Tawni's First riding lesson!!

Tawni had her first riding lesson today!! She is doing a working student program, she works for 3 hours a week, mucking stalls and caring for horses, then she gets a 2 hour riding lesson. So today in the rain she managed to make it through all 5 hours!! We will give you an update tomorrow...I am sure she will be feeling it then!!

Go forth and Multiply.....we really took that teaching to heart!!

Introducing Thomas Michael Boettger II -born April 27th, 21 inches long 8lbs 6oz

He was 24 days early ! Wow ! Think of how big he would have been !! OUCH ! Everyone is doing good.....

Yes, that is Natty holding him..she's 9 !! Can you believe it ?!?!








Look at those cheeks !!!















Next up !!

Anthony F Born May 15th 7lbs 15oz

This makes 5 for the F. family...hey they can start their own music group now!! The F. Five !! Hee Hee..anyways I think we need to start a campain to get the F. Family here for the 4th!!! We need e-mailers and letter writers(we do still know how to write don't we?)
Phone callers!!! UNITE !! We can get them here! Even if it is kicking and screaming!!!




Look how much hair!!



WOW !! 4 Babies for our J.C. gang in less than a month!!!

Does anybody (meaning Jen , Lisa or Kristina) have a head count on how MANY J.C. kids we have now????

Ya know when you were a kid and your Dad really made you mad ....and you would lay there day dreaming of how you could get him back??!! WELL MY TIME HAS COME!! I am so glad to be able to share it with you!! Some of you may have wondered in the past where I got my weird streak...well NOW YOU KNOW!!!

I'm in a hurry but don't know why....

Rush here...rush there..busy busy busy!!! I am so busy I actually quadruple booked myself for this Saturday and double booked myself for Sunday!! On Saturday I am suppose to
A. take my mom to Portland for a women's conference (we actually leave Friday night)
B. Tawni's FIRST day of riding lessons and working out at Horse Country Farm in Granite Falls ( approx 5.5 hours)
C. Nadia & Kyairra are having their first official Birthday Party with friends from school ( I was suppose to help)
D. My dear Friend Ernie is turning 40 !! I can't miss that right??

Oh Heck!! I just remembered another thing I was suppose to do!!

E. The Spring Celebration for all the BIG Losers over at Julies weight loss blog!
(no I am not a BIG loser, but I thought I could go glare at the girls that did lose big!!)

Then on Sunday :
A. Baby shower for our Woodward girl Bethany.....
B. A going away party for some friends a church !!

We won't even talk about the fact that all this rushing here and there has left my house a national disaster area, laundry piled up to my nose(which doesn't smell pretty), a dog that needs washed, dishes........aaahhhh....you know the list...it never ends!!

How does one get so busy??? Better question.. HOW DOES ONE GET UNBUSY!?!! If anyone has any idea's for answering this monster question ...I am open for suggestions !! I don't want to be here....I am one of those who would be totally cool living on a farm, taking care of my family..leaving the house only once or twice a week....... Want my opinion ? Of course you do!! If not ya better stop reading now....cuz I am gonna give it to ya!! I think Satan gets us so busy ...doing alot of "good" things, that we are to busy to be doing what God wants us to be doing....plus it's really alot less work for him...he doesn't have to bother tempting us...cuz we are so busy that we aren't taking enough time to talk to God let alone HEAR from God. My goal this summer is to streamline my schedule, work on the things that are really important...and let the other "stuff" go.....Does My daughter really need to have 10 different things going? Or would the time be better spent just hanging out with Jim and I?? Camping, playing games, swimming, fishing........they are only young once and it is going so quickly!!
Anywho...If you all could pray for me...pray that I will learn to say NO, learn to keep my focus on the important things, and pray that I will have grace and strength to let go off all the things I "think" I "need" to be doing!!

Happy 6th Birthday Kyairra & Nadia!!

Happy 6th Birthday to my wild and wonderful girls!! I can't believe you are 6 already!! I love you and I am excited to see you grow up more beautiful everyday !!

a little quote ....

In a quote from Perry Marshall, “Accusing a homeschool kid of missing out on ‘socialization’ is like accusing a work-at-home entrepreneur of missing out on corporate politics” (Marshall, pg 11)

Hey everyone! Please pray for our Jolene ! Post partum has hit again and she could really use our love, support and prayers right now!! If you have some extra time give her a call or go out and see her !! Jolene is always there when others are in need and I would really love to see her showered with blessings right now!!

***UPDATE**** She is still having a rough time...PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE... know we are all busy...but this is where the rubber meets the road ladies......take the time to call or send a card and stop by if at all possible!!!! Jeff goes back to work Tue. night and she will need you more than ever!!!

Introducing..(drum roll please..) Bethany Joy Woodward!

WOW !! It's a little Woodward girl!! For all of you who were wondering what a Woodward girl would look like..now ya know!! She is 6lbs 8oz 18 inches long.....SSOOO tiny compared to the boys!!! Momma and Daddy are doing good, they should be home sometime on Saturday !! So stop by and see them, they are at Providence in Everett, 4th floor room 431.

We are all so excited for them!! Congratulations!!!!!!

What it all comes down to...OUR sin and HIS sacrifice....

For those unnamed people who visit my blog and "hate" reading all the religious stuff....I hope you know that I love you...and if I really believe what I say I believe.....then I have to share it with you...how can I love someone and never even try to share with them the news that will save their very souls!! I pray that you will take a moment and read this one little post.....and remember it's because I love you. That said.........

I first saw this poster when I was a teenager and it has stuck with me for years (no comments about that!) It amazes me that Jesus would have came and died even if you were the only person to be saved. His love is amazing and we are so undeserving. He came and died for us while were still sinners...He didn't wait for us to clean up or straighten up.....He loves us just as we are...but loves us to much to leave us that way. I feel blessed to have found Him at such a young age, not that I have lead a perfect life by any means, but I do live a forgiven one as I keep looking to the cross and remembering the gift He gave.

Well , we have been back since Tuesday. Our trip was...well...ok. I loved seeing everyone, and Auburn has always felt like home to me...every where I look there are memories....most of them include Amy, so in a sence I am surrounded by her.....not only in her home and her parents home...but every where......If you want to know more then go to my "Amy page" and I will share more...otherwise you will have to accept ok...and keep me in your prayers.


P.S. Pray for Tawni..she flew to Arizona to see one of her best friends...and it's hard for this Mama to send off her only baby by herself!!!

Prayer!

Hey everyone, just a note to ask for some prayer for Nathan Woodward. Yesterday he fell off Jeff's trailer and gashed his leg open. He had to have 32 stitches. Today he came down with a fever over 102...so they are at the emergency room tonight and may possibly admit him. Pray not only for Nate but for the family.......ok Jolene...that she will have peace.


**UPDATE!! Nate is doing better! Thanks for the prayers! He will still be hurting for a while and will have to sit out the wild Woodward lifestyle for a while.....but all is well.

On the road again.......

Yep, I am gone again!! This time Tawni and I are going down to California to visit Amy's family. Keep us in prayer for a safe journey, and a strong heart. This isn't going to be easy..but will hopefully be another step towards healing.

I can't believe it's been almost a year.....a year ago I couldn't imagine making it a day without her....I guess I am stronger than I thought...but it still hurts more than I can explain. I say this hoping you will hug those close to you...let them KNOW you love them...Remember life is fleeting.....

Were BBAAACCCKK !! Did ya miss us??

WWHHHOOO!! We made it back from the wilds of Montana !! We had a great trip and brought back a few photos of our journey to share, we learned a lot on this trip...just when you think you know all that there is to know about Monatana....well there is just another surprise waiting around the bend!!!



They have finally caught on to the idea of a riding lawn mower!! You don't even have to empty the bag on this model...it does it automatically!!! Wow !! What will they come up with next ?!?!





The locals in Jimmies home town were excited to show us how they have joined the information superhighway....I don't think they completely understand ...but I just didn't have the heart to break it to them!!! It's a start I sappose...











We also found out where jerky comes from...this is me collecting some fresh jerky......its a little sticky at first..but you know there is nothing like fresh jerky!!












We were so glad to see the Montana has renovated their "rest " stops!! Here is a picture of their new facilities!! WOW !!











The controversy of Row vs. Wade is still a hot topic in Montana.





I hope you all learned a lot about Montana from our little photo essay.......

On the road again.....

Were off to Montana for a long weekend!! Pray that we will have a safe trip...as we have 5 passes...yes, I said 5 passes to travail on along the way !!! We will be back on Monday night...try not to miss us to much ! You should be used to us and our gypsy ways by now!!

PRAYER AND SUPPORT!!!

Kimiko's Mom had a stroke Saturday morning. She is alive , but she has lost the use of the left side of her body. So Kimi is up here in the Everett area taking care of her mother. It is going to be a long hard road. Kimi's mom was a seamstress, so she needs to regain the use of her left arm in order to work and support herself. Please keep Kimi, her Mom and Tim in your prayers as this will be a hard time for all of them!!! Call me if you would like Kimi's cell phone number !! She needs our support and I know she would really love to hear from you !!!

**UPDATE*** Kimi's mom is doing better, she has finished rehab and has returned home, but life is still difficult and Kimi still has to come up 3days a week to help her around the house..keep praying that she will continue to get stronger and more mobile, and yes even get back to work!!

Want to get paid for something you enjoy doing?

Sorry guys this one's not for you. Besides, most of you blog at work and are already getting paid. No fair double dipping.This opportunity is for the all the blogging moms out there.

ClubMom is looking for bloggers to join their team. They have two opportunities available.
1. Mom Bloggers. There willing to pay $500 a month for topic specific blog writers on a variety of topics from parenting, homeschooling, money, family, and business.
2. Best of Mom Blog Round-up. This one's a little more involved. The winning candidate will create a daily round-up blog which consists of descriptions and links to the best blog content written by moms or of interest to moms. Compensation is $1000 per month.
Deadline for consideration is March 30.
UPDATE: Here's another writing opportunity. Heather tells us about a new volume in the series when God Allows U Turns. Have you ever had to make a tough choice as a mom? As a couple? As a family? Here’s a chance to submit your story.

Ok..I have been tagged again!! So yep, you guessed it..you now get to find out things about me you never knew you wanted to know....but you do so here they are.....





Four Jobs I Have Had:
1. Deli slave
2. Teacher for a preschool
3. Answering service
4.Cake decorator

Four jobs I think might be cool to have:
1. Fighter Pilot
2. Search and rescues
3. Missionary (I have heard the boss is great!!)
4. Farmer/rancher

Four Movies I could watch over and over:
1. Sense and sensibility
2. Pride and Prejudice
3. Braveheart
4. Into the West

Four places I have lived:
1. Seattle, WA
2. Pocatello, Idaho
3. Auburn , California
4. Helena & Billings Mt.

Four places I have vacationed:
1. Montana
2. California
3. Washington coast
4. Wow...I don't get out much!

Four TV shows I watch:
1. Extreme Home makeover
2. History channel
3. Biography channel
4. Life According to Jim

Four Websites I visit daily:
1. Favorite blogs (gotta leave my 2 cents ya know!)
2. One place.com
3. Hotmail
4. Google

Four favorite foods:
1. Chocolate
2. Cheese...most any kind
3. Woody's BBQ
4. Italian

Four Places I would rather be:
1. Someplace warm and sunny
2. On the back of a horse
3. a Private beach or pool
4. Laying under the stars

Four people I am tagging with this meme:
1. Elicia Wendling
2. James Lee Bickler
3. Rick Kruze
4. Blake Paine

Four charities I wish I could give thousands (millions?) of dollars to:

1. World vision
2. Last Days Ministries
3. Casa Hogar (childrens home in Mexico)
4. World Concern

Memories of Amy

Amy,

She was a friend, a soul mate, a sister.....It has been a long hard road but I am starting to update my "AMY" page again. It has been almost a year, that is so hard to believe, I feel like I am sitting in one spot and the world is racing on past me in fast forward. I am posting this here because I really need your prayers, this by far has been one of the hardest things I have ever had to go through. So if you have a moment to stop by my "Amy" blog .....


This was Amy & I in 1981

Disneyland

WOW ! We are back and it was a wonderful trip!! Though my legs and feet might have a different opinion......This picture is kind of fuzzy but still pretty cool! This is the first "real" vacation we have ever taken as a family and I highly recommend taking the time and money and investing it in your family like this....the memories are priceless!!

A portrait.....

Jim and I had this lovely portrait done while we were in Disneyland...it really is the land of fantasy isn't it??? Tawni got one with her friend Jessica also...you can see that on her blog soon!!

FIVE ON THE WAY !! Kitsap county family needs our help!

That's five babies soon to be born to one blessed momma and papa. The doctors encouraged the parents, Mike and Courtnee Stevenson, to "selectively reduce" the number of babies.
"After much prayer and seeking of God's will, Courtnee and Mike have decided to treasure God's precious gift to them and carry all five babies. She's due in March and on bed rest until then. There is a website set up if you would like to help "donate a foot" to build a house for their growing family.

Blessings....

Well. I am sure you all remember a few months ago when I was whining and complaining about how horrible my life was.....how everything seems to go wrong.....yeah...I know...I need to first ask your forgiveness..you people can feel free to slap me when I need it. (I did say when I need it so don't get any funny ideas.....yeah you know I am talkin to you..I don't need to mention any names !! ) It is so easy to get caught up in what is going on around us...and once your eyes are off Jesus...wow that big old shadow of me seems to block out Jesus completely.

Well we have been blessed!!! So I feel the need to shout it from the roof tops!! It happened a few weeks ago..but Jim felt we should keep it to ourselves for a while..I think he was afraid that it would all disappear if we actually said it out loud. Anyways, about 4 years ago I signed onto a law suit...I won't go into the details ...but just when we thought all hope was gone....we got a settlement !! YYIIPPPPEEE !!! It isn't a huge amount...ok well huge to us, enough to pay off ALL our debt, and put some aside (just in case....) and get a few things we have been needing!!
And ok...our one splurge..we are taking our baby to Disneyland !!

So for all of you who have been supporting us and blessing us so...WE REALLY WANT TO SAY THANK YOU !! We can't wait to be able to bless you and others in the same way you have blessed us !!

Chores. Family responsibility? or indentured servants?

The other day I was reading a post on another blog The Big Yellow House ( a MUST read by the way!) about kids and chores....I was amazed at how many differing views there were out there and decided to see what you all think..... I personally was raised doing chores, my mom was pretty set with 4 kids...she didn't have to do much of anything..at least in my young eyes! Now that I am older..(no comments from the peanut gallery..yes that means you JAMES) I wonder constantly how she survived, and I am grateful that she taught me the meaning of hard work, the pride of a job well done, and family team work. I must admit I never thought I would say those words..Especially when I was on my hands and knees cleaning around the bottom of the toilet !! Now that I have my own slave..I mean daughter....I hope I can give her that same sense of pride in a job well done. At first it was hard, as with most things for me...I have such high expectations that it was just easier to do it all myself. But I finally decided that I needed to do what was best for my daughter even if it meant a lot more work for me and a setting aside of my high expectations for a time. For the first while we really had a hard time...I would send her in to do the dishes and 3 hours later she would still be in the kitchen, with water all over the floor and every kitchen towel in wet balls all over the kitchen!!! Then it dawned on me ( sometimes I can be a little slow....I know hard to believe huh?) I had never shown her how to do the dishes or what the end result should look like!! It's like when you first get into a car to drive....you have seen it done a million times but when you have to do it all yourself it's overwhelming!! So after this great mind boggling revelation...we started doing the dishes together, we traded off positions each night, so she got the hang of each thing one at a time...(who knew getting a pan clean could be so hard??) Each night as we finished I would point out all the little things she should look for and make sure were done..like is that spaghetti sauce dripping down the front of the stove a decoration..or should we clean it?? Showing her what the finished product was expected to look like. Then we moved onto another chore...and went through the same process...me walking her through...giving her tips on how to make it quicker and what works best..... Now I have a pretty well trained slave..oops again...I don't know why I keep doing that!!

Of course now came the subject of an allowance...hummm ....I don't get paid...well yes with love and affection...food for my tummy and a warm bed at night...so why should she get any more than me??? But my dear husband had grown up with a small weekly allotment to spend as his heart so desired...and he wished to bless his beloved daughter with the same token of gratitude for a job well done. We wrestled over the decision for a few weeks and another grand revelation came to us!!! We as children had never been taught about how to handle money and we had been wondering how we could teach our daughter about finances, so that she will hopefully not struggle as we did. Yep, you guessed it...1 + 1 =2 Wow amazing how that works ! So this was our grand idea (well not really ours...I am thinkin those idea's probably came from higher up !)
We made a list, she has personal responsibilities ...example getting up on time and being ready to go for the day by 8:30, washing her face, making her bed...ect.
Then she has family responsibilities i.e. keeping her stuff picked up when not in use, putting her dishes in the sink......
And finally she has a list of things she can do to earn money i.e. clean bathroom, clean out car, make Daddy's lunch.
She only gets paid for those items if she has maintained at least 90% of the personal and family responsibilities.

Of course that starts a whole new list...how should she spend her money?!! We have broken it down into.. Giving, Future savings (NOT to be touched!) special savings (for a new game or whatever) and spending...the only one we have told her how much to give to is her giving...she has to do 10% as the Bible instructs us to! The rest she decides on......

Now, I know I have been babbling on for far to long for most of you, but I really feel like this is an area of importance. I was shocked to see how many families don't require anything from their children and they sited many reasons, from my old one of "Its easier to do it myself", "I just can't get my kids to do the chores" , (which I have to ask who's in charge there?) to "I want my kids to enjoy being a kid" My problem with these thoughts are....if not you....who?? Who will teach them to take care of themselves? You will not always be there to clean the dishes and do the laundry....Why not create a sense of personal responsibility, as well as family obligation. We need to be looking out for one another, Jesus calls us to be servants, that starts at home! You don't need to work your kids like your running a sweat shop but I do believe in instilling in them a good work ethic...that isn't something that just happens...it is learned in the home! And no they are not going to like it, but they might enjoy it more if its something you do as a family, and there are ways of making it fun, not to mention that you can show them how it is their chance to bless others!! I have learned that starting early is actually easier....I waited till tawni was almost 9...but when I worked at a daycare...I saw children as young as 2 learning to be responsible for themselves and help others. We taught them when they came in the house..Their shoes and coats were to go right here, and after lunch..they rinsed their plates and put them in the dishwasher, and yes from time to time we had to remind or help get things put away right...but they knew what was expected of them! Now with my nieces I am having them help me (which they love) with the dishes....and we like to surprise mommy by cleaning the house before she comes home from work (showing them it is something special they can do for someone they love!! And they know a happy mommy is a GOOD thing!)

Another point on the subject of them complaining and not doing the work.....they need to know that there is always going to be things in life they don't like...but they have to do!! ( I.E PAP SMEAR..need I say more?) And they are not going to be able to complain to a boss every time they don't want to do something he asks of them ! This also and more importantly goes for our relationship with God ! Yep, believe it or not he is always asking people to do things they REALLY don't want to do....(i.e Jonah & Moses to name a few) We need to learn to listen to authority and do things, even we we don't want to, or don't understand why we have to do them. We need to do them with a servants heart, without having to be asked twice.......

So let me know your thoughts!! I am always up for a good discussion !!

According to a news article the past couple of days (the story is below), Sony just pulled an ad campaign that featured an image of Jesus after considerable outcry from Christian, from Catholics in particular.


Not that we should necessarily be surprised that people would try to reduce Christ to being just a nice guy with some nice teachings. We do far too much of that ourselves, then we claim to follow the one we've reduced to that same caricature. Are others seeing Christ's power and holiness reflected in everything we do? Or do they come away from interactions with us thinking that Jesus is no big deal? I think C.S. Lewis put it pretty well:

MERE CHRISTIANITY, page 56: I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a good moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -- on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg -- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great moral teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.




ROME (Reuters) - Sony has apologized for an advertising campaign for its PlayStation game console which featured a young man wearing a crown of thorns with the slogan "Ten years of passion".

Some Catholics were outraged by the ads, which ran in newspapers and magazines to celebrate the product's tenth anniversary.

"This time they've gone too far," said Antonio Sciortino, editor of Famiglia Cristiana (Christian Family), a mass-circulation Catholic weekly.

"If this had concerned Islam there would have been a really strong reaction," Sciortino was quoted as saying in the Corriere della Sera newspaper.

In the Bible, Jesus was forced to wear a crown of thorns by mocking Roman guards before he was crucified. In the advertisement, a young man smiles cheekily, wearing a crown whose thorns are twisted into the geometric shapes that are PlayStation's logo.

In a statement, Sony Computer Entertainment Italia expressed regret over the reaction to the advertisement. It acknowledged that the "spirit of the message was misunderstood" and said the campaign would not continue.

Sony's ad is not the first to irk Catholics in recent months.

"There's no religion any more", read a slogan for IKEA in an advert to inform Italians, whose Church attendance is steadily falling, that its furniture stores were open on a Sunday.

And two adapted versions of Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper have been used for adverts that caused controversy in other predominantly Catholic countries.

French fashion designer Francois Girbaud featured Jesus as a woman with a table of glamorous disciples, while Irish bookmaker Paddy Power depicted the original Christians gambling, the traitor Judas clutching his 30 pieces of silver.

Outsourcing Parenthood

This article is from one of my favorite blogs called Spunky homeschool. She articulates things so much better than I could ever hope to !! So I have yet again taken one of her better posts to share with you !!

A few months ago a mother came to me all excited. She began to tell my about an experience she had in her daughter's elementary school.

It was around Christmas and her daughter came home from school telling her mom all the wonderful stories her teacher had been reading to her. Sadly, the daughter lamented however, none of the stories were about the real meaning of Christmas. The daughter asked her mother if she could come to her class and read to her a story from their shelf about the birth of Jesus. The mother thoughtfully replied that she would love to but that she would have to check with the teacher. The daughter seemed satisfied. The mother approached the teacher about the matter. The teacher told her that any extra reading material had to be cleared by the principal. The mother appealed to the principal who then consulted with a guideline for reading. After a short wait the mother was granted her request on the grounds that the birth was historical in nature. The mother was thankful.

Not wanting to burst her enthusiasm I told her how glad I was that she was able to read to the children. The mother's excitement puzzled me. Why would a mother seek the authority of someone else to read a book to her child and the classroom? The answer is obvious, of course. The mother was not the authority in the classroom. This is as it should be. The mother is not there every day and the teacher must keep control of the room and the principal must keep control of the school. The mother rightly sought their approval because that is the system that she submitted to when she allowed her daughter to attend.

The question is, why would a mother knowingly yield her authority to someone else to the point where a simple request for a story would require the approval of three others? Simply stated, the mother has outsourced her parenting.

We heard alot about outsourcing jobs in the last election. Everybody was worried about the number of jobs moving overseas. Yet, a bigger problem is brewing right here in the US. We are outsourcing parenthood. Parents are knowingly giving the job of raising their children over to another.

No parent would readily admit this of course. But the increased reliance on day care, before school, and after school programs demonstrates something else. We want the schools to provide nurtritious lunches without ever thinking we should pack the child one ourselves. We want the schools to bus our children to school without ever thinking that we could drive them ourselves. There are companies that will send a day care provider (paid for by the company) to the house when a child is ill so that mom can still go to work. On the weekend, daycares will provide overnight care so that the parents can go out on a date or catch up on house work.

When I was growing up we all went home for lunch. Then in the schools began to take on that responsibility. The parents were thankful. Then the schools began to provide clinics. The parents were thankful. Then the schools began to teach health. The parents were thankful. The schools began to teach sex ed. The parents were thankful. The schools began to parent for them. The parents were thankful.

The educational establishment is no longer bashful about becoming the parent. Consider the bills just inroduced in Rhode Island that would "require school districts receiving state aid to include in their plans strategies to decrease obesity and improve health and wellness of students." Since when did obesity become a school issue? When the parents began to outsource parenthood that's when. And just what does "improve health and wellness" mean. It doesn't matter, the parents are thankful. It is one less worry for them.

The schools are not the only arena that parents have outsourced their parenthood. We don't want the inconvenience of monitoring our children's viewing habits so we expect others to rate the shows for us and then we will decide based on their standard. Never mind that their standard is not ours they saved us the time necessary to do it ourselves. We feel good that we have done something and we are thankful.

We rely on internet filters to strain out the filth from our computers. Sure they miss some things that we wouldn't approve of but we're willing to make the trade off for the convenience of not having to monitor ourselves. We can go on with our own business because someone else is "parenting" the children and we are thankful.

Don't misunderstand, I am not saying that these things are not helpful. But we have come to rely on others rather than God amd His standard to define parenting and the standards by which we raise our children.

As a Christian, I am called to a higher standard. God has given me these children and I take that responsibility seriously. Society may make it easy to oursource parenthood but God will still hold me accountable.

I stole this post....I thought it was interesting..Thanks Spunky!!

No Parental Controls
Monday, February 06, 2006
According to a Boston Globe article, police in Connecticut are investigating whether the assaults of seven young girls was sparked by conversations on MySpace.com. The men allegedly found out about the girls through the website. Parents are upset about the lack of oversight and control by the administrators of MySpace.com. Connecticut State Attorney General Blumenthal commented,
As a parent, I find it appalling and abhorrent that a Web site would so poorly police its pages," Blumenthal said. "This Web site is a parent's worst nightmare." I am sorry that this happened to the girls, but is this a MySpace problem or a parenting problem? I find it amazing that a parent would expect any company to do what they won't do on their own - monitor their children. I have seen many parents just drop their children off at the library to do "homework". The next thing you know these kids are online chatting away with no supervision at all.Some may view MySpace as a parent's worst nightmare. In reality, the parents lack of control has turned into the young girls' worst nightmare.(HT: Daryl )

Go SEAHAWKS !!!

OUR OFFICIAL CHEERLEADER !! WWWHOOOO !!

Want this job??

JOB DESCRIPTION: Long-term player needed for challenging, permanent work in chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work evenings and weekends and frequent 24-hour shifts. There is some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in faraway cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed.

RESPONSIBILITIES: Must keep this job for the rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule. Must be willing to tackle stimulating technical challenges such as gadget repair, sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must handle assembly and product safety testing, as well as floor maintenance and janitorial work. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and levels of mentality. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute and an embarrassment the next. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product.

ADVANCEMENT: There is no possibility. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining or retraining so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: None required, but on the job training is offered on a continually exhausting basis.WAGES: None. In fact, you must pay those in your charge, offering frequent wages and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 and attend college. When you die, you give them whatever income you have left.

I recently ran across some old pictures..that I thought I would share with you...they are of me when I was little and cute. My auntie Marie took them..I think she has a great eye for photography...anywho...NO LAUGHING!!

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same. - Ronald Reagan

Minnie's new job !!!Yep its offical we are so hard up for money we put Minnie to work!! Can't have an free loaders around here!! Tawni is NEXT !!

From Tragedy to Nightmare
Friday, January 13, 2006
Save Jackson Bortz:This story is so sad. And the state's response is turning a tragedy into a nightmare for the Bortz family. Their infant, Dylan (5 months) has died and their older son, Jackson, (age 3) was taken away. Here's an excerpt from the first post that tells the story written by the grandmother Randi St. Denis,
"Two weeks ago, Rachel was holding Dylan in his baby seat and Jack ran past her in the kitchen. Rachel lost the grip on the baby seat and Dylan fell to the floor. Both my son Matthew and I were eye witnesses to this. Rachel and I quickly picked Dylan up and applied ice to his head. All he had was a tiny bruise under his eye and a slight puffiness on his eyelid. Five days later we found him in his bed not breathing. Sadly, the bump on his head from five days earlier caused his death and we are grieving beyond imagination.Now DFCS (Department of Family and Children's Services) has stolen our grandson Jackson away for no cause."They are fighting to get him back. They have set up a website Save Jackson Bortz where you can read all the updates. They are part of the Georgia Home Educators Encouragement Alliance. They are asking for prayer and an email / phone campaign to get the attention of the DFCS and bring home their son.

Paul Harvey says:
I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December.
I don't agree with Darwin, but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his theory of evolution.
Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game. So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire book of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game.
"But it's a Christian prayer," some will argue.
Yes, and this is the United States of America, a country founded on Christian principles. According to our very own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all others better than 200-to-1. So what would you expect-somebody chanting Hare Krishna? If I went to a football game in Jerusalem, I would expect to hear Jewish prayer. If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad, I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer. If I went to a ping pong match in China, I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.
And I wouldn't be offended.
It wouldn't bother me one bit.
When in Rome......
"But what about the atheists?" is another argument. What about them? Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to pass the collection plate. Just humor us for 30 seconds. If that's asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of ear plugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand. Call your lawyer! Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations. Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights.
Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating; to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying.
God, help us.
And if that last sentence offends you, well ... just sue me.
The silent majority has been silent too long. It's time we let that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard .... that the vast majority don't care what they want. It is time the majority rules! It's time we tell them, you don't have to pray; you don't have to say the pledge of allegiance; you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your right. But by golly, you are no longer going to take our rights away. We are fighting back and we WILL WIN!
God bless us one and all . Especially those who denounce Him. God bless America, despite all her faults. She is still the greatest nation of all.
God bless our service men who are fighting to protect our right to pray and worship God.
May 2006 be the year the silent majority is heard and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions.
Keep looking up.

EYE OF GOD!!

Tawni has been studying nebulas for a science project. We found some pictures taken recently by the Hubble telescope. It has NOT been altered in any way ..the green eye at the center is a star. Tawni will be posting more pictures on her site...they are BREATH TAKING !! Please visit her site and check them out! How anyone could look at such an awesome creation and breathtaking beauty and say there is no God..is beyond my understanding!!

Some of you may have heard this story on Spirit105 this morning...but I had to relay it and ask for prayer. Recently there was a fatal accident on hwy2, the man that died was a Christian and is with the Lord, BUT he was also the father of 18 children !!! Most of them adopted from all over the world.Some of the children are in different area's of the world.(missionaries & working)...and are haveing a hard time getting back for the memorial. I can only imagine what that family is going through, but lets lift them up as our family in Christ.

Goodbye to 05'

Well here we are 2006....Is it everything you hoped it would be?.....well before we get to far into 2006....have you pondered the last year? Thought about the good and the bad...to see what you might gain to make this year better??

2005 was such a mix for me....I realized a life long dream when I went to Mexico with my lovely daughter on a mission trip......and I realized a nightmare when I lost my life long best friend. 2005 changed me forever.....now I am picking through the pieces , deciding what to keep and what to let go...so far my resolutions are:

1. Take more time for the people I love
2. Make sure they know I love them, need them and want them.
3. Take life a little slower..so I can savor the little moments that are so precious.
4. Make more memories.....make the things I do more eventful and meaningful.
5. Learn something new
6. Take better care of me...so that I can take better care of the ones I love.

that's all I have so far...what about you??

True story....

WARNING!! these pictures are very graphic --this is not a joke See what after only three months has done.
Anyone can be taken away or detroyed at anytime any minute. Never taken your family or friends for granted.
Why No One should Drink and Drive........NO ONE
The Destiny of Someone due to a Drunk Driver..... (something to think about.....you will NEVER forget these pictures).
This girl appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show

Think....*(warning..very graphic!!)

After the accident Jacqueline has needed over 40 operations.Jacqueline was caught in the burning car and her body was heavily burnt. The doctors are still working on Jacqueline, whose body was 60% covered with severe burns.
The car in which Jacqueline traveled. She was hit by another car that was driven by a 17-year old male student on his way home after a couple of hard packs of beer with his friends. This was in December 1999.




Not everyone who gets hit with a car dies

GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT LIFE, THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED:
1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.
2) When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair.
3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.
4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.
5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.
8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap.
GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT LIFE, THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED:
1) Raising teenagers is like nailing Jell-O to a tree.
2) Wrinkles don't hurt.
3) Families are like fudge . . . mostly sweet, with a few nuts.
4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.
5) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside.
6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the joy.
GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD:
1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get.
3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're down there.
4) You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster.
5) It's frustrating when you know all the answers, but nobody bothers to ask you the questions. 6) Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician.
7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.
THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE:
1) You believe in Santa Claus.
2) You don't believe in Santa Claus.
3) You are Santa Claus.
4) You look like Santa Claus.

Tatiana Turns Twelve

I can hardly believe it......My baby is turning 12!!! On December 25th..my baby will be 12!! The same little girl that would pee in the front yard (much to the embarassment of my 17yr old sister ) just because it would take to much time to come in the house..!!! The same little girl who would play with anyone.......never picky about age or disablitiy...or what someone might think....She would befriend anyone . One day when Tawni was about 4...she was out riding her bike and we needed her to come home for dinner ...so Jim went out and walked down the street to find her.....well as he walked he called her name and he got stopped at least 4 times by complete strangers saying..."oh Tawni went that way"....well he came to find out that every time she went on her ride around the block..she would stop and talk to every person she met along the way.....One woman said she would chase people down to talk to them and introduce herself!!! Kind of scarey ..YES..but at the same time very sweet!!! They all adored her!!

Tawni has brought us such joy. She has been head strong and spirited since the day she was born. She has grown into a beautiful young lady. This past year has been a roller coaster....from working to go to Mexico and finially getting to go (WOW! What an experience that was!!) to us getting kicked out of our trailer and haveing to move several times......But the biggest challenge she has had this year...was holding me through the death of my oldest and dearst friend. She went with me to California...and walked me through some things I would have never been able to do alone....and she has continued to be my rock. She can hear me crying no matter where she is in the house and she always comes running. I don't know how I would have made it without her!! She has put up with my sudden outburst, crying and snapping at her for no reason...with more grace and forgiveness than most adults would in the same situation.

I am proud to say she is my daughter. I have no doubt that she will continue to grow in grace and beauty...and I can't wait to see how she uses her talents to bless others in the future...... Tawni we love you more than you could ever know !!

HAPPY 12th BIRTHDAY TAWNI VERN !!!!

Fathers note:
Yes, Tawni, I agree YOU have been a solid rock for your Mom. I don't think we would be doing so good as a family without you holding your mommy when daddy can't be there cause he has to work. My hardest job, I have always said, is to teach you how to direct your stubborness (which is a good thing) in the right way. The next year will hold many joys for us and I am sure some sorrows to. God bless you as you grow into a beautifull women. An rememeber that VERY important trait of being a friend to anyone who will listen to you. I remember in the Billings Mall you walking up to a guy in a cowboy hat an cowboy boots putting your hands on his knee and started a conversation with him like you had known him for years. That friendliness is your MOST ADMORABLE quality. Love the world like God tells you too and you will be blessed.
I LOVE YOU BABY DOLL
Daddy

Family game night....

A man went to a barber shop to have his hair and his beard cut as always.
  He started to have a good conversation with the barber who attended him.
  They talked about so many things and various subjects.
  Suddenly, they touched the subject of God.

  The barber said: "Look man, I don't believe that God exists as you say so."
  "Why do you say that?" - asked the client. Well, it's so easy, you just have
  to go out in the street to realize that God does not exist.
  Oh, tell me, if God existed, would there be so many sick people?
  Would there be abandoned children?
  If God existed, there would be no suffering nor pain. I can't
  think of a God who permits all of these things."

  The client stopped for a moment thinking but he didn't want to respond so
  as to prevent an argument. The barber finished his job and the client went
  out of the shop.
  Just after he left the barber shop he saw a man in the street with a long hair
  and beard (it seems that it had been a long time since he had his cut and he
  looked so untidy).

  Then the client again entered the barber shop and he said to the barber:
  You know what? Barbers do not exist." "How come they don't exist?"-asked the
  barber.
  "Well I am here and I am a barber."
  "No!" - the client exclaimed.
  "They don't exist because if they did there would be no people with long
  hair and beard like that man who walks in the street."
  "Ah, barbers do exist, what happens is that people do not come to me."

  "Exactly!"- affirmed the client. "That's exactly the point. God does exist, what
  happens is people don't go to Him and do not look for Him that's why there's
  so much pain and suffering in the world."

My Bubba and his big sister Kyairra!! He's gettin big...and oh so cute!!

Food for thought...

"The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'."
- unknown

Bryan Wood!

We are so proud of Jim's Cousin Bryan Wood who at 16 has already recorded a CD with his band
"the excluded" He writes his own music and is quite impressive. We are excited to see him using his talents and passions to touch people with the love of Jesus. If you get a chance check out his web site, and the band web site has some clips of his music. We are hoping to get him in the line up for Freedom Fest next summer!!

Jim's new job....

The Mommy test...did you pass??

A Friend sent this to me....I just couldn't resist sharing it with you !!

THE MOMMY TEST>>
I was out walking with my 4 year old son. He picked up something off the ground and started to put it in his mouth. I took the item away from him and I asked him not to do that. "Why?" my son asked. Because it's been laying outside, you don't know where it's been, it's dirty and probably has germs" I replied. At this point, my son looked at me with total admiration and asked, "Wow! How do you know all this stuff?" "Uh," ...I was thinking quickly, "All moms know this stuff. It's on the Mommy Test. You have ! to know it, or they don't let you be a Mommy." We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but he was evidently pondering this new information."OH...I get it!" he beamed, "So if you don't pass the mommy test, you have to be the daddy." "Exactly" I replied back with a big smile on my face and joy in my heart.

Weather Report..(must be from somewhere in Montana!)

Do you remember??

Do you remember what it was like to run with the wind in your hair, your feet not touching the ground...or the quite of just sitting with a flower??
Aren't my girls beautiful?? I just love em!!

An important reminder for us all!!