Happy birthday, Daniel!

December birthday number two has come and gone. My baby is nine! We had a fabulous nerf war party & lots of fun!

Total Christmas Fail

Okay I am going to excuse myself from partial responsibility for all my Christmas fails with the reasoning that I got sick about 4 days before and struggled to completely recover. But, in reality it isn't much of an excuse. Now, let me say, we had a beyond fabulous Christmas! Which goes to show you, no matter how good you are at organizing, making sure all "t's" are crossed and that kind of thing, it turns out okay in the end. Usually. It's called Grace.

Like most people I desire a magazine perfectly decorated house, amazing craft and project activities for the kids that dazzle minds, handmade gifts that I pull out and they are perfect. Wonderful music plays elegantly in the background, thoughtful, unexpected surprises I cleverly pop out to the the awe of my family and friends. Brilliant baked goods. Perfectly selected, thoughtful gifts, so artfully wrapped the recipient just stares and doesn't want to open it. Amazed gasps. Roaring applause. That kind of thing. Then - the unexpected guest drops by bringing a gift - you know, the person YOU didn't think of - and not to be caught off guard, I turn (with my supercape swirling in the breeze) to my special supermom closet of specially prepared "extra gifts" if you know what I mean, and pull out just the right thing, "Oh, yes, and here's your gift I was just about to bring it over to you!" Truth is my Christmas decoration planned for the front gate was a total fail when I spelled Believe wrong. I have a BA in English, ya'll. All my handmade projects were a total fail, I forgot gifts for like 6 people, INCLUDING, mind you, my parents! (To my credit, they always say "Don't buy us anything!" -but everyone knows you are not supposed to listen when your parents say that). I ended up running out for a past last minute gift for a much loved uncle, forgot most of the food I was supposed to bring to my in-laws, and ended up gaping empty handed a couple times when unexpected guests showed up -with no super cape at all. One of the kids wrapped the ONLY handmade gift (a decorated bird feeder) before I could scrape off the large label goo all over the side. And I didn't unwrap & fix it. Lovely. And Christmas cards? Well, I had the kids write, "from all of us" on their handmade cards. Does that count? I was doing pretty well at the beginning of December, how did this happen?

So, to all I forgot, maybe I'll send over a Ground Hog's Day present. I've never been very good at Christmas cards. Maybe I'll start sending Easter cards or something. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy a relaxing week and leave the super suit off for a while. It didn't fit too well anyway. Remind me to read this post again in early November and do better next year. But, I guess I did well with what really matters. We honored Jesus and there was plenty of peace and love in our home. It wasn't like I was stressed to get these things done. I was lost in some happy, air-headed fog and then at just the absolute wrong moment it hit me like a Homer Simpson, "Doh!" and that's it. So, it just goes to show you the wonders of Grace. Who wants to wear a super suit anyway? Very unflattering.

Candid Christmas Pictures

These hats seem to be all the rage 'round here. Gracie has barely taken hers off since Christmas.

Here's what our house looks like at 6am on Christmas morning. Not a pretty sight, but a happy one.

Okay, Tomato soup always looks kinda gross cooking, but I love my new spoon holder. My husband loves gadgets like this and I think this one is genius! Now quickly look away from the poorly cleaned up ring around the burner of spilled chocolate from Christmas cooking and focus on the gadget. Keepin' it real.

The whole family absolutely LOVES the awesome checkerboard made by my brother & sister-in-law for our coffee table! They've been learning how to play and are having so much fun. I love to have games as a part of our living room.

Daniel and Dad got Airsoft guns this year. They are having fun with them, and they are quieter than a BB gun, which the horse likes better too.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you and your family! We had a great Christmas Eve celebration with family. We played games & ate tons of food. See the photo below of my parents (the grinch & Cindy Lou Who).
We attended our church candlelight service & had tons of relaxing fun all day. Lookin' forward to more fun tomorrow with Byron's family - and church - and Santa. Hope your Christmas is wonderful & blessed!

Christmas preparations

We are officially done with our Christmas shopping. Now on to baking & other fun. Today was our dog's birthday - she is 3 years old today. We got her a rawhide card & lots of pampering today.
I have been sick today. I am so grateful to have my parents nearby. They took the kids (except Gracie who stayed behind to take care of me), they fed everyone, and let me rest.
I am hoping to be back feeling better & ready to get after all I need to accomplish. Hope your Christmas preparations are coming together as well. We are doing fun games with family again this year. I'll share later all the fun. May God bless your time!

Birthday weekend #1

We are so deeply involved in birthday celebration and project overload this weekend! Christmas programs and activities are winding down to a managable pace and we are looking forward to a relaxing two weeks chillin at home.
My baby girl turned 14 this week! Hard to believe! She is a truly amazing kid with way too many talents and goodness to be squeezed into one person!
So for now heres some pictures of A LITTLE bit the fun!

Among the too- ambitious projects for too busy days - I also added a canopy-ish embellishment to Gracie's bed just for fun. Also, anything to hide the clutter this girl creates!

We added this awesome little reading nook in a dormer space - kind of as a surprise for Ally - who loves to snuggle up with a great book! It was really easy and a great project!

Kids Devotionals

Gracie (age 11) is doing the Truth and Dare one year devotional for girls by Ann Margret Hovsepian and Daniel (age 9) is doing the Triple Dog Dare Devotional by Jeremy V. Jones. Both are available by David C. Cook and they are both similar in format and quality.

We are all LOVING these devotionals. They are really keeping their interest, and they are really well done. We've been through a lot of devotionals for kids around here, but I have to say these are some of my favorites. They have done more extensive Bible Studies for their quiet times, and some that were just a bit too much "fluff," if you know what I mean. These devotionals have great balance. They offer some neat depth and activity, AND our favorite part- at the end of the daily devotional, they offer 3 dares. The dares are ways to put the quality or concept discussed into practical action during the day. The devotional also encourages them to journal about what they did, which is a really great introduction to journaling. I also like that the devotionals continue on the weekend.

My kids starting getting serious about an independent, daily quiet time with God at around 9 years old. These devotionals could be done earlier with a parent's help, and they might even be appropriate for many younger teens who are just starting out with a quiet time.

I HIGHLY recommend these devotionals - even if they are a bit pricy at $14.99. For a year's worth of quality devos that will keep a kid's interest, that's a good deal. You can purchase them here for the boy's Triple Dog Dare devo and here for the Truth and Dare girl's devo.

I was given these books by David C. Cook and B&B Media group for the purposes of review only.

Test post

So this is my first post from my I phone. We'll see how this works. Here are some recent photos from around here! We are so excited and looking forward to a crazy week ... Including the 14th birthday of a very beautiful oldest child. When did I get old enough to have a 14 year old?

Monday Musings on Friday

I know! I just can't seem to get to this computer for blogging much lately! I think that might be because I have a new I phone 4S and I don't seem to use a computer much anymore! I suppose I need to start blogging from my phone. Wow. My phone has changed how I do everything. I didn't think I'd like it much, my old phone was pretty well, old. But... my lovely personal assistant, Siri and I have gotten really close. Yes, I might be one of "those" people who walk around Walmart with headphones on and seem to talk to no one in the cereal aisle. I'm sorry. I'm also listening to music and managing my grocery list by voice as I walk. Can you say geek? Yes.

Christmas shopping is going VERY slow. I am unbelievably behind. I don't buy too much, but I usually spread it out over several months for financial reasons. Didn't really do that this year. And, of course I have 3 birthdays to shop for also. I'm doing most of our shopping on-line this year partly because I am getting great deals and free shipping is easy to come by - but mostly because I live in the boonies.

I made these great mini donut muffins for breakfast this week and the kid's loved them. Not terribly healthy, but something about them was very donut hole like.

We've been kind of up in the air this week. Our local football team is in the playoffs and a win tonight will mean we'll go to state and play in the Dallas Cowboy's Stadium next week. It would also mean an extra day off of school, so the students are really behind the team! We are holding off on plans until we know! We wouldn't dare miss it!

We are listening to air one Christmas music. We always like air one online, but they have an all Christmas music station on-line only. Byron has this un-American dislike for Bing Crosby and pretty much all music recorded before his birth, so he can't stand the usual KLTY or KLOVE we listen to at Christmas time. They have some great, upbeat Christmas music on air one, though.

I also am on a bit of an organizing binge. I'd love to spend $100's on fancy organizing stuff, but it seems so silly. My favorite organizers right now? I'll tell you about some other projects later, but free boxes are awesome. AND - my favorite drawer organizers? Bible boxes - or those great sturdy boxes electronics -nooks, i-phones come in. A great free solution for junk drawer organization.
I hope all is Merry and Bright for you all this week! Love from the Ayers family!

Growing Children of Faith

Through years of student ministry, Byron and I came to the realization a long time ago that the best way to grow children into adults with real, passionate faith is to be parents who really live out their faith. Simple as that. Simple? Well, okay, maybe not simple.

We have to remember we are fighting a battle when raising our kids and Satan really has it in for them. Satan also has some really crafty plans that are targeting our kids. Internet exposure is raising up a generation of students addicted to pornography just for one, insert Tara's soapbox of really, really long list here of all the really bad things technology and media are doing to lead our students astray. One of the largest results of these attacks that we have seen during our time in the ministry is emotional difficulties. Mainly depression. The Stranger in Your House by Gregory Lantz is a book I will keep to recommend to parents who are worried about this issue.

This book helps you to understand what is "normal" and what should really worry you. That's not too groundbreaking, but the way Lantz discusses these issues in light of faith is. I have a family member raised in a Christian home who is dealing with this issue currently. For a Godly Christian teen to become depressed is to see them reject all that they have been taught, seen modeled in their home, lived by - essentially to reject God -and that is what makes it truly difficult for their parents and family.

Lantz has some great general insight just for parents who are raising emotionally fit kids. It's a GREAT general primer for parents who say, "they became teens and now they are acting all different and strange!" I could quote this book all day, but here's one of my favorites; "When your teen asks spiritual questions and you always have a pat, definitive, this-is-the-way-it-is answer, whether you really feel that way or not, you're giving a fish. But when you start allowing your teen to see how you handle it when you don't have an answer - how you find one or how you learn to live and be patient without one - you're teaching your teen how to fish." I love that.

So often we hide doubts and struggles from our teens, but they really need to see you hanging on to your belief even when it is hard. Saying, "I don't know" is a healthy answer. Your teens need to watch you knowing that God never fails, even though you may fail. It has been our experience that teens who see parents living a, "Do as I say but not as I do" faith will rarely hang on to a strong faith later.

As youth ministers our number one pet peeve is when we talk to parents with teens experiencing problems and they shrug their shoulders and say with a defeated attitude, "she's a teenager" like that is some kind of excuse. I love what Nehemiah says in chapter 4:14, "Don't be afraid of them! Remember that the Lord is great and awesome! Fight for your families, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses!"(CEB version) Love that. Let's make that the motto for dealing with teens, shall we? Worship with them, love the mess out of them, pray your knees off for them, keep them away from the snares of the enemy, and get all in their business if you have to. It's messy work, but they are worth it.

I love this book. I'd highly recommend it. It is available from David C. Cook for $14.99 HERE It's also $9.99 on cbd :)

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book for the purposes of review only.