The Five Dubs

Sunday, February 22, 2009

This is the coolest!



A friend of mine posted this really cool word art on her blog a little bit ago. She gave me the information to the website she used and I just had to share it!

Simply go to www.wordle.net. There are many ways to do this word art. Mine above is pulled from words from our blog. You can tweak it to make it yours with all different kinds of fonts, colors, layout of the words, and even languages! Give it a try. I think you'll like it - wouldn't it make a cool gift to frame for someone or for a scrapbook page? You could type in words that you would use to describe that person or event. Fabulous! The ideas are endless!

Friday, February 20, 2009

Esther 4:16b

"And if I perish, I perish." Esther 4:16b

As you may recall from an earlier post, I am committed to a women's Bible Study this spring. We are studying Beth Moore's "Esther: It's tough being a woman". And I am loving it!!! The weekly video studies have brought insight and clarity to this gem of a book. I have thoroughly enjoyed them and the soul searching the homework has added to my life. Last week we watched the video presentation for Session 4. We focused on Esther 4:11-17. Beth did a tremendous job relaying God's word and helping us see how this applies to our lives today. She focused her teaching on fear and the choice we have in the Lord. It was incredible. With Jesus as our Savior we have the same choice as Esther. She chose to overcome herself and her fears. She chose to face her fear and take His courage. As the verse above says, "if I perish, I perish". Beth Moore had us identify things in our life that we fear (i.e. remaining single, those close to us or ourselves being diagnosed with a terminal illness, infertility, our children being affected by peer pressure, being able to afford groceries for our families, etc.). Then she had us use the above verse and finish the sentence: And if , then God. Esther came to that same conclusion. No matter the circumstances, no matter the outcome, God will prevail!

At Bible Study Tuesday one of the ladies mentioned that you can download the individual videos from each session for $5.00. Check here. If you are not able to participate in this study and this post ignites a desire in your heart, I urge you to check it out. I promise God will move you!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Almost two weeks, but we're not lost! Promise!

Even though some days have felt like we are lost - we're not! The last two weeks we have been fighting being sick. All five of us have battled the common cold (some of us get better only to revisit it again) and Kris and I both had the stomach virus. It can just suck the life out of you! Luckily the kids did not share the pain this time. But, it might be worse with the parents getting it. The house basically shuts down...no clean dishes, no clean clothes, toys everywhere, etc. We are now to the point we are trying to get back on track around here. And by back on track, I also mean with my blogging!

I must admit two other factors that have plagued this household and aided in my absence: party planning and reading.

PARTY PLANNING: I have been planning invitations, guest lists, party games, party food, goody bags, thank you notes, birthday cake ideas, class parties, presents, and wrapped gifts since October. It averages to about two a month when you count the classroom parties and Sunday School parties and Christmas...and just about all at our house! After finishing Ann Elise's birthday party on the 8th, I was tired. My brain needed a break. I had not really thought about it. But, I was carrying around so many ideas and plans and lists in my head that it was exhausting. I know, I know it does not have to be that hard. But, I do enjoy the process! It is just that this was the first year that we celebrated straight through (with Bankston Hays' birthday being added to the mix). Maybe I can learn from this year and plan ahead a little better!

READING: After getting my thirst for reading quenched with Even Now by Karen Kingsbury during our trip to Baltimore, I could. Not. Stop! I immediately checked out the sequel, Ever After, and read it in two short days. AWESOME! I cannot say enough good things about this writer and am looking forward to checking out a few more! (Yes, Kris found me several times sobbing about people I don't know) And, I caved and started the Twilight series. I read the first book and really liked it. It certainly pulled me in, held my interest, and left me wanting to read the next one! I finished the second book, New Moon, a few days ago and already have the third book on hold at the library. So, once it gets returned...I've go it! I definitely like the series! I can't say I am quite as gung-ho as most. I did get past the whole "vampire" issue because, as friends had told me, the focus is more on the love story. I don't know what it is exactly. Maybe it is because I was bouncing back and forth from a Christian novel to a secular novel or that it has been years since I read a secular piece (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series). I am just used to that aspect, I guess! I must say (and I was told this before I read them) there are no inappropriate relationships outside of marriage and no bad language. I'll even admit I immediately went to the computer and watched every trailer I could find! I am really looking forward to seeing the movie and seeing how the movie differs from my imagination. I even went ahead and added Twilight, the movie, to our Netflix Queue (it gets released in March)!!!

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Little busy...how 'bout a tip?

Things are a little busy around here for the next few days. We are getting ready for company this weekend (my sister and her boys are arriving tonight). It is time to celebrate Ann Elise's birthday!

However, for the five of you that keep up with the five dubs...I did not want to leave you hanging without a post over the next few days. A week or two ago we discussed "tips" among our Mommy and Me class. These tips ranged from organization to cooking to potty training. I am always up for hearing ways others make their lives run smoothly - and taking advantage of ways to make my own run smoothly! I am most happy when everything has matching containers, things are color coded, labeled - get the picture? One of the tips mentioned really sounded great to me and I thought I'd pass it along!

At the beginning of a new season this mom reorganizes/cleans out her closet to make her clothes more accessible/more room. In this process she turns all her hangers backwards. (She hangs the open part of the hanger toward herself...the closed part of the hanger toward the back of the closet) As the season progresses and she wears her clothes the hangers get turned around from use, leaving the hangers of the clothes she has not worn turned backward. When the next season rolls around she is clearly able to determine what stays and what goes!

I loved this idea. I think it is a great way to keep myself honest on what I will wear next year! As Spring is on the horizon (not that it feels that way) and switching my closet around is approaching, I might just start try out this new system!

Monday, February 2, 2009

Happy Birthday, Ann Elise!

Today our Sweet Doll is 4! What an amazing day (her actual birthday was amazing in and of itself, but that is for another post)! We were so excited to hear the Doctor say, "It's a girl"! Our home would soon be rocked by pink and dresses and hair bows and baby dolls. I love that Ann Elise has a big heart, a desire to make her big brother happy and her little brother content, is a big helper, and loves to "save" anything creepy crawly. She makes our home more lively and our hearts beam with joy! With this being the first year of the blog, I am catching up to date with the slideshow. It shows pictures from her life from birth till now...sorry, if it gets a little long! I had so much fun looking back over these precious pictures! I love her so much!

A few things I asked her today:
Favorite Color: pink
Favorite Food: strawberries, chicken nuggets
Favorite Toy: Bitty Baby and her stroller
Favortie TV Show: Dragon Tales
Favorite Movie: Elmo Goes To The Potty
Favorite Book: "Princess Pruney Toes"
Favorite Game: Dora Memory Match
Favorite Bible Story: Jonah and the Whale
Interests: ride her bike, play with her kitchen, swing, hold Bankston Hays, color

We are taking cupcakes to her class today and celebrating just the five dubs tonight. My family will be coming in town this weekend and we will all get together with the Walters and celebrate with presents and cake, then!