Thats right..my name is Kesha and I Love Butter!! There you have it straight from the horses mouth. I can longer hide this fact, besides, the effects of it uses can be seen on my "hips". LOL. Um Um ...ok Im back..I went to my happy place for a moment!

Smile....for a close up....ummm these little minis are begging for a scoop of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (oooo Blue Bell.. in my Homer Simpson voice, tongue out and drooling, but thats another blog).

The recipe for these bundles of goodness can be found on The Pioneers Women website the link is under the section of my blog titled "Blogs I Visit Often". But for those of you who dont feel like clicking and want to get started now here is the recipe, but I must state that I am not liable for the licking of bowls and any extra workouts that may occur after making this recipe.

*quick note, she has wonderful step by step PICTURE instructions!!




Ingredients
2 cups Self-rising Flour (You Must Use Self-rising) I only had all purpose but add baking soda and salt to make it self rising
2 cups Sugar
2 cups Milk
2 sticks Butter, Melted
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 cups Fresh Raspberries - substitute whatever fruit u have on hand, i had blueberries
Extra Sugar For Sprinkling
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine flour with sugar, then whisk in milk. Whisk in melted butter and vanilla.
Pour 1/4 cup batter into greased muffin tins. Sprinkle a few raspberries on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown and crisp around the edges.
Invert onto a cooling rack and serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream