Friendships of Yesterdays and Todays

Teenagers are social creatures, there is no surprise there. The power of positive friendships can shape your child's life forever.
Having friends and establishing strong friendships are important developmental steps for your children, and especially your preteens and teens. That is one of the many reasons parents should support and teach their children how to have and build strong friendships.

Guys tend to run in packs of friends and girls tend to have special BFF's, a best friend forever! Guys tend to have the love for competition with his friends and your daughter's BFF time is God-designed and totally normal. God wired us for the need of these great relationships.

I know in my own personal relationships of having great friendships and wonderful BFF's, I can say, I love them and adore them all, both my girl friends and my guy friends. My heart is full of the love that was built with them years ago and still today. How I treasure them and the memories that I have shared with them as my special BFF's. So glad that my mother allowed for me and supported me to have these great friendships and to have had my guy friends as well. I am so blessed for the friendships I have had and have, they all in some way or another have touched my world and put colors in my life.
Infact, I had just received a call from my BFF Esther, my girlfriend from way back in Jr. High. She can brighten my day in a New York minute. I have three soul mate friends that I will charish all my years, my cousin DeAnn, who I grew up with and who has been my sister and BFF forever, my best friend Beverly, who is alot like me and who I could not have done without, and Esther, my sweet pal and fun loving girlfriend. I have had aot of other friends and alot of friends i have today as well, but being that teen years are important for strong friendships these three are my most treasured and the friendships that I have learned by and grew by having.

Friendship really was God's idea and his plan. You should strive to make great friendships and to be a good friend. Remember, mutual trust, respect, and honesty are three ingredients that are crucial for friendships that are everlasting. It is important who you choose to be friends with. A "true friend" is like a safe harbor, he/ she helps you feel comfortable being you! Friendship is a need also so that teens can express being themselves and share ideas and thoughts and problems with. Yes, friendship can hurt from time to time, but these are also important life lessons and learning how to forgive, make-up, and communicate is all another part of God's plans with having friendships.

Talking and listening with friends, make us better communicators. The Blessing of a friend who understands your deepest thoughts and needs and loves you through the hard times is a gift form the Lord.

Treasure this gift and enjoy! ~

April Love's

April is a beautiful month. Here in Texas, the weather is amazing, the warm sunshine is so pleasant, the fresh breeze is very refreshing, even the rain is heavenly and welcomed in this spring month.
I love to look around at all the wondrous joys of the world, flowers are blooming, gardens are growing, the grass is growing green and fields of wild flowers are covering our great Texas land. Here in Texas, the bluebonnets are in full bloom. They are very pretty and I love to look at the clusters of our Texas wildflower. Each year, it is a tradition for us to go on nature walks and drives to find as many of these beautiful wild flowers as we can, and we usually take pictures in a batch to capture our blessed family memory.
Another part of the month to enjoy and love, is spring colorful clothing that is fun and pretty to dress in. Break out the sandals and flip-flops for the spring season. It's finally warm enough to let your toes out again!
The best part of the month of course has to be Easter~ setting out goodies for the children before they wake up, eating a special family breakfast with special prayers, getting ready for church in new spring outfits, dressing my sweet little girls in beautiful dresses and bows, Eating an amazing family dinner, and of course the Easter egg hunt with all the children and ... "the smell of chocolate!"
~ Connect with loved ones and have a blessed month!

Give A Little Green

Do not litter~ Train your self and teach your children to pick up after themselves and throw trash away. Also, pick up any litter that you may come across.

Lights out ~ Turn off the lights when you leave a room and remind your kids to do the same. In the day time let in light from outdoors shine through!

unplug~ unplug any electric items NOT being used, saves electricity and increases fires in the home.

Turn it down~ adjust your thermostat a few degrees, run fans!

Save water~ wash full loads of dishes and full loads of clothing. Make sure that facets are not dripping and that toilets are not running.

Recycle~ magazines, newspapers, cans, glass and more. Get your whole family involved and reward them at the end of the month with an ice cream or a sweet treat.

Get crafty~ Going green can inspire your kids' creativity. Use unused items around your home for art crafts. Such as shoe boxes, toilet paper rolls, old magazines and so on.

~ Give a little green and care for your world!

Spring Is In The Air

Spring is in the air! Here in Texas, we have had some bazaar days in our daily weather forecast. One day, we are enjoying the bright warm sun ,wearing spring clothing, and the next day cloudy and cool with cool crisp winds and heavy rains, and we are back in winter clothing or at least wearing a sweater.
Being that it is Spring Break time, we have really enjoyed these warm and sunshine filled days. The days are longer now and more pleasant for families to enjoy the great outdoors . We have been outside playing with the children,enjoying taking walks and picnics, time is spent also working the land, and now getting the garden ready for planting. Although, we here can not plant much, we are expecting at least one more freeze.
Spring time has to be the most blessed time of all! I love to see everything growing new leaves and wild flowers starting to cover our Texas grounds. In Texas, everyone is in waiting for the beautiful Bluebonnets to cover our countryside! In the country, the cattleman have new calves to tend to, and just all the new creations on this Earth are taking place. It is amazing to watch the wonders of this fine world.
My little sweet children are dressed in pretty pastel colors and enjoying mother nature. My little girls planted seeds yesterday for some wild flowers that they had picked out, it will be fun to watch them grow together and also to pick together as they gather their pretty bouquet of flowers......

Just Can Not Keep Them Babies!

The greatness of being a mother is the most blessed gift the Lord has given. From the moment you are excited about them~to picking out their special names, it is truly a magical joy.
Who can forget the first time you hold and greet your sweet precious baby? I surely have not, I can remember each ones look, each ones smell, and touching them for the first time ever. I can remember making sure that I would never forget. From my first baby Stephanie, to my last baby KerriAnna, When I close my eyes I can remember meeting my new baby for the first time.
I rocked my babies, nursed my babies, cuddled with my sweet babies and sang to each of them. Each of them, Stephanie Michele (born in '93), Nicholas Brian(born in '94), Sarah Elizabeth(born in '05), and KerriAnna Jean(born in '08), have been my joy in my life.
I am so glad that our dear God had let me be blessed by having them.
I have not been able to keep them as babies, but I have been able to be there for them and to deliver love and care to each of them as they are growing. I love the connection I have with each of my children and I love watching them grow.
I think that the best gift that a parent can give to their children is unconditional love. Love your child as much the first day, as you will for his whole life. Love your children whether they make good choices or bad ones and just let them know you are there for them to talk to and to lean on. Keep a great spirit and soul in motherhood and just enjoy, for they do grow up so fast!
My KerriAnna just turned two and my SarahBeth will be five soon. My, how the time has flown by and my babies are simply not babies anymore, but little girls with sweet smiles and hearts of gold.
I love you my darlings, my dears, and my loves....

Serving Great Memories

Family time is a blessed time shared. Take time out to gather with your family.
Dinner time is a special time and all can be apart of preparing, praying, enjoying, and cleaning up as well.

Nothing brings together a family like food. Food brings praise, smiles, and a gathered time. If you do not have anytime together as a family, try to at least have a nice dinner time set aside to eat and share together.

Great life lessons develop through a family preparing the food, setting the table, blessing the food, eating together, and cleaning up as a team. Here are some great reasons for a family dinner time; good manners are set, responsibilities are met, your child will be thankful for our many blessings , healthy eating habits are developed, children are given a sense of comfort, and memories are being made daily.

I know at our dinner time, for the most part, my children talk about their day and everyone shares things that have happened and we all have smiles, laughs, and open conversations.

Memories do last, and your tradition of a family table setting will stay with them. The chit-chat shared, the warm smiles delivered, and the meals that your family make and enjoy together, will be something that they will take in their hearts forever.

~"Rejoice in all the good things the Lord your God has given you and your household."
Deuteronomy 26:11

From The Heart

Valentine's day is right around the corner. How do I love the? Let me count thy ways... How I love this day, a day known for extra sweet I love you's! The goal of Valentine's day is sharing and caring and showing your love.
I love receiving gifts and giving gifts, but more than that just showing my love towards my special love of my life and also to my dear children.  I do show my love and affection toward my family everyday and all year round. This is just a special day set aside to do special things for your sweetheart. And who can not enjoy special " I love you's"?
Gifts from the heart are my favorite gifts both to give and to receive. I do enjoy flowers, and tangible gifts, but I would take gifts from the heart anytime over store bought gifts. Some that I have received have been , a tilled garden, planted roses, a homemade dinner and/or breakfast, a nice walk together, homemade cards and poems,  etc... last year Stephanie and Nick gave me a homemade gift of coupons to use. The coupons consisted of things like "Toes painted today" and " A dinner for two made by me", needless to say I loved and enjoyed this creative gift.
This year Stephanie, my daughter, has already gave me a ticket to have a night at the movies with my husband and she will babysit! I will be sure to use this!
As much as I enjoy receiving these special gifts from the heart from my children and from my husband, I really enjoy giving gifts from my heart to them. Some fun ones to do is breakfast with heart pancakes or french toast with strawberries, my husband enjoys head to toe massages, and really as a mom there are so many to do ! Some other fun ones I have done are cookie making and family decorating, have a root beer float night with a family movie, leave sweet notes around, and the list goes on just use your creative imagination!

Treat and do special loving things this month for your loved ones and brighten up their world with sweet words and acts of  kindness! ~