Forget-me-Not Fridays

It's "Forget-me-Not Fridays" again...is it me, or do the weeks seem to be going by faster and faster? Anyway, I've got some cute ones for you that I think will get your weekend started off right!

Enjoy!

1. As D-Man got out of his race car this other day, he said to me, "That was the drive of my life." Oh to be 3 1/2 again...

2. D-Man has been a bit under the weather this week and I had Husband check him out on Monday. As Husband is getting ready to look in his ears, he asks D-Man what he likes to keep in his ears. To which D-Man nonchalantly replied, "I keep boogers in there."


Gross, D-Man, so very gross. That's what Husband gets for asking I guess.

3. As Husband, D-Man and I were having some family time laying in bed the other night watching a movie, D-Man tried to reach for something on the floor. As he leaned over to grab whatever it was on the floor, he said to Husband, "Grab my fluffy tail so I don't fall, Daddy."

I hope you all have a blessed weekend! And apparently me and Mr. Linky do not see eye to eye, so if you have a Forget-me-Not Friday post as well, leave the link in the comments so that we can all go and visit!

Shirts that say it all

I'm showing this picture for a couple of reasons. One, I think it's too cute not to pass on...yes, I agree, I show lots of shots of D-Man...but it's my blog, right?

And two, I need you to look closely at my nephew's (in the orange) shirt. It reads, "I get my muscles from my dad." And it makes me smile every time I see it.

D-Man has a shirt that reads, "My Aunt Rocks!" And it makes me smile every time I see it.

Have you seen any shirts out there like this that make you smile or laugh hysterically?

Please, tell all.

Dinner's on me tonight **Updated**

I thought that in the middle of this interesting economy, I might help all of you out there with your menu planning a bit. Here's a recipe that tastes good, makes a lot and can be made and frozen.

Chicken Enchiladas

2-3 cups of shredded chicken (canned or freshly cooked)
1 pkg of cream cheese (I use fat free)
1 can green chilies

Combine the above in a pan and heat until cream cheese is melted.

Put a spoonful of the mixture into a tortilla shell (I use flour) and roll up, placing the rolled part face down in a 9 x 13 pan. Once you have all the enchiladas in the pan, top with a can of green chile enchilada sauce and shredded monterey jack (or cheese of your choice). Bake at 350 until cheese is melted and bubbly.

I normally serve with a salad and some salsa on the side and we are good to go! Hope this helps your menu planning...you can always have me over if you make it (which will help my menu planning.)

**Updated to add that green chilies are not hot and I give them to D-Man and they don't bother him.**

It was time to have him come and help again

Yes, you are correct...my guy is back again.

We needed some help with some yardwork and he jumped at the chance to help us out.

I tried to get him to mop and do some windows also, but he mumbled something about needing to get home and have his toenails clipped and said he couldn't stay.

I might need to check his story next time.

Guess who's going to have some new bling to wear?

Well....that lucky winner would be...are you waiting on the edge of your seats....do you want to know...should I tell you?

Oh, alright. The winner of the beautiful scroll pendant is Jennifer A. Congrats Jennifer (I'll be e-mailing you with the details!) I know that you are going to enjoy this neat piece of jewelry.

Thanks everyone for entering and remember that you still have a chance to get you some of this great jewelry by visiting Shannon's Initial Outfitters site. Then just e-mail her with your order and she can take care of it for you. Order it by Friday to take advantage of some great February specials (you can see the specials here!)

Add it all up, and this is what you get...

On Friday, I hadn't taken my insanity pill and agreed to keep 5 boys at my house.

Yes, you read that correctly, 5 BOYS...ranging in age from 12 to 2.

There was lots of juice consumption, many snacks inhaled and much fun to be had. And when all was said and done, this is what the playroom looked like.

And the crazy thing is, I would do it all again in a heartbeat...but maybe with a little less sugar and lots more sunshine OUTSIDE.

Someone's house is going to be smelling good...

I'm going to Liz's house because it is going to be smelling good courtesy of Adair Ya Very Fine Candles and Gifts!

Congrats Liz...I'll be e-mailing you the contact info to claim your prize.

Thanks everyone for entering! I wish you could all be winners.

Remember, I have a giveaway still going for a great scroll pendant. Check it out!

Forget-me-Not Fridays

Ever have those weeks when you want so bad to remember everything, but can't. Weeks that you should have written things down as to not forget, but you didn't.

Thankfully, it's not been that kind of week for me.

I've got some "Forget-me-Not's" that are too cute not t0 share.

1. Many months ago, I had an accident. It involved the lawnmower. Anyway, it's been warm here in Arkansas this week, so warm in fact that the rye grass Husband planted last fall has gone crazy. That meant, yes, you guessed it, the lawnmower needed to come out. D-Man was watching as I mowed the yard (from a very safe distance) and after I shut it off, he ran over and said, "Don't be scared, Mom, I'll save you." Wonder what he meant???


2. My brother, J-Boy, D-Man and I were scanning the aisles today at Target. As we passed by some toys, D-Man responded, "That's incredible."


3. D-Man got the movie "Space Buddies" this week. He has watched it a few (hundred) times...or so it seems. I had been working out on Tuesday and he came into where I was with a single tear rolling down his cheek. I asked him what was wrong and he said (while wiping furiously at his cheeks) "I've got to get these tears away." He asked me if I would rewind the movie for him so that he could see his favorite part. Just moments after rewinding, B called and as we were talking I could hear D-Man sobbing...not crying...sobbing. He was so happy that the dog got reunited with his owner that he cried over it...several times. B suggested I get him a pet, I said, "No."

That's all I've got today. If you've got a post about your "Forget-me-Nots" please leave a comment and let us know so that we can read them. I hope to have a Mr. Linky up next week so you can link your posts up!

Have a blessed weekend! Don't forget me!

Initial Outfitters and a Giveaway

After hosting a giveaway yesterday (yes, you still have until Friday at 5 pm to sign up), I had a friend contact me to see if she could host a giveaway as well.

What? You want to give something away FREE on my blog? What's a girl to say, but, ABSOLUTELY!

Shannon, started working for a company called Initial Outfitters (IO) back several months ago after wanting to change her career and be able to be home more with her growing boys. IO came up on her radar and after taking a look and investigating, she decided it was for her and she hit the ground running.

I hosted a party for her back in October and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. My all time favorite piece that I got from an IO party is this...isn't it just too cute? You can find it on page 9 of the IO catalog.

Shannon has graciously agreed to giveaway this beautiful scroll pendant found on page 7 of the catalog to one lucky winner (it will be the pendant only).

Please go to her website and check out the catalog. Then come back here and leave me a comment telling me what item you would love to have. The contest will run through Monday, February 23rd at 5 pm CST. You do not have to be a blogger to enter the contest...just make sure you leave a way for me to contact you should you win!

If you see something out there that you can't live without, you can e-mail Shannon with your order. Thanks Shannon for such a neat giveaway and good luck to everyone!

Adair Ya Scents...A Giveaway

I was at my sister, A-Girl's, house on Monday and she had some really yummy candles out. I inquired as to what kind they were because I am such a candle person and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that someone in our area makes the candles.

I contacted Sara with Adair Ya Very Fine Candles and Gifts and she so graciously said that she would give all of you a chance to win one of her amazing scents. What's even greater about the scents is that they are packaged so beautifully...you get two treats in one...something that smells great and also looks amazing displayed. Here's a few pics to show you what I mean.

Don't these pics make you want to order something...and order something fast? So cute!

So, what could you win, you ask?

Well, Sara, is giving away one of her 9 oz container candles (scent of your choice). To enter, go to Adair Ya and check out all her products and come back and tell me what scent you would pick if you one. The contest is open to anyone out there (bloggers and non-bloggers); however, you must leave a way for me to contact you should you be chosen. The contest will end at 5 pm CST on Friday, February 20th at which time I'll pick a winner and get you hooked up with Sara.

Good luck and many thanks to Sara for offering such a great product!

Anyone Have Spring Fever Yet?

Oh my goodness gracious, my bloggy friends. I have spring fever so bad and it is only the middle of February. Anyone else have the same feelings?

I need the grass to turn green, the trees to bud out and flowers to start blooming. I need warmer temperatures and sun-filled days. I need my windows cleaned and the cobwebs knocked down. I need my car detailed and the deck stained.

This time of the year, I'm always wanting the next season to approach quickly, yet I know that God's season of change is not yet upon us. And so I wait...most of the time not patiently, but I wait nonetheless.

Lurker or Not?

Ok, so the research team here at By His Grace (aka me) would like you to answer yet another question or two.


How many blogs (on average) do you read daily? Are you one who leaves comments or a you (what they call in the blog world) a lurker? What are your favorite blogs to read?


I'm working on updating my blogroll and wanted to hear from all of you some suggestions. I'm also working on answering the great questions (from all 3 of you who loved me enough to ask questions...or maybe you felt sorry for me) that you guys submitted. Stay tuned to those answers and for the love of my sanity, please leave me a comment and answer my questions.

Thank you...have a good day!

Forget-me-Not Fridays

There's something new going on here at By His Grace. This week will be my kick-off for a new series I want to have each and every Friday. It's called "Forget-me-Not Fridays" and will feature those things from the week that I hear that are just too good not to share with all of you.

It may be something that D-Man has said, something profound that I've heard on television, or something eye-opening that I read in God's word. And, the great thing is, I want all of you to participate. Starting next week, I'll have a Mr. Linky at the end of the post for each of you to link up your "Forget-me-Not Friday's" to my original weekly post. Participate every week, once a month or whenever you feel like it.

I'll kick off this week with the following "forget-me-nots."

1.) D-Man told me this week that he would find something to make me comfortable since I was scared of some bears on a tv show. He brought me a wicker basket...not really sure what he wanted me to do with it, but he brought it to me nonetheless.

2.) When D-Man marries his 3 year old true love, they are going to move to Little Rock, live at college and graduate. At graduation, they will get a graduation book.

3.) According to D-Man, if you run into the wall and hurt your toe, it will "hurt like the dickens."

So, be thinking this week about those things you don't want to forget and come back next week for another addition of "Forget-me-Not" Fridays.

Nada, Zilch, Nothing

That's what I've got today.

I don't know why I am getting so many "blogger" blocks lately.

Things are busy...I've got stuff to blog about, but I can't find the words to make it blog-worthy or at least readable.

So, instead...you get words...on a page...that take up space.

And I'll turn the tables back on you. Ask me a question. Ask me as many questions as you want. I'll try to answer them in the coming weeks.

Don't be shy. You know that you want to know what kind of shampoo that I use or where I get my size 6 1/2 shoes. Or how I fold my laundry...you know, the important stuff.

So, ask away! I can't wait to see what I've got to answer. Happy Wednesday!!

All about Love

Valentine's Day is fast approaching, ya'll.

And so the question for today is, what do you think about the holiday?

Do you prefer flowers, candy and cards?

Or, are practical gifts more your style?

My inquiring mind wants to know. Please tell.

That's all. Come back tomorrow. Hopefully there will be something with more substance then.

What's In a Name

Let me preface today's post by stating for the record that I am in fact NOT, I repeat, NOT pregnant. This topic has come to mind because several people I know are pregnant and I am curious about something.

When you were pregnant with your children, how did you determine what you were going to name the baby? Did you choose family names because you had to or because you wanted to? Were there disagreements about what name would be chosen? Know that you've named your child, does the name fit? If you were going to have a child today, are there any names out there that stand out?

Please, tell all. I know this is an interesting question and post for Monday...but very inquiring minds (or just one mind because that's probably the number of readers I have at this point) want to know.

This song is permanently embedded into my brain and I am hearing and singing it all day long. Even when D-Man isn't with me (oh that is bad!)

This is D-Man's movie of the moment and if he was given the opportunity he would watch it NON-STOP! Notice I said "if given the opportunity"...the opportunity is very limited around the D-House.

Here's hoping that you can't fight the feeling either! Happy Friday!

Randomness is all I have

You are in for a real treat today. Well, not really.

I have nothing of importance to tell you today other than some more of (speaking in a loud, booming voice) "AMY'S RANDOMNESS."

Yes, aren't you so lucky?

You could stop reading now, if you wanted to.

But, then you might not learn any new strange or stranger things about me.

Here goes...

1. Husband is driving me bananas tonight. He is sitting next to me, catching up on paperwork, listening to music on his MP3 player and tapping his foot. Why does he need to tap his foot? Right next to me? So that all I can think about is his tapping foot? MEN!!!!!!

2. I don't think I could be a preschool teacher after helping at church in AWANAS each Wednesday night in the preschool division. Enough said.

3. The foot tapping has stopped. YES!!!!

4. Have I mentioned that I am slightly OCD and completely type A?

5. Number 4 would probably explain #1 and #3.

6. Is it me, or does anyone else feel like they are in hibernation mode? This cold weather does nothing positive for my waistline.

7. I really don't have a number 7, but felt I couldn't stop yet.

8. I need prayers today...I am completely serious. Today is a sad day of remembrance for me and your prayers are greatly appreciated.

9. Baby Harper is going home today! What a wonderful, miraculous Healer God is!

10. There's not really a number 10, but I felt it was a good number to end on.

Happy Thursday!

Works-for-Me: Taking away the obvious

For me, decorating is not something that comes easy. I love to do it, but more often than not, it takes me several tries before I get something that looks remotely eye-pleasing.

I have, however, found something that makes my decorating roadblocks much easier to overcome.

Exhibit A: Here you will see my guest bathroom (also D-Man's bathroom) which I recently redecorated. In the corner, you will see a lamp and the cord that obviously is attached to it. The cord is not very attractive.

Never fear, though because I give you Exhibit B which shows what "Works-for-Me" to take that unsightly cord far, far away. I've used a plain, white kitchen salad plate and a dry erase marker. Write a verse on it, put it on an easel in front of the cord (which I've rubber banded together as much as I could) and you've got an instant fix.

Looks much better, doesn't it?

This item (inspired by Shannon at Bless our Nest) worked for me, and hopefully it will work for you. For other great Works-for-Me tips, click here.

Titles on Tuesday: Returns

Titles on Tuesday is back today to give you a book that you must read!

It's called By Reason of Insanity by Randy Singer.

And can I just tell you that I couldn't put it down. I loved every last page. It was intriguing, jaw-dropping, stretch you mind kind of reading. And, my favorite part is that it is Christian fiction.

The plot centers around two main characters, Catherine O'Rourke (newspaper reporter) and Quinn Newburg (Las Vegas attorney). Catherine hires Quinn to serve as her attorney after she is thrown in prison on suspicion that she committed several horrible murders. The suspicion arises because of the "visions" she has which tell unknown secrets about the murders.

Was it really her? Is she legally insane? Will she go free? You must read it to find out. Oh, and let me know what you think about it.

In a moment...

The Ice Storm of 2009 has been ever present on televisions around the state for almost a week now. It is hard to think at this time last week, we were wondering what kind of weather the storm system would bring, and now we've had our answer.



Our area did not get hit very hard (even though our kids missed 2 days of school). Northwest Arkansas (NWA) was another story. Trees down, ice everywhere, power out...you name it, they had it. My best friend in the world, B, and her family got hit very hard. Their neighborhood was one of the hardest if not the hardest hit in the Fayetteville area.



They lost power on Tuesday and hunkered down in the living room/kitchen area of their home to wait out the storm. As the minutes turned into hours turned into days, their house got colder and colder despite the constant fire they had burning. Relief came on Thursday when they were blessed with a generator and have since been keeping warm.



All the talks that the two of us have had since the storm hit have really caused my mind to wander and think about life and how in an instant things change.

One minute life rolls along smoothly and the next it is taking the biggest bumps imaginable. One minute everyone is happy and the very next, all might be sad. One minute there is heat, electricity and all the comforts of today's America and the next minute they are gone.

And so I ponder these things and think about what I am learning from these life changes. What is God teaching me, what is he telling me, what do I need to be hearing. And I've come to the same conclusion every time. It's what B and I talk about in almost every conversation that we have.

God is our provider, He is our shoulder, He is our refuge, He is our strength. It is He who will get us through any happy place or any struggle. He's constant during the changes...we can be so thankful for that.

"The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him, my Father's God, and I will exalt Him." Exodus 15:2.