Summer and Homemade Ice Cream!

I never really liked summer all that much until I was able to actually stay at home and enjoy it. I guess working full time I never really could enjoy it the way it was meant to be enjoyed! Playing outside, taking walks, watering plants (Patsy's plants), and even eating outside! Now don't get me wrong, I still like the pleasant feeling of air conditioning, but summers are meant to be enjoyed outside! This summer is much more enjoyable since Tyler is able to walk and they play somewhat well together. I think the tough part right now is just trying to pin Tyler down to put sunscreen on him!

Tonight I think we are going to have fun making homemade strawberry ice cream! I have waited a long time for this night. We were going to make it for mother's day, but it was too cold, so I think I can make this my birthday gift! A nice big bowl of Strawberry Ice Cream! YUMMY! Enjoy summer everyone!

Private Blog!

I am getting on board setting my Picasa and blog to private also! It is pretty freaky knowing that someone is tracking all of our Picasa accounts. Basically, someone we don't know from halfway around the world tracking the growing up of my children and knowing about our lives is pretty scary to me. So, I am now a private person!!!

My Boys!

Drew and Tyler are quite the pair! They keep me laughing that is for sure! One night last week I went in to tell the boys one last time to be quiet and go to bed since it was after 9pm, well I must say I was in there laughing with them for about 5 minutes. Drew as making farting sounds with his mouth and Tyler was doing the same! They were both rolling laughing until they both had the hiccups!! It was sooo hilarious! The boys are joint at the hip. They have a love/hate relationship. Tyler just wants to be just like Drew, is that good or bad?! Tyler is starting to repeat everything Drew says and they both say, "It's fuuuunnnny!", after they do something wrong. I have no idea where they got that, but then it is sometimes hard to keep such a serious face and discipline them. Never a dull moment in our house!!



I tried to get a recent picture on here of the boys, then I found this old picture on Patsy's computer. It about made me cry remembering how young they used to be!!

I Want More of the Holy Spirit!

This weekend I went to a women's retreat in Washington, Indiana. It was incredible! We stayed at the southern district AG campground, which was a beautiful place! Very clean and nice facilities!!

Anyway, I really didn't know what to expect from the weekend. I was so glad to finally be able to get away! This was the first time since I have been a stay at home mom that I have been away by myself for two days, that's 18 months!!! Way to long without a retreat!! I have to tell you I was blown away. It was so nice, because it was a smaller gathering and it was great to really connect with people.

I will give you the short version because I am expecting the boys to come home any time, and I thought I better blog about it now before I forget and I won't get a minute to reflect!

I guess this weekend I had an agenda for the Lord to speak directly to me in a certain area, but this is where the Lord just blew me away, HE had a different plan!! The special speaker was a lady named Sheri (I don't remember her last name). She was just a wonderful and mighty woman of God! She actually is from Winter Haven, FL, where my dad and Kathy live. I need to call him and tell them about their church. She and her husband are the senior pastors at a church in Florida. She shared about how much we need the Holy Spirit in our lives. Which is a message I have heard over and over again, but it really got a hold of me this weekend. It made me look at my own life and realize that I need to be more in tune to the Holy Spirit. It is so easy to just go about life and forget that the Spirit of the Lord is wanting us to take Him wherever we go. The Lord gave us the Holy Spirit to give us power and it enables us to do the things that he has called us to do. Since I came home (back to Indiana) the Lord has been bringing up past friends in my life and really laying them on my heart to pray for their salvation. Not knowing how or what the Lord wanted me to do, I got a more clear picture this weekend on how to reach one in particular. I am still processing it all, but without the Holy Spirit I wouldn't have realized how to do that on my own. The Holy Spirit wants to show me and teach me things, but He can't if I don't INCLUDE him in it! I can't do it on my own!!! I NEED the Holy Spirit EVERYDAY!!!

The weekend also was so wonderful and relaxing for me. On Friday afternoon I was able to take a walk BY MYSELF!!! I emphasize that since it is rare for me to ever go anywhere alone. I needed some alone time with the Lord. It was great to be outside in the fresh air! Though, I got off the main road and went on a little trail and then all these bugs attacked me, it was quite hilarious! I was glad I was alone so no one could see me freak out!

Another great thing about this weekend was that I was able to spend some time with Tami. It blessed me to see her worship and see her go after the Lord. I am so thankful to have a family that serves the Lord, it really is such a blessing!

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Freedom." (2 Corinthians 3:17)