Savor to Moment

Time is never wasted when it is spent with people you love. I do wish that time would slow down sometimes. We have already had three weeks of our summer vacation. It's gone. As I look back at what I've gotten accomplished (because I always have things I want to get done during summer), that list is still there. The sewing machine has not been dug out yet. There are still so many books I want to read. Oh yeah, more cleaning and going through things, of course.

So, what have I done? I've been trying to think of that myself. I have spent time with my kids at the pool. Oh, we've stopped for ice cream a couple times. We have been to the library and I got cookbooks while they got chapter books to read. We have been going to church on Wednesdays instead of just Sundays. (my kids have early bedtimes during school...Faith's is 8pm) We have stayed up late watching movies together. Played the Wii a few nights late. We had a party for my in-laws and worked on our genelogy. Oh ~ one of my favorite things! Sleeping in until 7:30!! Woo-hoo! Then, waking up and cuddling with my little girl. We have got to spend more time with Great Grandma too.

My to-do list might just have to wait. It seems like I'm busy....being there in the moment with my family. I am taking moments from the busyness that seems to happen between work and school, and savoring those moments. Putting those moments to good use. Time for a slushy in the heat of the day. Or to swing at the park. Or a game of dominos and clue. Because ~ one day soon ~ they will grown and I'll have plenty of time for my to-do list.

"If I could do anything over, I'd spent more time with my first set of children.

I would have taken more quality time with them for sure." ~ Lee Trevino

Waiting...Again

The waiting game....I've never been very good at it. Maybe a reason God has given me a child that I've had to acquire this skill for?? That's my thinking anyway. He has paired us together for a number of reasons I'm sure. And here we are again...waiting. Children's Hospital in Little Rock does not want you to call them. Nope ~ when you do call, you get the run around because your supposed to wait for them to call you. Their receptionists are very good at their jobs as well. Maybe they were telemarketers for training? :D I've been through that before when we were trying to get Luke a diagnoses. And, apparently it doesn't matter if your son has a hole in his heart and a partial blockage starting. You still have to wait for that phone call.

I called our family doctor today to see if they had a different number that I could call to find out more information for Luke. (a direct line would be GREAT!) Well, they just got a fax this morning from Little Rock with Luke's appointment on it. Seriously? It really would help if you want to see my child ~ to actually let ME know about it. My nurse figured that I was on some list to be called about it. The good news is that I'll be able to take Luke to the place in Lowell again to meet the pediatric heart surgeon for this appointment. Little Rock can wait! Of course, Luke was a bit disappointed because he likes to go down there to visit his cousins. Our doctor appointment is not until the end of September. That's a long wait to me. And, of course, during the school year, not the summer. Apparently, from the looks of his EKG, they know that it can wait. (more good news!) My thinking is this: if it was serious ~ I'd be making a trip to the Children's Hospital this week. So, I am in my positive thinking mode today! :) I am positive that God is in control. And ~ we will wait...again.

"Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
For our heart is glad in Him;
because we trust His Holy name.
Let your steadfast love, Oh Lord,
be upon us, even as we hope in you."

Psalm 33:20-22

Child of God

"Can a woman forget her
nursing child, that she should
have no compassion for the son

of her womb? Even these may
forget, yet I will not forget you.
Behold, I have engraved you

on the palms of my hands..."

Isaiah 49:15-16

Isn't that amazing? It is hard for my mind to wrap around it really. I forget names all of the time. It's always very awkward when you know some one, but can remember their name. Then, after you speak to them for a moment, two steps later one of your kids say loudly, "Who's that Mommy?" Maybe that only happens to me....but let me tell you...it's a bit embarrassing!

So, God to know all of our names and to be able to keep track of who's married to who and which child He placed with who ~ it is amazing. The power of God. The love of God to not only put us here but to still want to be a part of our lives. For God to hear our prayers, whether spoken or not. For God to know our bad days and to send some one for our support or cheer. To be our loving Father through it all. God will not forget our names, our faces, but most of all, our hearts.

Gone Bananas!

You might be looking at that picture and think for a moment...humm....I wonder if she has gone bananas?? I mean, seriously. Bananas? And the answer to that question is that I've always been there, just some days I hide it better than others! LOL :)

But ~ that is not what this post it about. We'll discuss my craziness some other time! This is about what those bananas can be turned into! The joy of baking! I have always loved to bake cakes and cookies. They are my favorite. uummmm.....warm cake from the oven without any frosting. Could there be anything better? only if they are cinnamon rolls warm and gooey -- okay, getting side tracked again.

My mom has been a diabetic since she had me. My husband is also a diabetic. My brother-in-law and my father-in-law are also diabetics. That would be the problem the cake. Even if I Splenda it up ~ the flour turns to sugar. Plus, the flour is not on Luke's diet anyway!! So, this summer, I've been determined to change my ways. I'm going to make pie that even me ~the cake lover ~ wants to eat!

I finally have a wonderful, flaky pie crust recipe from a lady I work with that has baked for 30 years! (thank you Nadine!) That was one of the reasons I didn't even want to make pie. The hard to make crust. I always heard if you handle it too much it won't be flaky and the other recipes I tried were not any good so buying a crust was SO much easier. But, not anymore!

Now, the good stuff. The fillings! I've made a blueberry with frozen berries, a raisin pie, a chocolate peanut butter torte, peach pie with canned peaches, and now I've even made a homemade banana cream pie. Oh, yeah. YUMM! I never liked that artificial banana flavor that is in the packages of pudding but homemade? Oh, yeah! You'll notice that the family agreed because all I have left are a few bananas! :)

Nadine's Crust
1 1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup Crisco (yeah, it's the only reason it's even in my house!)
1/4 cup cold water

Mix and roll out. I usually have to add a bit more water to make mine a dough. So, just add a little bit at a time till becomes a dough. (makes 1 crust)

Banana Pie Filling
3/4 cup sugar or Splenda
3 table. cornstarch
2 cups half and half (one of those small containers is perfect! no measuring needed!)
3 egg yolks
1 tea vanilla
4 bananas sliced thin

Cook Sugar, cornstarch, and half & half until bubbles. Cook 2 min
Add bananas and egg yolks. Cook 2 more min.
Take off heat and add vanilla. Let it cool for a bit. I actually just put my crust in the oven at this point (no filling) and bake crust for 12 min. (while filling cools for 12 min). Then, pour filling in (add meringue if you like at this point) and bake 12-15 min. I let it chill in fridge overnight then topped with cool whip (sugar free!) the next day before serving. ENJOY!

God in Control

"But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice, let them ever shout for joy,

because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass

him as with a shield." Psalm 5:11-12

ShOuT fOr JoY!

The Lord will defend.

The Lord will protect.

I just needed that reminder and thought you might too! That what ever in life that we may face, God is in control. Isn't that beautiful? In our trials...in our tears...even in the midst of our fears...God is not far away looking down from a fluffy cloud. God is there with us .... meeting us where we are.

Always Luke. . .

It just seems like it always falls to Luke. Joey is healthy. Faith is healthy. When something happens, it falls on Luke. This is the first summer my kids are going to camp. So, one of the first things they need are physicals. Faith did fine and she didn't need any shots so she was being so sympathetic to her brothers by dancing around. Joey did fine although he had to get shots. Then, it was Luke's turn. He got his two shots as well. And then, they found a heart murmur. At that point, I really didn't think a lot about it. He's had it since birth and I kinda' remember his pediatrician saying it but saying not to worry about it. He never did any other testing. Plus, Kent has one. I hear of people all of the time with hear murmurs. No biggie, right?

But, with all of the health factors affecting not only adults but becoming more common in children, they want to have it checked out. We schedule our EKG once school is over the next week. Luckily, we have a branch of the Arkansas Children's Hospital close to us so we didn't have to travel to Little Rock again. Have you ever seen one of those EKG's? In some of those pictures, Luke and I saw that mask that is on those Scream movies. Very weird. I have never seen one before even with all of Kent's heart disease. It took a little over an hour. They told his that it gets sent to a pediatric heart specialist in Little Rock and they send the results back to the family doctor in a few days.

I went today and they told me that Luke does have a small hole. They said that it is fairly normal spot. It is a hole babies need while they are in the womb but closes naturally after a few months of birth. Usually. Of course, not with Luke. I naturally looked it up online and it sounded as okay as a hole in the heart can but then at the bottom the article said that it is common to find in stroke patients and often have other heart defects. Greeaat! I don't even want to think about that one!

Also, when reading through the report, I'm thinking okay...sounding good....this works normal....we can do this....this is normal...we're almost to the end of the report...we're going to make it.....Nope. Almost the last sentence in the report is, "early bifurcation of left circumflex." Yeah, if your like me, you hit another tab on the computer and type that in to see what that means in English. And if you do, you will find that Luke already is starting a blockage in his left coronary artery. Seriously?!?! He is only 12 years old! So, this week, I get to make an appointment with a pediatric heart surgeon and find out what other tests he wants to run.

I really don't understand. Why does it always have to be Luke? Doesn't he have enough on his plate? Isn't autism and learning disabilities enough? Do we have to add food allergies and asthma? He also has foot problems and hearing/ear doctors. Did we really need to add heart disease to his list? I know that it is not for me so say. And, I also know that there is a greater plan that I cannot see. I have reassured Luke of that several times through the years. There is a reason. God does have a plan. But ~ it so hard for Luke because he knows he is different. I've told Luke before that he must be a very strong person for God to keep giving him things to handle. I just pray that I am.

"I will say to the Lord, 'My refugee and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'

For He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you will you will find refuge;

And His faithfulness is a shield and buckler."

Psalm 91:2-4

Father's Day

Father's Day once again. It has been two years since I've spent it with my Dad. In those years there are moments that I wish I could have called him up and talked with him. Times that I know my kids wished that he was there.

It just reminds me about how important the role of a man, a father, is in a person's life. Two years later and that hole is still there. After talking with others that have lost a parent, even 10 years down the road, that hole will still be there. Yes, birthdays and holidays will get easier. But ~ that spot ....that void.....will never be filled again. Maybe if we realized that while they were here, we'd treasure those moments more. My Dad used to call me seriously at least 10 times a day. Those phone calls were about anything. He found a show on the kids would like. The Razorbacks are playing (woo-PIG-sooie!!) It's going to rain. ANYTHING! Yes, they would get annoying sometimes. But now ~ I'd love to have another day of it. Amazing how your perspective can change, isn't it?

So, today we were thankful for all of the father's in our family. And, since it's Father's Day and my husband and father-in-law like pie, well, they got pie! My father-in-law and brother-in-law like blueberry, so I made one of those. My husband told me that he used to love the raisin pie Grandma Yarbrough made when they were kids. So, I made raisin pie. (it's okay, nothing to write home about! But then, I'm not a raisin kinda' girl. I like butterscotch chips in my oatmeal cookies, not raisins. So, I'm not a fair judge! They liked it so I guess it was good.) I also made a chocolate peanut butter torte because well ~ I wanted some chocolate! :)

I am very blessed to have the men still in my family. My husband. My father-in-law. My brother-in-law. They are all good men. But, I am looking forward to that day when I am held in my father's arms again.

"Fathers, do no provoke your children to anger, but bring them up

in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4

Be Watchful

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world." ~ 1 Peter 5:8-9

The Bible warns us to be watchful more than once.

"Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Does that make you feel like prey? We are. There are so many distractions. So many difficulties in this life. It is very easy to take our eyes from our goal. To live like Christ ~ For Christ. There are so many opportunities for satan to attack us. He has many things to use against us. Things that are in our human nature. Pride. Anger. Discouragement. Things that can be twisted and turned from things of God ~ to things for our own wants.

How many times do we get angry at our family? How many times has pride hurt a relationship? How many times do difficulties turn into discouragement? I believe that anger can be justified. It's in the Bible. God's even been angry. But, (a looking in the mirror moment) most of my anger is not to further help God's mission. It's because something happened at home or work. Pride, well, it's just in human nature. It is hard to be the one to say their sorry. It's hard to be the first one to let go of the hurt/anger and open your hands and heart. Discouragement is a biggy. This world is full of pain. It is so easy to get discouraged. I believe it happens to everyone. When we are down, that the easiest for satan to make it feel so much worse.

So, we must be watchful. For ourselves. For our families. For each other. Be the encourager. Work on controlling the anger and swallowing our pride. Pray for one another. I know that it's a tall list. Lucky for us, we have Christ helping us. And, with Him, anything is possible.

Faces of the Past

I do love old pictures. I've been working on our genealogy for over fourteen years now. Well, on and off. My husband says I'm an all or nothing kinda' person. I'll dig it out and just work on it. Stay up late trying to figure things out. Of course, having the kids in those years ~ there are several years that I didn't even crack it open! My oldest, Joey, is into it as well. So, we got a program and we are trying to organize all the notes and papers that I've accumulated. Trying to put the pieces together. It's summer now (woo-hoo!!) so I've stayed up a few times this week until 1 am trying to find things. It really is amazing how much is out there on the Internet! I've spent lots of hours looking up things on microfilm in years past, but now so much is online. Okay ~ I just re-read that and I sound like an old person!! Geez!! ;~D

Take for instance the last picture. His is John William Yarbrough but for some reason everyone called him "Riggs." That is my children's great-great grandfather Yarbrough. He was a pentecostal preacher. In the middle photo, he is the young man standing in the middle behind the child. Doesn't he look like a nice man? The picture is just...priceless to me! To find out stories and photos of people long ago in our family is so important! Our family is from Newton and Carroll County but there is one young man in our family that went to Ohio to sign up for the Civil War so he could fight for freedom! Amazing! FYI: If you are wondering about that cute little baby, that is 10 month old Ruth Baker. She was...let me see...my kids great-great grandfather Baker had a brother named Burton William Baker. That is his daughter.

Okay, I'm now done with my genealogy lesson! I came across this verse while reading and thought it seemed to fit:

"As for man, his days are like grass;

he flourishes like a flower of the field;

for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,

and its places knows it no more.

But, the steadfast love of the Lord

is from everlasting to everlasting..."

Psalm 103:15-17

Family Moments

Luke, Joey, and Faith Snow

Abby and Faith Snow

Summer, Phillip, and Cara Rolf

Looking at the photos just make me smile. Do you know that Brad Paisley song, "The World"? The song talks about how to everyone else your just another nameless person. But ~ to me, you are the world. (hence ~ the title..LOL) I find that so true. Looking at the people that I love so much, I realize that you probably don't know them. Yet, the mean so much to me and add so much to my life that I cannot imangine my life without them.

Do you ever people watch? I used to do it more than I do now. I used to actually want to go shopping and to the mall. And, I didn't have three kids with me when I went. Anyway ~ I used to watch others and wonder if they were married. Or had kids. Grandmother or not. Strict one? Or a spoiling one? Things like that. It is just a reminder that all of those strangers our there that we interact with everyday ~ have a story as well. They are loved. Mothers. Fathers. Aunts. Grandfathers. Friends.

"Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to

you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another

and for all, as we do for you" ~ 1 Thessalonians 3:11-12

50 Years Together

I love getting all of the "kids" together! :)
L to R: Phillip, Joey, Vernon, Carolyn, Luke, Summer
& Cara. Faith and Abby are in front.

Everyone loved the hair-do's!
Their hair took way too much effort for me!

Lemon Cake with pink frosting
Chocolate Cake with blue frosting

My sister-in-law made these pretty flower
arrangements for the tables. :)

It was a great Sunday! My in-laws were surprised by the anniversary reception. The announcement made it into the newspaper. (that's how they found out!!) My punch turned out really well. No one would guess that it had sugar free 7up and Hawaiian Punch made with Splenda! The only sugar added was with the rasberry & pineapple sherbert. The cake was beautiful. Cupcakes were cute with their gold sugar on top and wrappers of gold. The flowers were a nice touch to the tables. Friends and family came. (I love it when all of the cousins are together.) Moments like this become warm memories to look back on.

I love to glance at the past, so I looked up what some prices were in 1951. In that year, the average income was $3,500. A home cost around $16,000. Gas was 20 cents a gallon. Six bottles of Coke was 37 cents. A postage stamp was three cents! Isn't amazing how much it has gone up in the past fifty years? I wonder what the future will look like when it's our kids or grandkids looking back at our lives?

Feelin' Like Summer!

They do love the water!

The water was too cold for me. This is as far as I got!


And, a slice of peach pie to end the day!

Our first few days of summer vacation just passed right by! It felt like I was running here and running there without getting much done. I did get some girl time with my baby girl on Friday. The boys went to Papa's and mowed his lawn and then took him out to lunch. (It was his birthday!) So, Faith and got to walk around the mall and have lunch. We got baked potatoes at Jason's Deli ~ delish! :) Today we got to swim....well, as you can tell by the pictures....Luke and Faith got to swim!! (It was freezing!) Then, it was time to get busy on some cupcakes. Can you keep a secret? Shhhhh..... my sister-in-law and I are planning a surprise reception for my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary! I am just hoping my punch recipe that I found is a good one. (crossing my fingers!) I made a batch of chocolate cupcakes and a batch of lemon cupcakes. I thought those would go well with the white cake they are getting.

It will be fun tomorrow. Surprises are always good, right? I'll let you know how it goes. I keep double checking my list making sure I don't forget anything. The problem is: what if the thing I'm forgetting never made it onto my list to begin with?? LOL You can understand right? I hope that you have a blessed Sunday with your families! Make some wonderful summer memories!

"Love is to the heart what the summer is to the farmer's year,

it brings to harvest all the lovelist flowers of the soul."

~ unknown

The Hard Road

"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the path is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." Matthew 7:13-14


God never said it was going to be easy. Life here is filled with sadness, anger, jealously, and uncertainty. Nothing can be counted on in this world. Not our health. Nor our loved ones because they can be taken at any time. Our jobs are uncertain. (especially today it seems!) And in this verse in Matthew reminds us that if life here is getting too easy ~ if you blending with the crowd too much ~ maybe, your on the wrong path. That's hard because honestly, sometimes I just want it to be easy!!


Not to say that just because things are awesome in your life right now, that the path your on is wrong. God loves us and wants what's best for us. It is just that this world should not be too comfortable. God's best for us is not always what we want. Sometimes God's best is a hill to climb with poison ivy on both sides of the narrow path. We are here to learn. We're not called to this earth for the easy ride. We can't learn and become stronger in faith and realize we need God, if things are too easy.

What we do affects not only us but our children. How we handle this road we are on. Do we just go with the flow? Or do we speak up when we know its wrong? Do we criticize or help others? Little eyes are watching us....I was thinking about the words 'looking up to us' but since my boys are as tall or taller than me, those words wouldn't work! lol How we handle the difficulties in our life teach our children. What kind of example are we setting?

June Basket Winners!

One Basket with Peanut Butter and Snickerdoodle

for Nanci Robinson (I know your not a big chocolate

fan, so I picked one of our family favorites for your 2nd choice.)

One box with an assortment of cookies being sent

to a sweet lady winning the battle of cancer.

God is So Good!

One Basket with Oatmeal Raisin and Double Chocolate Chip

for Jason Scott

Thank you everyone for playing! I do enjoy baking. I know that part of it is the joy others have with receiving it. It brings me joy to see your happiness! :) Isn't it great how it works that way? If you have any suggestions that you would like for the next drawing, just hit that comment button and let me know! Thinking maybe I could find a pretty cake plate and make a three layer or something? Humm...Pie? I don't know. Let me know what you'd like! :)

"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing,

You have loosened my sackcloth

and clothed me in gladness;

that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent,

O, Lord, my God, I will give thanks to you forever."

Psalm 30:11-12

Thankful for His Gifts

This is my gift list book. My gifts that God gives me each and everyday. The gifts that I try to take the time and notice. I try not to let those gifts just pass me by. (although I'm sure that I miss many!) On my front page, I put "Count your blessings one by one." Remember that hymn? It just seemed to fit. Here are a few that I've wrote down lately:

33. Hiking with the family
38. Breakfast remembering the good times with my Dad
42. Finding a gas station before running out of gas (out on county roads in Newton/Madison County)
46. Beauty of the hills of the Ozarks
48. Summer break with the kids

"I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;

I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.

I will be glad and exult in you,

I will sing praise to you name, O Most High."

Psalm 9:1-2

I know that your probably wondering who won the drawing. (Maybe?) So, I tried something new this time. I saw this website on a friend of mine's blog. (http://www.blessedholly.com/) She does some awesome stuff with the sewing machine and give-aways!! Anyway, she found this site for her drawings and I thought I'd try it. And (drum roll) ~ It looks like Nanci and Jason has won the drawing!! YEAH!

(Picture confetti falling down and balloons going up! )

Thanks again everyone for playing. I'll post pictures once I get them done this week. :) I need to find out what kind of cookies they want! I'll have another drawing soon. Any suggestions???

Beauty of God

One of the joys of the kids getting bigger are them being able to do more things. Kent's company picnic for the several years has been tickets to Silver Dollar City. They have grown from just a couple kiddy rides to lovin' the water rides. I remember pushing a double stroller up and down those hills wondering why we were even there when they can't do anything. Then, came the single stroller with Faith while I watch the boys being able to do a few things.

Now, there's not stroller and no place to put anything! (one of the things you miss!!) But, there is so much more to do! :) We do love the Marvel Cave. It really is beautiful. My pictures don't do it justice. It would have been better if we found one of the bats but they were hidden in the depths of the cave. Which I can't say that I blame them!! It is a reminder for me of the living God that is in control. Look at all the He's made!!

"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof,

the world and those who dwell therein,

for He has founded it upon the seas,

and established it upon the rivers."

Psalm 24:1-2

June Giveaway!!

I had so much fun with the Easter Baskets giveaway. It's just fun to do something special for some one else! I realize that most people are like me and LOVE to win things!! :) I was going to do something for Mother's Day but May seemed to have come and gone before I even knew it. Sorry ladies! So, it's June. We have Father's Day this month. Also, the end of another school year.

So, what to give away?? I don't know about you but cookies taste SO much better if: 1) they are fresh and 2) some one else makes them!! Why else would we go to the Cookie Company at the mall and pay $6 for a few cookies? Cookies are portable so they are great to take on your picnics! So, I'd like to give away 2 dozen cookies to 2 different people!! That's right ~ two dozen! To two different names drawn. Each person may choose 24 cookies of one flavor. Or a dozen cookies of two different flavors! Yummm!! Some ideas to choose from:

• The Classic Chocolate Chip


• Double Chocolate Chip (My new favorite!)


• Snicker doodle


• Sugar Cookies with frosting


• Peanut Butter


• Oatmeal Raisin


• Snowflake Macaroons

I hope that you are excited about my giveaway! :) Faith and I found the perfect containers today for the cookies! The same thing goes as last time. Just leave me your name (first and last please) and your 1-2 favorite flavors you would choose. If your favorite cookie is not list, just put it down with your name. That cookie list is just the ones I picked from the top of my head that I make a lot. I have other recipes! :) Then, on Tuesday the 7th, I'll draw out two names! (Must live around Springdale for delivery.) Hopefully it will be yours! Good Luck!