The Preacher's Wife

Worth a listen

I am a huge fan of Focus on the Family's daily radio broadcast.  It is partly nostalgic, I have vivid memories of my mom listening to Dr. Dobson when I was a kid.  She would say Dr. Dobson coached her through motherhood. 

I have said before here that the Focus on the Family app is amazing.  It keeps about a dozen radio broadcast readily available on my phone.

Yesterday I listened to Cynthia Tobias (author of They Way We Learn) talk about parenting a strong willed child.  She has written a book called You Can't Make Me.  On the broadcast she shares some parenting tips that are super helpful no matter what the temperament of your children are.  I really enjoyed the broadcast and I think you will too.

You can listen online here, or on their podcast, or you can download the app if you have an iPhone.

Oh Christmas Tree

In the Furtick house we always put up at least two Christmas trees: a kids tree and a mommy tree.

The kids Christmas tree contains all the ornaments they make as well as all of our keepsake ornaments.  Each year, we buy the boys one ornament that signifies something special that they did or liked that year.  Last year they each got pirate ornaments.  This year Elijah is going to get a baseball one, and Graham wants Buzz Light-year. This also allows us to decorate their tree together.  But then I can decorate mine the way I like it. 

 

 
My tree this year is bright and cheery.  I love to buy decor in mid-January when it is insanely cheap.  Last year I found these bright pink, orange and green balls at Target for 75% off.  Then I found the butterflies walking through Macy's.  They were 80% off.  Love it.  I still want to add some bright ribbon but have not had a chance to purchase it yet.  Hopefully it will make it up before Christmas!  My tree last year was all black, red and silver, here's a picture I posted last year.

So how about you?  How do you decorate your tree?  Are you eclectic or uniform?

 

Wedding bells are ringing

I know that I have posted this picture before but seeing as how we celebrated our 8th anniversary this week and the topic of this post, I thought the picture was fitting.  Ok that was a long introduction.  

The real reason for this post is that it is wedding season and I have a wedding gift or two that I need to purchase.  The thing is I am not a big fan of registries.  I know they are needed and all, but it's just boring for me to buy a place setting of silverware.  I need to make a basket or give something really personal.

I'm really good at baby shower gifts.  That's because I have babies.  I'm getting too far removed from the wedding season of life.  I trying to think back about what my favorite wedding presents were.  I actually still have many items in our house that were wedding presents.  A lamp, a blanket, LOTS of my kitchen stuff and fancy serving pieces.

I asked my husband what his favorite wedding present was.  He said money for our honeymoon.  Of course he did.

I asked the girls in my small group.  Many of them got married last summer.  A few of them said a picnic basket.  I got one of those, then I took it back when I realized I would probably pack in a cooler for a picnic (and I don't really like picnics, I like restaurants).  I actually took back a lot of my wedding presents.

I do know what the worst wedding gift we got was.  A wooden plaque that said: "FUTRICK, est. 2001"  While I know the people meant well but our name was misspelled and we were married in 2002.  And since I couldn't return that, we hung that in the garage for a good laugh every now and then.

I would love to hear from you.  What was the best, or worst wedding gift you received?

Would you rather: a question of punctuality

The other day we arrived a preschool at 9:02 am.  It starts at 9:00, but we usually don't arrive a minute before 9:15.  Don't judge me.  It's just not a priority for me right now, being on time for preschool.  So we pull in and I said my usual, "Come on guys, lets get out."  (Side note, but why do children take so long getting out of cars??)

Elijah said, "Are we late?"

I said, "No actually today we are kind of early."  Although technically we weren't early, it was early for us.

He looked at me with complete sincerity and said, "What's early?"

Ouch.  I have a problem.  I don't think he had ever heard me use the word early.  I am chronically late.  And my children are not to blame.  I was late to college classes, late when I was a school teacher, late, late, late.  I'm not going to name any names, Mom, but I did get it honest.

I must say that I have gotten better at this over the years.  I try not to be late for things deemed important such as church and other important stuff I can't think of off the top of my head.

I have two problems working against me... 1.  I feel like it is a waste of time to be early (although I know it is not).  2.  I have no concept of time. 

So the question stands today... Would you rather be late or early?

Would you rather

The alternate title for this post is veggie tales. 

Everybody likes their veggies prepare different ways.  There's a full spectrum of raw to mushy.  My husband is very particular about his veggies.  He does not like them crunchy.  I don't either. 

When it comes to broccoli and carrots, the mushier the better.  I know, it cooks all the nutrients out.  At least we're eating veggies, ok?

So I'm just curious how your family likes their veggies...

Crunchy or Mushy?

Would you rather Christmas edition...

 
I love artificial Christmas trees.  There's something really soothing for me about the perfection of an artificial tree.  They are balanced.  Not too fat, not to skinny at the bottom.  No gaping holes with bare branches.  Their lights are perfectly spaced spaced out.  All of this comes together to make a tree that is very pleasing to my eye.  They also don't shed and you don't have to water them, bonus.

I know there are many of you out there that think it is an insult to Christmas to put up an artificial tree.  A downright crime.  Can it be Christmas without a real tree?  

Pictured left is my tree this year.  9 feet of black, red and silver perfection.  Most ornaments bought at (90% off but that's a totally different post).

Its your turn, I want to hear it... are you an artificial tree family or a real tree family?

Would you rather?

As I type, we are preparing to leave town.  We plan to spend Thanksgiving with my husband's parents.  We never actually do the same thing each year.  Sometimes here, sometimes there, sometimes at my mom's.  There are definite positives and negatives to both.

If you host, you assume the responsibility of the meal and the clean up (or at least the organization of it).  If you travel, you have to pack up your whole family and drive.  Our kids aren't the greatest travelers although they are getting much better (they were down right terrible as babies.)  Total rabbit trail, but I remember Elijah's first Thanksgiving, he cried the ENTIRE trip home from Charleston.  3 1/2 grueling hours.  Back then we called our car the torture chamber (torture for us, that is, not the baby).

Christmas we will host since we won't be able to get out of town.  It will be great.

So this thanksgiving, we hit the road as soon as Graham wakes up from his nap.  We have already made a trip to blockbuster so I am armed and ready.  It will be a short trip but the boys are totally excited about going to their grandparents house.

Enough rambling.  I started this post calling it a would you rather, but honestly, I like both.  So which would you rather or maybe, which are you doing this weekend?  Let me hear from you.  I'll be counting on you to provide me some road entertainment thanks to the iPhone.

Would you rather?

If you have missed me this week it's because I'm in the great state of Texas for a few days. I brought my laptop, and fully intended on writing some great blog posts but alas I have been having way too much fun.

I did have to pass through some grumpy TSA employees and ride in one of the dirtiest planes I have been on in a while in order to get here. Flying has truly become a sad industry today but sometimes you just can't get around it.

This brings me to my would you rather... If flying could be avoided, let's say you had a 6-8 hour trip and the cost was going to be about the same, would you rather fly or drive?

I think I would still rather fly because it saves time and I don't like driving long distances. How about you?

Would You Rather...

Its been a while since my last would you rather post and I can't wait to hear from you...

I have recently hopped back on the exercise wagon.  If you know me well, you know that diet and exercise are not my thing.

As I am rapidly approaching age 30, I realize that my days of fast metabolism are coming to an end and it is time for me to do something about it.  Only two problems... I love junk food and I hate to sweat.

I am a bread person.  Actually, I love the whites, you know, bread, potatoes, pasta and rice.  I seriously do not feel like I have eaten if my meal does not include at least one, preferably two,  of the whites.  I am getting better about brown rice, sweet potatoes, whole wheat pasta and wheat bread.   And that I know is a good place to start, but about all I can do when it comes to changing my diet because I start to go all crazy thinking about all the things I can't eat that I never really cared about to begin with.

When it comes to working out, I have a last kid picked complex and I really hate getting sweaty.  Nonetheless I am overcoming my childhood scars and I am back in the gym.  They offer a weights class there that kicks my butt and I don't sweat that much, so I am at it 2-3 times a week and feeling pretty good about myself.

And now to the would you rather part.  Knowing that the perfect combination is diet and exercise, if you only had to do one, which would you rather?  Diet or exercise?  For me its exercise as long as it doesn't include a lot of sweat.  How about you?

Would you rather...

This isn't really a would you rather, just a question that I saw on a random website that I thought was great.  I can't wait to hear your answers...

If you could resurrect any TV show from the past, what would it be?

Mine is a no brainer.  ER with the original cast.  Carter, Carol, Doug, Susan and Mark.  Now that was great tv.

My husband's is the Cosby Show.  A great choice. 

I know my dad would choose The Andy Griffith Show.

How about you?