New Whitehouse Listing...

Great, affordable, clean...corner lot, move in ready! $117,900 MLS # 9999991
1108 Jan Street, Whitehouse, TX

Take time to Listen...

Today was one of those days that I just so... enjoyed my job. I listed a house this afternoon and spent a couple of hours with the seller. There are so many times I am rushed, but I have to remind myself to slow down. She, the seller, was so enjoyable and I just felt blessed by meeting her. Later on today, I closed a property that the buyer had returned to Afghanistan and his father was the one that actually closed with me today. It took us an extra amount of time, but in doing so, I was able to visit with another Veteran and ask questions, and just hear a small part of his story. He fought in the Korean and Vietnam war and was wounded. I had to fight back tears several times, because we just do not realize how these men and women fight for our freedom along with others that do not have freedom. One of his comments was, "I would do it again, I would die for this country", and another comment he made was, (I am paraphrasing), that God is right with us in the midst of whatever storm we are in. In Psalm 57:1, which I read early this morning, it says, "I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed". How fitting this verse was this afternoon. I just had to hug this man several times and thank him for being my hero. I told him I personally know two hero's now, he and his son. I have always prayed that God would put me exactly where I need to be each day and each moment. I don't exactly feel that way everyday, but today was one of the day's I really felt this desire completed. My job is about people, about life's situations, about happy times, and sad times. I want to be in the moment. I want to stop talking and just listen. :)

Seniors again!...

Mother and Daddy went to their "50th" High School Reunion. REL and JT ... cute picture of them. I think they looked so much younger than most of the others. :)

LaLa finally...

As of yesterday, Layton can now say "LaLa". I was like "OMG", he just said it! He started out saying "wawa", then "aw wa", then "aw la", and now the "LaLa". "L's" give him problems. Tonight I talked to him on the phone, and he said "I love LaLa"......ahhhhhhhh.....

Banana Split Ice Cream?...

If you know me, then you know I love banana splits, and I do not like to share. Well, this afternoon, we bought Blue Bell Banana Split ice cream. It was so good, of course I added pecans and mini marshmallows. All things are better with marshmallows and pecans made it healthy, right? :)

And, for a moment of truth. Jason and I went to New York City on our honeymoon back in '03. We had to go to Serendipity for the banana split. This is the only pic I could find, and YES I ate the whole thing. I had to walk hours in New York City that day to overcome the guilt and the bloatedness (is that a word?) ...hehehe

I just looked at my calendar on my desk it and it says,

"The best way to end a meal is with dessert...and a day with prayer". Amen!

Credit scores do matter...

Last Friday afternoon, Holley Butler, City Bank Mortgage sent out this email, can you believe?

So, you see credit scores do matter !

"Today’s FHA/VA rate with scores over 660 is 4.75% WITH NO POINTS!!!!

Conventional Loans up to 95% financing Credit Scores over 720 4.875 No Points"

Kiss Advice...

We are watching the movie, "Leap Year"...good advice on kissing. "Kiss like it is your First and Last Kiss". I like that!

Water Punch...for real?...

Saw this recipe on http://www.realmomkitchen.com/, I think I will have to learn to make this:

I will keep you posted, I am going to try and find citric acid!

Water Punch
5 quarts of chilled water
3 cups of sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon extract
1 Tbsp. citric acid (found in the pharmacy or health and nutrition store)
fresh lemon, lime, or orange slices (optional)
In a punch bowl or large container combine water, sugar, lemon extract, and citric acid. Stir until sugar is all dissolved. Then add citrus slices to float in the punch and make it look pretty.

Garage Sale Now...

Saturday, May 15th, 7 am till 12 pm...Hurry on by...

Garage Sale Prep...

Preparation began late today... and believe me, there are some "treasures"...ha! I even found a few treasures, I am not telling Lauren though. :)

Garage sale will be Saturday, May 15th... if you read this, come on by.

My Favorite Smells...

Four of my favorite smells, just had to post about this...

#1 Johnson's Baby Lotion.

Lauren dropped by for about a minute tonight and I got to see Layton for , uh, only a minute! Not long enough. I picked him up and oh my, that smell...love baby lotion, and I just kissed on his head!

#2 Coffee

I just love the smell of coffee...I can smell it now. I think coffee smells better than it taste. :)

#3 Jason's cologne

Anytime of the day, Jason smells of Polo! Love this smell... this is my comfort smell.

#4 Anything baking

Yes, mix sugar and butter together, and bake...love these smells!

You know it just does not take much to make me happy. I read in my devotion this morning about God's blessings being referred to as hugs...well, these are four of my hugs.

Headaches...

Thought this depicted me ... I have had headaches all day... could it be the East Texas weather? hmmmm or this dang wind! Where does all the wind come from? :)

Or maybe I could take the advice from below, hehe...

Moses and his pain relief... :)

Orange...

I am totally into "orange" right now. It makes me happy! I want orange flowers, orange decorations...peaches are orange, Fanta orange drink and the list goes on. Good grief, I drive myself crazy, not to mention Jason. Hehehehe...

So, I just googled orange and picked the first entry. I read it to Jason, he just looked at me with that look

and said, "you know orange is one of those words that does not rhyme with any other word?", huh, think on that one!

"Orange is a power color. It is one of the healing colors. It is said to increase the craving for food. It also stimulates enthusiasm and creativity. Orange means vitality with endurance. People who like orange are usually thoughtful and sincere. "

This has to explain it all... increases cravings... not good! :)

I AM...

Psalm 50: 9-15

• "I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens,
  for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.
  I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine.
  If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it.
  Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?
  Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High,
  and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me."

You know I have been thinking about this chapter today. As I read through the Old Testament, literally, thousands of animals are sacrificed as an offering to God. I always ponder and even marvel at the mention of the number of animals that are sacrificed. Today the chapter that I read in II Chronicles 29: 33-34 clearly goes along with Psalm 50 that I read afterwards. Here is the verse in II Chronicles, "The number of burnt offerings the assembly brought was seventy bulls, a hundred rams and two hundred male lambs—all of them for burnt offerings to the LORD. The animals consecrated as sacrifices amounted to six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep and goats." Can you imagine?

Okay, so we get off the numbers now, do you find it a coincidence that I was reading II Chronicles and then Psalm 50? My mother is laughing now, thinking here she goes again with her signs. But really, hmmmm... When I first read Psalm 50, my first thought was, God sure is arrogant, but then I thought, omg, he is everything, he knows everything, he does not need us for anything. He is the Judge and the Jury. He is the great "I AM"... He is Lord of all, he is the ruler of all things, everything in Heaven and Earth is His, he is exalted as head over all.

You know all God wants for us, is to be obedient and to love the Lord our God wholeheartedly, and to do what is right in the eyes of God. No matter what we do, how we mess up, all we have to do is seek Him and we WILL find him. He listens to us, he hears us. Notice the last part of the verse above, "you will honor me". One day everyone will. If you read the end of Psalm 50, it states "Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue."

I am not sure I make sense at all to anyone but myself, but you have got to go read Psalm 50. God is just so powerful, He ... IS ... GOD !

Peach Cake...

I love any recipe with peaches...love the smell of a fresh peach...

I received a recipe from a recipe exchange this last week, and I wanted to try it out before I post it on one of my postcards. Here you go, so simple!

Peach Cake

3 eggs, beaten

1 3/4 cup sugar

1 cup oil

2 cups flour

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 t cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped pecans

2 cups sliced peaches (I used canned, but you can use fresh or frozen)

Mix thoroughly by hand. Pour in a greased and floured 13 x 9" pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes. Note: It looks like it is browning too much, but that is the way it is suppose to look)

Happy Mother's Day Weekend...

Mother, I love you... and I love these "wee" little piglets...following their momma!

Your firstborn! :)

Do the work...

You know somedays I am just so positively overwhelmed ... that is with reading the Bible. I know I keep talking about I Chronicles 28-29...but it has so touched my heart. King David was not chosen to build the temple for the ark of the Lord, the "palatial structure" meaning, a palace, or magnificent. Solomon his son, was chosen and he was inexperienced, and what a monumental task, BUT, "the palatial structure is not for man but for the Lord God". Wow! Several times in these verses David tells his son, Solomon, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work, Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished." And in another verse David tells his son, Solomon, "acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be STRONG and DO the work."

As I read these verses, and I could go on an on...but I think of my mother and father. How many times, have I been discouraged and they tell me to not be discouraged, and in a nutshell, be strong and DO the Work! They have taught me to TRUST in God for everything comes from God, he owns it all, we are the tenants and we only manage what God has given us! Verse 17: " I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent".

I just want to say in my blog today, that I love "my" God. I truly hope and pray that my heart will continually trust and remember everything that I have comes from Him. I pray that being so inexperienced in so many areas, that I just live by faith, and "Do the work".

My heart is thankful today. I am so thankful for everything that God has given me. God has blessed me with a wonderful business, great business associates and I have the most wonderful parents, husband, a beautiful daughter and the most animated, precious grandboy. I am blessed beyond measure.

Wisdom...

My new verses to memorize. It has been a long time since I memorized anything, and now that I have I Chronicles 29:10-13 memorized, which I repeat many times a day, I wanted to find another passage that I love~ so here it is!

Proverbs 1: 1-7
1.The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2. for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight;
3. for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair;
4. for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young-
5. let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance-
6. for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Was he Proud?

Layton made this at school for his momma, he was so proud, she said! :) These are the things we momma's keep forever! Right?
Happy Momma's Day!

Hard Worker...

Layton is such a hard worker...we went and picked up "rocks" again today! The boy can hurl some rocks. We forget he is just a baby still until he bends over and we see his diaper. Hehehe...

GG and Layton in the mule...what a good afternoon with Layton and my mother :)

Life Rocks...

My favorite thing today, going out on the mule with my mother and Layton to pick up rocks. I was in need of rocks for a drainage area in one of my flowerbeds. On the acreage I live, it is iron ore, so there are rocks forever, you just have to look for them. Kind of like blessings, there are many, but you have to take time to notice.

I have been waiting for the day that Layton can stand up in the mule while we drive across the pasture. He can now get in and out by himself and he was such a hard worker. I have to say he picked up as many as me and GG. What FUN... making memories :)

Today's Five Favorites...

1. Church and lunch with my family.
2. Layton looking up at me, saying "ah la". *he means LaLa :)
3. Movie "Four Christmases", makes me and Jason laugh!
4. My early Mother's Day present from Jason, "IPOD shuffle", with all music downloaded! :)
5. Lauren bringing me a cookie decorated as a "cupcake".

I think it is nice to list our favorites for the day! We are all so blessed!