Washing Machine

So this morning when my wonderful, sweet, good looking and loving hubby was trying to pack the ugly truth came out.......

My husband had no clean underwear or socks (1 pair of socks with holes which he pointed out will be lovely when he has to take his shoes off at the security check point!) for his 4 day trip to Ohio.

• My kids have no socks!
• I am down to my last pair of underwear!
• There are no pinks...we have girls 80% of our clothing is pink!

HOW....HOW...HOW ...Lets account for my activity:

Dallas Mon-Wednesday night...home on Thursday....Friday Space Center Houston Homeschool Day...Saturday...Country picnic, Little Christopher's Birthday & visiting with a neighbor, Sunday Church....MONDAY NAKED Folks!

So as always friends are welcome to come by anytime. But today you may see a little naked behind.....

Titus 2:5 "...to be busy at home"

This is such an atypical week for me but it reminds me that my main job is to be busy at home! I need to be more thoughtful and make sure my duties at home are "done". These duties to my husband and children are the most important things I do each day! They are the main way I glorify God!

Happy Homemaking...I've got to get back to the laundry

P.S. Do not worry I got a load washed and dried for Wayne so he has jeans, undies and socks for his trip!

A learning lifestyle....

I've said it before we have really enjoyed homeschooling the kids, perhaps because we have always had a learning lifestyle but homeschooling has made it more directed and focused. Definitely because God clearly called us (Wayne giving the girls an impromptu lesson in geology) to it! I am a 'Charlotte Mason' (CM) type homeschooler with a classical bend (translation: we read lots or real books, avoid textbooks and have a schedule that covers a lot of topics including art (Monet right now) and music (Mozart right now)). Schooling like this was a huge shock to me because I thought surely I would be more textbook/classical and rigid. But God has clearly lead me to CM. I like CM because I can turn most of our trips and activities into educational experiences with just a few books! Every morning we lay in bed together read Proverbs and then Wisdom and the Millers which we follow with 2-4 picture books covering topics we are studying which right now are about Poetry, China, Earth, Monet & animals. I love this first hour of "school"!!! The next thing I like about CM is she encourages 'practical' experiences ! So when we were in Fort Worth we went to the Zoo it was fabulous the kids have not been in a couple of years and we had such a good time. We have been reading Animals do the strangest things by Hornblower and now they got to see the strange things up close and in person. The kids were so excited screaming and giggling as another animal came to life. What's our next big learning adventure...probably planting some flowers in the front yard (we've got to get this house sold). What CM has taught me is that everything is a great learning adventure from taking out the trash to launching the space shuttle and Bible has taught me that every moment is an opportunity to point out how God has made such a variety, such great beauty and is intertwined in everything! NOTHING is an accident!


He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11


I hope as they head into their lives after walking with God, Wayne and I that they have seen, heard and experienced so much of God's beauty that they recognize it and are in awe of it and of Him! I hope that they become seekers of Him. Because we can have no greater joy than to know our kiddos are walking in the truth.

Happy Birthday Brian!

Happy Birthday Brain!


The Short list of why the McVay's love Brian:

1. You love God!
2. You helped to make Justin.
3. You married Kim.
4. You lived in our house so I could live in Houston. Even though you absolutely hate to sleep anywhere except for your own bed (according to Kim).
5. You were ready to defend my family.
6. You love our kids.
7. You are soooooo funny! (Folks I'm serious the man actually talks when you get to know him).
8. You provide a second example of a great Dad for my kids to see!
9. When our car broke down and I told the kids someone was coming to get us (while Wayne was in Ohio) they said Daddy Brian! (Our kids love you!!!)
10. In case or invasion or attack we are coming to your house, we'll stop at Academy to get EXTRA ammo!
11. You bring us meat "you found".....

Gentian Violet Baby

Okay, Big Baby who had the world's worse diaper yeast rash all the way to her tummy and her legs! Well, last night she was at her wits end and the normal 50% Zinc Oxide, I swear by, was not working. In fact I think it was just laughing at it and growing more and more. I remembered Gentian Violet...I know I am probably behind the curve on knowing and using this product. But at 8 p.m. at night I had little choice....either go to the urgent care ($75 co-pay, $10 meds and embarassment) for a screaming baby with diaper rash that I had already diagnosed (Yes, I am board certified I have a BA and an MOM degree) or give the ole natural cure thing a try. So Halei and I trekked off to HEB to look for Gentian violet (1.77) and Acidophilus pills (7.00) while sweet Wayne soaked the baby in a water tub with 'baking soda' .

Since I am both interested and skeptical of natural cures when we got home I put some on her to check to see if she was going to have a reaction. She did not have a reaction, so I painted her purple! This morning she looks great (and purple) and the Yeast beast is retreating!

So my request to all the other mommies out there is to please comment about other natural cures (like grapefruit seed!) you use so I can increase my knowledge of these natural medicines, save my family money and grow in wisdom while I 'watch over the affairs of [my] household' Prov. 31:27.

Thanks !

SUPER DUPER CLEANING POOPER

Once a week we have a SUPER DUPER CLEANING POOPER. I think I've mentioned before that training my girls (Titus 2:5 be busy at home, to be kind,) to be suitable helpers is tops on my list of things to do.

Genesis 12:2 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

Wayne likes house to be neat and inviting, he's such a sweetie. So we do Flylady around these parts and have modified it to suit us. So once a week usually on a Thursday (the day after Hope Group) we turn on the jams (93.3 FM) and get down and get holy. The girls clean baseboards, window sills, pledge things, sort all the laundry in the house, organize things (if its their room), sort socks, wash walls, and cabinet fronts......oh how they they multiply the work completed! We get a lot done while we laugh, sing, dance and sometimes discipline. Also, there is much less squabbling because they are becoming used to working with each other.

They little one is learning to take wise counsel from each other and to give it to each other! (Even if it's just "Parker, pinks go in the pink and red pile" or "Peyton work or you're gonna get the vinegar!").

Proverbs 10:26As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is a sluggard to those who send him.

So hopefully, when they are older they will not be scoffers (all kinds of bad thing happen to scoffers like getting sucked into cracks and having the earth closed on your head...not good, no not good at all), but able to identify, accept & give wise counsel (even to/from their peers)!

Proverbs 19:20Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.

Now I am not going to lie and say the training process was easy but now that we are on the up slide. I can see that it was well worth it! I hope this encourages everyone to get those kids cleaning, advising & loving one another! Ohh..I almost left out the best part......after we finish the kids get to eat what ever snack they want as long as it has little to no nutritional value...they usually pick the house favorite 'Little Debbie's'! But today we are going to make Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin Cookies!

Psalm 34:8Taste and see that the LORD is good...

Up, up and away

Thanks for your prayers he made it to the airport A-OK!

He said he would be driving and thinking "Oh this is not that bad" and then see a car in the median turned the wrong direction :"Okay this is not that good either".

He's scheduled to be home this afternoon and we are very excited about our wonderful 6'3" Valentines gift!

Please pray

Flights canceled again.........

I know I seem dramatic...but please pray for my dear husband as he drives from Ohio to Kentucky to fly out of the Cincinati Airport (Yes, the Clincinati airport is in Kentucky... and they make fun of the south!) because he said he told his girls he would be home for Valentines! He's wonderful, he's precious, he's a man of his word....he's a Californian Texan driving in the snow! So if you have a moment please pray for safe travel!

I hate the snow

I have always loved the snow

...snowballs....snowman...kids in cute little snow suits.... and snow skiing!

NOT TODAY!!!

Today snow means snowed in airports and cancelled flights and little tear filled eyes!

Do you have any Pepto?

As I sit and reflect upon the day I cannot help but yell from the the roof tops ...DO NOT MAKE the Lemon Cake that was in the Chronicle a couple of Sundays ago unless you really enjoy a dry cake with no hint of lemon! Perhaps, it should have been a clue when the batter did not require any lemon juice. However, you know you are really in trouble when a sugar craving three year old throws away her nearly full dessert plate! Of course I had the Maass' over for dinner so they could taste and see that it was not good! We both gave it a "2" ....... All I can say now is Kim I need your sour cream cake recipe...so I can get me some ...mmmmm...mmmm good cake into my tummy! To top it off I turned on Matt Drudge to catch up with politics and he is talking about discuss the pool of Presidential candidate Barack Obama ...I do not know what is worse the lemon cake or these candidates. I'm gonna go get an antacid!

Asa's Heart

I was reading in 2 Chronicles that "Asa's heart was blameless all his days". It made me think about how can my children have a heart like Asa. Then there is David a man after God's own heart. For sure I can see that are seekers in fact in 2 Chronicles 15:2 says: "The LORD is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you,"` There are these "seek him" verses throughout the Bible. So I want to make my kids into seekers of the most High! I think this Valentines Day instead of waking up to their treats at bed side they will have a mini scavenger hunt (to seek Him) to find the goodies. We will read/talk about: 2 Chronicles 15:2 & Matthew 7:11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! ....I hope my children look back on their Valentines and know that we loved them and gave them good gifts but that the Father gives the best gifts and that they always seek Him.

Happy Valentines Day!

The McVay's

Lord teach us to pray (Luke 11:1) by Parker

God is with me and God saves our family. God please heal Miss Kim. Help Miss Kim not top throw up and be better.

I like to do praying, sit on the counter and watch mama cook, play with my sister, play with Big Baby's toys, help Miss Kim to be a teacher, and help my mom to be a teacher too and help me to save our hearts.

Have a nice day...then that's it okay?

The honeycomb

Each morning the girls and I sit and read the Proverb of the day. I have read through Proverbs a couple of time but this experience has been so impactful on my parenting. It has been so intersting to see the girls react as they learn the characteristics of the fool, wiseman, wicked men and godly men. They are coming to understand scripture and how it applies to their lives in a very practical way. Well tonight we had an out break of the uglies and one sister yelling at another about "how things are gonna be!!" So we sat on the bed to discuss one of our favorite proverbs (becuase my kids are big ole honey freaks!) :16:24 "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." I quickly looked for some proverbs that were the opposite but was not lead to any...but we did discuss Luke 6:31("Do to others as you would have them do to you. ") and Ephesians 4:32 ("Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."). But I felt led to provide a practical demonstration and went and got the most sour thing I could think of that was not dangerous and honey. I poured a sample on the spoon and watched her little face curl up as she drank the lemon juice and her tounge thrust out from the shock of it. I simply told her that is what 'sour' words do to your sisters soul. I asked her if she liked the sour juice and wanted lots more...she of course said no. I then gave her a spoonful of honey and she perked up and smiled and licked every bit of it up...and that is what honey does for your sisters soul. I again asked her if she'd like more her eyes were as big as saucers as she said yes!!! That is why we should speak sweetly and not be sour. She looked at me and ran off. In the past I would have been concerned she did'nt get the point but now I know...God's word does not return void(Isiah 55:11)! I love how spending 15 minutes a day with the girls reading Proverbs has been so impactful on us all. I always have a proverb ready for the girls that they are familar with and that they are coming to understand. I love that we have a big God that knew my kids would love honey and slapped that verse in there just for us!

No meals for the McVays......

We do not have a meals planned for the next week. Some of you are saying what is a meal plan others that know me well are truly shocked, I am revolted. I try to plan everything...(God has a plan for us to prosper us not harm us...) I didn't realize we would need and want to eat from January 31st to until Wayne's next paycheck!
Yes, it is true I miscalculated the days and the food and we have $3 available for groceries until his next paycheck! Don't worry the McVays will not go hungry: Proverbs 30:25Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer..or winter in this case! Let me tell you there is plenty of food in my pantry and my freezer. If an item does not get placed on a meal plan or if a meal does not get made (because we went out to dinner at someone’s home) it will languish in my pantry. So now I need to go in there and figure out what I have and what I can make from those items. I'm not sure what God telling me...stop planning so much perhaps, eat your saved food your house is about to sell , woman your freezer is ridiculuous ...it could be anything.
Yes, that is my freezer. No I do not know what is in there since we had a frost over a couple of months ago! I can no longer read my labels. So if I need to get something out of there I run hot water and get a hammer. Peyton runs back and forth getting me hot water and I pour the hot water on 'whatever' and try to beat it out of the freezer with my hammer. The whole time I am terrified the head of the hammer is going to come flying off and hit me in the head. This is by the way a great stress reliever! Today I was frazzled so I sent Wayne in with the hammer and he went and got an ice pick.....I didn’t even know we had an ice pick!
So now I've got some meat out what shall I make...I am lets say very frugal so I freeze the remaining ingredients from recipes we make and put them in labeled 6oz yogurt cups! I also freeze left over cooked meat and label it, but you cannot read the labels in the middle of the freezer. Also, I really need to start putting the full date on them...it said 9/24 but it could be 9/24/03 -06...opps! I've got all of the basics like milk, eggs and bread (thanks LH for the free bread on Sunday!)Now I have to go through my left over ingredients! So far I've got three days solved we are having left overs today and chili tomorrow. I can make chili and homemade corn muffins. I can make oven fried chicken mashed potatoes (maybe gravy) and corn on the cob on Saturday. On Sunday it's Kim's turn to cook.

We have four big obstacles to overcome:

1. The laundry I'm getting to the bottom of the Sam's Club laundry detergent container
   
2. Creamer. Yes, I said creamer. My dear hubby is going out of town and I need my coffee in the morning sweet and light brown like my kids!
   
3. Hot Chocolate, I have a cup every night. I'm gonna search this house for hidden stashes and see what I can find!
4. Halei is coming for dinner on Friday.

It's really bad if you don't feed hungry College students! I'll keep you posted on how I am doing and if the kids are dirty or hungry!... As God shows me more stuff to make with what's in my freezer pantry and $3. As Peyton would say very slowly... This is going to be great fun! I think... maybe well do this all month and see what else God has in store for us!