Awards and Garden

No, my garden will not receive an award but I am really excited with it.  This morning I finally got to pick the reward of perseverance.  After planting raspberry plants 3 times I finally got them to stick around.  The last two times I planted, I planted in the heat of summer and I am pretty sure that is why they died.  Last spring we took a trip to my brother and sister in laws and my sister in law was showing me her great raspberry garden.  We left for the day and when we got back she had dug up 50 plants for me to take home.  I planted them the day we got home and prayed the little sticks would make it.  I have only lost a couple and all the rest are out there with beautiful leaves and lots of red raspberries.  Well, that was until I picked all the red ones this morning and we had them with our cereal.  It was so very exciting!!!!

Here it is off to an ok start. Back in the corner are the lovely raspberry plants.
Not sure what happened to my poor strawberry plants, may have to start over on them.

Aidric enjoyed his share of the raspberries

 As for the awards, our lovely daughters graduated their respective classes, earning honors in each.  Latisha receive her gold, Sierra her silver, Danika her bronze, and Cassandra earned her honors in Daisy's.  They have to honor in three clubs to get the bronze medal,which is what Danika did, when they honor in their fourth club they get their silver, which is what Sierra did, and when they honor in their fifth club they get a gold, which is what Latisha did.  To honor in a club you have to do extra work and memorization of scriptures.  So, I am very proud of their hard work and blessed to have them all honoring the same year.  It just so happened that Daisys club (what Cassandra just finished) is one year, Prims is two (we didn't have a girl in that club this year), Stars (Danika just completed) takes three years, Friends (Sierra just completed) 3 years, and Girls Only club (Latisha just completed) is four years and we just happened to have our daughters spaced so that they all graduated at the same time.  I don't know how often something like that happens but we feel very honored to have been blessed with girls to accomplish this and am thankful for Girls ministry and the leaders who minister to our girls.

On a side note my dear friend Ivy, is home from college and we are holding Bright Lights meeting with some lovely young ladies for the the summer, in our home.  She felt led to continue Bright Lights  with our girls for the summer and is doing Grace Malley's book "Will our Generation Speak?"  We have had a good turn out. Another friend of mine is doing a ladies Bible study at the same time in our home for the moms and other ladies.  It is working out good and I am thankful with the work God is doing in our home.

Also, more good news… Isabella's test all came back negative and after David's layoff at his job, he is still employed.   Thank you, thank you my Lord.  God is good!!! Have a great day and God bless.

Alicia

Wednesdays

If you were to ask David what his favorite day of the week is, he might just say Wednesdays.  Why?  Because it is cleaning day.  He loves coming home to a freshly cleaned home that smells, well, like cleaners.  When he comes home you can hear him say "awww its cleaning day."  That doesn't mean our house is trashed the rest of the time, just that Wednesdays are the day everything is vacuumed, picked up, and the bathrooms shine.  Well, at least that is the goal.  I have to admit I love it when it is all done too.  I refer to Wednesdays as my work out day.  Some people spread cleaning days out through the week, and we do clean everyday of the week, but Wednesdays are just get in and get it all done.  Everyone has their job and I am blessed that they all jump in and get it done.  My job is the floors.  That is a big job considering the amount of floors we have here.  It is so funny the kick I get out of seeing vacuum marks on the carpet.  Obviously with a family our size we vacuum some rooms throughout the week but Wednesday they all get done.

vacuuming with Aidric

When David and I were in college I had two jobs and went to school full time.  So Saturday was cleaning day.  Once I became a stay at home mom I moved that to Friday's.  I loved a clean house for the weekend.  But we were often busy on Friday getting ready for the weekend so I moved it to Thursday.  Well a couple years ago we started Bright Lights here every other Thursday so cleaning day got pushed back to Wednesdays.  Now I'm not sure what we will do.

Ivy and Aidric

When I started Bright Lights two years ago I asked Ivy to join me.  She has been the heart of our group but she is going away.  It is very sad to see her leave and she will be so very, very missed.  I have friends of all ages.  Some are quite a bit older and some quite a bit younger.  Just yesterday I had a wonderful outing with my dear friend Jessica, who is younger but such a priceless friend.  She encourages me in my life and walk with the Lord and that is what being a friend is about, I pray that I do the same for her.  I am grateful for all my wonderful friends God has placed in my life.  I remember when David and I were friends with a wonderful couple about my parents age, they were priceless.  Well, Ivy is around my older children's age but she is also my friend and priceless.  We have some wonderful conversations and both share a desire to honor the Lord.  Ivy gives everything her all and is always volunteering to help me out.  I have yet to find someone who could replace her as the Bright Lights leader and I am afraid I am unable to continue alone.  We will see what the Lord has in store.  Will cleaning day return to Thursday?  Maybe.  But for the next few weeks it will be Bright Lights with Ivy.  I am glad that there is a new Bright Lights group so it won't totally end in our area.  We love you Ivy, God bless you in your next endeavor.

Hope you all are blessed with good friends, have a wonderful day.

Alicia

Radiant Purity

What a great conference we had.  I was so happy to see all that attended.  My dear friend, Ivy, worked so hard organizing everything, that it went off so well.  I was so blessed to be working with her and the group of girls that was our staff.  The worship team of a pianist, violinist and three singers were wonderful.  I was concerned that a video conference would not get much response but I was pleasantly surprised.  The fun part was I didn't even know the majority of the people that attended.  Sarah Malley and her Bright Lights team did an amazing job of putting the information together in such a wonderful way that the hours of sitting watching it in our not so comfortable chairs after a while, was so worth it.  The conference was full of valuable information that so many of us want to convey to our daughters, such as Radiant Purity, Seeing Life From God's Perspective, How to Guard Your Heart, Emotional Purity, Living by Faith, Not Fear, and Delighting in the Lord.  Such good information for our girls.  Then for the parents, we watched Mr and Mrs Malley encouraging us.  I pray that all were given encouragement and tools for life.  May the seed planted in these girls and their parents grow and bloom.  I encourage you if you are single or a parent of a daughter and have the opportunity to attend any of the  Bright Lights conferences it is well worth it.  God bless and have a great day.

Alicia

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; he's leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.  

Bright Lights

Here are some of our girls at the tea party teaching etiquette

Wow today is the day.  We have our Bright Lights Video Conference today and tomorrow.  I must say that over a year ago when we started our little group that I had no idea we would be hosting a conference.  I am so excited to see all God is doing with our obedience.  For quite a while we only had a few people registered and I was wondering how this would turn out.  We were hoping for around 50 people and are now expecting 80 girls and parents.  That is so exciting!  If you have a moment in your prayer time today please remember our conference.

Pretty Isabella

Having such a good time today.  So much better then 2 weeks ago.

oooooh!

Isabella update she is doing great and has more energy then ever.   Her doctor appointment went well and the doctor was encouraging.  She also begins speech therapy next week.  Maybe we'll have her talking yet.

Baby update:  now 12 1/2 weeks along and growing like I always do.  Ever since the third pregnancy my tummy knows the routine and pops right out to make room for baby.

God bless and have a great day.
Alicia

Answers?

It has been a while since my last post.  So, a little update.  First Isabella had her hearing test and it just showed a mild hearing loss.  They feel many other test could be done.  As a parent it is so hard to find what is necessary.  It would be so nice if there was just one test that answered all questions.  Maybe she just isn't ready to talk and all this other stuff is unnecessary.  I was very frustrated the other day and my husband reminded me, "she is so happy and isn't that what we really want."  Happy she is and that I do want.  She is a very happy and loving girl, that is so great, and I am so thankful for her joy and just to have her in my life.  So on our way home from her test I had a little talk with her.  "Ok, now I know you can hear me, no more getting away with ignoring me."  :)

 We had a princess day for our Bright Lights group the other day.  The girls loved dressing up and some even wore tiaras.  One girls asked if we could do this every week.  We are also setting up a BL conference and that is very exciting.

 We got to go camping with some friends and the kids enjoyed fun boating.

Wish you could hear the screams of delight.  :)

Alex and his friend boarding

Cassie loved the boats.

 Isabella got her first full pony tail.  So cute.

 Canned some cherries, froze some and made dessert with some.

 My wonderful friend Amy, heard of a lady getting rid of her raspberry bushes.  It is something I really wanted.  I can't believe how much they cost in the store and even a plant is around $7 a piece.  So as we dug them up we started laughing $7, $14, $21...  Lots of fun.  Hope this weather is not to hot and they will transplant well.

here is my garden growing and producing.  So exciting.  

We are blessed with such great family, friends, ministry and so much more.  It is so good to know God has all the answers we need and He is more than enough.  

Week in Revue

Fun week for starting off so crazy.  Saturday the girls had a Bible quiz match.  It went well as far as I could tell.  I woke with a cold that got worse and worse as the match proceeded.  The cold stuck around for a couple days before finally easing up.  

Sierra's team.  It was mixed up clothes day.  This is not how they normally drew

Danika's team

Tuesday night we had a great (double) date night with some dear friends.  We called them at the last moment and they were able to get away.  They brought their adorable baby, who is 3 months old.  She was a delight all evening and we so enjoyed time out with good friends.

Wednesday was shopping day.  Danika and Cassandra went with me.  Cassie was insistent of brining her little Bible with her.  This was of concern to Danika.  But it was so cute.  Cassie walked around the store proudly caring her beloved pink New Testament Bible.  She looked adorable.

Here Cassandra on her big wheel, wearing her brother hat and singing away.

Next we had a beautiful snow fall on Bright Lights day.  The day started off with a little sprinkle that turned into a dusting and then layers of beautiful white snow.  A bit of a surprise.  But the girls loved going out and shoveling in preparation for our group.  Our meeting went great.

 Then as an early Birthday gift, today my lovely daughter Latisha gave me a wonderful pedi and mani.  How fun.  She did a wonderful job as always.  She is so artistic and paints on cute little flowers and swirls. It is definitely a gift she has.  I normally don't paint my fingernails because with all the cleaning and wiping I do they don't look good long.  I'll be careful and maybe they will be good for a couple days.

Now the snow is mostly gone and maybe spring is about to move in.  Hope you are all having a great day.

God Bless.

Alicia

Beloved let us love

I love love, and love being in love.  It is a great thing that God is love (1John 4:7-8).  Love is pure because God is pure.  Many have tried to pervert love, but true love cannot be perverted because true love is God.  I am thankful that God knew that "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him." (Genesis 2:18).  Marriage is a wonderful union where God blesses that love he has given to a man and woman and they are now one.  But love goes beyond that as they are fruitful they pass that love to their children and train them in the ways of righteousness.   The children learn that "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." ( John 15:13)  This is Christ's love.  The love that he laid down his life for us that we might spend eternity with him.  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  (John 3:16) Friend, my prayer for you today is that you know this Love, the love of the Father and the you believe in him that we may all spend eternity with him.  If you do not have God as your saviour please see the ABC's below and seek God.

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentines day.  It has been a while since I have posted.  We have had a busy week with Valentines activities.  Some fun things we did were Sunday heart french braid the girls'
hair.  I did not get pictures this year but it is a annual tradition

 Monday we had friends over for a little party, where we ate heart shaped pizzas, salad and heart cookies.

Then Monday evening we had our family Valentines dinner (Alex was unable to be there on Tuesday so we moved it up a day).   We had a guest with us.  For dinner we had Chicken Courdon bleu with hollandaise sauce, salad, bread sticks (we dipped in olive oil, vinaigrette, and garlic), baked potato, and punch. We love to decorate and use our china, silverware, nice glasses, and candles.   We also dressed up.

 For dessert we had chocolate dipped strawberries and Crock pot cake.  It is an amazing recipe that we got from a friend.  I will share it below.

 Tuesday morning we had pink chocolate chip pancakes, sausage, milk and juice.

 A family joke is how I never get chocolate for Valentines day.  I always give it to the kids and David but rarely get it.  So David put an end to all joking and provided me with enough chocolate to last quite a while.

 As I was out side Valentines morning I saw a cute heart on our house and had to take a picture.

 Wednesday night my Stars class had a Valentines party but I forgot my camera.
Thursday was Bright Lights and we had a Valentines party and did our unit on Courting.  I think it went really well.

Now tonight my girls and I are going to a purity conference with Leslie Ludy.  She is the author of "When God Writes Your Love Story."  She and her husband wrote the book together and I really enjoyed reading it.  My children are now reading it and are enjoying it. The conference runs through tomorrow.  That will make it a week of love.  Love and purity, what a wonderful combination.  Well, I must get on to school, have a great day and God bless.
Alicia

A: Admit you are a sinner. Romans 3:10, 23, 5:8, 6:23
B: Believe in Jesus. John 3:16 John 14:6
     Become a child of God by receiving Christ.  John 1:12
C: Confess that Jesus is you Lord.  Roman 10:9

Chocolate Crock pot Cake
Use 4 mixing bowls-serve with vanilla ice cream
Mixing bowl 1:  2 cups flour
                           4 Tblsp baking powder
                          Mix and set aside
Mixing bowl 2:  1 1/3 c sugar
                           6 Tblsp cocoa
                          2 tblsp vanilla
                          1/2 tsp salt
                          2/3 c milk
                          Wisk together until throughly mixed
Mixing bowl 3: Microwave safe
                         12 tblsp butter
                          2/3 c chocolate chips
                         Melt in microwave 30 sec at a time, stirring well each time until completely melted and
                         smooth
                         Combine all bowls together until well mixed- pour batter into an oblong crock pot that is    
                         well sprayed with cooking spray.  Spread evenly.
Mixing bowl 4: 2/3 c brown sugar
                          2/3 c sugar
                          2/3 c cocoa
                          3 cups hot water.
Mix until sugars are dissolved.  Pour this mixture slowly over batter in crock pot.  DO NOT STIR.  Cover and cook 1 1/2 -2 hours on hight.  Done when cake pulls away from sides.  Turn off, uncover and let set for 25 minutes. 

Be Encouraged

 Good Day.  Saturdays around here we try to make a fun breakfast.  Today was Swedish Pancakes.  At least that was what we called them when I was a kid.  Really they are crepes.  It is one of Danika's favorite breakfast and she is my morning girls on Saturdays.  During the week she has a hard time getting up but every Saturday she is up and going and the rest of the house is silent.  Except of course for Isabella.  So Danika will go get Isabella.  Quite a blessing for me.  Our recipe is

Swedish Pancakes
3 eggs beaten
1/2 tsp salt add
1 Tblsp sugar add
3/4 cup flour add
1 1/4 cup milk add
1/4 cup oil add (we substituted applesauce for oil today and they came out great)
beat till slightly lumpy, pour, and cook like pancakes, very slim.  butter, top with jelly, roll up.

We have used various fillings like, powder sugar and lemon juice, canned apples with syrup, and for a dessert filled with bananas and drizzled chocolate sauce over.   When you use applesauce instead of oil be sure and keeps cooking surface buttered or sprayed.  We double the recipe for our family.

batter almost used up.

cooking

finished product

satisfied costumer

 Have you ever turned something over to God and thought you knew what the outcome would be but it didn't go as you had hoped.  I think it is very easy to get discouraged.  Thankfully God has given us His Word.   May I encourage you as I encourage myself.  Galations 6:9 says And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.   Psalms 27:14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.  Romans 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.  Hebrews 10:36 For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.   In our Bright Lights group we love to sing a song by the Wissmans.  It is called "I am Your Shield."  It is such an encouraging song.  The girls love to sing it.  We have decided to perform it for a rest home and then at a variety show at church for a girls ministry fund raiser.  The girls sing it so lovely and are hoping to be able to perform it with guitars and piano.  I have also started a new project for the fund raiser.  It is a new afghan.  I am really enjoying the pattern.  Here is a picture of it now and I will have to post a picture when it is finished.  Be of Good cheer, the Lord your God is with you.
Alicia

my new project

Tis the Season

I am a fickle shopper.  I like to find good deals and move on.  If I don't, then I get a little irritable.  So, Christmas shopping for me has its highs and lows.  I do love to get gifts for the ones I love, especially when I really think they will like it too.  I have found it much easier to buy for girls then boys.  I wonder if men feel the same way.   The last couple of weeks I have been so blessed to go shopping with each member of my family individually (except for Cassandra and Isabella).  I love spending time with my husband and kiddos so much and they enjoy buying gifts for each other.  I have suggested that they draw names, but they still want to get all of their siblings and David and I gifts.  I can't complain that is what God did for us, He gave us the best gift.  Shopping we have done and now the shopping is done.  So lets do some more baking and enjoy the time together and focus on the true reason for the season.  

This week I did get to make cake balls for my first time and they turned out quite yummy.  We had our Christmas party with our Bright Lights girls and made the cake balls for that.  I have so enjoyed our Bright Lights group and curriculum.  It just so happened that our last two lessons were on Contentment and Sensitivity.  What perfect lessons for this season.  My co-leader, Ivy, has been gone on a mission trip for a couple months, but now she is home and it is so wonderful to have her back.  She is an excellent example to the girls of a young woman living a beautiful Christian life and the girls love her.  I am blessed to work in ministry with Ivy.  Oh, I also got to go shopping and have lunch with Ivy.  We got the girls yarn as Christmas gifts and they were thrilled.  Several of the girls bring their knitting and crochet projects to the meetings and will work on them there.  Here are a couple fun pictures from our party.  Hope all is well.

Tea time 

silly girls

Some played the piano and here even sang

a couple girls played their guitars

Emily did a wonderful job on the piano

a couple girls brought gifts for others

Danika and Sierra also played the piano.  Unfortunately I missed getting Sierra's picture.

God Bless,
Alicia

Look out Rome

So we have been very blessed with a trip to Rome.  It will be just David and I and I am looking forward to it but a little apprehensive.  Leaving the kids for a week is a bit nerve racking.  We had thought when we got the trip that we would stay an extra week because we don't know if we will ever be back.  But the thought of leaving the kids that long was too hard.  So, I have been pretty good about it until the other day it just sort of hit me.  We are going to another country very far away, we don't know anyone there, and we don't speak the language.  David asked me to go get some Italian money and I start to have this panic moment.  What, how, why, where?  I suddenly felt very unprepared and a bit overwhelmed.  I finally found a local bank that had Euros, which I found out is the money they use in Italy.  When I got there the banker asked how I wanted it broke down.  I have no idea.  My brain went totally dead.  I said "what do you recommend?"  Isn't that so sad.  Well, I left there really concerned with my preparedness and not believing I am leaving my children to go half way around the world.  Thankfully I have an amazing friend who talked me back to reality.  Maybe no one out there needs a "Lien"  like I do but I am so glad God blessed me with her.  I spent the next hour and half wandering aimlessly at the local clothing store, trying to find a great deal on a great outfit for Rome.   I did well and am now very excited and thankful for the opportunity to travel. 

Apparently this is Euro money and they use this in Italy and all of Europe. :) 

We just had another Bright Lights meeting.  It went so well.  We had fun and started off set two with hat day.  It was great.  Some girls had cute hats and some went silly but they all seemed to enjoy it.  I can't recommend Bright Lights enough.  It is full of such good life changing words of wisdom from the Bible that is not only good for the girls in that age group but also so good for us older ones who should be wiser group.  Last meeting we discussed being fully committed to God and this week we discussed how important it is to be truthful.  Ivy was great with her teaching and creativity and Latisha did great with her cooking.  I am blessed to have the girls in our group. 

our fun group of girls. 

Well, all looks ready now.  So I am so looking forward to using my passport for the first time and seeing some more of God's amazing creation.  Stay tuned for more stories and pictures soon to come.  God Bless.
Alicia