Family Values

Hello all! Thanks for stopping in! It's Monday! I hope your week is blessed and full of JOY! I wanted to share something I made with you all! Below is my first attempt at a Family Values Canvas. A few years back we were listening to the pastor who's church we attended while in college. If your interested you can here him each Sunday HERE. Anyway, he did two different wonderful and awesome series on Family that are worth buying called Family Revival: God's Wisdom at My House and Family Matters. In these series and in others he as taught he talks about the importance of having FAMILY VALUES for our family and posting/displaying them in our homes as a  reminder and encouragement as we strive to raise our family in the ways of the LORD. 

He shares how many different organizations have mottos and values for the way they desire their organization to function and succeed. Same should be true for our family. We should take the time to discuss, pray, and construct a set of family values which assist and encourage our family to function and succeed in Christ. When I first hear this it was so enlightening. It was such a wonderful challenge and we took it to heart.

Tu and I sat down and discussed what our Family Values were and are. We also discussed what principles we wanted to focus on and use to live out this beautiful gift we call life. It is our desire to obey God, Love God, and Love His people so that HE receives the glory!

We decided to have a theme verse (basically a verse we want to pray over and commit to for our family) and our PRICE FAMILY VALUES together. Here is a look at the final project... It is displayed in our kitchen so we often see it.

I pray that you are blessed and challenged to take the time to create some FAMILY VALUES of your own too! I would love to see or hear about yours! May the Lord bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you and may He be gracious to you. This is my prayer for you and your family today!
Blessings friends,

Some More Scrappin

Happy Weekend to you all! Hope all is well! Wanted to share a few more scrappy layouts. This is our little Jaylin at 11 months and 3 months. It is so much fun to scrap the kids and watch them grow. Everyone always says to enjoy these moments! I feel like I am trying to take them all in as much as possible and yet they are still slipping way so quickly. Isn't life such a gift! Thank you Lord! 

Enjoy your life and your loved ones today! 

The first two layouts are a double pager of her at 11 months and the last is a single page layout I did for her 3 month shot.  Blessings!

Sweet and Simple Saturday: Glue Gun

Hi there! I had to share my sweet little fine. I was at Michael's the other day and came across this...

It was so cute I couldn't pass it up! So it's my new favorite tool and just makes the simple things sassy and fun! Thanks for stoppin by!

Fat Fridays

FAT stands for Faithful, Available, and Teachable. So on Fridays, or whenever I feel led, I will try to share something about how the Lord is teaching me to stay FAT. Spiritually speaking of course :)! Because I know no woman in her right mind wants to be fat physically, right? But this is life, as hard as it is to fight, is not about the outward, but the inward! It's about FATTENING up our heart and souls for Him so that we are the most effective we can be for our LORD.  Come along and get FAT in Him with me!  I would love to hear what the Lord is teaching you!

Today: Tell me what you do to stay FAT in Him? What is one way you stay faithful, available, or teachable?

Me: Well lately it would have to be seeking wisdom and counsel from others. Trying to be teachable in an area I don't really want to bend in. I will share more soon, but not just going with what I want, but asking others their godly advice and waiting on the LORD for an answer.  HARD for sure! :)

Blessings to you all! Have a blessed weekend!

Layouts catch up 1

Hi There! Pray your day is blessed!

I have done a few layout and will share a few today. These are two that I added to Jaylin's baby book which I displayed at her first birthday. It was so fun doing these layouts because they are similar to Aaliyah's; you can see hers below. I wanted to make them similar because the shots were so similar.

 

Have a blessed day!

Check these out!

Hi all! I am so excited to share these great sites I found through my sweet friend Tanya and browsing. If you are looking to homeschool or just add some reinforcement or fun to your child's life they have endless resources. Check out these sites. These women are gifted and generous to share with others! Blessings to you all!










Have a great day!
  

What's Up Wednesday: She's a big girl!

Hey there! Wanted to share a bitter sweet moment for me today.  Jaylin, our baby, is now 14 months and is now weened, and is enjoying her big girl seat in the car. Officially on her way out of babyhood and is  approaching fast toddlerhood. What a bitter sweet time. She looks so little in the seat, but she was overflowing her bucket seat so we decided to make the switch. WOW! Time really does fly! That saying is so annoying, but yet so true. As for Jaylin, I think her favorite part is seeing what her big brother and sister are doing, or eating :). I also included a pictures of all three. This is a glimpse of what I see when I turn around in the car! Enjoy your day and treasure those little moments God gives us in life! He is good!

Blessings to you all!

Make it Monday: Picture Cards

Hi there! Hope your day is going well!

SO for this "Make it Monday" I wanted to take a quick minute to share a idea for Card Making. First, let me ask,  don't you just love cards? I can share countless times when I have received a card that brought so much joy and love to my day. Cards have a special way of making others feel loved. 

With that said here are some of my card ideas...

 If your like me, or know someone like me, you (they) are always taking pictures at events. I am the one that is pulling out the camera and photographing any and everything I can. Well all those pictures can be put to use in several ways. Making thank you cards for birthday's, christmas, or a note to say hi to a friend can be that much more special and festive with a picture added. Here is a quick look at a few I created after a birthday dinner with my special Hays family friends! We had so much fun at the birthday and the pictures made the thank you cards so much fun. 

Three cute little Pumpkins

Don't you love the fall? We do! What a great time to celebrate and be thankful for all God has given and done in our lives! We are so blessed and praise the Lord for all He is!
So we went to a pumpkin patch together to celebrate the FALL! We had so much fun! Check out the huge pile of pumpkins behind us! This patch was fun with Pony Rides, Corn Mazes, Train rides, Pumpkins, beautiful flowers, roasted yummy corn, icys,  three giant pumpkins, and fun, fun, fun!

The kids loved it and so did we! 

Sweet and Simple Saturday: Carne Salad

For those of you who don't know I am a huge salad fan! I love salads! But with that I am kind of a salad snob too! But I hope not in a snotty way, but in a good way! :) Is that possible! :) I would rather not eat them if they are not going to do my body any good. I want my salads to be colorful, fresh, and healthy. And I have to share this salad that meets those criteria perfectly! Enjoy!

So this is a sweet, simple, and yummy salad. Basically I took the Carne Asada from our taco left overs, cut it into chunks, added sliced grape tomatoes, cilantro, diced cucumbers, a little onions, and Monterey Jack cheese. Oh and I can't forget to tell you to squeeze a fresh lime over the top add salt and pepper if needed. I added a little hot sauce to mine and a dash of sour cream! It was fantastic! Yum! Next time you have Carne Asada save some for lunch the next day. Or make it just for this salad and take it to a party!  It's making my mouth water writing about it! Hope you enjoy!

Linking up to Full Plate Thursdays

Are you a Daniel or a Nebuchadnezzar?

So I was reading in Daniel chapter 2 this morning. It is amazing to me how God's word truly is living and powerful! Each time I read a book God speaks to me in different ways. It's amazing... He is amazing! I encourage you to read through Daniel chapter 2. While your reading pray for God to reveal what type of leader are you? Are you a Nebuchadnezzar or a Daniel.

So many are familiar with the story of King Nebuchadnezzar having a dream and wanting the wise men of Babylon to interpret for him. God reveals the vision to Daniel and God is glorified.

However, here are a few things the Lord revealed to me as I read through chapter two this time. Through this chapter there are actions modeled for us that are both wise and unwise. Let's take a look...


Vs. 1-2  So Nebuchadnezzar (the King, leader) of Babylon had a dream and was unaware of it's meaning. It brought concern and deep confusion. It was so bothersome that he could not sleep. What did he do? He called upon magicians, astrologers, and sorcerers. Clearly, he chose in his turmoil to seek the world's advice and answers to his problem.... They could not provide him with the answer/interpitation of his dream. But how many of us, when we are in turmoil call on everyone but God. We go to our friends, tv, magazines, books, internet, etc. before we go to our GOD.

Vs. 2-13In his anger Nebuchadnezzar made the decision to cut in pieces those who were unable to interpret the dream and have their houses left as a heap of ash. He continued with his rant by ordering all the wise men to come and attempt to interpret the dream. "Really! Is this guy nuts? He was willing to kill those who could not interpret?" WOW! What a leader! (Sarcasm added!). What an example of how not to act/over-react as leaders! Allowing emotion and fear control our behavior brings decisions that are unwise and cause harm to others.  Many men had died before they came to Daniel and his companions for an answer, but Daniel did not rely on man...

Vs. 14-17 When they came to Daniel for an answer he models for us godly leadership in his actions. it says in verse 14 "with WISDOM and COUNSEL" Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king's guard. The first wise thing Daniel did was he sought wisdom and counsel before he opened his mouth to commit! Then he asks the king for time. (vs16)  Time to pray, get before the Lord, and Hear from the Lord. (vs 17) he returns to his companions (brothers in Christ) and informs them of his decision and so that they may join him in prayer and going before God on their behalf. So he not only seeks wisdom before he decides, he asks for time, and he enlists his friends to join in the spiritual battle with him!

WOW! what a beautiful picture leadership as he models waiting on the Lord, partnering with other believers, and being led by Him! How I pray that I follow Daniel's model in my life! So many times we make decisions that we never ask God for His wisdom and leading.

Vs. 18-23 God hears the cry of Daniel and his companions and reveals the secret of the dream to Daniel. Immediately Daniel praises and blesses the name of God! He didn't run around bragging that God revealed it to him, he didn't run and tell his companions, or even the king (although his life was in danger) he immediately praises God!

Vs.24-47 Daniel then goes with confidence to the king and tells him not to kill the wise men of Babylon any longer, and he (Daniel) will tell him what the dream means. He tells Nebuchadnezzar the dream's interpretation and is bold i sharing that the God in heaven who reveals secrets has made know to him the dream. Daniel doesn't take the credit for himself and gloat in the glory. He boldly professes God's power and wisdom to reveal the dream to him. Later (vs 47) king Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges our GOD. He says, "Truly your God is the GOd of gods, the LORD of kings and the revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret."

Amazing isn't it! God is glorified because one man (Daniel) decides to seek him, enlists his friends to pray and seek him, waits for God's answer, and then is bold enough to obey and give the glory back to God.

Now that is leadership!

How can you apply this to your life today?

For me...

Just me: Do I wait to hear from the Lord for His answer so that I can confront the situation in front of me with confidence as Daniel approaches the king.

As a wife: When Tu comes to me with the decision already made and just asks me to pray (as Daniel did his companions) do I join him in prayer, or do I question his decision.

As a mommy: What kind of leadership am I  modeling for my children. When uncertain times arise do I model for them a servant seeking the Lord's guidance in prayer or do I rely on the world's solutions.

My desire and prayer is to be a daughter who is humbly seeking, waiting, and relying on my King JESUS! I want to be a Daniel in my spear of influences; not a Nebuchadnezzar. Unashamed and dependent on His leading!

Thanks for stopping in today. I pray your challenged and blessed as I am.

Tre says

The kids were all playing in Tre's room.  Tre was busy at his tool table and Jaylin made her way over to rec havic on anything that was being created. She grabbed a wooden wrench and hit Tre on the head. He turned to her and said, "No Jaylin..." Then he stood up next to her and continued, " No Jaylin! Don't do that I am taller then you."


Today Tre also said "Mommy can you have another baby, we need another brother. We have two sisters and we only have one brother "me." I relied, well babies are a lot of work and God could give us another sister. His rely, " No God already gave us two sisters he will give us a brother, like me"

Tre asks, Mommy, do you have a baby in your tummy?" my reply, "No Tre do I look like I have a baby in my tummy?" Tre's reply, "No, just bones" :) Tu ask him, "Do you remember when Jaylin was in mommy's tummy?" Tre replys, "Yes." I ask, "What did it look like?" Tre's reply "no bones." Funny how kids see life!

Just made me laugh. Gotta love kids!

Haley

Nanny Sue