It's My Duty...

Had these for the FIRST time yesterday.




Have you had these?!?



Seriously...changed my life. They are delicious.



My jeans are now tight. And it's probably gonna get worse because I'm thinking I may need some more for my Olympic marathon watching. Nothing like watching track and field while stuffing my face with chocolaty bread. Precious.



Go get some. Maybe if we all eat them ALL the time, Pizza Hut will never take them away. Ever.



I love you sweet chocolaty Hershey bread stick thingys.



Happy Saturday!


*picture from google images*

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I May Be Asking For It...

I've noticed something interesting this week. People can be mean when they don't have to be accountable for it.

On several of the blogs I read, the bloggers have gotten what I consider, rude comments from anonymous commenters. And interestingly enough, it brings out the mama bear in me.

Got me thinking. It's one thing to disagree with the opinions presented, but it's a whole other arena to start making assumptions and attacks anonymously. I simply think that's cowardly and completely unnecessary. I think if one finds themselves writing something that is so harsh that they are unwilling to put their name behind it, ummm giant red flag.

One of the most freeing things for me, about blogging, is that people don't have to read what I write. If they like it, they come back. If they don't enjoy made up words and bad grammar, they're free to leave...quickly.

I'm not submitting my thoughts before the blog world for critique, but for the simple act of sharing. This is how I in return view other's blogs. I think it's a little thing that can be sung to the tune R-E-S-P-E-C-T...

I'm sure eventually all bloggers get to experience the joy of rude anonymous commenters. I've been blogging now for six months and amazingly enough have only received sweet comments. I know my time is coming. By the looks of it, it may be this week ;)

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Losing It...

I may be losing my mind.

For real. I told Ben yesterday that I'm probably going to end up with Alzheimer's and he's going to have to come visit me everyday and read me our love story and then occasionally, I'll remember...but it won't last long...and then one night he'll crawl into my hospital bed and the Lord will call us home together...at the exact same time. Sound like a movie?!? I need to watch The Notebook again...

Anyways...I joke. Sort of.

I have become a total space-case this week. I blame Michael Phelps and the USA gymnastics teams for keeping me up so late. Shame on them.

Earlier this week I drove to Wal-Mart. It takes about 20-25 minutes from tiny-town. My boys act like it takes days. Seriously. So we get to Wal-Mart, and before we get out of the van, I check my purse and realize that my billfold is in my other purse...hanging by the door at home. Nice. So we drive back to tiny-town.

On the way back home, I decide that I should get the boys swim stuff too since we'll go straight from (our 2nd) trip to Wal-Mart to swim lessons. Get home, run in and grab suits and towels, back to van and we get to the edge of tiny-town and I REMEMBER that I STILL did not grab my billfold. Back to house. Again.

By this time, my kids are seriously sick of me. I am apologizing/kicking myself and trying to figure out what the heck is wrong with me!!

That happened on Monday.

Yesterday, (Wednesday) Eli had his Kindergarten check-up (4 shots.) His older brother, Noah, who went through this routine last year has been graciously telling him how horrible it is going to be. Being the good mommy that I am, I bribed Eli with the wonderful idea of going to Wal-Mart and letting him choose a (cheap) toy after his shots. HOWEVER, we get to the clinic and low and behold, guess who's billfold is not in her purse?!? Yep. It's at home. Again. Meltdowns follow...by both Eli and myself.

Now you're thinking my Alzheimer's situation is a little more likely, aren't ya?!?

Told you.

So, my bloggy friends, whose minds are still in tact...what do I do?!? How do I get my mind back?!? :) Really. Help me.

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Gearing Up

I am in gearing up mode around here.


Gearing up for:

• Eli's Kindergarten shots today.
• Increased running. Got new shoes last night. (unfortunately they are not cute...but they work the best for me...note to tiny-town: do not look at my shoes at 6am when I am running...they are bright & gaudy ;)
• School begins Monday. It will only be Jake and I at home. Weird.
• Our church's children's ministry on Wednesday evenings will begin early September. As coordinator/teacher there's lots of stuff yet to accomplish and look forward to.
• Tiny-town's restoration. Considering the tornado/flood this summer, tiny-town is really coming along nicely...more pictures and updates coming soon.
• Because of the flooding and busyness of summer we took a hiatus from our ladies Bible study. It was a hard decision, and I'm still not sure it was the right one...I just didn't want to lose most everyone right in the middle of Seeking Him. It's such a life-changing study. All of us have missed it and are looking forward to gathering together again and picking up in chapter 7. Let the revival continue...I'm in much need of it. :)
• We've had unseasonably cool weather here. Not the hot/humid stuff we're used to in August (although I'm SURE it's coming back:) but it makes me feel like fall is around the corner. I love fall...but this summer feels like it just hasn't been quite long enough.
• Blog reading. After a partial break I totally feel out of the loop. I've missed you guys. Looking forward to catching up and making new friends as well!
• I will refrain from telling you how excited I am about the Women's gymnastics all-around competition coming up...and how I keep crying along with Michael Phelp's mom each time he wins. *sigh* Love it.

Through all the gearing up, there is one verse that God keeps bringing me back to over and over again.

Unless the Lord builds a house, the builders' work is useless. Psalms 127:1
It's no surprise to me why He keeps bringing me to this verse. I know all to well that my natural tendency is to rush ahead, on my own and get things accomplished. It's His gentle reminder that I can (on my own) build/prepare/plan until I make myself crazy and it will be USELESS. He has to build it. Not me. I need His leading, direction, and wisdom because mine is useless.

Seeking Him today,

Sarah

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Still Learning...

I head a great little clip on the radio yesterday.


I think it was Chip Ingram, but I'm not for sure. Here's my interpretation.


He talked about how we measure our spiritual growth. How do we know if we are growing in Christ? Is it by standards such as faithfully spending time in God's Word, prayer, tithing, church attendance?


He noted that those are all great things, but if the apostle Paul were asked the question, he would probably not use those criteria. He would most likely ask himself, "Am I loving Christ more and am I loving others more?"


Wow. That there is the kicker. The heart of the issue. The external stuff is all good stuff, but alone, without loving Christ and others more, it's meaningless.


Interesting how we, as people, love to judge ourselves and others FIRST on outside criteria, rather than looking at ourselves and others and examining how loving we are. I do it all the time...but now, I am using a new standard, for myself and others.


First: "Am I growing in my love for Jesus and others?"
Second: "How is it shown?"
Good stuff.


On another totally random thought: Last night I got a new (super kind) comment on this post (you should go look at the comment ;). I didn't recognize the name so I clicked on their profile. Turns out it was the Pastor in the article I wrote about! How cool is that?!? Ya never know who's reading or how they found you...which makes blogging fun and intimidating all at the same time :)


OK...back to the Olympics...which by the way, is KILLING me at night...I'm so tired! I'm even recording it, but who can go to bed and not see the results?!? Not I!

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Highlights:Not the Hair Kind...

As you know, I'm still (technically) on a little bloggy break...largely due to my extensive Olympic coverage watching :) And team USA...definitely making it worth it!

But I can't stay away totally, and risk losing all five readers.

Here's some old and new news from my neck of the woods...

• Tate is doing much better! Many thanks for all your prayers and encourageing words. He came home on Saturday and they believe he has ITP (which I don't fully understand) but it's MUCH better than anything else it could have been.




• Saturday we went to the zoo. Out of all the exotic animals...we have a favorite. It is not exotic...more like disgusting. It's the grossness factor that just keeps us coming back. I of course, took a picture for you.




• 

When you throw food in...they do this. It gives me the heebie-jeebies...and yet I couldn't stop watching...

• Sunday I wore these to church: LEGGINGS! They've been sitting in my dresser drawer for months...it just never felt right...until yesterday. And guess what?!? SO COMFORTABLE!! I may wear them everyday ;)

Here's the top of my (Wal-Mart) dress...I couldn't photograph my entire self in one-shot...I'm just not that good.

• Sunday night we spent the evening enjoying the Olympics while the boys "practiced" their Olympic moves.

The best was while watching the Women's Gymnastics...My 3 year kept saying..

"Mom, you could do that!"

Me: "no, that takes lots of practice"

Jake: "But you could..."

God bless him...he has no idea that his mommy can't even bend over and touch her toes...dang flexibility.

Happy Monday bloggy friends! And Happy Olympic watching!!

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Melts My Heart...

My self-proclaimed "middle-est" little guy, Eli, went from this:

To these navy blue little numbers:

How cute is he!?!

He only needs to wear them while doing school work, so hopefully it's not too hard of an adjustment.

He will be starting Kindergarten in 11 days. And now I am realizing just how fast our summer has gone.

I keep debating on whether I need to take a bloggy break for a week (or so)...and decided that I can still post, and then shut the computer off...no one's forcing me to sit here and read and read and READ :) (and it's only a week...I can do it...can't I?!)

So...for the next week I'm taking a partial blog break (posting but not reading), there's lots of stuff around here that needs my full attention...three named: Noah, Eli, and Jake...oh and one named Ben...you get the idea ;)

Oh, one more thing...no posting ANYTHING good while I'm gone...I don't want to miss anything ;)

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