Here's how the cake turned out. Isn't it pretty?
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Allen helping Aunt Elise decorate a cake.
Friday, Allen came to spend the night, and Saturday he helped Elise decorate a cake. Elise made the cake for Mariah Vaughn's birthday.
Here's how the cake turned out. Isn't it pretty?
Here's how the cake turned out. Isn't it pretty?
Friday, March 20, 2009
Mom and dad's anniversary.
March 19th (yesterday) was mom and dad's 28th anniversary.TJ and Rachel brought pizza.Earlier that day we were out so we stopped and picked Allen up and brought him home with us. Here are several pictures.
Riding Boaz's bike.
Having fun riding in the wheel barrow.
Of course we played games, like Dutch Blitz and Boomo.
So sweet! So cute!
Levi and Natasha.
Elise made this beautiful cake.
A close up.
Dad and Mom.
Riding Boaz's bike.
Having fun riding in the wheel barrow.
Of course we played games, like Dutch Blitz and Boomo.
So sweet! So cute!
Levi and Natasha.
Elise made this beautiful cake.
A close up.
Dad and Mom.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Puppys
Want a puppy? I'm sure you do! Taffy (Jordon's dog) had puppy's. We are going to take them to a horse show and try to sell them.
Here's all of them. We had a little bit of a hard time making them hold still for the picture.
They love to play!
Playing.
The littlest one of the litter.
This is our biggest one.
Here's all of them. We had a little bit of a hard time making them hold still for the picture.
They love to play!
Playing.
The littlest one of the litter.
This is our biggest one.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Sunday
Sunday night we went to visit T.J. and Rachel. So I thought I would put up a few pictures of Natasha.
She's getting so big. And so cute!
Putting on a smile.
Allen with Natasha.
Natasha and Grandma.
And since I'm posting, here is a picture of our Tennessee snowmen.There's no snow around the yard in the picture because it all melted.
She's getting so big. And so cute!
Putting on a smile.
Allen with Natasha.
Natasha and Grandma.
And since I'm posting, here is a picture of our Tennessee snowmen.There's no snow around the yard in the picture because it all melted.
On the movie, Fireproof
We finally got around to renting the dvd, Fireproof.
I must say, after a few rounds of the husband and wife verbally attacking each other, I almost shut it off. Not that it wasn't a good movie. And I believe the movie made the point it was trying to make. But, with my 7 year old, 10 year old, 13 year old, and 14 year old (not to mention my 21 and 23 year old daughters) watching it with their Dad and me, I cringed at every shouting match the couple had.
Not that my children haven't seen their parents make mistakes, argue, or even get a little bent out of shape. But, let's just say that Kirk Cameron did a really good acting job of being an angry and selfish unsaved man; and that Erin Bethea did a good job of playing a "poor me, my husband is a jerk and doesn't appreciate me, and doesn't help around the house, I'm going to find my fulfillment outside the home" wife.
My 7 year old just couldn't figure it all out. His older sister had to explain that the wife in the movie wanted her husband to leave. Now he was REALLY confused. I don't think he grasps the concept that a husband and wife can leave each other
All that being said; maybe I shouldn't have let the younger kids watch it. But I did, and all in all, it was a worthwhile movie. Like I said, the movie did make its point. Other than learning it from their parents, our kids saw that marriage is a lifetime commitment and what forgiveness is, especially when Jesus Christ takes hold of your life
As a Christian woman who for some time has been walking in the sanctification process of becoming a godly wife, my first reaction to the wife's attitude was, "Good grief, just stay home and do your job". Although saying that is easier than doing it. Also, can an unregenerate (unsaved) woman think, "Well, I can't change him, so I just need to keep on doing what I should be doing."? Most cannot. Although, in days gone by (my mother's day; yes, I'm that old), I believe a lot of women did it, even in their unregenerate state. Let's face the fact that a lot of professing Christian women today do not think like that.
Aside from the fact that it takes hard work to have a good marriage, there are a few other points that I got out of the movie.
One point is: If you let your heart drift away from your spouse, you are going to find something else or someone else to give your heart over to.
The husband was not only so involved in his firefighter work to the point that he was overly conceited about his ability to save lives, but being on the internet a lot searching for the perfect boat, he let his eyes see things that they never should have seen. He was not guarding his heart. His apathy in his marriage led him down the path of "giving his heart over" to all those things.
The wife in the movie had a job outside the home. The job itself is a heart stealer for the wife. I know. I'm really going out on a limb here. The ability to earn her "own" money and do what she wants with it separates the husband and wife. Plus, she may feel more appreciated at the work place than at home. Another heart stealer for a woman working outside the home is that she is vulnerable to the attentions of other men. If she feels unappreciated by her husband, than the attentions from another man will pull her heart further away from her husband, not to mention the obvious temptation there. This is also true for men.
Another point is: If a husband and wife are not getting along, one of them has to be the initiator to mend things. someone has to be the giver, the server, to start the process of healing the marriage. This is also true in a good marriage where a minor spat has occurred. But as we see in the movie, this didn't work too well with his heart not in it. He was just going through the motions, not meaning it. Although, I have seen that if you go through the motions, sometimes the emotions follow. Personally, I have not witnessed this outside of a biblical Christian commitment.
On the lighter side, the movie had its funny moments. The firefighter who thought he was God's gift to the world cracked our whole family up. We also enjoyed watching the extra features. Watching the bloopers and the jokes that the movie crew played on each other were fun.
Thanks to the Kendrick brothers for another fine film made outside of Hollywood, that I believe is worth watching.
Also, thanks to my husband for guarding his heart.
I must say, after a few rounds of the husband and wife verbally attacking each other, I almost shut it off. Not that it wasn't a good movie. And I believe the movie made the point it was trying to make. But, with my 7 year old, 10 year old, 13 year old, and 14 year old (not to mention my 21 and 23 year old daughters) watching it with their Dad and me, I cringed at every shouting match the couple had.
Not that my children haven't seen their parents make mistakes, argue, or even get a little bent out of shape. But, let's just say that Kirk Cameron did a really good acting job of being an angry and selfish unsaved man; and that Erin Bethea did a good job of playing a "poor me, my husband is a jerk and doesn't appreciate me, and doesn't help around the house, I'm going to find my fulfillment outside the home" wife.
My 7 year old just couldn't figure it all out. His older sister had to explain that the wife in the movie wanted her husband to leave. Now he was REALLY confused. I don't think he grasps the concept that a husband and wife can leave each other
All that being said; maybe I shouldn't have let the younger kids watch it. But I did, and all in all, it was a worthwhile movie. Like I said, the movie did make its point. Other than learning it from their parents, our kids saw that marriage is a lifetime commitment and what forgiveness is, especially when Jesus Christ takes hold of your life
As a Christian woman who for some time has been walking in the sanctification process of becoming a godly wife, my first reaction to the wife's attitude was, "Good grief, just stay home and do your job". Although saying that is easier than doing it. Also, can an unregenerate (unsaved) woman think, "Well, I can't change him, so I just need to keep on doing what I should be doing."? Most cannot. Although, in days gone by (my mother's day; yes, I'm that old), I believe a lot of women did it, even in their unregenerate state. Let's face the fact that a lot of professing Christian women today do not think like that.
Aside from the fact that it takes hard work to have a good marriage, there are a few other points that I got out of the movie.
One point is: If you let your heart drift away from your spouse, you are going to find something else or someone else to give your heart over to.
The husband was not only so involved in his firefighter work to the point that he was overly conceited about his ability to save lives, but being on the internet a lot searching for the perfect boat, he let his eyes see things that they never should have seen. He was not guarding his heart. His apathy in his marriage led him down the path of "giving his heart over" to all those things.
The wife in the movie had a job outside the home. The job itself is a heart stealer for the wife. I know. I'm really going out on a limb here. The ability to earn her "own" money and do what she wants with it separates the husband and wife. Plus, she may feel more appreciated at the work place than at home. Another heart stealer for a woman working outside the home is that she is vulnerable to the attentions of other men. If she feels unappreciated by her husband, than the attentions from another man will pull her heart further away from her husband, not to mention the obvious temptation there. This is also true for men.
Another point is: If a husband and wife are not getting along, one of them has to be the initiator to mend things. someone has to be the giver, the server, to start the process of healing the marriage. This is also true in a good marriage where a minor spat has occurred. But as we see in the movie, this didn't work too well with his heart not in it. He was just going through the motions, not meaning it. Although, I have seen that if you go through the motions, sometimes the emotions follow. Personally, I have not witnessed this outside of a biblical Christian commitment.
On the lighter side, the movie had its funny moments. The firefighter who thought he was God's gift to the world cracked our whole family up. We also enjoyed watching the extra features. Watching the bloopers and the jokes that the movie crew played on each other were fun.
Thanks to the Kendrick brothers for another fine film made outside of Hollywood, that I believe is worth watching.
Also, thanks to my husband for guarding his heart.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Ramblings of a High School Drop Out
I have always said that one of the most dangerous things you can do is put me in a room by myself and let me think. And I have been thinking, I have never written on my own blog.... so if I did, what would I write? Well, I don't know so I thought I would just ramble a little. I have been thinking about the last four or five years and all the people I know, and people I have been involved with. Friendships I have tried to create and friendships I have made ( some very good friendships by the way). And those are so worth it! Anyway, in my vocation I run into a great many people from all walks of life and all age groups. And I have developed a habit of observing people over the last three or four years more than ever before, and as I observe people, I have noticed that large majority of them claim to be conservatives. But how can that be, I have wondered? And so I have thought about it alot. So here are some of my thoughts.
I have always considered myself a conservative, but how so? And by what standard. or should I say who's standard? To who or what am I comparing myself? and I ask you the same question. Because you compare yourself to today's liberal doesn't make you a conservative. Conservative by today's standard doesn't make you a conservative by the standards of days gone by. I have observed that it is the younger conservatives ( my age and under) who tend to think with their heart rather than their heads. This is largely because of how they were raised. Reared by parents who did not train them against their " liberal thinking and natures". "which we all have" These young people have grown up to call themselves conservative, yet unbeknownst to them, they are in fact liberal.
My grandfather was a conservative. He didn't want credit or a hand out from anyone. He went to work when he was sick. I'm talking about vomiting and running a temperature. He went anyway. He kept a large garden and canned all they could eat and sold the rest. Kept the temperature in the house very low in the winter. He had a good job but lived below his means. And would have it no other way. Compared to my Grandfather I am a flaming liberal. But some of my friends who consider themselves conservatives have found me to be conservative to an extreme, but I know I am not. And I bet you're not so conservative either. I propose that liberalism is, in fact the natural condition of the human heart. It is the duty of parents to train liberalism out of their children, and that is where the rub begins. Left untrained, children bu nature become liberal. For one to become conservative, that is if your parents didn't do their job, takes a couple of things. First, you must realize your natural liberal nature, and second, it will take hard work and a change of attitude. For us to grow into conservatives, we must be trained against our nature. And the same is true for our children. Because our children are born liberal. To be born liberal means that we are born emotional. all of us. We come into the world determined to survive, and we express ourselves to get what we need: Waaa! and Mom feeds us; Waaa! And our diaper is changed; as infants, our strong will can keep us alive and the more outspoken we are, the more our needs are met. And so it continues, unless you have a wise parent who stops it. I have been observing my son training his son ( my grandson) and much to my delight he is in fact training out the liberal nature of my grandson. Some have said " I don't think you Drapers need to be so hard" to which I sometimes answer, "This boy has some of my genes and you have no idea how big of a favor we are doing you." My dad was hard on me, but in my opinion he would have done me a favor if he had been twice as hard! And I don't konw for sure; but if you ask him, I'll bet my son yould say the same thing. So let us clear this up. From birth, we are all driven by passion. We want what we want, when we want it, and we refuse things we do not want. As young children we beg or more often scream for what we want and turn up our nose at what we don't want. By nature we hate having to wait and demand immediate gratification it is in all of us. And we throw fits when we do not get our way. We want to gratify ourselves and loathe the idea of reaping consequences for our actions. Thiat is liberalism. We must fight it. If we don't who will set the example for our children? It is a parents' job to train children to have self control. Incidentely, the happiest two year old I have ever seen is my grandson. You know, the one some think my son is being hard on. children need boundaries. a society whose children are not raised to have self control will be out of control and reprehensible! And we must set the example. We must lead by walking in the truth ourselves. But if you're liberal, this won't be easy, because it takes self discipline. You will have to say no to self. To walk in the truth is more than to give assent to it. It means to apply it to one's behavior. He who "walks in the truth" is an integrated Christian in whom there is no dichotomy between profession and practice. On the contrary, there is in him and exact correspondence between his creed and conduct. And that will lead to what it means to wlak in the truth and being honest with the scriptures.
I have always considered myself a conservative, but how so? And by what standard. or should I say who's standard? To who or what am I comparing myself? and I ask you the same question. Because you compare yourself to today's liberal doesn't make you a conservative. Conservative by today's standard doesn't make you a conservative by the standards of days gone by. I have observed that it is the younger conservatives ( my age and under) who tend to think with their heart rather than their heads. This is largely because of how they were raised. Reared by parents who did not train them against their " liberal thinking and natures". "which we all have" These young people have grown up to call themselves conservative, yet unbeknownst to them, they are in fact liberal.
My grandfather was a conservative. He didn't want credit or a hand out from anyone. He went to work when he was sick. I'm talking about vomiting and running a temperature. He went anyway. He kept a large garden and canned all they could eat and sold the rest. Kept the temperature in the house very low in the winter. He had a good job but lived below his means. And would have it no other way. Compared to my Grandfather I am a flaming liberal. But some of my friends who consider themselves conservatives have found me to be conservative to an extreme, but I know I am not. And I bet you're not so conservative either. I propose that liberalism is, in fact the natural condition of the human heart. It is the duty of parents to train liberalism out of their children, and that is where the rub begins. Left untrained, children bu nature become liberal. For one to become conservative, that is if your parents didn't do their job, takes a couple of things. First, you must realize your natural liberal nature, and second, it will take hard work and a change of attitude. For us to grow into conservatives, we must be trained against our nature. And the same is true for our children. Because our children are born liberal. To be born liberal means that we are born emotional. all of us. We come into the world determined to survive, and we express ourselves to get what we need: Waaa! and Mom feeds us; Waaa! And our diaper is changed; as infants, our strong will can keep us alive and the more outspoken we are, the more our needs are met. And so it continues, unless you have a wise parent who stops it. I have been observing my son training his son ( my grandson) and much to my delight he is in fact training out the liberal nature of my grandson. Some have said " I don't think you Drapers need to be so hard" to which I sometimes answer, "This boy has some of my genes and you have no idea how big of a favor we are doing you." My dad was hard on me, but in my opinion he would have done me a favor if he had been twice as hard! And I don't konw for sure; but if you ask him, I'll bet my son yould say the same thing. So let us clear this up. From birth, we are all driven by passion. We want what we want, when we want it, and we refuse things we do not want. As young children we beg or more often scream for what we want and turn up our nose at what we don't want. By nature we hate having to wait and demand immediate gratification it is in all of us. And we throw fits when we do not get our way. We want to gratify ourselves and loathe the idea of reaping consequences for our actions. Thiat is liberalism. We must fight it. If we don't who will set the example for our children? It is a parents' job to train children to have self control. Incidentely, the happiest two year old I have ever seen is my grandson. You know, the one some think my son is being hard on. children need boundaries. a society whose children are not raised to have self control will be out of control and reprehensible! And we must set the example. We must lead by walking in the truth ourselves. But if you're liberal, this won't be easy, because it takes self discipline. You will have to say no to self. To walk in the truth is more than to give assent to it. It means to apply it to one's behavior. He who "walks in the truth" is an integrated Christian in whom there is no dichotomy between profession and practice. On the contrary, there is in him and exact correspondence between his creed and conduct. And that will lead to what it means to wlak in the truth and being honest with the scriptures.
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