Big Day For Jamin

They tried to talk him into waiting until he was 18 so he could have a "regular license," but he wouldn't have it. I finally got it all together to get down to the DPS (DMV). Jamin was thrilled to get his license....can you believe there is NO driving skills test in the state of TX. Well, they have it, but parents can waive it. AND it only cost $5 to get his license???? Amazing.

Jared says, "I can't read ANY of these instructions!" Then we realize it's all in Spanish.

Finally....

Congrats, Jamin.

When he was having his photo taken we realized that he is NOT 5'11" - he's 6'2"....and so is Jared. ::snort:: Yes, we DID have a great time at the DMV and we DID have the whole place laughing by the time we left with our fun observations.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

*For Margie's Mom....and the ladies that asked last night at PWOC. LOL I have a minute - dinner is in the crock pot (BBQ meatballs) - and so I'll post NOW.....

This recipe sort of adapts. It's one that my sil, Rebecca, came up with. I change the sugar to Agave Nectar or Honey (AN is better tasting) and so adjust the vinegar....adding the balsamic to a bit more....basically I make this by taste...but here's the recipe.LOL

Start with a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup.

Mix together:

3 Tbsp sugar (sweetener of choice), 1 Tbsp Lemon Pepper (black pepper works in a pinch), 1 1/2 tsp sea salt, two pinches of dry beef bullion (I always skip), 2 large cloves of garlic (I use dried and guess), 1 scant Tbsp dry mustard

Add:

Fill to 1/3 C line with Balsamic Vinegar (remember to go a bit higher if using liquid sweetener)

Fill to 2/3 C line with Red Wine Vinegar

Fill to 1 3/4 C line with Canola Oil (I use Safflower)

Stir and that's that. I also put a bit of this in with steamed veggies....

For more recipes check out my recipe index page (and linked in the sidebar).
Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Establishing Routine

I spent the vacation establishing a great new Tryst time.....but it wasn't established in "real time".

This week I'm busy establishing 2009's routine - Tryst, Workout, Homeschool, Outside activities....As often is the case, when I'm the busiest, I have less time to blog. When I'm not busy, I blog about appliances and picking noses. ::snort::

I have several posts in mind (new emphasis, physical goals, children's happenings, devotionals)...things are good....we're disciplined...we're accomplishing much....

For now (hopefully blogging tonight or tomorrow night) here's a photo I caught at breakfast....wonder who she's been watching? (Hint - they are males). This is her new favorite book...and she is sure that each baby is HER. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Sunday Recap

The day began at 5:30 a.m. with me up and making Ooey Gooey Bars, a giant salad and changing the blog look to celebrate Jared's birthday.

The boys and Mike went in for Sunday School. There must have been some mix-up as their teacher didn't arrive....prompting a few comments about how they could have slept in. ::snort::

The younger ones and I arrived in time for church (their teacher is ill). We had an hour to kill between the Protestant service and the ginormous farewell potluck for Father Jim.

Mike and the boys went to the gym. I kept trying to get google to work. ::grrrr:: I also began work on a 5 week meal plan. I used to do this sort of "haphazardly" but I think we'll save $ and time if I write it out.

Josiah came over for one of Mike's Famous Ice Cream Cakes. We played more Cosmic Ball and Mafia. We weren't sure we could play Mafia without Bre, David and Krista here. We missed y'all, but it did work with Josiah here.

"When I clap my hands the birthday begins!"

I could only find 2 candles.

Josiah decided to light the candles and have Jared blow them out - again and again until he reached 15 candles.

Stacia takes her role as "birthday helper" very seriously.

Cy brought a gift (not having received the no gift edict from Jared) - Stacia continues to assist.

Cosmic Ball

Zander finally won.

It was a very full and fun day. I thought we'd begin school on the 7th when Mike is officially supposed to report for duty...but he is going in tomorrow and Tuesday (and went in today for RE, Service and Potluck - let's just say duty began on the 4th - well then he went in on Friday for 6 hours and another day too ::snort::). Maybe we'll start school tomorrow - though I'm really not ready as I was aiming for Wed. Hmmm.... We had planned to work on Jamin's driver license and scholarships. Basically, I need to get all the forms together and take him to the DMV....

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Guess who is 15 today?

Figured it out?

Our "middle child" - our 5th born - Jared - is Fifteen today! Every one of our children bless us. Today, I'll focus on Jared.

We prayed about Jared's name. We named him Jared David - Ruler Beloved. It's been our joy to watch as he moved from immature leadership (um...fostering a rebellion among the younger ones against the older ones ::snort::) to humbly serving (House of Faith these past 3 years) to more mature leadership (Civil Air Patrol involvement - Cadet of the Year) now that he is a young adult. But where does he lead - those are CACTUS? Jared is an extrovert extraordinaire among his siblings who run the spectrum of introverts to mild extroverts. He has always kept us laughing, from day one. This photo was taken IN ACADEMY - he owns none of this.....but loves to poke fun at TT/Aggie fans.

Jared has developed a passion for God that humbles us, his parents. I love the way God covers parenting with grace as we spend time on on our face before Him. He's also developed a passion for politics and dreams of someday being in national politics (hey - can you think of a place where passionate lovers of Christ are more needed in this generation?)

You won't see a lot of birthday party pictures today. We had Jared's "birthday dinner" when the girls and David were here. Jared has asked us not to give him gifts yet.....it seems too soon after Christmas. He and I are discussing either gifts on my birthday later in the month or waiting until April. ::snort::

We love you, Jared and we are blessed to have been entrusted with mentoring/discipling/parenting you. We look forward, with eager anticipation, to where God leads you.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Cleaning Up - Taking Down....

Saturday was both a lazy day and a screaming productive day. Mike was out and about until 2 a.m. on Friday night. He did this so that he could avoid the office on Saturday and spend the day with us. EVERYONE slept in - long and deep.

Jared took Arielle and Nolan and they went in search of a yard to rake. They found one "customer" who paid them $20 to rake her front yard. I'm not sure what the younger two needed the $ for but I know that Jamin and Jared are considering a mission's trip in March. (Meanwhile, back in Spokane BreAnne reports 5 feet of snow and shoveling the church roof).

We were blessed to receive a call from old local friends, Ian and Becki. Ian said they had two hours before they had to hit the highway. We quickly made plans for them to come by for a BBQ and visit. Would you believe when they got here three of their little ones were asleep? We know what its like to travel on a "schedule" with little ones. I visited with Becki quickly, hugged necks, Zander played with Nathaniel and I got to hold Elizabeth, the baby. Then they were off for the highway to get as far as possible while the little ones slept.

Mike and Jared returned from the store (picking up meat for BBQ) and we began to take down decorations. There are no photos. We were focused on work - even I. ::snort:: Mike took the boys and Stacia outside. We women tackled the inside. By 7 p.m. it was done. I chuckled at the little touches of Christmas we left out. I always leave a nativity out. The family asked me to leave the Jesus stocking out for use throughout the year. I leave little white lights on some scrubby pine in the corner year round. Arielle wanted to leave the snowmen out. I've developed an ATTITUDE about winter in TX. It's NOT winter...forget the snowmen and flakes...think leaves and lady bugs. ::snort::

Leaving Christmas out - that could be a separate post. I do this deliberately to remind us that Christmas is a season of the heart and not the calendar. Yesterday, I realized that taking down decorations in our home often meant, "going back to Faith Academy" or some such farewell. I wonder if THAT is another reason that I leave a bit of Christmas out year round - it reminds me of family who isn't nearby. Enough analyzing.....I can tell I've been reading a self help book. ::snort::

Something is missing? All my trashy treasures...the old gold pan, the old railway spikes, the gone fishing sign and the old fishing pole.....I sort of like the empty look but will look for things tomorrow. LOL


I spent much of the day jumping on google docs - trying to send our United Order form. Deadlines are looming and more than 1/2 our group doesn't have their order form. Grrrr... "server error".

As usual, something is found after all the boxes are in the attic.

This year it's Bartholomew's Passage, the camel from Kuwait given to Mike for our Nativity by one of the interpreters, and the donkey from our Fisher Price Nativity. I put the Fisher Price Donkey with the Willow Tree nativity that we left out this year. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight
Karen Scalf Linamen

Blog Tour and Giveaway

Publisher's Take: Every woman longs for change in some area of her life. Unfortunately, fear, fatigue, adversity, heartbreak, past failures, and even the choices of other people get in the way and make lasting change seem out of reach. Having been there herself, Karen Linamen knows exactly how to take readers from where they are to where they want to be.

In Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight, she examines 52 powerful actions readers can apply to any change they long to embrace. Her insights apply to career, finances, personal health and fitness, relationships, faith—in fact, every facet of a woman’s life.

Blending laugh-out-loud humor and sage advice, Linamen shows readers the link between dissatisfaction and transformation, how to remodel habits, the little-known truth about procrastination, how to generate the energy they need to pursue the life they desire, how to benefit from options and resources they never dreamed they had, and much, much more!

Author Bio: Karen Scalf Linamen is a popular speaker and the celebrated author of ten books for women, including Due to Rising Energy Costs the Light at the End of the Tunnel Has Been Turned Off and Just Hand Over the Chocolate and No One Will Get Hurt. She has been featured on more than one hundred radio programs, including FamilyLife Today. Publishers Weekly describes her as “funny, forthright and unforgettable.” Linamen lives with her family in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Visit her website at www.karenlinamen.com.

My Take: To use a line from Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight, reading Karen is like reading a cross between Dr. Laura and Dave Barry. I'm a bit late posting this because: 1. the girls were here and 2. I was dissatisfied with this book about 1/2 way through reading it and wasn't sure if I'd recommend the book or not. I was impatient for some "meat" from the Word to "bring home" several of the author's points. This may be MY personal problem. Karen did not say a THING that I would say is "anti-Christian", this book is a quick read, it's funny, she's inspirational, but personally I would have liked a bit more back up from the Word.

That aside.....reading this book is like sitting down with your best friend at Baker's Street (local coffee shop) and sharing heart to heart over your favorite drink. There are things shared in this book that I will ponder for some time to come.

~I've been motivated to go beyond what I term "jello goals" to making concrete choices and decisions. I'm motivated to work a simple 30 min (or maybe 15 min) a day towards some of my big goals.

~When speaking of procrastination, Karen, states that instead of asking, "WHY" don't I get to it, we need to ask "WHAT" do I feel when I think of doing this? Often a looming task will make one feel inferior, fearful, fat, like a failure....and so we avoid doing whatever brings on those feelings. Karen humorously talks us through to dealing with the WHATS.

~Here is a quote I've been pondering, "If you know how to use it, your discontent can be a doorway, your pain a portal and vision is your key." p 28.

~Karen leaves us with many outstanding illustrations. One that I plan to remember illustrates our feelings when hurt, wronged etc. She told her daughter that her bitter feelings were her own and she could keep them forever and do what she wanted with them. Then she asked her to picture a crystal vase thrown on the ground and broken. Your feelings are the shattered glass. You can clutch them tight - and cut your hands to shred while you experience ever increasing pain, or you can let the shards slip between your fingers. I thought this was an excellent illustration of how we can deal with pain and bitterness (here is one example where I loved the thoughts, but would have appreciated Karen bringing it home with a few passages of Scripture on choices, forgiveness, bitterness etc).

~When you long for change round up a herd of catalysts rather than pacifiers.

~Another interesting quote which integrates with my Charlotte Mason background, "Addictions are acquired by practicing a certain type of behavior often and excessively. Character is acquired by practicing certain types of behavior often and excessively." Attributed to Matthew Kelly, Rhythm of Life p. 55 (Of course, I also am left with the thought that character is really acquired by coming into contact with Jesus Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform me day by day).

~Keep a dream journal. Write down wild, out of the box dreams (ambitions). Occasionally, as you write down wild plans and dreams, ask yourself, "why not?"

~Here is a quote I've already used several times and one that I plan to use as a signature line...."You have built castles in the air.... Now put the foundations under them." Henry David Thoreau

~Between dissatisfaction and transformation is vision.... (Again - where is the role of sanctification, walking out my salvation? Transformation, I believe, may begin with a vision, but I need Him to walk it out.)

There really were quite a few nuggets to ponder in this book. I've struggled with a review because I did like this book....but I also wish it had had a bit "more" to it.

If you'd like a copy of this book please leave a comment. Be sure I can reach you on your blog or leave an email address. I may have two copies to give away, I know I have one. We'll randomly draw a number on Friday.

This is the first book on my 2009 Reading List.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.