Sally's Sixth Birthday!

They painted a canvas with their first initial on it. The initial was made out of tape so when the paint dried they peeled the tape off and had a cute picture! They were so creative!

the awesome rainbow cake!

And of course we had to keep our Creative Juices flowing!

I made paint for the party favors. It was so simple!

It has been a long time since I have posted anything! I would like to say that I will keep up with this! Not sure that I can make that promise but I am thankful for time to write tonight.

Sally wanted to have an Art Party. She loves to draw, color, paint, and do all things artsy! I found lots of great ideas on Pinterest and started planning. We had a great time with friends... minus the pizzas that would NOT cook. That is a blog for another day!


They had a great time at the self portrait table. So fun and creative!

Questions of the Day

We were blessed with a child before most of our friends began thinking about having babies! So there are many days that my phone rings or I receive a Facebook message wanting advice on a certain child rearing subject. I thought that it might be helpful to share some of the answers here.

!!!Now, here comes the disclaimer!!!

I am NOT an expert in anything at all! But I do have 3 children and lots of opinions. :) I am happy to share the answers to the questions based on my opinions, scripture and advice I have been given by older women. So just read this BEFORE you believe this is the Gospel truth and if you don't do exactly as I say then you are a failure. Far from the truth my friend.

So here is today's question

Received last night during a stressful shopping trip.

1. Do your kids sometimes act as if they have never been in public? What do I do?

Ha! are you kidding me! All of the time. I think we sometimes think that as moms we will discipline our children for a time and then they will trust in Christ and be holy and never need to be corrected again. At least I think this way now and then!

Yes, my children seem to move along understanding the culture of our home and following us in obedience and then WHAM! this happens...

We are nearing the end of my husband's final semester as a PhD student so family meals are scattered at times because of schedules and spring sports. Last night we were determined to have a family meal at the table. It was delightful. The children were all gobbling up the dinner and the conversation was great and then right in the middle of dinner my 9 year old PASSED GAS at the table.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???

He knows beyond a shadow of doubt that this is unacceptable at our table. Yet, he did it and without much remorse!

So the answer to the question is YES! My children need constant reminders of how to obey and what is expected of them. They need gentle reminders in most situations. And they need for me to follow through with discipline when I threaten it! I often feel that if I have told them once then they will always remember and obey perfectly. But we all need reminders of obedience and what is expected from us. So let us be reminded to continue with loving discipline of our children and to not grow weary.

Let us not lose heart in doing good,
for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
Galatians 6:9

The Six Second Kiss

and more from Jani Ortlund today...

yay for the six second kiss!!

Loving Your Husband

A few years ago, I hear Jani Ortlund speak at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where my husband is a PhD student. Her talk resonated in my heart and mind that night and still does especially in times like this...

See we in the West family are in what we call maintenance mode. game time. barely making it.

People, it is the END OF THE SEMESTER!

Ryan has papers due that are longer than anything I have ever written for any degree program all put together. The research is intense. His desk has about 220 books stacked on top of it. And after a near computer CRASH (noooooooo!!!!!!) He is completing the last paper of the semester!! WOOT!

So, during these times I am reminded of what the wise woman, Mrs Ortlund said... It went something like this...

When your husband is away, working late, in a meeting, in a class from NINE AM til NINE PM!!!, insert your husbands job/meetings here, where do you think he wants to be? He wants to be at HOME with you!

When it is dinner time and you are surrounded by little faces, where you do you think your tired and hungry husband would rather be? At HOME with you and your sweet children, of course!

SO will I slam down the casserole dish and tell my kids that my life would be so much easier if Daddy were home OR do I lead them to pray for him and understand that there is no place he would rather be than with us? BUT for now he is in class, working hard for the Lord, doing what God has given him to do!

So tonight when you and I are tempted to despair, pray for your husband.

Summer Reading

This summer my son, David, was given a summer reading list from his school. We were so excited to receive the list and purchase the books! He took ALL of them on vacation with us for the month of June. He read as we traveled the South East of the US visiting our families and friends. He aslo kept a journal of the books that he read. At the top of the journal page he drew a picture of a scene from the book. At the bottom of the page he wrote a description of the book in a few sentences. It has been a true joy to see him complete this work. It was an adventure for our entire family. :)

One of the books he read, The Wind in the Willows, was particularly interesting. He read all of his other books on the list and then I handed him the Willows book. It was a daunting 300 plus pages. And remember, he is only seven years old.

he took the book and we encouraged him to read 10 pages in the morning and 10 pages at night before bed. He was on page 200 when Ryan my husband received his assignment for teaching a 7th grade online Literature class through Memoria Press. The list included The Wind in the Willows. We were a bit shocked and puzzled but David kept on reading.

When Ryan mentioned to the Headmistress that David had almost completed the book she was shocked! Ryan came home from work and asked David many questions about the book. I found a comprehension test online and gave it to David and he was able to answer every question correctly! He read a 7th grade book and comprehended it!

So thankful for his mind and ability! We love David and we have pushed him academically but we had no idea that he would be able to read this far in advance. Thankful that he took it and read it and did not complain. Thankful that we are able to help him along with all the things that he is learning and pursing! What a great time for us. And what a reminder that we are to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul and MIND, something I am afraid I can't say that I do well. So, I pray that I am diligent with my children to push them gently toward learning and loving the Lord with their MINDS.

Our House, Their Son, and His Job

Our house, their son and his job... what in the world could these three topics possibly have in common? I think that more than anything they are teaching us to trust the Lord for all that He has for us.

The home that we still own in Georgia has been rented and we just found out yesterday that the girls that are renting it will be moving out in February. We have used all of our cash to own and rent 2 houses.

They found out that the tests that were done on their son had less than desirable results. How in the world will they handle a son that has been this sick for this long and now a new diagnosis?

And his job, or lack of job that he is qualified for, has been a stress on their family for almost 2 years.

We have all been friends since the early days of college. We all have children and jobs and homes and parents. But I don't think that we ever thought that we would be dealing with these hardships. What will we do and how will we react? Will we trust the Lord for our daily bread? Will we trust him that while He may not heal our physical bodies in this world? Or if the healing causes us just as much hardship as it does the child? Will we trust Him in the decisions for his future?

Oh, Lord. We trust you. We pray that you will cause us to persevere until the end. We pray that you will provide our daily bread and that if you choose not to provide the way that we think is best then you are still providing for us. We pray for healing. We pray for provision for a job that is fulfilling and a calling that is sure. Oh, Lord, we trust you.

Verdict on the Dinner A'Fare