The Heart of the Home seeks to equip women as they study God's Word and encourage them to treasure God with all of their heart (Matt 6:19-21), and guard their heart (Prov. 4:23), by recognizing that they are the heart of the home.

She's opening her doors to all who want to come inside! 

Just click on the beautiful garden-themed button above.

Here's her request...

Day 1 Party Favors: Bring Me Food

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I won!!!

 Wow!  I get free ice cream from Baskin Robbins!!! 

And, all because I entered this giveaway...

I barely "squeezed in" my entry for the giveaway, and I won!

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We are in our 10th week of w.a.i.t.i.n.g. to hear from the banks on the homes we have offers in on.  They are "short sales".  Enough said. 

Anyway....while we are waiting, we have been somewhat busy. 
Oldest son celebrated his 13th birthday. 
We took him, a few friends and their dads to the Miramar Speed circuit.


They (big and little) had a blast.




For men and boys what could be better than driving fast, wearing headsocks and the
smell of gasoline.  

Happy 13th (belated) birthday my  son.  You bring joy and laughter into our hearts.  May you continue to
follow God with all you have and grow and mature in Him.



We've also been to a beach baptism where my  son created some "art".

  


Had a bug live on the front door for almost two days...



They named it "steve".  Anyone know what it is???

And the kids have been enjoying our friends dogs. (and they keep praying for God to give
us our house so WE can get a dog too).


I have to admit.......who could resist this???? 


So, thanks for making it to the end of this post about our life in the
waiting room.  



© Copyright 2008 Called Home

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As I sit here at Deerhunter's desk, not-so-patiently waiting on hold for a lovely helpful government employee  to pick up the phone so I can let them know that once again they sent me an intent to levy..because I missed a payment, but their computer says I did send it.....gotta love efficiency..first recording said 15 minutes...we'll see..I've checked facebook and all my friends' blogs, and now will write this as I wait...

   God has burdened me lately in the area of our eating. About 2 years ago Deerhunter and I lost a combined 50 or 60 pounds using Atkins/low carb. Although we do think about starches and sugars differently, we have had a hard time sticking to it. We've gained some of the weight back. My kids are not eating enough healthy foods, and as a woman in her 30's I am struggling in the area of hormones. all those factors put together have been a matter of concern, and God has laid it on my heart to make some pretty drastic changes. Here are our goals:

-reduce the amount of refined sugar in our diets

-increase the quantity and quality of fruits and vegetables (going organic when possible)

-reduce and possibly eliminate hormones and antibiotics in dairy and meats

-increase whole grains and fiber

This is our second week. I think I will blog weekly on our experiences as to help those of you who are considering similar changes, or who have helpful input.

WEEK ONE-

I came up with a plan of attack. I wanted to immediately change the things we eat the most of.  So as we begin making changes, I will continue to have us eat what is in our freezers and pantry. I don't want to waste OR hit our pocketbook so hard that we get discouraged right off. I decided that my weekly mainstays will change..hormone free dairy, whole grain bread...and not buy other things without reading labels first, steering clear of fructose, corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, phosphates, and anything else I can't pronounce, and as condiments or other thigns run out, replace them with healthier options. DH and I had a date night at Whole Foods, just to see what's out there, learn some things, and get sticker shock.

(yeahh! the hold is over..I'll get back to you guys in a minute!..she put me back on hold! ughhh!)

Also we had J's birthday party this week. I wanted to keep the kids aware of the changes we were making, but also reassure them that special occasions are an exception. I am not at a point in my life where I can do the all homemade treats, so I just did J's party well, plenty of sweets, a really cute construction truck cake made using all different sorts of candies. That brings us to week 2!

WEEK 2

The thing I've noticed this week so far is that shopping takes more time, $, and thought. I have to go to 2 grocery stores now (Walmart and Publix), I may have to go more frequently because of using more fresh produce. And because of having to read labels, I have to either go to the store with 1 or no children versus the 3. Deerhunter is going to check out the farmer's market downtown this afternoon to see what is available, organic or otherwise, since he has a recent infatuation with his new gadget, the juicer. My pantry is starting to clear out, as well as my fridge.

(okay, so the wonderful government employee said they are no longer going to levy my belongings, but has left me confused as to whether I am behind or ahead on my payments...can anyone say 'flat tax please??!!!')

So there it is, in the midst of wrapping my brain around the upcoming school year, I've got this project going...I'm beginning to hear from friends that that is how I operate..it's never just one thing, and it's never simple...it's just me, being who God created me to be!..and sometimes driving myself and the people around me crazy, dizzy, or both....

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After my last post I remembered something else that I need to get in order in the next couple of days.  I am going to make all of our family doctor appointments.  I already did the dentist for eveyone.  Next I think I will move on to the eye doctors and ten check-ups.  It is very important to take care of your family.  It is so much better to keep your family well with regular check-ups.

Rich and I have been talking about some of the ways we would like to take care of our family.  One of the things we would like to do is get life insurance for the both of us.  In the past we thought this was a silly idea.  But now I realize that it is a very responsible idea.  Although we hate to think of the idea of dying we know that it is ineviable. 

Life insurance is not all we have thought about.  There is also burial insurance which is so valuable.  We learned recently how expensive a burial is.  I wouldn't want to leave that burden on my family while they were already grieving. 

One last thing that we really need to look at is mortgage insurance.  This is not just a piece of paper but an investment in peace of mind.  How great it will be to know that with mortgage protection insurance my house wil be paid for in the event that there is still a mortgage on it.  I never knew this was a real option.

So there you have.  We have entered our thirties and see our need for financial responsibility in more than one way.

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We have been using this week to try and get our house in order and clean out all of our closets.  Unfortunately I haven't gotten as far as I would like to be by this time.  But I will not give up.  I will press on until it is all done. We were able to get rid of a lot of junk today to the garbage men.  So I am happy about that.

I'm not sure what it is, I just feel this need to get things organized.  I guess I know that once we start school again full time things will be a bit crazy around her.  Kalene should be starting soccer here in a couple of weeks.  And then we will be starting up with art and piano lessons.  Kalene will also be doing volleyball.  Richie does basketball and we are thinking about getting him involved in a martial arts clas, we just aren't which one yet.  And this doesn't include field trips or spontaneous stuff.

I'm not overwhelmed by it, in fact I am excied by it.  But I also know that having some kind of organization will go a long way to maintaining the sanity around here.

Next week I'll begin planning and getting ready for school.  I'll also spend some time organizing all of our household and business records. 

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Dynamite power
To move in the land;
Dynamite power
That flows from the hand
Of the One who created,
The One who redeems,
The One who instructs us...
May His children proceed
To move with His dynamite power.


A.D.W.

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Passion for the putrid,
Penchant for the profane;
Thirsting, lusting after that
Which falsely claims it is gain.
Vile, but unreviled,
Received with open arms;
We fill our cup
And drink it up,
Consuming worldly charms.

Passion for the putrid,
Penchant for the profane;
Loving undeserving ones,
Whose lives He ought disdain.
Vile, but unreviled,
Received with open arms;
He fills our cup
And lifts us up,
Replacing worldy harm...
He claims us as His own!


A.D.W.

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I rest in a refuge...
Of precious stone, built;
Grouted in love
Through precious blood spilt.
The walls that surround
Have no end, have no bound.
No lasting harm
Can find its way over or 'round
The Refuge, the Rock, the Lord
My Refuge, My Rock, My Lord.

I bask in a shelter...
From elements, braced;
Hid from the harmful,
He shields my face
'Til His time is complete
And the work here done,
'Til He deems the time right
And sends me on...
My Refuge, My Rock, My Lord.


A.D.W.

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Yesterday was ds' 12th birthday.  We also had our first chick hatch out of the eggs in our new (used) still-air incubator!  Very cool! 

DS received a set of rockets, and he's hooked.  We've had various launches.  The larger of the two has returned just fine.  The smaller, which can travel up to a quarter mile, was nowhere to be found last night after the launch.  Might have to do with the fact that he painted it green.  He told his Dad that if he found it, he would definitely paint it orange before he launched it again.  But for now, it remains MIA.  He's hooked, though, and is going over the ESTES brochure in depth as he decides which rocket he wants to try next!  The ESTES site online has some educational links as well...looks like fun-schooling for ds!  How fun!

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