Lots of Land = Lots of Work

When the trees came down last August, the logger men took every single blade of grass from our yard with them.
Then I had a brilliant idea... I went to bible group and prayed for rain. God heard my prayer and he listened and we have recieved our fair share. This would have been a great thing if we would have had grass on our yard, however- haha - can we just say our yard quickly turned into a mudslide. It taught us how to create barriers and breaks for the water. Jon is not an engineer - but I think he could be with his smarts.
So now that the rain has stopped - we put out grass seed in the spring. It came up, was looking okay but a little sparse. We put more seed out - it came up - however our yard is still showing more dirt than grass. My idea about planting grass seed: you feed more to the birds than really gets planted in the dirt : which is fine if you like feeding the birds and having grass in other places of your yard than you expect. ie : the flower garden!

Making Babyfood

Essentials:
Blender or Large Food Processor

Green Beans and Corn

1 can of green beans
1 can of whole kernel corn
opt. 1 can of red. fat cream of mushroom soup ( nice to take to family get togethers )
* can always put crushed up ritz crackers on top*

cook corn and green beans on high until tender - season - do not drain- put into food processor and blend.

Carrots and Apples


1 can of sliced carrots
1 single serve container of cinamon applesauce

cook on high for 5 minutes - do not drain - put carrots and applesauce in processor and blend.

Sweet Potatoes and Pears


1 #2 can of Sweet Potatoes
1 #2 can of light syrup Pears


Cook Sweet potatoes for about 5 Minutes on high. Drain Pears and add to processor. Process Pears. Drain Sweet Potatoes and Add to Pears. Process.


Bananas

Cut Bananas in Chunks and Add 1/2 tsp lemon juice for every banana. blend in the processor.

Peaches
#2 can in light syrup

add to blender - great over vanilla yogurt.

Roast beef with carrots and potatoes

serve to the whole family - save out some for baby and put it in the processor- you will probably need to add some stock or water to it for it to be the right consistency.

Put Roast in Crock pot with 3-4 diced potatoes and 1 bag of baby carrots season and cover with water. - oh yeah turn the crock pot on -

Chicken with rice and tomatoes

again serve to the whole family and save out some for baby and put it in the processor- you will probably need to add some stock

1 whole chicken
1-2 cups rice ( thin/chunky)
1 onion
2 cans diced tomatoes
opt. red. fat cream of mushroom soup ( creamy )

boil chicken/cook in crock pot - debone -
cook rice in stock ( 1 cup dry rice = 2 cups liquid) ( 2cups dry rice = 4 cups liquid)
After rice is done cooking add chicken rice and tomatoes and onions back to original pot - cook for at least an hour - covered - on low. The longer it cooks the better.

Gifted to Lead : Nancy Beach

This is my new favorite book so I thought that would share some highlights with you.






Chapter 1 God Didn't make a Mistake

"I want my life to be different from others"...

"I will somehow make a difference in this world"...

"I will I will I will"...

as a woman with a leadership gift I got the message loud and clear.

God did not make a mistake when he made you. when the gifts were handed out in heaven they were evenly distributed and the angels did not say uh oh! Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 12 that the holy spirit distributes gifts just as desired. Every gift you have came from the loving father, whom crafted you in your mothers womb. He delights in who you are becoming. You are no accident. Your dreams come from your Creator along with your instincts to lead and your passion to make a difference in this world.

~Nancy Beach

Chapter 2 : Welcome to the Boys Club

• The Freight of Being Iconic- Henry Gates Louis Jr.

-as a woman in a leadership role finding yourself in the minority.

On every leadership team Ive served on over the years I have always felt like the experiment, the exeception, the only one who sometimes wore a skirt and who didn't belong in the boys club.

• Character First
  

Above all else what would count most in my efforts to lead and relate effectively , is my character

1. honest
   
2. trustworthy
   
3. ethical

who a person is will ultimately determine if their brains talents competencies energy effort deal making ability and opportunities will succeed.

• Humility : seeing yourself with sober eyes

Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet talk your way to the top... don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. ( Phil 2:3MSG)

think about the story when Soloman asked God for the gift of Wisdom ( 1 Kings 3:7-9)

Soloman saw himself as a child and in desperate need of the guiding hand of the father.

when we see ourselves accurately in that light , humility is a natural result.

• Self Confidence

there is a fine line between Confidence and being humble. A balance must be found between boldness grace assertiveness and collaboration strength and vulnerability.

• Humor

be willing to laugh at yourself - your burdens will be lighter

• Integrity

Book- Integrity: Henry Cloud

reminds us, that every leader leaves behind a kind of wake just like a boat. The question is what kind of wake or legacy are you leaving behind?

Are you becoming more like Jesus in this lifetime?

No highly developed leadership skill or natural talents make up for a lack of integrity.

Chapter 3 : Doing the Work

Work Hard and Earn Respect

I never want the fact that I am a woman to be the focal point of my work.

Take this one to the Bank: (Matt 25:23)

the servant who buried rather than investing was rewarded - Jesus said to him - " well done good and faithful servant" You have been faithful with few thing now I will put you in charge of many things.

Be true to your own Leadership Style

Leadership styles are not defined by gender

Be wise when working with men

In the Early Church Paul instructed Timothy :

Treat younger men as brothers older women as mothers and younger women as sisters with absolute purity. ( 1Tim 5 1-2)

enjoy working relationships and celebrate the perspective each one brings to the team.

Chapter 4 : Running with the Big Boys

• Navigating the "Man World"
  

Navigating the Man world is doable and ultimately can be deeply rewarding.

Leading up : a guide

1. Be a Student to your Boss
2. Learn to Initiate and Engage in Difficult Conversation

the only way I know how to get through a relational breakdown is to be willing to engage in difficult conversation.

All of us can get better at working through conflict and none of us will be able to avoid it altogether.

Chapter 5 : then we had kids
one size does not fit all - women have many options available to them, married to have children, to choose to be a single mother outside of marriage. One size does not fit all.

There is NO ONE RIGHT WAY to navigate life as a woman.

( for example Ester, Deborah, and Priscilla in the old testament)

If we confine our way of thinking to aone plan that every woman , we limit the possibilites of each person on this earth.

Good Enough Mothers

PMS ( perfect mom syndrome)

1. is always there
2. looks great and so does her perfect house
3. never looses her patience
4. never misses a field trip or an opportunity to be a room mom
5. serves nutritious home cooked meals
   
6. if she works outside the home - still does all the above flawlessly
7. and of course the perfect mother has perfect children.

What ever I am doing whoever I am its never enough.

If you are a mom I urge you to listen to the quiet voice of the spirit and allow our God to help you design your own path for motherhood.

Remember:
Every family is unique and every situation is different.

What we Model matters : our fundamental Identity is not as mothers and fathers.

Chapter 6: Finding your Voice

communicating effectively is not an option it is a absolutely essential.

Essential Tools for Everyday Communication

1. attentive listening
2. perceptive questions ( Luke 10: 25-37) on asking Jesus about Eternal life + the response
3. teachable moments
4. talking back

Listen to your life : the best communicators practice the art of paying attention to their lives.

Listening to God :

The Apostle Paul write to the church of Corinth, " ( Luke 10: 25-37) When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.

Without your voice your community will not shine brightly or be as healthy as it can be.

Chapter 7 : An Open Letter to a Male Leader

women leaders offer a perspective , a voice and entire world of experience that is essential for both men and women to experience.

the decisions you have on women in leadership will have a ripple effect for generations to come.

Chapter 8 Leaning into your tribe

do not be a lone ranger in life- when the storm blows you will desperatly need the reinforcement of other women that you know well.

travel agent to the rescue / EAST COAST

places to go on the east coast :

please comment if you have a favorite place you have been on the East Coast. The East coast is a lot of fun. Here are some of my favorites. I personally have not ever been to Myrtle Beach or Pawleys Island but looks like a lot of fun. Have any questions just ask - I will try to get back to you as soon as possible. Tell me about your east coast trips, any favorite places to eat or stay.

1. Myrtle Beach
One stop shop for the whole family

http://www.cityofmyrtlebeach.com/


2. Pawleys Island

• couples retreat

http://www.townofpawleysisland.com/


3. Isle of Palm

• everything is in walking distance - FUN FUN FUN!

• 30 minutes away from Charleston
  
• USS Yorktown
  
• Culture fun for the whole family

favorite resturants:
Banana Cabana Sea Biscuit Cafe Coconut Joe's One-Eyed Parrot($$$) Barefoot Bistro
Hotel : where we stayed
http://www.seasideinniop.com/

http://www.iop.net/

4. Hilton Head -

• Golf
  
• Beach
  
• Pool
  
• Tennis
  
• Drinks
  
• Food
  

Some of our favorite eating places are Sea Shack(seafood) Hudsons (seafood-on the water) Salty Dog Cafe Giuseppi's Pizza & Pasta‎ San Miguel's Mexican-Marina - Best Margaritas #1 on the island LWOODS - a little of everything :) Scott's Fish Market Restaurant Parrott Cove Grill & Bar best she crab soup and steamed oysters!

hotel: this is where we stay
http://hhibeachandtennis.com/

*shelter cove* free nightly concerts - many of the resturants listed above are in shelter cove :)

http://www.hiltonheadisland.org/

getting back to nature

Abby had her first upset stomach, bless her heart, it hurt her feelings more that she could not make it to the potty. We were coming home from the lake and she had to go... I asked Jon to pull over by some trees and a big open field. We got everything taken care of and before we could get her clothes back on - she was OFF! running through that big open field with nothing on but her shoes. I wish that I had gotten a picture of it just for her baby book. The only thing in front of her were hay bales and wide open spaces. Maybe that is what every two year old needs, to run naked through a pasture. It was priceless.

Water Glasses

Abby has a new word! Water Glasses! we are going to the Hilton Head Island and she is hooked! I was trying to get Abby to tell Jon about going to HH and she said, Happy Head Island. I like her name for our vacation spot :) . She has decided that she has to have water glasses ( goggles ) for the beach. She has a choice of Mermaid or Princess, she told me that she wanted mermaid. She is our water girl. SO cute!

Popcorn

Abby simply loves popcorn. She calls it "copcorn." She and I have it as an afternoon snack everyday. Well - my little miss Abby - loves to play with the popcorn seeds. I really did not think too much about this because I thought she was doing a good job sorting. She would put her leftover seeds in her cup and get another cup and move them back and forth.
Well - the other day I put Abby up on the potty - which by the way is going TERRIFIC! We are so proud of her. Back to the story, she told me she had to blow her nose. I gave her a tissue and nothing came out. Then she stuck her finger up there - like every kid does, I said Abby - " get your fingers out of your nose" then she blew real hard and out flew a popcorn seed.
O my! so I started asking her if she had put any other popcorn seeds up there and she told me yes. But there wasn't any. It is funny,

Two Year Olds

When you want them to say no - they say yes- and when you want them to say yes - they say no.

So we had the long conversation about not putting things up our nose and how it can hurt our nose and give us a boo boo. Err - for body exploration! Cant we just breath through our skin?
On the bright side at least she is not putting popcorn seeds up Nathan's nose.